Safe In All Things III: The Pennington Wars
In the Pennington Wars, Lillian discovers that Russell isn’t the only man who could love her. Amidst all the events that have happened since their meeting last April – the marriage, the struggle to regain control of Russell’s foundation, the attempted kidnapping of Lil by Roger Junior, and Russell’s recovery from food poisoning – Russell, in his own inimitable way, forgets to tell her something explosive.
That explosion opens a door in her soul and one of Lillian’s fears spills out into the marriage. Russell learns something precious about forgiveness toward Lillian’s abusive first husband. Lil learns not to ask stupid questions while alone in the Hummer… After dark… With Russell…
Then, her first Thanksgiving in the cabin is spent with her son and his family, and Michael, the young man Lillian retained from the original employees of the Foundation. And Dr. Benjamin Allen Pennington.
Complications arise on several fronts during the weekend, not the least of which is Russell’s reaction to Lil’s dancing. Or more accurately, Russell’s actions based on her dancing.
Excerpts:
However, when she went back out to the kitchen to put away the folded dishtowels, her hands were still shaky. Then, her attention was quickly divided between her task of putting the linens away in the drawer and listening to the men.
“That well? I’d really like to hear that,” Pennington’s voice said. “Maybe after the laundry?”
She immediately turned to glance into the common room and saw Pennington twisted in her leather armchair to face her. “Perhaps you would play the piano for me later?” he asked.
“Uh…” Lil desperately grasped for a logical excuse. Her hands would shake so miserably nothing would go right – not one single note. Sort of like now. “Maybe. But Russell exaggerates. I’m not that good…”
The hip she used to close the drawer saved her the embarrassment of saying she would play the piano for him… Because she had forgotten to take her hand out first. Her mouth opened wide as a shriek came out. “Aarrggchh!”
Russell covered the distance from the piano to the kitchen so fast she was still in mid “rrggcchh!” when he reached her. Unfortunately, a second set of footsteps were running toward her, too: Pennington’s.
“Lil, hold still,” Russell mumbled, checking her hand medically. Lil rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t you roll those eyes at me, Mrs. B. You know how easily you bruise.”
She did not find Russell’s concern to be comforting at this moment. The minute Pennington reached for her hand to see, she jerked her hand out of Russell’s – and hit her elbow on the corner of the fridge.
There was no hope, just none. Her good hand went to her elbow as her mouth mumbled something about giving up or rolling over and playing dead or something like that. Maybe there was a slight threat in there about annihilating Russell while she jerked her arm and hopped on one leg. She wasn’t really sure which man she now wished to kill, but Russell laughed along with Pennington while trying to steady her body.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. B, but it was funny.” Russell took her hand back and examined it again. “You will have a nasty bruise on your hand later. Maybe you won’t be playing the piano today.”
Well! She considered that to be good news. Her Klutz had actually been good for something this time. She smiled up at her husband. “Oh dear, and I was so looking forward to it,” she dripped out perhaps a little too sweetly.
Russell raised an eyebrow – the left one he always raised – while looking down at her. A small tilt came to his cupid’s bow lips but he didn’t say what he was thinking. The tense moment was interrupted by the dryer dinger. He carried the load into the bedroom for her. As soon as he was out of the room, she let her body fall backwards onto the bed, her arms out. As Batsy would say, “Oh Man!” She had to get it together.
Over all the years she had been ill or in hospitals or had ridiculous tests done to her, she had given up on being embarrassed or modest. So, what was the problem? Her answer was that none of them had pried into her bedroom as Pennington had done with Russell to add information to his research in neuropathy. And, Russell was a whole different animal compared to her first husband. Her whole body went hot just thinking about it! Which then reminded her of her remaining fear: Russell’s gorgeous body. In that area, she was continually embarrassed about her own appearance. She sighed.
Then, her mental vision cleared and an idea formed in her brain. Yes, it might work. Granted, she hadn’t been able to fool Russell from the first time they had met but it was worth a try. It would get her away from the men for at least three hours. She realized that a longer time wouldn’t work because Russell had to get into town for his presidency meeting that evening.
After her folding task was finished and the clothes put away, she went into the common room and attempted escape. “I…uh…I’m going into town and get some protein bars from Rosauers,” she announced sanely. Since she would actually buy a protein bar, it wasn’t a lie.
