The drive home that morning was not as bad as Emma had expected. She stopped in town for gas and munchies, and while there, she picked up a notebook, so one of the girls could write down the stories Emma retold from Jims stories the night before. Although the miles soon started adding up, she found it extremely difficult to leave the pristine valley, mainly, the unexpected peace that had filled her heart as she watched the sunrise over the snow crusted hill behind the big house.
The illusive dream that had drawn her to every sunrise since she’d originally dreamt it, now seemed possible. Yet even as she stood before the second story window and witnessed the sunrise in just the right location above the small dimple in the mountains ridge directly behind the house, she knew there was still something missing – Mike!
He was going to be a larger challenge then even that which she’d endured over the weekend. Hailstorms, haunting pictures, and even strange ladies that smelled of roses in early spring, were no match for his harsh stares and unspoken reprimands. She was going to have to find a way to convince him the estate was just what they had been waiting for. Still, as she watched the icy road and gripped the steering wheel with both hands, she knew how rarely she was able to hold her ground when it came to him. In fact, she couldn't think of a single argument she’d won in nearly nineteen years of marriage. The pristine valley with its mysterious houses and haunting pictures was where she belonged. Although she didn't know why, it was one fact she knew as well as she knew her own name.
Emma began dictating the history as best she could remember. By choosing her words carefully, Emma tried to paint a picture of the valley that was as clear as the one Jim had painted for her, but Shelly was not as willing to sit silent as she had the night before. Her endless questioning of detail soon had Emma feeling a bit lost. Some of her questions Emma could answer, but there were more than a few, she couldn't. The one that struck her as odd was about the three houses and the hunting lodge.
"So, where's the other house?"
"What other house?" Emma responded quickly retracing the conversation up until then, hoping to finish the outline before all detailed faded from sight.
"You said: The last of the three houses was built before the turn of the century. And that Old Johnny built the hunting lodge before the First World War, before the great depression."
"Right"
"So where's the other house? I heard Jim say the hunting lodge was at the other end of the valley, up next to a big lake, but where'd he say the other house was?"
Even after several minutes of silence, Emma was unable to answer. Her memory had failed her, as she’d feared. If Jim had said where the other house was, it had now become lost in the garbled mess of other details cluttering her mind. "Too bad you fell asleep so soon last night, you would’ve been an excellent replacement for the tape recorder I wished I'd had."
They stopped for lunch and topped of the gas tank in Nephi at the base of Mount Nebo, one of Utah's rare glaciers covered mountains. Then it was back on the freeway again, until just outside of Salt Lake where they took the alternant route west toward home. It was obvious from the red bronco in the drive that her oldest nephew Alex was there.
The girls had run ahead, and were already telling of their unusual weekend, when Emma entered the back door. First one then the other spoke, telling of everything from Mrs. Mason's storytelling, to Emma's fight with a pair of French doors. The moment one would run out of breath, the other would pick up where she’d left off, and continue the adventure.
Mike was slow to respond to her entrance, but then again making his way around the crowded kitchen, was a feat in itself. Alex seated at the back of the table, smiled a warm hello, as she lowered the bundle from her arms to the floor with an exhausted sigh. To his right Jake's chocolate eyes scrutinized the girls sweeping movement as they gave life to the events of their story. Rob, his long arm wrapped around Beth's narrow shoulders sat at the front of the table, with their eyes glued on the girls also, but a slight fear filling their faces. After watching the girls for a moment, Emma understood why Rob looked as if he were protecting Beth from some undefined terror. The girl's movements had grown so vigorous there was a distinct possibility of being hit.
The boys, Kit and Jason, standing between them and the refrigerator were the first ones that shuffled, giving clear passage to their Father. As he stepped around the girls, he gently suppressed their enthusiasm by holding their hands down long enough to kiss each on the cheek. Then making his way on to her he folded her chilled body into his chest and laid a soft kiss on her cheek as well, but the embrace was cold and lifeless. The small hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention immediately, it was obvious her absents had not caused his heart to grow warm. He was still mad about her disrespect for his advice concerning the property, but it wasn't I told you so that slid from his lips. "Whose clothes are those" Was his first brisk demand.
