Sarah felt a tingle up her spine again when he talked about the wildlife. “These mountains are home to elk, coyote, bobcats, and black bears,” Coby told the group. Sarah pictured herself walking along the meandering nature trail and hearing snapping noises in the brush which sounded like someone following her. For the last few days she had put her fears aside, assuming it had been the boy. Now she realized she actually could have been in real danger.
“… and twenty-seven species of rodents,” Coby added and Sarah shuddered.
But she put all those thoughts behind her when the bus stopped and she looked out over a lush green valley hemmed in by sandstone cliffs and endless blue ridges as far as she could see.
As promised, the drive through the park had been spectacular. Sarah wished for Charles to be able to experience it first hand and hoped they could find time to drive through the park while he was there.
Maybe he should rent a car at the airport, she thought, realizing they would need to be able to get around.
After walking through Clingman’s Dome Visitor Center and picking up a couple of souvenirs, Sarah and Holly shared a picnic table with several other women who planned to follow the trail up to the observation tower. Eager to start the hike, they crumpled their lunch bags and headed for the trail.
When Sarah first agreed to hike to the dome, she had completely forgotten about her ankle. She hadn’t gone far up the paved trail before it started to throb, but she was determined to continue. I can always stop and sit on a bench, she assured herself, but in fact she was able to walk the entire way.
It was, indeed, a very steep incline.
As they reached the concrete walkway that curved high above the mountainside on its way up and out to the observation tower, Sarah leaned against the railing to rest, but the view immediately captured her attention. She just stood, overcome by the beauty of the rolling tree-covered mountains and valleys that blended into the horizon. A soft mist lay over the peaks in the far distance. “Spectacular,” she said almost in a whisper as if her voice might disturb the tranquility.
Holly had brought a jacket and was buttoning it when Sarah turned around. “I wish I’d thought of that,” she commented. There was a strong wind and it was much cooler as they approached the deck of the circular observation tower perched high above the sloping mountain. There was a sign indicating that the elevation was 6,643 feet.
They slowly walked around the circular tower, taking full advantage of the panoramic view. Not wanting to leave this magnificent spot, they stood by the rail until they realized a crowd was forming behind them. Looking down the trail, they could see several busloads of people on their way up.
Once they got back to the lodge, Sarah was exhausted and in need of a shower and some time spent with her feet up. She put a call into Peggy’s room to see if she would be willing to wrap her ankle again since it was swollen and painful.
After a few hours of rest, the quilters began to congregate in a private banquet room that had been set up with wine and cheese along with an array of hors d’oeuvres. Their projects, which had been collected earlier, were displayed around the room for everyone to admire.
Drew Harper, Holly’s husband, had returned from his hike along the Appalachian Trail and was now the only man in the room. He seemed to be enjoying his exclusive position as a group of woman crowded around him. Walking closer to see what was going on, Sarah realized he was describing in detail his encounter with a black bear along the trail. “He probably spotted it a half-mile off the trail down in the valley,” Holly whispered with a loving sparkle in her eye. “He loves attention.”
After dinner, Sarah sat on the front porch, listening to the sounds of the forest and wondering what the next few days would bring. The food had been delicious, and the camaraderie with the quilters was very emotional as they realized their retreat had come to an end.
* * * * *
It took Sarah a moment to realize her cell phone was ringing. She glanced at the clock and saw it was 2:30 in the morning. She picked up the phone and squinted to read who was calling. “Sophie?” she said into the receiver, still feeling groggy.
“Oh no!” Sophie suddenly exclaimed. “I forgot about the time difference. Were you asleep?”
Shaking herself awake, Sarah responded as kindly as she could, “That’s okay, Sophie.” She clicked on the bedside lamp and arranged her pillows so she could sit up. “What’s going on?”
“I’m flying home tomorrow,” Sophie responded.
“You and Higgy are cutting your trip short?” Sarah responded, yawning and hoping her good friend would get to the point of her call quickly.
