Winter Woods

by ID Johnson

  “Right,” Fiona replied. “Well, I hope it’s fun.”

  “Me, too,” Olivia agreed, trying to make her voice sound neutral. Hoping she had a good time was an understatement. Getting to spend possibly her last evening here with Memphis should be a night to remember, so long as everything went well, and she didn’t say or do anything intrusive or ridiculous.

  “What are you going to take as a present?”

  It was a good question, one she hadn’t even considered. “I have no idea.”

  “Maybe you could make him some of those origami animals Dad used to create when we were up there. It wouldn’t be much, but it would be something.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Olivia said. She remembered how to make a few different birds and maybe a fish. Those should work. At least she wouldn’t be empty-handed. “Well, if I’m going to do all that, I guess I better get going.”

  “Okay. Happy New Year, little sis,” Fiona said. “I love you.”

  “Happy New Year to all of you as well. I love you, too.” Olivia hung up the phone and decided in what order she would do the things she needed to get done before Memphis showed up to get her. Since she wanted to look her best, she decided to get herself ready first and then worry about the presents, if there was time for that.

  She took the ladder rungs slowly, still afraid she might get dizzy and fall. Her head and back hadn’t been bothering her much that day, but there was no use being risky. She’d learned her lesson yesterday. While the shower warmed up, she looked at what she’d packed and realized she’d tossed in a long tunic and leggings that looked almost like a dress and tights. That would definitely do. The soft blue color of the tunic would go nicely with her eyes.

  A shower later, she was dressed and had her hair dried. Putting on her make-up, she was very careful, even though she knew Memphis had seen her at her worst, and it didn’t seem to bother him. Still, she wanted to look as nice as possible since this might be the last chance she had to convince him to stay, not that she planned on saying anything about it. She hoped he’d realize they were meant to be together and come to that conclusion on his own.

  She sprayed on some perfume, lightly, and then slipped in some silver hoop earrings. Pulling her hair up into a chignon, she secured it with some bobby pins and gave herself one more look in the mirror. Happy with her own reflection, she stepped out of the bathroom and put on her dress boots. They weren’t as warm as the pair down by the door, but they looked a lot nicer, especially with her outfit.

  Once she was certain she was ready to go, she went about finding some paper in one of her bags and carefully folded a few sheets until she had something that resembled a few origami animals. They weren’t perfect, and she’d had to start over a few times, but at least she wouldn’t be walking into a birthday party with nothing at all. She found a little baggy and slipped them inside. One of the bonuses of traveling so frequently was that she almost always had little things like this on hand.

  Olivia had only just made it downstairs when Memphis knocked on her door. The thought that this might be the very last time she heard that familiar sound tugged at her heartstrings, but she tried not to focus on that. She needed to enjoy herself and spend some time with his family. That’s what friends did, after all.

  She pulled the door open to see he’d actually driven over. He was standing there with a single white winter rose in his hand, and Olivia felt a wide smile spread across her face. “Good evening, miss,” he said, extending the flower.

  “Good evening,” she echoed, taking the flower. “Where did you find this?”

  “I have my resources,” Memphis replied. “You look divine.”

  “Why thank you.” Though he was wearing the same coat, she noticed he had on a darker pair of jeans, and it looked like he might have steam cleaned his hat as it was shinier than usual. “As do you.”

  “Are you ready?” he asked, still acting overly formal.

  “Let me just get my coat.” She took the rose and tucked it behind her ear as she reached for her coat on the hook by the door.

  “Allow me.” He stepped inside and took her coat, holding it so she could slip it on. “Shall we?”

  With a giggle, Olivia took his arm and went out the door, closing it behind her. He led her over to his truck and helped her inside. It was nice and toasty warm, and she was glad they didn’t have to walk, especially since her boots were more for indoor purposes.

  As Memphis climbed in and shifted into drive, Olivia’s heart started to flutter, not just because she was in his presence but because she was nervous to meet his family. She was certain they’d be nice enough, but it still made her anxious. What if they didn’t like her? What if they thought it was odd that she was so interested in Memphis when they would likely never see each other again? She tried to take slow, deep breaths, to calm herself.

