Lighthouse
By Phil Ruby
Dee Summers was driving. She had not route planned. She just
knew she needed to go somewhere to get away from the upside down world that had
become her life. Dee was in her mid-forties, had a husband who left her,
children who blamed her, friends who had forsaken her, and no one who believed
her side of the story. It all had her at her wits end. She had packed a few
bags of clothing and personal items that meant something to her, got in the car
and never intended to go back. Where would she end up? It did not seem to
matter to Dee as long as it was far away. She was going northeast, from her
hometown of Plano, Texas in the fall of the year. In the back of her mind she
was thinking to go somewhere as different from Texas as she could find.
Massachusetts pretty much filled that bill.
Days later Dee found herself near the Northern coast of
Massachusetts, on a road that seemed to lead nowhere. It was getting near dusk
and she was looking for a motel, or any place to park and sleep a while in her
car if she had to. She saw nothing for miles. As the sun set and light grew
dim, Dee caught a glimpse of a light through the trees. She drove toward that
light and turned down a gravel road toward the coastline. Coming nearer she
realized the light was from an old lighthouse. As she drew nearer, she saw a
little cottage beside the light tower that she assumed was the light keeper’s
residence.
Dee decided she would knock on the door of the cottage and
ask where she might find a room for the night. Getting out of her car she felt
a strong wind. It nearly took off her coat. She pulled the coat around her
tightly and started toward the door. She knocked and waited a minute or two. No
answer. She knocked louder. In another few seconds someone opened the door. It
was a man who appeared to be in his fifties with greying beard and a few
wrinkles on his face. Just as he was opening the door a lightning bolt flashed
nearby followed quickly by a loud clap of thunder. Without thinking, Dee jumped
forward, startled. She landed right in the man’s arms.
“Well!” the man said, “I wasn’t expecting company at all,
let alone a pretty young lady to jump right into my arms like that!”
“I’m sorry…” Dee began
“No!” the man interrupted, “Don’t be sorry at all! Are you
lost? No one comes out here unless they’ve lost their way. Never have any
visitors!”
“Well, you might say that. I don’t have a destination. Just
going,” Dee said hanging her head a little.
“Come inside,” the man said moving aside and motioning
toward a big comfortable looking chair by a stone fireplace with a roaring fire
in it, “There’s a bad nor’easter comin’ in, and it’s about to be met smack dab
over us by another front out of the west. I guess you haven’t been listenin’ to
the weather. They’re calling for a nasty blow. From that lightning strike I’d
say she’s arrived. When you first knocked I thought it was the wind blowin’
somthin’ around. Wind’s getting’ fierce! So you’re runnin’ away from somethin’
huh? Or maybe someone?”
Dee lowered herself into the chair and answered, “Everything
and everyone. It’s a long story.”
“Yeah, most people’s stories are long,” the man said, “but
we’re not goin’ anywhere for a while. Let me make us some tea and you can begin
wherever you like. My name’s Paul Dunfee, by the way. Yours?”
“Dee…Dee Summers.”
Paul went to the kitchen and put on some water. He opened
the jar where he kept his tea bags and then poked his head around the door
facing, “Do you like green tea? That’s all I have at the moment,” he said, but
looking at her he realized she had already fallen sound asleep in the chair. He
moved an ottoman close to her chair, gently raised her feet up onto it, and
found a quilt to cover her with. She unconsciously pulled it around her close and
fell deeper into her sleep. “Must be exhausted,” Paul said to himself.
Paul finished making his tea and sat in a chair opposite the
one Dee was in, where he would eventually fall asleep watching the fire dance
and crackle, and listening to the wind and rain, thunder and lightning. He
didn’t care much for sleeping in a bed. He had been sleeping in the chair for a
few years.
Next Morning
The rain and wind had battered the old lighthouse and
cottage all night. Paul had gotten up several times to check for damages, but
there was little to be found. The place had weathered storms for decades. The
power was out, but Paul had lit some oil lamps and kept the fire stoked. A
backup generator kept the beacon in the tower shining brightly. Looking outside though Paul did discover one
very inconvenient occurrence. There was a small bridge just before the main lot
of the lighthouse and it had been completely washed away. If storm damage was
widespread, it would take perhaps weeks to get to the little lighthouse to make
any repairs. Paul was up preparing a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and hotcakes
when Dee finally stirred awake. It took her a few minutes to remember where she
was and how she got there. Paul came into the room with more of that hot tea
and placed a cup by Dee on a small table.
