The Sunny Side of the Mountain

by Charliann Roberts

  *

  The following week they were all packed and ready to leave in the morning. The twins had been over to Nick’s for their last day of horseback riding.

  “Hey Mom,” Kyle said. “Nick invited us all over to his place tonight for a bonfire, since it’s our last night. Can we go, Mom?”

  “Yeah, Mom, we won’t be able to have another fire for a while, since we can’t have them in Woodland, so can we, please?” Kayla looked at her with pleading eyes.

  “Well, it does sound like fun. I guess we can, but I’d really like to get an early start in the morning.”

  After they’d all eaten more than enough hot dogs, they sat around the fire roasting marshmallows, laughing and telling jokes. When the twins got bored, they asked Nick if they could go in and watch a movie.

  When they were out of sight, Nick pulled his chair closer to Cassandra. Mandy stayed nearby; even she enjoyed lying in the warmth of the fire, ears twitching to the crackle of the burning logs. The one thing Cassandra thought she’d miss the most was the smell of a bonfire. It’s so relaxing up here. At least it was until Jeff found them.

  She leaned her head back and gazed at the sky; filled with so many stars, it looked surreal. It’ll be hard to leave.

  The long hours of her final workload had taken a toll on her. Straightening her neck, she slowly moved it back and forth, to relieve the ache in her shoulders. Nick placed his arm along the back of her chair and squeezed her shoulder affectionately, then massaged it in a circular motion. When his hands relaxed and he rested his arm gently across her shoulders she leaned into him, tilting her face toward his. He looked into her eyes then lightly kissed her mouth, sending shivers of delight through her.

  The kiss left her weak and confused, and she felt relieved when she heard the twins come out the door. Nick settled back with a look of disappointment when she rose to leave. He stood, moved close to her and lowered his voice. “Will you call me when you get back tomorrow? I’d like to know that you made it safely. I’ll be worried about you until I know that they’ve located Jeff.”

  “Yes, I’ll be sure to call you.” She placed her hand on his forearm, then withdrew it quickly and turned away, frightened of emotions that seemed to surge at a single touch.

  Chapter Seventeen

  After they’d unloaded the SUV and put all of their personal belongings away, both Kyle and Kayla headed over to visit Sherry and Adam. When they opened the door, Shannon stood on the porch, about to ring their doorbell.

  “Hey, Shannon,” Kayla said. “We’re on our way over to your house. Are Sherry and Adam home?”

  “They sure are, and they’re anxious to see you. Welcome back.”

  “Thanks. Go on in, Mom’s just about to make a pot of coffee,” she said, when she leaped down from the top step.

  “The kids are in their rooms, so just go right in.”

  Shannon walked in and placed a loaf of banana bread on the table. “It’s sure good to see that you made it back safely.” The scrumptious aroma filled the kitchen, and Cassandra looked up with a smile. She pulled two coffee cups from the cupboard. Shannon helped herself to a knife from the drawer and began slicing the bread.

  “It really is good to be back, although it was pretty hard to leave the peace and quiet behind.” She leaned against the counter and waited for the coffee to finish brewing.

  Shannon cleared her throat. “Hmmm, and isn’t there something else in particular that you had a hard time leaving?” She impatiently tapped her fingernails on the tabletop.

  “Oh, get serious. Nick’s just a neighbor. He takes care of the place for Auntie Em when no one is there. He helped us out when we needed him, and he’s a good friend. That’s as far as it’s going to go. I have no desire to get involved with anyone for a long, long time.” She poured their coffee then took a slice of banana bread.

  “Uh-huh,” Shannon murmured, then sipped her coffee and kept her eyes on Cassandra. “The twins were leaving when I came to the door. I just can’t get over how Kayla has begun to look so much like you. You’re beginning to look more like sisters than mother and daughter.”

  “Oh, get real. If only,” she laughed. “They’ve both grown quite a bit in the past two years; they’re now a couple of inches taller than I am.”

  “Well, that wasn’t very difficult, short-stuff.”

