Mountain Top

by Robert Whitlow

  It was the most flattering, pure-hearted invitation I’d ever received from a male.

  “I’ll need to talk to my parents about it.”

  “Sure. You can talk to Joe Carpenter if you like. I’m not suggesting we date or agree to anything beyond getting to know each other in a transparent way.” Zach gestured with his hand across the expanse of the marsh. “Without the distractions of phony barriers.”

  I stared at the marsh for a few moments. My heart beat a little faster. “I’ve never had anyone approach me like this,” I said.

  Zach pulled on his ponytail. “And I’d bet you’ve never met a Christian lawyer from California with long hair who owns two motorcycles.”

  17

  DURING THE RETURN TRIP TO MRS. FAIRMONT’S HOUSE, THE SUN climbed higher in the sky. The artificial breeze created by the speed of the motorcycle kept me outwardly cool, but inside I felt flushed.

  I barely knew the young lawyer, but he’d already shown the ability to get behind my defenses. No one, not even the boys at church who’d known me all their lives and shared the same religious convictions, ever came close to relating to me as a person. The novelty of the ride in the sidecar couldn’t compete with the new thoughts racing through my head. I spoke into the microphone.

  “How long have you been thinking about what you said to me on the island?”

  Zach glanced sideways. “Is this a good time to talk about that question?”

  “Yes.”

  “Since the first time we met.”

  “Was it the homeschool connection?”

  “It was everything. Put yourself in my shoes. How hard is it to meet people whose main goal in life is to love and obey God?”

  We stopped in front of Mrs. Fairmont’s house. I handed him the helmet. “Do you want to come in for a few minutes?” I asked.

  “No, I’m going to the office.”

  “Thanks for the ride.”

  As I reached the front door, I heard Zach pull away from the curb. I couldn’t resist stopping to watch him ride down the street until he was out of sight.

  Flip greeted me at the door. Mrs. Fairmont was sitting in the den with a book in her lap. Her eyes were closed. I quietly walked over to her chair. The book in her lap was a biography of Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams. I wondered how many pages she’d read before falling asleep or losing the ability to concentrate. She stirred and opened her eyes.

  “It’s Tami Taylor,” I said quickly.

  She rubbed her eyes. “I know who you are, but thanks for reminding me. Did you have a good time?”

  “Yes ma’am. We rode out to Tybee Island.”

  “When I was a little girl one of the highlights of the summer was the train ride to Tybee.”

  “A motorcycle was exciting for me.”

  Mrs. Fairmont nodded and pointed a frail finger at the book in her lap. “Life has to be lived while you can. You only have one chance.”

  IT WAS NO USE TRYING to call home. I knew Mama and Daddy would be working all day Saturday. So, I cleaned and scrubbed my apartment for several hours, then offered to take Flip on a walk through the neighborhood. As soon as he saw the red leash, Flip ran to the front door and began jumping up and down. I fastened the lead to his collar and headed out the door. The leash seemed unnecessary. The little dog stayed by my side with his head held high in the air. We walked all the way to Forsyth Park where I let him drink from a special water fountain just for dogs. When we returned to the house, Mrs. Fairmont held him in her lap and made me repeat in detail everything that had happened. The two of them took a long nap in the den.

  Late in the afternoon Mrs. Fairmont woke up and started watching TV. I slipped into the kitchen to phone home. One of the twins answered. It sounded like Ellie.

  “It’s Tami. Is this Ellie?”

  “Do I sound like Ellie?”

  “Yes, I need to talk to Mama and Daddy.”

  “Are you in trouble?”

  “No.”

  “Then why are you in such a hurry to talk to them? Don’t you want to know what Emma and I have been doing today?”

  I realized that I’d sounded curt. “Sure. Did you clean the chicken coop?”

  To my surprise, the girls hadn’t worked much at all. After they cleaned their room, Mama took them to a basketball scrimmage for girls their age at the high school.

  “We each wore one of your old uniforms,” she said. “It was funny because we looked alike and had the same number.”

  I’d purchased my high school uniforms because no one else would want to wear extra-long shorts and baggy shirts.

  “Who had the most assists?” I asked.

  “They didn’t keep up with that, only points and rebounds. I had four more points than Emma.”

  “What about rebounds?”

  “She got some lucky bounces.”

  “And then threw the ball to you while you were running down the court. If you scored on her pass that would be an assist.”

  “Yeah, that happened a couple of times. Anyway, the new coach for the middle school team was there watching. She talked to Mama after the scrimmage about us being on the team.”

  “But you won’t be enrolled at the school.”

  Ellie spoke with excitement in her voice. “The coach says the school board has adopted a new policy for homeschoolers that lets them play sports. I’m not sure how it works, but Mama and Daddy are going to pray about it. Would you pray too? The other girls were nice to us and had fun trying to tell us apart.”

  It would be much easier for Ellie and Emma to face the world together than it had been for me going it alone.

  “Two are better than one,” I said, quoting part of a verse from Ecclesiastes.

  “Yeah, but I also sank some free throws,” Ellie said. “It’s only one point, but most of the girls didn’t come close. Emma and I only missed two each.”

