Far Country (10 page)

           
Steve laughed. “If you think that was insane, wait until we try going back
down!”

           
Deborah flexed her aching fingers and frowned ruefully. “Is it much worse?”

           
Steve shrugged. “I don’t know,” he admitted.  “I’ve never made it all the
way up before.”

           
Deborah’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.  “You’re kidding.”

           
Steve shook his head. “Nope.  I know Jill is afraid of heights.  I
was only planning to go high enough to get her to give up”

           
Deb sat up, bewildered.  “So why’d you climb all the way up today?”

           
Steve gave her a lopsided smile.  “Because you kept following me.”

           
She made a face.  “Smart,” she said sarcastically.

           
He nodded.  “I thought so, too. But we’re here now- might as well check
out the cave.”  He stood and held out a hand to help her up. Deborah allowed
him to pull her to her feet and turned to look around.  The mouth of the
cave was wide enough to stand in, almost.  It went back into the cliff
about fifteen feet. The floor of the cave was a fine grained dirt.  A few
boulders and bare grayish-white ledges led to the rear of the cave. Several mud
dauber nests dotted the roof, but that was about all there was to see. They
stared at it for about thirty seconds in disappointment.

           
“Well, that was fun,” Deborah said drily. “Guess we should start back down
now.”

           
Steve nodded in agreement. He turned, and then flinched as lightning flashed
nearly overhead. Deb and Steve stared in awe at the impressive line of
thunderheads looming above the tree line.

           
“That came up fast!” Deborah exclaimed.  “We’d better hurry if we’re
gonna
get down to the others...” Thunder cracked in their
ears and fat drops of rain spattered the ground around them.

           
“I don’t think we’re going anywhere for awhile,” Steve replied grimly.  He
turned, peering down to the water.  He could see that the group was
already clambering up the far bank and heading to a screened in covered picnic
shelter.  Pete turned and waved, then mouthed the word ‘wait there’ when he
saw Steve and Deborah looking down at them.  The rain was already falling
harder, soaking their partially dried t-shirts and hair.

           
“He’s right. Let’s get inside the cave,” Steve said. “This probably won’t last
long.”  Deb nodded and they ducked inside.  They watched as the sky
darkened quickly, and the wind whipped the trees around the river. Eventually,
they sat down across from each other just inside the mouth, absorbed in
watching the light show just outside.

           
Wet from the river as well as the rain, Deborah shivered and wrapped her arms
around her legs for warmth.  Steve eyed her uncomfortably. He was
shivering as well.

           
“Look,” he said at last. “Come over here and sit with me. Two of us together
have got to be a bit warmer.”

           
Deb nodded, feeling strangely shy suddenly. She sat between Steve’s legs and
leaned stiffly against his chest.  He wrapped his arms around her, feeling
just as awkward while the storm continued its rampage outside.  Slowly,
heat began to return to their clammy skin.  Deborah relaxed and leaned
more comfortably against Steve’s chest as his arms seemed to draw her even
closer.  His chin rested lightly on the top of her head.
This is rather
nice
, she reflected drowsily. 

           
Fifteen minutes dragged by, then ten more. The thunder storm passed by fairly
quickly, but the rain showed no signs of letting up. Relaxed now inside the
cradle of Steve’s arms, her eyes drooped. After awhile, Deborah drifted off to
sleep.

           
Steve stared out at the sheets of rain. It was coming down so heavily it
obscured even the edge of the ledge outside the cave. He was alone in the world
with a beautiful redhead sleeping trustingly in his arms, and he liked the way
it felt.

           
“I’m tired of being alone,” he whispered.  Deborah stirred at the sound of
his voice.  He shifted slightly, seeking a more comfortable position
against the rough rock wall.  Steve thought about what Reverend Graham had
said about getting on with his life.  Was that what he should do?  Even
thinking about it caused Steve’s heart to twist in guilt.  Yet sitting
here, holding Deborah, feeling her warmth, recalling her smile, or the light
touch of her hand on his arm…even the steady rhythm of her breathing as she
slept in his arms…it all felt so right!  But then, why did he feel so
guilty?

