Chapter 9: Clearwater

For Josh and Melanie the first look at the Olsons' house was sobering. It had two stories, with the first floor made of masonry and the upper floor showing aged pine wood sidings. It was small by Southern California standards, puny for Beverly Hills dwellers. A well worn Jeep Cherokee was in the drive way, covered by at least a half foot of snow. Even more snow covered the roof of the house and the small garage.

They alighted from the rented Suburban that Josh had arranged to wait for them at the small airstrip and helped David into the wheelchair. A neighbor had kept the entrance clear of snow and they all entered. Once inside, Judy switched on the lights and immediately knelt at a big cast-iron oven lighting a fire. Dani dialed up the central heating and they heard it kick in.

Melanie looked around. The entrance hall was all in pine wood. Waxed pine wood floor, lighter birch wood walls and a pine wood ceiling above naked wooden beams gave the overall impression of a ski lodge. Two huge granny sofas were grouped around a low table facing a CRT television set that must have been built when Johnny Carson was still on the air. A huge DVD player was hooked up to it, and the console also housed a classic Pioneer stereo set-up that fed into tall, handcrafted floor speakers.

Everything was well used but clean and in good repair. 'We earn what we need, and what we can't afford, we don't need.' Dani's statement made more sense to Melanie now. She turned to David.

"Your family built this?"

"My dad did. He was a good carpenter and he did a great job. Where you see the shoddy stuff, that was me trying to fix things."

Judy rose from her kneeling position in front of the oven. "Elias Running Elk did a few repairs over the summer, but there was not much to do. It's small, but solid and durable."

"I think it's a great little house," Josh said. "It's a lot like my grandparents' place was."

"Let's check if they delivered the bed," Judy said. A few steps brought her to a door towards the back. Behind the door was a small study, perhaps nine by seven, with a window facing the snow-covered backyard. Following Judy, Melanie saw a hospital bed, the type you see in old movies.

"Chief loaned it from the county hospital," Judy explained. Then, when Mel still looked her questionably, "Chief Running Elk. He's the senior deputy at the office. He's got friends everywhere."

"Is he an In ... I mean, Native American chief?"

Judy grinned. "He's not even pure-blooded Indian. His father Elias brought back a Korean girl from the war. That's Betty, Elias's wife. His tribal elders back in Pine Ridge gave him all sorts of shit, so he told them where to shove their bigotry and moved to Clearwater where his former commanding officer was the judge. He became the court bailiff and settled down, and when Betty had a son, they named him "Chief" to piss off his tribal council. It's just a given name. Chief found himself a pretty Navajo girl when he was at some Army post down in Arizona. She was a nurse and helped stitch him up after one brawl or another. She's head nurse at County now and that's how he got his hands on that bed."

"I see. Is Janet Running Elk their daughter? She's the drummer with Kylie McAdam's posse, right?"

"Got it in one. Thank God, Janet gets her looks from her mom. She's also a deputy with the Sheriff's office. Smart as a whip too."

"So this is where David will sleep?"

"Won't do to carry him upstairs. You can have his room." Judy grinned seeing Mel's disappointment. "Wait until you see his room and his bed. Ain't no way two people can sleep in it. That's how folks around here keep their kids decent – narrow beds."

Settling into Judy's house took them some time. In the big rush after Lana's burial they had forgotten a number of items needed to care for David, such as exercise equipment and liniment to treat his legs. Judy woke her Cherokee from hibernation and drove Melanie into town. The pharmacy was the first stop. The selection was pitiful and some of the stuff had to be ordered. Other things, like the liniment, was mixed on site by the pharmacist. It took a bit longer than planned, but Melanie was allowed to watch the man work his alchemy.

The sporting goods store where they drove next was mostly dealing in ski and snowboard equipment, and Melanie had to compromise on some items that she wanted for David's exercises. While rummaging through dusty cardboard boxes, she saw a young woman entering the store carrying a sports duffle bag. She greeted the proprietor and disappeared through a door in the back. Watching the woman, Melanie saw the sign by the backdoor. It read "Clearwater Health Club".

When the owner rang up the purchases, Melanie had to satisfy her curiosity.

"You've got a gym in the back?"

The owner, a pretty woman in her mid-twenties, looked up and smiled. "Oh, yeah. I don't have too many machines yet, but I only started it a year ago. They had the snowmobile shop in the back before I rented the place, but the snowmobiles are now part of the Ford dealership. All I had to do was put in some cheap carpeting and start collecting used exercise machines. They even had showers back there for their mechanics."

