BACK TO MEADOWBROOK – a Free Short Story

Coming home from college, with finals finally over and graduation past, Hannah Stuart was amazed at how much the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg area had grown since her childhood and even since her last visit. It seemed like every year brought more changes and more and more tourism. However, as she traveled up Highway 321 out of Gatlinburg, the heavy traffic congestion gradually diminished with green trees and mountain views beginning to greet her. She passed the roads to Greenbrier and Pittman Center and then watched for the familiar turn leading down a side road to Meadowbrook, the rural country home where she’d grown up.

As Hannah turned by the mailbox, she spotted Megan sitting on top of the fence and waving to her. Hannah pulled over with a smile. “What are you doing out here?” she asked.

“Waiting for you.” Her sister grinned. “You called Mom and Dad, when you turned off the interstate heading toward Gatlinburg, so I knew it wouldn’t be long until you got here.”

Hannah pulled her Honda to the side of the road to let Megan climb in, reaching over to give her a hug. “You’re wearing your new uniform and look very professional,” she said, studying Megan’s short-sleeved khaki shirt tucked into neat pants, a park ranger’s hat on her head.

Megan grinned. “I just got off work and I wanted you to see my official look as a Smoky Mountains park ranger intern. I’m working on the trails and in the visitor center helping with tourist traffic and answering questions.

“It’s what you’ve wanted to do since you went to one of those Tremont camps one summer and got to meet and work with several park rangers.”

“Yes. It’s hard work, but I’m loving it,” Megan said, pulling off her hat to show more of her sun-touched blond hair and reminding Hannah of dozens of photos of all the Stuart kids, all six of them blonds. Hannah, the oldest, had light blond hair and a more peaches and cream complexion than Megan’s, but since childhood, they’d all been fair-haired.

As old memories swept back, Hannah turned off the car’s motor and looked down the long lane toward their rural county home. “I still remember the day we all came here with Alice Graham to live, don’t you? We were so excited to be coming to a bigger place after all six of us had been scrunched into those two small upstairs bedrooms in Alice’s little Sevierville house.”

Megan smiled, also remembering. “We were all scared, then, too, afraid Alice wouldn’t continue to foster all six of us, worried we’d be split up. We were still grieving, too, over losing mother and daddy in that awful car wreck. It was such a frightening time for us. We’d been such a happy family before. You were the oldest, only twelve, me just ten, Stacey eight, Rachel seven, and the twins Thomas and Tildy barely five. It was a lot for anybody to consider taking on six kids.”

“But Alice Graham did it. We were blessed.” Hannah smiled and shook her head at the memory. “Watching how wonderful she was helping children and families as a social worker is what made me want to be a counselor, too.”

“Yes, and you just got your degree in social work a few weeks ago at Asbury College.” Megan laughed. “Weren’t we lucky, too, that Harrison Ramsey, who owned the big stable and home down the road from us, fell in love with Alice and married her, so we got Harrison for a new dad, too.”

“Yes, and it’s hard to realize we’re all nearly all grown now, except for William Taylor who came after Alice and Harrison married. I think he looks more like Harrison every year, too, don’t you?”

“He does, but Harrison doesn’t love William any more than the rest of us.” Megan paused, changing the subject then. “Look. I know Harrison came to Asbury and talked you into finishing college this spring when Brandon broke up with you and you wanted to quit school. That was a bad time for you. Are you doing better now?”

Hannah looked away, feeling tears start to seep down her face. “It still hurts to think about it, Megan, and it hurt every time I saw Brandon around campus before school ended. I tried to avoid him but of course I couldn’t. We met in our first year in school, became friends and then more. We had so many plans for our future. I can’t understand how Brandon could just meet someone else and fall in love with them more than with me.”

Megan leaned toward her. “If he could do that, Hannah, he wasn’t the right one for you. Odell said God was looking out for you to not let you marry anyone who wouldn’t be faithful and true and love you like he should.”

Hannah wiped her face. “Well, it is what it is. I sometimes thought I would die from the hurt, but I didn’t, and now I don’t even know what I’m going to do this summer since I graduated. I think everyone is working or busy with something this summer except for me.”

