On the front porch of the Renshaws’ nearly complete cabin, Sylvia enjoyed her late morning coffee while relaxing in a brightly colored camp chair. Warner sat in a similar chair to her left, while Sylvia’s best friend, Beverly, who had shared the long drive with her from Oklahoma, reclined in her own seat on the right. Behind them, the large glass panes of the cabin’s lofty prow rose over a pair of French doors.
“Is that Kendra’s car?” Sylvia asked as a gold Buick sped down the county road and passed the old hemlock at the corner of the property.
“Sure is,” Warner replied in surprise. “I thought she left for D.C. Wonder what happened?” Behind the trees lining the road, the car came even with the cabin, slowed, and honked.
“I’ll go get the gate for her,” Warner said, rising.
“How wonderful that she’s joining us,” Sylvia exclaimed. Warner disappeared around the corner of the cabin.
-- : --
While Kendra parked her Buick behind the cabin, Warner jogged back from the gate. He reached the car just as she was climbing out. She shot him an inviting look and spread her arms wide to show off her new outfit. Looking as if she were on safari, she wore a beige-colored blouse with faux leopard-skin trim and ivory-toned buttons over coordinated Capri pants. A matching, wide-brimmed sunhat and a flowing white scarf thrown with casual precision around her neck completed the ensemble.
Stepping close with a broad smile and raised eyebrows, Warner gave her a strong, warm embrace. Glad she finally feels comfortable here again—even if it requires retail therapy.
“Welcome, huntress,” Warner teased, giving her a kiss as he took her hands and wove their fingers together.
“My client postponed our meeting, so I decided to join you! Gives me a chance to have a little one-on-one girl time with your mother,” Kendra said, giving his hands a squeeze before releasing them and smoothing out her blouse.
“Mom and Beverly are on the front porch. Go on and I’ll join you after I take your things inside,” he said, stepping over and opening the back door of the car. “Where’s your overnight bag?”
“Oh, I’m not staying the night.”
“I thought your client cancelled…,” he began. Surely she isn’t still afraid to stay here.
“Postponed. But I need to prepare for the meeting next week and thought I’d go into the office early tomorrow. That’s all right, isn’t it?”
“Mom’s going to start wondering if you’re avoiding her. She hasn’t seen much of you since she arrived.”
“She’ll understand. Besides, I’m spending the whole day with her.” Pausing, a shadow of concern crossed her face. “Honey, I just need a little more time. Then I’ll be fine.”
“Sure,” he said, hiding his disappointment with a smile. “I’m really happy you came.”
While he retrieved the bag of groceries she brought, Kendra brushed her fingers down his arm before turning with a lighter step to join the other women on the front porch.
-- : --
Lounging in their chairs with coffee in hand, Sylvia and Beverly were exchanging favorite moments from their recent cross-country travel, when a twig snapped in the brush. Both women jerked their heads toward the noise. A girl, in her twenties, was tramping through the wild thickets under the old hemlock. Surprised to see someone on foot, miles from anywhere, Sylvia sat forward, unsure what to do.
The mysterious girl finished traversing the underbrush and stepped onto the thick grass forty feet away. They watched her pause to straighten a simple yellow-and-white print dress and wipe the tops of her pink tennis shoes on the back of white ankle-high socks. Sylvia noticed pale scars crisscrossing the girl’s shins—she must spend a lot of time climbing through bushes.
Looking up with a determined expression, the girl clasped her elbows before striding to the edge of the porch.
“Beautiful day,” Sylvia called out while remaining seated. “My name’s Sylvia and this is Beverly.”
“Nice to meet you, Ma’am,” the girl said nervously. “I’m Lina—Lina Tollman. I live across the way.” She gestured behind her with one hand.
“Didn’t realize Warner had neighbors,” Sylvia said. “Never was comfortable with him being here alone, not since that bear attack a couple years ago.”
Sylvia watched Lina smile and smooth her auburn hair. She didn’t even react. Doesn’t look like bears scare this girl.
“I heard a honk, so I knew you was home. Thought I’d be neighborly and come say hi.”
“Aren’t you thoughtful? Pull up a seat.” Sylvia pointed to Warner’s empty camp chair.
Lina’s face brightened, and like a nervous mouse, she scurried over and took the seat. Folding her hands in her lap, she remained stiffly erect.
“Would you like something to drink? We have coffee, tea, or soda,” Sylvia offered.
“No thank ya, Ma’am.”
“It’s nice to meet someone from this area. Beverly and I drove out from Oklahoma and was just saying how you can’t see the countryside when you fly. Don’t you agree?” Sylvia asked, looking at Lina.
“Never been in a plane, Ma’am. I did take the bus to Mount Vernon once.”
Footsteps sounded near the corner of the cabin and Kendra strolled into view, announcing her arrival with a fashionable display.
“Hi, Sylvia, Beverly,” Kendra greeted cheerfully. “… and who’s—”
“You!” Lina bound to her feet.
Kendra stopped in surprise and her smile faded.
“Sit down, dear,” Sylvia said, looking at Lina. “We’ll get another chair. I’d like you to meet my daughter-in-law, Kendra. Kendra, this is our new friend, Lina. She lives across the road.”
