Right Out of Nowhere

by Laurie Salzler

  “I heard him telling Dad that after his ribs healed, he was bound and determined to teach Sparky a thing or two. Breaking a horse means something completely different to that man.”

  Roni turned around in the saddle. “I suspected as much. That’s why I decided to work with Sparky and use him for the ride up. It sure is nice to see Chenoa in that string behind you though.”

  “I figured you’d be happy to see him. Anyway, he looked lonesome after Dad pulled out with you.”

  “I thought bringing Sparky up here would help settle him down,” Roni said over her shoulder. “It frustrates me to no end that I can’t figure this horse out.” She shrugged, not yet willing to admit defeat to herself or to Jeff. She was tired of dwelling on it so she changed the subject. “How’s Bethie?”

  Roni missed her best friend who also happened to be Jeff’s wife. She’d met Beth when her family had moved to the area just before Beth had started her freshman year in high school. Roni was a senior at the time, and for the next year they spent almost every minute together. Because Jeff had been a well-behaved shadow, they’d let him tag along. After Roni left for college, Beth and Jeff continued to hang out together. They’d told her that they missed her so much they’d sought comfort in each other. She guessed that’s how they eventually fell in love. The age difference wasn’t an issue, and they married not long after graduating from high school. In two months, Beth was due to have their first child. Although Beth was normally in shape and quite active, her parents thought it best she not make the trip up in case the baby decided to come early. There’d be no easy way to get her to a hospital if she was in the mountains.

  “God, I can’t remember a time when Beth didn’t come up here with us.”

  Roni heard Jeff’s sigh. “I know. Me neither. Believe me she’s nothing short of a bear about it too.”

  “I’ll miss her and her cooking, that’s for sure. But I can’t wait for my niece or nephew to be born.”

  Jeff got quiet, no doubt dreaming of becoming a father, and soon Roni was lost in her own thoughts as well; they didn’t speak for the remainder of their trip.

  Roni led the way down the narrow trail they’d been following, through the thick stand of old growth hemlock trees, and out into a large meadow. They broke from the woods, and three grazing mule deer raised their heads and watched their slow progression. She could see the roof of the cabin on the far side and urged Sparky into a quick ground-covering trot. It wasn’t long before the rustic building came into full view. What used to be a tiny one-room trapper’s cabin in the 1800s now resembled a medium-sized house. To them, it was home.

  With Jeff just seconds behind her, Roni brought Sparky to a halt in front of the cabin. She dropped the reins, swung her leg over his neck, and vaulted off, hearing Jeff grunt as he jumped off and tried to catch her. Roni bounded up the steps, and just as she made a grab for the doorknob, he seized the collar of her coat and yanked her back. For the second time that day, her butt hit the ground hard causing her to grunt. She was pissed.

  “Son of a . . .” Roni spun around and tried to take a hold of Jeff’s chaps. She missed with her left hand but managed to snatch a fistful of leather that’d wrapped around his spur. She held on tight. Jeff leaned forward, hopping on one leg and dragging her with the other.

  “Get off me, you lug.” Jeff was laughing despite the effort of hauling Roni’s weight.

  Roni lost a little bit of purchase every time he yanked her. She crab-crawled to get her feet under her and heaved herself onto his stocky frame. She rode him piggyback and tried to pry his fingers from the door handle. Swinging her legs around in front of him, she managed to wedge herself between him and the door. She planted both hands flat against his chest and pushed. She was breathing hard, as was Jeff, too stubborn to give in.

  “I call it!” Roni gasped. The goose egg on the back of her head pounded from the exertion. She closed her eyes briefly and licked her dry lips. A trickle of sweat ran down her forehead and dangled from her nose. Roni blew it off and it hit Jeff’s cheek.

  “Quit blowing your nose on me. And no you can’t. Dad said I could have it since I’m married,” Jeff said through his panting.

  “You’re such a baby. It was sweat. And he only meant if Beth was with you.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Jeff stood up straighter, probably trying to intimidate her.