“You know it’s always been that way. Harrison thinks hard work and being active is healthy.” Megan grinned. “We always had to work or do camps or stay busy with our summer vacations. I’m interning this summer, which is great for me since I’m studying to be a park ranger at UT. Stacey and Rachel are both working retail for Maureen Cross at the Crosswalk Crafters Shop in Laurel Village Mall in Gatlinburg, now that they’re both over sixteen. You know Stacey wants to have her own shop someday. She already has all sorts of plans for it and she’ll probably do it. You know how strong-willed she is.”

“Yes. I remember.” Hannah laughed.

“The twins, Thomas and Tildy, are going to Buckeye Knob Camp in Wears Valley as CITs or Counselors in Training – like junior counselors – this summer. They’re so excited. They’ve both always loved camp there, like we did, and William Taylor who is eight, going on nine, will be going to camp this year. It will be a little quiet around the house during the days.”

“I’m sure I can help O’Dell with the house and the cooking. She’s getting older.” Hannah started the car back up. “Speaking of cooking, I’m sure Odell McKee will be getting supper ready and everyone else will be looking for me.”

“Yes, and Harrison is even churning homemade ice cream after dinner because he knows you love it.”

The words lifted her heart as she drove down the road to the big two-storied country home with its black shutters and door and a welcome profusion of flowers all around the house. Hannah knew she was loved here, despite her failed relationship with Brandon. When Harrison drove to Kentucky, to make it clear she wouldn’t be dropping out of school, he’d said, “The heart survives being hurt in love, Hannah. It isn’t fatal. It just feels like it.” He’d grinned at her after those words. “if anyone should know that, it’s me, Hannah Stuart. I had one broken engagement where the girl sent my engagement ring back to me in the mail and then, as you should recall, another woman stood me up at the church alter on our wedding day. As you can see I didn’t die and neither will you. Give the rest of this semester your best, despite that young man’s actions. Think of it like giving him a black eye to show him you’ll move on with a smile and be better without him.”

It was hard advice to follow, but she’d tried to keep Harrison’s words in mind, and thankfully she was moving on now. At least she wouldn’t have to watch him laughing and holding hands with Sharon Jean Gentry everywhere she went.

Dinner was a happy occasion that night. Alice swung her around in a big hug and all the family shared happy stories and laughs at the dinner table. It still felt odd sometimes to look around to see them all nearly grown except for Thomas, Tildy, and Will. But no one was too grown up not to play bingo this Friday night to celebrate her homecoming, and of course Alice had prizes for the winner and they all went outside to the back porch and yard to eat homemade ice cream after.

While sitting on the back porch, Alice caught her up on local news, also telling Hannah about some of her current cases for the Wayside Agency where she worked as a social worker with foster children.

“I wish there was something I could do to help at Wayside this summer,” Hannah said.

Harrison leaned forward. “You’ll be busy enough working for me at the Ramsey Stable this summer. I’m short-handed, with Deke moving on to work in the new woodworking shop with his uncle. It’s a good opportunity for him and it gives him a place to sell his own pieces. He and his wife have two children now to raise, and his woodworking gift deserves more recognition.”

Alice smiled, tucking a stray strand of her blond hair into the French braid behind her head. “I hope you won’t mind taking people out on trail rides and helping around the stable until Harrison finds another stable manager. It’s work you know, and Harrison really needs the help right now. This opportunity for Deke opened up unexpectedly, leaving your father short-handed right as the busy season at the stable kicks in.”

“I’ll be glad to help,” Hannah said and she did mean it. She’d always loved being at the stables, riding, and working around the horses since they first moved here, the Ramsey Stables practically next door to their home.

“Hard work is good therapy, too, good for body and soul.” Harrison added. “You’ve been telling us a lot about the value of equine therapy and about some of those classes you took and the therapy centers you visited that put handicapped or troubled kids on horses to help them. You said the research shows it helps process trauma, builds emotional resilience and trust after difficult emotional situations.” He grinned widely at her then. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Maybe it’ll help you perk up, too.”

Hannah knew he teased her, knowing she still felt a little down in spirit, and she tried to give him a saucy grin back. “Maybe it will. I’ll let you know how it works out.”

Alice made a face and shook her head. “Riding may be therapeutic, Harrison, but I hardly see how cleaning out stalls or clearing trails will be emotionally healing.”

