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Chapter 1

Dragging an old large suitcase from the bottom of the closet. The young man tossed it on the bed and opened it. Turning to the small night stand beside the bed the young man pulled the small drawer completely out of the night stand dumping its contents into the suitcase. Tossing the drawer onto the bed, the man turned to repeat the same thing with the top left hand drawer out of the dresser, tossing it on top the smaller drawer on the bed, repeating the process with the next drawer down, and then finally the larger bottom drawer.

Tossing that drawer aside he began arranging the oversized pile of now half folded clothing to fill every cranny within the suitcase in what looked like an attempt to reduce the size of the large pile so that he could actually close the suitcase. Reaching over he brought the top of the case over and tried several times to close it but failed.

“Dammit!” he moaned, pulling the case off the bed spilling some of its contents that he stuffed back inside before this time standing on the lid with one foot while trying to latch it closed, that failing he knelt down using his full weight on top the lid, finally managing to close the overstuffed case. Turning the case upright so that he could reach the handle, the man walked over and opened the closet.

Over half the clothing that hung from the closet rod was obviously for someone smaller and very feminine, much of which was dresses and skirts. The man ignored these items, looking to the far left of the closet where at most a fifth of the space seemed to have male clothing on hangars. Wrapping his right hand up and through as much of the male clothing that he could with one hand, he pulled the items on their hangars out of the closet, holding them over his shoulder while grabbing the suitcase handle with his free hand before walking out of the bedroom.

Outside the man walked up to an old Chevy pickup truck. The truck looked like something out of an old black and white movie with its rounded fenders and hood. While the truck looked very old, the dark metallic green paint looked as if it was still wet the way the sunlight reflected off its flawless surface. The wooden bottom inside of the truck’s bed was just as blemish free and the man was careful to lay the suitcase down gently on to the wooden surface.

At the driver’s door he twisted the handle, opening the large heavy metal door then laid the hanging clothes as far across the brown leather seat as he could. Closing the door of the truck, he hurried back into the house.

Coming back out with another armload, the part of which that was heavy enough not to blow out of the opened back of the pickup went into the rear, while the rest was piled on top the clothing already in the passenger side of the cab. Reaching back to grab the opened driver’s door, he began to step inside the cab when a tan colored Toyota Camry came racing up into the driveway screeching to a stop.

The driver’s door of the Toyota flew open, a young woman jumped out of the car wearing a tea length white peasant styled sun dress. Her medium blond hair bounced along in the breeze behind her as she ran around the car as quickly as she could in the wedge sandals she wore.

Her beauty always stunned him, how a woman so lovely could even want him was something he could not imagine. If a face could launch a thousand ships, then the face that ran toward him could have launched ten times that many.

“Baby what’s wrong?” The girl stopped in front of the man, only the door of the pickup truck separating the two.

The mixture of green and brown of her hazel eyes seemed to see right into the heart of the man’s soul. How does she always know when I am upset? “I, I got to leave.” He stammered.

“Please Tom,” She begged, “I love you.”

Look away, he thought to himself, Don’t look her in the eyes you moron. But his eyes were locked into those beautiful hazel eyes that seemed to be calling to him, begging him not to do what he had decided on doing. He loved this woman with all his heart and soul but he could not continue living like this, worrying every time she did not come home. “How many were there this time? Anyone I know?” Tom tried to stay angry but found it difficult while looking at her. “You were gone for two days! I was scared to death something happened to you this time!”

“Please baby,” tears began to fall down her cheeks, “I, I’ve tried but, but I can’t stop myself.”

“But the doctors…”

“Nothing they gave me helps, you know that.” She cried, “Please, we’ll work this out, just don’t leave me. I’d die without you.”

“Staying here is killing me!” Tom finally managed to turn away from her. Stepping into the cab of the truck he slammed the door behind him, “When the preacher said, ‘for better or worse,’ I never thought this would happen. Goodbye Cara!” Tom pushed the door lock down as she reached for the outer handle.

“TOM PLEASE!” she screamed, tears running down both cheeks.

Cara dropped to her knees crying when she heard the engine come to life in the old truck, “PLEASE! PLEASE DON’T GO!” she wailed as the truck pulled around her own Toyota and out of the driveway. “TOM!” falling forward on her hands she bawled as her tears fell on the concrete drive. “Tom, please…” she whispered knowing he could no longer hear her.

