Cal stuffed himself. Sully came in with his own plate, which he ate at the bar. A couple of campers stopped in for milk and eggs and Maggie jumped up to take their money. The ice maker on the back porch rattled and clunked. The front door was propped open and laughter could be heard as the sun slowly became lost behind the mountains.
This must be such a happy place in summer when families come here to play, to be together, to get away from their stress and worry, Cal thought.
He was in a daze and he knew it. He was vaguely aware that Maggie and Sully were talking to customers, putting things away. Maggie was sweeping behind the counter. He got up and took his plate to the kitchen. Maggie leaned her broom up against the counter and took his plate.
“Just go over to the house,” she said. “Turn on the TV and put your feet up. You’re a basket case. I’ll be over in a while.”
“I’m sorry, Maggie. I pushed it kind of hard the past couple of days. You should just give me a blanket and I’ll sleep in the—”
“I think Sully would be disappointed if you didn’t accept. He’s missed you.” She pushed him out the back door. “Try not to get lost.”
Beau was lying on the back porch. “I’m going to lie down,” Cal said to the dog. Beau jumped to his feet and began wagging his tail. “Okay, then,” he said. “You and me, on the couch.”
* * *
Maggie and Sully essentially closed down the store, but they sat out on the porch in front. They watched over the grounds while the moon cast a glow over the lake. This was the perfect end to a perfect day, in Maggie’s mind. Even though Cal was in the house, even though she’d told him she’d be along soon, she felt no urgency, but a sense of comfort, of all being right in her world.
When she visited Sully’s while she was in med school or residency she might study all day but come evening, they’d eat a burger or barbecued chicken and sit on the porch after sunset. From here they could hear the conversations, children running and playing, clattering of dishes from the various campsites; they could see the small fires that dotted the landscape by tents and campers or at the edge of the beach. On some nights Sully would wander through the grounds to make sure everyone had safe fires, contained at all times of the year. A wildfire was a nightmare come to life in the Colorado mountains.
“Are you glad he came home?” Sully asked.
Maggie laughed softy. “This isn’t home for him, Dad. But yes, I’m glad he came back.”
“You were missing him,” Sully said.
“I was just about over him. I was building a new life in my head and it had nothing to do with him!” That brilliant Australian doctor, however, bore an uncanny resemblance to Cal. “I was a little worried sometimes,” she went on. “People can get lost, sick, hurt, have conflicts with unfriendly wildlife, have problems with unfriendly people! He was gone a long time. I assumed he had moved on. He admitted he’s been a wanderer.”
“Nah, I don’t think so. I think he’s looking for something, that’s all. He’s respectful. He won’t just take off without an explanation.”
“He did once,” she said.
“So far,” Sully said. “He said from the start he was planning a long hike once the weather warmed. You like him a lot, don’t you?”
“I think you know,” she said. “I might’ve been a little obvious when I saw him come down the road.”
“That’s okay, you know. You can like him. I admit, I got a little attached to him,” Sully said. “But we gotta talk. I don’t want him working like he did, for free and all.”
This must be such a happy place in summer when families come here to play, to be together, to get away from their stress and worry, Cal thought.
He was in a daze and he knew it. He was vaguely aware that Maggie and Sully were talking to customers, putting things away. Maggie was sweeping behind the counter. He got up and took his plate to the kitchen. Maggie leaned her broom up against the counter and took his plate.
“Just go over to the house,” she said. “Turn on the TV and put your feet up. You’re a basket case. I’ll be over in a while.”
“I’m sorry, Maggie. I pushed it kind of hard the past couple of days. You should just give me a blanket and I’ll sleep in the—”
“I think Sully would be disappointed if you didn’t accept. He’s missed you.” She pushed him out the back door. “Try not to get lost.”
Beau was lying on the back porch. “I’m going to lie down,” Cal said to the dog. Beau jumped to his feet and began wagging his tail. “Okay, then,” he said. “You and me, on the couch.”
* * *
Maggie and Sully essentially closed down the store, but they sat out on the porch in front. They watched over the grounds while the moon cast a glow over the lake. This was the perfect end to a perfect day, in Maggie’s mind. Even though Cal was in the house, even though she’d told him she’d be along soon, she felt no urgency, but a sense of comfort, of all being right in her world.
When she visited Sully’s while she was in med school or residency she might study all day but come evening, they’d eat a burger or barbecued chicken and sit on the porch after sunset. From here they could hear the conversations, children running and playing, clattering of dishes from the various campsites; they could see the small fires that dotted the landscape by tents and campers or at the edge of the beach. On some nights Sully would wander through the grounds to make sure everyone had safe fires, contained at all times of the year. A wildfire was a nightmare come to life in the Colorado mountains.
“Are you glad he came home?” Sully asked.
Maggie laughed softy. “This isn’t home for him, Dad. But yes, I’m glad he came back.”
“You were missing him,” Sully said.
“I was just about over him. I was building a new life in my head and it had nothing to do with him!” That brilliant Australian doctor, however, bore an uncanny resemblance to Cal. “I was a little worried sometimes,” she went on. “People can get lost, sick, hurt, have conflicts with unfriendly wildlife, have problems with unfriendly people! He was gone a long time. I assumed he had moved on. He admitted he’s been a wanderer.”
“Nah, I don’t think so. I think he’s looking for something, that’s all. He’s respectful. He won’t just take off without an explanation.”
“He did once,” she said.
“So far,” Sully said. “He said from the start he was planning a long hike once the weather warmed. You like him a lot, don’t you?”
“I think you know,” she said. “I might’ve been a little obvious when I saw him come down the road.”
“That’s okay, you know. You can like him. I admit, I got a little attached to him,” Sully said. “But we gotta talk. I don’t want him working like he did, for free and all.”
