Kindergarten Baby: A Novel (32 page)

Lindsey lit a fire late in the afternoon so there would be good cooking coals when she was ready to cook hotdogs for herself and Wendell. In the meantime, she splurged and ate potato chips with a soda, figuring she might as well drink it while it was still cold. By tomorrow, the ice in the cooler would probably be gone.

Fortunately, they would likely sleep well tonight since the tent was now better organized. Lindsey put on soft, cozy pajamas and snuggled into her sleeping bag, then relaxed her head onto a pillow. Wendell preferred to sleep on top of the extra bag she’d brought for him. The sky still held light, but all three were ready for bed. Tomorrow they would explore.

But Lindsey awoke during the night, dizzy, nauseated, and groaning with pain, aware that the pain was from the nagging bug bites. All she could think was that they had become infected. She tried to go back to sleep‌—‌the moon was still high in the coal black sky‌—‌but she couldn’t. As the black finally lightened to dark grey, Lindsey felt a powerful urge to pee. Unable to find the flashlight, she stumbled out anyway, hoping to reach the trench she’d dug for this purpose.

“Come on, Wendell. You might as well come, too. We’ll be right back, Malcolm.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

The mountain air was chilly, and still relatively free of birdsong. Lindsey crouched next to a tall tree, clutching it when her dizziness intensified. At about the time she was pulling up her pajama bottoms, Wendell barked, which wasn’t something he usually did. He stared urgently in the direction of the tent then back at Lindsey, as if to say,
Come on! Do something!
Concerned, Lindsey hurried back toward the campsite, thinking only of getting back to the tent. Her foot caught on a tree root, and she went flying. She broke her fall with her right wrist, which slammed hard against a rough-edged rock, causing a new, greater pain. One that made her scabbed-over bites pale in comparison.

Wendell walked to her side where she lay sprawled on the ground and licked the tears from her face, making a soft, whining sound.

“Oh, Wendell. You are the best dog in the world,” she said, sobbing. “I thought this trip was a good idea, but now I’m not sure. We’re in the middle of nowhere, and nobody even knows we’re here.” She stroked his neck, seeking strength. “We’re on our own, Wendell, and everything is so much harder for me than I’m letting on. I don’t know what I’m doing, and now I have only the use of one hand‌—‌my left.” Fear began to overwhelm the pain she was feeling. “Oh, geez. We could be in real trouble.”

She soaked her swollen hand and wrist in the remaining pieces of ice and cold water, then wrapped it with the gauze and tape she had in her first aid kit. As long as she didn’t attempt to use the hand, and as long as she kept it somewhat elevated, it felt okay. If she could build a fire, cook the food, dress and undress, use the trench‌—‌oh my, the list was long‌—‌they would all be fine.

Easier said than done.

By late afternoon, Lindsey had accomplished little more than trading pajamas for sweats. After attempting to tie her hiking books, she gave up and slipped her feet back into the crocs she’d worn earlier. Malcolm was banished to the tent for his own safety while Lindsey and Wendell went for a short and very careful walk to explore a little further than they’d been before. She couldn’t manage buckling the dog pack onto Wendell’s back, so the dog willingly donned a fabric grocery bag around his neck. He would be the keeper of any treasures they might find.

They came to a small knoll paved with smooth, sparkling stones the shade of orange sherbet, and Lindsey had to smile despite everything. “My gosh, that’s beautiful.” She’d never seen glittering rocks like these, let alone an entire hill of them. She collected a few samples and placed them in Wendell’s bag, planning to research and learn about these geological treasures when they returned to Tucson.

She decided to stay on or near the road, or at least within sight of the tent, since she couldn’t risk getting lost. So they made a wide circle around the camp, gathering pine needles and a few cones that would later become tea or kindling. She saw a patch of wild strawberry plants, but it was far too early in the season for berries, though a few of the leaves could be added to her tea. Wendell discovered a bone from a deer or a small cow, and he carried it proudly in his mouth for the duration of their walk.

Their excursion took less than an hour, but by the time they arrived back at the tent, Lindsey was exhausted. Her body ached, her stomach felt queasy, her head pounded, and her hand throbbed. She needed to lie down. There would be no journaling today, since she couldn’t write with her left hand. They ducked into the tent, and Malcolm chirped softly to show he was glad for the company. Wendell rolled on his side and snuggled up with the bone. Lindsey leaned back and closed her eyes, relaxing to the sound of a gentle breeze drifting through the treetops above them.