Chapter 2

Tom wiped a tear from his own cheek a half hour later when he turned onto US-321. Tom had decided to take 321 up toward his mother’s home, it was the most direct route but all two lane roads. Funny that he now considered it his mother’s place since he had married Cara even though his mother had put it in Tom’s name after his father passed away. Tom’s mother had explained that the government had taken way too much in the name of survivor’s taxes when his father had passed away, she did not want Tom burdened with the same problems when she died. Although Tom wondered if this was a good idea, the woman was healthy as a horse and more athletic than women half her age, it was possible that she could outlive him.

Tom thought back to the last time he had went home to visit. It had been 4 years ago Christmas. Tom had brought Cara with him to introduce Cara to his mother. Tom’s mother as always had been a gracious host although still a bit behind times having made Tom sleep on the couch so that Cara had his old room to herself, not that it stopped the two from fooling around. Living on the outskirts of a town that had a population of less than 200, located in the middle of the great Smokey Mountains, they found ample seclusion to fool around, even during the heavy tourist and skiing season. Finding a place not covered in a foot or more of snow at that time of year was a bit more challenging.

Tom’s mother had been polite toward Cara, but the first chance his mother got to speak to Tom alone she had told him that there was something she did not trust about the girl. Said that she could not put her finger on it, but Cara was trouble and Tom should find someone else. Tom had not listened to his mother, in fact he had not been back to visit since. Although Cara insisted on inviting Tom’s mother to the wedding, she did not come. Tom could only wonder, was it mother’s intuition? At least she was not one to gloat about being right, he would probably hear a soft, ‘I told you so,” and then she would drop the subject.

The few times Tom stopped he fought the urge to turn around and head back in the direction he had come from, to go home to Cara. Even though his heart ached he still loved her with all his being, leaving her standing there begging him to stay, hurt worse than anything he could remember although staying would have only postponed the inevitable. Until Cara truly tried to find to some way to fix whatever mental issues she had that causes her blackouts. Yes it did seem that she was trying, her episodes came less often now, but lasted sometimes days now instead of hours like they had a first. Tom hoped that this would make Cara go back to the doctor, any doctor that could help her and not be the end of their marriage.

By the time Tom shut off the engine of the vintage pickup he could see that his mother had already come out onto the front porch.

“Long time,” His mother cocked her head curiously as he got out of the truck.

“Hi mom,” Tom tried to act casual, “Yea sorry for not being up until now, you know work and all that stuff.”

“So where is your wife?”

“About that,” Noticing his mother did not use her name, Tom looked down not meeting his mother’s eyes, “You think I could move back into my old room for a bit?”

“You don’t even have to ask honey,” Tom’s mother smiled, “It’s always been your home too.”

“Thanks mom,” He said before reaching across the bench seat picking up as much of the clothes he had laid there as he could manage.

After several trips in with his things, Tom was putting away the things he had brought when his mother appeared in the doorway of his old room carrying two steaming mugs. “Made you some tea,” Holding out the steaming mug toward Tom.

Tom stepped over taking the mug she offered, “Thanks.” Looking down at the brownish-green tinted tea, Tom smiled knowing it had to one of the many wildflower and herb teas he remembered from his childhood. Taking a sip Tom coughed, not expecting the burning sensation that he felt. “Um, mom you spiked my tea?”

“Just a little mountain medicine dear,” His mother grinned, “You looked like you could use something a bit stronger than wildflower tea.”

“Mountain medicine?” Tom smirked, “You mean uncle John’s moonshine don’t you.”

Tom’s mother gasped, her hand going up to her chest, “Why honey you know making that stuffs against the law, and your uncle John is a respectable man, he would never do something against the law. No this is for medicinal purposes only!”

“Medicinal purposes mom?” Tom chuckled.

“Of course honey,” stepping over she reached up cupping his chin in her hand, “A mother always knows when their child is hurt or suffering, and I can tell this is a whopper. When you’re ready to talk about it, I’m here for you.” Turning she walked over to the doorway before turning around, “Cornbread should be bout ready to come out of the oven. Come on down to the kitchen when you get everything put away, alright?”

“Sure mom,” Tom answered, as he saw her walking away, “and thanks for everything.”

