Montana Love Letter

by Charlotte Carter

  She checked the time. After six o’clock. Adam must be busy on a repair job.

  “Hailey,” she called. “If you know what your dad plans for dinner, I could get started cooking.”

  “It’s Friday night,” the child called back. “That means it’s spaghetti night.”

  “Perfect.” Standing, Janelle brushed the back of her slacks off. “You two stay close and don’t go in the water. I’ll start dinner.” She didn’t like Raeanne to eat too late or she wouldn’t get to bed on time. Besides, Janelle was getting hungry herself.

  While the kitchen appliances weren’t new, they appeared functional, and the oak-stained cupboards made the room cozy, a place where a family would want to gather around the oak table. Colorful print pillows covered the seats of the matching chairs.

  This was certainly not the kitchen of a typical bachelor, but one whose wife had lent the home her feminine touch. Janelle wondered if Adam still grieved for his wife, and thought he probably did.

  Before opening the refrigerator door, she noted Hailey’s third-grade report card held there by a flower magnet. Straight A’s. She smiled. One smart young lady.

  She found some ground meat on the top shelf of the refrigerator, a bag of lettuce in the vegetable bin along with two tomatoes. After opening several cupboards, she located a box of angel-hair pasta in a small pantry along with a jar of pasta sauce next to several boxes of cereal. A heavy iron skillet was stored under the counter.

  Raeanne threw open the sliding glass door and blasted into the house, racing down the hall to the bathroom.

  Janelle smiled at Hailey, who followed at a more dignified pace.

  “Raeanne sure is quiet. Is she, like, slow?” Hailey’s hesitant question held no negative judgment but rather concerned curiosity.

  “Not at all. In fact, she’s quite intelligent and used to jabber constantly. She just sort of forgot how to talk.” Pressing her lips together, Janelle wondered how much she should reveal about her daughter’s situation, and her own.

  Hailey’s forehead puckered into a frown. “Do you think she’ll ever talk again?”

  “Oh, yes. Given enough time she’ll find her voice.” Janelle prayed every night and every morning that her daughter would let go of the pain and fear and be whole again. She desperately wished she had the skill to “fix” whatever had broken in her little girl’s heart and head when she’d witnessed the sudden death of her father.

  “Can I help her? I’m pretty good with little kids. I always wanted a little sister, but Mom got so sick she couldn’t have any more babies.”

  A surge of affection and sympathy for this young, outgoing, motherless child touched Janelle’s heart. “Just play with her and act natural. That’s the best medicine you can give her.”

  Raeanne skipped back into the living room. She gestured for Hailey to go back outside with her.

  “Why don’t you two settle down and find something on television to watch?” Janelle suggested. “Dinner won’t be too long.”

  “I’ve got some board games we could play,” Hailey volunteered.

  With Raeanne’s silent approval, the two of them raced off toward Hailey’s bedroom again. Janelle had no doubt that Raeanne would sleep well tonight with all the exercise and fresh air she was enjoying.

  Struck by how comfortable she felt in this house, almost as if she’d always lived here, Janelle put the meat on to brown.

  But she didn’t live here, she sternly reminded herself. She and her daughter were guests staying in Grandma’s cottage, nothing more, and only for one night. Tomorrow they’d find another temporary place to stay. Then they’d start some serious house hunting so they’d have a home of their own.

  * * *

  Adam had spent the past two hours laboriously going over his tax forms. They made less sense to him now than when he’d filled them out in April.

  He should’ve hired someone to do his taxes. But his receipts and invoices were all crammed in a box. He could barely make out what was what. Anybody else would’ve laughed himself silly over his record-keeping and walked away in disgust—or asked far too many questions that Adam would’ve had trouble answering.

  Lisa, his late wife, had wanted them to keep his problem to themselves. She was afraid he’d lose business if others knew he couldn’t read.

  With a headache threatening, he decided he’d call it a day. He shed his overalls and work boots and washed up in the restroom in the garage. Time to get home to fix dinner for Hailey...and his houseguests.

