Northern Closure

For the next couple of days it rained. Chris stayed inside and worked so he could wrap up a project before the summer was in full swing and he would have no desire to be tied to his computer.

By the weekend, the sun peeked out and on Sunday afternoon, Chris was outside working when he heard a car door shut and a vehicle drive off. I guess I missed them, he thought. Sunday was traditionally the day that the cottage pilgrimage reversed flow and headed back to the city. Perhaps the mystery person had to get back to work? Chris had an internal smirk over that thought and realized the mystery would last a little longer.

By the end of the week, Chris' curiosity was peaking. He found himself doing idle jobs outside to see if he could catch the person returning. After dark, he caught the flicker of headlights through the trees and from his open window heard the sound of the car door. Well, tomorrow I will be neighborly and introduce myself he thought as he nodded off to sleep that night.

Although he normally avoided the local town on weekends in cottage season, Chris decided to drive into town as an excuse to drive by the neighbor's place and see what could be seen. On his way out, he saw a small sedan through the trees and no activity. He was extra vigilant and no one was on the road to cause any more near misses either. He picked up a couple of nice bottles of wine just in case and on the way back he was watching the road carefully again.

If he hadn't been watching, he probably wouldn't have noticed the sack wriggling in the ditch. He slammed on the brakes and reversed to where he had seen the sack. Hopping down from the truck he searched the ditch and found a burlap sack wriggling and whimpering. Carefully untying the string around the top of the bag, he opened it to find four puppies blinking up at him.

"What the hell?" he said to no one in particular.

The puppies resumed whimpering and without hesitating he carried the bag back to his truck and turned back to town.

At the small local vet clinic, Chris related the tale of finding the bag. The vet wasn't surprised and told him that this happened all the time in his practice. Out in this remote area, dogs running loose without being spayed invariably came home pregnant and the unwanted puppies were sometimes dumped in out of the way places.

"At least this batch wasn't chucked in the lake," the vet added.

Chris was horrified that someone could dump the puppies, let alone throw a bag full in a lake.

The vet pronounced all the puppies generally healthy but hungry and dehydrated. This was soon fixed with small quantities of food and water spaced at intervals to allow their tummies to adjust. The vet figured the puppies were a lab-border collie mix, two breeds that were common in the area with all the hunting and farming. They seemed to be about five or six weeks old, a bit young to be away from Mom yet but they would have a very good future anyway.

Chris had already decided while the vet described the scenario that he would keep a puppy. He felt a kinship with their situation --- alone in the world and discarded as useless. The vet offered to advertise the rest of the litter for adoption and see what happened. Chris willingly settled up for the cost of the appointment, puppy supplies and the upkeep of the litter until they were adopted, knowing that the vet couldn't run a charity for every needy animal in the region. They scheduled an appointment in a few weeks for the first set of shots for Chris' puppy. Chris left with a bag of puppy food, some de-wormer, a book on raising a puppy and a new collar and leash.

The vet told him that the puppy would bond with him immediately after the isolation of being in the bag and there would be no lasting trauma. Back home, Chris was pleased to see that the puppy immediately started to follow him around the cottage.

When the puppy started whining and then peed on the floor by the door, Chris realized he had a lot to learn about raising a puppy. With all of his attention focused on the puppy, Chris realized he had missed learning anything about his neighbor. As the car door slammed again on Sunday evening, he realized that the mystery person was gone again.

The next few weeks passed by quickly. Chris worked very hard at doing everything right for the puppy. The puppy quickly got the idea of going outside and Chris set up a small pen off the back porch so the puppy could go out without any danger of getting loose. After calling her 'puppy' for a day or two, Chris started to mull over various names. 'Lucky' was too obvious, 'Lady' and various other simple names didn't seem to fit. He finally settled on 'Encore' symbolizing the second chance Chris had given her. There was no activity next door so he focused on the puppy and his burgeoning consulting business.

Chris and Encore quickly established a routine and a solid bond. As the weeks passed, Chris would work for a few hours and then he and Encore would go out and work on her training. She graduated quickly from the basics to a few tricks and walking off leash. She took to his boat with the same ease, enjoying their fishing trips and relishing the wind in her face, standing on the bow of the boat keeping watch.