"Jim's," Shelly quickly responded, fitting it into her rendition of what happened after Emma's fight with the doors. A quick acknowledgement of the name filling his stiff face, but was contradicted a second later when he asked. "Who in the hell is Jim?"
An immediate lump swelled in the back of Emma's throat blocking her response, but she wasn't to worry. The girls continued their story, filling in how they met Jim, and his last name, as if they’d not seen the steam, spilling from his ears.
"That's enough girls! It sounds like your Mother's had a weekend from hell. Pack those sleeping bags back into the closet, will you. I don't think they'll be needed again until summer." Mike's abrupt words put a stop to the story telling, but they also left deep question marks appearing between Alex's generally soothing eyebrows.
When Beth's emerald eyes searched her face for an explanation, Emma shrugged her shoulders with denial, hoping her little sister would get the message and not ask any more questions in Mike's presents. It worked.
"How about some coffee" Beth asked, offering her a full cup of the hot liquid from the decanter in the middle of the table. From the comfortable appearance of the cups arranged on the table, it appeared the group had been waiting quite some time, obviously too long for Mike.
"Just what the doctor ordered." She remarked taking the cup with a thankful expression.
"Now you understand why I didn't want you to go." Mike snapped. “You could’ve been stranded out there for days. I know those storms down there."
"Good, because I want all us to go down next weekend," Emma found the words slipping from her lips even though she knew they shouldn't. The intense glare of his eyes met her face, causing her to stumble over the remaining words. "T . . . That, is if the weather is good"
"Is it really worth taking a second look?" Beth asked more as a response to Mike's intense look, then her own curiosity about the newly found home of her Grandmother's. He’d been like a caged animal, even worse after discovering the storm had trapped her there.
After stepping backwards, so the girls could pass her, to put the sleeping bags up. Emma carefully moved next to Alex, at the back of the table so she could have a better view of Mike's reactions. Besides, if he really lost his temper with her, she knew Alex's massive arms would never allow the blow to land. Not that he’d ever really raised his hand to her, but more than once she’d wished Alex were present to protect her while she made her point known, the way he’d done their entire childhood.
Reveling in her silent giant's unconditional support, she felt required to tell all she’d found out of the secret land's attributes. "I can't even tell you how much it’s worth. I guess that's something you're going to have to fill in for yourselves." From there she went on to tell all she could remember. Then drawing from her notes, she filled in the details she’d forgotten.
With each new subject the groups eyes grew wider and wider, but each seemed interested in different items. Alex's blue green eyes twinkled at the mention of the hot water springs and how they were used in the heating and lighting of the homes. Beth's enticement was the shiny new kitchen, as the girls had expected, mainly because it offered an oven large enough to bake a sheet cake. For Rob it was the clean environment, and even sarcastic Mike commented with a touch of excitement about how Mrs. Haager's plans seemed to indicate she’d researched the sight before starting to convert the place into a Bed and Breakfast.
"It's exactly what we've always wanted." Emma addressed her comment directly at him. "And best of all The Lytle White house is full of furniture, so the investment we'd have to put into the place would be minimal."
With the euphoria that filled the room and fed the conversation, it would’ve been impossible for Mike to disagree. However, Emma knew it was really, what he’d say when they were alone that mattered. In knowing that, she pressed until everyone present, including her skeptical younger brother Jake, committed to having another look, before she yawned deeply and stretched her arms above her head indicating her fatigue.
After the children settled down and started preparations for school the next day, she followed him into the bedroom. He’d grown quiet during the later part of the conversation, but when he whirled on her, his eyes flashing with anger, it nearly sucked the breath from her chest.
"What in the hell do you think you’re doing?"
"Awe, what do you mean?"
"Making that place sound like God's salvation. For Christ sake's, Em . . . We sure in the hell aren't going to move down there."
"I never said we were."
"You sure made it sound like it was a possibility though."
"It should be."