  “What’s that in the bag?” he asked, gesturing at the gift she was still clutching tightly.

  “Oh, I made your grandfather little present. It’s nothing much, but I thought I should bring him something. Just little paper animals.”

  “Really?” Memphis asked, clearly intrigued. “You are even more talented than I thought.”

  “It’s nothing,” she assured him.

  “I’m sure he’ll love it.”

  They pulled into the driveway, and memories of arriving here with her family lit her mind. Her dad had always parked on the other side, where another large truck sat now, which must’ve belonged to one of Memphis’s family members. He came around and helped her out, and she could see her younger self running into the house after a long day of fishing or playing near the stream.

  “Are you all right?” Memphis asked, looking at her with concern.

  “Yes,” she replied. “It’s just been a few years since I’ve been here, that’s all.”

  “That’s right. I guess I forgot you used to stay here. Must stir up memories coming back.”

  “It does,” she admitted. She took his arm, and he led her up to the porch. The walkway and the porch had been shoveled so they were completely clear of snow, and she wondered if that was for her.

  Before Memphis could even knock on the door or punch in a code, it came flying open, and Nash stood there, a wide grin on his face. “Hey! There she is! How are you, Olivia?”

  “Just fine, thank you,” she said, surrendering to his jovial embrace.

  “Good. We’re so happy you decided to join us. We’re getting a little tired of listening to each other jaw on about the same old same old.”

  She let out a nervous giggle. “Well, I’m not sure how entertaining I’ll be, but I can try.”

  “I hear you can tell a story like nobody’s business.” Nash stepped out of the way so they could come in and close the door.

  While she wanted to say writing a story and telling a story were two different animals, she didn’t get a chance to. A middle-aged man came into the hallway, and Nash introduced him as their father, Lyle. He was pleasant and shook her hand. He offered to take her coat, but Memphis helped her slide out of it and hung it on the wall.

  “Gramps is in the den. He wanted to get up and come meet you, but I insisted he stay put,” Lyle said with a laugh. “Won’t you come in?”

  “Yes, thank you,” Olivia replied, turning to look at Memphis for reassurance. He smiled at her and gently placed his hand on her back as they made their way to the den.

  Olivia tried not to focus on the memories she had in this place, though it looked much the same as it had over a decade ago when she’d last visited. She followed Lyle into the adjoining room, and sitting by the fireplace, she spotted an elderly gentleman with a familiar-looking smile and a twinkle in his eye. It was uncanny to her how much Memphis resembled his grandfather, even though neither boy seemed to look too awfully much like their dad.

  “Well, well, well. You must be Olivia,” he said, stretching out his hand. He said her name with an emphasis on the “O,” and she couldn’t help but smile.

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bsp; She bent over and took his hand. “Mr. Nix, it’s so nice to meet you. Happy birthday,” she said. Olivia had always had a fondness for older people; they carried so much history with them. She knew instantly she would adore Memphis’s grandfather.

  “Now, you best call me Gramps,” he insisted.

  “Okay then,” she acquiesced. “Gramps it is. I brought you a little something.” She handed him the bag. “It’s not much at all, but I hate to come to a birthday party without a gift.”

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Gramps insisted, but he took the bag from her anyway, and smiling up at her, he opened it. “What’s this now?” he asked. He pulled each of the fragile origami animals out of the bag and looked at them carefully. Gramps was quiet for a long time, and Olivia began to wonder if she had done something wrong. She turned to look at Memphis, who appeared just as confused as she felt.

  After a long moment, Gramps brushed a tear away beneath his glasses. “When I was a young boy, maybe six or seven, I spent the summer with my grandmother down in Georgia. It was hot, like living on the sun. She didn’t have much, and it was difficult keeping a rapscallion such as myself occupied. So, one sweltering day, she took me outside with a few sheets of paper, and underneath a shade tree, down by the pond where we used to fish, she folded that paper and made me a few little critters to play with. These here animals look mighty like ’em,” he said, looking up at Olivia. “Thank you, kindly, Miss Olivia. You sure know how to make an old man feel young again.”

