Chapter Ten
That evening, Nora stood at the sink after Fallon had finished her shower and was apparently still dressing.
Kennedy’s voice carried into the bathroom. “I’m just saying, it’s interesting that Gwen and Tina are gone, but Nora’s still here. Weren’t they all in Denver together? Seems like whatever they did to get kicked out, she would have been there too.”
“I’m suspicious that she’s suddenly so friendly,” Delores remarked. “The whole first hitch, she mostly buddied around with Gwen and Tina, who only cared about themselves, and all of a sudden, it’s all about making us and the program look good.”
“Didn’t you see that bruise and the cut on her lip?” Hannah asked. “Maybe she got in over her head and paid the price for it. Let’s give her a chance.”
Fallon stepped out from behind the shower curtain wearing the pajamas Hal had ordered for her. The top was plain, but the bottoms had cartoon dogs all over them. Her smile faded quickly, and Nora realized her expression must be giving her away. “What’s the matter?” Fallon asked.
“Nothing.” Nora turned on the water and began brushing her teeth.
Fallon squeezed her elbow as she walked by. “Be yourself and give them time. They’ll come around.”
So she’d heard them too. If it had been anyone but Fallon, Nora would make some dismissive response, but she held back.
The crew had reasons to question the difference in her behavior, she supposed.
At least they didn’t know the whole story.
Then again, neither did Fallon, but she’d been willing to stick up for Nora anyway.
Maybe the rest of them would do the same. Eventually.
* * *
Setup for the new camp seemed to go more quickly than last time, although Fallon sheepishly accepted help pitching her tent again.
She’d indicated a nice spot for Nora’s tent close by, and Nora had made a show of scanning the nearby trees for any threatening dead branches, which had made the whole crew laugh.
It seemed like everything was lighter and easier without Gwen and Tina.
And once she had her camera in hand again, she felt the special energy that photography always gave her.
Even routine scenery appeared illuminated through her lens.
After getting a few good shots of making camp, she pressed the shutter button repeatedly as the crew began marking the fuel break area.
Intermittently, she pointed out different flowers and shrubs to whoever was nearby.
“I didn’t take you for a gardener,” Delores said.
“Oh, I’m not. My little brother is into plants, and I guess I picked up some stuff from him.”
Within the area to be cut was a majestic Douglas fir so large Fallon couldn’t get her arms around half of it. “Couldn’t we spare this beauty?” she asked, still hugging the trunk. “It must be over a hundred years old.”
Jade shook her head. “We can’t leave anything standing in a clear-cut.”
Fallon’s dejected expression made Nora’s heart hurt. “What about shifting the boundary far enough to let big beauty live?” she asked.
Jade eyed the other edge of the zone. “That could work. Hannah, would you run about thirty feet that way and see if there’s any obstruction or other reason why we can’t modify our position?”
“Good thinking,” Kenn acknowledged. Nora nodded gratefully.
After a few minutes, Hannah’s voice carried over to them. “Looks okay from here.”
“Obviously, we won’t have to designate the boundary on this side,” Jade said.
“Big Beauty, our landmark,” Delores said, and everyone clapped. Fallon’s smile made Nora feel like she’d done something right for the first time in days.
By late afternoon, they were back in camp for a final equipment check. No one wanted to get out to the clear-cut area and find they’d forgotten something since it was almost a mile away. They still had an hour before sunset, and Nora hid her amusement as Fallon eyed the ATV hopefully.
Jade shook her head. “Sorry, Falcon, but we’re going to have to be stingy with gas to make it through the week.” Fallon sighed. “How about if you take the first load to the road tomorrow?”
“Deal.”
Jade made dinner, and it was nice to have a relaxed meal while they were still clean.
They chatted past dark about their week off.
Delores had flown to Texas to meet her new niece, and Hannah had taken her parents to Estes Park.
Kennedy had spent a few days volunteering at an LGBTQ+ community center in Colorado Springs.
“And doing some clubbing,” they added to enthusiastic cheers.
Nora felt herself getting increasingly anxious, knowing someone might ask her, and she couldn’t give them an honest answer.
Standing before anyone could question her, she said, “I need to find a friendly tree. Fallon, can I borrow your flashlight?”
“I’m about ready to turn in.” Fallon rose and stretched. “I’ll go with you.”
Everyone else groaned, but Jade got to her feet as well. “Back in the saddle tomorrow, crew. Let’s be ready to hit it.”