  Cassandra gave her a light punch on the arm. “This banana bread is delicious, by the way.”

  “I wanted to bake something to welcome you home,” she said, and watched as Mandy wandered into the kitchen in search of floor crumbs.

  “So tell me how Nick reacted when you told him you were leaving? Did he beg you to stay? I know he has feelings for you…”

  Suddenly, a knock at the front door saved her from answering. Brushing the crumbs from her mouth, she stood and walked into the living room. When she moved toward the entryway, she glanced out the window and noticed a police car parked out front. She was trembling when she opened the door.

  A police officer nodded at her and showed his identification card.

  “Good morning, ma’am. Are you Cassandra Becker?”

  “Yes, I am. May I help you?”

  The officer appeared to be young, perhaps in his mid-twenties. “Possibly, ma’am. There was a hit-and-run accident over in Soderville, just after midnight. A witness wrote down the license plate number of a blue pick-up truck. The vehicle is registered to the name of Jeffrey S. Becker, residing at this address. Is he your husband, ma’am?”

  “Was my husband,” she informed him. “He’s now my ex-husband and he no longer lives here. I also have a restraining order against him.”

  The officer nodded, and drew his brows downward in a frown. “Do you have his current address?”

  “No, I don’t. I have no idea where he’s living at this point. I wish I could help you. Was anyone hurt?”

  “Yes. He ran a red light and hit an elderly man in a crosswalk. He didn’t stop. The man’s in critical condition. There were a couple of witnesses who reported that he’d been driving recklessly and appeared to be under the influence.”

  “I’m really sorry I can’t help you, sir.”

  “If you should happen to see or hear from him, please give me a call.” He handed her his business card from the Woodland Police Department.

  “I will, Officer.” She shook her head when she shut and locked the door, then clamped her jaw closed tightly and stared off into space. He nearly killed me while being intoxicated; now he may have killed an elderly man. He’ll never learn!

  Shannon had been listening from the kitchen doorway. She walked over and put an arm around her.

  With her hands clenched at her sides, she turned away and went back to the kitchen. She sat down at the table and took a sip of her cold coffee. Suddenly, she slammed her fist on the table. “Damn it, now look what he’s done. He refused to quit drinking; he refused to admit he had a problem.” She spoke with bitterness, and shook her head in dismay.

  Shannon took her hand, and Cassandra leaned back and closed her eyes.

  “He’s not your problem any more, honey. This is not your problem. It’s his and his alone. You made the right move by getting a divorce. He caused this mess himself, and now he’ll have to handle it himself.”

  Cassandra took a deep breath and with a slight smile, wiped her damp cheeks with her shirtsleeve.

  Shannon reached for the box of tissues from the counter and waited while Cassandra grabbed one and blotted her eyes.

  “Now go and splash some cold water on your face before the kids come through the door,” she said, and extended a hand to help her up from her chair.

  “Would you like to take the kids for a pizza?” Cassandra asked when she came back out to the kitchen. “They hadn’t been able to have pizza very often over the summer.”

  “That sounds like fun. Dan will be working late. Let’s do it. We’ll take my car.”

  Shannon wrapped up the banana bread and set it on the counter while Cass
andra slipped on her shoes.

  They almost made it out the door when Cassandra’s cell phone rang. She looked at the caller I.D. It was Jeff. She turned the phone off, threw it into her purse, and walked out the door.

  “Not my problem,” she said, and glanced at Shannon.

  “Good girl.” Shannon smiled, and together they strolled down the street to round up the kids.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Cassandra had spent the day with Auntie Em. When she looked up at the clock on the kitchen wall, she was surprised that it was almost dinner time. She grabbed her purse, dug for her keys, and Auntie Em gave her a hug.

  “Thank you for coming over for lunch, honey. The time flew by too fast.”

  “I know it did. I’ll bring the twins with me next time. They’ve been busy getting ready for school to start on Monday.”

  “Well, I’m glad you told me about Jeff’s hit-and-run. I’m not surprised that the police have a warrant out for his arrest. I do hope that poor injured man will be okay.”