"It's not" His eyes blazed a hole in her face as he rolled his shirt up and threw it at the bed. "And it never will be. I don't give a damn if it’s in the mountains or the middle of the desert. You’re not going to be able to make a living down there. No one can. Just where in the hell do you propose they find jobs?" He raised his hand and pointed back to the kitchen where everyone had stood but a few minutes earlier. "Those people down there are having a hard enough time finding jobs for themselves, they sure in the hell don't need a herd of city dwellers coming in and taking the food out of their kid’s mouths."
She stood with her mouth ajar, unable to believe the way he was attacking her intelligence. Admittedly, she hadn't thought about anyone seeking work. The conversation hadn't even got that far, but had it, she’d have told them straight out that the homes were in such dryer need of repair, that there was plenty of work to go round. As it was though, the only thing everyone had agreed to do was take a more in-depth look at the place. No one had agreed to move. "Oh for heaven’s sake Mike, settle down. Who said anything about them moving down there? All we talked about was…"
"I'm not deaf. I know damned well what you were talking about." He fired back before she could make her point. Then banging the door to the closet open he pulled his dress clothes out and started getting dressed for work.
"If anyone in this house was talking about moving, it's you. You know darn well if it were up to me, we'd never move again. But it’s never up to me." His demands had her head reeling to fast to think clearly enough to battle with what she really thought, so instead she battled back with what had become the constant battleground between them, his continuous need to move.
"Fine" He shouted pulling on his pants "Throw it all in my face again. As if I've dragged you all over hell, for no reason what so ever. And of course we talk about it before we decide to move."
Yeah, she thought, just as we are now. I object, and you demand until I give in. Then we move, when and where you wish. It won't work this time! It can't! I have to be there! I have— suddenly the reason she felt she had to live within the secluded mountain valley, slipped from her. She realized that fighting with him was going to get her nowhere, fast, so instead of declaring her intentions right out, she sucked a deep breath into her burning chest and tried the other approach.
"Mike please, I'm not throwing anything in your face." It took drawing upon strength she didn't know she had to lower her voice and calm it, but the effect once achieved seemed to install a sense of sanity to the conversation that continued. "Look, the only thing that was discussed tonight was taking a second look at the houses. If nothing else comes of it, I owe that much to Beth and Jake, and even Alex. It was where our Grandmother was raised. They have a right to at least see the place." perhaps a lot more, she thought, but the blameless reply had been enough to settle the nerve twitching above his right eye.
"Damn you Em!" He cursed, feeling the fight slip from his control. "You always do this to me. You always make me out to be the…Well I'm telling you now, that place is nothing but trouble." He wanted to tell her more but it wouldn't have done him any good. The tiny silver tear appearing at the corner of her bewitching black eyes, told him it was already too late. She’d already fallen under the spell of the land, and right that minute she felt she was doing it for her family. She never thinks of herself, he thought. She has no idea how fragile she really is. How fast our life together could be snuffed out, she just didn't see life through the same eyes he did. She never had. Although it made him mad, her clear sight (those very same attributes that now had his arms trembling with anger) made him love her so much.
Closing his eyes, he fell back onto the bed and whispered, "Your right as usual. I'm being an ass."
"No." She uttered softly dropping to the bed next to him. "You just didn't see that place."
"And I don't intend too." He snapped moving from beneath her touch as if it were a hot poker. "It's senseless to pretend that place is ever going to be anything but a bottomless pit to drop money into."
"Mike please!" She pleaded catching hold of his hand before he could move clear of the bed. "At least give it a chance. Take a look at the place, before you decide it’s not worth it."
He knew it was crazy. He knew right where they were headed, but the child-like expression on her face had captured him once more. "If only" he cursed silently, raising his hand to brush the warm tear from her cheek. If only, I could tell her No, just this once and mean it.
The following Thursday night it felt as if all of her dreams were coming together, as a small caravan of cars departed her home for the large valley. In addition to Alex, Beth and Rob, her younger brother Jake had joined in the adventure, along with his two older girls.
Not that Emma really foresaw a time all her family would live in the valley, but she’d already experienced a singular goal. Mike was going to look, it was a start, and the others were an added bonus. If she could just get him involved, she had a chance. Mr. Becksted had assured her that they could be handsomely paid for their involvement.
