Chapter 1

It seemed to me that we had driven for an eternity down a very narrow lane before we finally arrived at the house. Although it is dark outside and the rainclouds obscured any natural light, as we arrived at Hank's house, I could see that it was very large, apparently very old, and obviously very isolated from anywhere and anyone else. I can't help but think how lonely it must be to live in such isolation, away from stores and shops, away from neighbors and "coffees" in the morning, heck, away from everything! But they are certainly kind to offer us shelter from the storm and they have promised to help us with the van in the morning. I know that the children are soaking wet and are very anxious to get into some dry clothing.

As we entered the house and Hank turned on some lights, the decor surprises me. It is dated, to be sure, but it is clean and neat and, truthfully, is nothing like the image that I had formed, probably from some preconceived idea of what conditions people live in when they are so alone in the wilderness. I laugh to myself that the sofa must be seventy five years old. I haven't seen one like it except in old movies. It is straight out of the twenties, to be sure. Hank put on some water to make coffee and Sam has been kind enough to show the children where the bedrooms are. Sarah asked if she would be allowed to take a warm shower, and Travis immediately asked to be next. Once they finish, I will try to do likewise as my clothes are still a little wet and somewhat uncomfortable. I hope that there is sufficient hot water.

Hank is in the kitchen and I can smell something cooking. They are being so gracious to take us in and provide shelter from the stormy night. I can hear the rain falling on the roof of the house and it sounds louder and heavier than even ten minutes ago. It is raining very hard, and I am very glad we are not still stuck in that van. The kids rejoined us in the kitchen as Hank has fixed some hamburgers and french fries. He apologized to the children for not having any soda, but they opted for hot chocolate instead, because they are still chilled from walking in the rain.

"You're really lucky that you decided to walk to the highway," Sam said. "Where your car is, in that ditch down in the hollow--that little creek usually floods pretty high, and in a rain like this, I'm sure it has already. We'll be lucky to find your car within sight tomorrow. We'll probably have to go looking for it, from where it was by the creek. That old creek will wash everything further down into the hollow."

"Sam's right," Hank added. "A lot of water from a heavy rain collects and funnels to that little tiny stream. That's another reason why nobody ever builds there. Hell, half of what you build would be washed away.'

"Mother, what are we going to do if the van is washed away? We still have a lot of our clothes in there," Sarah asked.

"I'm sure everything will turn out just fine. Right now we should just be thankful that we have a dry place to sleep tonight, and a hot meal too."

We talked at the table while we ate, telling Hank and Sam about our moving to Arizona and how Scott is already out there. Sarah and Travis were both retelling their stories about the places we had visited so far and about others in their plans. Surprising me completely, both also said that they were getting quite tired and blamed the long walk and the weather. They asked to be excused from the table and headed off to their rooms for the night.

Hank poured another cup of coffee for us, adding what appeared to be a rather healthy amount of a coffee liqueur to the cups and then a topping of whipped cream to boot. I didn't think I was in the mood for a drink but this tasted so good that I had another. We moved to the den where a fire was roaring in the fireplace. After a few minutes I actually began to relax. Thoughts of what had happened and what was to come tomorrow became less important as the fire, the coffee and the ambiance combined to relieve my stresses.

"Mighty polite children you have there, Julie. I'm impressed. Most kids don't act like that any more." Hank was talking about how he grew up in a very formal family until his parents were killed in an accident and he was forced to take out on his own. His siblings were sent to foster homes but he refused and hid in the woods when the state people came for his brothers and sisters. "Of course, with nobody here, the bank took the house back, but nobody wanted it and they just had it on their books so one day, about five years ago, I went to them and offered to buy it back. They were happy to unload it to me. They never knew that, except for the first couple of months after everyone left, that I had snuck back into it and have been living in it ever since. Bankers are really stupid."

"How old were you when all this happened?"

"I was fifteen when my folks died."

"What about your brothers and sisters? Have you seen them?"

"I have no idea where the state took 'em. They'll all be grown up by now, and none of them has ever come back here. Hell, nobody ever comes out here! You're the first people, besides Sam here, to visit this place since the bank guys left twenty years ago." Julie found that hard to believe, but had no basis to argue the point. She just felt it impossible that someone could live in isolation for that long.

The conversation lagged for a few minutes. Hank poured another cup of whatever you call this coffee mixture. Sitting in front of the fire, I am almost in a dreamlike trance. It is just wonderful, so relaxing and comfortable. I really have no idea what else to say to him, other than to thank him again for his hospitality and excuse myself to get into a hot shower. Even though it is warm and dry in the house, I am still chilly, and it is still raining very hard outside. Hank showed me to my bedroom and stopped to bring extra towels. He made sure that there was plenty of hot water. This is the only bed room with its own bathroom, and he thought I would appreciate that. It is at the far end of the hallway, on the opposite side of the house from where the children are sleeping, almost in a separate wing of the house. As soon as he left, I closed the bed room door and locked it, mostly from habit, and then quickly disrobed and jumped into the nice steamy shower. I am always amazed at how relaxing a hot shower can be after a stressful and difficult day. Perhaps I was too relaxed from the drinks or my mind was wandering because I never heard the door open. As I stepped from the shower, Hank was standing right in front of me, holding out a bath towel.

