Jacob's Landing

Stephanie didn't respond. Her marriage was supposed to have been forever. She envisioned a house full of children, laughter, and love. She knew Wayne worked for a big corporation before he proposed. Maybe she had been naïve but she hadn't thought that meant he would leave for months at a time to work at overseas companies. Their arguments over his job hadn't gone well. She hadn't seen him since he walked out--and hadn't ever inquired about him either. She let people believe they had divorced and Wayne moved away.

Over the years, she moved on with her life. The money she inherited from her grandparents had been more than sufficient to maintain the lifestyle she enjoyed. When her parents passed away, they left her everything, increasing her wealth substantially.

Caleb earned good grades and her neat and orderly world stayed on track when he decided to go to law school. Nothing prepared her for his questions or that he would leave school to join the Army. Her head hurt. When she looked up, Caleb was gone. She heard strangers on the sidewalk talking and laughing and wanted to scream at them to go away.

Gathering the energy to stand, Stephanie walked away, filing the conversation with her son into a portion of her brain where it could remain closed off forever. She would continue living her life as she had before. Once she arrived home, she changed into her favorite pair of lounging pajamas and poured herself a drink, praying the scotch would allow her to sleep.

The benches had tried to combine their powers to help Stephanie. They soon realized they didn't have enough strength among them to heal her. She needed to be open to change first. Although they had worked hard to find a resolution to Stephanie and Caleb's fall out, neither returned to the park. Losses hurt but the benches remained optimistic they could help others.

* * * *

Each summer, the town of Sagewood celebrated with an arts festival. They closed off the streets downtown where local restaurants offered samples of their diverse menus. In addition, they brought in musicians who played each evening long after the sun set. A beer tent run by the microbreweries in the area helped ensure visitors had a great time.

Kelsey hadn't volunteered before but she was finally ready to move beyond the accident and get involved in her community. She added her name to the list for the festival before changing her mind. Once there, they assigned her to help at a popular bar and grill that was a favorite of hers. Stunned by how many people wandered through the assorted booths, her feet hurt long before the end of her shift. Yet she loved the atmosphere of the event and vowed to participate again.

Strangers and townsfolk alike filled the streets with laughter and joy. Although she didn't have time to stop and visit, she recognized several people. It wasn't until she spotted the driver of the truck who hit her car that she stopped. Knowing she was due for a break, she whispered to another volunteer and walked over to where he stood.

"Hello," she said, unsure what she wanted to say. She didn't understand the pull she had to the man.

"Kelsey? How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," she said. "I have another half hour before I'm done. If you want to stick around we can talk."

Andy smiled. It hadn't occurred to him that with all the people wandering through the streets he would see her at the festival.

"I'll check out the paintings over here." He pointed to a large display of artwork done by local elementary school students.

"I'll be back in a bit."

Andy eyed a canvas propped onto an easel that resembled the house he lived in as a child. A small tag listed the student's name as well as the price. His apartment had a few pieces of furniture but nothing on the walls. Because he liked the colors and the style, he talked to the woman in charge about it. Kelsey appeared at his side as he finished the transaction. She was tired and ready to sit.

"I can't get over how much there is to do here. They continue to add so many unique and interesting displays," he said.

"How many years have you come to the festival?"

"Friends dragged me along the very first year and I fell in love with it all. I've been back every time since then. If you aren't too tired, maybe we could get something to eat," he said. "I'm sure places are busy but there must be somewhere without a long wait."

Kelsey grinned. "Stay here. I'll be right back." She went over to the booth she had volunteered at, soon returning with a big bag holding several boxes of food.

"All we need is something to drink and a place to sit. We can check the park. If there aren't any empty benches, we can always sit on the grass."

She nodded. Anywhere was all right with her, as long as she could get off her feet. They bought fresh lemonade from a small stand and continued to the park.

"I knew it would be busy but it's even more crowded than I thought it would be," she said when they arrived.

They made their way down the sidewalk until Andy spotted a couple leaving a bench several feet from them. He sprinted ahead to claim it and waved to Kelsey.

