Chapter 6: Poking the Bear

“Of all your past trauma, a near-death experience is the most troubling,” Dr. Kent said. “And to face familial betrayal again—” He retrieved a folder from his desk. “Is Mr. Hargrove truly stoic, or is this a defense?”

Vince sat on the couch, holding a cold Dr. Pepper. Talking still caused him discomfort, so he remained quiet. He replied with a shrug.

“Is this trauma inconsequential, or are you hiding what’s troubling you?”

He shrugged. “I’m done running, Doc,” his voice cracked and occasionally whispered.

“What does that mean?”

He sipped the soda, savoring the cool sensation. “They shot their shot,” he replied. “You were there at the arraignment when Brian was charged. He’ll get five to ten for aggravated assault because the prosecutor can’t prove intent to kill. And Kelly? Accessory? Pfft! With her dad’s lawyers, she probably won’t spend a day behind bars.”

“This is getting more ominous,” the doctor said, returning to his seat. “You understand our privacy privilege doesn’t include implied threats to self or others?”

“I should probably stop talking then,” Vincent replied, standing up. “No offense, Doc, but I’m done playing. Neither IBEW nor CBC need a doctor’s note for me to work. Sitting around my cabin won’t help me.” He held out his hand. “I appreciate your time. I’m glad we met.”

Dr. Kent shook his hand and watched him leave without another word.

Anna looked uneasy as she was helped into the back seat of the Excursion, where Bandi danced around excitedly, greeting her with licks and huffs. Her things were loaded into the back, and she looked like a new person after hot showers and clean clothes. She continued dressing in bulky clothes and tucked her shawl around her head. It was clear that her trust in Shannon exceeded her trust in Vince, which they suspected was due to past abuse.

A permanent layer of snow was in the foothills, and the FS Road crunched beneath his tires as he continued off the beaten path and into the heavily treed national forest. They went along in silence. He occasionally glanced back and smiled at seeing the pup perched in her lap, panting as she gazed out the window. Anna subconsciously patted her as she looked about.

“Does this remind you of Belarus?” Shannon asked.

The woman nodded. “The mountains are bigger, and the trees are taller,” she replied distantly, her voice drifting off as she looked at the narrow, winding road.

“You’ll have shelter to keep you warm and dry this winter,” the woman in the front seat assured her. “And no one will find you.”

Vince wasn’t part of the conversation, but Shannon hinted that she felt like she was being hunted or stalked by sinister people without going into detail.

“She’s scared and alone,” she said. “I’m not sure where she’s from, but her car has a Wyoming license plate.”

“She will share what she wants,” he shrugged. “Or maybe not. I get not wanting to burden everyone with your past.”

As they neared the turnoff by Robinhood Creek, she released his hand to give him better steering control but remained leaning over the center console with her left hand on his leg.

Bandi huffed as she recognized the terrain. Her tail swept back and forth in the woman’s face, causing her to flinch. Her drawn expression relaxed into a small but pretty smile. She told them she was 25 but didn’t talk about her family or home and seemed to retreat inwardly whenever asked.

Moments later, he made a tight turn around The Peanut and guided them along the narrow stretch into the clearing. “Home sweet home,” he mused as he maneuvered the truck near the trailer for unloading.

While Shannon helped Anna settle into her new home, he released the young fox, Arty, who was unusually affectionate and submissive. She channeled the Tasmanian Devil when excited, especially when he returned home. She had a unique voice, a mix between a submissive puppy and a vocal cat, and flew around his feet, trying to decide if she were happier to see him or her bestie. When he stooped to touch her, she sprang into his arms, climbed his trunk, wrapped her body around his neck, and nibbled his beard.

Bandi felt slighted, huffed disdainfully, and raced across the dirt lot to the trailer and the two ladies. This distracted the baby fox, and she perched upright on Vince’s shoulder while her front paws clung to his scalp. Her ears perked up when she recognized the open doorway of the mysterious structure she had yet to explore. Without a dismissive chirp, she jumped from his shoulder and flew nearly fifteen feet across the clearing.

He grunted and returned to the Excursion to fetch groceries for the cabin. He grinned at the outcry from the trailer as the woodland creature ambushed Shannon. Bandi could be heard vocalizing scandal and jealous outrage at receiving little attention.