  “Yes it does. Come on, Jeff. Let me have it this year. I’m sure it’ll be the last time. Beth will be back next year.” Roni hated resorting to whining. But it was worth it if it got her the big master bedroom with the east-facing window. The unobscured view of the mountains was magnificent. The trees were set back from the cabin, and at night, the window offered a clear view of the star-studded sky.

  Their eyes met and held doggedly for a moment. Jeff frowned and gave in. “Okay, you can have it, on one condition.”

  Roni narrowed her eyes at him, naturally suspicious. “What?”

  “You have to promise that if Beth somehow makes it up here this summer, you’ll switch with me for as long as she’s here.”

  The odds of that were slim to none. “Deal.”

  She gave him a shove back, turned around, and grabbed the door handle. She purposely blocked the doorway so she’d be the first in. Her reward was a hard push from behind that sent her reeling in. She had won. It was the principle of the thing. She looked back at Jeff in triumph. He stuck his tongue out at her.

  Looking around, Roni was happy with what she saw. Aside from the dust that had seeped in through minute cracks in the walls, everything looked to be just as they’d left it last fall. There was an unwritten rule in the wilderness that empty cabins remain open in case a traveler needed emergency shelter. It didn’t appear they’d had any visitors, man nor beast.

  The cabin contained two bedrooms, a kitchen, dining room, bathroom, and two woodstoves hauled up the mountain by their grandfather almost five decades ago. The front room was large with the kitchen foremost. One of the woodstoves sat to the left of the door and the other deeper in the cabin. The sink, with an old water pump bolted to it, and cupboards on the wall, occupied the right side. Toward the back were four chairs and two couches made from white pine and covered with assorted hides. They separated the bedrooms from the rest of the living space. Treasures found in the mountains adorned the walls. Antlers, feathers, old mining tools, and pans hung amidst several framed photos.

  “If you take care of the horses, I’ll get the cabin cleaned up, start a fire, and make dinner.”

  “All right. I’ll just throw our stuff onto the porch if you’ll haul it in.” Jeff turned toward the door.

  “Yep. Gosh, it’s nice to be back up here.” Roni put her hands on her hips and looked around again.

  Jeff sighed behind her. “I miss Beth.”

  “I know. Me too.” Roni felt a little sad as she stared at the kitchen table and remembered the nights they’d sat and played cards, laughing and drinking.

  Jeff’s receding boots on the bare wood floor brought her back to reality. Within moments she heard the thump of his pack as it hit the cabin wall. She went out and hauled it to his bedroom. The little room, she thought with a bit of self-righteousness. A few minutes later, she heard Jeff walk up onto the porch and back down again, twice. Curious, Roni looked out the window. Next to her gear sat a basket from one of the pack horses. She walked out and was delighted to see a little brown head with ebony eyes peeking out. “Puller!”

  Her little wire-haired miniature dachshund wiggled with anticipation of being picked up. “Hey, little guy. How’s my boy?”

  Puller normally rode up with her, but concerned, and rightly so, that it would’ve been too dangerous on Sparky, she’d regretfully left him home with her mom and dad. Puller washed her face with adoring kisses, and Roni hugged him close.

  She caught Jeff watching from a distance and waved. “Thank you.” Having her little buddy in her arms suddenly made her heart feel lighter.

  “You’re welcome. H
e was driving Mom and Dad nuts knowing you’d left him behind,” Jeff called.

  “I couldn’t chance it. I owe you.” Roni held Puller away from her. “Besides, how could I even think I could do my job up here without you?”

  “The master—”

  “Forget it.” Roni leaned against the doorway and let Puller lick her hands and face while watching her brother lead the horses to the pole barn. Once he pulled the packs off, he would put hobbles on their front feet and let them loose in the meadow to graze. He’d then hang the tack in the barn and after unpacking, put the baskets in one of the guest cabins. She better get to work.

  Two hours later, she had the cabin swept, dusted, and aired out. The fire in the cooking stove had burned down to red-hot coals, and a pot of stew simmered on top. She’d built a fire in the other woodstove as well, and soon the cabin was warm with delicious aromas wafting out the door.

