Dark Mountains

by Amanda Meredith

  I drove to Roda, a slightly bigger town just across the Virginia state line. I pulled into Carson’s meat shop just after noon.

  “Everything ready, Hank?” I asked the burly man behind the counter. Hank and I had known each other since we were in diapers. Both our mothers had been members of the Daughters of the South Sewing Group. We'd been forced to tag along to meetings so we spent our time playing cowboys and Indians while our mothers sewed. Emma Lou was usually more than happy to play our damsel in distress.

  Hank’s father had owned the butcher shop in Roda and Hank had taken over the business after Hank Sr. had retired after a minor heart attack. We’d kept in touch over the years and Hank had sent hand-cut steaks to the base in Afghanistan every Fourth of July I’d been deployed. He continued sending steaks to the base even after I’d returned home.

  “Sure is, Cole! Came in fresh this morning,” he reached behind the counter and pulled out the paper wrapped package. “Two sirloin steaks, dry rubbed and aged to perfection.” He reached back down and lifted a Styrofoam cooler to the counter. Lifting an eyebrow, I leaned in to peek inside. “Two Maine lobsters, shipped straight from the coast,” Hank explained before whistling. “Damn, Cole,” he chuckled. “Pretty fancy. Do you even know how to cook lobster?” My face paled at the question. I hadn’t even thought about it. But how hard could it be?

  “Tonight is going to be perfect,” I told him and he raised an eyebrow at me.

  “You’re popping the question!” he exclaimed with a hoot. I chuckled and nodded. “Well, let me see the ring!”

  “I don’t have it yet,” I retorted, getting my wallet out to pay.

  “Oh man, don’t tell me you’re going to propose without a damn ring?”

  “Hell no, Hank,” I grumbled with a smile. “I’m picking it up next.”

  “That a boy,” Hank laughed, slapping me on the shoulder. “I always knew you and Libby’d end up together. Ever since first grade I knew it.”

  “Me too, Hank. Me too,” He handed me my change and I gave another hesitant look at the lobsters squirming in the cooler.

  “Don’t you worry about them,” Hank explained. “The seaweed in the bottom keeps them moist and if you leave the lid off they’ll be fine for at least 24 hours.”

  “They don’t have to wait that long,” I muttered, making Hank laugh again. “Libby’s gone shopping with Emma Lou so I’ve got til five to get everything ready.”

  “Plenty of time,” Hank assured me. “So how is Emma Lou? I saw her a few weeks ago with that exterminator guy from Middlesboro.” I chuckled at that. Emma Lou tried out a new boyfriend literally every week.

  “Yeah, well, you know Emma Lou.” I answered as Hank blushed uncomfortably. “She got rid of him after one date. I’ll tell you, Hank. One of these days the right guy’s going to come along and it’ll hit her so hard she won’t know what to do.” Hank nodded.

  “Well you better get going,” Hank handed me the bag and cooler. “And don’t burn the steaks!”

  “I won’t!” I laughed before walking out the door.

  Looking at my watch again, I counted how many hours I had left. I’d made a number of stops for flowers and champagne and at my last stop, the storeowner herself met me as I was paying.

  “We don’t get many customers that have their own designs,” she mused as she handed me the small black box. “But I must say, this is one of the most beautiful rings I’ve seen.” I flipped open the lid and smiled. She was definitely right. I thanked her and slid the box into my jacket pocket. Tonight was going to be perfect.

  Chapter 19

  I’d had to call Momma and beg for help. One of the lobsters had pinched my finger hard enough to make it bleed and I’d already caught an oven mitt on fire. After finding out what was going on, Momma was more than happy to help.

  “Took you long enough to ask her, Colton Andrews!” She blubbered through a tissue.

  “Aww, Momma,” I whined as she hugged me. “Libby’ll be home in an hour!”

  “Don’t you worry, son,” she chuckled, drying her eyes. “Your Momma is going to show you how it’s done.”

  She helped me put the lobsters in the pot of boiling water, showed me how to properly bake potatoes and started the steaks in the broiler. Then she found candles I didn’t even know I had and set them on the table. I got an unwanted, but apparently needed, lesson on setting the table with less than twenty minutes to spare.