Russell looked up at her from the sofa a little surprised. “Lil, I have to go in for my presidency meeting tonight and need some groceries for breakfast. We’ll leave as soon as the dryer is through with this load so I can help fold it. You can’t handle the heavy linens alone.”
That sounded logical, but she might not live that long. “Are you implying that I can’t drive?”
“No. I would just rather drive myself.”
“Then you can drive yourself later and I can drive myself now.”
“That isn’t what I mean. The road has wet ruts and that curve just before the bottom—”
“You don’t think I can drive it?” she interrupted.
Russell scratched the back of his neck as his face reddened. “Well, no. I mean Yes. Uh…yes, you can drive but I’d rather—”
“I drove it several times by myself while you were too ill and I’m still alive.”
“Yes, you did, but you know that isn’t the reason.” Russell’s eyes darted to Pennington whose dark eyes seemed to be darting between her and Russell. “Uh… It’s more that line-of-sight problem I have and you know it!” he finished firmly. “We always go to town together!”
“You don't always have company, Russell. I can get what you need, just write it down,” she patiently persisted. “When I get home, you can go for your meeting.”
“I can take you down later,” Pennington finally offered to Russell. “We can use my rental.”
Russell’s silver-flecked eyes flashed to Pennington with something other than reason in them. “That won’t work! I mean thank you, but I’d rather—”
“That makes perfect sense!” she said, joyously seizing the opportunity handed to her. “Dr. Pennington can go down with you and wait for you to get your meeting done and you’ll have that hour in the car each way to talk.” She had control – until she kept going. “You stay here and fold the Pennington… I mean fold the dryer…”
Ooops.
Realizing her mistake, she darted into the bedroom to retrieve her small backpack purse, hoping Russell hadn’t noticed. However, she forgot to look as she headed back to the bedroom door. Her body bounced off of his but he grabbed her as she ricocheted.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m…uh…shopping,” she replied, persisting in innocently.
“No, I don’t think so, Mrs. B.” Russell forced her back toward the bed, looking her directly in the eyes. “What’s going on?”
Her body sat on it, but she didn’t give up. “I’m out of… Yes! I’m out of the bars I like and I remembered when you asked about breakfast.”
There. That sounded logical, she decided while looking up at her husband. He, in turn, was standing over her with his hands on his hips – both of his eyebrows up. Well, maybe the logic was lost on him.
“Oh! The dryer load! I think the dryer is done!” Lil used the springs in the mattress to launch herself from the bed and darted around her surprised husband, heading for the laundry closet again.
Unfortunately, Russell’s long legs outmatched her. She almost ran into him again and he grabbed her arm. “Darnit, Lil, the bell didn’t go off. What is going on?”
“Where?” she asked innocently.
“Here.”
“Here?”
“Yes, here! Right here!” he stated, pointing at the floor.
“What about the dryer?”
"Not the dryer!"
"But you just said the dryer--"
“Darnit, Lil! Don’t you try that flimflam on me!” Russell pulled her into his arms going for the male thing.
“Flimflam?” she repeated. She smiled but didn’t look up at him. She didn’t dare. For some reason, he always knew anyway.
“Lil, you are leaving me no choice,” his dangerous lips said, coming her way. “You tell me now or I’ll use my Van Gogh!”
“No, no, no…don’t you dare!” she squealed. “Company, company… That company!” She tried to point over her head in Pennington’s direction with her sore hand. “Car! Bars! Help!!” she yelped.
His lips hesitated as his silver flecks glanced over her at the common room. The process of indecision crossed his face then settled in a gleam. He looked down at her with the small tilt coming on the right side of his lips, warning her.
Ooops again.
“Remember you chose this, Mrs. B…”
Segment #2:
The return trek to the Hummer was mostly silent while Russell held on to her stumbling body. When they reached the vehicle, Russell put her in to warm her while he and Pennington discussed walking farther up the road to see how far it had been plowed in case they wanted to return tomorrow. While the men walked out of sight around the bend, she waited with the heater running, debating what was now a personal problem. Waiting for Russell to return also meant the return of Pennington. Nope, she decided. Over her dead body was she using a bush with Pennington close by!
She stuffed her camera down her front, turned the engine off, and exited the warm vehicle. One of the more humorous aspects of piddling out in the wilderness became very apparent to her when she had to dig a small latrine spot in the snow.
Okay. So it was cold. At least it was private. The final problem was gulping air when the cold touched her bared skin. Lil almost rolled on the snow embankment laughing, not sure if she’d tell Russell about it or not. Then set a speed record for zipping everything back up.