“No, I’m flying back alone.”
“What about Higgy?” Sarah asked suddenly attentive.
“He left this morning for Las Vegas.”
Mary Beth stopped by Sarah’s room early the next morning to let her know that Coby would drive them to the Abernathy home at 10:00.
Sarah hurried through her shower, went downstairs to pick up coffee and a breakfast sandwich, and returned to her room to call Charles. She figured he’d be up since he was flying to Tennessee later in the day.
“Hi, sweetie,” he answered sounding sleepy.
“Did I wake you?” she asked apologetically.
“No, I just got off the phone with the airlines. I’ll be arriving in Knoxville at 6:20 and should get to the lodge before 8:00. Will your friend Coby be able to meet me?”
“Charles, I think you should rent a car. We need to be able to get around without imposing on Coby, don’t you think?”
“I agree. Good idea.”
Sarah gave him the address and phone number. “Be sure you get a car with a GPS.”
“I think they all have them now, but I’ll bring my own just in case. What’s your plan today?”
“Mary Beth and I are going to the Abernathy home so I can meet the kids and let them know you’re coming to help find their father. Mary Beth has already talked to them, so it’s not going to be a problem. I just wanted them to meet us one at a time since they don’t see strangers often.”
They went on to talk about how to approach their first visits when Sarah suddenly stopped and said, “Charles, I have something to tell you.”
“Sounds serious. What is it, hon?”
“It’s Sophie.” Sarah told him about her conversation with Sophie the night before. “She realized they just weren’t right for each other. She’s glad they went to Alaska because it helped her see the problems. Tim helped too.”
“Tim doesn’t like him?”
“Well, Tim looks at him in terms of what he would like for his mother, and he feels Higgy just doesn’t fit the bill.”
“His buffoon-ness?”
Sarah laughed. “Yes, I guess it’s partly that. But even I was taken by him at first. …”
“Oh?” Charles responded trying to pretend jealous outrage.
“Not that way, you silly man. I was taken in by the belief that he was good for Sophie. He was attentive and seemed to adore her, but …”
“But that isn’t enough,” Charles said, completing her sentence.
“No. They need to be compatible in the long run. Sophie is delightful. She has a great sense of humor and she’s smart. She’s friendly and outgoing. And Higgy … well, Higgy’s …”
“A buffoon?”
“Okay, a buffoon,” Sarah chuckled. “I just can’t see her being happy with him in the long run. I know he’d be good to her; I just think she deserves more than that. Anyway, it doesn’t matter what we think. She’s decided not to marry him.”
“Ah,” he responded in a noncommittal tone, not wanting to admit that he was glad to hear Sophie had made what he considered to be the right decision. “And how did he take this?”
“He pleaded his case, of course, but once he was sure she meant it, he packed up and left for Las Vegas.”
“Las Vegas?” Charles exclaimed with surprise. “Why Las Vegas?”
“To see Lulu,”
Sarah responded.
“What? Llewellyn Ballard?” he responded with surprise. “Why?”
“After you told him about her, he called and they talked for hours. She told him she and her husband had been separated for the past year. …”
“I didn’t know that,” he responded surprised that she hadn’t told him.
“Her divorce was final last week, and once he was sure Sophie wasn’t going to marry him, he decided to go see her.”
“Wow! That surprises me. I feel sort of sorry for the guy. I’m not sure what he’s getting himself into.”
“Well, he’s not our problem now,” Sarah said.
“Is Sophie staying up there with her son for a while?”
“No, she’s flying home today. I was hoping you could pick her up, but you two will be crossing paths.”
“That’s right, they left Higgy’s new SUV at her house. Call her and get her schedule, and tell her I’ll arrange for someone to pick her up.”
“Who?”
“Someone from the department. They have some new recruits that just started. They’ll get a kick out of doing a favor for one of the old-timers.”