“I don’t have any lemon or sugar,” he said with a smile,
“I’ve got some raw honey that I use sometimes if you like.”
“No thank you,” Dee said lifting the cup to her lips, “This
will be just fine. I’m sorry to have imposed on you last night. I’ll be on my
way as soon as I collect myself a little. If you’ll just let me use the
bathroom…”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but you’re not goin’ anywhere for a
while…maybe a long while,” Paul said, “Bridge is washed out.”
“I didn’t even notice a bridge coming in last night,” Dee
said surprised.
“It wasn’t very obvious,” Paul explained, “No side rails of
any kind and it had been graveled over. It didn’t really look like a bridge,
but it spanned a small stream that grew out of bounds last night in the storm.
As you can tell the power is out. I’ve got a gas stove for cookin’ and plenty
of firewood. I just hope there’s enough fuel for the generator. I don’t use it
for the house to save the fuel for the beacon.”
“How long before the bridge is replaced?” Dee asked knowing
the answer would not be a matter of days, but probably weeks or more.
They’ll get to us eventually, after every other mud puddle
is cleaned up in the state. Could be a month,” Paul said, “But don’t worry. If
we really need to get somewhere there’s a high swingin’ bridge for foot traffic
only upstream a little ways. Your car will be locked in for a while though.
Might as well plan on stayin’ here. No lodgin’ for miles. And I don’t mind the
company. I’ve got breakfast started. Just getting’ ready to put the bacon in
the pan! I’ll go finish that up. Hungry?”
“Famished!” Dee said, “I can’t really remember the last time
I ate. Things have been a blur since I left. I’ll be happy to pay you for my
meals while I’m stuck here.”
“Nonsense,” Paul insisted, “Like I said before, I’m glad to
have the company.”
Eating breakfast Paul remembered that Dee had a story that
he was hoping she would tell him. “So who are you runnin’ from again?” he
asked.
Dee sighed, “Everyone and everything, like I said last
night. It all started when my husband got a promotion at work. He began working
longer hours, sometimes till late at night. He usually left early in the
morning without even waking me to say goodbye. After a month or so I began to
beg him to slow down and stay home more. He got very angry when I even
mentioned it. He told our children I was a “bitch”, if you’ll excuse the
language. He said he worked so much to get away from me. They are grown and
have families of their own so they couldn’t see what things were really like
for us. They believed their dad, and stopped coming to see me. They would ask
their dad over for dinner sometimes and not invite me. My husband even told all
our friends that he couldn’t bear being around me anymore, blaming me for being
“difficult”. I swear I was as kind to him as I ever was.
The last straw was when I asked him if he was seeing someone
else. He hit the roof saying how dare I accuse him of such a thing when he was
working his butt off to support me. He packed up and left. I have no idea where
he went. I never see the kids, my friends don’t care if I live or die. They all
believe him, and think I’m the worst wife since Delilah cut Samson’s hair!”
“What a horrible thing to happen to you!” Paul said.
“I had enough. I had to get out of there. I just packed some
things and got in my car and drove.” Dee said, “I didn’t have a clue where I
was going. I just knew I couldn’t stay there. Thankfully I have money of my
own, not a lot, but enough to go somewhere and start a new life till I get a
job.”
“Well, you can stay here as long as you like,” Paul offered,
“Or maybe longer than you like, depending on how long it takes to get things
back in order around here.”
“The least I can do is clean up the breakfast dishes,” Dee
said, “Thank you so much! I was starving!” She started clearing the dishes away
while Paul fiddled with the battery operated radio to try and hear some news
about the storm damage.
Paul finally found a station with a report which said the
governor had declared a state of emergency for the entire state of
Massachusetts. Power was out everywhere, trees were across roads, flooding had
destroyed many roadways, and lightning had burned some houses. It was going to
be a long time before Dee was able to leave. Paul didn’t really mind that, and
she didn’t seem to have anywhere in particular that she was headed to.
Paul couldn’t help but keep glancing at Dee as she washed
the dishes. Her tight jeans and the sweater she was wearing were very
flattering to her hourglass figure, especially from behind. It had been a few
years since he had had a woman in the house, and Dee was an attractive lady
with brown hair and big, beautiful brown eyes to match. She had a classic
beauty and a soft, warm smile, full lips and perfect proportions.