"That's neat," Melanie admitted. "Would you mind if I had a look? My boyfriend is a near-paraplegic and we need a place to exercise."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. We've got a ton of free floor space and one of the showers is wheelchair accessible. It's part of a deal with the County Hospital. Their physical therapist is using my gym for her classes in exchange for picking up my utility bills. But let me show you."

She led Melanie through the backdoor and into a spacious room. The center piece was a multi station weight machine that showed its age. Along one wall there were free weights and benches and the opposite wall had two steppers, a running mill, three spinning bikes and an older Concept II rowing machine. There were also some foam rubber mats for gymnastic exercises. Not too shabby Melanie decided. Maybe she could get in some workouts as well.

"We'll only be here for maybe two weeks. Could I buy a short-term membership for two, Mrs... ?" she asked.

The woman beamed. "Carlisle, but call me Linda please. And sure, you can buy short-term. The monthly rate is $75, but I can give you a rebate."

"Nice to meet you, Linda. I'm Melanie Renault. The second membership would be for David Olsen. And no, don't even think of a rebate. I paid over $250 a month for my health club in LA; this is cheap."

The woman made big eyes. "Wow! Gosh, I didn't recognize you. I'm so sorry."

Melanie laughed. "Don't be. Believe me, it's nice when people don't make a fuss about me."

"Okay, I can do normal. Will you need anything special for Davy?"

"You know him?"

"Oh, I saw him when he was still playing for the high school varsity team. We all thought he'd play in the NBA one day, but then ... Oh, shit! I'm sorry. Me'n my big mouth. We all know how you've been looking after him and all, and we followed the trial against that scum bag Brentano, so we kinda know what you had to go through. Oh, damn! I shouldn't have brought him up."

"It's okay. He's dead. He can't hurt anybody anymore. My concern is to get David back on his feet. I'm gonna need gym mats and maybe some sort of elastic band for strength building."

"We use old bicycle tubes for that," Linda answered quickly. "The mats are over there. I can also hang the old pulley to that hook. They used it to lift engines but you can use it to get Davy out of the wheelchair."

Melanie made big eyes. "That's great! I hadn't even thought of that. We have a small crane by our pool at home for that. David could shower here? The Olsens don't have a shower downstairs."

"Sure. We've got two changing and shower stalls. One of them is wider for wheelchair access. That was part of the deal with County. Maybe in a year, we'll have real locker rooms and showers."

Melanie inspected the set-up and found nothing to complain about. She nodded to herself. She'd have to ask David, but then again she could settle things right then and ask later. A $150 write-off would not break her and besides she could gift the membership to Judy or Dani if David objected.

"Okay, can you ring the two memberships up together with my purchases?"

Judy had done some shopping in the meantime and was waiting in the car. Melanie quickly jumped in and buckled up. On the way home, she told Judy of the arrangement. Judy nodded.

"That's a great idea, especially because Davy will start to smell ripe in a few days if we can't get him upstairs. Plus, Linda can use the business. She's got a little baby boy to care for, and the father performed a neat disappearing act on her. Did she tell you how she came into owning the place?"

"No."

"She married young, right after graduation, and she married one Donny Winter. Donny wasn't the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree and he couldn't hold jobs to save his life. Plus, he drank away what little money he made and he beat her when she complained. One evening we were called to their place and found Linda with broken ribs and a busted nose. She was madder than a wet cat. She filed a complaint for assault and for divorce. We found Donny in a bar over in Templeton, drunk as a skunk. He resisted arrest, we subdued him, and the judge sent him away for 6-12 months. He got out on parole after eight and found a job.

"Linda must have been catching up on some TLC over in Missoula, because she returned to town after three months already in the family way with no father to show for it. Must have been a one-nighter. Word got around and Donny appeared at the diner to make a scene. He was legally drunk and he was carrying a concealed .38 six-shooter. We were alerted and Cliff was dispatched to the diner. He was still a deputy then. When he arrived he found Donny pointing his midnight special at Linda and her boss. Cliff is a really cool guy. He talked to Donny and got him to lower the gun. In fact he had Donny ready to give up when some numb nut among the patrons decided to carry the day by firing a Tazer at Donny. Donny jerked up and pulled the trigger hitting Cliff in the chest, but Cliff got off three rounds and killed the poor idiot.

"Strangely, Donny had a valid life insurance that was still in Linda's name; an even $60,000. She used some of that cash to buy the old snowmobile shop, and the rest went into remodeling and such. That health club was not a bad idea and may generate more cash than the sporting goods."

"Wow! And here I thought this was a sleepy little town. So that was what Cliff was talking about."

"It was quite the sensation back then. Kylie saved his life. She was in the diner and she staunched his bleeding and gave him CPR until the ambulance arrived. It was touch and go, but he made it. The whole thing brought them back together. I mean, how could he keep his grudge against her when she saved his butt?"