“You do have a reputation there, don’t you?” she responded with a chuckle. “I’m just glad you’re my old-timer. I’ll see you tonight.”
Mary Beth tapped on the door, as she was hanging up. “Are you ready to go?”
* * * * *
The gray weathered clapboard house was run down and in dire need of repair, but Sarah could see that it had been someone’s treasured home at some time in the past. The front porch was sagging, and the step leading up to it was askew, but there was latticework enclosing the space below the porch and a built-in planter on the exposed side of the covered porch. Two additions had obviously been added, a small one facing the front of the house and a two-story one on the back, probably bedrooms.
“Someone loved this house,” Sarah said softly, not realizing she had spoken her thoughts aloud.
“The grandparents. Clara’s parents,” Mary Beth clarified. “Richard and Clara moved into her parent’s house when they got married. Richard built on the addition for the parents and after they died, Clara and Richard’s children filled up that part of the house.”
“You said you visited here when you were young,” Sarah said, hoping Mary Beth would share some of her memories.
“Our grandfather was good friends with Clara’s parents and he used to bring Coby and me over here to play when we were kids. Clara was much older than we were, but she still played with us. That was before she married Richard, of course.”
“And later your father became good friends with Richard?”
“Yes,” Mary Beth replied. “Our families have been close for years.”
Sarah spotted a well with an old-fashioned pump near the side door. A slanting gutter had been jerry-rigged at the roofline to carry rainwater to a barrel near the well. Realizing Sarah was looking up at it, Mary Beth explained, “Our grandfather built that. It’s an awful looking thing, but it works.” She smiled as she remembered running through the cornfield with Coby that day while the men worked on the contraption. “Clara’s mama really fussed when she saw it,” Mary Beth said with a chuckle.
Sarah noticed a utility pole with low slung wires running into the house and was glad to see the children had electricity.
“It’s time for you two to hop out,” Coby announced. “I’ve got to get back to the lodge. I’ll be back for you in an hour. …”
“Oh?” Sarah responded, looking disappointed. “I was hoping to spend some time with the children. …”
“He’s just coming to pick me up then,” Mary Beth explained. “I need to get back to work, but if things are going well with you and the kids, you can stay longer. Coby can pick you up after his next trip to Knoxville.”
“That sounds good, assuming the children want me to stay. I was hoping to do some cooking,” she said as she reached into the back seat for the box of groceries she had asked Coby to pick up for her.
“I’ll carry that,” Mary Beth offered, taking the box from Sarah. As she was getting out of the car, Sarah handed Coby a slip of paper with her cell phone number and said, “Call me when you have an idea when you want to pick me up.”
Coby nodded and handed Sarah his card as well saying, “And you call me if you need me sooner.”
They waved to Coby as he drove away. Approaching the house, Sarah began to feel apprehensive, not knowing what to expect.
Before they had a chance to knock, the door was opened by a blond, curly-headed little girl. Looking at Sarah, she ran back and hid her face behind an older girl who Sarah assumed to be Addie May, the thirteen-year-old. Addie May smiled, and said, “That’s Baby Girl. She’s shy at first, but she won’t be for long.” Addie May tussled the little girl’s curls and said, “Ain’t that right, Baby Girl?”
The child put her thumb in her mouth but couldn’t hold back the smile that spread across her face. She reached down and picked up a ragged cloth which Sarah assumed to be her security blanket, or what was left of it.
“I’m Addie May Abernathy,” the older girl said attempting to look very grown up but was clearly very young to have all the responsibilities Sarah knew she had.
“Glad to meet you, Addie May.” Looking down at the little girl, she added, “And I’m glad to meet you too.” The little girl hid her face in the blanket.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Sarah,” Addie May continued, “and that’s my brother, Tommy, over there behind the chair. Tommy’s six. You know Ricky already. I don’t know where he got to,” she added looking around the sparsely decorated room as if he might appear somewhere in the room.
