Sawtooth Mountain

Later that evening Cal carried her back down the hill and to the little house behind the bunkhouse. She had announced to the family that she had been told she had only a few months left to live, and she wanted to live them in the house that she and Art had first built on the mountaintop, with the two friends that helped them build it. Later, in her bedroom in the back of the plain, mountain cabin, she admitted to Cal that she most wanted to stay in the little house so she and he could have all the time together that they wanted.

Of course, the word eventually got around to everyone on the mountaintop that Cal was with Peggy more than he was in his own room, but that only served to give him status with his co-workers – he was bringing pleasure to the woman they loved and admired in her last weeks.

For Cal, however, it was much more than that.

The first night, though she was very tired from the trip, Peggy wanted to know where they stood in their relationship. She asked Cal to carry her into bed after a time together with her oldest friends. She rose from the bed and pushed him down into a chair, before she slowly disrobed – beginning with the scarf, revealing just a slight stubble of almost white hair, followed by the rest of her clothing. Finally she stood naked before him, watching his eyes as he devoured he flesh in the same manner as he had at the lake. The scar where her left breast had been was not ugly at all to him, but simply represented how much she loved the people around her to endure such a surgery so they might have her around a little longer.

When she was finished undressing, he rose, walked to her and picked her up in his arms, leaning his head into hers for a warm, passionate kiss. He then laid her on the bed, undressed before her and lay down beside her, gently caressing her body with his fingertips.

"I don't know whether I have the energy for three orgasms tonight," she said smiling, acknowledging that she understood nothing had changed between them.

"Well, let's just play it by ear, then," he said, smiling back.

She was wrong. They made love twice and he brought her to a third orgasm orally before she finally fell asleep in his arms, unaware of the tears that flowed down his cheeks and dripped into her hair for more than an hour after she drifted off.

The next day they sat in the barn loft and watched Rob and the children saddle their horses and ride off. Cal then turned to her and began kissing her face and neck, before moving to her breast, slowly working the nipple with his tongue and lips.

"You know, even though the other breast is no longer there, whenever you turn me on like that it feels like I get a tingle in both sides," she said, wonder in her eyes. He smiled, biting gently and getting a playful smack on the side of the head. "I didn't mean I wanted twice as much pain," she complained playfully. Cal moved down to her waist and began removing her jeans.

"What if someone sees us?" she asked, looking down into the barn.

"That's not going to happen," Cal said, looking lovingly at her body as he exposed her most private parts. "Jose is out there in the corral and anyone trying to get in this barn wouldn't stand a chance."

Peggy looked at him with glowing eyes as he buried his face in her crotch, shifting slightly so he could get a better angle at just the right places.

"Jose told me about your talk with Rob," she said, around a long sigh that accidentally escaped her lips. "Thank you for that; Jan says he is a different man."

"He just needed a little encouragement to do the right thing," Cal said, coming up for breath. "Now get serious about what I am doing before I drown down here!"

She lay back in the hay with a smile on her face as he brought her quickly to a full orgasm, every inch of her body quivering with the release of physical emotion.

"How was that?"

"Much better," Cal said. "I guess Rob is an okay guy, but I am not at all interested in talking about him when I have a beautiful, naked woman at my disposal." He entered her then, rocking her gently as she wrapped her legs around his midsection and locked her ankles behind him. She closed her eyes and rocked gently, her one breast rising and falling with the movement, until he could stand it no longer and increased the tempo before shuddering through his own orgasm.

He thought she had fallen asleep; she did that often now even in the middle of the day.

"Cal, promise me you won't leave them until you know everything is under control, okay?"

"I promise," he said softly, gently kissing her eyes, nose and mouth. "Your family is now my family . . . forever." She sighed again, and this time did fall asleep as he continued to kiss her body.

Summer quickly changed to fall in the high ground. They had time to go swimming twice more on warm days, but the water was so cold they had to make love on the rock or on the beach – which they did, repeatedly.

When the first snows came in September, they still rode to the beach, making snow angels and building a campfire beside which they would lay out two blankets and make love in the cold moonlight.

Peggy continued to lose weight, and by October could no longer ride. Cal would carry her out to the jeep and still take her to the lake, to the top of the bluff, or on extended trips around the ranch that she loved so much. Whenever possible, the two would find themselves locked in embrace, or intercourse, or both.

By December she was talking about just staying alive until Christmas. It was a ranch tradition to have Christmas in the big room of the lodge, with all the help present. Peggy would play Santa Claus, handing out gifts she had collected all year for the people who worked so faithfully for her.