  His steps suddenly a little lighter, he locked up the garage and walked back to the house. The temperature had cooled and birdcalls trilled through the treetops. The distant sound of a motorboat hummed across the lake.

  The moment he walked into the house, he caught the scent of garlic and oregano, and his stomach rumbled. He found Janelle bending over a pot on the stove, tasting the spaghetti sauce.

  “My sauce never smells that good,” he said.

  She jumped back from the stove and shoved a lock of her brown hair away from her forehead. With a nervous laugh, she said, “I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “Sorry I startled you.” Seeing her in his kitchen, a drying towel tucked in the waistband of her slacks for an apron, brought a lump to his throat. It had been a long time since anyone except his aging, once-a-week cleaning lady had cooked dinner for him. And she was likely to leave a tuna casserole and broccoli with cheese sauce. Not his favorites.

  “I hope you don’t mind that I added some spices to the sauce. I found them in the cupboard.”

  He sauntered farther into the room. “Of course not. But I didn’t mean for you to have to cook for Hailey and me. You and Raeanne are our guests.”

  “I knew the girls would be getting hungry soon.”

  “Yeah.” He took the spoon from her hand and dipped it into the simmering concoction. Blowing on the spoonful of red sauce to cool it, he sampled it. “Hmm, tastes homemade.”

  “I’m not exactly an Italian chef, but I do like it spiced up a bit.”

  They were standing so close he could see tiny golden flecks in her brown eyes. “Where are the girls?”

  Her tongue peeked out and dampened the fullness of her bottom lip, leaving it shiny. “They’re playing board games in Hailey’s room.”

  “Great. Hailey gets pretty bored on her own when I work late.” And he got bored and lonely during the long nights alone with no one to talk to, no one to share with, no one to care for or tell about his day.

  A pan of water heating on the stove reached a full boil and bubbled over, sizzling on the burner.

  Her face flushed, Janelle jumped back and lowered the flame. She wiped up the spill with a corner of her towel.

  “If you’re ready to eat, I’ll put the spaghetti on to cook. You can tell the girls to clean up and we’ll eat in about five minutes.”

  Regret that the connection between them had been broken forced a sigh from his lips.

  “I’ll let them know.”

  Not that the connection mattered or was even real, he thought as he walked down the hallway. Janelle and her daughter would be gone tomorrow. The only actual relationship they had was based on a crumpled car and a cracked radiator.

  Chapter Three

  When Janelle had the last of the dinner dishes in the dishwasher and the leftovers in the refrigerator, she was ready to sit down to enjoy the evening.

  Evidently Hailey had a different idea. She’d planted herself next to where Adam was sitting on the couch, his legs stretched out in front of him. Raeanne stood beside them.

  “Dad, we promised Raeanne a ride in our boat.”

  “We did?”

  “When we invited them to stay in the cottage. Remember? It’s still light outside. Can we go now? Can we? Raeanne really, really wants to go for a
boat ride.”

  Adam muttered something that resembled a groan.

  “Don’t feel you have to take Rae for a boat ride.” Janelle stepped into the living room. “You must be tired from working all day.”

  He levered himself up from the couch and ruffled Hailey’s hair. “Getting some fresh air is just what I need. Right, Peanut?”

  Knowing she’d won an easy victory, Hailey grinned.

  “Okay, everybody get a jacket. It gets cold out on the water.” He looked right at Janelle. “You’re coming, aren’t you?”

  “Why, I...” She tucked a strand of wayward hair behind her ear. “Sure. It’ll be fun.”

  “We’ll meet you down at the dock,” he said.

  Janelle hurried to the cabin to get jackets for herself and Raeanne, stopping only long enough to freshen her lip gloss. Although why she’d taken the time to do that wasn’t something she wanted to examine too closely.

  When she reached the dock, Adam presented her and Raeanne with life vests.