Taking a good long drink of the hot liquid, Tom relished the spiced flavor of the hot tea. He couldn’t place what she had used to give it that flavor. Although he did tastes a hint of ginseng that came with it. The effects of the strong homemade liquor began to spread its own type of warmth throughout his being as the other ingredients chosen by his mother for their calming effects began to wash the stress out of his mind.

With the mug empty and his things put away Tom made his way out of his old room. The old log cabin has been originally built by his grandfather. While not large by country standards, it’s lofty great room and large eat in kitchen dwarfed homes found in the suburbs. The two bedrooms upstairs and the single bathroom downstairs followed the same scale of the rest of the house all being very large by today’s standards. Stepping out onto the balcony that overlooked the great room, Tom stopped for a moment, smiling when he spotted the round wooden rungs of the ladder, built right into the wall between the two bedrooms, that led up to the attic space centered above the bedrooms.

Memories of the hours he had spent playing in the cluttered room as a child came flooding back to him. The attic had been his club house, a pirate ship, a mysterious and dangerous cavern to explore, Home of dragons and other mythical beasts, even a space ship that sailed the stars in his childhood. He had even lost his virginity in that old musty attic.

Leaning against the hand cut wooden railing, Tom’s mind wandered back to his youth as he looked up at the small closed door that opened into the attic. The resort had barely started back then so not as many lived in the area, the closest were all relatives. His cousin Laura, Uncle John’s daughter, was about the same age and since Tom’s mother did not work, she watched both children during the day so the two virtually grew up like brother and sister. They were in high school at the time, one of Laura’s friends Christie McGuire, was spending the weekend at Laura’s.

When Laura had brought her friend over with her to visit Tom had no idea that Christie was sweet on him, or that the two girls had formed a plan to get the two alone. The three had fled to the attic space, Tom was having fun talking and joking with the two and barely noticed when Laura left. It was close to a year later, he and Christie had become openly a couple by that time, when Laura confessed that she and Christie had planned the whole thing. Tom sighed, thinking how things may have been quite different had Christie’s parents not sold their land to the resort and moved away while they were still on school.
Chapter 3

The heavy iron bound wooden door flew open, its large heavy hinges the only thing keeping the force that opened it from tossing it across the room. The door slammed back against the stone wall with a loud heavy thud. “Father!” A raven haired woman stepped through the arched doorway, wearing only a floor length wrap around semi-opaque black skirt. Her smooth perfect light creamy skin tone only darkening at the exposed aureole's of her perfect breasts, contrasted heavily with the color of the wrap around “Something terribly wrong!”

“Yes Kali, I felt it too,” A distinguished gentleman, his neatly trimmed dark hair and beard beginning to show some signs of gray, sitting in a Victorian styled wingback chair looked over at the woman, “It’s Cara.”

Kali ran over to where the man sat, sitting on her knees in front of him before reaching up to place her hands on his knee, “She in so much pain! What should we do?”

“Have you spoken to any of your other sisters about this?”

“Yes father, we are all frightened.” Kali looked up into his eyes, “So many have come, even Kirsee has returned home.”

“You have always been closest to Cara. The closest she had to a mother after her mother died. Find her, go to her. Discover what is causing her torment and correct it if you can. If you cannot bring her here, do so against her will if necessary. We swore an oath to her mother that we will honor.”

“Yes father,” The woman stood.

“If this affects the other clans…” He stopped that thought, picked up the cup and saucer that sat on a small round table beside his chair, “Go now, time is of the essence.”

Kali quickly left the room only to be surrounded by her sister, who begged for answers. Not being able to move very well through the crowd of women Kali stopped, “Okay, Father has said that I can go to Cara and try to help her, but you need to let me through so I can do that!”

Several of her sister all began talking at once, all shouting the same thing, “I want to go with you.” And “I’m going too!”

“Father instructed me to do this,” Kali shouted about the noise. Leaving the rest of the women to go back to whatever they were doing, Kali walked down the twisted passages to her own room. Changing into clothing more appropriate to where she would locate Cara, she opened her door to leave to find a buxom blond standing in the doorway.

“I’m going with you.” The blond stated.

“Father told me to go Merla.”

“Did he tell you to go alone?” Merla asked. Kali shook her head. “Good then it’s decided, I’m ready when you are.”

Kali looked at how her sister standing there in a cream colored crop top and skinny jeans. “Okay lets so.”