           
Because of you, Sarah will never have a chance to have moments like this.
You took that from her! 
The accusation pounded in his brain, and it
was the truth.  There was no denying what his carelessness had cost her,
and him. Steve sighed in frustration.  The truth was he might never be
free of his guilt. As long as Sarah ‘lived’ in coma he would never be truly
free to love someone else. 

           
For a moment, Steve’s arms tightened around Deborah, and he savored the feel of
her.  If ever he could learn to love someone else again, it would be
someone like Deborah. 

           
Steve stared out at the rain for a while longer.  It showed no sign of
letting up.  Soon, his head drooped forward, and he too, fell asleep.

           
When he awoke sometime later, he found that he had fallen over onto his left
side, but Deborah still remained cradled in his arms.  He lifted his head
to look outside.  The rain had stopped at last, and the sun was casting
long shadows.  It must be close to 8:00!

           
He looked down at Deborah, to find her gazing up at him with a bemused
expression in her sleepy green eyes.  Steve’s heart skipped a beat. 
She really was beautiful.

           
“How long have I been sleeping?” She asked.

           
“Hard to say, maybe a couple of hours.  I was out, too,” he admitted.

           
Her eyes widened. “Then it will be dark soon!  Do we have time to get down
safely?”

           
“Hope so.  Unless you’d like to spend the night up here and try it in the
morning?” He asked.

           
Deborah smiled softly.  “Tempting,” she replied.  “The view is nice
but the bed is kind of hard.”  She pushed herself into a sitting position.

           
Steve winced at the pain in his shoulder as he tried to sit up. “Tell me about
it!” He agreed as he tried to brush the imbedded gravel off of the left side of
his body.  He stood and pulled Deborah to her feet. She wobbled and leaned
against him for support.  “My leg’s gone numb!” She moaned as the
unpleasant tingle of returning blood flow spread through her feet.

           
Steve tightened his grip around her waist to support her, secretly savoring
again at how good it felt to hold her close… Deborah glanced up at him through her
lashes and Steve’s heart seemed to stop.

           
For a moment their eyes held.  Without quite knowing how it happened,
Steve found his lips touching hers. Deborah remained perfectly still in his
arms, allowing the hesitant caress to continue at Steve’s pace.  Slowly,
the kiss deepened and Deborah responded with restrained pleasure.  After a
moment, Steve rested his forehead on hers and laughed shakily.  “Wow, I
hadn’t planned for that to happen.”

           
Deborah smiled, a soft light in her green eyes.  “
S’Okay
.
I like surprises.”  Sensing that things were about to get awkward, she
stretched on tip toe and kissed him on the nose, then gently pulled away. 
“But I think we need to hold that thought until we are down from the cave and
back at the camp.  It’s going to be dark by the time we make it back to
the store.”

           
Steve grinned sheepishly and looked around.  “I kind of forgot where we
were.”

           
Letting her go, he stepped to the mouth of the cave and waved at the rest of
the group, who were sitting inside the picnic shelter on the far bank
still.  Steve could make out Chuck, stretched out on one of the
tables.  He appeared to be asleep.  He saw Jill reach across the
table and shake him back to consciousness.  He could read her sour
expression even from here. If she had been trying to get Chuck to pay her more
attention, it clearly hadn’t worked.

           
Steve and Deborah made a slow decent over the slippery rocks and breathed a
sigh of relief when they finally reached the bottom.  The little cliff was
stingy in its hand and foot holds.  A poor choice could send them crashing
into the boulders that lay half submerged at its base.

           
Steve looked at Deborah as their feet finally touched the tiny sand spit at the
base of the cliff and shook his head in relief.  “I don’t think I will be
trying that climb any time soon again.  I don’t know what I was thinking
in the first place.”