Dee had noticed Paul as well. He was a bit taller than her,
broad shoulders and strong arms. He was a little over fighting weight, but just
enough to be a bit like a teddy bear. He was ruggedly dressed, hadn’t had a
haircut in months, she figured, and had about a week’s worth of beard growth.
But he had a nice smile with dark eyes that looked like they were smiling all
the time. He had a soft but manly voice, and a gentle manner to him. Dee was
attracted, to a degree, but her life was so up in the air at the moment she
couldn’t allow herself to think about it much. Not much.
“I’m goin’ out to take a better look around now that the
storm’s passed,” Paul said from the bedroom. He was getting a jacket. The
storms had left behind some very cold air.
“Be careful!” Dee shouted. Then she smiled to herself, but
it was a quickly fading smile. She had said those words to her family many
times – people she had cared for and whom she had once trusted. How could they
have all turned against her? Her husband had become cold and calloused in his
heart, but still managed to seem sweet and persuasive enough to destroy her
life with his lies. Suddenly she heard Paul’s footsteps, which stopped at the
kitchen door. She turned and he was leaning with an arm propped against the
door facing, a grin on his face.
“I haven’t heard anyone say that to me in years!” Paul said,
and then chuckled a little. “You sayin’ ‘Be careful’ brought back memories…very
distant ones.” Then he kind of shook his head and walked toward the front door.
“Kinda nice!” he added on his way out.
After finishing cleaning up from breakfast, Dee decided to
turn on the radio for some distraction from her thoughts. It was blasting about
another storm warning, very similar to the one they had just experienced. It
was expected to hit that night.
“…but the storm surge
ahead of this new nor’easter will be very high due to the high winds. People
along the coast line should consider evacuating, if they can find a safe place
to go. Last night’s storm didn’t leave many options for them, though.”
Dee went to the door and yelled out to Paul, who was
removing some debris from around the house.
“There’s another storm coming tonight!” she yelled through
the still blustery winds.
“I know!” Paul shouted back, “I heard about it earlier, but
didn’t want to make you worry.
“Kindness,” Dee thought to herself, turning back into the
house. She hadn’t felt kindness from anyone for at least a year. “If only dad
were alive,” she thought, “He was always kind, loving and understanding, no
matter what.” Then Dee realized that Paul reminded her a lot of her father. She
hadn’t realized it before. That would explain why she jumped into his arms when
the lighting struck, and why she felt so comfortable walking right into a
stranger’s house and falling asleep in front of his fireplace. She felt safe
with him immediately.
Paul walked back in and threw his jacket on the floor beside
the door, which Dee walked to and picked up to hang on the coat hook out of
habit. “Yeah, that next storm could take out some of our bank. It’s already
loose from last night’s rains, and that bluff erodes a little each year.
Eventually the lighthouse will be in danger,” he said.
“What will they do then?” Dee asked.
“It’s been on the ‘endangered’ list for about ten years
anyway. The shippin’ lanes have changed, and nobody sails near these rocks
around here, so they might just let it go. The only reason it’s still here now,
and I’m tendin’ it, is because of a historical society in the state fightin’ to
keep it. But it’s not a tourist attraction. Too many others around that are
bigger, fancier, and closer to restaurants, motels, and souvenir shops. Our
lighthouse loses a lot of money every year, and the society takes in less
revenue every year. They won’t be able to keep ‘er around much longer…or me.”
A loud sound came from outside just then, like a big diesel
engine not far away.
“That’ll be the guys from the local volunteer fire
department coming around to check on me,” Paul said, opening the door.
A big red pumper truck was sitting just on the other side of
the washed out bridge. A man and woman got out dressed in their fire gear. It
was Mac Macdonald and Maggie Brennan. Mac’s real first name was Sean, but there
were so many Seans in the area that everyone just called him Mac.
“You doin’ all right over there, Paul?” Mac yelled across
the stream.
“Yeah, yeah! Doin’ just fine! Not much damage this time, but
that next one might take its toll!” Paul yelled back.
Then Maggie chimed in, seeing Dee a couple of steps behind
Paul. “Who’s your girlfriend, Dunfee? I thought I was the woman of your
dreams!”
“Oh! This is Dee…ummm…” Paul had forgotten her last name.