Chapter 4

“Mrs. Dennet? Are you okay?” Cara looked up from where she still sat in the driveway of her home to see Ryan and Jeremy two of the college boys that rented a larger four bedroom house down the street. Cara’s eyes lowered back to where her hand sat in her lap as she shook her head.

“Mrs. Dennet?” Jeremy knelt down, “Cara?” He reached out toward her.

Feeling his hand touch her arm, Cara jerked back, “No don’t me!” Then whispered, “He’s gone.”

“Who’s gone?” Jeremy asked while Ryan knelt down beside his roommate.

“Tom,” Cara began crying again, “Tom left me.”

“Come on,” Jeremy reached for her once again, “Let’s get you inside.”

“No leave me,” Cara spoke barely above a whisper, “I, I hurt Tom. I don’t deserve to live.”

“No way,” Ryan started trying to help her up, “You think we would leave the most awesome woman we know sitting out here crying?”

“Yea like he said, we’re getting you into the house.” Jeremy grabbed her other arm, as they led her into the house, “No way are we leaving you like this.”

The two young men sat with Cara trying their best to cheer her up. When that failed Ryan got up and rummaged around the kitchen, bringing her a glass of wine which she refused, he tried a bottle of water which she only stared at before cupping her face in her hands and sobbing.

Jeremy and Ryan jumped when the front door was thrown open. Both their jaws dropped when a gorgeous dark haired woman rushed in followed by a blond woman who impossible as the two guys thought, was even better looking than the woman she followed in.

Ryan was first to close his mouth, “I, I know you!” his eyes still wide with shock of who the first woman looked like.

“OH SHIT!” Jeremy exclaimed, looking at the blond, “You’re one of those swimsuit models!”

“And you’re Kali Sparks from the Eliminator movie!”

Ignoring the two young men, Kali knelt down in front of Cara, “Sweetheart, what happened. Come on baby, tell big sis what is wrong so I can make it better.”

“Sis?” Jeremy gulped, his eyes couldn’t become any wider, “You, you’re Cara’s sister?”

“Uh guys,” Merla licked her lips looking at the two young buff college men, “Let’s give them some room,” Motioning for the two to follow her down the short hall toward the home’s two bedrooms. As they followed her Merla gave them a bit of an explanation, “After Cara’s mother died Kali kind of raised her.”

“That has got to be so cool, raised by a movie star!” Ryan grinned.

“Kali wasn’t a star then, all of us including Cara lived with our father.”

The last thing Kali could hear was one of the guys ask, “Are you sure that you should close the door?”

“Oh yes, very sure,” Merla giggled as she closed the door.

“Okay Merla is distracting those two,” Kali got up and sat beside Cara wrapping her into a hug, “Now tell me what happened.”

“Tom!” Cara sobbed.

“Is he hurt? What happened?”

“He, he left,” Cara buried her head into Kali’s shoulder and started bawling.

“Do you know where he went?” Kali stroked the sobbing girl’s hair.

Cara shook her head, “Maybe, maybe his mom.”

“Where is that baby?” Kali consoled the distraught girl, “I’m sure if we explain things to him.”

“No!” Cara bawled, “He, I can’t tell him. Not now.”

“Then I’ll talk to him.”

“No!”

“Come on baby you know we can’t do anything.”

“Just let me die,” Cara sobbed.

“Shh, shh baby, you know that’s not going to happen,” Kali consoled her, “I know it hurts really bad right now but we can fix it. It will get better.”

“No it won’t.” She sobbed into Kali’s shoulder.

“Come on, why don’t you go join Merla, have a snack, it will make you feel better.”

“I’m not hungry.” Cara continued to sob, “The only thing I want is my Tom back.”

“Alright them,” Kali pulled Cara’s chin up so she could look in her eyes, “Let’s go see father and see what he can do about getting him back for you.”

“I need to stay here in case Tom comes back.” Cara tried to look away but Kali held her from doing so.

“Father can fix this, he can bring Tom back to you.”

“No he can’t, no one can. He hates me now.”

“You come on home with me, I promise father will bring Tom to you there, okay?”

“But the rules?”

“Silly, father makes the rules,” Kali grinned at her, “Now come on.” Kali began pulling Cara up from the sofa, “You going to walk or am I going to carry you like when you were little?”

