Page 4 of The Final Say

“Imagine the possibilities of what would happen if I took him back in a knee-jerk reaction. He wasn’t always like this, but maybe I just didn’t see it when we first got together. I would recommend wiping that grin off of your face before I do it for you,” she urged with a sideways glance.

“This weather is more than frightful. It’s dangerous to be out on the roads. The police have instructed everybody to find shelter until this storm blows over. We could go back to the house, but I think we both know what we would be facing. I’m perfectly fine with whatever you decide. I will stand by you no matter what. It’s the least I can do after what I did you in high school,” I blurted, no longer hiding from it and wondering how she was going to respond.

“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to answer that. I would ask how you found out but it really doesn’t matter. The cat is out of the bag and there’s no putting him back in it. I should’ve told you sooner, but we were getting closer to something very special. It started off as a revenge scheme to get back at you by sleeping with you and then kicking you to the curb,” She admitted to something I already knew, but it was nice to hear her say the words out loud.

“I think we have a lot to talk about. We can’t do that with him breathing down our necks. We should let him stew until morning. It’s possible we could go back and find him gone in the morning, but I don’t think he’s going anywhere tonight in this weather,” I pressed the issue, waiting with bated breath to hear her decision.

“There is a place, but the road is most likely washed out. It always does in weather like this. If anybody has a chance to find a way through, it would probably be this truck. It’s exactly like its owner. You are both a little rough around the edges, loud, and intimidating but with a delicate grace hard to ignore. Turn right a mile down this road,” Julie prompted, lying back against the seat with her eyes closed and one hand fidgeting on the hem of her skirt.

She inadvertently lifted a bit of the material to let me see a generous amount of her bare thigh. Closing my eyes wasn’t an option but keeping them on the road was probably preferable over the alternative of dumping us both in a ditch somewhere.

My eyes were peeled for the road she had mentioned. I almost missed it. There were low hanging branches. The rain had suddenly turned into this mixture with snow. There was nothing cheerful about the road.

The tires of the truck could barely adhere to the slick surface.

I had no idea where she was taking me. It was truly off the beaten track away from civilization. It might’ve been a storied history between us, but we had yet to clear the air.

I had a feeling the night was going to end with more than a whimper.

Chapter Three

Julie a.k.a. Constance

The road was washed out and there wasn’t any place other than his headlights peering into the darkness trying to ascertain any problems along the way. It wasn’t easy to sit still and idle when my heart was practically jumping out of my mouth every time we nearly collided with a tree.

“I’m going out on a limb by bringing you to this special place. Nobody will be there while it’s under renovations. I was able to get a message out to the owner. He was partly the reason why I decided to move here. I haven’t told anybody about the photograph he sends me every Christmas and during summer when the water is this effervescent blue,” I explained my fascination for the place in question.

He turned toward me. “You don’t owe me an explanation. I should be groveling on my knees for your forgiveness. I don’t feel good about the way I acted back there. It was wrong on many levels and the only thing that I can do is give you my assurances it won’t happen again.”

I was suddenly jarred with the seatbelt cutting into my shoulder and my hands holding onto the dashboard.

There was a fallen tree blocking the path with no way to go around it. It meant we were going to have to trek the rest of the way on foot. At least the rain and snow mix had slowed to a drizzle, making the visibility a bit better.

“My heart is barely what it used to be. I still remember the way that you made fun of me in front of your friends. I know it’s supposed to be in the past where it belongs, but I still think about it from time to time. Imagine my surprise when you showed up on my doorstep ready to get to work without an ounce of recognition in your eyes. I have changed considerably but I don’t think I have to tell you that,” I directed his attention to the full package including a different hairstyle and makeup no longer hidden behind black coke bottle glasses.

He parked the truck and put it into idle before shutting it down. He had moved it away from the road within a canopy of trees with overhanging branches scratching the top of it. We were far enough away from the road nobody would see it unless they were to venture beyond the mud and slop.

Cameron shielded me with the rain slicker, covering us both in a mad dash toward the empty chalets. There was this change in temperature turning the rain from snow until there was golf ball sized hail.

We were lucky to find a temporary shelter under a tree until the worst of it had passed.

“I’m not going to lie. Being here with you like this brings a smile to my face. We can get past our differences but we need to be completely honest with one another. This isn’t the place or time but I’m ready to declare my feelings. I might not be able to forgive myself but I might if you were to see it clear to forgive me for my trespasses against you,” he rallied, with this genuine and honest approach I found quite endearing.

We waited until there was a lull and then continued our journey staying away from the road. We finally felt the gravel underneath our feet crunching with every step. There was a momentary crack of thunder. It was the strangest weather I had ever witnessed in my life but it was also the most fascinating.

That brief flash illuminated one of the chalets within spitting distance. It had a t-framed roof with a wide, expansive deck on the second level overlooking the mountainous terrain in the distance.

I fumbled around in the dark until I found the fake rock with the key underneath it. It was exactly where Dyson had directed me. There had been talk about getting together until he rekindled an old spark with a high school playmate.

There was no accounting for our friendship to blossom from several months of correspondence until we were able to put a face to the name. He was kind and generous, but he really wasn’t my type. It was a breath of relief when I heard that he had no reason to pursue me in a romantic way.

The key jiggled in place until the lock clicked, informing us of a small victory on which we could build. The door swung open but there was no electricity. The fireplace was huge overtaking half of the living room with these colorful stones. There was no shortage of luxury touches, including gold-plated faucets.

“I’ll start a fire by the bearskin rug. I never thought I would say those words in my lifetime. It’s a little cliché, but I do like how they have catered to those with romantic intentions. We can stay here for as long as you want. I’m not opposed to making this an extended vacation away from our problems to get to know each other better,” he mentioned when he was soon on his knees using his Boy Scout knowledge to our advantage.

He was rugged and quite handsome, even more so when he was able to get the fire started within minutes of mentioning it. In the glow of the flame, he looked sumptuous--almost this delicious-looking feast ready to be consumed.

I rummaged in the kitchen using a candle lit which was sitting on the ornate table with old-world charm. There were several cans in the pantry, but there were no labels. It was going to be a mystery what we were going to find when we popped open one of the cans.

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