Song of the Red Rocks: Present

by Clay, Verna

  During the short drive to Jason's property Sunny reviewed for Angelica everything that had happened since they'd last seen each other. "All the walls are up and Jason is working on the roof. Many of the original logs were still intact so the cabin is as authentic as we could make it. I've started combing local antique stores for furniture and artifacts from the 1800s and already purchased dishes and a four poster bed. In the journals Dr. Matthews mentioned a settee, large dining table with chairs, and smaller tables. He said Tana always kept flowers and greenery throughout the cabin." She paused and grinned at Angelica.

  Her friend leaned closer. "What? What haven't you told me?"

  Sunny turned into Jason's drive and said in a rush, "I think we found the original cabinet that Tana stored her elixirs in."

  Angelica's eyes widened and she exclaimed, "Where did you find it?"

  "Well, Jason invited me to look through his attic for anything I might want to take to the cabin. Most of the furniture was post World War II and I was very discouraged until I saw something poking from behind a stack of boards. I had to do a double take when I got a full look at the piece." She kept one hand on the steering wheel and covered her heart with the other. "The cabinet was five tiers just like Dr. Matthews described, and it was very old." She pulled her SUV to a stop in front of Jason's house and turned to fully face her friend. "I just know it's Tana's cabinet! I can feel it."

  Angelica leaned across the console and briefly embraced Sunny. "I'm so happy for you, dear, and I can't wait to see it." She leaned back and asked, "There's something else, isn't there, dearest?"

  Sunny nodded. "I saved the best for last. Jason and I made an incredible find." Angelica's grandmotherly smile touched Sunny's heart. She inhaled and exclaimed, "We found the Spirit Tree! And when we searched its roots, we found an elixir!"

  Angelica gasped. "After all these years!"

  "Yes! And when the cabin is complete and the cabinet back in place, I'm going to return the jar to its rightful home."

  Angelica breathed, "Just like you've returned home, Sunny."

  Sunny wrinkled her brow. "No. The land isn't mine and I'm no longer pursuing it. The land is Jason's, but he promised I could visit the cabin whenever I want. We've actually become good friends."

  Still speaking softly, Angelica said, "Friends often become so much more."

  "Oh no, Jason and I are too different for anything like that. He hates the limelight and I have to live in it. Besides, we've both been burned by ex-spouses and neither of us have a desire to become entangled ever again."

  Suddenly, there was a tap on Sunny's car window and she jumped.

  Angelica laughed. "Speaking of your friend…"

  Sunny opened her door and Jason said, "You two have been sitting out here for so long I was beginning to wonder if something was wrong."

  Sunny grinned sheepishly. "We were just having a girl talk session."

  He grinned. "Do you need more time? Should I leave?"

  His consideration was charming and Sunny said good-naturedly, "Goodness no. We're finished anyway."

  He made a waving motion toward his house. "Well, the coffee is freshly brewed and there's still some of that peach cobbler you baked."

  Sunny heard Angelica laugh softly and glanced at her. The woman gave her an "I told you so" look.

  20: Almost Complete

  A few days after showing Angelica the cabinet, the restoration of the original cabin was complete. Together, Sunny and Jason stood near the barn, still a work in progress, and surveyed their accomplishment. Sunny's heart beat wildly and she said breathlessly, "Jason, this is the best day of my life. I never imagined something so wonderful could happen to me."

  He seemed taken aback. "But you've reached the pinnacle of success in your career, you're adored by millions of fans, and–"

  She interrupted, "Crazy as it seems, all of that doesn't compare to this. I can't explain it, but I finally feel like I belong somewhere. And even though my family is long dead, I can, well, feel them when I'm here. I belong here." She held her hand out. "Come on, let's unload the cabinet and take it home." Jason gave her a smile that tripped her heart as he reached and encircled her hand with his.

