Eagle's Destiny (2 page)

CHAPTER TWO

Halfway to my cabin, it started to sprinkle and as I arrived, it was pouring.  I parked in the back of the cabin, and was relieved when I saw Don had left the lights on.  While I gathered my purse, the dogs bounded out of the backseat, and ran up to the back porch.  For once,
they
did not run around because they wanted to be out of the rain too.  As I let myself into my cabin, I noticed the house next door had lights on.  It made me happy to see it finally occupied, it had remained empty for so long.

I had been away most of the summer.  The three months
had flown by quickly.  M
y house in
Southern California
was a convenient base of operations when I had to travel, but the cabin was
becoming
my home. 

Topper and Samantha happily rushed
in
, and immediately they began rubbing themselves on the scatter rugs in the living room.  Samantha ran over to one of the many stuffed animals in a box next to the couch and pulled out a toy.  She brought it over to me and laid it at my feet. 

“Oh you want to play?”  I picked up the stuffed elephant and threw it across the room.  The dogs scampered quickly after the toy.  After 5 minutes of fetch, all three of us were out of breath, and the scatter rugs were in a pile in the center of the floor.

My cabin faced Lake Mintock, a lake located in central California just north of San Francisco and the wine country.  I appreciated the quiet
.  S
ince my cabin was the last on a utility road off the main highway, I did not
have
to contend with
the
traffic
and noise
. 

The one story cabin although considered small in the area, was big enough for
the
dogs and me with the two bedrooms and bathrooms.  The cabin had a rustic appearance to it with high polished pine floors and cabinets.  The kitchen, dining, and living room
s
were
one large great room facing the lake.  Sunsets over the lake were dramatic in the late summer and there were plenty of windows on the front of the house to enjoy the
vibrant
colors reflecting off the lake
.
  Located near the front door was my writing desk.  While I wrote, I spent many hours staring out the large
front window
.
 

I put my briefcase
on the
desk
chair
.  A vase full of delicate pink mini-carnations sitting on the desk made me smile.  The welcome home present from Don and his wife Debi touched my heart.  Living at the cabin always seemed to increase my creative juices and could pull me out of any writer’s block.  My father and younger sister, who both had homes within three blocks of my house in
Southern California
, could not understand why I
kept returning to the cabin
. 

Carrying
the luggage into my bedroom
, I
quickly unpacked
,
throwing most of the clothes into the laundry hamper.  Keeping clothes at both places was tedious and I would forget what I had where, but here my clothing was simple.  In the summer, it was shorts and tank tops, in the winter I wore jeans and sweaters.  There were not many occasions to dress up in Mintock, a few dresses more than made my wardrobe complete.

After settling the dogs in with water and snacks, I took a shower, and put on my white cotton nightgown.  The bedside clock said one a.m. and
my bones felt the late hour
. 
The
encounter with Kevin earlier in the day had zapped all my energy.  I opened the window far enough to be able to hear the rain outside and to bring in some of the cool breezes.  Listening to the rain at bedtime was a favorite because it would soothe me and help me sleep.  Both Topper and Samantha were already on the bed when I crawled under the covers and snuggled into the down comforter with them. 

I slept like a dead person, which was unusual for me.  Opening my eyes and looking at the clock, I could not believe it was already eight o’clock.  I rarely slept in preferring to get an early start to my day.  As soon as Samantha realized that I was awake, she came bounding on top of me.  We played this every morning.  She would not bother me while I slept, but open one eye and she was right there ready for cuddles and hugs
. 
Topper was never far behind.

Our first morning stop was the doggy bathroom break.  I opened the bedroom door and the dogs quickly ran to the doggy door in the kitchen that led to the fenced side of the house.  While the dogs were outside sniffing all the new smells, I checked the refrigerator.  Debi had gone grocery shopping
for me
and it appeared that the list was complete down to the coffee and dog food.

I dressed in white cotton shorts and a red tank top.  While the coffee brewed, I prepared the dog’s breakfasts.  I missed having a newspaper and was too lazy to unpack my laptop to check the news.  I added newspaper delivery to the list
. 
After eating, the dogs followed me out the front door and I sat in the big verandah chair on the front porch while they lay by my feet.  I could not start the day without my coffee first.  Normally though the
routine included a jog with the dogs first, then coffee.  I really spoiled myself this morning.

The crisp air from the rain the previous night was refreshing, but it would warm up and turn into a humid and hot day.  Two young women from the house next door carried towels and baskets out to the small
motor
boat tied to the dock located between our two houses.  A large terrier mix and a smaller
G
erman
S
heppard
ran around them.  Topper barked at the two dogs while standing safely up on the first step. 

Both women startled and looked up.  The shorter blond woman started waving her arm, and shouted, “Hello!”  She ran toward me, and the two dogs and her companion followed.  As she came closer, I realized that she was young, definitely younger than the age of twenty.

I walked down the steps.  “Hi,” I said when she reached me. 

A couple of inches shorter than me, she was a beautiful girl.  She wore her straight shoulder length blond hair pulled up in a ponytail with her bangs brushed to the side.  Her blue eyes framed a cherubic face with deep dimples on the corners of her mouth. 

“Are you Elizabeth Sommars?” she asked breathlessly.

“Yes, I am.  Do you live next door?”  I pointed to the two-story house.

“Oh my gosh!  I knew it.  You look just like your pictures.  Debi told me that you lived next door.  I love your books.  This is so exciting!”  Her exuberance threatened to take her over.