Sarah knew Addie May was uneasy despite her attempts to appear in control. She hoped she could find a way to put the young girl’s fears at ease, knowing she was afraid Sarah’s visit would somehow trigger an investigation by the county.
“I hope you won’t mind, but I brought along some food. I was hoping you and I could do some cooking together,” Sarah said to Addie May as she started unpacking the box. The previous day, she had asked Coby to buy a large package of beef and bags of onions, potatoes, and carrots. “Do you kids like beef stew?”
Addie May’s eyes lit up, overwhelmed by the idea of having a substantial meal for her siblings. They had been surviving on leftovers from the lodge for the past few weeks since their own food ran out. Tommy peeked out from behind the chair but wasn’t ready to accept this stranger. Baby Girl danced around the floor with delight, although Sarah figured she was just a happy child and not responding to the arrival of a healthy meal. Addie May came over and peeked into the box and smiled when she looked up at Sarah. In addition to the items for the stew, there was milk, eggs, bacon, orange juice, peanut butter, and several loaves of bread.
“Thank you, ma’am,” she said softly. “Papa will pay you back when he comes home.”
Sarah pulled out the last few items as Addie May put the perishables in the small fridge. She placed packages of cake mix and brown sugar on the counter, along with a can each of pineapple and cherries. “Have you ever made a pineapple upside-down cake?” she asked Addie May with a mischievous look.
An hour or so later, young Tommy crept into the kitchen and held onto Addie May’s arm as he whispered something to her. “Her name is Miss Sarah,” Addie May responded and continued drying the utensils they had been using. The stew was simmering on one of the two burners that was still working, and Sarah was arranging the pineapple circles on top of the melted brown sugar and butter. She told Addie May to place a cherry in the center of each circle.
“I want one,” Baby Girl demanded. Addie May looked at Sarah for permission.
“They’re yours,” was all she said and Addie May popped the cherry into the eager child’s mouth.
“More! More!”
“That’s all for now,” Addie May responded firmly and Sarah noticed that the child accepted her sister’s decision without argument.
“You’re doing a good job with the children,” Sarah said quietly while stirring the stew.
“Thank ya’,” the girl responded with lowered eyes.
While the meal was cooking, Sarah sat down with the children and taught them to play I Spy. Ricky had come in earlier and didn’t look surprised to see Sarah there. He just smiled and gave her an almost imperceptible nod. Baby Girl brought a tattered book from the bedroom and asked Sarah to read it. All the children crowded around, sitting at her feet and listened intently as if they hadn’t heard the story many times before. When Baby Girl asked her to read it again, Sarah used funny voices for all the animals and was delighted to hear the children’s laughter.
After dinner, Sarah and Addie May did the dishes and talked quietly. “Mary Beth said you would help find our Papa.”
“I’ll certainly try. My husband is coming to help us.” She thought about what Mary Beth had told her and decided not to mention that Charles was a retired policeman. “He’s very good at finding people,” was all she said.
Addie May stopped drying the dishes and stood very still. She looked directly into Sarah’s eyes and asked, “Do you think he’s alive?” Sarah heard the girl’s voice crack on the word alive.
“Addie May, we have to assume he’s safe and that there’s some good reason why he couldn’t come back home. Let’s just take it one day at a time.”
“That’s what I’ve been doing,” the girl responded, reaching for the next dish to dry. “That and praying,” she added. “So far, the Lord’s taken care of us. We’ve had food on the table every day, … nothing like this, of course,” she said with a grin and a sweeping motion referring to the delicious meal they had just enjoyed.
Coby had called Sarah’s cell phone earlier in the afternoon to see when he should pick her up. Since things were going well, she told him to come whenever he was free before sunset. They were both surprised to find they had a cell phone signal and Sarah wondered about getting a phone for Addie May, although she probably didn’t have anyone she could call other than Sarah. She decided to talk to Charles about it when he arrived.
Moon Over the Mountain Page 9