  I didn’t try to correct her. “Now, will you let Mama and Daddy know that I’m on the phone?”

  “I love you,” Ellie said.

  “I love you too.”

  I could hear the television in the den. It sounded like Mrs. Fairmont was watching a war movie. Mama came on the line.

  “I’m here,” she said. “Ellie said it was urgent. Are you all right?”

  “Yes ma’am. It couldn’t be too urgent. I listened to Ellie talk for ten minutes about the basketball scrimmage. Are they going to play on the middle school team next year?”

  “We’re praying about it.”

  “Is Daddy there?”

  “He’s gone with Kyle to look at a few head of cattle. I think Kyle has them sold for a profit before he buys them. That boy is going to be a success. I just hope it doesn’t become too important to him and draw him away from the Lord.” Mama paused. “But tell me everything about your week.”

  I’d already thought out an efficient way to summarize my activities. When I mentioned interviewing Moses Jones, Mama interrupted me. “You met with a criminal alone?”

  “Yes ma’am. But it took place in an interview room at the jail with deputies everywhere.”

  “That part of being a lawyer has always worried me. Be careful.”

  “Yes ma’am.” I took a deep breath. “And I’ve enjoyed getting to know most of the people I’m working with. One of the associate lawyers is a serious Christian. He’s supervising my work in the criminal case.”

  “Then he should be with you when you meet with this man. Don’t be shy in insisting that he come along.”

  “I won’t. He’s already told me that he wants to be there at the next meeting with the client.”

  “Good. How is Mrs. Fairmont’s health? Your father and I have been praying for her.”

  I told Mama about the rough night and how God helped me. When I described the time of singing and prayer, she interrupted. “Amen! The Spirit is all over what you’re doing at that house. To me, it’s a thousand times more important than any work at a law firm. I’ll mention it in our Sunday school class. Once Glady
s McFarland hears about the need, you know she’ll pray.”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “Are you going to a church in the morning?”

  “No. The Christian lawyer mentioned a home group he attends. I may visit, but not tomorrow.”

  “Be careful, but you’ve learned how to discern truth and error.”

  “Yes ma’am. And the lawyer also asked permission to get to know me better.”

  I stopped. The news was out. I waited.

  “Did you say something?” Mama asked. “The phone went dead.”

  “Yes ma’am. The Christian lawyer wants to get to know me better.”

  “Isn’t that why they offered you a summer job in the first place? That shouldn’t be too hard if you’re working on a case together.”

  I spoke rapidly. “Yes ma’am, but he meant on a personal level. He has a homeschool background all the way through high school. We have a lot in common.”

  There was silence. This time, I knew why.

  “How old is he?” Mama asked in a measured tone of voice.

  “I’m not sure, but he’s only been practicing law for three years. He’s probably twenty-seven or twenty-eight.”

  “So you don’t know much about him.”

  “He’s from California and very polite. He’s smart and a hard worker. The senior partner he works for has a lot of confidence in him. This week he was working on an important case involving a company in Norway.”

  Mama ignored the data. “Tell me exactly what he said to you.”

  “That he would like to get to know me on a personal level. I told him I would need to talk to you and Daddy, and he thought that was a great idea. I’ve never met anyone like him. He understands my convictions and doesn’t criticize me.”

  “How could he know that much about your beliefs? You’ve only been in Savannah a few days.”

  “It seems longer than that to me. Zach and I have discussed things at work and spent time together.” I stopped. Mention of the motorcycle ride to Tybee Island at this point would kill all prospects. “We talked this morning. He came by the house, and we sat on the back porch with Mrs. Fairmont and had a great time.”

  Slightly breathless, I stopped and waited.

  Mama spoke calmly yet firmly. “I’m sure your father and I would want to meet this young man before agreeing to anything. If he’s as spiritually mature as you say, he shouldn’t have any problem with that approach.”

  It was a predictable response. But as I’d presented my brief case, I’d realized how badly I wanted Mama to give me the okay. Parental approval of a budding romance was a safeguard against the anguish and heartache caused by aborted attempts to find the right soul mate. Mama said the serial dating practiced by most girls was often nothing more than preparation for multiple divorces.

  “Yes ma’am. Talk to Daddy, and I’ll keep my interaction with Zach strictly business.”

  “And remember that our home is open if you want to bring him here for a visit. You’re mature enough to get married. It’s just a question of letting God find your mate.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “You really think I’m ready for marriage?”

  “Yes, but the timing should be in the Lord’s hands. How many times have we prayed for your husband without knowing his name?”

  “Hundreds, ever since I was a little girl.”

  “We want you to have your own home and family. I’m not the perfect wife and mother, but I hope I’ve given you a good example.”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “I miss you most as a daughter, but also as a worker.” Mama chuckled. “You’d think I would get twice the help from Emma and Ellie, but I think, with them, the help is divided rather than multiplied.”

  Mama’s lighthearted comments encouraged me.

  “Tell me about your week,” I said.

  Listening to Mama felt good and bad. It was good to hear about home, bad to face again the ache of separation from my family.