Chapter 5

Tom sat on the front porch of the cabin, his laptop in front of him on the rustic wooden table. The same table that had been out on the porch since Tom’s childhood. Antique like everything in and around his childhood home, it was built to last and to be used, not for appearance. The large round legs uneven in size and shape were cut from a sapling, the marks of the drawing knife used to give them a round uniform shape could be easily seen along their length. The table’s top, not quite square consisted of several hardwood planks pinned together and to the top with large wooden dowels instead of nails or screws was not quite as large as one of the folding card tables.

The old table, at least twice as old as Tom’s twenty three years still looked strong enough that you could have balanced a car on top of it without worry of breaking the table. It was one of the many things his grandfather had built that remained at the old cabin, and something that Tom thought would be still around when his grandchildren inherited the cabin. That thought took Tom back into that dark place that he had been trying to crawl out of for the past two days. Would he and Cara find a way to work things out? He could not see any grand children in his future if they couldn’t.

Those dark thoughts were interrupted by his mother, “Enjoying the sunshine for a change?”

Tom looked over to see he mother standing by the door. This morning she was wearing very nice looking peasant or Mexican styled dress, Tom knew there was a difference between the two but they looked the same to him. The wide elastic waist of the emerald green dress really showed off his mother’s thin trim waist and the way the top part billowed, gave the illusion that his her breasts were even larger than normal. The skirt flared just above her hips which also make her hips looks a bit larger making her already great figure even more of an hourglass than it was. The green matches her eyes and contrasted with her red hair. Tom’s jaw fell slightly agape as he realize for the first time how pretty his mother looked. He couldn’t help but think that she looked better than women half her age.

“You alright dear?” She asked.

“Uh yea mom,” Tom paused, “I, I just never realized how pretty you were.”

“Thank you honey,” Smiling warmly at her son, “I’m going to run some errands, not sure if I’ll be back before lunch so you’ll have to fend for yourself if you get hungry.”

“No problem mom, I can always go over to the resort, I hear their chef is the greatest in the world.” Knowing that his mother had moved up to the executive chef position there not long after he and Cara were married.

His mother chuckled then her smile became even brighter, “You’re full of compliments today aren’t you?”

Grinning cheerily at his mother, “Hey it’s like they say, if momma’s not happy, nobody’s happy.”

“And never forget that young man,” She chuckled then started walking out toward the blue all-wheel drive Ford Escape she drove.

“I won’t mom,” He smiled, “Hopefully the guy will get here soon to install the Internet connection so I can get some of this stuff for work uploaded.”

“Are they supposed to be here today?” She got a worried look on her face, “I thought you said it would be tomorrow, the house is a mess!”

“Mom the house is fine, no dust has settled on anything since yesterday.” Tom kidded his mother, who always kept the house immaculately clean.

“But…”

“He’s only going to be in the living room when he checks the connection. I’m setting it up all wirelessly from there so we don’t have to drill any holes for cables.” Tom had thought of that before he called the company to come up.

Having helped his father pull out the old electrical wiring and threading the newer style romex electrical wiring had been a daunting task even with his father’s idea of taping the new wiring to the old stuff and using the old wires to pull the new ones through the walls. It was an update that was done none too soon as the old cloth insulation all but disintegrated as it was pulled out, which on the bright side left the old copper wires they removed easy to clean, making Tom’s job of taking the remaining insulation off before he sold the copper wiring for scrap. Clean copper paid more than three times the amount, netting him almost sixty dollars in spending money, a fortune to an eleven year old boy.

Tom sat the laptop down in the coffee table and got up when he heard the sound of tires crunching against the gravel of their drive. He saw his mother just getting out of her blue SUV as he reached the screen door. Walking out onto the porch, “Need any help?”

“You can help me bring in the groceries.” Hearing this Tom jogged out to her SUV to help.

Walking into the house, Tom carrying two paper bags as his mother the last one and her purse, “You’ll never guess who I bumped into at the grocery store while I was out.”

“Oh who is that mom?”

“Christine McGuire.” His mother grinned, knowing the two had a thing for each other when they were in school. “She just moved back into town herself.”

“Really?” Tom gulped, thinking it was a bit strange that they both find their way back home at the same time.

“Yes,” His mother beamed, “I invited her to supper, so I want you to change into some nice slacks and button up shirt before she gets here.”