An hour later, they helped the Belarussian woman settle in and stocked her pantry and fridge. Vince built a timber bench next to the woodshed and added a metal locker for winter storage of meat and perishables.

Shannon demonstrated how to deploy and retract the main awning, while Vince switched the power breakers on and turned on her propane supply for the backup heater and cook stove. He helped her light a fire in the small stove and brought in enough firewood to keep her warm through the night.

Shannon became distracted once the woman was comfortable and discretely signaled for him to return to the cabin and start dinner (Anna would be joining them). With a curious eyebrow arch, he left. Bandi and her bestie explored the woods while he carried in firewood for his stove. He cleaned the ash box in the Monarch, a daily chore, and started a fire before preparing spaghetti and meatballs.

Later, he heard the front door open and then close. He turned to see his girlfriend standing with her back against the door, her expression troubled. “Houston—we have a problem!” she frowned, removing her boots.

“What’s up?” he replied, forming meatballs from a ground beef and sausage mixture. Then, the dog gate rattled, and the two explorers returned.

“I can’t believe I overlooked this!” she vented, resting against the kitchen counter. “How could I have missed it?”

“Are you gonna fill me in or make me guess?”

She turned to him, “Anna is pregnant!”

He dropped the meatball. It struck the floor, and Bandi and Arty pounced consuming it instantly. “Say what—”

“I know!” she exclaimed and began pacing the kitchen area. “You’d think us women have a sixth sense for this sort of thing—”

“How far along is she?”

She gave him a look, suggesting he was an imbecile.

He rolled his eyes, scooped another dollop of ground meat, and placed it on the baking sheet. The pup and fox sat at his feet while he worked. “You know what I mean!” he snorted.

“She thinks she’s about three months or so. That’s when she ... She won’t tell me what drove her here, but—” she moved closer and rubbed his shoulders, “Babe, I have a bad feeling she was involved in something awful.”

“What did she tell you?”

She frowned and shook her head. “Not much, to be honest,” she replied distantly, “but she has this haunted expression in her eyes most of the time. And she rarely smiles, you know?” She watched as he worked. “And now that she is expecting —”

“What?” he prompted.

“She probably hasn’t had prenatal care,” she said. “We need to help her. She can’t stay in that trailer in winter.”

“She declines money every time I offer it,” he noted as he finished with the meatballs and placed them in the oven. He straightened and turned back. “What’s wrong with the trailer?”

She gave him another dubious glance. “Seriously? It’s gonna get damn cold in a few months. And she’ll be well into her third trimester.”

“Yeah?” he didn’t make the connection. “I’ll make sure she has plenty of firewood.”

“Babe,” she stepped into his space and touched his chest. “You need to move her in here before it gets that cold, okay? She should have access to a toilet and shower that doesn’t require heavy maintenance. Besides, you have a bathtub.”

Her tone told him that nothing he could say would win the debate, so he shrugged. “I’ll clear the other room and start building the bed frame.”

Her smile lit up the room, and she kissed him passionately. “God, you’re a stud!”

“Are you okay with her sharing the cabin with me?” he asked tentatively.

She gave him a mischievous look. “Should I be worried?” she joked. “Are you into preggos?”

He snorted with a blush, and she giggled. Then she grabbed his beard and turned his face to look him in the eye. “Hey, we aren’t married—”

“No, but—”

She cut off his remark with a sloppy kiss, her hand wandering down his chest to rest on his crotch. Her eyes gleamed as she squeezed his swelling shaft and fondled his scrotum through his trousers. She slipped her hand inside his waistband, causing him to hiss as her fingers found and encircled his growing erection.

His eyes hooded, and he sighed as she coaxed him to full hardness. He felt her drop to her knees, and he groaned, grabbing her head and driving his length into her face with a spastic thrust. She moaned as she accepted his invasion.

“Oh my God!” he exclaimed as he rhythmically fucked her throat. He thrust in and out a dozen times before feeling the thrilling sensation of his imminent climax. With a grunt, he pulled himself from her mouth and released her hair. He pulled her to her feet and spun her to face the central column that supported the outer rail to the loft steps.

She instinctively reached out and grasped the pole tightly as she bent forward with her butt toward him. She felt the hem of her skirt being lifted to expose her naked ass. She spread her feet apart and felt his strong hands gripping her pelvis. She cried out as he impaled his member inside her. All conscious thought fled her mind, replaced with pleasure. He took her savagely and howled like an apex predator.