Cal took her to Denver shopping five times in the final two weeks before the holiday, pushing her in a wheelchair through the shopping malls, buying special gifts this year – her last with her friends. Anyone following the two would have been surprised to see him lift her into the front seat of the jeep, then crawl in the other side only to lean over and give her a warm embrace, his hand all the while exploring the secrets of her body. She welcomed the attention, opening her arms and legs for her young lover, astonished that he still wanted to make love to her thin shadow of the woman she once was.

At Christmas, Peggy was dressed up like Santa, but the children played the part of elves, handing out the presents. The woman's generosity overwhelmed most of the staff, many of which had to step outside for a minute or two to weep privately before re-entering the room.

When Cal carried her into her bedroom that night she could not get to sleep, going over the many wonderful times she had shared with the people with whom she had spent the evening.

On New Year's Eve the whole crew gathered again on the lake front for a fireworks display worthy of any small city. As the pyrotechnics burst over the lake, which brilliantly reflected the lights, Peggy's eyes glowed like those of a little girl. That night she asked Cal to make love to her twice, falling asleep right after the second time. He moved to her side and stroked her cheek for the longest time, wondering how much longer she could last.

Two days later Jose and Cal were working on some new rails for the corral when they heard a low, sustained cry come from the 'big house.'

"Carmela," grunted Jose, as he wiped his hands on his jeans and started for the house. Cal was in fast pursuit. When the arrived they found Rob and Jan holding each other in the livingroom, and Carmela was sitting in a chair, softly sobbing. They went into the bedroom, where Peggy had lain down for a nap after breakfast. Her body was already cold, her face peaceful – finally at rest.

"I'll go into town and get the kids," Cal said quietly as he moved through the livingroom.

"No, that is my job," Rob said, thanking Cal for the offer with his eyes, but moving to the door nonetheless. As they watched the father drive off, Jan slipped into Cal's arms and began to softly sob. He just held her, not knowing what to say, or even if he could say anything without breaking into a sob himself.

The two finally sat on the couch, holding each other.

"Thank you, Cal, for everything you did for Mama," Jan said softly. "She told me last week that you made her feel more like a woman with just one breast and no hair, than any other man other than Daddy ever has. You are the reason she has such a peaceful expression on her face right now."

Cal just sat quietly, still not trusting his voice.

"Will you stay with us, Cal?"

"She made me promise to stay until I thought you all could handle everything, but I think that time has already arrived."

"Rob told me what you said to him, and that he hated you for it originally, but I don't think he hates you now, Cal, I think he admires you and would welcome you as part of the family."

"I appreciate that," Cal said honestly. "But I can't stay."

"Why not?"

He turned and looked at her, instinctively brushing her hair back from her face with his finger.

"Because you are too much like her, and I would never be able to separate the two of you in my mind," he said softly. She nodded after a minute, and then leaned forward, kissing him carefully on the lips for just a second.

"That was for Mama," she said, hugging him close to her. "I understand and will not ask you to stay, but please come back and see us from time to time, okay?"

He nodded, holding her at arms length to look into her eyes.

"You will always know where I am, and I will always be willing to come back if you need me for anything . . . understand?" She nodded and kissed him again, warmly before getting up and moving to the window. Cal slipped quietly out the back door.

After the funeral, the entire staff met in the big room of the lodge for a quiet time of remembrance, each one sharing their own special memory of Peggy Whistler. When it came Cal's turn, he described the delight she got out of shopping for their final Christmas presents, giggling like a child sometimes when she found just the right thing.

Rob explained Peggy's will to everyone so there would be no speculation. Jan was given the ranch and the bulk of the money and investments. Rob was given the property on the front of the mountain scheduled for development. Jose and Carmela were given the little house and ten acres behind it, and a quarter of a million dollars. Cal was given 10 acres on the upper end of the lake, including the bluff and beach areas, plus a large sum of cash. Each employee was given a year's wages.

The next day Cal fastened his pack to his bike and shook hands all around. Rob was the last, and thanked him openly before the staff for waking him up to his responsibilities. Cal squeezed the other man's hand, hugged Bobby, kissed Leah, Jan and Carmela on the cheek, and raised his arm to squeeze Jose firmly on the shoulder. The old Mexican returned the gesture and the two men – who had both loved Peggy Whistler so dearly, shared one last embrace at arms length before Cal mounted his bike and rode to the mouth of the valley.

He stopped to look back, knowing it would be a long time before he would recover from his loss and come back to this valley. Everyone waved from below and he raised his hand to them before slipping the bike into gear and heading down the mountain.

Neither he nor they would ever forget the summer of 1971 on Sawtooth Mountain.