“Dee Summers!” Dee jumped in, “I was looking for directions
last night and got trapped by the storm. Paul was kind enough to take me in
till the repairs are made to the bridge!”
“What bridge?” Maggie said, looking at the stream where
there was no longer any sign that one had been there. “Have to build a new one.
With all the other roadway repairs around, it may be a while!”
“So I’ve heard,” Dee said hanging her head a little.
“Well we’re goin’, if your sure you don’t need anything,”
Mac shouted.
“We’ll be fine for a while,” Paul answered, “Probably need
some groceries soon though. I’ll have to tap into the lighthouse generator to
keep my refrigerator and freezer foods from all goin’ bad.”
“We’re goin’ on over to the Waston’s place to check on the
old man! I’ll get you some goods from the market up near there if they’ve got
anything left. There’s still power on that branch of the grid..for now!” Mac
looked at the still dark clouds overhead. Then they left.
“Girlfriend?” Dee asked looking at Paul.
“Ha! Nah!” Paul said in a gruff tone, “Maggie flirts with
every man in the county! Not the loyal ‘girlfriend’ type. Any man who lets her
get her hooks in him will always be lookin’ over his shoulder to see who the
next fool in line is.”
Dee wondered why she felt just a little jealousy. She hadn’t
known Paul nearly long enough to develop real feelings for him. Still, she felt
something.
The day went by quickly, with Paul busy with the generator
and running a cord to the refrigerator and freezer. Dee had brought her bags in
from the car and was going through them. She had packed so quickly when she
decided to leave that she wasn’t really certain what she had put in them. She
pulled out a couple of smocks that she usually wore to the clinic where she had
been working. Dee was a registered nurse, working at a small family health
clinic until a couple of months ago when she quit her job out of depression.
The one thing good about her husband’s promotion was that there was enough
money to keep them well. Dee had been saving her own paychecks for over a year,
thinking her income would go toward a new house. When she left, she emptied her
bank account, which also had her husband’s name on it, so she could open a new
one of her own somewhere. Her money was all in one of the bags, in cash.
“That really wasn’t smart, Dee,” she said aloud to herself.
“But then, in an emergency situation such as this, cash might be the best
option.”
Dee took out a pair of pants and then saw two dresses in the
bottom of that bag. One was a nice evening dress, for which she had brought no
shoes, purse, or any accessories, and the other was a print house dress that
she liked to wear for comfort sometimes around the house. Her mother had always
worn dresses, and Dee grew up keeping at least one around. She closed the door
to the bedroom Paul had offered her, and slipped into the dress. She had one
pair of house shoes and put them on, and decided to go back out into the living
room. When she stepped through the door, she saw a man standing by the
fireplace. At first she didn’t know who it was, then she realized that Paul had
shaved and managed to awkwardly trim his hair. It was combed and he was
smiling. He was also wearing a wrinkled, but nice shirt.
“Well! Look at you!” Paul said, his eyes taking her in from
head to toe. “Pretty!”
“Thank you!” Dee said, whirling around so the skirt of her
dress flared out. “You look quite handsome yourself!”
“Well, I haven’t had a lady in the house since…I just
thought I could clean up a little so you wouldn’t think I was a total bum,”
Paul explained.
Without the beard, Dee could see Paul’s strong jawline and
his full lips, and how wide his grin was. She was even more attracted to him.
The evening was coming on and the light was fading. The
dark, boiling clouds made it even darker as the new storm threat drew near.
“The report said these storms, the nor’easter, and another
front out of the southwest, will be much like last night’s but they’re movin’
more slowly. The system is expected to stay over the coastline for maybe days,”
Paul said, “Heavy rains, flash floodin’ and lots of erosion on the coast are
expected. Might want to move your cah clos-a to the house so it doesn’t suff-a
the same fate as the bridge!”
Dee laughed. She hadn’t noticed any accent before. Now Paul
was sounding like a Bostonian.
“Oh! My accent,” Paul said, seeming embarrassed. “I’m not
originally from around here. I’m from West Virginia. I worked a long time to
get rid of that Appalachian accent, then I started picking up the local one. I
try not to have any accent at all that you can place. Sometimes it slips when
I’m not on my guard, or when I’m really tired. You may hear one or the other
from time to time or both mixed together, like a New England hillbilly! Ha!”
They both laughed.
“I’ve tried my whole life not to develop that Texas drawl,
so I know how you feel,” Dee admitted, “But if you hear a ‘y’all’ out of me now
and then, I can’t help it.”