  A sixteen-foot bowrider with an open cockpit, the boat was sleekly styled and painted red and white. The pilot and one passenger had swivel chairs. A bench along the back provided room for two or three additional passengers, and there were two cutout seats in the bow for the more adventurous or those who wanted to sunbathe.

  “Do you use this for fishing or waterskiing?” Janelle asked as Adam helped her climb aboard, his hand firmly holding hers.

  “More for fishing, but I don’t get out as much lately as I used to. I haven’t tried waterskiing since I was a kid.”

  “Well, then, it’s doubly nice of you to take Rae and me for a boat ride.”

  His lips hitched into a smile and he nodded toward Hailey. “Hard to fight that kind of pressure.”

  Chuckling, Janelle settled down on a bench at the back of the cockpit while the girls hovered close to Adam as he pulled away from the dock. Completely at ease, he looked very much the sea captain in charge of his vessel and all on board.

  The breeze picked up, making Janelle’s hair dance and whip around. As the boat speeded up, spray misted her face. The water felt cool and refreshing, the air crisp and untouched by pollution. Over the years, she’d ridden in boats on Puget Sound and on Lake Washington and had even tried her hand at waterskiing. Not too successfully, she mentally added.

  But on this high-elevation lake, everything seemed clearer, the sights and sounds more distinct. She inhaled deeply and smiled. What a refreshing interlude.

  After a bit, Adam let Hailey drive the boat at a modest speed. Then he asked Rae if she wanted a turn. Without a moment’s hesitation, she hiked herself up on the chair and took the wheel.

  A rush of love filled Janelle’s chest. In this new place, Raeanne had already moved miles away from her fears and the trauma of her father’s death. Her speech might not have returned, but her zest for life was definitely on the rebound.

  Thank You, Lord.

  When Rae’s turn was over, she came racing into Janelle’s arms. Her grin was as big as the quarter moon that was rising over the hills on the far side of the lake.

  “You really liked driving the boat, didn’t you, sweetie?”

  She nodded enthusiastically.

  Janelle pulled her daughter more fully into her arms. If only Rae could express herself with more than a nod or a silent gesture.

  Give her time, she reminded herself. That’s what the counselor had said and what she prayed for every night.

  * * *

  Worn out by all the excitement, Rae was asleep by the time they docked. Hailey talked Janelle into letting Rae sleep in her bed in the main house for now. When Janelle retired for the night, she or Adam could carry Rae to the cottage. That seemed reasonable. Janelle wasn’t ready for bed yet, and she wanted to enjoy the night air.

  Once the girls were settled in Hailey’s room, Janelle relaxed in an Adirondack chair on the deck.

  The clouds that had lingered over the mountains had vanished and stars were beginning to appear in the darkening sky. Bats flitted from treetop to treetop in search of a tasty morsel for their supper. On the far side of the lake, lights appeared in cabins nearly hidden by the trees.

  Closer at hand, country-western music wafted across the still water.

  The sliding door opened and Adam stepped outside. “Nice night,” he commented.

  “Hmm, perfect.”

  “When it gets full dark, there’ll be a lot of stars. On a clear night like this when the moon’s not full, the Milky Way lights up the sky.”

  “Seattle isn’t real good for stargazing. Too many city lights and too overcast.” Raised in the northwest, she’d been used to Seattle weather, but today had been gorgeous. The night even more spectacular.

  He settled in the Adirondack chair next to her. “I couldn’t help but notice you’re not wearing a wedding ring. Are you divorced?” He spoke softly, letting his voice match the quiet hum of the breeze in the treetops.

  “No. Widowed. My husband died of an aneurysm seven months ago. He collapsed in our kitchen. By the time the paramedics arrived, he was already gone.” Recalling that morning tightened a knot in her chest. Although Raymond’s death had been shocking, it was what she’d learned while cleaning out his desk that had stunned and hurt her the most. He’d had a mistress on almost every university campus he visited as a guest lecturer. His betrayal had cut so deeply, she wasn’t sure the wounds would ever heal.

