The Mountain

By Jacqueline Pouliot

It’s 2011. After a hitch in Iraq and then in a hospital ER, Doctor Jessica Cooper leaves her hometown, a failed relationship and family to begin again in Little Hatfield. There she meets McKenzie Phillips, and their friendship begins slowly and with a depth Jess had never believed in. As they draw closer, Jess discovers herself and the value of real love.
A slow moving lesbian romance with well drawn supporting characters. Life in a beautiful mountain town and a relationship that moves on from friendship to something more.
By the author of Lighthouse Beach, Changes, Breathe and other lesbian romance ebooks.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9780244069551

Book preview

The Mountain

The Mountain

Jacqueline Pouliot

EPUB Edition

Copyright © 2018 Lulu Press

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-244-06955-1

Copyright © Carmenica Diaz writing as Jacqueline Pouliot 2018

This is a work of fiction. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher and author.

Any resemblance to actual persons, either living or dead, or events are entirely coincidental

The Mountain

Jacqueline Pouliot

All the birds have flown up and gone;

A lonely cloud floats leisurely by.

We never tire of looking at each other -

Only the mountain and I.

Li Po

Time is a human construct.

Once, 2011 was the future.

Then the present and now the past.

On this mountain, it’s still 2011.

One

Jessica Cooper stepped back and critically surveyed the old station wagon. She ignored the dents and the coloured patches on the fenders. The vehicle was parked outside the apartment complex where she lived for the past eighteen months. The old car was loaded with boxes, bags and memories.

‘Well …,’ Jessica announced to her friend Chiyoko, ‘… it looks like I’m ready to go, Chi.’

‘It’s a long way,’ Chi said doubtfully, eyeing the vehicle. ‘You think this old car is going to make it?’

‘Junior and Dad looked it over for me. Junior swears by it. Says it’s not pretty but it will get me there.’

‘If your brother says it’s okay, it must be. Your brother sure knows about cars,’ Chi said. ‘So does your Dad. You won’t speed, will you? You’ll drive safely, right?’

‘I doubt this car can speed! Don’t worry, I’m taking my time. I have a list of motels along the way so I can call ahead. Don’t forget, they have a place for me to live near the clinic.’

Chiyoko nodded and put her hands on her friend’s shoulders, looking deeply into the eyes of the smaller blonde. ‘Are you sure about this, Jess? We’re going to miss you at the hospital.’

‘And I’m going to miss you guys but … well, time for me to try something different.’

‘Different?’ Chi laughed. ‘This is certainly that, honey! You haven’t even been to the place you’re moving to!  The interview for the job was on Skype! You haven’t met anyone from there or even seen the town!’

‘I kind of like that, Chi,’ Jess said defensively. ‘It’s all new.’

‘What is the name of the place again?’

‘Little Hatfield,’ Jess said patiently. ‘Not to be confused with Hatfield Junction which is fifty-three miles away.’

‘ls that the big Hatfield?’ Chi asked innocently.

‘Oooh, you are so funny! The clinic is in Little Hatfield, as well you know, Chi. I’ve told you a million times!’

‘Little Hatfield. Sounds very rural!  Maybe even dark and gothic. You’d better look out. They could all be zombies or something!’

‘Okay, time to cut yourself off from those weird shows, Chi! You’re starting to freak me out!’ Jess laughed. ‘Don’t worry, okay? I’ll be fine. It’s a new start for me.’

‘I know, I know. Well …’

‘Go on, say it.’

‘It’s just … not every woman runs off to the mountains when she breaks off her engagement!’

‘I’m not running, Chi!’ Jess said defiantly. ‘I’m exploring!’

‘Exploring? Well, okay.’ Chi laughed and hugged Jess. ‘Email, phone, visit!’

‘Which one?’ Jess asked playfully.

‘All of the above. Are you heading off now?’

‘Dropping the keys off, saying goodbye to my parents and then I’m gone!’

●

Nancy Cooper looked out the kitchen window the moment the brown station sedan parked in the driveway. Realising Jess had come to say goodbye, Nancy sighed, carefully drying her hands.

‘In the kitchen,’ Nancy called when she heard the front door open. ‘Are you all ready to go?’ Nancy asked when Jess walked into the kitchen and kissed her mother’s cheek.