  Olivia wasn’t sure what to say. It was a last minute gift she’d thrown together; she had no idea it would mean this much to him. “You’re very welcome, Gramps,” she replied. He reached out for her hand again, and she gave it to him. Closing both of his weathered palms around hers, he squeezed her hand gently. She was just happy she’d been able to do something to make his birthday even more special.

  “Well, that sure is nice,” Lyle said. He didn’t quite seem to have the emotion in his voice of one who truly valued the symbolism, but when Olivia looked into Memphis’s eyes, she could see appreciation there, as well as, perhaps, a bit of adoration. “Why don’t we all have a seat and get acquainted with one another?” Lyle suggested.

  Olivia sat down next to Memphis on the same old sofa she’d jumped and played on with her siblings a million times before. This was the fireplace where her brother nearly took himself out of commission as well. It looked exactly the same. Lyle and Nash found seats nearby, and they began to ask her lots of questions about her family, her writing, and everything else politely imaginable. The conversation went on for some time, and Olivia didn’t feel as if she was being interrogated, though it was a little overwhelming. Eventually, a beeping noise from the kitchen broke the discussion, and Gramps said, “Now, that would be dinner,” and pulled himself up from the chair.

  Turning to Memphis, Olivia quietly asked, “He made his own birthday dinner?”

  “He insisted,” Memphis replied with a shrug.

  “Did he bake his own cake, too?”

  “No, I made it. Nash helped. Sort of.”

  “I put the frosting on,” the older brother explained with a smile.

  “I can hardly wait to taste it.” She said it with a teasing lilt to her voice, but after the dinner Memphis had made her the night before, she figured he was capable of making a cake.

  Before long, Gramps called them all in to dinner and Olivia found herself seated next to Memphis with Gramps at the head of the table on her right. They said a prayer and dug into some of the best trout Olivia had ever tasted. “I finally caught a brook,” Memphis explained as she complimented Gramps on his fine cooking skills.

  The conversation shifted a bit so that they were talking more about what they had planned for the new year and what was happening with their families. Occasionally, someone would ask her a question, but for the most part, Olivia sat and listened. She could find a story in anything, and she tried to encapsulate the excitement in Nash’s voice when he talked about the baby he and Laney were expecting soon. Eventually, one of her characters might be a new dad, and it would be nice to evoke similar emotions when describing his joy.

  Though the discussion was all polite, Olivia did pick up on the strain between Memphis and his father, especially when Lyle would mention work. He never came right out and said anything to Memphis about the offer he’d given his son to join his company, but Olivia assumed there were embedded reminders in what he did say. A few times, she felt Memphis tense up next to her when Lyle talked about how the company was doing well, but they could do even better with the right players on the team, and she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. It had to be difficult to be in such a position, wanting to see your family but still hung up on the past.

  “Let’s get the cake!” Nash exclaimed, once everyone was done with their main course. Before anyone could argue, he hopped up and shot off to the kitchen. Olivia giggled. Clearly, the older brother had a sweet tooth.

  “I’ll clear some of these dishes,” Memphis said, standing.

  “I’ll help.” Olivia began to scoot her chair back, but he stopped her.

  “You’re a guest. Stay here.”

  She couldn’t argue with that, so she smiled and let him go on about taking her dish and the others into the kitchen.

  “It sure is nice having you here, Olivia,” Gramps said. “You are like a ray of sunshine.”

  Olivia felt a blush creep up her face. She wasn’t sure she’d ever been described that way before. “Why, thank you, Gramps. The pleasure is all mine.” Regardless of what happened between her and Memphis, she was happy to have had the chance to meet this kind man.

