Chapter 4

This left Peggy and me with my parents. Dad was telling tales on me and had Peggy laughing almost continuously. My cell phone vibrated at ten of ten. "Forrest, you better get over here as quick as you can. Mrs. Hanson is in trouble. I don't think from the conversation that she is in any serious danger, but she has been slapped around some. I'm inside the building and the security guard from the front entrance is with me. We are on our way up to the third floor now."

"I'll get there as soon as possible." I turned to Peggy. "Come with me. I have to get Mary. Mom and Dad, you can find your way to bed. I'll be back when I can. I have something I have to do."

It took us twenty-six minutes for the thirty-five minute drive. I couldn't explain much to Peggy because I didn't know much myself. The front desk was empty and we took the elevator to the third floor. Room 317 wasn't far from the elevator and we could see that the door to the room was open. There were a couple of people peering in.

I cautiously entered with Peggy following behind me. Mary was sitting in the corner on a chair. Carlo and the apartment's security officer had two men sitting on the bed. As we entered, Carlo came over and closed the door. He spoke, "I have the police coming. The only problem is that Mrs. Hanson says she won't press charges even though she could charge these two with kidnapping. They will almost be assured of an assault charge, anyway. I have the conversations on tape which will bolster whatever they are charged with. Also, Mrs. Hanson has several bruises and some red marks on her. Her eye might even become discolored."

"I'll talk to Mary." I walked over to her. "Tell me what happened."

"Oh Forrest, I'm in such a mess and I have been so stupid. Stanley took me out to dinner and was loving and attentive all the way through the meal. When we got back here to the room, he started loving me up. I resisted, saying I wanted some answers before we made love. He laughed, saying he was here for one thing and it wasn't to answer questions. He then slapped me. I looked up and there was another man in the room. He had a camera pointed at me.

"That is when he said he had me on tape from our session when I was here last week. They started to rough me up. I screamed and fought back the best that I could. One held me and was taking off my clothes when the door opened and the guard from downstairs came in. He had to break the security chain to gain entrance. I don't know who the other man with the guard is."

"That's Carlo. I hired him to make sure you were safe. He heard everything that went on here tonight. That little statue I gave you has a bug in it."

"Forrest, how can I ever thank you." Just as she said this the police came in. It took almost two hours to get statements before we could leave. The police searched both the room and the two men, finding not only the hand-held camera, but another one that was hidden that could cover the whole room. They also found a satchel containing the tapes of Mary from the week before and one before that.

It was one-thirty before I pulled up in front of the Hanson residence. I went into Rick's room with Mary to explain just a little of why I hadn't returned by midnight. "Rick, Mary has a lot to tell you. I have suggested she tell you fully about what has happened tonight and why this has happened. Maybe if she had talked to you months ago, she wouldn't have had so much to explain. Please listen to her. Forgive her if you can. It is an untenable situation she is in, and it isn't because she wanted to be unfaithful."

"I t-h-i-n-k I u-n-d-e-r-s-t-a-n-d. stop. M-a-r-y, b-e a-t e-a-s-e. I f-o-r-g-i-v-e y-o-u. stop." Rick forgave her before even finding out why he needed to.

Mary came over to me and hugged me and then Peggy. "Forrest, thank you so much. Rick and I have gone through something like this before. You can go home now. We will work it out. We always have."

Rick had one last word for me. "F-o-r-r-e-s-t, c-o-m-e w-h-e-n y-o-u c-a-n a-n-d b-r-i-n-g t-h-e l-a-d-y. I w-o-u-l-d l-i-k-e t-o m-e-e-t h-e-r. G-o-o-d-n-i-g-h-t. stop."

"Goodnight, Rick."

Peggy and I talked about what was before Mary on the way home. She was going to have some trying days. This would not go away, and I'm sure it would become public. Before I left, I strongly suggested that Mary engage her attorney and have him speak for her. There was no way these men would be let off, but maybe her attorney could keep it as quiet as possible. Her attorney could implore the judicial system to charge the perpetrators with as little as possible in the interest of Mary keeping from appearing blatantly in court.

When we reached home, Peggy received her kiss on the lips and the promise of me calling for another date. As she was getting out of my car and into her own she said, "You know, I think it will be very interesting being a model for the Indian statue. Keep me in the loop." Now this was a situation that was fast moving forward. I thought for a minute. Yes, it would be interesting having Peggy model for me.

Nola was asleep on the couch and I slid into bed, only giving a passing thought to Rick and Mary, before turning my mind back to Peggy.

"Where did you go last night Dad?"