  They walked back to the ATV where a small hauler had been attached and the cabinet loaded onto it. Jason drove the ATV to the front porch and they unloaded the cabinet onto a dolly. He carted it into the cabin and Sunny pointed to the exact location she guessed it had once stood. After it was set in place, they viewed their handiwork—a restored and furnished cabin.

  Turning in a circle, Sunny exclaimed, "It's wonderful, simply wonderful! The furniture is so welcoming and homey." She tapped her chin and teased, "There's only one thing lacking."

  Jason placed his hands on his hips. "Lacking?"

  "Yes. Flowers and greenery. Lots of color for every table. Come on, I brought clippers." Sunny pulled on Jason's hand and laughingly dragged him outside. For the next hour they searched the forest and meadows gathering flowers and foliage. Back in the cabin, at the vintage sink and pump they'd ordered online, she pumped water into several vases and created masterpieces—well, what she considered to be masterpieces. She set the last vase in the center of a dining table discovered in Cottonwood, a town about thirty minutes away, and stepped back.

  From where Jason sat in one of two rocking chairs beside the stone fireplace, he said, "Sunny, I think I'm beginning to understand how you feel. There's something magical about this cabin."

  "Yes!" Sunny agreed. "It's magical here!"

  For long moments they stared at each other and then he said, "The barn and outbuildings should be complete in one or two weeks."

  Wanting to express her gratitude, she replied, "I've said this many times, but once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart."

  Jason stood and took two paces to the fireplace mantle and ran his hand along the length of the split log. "So, how do you want to celebrate when the project is complete?"

  "What do you mean?" Sunny's heart skipped a beat.

  "I was wondering if you wanted to spend time at the cabin. Maybe we could do something special." He lifted his head and held her gaze. "You're my friend. And you're not…" his voice trailed.

  Sunny bit her bottom lip. "I'm not what?"

  "You're not anything like I first thought. I jumped to conclusions about you. I figured you were spoiled and selfish, but you're neither. In fact, you're one of the most generous persons I've ever met. And, if the truth be known, I'm an ass."

  Sunny wasn't expecting his last remark and inhaled sharply. "Oh no, Jason. You're a wonderful man. And if anyone was a horse's behind, it was me. I can't believe I actually threatened to force you off your land." She shook her head. "I'm really sorry."

  They stared at each other and then they both started laughing. Between laughs, Jason said, "I think we've done enough apologizing, so let's forget the past and move on. When the restoration is complete, why don't we christen the cabin by cooking dinner on your new stove?" He pointed to the iron giant that looked like an antique, but was actually a reproduction of a wood burning stove, with four top burners and a small oven. Sunny imagined the stove was more elaborate than the original one, but she'd chosen it for safety reasons.

  She clapped her hands. "Yes! That's a wonderful idea. And I'll find recipes from the 1800s." Another idea popped into her mind and she said, "And we'll dress the part."

  Jason cocked his head. "If you say so."

  She giggled. "I do. And I'll start searching antique and secondhand stores tomorrow for clothing."

  Later that day as they followed the trail to the Spirit Tree, Sunny couldn't remember ever being so content, except, of course, for precious time spent with her mother. She turned to Jason and said seriously, "When we prepare dinner at the cabin we'll bring the elixir back home."

  21: Military Man

  Sunny searched secondhand and antique stores until, a week after returning the cabinet to the cabin, she came across the perfect period outfits in t
he town of Camp Verde, south of Sedona. For herself, she selected a plain brown cotton skirt and mutton-sleeved blouse, and for Jason she found Calvary attire. Granted they were remakes of clothing from the late 1800s, but that didn't matter, she and Jason would still look the part.

  When she drove to Jason's house to show him her finds he was sitting on his porch. She jumped out of the car and yelled, "Wait 'til you see what I found!"

  He grinned and called back, "And wait 'til you hear what I have to tell you."

  She paused in retrieving her purchases and turned around, holding her breath. She already knew what he was going to say.

  He walked to her car. "The restoration of the barn and the other cabin is complete."