‘Yep. Already said goodbye to Dad and Junior down at the garage. I’m on my way.’

‘You know I wish you weren’t going,’ Nancy said as lightly as she could. ‘I thought you were settled here for good …’

‘Don’t really want to talk about that,’ Jess said firmly. ‘It’s all done and that’s that.’

‘Have you talked to Brian?’

‘Nope!’

‘He stopped by the other day …’

‘Good for him!’ Jess snapped. ‘Well, I’m off.’

‘Jess, stay for a coffee before you go …’

‘And hear what Brian has been saying? No thank you! I’ll contact you when I’m settled.’

‘Jess …’

‘Bye. Have to go.’

The front door slammed. Nancy sighed again. She knew she shouldn’t have mentioned Brian, but the poor man seemed broken hearted. He said he didn’t know how to talk to Jess, that she was changed since college and everything else.  And Nancy knew there was truth in that statement!

Immediately, Jess regretted leaving her mother that way. As she backed the vehicle into the quiet suburban street, Jess knew she should go back and apologise. It wasn’t right to leave like this, especially when they didn’t know when they would see each other again. But Jess knew if she did reluctantly apologise and sit down for coffee, her mother would still talk about Brian. Even though she knew Jess didn’t want to hear it!

She always liked Brian, Jess thought, driving the vehicle away from the house. Brian is good at getting people to like him. Maybe my mother likes Brian more than she likes me!

As Jess drove down the familiar streets with the knowledge she was leaving it all behind, she felt a sensation of relief coupled with a growing sense of freedom.

She had no idea what Little Hatfield would be like, but Jess didn’t care. So what if the town was quiet? After medical school, two years in the army, then another two years in ER at the hospital, Jessica Cooper could use a little peace and quiet!

Two

Jess found she could not drive as fast as the other cars on the highway. Her lack of speed was caused by a combination of the load she was carrying and the age of her vehicle.

She did enjoy the journey though. It was strangely relaxing driving in carefree solitude, listening to music and watching the countryside slide by the car window. Jess studiously ignored the horns of impatient vehicles who passed her.

‘At least I’m not speeding,’ she mumbled. A car roared past, horn blaring while the passenger gave a rude gesture for holding up traffic on a narrow stretch.

Jess saw the line of mountains in the distance and watched as, over the days of driving, the mountain range drew closer and closer. After three nights of motels, Jess was looking forward to having her own place, no matter how small it turned out to be.

Finally, she arrived at Hatfield Junction and pulled in for gas. Stepping out of the car, she looked up at the imposing mountain dominating the sky. A long truck rolled down the highway. Somewhere a dog barked. ‘Afternoon, Miss. Fill ‘er up?’

‘Thanks,’ Jess said with a smile. She could not take her eyes off the mountain.

The grey bearded man who was courteously filling her tank noticed. ‘That’s Green Mountain,’ he said conversationally with a nod towards the forested slopes.

‘I know,’ she said. ‘I’m going to Little Hatfield. How long to get up there?’

‘Little Hatfield, eh?’ He rubbed his chin. ‘That’s three quarters of the way up Green Mountain. Bit over an hour, if you don’t get jammed behind a logger.’

‘Logger?’

‘Logging trucks. They bring the timber down from the Hatfield Mill to the railway. The trucks going up are empty and they go faster when they’re empty. So it won’t be so bad if you get stuck behind one going up. We don’t usually see folk going up the mountain during Fall,’ he added.

‘No?’

‘Nope. Not so busy now. We get a lot of tourists for summer. They rent the cabins around Bear Lake. Lot of folk come for that.’

‘Where’s Bear Lake?’

‘Little Hatfield is on the southern shore of Bear Lake. Yes, ma’am, Bear Lake is nice during summer with families having fun and folk fishing. Some days, you can smell the barbeque smoke down here at the Junction!’ He laughed loudly.

Jess smiled. ‘Sounds nice,’ Jess said.

‘Sure is. That lake water is crystal clear and the fish grow big. Folk come for winter as well when there’s snow. There, all full.’ He put the pump back and Jess followed him inside to pay.

‘There’s a ski field here?’ Jess asked while he rummaged for her change in a till that looked as ancient as he was.

