EYES ON YOU

by Lily Robins

  “But it’s so pretty here—the tall pines, the sounds of the ocean, and the view!” she said while looking around and down at the Atlantic Ocean.

  Roman turned to look at her. “In my view, I’m seeing what I want and cherish most, and I’m so happy, I could shout. In fact, I think I will!” As loud as he could, Roman shouted into the sky, “EVERYBODY LISTEN UP! ROMAN MAYER IS HAPPY!!!” Aden, Molly and Mona stopped playing to check on what was happening. Roman’s loud yell had produced an echo that had resounded through the woods. All three saw Jess and Roman laughing, and gave quizzical looks before returning to their game.

  Jess took loads of pictures of the kids playing with Mona, and many of Roman, capturing everything she could for posterity. Roman had never liked having anyone take pictures of him, but for her he was willing to forego his personal hang-up. When Jess told him how photogenic he actually was, he began clowning around, making funny faces at her. And he took pictures of her, the kids and Mona, using his phone’s camera, wanting to create an album on his device to look through on difficult days he sometimes had at work.

  They stopped by Julia’s before going home, and she was thrilled by the visit before their camping trip. Both kids felt at home with her, and Julia insisted that they stay for supper, a meal she could figuratively pull out of a hat when she opened her freezer. “Chunky chicken soup and grilled cheeses,” she announced, beginning to thaw and heat up plenty for everyone. Roman made the sandwiches in a skillet, using slices of his mother’s sourdough bread. “How about a cup of hot cocoa?” she asked the kids.

  “Yummy,” Molly said with a bright smile.

  “All in,” seconded Aden.

  They gathered around her kitchen table, and Roman looked at his exuberant mother. This impromptu family visit was exactly what she liked best—no pre-plan, just a drop-in, and an everyday meal together. There wasn’t a pretentious ounce in his mother, and Roman loved that about her. She was exuberantly taking on the role of mother and grandmother to Jess and her kids as though they were her very own. Julia was a class-act that none could follow, lovingly blending her life into their lives, and through her kindness and thoughtfulness, demonstrating her joy that Roman had found his place—his happiness—with Jess and her children.

  CHAPTER 38

  After they joined up with Cheryl and the boys on the mainland, Aden decided to ride with them in Cheryl’s SUV, while Molly and Mona remained in the backseat of the Navigator with Roman and Jess. The drive to Baxter State Park was around a three-hour trip through the heart of Maine, and most of the drive was via the interstate. Molly was almost fully awake, asking her mother for a breakfast bar, and then she sat in the back taking small bites and listening to songs on her I-Pod. Mona was napping beside her.

  Jess’s phone rang with Somewhere Over the Rainbow. She pulled it out, answered it, and after a moment, she said, “Hi Barry...good hearing from you too.”

  Roman did his level best not to show that he was interested in hearing whatever a former lover of hers had to say. Whoever Jess had been involved with during her college years was long in the past and not pertinent to their lives now; however, a twinge of jealousy inserted itself inside his chest, making him feel like a sixteen-year-old again. Barry Ramos was her lawyer and nothing more, for God’s sake.

  She listened for a lengthy bit, quietly asked a few questions about her former brother-in-law, and then she listened some more, finally saying “I’ll take it. No, I’m sure. It’s not as if we initially invested that much…I won’t.” When Roman glanced her way, he saw her smile. Into the phone, she said, “We’re going camping this week while the kids are on spring break. Yes…our combined family.” Her smile was terrific and she was looking at him, dissipating his irrational jealousy. “I will tell him…yes, we will, and thanks for handling everything, Barry.” In another moment, she disconnected the call and looked back at Molly before saying anything. Molly was in her own world, quietly singing with Katy Perry.

  “Barry said to tell you that you’re one lucky asshole,” she said at a clip. “An investment bank in Chicago is offering to buy out my percentage of ownership in Galaxy for six-ninety. I told Barry to accept the offer. Bill has pleaded guilty to hiring Evan Ferguson, and to most of his illegal activities pertaining to the business. Apparently, Frank Norcross knew nothing about Bill hiring someone to kill me.”

  “Six hundred and ninety thousand?” Roman temperedly muttered.

