Hope Burning

Chapter Three:

Mark strode back to his truck. It was pulled up on the side of the road where he had abandoned it when he had seen Jessica and the man on her porch. He had seen the man grab her, the fear on her face and had barely killed the engine when he was jumping out of the truck and running up to her house.

         Just a great day all around. Well this morning was ok but everything since then has been pretty damn depressing. First he had to meet with his lawyer, not what he would consider fun. He wasn’t able to put off shopping any longer either. He always put off grocery shopping as long as he could and then he felt he had to rush through it so that he could get out without being assaulted by Jean Butler the store manager who definitely had a thing for him. Though he did not feel the same way about her, she just could never seem to accept that. He tried not to hurt her feelings or be rude but that wasn’t helping the situation any. Some day he was just going to have to tell her that he just wasn’t interested in her.

         Sighing at the thought, Mark climbed into the cab of the truck and headed toward his own house down the road.

. . . . .

         "What am I doing? I shouldn't be sitting here feeling sorry for myself!" Jessica scolded herself speaking to no one. She let go of the squirming cat that she had been clutching.

         Angrily, she swiped at her tears. "Get a grip on yourself woman!" Shaking her head at her disgusting display of self pity, she went to the bedroom and stripped off her clothes throwing them on the bed.

         This time, she refused to even glance in the mirrors that she had surrounded her bed and bathroom with.  She jumped in the shower and turned the water on as high and hot as she could. As though trying to simply wash away all that had happened.

         She was just stepping out of the shower stall when she heard the jangling of her phone. Damn it! I left it in the kitchen last night. She cursed herself for her sloppiness and wrapped a large terry cloth bath robe around herself and ran toward the kitchen. 

         In her rush to get to the phone she stubbed her foot on the table just outside the bathroom door. Letting out an anguished cry she grabbed the offending table and hopped ungracefully to the bed holding onto the now purpling toe.

         She heard own cheerful voice invite the caller to leave a message when her answering machine picked up the call. Jessica groaned and rolled her eyes at the annoyingly chipper sound of her recorded voice. I need to change that message. I sound like a damn Mouseketeer!

         A moment later she heard the unmistakable voice of Cal Jenkins. The sole owner, and employee of the 'Wood Stock'. A small but well stocked store devoted to wood working.

         "Hey Miss Carrel! That wood you ordered is finally here. I will be here till 5pm, then you will have to wait till Monday morning to get it." His gravelly voice was cut off by his abruptly hanging up.

         That man never says 'good-bye'! It was almost endearing of the surly man.

         Jessica looked at her bedside clock and realized with a shock that it was after noon! She must have slept for hours on the porch. She thought about that while getting dressed to go out.

         It had been almost a year since she had last slept more than a few hours straight and without the nightmare too!

         By half past one she was heading out the door. Less than thirty minutes later she was parked outside the 'Wood Stock' sipping a very large cup of coffee.

         Reluctantly setting aside her cup she unbuckled the seat belt and got out of the car. She knew she had a terrible addiction to coffee, but she just couldn't bear to deny herself that one small pleasure no matter what the doctors said about it.

         Opening the door she reveled in the smell of fresh cut wood from all over the world. By far this was her favorite scent in the world. Better than any perfume she had ever known.

         Just as she was about to call out to Cal, who was probably in the wood storage room leading off to the left, she caught sight of something resting directly in front of the counter. All her breathe left her in one gasping rush.

         She couldn't make a sound or a move. She just stood rooted to the spot, staring stunned at the object that had captured her attention. She took in every detail of the squat wooden item.

         "I knew you would like it." Said a smug triumphant voice from behind her. Even when he was happy his voice sounded like it was an effort for him to grind out words past the lump of what had to be gravel in his throat. She jumped at the words and turned to see Cal. He stood there looking like the cat that got the cream, his usually grumpy face cracked into a lopsided grin. His last few wisps of gray hair stuck out at all angles, making him look slightly crazy.  No one knew just how old Cal was but he had to be over sixty, though he had the energy of a teenager. His face was flushed even more red that it usually was.

         "Like it? Are you kidding." She said breathlessly. "I Love it!"

         She turned back to the stump of wood sitting before them. She knelt down and leaned in to study it closer. "Where did you get this?"

         "Now, that is a trade secret!" cried Cal looking scandalized, although Jessica caught the mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

         "Never have I seen Cedar and Purple Heart grown together like this!" Her voice sounded too high and breathy even to herself.