"I went to get Mary. She got into a little trouble. She is home now. I expect she will call here sometime to fill me in. She was going to tell Rick what happened and tell him why she wasn't with me. Let's not think about it today with your grandparents here."

"Will Rick be all right? I worry about him. Mary can take care of herself, but he can't."

"It really isn't for us to interfere. You can't shoulder his problems."

"Can I call Trudy?"

"Do you know her home phone number?"

"Yes, and she has mine."

"Well wait awhile and maybe she will call. Do you know her hours for today?"

"Yes, they get over at one this afternoon."

"I guess it would be okay to talk to her about two. In the meantime, hang out with Mom and Dad."

"Did you kiss Peggy when she left before you went to get Mary?"

"She didn't leave, she went with me."

"Ooo, all alone late at night and in the dark. I bet you kissed her when you came back here."

"Young lady, I don't kiss and tell. I'm not even curious if you kissed Fred last night."

"I'll tell you anyway. I did, and Mom saw us too. For once she didn't blow her stack either."

"Maybe that is because Frank was planning on kissing your mother later."

"I'm sure he was. I could tell you how they acted in the movies, but I guess I better not."

"No, I don't think so."

"Dad, has Gram and Gramp ever been up the mountain?"

"Once right after I bought this place. Why don't you ask them to go with you? I expect Fred will be showing up here before the day is out too, won't he?"

"You can bet on it."

It was me that took a call from Trudy, as Nola was on the mountain with my parents and Fred.

"Mr. Green, Rick wanted me to relay his thanks for what you did in rescuing Mary last night. She spent hours confessing to him about you and the man she chose to replace you. She is feeling terrible about everything and has promised to not do anything outside of her marriage ever again."

"If you get to talk to Rick before I do, just tell him I am still his friend and will do whatever I have to do to keep that friendship."

"God if only everyone had a friend like you, what a nice world it would be. Forrest, I think we had better begin to believe that we won't have Rick with us much longer. There have been a few times when I haven't been able to rouse him. He doesn't do this when the other nurses are on shift. I asked him point blank about it and all I get is that 'g-r-i-n, g-r-i-n. stop.'"

I had known Rick for many years and I suppose I understood how his mind worked even better than Mary did. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"One other thing. He loves the young lady, Nola. He wants both you and me to prepare her for when he isn't with us. This carries more weight with me than anything else he has said. He says his world right now is the brightest it has been in years and it is all because of her."

"Has he asked for any different medication or change of routine?"

"No, not at all. Do you think he is playing games with us?"

"Absolutely not! Trudy, would it be so bad if he had found a way to leave us?"

Trudy broke into sobs. When these quieted she agreed that Rick must be getting tired of living the life he has. "I know he feels he has kept you from finding the love you deserve. He thought you and Mary would marry and now he sees that won't happen. He also knows how short teenagers' attention spans are. He knows Nola is all for him at present. He doesn't want to live long enough to see her pull away from him. He made the comment he wishes he was thirty-five years younger with the body of a teenager. Now he has nothing."

"Who is infatuated, him or her? Where are you in all of this?"

"Same place as always and I don't mind him finding joy in dreaming about Nola."

"Liar!" Just an audible sob came forth over the wires. "I will come in and bring Nola very soon. I'd like to observe Rick myself."

Not thinking too clearly, I went out to the shop, gathered the sketches and faxed them off to John Marquette. I had just finished when Mom, Dad, Fred and Nola came down the mountain. "Can we go up in the early morning when the sun comes up?" I'd go up with them if anyone was up at that time.

I was waiting to hear back from Hollywood. Peggy came over and watched me carve. I found I could concentrate, even when Mom, Dad and Peggy crowded into the shop to watch me. I looked closely at Peggy, wondering what kind of a wife she would be. I know she wasn't the prettiest woman I knew, but her personality more than made up for her lack of beauty.

Fred was pretty much sidelined for the week until Mom and Dad left on Friday morning. Nola did go to the church to serve food on Monday and Wednesday. She also spent an hour a day with Rick. Mary was always with him now.

Peggy wasn't saying anything, but I noticed when she was invited to lunch, she ate small portions. She was also trekking up the mountain, saying she couldn't get enough of the view. I suspected she used this climb for exercise. It certainly was, for if you attacked the mountain as aggressively as she did, you were bound to lose weight.

I harked back to my relationship with Mary. At times it was very intense and then at times it cooled. Those were the times I wondered why I bothered with her. The last sexual encounter had been extremely hot, but by morning, I was told it was to be the last time for us. Even with all of that, I had protected her, but then that was more for Rick.