By midsummer, Encore was attentive and responsive to Chris with a big repertoire of commands. He was comfortable walking her off leash and the two of them explored inland on the logging trails that snaked forgotten through the bush. Chris had all but forgotten his mission to find out about the visitor at the cottage next door ... almost.

On a Saturday, Chris and Encore were coming back from an exploration of a loop trail they had found. Rounding a corner they came upon someone walking towards them on the same trail. Encore ran ahead wagging her tail to greet the stranger and Chris came straggling up in the rear.

"She's really friendly, be careful she doesn't lick you to death," he called out as Encore enthusiastically greeted the woman. Chris realized it was the blond mystery jogger from earlier in the spring.

The woman got down on one knee and properly greeted Encore without encouraging her to jump up. Chris realized she was a 'dog person' and no further apologies were needed. As she played with the dog, Chris surreptitiously checked her out. She seemed to be in her late twenties or early thirties, about 5'6" with natural blond hair judging by the fine down on her bare arms, a nice figure filling out her t-shirt and long, tan legs showing below her shorts. As she greeted Encore, Chris noticed a nice jiggle to her obviously still firm tits as they rose and fell with the motion of her arms while she deflected and controlled the dog's happy advances.

"Hi, I'm Chris Martin and that's Encore," Chris said as he shook himself from his appraisal and introduced them to the mystery woman.

"Hi, I'm Megan Wilson," came the distracted reply as she returned her attention to Encore.

It couldn't be, thought Chris.

"Are you the one staying in the old Farnsworth cottage?"

"Why yes I am, it's been in my family since it was built."

Now the mystery woman was a mystery no more. "Megan, good to see you again, it has to be at least fifteen years."

"Chris. Oh my gosh, it is you. I can't believe it. How are your folks?" As she saw the cloud cross behind Chris' eyes, Megan knew that was a bad question.

"They're gone. Car accident several years ago."

"I'm so sorry, that's awful. They must have still been fairly young."

"They were. They loved this place and were driving home from here when a drunken idiot hit them head on," Chris said with more vehemence than he realized.

"That's terrible. There's too much of that happening today on our roads. It must make your memories here difficult."

"For the first couple of seasons I struggled with it. The cottage was a bitter sweet reminder at first but now it has a quiet, pleasant feeling of their memory. Anyway, enough of me. How have you been and what brings you back after all these years?"

"My father got a new job across the country when I was a teenager and even though we planned every winter to make the trek 'next summer', we never seemed to make it. Mom and Dad kept paying the taxes and had a local guy mothball the place when they realized we weren't going to get here. I got a job back in the city where we used to live and it isn't too bad a drive to get up here so I started coming back."

"I was sorta keeping an eye on your place and I was wondering if I should stop by to check if you were supposed to be there. How are your folks, anyway?"

"They're fine. Dad is just about to retire and his heart is a bit tricky. Mom's arthritis is starting to slow her down but they still hope to get back one day. You guessed right, they haven't been here in about fifteen years. I'll tell them you were watching out for the place, they'll appreciate it."

"You mentioned your name was Wilson. Is Mr. Wilson here with you?" asked Chris a bit more cautiously than he intended. Right away, he realized this was a bad question as the clouds gathered behind Megan's eyes.

"Habit. I haven't changed back to my maiden name. Mr. Wilson is a no good piece of shit who, after six years of marriage, decided my former best friend had bigger tits and was better in bed. At least we didn't have kids so the divorce was fast and simple --- take out what we brought in and go our separate ways. I started coming up here to put it behind me," Megan responded with a sad complacency that barely covered the raw animosity she had for the scenario.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," Chris lamely muttered.

"That's OK. I'm getting past it but once in a while it is raw. While we're getting things cleared up, is there a Mrs. Martin?"

"Nope. I lost my job to downsizing and got home early to find my girlfriend in my bed with her boss all in one very shitty day this spring. I kicked her out, pulled up stakes and moved here permanently in a matter of days," Chris replied rather tersely.