“You’re probably hungry!” Paul said, “I’m that way myself!
I’ll go get some dinner ready. You like cod?”
“That sounds delicious!” Dee said, “…but why don’t you show
me where everything is and I’ll make dinner? You’ve been working hard all day
and I want to carry my share of the load.”
“That’s kind of you!” Paul said, “Really, I’m not used to
cookin’ for others anyway. My methods may not be the best.”
While Dee was getting out the fish, some potatoes and a can
of green beans she could hear the wind picking up outside. Loose cedar shingles
on the house were rattling and the wind was whistling under the eaves. It was
getting darker, so she lit a nearby oil lamp to finish preparing the meal. Paul
was building a fire in the fireplace. When he got it going good he walked back
to the door between the kitchen and the living room to stand and watch Dee. She
turned to look at him.
“I figured if I watch you I might learn somethin’!” Paul
said with a grin. There was a large window directly in front of Dee. He glanced
out to see what the weather was doing.
Suddenly he ran toward Dee, shoved her to the floor and fell on top of
her.
“What?!” Dee gasped. Before she could say another word there
was a loud crash and glass shattered all over Paul’s back and the floor around
them. A large piece of sheet metal had dislodged from the lighthouse tower in
the wind. Paul saw it coming directly toward the windo and covered Dee’s body
to protect her.
They lay there, Paul lying on top of Dee, her arms around
him and his hand behind her head. They looked at each other for several
moments. Her look of terror slowly turned soft. Paul’s look of fear for Dee’s
life slowly turned to another expression. It was a look of longing. Dee wanted
to kiss Paul, and was sure he wanted the same. Thinking quickly, she raised her
head till her lips met his just briefly then lowered her head again and said,
“That was for saving my life.”
Dee wanted more. She wanted to give Paul a long, lingering
kiss, but her mind was spinning with many other thoughts. She was just coming out
of a horrible relationship. She had only just met Paul. There was so much she
didn’t know about him.
Paul started to get up slowly. “Careful! You’ll want to
close your eyes just in case some glass falls off my back into your face. As
soon as she closed her eyes he leaned in again and kissed her. This time it was
lingering. Dee responded. Then Paul raised back up and said, “That’s for the
kiss you gave me.” Then he got up, took Dee by the hands and lifted her out of
the glass. Then he took off his shirt and shook it over the floor to remove
most of the glass shards. Dee stared at his body. He was in good shape except
for a little belly flab. She thought he looked magnificent.
The two began to clean up the glass in the floor, on the
counter and all over the food Dee was trying to prepare when the rain started
and it was blowing into the kitchen.
“I’ve got to get that window boarded up. Be careful
finishing here, Dee,” Paul said. Then he went out to a small outbuilding and
retrieved a sheet of plywood, nails, and a hammer. He came back and nailed the
plywood over the broken window. He came back in drenched. Dee ran to the
bathroom and got a towel and began drying his back off.
“Well there’s still the matter of dinner, isn’t there?” Dee
said, her stomach rumbling.
“I’m sure neither of us feels like cooking now,” Paul said,
“but I’ve got some sandwich stuff in the fridge. Turkey or ham?”
“Turkey sounds good,” Dee answered.
They made their sandwiches and sat in the floor in front of
the fireplace.
“Your man must have rocks in his head, if you don’t mind my
sayin’,” Paul said, “You’re beautiful, intelligent, and from what I’ve seen
here, pretty good company...not to mention a great kisser!” They both laughed.
“You’re not a bad kisser yourself, Mr. Dunfee!” Dee added.
They both got quiet and gazed at each other until it became
a bit uncomfortable. Then Paul broke the silence. “That storm’s not at its peak
just yet,” he said, “It’s going to get a whole lot worse, I feel.”
It did. The storm dumped ten inches of rain in two hours and
then settled into a steady rain that didn’t show any signs of letting up. The
huge waves were licking at the top of the bluff near the lighthouse, with each
one taking a bit of soil, rocks, and sand with it. The stream on the other side
was out of its banks and coming near the cottage. The wind was near hurricane
force, whipping trees around like they were made of rubber. Paul had never seen
it quite this bad. He feared the roof could come off the cottage. Cedar
shingles were already peeling off one by one.