"Our table is ready," he said, taking the bag from her.

They ate first, enjoying their food and beverages. Kelsey hadn't expected to be comfortable with him but he made it easy. Most of their conversation was about the festival and the changes Andy saw. No matter how interesting and enjoyable her day had been, Kelsey yawned. She had volunteered for several hours and was tired. Andy noticed and apologized.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think about how long you were helping at that food booth. Is your car nearby or--"

"I rode the shuttle bus so I didn't have to worry about the parking issue. There's a stop across from the park entrance," she said. "I can't imagine I'll have to wait long."

"I have a better idea. My car isn't far from here. I'll go get it while you wait. Then I'll bring you home."

"OK," she said. "Leave your painting here so you don't have to carry it as far."

He smiled and jogged across the grass to the parking lot. An accident wasn't a good way to meet someone but maybe the pair had a chance for some kind of future together. The benches were hopeful, at least.

* * * *

Shelby Donovan lived in Sagewood until she went to college. A job offer kept her away for years. Now she found herself back, spending part of her summer vacation in her hometown. After two days, she was bored. None of the tourist attractions held her interest so she made her way to the park. Everywhere she looked people were laughing and smiling. Young or old, they seemed happy.

She wasn't sure why she returned to Sagewood. Maybe it was a mid-life crisis. Forty hadn't phased her but fifty sounded... old. Shelby pushed the thoughts away as she wandered through the park, trying to see it as a visitor would. From the playground to the picnic area, all ages had an area to go if they wanted to have a relaxing day. The benches provided shade as well as a place to rest. Endless parking spots invited visitors and locals alike to spend time at Jacob's Landing. Nowhere did she hear arguing, yelling, or angry voices.

Yet what did her observations have to do with her trip... or her upcoming birthday. She thought about her life, her job, and her friends--and realized it all bored her. The apartment wasn't decorated in her style. Fully furnished when she moved in, it suited her purpose at the time. No one ever saw the place so she ignored her surroundings and used it as somewhere to sleep.

The high-paying job she accepted hadn't developed the way the company promised. Instead of promotions and pay increases, they demoted her and cut her salary in half. Suddenly the happiness around her was too much to handle. The sun disappeared, taking away the warmth that heated her skin--and her life. She dropped onto the grass as if her legs couldn't hold her up anymore. Tears she hadn't allowed to fall for far too many years poured down her cheeks.

She sobbed, forgetting where she was. Her body shook as the anger, fear, and disillusionment of her life ran through her head until she wanted to scream. Soon, though, it all wore her out and she stopped crying even though she remained sitting on the grass. When she heard someone approaching, she expected whoever was there would continue walking past her.

"Mind if I have a seat? This place is busier than usual and I'm tired."

The comment made her smile despite her mood. The park had seating everywhere. "Find a spot."

The stranger appeared to be in his early forties. His hair looked as if it hadn't been cut in quite a while. The ends hit his shoulders where they curled to give the blond locks a natural style that somehow fit with his golden skin. Her fingers itched to run through the strands clinging to his neck.

"Do you come here often? I don't think I've seen you before," he said.

"No," she said, refraining from giving more information.

"Last time I was here, they had steak and shrimp for the special, but today there aren't even any servers in sight."

His silliness made her smile again although she still hesitated to say anything.

"Did you know they had a separate seating section for anyone alone? I don't know what they call it, but I rarely see anyone sitting there. I think they pair up people in hopes of making matches for life," he whispered, leaning closer so she could hear.

"Maybe they put people together who planned it that way but wanted it to look random."

"That's a good thought. So when you sat here, did you ask them to put me next to you, or was it the other way around? Social niceties are beyond my level of expertise and my memory is fading."

"I really think it was that Karma character. It shows up when you least expect it," she said.

"See, now you're getting the hang of the game."

"Oh, no, that can't be. Games are for kids. I'm old."

This time his laughter stopped. She hadn't meant to say anything about age but with it the main thing on her mind recently, it slipped out before she had a chance to stop it.

"I see. I'm sorry. I swear, when I came here today, they told me this section was for kids and young people," he said.