  “Six hundred and ninety million,” she said, carefully watching his reaction.

  He tried to look as if he were mulling that over, but was too stunned to be aware that his jaw had dropped and his mouth hung open for an errant fly. After staring at the road ahead for a while and driving automatically, dumbstruck by the turn of events, he said, “We’ll have to call off our relationship.”

  “Why is that?”

  He muttered, “I’d never planned on marrying a rich woman. Certainly not that rich! I’ll never be able to measure up.”

  “Oh.” Jess appeared crestfallen. “Not even if I begged you to marry me?”

  The extent of Jess’s expected wealth continued to rattle around inside his brain like a rusted heap trying to navigate over a washboard road.

  Determinedly overlooking his masculine timidity, she blithely continued, “We wouldn’t have to worry about money.”

  Gradually regaining his senses, Roman thought to himself, “Duuhhh!!”

  Unaware of his internal dialogue, Jess continued, “I’ve already got investments in a reputable firm that Barry guarantees is great for large returns. Oh, look at that. I think I just asked if you’d marry me.”

  Now fully awakened from his stupor, Roman thought to himself, “You just got proposed to, asshole.” Aloud, he responded, “Of course I’ll marry you. For richer, or poorer—I think that part’s still in the vows, isn’t it?” Then, his look turned a might bit ornery. “Did that dude just call me an asshole?”

  Trying to muffle a laugh, Jess said, “It was Barry’s way of congratulating you, Silly!”

  *****

  They set up camp on the south side of Baxter State Park, not terribly far away from one of the camp’s facilities, but distant enough to experience the feeling of the rugged outdoors. The boys complained a little, until Roman told them to slack up. “Need I remind you that girls don’t pee in the same way that we do?” he good-naturedly asked. “And I don’t think you want to be digging latrine holes in the frozen ground—right guys?”

  “New rules,” Patrick muttered, looking up from driving stakes that would anchor one of the tents they’d brought along, and seeing his mother’s face. He smiled at her.

  They had brought three tents with them. They put them in a semi-circle, not far apart. There was room for the three boys to share the largest of the tents, Cheryl and Molly would take one of the other two, and Roman, Jess and Mona would take the third. The winter-rated insulation in the tents, along with insulated sleeping bags would hopefully keep all of them warm and toasty. The weather forecast for northern Maine was for cold, but sunny days, with highs hovering around fifty, and nights dropping to somewhere between twenty-five and thirty degrees.

  There were no other campers in the park since the official opening was not for another month. Roman met with a park official who had been informed by the director that an exception was being made for this group of campers. Roman chatted with the affable guy, and paid everyone’s camping fees for the group’s stay, along with paying for a large supply of firewood. Roman knew the director, Dale McQuaid, quite well. The two had known one another their entire lives, Dale and his family living on Whittler Island near the Mayer family. Dale’s mother, Gladys, had been friends with Julia forever, and was one of the Merry Geezers. Dale knew that Roman and the Randall family were experienced hikers, and he also knew that Cheryl Randall, besides having been his high school sweetheart, was now a high ranking officer with the police department back home. Roman hadn’t had to beg.

  Dale had said, “For you an
d Cheryl, I’ve got no problem whatsoever. I’ll even waive the fees if you want.” Dale had never gotten married, and Roman suspected that the guy still carried a huge torch for his sister. When Dale had said, “I’ll come up on one of the days you guys are here,” Roman had known that his hunch about Dale was spot on.

  Asking for another dispensation, Roman had asked, “Mona, my dog…”

  “Beautiful Mona gets a free pass, Dude. She’s got better manners than any dignitary who has ever been here.” Mona had won the hearts of the director and park officials during the last two summers before.

  “I’ll also be accompanied by the woman who’s working on a photo essay book about Maine, and she’s got two great kids…”

  “Say no more and I’ll be surprised and delighted,” Dale had quipped. “Just remember that the snow drifts and depths can fool you, so watch out for the youngsters, in particular. Stay on the trails at all times, and you guys won’t have a problem. A photographer—you say?”