He’d made it very clear the only thing she couldn't do was what she’d first planned on, (Dividing the property among her family members), so she’d decided to do the next best thing. Make them a part of it, right from the very start. She would offer it to them as a RIVENDALE, as J.J. Token had written of, a safe haven, for whatever reason they needed. NO questions asked, unless it sounded illegal of course. She’d talked to every family member, in the last week. Those she couldn't reach (more than a few) she'd left a message. It seemed the only drawback, was the distance. No one wanted to travel two hundred and fifty miles, for a little peace and quiet.
Darkness had encompassed the fruitful valley, by the time the caravan arrived. Emma had so hoped they would be able to catch their first glimpse of the valley the way she had, from the top of the hill.
Instead, the secluded valley location, made the night seen even darker. The headlights jetted in front of the car, like a knife slicing through muddy water. Making only what they fell upon illuminated. It filled Emma with a fear of missing the turn off. Mike had chosen to let her drive, for that very reason.
She’d driven up the mountain road now for what seemed to be an eternity, Fearful of looking away, fully aware that she might miss the left hand turn in the dark. Mike didn't even seem to be breathing, although he sat only a few inches away, it was undistinguishable. Once again, the road widened, as it had a couple times before. This time it was the turn off.
Quickly Emma cut her wheels to the left and then took the opportunity to look back over her shoulder to insure everyone else was accounted for. Five sets of headlights spaced a safe distance apart each made the correct turn as well.
Now all she had to worry about was the rock bridge. The road made an abrupt right turn over it. Again, she crawled to a near halt but her fears were all in vain.
About a hundred feet away from the arching masterpiece, headlights from a car on the other side of the stream suddenly cut through the darkness, bringing her to a complete stop. She figured whoever it was could use the narrow bridge first, and then her little band would carry on.
However, the other car had stopped, and didn't seem to be in much of a hurry to move.
"Who in the world is that?" Mike asked catching the movement of someone crossing the bridge.
The figure was immersed in light, leaving only the dark outline of a man carrying a gun. Her fears had her instantly checking her door locks. Her heart was racing so loudly, she hardly heard Crystal exclaim.
"It's Jim."
"Who's Jim?" Mike asked
With the vial of fear ripped from her eyes, the stranger’s familiar appearance shone through, even before he stepped into her headlights. Emma tried to explain Jim was the man who had helped them the week before but Mike was fixated on the gun.
It didn't seem Jim had made the connection either. Emma decided to stay in the car, so not to startle him. After all, he had the gun. He walked, straight to the passenger side and with a thump on the door shouted.
"No partying up here tonight!"
The thought of a complete stranger striking his car, outraged Mike, who immediately opened his door, abruptly repelling Jim over the embankment
She couldn't think of anything else but the gun. The lock wouldn't come up as easily as it had gone down, pushing the door open she shouted
"It's Mrs. Chase. Mr. Mason." but she’d forgotten about the seat belt that held her firmly in place. She was all thumbs. Finally braking free she shot around the car, screaming. "Don't shoot. It’s my Mike!"
After cresting the embankment herself, she could see the two of them in the stream. Jim was on his butt and Mike face down. Suddenly the kid's shouts turned to screams of fear, looking back over her shoulder she realized the car was rolling. In her great rush to exit, she’d forgotten to take it out of gear. It now was on a direct course, with the rock bridge.
She’d hardly got her direction altered, when two wet individuals raced by her, Mike with a foot or two lead. Cresting the top of the hill as fast as she was able, she discovered the two had the car stopped. Mike at the driver’s door and Jim pressed up against the hood, only a few feet lay between him and the sides of the arched bridge.
Hurrah's filled the night air. Alex caught her slumping body and propped her back up.
"I was just about their" he said leaning in close "But I was just too damn far."
She squeezed his hand surrounding her waist and responded, “it is alright, their fine." then drawing a deep breath she pulled loose and headed for the car.
She had to hold in check Mike's rage, and Jim needed introduced, but they had everything under control by the time she arrived.