After that, while wandering around a little looking for some photographs, she came out into a small meadow area that looked like it served as a marsh during the Spring and Summer.
Each step became a little tenuous as the snow deepened in some spots and her legs tired from the weight of her boots. Also straining to breathe, she sensed some heat flushing in her body. A warning sign to her. Frustrated with her body, she pursued what she hoped would be some excellent photos. If the problem worsened, she would simply turn around.
Encounters with cougars or grizzlies or poachers was unlikely this time of year. Nothing would bother her and she could sit and relax if necessary.
As usual her reasoning was slightly off. But… She did get to sit.
(chapter three)
The wind had blown the snow in the small meadow into mounds, leaving her shallow places to walk. She bent down at the first sight of the Snowshoe Hare. The hare was slightly to her left just beyond some graceful, tall frosted fronds of dried bulrushes - the golden paper stems in sharp contrast to the white of the hoary frost.
Her cold fingers caused a slight chilling effect when she put her hand into her sweater to retrieve her camera. The batteries were retrieved from the other side of her chest. Sure, she looked funny, but nothing worked when it was too cold, especially batteries.
Slowly, very slowly she finished kneeling while putting the batteries into the expensive equipment Russell had given her. The hare didn’t move as the camera came up and the digital process started recording its beauty. About twenty good shots of the hare with the bulrushes in the foreground or to the side were recorded before its ears suddenly went on alert.
Lil also went on alert. Some squidging on the snow sounded to her right, slightly behind her. It wouldn’t be Russell because he would have called to her. She didn’t want to scare it off, whatever it was, and started rotating on her shaky knees.
When the cause of the sound came into sight, she desperately wanted to scare it off. No wonder the Snowshoe Hare had vanished. It had no desire to be dinner. Neither did she. Except for the twitching in her thigh muscles and knees, she froze, literally froze. She was a rock.
The beautiful tawny coat to her right definitely wasn’t Russell. It was too short and had four legs. Well! This would be a good time to scream… And be grateful her bladder was already empty. If not, it would be empty now in a rather embarrassing way. Her heart was pounding so rapidly and loudly that her neck felt compressed. Not more than twenty feet from her, the cat had to hear it.
I wonder how long I can hold my breath? she wondered, noticing the steam coming out of her nose.
Then, she sank slowly down to her butt and started to relax. There was nothing she could do anyway. Maybe it would just leave. Maybe she would freeze while waiting for it to just leave. Movement was unwise so she didn’t – for a few moments. However, being Lil, the temptation was too great.
From her training, she knew better than to stare at the cougar. Direct eye contact was ill-advised, so she squinted and looked at the snow and rocks under and to the side of the cat in the fading light of the afternoon.
The yellow gold eyes studied her while the tail twitched back and forth. Other than a slight hiss coming out of its mouth, though, nothing was threatening yet. Then the shoulders twitched, too, as the cat sat down, the bright eyes staring at her. A pink tongue came out and licked the lips then the mouth yawned, demonstrating the deadly teeth while the golden eyes still stared. Lil waited as her body weakened.
Finally, she couldn’t stand the suspense and looked directly at the cat. It stared back at her. Unfortunately, is also narrowed its eyes as the rump started up from the ground. The shoulders tensed.
“Isss,” floated to her. Russell had silently arrived somewhere behind her. But, her problem was too close to her and she knew it.
She also knew she was in trouble in another way. Her eyes fogged over a little as she looked back to the ground - her vision blurred. Yes, she knew it was coming – not the cat, but an adrenalin rush. The hint from before was now a full heating, flushing into her body. At least this was an appropriate time for such a thing which is more than she could say when it happened during church or in front of the reporter in October.
She sighed. If Russell wasn’t able to do something to keep the cat from killing her, being unconscious would make things much easier, wouldn’t it?
Suddenly a light bulb went off in her head. A light bulb might be the answer! Her left hand was on the blind side of her; her finger found the small On switch on her camera. Struggling to remain upright, she slowly picked it up then slowly moved her eyes down to look at it. Admittedly, she wanted a picture anyway and this might be one for her grandson. Perhaps, the last one she would give her grandson.
Now… When to do it… When. Just the right moment… Her left hand was a clumsy choice and very shaky by now, and partially numb from the cold, but the only one available.