"Don't bother to scream. It won't do any good. The kids are at the other end of the hallway, and they won't wake up for anything until morning."

"Why are you in here? Get out of here." She is slurring her words a little.

"I just want to see what kind of body you have before you turn the lights out. It's much harder to see your figure in the dark."

"Get out of here, now!" I tried to sound demanding, but my voice voice cracked and then I yawned.

"Here, let me dry your back." Hank grabbed the towel from me and moved closer to me. I tried to back away but I was against the bathroom wall, almost in the corner. I have no place to go.

"Please leave. Please. If you go now, I will not say anything to anyone about this."

When I first saw them standing there in the middle of the road, standing in that downpour, I didn't know what to think. Sam, who was driving, actually swerved the car a little from the surprise of seeing three people just standing there in the rain. But when we stopped, and Sam rolled down the window, everything changed. "My God," I thought, "she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. What in the world is she doing here?" Soaking wet, her hair a mess, whatever makeup she had applied was long since washed off or messed up and she still takes my breath away. I can't even speak until they are piling in the back and we are once again headed for my place.

My name is Hank Emerson, thirty seven year old bachelor and mysterious person who lives by himself in the middle of the woods, sometimes. Yes, that's me, and yes, that's actually how I have heard my self described by some of the local townfolk when they didn't know I could hear them.

"That good looking guy who lives out there in the woods part of the year and then disappears for months at a time. No idea what he does for a living or anything, but other folk say he pays his bills on time or sometimes even early, so he must be okay that way, anyhow. It is kind of curious that he is only here in the worst part of the year. And why he isn't married, good lookin' as he is, is anybody's guess. Somebody was sayin' the other day that one of them fancy little jets out at the airport actually belongs to him." This was the conversation that was taking place at the local barbershop while my head was wrapped in a hot towel just prior to getting a shave and a hair cut. Yes, all of the above is true. I am single; never been married. I do live in the middle of the woods part of the year; the rest of the year I spend in more desirable climates. I do pay all of my bills on time, and I do own one of the "fancy little jets" out at the airport

Right now, I don't have any idea who this woman is that is sitting in the back seat of my car with her two children, but I do know that I will do everything in my power to get to know all about her, as soon as I can. I am not kidding about her beauty; I have travelled all over the world and I can honestly say no woman that I have ever seen can compare to this woman. Her daughter, although she is still young, will probably be just as beautiful as her mother, and will definitely be the cause of many broken hearts.

I invited them to stay in my house for the time being, at least as shelter from the storm, however long it lasts. We can go looking for their vehicle tomorrow, in the daylight. Once we arrived home, I immediately threw some logs in the fireplace and while the fire got going, I fixed hamburgers and french fires. If they have been stuck there since afternoon, I knew they hadn't eaten anything yet. I made a giant pot of coffee, but then realized that the kids wouldn't drink it so I whipped up some hot chocolate for them.

Over dinner, she told me all about her husband and the transfer and promotion and everything involved in moving to Arizona. I fixed some after dinner coffees for us, and Julie finished her first cup before I even sat down. I kept her mug filled and as the evening continued, she began telling me about her life and her marriage. I don't know her husband--never met him, but he doesn't sound all that considerate and loving to me, from what she has described. The more she talks, the more I wonder about what he is doing in the marriage. And then I look at her face and I almost become unnerved again. Blond hair, not bright yellow, but still apparently honestly blond, that reaches to the top of her shoulders, blue eyes that are bright and seem to almost sparkle, and from what I can see of her figure, that part is top notch too.

She wanted a hot shower before bed but was almost afraid to ask about sleeping arrangements. I escorted her up the stairs to my bedroom and made certain that the shower had plenty of warm water. She was beginning to undress before I even left the bath and shed her top and her slacks before shutting the door. I think the coffee and Kahlua has gotten the best of her because I can hear her giggling about something and talking about being lightheaded. I'd have to be a moron not to make a try at her tonight. I waited until I heard the water shut off and then I steeped into the bathroom holding a large bath towel in my hands. She was standing there, stark naked in front of the shower, and I instantly became as hard as a rock. What a body! Small breasts, not much bigger that a jelly filled roll, with medium sized nipples that are about the same diameter as my little finger. They seem to be hardening as I look at them, but maybe it's just because she is nervous. Her figure is hourglass shaped. A tiny waist, moderate hips and legs to die for. In between is a light brown bush that covers her, but is either neatly trimmed or a natural perfect triangle.