by Mark Church
As Amy watches the kids chase one another through the tall grass, she suddenly sees a dog step out of the shadow of the forest. She and the dog are about the same distance from the kids but in opposite directions. The children continue to play unaware of the dog’s presence. The dog exhibits no aggression towards them, it just stands there watching their antics and wagging its tail.
“Kayla, a dog just came out of the woods.” Amy picks up her pace.
Kayla turns her attention to the direction of Amy’s gaze and, with an urgent tone asks, “Should we yell for the kids?”
“No, I don’t want to frighten them. If they run, it might trigger the dog into chasing after them.”
Amy and Kayla draw their pistols. They keep an eye on the dog as they continue moving towards the kids. The dog neither retreats nor moves towards the children, it just continues to stand in place while wagging its tail.
Finally reaching Luke and Emily, Amy relaxes a bit. She’s relieved she got to them before the dog advanced any further.
The dog continues to watch them, its tail wagging even faster now.
“What kind of dog is it?” asks Kayla.
The dog is rather stocky with a short, dark brown coat and an unusually large head and muscular body.
“It looks like a Pit Bull. And it’s either fat or pregnant.”
“I can’t imagine it’s eating enough to be fat,” Kayla rejects that option.
“That’s what I’m thinking,” Amy agrees. “Then ‘she’ must be pregnant.”
“What should we do?”
“Let’s head back home. It’ll probably lose interest.”
The kids finally spot the dog.
Luke jumps with joy, “A dog! Can I pet him?”
Emily chimes in, “Me too! Me too!
“No one is petting the dog,” warns Amy. “We don’t know if it’s friendly.”
The kids chirp in unison, “Awww…please!”
“No,” repeats Amy.
“But it looks friendly,” Luke pleads.
“It may be, but we don’t know for sure,” says Kayla. “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“Come on, we’re done for the day anyway. Let’s go home.” Amy turns and begins the trek back to the Refuge.
After a few more protests from Luke and Emily, they follow along behind her, stopping to look back at the dog now and then. Amy sees that the dog has begun to follow them. She instructs the kids to stay close to her and Kayla.
After a short distance, Amy turns to check on their stalker to find that a second dog is trailing the female by about the same distance that she is trailing them. The second dog also looks to be a Pit Bull type dog, though it’s a bit bigger and mostly black with a white patch on its chest and white paws. While it doesn’t seem aggressive, it’s even more wary than the pregnant female.
“There’s another dog.” Kayla whispers so as to not excite the youngsters.
“I see it,” Amy murmurs. “Just keep walking.”
The group makes it home without incident. As they enter the gate in the tree line of their farm, they take one last look at the pair of dogs following them. The pregnant female has stopped on the far side of the field and continues to watch them. The second dog catches up to her and they greet each other playfully. After their brief reunion, they trot off in the direction of the creek. When they are out of sight, the kids bolt for the barn, eager to tell their mom and dad about their ‘companions’.
“Well, that was a little tense.” Amy releases the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
“Especially, at first,” nods Kayla, “but they seemed harmless.”
“We can only hope. I’m pretty sure that we’ll run into them again.”
“Cole and the others should be back soon, and they’ll be plenty hungry.” Kayla turns the conversation to more practical matters. “We should get started on dinner.”
Amy picks up on the fact that Kayla specified Cole by name while referencing the others in general terms. She’s definitely smitten and why wouldn’t she be, Cole’s a handsome, capable young man. He’s a catch under any circumstances. Amy smiles inwardly remembering how she first felt when she met Tom.
Denying her inclination to tease Kayla a bit, Amy sighs and agrees, “You’re right, let’s get busy.”
On the way to the house, Kayla suggests, “How about we start everyone off with some hot dandelion tea before dinner.”
“Good idea.” Amy hands Kayla her bag. “Take care of this stuff – including the tea, and I’ll cook dinner.”
“Deal.”
✽✽✽
Jake and the rest of his group make it down the mountain just as the last remnant of twilight disappears. The temperature has dropped steadily during their descent, and if the early evening chill is any indication, it is going to be a very cold night.
As planned, they exited the mountain onto the backside of the farm. Undeterred by the near total darkness, their familiarity with the property allows them to easily navigate the short distance to the main house. As they get closer, the light spilling from the windows beckons them with its promise of warmth. The lure of sharing their successes with the others while enjoying the evening meal is a powerful motivator.
Cole volunteers to take care of the horses. They need to be fed and watered before being put away for the night.
The others head to the main house where they find the rest of the group already enjoying some hot dandelion tea. Kayla greets each of them with a steaming hot cup.
“Where’s Cole?” she inquires.
Jake dips his head towards the barn, “Taking care of the horses.”
“I’ll take some tea out there,” Kayla offers. “He’s probably freezing.”
As Kayla pours a cup of tea, Jake and Amy look knowingly across the room at one another.
Opening the front door, Kayla comments, “We’ll be back as soon as the horses are settled.”
“Don’t be too long, dinner’s almost ready.” Amy calls as Kayla is pulling the door shut behind her.