  “Pull everything out in fifteen minutes and put it in on the plates just like I showed you. Don’t open the champagne until you’re ready to eat and have a wonderful night,” she told me before kissing my forehead.

  “Thanks, Momma.” I smiled and waved her off as she pulled out of the driveway before jogging upstairs to change.

  I heard Emma Lou’s car pull up exactly twenty minutes later. I went outside to help carry bags. Libby had never been big on shopping but she was with Emma Lou so I knew there would be a ton of bags.

  “Have a good time, girls?” I asked, winking at Libby.

  “Oh, Cole, give me a break!” Emma Lou answered as she popped the trunk. “We went shopping and got a mani/pedi. How could we not have fun?”

  “Just checking,” I chuckled. “Thanks, Emma Lou.”

  “No problem, bro,” she answered as she put on some more lipstick. “I gotta get going, got me a hot date tonight.” I held back a laugh.

  “Yeah? With who?” I finally asked. Emma Lou’s face crunched up. I laughed then, since it appeared she’d forgotten who it was, and actually had to think about it before she answered.

  “Johnny Mapelton,” she stuttered after a minute.

  “The pizza delivery guy?” I asked before bursting out laughing again. Emma Lou’s face turned red. “You’ve got the hot date part right. You’ll probably have to sit on pizza boxes while he delivers!” I choked out, laughing so hard I had to hold my side. Libby elbowed me when I started hiccupping.

  “Have a great time, Emma Lou,” Libby told her. “Thanks for today.”

  “You’re welcome, Libby,” I chuckled when she emphasized Libby’s name. “And kiss my ass, Cole.” I started laughing again as she got in her car and peeled out of the driveway. Libby gave me a stern look as we walked up the steps.

  “That wasn’t very nice,” she scolded.

  “She’s my baby sister,” I answered in defense. “I can’t help it.” Libby was shaking her head but grinned as we walked inside.

  “It smells great in here,” she murmured as she kicked off her shoes near the door.

  “I take it your appetite is back?”

  “I’m starving!” She answered, giving me a hug. I hesitated for a moment before wrapping my arms around her. I figured the doctor would give her some medication but I didn’t think anything worked this fast.

  “So everything went good at the doctor?” I asked, kissing her cheek.

  “It went great.” She smiled, her eyes dancing.

  “See? I told you it would be alright.” I smiled back, glad to see that she was feeling so much better. “Let’s eat.” I took her hand and led her to the dining room. There were candles glowing everywhere and a fire crackling in the hearth. The table was set and the food was steaming.

  “Oh, Cole, it’s beautiful!” Libby cried as I pulled out a chair for her. I made a mental note to send my mother a dozen roses for being the smartest woman in the world. “You had all this planned, didn’t you?” I smiled and reached for the champagne. “No!” Libby shouted, almost making me drop the bottle. “I mean, no thanks. The doctor doesn’t think I should have alcohol for a while,” she explained. I grimaced. She’d been sick to her stomach for weeks and horribly depressed. Of course, the last thing she needed was champagne.

  “I’ll get us some milk then.” I smiled, taking the champagne to the kitchen. I brought two glasses of milk back with me and sat across from Libby. She laughed nervously as I began to cut my steak.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Oh, nothing,” she giggled. �
��It’s just so beautiful; I don’t want to ruin it.”

  “It’s okay, honey. I want you to enjoy it.”

  When we were finished eating I slipped into the living room. When I came back, Etta James was singing At Last through the speakers.

  “Would you like to dance?” Libby nodded shyly and took my hand. I twirled her around the candles as we danced to the music. Libby sighed and laid her head on my chest. The song ended and I led Libby outside to the deck. I had a fire going in the outdoor fireplace as we sat down on the quilt. The stars sparkled across the sky as the full moon cast a hazy light on the rippling water. Libby turned to look at the lake and when she glanced at me, she smiled.

  I had been waiting for my entire life this moment. I ran my hand down her back and kissed her slowly. As I pulled away, I slipped the ring on her finger. She glanced down and gasped before pulling her hand up to look at it. The large sapphire was the color of a fresh bluebell. It was circled in intricate patterns by tiny, round diamonds. It fit perfectly.