  “Hey, I’m really sorry. That’s tough.”

  Tears burned at the backs of her eyes, more for herself than for Raymond’s sudden death. “Thank you.” Her voice caught.

  “What about your folks?” he asked. “Are they still in Seattle?”

  “My father passed away when I was thirteen. My mother tried to hold things together, but I don’t think she ever recovered from losing him. She died the summer before my freshman year in college.” Maybe if her mother had been around and her father had lived longer, Janelle wouldn’t have fallen for Raymond. Would have seen that he wouldn’t be faithful.

  “Losing both your parents had to be hard for you.”

  “Yes, it was. I felt adrift looking for an anchor.”

  They were both silent for a moment before Adam said, “Here comes the North Star.”

  She followed the direction he was pointing and cleared her throat. “Hard to miss, isn’t it?”

  “That’s why sailors used it for navigation for centuries before the compass was invented.”

  “Are you into astronomy?”

  “Strictly amateur, but yeah. How could I not be, living in big-sky country?”

  A smile curved her lips, matching the smile she heard in his voice. “Then I guess I’d better take up astronomy.”

  “You’re really planning to stay, then? Here in Bear Lake?”

  “If I can find a house to buy at a price I can afford.” She’d sold the house in Seattle and came away with more than enough for a substantial down payment on a new place. Raymond’s insurance money would cover expenses for a while. “After school starts, I’ll look for some sort of job, probably part-time initially.”

  He picked up a cluster of dry pine needles and tossed them off the deck. “What kind of work do you do?”

  “I have a degree in anthropology, which is entirely useless in terms of job hunting.” A degree she’d gotten because that was Raymond’s specialty and he was head of the department. She’d become enamored with Professor Raymond Townsend in her first anthropology class and had been deliriously happy when he began paying extra attention to her. She should have known right then that a relationship between a professor and an undergraduate was forbidden for a reason. “But I had a couple of years of accounting before I changed my major, so I’ll probably look for a bookkeeping job.”

  “Year-round jobs aren’t rea
l easy to find in Bear Lake. Everything’s tied to the tourist trade. But I’ll keep an eye out for bookkeeping jobs and let you know if I hear of anything.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate your help, including letting us stay in the cottage tonight.”

  “No problem.” He pushed himself to his feet. “I’m going to call it a night. You want me to get Raeanne for you?”

  “If you don’t mind. She’s getting almost too heavy for me to carry.” She didn’t want to risk leaving Rae sleeping with Hailey. There were still nights when her daughter woke up screaming with nightmares about the day her father had died.

  Together they walked inside. Janelle stopped at Hailey’s bedroom door.

  “I meant to comment on the good job you’re doing raising your daughter on your own. She’s a lovely girl.”

  “Thanks. She is a good kid. I’m a little worried, though, about what’ll happen when she gets to be a teenager. I’m sure not going to be able to give her much advice about dating and wearing makeup and stuff like that.”

  Janelle chuckled. “You’ll figure it out.” A father as devoted as Adam was would do just fine as long as Hailey knew how much he loved her.

  To her deep regret, Raymond hadn’t been much of a father to Raeanne. He’d been too busy on the traveling lecture circuit to pay much attention to his own daughter. Or Janelle.

  If only she’d recognized the signs earlier.

  * * *

  Janelle woke to filtered sunlight slipping in through the sheer window curtains.

  In a quick glance, she checked on Raeanne. Sound asleep, her arms curled around Ruff. As Janelle had expected, her daughter had worn herself out playing with Hailey.

  After a quick shower, she towel dried her hair, dressed and went in search of something to eat in the main house.

  She knocked on the sliding glass door and stepped inside. Adam was in the kitchen, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, cooking eggs and whistling a tuneless song.

  She smiled to herself. She added can cook to his list of attributes. “Good morning. You’re an early riser.”