Day 6 - Wednesday
Adam awoke slowly in the half-light of dawn, clawing reluctantly into wakefulness; a struggle after the delights of the dream world. But then he saw the shock of autumn hair, the bare shoulder peeping out from beneath his coat, and felt the soft round arm thrown languorously across his waist, and knew the events of the night had all been real. He stretched carefully, trying not to wake the sleeping naiad. But she roused and sleepily lifted her head, resting her chin on his chest as she smiled drowsily at him.
He pulled her up to him and they kissed for a breath that seemed like an eternity. And then Adam told her that he was going to leave his family to be with her and that he would come to her in a few days' time. It didn't cross his mind to think about how he would live, or where. All he knew was that he couldn't be apart from her, and he would fight all the armies of the world to make that so. She had pressed her cheek against his, wrapping her arms around his chest, and he could feel her heart fluttering like a butterfly's wings against his body. And when he had asked her what would happen when he came to her, she said that there would be an ending and a new beginning. Adam was baffled, but, for the moment, he placed that thought at the back of his mind. For now it was more important for him to be with his family, to make amends with his youngest brother, to make memories he would always remember. Leaving them would hurt more than he knew and, sadly, he knew the pain would be on both sides. He was determined these last days with them would be good ones, full of laughter and happiness.
After he had retrieved his clothes from the sand and dressed quickly to diminish the coolness of the early hour, he dropped to his heels where she sat with his coat draped modestly around her shoulders. Ironic, thought Adam, that she should cover herself now, considering my intimate acquaintance with every inch of her body.
"How can I be in love with you? I've only known you for what seems like five minutes?" And he had quirked his face into a half-smile and with a wink, said, "Are you sure you haven't mesmerised me?"
She laughed, and curved her hand over his knee.
"What is a minute, my love, but a measurement of time. And time has no relevance for us when we are together. It loses all meaning because we were always meant to be."
And she leant across and slowly kissed him, her eyes closed as her lips softly caressed his own. Their ardour threatened to consume them as she raised herself onto her knees and they gripped each other tightly, their kiss evolving from tender to hungry. And as Adam's hands moved across her back, his coat dislodged from her shoulders and slipped to the sand, and Adam knew if he didn't stop now, he would stay all day at the cove. He had to pull himself away from the sweet taste of her lips and the feel of her skin beneath his hands.
It was with regret that he left his beautiful golden love at the tree line, her palms pressed against the bark of a fir, watching him as he led Sport through the dense woodland towards home.
XXXXXXX
His father was walking out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee raised halfway to his lips when Adam quietly entered the ranch-house. Ben stopped mid-stride when he saw his absentee son, and after lifting an enquiring eyebrow, he took a sip of coffee before approaching his eldest boy who looked somehow lost as he stood by the sofa, his hand picking at a loose thread of fabric.
"Welcome home."
Adam flicked a quick glance at his father and when all he could see was a look of concerned amusement, he relaxed, letting out a held-in breath as a half-smile dimpled one side of his face.
"Pa, I'm sorry about Joe, I…"
"It's not me you should be apologising to, son. And from what I hear, you both need to be apologising to each other."
Adam peered over Ben's shoulder, taking in the breakfast table which had yet to be cleared. The sight of the leftover food reminded him he hadn't had anything substantial to eat in over twenty-four hours. He headed to the table, speaking over his shoulder as he went.
"Where is Joe?"
Ben turned, watching as Adam gathered a plate of cold bacon and biscuits, and disappeared momentarily into the kitchen to pour a cup of fresh coffee. "He's gone into town with Hoss. Said something about seeing Sheriff Coffee about a boy who drowned in the lake."
Adam paused. "Ah. Yeah."
"Ah yeah." Ben's eyebrows were crawling along the top of his forehead. "Son, it's a beautiful day...bring your food outside, we need to have a little talk."
XXXXXXX
Ben sipped his coffee as he watched Adam tucking into his bacon with gusto.
"Where did you spend the night?"
Adam kept his eyes on his meal as he chased a piece of bacon around the plate.
"Ah, down at the lake."
"It was a chilly night."
"I kept warm." When she touched me it felt like my skin was on fire.
Ben resumed the careful sipping of his coffee and they were silent for a few minutes.
"What's going on, Adam? You're getting up earlier than even you are want to do, disappearing out of the house at the crack of dawn. You're distracted, fighting with your brother. And now Joe tells me it was you who found the second boy…"
"He thinks I have something to do with their disappearances."
Ben's cup hit the saucer harder than he was intending to. "He thinks nothing of the sort." He sighed, pushing the empty vessel away from him. "He's worried about you. We all are. You have to admit, it's strange you found both children. And now you tell us to find out about a drowned boy?"
Adam stared hard at his empty plate, and picking up his coffee took a gulp, hiding his face behind the upraised cup.
"Are you protecting someone, Adam?"