With all the talk about Linda and her history, they had made it back home. Melanie helped Judy carry in the purchases before she went to David's room. He was sitting in an old, massive mahogany rocking chair. He was actually rocking using his own legs and he smiled at her.

"Hey, Mel! Dani and Josh got this down from the attic. Look! It's an exercise chair."

Melanie smiled back before she bent over him for a kiss.

"Did you know there is a health club in your two-horse-town? Woman by the name of Linda Carlisle runs it in a former snowmobile shop. They've got accessible showers too. We can do exercises and get you clean afterwards."

"Wow! I didn't know that. You think it may work?"

"She's got an electric pulley, so we can get you out of the wheelchair and back in. They've got mats and stuff, and old bicycle tubes for elastic bands. I got memberships for us. She said she'll let us in even on the holidays."

"You mean, no rest for me over the holidays? Boy, you run a tight ship, Missy!"

Melanie grinned. "I may get an Oscar nomination. I want my man to walk me over that red carpet."

David's face showed brief panic. "Are you serious?"

"There were a few hints at Lana's service. Would you rather not be seen with me?"

"No, but what about you and your standing? I mean, I'm not exactly Hollywood boyfriend material."

Melanie stuck her face in his. "Davy, you're not boyfriend material, you're my boyfriend. If they don't like that, fuck them! To make this very clear, even to a dense mountain man – if you don't accompany me, I'll not go at all. Always assuming I get a nomination, so let's not get worked up over this."

"So how am I going to walk you along the freaking red carpet?"

"On your own legs, Davy. That's what all the exercises are for. I want you back on your feet and at my side. Look how far we have come already. All you need is more strength, and that's what we'll work on. Arturo gave me instructions for simple exercises."

David reached out and pulled her face close. "You're pushy for one so small, but I guess you're right." He kissed her. "Thanks, Mel. Without you I wouldn't have made it so far."

"Are you nuts? Without me you'd be playing for the Trojans! I'm only trying..."

Another kiss silenced her. It was a long kiss and when David released her she was breathless.

"Mel, I could have done without the first meeting, but I'm glad that you are in my life."

She studied his face and decided that he meant what he said. She shook her head.

"I love you, Davy. I really do. Ever since that day at the hospital when Judy stopped me from jumping, my life has gotten better and better. I could free myself from my fears and from Lana, I could find a purpose, I found friends and I found this amazingly sweet guy who claims to love me. I should be so happy, but how can I be happy if you're the one who has to pay for it?"

"Yeah, that's got to be a bit of a kicker. Maybe I really have to get back on my feet so we can leave that accident behind."

Without thinking, Melanie sat on his lap in the rocking chair and laid her head against his chest.

"I don't deserve you yet, but I'll do my best to earn you."

She felt the rocking motion and David's chuckle.

"Hey, this is an even better exercise with you in my lap. Maybe, one day..."

She felt the heat in her face. Without looking up, she hit his chest.

"Typical guy, to think of sex when I'm talking about commitment," she mock-groused, but she snuggled closer. After a few silent seconds, she spoke up again. "I'll try really hard to be a good girlfriend for you, but the first time will not be in a rocking chair."

"Hey, a guy can dream. It's your fault for being so damn cute and snuggly."

"Yeah, yeah, butter me up, but it still won't happen, Mister." She sat up. "Davy, I know that you have needs and it's my fault you have been going without, but..."

"Shut up!"

"What?"

"Shut up! Do you really think I want our first time to be a quickie in a rocking chair? Jeez! You're not ready and I'm not ready, but when we'll be ready it's going to be memorable and not a quick fuck. Got that?"

"You didn't have to be..."

"Shut up! Before I'll ever sleep with you, you have to get over your guilt trip. I want to be sure, damn sure, that you want it for yourself. I want you to look forward to it, I want you to enjoy it. Hell, I want you to beg for it. That means I have to get back on my feet. Didn't I say that before? So let's go to that gym and do the exercises."

Linda had indeed hung the pulley from the hook in the center beam. It was a power pulley which allowed Melanie to hoist David out of his wheelchair and onto a thick gym mat. Melanie started the exercises by bending and stretching David's legs with him trying to resist. This was getting more difficult for her with each passing week as he gained control and strength. Then she hooked a bicycle tube under his right foot, bent his knee at a 20° angle and gave him the other end. David pushed as hard as he could and stretched the latex tube by three or four inches. She let him do twenty repeats and the last ones only yielded an inch at most. Next came the left leg. Being right handed, his left side was weaker to begin with and tired even faster. Still, she insisted on twenty repeats.