         "Yes. It is rare indeed." He paused for effect. "It is for sale though." He left his sentence hanging in the air teasing her.

         Jessica looked at the price tag, knowing it would likely be a small fortune. She was right, it was. With a price tag of $3,600, it was much more than she could spend on such a frivolous luxury. She knew that it was worth much more than that however. "Cal, how did you get this so cheap? I mean it is worth much more than that!"

         "Ahh, that too is a secret my dear." He looked at her closely. "Well? What do you think of it?"

         Sighing, she stroked her fingers lightly across the surface of the gigantic burl of mixed woods. It was roughly the height of a small end table but at least two or two and half feet across. There was no bark on it and the sides had been left natural and knobby. The top and bottom were cut to make flat surfaces, like a solid wood table. The top was as smooth as glass, having been sanded and polished until it shone. Not a drop of sealant or lacquer of any kind had been applied. The tree it came from must have been of gigantic proportions, both trees had to have been to create this.

         Jessica traced her finger along the edges of where the Cedar began and the African Purple Heart ended. She was completely entranced with the red and gold swirl in the Cedar and the deep purple/maroon color of the Purple Heart. The way the two woods came together and twisted as they had grown created such a beautiful effect in this burl that it had her completely captivated.

         She seemed to have forgotten about Cal standing just behind her.

         "So. I know you want it. You can't take your eyes off it." Cal’s voice pulled her back to reality and she looked up onto his eager face.

         "Oh. I am so sorry Cal. I do want it, so badly but.." she paused and took a breathe, "I just can't afford it." She said the last bit with a sadness that was obvious.

         "No worries Miss Carrel! I am sure no one else around here will appreciate it like you do. I seriously doubt anyone else will want it at this price either." He tried to smile but his gruff face just wasn't meant for that particular expression. "I am sure it will be here for you to look at all you want." His customary growl was replaced with an anxious voice that sounded even rougher than it usually did. Even when he tried he just couldn't sound benevolent.

         "Besides, that’s not why I am here." Jessica look up at Cal eagerly. "Where is that cocobolo of mine?"

         "Ah Hah!" cal reached behind the counter and pulled out a quite large chunk of very dark wood. "Would this be what you're looking for?"

         Jessica couldn't stop the small squeal of excitement at seeing the gorgeous piece of wood that she had been so eagerly waiting for. She took the wood from Cal and felt the smooth tight grain of it. "It's perfect Cal!"

         "So what are you making out of that special piece there? If I may ask." Cal was back to his usual growl, but it held no menace for Jessica.

         "Well, that’s a surprise! I can't tell you till it's done. You will just have to wait." She plunked her debit card down on the counter. "No. Don't tell me how much it is. I know it is expensive. It will just make me cry. "

         He laughed at that and it sounded more like a cement mixer filled with pebbles choking.

         "At least tell me, are you going to use the lathe to make this mysterious item or not?"

         "Ok, Yes I am putting on the lathe. But that’s all you get till it's done!"

         Cal gave his approximation of a chuckle as he finished processing the sale and wishing her a good afternoon. It never ceased to surprised him the way he instinctively responded to this particular woman. It was so different from his normal reaction to people.

         As she turned to leave she gave Cal a rare true smile. It was so stunningly beautiful and unusual to see that the normally surly old man was struck completely mute and dumb. Oh my! He thought stunned as she left the small store. I knew she was beautiful but I never realized how much she hid it. I wonder why she is always so sad and alone? She could have anyone she wanted.

         “Hmph” Well it’s her business not mine. Man but do I wish I was a younger man!

         He didn’t particularly like most people and never spent time thinking about them but this quiet intelligent woman seemed to capture his attention somehow. He found himself thinking about her at the most strange moments.

         Like buying that ridiculously expensive piece of wood that he had known no one here but her would appreciate or even think about buying. He had known at the time that he would likely have to hold on to that thing forever and the cash outlay would just be a waste, but he couldn’t help himself when he thought of her reaction to it. Even now he didn’t regret getting it and knew it would stay right where it was until she decided to purchase it. She enjoyed it too much to take it away and he enjoyed her pleasure in it.

         He shrugged to himself and went about the rest of his daily duties never really getting the image of the strikingly beautiful enigmatic woman from his mind.