Whirlwind Love: Libby's Journey (24 page)

Lead,
South Dakota, Day 30 – Wednesday

When Libby awoke at 6:00 a.m., Joe was sitting with his back against the arm and his feet across the sofa cushions studying his script. She slipped out of bed and ran her fingers through his hair as she circled the sofa to sit on the edge beside him. He lay the script in his lap and pulled her close for a good morning kiss. She snuggled into his neck as he wrapped his arms around her.

After a few moments of quiet snuggling, Joe whispered, “I’ve been thinking. Why don’t we move your RV to the set? That’ll give you some place to hang out while you’re up there.”

Libby nodded against his chest.

“Good. Cause it’s already up there. [Joe laughs] And, you know, I’m thinking that it might not be a good idea to wander around by yourself anymore. I don’t mean anything by it...but if anything happened to you.”

Libby sat up and looked into his eyes. She put her hand on his cheek and kissed him. Without a word, she nodded, then left him to shower.

As the water ran down her hair, Libby thought of how much Joe cared. How he worried about her well-being, and tears filled her eyes. She smiled as she stuck her face underneath the water for a moment. She reached for the shampoo and lathered as she whispered, “Oh, Joe...if you only knew how much I loved you.” She took a deep breath and looked out the doorway. “But where will you be in another month…or year? Will you tire of me and move on?”

Over breakfast, Joe mentioned, “Hey, several of the crew wanted to go into town today—you wanna go? There’s some things I wanted to take care of.”

Libby nodded as she poured another cup of coffee. “Sounds good. Anything you need me to do?”

“Nope. Just have fun! Well, keep your eyes open, but have fun.”

With Joe behind the wheel, the carload of women hit Main Street, chattering about plans for town.

“You girls go do your shopping thing. I’ve got some errands to run, and we’ll meet for lunch around 11:30 at that cafe over there...sound good?” Joe asked.

The excited chorus of agreements caused passersby to look.

“Hey, you girls watch out for each other...right?” Joe called out.

With waves to Joe, the gabby girls dashed into a vintage store while Joe drove down the street. Libby stood at the door and watched him drive away as long as she could before one of the girls grabbed her arm and pulled her into the store.

Joe was waiting at one of two Main Street Café’s alfresco tables as the boisterous girls made their way up the street with the day’s haul.

“I hope the trunk’s big enough!” he called out upon their arrival. He tossed the keys to the only free hand in the bunch. The group passed by the trunk one at a time to place their bags, then Libby closed it carefully and slipped the keys into her pocket.

The group languished the afternoon with laughter and lunch before heading back to the lodge.

* * *

Libby and Joe arrived at the lodge’s small, private dining room in time to join several other cast and crew for a late dinner. Just after the meal was served, Libby’s phone rang.

“Muggs! Hey!” Libby was excited to see Megan on her caller ID.

“Libby, I’m so glad you answered.” Megan’s voice sounded stressed.

Libby replied with great concern. “What’s wrong?” Joe’s eyes were immediately drawn by her question.

“I hit a deer. I’m okay, but the car’s a mess.”

“Where are you?”

“About two miles from home. I was going to check on things. Thought I’d stay out there for the weekend—I don’t have class again until next week. She came from out of nowhere, Libby! I...killed her.” Megan began to cry.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Libby’s stressed voice concerned Joe as he listened intently, trying to discern information from her part of the conversation.

Libby took the call out the side door onto the empty patio.

“‘Scuse us, folks,” Joe offered the table. He followed quickly behind.

“So, you’ve called for help? Megan...have you called for help?”

As Megan gained composure, she finally replied, “Not yet.”

“Call 911, baby. I’m too far away...I’ll come home—I’ll get the next flight. But you need to get help now. You hang up and call 911, I’ll call Will. Okay?”

“Okay. You’ll call me back though, right?” Megan replied with fear in her voice.

“Yes...I’ll call you back. No, wait, you call me when you get off the phone with the dispatcher,” Libby’s calm reply was deliberate.

“Okay, Libby.”

Libby took a deep breath as Joe put his arm around her.

“She’s okay, right?”

Libby nodded as she held the phone to her ear.