"Ouch. That sucks. How are you coping up here?" Chris noticed Megan sounded genuinely concerned.

Chris related the tale of finding Encore at the side of the road and his internet consulting.

"In the end, I'm bringing home more disposable income now than I did in the city. Life up here is quiet, relaxing and I've got Encore to help keep me sane. We can fish, swim or go for a walk anytime we want. We're off the grid and can stay here almost cost free," Chris said, somewhat more proudly than he meant to.

"Lucky for Encore you happened along when you did. What a terrible fate that could have been. You certainly picked an appropriate name for her." Changing the subject, Megan asked, "what about your brother and sister?"

"By the time Mom and Dad died, Bro and Sis were living a lot farther away, each with young families and mortgages of their own. They split the proceeds from the sale of the folks' house and I got the cottage to myself. I definitely came out ahead on that deal."

Encore had grown tired of standing still and began jumping up at Chris. "Okay, we'll get going," he said to the dog. To Megan, he said "good to see you again, drop by anytime you like. I've got internet, satellite TV and most of the big city conveniences and it all works even when the power is off everywhere else."

"I'm heading back to the city this evening and I don't know when I can get away again, but next time I'm up, I'd love to see how all this technology works. You wouldn't know, of course but I went to school to become an electrical engineer. I'm really curious about how you're off the grid up here with the winters." With that, Megan turned and waved as she continued her walk.

Chris crouched to pet Encore and he glanced at the departing side of Megan. Her shorts outlined her nicely defined butt, showing off the effort she put into toning the muscles. Each of the shapely globes was rising, falling and jiggling independently in a beautifully choreographed dance of firm flesh. Chris inwardly groaned realizing that he hadn't been with anyone since his ex. His dick had responded in near record time and he was rock hard in his shorts. He awkwardly stood and re-arranged himself as he turned to go. Unbeknownst to Chris, Megan had glanced back just as he was turning and arranging his confined cock, getting a pretty good hint of what he was thinking about.

"Hmmm" she thought to herself as she headed up the trail.

Several weeks went by and Chris realized the new school year would be starting in town as the lake population once again did the annual fall dwindle. At least there was a corresponding drop in the boat traffic and Chris began to appreciate the sense of natural quiet that descended over the lake.

This year's crop of loon chicks was starting to practice their flying skills. They were very vocal as they tried over and over to heave their growing bodies free of the surface of the lake. Their wings would slap the water for at least 300 yards while their feet frantically paddled before they would rise briefly into the air and mostly crash land back down to the lake. Chris wondered at the weird trade-off nature had dealt the loon. Still, their repeated efforts were the source of plenty of entertainment for Chris and Encore. If one of the rookie flyers got a little too close to their shore, Encore would bark once as if to say "don't crash here, buddy."

Chris' consulting business was producing comfortable rewards. Putting in twenty or so hours a week he could easily keep up with expectations and earn a respectable income. So much so, he was accumulating significant savings while easily meeting all his expenses and not even dipping into the proceeds of his investments.

He decided to treat himself to a beautiful new hand-built cedar strip canoe to paddle about the quiet lake with Encore. The fishing boat was great for getting to the prime summer fishing holes but when the lake population dwindled and the fishing ebbed, he felt like he was trespassing on the tranquility with the noisy boat. The canoe was much more in tune with his 'green' side. The nice fall days would find the pair effortlessly gliding around the bay in the beautiful, sleek wooden craft. Encore seemed to sense that this was supposed to be a quiet adventure as she propped herself up on the front seat and just watched silently as the loons flew around them and the fall color progressed day after day, changing the woods around the lake from green to the golden yellows, brilliant oranges and flaming reds of fall.

The farmer came with his big auger truck and loaded Chris' corn bin full of his winter heat. Chris tidied up the property, winterized his fishing boat and stored away all the other summer seasonal stuff.

Megan hadn't been back and Chris wondered if he had somehow scared her off. He also wondered if he should go over and see if there was anything that needed doing to avoid frost damage to the water system.

One morning, the pair went out for their morning walk feeling the chill in the air and the frost on the ground. "It won't be long now, Encore, you'll soon be playing in the snow and we can go walking and fishing on the frozen lake."