‘It’s part of the Bear Lake Resort. Rich folk come for it. You should see the fancy foreign cars that stop here for gas with their shiny new skis on the roof. Don’t know if much skiing goes on but I hear tell there are a lot of parties!’ He winked as he gave her the change. Jess found herself smiling in return.

‘Thanks.’ As she walked back to her car, Jess could not take her eyes off the mountain.  A small tremor of excitement coursed through her and Jess grinned to herself.

●

‘Chief? You on?’

McKenzie Phillips picked up the mic with one hand while steering with the other.

‘Almost there, Tommy,’ she said. ‘What have we got?’

‘Well, I have to say we got lucky this time, Mac. The truck wasn’t loaded. It was coming up the mountain before it lost control.’

‘Road blocked?’

‘Nope. Just the right lane. As I said, we got lucky.’

‘We’ll have to direct traffic, though. I’m almost there.’

Deputy Tommy Baird was talking to the driver when McKenzie pulled up in her off-road pick-up. The vehicle looked like it could handle any terrain and had spotlights on the roof racks while the front stock bars had more spotlights. Along both sides and the hood, "POLICE" was written in big white letters. The vehicle carried a spare tyre on the back and there was another strapped on the roof rack next to the neatly strapped snow chains.

Tommy’s vehicle was the same and was parked off the road behind the truck. There was, thankfully, a section of grass between the edge of the road and the tree line.

Tommy turned and gave a lazy half wave to McKenzie and turned back to the driver. Tommy Baird carried a little weight and people who didn’t know him, assumed he was a jovial, harmless sort of fellow. He always said it was good to be underestimated; gave him an edge. All the locals knew Tommy could be as tough as required. He loved his job, had no ambition to be Chief and was very happy being deputy to McKenzie Phillips.

The logging truck was half off the road and half on. McKenzie could see the swerve marks the tyres had made when the driver lost control. The rubber marks were smeared over the tar like a vague abstract painting.

The truck driver was staring at McKenzie who was looking at the truck, hands on her hips. Tommy grinned to himself. Mac, as McKenzie was known to the locals, usually made an impression on folk seeing her for the first time. Very tall but still curvy with thick dark hair and bright blue eyes, Chief McKenzie Phillips was unforgettable on any occasion but especially in the uniform khakis and short leather jacket.

‘Who’s that?’

‘Local Chief of Police,’ Tommy said, writing in his note book. ‘So, this your first trip up the mountain?’

‘Yeah. Told you that.’ The driver kept looking past Tommy’s shoulder. ‘She really the Chief?’

‘Yep. What speed were you going?’ Tommy was like a dog with a bone.

Finally, the driver tore his eyes from Phillips and glared at Tommy. ‘Hey, it was a fucking accident!’

‘That was a simple question,’ McKenzie said. Both men had not heard her move near them and the driver started with surprise. ‘How fast were you going?’

‘The limit!’ the driver retorted. ‘I was driving right on the speed limit.’

‘Sure you were,’ McKenzie said, her bright blue eyes cold. They rested on the driver for a moment before switching to Tommy. ‘Have you called Hank yet, Tommy?’

‘Not yet, Mac.’

‘I’ll call him. I’ll go down the road a piece and redirect any traffic.’

‘There won’t be traffic, Mac,’ Tommy said. ‘It’s Fall.’

‘You never know.’ She turned her blue eyes on the driver again. ‘If there’s no traffic, give me a little quiet time to talk to Hank.’

Tommy and the driver watched her walk back to her vehicle. ‘Shit! Ol’ Hank is going to fire me,’ the driver muttered.

Tommy didn’t reply as a female voice on the radio in his vehicle called out, ‘Tommy, you there?’

He walked quickly to his vehicle, reached in the window and picked up the mic. ‘I’m on, Doreen. What you got?’

‘The tow truck left Junction thirty minutes ago. Shouldn’t be long.’

‘Thanks, Doreen.’

‘Mac there yet?’

‘Yep. She’s redirecting any traffic coming up the road.’

‘There won’t be no traffic; it’s Fall,’ Doreen said.

‘That’s what I said.’ Tommy lowered his voice, darting a look at the driver who was staring moodily at his truck. ‘She’s calling Hank while down there.’

‘Oh boy! That driver is toast! Anyone we know?’

‘New fellah. Never seen him before.’