Her body trembled, and she felt her strength fading as he assaulted her from behind. “Oh God!” she cried out, yelping with his exertion. “Yes! Baby, yes!” Her mind was swimming with euphoria as he pounded her against the lodge pole. She wrapped her arms around it, clinging tightly while he had his way with her, pounding her harshly from behind and driving his hard shaft against her cervix repeatedly.

It was over in minutes after he groaned heavily and pulled her hips tightly against him, forcing himself deeper before erupting with convulsive bursts and filling her with jetting streams of sperm.

She clung to the vertical pole as he leaned over her, gasping for air and pressing his damp face into her hair. “Oh fuck!” he gasped, releasing her hips while remaining deep inside her. He moved his hands to her breasts and squeezed them through her top. “I’m sorry for being so rough,” he sighed. “Did I hurt you?”

She reached back with her hand and stroked his face lovingly. “Hurt me?” she chuckled. “I’m a Greek goddess, remember?” Her voice was lustful as she kissed his sweaty brow. She couldn’t reach his lips. “Baby, you may have just fucked the shit out of me, but it’d take more than that to hurt me.” She felt him twitching inside her, and each spasm sent pleasure through her.

“Oh, thank God,” he breathed as he slowly pulled his cock out of her. She moaned as it slipped out. “I totally lost control there for a minute.” He pulled up his trousers as she smoothed her skirt.

“Ya think?” she smirked. As he straightened, she pounced, wrapping her arms around his neck and attacking his mouth with hers. He held her tightly as they kissed deeply.

A loud clatter came from the kitchen, and the dog gate burst open, depositing a hyper black-and-white bundle of fur. Bandi sprang into the kitchen like her tail was on fire, skidding on the hardwood floor with something clamped in her jaws.

The lovers watched in surprise as the dog redoubled her efforts, slipping, skidding, and spinning toward them. She picked up speed and flew past them before turning, skidding, and bounding up the steps toward the empty loft. Her tail swished around their legs when another bang sounded. They turned to find the young reddish-brown fox emerging from outside in hot pursuit.

“What the —” Vince exclaimed as the slender fur missile flew at them, went airborne from halfway across the kitchen, and hit his chest. Despite her slight form, he gasped from the impact and sputtered as her tail brushed his face. However, she hadn’t leaped into his arms for comfort; he was no more than a springboard as she launched herself up the stairs after the fleeing canine.

“Jesus Christ!” he bellowed.

“What the fuck?” Shannon laughed.

Excited huffing, barking, and growling came from above as the mammals exchanged views. An epic contest could be heard overhead, filled with thudding bodies and scratching claws.

“HEY!” Vince yelled up the stairs, halting all activity. They heard heavy panting as they stepped around the pole and looked up at the dark loft. Bandi’s face appeared, wearing a defiant expression marred by the large object in her mouth. “Drop it!” he ordered.

She looked at him like he was crazy to think she’d give up her prize.

“Bandi,” Shannon stated firmly. “Give!”

The dog let go of the object, and it tumbled down most of the steps before coming to rest near the floor.

“A fucking pinecone?” Vince growled.

Shannon howled with laughter as she picked up a large ponderosa cone dripping with slobber. Arty slinked down the steps towards her, halting near the bottom and looking up expectantly. She gave the kit the prize and scratched her head. Above them, Bandi barked indignantly while the fox made a break for the dog gate.

The Aussie mix bounded down the steps in pursuit and followed the fox through the gate with a loud bang. The calm ambiance returned, stifled only by Shannon’s laughter.

“Oh my God! Those two are hilarious!” She giggled, clinging to his arm as he returned to the kitchen.

“Yeah, they’re something,” he grumbled as he grabbed a hot pad, removed the meatballs from the oven, and placed them in a warming oven while preparing the pasta.

“Be right back,” she said with a flushed smile before disappearing. When she returned, he added the spaghetti to boiling water. He adjusted the stove lever to redirect the heat for broiling. “How can I help?”

He shrugged and turned toward the counter, where French bread, butter, and a jar of garlic lay. “You can prepare the garlic bread.”

As he stirred the pasta, he chuckled, “My parents are already put out over my relationship with you,” he noted wryly. “If they find out I’m living with a pregnant woman—”

“When did you start caring what your parents think?”