The cat shifted toward her. Now!! Lil brought the camera up to her neck, click, click, click in rapid succession shots – the flash going off intermittently. Brought it to her face – click, click, click again. Then to her eye – click, click, click, the flash going off again as it recharged. Her body shook; the darkness in her vision became complete as she tried to prop herself up with her right hand, dropping the camera to her lap to avoid ruining it.
“Hah! Hah!” yelled across the open meadow in Russell’s bass voice. “Haaa!!”
Instead of toward her, the cat bolted to her right and out of sight as Russell’s body landed so hard beside her that snow sprayed onto her face.
“Thank you, Father, thank you,” she whispered as her mind and body went into collapse, falling right into his arms.
“Lil, come back,” Russell gasped. “Pennington, she’s sick!” he yelled behind him. “The med kit from the Hummer and the firecrackers in case the cat comes back!”
He pulled her up into his lap and cradled the top half of her but she was too weak to respond. His body shook against her as he whispered, “Oh my. Oh my. Thank you, Father, thank you. Feed the cat something else, please.”
He rocked while whispering and taking her pulse at her wrist then at her neck. The attacks weren’t pleasant, but she would be fine. The more difficult part was coming. As soon as her mind and bodily nerves started back, the muscles in her legs would hurt intensely.
“How is she doing?” Pennington huffed, finally landing beside them with the kit. “Barrington, I apologize. I’ll never doubt you again.”
“It’s okay,” Russell sighed. “I don’t know how it works, it just does. I know when she’s in danger. I don’t always know where she’s at, but so far, it’s worked.”
“After what I just saw, it’s a good thing. Have you done labs?”
“Yes. She was having one of these when that reporter pestered her below the cabin. I ordered labs then.”
“Anything?”
“By the time I was able to reach the hospital – nothing. None of it makes much sense so far,” Russell reported, listening to her heart while she came back – mostly from the shock of his cold fingers under her sweater! When she opened her eyes, Pennington was wearing the ear buds at the other end of the small stethoscope, also listening to her heart. Without the ability to do otherwise, she patiently waited while Russell and Pennington compared notes.
“It’s too cold out here,” Russell mumbled. “I’ve got to get her warm.”
“I can help,” Pennington said beside her. “Between the two of us we can get her safely back to the Hummer.”
The arms around her tightened. “Thank you, but I’m not letting go of her until I have to some day. I want every minute the Lord lets me have,” Russell whispered. “If you’ll help me, I can get her up on my shoulder. You can carry the bag and watch for the cat.”
She felt Pennington’s hands on her as Russell moved to get out from under her body. She sucked a little air as the pain in her legs shrieked at her but frantically bit her lip!
“Lil!”
“I’m better,” she mumbled.
Russell grabbed her from Pennington, smothering her in a tight embrace and shaking against her. “You might be, Mrs. B, but I’m not.”
“Barrington, that was a close call,” the tenor offered, bracing her for Russell.
“No, it was a miracle,” the bass answered.
“No, it was the flash on my camera,” she corrected. “With the Lord’s help, of course.”
Russell and Pennington burst out laughing.
“I told you, didn’t I?” the bass voice coughed out to his friend while bending to put her up on his shoulder the gentler way. “She does that all the time!”
“I’m beginning to believe everything you’ve told me about her,” the tenor replied.
Just as Russell entered the trees with Pennington’s legs in Lil’s upside-down view, he said, “Lil, don’t struggle up there like you usually do. You are too weak and it will make the pain worse. Okay?”
Responding to him was impossible because the pain had already started the tear ducts in motion and she didn’t want him to know she was crying. And she certainly wasn’t going to make this more difficult for him while he trudged through the snow with Pennington following.
“Your vertigo?” he asked softly, huffing toward their goal.
“Controllable,” was all she could gulp.
“Keep your eyes shut,” he whispered.
By the time Russell reached the Hummer, he was panting – huge breaths of steam coming out of his lungs.
“The water…” he gasped to Pennington. “A pill.”
His body sank to a snowbank then gently swung her over into his lap while Pennington found the water. She gratefully took the pain medication then sat there for a few moments in her husband’s lap with her arms around his neck as tight as she could get them.
“Don’t cry, please,” he whispered to her. “It will work soon.”
“It isn’t the pain anymore,” she whispered back. “It’s you.”
His hands went behind her head as his cold lips kissed everything on her face.
“Ahem,” came from above them. “Barrington, she isn’t the only one who needs help now. You need to get into the car and warm up before I have to put both of you in the hospital.”