  Puller watched her entire progression from his perch on a chair. He’d made a nest in a Hudson blanket and supervised from there. Roni smiled when she saw his little black eyes peering out from beneath. He had been her little shadow from the time he was a pup. It had broken her heart to not bring him with her. She did owe Jeff. Maybe she wouldn’t short sheet his bed tonight.

  Looking out the window, Roni saw the sun start to set. Deep red merged with the dark blue of the night sky. Venus and a few bright stars slowly appeared. Anything close to the day’s lingering warmth dissipated into the atmosphere. She closed the door and lit two lanterns. She set one outside for Jeff and put the other on the old pine table.

  Dinner was ready, and there was still no sign of her brother. Roni pulled on her heavy fleece, intending to see what was taking so long. She opened the door and looked back at her nesting four-legged friend.

  “Want to come?” Puller lowered his head, shifted position, and moaned. “All right, you’re in charge of the fire.”

  Roni closed the door and stood for a moment on the porch. The dark forms of the grazing horses were barely visible through the rising mist that surrounded them. The moon was beginning to crest the tree line, and within minutes, she would have no need of a lantern.

  On her way to the pole barn, she glanced at the two dark guest cabins. They were much smaller than the main cabin and had little more than a couple of cots and a small woodstove inside. Since their parents were no longer able to make the trip up, they had few visitors, and used the buildings for storage.

  Roni smelled Jeff’s pipe smoke before she saw the dark outline of his body against the lean-to.

  “Hey,” she said softly. “I thought you’d be in a long time ago.”

  He remained focused on the distant horizon and then he looked her way. Broken moonlight through the trees illuminated his face. His eyes, usually full of laughter, were narrowed with possible concern.

  “I heard something a little while ago when I was putting the packs away.” He pulled on his pipe a few more times, thumped it against the meat of his thumb, and dumped the burnt remains onto the ground.

  Having grown up in these mountains, they were both quite familiar with the wildlife and the sounds they made. As if on cue, a barred owl began its who-cooks-for-you hoot. Roni cupped her hands to her mouth and returned the call. It promptly answered her. Within minutes, flying on silent wings, it landed in the trees above them.

  “Must be a female,” Jeff teased.

  “Shut up,” Roni whispered hoarsely. “I don’t want to scare it off before I get a look at it.”

  Jeff laughed next to her. She elbowed him in the gut, eliciting a loud grunt from him. Startled, the owl flapped its wings and was gone.

  “You’re a pain in my ass.” She’d seen owls countless times, but she never tired of watching them, or any other bird for that matter.

  “You love me anyway.” Jeff barely avoided the backhanded slap she aimed at his arm. He draped the arm over her shoulder. “I wish you’d find a woman to settle down with.”

  “What the hell? Are you getting all sentimental on me?” she asked incredulously. “For that matter, I’m not looking. Come on, let’s go eat.”

  “Good, I’m starved.” He let his arm fall away.

  Once they were out of the trees, the moonlight allowed her to clearly see the eight horses in the meadow. She paused for a moment in front of the steps to appreciate the scenery before she lost her night vision to the lighted cabin. Countless stars decorated the sky and a chilly breeze ruffled her hair.

  She felt a little badly about the door she’d abruptly slammed shut in regards to Jeff worrying about her being single. She’d told him and Beth about her attraction to women soon after her first semester of college. Neither seemed surprised when she’d confided in them one night after they’d all had too much to drink. Ever since Jeff married Beth, she’d kept some things close to the vest, confiding in her brother less and less. She could never tell him that she’d been in love with Beth since high school.

  “What was it that you thought you heard?” she said, breaking the silence.

  “I’m not sure. It was too far off. It sounded like a cat, but I only heard it once.”

  “Bobcat, maybe?”

  “Yeah. Maybe.” Jeff’s tone of voice told her he wasn’t convinced.

  Puller met them at the door, wiggling with excitement. He stood on his hind legs and put his front feet on Roni’s leg. She scooped him up and set him back on his self-made nest. “You stay there for a minute.”

  “Did you charge the radio yet?” Jeff looked around and slapped his sides. “Cripes, you haven’t even gotten it out yet. I told Mom and Dad we’d call when we got here.”