“A pleasure, I’m sure,” Kendra said with a mechanical smile masking her cool appraisal.
-- : --
Two hours later, under the warmth of the midday sun, the Renshaw family was picnicking around the backyard fire-pit, halfway between the cabin and the gate. Sylvia smiled and enjoyed the forgotten pleasure of an outdoor cookout. It’s been years since Bob and I did this. Why did we quit?
Near the fire, Sylvia balanced a plastic plate in one hand while shifting her wobbly seat with the other to adjust for a root snaking out from the tree behind her. It’s nice to feel special, I just wish Kendra wasn’t so busy. But why won’t she stay the night? Is it me…? Stop! Be thankful for what you have—not what you don’t.
Taking a seat directly in front of Sylvia, Bella eyed the paper plate and runnels of drool streamed down the giant schnauzer’s black jowls.
“Sorry, girl, you’re not getting any prime rib. This is special people food,” she said.
Sitting beside Sylvia, Lina held her own plate as if she had never seen prime rib. Throughout her visit, everyone had noticed the girl’s discomfort and attempted to make her feel at ease—everyone except Kendra. Warner’s right, there’s something still upsetting her. Poor thing, the break-in affected her more than I thought. I’ll chat with her later. Sometimes all you can do is pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get on with life. I should know.
Beverly stood next to the fire while Warner laid a juicy, thick cut of steak onto her plate. Carrying it over to a chair facing the fire, she dropped with a bounce onto the spindly chair.
After fixing the last two plates, Warner carried them over to his seat beside Kendra. Handing her one, he then sat down to enjoy his own meal.
“Lay down, Bella,” Warner said to the dog, who was still begging at Sylvia’s feet.
As Sylvia took the first bite of her steak, the dog sank to her belly without taking her intense brown eyes off the forbidden prize.
“What kind a dog is that?” Lina asked. “She’s so pretty.”
“A giant schnauzer,” Warner said. “She looks intimidating, but she’s really a pushover… and a food whore.” When Lina flinched, he added with a grin, “Sorry. I should watch my language around company.”
Lina smiled before turning her attention to her plate, and the cookout became quiet while everyone dug into the unusually fine picnic lunch.
“Can’t believe you drove all the way from Oklahoma,” Kendra said, breaking the silence and looking across to Sylvia. “I thought you’d fly, especially at your age.”
“Oh heavens, this gal’s not that old. Bob always insisted on driving me ever-where, but I wanted to prove I could do it on my own. And by golly, I did it,” Sylvia said in a thick Oklahoma drawl.
“You can do anything you want,” Warner encouraged. “Hopefully after this visit and the one over the holidays you’ll move out here—”
“You’re coming out here too?” Lina asked, sounding concerned.
Sylvia shifted in her seat with a thoughtful turn of her head and the corner of her chair tipped. Teetering off balance, her eyes widened as she lifted up her plate. The awkward angle combined with gravity and plunked her, with a loud shriek, onto the mossy ground.
Everyone jumped up to help while Sylvia, in a feat of determination, managed to hold her plate high. Lina, the quickest to assist, took Sylvia’s plate and placed it on a nearby chair.
“You okay?” Warner asked, rushing over.
“I’m fine,” Sylvia said as her son helped her to her feet. “A smidgen mortified, but at least Lina saved my prime rib.” Sylvia turned happily to her plate—which was now empty.
Nearby, Bella lay belly-to-the-ground wolfing down the remains of her amazing discovery.
“That greedy little schnauzer!” Sylvia cried with a laugh.
“Bad girl!” Warner scolded, rushing to grab the dog’s muzzle. Bella froze and emitted a deep growl. Prying open the dog’s ‘jaws-of-death,’ Warner retrieved the saggy, slobbery, half-remains of steak.
“I looked forward to that steak all week,” Sylvia said wistfully, standing her chair upright and easing down into it with a frown.
“There’s still some left,” Warner said, and chuckled as he held up the ruined meat. When he tossed the soggy morsels back to Bella, the dog looked as if her canine prayers had been answered. Bolting down the remains, she nearly choked.
“You can have mine,” Lina said, taking her seat and reaching out to place her hand on the arm of the older woman’s chair.
“Don’t worry, dear,” Sylvia said, feeling a growing warmth toward the girl. “I’ll help myself to Warner’s. I appreciate your trying to help, though.”
Sylvia reached over and patted the girl’s hand, at the same time noticing Kendra now sat across from them glaring at Lina. Why’s she so uncomfortable with the girl?
Kendra’s eyes locked with Lina’s, and the two women exchanged an inscrutable stare until Warner stepped next to his wife and nudged her sandal with his boot. Kendra glanced up at Warner and blushed.
In a lighter tone, Sylvia continued, “You were asking if I was moving out here. Well, since Bob’s gone now, who knows? Like Warner says, I can do anything I want. Look how wonderful it is, surrounded by family and friends.” Sylvia gave Lina’s hand a squeeze. “I haven’t even been here a week, and I already have a new friend.”