“Touché,” he responded, glancing at the front door. “Good thing we were fast. Imagine if she had walked in and found us like that?”

“I think she’s familiar with the act, babe,” she said from the counter. “She didn’t conceive immaculately.” She spread a thick layer of butter on each half loaf. “I told her I’d get her when we were ready.”

“Speaking of conceiving—” he remarked hesitantly. He turned and found her facing him expectantly. “Should we be—”

She smiled back at him. “I’m on the pill, babe,” she assured him. “And I went back to my gynecologist to have her fit me with an IUD.”

He set aside his pasta fork and stepped over to her. “That makes me feel better,” he said as he watched her spread minced garlic over the bread. “So, we’re safe —”

“Nothing is 100%,” she said, wrapping each piece in tinfoil. “Except for abstinence,” she scoffed as she placed the pieces on a cookie sheet and handed it to him. “And we both know that ain’t gonna happen!”

He placed the bread in the oven and turned to embrace her. She kissed him before gazing with smoldering eyes. “I want to be clear,” she stated. “If I get pregnant with your baby, it was meant to be. And I will keep it, with no expect—”

He cut her off with a kiss, squeezing her tightly. They were both left breathless when they parted.

“Is it too soon to say I love you?”

Her eyes widened, and she blinked to avoid tearing up. “No,” she sniffed. “Not when you mean it like that.”

“I was brought to this country,” she hesitated. “Late February or early March.” The Belarussian woman ate heartily of Vince’s meal and started letting down her mental barriers as they spoke. She smiled and occasionally giggled as they shared their brief but colorful history. “I was kept inside most of the time so that I couldn’t tell the passage of time.” Her fingers were interlocked around a mug of hot water and honey.

Shannon sensed Anna’s struggle to recall her past and gently touched her arm. “It’s okay if you don’t want to discuss it,” she murmured. “We’re here for you. We—” she gestured toward Vince, who was clearing the table. “—are on your side.”

Anna sniffed and stared at her cup.

Vince’s dog and her wild companion settled their differences over the pinecone and bundled up in a pile of black, white, and reddish-brown fur beside the cook stove. Occasionally, a black nose sniffed, or a beady eye blinked under a bushy tail. If there was a sudden movement, an ear perked up before relaxing again.

“I didn’t realize you were pregnant,” he said as he stacked the dishes and began scrubbing them. “Have you seen a doctor yet?”

The European woman turned to look at his back. “No ... I have no money for ... But why would I need to see a doctor?”

“To ensure you and your baby’s health,” Shannon answered calmly. “It’s a precaution, but they can provide vitamins and supplements for the baby’s development in your womb.”

“I cannot afford to do this,” she replied desolately.

“Anna, I can afford to—”

“No!” she interrupted harshly. “I cannot,” she hesitated, taking a deep breath. “I am sorry. I will not take any more money from you, Vi ... Vincent.” She struggled with the ‘V’ in his name, sounding more like a ‘W.’ “You’ve done so much for me. I can never repay—”

Shannon smiled and winked at him. “It’s okay, Anna,” she assured. “Free clinics offer prenatal care. And as for the costs ... I think I can help you another way.”

Over the next week, Shannon created colorful labels for canning jars, asking citizens to help ‘Anna,’ a victim of misfortune, take care of herself and her baby. The jars appeared in local businesses, next to the cash registers in grocery, hardware, convenience stores, gas stations, tourist traps, and restaurants. In a few days, she collected nearly $200 in donations, which she and Vince augmented. Anna was speechless as Shannon took her to her first check-up and shopping for new clothes and baby supplies.

Vince took a couple of days to empty the spare room in the cabin and built a second full-sized bed frame furnished with an expensive plush top mattress. He didn’t mind the distraction since the hospital insisted (in writing) that he not return to work until a follow-up two weeks after discharge.

The day after his release, he reluctantly obeyed his attorney’s summons. She flatly informed him by voicemail to be in her office the following morning at 9 a.m., suggesting dire consequences if he failed to comply. Bandi dashed to greet Melany when they entered the lobby. He could tell by the woman’s body language that shit was about to get real. The paralegal nodded toward the hallway without meeting his eyes but pressed her lips tightly together as if to say, ‘Someone’s in BIG trouble!’.