Fractured Eden (7 page)

“I saw you two out here and thought I’d stop and say hello.”

“How are you? We had a good day, didn’t we Cristal?” Marley said.

“We played in the park,” Cristal said.

       “I wonder if I could have a neighborly chat with you,” Aaron said to Marley.

“Sure, come on inside.” She unlocked the front door, and a large Golden Retriever barked greetings at them. “This is Princess.”

Princess jumped up and put her front paws on Aaron. “I’ll bet I know who named her,” Aaron said.

“I did.” Cristal hugged her dog. “Genie told me to.”

“Down, Princess. Calm down,” Marley said.

“That’s okay. I like dogs,” Aaron said.

Marley smiled. “She can tell.”

Aaron followed Marley into the living room.

Marley stroked Cristal’s hair. “Go check on Genie and get ready for bed.” Cristal and Princess ran to her bedroom.

Marley motioned toward a chair. “Please sit down. Do you want some water or a soda?”

“No, thanks,” Aaron said.

They settled into soft living room chairs next to each other.

“How has your first week been?” Marley said.

Aaron sighed. “It’s an adjustment. The country life is all new to me.”

“I like it.”

“It seems more relaxed. Some songs talk about the low-key country lifestyle.”

Marley stood up. “What kind of music do you like?”

“I’ve been listening to country music.”

“Good. I’ll put some on.” She walked over to a stereo.

“I just heard a sad song on the radio,” Aaron said. “It talked about falling in love with an illusion. The real person turned out to be quite different from the illusion.”

Marley sat down in the chair, one leg bent under her. “Shades of ‘The Great Gatsby.’ ”

Aaron sat forward and touched her hand. “You’ve read ‘The Great Gatsby’?”

Marley chuckled. “I know you think we’re all hicks—”

“No. I didn’t mean to imply—”

“That’s all right. We get that a lot from strangers. We’re used to it.”

She looked at Aaron and smiled. “Your face is bright red. Don’t be embarrassed.”

Aaron nodded. “It gives me away. Everyone knows when I’m embarrassed.”

“Well, I think that’s cute.”

He took a few deep breaths and turned to face her. “Do I look okay now?”

“You look fine.”

“Good. You made an interesting point about the book. Some songs talk about falling in love with someone you put on a pedestal, like the book does. People are far from perfect.”

“How well do I know that.”

They talked more about country music and good books.

“I hear songs about beer and whiskey and tequila and Southern Comfort. Do cowboys drink a lot?” Aaron said.

Marley laughed. “No more than anybody else.”

“And I’ll think twice about cheating on a cowgirl. At least in the songs, those guys have bad ends.”

Marley frowned and looked down.

Oops, I hit a raw nerve,
Aaron thought.

He took a deep breath. “Would you like to have dinner some evening?”

Marley stood. “I’ll have to think about that.”

Okay, I’m not doing very well here.
Aaron followed her to the front door.
Try something else, Aaron.

He took another deep breath. “Well, at least you could show me around these parts. Let’s take a drive tomorrow. It’s the neighborly thing to do.”

Marley smiled. “Okay.”

Aaron exhaled.
Good move.

“I’ll pick you up around one o’clock?” he said.

“We’ll be ready.”

Aaron’s heart raced as he started his car and pulled out into the road. He pumped his fist in the air. “Yes. I think she likes me.” He drove down the road toward his house.

       “Yikes.” He jerked the steering wheel to the left and slammed his brakes as something darted in front of his car. He screeched to a stop at an angle in the road. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a figure disappear around the side of a house.

Another near miss. I’m going to have a heart attack driving on these roads.

He steered the car over to the side of the road and jumped out. Sprinting in the direction of the running figure, he rounded the corner of the house and spotted a man vaulting over the fence that bordered Grant Belkin’s ranch.

He cleared that fence by several feet.

Aaron stopped to catch his breath as the man bounded away, his hair flaring up in the air.
Who the heck was that?

                                         
Chapter 8

Aaron awoke with a start early Sunday morning.

He lay in bed for a minute but didn’t hear any unusual sounds. It was before dawn.

After pulling on shorts and a T-shirt, he searched the house. Finding no cause for alarm, his jitters subsided. In the kitchen, he punched on the coffee brewer, walked to a rear window, and pulled back one side of the window blinds.

Just outside the glass, two wide-open eyes stared at him.

“Whoa.” Aaron lurched back and fell into a small dining table. He righted himself and stumbled back to the window, flipping the blinds open.

The eyes aren’t there. Was it an illusion?

His heart pounded as he slid into running shoes and peered out into the back yard. He strained his ears but heard only the hooting of an owl, so he ventured out into the dim moonlight. Standing still next to his fence, he sensed no movement in the yard or the pasture.

A voice rang out, “Stay away from the Taggetts.”

Aaron jumped and fell against a fence pole. He looked toward the source of the voice and saw glinting eyes, the same eyes that were at his window, and the silhouette of a figure.