Jim was pushing his dark cowboy hat back onto his head as she checked on the kids. Kit was apologetic, for not being able to reach the brake. The others were rambling about how they saw it happen. She listened for a minute, and then closing the door again, she turned to look at Jim first.
"So" he said, "This is your Mike." playing on her description of him, a minute earlier.
"Yep" was all she said "And Mike this is Mr. Mason. Remember I told you about him and his mother."
"What’s the gun for?" Mike asked harshly, walking around the car.
"What gun" Jim exclaimed, throwing his arms up into the air. "It was a stick." He pointed down to an item he’d dropped, when he started to run. "We get kid's coming up her every weekend, trying to party, I have to watch out for the place."
Mike didn't seem to be buying it, the expression on his face told Emma he was still mad. "You didn't have to hit the car." he demanded as he approached her, he was wet from head to toe and smelled wet as well.
"Look" Jim proclaimed, as he too, walked towards her. He appeared to be wet from the waist down. "I didn't know who you were."
"So that makes it OK." Mike shot back.
"I'll pay for any damage. I really didn't mean to” Jim was interrupted by Alex who had been inspecting the car door "There isn’t any damage Mike."
She wasn't sure if it was the news, or the fact he knew he was going to lose but he finally allowed his shoulder's to drop. Indicating to Emma, he was ready to let it drop. Jim acknowledged the same thing and presented his hand in a friendly jester,
"Let's start over."
"Fine" Mike said, but instead of taking his hand, he turned towards the car, looking for himself. Jim's hand dropped limp, to his side. Then without looking back at her, he walked to the other side of the bridge and got in his truck, where he remained until they all had crossed.
She hadn't expected him to, but he followed them up to the house and made sure everything was on. He also took the time to introduce himself to everyone else before he left. However, he never approached Mike again, and she just knew she might never see him offer him his hand again.
It was finally determined the new addition would do just fine for everyone to stay in, even though it only had a wooden floor, the space was adequate to sleep the crowd.
As the first rays, of sun light, burst over the mountaintops and flooded in to the sleepy room. Emma detected a few small movements, from the other bundled up bumps on the floor. She’d lain there quietly for a few minutes, contemplating the goals of the day, or at least those she wished to accomplish.
Within minutes, the room vibrated with enthusiasm. Recalling her own first day, and the girls zest for exploration, she had to find a way to delay the exploration until after the furniture came, or at least till she was able to make sure the house was clean enough to receive it. She had to let everyone in on the secret she’d been carrying since speaking to Mr. Becksted, and going through the paper's on Wednesday. Mike was the one who seemed blown away by the news, not so much the fact that she’d located the furniture, but that she’d kept it a secret.
She had to apologize for not including the work description in her invitation, and that she would understand if no one wanted to help. Fortunately, they were the people she knew them to be.
"A little work never hurt anyone." Beth responded.
"Besides, it was a bit of a giveaway when you asked us to bring the vacuums and cleaning supplies." Alex added in a gentle giant tone.
Emma promised it wouldn't take long, if everyone put his or her shoulder to the wheel, and it didn't. Two people per room and the place was done, in only a little over four hours. Since lunch was the best reward, she could think of, it was her treat.
On the trip back into the valley, they were able to experience the full visual effect from the top of the hill, when they stopped at the Lytle-White house, she was able to hear their impressions, and obviously, they were touched.
There really wasn't much work to be done in that house either, the big problem was all the rattan furniture stacked to the ceiling. In a home with twelve-foot ceilings, it could be quite a problem. There had to be enough to furnish all three homes, if they could find the third house.
It was finally determined that it would just have to stay there until they could find a place to store it. Crystal suggested the hunting lodge, Emma had forgotten all about it. Jim had mentioned it was located at the upper part of the valley on the main road, so that was their next stop.
At first the landscape was that of a patchwork quilt, neat almost square sections flanked the road, slowly giving way to a rocky terrain, dotted with small pines, and then they were engulfed in a dense forest. When they emerged on the other side, greeted by towering purple and red sandstone cliffs, plunging over one was a shimmering blue ribbon of water, into a motionless pond below. It in turn heaved forth three smaller, roaring falls, then another thirty feet to the glassy surface of a large, rainbow colored lake.