  “Yes, well, if he doesn’t make it, Jeff will be charged with murder, along with the hit-and-run.”

  “I wonder where that disgusting man could be,” Auntie Em mumbled, while her fingers tapped against her moist glass of lemonade.

  “I have no idea, and you know what? I don’t even care any more. Oh, and before I forget, I spoke with Nick yesterday. He told me that everything’s fine at the cabin. The security lights are working, and everything seems to be exactly as we left it.”

  “Nick is such a good man. I’m not worried about anything up there. He takes care of the place as if it was his own. He could be a wonderful husband to a very lucky woman someday.”

  “Yes, but it won’t be me. I’m not interested, so I guess some other lucky girl will get him. Well, I best be going.” She gave Auntie Em a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for the lunch. We’ll all be back soon, probably in a week or two. You call me if you need anything before then, and keep working on that book of yours. I’m anxious to read your first draft.”

  *

  Cassandra put in a long day. Her boss had asked her to work at the office two or three days a week. She worked from home the remaining days. She pulled the SUV into the garage and grabbed the grocery bag off the seat beside her.

  She entered the house and Mandy darted around the corner and slid halfway across the kitchen floor to greet her. She was always so excited when she returned. It was a delightful feeling, being welcomed home. Cassandra set the groceries down on the table and reached down to pet her.

  “Hi girl, how was your day today? A lot easier than mine, I’m sure.”

  Mandy wormed her nose around, in search of Cassandra’s coat pocket. When she finally located it, her nose dug in, and came back out with her dog biscuit. She whipped her tail back and forth, while she enjoyed her special treat. She was such a clever dog; she knew just where to look when Cassandra returned home from a day at work. That was her reward for being a good watchdog.

  When she opened the door with the intention of letting Mandy out, she noticed a police car pull into the driveway. Two officers got out. One of them took a step toward her. She turned and closed the door, leaving Mandy inside while she stepped out to meet him. He was the older of the two, a bit heavy set, with salt and pepper hair.

  “Mrs. Becker?”

  “It’s Ms. Becker, Cassandra Becker,” she answered, and nervously moistened her lips.

  “Jeffrey Becker was in an accident, ma’am,” he said.

  “Where? What happened?” she asked in a frightened voice. “Is he okay?”

  “Ms. Becker, one of our Woodland police officers spotted him on County Road 39. When the officer turned on his police lights and siren, Mr. Becker took off at high speed. He turned onto the 392-exit ramp and lost control of his vehicle at ninety-eight miles per hour. His car overturned as it went down the embankment.”

  She held her hands over her mouth as a wave of apprehension suddenly swept through her.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am. He died immediately on impact.”

  Despite her strong feelings against him, she never wanted the father of her children dead. She felt queasy and steadied herself with a hand on the porch railing.

  The officer took hold of her elbow. “Would you like to sit down?”

  She nodded and with his help, she sat on the porch step.

  “Ms. Becker, we need you to come down to identify the body.” When she didn’t respond, he asked, “Are you okay, ma’am? Is there someone you’d like us to call for you?”

  She nodded, and gulped. “Yes, Dan and Shannon Miller; they live in the third house down. My children are attending a school function right now. I’ll need Dan and Shannon to pick them up.”

  The officer turned to speak with his partner, and the younger officer left to notify the Millers.

  Before she stepped into the house, she turned and asked, “Would you like to come in for a moment, sir?”

  “No ma’am. I’ll wait in my car. We really need to leave as soon as possible. I understand he has no other relatives to identify him. Is that correct?”

  “Yes, sir, I’m the only one. His parents died in a house fire a few years ago. I’ll be right with you,” she said, and rushed inside. She made sure Mandy had enough water in her dish. The poor dog had been barking up a storm when she heard the strange voices outside. She hurried to the bathroom and quickly splashed cold water on her face. Her cheeks were flushed, and yet her complexion was ghastly pale. She was just about ready to go when Shannon entered the kitchen through the back door.