‘Don’t think we’ll be seeing him again. Catch you later, Tommy.’

●

Mac parked her vehicle on the shoulder and stepped onto the edge of the road. Keeping a watchful eye down the road, she called Hank Collins, owner of the Hatfield Mill, on her cell phone.

Hank answered immediately. ‘Was it carrying, Mac?’ Hank asked.

‘No, empty,’ Mac said. She heard Hank exhale a sigh of relief.

‘Well, that’s something, I suppose. What truck was it?’

Mac recited the number she had taken down. ‘Figures,’ Hank snapped. ‘Fucking newbie driver! They crawl down the mountain with a full load and think they can speed when they’re driving up! He going over the limit?’

‘He claims he wasn’t,’ Mac said.

Hank snorted. ‘You’ve heard that a few times, I guess.’

‘I’d be happy with ten bucks for every time I have heard it. Your tow truck should be here soon. Where do you want the truck taken?’

‘Junction depot. They can check it out there.’

‘And the driver?’

‘I don’t give a flying …’

‘Hank! You can’t fire him until the investigation is done. You know that!’

‘Yeah, I know it. Don’t mean I have to like it. Tell him to hitch a ride with the tow truck. He can stay with the truck until it’s right to go.’

‘Okay.’

‘Thanks, Mac. I’ll buy you a beer at Mabel’s.’

‘I’ll ignore your attempted bribery, Hank,’ Mac said with a laugh. She walked to the vehicle and used the radio to call Tommy. ‘Tommy, the driver goes with the truck down to the Junction depot.’

‘Okay, Mac. Got it.’ Tommy’s voice dropped a notch. ‘Is Hank going to fire his ass?’

‘That’s Hank’s business, Tommy,’ Mac said quietly.

‘Right,’ Tommy said quickly. ‘Got you, Chief. I’ll pass on the good news.’

A few moments later, the huge ten wheeled tow truck rumbled up the mountain. Jock, the driver tooted the horn. Daryl, the thick-bearded mechanic, waved from the passenger seat as the truck passed.

Mac watched the truck until it vanished around the curve. She turned back to the road just in time to see an old station sedan crawling up the hill, grey smoke blowing from the exhaust. Quickly, Mac stood in the road and waved both arms. Immediately, the car slowed down and, even from that distance, Mac could see a woman was driving.

Jess was surprised to see the uniformed person on the road. She thought she would be stuck behind the tow truck all the way to Little Hatfield but now, it seemed she had to pull over.

For a moment, Jess was a little nervous until she saw the tall person in the khaki uniform was a woman. She was very tall with her hair in a pony-tail. Even the brown leather bomber jacket could not disguise the womanly figure. Jess immediately felt a little less anxious. She slowed down to a stop and watched the tall woman approach the car.

Mac watched the woman cautiously and kept her right hand loose near her pistol as she approached the car. The driver was blonde with the greenest eyes Mac had ever seen They were big and captivating, almost stunning Mac for a moment. Somehow, she managed to regain her composure and act formal. ‘Afternoon, Ma’am,’ Mac said politely.

‘Afternoon, officer,’ Jess said staring up at a pair of bright blue eyes. ‘Don’t tell me I was speeding? I doubt this old car could get close to the limit!’

Mac laughed.  ‘No, there’s an accident ahead. We have a logging truck half run off the road around the bend. You’ll have to drive around it. There’s a tow truck taking it down the mountain but there could be a little wait. Just let me radio my deputy to find out what’s happening.’

Jess watched the policewoman walk back to her vehicle. My god, her legs just go on forever. She’d have no trouble taking a bottle of the top shelf! Mac leaned through the car window of her vehicle and Jess tore her eyes away from the sight of khaki stretched taut over a voluptuous rear.

Clearing her throat, she waited until Mac walked back. ‘They’re holding off getting the truck out of the ditch until you pass, ma’am.’

‘Oh, thank you. I thought I’d be stuck behind that tow truck all the way to Little Hatfield.’

‘Doesn’t seem that way now,’ Mac said with a warm smile. ‘I’ll let you get on your way.’

Not really trusting her vocal chords, Jess nodded and drove slowly up the mountain.

Again, Mac watched until the car vanished around the curve. Leaning comfortably against her vehicle, Mac kept her eyes on the