  A few seconds later, Nash brought in the cake, candles blazing. Memphis followed him to the dining table, and they all broke into happy birthday. Gramps gushed as Nash set the cake down in front of him. While there probably weren’t seventy-two candles on the cake, there were a lot, and it took him a few tries to blow them out. They all cheered, and Nash set off for the kitchen to get a knife, plates, and forks.

  Memphis returned to his seat as Gramps thanked them all for giving him such a wonderful birthday trip. “I will never forget this as long as I live—which might not be much longer!” he joked.

  They all laughed, and Memphis assured him, “Gramps, you aren’t getting away from us that easy. You’ve got years and years ahead of you.”

  “That’s right,” Nash agreed, returning from the kitchen. “You’ve got to stick around for your great-grandbabies.”

  “I cannot wait to spoil that kid of yours beyond belief,” Gramps chuckled. “No, you won’t get rid of me that easily. I’m gonna stick around until I see this one married, that’s for sure.” He was looking at Memphis, and then turned to Olivia and winked, which made her face turn crimson again.

  There was a bit of nervous laughter as everyone more or less ignored the comment, not knowing what to say, and Nash began to pass out the cake. It was just as delectable as Olivia thought it would be, and she concentrated on enjoying every morsel of chocolaty deliciousness, rather than acknowledge Gramps’s prediction.

  After dinner, they returned to the den for board games while listening to Gramps’s favorite records from when he was younger. Every song had a story, and Olivia wished she had some way of taking notes since so many of his anecdotes would fit so perfectly into a novel. She would never use them without modifying them so that they weren’t recognizable and asking permission first, but ideas flooded her head as he talked about dancing with his wife to a particular ballad, or taking a ride with his buddies when a certain song came on the radio. He mentioned having just returned from the Korean War when one of the tunes was popular. Listening to him reminisce was like going back in time, and Olivia was so grateful to have the opportunity to hear about his life story.

  He really was good at checkers. In fact, he beat her twice, not that she minded. She wasn’t exactly a polished player. Memphis almost had him again, but in the end, Gramps came out on top, though Oliv
ia wondered if maybe Memphis ended up letting him win in the end. He acted sorely disappointed that he’d lost, but Olivia could tell he wasn’t really too put out about it.

  As they were playing a hand of Pitch, Lyle tentatively mentioned the elephant in the room. “So, Memphis, have you given any more thought to what we talked about the other day? You know we’d love to have you on the team.”

  Memphis was sitting next to her on the sofa, and Olivia felt him tense. “No, honestly, I haven’t given it that much thought.” She knew that wasn’t quite true, but she kept her mouth shut. This was not a conversation she needed to be in the middle of.

  And yet she wound up there anyway. “Now that you and Olivia have gotten so close, it might be nice if you lived nearby,” Lyle pointed out.

  Memphis cleared his throat, as if to say the thought had obviously crossed his mind. “I’m due back in the Gulf on the fifth,” he said, and Lyle nodded, an indication that he already knew that. “I figure I’ll have plenty of time to think on it when I’m out there in the middle of the ocean.”

  “Ooh, that’s a nice hand, Gramps,” Nash interjected, clearly trying to steer the conversation in another direction.

  Before Gramps could reply, Lyle said, “Why even go back at all, though? I mean, your whole family is here. Your new girlfriend is here. You should just stay, Son.”

  Olivia wanted to speak up, to remind him that she was not Memphis’s girlfriend, but the words got stuck in her throat.

  “Dad, Olivia and I just met,” Memphis said before she could get anything out. “We’re not dating. We’re just friends. I’m sure if I move back here, she and I will discuss the nature of our relationship, but for now, it’s nothing she expects me to put my life on hold for.”

  Lyle made some other comment, but Olivia didn’t quite catch it. She was focused on what Memphis had said. Even though every single word out of his mouth was true, it still stung to hear him say it aloud. She would’ve said something similar, given the opportunity, and yet, the reality was, despite the fact that they were nothing more than friends, she wanted to be someone he would put his life on hold for. She wanted to be move-worthy, the girl who came in and swept him off of his feet—off his oil rig.