“Will, hey, sorry to bother you so late, but Megan hit a deer...she’s a couple miles from the house. I’m in South Dakota...can you help her?” Libby looked intently into Joe’s eyes as she spoke. He’d become a rock for her to lean on. She clung to him as she completed her call with Will.

As she hung up the phone, Joe hugged Libby tightly. “She’s okay. That’s what’s important...right?”

Libby nodded against his cheek. As she regained her composure she realized how weak her knees felt and looked around for a seat. Joe followed and sat beside her.

Libby waited for the ring. Ten agonizing minutes later, her phone rang.

“I’m okay. Someone’s on the way,” Megan answered before Libby could speak.

“Will’s on the way, too. I should come home.”

“No, that’s not necessary. I don’t want you to come home,” Megan began to cry softly. “Just talk to me until somebody comes, please.”

Libby asked Megan questions about school to get her mind off the deer and her mangled new car.

“Hasn’t anybody passed by her yet?” Joe asked softly.

Libby shook her head, then covered the mouthpiece of the phone. “We live out near...nowhere. I don’t imagine anybody would.”

Libby smiled, “No, Joe just asked if any cars had passed you that could help.” Libby looked adoringly at Joe. “Hey, you made her laugh...yeah...the boonies.”

Libby again held the mouthpiece, “The cops just arrived. No, baby, I’ll stay on the line...go ahead and talk to them.”

While Megan spoke to the police, Libby explained to Joe. “She was driving about 45 and the deer ran in front of her car. I’m glad she wasn’t going faster—it would’ve probably flipped over the vehicle—or worse--through the windshield.”

Turning her attention back to the phone, Libby continued, “Oh...it’s Scott? Good...I know he’ll take care of you. Oh...okay, put him on. Hey, Scott. I’m glad you got the call. Is she okay?”

Pausing for the other side of the conversation, Libby continued, “Well, I can fly home—I’m in South Dakota, so driving would take too long. But, if she needs me...yeah...the RV. Been...well, all over the place. Yeah, it’s been a blast. Do you think she’s okay?” Libby listened intently then nodded. “Okay...let me talk to her one more time.

“Muggs, you’re sure you don’t want me to fly home? Oh...great! Will’s there. Okay...well, call me when you get to the house, please. Promise...okay?” Libby closed the phone and collapsed onto Joe’s waiting shoulder with a hard sigh.

“She’ okay then...right?”

“Yeah.”

“I know who Will is...but who’s Scott?” Libby smiled as she sat up. “My old high school beau...he’s a deputy. He had issues keeping his lips to himself. That’s old news, though.”

* * *

Libby sat in the chair in their hotel room waiting anxiously for Megan’s call. It had been an hour since they’d spoken. Several times during the hour Libby would straighten up the hotel room, refolding clothes in the drawers or arranging product bottles on the dresser. She glanced at Joe from time-to-time, who was quietly reading his script.

When there was nothing left to clean, she focused on Joe. “Wanna run lines?”

Joe sat under the covers, script in his hands. She didn’t realize he was staring at the same page for almost the entire hour.

“Joe, wanna run lines?”

His stone face didn’t register her question. She moved across the room and crawled into the bed next to him. “Hey, how ‘bout a distraction? Can I help you with your lines?”

Joe’s serious face turned to hers, as if he hadn’t understood anything she’d said. He laid the script in his lap and his head back on the headboard as he studied her face.

“What’s that? Sorry...I was...focusing.”

She smiled, “Lines? Wanna run lines with me? I could use the distraction.”

His face softened a little, but the serious look in his eyes didn’t leave. “Did you get your call?”

“No,” Libby’s tone was somewhat exasperated, and she shifted on the bed.

Joe’s jaw set as he turned his attention back to his script. “She’ll call. It’s really killing you…not being there, isn’t it?”

Libby looked concerned at the coolness of his tone. She studied his face for a clue to his thoughts.

“Nothing like this has ever happened before...or rather, I’ve always been there for her. She’s never had to handle...an emergency...on her own.”

“Well, I understand how you’re worried, but it sounded like she was doing okay on her own.”

Libby nodded. “I know...I need to give her the room to grow up. It’s just...we’re all we have.”