  Roni shrugged halfheartedly. “Oops, I guess I got busy cleaning and cooking our dinner. Plus, you completely threw me when I saw Puller.” She pulled two bowls from the shelf and started setting the table. “Get it out yourself if you’re in such an all-fired hurry.”

  Grumbling, Jeff stomped off to the back of the cabin. She chose not to listen to him. “Oh, stop your complaining.”

  She rolled her eyes. Just one more day, she thought. Their parents wouldn’t be worried if they didn’t call until tomorrow. And unfortunately, once the radio was operational, she’d be obligated to transmit to the Fenn Ranger Station that Base Two had staff on-site.

  She heard Jeff open the closet door where they housed the generator and wood sliding on wood as he opened the ventilation door. The radio sat on the shelf above it, and it would take a few minutes for him to connect the wiring. Soon the machine came to life. They used the generator primarily to keep the radio charged. Both hated the noise and, more often than not, would forego electric lighting in favor of the much quieter lanterns. Hauling fuel up the mountain was a pain in the ass too.

  Jeff came back out, rubbing his hands together. “Okay, we should be able to call the parental unit after dinner, which by the way, smells great.”

  “Don’t sound so surprised.”

  “I just don’t think of you being domestic and able to cook anything edible.”

  “If you’d ever use that tidbit of a brain of yours, you’d realize that I do have to eat and therefore cook for myself.”

  “I know. And that’s why you’re so skinny.”

  “Wiseass.” She swatted him with the spoon before giving the stew a final stir. Lucky for him, she’d licked it clean so it didn’t leave a mark.

  She spooned generous portions into their bowls and sat down to eat. Neither said a word as they shoveled the food into their mouths. Nor were they about to try to yell above the generator’s engine roar.

  “Let’s see if the radio’s charged.” Jeff set his spoon down. He pushed away from the table and disappeared into the generator closet.

  The resulting quiet was almost deafening. Blowing a sigh of relief, Roni pushed away from the table, put the dishes in the sink, and walked back to her bedroom. Puller jumped off the chair. His claws clicked on the wood floor as he followed her. “I’ll feed you in a second, little man.”

  She rummaged t
hrough her gear but didn’t find what she was searching for. “Shit. I bet it’s still in my saddlebag.” She left the mess on her bed and returned to the kitchen. After she gave Puller some kibble, she hollered, “Hey, Jeff, I forgot something in my saddlebags. I’ll be right back.”

  She got a muffled “okay” from the closet, shoved her arms into her coat, and walked out the door. She pulled the fleece-lined collar up against the shock of cold that hit her neck. May’s weather was unpredictable in the Bitterroots. Despite the clear starlit skies, she wouldn’t be at all surprised to a find a coating of snow on the ground come morning. At the very least, there’d be one hell of a frost.

  She easily followed the well-worn path to the barn. Her saddle was hanging on a stall divider with the saddlebags still attached. She decided she’d rearrange the contents tomorrow in preparation for a quick ride out should it become necessary. Bag open, she blindly felt inside for the flask of whiskey she had put in there. Finding it, she uncapped it, brought it to her lips, and let the strong liquid run down her throat. Through force of habit, she opened her mouth and released the thick vapors with a sigh as the warmth in her throat and belly intensified. Her plume of breath hovered in the cold air and was gone. Blinking the resulting tears away, she squatted down and leaned against a corner post, staring at nothing in particular. A horse snorted contentedly in the meadow. The only other sound that reached her ears was the slight rustle of a mouse or shrew as it searched for food among the leaves. Darkness loomed as a cloud crossed over the moon.

  She closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the post. “Ow!” She groaned and rubbed the back of her head. Until then she’d forgotten about her lump. She took another swallow, hoping it would deaden the reawakened throb. Emptiness settled in her chest. She hadn’t realized how hard it would be without Beth up here. And the season had only just begun.

  There’d been an immediate connection between the two of them when they had met. It wasn’t long before they would finish each other’s sentences or start saying the same thing at the same time. Roni’s dad used to say, “The saddle wouldn’t be complete without the two stirrups.” They did everything and went everywhere together. She’d always thought they were a match made in heaven.