The Family Gathering. Robyn Carr

collapsed.

      Rob brought her into the bar, at first to lend a hand or have a meal with the boys. Eventually she worked her way into the business, getting to know the patrons, becoming friends with the other employees, getting to know the people in the town. Now it was her lifeline.

      She still lived with her brother and nephews. She and Rob worked together to make sure the boys had everything they needed and the full support of parental figures. Sean and Finn were smart, athletic and funny. College was on the horizon.

      “We’re going to turn into one of those odd brother and sister couples who no one understands and who live into old age together without changing anything,” Sid joked.

      The town didn’t know all she’d been through. She was divorced, as were many people. They only knew a little of what Rob had been through, burying a young wife when his sons were only six and eight.

      There was one thing that continued to plague her. How could her ex-husband treat her with that kind of selfish cruelty, use her as he had, abandon her the way he did and sleep at night? She tried not to think about that too much; it made her too sad. She was not known as a sad person. She was well liked and considered to be bright and funny and helpful.

      There were plenty of attractive, personable men in Timberlake. She’d even been asked out. Could she ever be friends with a man again? She thought probably not.

      But she took an oath. She was never going to let herself be that isolated and overworked again. She planned to surround herself with family and friends. Casual friends, not lovers.

      * * *

      By the time Cal got back from Denver, Dakota had signed his rental agreement, moved in his meager belongings and been hired by the county to haul trash part-time, starting in ten days. There would be a few days of training first, though how one trained in picking up garbage eluded him. He hoped they’d let him drive the big truck.

      “Wow,” Cal said. “This almost sounds like you really are staying awhile.”

      “Awhile,” he said, noncommittal.

      “Gonna show me your place?” Cal asked.

      “Certainly. Whenever you’re ready.”

      “Let’s go!”

      Cal jumped in the Jeep and they drove for about fifteen minutes to the little cabin in the woods. Dakota drove slowly over the bridge. “I hear this creek swells in spring. If it gets bad, I guess I’ll have to pole-vault home.”

      “This is downright...cute,” Cal said.

      “Be careful there,” he said. “It’s manly.”

      “That, too,” Cal said.

      “I just bought two canvas deck chairs. We can sit on the porch and have a beer and watch the deer and bunnies.”

      They went inside and Cal admired the wood floors, the appliances, the big table, the stone fireplace. “This is not bad,” he pronounced.

      “I like it,” Dakota said.

      “Kind of all alone out here, isn’t it?”

      “That’s the part I like best,” Dakota said. “But it turns out I have Wi-Fi. I’m not sure how good it is but if it’s terrible I’ll just spend a lot of time at your place. Or Sully’s. Or Sierra’s. Hey, when is Sierra getting married?”

      Cal looked at him in surprise. “Are you concerned?”

      “Nah, but I want to make sure she’s taken care of. You know?”

      Cal put his hands on his hips. “No, I don’t know. You’ve hardly communicated, now you’re taking care of people?”

      “To be honest, I never thought I’d be around family. I don’t hate it,” he added, smiling.

      “Why didn’t that occur to you before?” Cal asked.

      “Seriously?” Dakota said. “Let’s see. Not only was I in the Army, you were in Michigan! What’s the matter, was the North Pole full? Dad was in the twilight zone. Mom was pretty much there with him, and Sierra was under the influence. Are you suggesting I should have gone to live near Sedona so she could run my life?”

      “You have a point,” Cal said.

      “Who knew you and Sierra would settle in a cool place?”

      “I never saw it coming, either,” Cal said. “I was just hiking. It was time and I was looking for the right place to scatter Lynne’s ashes...”

      “And you end up at some old guy’s campground and he has a gorgeous daughter who just happens to be a neurosurgeon? How does that happen?”

      “I must be living right,” Cal said. “You need anything? This stuff going to get you by?”

      “I don’t need anything, Cal.”

      “You don’t start your job for a while. It’s only part-time. If you need a little help, just say—”

      Dakota put up his hand. “I left home seventeen years ago. I’ve gotten by without help, haven’t I?”

      “I guess I always took it for granted that the Army was taking care of you,” Cal said. “We sure didn’t grow up soft, did we? But if there’s one thing we figured out early—there wasn’t much help available. Talk about training in making your own way.”

      “That brings something to mind. Does everyone around here know how we grew up?”

      “Everyone? I doubt everyone knows the details. The people we’re close to know. I took Maggie to the farm to meet the folks before we got married, giving her one last chance to run for her life.”

      “And she didn’t run?”

      “Nah,” he said. “Maggie’s tolerance and compassion far outpaces anything I’ve encountered. That’s one of the things I love about her.”

      Dakota didn’t look at his brother but he could feel Cal’s eyes on him.

      “You’re wasting a lot of energy still being mad at them,” Cal said.

      “They weren’t exactly sterling parents,” Dakota said. “And it’s not because they were poor—there’s something honorable about being poor and holding it together. They were negligent. Jed should’ve been on medication! Marissa should have insisted.”

      “Know what Maggie said about that? She said she’s had a lot of people refuse medical treatment for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they find the treatment worse than the disease, sometimes they’re afraid, sometimes they’ve made peace with their dysfunction and know how to live with it. He might not have been the best father but Jed is still a gentle soul. Crazy, but sweet. Scared of his own shadow but kind. He was always so good in his heart.”

      “As he talked about his design of Apollo 13, or his Nobel nomination or some other delusion.”

      “My favorite was when he was getting ready for a security briefing,” Cal said with a chuckle.

      “I don’t want to laugh about it yet,” Dakota said.

      “Let’s check out your new porch chairs and see if we can talk about things you find more agreeable.”

      They sat and talked for a while about general things, the town, Sully’s place. Cal explained that Sully had had a heart attack a couple of years ago and ever since then those people attached to him—Maggie, Sierra, Cal, Connie—had all been checking on him regularly and pitching in with the chores around the Crossing. Dakota had fallen right into step, often showing up at the Crossing to help out.

      In the late afternoon Dakota took Cal home and then headed for town. He parked way down the street and walked to the bar. He sat up at the bar and was promptly waited on by Rob. They chatted briefly while Rob served him a beer but there was no sign of Sid. Dakota nursed his beer slowly and eventually