Joe’s head snapped as he turned to face her. His teeth clenched. As he clearly considered his words, he tossed the script to the end of the bed and threw back the covers.

“Think I’ll go...get out of here for a while.”

Libby looked confused, “Joe, are you okay?”

Joe dressed quickly. “I’ll be back,” he called back without a glance as he left the room.

* * *

Joe took the stairs to the first floor, trying to squash the anger that had taken over. As he walked across the lobby, he stopped at the doorway to the bar. Inside were many cast and crew members, laughing and drinking. Joe sighed, shook his head and walked out the main entrance of the hotel.

* * *

Libby sat bewildered in the quiet, empty room. She couldn’t understand Joe’s abrupt departure. Tears filled her eyes as she sat, emotionally exhausted by the events of the night.

Half-an-hour later, the phone rang. Libby jumped.

“Megan?”

Libby waited a long while as the conversation continued on the other end. “Okay, babe. Call me if you need me. I’m here. Tell Jane and Will thanks. Get some sleep...we’ll worry about the car tomorrow. Love you!” Libby sighed as she hung up the phone. Tears flowed freely for a few minutes as the relief washed over her. She took a short shower and dressed for bed. By the time she was dressed, Joe had still not returned. She crawled into the bed and placed the phone beside her. Her mind wandered for a short while, then sleep washed away the day.

* * *

Libby awoke as Joe slipped into the bed. She instinctively reached out to him. He took her hand as he placed his head on the pillow.

“Everything okay?”

“Jane and Will took her home with them tonight. Scott had the car towed, so it’s all over but the paperwork, I guess. Are you okay?”

Libby slid next to Joe.

Joe sighed, his body seemed stiff next to hers. She raised her head to study his eyes. “Joe?” her voice held concern.

“Do you really think you’re alone in this?” Joe’s voice seemed cold.

“Well, no...”

“Listening to you, Libby. I just wondered...if you have any idea. This thing we’re doin’...” Joe shifted as he struggled to find the words.

“I’ve been walkin’ for hours. I thought I had this figured out. Look. I understand emergencies. I understand family. But you’re not in this alone anymore. Are you? Do you really think that you are?”

Through the faint light from the window, he looked into her eyes. “You know you have
me
, right? You’re not alone.”

Libby’s eyes filled with tears. “Joe...” she touched his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply...”

“Well, it sounded to me like you have a bigger support system than you’re givin’ credit for...Will, Scott, to name a few. I hate this happened, but maybe it happened for a good reason, you know? If she were hurt, I’d be next to you in that plane right now. But she wasn’t hurt. I’m thankful for that, don’t get me wrong.

“You said somethin’ to me once about buildin’ a wall. Libby, that’s exactly what you’re doin’ right now. I wasn’t included. I wasn’t a thought. I’m not sayin’ you can’t take care of things, but I wonder—what’re
you
doin’ here?”

Libby sat up in the bed and withdrew her hand. Her mind was racing, and she couldn’t think how she should answer him.

“For the record...Libby,
I don’t want you to go
.” He blinked away the tears in his eyes as he emphasized each of the words..

Libby couldn’t respond. She froze at his admission.

Joe continued with great composure, “Look...the car can be replaced. This is an opportunity for Megan to realize her own strengths, too. You can give her the space to do just that. I mean, don’t we all do that at some point in our life?”

Libby nodded, mindlessly.

“Well, everybody, but Chuck, that is,” Joe laughed. He looked into her eyes, then wiped a tear from Libby’s cheek.

Libby threw herself into him and hugged him. “Joe, I didn’t mean...” She kissed him passionately. “I don’t wanna leave you. I’m so sorry if that’s what you thought,” her voice was constricted. “I love you, Joe.”

In relief, Joe wrapped his arms around her and flipped her over his body and onto her back. His finger slid along her face, pushing the hair back and settled under her chin. He kissed her deliberately, then placed his forehead on hers, his eyes closed. His deep sigh of relief said everything he didn’t.

He pulled the blankets around them. She snuggled next to him, and he stroked her hair until she fell asleep. Soon thereafter, he drifted off as well.