That weekend, Megan's car lights blinked through the trees late on Friday night. Saturday, Chris went out and saw her moving around the property tending to the various end-of-season items like draining the water and putting away the summer stuff. Chris and Encore wandered over to see if they could give her a hand.

Megan was very glad for an extra pair of hands.

"Work went crazy since the last time I was up. I tried a couple of times to get back up but we have a big contract and everyone is scrambling to meet the deadlines that our idiot VP committed us to. Anyway, I've got to head back tonight once this place is ready for the winter."

"I didn't think when we met last time but we should have exchanged phone numbers or e-mail addresses. Then if you ever need anything like this done and you don't have time to make the trip or if anything happens to the place, I can look after it for you or let you know."

"That's a good point," agreed Megan. "We can exchange contact information as soon as we're finished here."

The pair worked on the winterizing with Megan delivering instructions and Chris familiarizing himself with the systems used in the cottage. When it was done, they both let out a sigh.

"That's always been the worst part of the cottage season for me. The finality of closing the cottage seems to bring another chapter to a close. When I was a kid, I always hated to go back to the city knowing I wouldn't see the place until the weather was warm again."

"Come on over to my place, it's getting cold. We can sort out contact information before you get underway."

In the failing light, Encore ran ahead of the two of them as they headed into Chris' cottage and wrote out their e-mail and phone contact information.

Megan glanced around at all of the 'normal' amenities Chris had. "Wow. This place is amazing. All off the grid you said?"

"Yup. Solar, wind and hydro-electric combined," said Chris proudly. "We won't be able to see it now but the solar panels are on the roof, the wind turbine on a mast out back to get cleaner wind and the hydro-electric turbine is over in the creek on the north side of the property. This control panel here shows me how much is being generated by each one. Right now, there is zero from solar of course, about 16% from wind and the rest from hydro-electric. The fall rains have raised the creek flow, right now we're making more power than we need so the charge controller is cycling the batteries. I have propane for the stove and barbeque because I didn't want the hassle of cooking with wood. I converted the hot water to solar just this year and central heat comes from a corn-fed furnace."

"That is so cool. I'll definitely have to check it out next summer if I can get back up. In the meantime, can I use your bathroom before I go? I've got to get back tonight and I won't make the coffee shop on the highway without a pit stop."

As she headed toward the door, Megan gave Chris a quick, unexpected hug. Chris briefly got a sense of her firm, full breasts crushed against his chest and then she was pulling away again. "Here's a spare key to the place in case you need to get inside for something. Thanks for your help today. I hope I can get back up next year."

"I'll keep an eye on the place. You don't have to worry about anything while you're back in town."

"Thanks." And with that, she was gone again.

Chris realized he was unexpectedly sad. He liked living on his own, but at the same time he hadn't felt a warm body next to his since the night before he found the bitch and her boss. The emotion was still surprisingly raw more than seven months later. Maybe the isolation was for the better and he shook off the feeling of melancholy for the time being.

As fall waned and winter hinted at arriving, Chris enjoying watching each day of the progression. Although he had been up at the cottage in all four seasons, he had never seen every daily step of the seasonal transitions. As the last of the leaves fell and there was a crisp frost every morning, he finished his winter preparations.

A trip to the car dealer in town got the plow he had ordered mounted to his truck and a couple of quick lessons on how to put it on and take it off as well as actually push snow. He also picked up a snow blower for the small stuff like pathways and places close to things he didn't want to hit with the plow. He got a bunch of reflector sticks to line the laneway so he could find the edges in under the snow.

The main access road was normally ploughed, although sometimes a few days late if it was a big storm. In the past, he had a service that ploughed the lane from the road to the cottage when he called ahead. Now that he was in charge of it, a few extra precautions wouldn't hurt. After thinking over how much fossil fuel he could burn in a prolonged storm stay if the 'green' systems couldn't keep up, he arranged for a small fuel tank and pump to be delivered and filled. He stocked up on canned and dry goods, meat for the freezer and assorted staple provisions for avoiding trips to town during the worst of the winter assaults.