Mike and Gena are so absorbed by John and Kate’s explanation of the wind turbine they don’t notice Amy gesturing for Jake to follow her into the kitchen.
When Jake enters the kitchen, Amy confides, “It looks like Kayla has a full-blown crush on Cole.”
“The feeling is mutual; Cole and I had a talk about it yesterday.”
“Should we be worried?” Amy wonders. As much as she loves Cole, they are both still so young.
“Not sure where that would get us,” replies Jake, ever the pragmatist.
“I’m pretty sure things haven’t progressed ‘there’ yet,” Amy sighs, “but it’s probably inevitable.”
“Hormones and nature are a powerful force,” Jake acknowledges. “Maybe we should focus on education instead of trying to keep them apart.”
“That’s what I’m thinking. I’ll have a talk with Kayla after dinner.”
Jake adds, “And I’ll have another conversation with Cole.”
“He’s a fine young man,” Amy notes. “You and Kay did a good job raising him.”
“Thanks. And you know I think the world of Kayla.”
“Yes – she feels the same way about you.”
As Amy begins moving about the kitchen making final preparations for dinner, Jake volunteers, “Kayla wasn’t the only person that Cole and I talked about yesterday.”
“Oh?”
“He brought up you and me.”
Playing coy, Amy continues to stir the food on the stove, “You and me?”
Amy knew where this was going, or at least where she hoped it was going.
“There’s been a connection between you and me almost from the time we met. Most everyone, including Cole, has noticed it.”
Not denying the allegation, Amy keeps her attention on the stove, “I didn’t know it was that obvious?”
“It was to Cole. And he told me that he was okay with it.”
Amy’s eyes tear up at this. S
he has been waiting a long time for this moment but is still taken by surprise at how strongly Jake’s simple statement is affecting her.
Stepping towards Amy, Jake gently asks, “The question now is, are you alright with it?”
Amy tilts her head up to meet Jake’s gaze. Her eyes give him all the confirmation that he needs. He leans in and kisses her, sweetly, slowly.
The tenderness of their first kiss quickly gives way to more passion before Amy pulls back and says, “Hold that thought until after everyone goes to bed tonight.”
“I’ll try,” Jake smiles, “but it ain’t gonna’ be easy.”
“It’s not supposed to be.” Amy turns back to practical matters. “Now help me set the table.”
Cole and Kayla come through the front door just as everyone is being called for dinner. Amy notices that their hair is a bit disheveled and makes a mental note not to delay her conversation with Kayla. Continuing her inner dialogue, she asks herself, ‘Is it odd that she and Kayla would fall for a father and son. Is Kayla too young to have a romantic relationship?’ Recognizing that Kayla is about as old as she was when she met Tom, she discounts that thought and settles on the idea that it was fate that brought all of them together. She reasons that life has to be about more than just survival, love and companionship are what make life worth living.
✽✽✽
The dinner conversation is lively. Those who made the trip to the ranger station take turns describing it in detail while the others listen intently. The facility’s relatively good condition and numerous amenities are welcome news to the entire group.
Luke and Emily excitedly report on their encounter with the dogs. When they finish, Amy amends their humorous and slightly exaggerated version of the story, and surmises that the dogs likely pose no threat. Some concerns about the dogs are voiced but no one gets overly excited since they appear to not be aggressive. The adults agree to take a wait and see approach to their new canine neighbors.
After the exploits of the day have been hashed and rehashed, the group turns their attention to tomorrow’s plans. Everyone’s schedules are pretty free. Jake and John agreed earlier that the outpost turbine would need more than one day to charge the batteries, so they decided to wait a few days to go back, while Mike and Gena finished their chicken coop project earlier that afternoon.
The group kicks around numerous ideas before deciding to take a scavenging trip into the town of Arcadia. Everyone likes the idea, as it provides a chance to get out of the mountains for a while.
After dinner they retire to the living room to continue discussing the planned trip into town. Only Amy and Kayla remain behind to wash dishes. The two women toil in relative silence until Amy finally broaches the subject on her mind, “It seems that you’ve taken a liking to Cole.”
Not biting, Kayla just nods and continues drying plates, “Yeah, we’re friends.”
Not giving up, Amy continues, “Are you maybe more than friends?”
Amy can see that Kayla is caught off guard and a little uncomfortable. She doesn’t respond.
“It’s okay if you like, like him,” Amy emphasizes. “It perfectly normal, he’s a really nice young man.”
Relieved by her mother’s approval, Kayla admits “Yeah, we’re a little more than friends, we like each other a lot.”
Kayla’s emphasis on ‘a lot’ makes Amy think that this conversation has been way overdue.
“You’re a young lady now,” Amy acknowledges grudgingly.
“Almost fifteen,” Kayla reminds Amy.
“That was about the age I was when I met your father.” Amy smiles as she says this.
“Really? I didn’t know that you and daddy were that young when you first met.”
“Yep – we were,” nods Amy, “And we fell head over heels in love.” The sweetness of those early innocent days shimmer in her memory.
Kayla asks, “What does it feel like to be in love?”
