"All The Way"

Chapter 16

The First Night in Utah

Julia tossed and turned trying to comfort and ease her troubled mind. Why can't I sleep? I should be exhausted from the long journey. They had driven until all signs of humanity were gone. The arid breeze in the open jeep had sucked the moisture and life from her. Julia ran her hand over her arm and felt the grit. What a disaster! The shower had been a total fiasco.

Rolling on her side, heaving a weary sigh she felt the tenderness on her arm where Richard had grabbed her. Damn, I'll have a bruise tomorrow and will need to conceal it. Anxiety chewed away at her insides, the dark and brooding side of Richard Carter was growing more and more pronounced. He was a man accustomed to getting his way. Diane's warning had been correct. Men like Richard Carter were not use to losing, they made sure of it. Did she really know what she was doing? She was playing with fire. I can't think of that now.

The tent gave a slight rustle from the evening breeze. The silence was maddening giving her mind ample time to ponder her enormous responsibilities. As site physician she held life and death in her hands and would use whatever tools and methods she at her disposal. There would be no trip to Wynncliff, no trip to Bangor for supplies or assistance. Her restless mind would not allow sleep. Julia threw back the light blanket, slipped on her robe, leather boots, grabbed the flashlight from the chest and unzipped the tent.

Immediately she trained the circle of light on the ground, moving outward in concentric circles looking for snakes, scorpions and other creatures of the night. A few feeble lights glowed in other tents. Richard's tent was dark. Julia pursed her lips and tilted her chin in defiance. He would just have to sulk and pout. She was not changing her mind. The sleeping arrangements in Utah had been a low priority for her. Richard assumed he was in control and their sleeping arrangement would continue unchanged. Julia continued to carefully scan her path and chuckled softly. I allowed Barnabas to have his way against my better judgment. I'll never let that happen again!

Control! Plans! She laughed. Her carefully thought out plans had not included Eliot Stokes in Utah. She did miss him more than she cared to admit. Recovering from her initial shock in seeing him, she did feel a sense of relief knowing he was in camp. The event reminded her of their reunion in 1840 when a knock sounded at the top of Quentin's staircase. Working alone, she wondered who would risk time travel. When the door opened and Eliot appeared she could not contain her joy. Taking his hands in hers, she spoke his name over and over, finding joy and comfort in his name and in his presence. He explained he had waited for days in hopes the door would appear and had bravely taken the risk. Callously, she had left Collinwood without bidding him good-bye. It was strange; she had no problem telling Barnabas good-bye. Why was it different with Eliot? Would he, could he ever forgive her? She could only hope.

Her steps slowed as she thought. The Utah Eliot seemed different somehow. Who was this mustached man in a Panama hat, with a tanned chest and long hair pulled in a ponytail? Was this man her college professor, her Professor Stokes? What was the word she sought? Virile. Yes, virile. Had this virile man been beneath those three-piece suits all along? Julia shook her head, pulling the robe around her.

Julia scanned the ground, stopped and gazed up at the sky and found it even darker than Maine. She had never seen so many stars in her life. The tents ended and clumps of sagebrush appeared in the shadows. Moving her light around in the darkness she found a narrow path and in the distance a glow of light. Cautiously she scanned the ground while quietly moving down the path in the direction of the light. Who could be out beyond the camp and what were they doing?

She moved around the outcrop, stopped and stared upward in awe. The glow of the lantern illuminated the shear red-orange face of a canyon wall extending a hundred feet upward into a black sky dotted with stars. A sound began, at first detached, then spreading in all directions.

The sound was created by a stringed instrument, a violin. The notes were sad and wistful. She turned her head trying to pinpoint the sound. The notes echoed from the red-orange wall and cascaded like a waterfall. What a magical place. Julia stood transfixed not wanting to move or disturb the spell.

Julia felt the heartbreak in the musician's heart of an unrequited love. The notes were delicate, tender and full of romance. Like a moth she was drawn further down the path, her eyes never leaving the illuminated cliff. The notes moved up the cliff face, soaring up the orange face taking flight in an upward spiral of sound. What a feeling of euphoria and elation!

She had to find the creator of such magic. The glow of the lantern revealed the silhouette of the musician perched high on an outcrop, his back toward her, the strong right arm gracefully moving the bow, gently swaying; the fingers of his left hand moving along the neck of the violin.

She felt a tear in her eye and swept it away with her fingertip. The last note soared up the wall, gently fading into silence. Slowly the musician dropped the violin and bow, his head bowed in quiet contemplation.

"I've never heard anything so beautiful," Julia said loud enough for the musician to hear. The violinist's face turned to her.

"Dr. Hoffman," The violinist coolly replied.

Julia was at a loss for words. "Eliot, I didn't know."