Suddenly, Wendell sat up abruptly and stared to the west, out the tent’s screen door flap. He was alert, focused, and in guard dog mode. Lindsey straightened, panicked and dizzy, and listened hard. She heard the sound of an engine, and adrenaline surged through her body. Fight or flight? Hell, she couldn’t fight. She searched through her duffle bag for the car keys, thinking the car would be a safer place to be. She could lock the doors and drive away, if necessary. But she couldn’t find the keys.

The engine sound grew closer and closer, until it was too late to make a run for the car even if she did magically find what she was looking for. At least she had Wendell. His presence alone was formidable, and when he barked he’d certainly make any potential enemies think twice.

But he didn’t bark. He remained still, watching out the door of the tent as the approaching vehicle came to a halt. Its door slammed shut, and footsteps crunched on the dry ground, headed steadily toward the tent. Lindsey cowered behind Wendell, trying to convince herself it was probably just another camper. Or maybe a forest official.

Wendell whined, then he wagged. In fact, his whole body wagged. That was unexpected. It meant that either the intruder was someone Wendell knew and loved, or whoever it was had a T-bone steak to share.

“Hey, boy. Where’s Lindsey?” asked a male voice.

It sounded like…‌Jake.

“Jake?” she asked quietly. “Is that you?”

“Yours truly, at your service.” Lindsey sagged with relief, fighting back tears. “Should I come in or are you coming out?” he asked.

“We’re coming out. We are all coming out.”

Despite her joy at seeing a friendly face, Lindsey had mixed feelings. She was still furious with Jake for using her and Laura the way he had, and for all the lying he’d done. She assumed that she didn’t even know the half of it. Jake’s betrayal had been the last straw for her, the main reason she’d taken off on this wilderness adventure. On the other hand, she had to admit that she desperately needed his help right now, and she was glad to see him. She could no longer pretend that she was fine. Her side hurt from the scabs, her stomach had felt unsettled for days, her whole body seemed feverish and weak, and now her wrist throbbed, making even the simplest tasks nearly impossible. Yes, she needed help.

Lindsey opened the tent flap, and Wendell bounded out. It was slow going as Lindsey got herself and Malcolm’s cage out with the use of only one hand, and when they finally did make it out, she got tripped up where the tent’s floor met the tent’s side. Jake stepped in immediately to set the birdcage upright and give Lindsey a helping hand. Their eyes met for the first time since the night of the Desert Performance, and both pairs of eyes conveyed looks of surprise and disbelief.

“What happened to you?” they asked simultaneously.

“You first,” Lindsey said.

One corner of Jake’s mouth lifted, and it looked as if the movement was quite painful. His appearance was shocking. She didn’t tell him his left eye and cheek area looked like a rotten red potato, but if he happened to read her mind at that very moment, she’d assure him that there was no unpleasant odor at all.

“It’s a very, very long story.”

“The nutshell version then.”

“Shawna slugged me.”

She tilted her head, skeptical. “One punch did all that damage?”

“I don’t know. Maybe there were two punches, or I might have done some damage when I fell. I’m not sure about all the details, since I was knocked out for a while. She’s strong. Your turn.”

“Oh, well,” she said, glancing at her elevated wrist. “I tripped on a tree root or something and fell on my wrist. It’s not doing too well.” She hesitated…‌and then decided to let Jake have it. “Actually, I look like this because you betrayed me, Jake. I’m angry, and this is what anger looks like on me. How could you have used me as a guinea pig for your research without even telling me? How could you pretend to be my friend all the while you were spying on me and my problems and my feelings and—”

“I don’t blame you for being angry. I was going to tell you. That’s one of the main reasons I’m here—”

“Speaking of which, how in the world did you find us here?” Lindsey had so many questions that even just thinking about them was overwhelming.

Jake shook his head. “Listen. I have so much to tell you‌—‌far too much for you to digest or for me to tell in one night. Please, Lindsey, hear me out. Right now, let me build a fire and cook our dinner while you rest and drink the tea I’ll make for you. Tonight I will do my best to explain my research project, tell you all the mistakes I made, and the fiasco it evolved into. Then I’ll share the story of how I came to find you. If you’re willing, I’d like to stay here with you, and over the next three days, we can heal ourselves physically and mentally. Each night I’ll tell you another story that will help us both make sense out of this past year.”