  “Elizabeth Christine Michaels,” I whispered. “I have loved you from the moment we met. Will you marry me?”

  “Oh, Cole,” she smiled and kissed me. “Yes!”

  We made love beside the fire, wrapped in a quilt with a cool breeze rippling across the water. We lay close together, our bodies exhausted and content. She snuggled closer to me.

  “Cole?” She whispered, stroking a hand across my chest.

  “Hmm?” I mumbled, too satiated to form words.

  “That’s the first time you’ve ever called me Elizabeth,” I chuckled in response.

  “Cole?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Did you want me to tell you what the doctor said?” She asked while she combed her fingers through my hair.

  “Um hmm,” I nodded, drowsily.

  “Cole,” Libby chuckled and gave my hair a gentle tug.

  “Hmm?”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  “Um, hmm.” I mumbled before what she had just said filtered through my foggy brain. The crickets stopped singing. The breeze suddenly died. The moon seemed overly bright.

  “What?” I managed, though the air had suddenly left my lungs.

  “We’re going to have a baby, Cole. I’m about two months along.” She murmured.

  “Two months,” I repeated.

  “Everything is fine. It’ll be sometime in May.”

  “May,” I echoed. “A baby?” I asked, my voice squeaking out of me.

  “Our baby, Cole,” she murmured. “Are you happy?”

  “A baby!” I jumped up, completely naked, hauling her with me. “A baby!” I knelt down and kissed her belly, noticing the small bump between her hips. How had I not noticed? “Oh, Libby, I love you so much! A baby!” I finally realized we were spinning around the deck buck-naked and quickly carried her inside.

  “We’re going to have a baby,” I whispered, laying her down on our bed. I kissed her lips and worked my way down her body, kissing her belly again. “We’re going to be a family, Lib. You’re going to be my wife and we’re going to have a son! Or a daughter!” I laughed, coming back up to take her mouth again.

  “Make love to me, Cole,” She whispered, reaching up to stroke my cheek. I took her mouth again before slipping inside her.

  When she was sleeping in my arms, I gently lay my head on her belly and thought of the miracle growing inside her. I’ve never been so happy. But somewhere in my mind, I couldn’t forget that a murderer was still out there. There had been no phone calls, no eerie signs but I knew, without a doubt that he was watching us.

  The next evening, we had my family over for dinner. We were going to break the news about the baby to them now since it would only be a few more months until Libby was showing. Momma and Emma Lou had been staring at me without a word since they’d gotten there.

  “What?” I cut up some lemons for the tea as they stared me down.

  “Well, did you?” Momma asked.

  “Did I what?”

  “Don’t play dumb with me, son,” she scolded, shaking a finger at me.

  “Yeah, don’t play dumb,” Emma Lou echoed. “Momma told me what you were planning last night.” Libby walked up behind me and kissed my cheek.

  “I’ll take care of this,” she murmured before walking over to the table where they sat. Libby didn’t say a word but held out her left hand. The sunlight caught her ring, reflecting a thousand lights across the room. The next thing I knew, there were three screaming women jumping up and down in the kitchen. Dad had come running in from the living room and stared at the women who were hugging, crying and still squealing in the middle of the kitchen.

  “What the hell is going on?” He hollered at me over the noise.

  “Oh, Tim! Cole and Libby are getting married!” Momma shouted, holding up Libby’s hand. Dad just shook his head and chuckled.

  “Come on, Dad. Let’s go have a beer,” I suggested, holding a bottle out to him and nodding towards the door. We left the women in the kitchen for the relative quiet of the back deck. Dad leaned against the railing, taking a sip of his beer.

  “Congratulations, son,” he chuckled as he slapped me on the back.

  “Thanks, Dad,” I answered, grinning like an idiot.

  “She’s a great girl, Cole. You’ve got your house, your land and a good woman. Pretty soon you’ll have the Sheriff’s job.”

  “Well, deputy first,” I answered. “Still have some training to get in.”

  “You’ll be the first Andrew’s in a couple hundred years that doesn’t mine,” Dad commented after finishing his beer.