The professor placed the violin in its case, stood, looking down at her upturned face, meeting her eyes.

"Like you, I too have my secrets," He announced triumphantly.

His words stung with their implied meaning, she lowered her head, and felt shame and guilt.

"Eliot," She began slowly, desperately searching for the words that would make things right between them. "I am truly very sorry. I should have told you I was leaving, I should have told you good-bye."

Gathering his case and lantern, he descended from his natural platform to stand in front of her.

"So you traveled two thousand miles to deliver this apology, how considerate of you, Dr. Hoffman."

Again his words stung, she deserved his scorn and spoke softly, "I am very sorry. Can you forgive me?"

Eliot looked down at her unruly locks; he couldn't stay angry with her for long. He did not answer her question, he would let her stew. Deep in his heart he knew he would forgive her. His anger had been quickly replaced with concern. He worried about her association with Richard Carter.

"I'll walk you to your tent," He offered.

Without thinking and out of habit, Julia took the violin case from his hand and slipped her arm through his as they navigated the path.

"You know I would never deliberately hurt you, Eliot" Julia softly continued, her fingertips gently caressing the soft skin of his forearm. Eliot did not reply but quietly walked along at her side checking the trail, passing his tent and all the others until they reached her tent on the far end. He raised the lantern allowing her to unzip the screened opening.

Julia turned, searching his face for forgiveness.

"Good-night, Julia."

Julia smiled and replied, "Good-night, Eliot, and thank you for the beautiful music."

She noticed the warmth in his eyes along with a small smile. "You're welcome," He replied.

Eliot waited while Julia refastened the opening before returning to his own tent. He had hoped the violin would help him relax and clear his mind, when meditation alone did not bury his feelings. He tried blocking the doors only to find them creaking open. Placing the violin case in the corner, the lantern on the small table, he slipped into his night clothes and reclined on the cot. Closing his eyes he tried focusing on the pleasant things in his life.

Images of young Hallie entered his mind. She filled his life with such energy, breaking the routine of summer. Their days had been packed with childhood fun, their time together magical and carefree. Circumstances in his life had taken away his own childhood shoving him abruptly into the role of an adult. Through his niece he was able to relive his missing childhood and see Arielle in Hallie's eyes. After an exhausting day together they would curl in his big chair to read a story. He found such joy in bringing the characters to life for her, creating interesting voices, expressions and characters. He loved how her eyes widened at the scary ones and laugh with glee at the silly.

He felt his body relaxing, pleasant visions flooding his mind. He allowed the pleasure of seeing Julia slip through. Even from a distance he recognized her walk. Smiling, he realized he had never seen her in pants, only dresses, the change was quite pleasing. He was accustomed to her bare legs and envisioned her sitting on the couch in his living room, her dress sliding above her knee revealing her firm and shapely thighs. Julia was always so deep in thought. She never realized how seductive he found her. Eliot smiled dreamily; he loved the total package.

How pleasing it was to think of her. He visualized her walk from the jeep, the purposeful way she moved, the way her hips gently swayed, how her hand with one easy flourish slipped the scarf from her head revealing auburn locks, the other hand removing sunglasses exposing exotic hazel eyes. Then strong masculine fingers moved knowingly around her waist and across the curve of her hip. Eliot tensed. The way Carter touched her, the way he knowingly moved his hands over her body told him more than he wanted to know. Was the show for his benefit, or was this the natural Carter arrogance? Eliot tried to remove the image from his thoughts.

Eliot turned on his side. The image of Maria willingly slipped into his mind like she willingly slipped into his life. Accidentally she brushed against him in the library stacks while he busily worked on his doctoral research. The chemistry was immediate. "I'll make supper for you," she whispered in his ear, "we'll take a break from academia." The meal was marvelous and the wine heady. Maria willingly stretched across his bed, her dark hair flowing across his pillow, his fingers lovingly caressing her smooth olive skin and full breasts while her fingers trailed across his back and hair.

Each night Maria would work her magic in his kitchen and in his bedroom. During the day he worked, attended classes then spending hours at the library working on his doctoral thesis before returning home. Carter, Maria, academic treachery, sex and betrayal; what a fool he had been. It would have been so easy to let the hate consume him, like consuming poison and hoping another would die. He could not, would not let the hate destroy him. Carter and Maria, they were to be pitied. Breathing deeply he worked to clear his mind letting thoughts of Julia's song fill his heart and carry him away.

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Julia stretched on her cot while her mind filled with musical images. She couldn't explain why she felt such a connection with the music. She enjoyed how his body swayed, his arms and fingers moving, creating such wonderful sounds. What a wonderful gift he had given her. Julia fell into a blissful sleep.

~~~tbc~~~