  She squealed and threw her arms around him. "I just knew you were going to say that. And now that I've found the outfits for our cabin-warming party, everything is perfect."

  Slowly, Jason snaked his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "So when is the party?"

  Sunny couldn't breathe. She circled her arms around his neck and her response sounded like she had just run a marathon. "How about Saturday afternoon at, say, four o'clock? That way we'll have plenty of time to cook, eat, and walk back at dusk. She leaned back, blushing while she waited for his reply.

  He reached to brush a strand of hair away from her cheek before stepping away from her. "That sounds great. So, show me our clothing."

  Sunny forgot her embarrassment as she retrieved her bags. Handing Jason one, she said, "This is yours. But you need to try it on. I only guessed at your size."

  He peeked inside the bag. "Hmm, so I'm a military man."

  "Calvary to be exact."

  "As long as I'm not required to ride a horse, I think I can manage that."

  Sunny quipped, "What kind of Calvary man doesn't ride a horse?"

  "The kind who hasn't ridden one since the age of ten."

  With exaggerated deliberation, she said, "Okay. You're released from horse duty. But just this once."

  Jason tucked the sack under his arm. "How much do I owe you?"

  Sunny frowned. "You don't owe me anything. I had too much fun picking out our clothing. It's my gift for being such a good sport about all this."

  Jason lifted a finger in protest but Sunny rushed past him toward the house. Over her shoulder she called, "I can't wait to see you in military attire."

  After tucking a gray woolen shirt into blue woolen trousers with yellow side stripes, Jason reached for the matching jacket with its yellow collar and yellow trim down the front enclosure. The appliqué on the back flap and service stripe on one sleeve, were also yellow. The jacket was a little large, but it worked. Lastly, he set the Stetson with yellow braided trim circling the crown, securely on his head. Scanning his reflection in the closet mirror, he grinned at himself. Sunny's idea of dressing up for dinner was turning out to be fun. In fact, for the two months it had taken to restore the cabin and outbuildings, he'd never regretted his decision, even though it had cut substantially into his savings. Many times Sunny had offered to pay for the project, but something in him couldn't accept her money. Maybe it was pride, or maybe it was because after having become her friend he'd gotten an inkling of just how generous she was, and how people abused that generosity. Returning his thoughts to the present he glanced at his appearance one last time, chuckled, and then headed for the living room.

  Sunny was standing at the window gazing outside. He cleared his throat and she whirled around. Her eyes widened and her mouth rounded. He cocked his head. "That bad?"

  "No!" she exclaimed. "It's wonderful. You look so…"

  "What?"

  "Ah…1800ish."

  He had a feeling she had been about to say something else, something flattering, but decided not to pursue whatever it was. Instead, he said, "What about you? Aren't you going to dress up so I can see your outfit?"

  She broke into a grin. "No way. You can't see mine until our dinner. It's a woman's prerogative."

  "Oh, so that's how it is?"

  "Yep."

  "So I have to wait until Saturday to see what a woman living in the wilderness wears?"

  "Yep."

  "I guess I can live with that. But what I can't live with is not knowing what's for supper on Saturday."

  Sunny grinned. "Okay, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm not sure how proficient I am at cooking on a wood stove, so I'm making supper ahead of time. We'll just warm it at the cabin. I can practice cooking on that stove another time."

  "That still doesn't tell me what we're eating."

  "Chicken pot pie, boiled potatoes and onions, baked summer squash, buttermilk biscuits, and, for dessert, the best cherry cobbler dolloped with whip cream you've ever tasted."

  "They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and I think you've just pierced my heart, Sunny." A strange looked passed across her face and he wished he could take the words back. He was falling for an unattainable woman; a famous singer who would soon tire of living in the wilderness and return to her lavish lifestyle. He had no doubt that her career as a country singer was far from over. Once she healed from her divorce she would be gone. Playing make-believe at the cabin would soon be a thing of the past. He turned suddenly and started back to his room. "This military man is going to change back into civilian clothes." He made his voice sound aloof when he added, "I have to go to the store later; is there anything you want me to pick up for you?"