Three days later
Dee woke in her bed not remembering lying down in it. She
was also in her nightgown, thought she did not remember undressing. She saw
Paul’s shadow underneath her door.
“Paul!” She shouted.
Paul cracked the door a little, not looking in, and said,
“Yes?”
“Did you…did I…How did I get in this gown and get into the
bed. I don’t remember.”
“Ah! The wine. You don’t remember anythin’? Paul asked.
“Wine! Yes! We did open a bottle of wine. That explains the
headache, too,” Dee said, pressing her fingers against her temples.
“Yes. We opened a bottle…then another…and another,” Paul
explained, “Eventually you said you were going to bed, and started undressing
right there in front of the fire.”
“Oh no,” Dee gasped, “Did anything else…”
“If you’re askin’ if I was a gentleman, yes I was!” Paul
insisted.
“Well, I was more concerned about what I may have done,
since I can’t remember anything after that first glass of wine,” Dee said,
embarrassed.
“Like I said,” Paul continued, “I was a gentleman, hard as
it was with you leanin’ all over me and pawin’ at me, kissin’ my cheeks and
tellin’ me what a wonderful man I was. You went on and on about how I saved
your life, then cried about what a miserable life it was, then laughed about
gettin’ stuck here. You were a typical drunk. I didn’t stop you from drinkin’
because I figured you needed it. We all do sometimes.”
Dee just sat in the bed listening with her face buried in
her hands, shaking her head.
“Oh!” Paul added, “I didn’t let you get undressed
completely. I walked you in here, found your night gown in one of your bags
there and handed it to you, walked out, and closed the door. Apparently you
found your way into the gown, and into the bed. I’ll let you get up and get
dressed. I’m going to start breakfast. The storm’s passed now.”
Paul walked away, closing the door behind him, then rolled
his eyes as if to say, “I think she bought it.”
Dee started to take the gown off and noticed something
different. It was buttoned all the way up to the top. Dee never, ever buttoned
the top two buttons, no matter what state of inebriation she was in. She looked
at the door and thought about him undressing her and getting her into the gown.
She found it to be a stimulating thought. After a few moments she got up,
gathered some things and went into the bathroom to shower and get dressed for
the day. She climbed in the shower and pulled the translucent curtain and began
to let the warm water soak her. What Dee was not aware of was that the bathroom
door didn’t latch very well and it had come loose from the catch, slowly
swinging outward to a fully open position…just as Paul was walking by. He
glanced in and could not force his gaze away. Her form was lovely. Finally he
made himself slip to the door and close it, putting a throw rug in front of the
bottom so it couldn’t happen again.
While Dee was in the shower many thoughts and feelings raced
through her. She had been at the cottage less than a full week and felt she
belonged there – with Paul.
Outside, the morning sun coming up in a blue sky looked
surreal after the terrible storms. Sea birds flew and called over the water, a
few boats were visible out on the now calm sea. But looking down around them,
Paul and Dee saw that the storms did actually occur. Many cedar shingles were
missing from the cottage, mud was everywhere, debris lay all over the yard and
on the roofs. The lighthouse had a window pane broken out, and Dee’s car was
dented and scratched from flying debris during the high winds. The bridge was
still out, of course, but now the stream bed was wider and trees were down in
the driveway on the other side. While they were surveying the area, Mac and
Maggie came back, but parked further out because of the trees. Mac was carrying
a big box and Maggie was wielding a chainsaw upon the fallen timbers.
“You guys are right were you were when we left you before!
You stand there all this time through the storms?” Mac was a joker.
“Yep,” Paul said pointing to the ground, “Been right here!
Watched the whole thing from this spot!”
“Well I managed to scrape up some things you’ll probably
need. A little food, some batteries for lights and radios and such, toilet
paper, paper towels, and so forth.” Mac handed Paul the box.
“Thanks, Mac,” Paul said holding the box on one arm and
reaching out to shake hands with the other, “I’ll give you guys some extra next
time fire fees come due.”
“You always do anyway, my friend,” Mac smiled.
“Thank Maggie for me for clearin’ those trees, too. Look at
those forearms! I’d hate to get into a fight with her!” Paul said, laughing.
Then he turned to Dee, “Care package!” he said, “There’s some sweet cakes and
cookies in here, too! Nice!”