Russell looked at her and coughed a laugh. “You see, Mrs. B? I’m not the only Bossy in the world. But, he has a point.”
Pennington helped her into the backseat where Russell could hold her. They warmed their bodies and left the driving to Pennington. The lovely, ugly, squat vehicle with the tiny windows that Lil hated didn’t get stuck once. She considered revising her estimation of the vehicle she viewed as an ostentatious waste of good money.
Segment #3:
The scream snapped her right out of sleep and into Russell.
“Stay!” he demanded, pointing at her. “No lights and no opening the doors!”
“Dad!” came running in the bedroom door accompanied by Batsy’s shadowy form. “It’s close.”
“Yup,” Russell nodded while hurriedly putting his pants on. “We better find out just how close.”
“Don’t you dare!” she flared at him. “You can wait ‘til daylight.”
“That’s up to the cat and I think it’s made a decision.” Russell turned and went out the bedroom door with Batsy running ahead of him. They ran right into Ben who had also dressed quickly.
“Red lights?” he asked Russell.
“No, I bought night vision binoculars this summer.” Russell was efficient while quickly getting what he needed. “Batsy?"
“Got it!” Batsy replied, holding up the large old rifle.
Michael came out of the weight room in his jacket but Batsy put his hand out. “You stay.”
“No. I’m good with a pistol and can help!” Michael protested.
“Have you fought a cougar before?” Russell asked. Michael shook his head. “Then you don’t go. Batsy will train you to be a part of these mountains but not tonight. You understand?”
Just then, the cat screamed again, chilling Lil’s spine right to her tailbone.
Daniel came out of his bedroom with Sarah right behind and yelled from the landing, “What’s happened?”
“It’s the cougar,” Batsy yelled up. “Stay in the cabin no matter what. We’re going to find it and try to scare it off.”
Daniel grunted then leaned on the railing, watching Russell, Batsy, and Ben as they quietly opened the glass door and slipped out into the darkness. Lil’s stomach did a sudden lurch and wished she was with Russell as the dark shapes disappeared.
“How’s your back?” Daniel yelled down at her.
“Oh. Fine,” she replied, looking up. As casually as possible, she said, “You have a long drive tomorrow so go back to bed. Russell knows what he’s doing and we’re safe in here anyway. Goodnight.”
“You’re right about that!” Daniel stated. “Russell needs his own small plane so we can get here without all the driving.”
“Goodnight, Mother.” Sarah waved down at Lil and turned with Daniel and pushed him toward their bedroom then the door shut.
Lil watched Michael walk to the tall windows. “If you want to learn about these mountains, Batsy will be thrilled to teach you,” she commented at his dark shadow.
“He’s already talked to me and I’m looking forward to it,” he replied softly. “How long?”
“I have no idea,” she admitted. “But, Russell said to keep the doors closed and the lights off.”
Michael nodded then sat in her leather chair. She carefully felt her way back to her bedroom. Silence followed, giving Lil an eerie feeling added to her tension. She dressed in her fleece loungers then sat on the end of the bed, holding the bed post in her left hand. Patience wasn’t really her strong point and the pounding of her heartbeat snapped it quickly. She felt her way to the common room then started along the furniture just as she heard him.
Russell’s voice was yelling something! She stumbled over the piano bench trying to see what was happening and fell against the windows. Michael rushed to help her just as a shadow entered the deck from the steps. Russell. Oh my! Her hand slapped her chest! Grabbing Michael, she practically dragged him to the glass door and opened it, relieved to see her husband.
“Russell! Thank goodness, you’re—” Russell’s expression ended her sentence.
“Shut the door and get over here by me,” he said softly, reaching his hand out to her.
She pulled the glass door completely closed, leaving Michael inside. “Where is it?”
“The railing.” His head nodded slightly to behind her. “Batsy?”
“I got him,” came out of the dark.
“Not the windows,” Russell cautioned softly, slowly drawing his pistol. “Pennington?”
“Down here,” whispered up from below the deck. “Now?”
The cat walked the railing to the break for the steps then jumped the open space. It hissed then yowled at them and Russell yelled, “NOW!”
Bullets zinged in the air as Russell pushed her to the deck and landed on her. The cat landed on Russell, mashing Russell’s body against hers then its claws grabbed the decking and it leapt into the air over the far railing and disappeared.
Instantly, she rolled to grab Russell. “Did it get you? Are you hurt?”