  Roman had figured he had to throw the guy a real nugget. “Jess looks a whole lot like Cheryl. She’s tall, slender, has long, dark hair, and, Dale, it’s hard to tell which one looks the most like the actress, Julia Roberts.”

  “Oh man! Now I’m sure I’m comin’ to visit you guys while you’re here!”

  *****

  Beginning their afternoon’s trek, Patrick took the lead with Mona, followed by Jess, then Danny, Aden, Cheryl and Molly, with Roman taking up the rear. Everyone had their walking sticks, while Roman and Patrick wore lightweight backpacks with everyone’s lunches, water, and emergency supplies. Jess had her camera bag hanging from one of her shoulders, one camera remaining inside the tote, while she had a smaller, digital camera hanging from around her neck by a strap.

  Snow lay all around them, although a good portion was now melting during the days, as evidenced by the trickles into stream beds that were beginning to overflow and run downhill. This was one of the few times when Patrick remained relatively quiet. Hiking required a whole lot of observation and very little vocal output. As the older nephew, and one who had been hiking most of his young life, Patrick was the logical lead. Mona stayed right beside him, hanging back a hare’s breath from where Patrick’s left foot came down. She knew the rules when hiking along with humans, and she never strayed. Mona allowed her nose to be her guide.

  They stopped to eat their lunch beside a rushing stream, everyone finding a dry rock to sit on. With the sounds of the water cascading over smooth stones, and the sun’s rays filtering down through the bare branches of the magnificent birch, maple, and aspen trees, the surrounding area, overladen with snow, appeared surreal. A whisper of spring was slowly beginning to emerge, as, here and there, tiny violets and mosses peeked their bright green foliage up through the sparser coverings of snow. White pine and balsam fir gave off their clear, distinct fragrances, prompting the hikers to take deep breaths of the fresh, clean air.

  Danny said, “We’re comin’ back for our climb up Katahdin this summer, aren’t we Uncle Roman?”

  “You betcha,” Roman answered. “That’s tradition.”

  “Eli wants to come with us then,” Cheryl reminded. “Jess…Aden and Molly—you guys in?”

  Jess, sitting perched on a semi-flat rock, looking at peace with those sitting nearby and with all of nature that surrounded them, said, “You can count on us.”

  Aden and Molly were both nodding their heads, indicating yeses. Roman had already heard and now seen for himself that those he shared a household and a life with were experienced hikers too. Jess and Aden had told him about some of their hiking excursions through the Cascade Mountains, along the trails surrounding Mount Baker and Mount Rainier. Western Washington State had some of the most magnificent peaks in the United States. He knew they had spent many of their summers exploring the wildlife, vistas and extraordinary beauty of the world they had been born into. Jess had grown up in the heart of the Rockies, where hiking and mountain climbing were second nature for outdoor enthusiasts like her. Her photo essays were testaments to her appreciation of nature’s wonders.

  He liked how his crew enjoyed being quiet as they ate, to absorb the sights and sounds of the woodlands. But he nevertheless tossed out a quote that seemed appropriate for that moment. “In 1846, someone who became quite a famous essayist and poet said something memorable about this place.”

  “Who?” Molly asked.

  “Henry David Thoreau. He was quite a naturalist, a philosopher, and an ardent transcendentalist. He said, ‘In wildness lies the preservation of the world.’” Roman looked at his crew, and then his eyes found Molly’s again. “What do you think Thoreau meant exactly?”

  Readily, she said, “It means that the answers for how to protect the entire world are found in its wild places.”

  “Right you are,” Roman said, fist bumping with Molly. “I’m left to wonder how many of our politicians and other people in possession of power understand this.”

  Patrick said, “Thoreau also said, ‘Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste to the sky as well as the earth.’ I’ve been thinkin’ about that, how we keep launchin’ so much garbage up into space…”

  Cheryl remarked, “Satellites for TVs, radios, the internet…cell phones… and just plain junk.”

  Aden said, “A lot of humans aren’t taking care of the earth, and yet, it’s the only place we’ve got to live.”

  “And it’s got the only kind of air we can breathe,” Danny added.

  Roman gave Mona a drink of water from a shallow cup he brought along on hikes for that purpose, allowing the dog to have her fill. While she watched Mona lapping the water, Molly lightly petted the dog and said, “Mona’s the smartest dog in the whole world.”