Two weeks later
Paul had most of the repairs done on the cottage and the
lighthouse, and Dee had been taking care of the house inside and doing the
cooking and cleaning. She stepped out to help when there was something she
could do for Paul. The power had been restored but nothing had been done about
the bridge. Examining the bluff, Paul noted that the property had lost about
six feet average along the bank to the storms and the sea. It was way more than
he had expected, and the edge was getting dangerously close to the lighthouse.
There were only about another six feet left before the foundation would be
exposed on the ocean side. It was apparent that Paul had a job for no more than
a couple more years at best.
“Can’t you get another lighthouse to tend to?” Dee asked
rubbing Paul’s shoulder.
“Most of the lighthouses have been made fully automatic,
controlled remotely from a central location,” Paul said sadly, “The only thing
left will be the guides for the tourists. I don’t want to do that. No, I’ll
just go back to doing what I did before.”
“What was that?” Dee asked.
“I was a doctor…a family practitioner,” Paul said gazing out
over the ocean.
“You’re kidding!” Dee gasped, “Why would you leave that to
tend a lighthouse?”
“Didn’t you tell me you were a nurse? And you left that,”
Paul said.
“Well, I was too depressed to carry on and do my job
efficiently,” Dee said, “I needed a break from everything.”
“Same here,” Paul said, “My wife died in my arms ten years
ago. All my medical trainin’ and books and knowledge, all my skills were
useless. I couldn’t save her. None of the specialists with all their knowledge
and skills could save her. I just didn’t feel I was worth anythin’ as a doctor
anymore. I could barely go into the office. I couldn’t look patients in the
eye. I knew eventually I’d run into one I couldn’t help. I could not bear the
thought. So I left West Virginia and headed east, not knowin’ what I was lookin’
for…kind of like you did. I found this job in the local newspaper and applied
for it. Nobody else would even consider the job but it seemed to suit me fine.
Solitary most of the time, a place to sleep, a little money coming in. I didn’t
need or want much more.”
“You could go back now, though,” Dee said half making a
statement and half asking.
“I think so,” Paul said, “on a limited basis, maybe a small
town with a handful of regular patients. I’d really rather stay here
though…with you.”
Dee walked over and put her arms around Paul. His eyes met
hers, then their lips met. “I’d like that,” she said, “Let’s open some more of
that wine you’re hoarding tonight. This time, don’t be such a gentleman.”
Paul smiled and said, “I couldn’t resist you again if I
tried. I’m gonna build a fire and let’s get started on that wine.” He walked
inside while Dee watched him disappear into the cottage.
Dee remembered something she hadn’t even thought about during
the weeks she’d been at the cottage – her cellphone. She had tossed it into the
passenger’s seat when she left Texas. It was turned off and she hadn’t touched
it since. She opened the car door on the passenger’s side and began feeling
through the papers from snacks, nuts, crackers, and coffee cups from the trip
till she found the phone. She tried to turn it on. Dead battery, of course. She
fumbled around for the charger. It had fallen down between the seat and the
console. She took the phone and charger inside and plugged it into an outlet by
her bed. She laid the phone on the pillow. She wondered if anyone back in Plano
had even noticed she was gone, or even cared. She was curious who might have
left her a message.
Paul and Dee ate an evening meal of mostly snack food and
poured wine. They started out making small talk, then touching, holding hands,
then kisses as they talked. Soon the kisses got more passionate and the talk
less frequent. Paul began exploring
Dee’s body through her clothes with his big firm, but gentle hands. Then he
picked her up and carried her to the bedroom where the clothes began coming
off. This time they would not be replaced by a nightgown, but by his arms and
his body pressed against hers.
Dee lifted her arms above her head to let Paul do what he
wished with her. Her arm hit the cellphone on the pillow beside her and pushed
the button that turned it on. A few seconds later a barrage of beeps came from
the device. There were apparently a lot of messages.
“Um…is that your self-destruct alarm going off?” Paul asked
as he tried to focus on the task(s) at hand, “Are you going to explode?”
“God I hope so!” Dee said, turning the phone back off and
tossing it to the floor.
The morning after
Paul woke to the smell of bacon and coffee and the sound of
humming from the kitchen. He looked at the clock on the radio next to the bed –
9:11 am. He hadn’t slept this late in years. He slipped out from under the
covers, put on his underwear and picked up his clothes from the day before.
After going to the bathroom, and depositing his clothes in the hamper, he went
into his own bedroom and put on a flannel robe and house shoes and made his way
to the kitchen where he stood at the door just looking at Dee. After standing
there for several moments, he spoke.