“It feels like you’ve found part of you that has been missing.”
“That’s how Cole makes me feel!” Kayla interjects excitedly.
Amy smiles and continues, “Often you aren’t even aware that something is missing until someone special comes into your life. And while it’s hard to find that someone special, it’s even harder if you lose them.”
“Is that how it was for you when daddy died?”
“Yes, but he’ll always hold a special place in my heart.”
“It would have been so much easier if daddy were still here.”
“Yes, but some things are out of our control,” Amy points out. “Regardless of the cards we are dealt, we have to keep moving forward.”
“Daddy would be proud of you,” murmurs Kayla shyly. “You never gave up and never backed down.”
Raw emotion grips Amy. Her eyes become misty as a lump forms in her throat. Her reassuring smile forces a few tears from her eyes. As they roll down her cheeks, she says, “I loved your father very much and I miss him every day but after he died, I had to come to terms with the fact that he is gone and that we are on our own.”
“We were on our own,” Kayla emphasizes.
“Right, we were on our own,” agrees Amy. “Now we’re part of a family and I’m so thankful for everyone here.”
“Me too.”
Her tears having dried and the lump in her throat dissolved, Amy says, “Okay, back to you and Cole. I want to talk to you about the responsibilities that go along with a relationship.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, have you two kissed?” Amy asks, hoping for a chaste response.
A little embarrassed, Kayla replies, “Yeah, but that’s all.”
A relieved Amy continues, “Well, what I mean is, what happens if things go beyond kissing?”
Kayla is all ears. It’s clear that this question has been weighing heavily on her mind.
Amy continues, “I know that we’ve already had the birds and bees talk but there’s more for you to know – grab a chair.”
The two women spend the next thirty minutes discussing physical intimacy. They discuss everything from delaying sexual activity to how the withdrawal method is somewhat effective for pregnancy prevention.
Kayla listens intently, interjecting questions when she needs clarification. Amy is glad that Kayla is taking their talk seriously; the knowledge she’s gaining here is an important step towards womanhood. Regardless of when her time comes, Amy wants Kayla to be prepared both physically and emotionally.
As their conversation winds down, Kayla asks out of the blue, “What about you, mom?”
“What about me?”
“When are you going to come clean about Jake?”
Amy hasn’t even had time to get used to the idea herself but says truthfully, “We just acknowledged it ourselves, so we don’t want it getting out yet.”
“Getting out yet?” snickers Kayla. “It’s the worst kept secret here.”
“Has it been that obvious?” Amy is a bit flustered.
“Cole and I have been talking about it for weeks,” Kayla boasts.
“Everyone else too?”
“Everyone except Luke and Emily,” Kayla says kiddingly.
Amy fake slaps Kayla on the arm and says, “You’re terrible!”
They both laugh deviously.
“Seriously,” says Amy. “Has anyone else said anything?”
“Well, not to me.” Kayla turns thoughtful. “But they know something’s up, it makes perfect sense. You’re single, Jake’s single, you’re nearly the same age and you have been through a lot together in the short time that you’ve known each other.”
Amy thinks about Kayla’s comment before responding, “You make a compelling case, who am I to argue with that kind of logic.”
The two women hug tightly. They are relieved that everything is out in the open, and they are equally happy that the other approves. After the heartfelt hug, Amy pulls back but continues to hold Kayla’s upper arms. She searches her daughter’s face
for the little girl who used to reside there not so long ago but all she sees at this moment is the young woman that Kayla has become.
Amy sweeps the hair from Kayla’s forehead, and says, “You have turned into a beautiful, strong young woman. I’m very proud of you.”
Kayla basks in her mother’s praise and says, “I had a great teacher.”
They hug once more before returning to their work. When they finish, they join the others in the living room where tomorrow’s adventure is still being excitedly discussed. The process of imagining leaves room for endless possibilities, especially for the unencumbered minds of Luke and Emily.
As the evening ages, fatigue begins to take its toll. Yawns spread like wildfire, which eventually leads to everyone saying their good nights. Cole asks Amy and Kayla to stick around. Jake stays as well.
After everyone else has left the living room, Cole turns to Amy and begins trying to explain his budding relationship with Kayla. Amy doesn’t let Cole squirm too long before interrupting him and saying, “I’m aware of your friendship and I approve.”
Relief washes over Cole’s face as he turns towards Kayla who is smiling like a Cheshire cat. She runs to him and hugs him tightly.
Seizing the moment, Jake puts his arm around Amy and says, “In the spirit of full disclosure, it’s only fair to tell both of you that a similar friendship has developed between us.”
A brief silence is followed by laughter and teasing. They simultaneously realize that none of this is news – well, it may be news, but it’s old news.
While the following conversation is lighthearted and reaffirming, it’s been a long day, so Jake suggests that they wrap it up, “It’s getting pretty late and we have a big day tomorrow, why don’t we call it a night.”
“Sounds good to me,” says Cole. “Come on Kayla, I’ll walk you to your room.”
Cole follows Kayla out the door, leaving Jake and Amy alone in the living room.