“Yes ma’am,” Tom sighed, then added, “Just remember no matchmaking, I am married.”

Sitting the bag and her purse down on the kitchen table, she turned to Tom, “I know dear, and I know you are too honorable of a man to ever cheat on your spouse, unlike so many young people today.”

Ouch! Tom thought to himself, I haven’t said a thing about why I left, why would she say that in that way if she didn’t know?

Chapter 6

Tom mimicked his mother’s, ‘amen,’ as she finished saying grace before he looked back up. Tom’s mother had insisted Tom sit at the head of the table while his mother sat to his left and Christie sat on his right. Tom would have much rather put a little more distance between himself and his once high school sweetheart but could not say anything to his mother without being over heard by Christie. At least she had cooked his favorite, Tom had yet to find anyone or any restaurant that could come close to making fried chicken half as good as his mother’s.

With the sides of roasted red potatoes, that also showed signs of some herbs or spices on them, collard greens and another of Tom’s childhood favorites fried okra, that she made to go along with the chicken, Tom found himself easily too engrossed in eating the wonderful food to listen to his mother and ex-girlfriend chat.

“Boone?” Tom’s mother gasped.

Christie nodded, “It’s only a few extra miles and the rent was way more affordable than finding a place to rent here with all the resorts.”

“But what about getting back and forth during the winter?” Tom’s mother argued, “These roads can be deadly when they are ice and snow covered.”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine, my car has front wheel drive.”

“Nonsense!” Tom’s mother looked over where her son was busy working on another piece of chicken, “Tom?”

“Hmmm?” Tom looked over at his mother, his mouth full of chicken.

“Tomorrow I want you to go out to the old cabin and take all that stuff that’s been stored in it and move it to the pole barn.”

Tom gulped down what was in his mouth, “Why?”

“Christie will be moving into it.”

“Mrs. Dennet I can’t do that!” Christie exclaimed.

“Of course you can!” Tom’s mother stated, “It’s closer for you to get back and forth to work, although it’s going to take a bit of fixing up. It hasn’t been lived in since Hank’s folks passed away and we moved in here.”

“But--” Christie tried to argue.

“No buts young lady,” Tom’s mother interrupted, “You’re like family to us, and no matter what, family always takes care of family.”

Hearing those words from his mother, he knew that whether he liked it or not he would be moving the stuff out of that cabin and Christie would be moving in, “I’ll get started on the cabin first thing in the morning.”

“I don’t start to work at the bank until Monday, so I can help you.” Christie smiled at Tom.

“That would be great Christie,” Tom’s mother looked at her son over to make sure he didn’t try to disagree, “That will give you and Tom some time to catch up on what you both have been doing since high school.”

Christie stayed to help Mrs. Dennet with the dishes while Tom slipped out of the kitchen to try to get ahead of some work to make up for the time he would need to spend cleaning out that old cabin. Tom knew in his gut that this little project of his mother’s would end up becoming ten times more involved than just simple cleaning, the place had not been used in close to fifty years, but he knew that saying anything would have ended up as a losing battle.

Tom was concentrating on the code that was displaying on the screen of his laptop so deeply that he did not hear Christie walk up behind him, “That some kind of weird language or something?” Christie leaned in over his shoulder to get a better look.

“Program code,” Tom turned his head to find Christie’s face a mere inches from his own. “It’s…” The sweet smell of her perfume invaded his senses, causing him to pause, “It’s what I do for a living now.”

“You’re a programmer?” Christie looked sideways at Tom.

“Um, yea, uh software engineer.” Tom corrected, then sighed, “You can back away quickly now.”

“Why, would I do that?” Christie sounded confused.

Tom’s face twisted into a cheesy smile, “That’s what most pretty women do when they find out I’m a geek.”

Christie turned her head toward Tom, their lips almost touching. “I’m not like most women,” she breathed right before stealing a quick kiss. Pulling back from the kiss her face became flush. “Ummm,” Christie big her lower lip, “sorry, I guess I was just, you know, remembering how things used to be.”

Tom’s mind already intoxicated by Christie’s sweet fragrance, reeled from the touch of her lips. “I remember,” Tom whispered his eyes half closed all but entranced by this.