           
“Pity,” Deborah agreed.  “I rather liked the cave.”  She caught his
eye and smiled but Steve looked away, a shadow crossing his face. What had
gotten into him?  His head told him that, even if he didn’t still love
Sarah, he had no business starting a relationship with Deborah.  He was
too messed up to be worthwhile boyfriend material. But… another part of him
wanted to take her back in his arms and spend a lot more time exploring that
kiss. She had certainly seemed willing!

           
Chuck was standing on the far bank, still stretching and yawning.  “We
piled your tubes over there, in the bushes,” he informed them. “Man, that storm
was something!  I didn’t think the rain would ever end!”

           
“How would you know?” Jill laughed derisively.   “He snored so loud
at times we couldn’t even hear the thunder!” She called across to Deborah.

           
The rest of the group hefted their tubes and skittered down the
embankment.  Pete waded in and moaned.  “It feels colder than ever!”
He announced plaintively.

“Who’s
stupid idea was it to do this, anyway?” Chuck grumbled , easing in to the water
beside Pete.

“Yours!”
came back a chorus of replies.

“Next
time, do me a favor and ignore me,” he said grimly. Then he sighed. “Well,
lets
get this over with!” He fell onto his tube and pushed
away from the bank.  One by one, the rest of the group joined him.

           
“One good thing,” Steve said as he tossed Deborah her tube.  “The rain has
made the current even faster. We should practically fly the rest of the way.”

           
“Praise the Lord in all things,” Deb replied through her chattering teeth, as
she pushed her tube back out into the current.

           
“Amen!” Pete agreed as he sped by them.

           
True to Steve’s prediction, they rounded the last curve sooner than they could
have hoped. The tubes shot over the last set of mini rapids and drifted into
the wide area that the public used as the local swimming hole.  From
there, they paddled to the landing and tiredly climbed the grassy bank to the
parking lot.  The sun was low in the sky but daylight still
lingered.  Everyone was relieved to have completed the run before dark had
closed in on them on the river.

           
As they hit the parking lot, Jill glanced at some wooden stalls and
mad
a bee line for them.  “I don’t know about you,”
she said to Deborah, “but I want to rinse under some warm water in the
showers.”

           
Pete and Chuck were already heading for the store to pick up some snacks and
drinks for everyone.

           
“Guess I’ll go crank the heater in the truck,” Steve said.  He looked a
little uncomfortably at Deborah, who was still standing next to him. “Coming?”

           
“No, I’ll go with Jill,” she decided.  She grabbed a dry towel out of the
backpack in the truck bed and headed toward the shower stalls.

           
Steve felt vaguely relieved.  He wasn’t ready to be alone with her again
so soon.  He unlocked the door, cranked the engine and the heater, and
then pulled it up near the store exit.  He could make out Pete and Chuck,
arms laden with chips, Twinkies and Gatorade, nearing the front of the checkout
line. He glanced in the rearview mirror to see if Jill and Deborah had warmed
up enough to leave the showers.  Jill was nowhere to be seen, but Deborah
was standing just outside the stalls, talking to a powerfully built man with
short dark hair.  Clearly she had never made it into the shower. 

           
Steve watched them through the rearview mirror. She was facing his direction,
so only the back of the man’s head was visible. Steve couldn’t tell if she knew
the man she was speaking with. She didn’t appear scared, but there was a wary
look on her face that told him something about the encounter wasn’t quite
right.  Frowning, Steve continued to watch them, unsure if she would
resent him if he intruded.  Suddenly, the man reached out to grip Deborah’s
arm. She stepped back out of his reach.  The man gestured angrily, and
Deborah shook her head, an angry frown on her face as she had to shake his hand
off for a second time.

           
“That’s it,” Steve decided.  He threw open the door and strode toward
Deborah. Deborah saw him approaching but instead of relief, she looked
strangely frightened. Confused by the look on her face, Steve paused in
mid-stride only a few feet away. The stranger caught the direction of Deborah’s
glance and turned abruptly to see what had distracted her.  His eyes
locked with Steve’s and widened in disbelief. He turned an accusing stare back
at Deborah.