Aaron took a deep breath. “Why?”

“You can’t help. No doctors can help us. Stay away or you’ll be sorry.”

Then the eyes were gone.

       Aaron looked around the yard and walked back through the house to the front door. Noticing nothing unusual in the front yard or street, he glanced at the nearby tree grove and listened. The owl was quiet.

He locked all the doors and windows of the house and sat in the living room until he spotted the faint glow of sunrise.

After two cups of coffee, he ventured outside again and wandered around the house. Familiar objects emerged into view in the early dawn.

Aaron dwelled on those strange eyes.

That had to be Race Taggett, and he’s hurting.

A shiver passed over him.

He’s also one hell of a scary dude.

Aaron spent the rest of the morning unpacking boxes and arranging his home. Despite the soreness in his leg muscles, a pleasant reminder of his jog the day before, he danced from box to box to the sound of country music from a small radio.

Maybe I’ll take country-dance lessons with Marley.

He nourished himself with a breakfast of juice and cereal with soy milk, then he decked out in blue jeans, a dark blue-and-gold cowboy shirt, and his new boots.

He pulled into Marley’s driveway right at 1:00 p.m. She and Cristal walked out to his car, and Marley slid a picnic basket into the back seat.

“A picnic. Great idea,” Aaron said.

“We love picnics, don’t we Cristal?”

In the back seat, Cristal raised her arms. “Picnics are fun.”

Aaron turned to Marley. “I’ll drive, but you can be the tour guide, okay?”

Marley smiled. “Sure, I’ve got a route in mind. Get ready for some interesting sights in the Big Thicket.”

Aaron backed out of the driveway and headed out of town on a county road as Marley pointed the way.

They cruised north and south and sometimes east and west on two-lane roads bordered by pastures and marshes and piney woods, crossing several creeks on their journey. Marley pointed out various birds and four-legged creatures along the side of the road.

“You’re a careful driver,” Marley said.

“Well, since I moved here, I’ve become much more alert for surprises in the road.”

Aaron slowed and stopped near a sign. “What’s this?”

“The entrance to Bragg Road. A lot of folks call it Ghost Road.” Marley turned to him. “Don’t come here at night.” She pushed the car AC to the max setting.

Aaron moaned like a ghost. “Is it scary?”

She turned up the radio volume so Cristal couldn’t hear her speak. “At times, along the road, a strange light appears at night out of nowhere. People think it’s a lantern carried by a ghost looking around for his head, the ghost of a railroad worker who was decapitated.”

Aaron turned onto the dirt road and crept along in the car, studying the forest and the ruins of an old railroad track. After several miles, a shiver gripped him. “It does feel creepy out here, alone in the trees.”

“Mommy, let’s go back,” Cristal said.

Marley nodded and touched Aaron’s shoulder. “We should turn around.”

“You got it,” Aaron said. “The air is heavy in here. It’s hard to breathe.” As soon as Aaron returned to the paved roads, he stopped the car and jumped out.

“What’s wrong?” Marley said.

Aaron gasped for air with his hands on his hips. “Whew. I couldn’t breathe back there.” He calmed down, stepped back into the car, and turned to Marley, pointing to Ghost Road. “I’m adding that to my bucket list.”

Marley laughed. “Join the club.”

After another hour of cruising around East Texas, he turned onto a road that led into a state park. “We can picnic here,” Marley said.

“Looks good. I think we’re far enough away from Ghost Road.”

Marley smiled. “I think you got spooked.”

       “Well, thanks for the history lesson about it. At least, now I know what to expect.” Aaron stopped near a few unoccupied picnic tables.

Moisture from a short rain earlier in the day glistened on the grass and trees. “Look all around us,” Aaron said. “Everything is bright green.”

Marley nodded. “It’s amazing the way the rain can bring out that intense green. It’s a chance for all the plants to show off.”

Marley and Aaron spread a red and green tablecloth over a nearby table. She opened the picnic basket and arranged peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, water, and vegetables with dip on the table.

Aaron stood and turned in a circle with his arms wide. A breeze carried the scent of the pines across his face.
A little slice of heaven on earth
.

Marley and Cristal sat at the picnic table and sampled their sandwiches. “C’mon, join us,” Marley said to Aaron. “I brought fresh strawberries, too, from a local strawberry field.”

“Yummy, an honest-to-goodness alfresco lunch,” Aaron said.

After several bites into his sandwich, Aaron looked at Marley. “The guy with the ranch behind us: Grant Belkin . . . He’s an interesting person.”

“He’s different,” Marley said.

“Did you know his wife?”

Marley put her sandwich down. “Not very well.”  

“He told me she died two years ago.”

Marley was quiet.

“I thought hairdressers knew everything.”

Marley chuckled. “Usually you’d be right. I guess some things fly right past me.”

Aaron and Marley polished off their meals, and even Cristal ate most of her sandwich.

“Everything’s delicious,” Aaron said.