"I didn't mean to take away your fun. Chalk it up to another failure in my life."

"Did I tell you that it's against the policy here to feel sorry for yourself?"

Shelby felt the tears gathering in her eyes again and turned away. It wasn't fast enough to stop him from seeing them. When she felt his arms go around her, she froze.

"You know, it's all right to lean on someone else when you're hurting or afraid. Even a stranger can help," he said, the rumble of his voice calming her.

Trusting her instincts, she relaxed against him. Then she cried. She didn't stop for several minutes, not until her head cleared from all the confusing thoughts she had before the stranger appeared.

"I--"

"Don't apologize for showing your emotions," he said.

Shelby thought about what he said. Most of her life she spent going through the motions. She went to college and took a job offer that made others envious even though it wasn't one she really wanted. Her world revolved around work and sleep. The lack of true friends hadn't hit her until she began to evaluate her life.

"It's my birthday tomorrow. Fifty."

She looked around at the other people in the park before turning back to face the stranger still holding her. He seemed trustworthy in a way she couldn't define.

"This afternoon it hit me how boring my life is. Nothing I've done made an impact on the world. It's like I never even existed."

"Everyone makes an impact somewhere. It could be as simple as smiling at a stranger to make them feel better," he said.

Shelby looked at him without answering. She hadn't been thinking of the small ways to make a difference, only of something the whole world noticed. Putting that to the back of her mind, she continued.

"I used to hear these stories about people who had a mid-life crisis and would go crazy. Mostly it would be about some guy who wasn't ready to face getting older. He would buy a bright red sports car, divorce the wife who was his age, and find a hot young chick who thought he was Mr. Wonderful. I can't remember hearing much about women struggling with their age except for not admitting to the real one to convince everyone they were still young.

"The day I turned forty, I went to work, ordered a pizza when I got home, and went to bed. I didn't tell anyone and life went on as before. When I planned this trip, I told myself it was to see my old hometown and to look at all the changes. I booked a hotel and flight reservations before I gave it too much thought. Then I got here... and I realized it's just another town."

"Because you're the one who's different," he said, adding what she hadn't.

"I started to think about my life. When I went to college, I wanted nothing more than to do something positive, to find somewhere that what I did mattered. My career counselor encouraged me to get a general degree and find a job as a receptionist or secretary. He claimed I wouldn't last in the real world, that women like me did best at office jobs where they could sit and do their nails all day."

"Sexist pig. Want me to teach him a lesson?"

Shelby laughed at the words, not taking them seriously considering the way he had been joking around so much. "Nah, but for the record, I didn't even wear nail polish back then."

"That's rich. So what did you do instead?"

"Nothing important, really, although I thought the job they offered me would take me to the level I needed and wanted. It didn't."

Sitting on the ground together, anyone who saw them would assume they were a couple, not total strangers. He enjoyed the idea even if no one actually noticed it.

"I'm sorry you had so many disappointments in your life. If I had known you back then, I would have made sure your days... and nights... had laughter and love in them."

Shelby thought about his words. She hadn't allowed herself to imagine a man loving her. What would it have been like to marry and have children?

"I sense a bit of concern. I assure you, I'm still the same guy as I was when I sat down. The only difference is that I think after all this time I should introduce myself. Madam, my name is Chase Chandler, from the great state of South Dakota, where the winters are bitter cold and summers don't last long enough to thaw out. Stopping in Sagewood wasn't part of my plans for this trip but if my water pump had to go out at all, I'm glad it was here."

Shelby looked at him and smiled. "Chase... I like that name. It makes me think of a cowboy."

"Want to see my white horse?"

"What would you do if I said yes?"

"I would point to the white Mustang in the parking lot," he said.

"What? There's not--"

"You doubt me? Look over there, by the light post."

Tempted not to look, she hesitated. His laughter made her stop. She went back over what he said and realized she had been about to fall for another of his silly jokes.

"OK, I get it now. A white horse, a white Mustang..."

"I couldn't resist. However, now it's your turn," he said.