A large smile spread across Christie’s face, “I really hate to but I need to go.” Turning as she stood, Christie looked back over her shoulder to Tom, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Chapter 7

Inside the pole barn Tom pulled the canvas tarp away, reveling the farm tractor that lay hidden beneath it. The tractor appeared to be well maintained but very old if the red paint that was faded so badly to appear almost orange was any indication. Climbing up by the seat, Tom opened the tank and peered inside to see how much gas was in the tank. Replacing the cap, Tom jumped down and walked around to the side where bold a square emblem that had a white letter “I” inside a black letter “H” on a white back ground. Beside this in large bold lettering the word, “FARMALL” appeared and above that is smaller lettering, “McCormick.” Tom reached below this finding a small petcock that he turned all the way until it stopped ninety degrees from where it was originally. Jumping back up on the tractor so he could sit in the hard metal seat, Tom pushed the lever on the right side of the steering wheel forward some then turned the key that hung from the ignition switch.

The starter made a whirring sound as it tried to bring the vintage engine to life while Tom worked the controls until the engine coughed to life. Babying the controls, Tom was able to even out the coughing and sputtering of the old tractor’s engine as the weighted flapper on the top of its exhaust pipe rattled along until the engine smoothed out, it’s exhaust held the flapper open. Tom sat there patiently giving the engine a minute to warm up before pushing in the clutch and pulling the shifter into reverse.

Backing the tractor out of the pole barn he turned the wheel causing it to make a wide turn around to the side of the barn where a four wheeled trailer sat under an overhanging roof on the side of the barn. Setting the parking brake then placing the tractor in neutral he left it running as he attached the trailer. Twenty minutes later the tractor was parked outside the original cabin his great grandfather built when his family first settled in the area, where Tom was loading the boxes and old furniture stored in the cabin into the trailer.

Christie showed up in jeans and a crop top tank slightly after nine a.m. to help. Although to Tom it almost felt like she was there to slow things down when she spotted a dresser that Tom had already put on the trailer that she wanted to remain in the cabin for her to use. Which entailed pulling close to half the things Tom had on the trailer back off to get to it. Several hours later, with the majority of the things out of the cabin, Tom started up the tractor, with Christie standing on the tow bar behind Tom holding on, they drove over to the pole barn. Tom stopped the tractor so Christie could get off, then he backed the trailer into the barn where they could begin unloading it.

“Oh my god this is so beautiful!” Tom heard from off to the side as he sat down the box he was moving. “What’s that?” He asked.

“This dressing table, it’s gorgeous,” Christie looked hopeful over at Tom, “You think your mother would let me use it in the cabin?”

Walking over to the antique piece of furniture, Tom drew his finger across the heavy thickness of dust that had collected on its table top. Holding up his finger to show Christie the dust on the end of his finger, “I can tell you now she won’t care. This thing has been sitting in here forever.” Moving over to the end of the dressing table, “Come on help me put it on the trailer so we can take it back with us.”

Christie’s eyes lit up, “Really? You sure it’s okay?”

“Of course,” Tom smiled.

Tom spent that evening until almost eleven p.m. on his laptop, catching up on the work he was unable to do during the day when he was working on the cabin. If Tom had been optimistic about his mother’s little project, he would have thought clearing all the stuff out of the cabin was the major portion of the work that he would need to do. But Tom knew better and between cleaning the layers of dust that years of sitting empty had acquired and any repairs it needed, he knew it would take several days to make the cabin livable once again.

Friday morning Tom woke covered in sweat. He hadn’t had an erotic dreams in years, but the one he woke from was just as powerful as the ones of his youth, leaving his mind dazed and confused about what was real and what was dream. The only difference was the girl in his dream was not some super model or movie star like it had been in his youth, it was Christie that had been in it. It had been so real also, he felt he could still smell her perfume as he lay there trying to calm down and compose himself so his mother, if she saw him on his way to the bathroom, would not see the not so little problem that the dream had left him with.

Tom was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast when Christie arrived. “Hi Tom, Hi Mrs. Dennet,” Christine said as she walked into the kitchen.

Looking up from his plate, “You’re early today?”

“Yes, I woke up from the most wonderful dream,” Christie smiled over at Tom, “It left me feeling so great that I couldn’t get back to sleep so I got ready and came on down early.”

“Have you eaten yet?” Tom’s mother looked over to Christie.

“Oh yes, I had a delicious breakfast this morning before I left my apartment!” Christie winked at Tom.