Even after stopping the car and getting out, it took Emma a few minutes to discover the reason for the strange coloration. The smooth lake surface reacted as a mirror to its surroundings, casting a rainbow of colors back to the sky. She wondered if she’d just entered the gates of heaven, obviously, the others were feeling it as well, each emerging from their various vehicles, Stepping softly, as if a loud sound may bring it all down.
Silently they stood shoulder to shoulder, drinking in the sight. This was no fabricated affair, no large boulders, and cement to hold back the water, and no naked beaches. Below the sky supporting cliffs, stretched large pines growing from the lakes edge. On the south and east shore, it lapped up to the red sandstone cliffs.
Her eyes were drawn to the north side, where gentle rolling hills laid back off the towering cliffs. Each covered with foliage as dense as what they had just driven through, below them was a small reddish/purple sand beach. She studied the lush green hills a bit longer, noticing the bright red sharply steeped roof positioned on a small bluff, behind a smaller hill. Alex must have seen it about the same time.
"There," he said pointing to the red spot and breaking the silence.
Every one turned to locate what he was pointing at, his abrupt tone sent a herd of deer rushing across the road, only about fifty feet away. How no one had seen them until then was a wonder, but no one had. The spell was broken, a few white geese or ducks fluttered up from the water’s edge, and the high pitch chatter of some squirrels could be heard off in the distance.
Crystal softly slipped her hand into Emma's and whispered, “I thought I’d died."
A soft, low laugh, started to grow, soon everyone was heard to say, "I thought the same thing.” or “I felt that way too."
"I once heard that southern Utah would make a believer out of even an atheist." slipped from her own lips
"It's obvious God's hand has touched this land." Rob added." There's no denying that.
While loading back into the car, Emma spotted another red spot, and then another. At first, she was afraid it might be fire. After pointing them out to Mike, he pointed out a few more, and insisted it couldn't be a fire, not with four points of origin. The more they drove towards the large red roof, the more they saw. Until at last, the first of ten small cottages, Lay directly in front of them. It's weathered, white clapboard, siding marred with age.
"No one said they were here." Emma exclaimed as they passed.
Mike's only response as the second one slipped past was “It seems there are a lot of things No one said anything about."
She knew he was referring to the secret she’d kept about the furniture. The road wove back and forth between the ten silent relics. Obviously not built during the romantic period of Mormonism, each looked the same as the one before, single story, rectangular homes, offering two or three bedrooms at the most. Each had its own little yard, surrounded and separated by white picket fences. They didn't stop to look inside. The afternoon was wearing on and storage had to be secured for the rattan furniture in the Lytle-White house.
Mike drove on to the Lodge. It was in as good of condition, as the two homes. With a little dusting and vacuuming, the place would be ready for furniture too.
She’d been correct about the small hill sitting in front of a bluff. The hunting lodge looked almost directly east, over the lake. The two-tiered waterfall was immediately in front of it on the other side of the lake. A more beautiful sight she couldn't remember seeing. It filled her head with ways to promote the place, advertising pictures, pamphlets, etc.
Jake pointed out that another road ran around the foot of the small hill and entered the lodge from the front. Beth suggested that the guests could use that road instead of the one running through the VILLAGE.
"The Village" Emma asked
"Well don't you think that would be a good name for the place?" Beth shot back, as if Emma has asked the wrong question.
"OH. Most definitely” She answered, rapidly, hoping Beth was about to lead the other's into proclaiming it home. Thankfully that’s just what happened, first Beth and Rob, Then Alex, suggested that they wouldn't take much to repair, and be livable.
"After all, you’re going to need some help, getting this place going." Alex added.
Her heart soared. It was working, and soon so would they, HARD, she made sure they knew what they were getting themselves into.
"No one ever said life was going to be easy." Beth announced. "We just want a start."
Emma knew just what she meant. Many times, she’d been in the same place, full of energy and no place to put it. Their offer and her acceptance meant the largest commitment in her life. Now, she thought, as