  Nodding, Roman replied, “We can learn a whole lot from her, and especially from canines in the wild that live in harmony with nature.”

  When he looked up, Molly had already lifted her head, and her bright blue eyes were fastened on something behind him, just as a smile on her face emerged. Turning his head slightly, Roman took hold of Mona’s collar as Molly whispered, “Deer.” Slowly turning more, Roman saw what Molly was seeing—a doe and her fawn were grazing on club moss that had sprouted along the trail behind them. The others grew silent too, Jess pointing to where the female deer and her yearling were standing. Mona, getting a whiff of the visitors, began to slightly quiver, but otherwise she did not move. Roman, trusting her, let go of her collar, and his smile broadened as she remained where she was, in front of him.

  Whispering the words Mona adored hearing above all others, Roman said, “Good girl.”

  *****

  Back at their campsite before night fell, the boys built a blazing fire, while the rest pulled out items for dinner. Roman fed Mona a generous portion of her food, knowing she needed extra calories for the amount of energy she was expending. Cheryl took out ground beef that she’d gotten from Mayer’s Fresh Market, and Jess set up the portable grill for cooking hamburgers and fresh corn-on-the-cob. Roman called out, “How many, Patrick?”

  “Three oughta be good,” the star basketball player answered.

  From there, he intended to go down the line in age, but realized that he didn’t know when Aden’s and Molly’s birthdays were. Both Danny and Aden were the same age. Aden spoke up loudly. “Fifteen on June twelfth.”

  “Fifteen on April Ninth,” Danny crowed, and everyone laughed. “Three burgers!”

  “Two,” Aden shouted, unembarrassed by the fact that he wasn’t nearly as tall, or as physically big, as his two cohorts.

  “One!” yelled Molly, proud that she was a girl and receiving big smiles from her mother and Cheryl.

  They feasted on the large pile of hamburgers and corn, and afterward, they sat around the roaring fire and toasted marshmallows on sticks and ate until they thought they would gag if they had any more. Patrick, Danny and Aden laughed at their self-enforced gluttony, and Molly giggled at them. Jess took pictures with a look of calm radiating from her entire bei
ng. Cheryl, relaxing nearest the fire, felt the residuals of work-related problems melt away. And Roman sat on the tailgate of his Navigator, with Mona lying beside him, and thought to himself: Nothing in the world could be any better than this.

  CHAPTER 39

  Roman’s nephews and Aden had the dismantling of the camp down to a science, making quick work of disassembling their tents and getting everything back into the vehicles. They had even taken the time to clean up the ground debris so that the tents would be ready for the next trip, when they came back to climb Katahdin Mountain during the summer. The campers returned on Friday, with plenty of time for Jess, Molly and Roman to shower and change clothes before Molly’s voice lesson with Dr. Mannis.

  Roman sat in the back of the sanctuary with Jess, while Molly eagerly walked to the front to join Chuck Mannis in a practice session. They began with a warm-up of scales and tones, both the minister and his protégé softly lifting their voices apart and then gradually together. Looking all around the familiar old sanctum, admiring the stain-glassed windows depicting some of Christ’s most inspiring deeds, Roman remembered how he had felt while looking at them when he was a boy. The scene of the children being brought to Christ—“…Suffer the children not, to come unto me…” was, of course, still his favorite. He remembered thinking that Jesus was a really okay guy, the proof of His inclusive nature toward kids being shown right there, in pieces of glass artistically arranged on a church window. That panel had somehow comforted him in an indescribable way.

  He said to Jess, “Let’s go outside while Chuck and Molly practice. I’m not even sure I want to hear what they’ll sing until Sunday.”

  Jess stood, extending her hand toward him. Once outside the church, she said, “No spoilers?” She was smiling up at him, the late afternoon sun catching the glints of her beautiful green eyes, making them look translucent. He nodded and smiled back at her. They walked hand-in-hand, around the grounds of the old Episcopal Church, its permanency such a graceful aspect of this block of the city. The tall spire at the top of the A-framed roof prompted Roman to look up at it as he said, “Let’s be married here.”