Lindsey was too weak to argue, but she wasn’t sure this was a good idea. It meant three more nights in the Zuni Mountains, and three more stories that would likely take her down the memory lane from Hell. She wasn’t at all sure she could do it, but…‌she could manage tonight. She wanted to know the scope of Jake’s research and find out the role her miserable life had played on the pages of his work. And she was hungry and tired. At least she would eat and sleep. And maybe, for the evening, she’d feel safe.

The fire’s hypnotic flames crackled and popped, sending sparks dancing toward the silent treetops. If there were any onlookers of the two-legged variety, the sight of Wendell, Lindsey, and Jake sitting around the fire together might be viewed as a perfect, little family on a camping vacation. The presence of Malcolm added an odd, if not special, touch. But, of course, looks could be deceiving. Jake’s storytelling—
his confession, really
—had not yet begun, so an invisible tension permeated the smoke and pine scented air.

“Jake, I think I would like to hear the part about how you found me here first. That way we can kind of ‘warm up’ before getting into the hard stuff‌—‌the stuff that’s going to make me want to hit you, too…‌though I doubt my punch would do even a fraction of the damage that Shawna’s did. Why did she hit you, anyway?”

“First of all, I’d prefer that no punching takes place. This face can’t stand another blow just yet. As far as ‘why she hit me,’ well, that’s a story for another night. Here. Eat your ramen.”

Jake made them each another mug of his special herb tea and put a towel over Malcolm’s cage to protect the bird from the rapidly falling temperature, but he left an opening so the bird could still see them. He gave Wendell a store-bought bone and a scratch behind his ears, then scooted his low beach-type chair over so that he sat facing Lindsey, almost knee to knee.

“Once upon a time—”

“You don’t have to do that,” Lindsey said, not sure if she was annoyed or enamored.

“Okay. I just wasn’t sure how to start. I’m more of a writer or a listener than a talker.”

Jake did his best, trying to stick to facts. He explained to Lindsey that the morning after Shawna’s right hook had met his jaw, he’d gone over to her place. He wanted to make sure she was all right and, in all honesty, he said he was hoping for a little sympathy.

“I was on your porch, ringing the bell, just as the mail lady walked up your sidewalk. I told her I was just about to go in, so she let me take the mail‌—‌two envelopes and an educational journal. But after several minutes went by and you didn’t answer the door, I looked in the back and didn’t see any sign of you, Wendell, or Malcolm. That’s when I got worried. So I went by Laura’s, figuring that if anyone knew your whereabouts, it would be Laura.”

“I didn’t tell her where I was going.”

“That’s what she said.”

“Go on.”

“When I mentioned to Laura that Malcolm and Wendell were gone too, she was sure all three of you were headed out of Tucson. At first she had no idea where, then she said that maybe you had retreated to the Zuni Mountains. She said she’d mentioned it to you, and she gave me the basic directions. I had no trouble finding the Zuni pueblo, but finding you was another matter. I’ve been driving around these hills and plateaus on dirt trails for about eight hours.” He shook his head. “I’ve got to tell you, Linds, you chose
the
worst road in the entire Cibola National Forest.”

“I’ll agree with you on that. I had some…‌trouble in spots,” Lindsey admitted. “But I don’t understand why you drove all the way from Tucson when you didn’t even know for sure that I was here.”

“I was willing to take a chance. You see, as I was leaving Laura’s, she mentioned your ‘bug bites’ and the discomfort you were having. Based upon what she told me, plus a little of my own research, I arrived at the conclusion that your sores had nothing to do with insects. If my educated hunch was correct, you were going to feel much worse over the next several days. I wanted to help you, Lindsey.” He smiled. “And of course I didn’t want to break any federal laws, so I needed to deliver your mail, too. So I had to come.”

“Well, doctor, what’s the diagnosis?”

“Can I take a look?”

Even Lindsey hadn’t looked in a few days, though she knew the sores were still there, alive and raging with pain. She lifted her loosely fitting sweatshirt just enough for Jake to shine his flashlight on her midsection, and she didn’t like the look on his face.