“Go ahead, enjoy that last strawberry,” Marley said.

“You don’t have to twist my arm.”

“You’ve got a few red stains on your shirt,” Marley said. She stood and wiped his shirt with a moist napkin.

“Thanks,” Aaron said. “As a memento of my first picnic, I’ll cherish those stains forever.”

Marley laughed. “You had a deprived childhood. Everyone should picnic now and then.”

Aaron looked down and shook his head. “I’ve been deprived of many things.”

Marley played a pretend violin and hummed a song.

Aaron laughed. “What song are you playing?”

“ ‘I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,’ by Hank Williams, Jr.”

Aaron began to dance with Cristal. They moved in circles and he twirled Cristal under his arm.

Marley looked up. “I can hear the birds warbling louder now. They’re watching you.”

Aaron stopped and listened. “The birds must like it when folks picnic around here. They can all fly in and join the party.”

He bowed to Cristal. “Thanks for the dance.”

Cristal continued to dance solo as Aaron broke into the moonwalk dance.

“Mommy, look at him.” Cristal pointed at Aaron sliding backward across the grass, his hands on his hips and a big smile for Marley on his face.

Marley giggled. “You’ve got some great moves.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

After the dancing, it was time to clean up the picnic table.

Aaron took a deep breath. “I want to learn how to line dance in a real cowboy dance hall. Can we go some evening, and you can show me how?”

Marley nodded. “Sure.”

“How about this Wednesday?” He held his breath.

Marley sighed. “Okay.”

Aaron clapped his hands together. “Awesome. I can’t wait. Dinner’s on me, too.”

Marley walked away and tossed trash in a nearby bin.

“Since there’s a day for just about everything, I’ll bet we have a National Picnic Day,” Aaron said.

“That would be a safe bet. There is one, in April.”

       “Yeah, I would’ve guessed sometime in the spring. Let’s picnic again on the next official day, and maybe before then, too? This is a great way to spend an afternoon.”

Marley turned and carried the picnic basket to the car.

Maybe I’m coming on too strong
.
Slow down, Aaron.

Cristal ran over to a nearby trail. “Come with me,” she said, waving her arms.

Aaron motioned to Marley. “Let’s go. You’ll have to tell me about any critters we come across.”

“Okay, follow me,” Marley said. “Now for another lesson. Over 300 species of birds live in the Big Thicket, and many are on the endangered list. Look for orchids. Twenty types of orchids grow in here, along with, get this, more than one thousand species of plants and ferns.”

Aaron whistled. “I can’t get my head around all that.”

They walked and skipped along the narrow trail for a while, accompanied by chirping birds and scurrying squirrels. Marley pointed at a bluebird as it flew over them. At one point, Aaron heard rustling in the bushes at the side of the trail. Marley parted branches and peered in. “Look, our nine-banded armadillo.” Aaron bent forward to see and jumped back as the armadillo scurried away.

Marley laughed. “It won’t hurt you.”

Cristal ran up to Marley. “Look, Mommy.” She held out her hands cradling a large green frog. “Can I have him? Please?”

“No, his home is here. Let him down gently.”

As Marley stood up from crouching, her hair glistened in a breeze. Aaron marveled at the intense colors of fluttering birds and swaying foliage behind her.

“Why are you smiling?” Marley said.

Aaron blushed and put his hand to his forehead. “I had this vision of the Garden of Eden. What it might’ve looked like.” He shook his head. “Sorry. I know that’s crazy.”

“No, it’s not. I get that feeling in here sometimes, too.”

After about an hour’s time, they returned to their picnic area.

Aaron wiped his sweaty forehead with his handkerchief. “Okay, nature girl, you’ve convinced me. There’s a huge variety of plants and critters in the Big Thicket.”

Marley smiled. “We’ve only scratched the surface.”

During the drive back to town, they sang along to country music and Marley knew the lyrics to most of the songs. Aaron drove with the windows down and the music loud.

He hadn’t thought about those strange eyes outside his window.

Aaron drove farther away from his home that evening for dinner and strolled into a dimly lit Italian restaurant. After wolfing down grilled salmon with pasta and vegetables, he complimented the server and left a generous tip. “Now I know where I can get a decent salmon dish.”

As he walked out, he caught a glimpse of the side profile of a man at a table in one corner of the restaurant.
That looks like Dale McCorkindale, the car dealer.

Aaron watched as the man’s hands flew back and forth in front of him, directed at another man sitting opposite with crossed arms and a grim look on his face.

Probably just an animated discussion between friends,
Aaron thought.

Back home, Aaron checked computer emails and messages at his desk, and then he sat back, his hands behind his head.

So, Race Taggett wants me to stay away, and maybe I damn well should.

He sighed.
But Marley and Grant asked me to check on them.

Aaron shook his head.
Race’s eyes . . . the way they glinted at me.
A shudder shot down his back.
Kind of reminds me of the chief of staff back at my old hospital.

                                                       
****