"At...?"

"It's your turn to introduce yourself."

She smiled. "Shelby Donovan."

"That's all? No witty banter telling me interesting tidbits about yourself?"

"I don't... there's nothing..."

"Why not give me the chance to decide? What you think is dull and boring might be fascinating to me. Besides, using my arm for the past hour should be worth something."

He gave her a sad dejected pout that made her laugh again. She admitted he was right but struggled to come up with anything witty like he had.

"I have an idea, since you seem to be unsure of what to say. I'm starving. Let's go somewhere and have dinner. You choose the place."

Shelby hadn't eaten since breakfast. Her day of introspection and wandering kept her mind busy. Now her stomach reminded her it was empty. Nonetheless, the man was a stranger. Talking in the middle of the park wasn't the same as sitting at a small table. So far, Chase hadn't done anything to make her uneasy. She gave him a neutral reply while she thought about what to do.

"There are a lot of new places here that I haven't tried, so I don't know where to suggest."

"Well, we could ask someone for a recommendation but if they're tourists, they won't know either. If I could find our server, I would get her opinion."

She smiled at his humor. "When I was a kid, my parents used to say if a place had an empty parking lot it probably wasn't any good. After I graduated from college, I couldn't afford the fancy restaurants, so I started checking out the little diners and mom and pop joints. They had the best food ever and their servers made you feel welcome.

"There used to be a little drive-in burger joint at the edge of town. It didn't ever seem busy enough to stay open but we can check there... unless you brought a suit coat and tie, then we would be able to get in at the country club. I hope I didn't get my gown dirty when I sat on the grass," she said, looking at her denim-covered legs.

"I never carry a suit coat when I take the Mustang. Besides, the darn thing decided my tie looked better on it than on me. You lead the way and I'll follow you. That is, unless you want to ride my horse..."

Chase helped her to her feet and grinned. Tempted to brush the grass off her jeans, he stood back. He might be silly and have a quirky sense of humor, but he wasn't a pervert. He also wasn't the type who picked up a woman for a night of sex before disappearing the next morning. He was sure he wanted to know more about Shelby including where she lived. He wouldn't push her but he wasn't going to walk away without trying.

Shelby hadn't bothered to rent a car while she was in Sagewood. Chase seemed friendly and helpful but that didn't mean he had only good intentions.

"You're hesitating," he said when she stopped.

"I... no, it's just--"

"You don't know me from Adam and aren't sure you should trust me enough to get into a car with me."

His accurate reading of her thoughts surprised her.

"I understand."

"I didn't rent a car, is all."

"Wait here," he said and sprinted toward the sidewalk again.

She leaned against a post and tried to make sense of the afternoon. Chase returned and grinned.

"I saw a police officer sitting on one of the benches. He said there's a bar and grille half a block away from the park entrance. We can walk there."

Shelby smiled. Her heart felt lighter. Even if she never saw the man at her side again, she wouldn't forget his kindness.

Although they hadn't been on one of the benches, they had heard the woman's pain in her voice. They also knew Chase would become an important part of her life.

* * * *

Boats of all sizes cruised through the channel on their way out to the lake. Amber Weston saw them even though her mind was on the reason she was there. A little while later, she saw her brother approach. His baggy sweatpants had tears and stains to match those in his jacket. The last time she saw him had been at their father's funeral when he wore faded jeans and a ripped T-shirt.

"I'm surprised you showed up but I didn't figure you would go out to the farm. You never did before. I even invited you for Thanksgiving dinner a few years ago and you refused."

She remembered the short e-mail her brother sent where he mentioned there would be plenty food if she wanted to join them. Because she already had plans to have her children over, she thanked him and explained why she wouldn't make it. He replied he hadn't expected her to say yes but didn't realize she would lie. Then again, he added, lying was something she did well. They hadn't spoken since.

Hearing his accusations now made it difficult to know how to respond. Dave hadn't ever been able to see her for herself. His constant assumptions and incorrect claims made conversations impossible. His request to meet made her wonder what his agenda was but she would do as she always did around him--remain polite.