“That was amazin’,” he said.
Dee didn’t say anything, just smiled at him and walked over
to give him a morning kiss, then went back to preparing breakfast. Then she
continued humming.
“What’s that tune?” Paul asked.
“Umm…I’m not sure, really,” Dee said, “Just felt like
humming. She smiled at Paul again.
At the breakfast table Paul asked about the phone messages.
“Did you check them out?” he asked.
“No,” Dee answered simply. There were several minutes of
awkward silence.
“You know, sweetheart, you’re goin’ to have to deal with it
eventually,” Paul said, “My experience says better sooner than later.”
“You’re right, of course,” Dee said, “but I want to enjoy
being here with you just a while longer before I get back into that mess.”
Paul took another sip of coffee and got up, walked around
behind Dee’s chair and put his arms around her. He leaned down to give her a
kiss. “It’s your call,” he said, “You can stay here with me as long as you
like. I’m not gonna run you off.”
Dee smiled. “I hope you’re finished with your breakfast,”
she said, getting up and putting her arms around his neck, “because I’m not
finished with you!” Then she took his hand and led him back to the bedroom.
**
The afternoon sun was bright, but not taking the chill off.
There was even a possibility of snow flurries in the weather forecast. Paul had
gone out to see about getting the bridge replaced and Dee was wrapped up in the
blankets on the bed holding her cell phone in her hand. She looked at it for
several minutes before deciding to turn it on. There were twenty-some
voice-mails and so many text messages she couldn’t count them. She started at
the first ones from right after she left Texas and worked her way forward in
time.
“Mom! Where are
you?It’s not like you to just run off without telling anyone!”
That one was from her daughter. “Why was she so concerned
now, after the way she had treated me?” That was what Dee was thinking. She
read messages and listened to voice-mails from former coworkers, her children,
bill collectors, to the point she just started getting the gist of them and
skipping to the next, until she recognized her husband’s voice. She stopped
that one and backed up to the beginning.
“Dee, I don’t know
where you’ve gone but you should know I’m filing for divorce.”
That was all he said. There was still no explanation for why
he lost interest in her, why that lack of interest grew to bitterness and even
hatred. There was no clue as to what happened in their marriage just that it
was over. Dee knew it was over many months ago. Now it was official. Moving
forward Dee found a voice-mail from an attorney’s office.
“This is the office of
Madison and Madison, Attorneys at Law. If this is Dee Summers, please give our
office a call at your earliest convenience. Brad Summers, your husband, is
suing for divorce. We’ve made several attempts to contact you through letters.
I just wanted to inform you that your daughter asked our office to try and
locate you and offer you our services. We have reason to believe that your
husband has been involved in some felonious activity, which would definitely
put the ball in your court during divorce proceedings. Thank you.”
The next message was from Dee’s daughter, Jessica, a few
days later:
“Mom, please! I’m
sorry for all that’s happened! Dad lied to us all. He told us you had lost your
mind as was being cruel to him! I know that’s not the case now! Mom! Please
talk to me! I’m so sorry!” There was a long pause, then Jessica’s voice was
heard again, this time softer. “Mom…I
wanted you to find this out in person, and not through a voice-mail, but since
you won’t answer…” another long pause. “Mom…dad
is dead. He was involved in something to do with his company that was illegal.
The company was raided by some federal agency. One of the high officials in the
company pulled a gun out of a desk drawer and shots were fired. Dad was killed
in the crossfire. Mom…please come home.”
Dee put down the phone. It was the last message, sent two
days earlier. She heard something behind her and turned to look. Paul was
standing in the doorway.
“You have to go,” Paul said, “I could go with you, but I’m
not so sure that’s a good idea. Look…they’re bringin’ in a temporary bridge.
It’s one they use in the military for missions where they have to cross a
stream. We can get your car out.
A year later, Plano,
Texas
Dee watered flowers, fed the cat, washed up the breakfast
dishes and put on her smock. She picked up a small lighthouse souvenir that she
had gotten from Massachusetts and held it for a moment. She drove to work, and
parked in her usual spot. She sat there for a few minutes just looking at the
sign over the door, thinking about all that had happened over the past few
years and how it brought her to this point. She smiled. The sign:
Dunfee Family
Practice Clinic
Paul Dunfee, MD.