  “You okay with that?” I whispered.

  “Hell yes,” he answered with a grin. “Couldn’t be prouder, son.” He reached over and grabbed me into a hug. “We’d better go check on the girls,” he suggested after slapping my back again. “They’ll have you up to your eyeballs in wedding crap before you know it.”

  We walked back to the kitchen where, thankfully, the screaming had subsided. Momma and Emma Lou were gushing about perfect wedding dates and Libby looked up at me, her eyes begging for help.

  “Don’t worry about any of that,” I interrupted. “We’re getting married at Christmas.”

  “Christmas!” Emma Lou cried. “That’s only two months away. That’s not enough time to plan!”

  “Well,” I continued, ignoring my sister. “We want make sure we’re married well before the baby comes.”

  “But two months is pretty short notice for…” Momma trailed off, her face paling. Emma Lou had stopped chattering and was sitting there with her mouth hanging open. Dad was chuckling and went to stand by Momma. “Before the baby comes?” Momma repeated my words, putting a hand on her chest.

  Emma Lou was the first to recover. She started hollering again and ran over to hug Libby, then me. Momma was crying now, coming to hug me too. Dad only chuckled, slapping me on the back again.

  “Oh, Tim,” she murmured between tears. “We’re going to be grandparents!” I smiled as I watched my family happily absorbing the news. I went to Libby, wrapped my arms around her, and knew everything was going to be fine.

  Two weeks later, I took Libby to the obstetrician in Middlesboro. She was roughly twelve weeks and was going in for her first sonogram. Libby was sitting on the exam table in a gown; her socked feet swinging off the end of the table. Dr. Crawford knocked before stepping into the room.

  “Morning, Libby, Cole.” He murmured, sitting down next to the table. “How are you feeling, Libby?”

  “Well the nausea is gone,” she answered with a smile. “I’m starving all the time! I feel a little crampy, but nothing too painful.”

  “Any swelling?”

  “My feet a little,” she answered. “I didn’t think I’d feel this big yet.”

  “Well every woman and baby is different,” Dr. Crawford assured her. “But let’s take a look and see.” He helped Libby lay back and lifted the gown off her belly. He squirted the blue jelly onto Libby’s slightly ro
unded belly. She hissed and chuckled a little.

  “It’s cold,” she murmured as the doctor put the wand on her skin and moved it around.

  “Let’s see who we have here.” He moved the wand as the images on the screen blurred. He pushed a button when the wand was over a small flashing object and a rapid thumping sound filled the room. “Here’s the heartbeat,” The doctor said, pointing to the screen with his free hand. The dark blotch on the screen was moving very quickly. I squeezed Libby’s hand when I noticed she had started to cry. I was fighting back tears myself.

  “Okay,” Dr. Crawford continued to move the wand slightly, the thumping noise becoming louder and more awkward, like two drums pounding at the same time. “Here’s the other heartbeat.” I was confused for all of ten seconds.

  “Wait, what?” Libby gasped making Dr. Crawford chuckle.

  “This would explain how you’re feeling and why you’re already showing so large,” he explained. “You’re having twins.”

  “Twins?” I whispered, forcing myself to swallow.

  “Two?” Libby questioned, tears coming again.

  “Twins show symptoms a few weeks before a single pregnancy and since there are two you have twice the weight, fluids, hormones, etc. You’ll look and feel over a month further than a single pregnancy.” Dr. Crawford continued to move the wand as Libby and I stared in awe at the screen.

  “They’re curled towards each other. See here,” he pointed at the screen. “Here are the foreheads, nearly touching.” I leaned forward to see. I could clearly see the two babies, faces pressed closed to each other. One seemed to be sucking its thumb.

  “They’re measuring in normal ranges,” the doctor explained as he continued to move the wand. I could make out the spine, leg bones, and fingers. “Since you’re carrying multiples we’ll be changing your appointments to bi-weekly and have a sonogram every four weeks for the remainder of your pregnancy.” Libby was sniffling as she smiled, not taking her eyes off the screen. I squeezed her hand, the love for these tiny babies she carried overwhelming me.