Adam suddenly felt weary. He wanted to shout from the hilltops that he was in love with the most beautiful and incredible and extraordinary woman in the world. And that even better, she loved him back. He couldn't answer, and as he laid his cup down on the table top, he noticed his father looking perceptively at him and knew he wouldn't be able to keep her a secret.
"You are protecting someone."
Adam stood up, and walked over to the planter on the edge of the porch, wrapping his hand around the smooth bark of the tree. He turned around to face Ben and, resting his backside on the corner of the planter, he fixed his eyes on the wooden planking at his feet.
"There's a girl at the lake."
When his father didn't respond, he threw a quick glance upwards and saw a pair of eyes, watching, waiting for him to continue.
"It was she who found the boys, and told me about Henry."
Ben sat up straighter in his chair, frowning as he digested what Adam had told him.
"Why doesn't she come forward? Who is she?"
Adam stayed silent, his eyes on the floor again.
"Adam?"
"Pa, she's different, she's…private, a bit of a recluse."
Ben was on his feet, walking around the table to stand in front of his son.
"What does that matter? There's a mad woman out there trying to drown small children. And if she knows something about it, then she needs to come forward."
Adam breathed in heavily. "Pa, she doesn't know who it is, she…just happened to find the children and...she heard this woman saying the name Henry."
Adam knew the moment the words had left his mouth he'd made a mistake. He rose to his feet slowly.
Ben followed his movements. "So she's seen who's doing this, she can identify her?"
"No, Pa. Well, yes, but…"
Ben's volume was starting to rise. "She's seen this woman but is refusing to say who it is. Is that what you're saying? Joe is right, you are hiding something."
"Pa, please…"
Ben softened when he heard the pleading in his son's voice, and his tone lowered to a reasonable level again.
"Adam, son, what is this woman to you? Why are you protecting her?"
Adam paused, sighed heavily and then looked up into his father's eyes. His face brightened as a smile edged across his lips.
"I'm in love with her."
Those had been the last words Ben had expected to hear. He stood stunned for a few moments staring at Adam, letting his son's words sink in.
"Well, Adam, that's…wonderful. And does she feel the same way about you?"
Adam nodded. "She does."
"Well, when are we going to meet her? Why don't you invite her to the house for supper? We can all meet her, find out a little bit more about her."
Adam's face quirked in a half smile. "I don't know if that's such a good idea." Hey Pa, Hoss, Joe, let me introduce you to Amara. She's older than she looks and is wearing her finest outfit—her birthday suit! "I don't want to frighten her off too soon."
"Oh, well, okay." Ben huffed slightly at the idea of scaring off one of his son's sweethearts. "Can you at least tell us her name?"
"Ah...Amara."
"Amara…that's a beautiful name. And you say she lives at the lake. I don't know anyone by that name, and I know everyone around these parts."
"Well, like I said, she's a bit of a recluse, keeps herself to herself."
Ben sat down again at the table. "How did you meet?"
"Well…it was the day I found Matt Butcher."
"That was only a few days ago."
Adam plopped himself on a chair on the other side of the table, resting a foot against the side of the planter.
"And you're serious about her?"
"I'm going to…" Adam paused. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life with her."
Ben drew himself up in his chair. "Son, you've only known her a few days. Are you this sure about her?"
"Pa, you once told me two people can know each for years before they develop a love for each other…or it can happen in the blink of an eye. You said there is no right or wrong length of time and you shouldn't try to work out why you've fallen in love, or what it is about that person. You also said love is indescribable, a mystery, and that when it happens, you'll know."
"The words of a foolish old man," said Ben with a droll smile.
"The words of a wise old man," returned Adam.
They both laughed, but then Adam grew serious again. "I love her, Pa," he said softly. "I've never felt more sure about anyone in my life before."
Ben rose from his chair and walked around the table. He placed a warm hand on Adam's shoulder. "Then I'm happy for you, son." He leant back against the table.
"But?"
"But, it doesn't explain why she's so secretive."
Adam stood. "It's like I said, she's different. She's, uh, not used to people."
"I'd like to meet this girl who has turned my son's head."
"One day, Pa, soon, I promise." But even as Adam said that, he knew he was lying to his father because his beautiful golden love would never be able to meet his father, or brothers. And Adam grew sad because his time with his family was coming to an end, and he'd have to leave them soon. But that time wasn't now, and shaking his head slightly to drive those thoughts from his mind, he jumped down from the porch and headed back to Sport, who he'd left tied to the hitching post with a bag of oats to munch on.
"I'll see ya, Pa. I think I need to do my bit up at High Valley, get back into Joe's good books."
He wheeled away and out of the yard. Ben watched him ride into the distance and, although warm, Ben shivered as though the sun had tucked itself behind a dark cloud. He couldn't explain why, but without any warning Ben began to feel uneasy, even a little afraid. He was suddenly struck with the thought that time left with his son was running out fast.