As Nora and Fallon walked toward their tents, Fallon touched her arm. “Did you really want to go?”
“Yeah, I think I will.” She didn’t actually need to but couldn’t bring herself to admit it. “You didn’t have to come with me, you know. You could have stayed with the gang.”
“They’ll catch on and stop asking. Soon, if not already.” Fallon handed her the flashlight. “Keep it till tomorrow. I’ll be fine by moonlight.”
* * *
Nora’s long-sleeved T-shirts had ensured no one had seen the bruises on her arm, the ones in the shape of a big man’s handprint, although they throbbed when she lay down.
But turning on her other side made her lip ache.
It wasn’t terribly painful, but the awareness of it made her hurt inside.
Sleeping on her back wasn’t particularly comfortable, but it was better than the memory of panic, of the sheer terror unlike anything she’d ever experienced.
She’d never expected for this camp to become her safe place or that the supportive companionship of one particular woman would make her feel like sleep was possible.
“Fallon.” The word left her lips on a cry as she sat up, instantly awake as her head brushed the top of the small tent.
As her breathing gradually returned to normal, Nora recalled the dream, a patchwork of those dreadful moments in Denver when she’d thought her life was over.
Parts of the nightmare were frighteningly close to reality, but Fallon hadn’t been with her there.
Fallon had been here, like she was now, in her own bed. And her tent wasn’t far away.
Distractedly, Nora slipped on her mocs and unzipped her tent flap. She stood at the tall vestibule entrance to Fallon’s tent for a full minute, trying to rationalize what she wanted and what to say to get it.
“Fallon,” she whispered as loudly as she dared. “Fallon, it’s Nora. Can I…I need to talk to you.” After a few seconds, she heard Fallon’s muffled voice. “It’s Nora,” she repeated. “Could you please let me in?”
At the sound of a zipper, she almost wanted to cry. Fallon, silhouetted in the opening, peered out at her. “Nora? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Yeah. I just…uh, could I…” She couldn’t finish her thought. But when Fallon held out a hand, the intensity of Nora’s need overwhelmed her. Something inside was about to give way, and she was desperate to be steadied, to be strengthened.
Fallon studied her for a few seconds. “Stay here. I’ll be right back, okay?” Without waiting for a reply, she ducked into the sleeping area.
“I know it’s late, and I woke you. I’m sorry.
I think it’s being in this new place or how it’s nice to see everyone again but also kinda weird or maybe because I keep—” Nora’s words started out in a rush, but she abruptly ran out of clarification.
She stood, waiting for Fallon to insist on some excuse, but instead, there was only movement.
Then the flap opened again, and Fallon said, “Okay.” It was not a question but an answer.
Nora ducked inside, barely able to hide her relief as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. “You kept both sleeping bags.”
Fallon pulled back the top covering. “Blankets and pillows too.”
“Why?”
Fallon didn’t answer as they settled on their sides.
For some reason, lying in the warmth of the padded sleeping bag didn’t make Nora’s arm ache.
She positioned the extra pillow, and when Fallon reached across her, snugging close, the tension that had gripped her from the moment she’d gotten into Gwen’s car eased for the first time since her return to camp.
“A girl can hope,” Fallon whispered, the slightest tease in her tone.
Later, Nora told herself, pushing away the wave of relief. She could cry later when she was alone. Now she wanted to rest, to sleep and not dream. She tried to form the words “Thank you,” but she was already drifting, not away, but toward the certainty of strength.
Sometime in the night, they’d turned the other way, but Nora didn’t remember waking to do so.
Now dim light was filtering in, and Fallon stirred.
“I’ve got to cook.” Her voice was so soothing, Nora wanted to keep sleeping.
“Stay awhile if you want.” Fallon moved through the flap, and Nora heard her dressing.
Shit. She’d intended to leave before daylight.
How galling to be doing the walk of shame when nothing sexual had even happened.
Maybe if she stood outside the tent, she could act like they’d met up this morning.
She crawled into the vestibule just as Fallon pulled a long-sleeved T-shirt over her head.
She hadn’t thought about it until now, how different Addison’s body had been.
Addison was a wisp, almost delicate in size and shape.
None of those words described Fallon, but when Nora compared her impression at their first meeting to now, she saw someone who seemed to be a little more confident, if not more comfortable, in her skin.