  "No, but thanks. I'll just let myself out and meet you here at three-thirty on Saturday."

  22: Teaser

  Sunny pinned back a stray lock that had escaped her bun and studied her reflection. She decided she was close to resembling a pioneer woman. In Dr. Matthews' first journal he had mentioned that Tana dressed in clothing that city women would disdain, and that some of her skirts even had patches. He had also written that no matter what she wore, her beauty could not be concealed. In a journal after they were married, he told of purposefully making a lone trip to the closest settlement to purchase supplies and pick up a Singer sewing machine he had secretly ordered on a previous trip. He also brought home yards of fabric.

  Sunny sighed when she remembered a particularly beautiful entry she had memorized.

  It is not the fabric that makes my wife beautiful; it is my wife who makes the fabric beautiful.

  Sunny ran a hand down her cotton skirt and giggled when she thought about the muslin bloomers she was wearing beneath. A final glance in the mirror assured her that her white blouse with mutton sleeves was starched and pressed to perfection and tucked neatly inside her simple skirt. She fingered the antique broach at her throat that she'd purchased along with the clothing, and reached for the azure silk shawl that had belonged to her mother. The shawl was probably too elaborate for a country woman, but it enhanced the blue of her eyes; eyes the same color that her mother's had been.

  The last item she reached for was a white cotton apron that she would don while heating up supper. Before leaving her bedroom she giggled one last time when she inspected her feet. Nike tennis shoes were her one exception to becoming a nineteenth century woman. Comfort over authenticity won hands down.

  Glancing at the clock on her nightstand, she gasped when she realized she was running late. She rushed to the kitchen to load plastic containers with their meal and pack them into two picnic baskets. As for the pots and pans needed to heat supper, she had already furnished the cabin with cast iron cookware of every size and shape imaginable. Even utensils, china, and glasses, had been lovingly chosen from many antique shops.

  Her cell phone rang and she checked caller ID before answering. "Hello, Jason. I'm on my way."

  "Have you left your house yet?"

  "No."

  "Good. I'm such an idiot. I'll be right over to help you load the food."

  "You don't have to–"

  "I'll see you soon." He hung up.

  Sunny heaved a sigh and felt guilty for the umpteenth time about the way she had treated him when they first
met. He was polite, generous, caring, and most of all kind. And she was falling for him. But since he had never made a move on her, other than a few hugs or pats on the back or hands, she tried to keep a rein on her feelings. She and Jason were opposites in every way. She was a country girl, he was a city slicker raised in Seattle; she was always in the public eye, he cherished his privacy. Of course she wanted privacy, but it was never going to happen. A wave of sadness swept over her and drenched her previous gaiety.

  Squaring her shoulders, she refused to allow anything to mess up the christening of the cabin. Mentally, she began listing everything she wanted to take with her. She gasped when she realized she hadn't set out the most important item of all, the jar of elixir discovered in the roots of the Spirit Tree. She rushed to her cupboard to retrieve it and carefully packed it in the basket. There was something almost mystical about the elixir. She had even dreamed about it the night before, seeing herself placing the jar in the cabinet. Then the dream had changed and she'd been removing it and opening it. She decided her dream concealed a hidden desire to actually touch the water and stones that had once been touched by a family member, probably Tana herself.

  The sound of Jason's car pulling to the front of her house interrupted her musings and once again she felt cheerful. She rushed to open the door. He was already on the porch and her voice was breathless when she said, "You look so handsome!"

  His gaze traveled from her face to her toes and he laughed. "Nike?"

  "Comfort."

  Again, he took in her attire. "And you look beautiful. I don't believe I've ever seen eyes the color of yours. Right now, they're bluer than the sky."

  Sunny suddenly felt shy. "Thank you."

  After a moment Jason glanced past her. "Is the food in the kitchen?"

  She stepped sideways so he could enter the house. "Oh, yes. I put everything in two picnic baskets."