  “Tammy Lynn,” she said when the conversation was coming to an end, “thanks so much for telling me about your conversation with Zach.”

  Hearing Mama speak his name startled me.

  “We trust you,” she continued. “Which is one of the greatest gifts a child can give to a parent.”

  I felt a stab of guilt because I’d not told the whole truth. I quickly searched my heart for a way to provide additional information.

  “We love you,” Mama said. “Bye.”

  The call ended. I stared for a few seconds at the phone receiver in my hand. Even if I didn’t tell Mama the whole truth, I could still honor her wishes.

  MONDAY MORNING, I arrived early at the office and went directly to the library. I already felt more comfortable in my surroundings. A few minutes later, Julie and Vince, their faces reflecting the red of a glorious sunset, came in together.

  “I don’t have as much Middle Eastern blood in my veins as I thought,” Julie said. “And Vinny is a pure Caucasian.”

  “Did you go to Tybee Island?” I asked.

  “No,” Vince replied. “Ned Danforth invited Julie to spend the day on his boat, and she brought me along.”

  “As my bodyguard,” Julie added. “I could tell Ned was miffed when we drove up to the marina together, but I pointed out that it was an opportunity to get to know both of us at the same time. Ned and Vinny ended up spending a lot of the time fiddling with the navigation system while I served as a hood ornament.”

  “I think you were a bow ornament,” Vince corrected. “We were on a boat.”

  Julie looked at Vince in surprise. “Did the sun shining on your head give you a sense of humor? Either way, you ignored me by asking question after question about Tami.”

  Vince’s expression changed, but he was so sunburned that I couldn’t tell if Julie’s comment embarrassed him or not. She continued. “Summer clerks have to stick together, and you two should go to lunch today and satisfy your mutual curiosity.”

  Before I could deny curiosity, Vince gave me a hopeful look that stopped my words in their tracks.

  “I’d like that,” he said. “Are you available?”

  “I’m not sure,” I answered. “I haven’t checked with Mr. Carpenter.”

  “Be here at noon,” Julie said to Vince.

  After Vince left, Julie sat across the table from me. “I owe you an apology,” she said.

  “Why?”

  “For giving you such a hard time about not putting on a bathing suit so you could meet men. Friday night I get a predatory call from Ned Danforth. At least, I could tell what he had in mind and convinced Vinny to ruin the party. You might not have been savvy enough to see it coming. Anyway, after we spent four pleasant hours sailing along the coastline, I thought I might have been paranoid. But then while Vinny was below deck with his nose stuck in an onboard software program, Ned came up to the bow and made a comment I couldn’t ignore. I had to put him in his place like a ninth grader. It was awkward for both of us. He immediately turned the boat around. The sail back to port seemed twice as long as the ride out. Ned spent the rest of the trip hanging out with Vinny, and I got cooked because I didn’t want to join them. Fraternization between associates and summer clerks is so unprofessional.” Julie looked down at the paperwork in front of her. “What did you do this weekend besides read the Bible and pray?”

  “Fraternized with one of the male associates.”

  Julie’s mouth dropped open. “Get out.”

  “Yeah, one of the attorneys and I went to Tybee Island.”

  “Who?”

  “Zach Mays, but don’t get the wrong idea,” I added. “It was nothing like your boat cruise with Ned. He had me back to Mrs. Fairmont’s house before noon so he could come to the office and work.”

  “I didn’t peg you as a pathological liar, but that makes no sense. Tell me straight what happened.”

  I pointed to the books open on the table in front of me. “Don’t you think we should get to work?”

  “No!”

/>   Julie sat back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. It took twice as long as it should have to tell her about the motorcycle ride because she constantly interrupted.

  “I’m just trying to make sure you’re not holding back. So when did he talk to you about the homeschooling thing?”

  “Weeks ago.”

  “How is that possible if you didn’t interview in person for a summer job?”

  “Let me finish telling you about Saturday before you drag up another example of fraternization.”

  Julie shook her head. “Maybe you’re not as uptight as I thought.”

  “No, I’m more uptight than you can imagine, but it feels right to me.” I finished as quickly as I could. I left out the entire discussion about asking my parents’ permission to get to know Zach on a personal level.

  “I had no idea the two of you had something brewing so fast,” Julie said thoughtfully. “He doesn’t look religious, and the motorcycle deal doesn’t fit the stereotype. I just hope he didn’t come up with a strategy to seduce you after the first meeting.”

  It was such a brusque comment that it shocked me.

  “He’s not a Ned Danforth. I would be able to see through that in a second.”

  “Maybe.” Julie paused. “But where does this leave poor Vinny? I had him all psyched up about what a great girl you are.”

  “I thought he asked you question after question.”

  “Maybe one, but I felt so rotten about the way I talked to you on Friday that I tried to make it up by praising you to him. Now, he’s going to find out that he’s a lap down before the race even starts.”

  I studied Julie carefully for a moment. “Did you make him think I was interested in him?”

  “Uh, no. Except that like a good Christian you love all people equally, no matter their age, race, gender, or hair color.”

  “That’s how you put it? It sounds like a sentence from the federal antidiscrimination laws.”

  “In so many words or less.”