I did not want another complicated relationship. Period. I hadn't reached the level with Peggy where I just had to have her. I also hadn't reached the conclusion I could just slip in bed with her and walk away either. Somehow, I knew this would hurt her. We had started to flirt, but more as friends than anything else. Why was I thinking all of this now?

Mom and Dad left and I promised I would be out to visit sometime in August, bringing Nola with me. It was the following week that I received a contract to carve one adult female Indian, one stripling male youth and one girl just reaching puberty. He wanted it to be without a papoose. The grouping was to be positioned in Marquette's foyer where the focus would be on the squaw's face.

He approved the sketches I had sent. The squaw would be shown in her finest raiments with beads and quills. My research had come up with the picture of a female shaman. Her features were bold and strong, much like Peggy's facial features. Also the body nearly matched Peggy's, being full and buxom. She would be wearing a headband--no feathers, although some would be incorporated into her garment in other places.

The boy would be wearing a beaded breech clout, both front and rear. The young girl would be wearing the same. However she would also have a front and back panel of feathers that fell over her chest and back, being open on the sides. Whether this was to cover her emerging breasts, or just something for adornment, I couldn't pin down any research on the subject. Both children wore headbands of the same design as the adult. I also couldn't find from research if the shaman birthed children or if she was prohibited. Didn't matter, I was giving Marquette what he asked for.

"Hi Peggy, how would you like to become immortal?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I have the commission to do the Indian grouping. I could use a model. There is just one catch." I paused to see what Peggy would say.

"You're saying you want me to pose without clothes on, aren't you? I don't know if I can do that."

"No, the catch is that the Indians are going to be covered and I don't have an excuse to see you otherwise."

"Oh darn, and I was going to be shy, and then let you talk me into doing it for you."

"Well I'll think of something and maybe I'll get there yet. Could you come over? I have to glue the pieces of wood together and I need some idea of what I'm going to end up with. I need to see you to get the size correct. I think for the youths, I can get it out of one solid piece with maybe a few small additions for the hands and feet. These are going to be positioned as naturally as I can make them.

"The facial features might be a problem, but I think I'm good enough to carve them, even though they may be generic. That's with the two kids. For you, I want you to be here when I carve the woman. I'm going to use your exact likeness."

"I'm not pretty. Why don't you find someone who has more regular features than me?"

"I drew Marquette your likeness and I believe that is why I received the commission. You're it, Babe, and no arguments. So can you come over now?"

I was all business when she arrived. I took measurements and jotted them down on a copy that I was going to use. Next, on a large piece of paper, I mapped out how many pieces of wood I would need and where to position them. I had a small storeroom where I kept a supply of wood. I could control the temperature to some extent. I collected the bolts of wood that I would use that were on hand and listed those I needed to order.

"All done for now. What do you want to do?"

"Go up the mountain with you."

"Good, I was going to suggest that. I'll make some peanut butter sandwiches."

"Not for me. I'm not hungry." I made them anyway and stuck a bottle of white wine into my backpack. We didn't rush and over one real rough spot, I put my hand on Peggy's behind and pushed. For that I received a smile.

On the crest we paused before working ourselves out to the lookout. Peggy extolled the site. "This place amazes me. I feel as if my cares all fly away when I reach this point. I'm even using this vision to make my mind shut down so I can sleep. I visualize the clouds floating in the sky and I concentrate. Soon it is morning and I feel so wonderful waking up."

I said little, as I knew just how Peggy felt. I had come here for years just for the feeling Peggy was describing. Her thoughts turned to the night of the birthday party. "What's going to happen to Mary, the woman you rescued."

"Not sure yet. The two men are being investigated. It has been discovered they have played this game before. It was when they went for Mary that they were tripped up. There is at least one other woman who was actually blackmailed and paid money. She is going to testify. There may be others. Who knows, Mary might even be named a Jane Doe and not have to appear."

"How is the man that I saw lying in bed? The husband."

"He wants to meet you and it had better be soon. He is getting ready to die. He has lived like this for seven years. Apparently he has figured out how to commit suicide. It seems an impossible feat when he can only move his eyes. I have known him for many years and I know how intelligent he is. I'm going to miss him, but to tell the truth, I'm a little curious about how he is going to accomplish his own demise."

"Why now?"

"Some because of me, some because of Mary and I suspect from what his nurse tells me, a lot because of Nola. I'll explain. He always thought I would marry Mary because we go back so many years together, but now I'm not interested. She, from what has happened recently, is tired of the care of him. She has tried to hide the fact, but he recognizes the truth. This happened once before some years ago, and that is when I became more involved. He urged us to become intimate. A way to satisfy her unhappiness with the situation, if you will.