When her companion reached us, it was clear that they were sisters.  She reached out her hand to me, and I immediately noticed her long and delicate fingers with short cut nails.  I would bet she was a piano player. 

“I’m Katy, and this is my sister Tammy.  We moved here about two months ago with our dad.”  Katy was slightly shorter and thinner than Tammy.  Her face was longer and her blond hair had more curl than Tammy’s. 

While I was away, Debi had told me that a family had moved in after making renovations to the interior.  The house built in the twenties, was the first home in the cove and it had needed the repair badly.  The family who had previously owned the house used it only in the summers, and after their children grew, they let it fall into disrepair.

“It’s nice to meet you.  Would you gals like some coffee?”  I asked.

Tammy responded immediately.  “That would be great!”  She came up the steps, Katy and the dogs followed her.  Tammy turned and looked at the dogs, “You two stay here.”

“Oh that’s okay, let them in.”  I went into the house and tried not to trip over the four dogs moving around my feet. 

“Your website said your new book is coming out soon, isn’t it?”  Tammy inquired as I pulled mugs out of the cupboard.

“The release date is in six weeks,” I nodded and poured the coffee.  “I
have freshly baked coffee cake, Debi made it.”

They helped me carry the cups and plates to the table.  Tammy’s excitement bubbled over, “I can hardly wait for the book, it’s another Jessica story isn’t it?”

“Well, it’s a good thing you know the author,” I winked and rummaged through my briefcase.  I pulled out a book and laid it in front of Tammy, “
T
his is a pre-publish copy all for you.”

She snatched the book up quickly, “Oh my gosh!  Oh my gosh!”  Tammy held the book to her chest her blue eyes sparkling.  I thought she was ready to swoon.

Katy and I both laughed.

“Tammy, get a grip
,
”
Katy admonished.

Tammy stuck her tongue out at Katy, “Oh don’t tell me you don’t read them too!”

“Would you like me to sign it?”  I offered.

Tammy thrust the book back at me, “Oh yes!”

While we drank our coffee and ate Debi’s delicious caramel and pecan coffee cake, I learned more about the new family who lived next door.  Tammy was eighteen and had just graduated from high school before moving to Mintock.  In September, she planned to attend our junior college in Ashley the town closest to Mintock before transferring to UC Davis in January. 
R
ecently
,
s
he had decided to study veterinary medicine.  Topper and Samantha certainly fell in love with her because they sat right next to her.  It was either that or she was dropping coffee cake to them.

Katy, two years older than Tammy
,
was considerably quieter.  Katy attended Julliard in New York and was on summer break.  When she confirmed she played the piano I just smiled and nodded.  The air about her was more composed and sophisticated.

Our conversation turned to their father.  “I know my dad will want to meet you when he gets back.  He was interested in your boat when he saw Don parking it at
our
dock yesterday.”  Katy laughed, “Dad loves anything that goes fast.”

I laughed too, “Yeah, it is a little too much for our lake.  I like to water ski and I wanted something fast.  Is your dad away?”

Tammy piped in, “Dad’s out shooting animals.”

I was glad the phone rang at that instant so I could cover the horror on my face her comment had brought.  A wave of nausea came over me when I answered the phone.  “Excuse me
.
Hello?”

“Elizabeth?  I didn’t wake you, did I?”
T
he voice on the line hesitated.

“Oh Debi,” I answered, “no, in fact I have Katy and Tammy here, my new neighbors.  We’re enjoying your great coffee cake.”

“So you’ve met the Hoffman’s?” she asked with curiosity in her voice.  “What do you think?”

“Well, just the girls.  Their father is away at the moment.”

“Just wait ‘til you meet him.  He is an absolute dreamboat.  I mean he is freaking hot!  He’s someone I would go after…well… if I were still single.” 

I laughed.  Sometimes Debi sounded like her teen-aged daughter.

“Okay Debi,” stopping her rave, “I’ll see you in a bit.”  I could hear her giggle as I hung up the phone.

Katy and Tammy moved to get up as I replaced the phone in the cradle.  They helped carry the dishes into the kitchen.  With many thanks from Tammy for the book, they left to continue with their Saturday. 

The walk along the lakeshore to Debi and Don’s house was one of my favorites. 
On the other side of my new neighbors
, there was
an
empty cabin about the same size as mine. 
Next
was
a
large two-story old Victorian style home
,
belonging to my friends Angel and Lewis.  Their kids were playing outside and came running when they saw me. 

Angel walked down from her porch and reached up to hug me, “Welcome home!  We missed you!” 

A few years younger and a head shorter than me, Angel’s face had
a
delicate bone structure with high cheekbones and full lips.  Her hair cut straight around her shoulders with full bangs was a mixture of light brown and dark blond.  The most dramatic feature was her large chocolate brown eyes, which could show a depth of understanding unlike any other. 

“I missed you guys too.  I heard about
Lewis’
knee, is he okay?”  I said hugging her back.  Her husband was
the manager of
our baseball team and the fire department captain for Mintock.

Angel bent over to pick up her youngest daughter and said, “Yeah, he’s okay, but he’s out for the rest of the season.  The doctor said no more baseball for the year although he is still able to manage us all.  He was excited when he heard you were coming home.  We desperately need you back
because
you know how he feels about my pitching.”  She groaned and then laughed.