-- : --
Half an hour later, Lina stood inside the Renshaw’s cabin by the door to the downstairs bathroom.
“Restroom’s in there. But please stay out of the rest of the house,” Kendra said, turning to leave.
Lina waited to make sure the woman didn’t return before leaving the bathroom and entering the nearest bedroom. That bitch thinks I’d steal her curls if I could. But she’s the thief, trying to take my man. A feeling of uncertainty returned as she recalled the deputy’s words ‘get along with them.’ But this should be my home, not that tin can ‘cross the road.
She tried to recall how the cabin had looked four years ago. Was it smaller? Her recollection was improving with each visit. It feels familiar again. For a moment, visions of the two cabins—past and present—merged, and she became disoriented. Where’d the Tollmans go to? Is this Luke’s room? Sinking down into a crouch, she wrapped her arms around her knees as a vivid image from the previous room returned. Luke tearing my dress and forcing himself on me. Why’d I let him? Cuz someone like me could never have someone like him. A twinge of anger bloomed into rage when her memory flashed back to the last New Year’s with Luke at the Tollmans’ cabin—when I saw that whore with him!
Snapping back to the present, she felt shaken and nauseous.
This ain’t Luke’s cabin or his room—not yet.
-- : --
Lina strolled across the summer grass feeling the soft green blades brush her bare shins as laughter drifted from the family collected around the firepit. As she strolled up to the fire, the light banter died.
“Hello, dear,” Sylvia said with a warm smile. “Would you like your steak warmed up?”
“No thanks,” Lina replied, self-consciously taking her seat. Why you the only one being nice to me?
With a whine, Bella looked toward the county road and everyone turned to follow the dog’s gaze. The sound of a vehicle approached and they watched a black Bronco slow near the drive leading to Lina’s trailer. Lina leapt to her feet.
“What’s wrong, dear?” Sylvia asked. “You have a visitor?”
“You can have my meat. I only touched a corner.” Lina said, shoving her plate at Sylvia. “Thanks for the picnic.”
“So sorry to see you go,” Kendra said in a tone that barely hid her dislike.
“Oh my, well, nice to meet you,” Sylvia said. “Drop by again sometime.”
“Sure,” Lina said over her shoulder as she hurried along the drive toward the gate.
-- : --
Stepping onto the road, Lina broke into a jog without stopping until she reached her trailer. With lungs heaving, she threw her arms out and nearly collapsed into the aluminum siding. Luke’s Bronco sat nearby, parked under the shade of an evergreen tree. What’s Luke doing here? Did he go inside? Following a brief thrill at the unexpected visit, she felt reality temper her excitement. What if he’s drunk? Least he came to see me and not that witch across the road. I knew he was teasing me before.
Pulling the screen door back, she was standing on the grated aluminum step when the inner door jerked open. A strong hand snatched the hair at the back of her head and yanked her into the trailer. Crashing into the small table within, she felt the air knocked from her lungs before she slipped and fell onto the speckled gray linoleum floor. Bewildered, she sat still while the aluminum door slammed shut and the room went dark. When her eyes adjusted, she found Luke towering over her with a palpable rage pumping his breath.
“What the hell ya doing?” Luke demanded.
“I… I went for a walk… to the river,” Lina said, trying to rise using the table’s cushioned bench-seat for support.
“Bullshit!” he said, kicking her feet out from under her. Falling back onto the floor, she glared up at him. “You was having a goddamn picnic at my cabin, the one that still would a been mine if you hadn’t burnt it to the ground.”
She scooted across the floor out of his reach before getting to her feet. After dusting off the seat of her dress, she tried to walk casually over to the bed. When she sat down, the only sign of fear was her tight grip on the edge of the thin mattress.
“Just doing my part like ya asked. You want your cabin back or not?”
“You stoned again? Course I do, but it ain’t the same without….”
“Without Kendra?”
“That Renshaw chick? Hell no. They’re leaving—all of ‘em. I already seen to that. Then I can buy our place back and….”
Lina felt a spark of excitement. He’s buying ‘our’ place. Once the Renshaws is gone, we can start over. “It’ll happen,” she said. “Cuz things is changing, making like before. When I’s in the cabin earlier, was surprised it’s bigger. But it would be, wouldn’t it, after all this time?”
“What? Now you’re just ranting.”
“Then how you explain me ending up living here? Even John says I should be over there. And old Mrs. Renshaw reminds me of Mama. She even invited me back.”
Luke stared at her.
“Don’t look at me like I’s a ‘coon eating cool whip. Explain why they celebrating New Year’s Eve at our cabin exactly five years after our party there?”
“You’re a whack-job. That never was your party,” Luke said, shaking with anger as he took a step forward. “It was you that ruined everything. Now shut that trap of yours!”
“There’s a reason thing’s is coming back,” she insisted. “The cabin, Mama, me and you. Can’t ya see? It’s our second chance. We can make it right this time and give our boy a home.”
“Our boy? You got no proof Jayden’s mine. Keep talking like that and I’ll tell the deputy the rest a what happened the night you burned my cabin down.”
When he raised his hand, she resisted the urge to cringe.
Give it time. Things is changing… and so will he.