  “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry,” she said, and wrapped her arms around Cassandra. “Would you like me to go with you? It would be easier on you. Dan can pick up the kids. Sherry and Adam are at the rehearsal also. He can bring them back here when it’s over, and he’ll stay with them until we return.”

  “Okay, that’s a good idea. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without the two of you. You’ve always been here to help. And there just appears to be too much happening lately, way too much.”

  “I know, honey. Are you ready to go?”

  “I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Would you mind calling Dan and ask him to come over and let Mandy out? The police arrived when I came home from work and she hasn’t even been out yet.”

  “Sure,” Shannon answered and pulled her cell phone from her purse.

  Cassandra looked around the room, and then grabbed her purse and keys.

  Shannon walked up to the window of the police car to inform the officer that she’d drive Cassandra in her vehicle. Then she placed her arm around Cassandra’s shoulders and helped her into the passenger side.

  Dan approached the car and leaned his head in the open window. He looked over at Cassandra. “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll pick up the kids, and then we’ll be waiting here for you. Everything will be just fine.”

  She looked up at him and tried, but couldn’t quite muster a smile. She felt numb, completely numb. “Thank you, Dan. I really do appreciate your help.”

  *

  “I think the twins handled the situation quite well,” Shannon said.

  “I don’t think it’s really hit them yet. They’d been so upset with him ever since our car accident. They’d always sensed the way Jeff had mistreated me,” she said, while pushing crumbs around the table with her finger. They finished off the loaf of banana bread. She stood up and reached for the dishcloth to wipe off the table, then paused and looked at Shannon. “I just thought of something. The kids are out of school next week for teachers’ workshop. I think I’ll take them to the cabin. They’d like to see Nick. They miss helping him at his ranch, and they miss horseback riding. Nick would take their minds away from it all.”

  “That sounds like a plan, but are you sure they’re the only ones who miss Nick?” She laughed and ducked when Cassandra playfully swung the dishcloth at her.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “It sure feels good to be back,” Cassandra said, while she e
njoyed a cup of coffee with Nick. She’d phoned him before they headed up north, to let him know about Jeff. “When we returned to Woodland in August, I soon realized how spoiled I’d become while at the cabin, surrounded with peace and quiet. Then after the difficult situation with Jeff, I felt as though I wanted to find somewhere to hibernate, for a long, long time.”

  “Well, you can always hibernate here,” he said with a smile and a glint in his big brown eyes.

  She tried to ignore that sexy grin. She knew the day they met that there was something special about him. Even so, she just wasn’t ready for any kind of relationship. She had no room for romance in her busy schedule.

  “I wouldn’t mind living here someday. I just don’t know how well I’d like the cold winters.”

  “They really aren’t as harsh as everyone thinks, as long as your house has heat.”

  When she stood up to leave, Nick asked her if they’d like to have dinner with him, here at his ranch.

  “I’ll need a rain check on that. I really don’t know how late I’ll be working tonight, but thanks for asking. Anyway, I have to go and get some work done. Just send the kids back when you’re tired of them, or when they get tired, whichever comes first.”

  “They’ve never been a problem. I love having them here and so do the ranch hands. They enjoy helping out with the horses, and they love to ride with us when we head out to check for any breaks in the fencing.”

  “Okay, well… I’ll probably talk to you later then,” she said, and he walked her back to the SUV. When she drove away, she looked in her rearview mirror and noticed a sweet smile on his face when he waved, then he turned back to the barn.

  Cassandra pulled out the crock-pot and threw together all the ingredients for beef stew. She loved this type of a meal when she had a heavy workload. It would be ready to eat by the time her work was completed.

  Mandy curled up in her bed next to the bedroom door, and Cassandra sat at the computer and dug in. By five o’clock, she couldn’t stand it any longer. For the past hour, the delicious aroma floating through the house had been telling her it was time to eat. The kids should be here any minute. When she closed down her computer, she heard her cell phone ringing. She ran into the living room, followed the sound, and finally found it on the coffee table, ringing and bouncing around from the vibration.