Lead,
South Dakota, Day 31 - Thursday

The routine was so often a 5 or 6 a.m. wake-up, but upon waking today, Joe and Libby lay in the bed talking softly about everything, and nothing in particular. Joe took Libby’s hand, “What’s say we pack a picnic, go for a hike, see the sun rise?” Joe offered.

“Really?” she asked excitedly. “Oh, I’ve been wanting to take you on the ‘76 trail! It’s an easy hike, not long, and it’s SO beautiful! I thought watching the sunrise there would be amazing!”

“Sounds good...let’s go!” Both jump out of bed and set the plan in motion. Joe called the lodge restaurant and asked them to pack a breakfast picnic basket suitable for a hike, including a thermos of coffee and water bottles.

Joe put his thermals under cargo pants, packed his pockets with everything he thought they might need on their walk, and then some. Libby also dressed for the fall morning, with leggings under her jeans and layered shirts to keep out the cold yet allow her to be comfortable in the mid-day as well.

By 5:30, the two loaded the camera, a blanket, a flashlight, and a backpack full of food packed by the kitchen. Hand-in-hand they made their way across the parking lot and down the dark trail. They took their time, walking in the cold morning, listening to the forest awaken as they passed through. About a mile from the lodge the trail offered a detour beyond the trees to a secluded overlook, which appeared just as the horizon turned from dark blue to deep-mauve. Soon the golden umber of sunrise crept in.

After laying out the blanket, they snuggled to watch the painted sky. Joe pulled out the thermos and poured them both a hot cup of coffee. “To happiness,” he touched her cup with his, and they snuggled together as the sunrise painted the Dakota sky.

“Libby,” Joe said softly. Snuggled against his body, she turned her face to meet his.

“Yes, Joe?” she replied formally and giggled.

He set his coffee down and turned to face her. Pausing again, he took her coffee and set it down beside him too. Taking both her hands in his, he felt the coldness of her skin and blew warm air across them while sliding his hands around them for warmth. When he was satisfied with their temperature, he looked again into her face.

“I was thinkin’ about things…and people, that I’ve taken for granted. Marty, for instance. I had to lose him before I realized just how much I relied on and needed him. I’ve lost my band, my career, even pappy. It made me think, Libby, that there’s no way I wanna lose you, too.

“Libby, I don’t ever remember being so happy or complete. I know I’ve told you what a difference you’ve made in my life...I don’t ever want to know a day that doesn’t include you. I used to be afraid of not singing, then at some point I realized that never again acting would be bad, too. But, what if one day it’s all gone.

“I’ll tell ya, my biggest fear these days is that something, or someone, takes you away from me. I just couldn’t bear it. Sometimes, at night, I look at you sleeping. I just can’t even remember what life was like before you. I’ve only known you a month, but, I swear it feels like forever. And if it meant giving up everything…to have you…I would.

“I think I now know what folks mean by “soul mates,” because I found mine that day you climbed that ladder, looked into my eyes and took my picture, you captured my heart! I pray every day you feel the same.” Tears welled in his blue eyes as he spoke.

Libby smiled, “Joe,” Libby began, but before she finish he kissed her.

“Libby, marry me? I want to be there every day for the rest of your life...I want us to be a family, have a life together, always. I want us to have a
home
. I don’t care what I do, where I go, as long as you’re a part of my life, I think I can take on the world...but only if you’re there beside me.”

Libby’s shocked face startled him. The fear etched into his face for a moment. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, handed it to her. Just as she took the box from his hand, the first rays of the sun crossed her cheek, snapping them both back to their surroundings. Libby laughed, nervously.

She put her hand around the back of Joe’s neck, pulling his face to hers and kissed him, softly, then passionately. She held the box next to her heart as she put her cold hand on his face. “I’d like nothing better...YES! Oh, Joe, I love you so much...I don’t ever wanna let you go either!”

Joe sighed as the fear left his heart and a grin grew across his face. Joe took the box from Libby’s hand and opened it, taking the diamond from the case and slipping it onto her cold, shriveled finger. The ring rolled around it loosely. She laughed, as tears streamed down her face. He kissed away the tears and held her close to him. “You had me worried there!” he laughed. The two stayed wrapped in each other’s arms as the sun climbed, changing the sky from gold to blue.