"With Nola, it is entirely different. He is thinking of her and her happiness. She is totally caught up in his plight. But he knows that because she is young and vibrant, it won't last very long. If he waits until coming to visit is a chore for her, and then he dies, he knows she will feel guilt, thinking she has neglected him. He won't put that on her conscience. So I think the time is ripe for him to go. Those are my thoughts anyway."

"It makes sense. Is anyone doing anything to prevent it, and if it can't be prevented, when will it happen?"

"The doctors are coming in more frequently and the nurses are being extra special in their care of him. Other than that there is nothing that can be done. As far as when, I'm not sure. I'm thinking that it may happen at the time Nola and I go out to visit her grandparents. She will be away and if my deductions are correct, that's his plan."

"That is only three weeks from now. Can I help in any way?"

"You would if I asked?"

"Yes I would."

"Okay then, would you travel with Nola and me? If that is when, I would fly back and be here with Mary. Rick would appreciate it. Please don't think it is because of any feelings I have left for her, because they can't be rekindled again. It is kind of a duty I have placed on myself."

"I'll help in any way I can."

"You're a wonderful caring person, Peggy of mine."

"I wish I was your Peggy."

I changed the subject by asking a question. "Do you have a contract to teach this year?"

"Yes of course. Ordinarily I would have found some work for the summer, but I thought I would take it off to get over being married to a cheating bastard. I thought I would be dating by this time and having wild uninhibited sex all summer long. You know something? Coming to Nola's birthday party has been the high point so far. I did get kissed and I had to almost shame you into giving me that."

"Is wild uninhibited sex what you are looking for?"

"I wouldn't turn it down." She was silent for a few minutes and I could see she hadn't finished. She continued, "But that isn't what I really want. I want to wake up in the morning cuddled up to a man who has loved me in the evening. A man who offers to get up and make the coffee, knowing we will do it together while preparing breakfast. One who sits across from me reading the morning newspaper, and who I can depend on being there the following morning as well. That is what I really want."

"That sounds like the American dream. I'm interested. It is something I would like to work toward with you. I would like to go slow for the time being, though. Nola being here with me is so new, I would like to concentrate on her until school begins again. Any free minute I have, I will be working on this commission. I have promised delivery by October 30th for Marquette's annual open house on Halloween.

"You have promised to come model for me, so we will be much together. It wouldn't be fair for you to forgo any wild uninhibited sex for the summer, just when I can't begin to give you what you need."

"Fair enough." I was a little surprised at Peggy's answer. Did she mean she might still go look for the wild uninhibited sex she felt she needed? Or would she wait until I could give her more of my attention? Time would tell.

We stayed on the mountain for almost two hours. Coming down we were both tired and somewhat sweaty. I wanted to take a shower. Peggy didn't seem in a hurry to leave. Finally I said, "Would you like to go out to dinner this evening?"

"I'd love to." I went to the phone and made reservations at one of the better restaurants in town.

"Let me shower and get dressed. Do you want to go home and change now? You can hang around and I'll give you a ride if you want. You can change then."

"No, I will wait for you." I was toweling off when Peggy opened the bathroom door and stood there without clothes on, watching me. "I decided to shower here. You don't mind do you?"

I turned fully and faced her, taking in the body of this woman. She was heavy, but after examining what was before me, I thought that if she lost some weight, she would have a body to die for. Her breasts were large, but there was little sag to them. Her tummy, which ordinarily would protrude, was fairly flat. Her upper thighs were the same, in that when the pounds came off over all, she would shrink, leaving her a well-proportioned woman. As she stepped into the shower and closed the door she offered, "You thought one time that you would be carving me in the nude. This is what you would be looking at. Now go and save me a dry robe to go home in. I don't want to put my sweat-stained clothes back on."

I didn't go far. I had to shave and I went about that just as if I was alone. I was fully aware of her behind the clouded shower door, though. I suppose she was of me as well. When I finished I said, "Towels are in the cupboard. Peggy, I left a fresh robe here for you to wear. I'm getting dressed, and I won't be long."

"Forrest, do you have to get dressed yet? There, you made me ask. Damn it man, I'm trying to seduce you."

"Peggy of mine, I believe you have succeeded." I had to call and ask the restaurant to give me a later reservation. Peggy ended up with a quick sample of what she expected of the summer and just a little sample of what she wanted her life to be like in the future. I followed her car, knowing she was driving the highway with only my robe on. When we reached her house, I almost canceled the dinner date altogether, but by this time we were both ravenously hungry.