“You never can tell,” he said.

On Monday, after breakfast Hannah pulled her hair up in a ponytail, slid into a pair of old, worn jeans, a Ramsay Stable T-shirt, and her riding boots and headed for the stable. The half mile walk took her across the creek on a small bridge and by the old Ramsey barns and farmhouse, before arriving at the stable. She smiled to see some of the trail horses already saddled and waiting for the first trail ride of the day.

“Howdy-do, young lady,” said Hobart Rayfield from an old caned chair by the barn, where he sat drinking coffee from a battered tin mug. “I haven’t seen you here for a while, but Harrison said you were going to work here this summer and help us out since we don’t have Deke full time now.”

“With college finished, I needed a summer job,” she said. “What do you need me to do today?’

“Help saddle the rest of these horses,” answered a young man in another Ramsey shirt and jeans, as he walked out from the barn leading a pinto mare. “We have a big group starting at ten from a camp down the road. We’ll both need to ride with them, the kids a mixed group of boys and girls about nine to ten in age.”

Hobart smiled at Hannah. “I guess you remember my nephew Josh Sheldon since you rode with him and worked alongside him enough as a kid. He’s helping out this summer, too.”

Hannah’s eyes moved over Josh as he tied the pinto with the line of horses at the fence, still tall and good looking with broad shoulders, his dark hair too long, as usual. She turned her eyes away, trying not to focus too much on Josh and stir up a few memories more than friendship. She headed for the barn.

“Get that dark mare with the blaze, called Annie,” Josh directed. “Harrison says she’s a good, reliable horse to follow in a trail ride. I’ll ride Jasper and lead and you can follow on Annie.” He trailed her into the barn, going to a stall to open it and start bridling another horse.

Hannah frowned, feeling surly to hear him giving her orders like a stable hand. “I thought you were working as an assistant stable manager or something with one of those big Kentucky horse farms,” she said. “I think mother mentioned last year you’d moved up there after you graduated college in Equine Business Management or something.”

“I did take a job up there,” he answered from inside the stall. “They liked me well enough, but I didn’t like the job. Working with racing thoroughbreds is a different type of business, the emphasis always on competing and winning. Tempers often testy. Money, greed, and high living a little overemphasized for me. At least it was where I worked. Uncle Hobart called and told me about Deke leaving so I’m working here for the summer and looking around to see what else I might find that suits me more.”

As they both led another trail horse out, bridled and saddled, to the fence rail, Hobart said, “We’ve been lucky to get Josh down here to manage, filling in for Deke, and now we’re blessed to get you to work here, too. It’s always hard to find experienced stable hands. I can ride trail when I need to but I’m better suited to stick around the barn, setting things up, taking calls, doing what needs to be done here. We had another boy helping Deke back in the spring, but he’s moved on. It’s hard to get good help.”

Josh and Hannah talked a little, but not much, around getting the other horses ready for the ride. They were taking nine riders out today, one a camp counselor. As they arrived, Hannah listened to Josh give them the trail talk, clear and well-delivered to set the rules. He asked about their riding experience, and Hobart helped him match the horses to their level of skill as well as they could. Hannah handed out helmets to all the kids and helped several to mount correctly, and then they headed out, the group’s camp counselor about midway along the string of riders.

Although Hannah often rode horseback when she came home from college, she hadn’t ridden trail like this in several years, but the ease and remembrance of it came back quickly. She found herself relaxing on the quiet of the trail, enjoying the sounds of birds, the scampering of wildlife among the trees, listening to the questions of the kids and the soft sounds of the horses. It was therapeutic and Hannah found herself relaxing. This was the stable’s standard two-hour trail ride, looping up one side of the mountain, crossing over it, and then riding downhill on the other side to connect back to the stables.

The rest of the day was full of stable chores, horse care, property tasks like weed-eating around fencing in the pasture, and two more trail rides after lunch before the stable closed at four. The routine of the days to come was similar, Harrison filling in on the days when she or Josh were off.

As time moved on into June, Hannah quickly adjusted to riding almost daily and working at the stables again. It quieted her after the stressful spring she’d gone through, and being around Josh grew easier. He soon returned to his old teasing and fun-loving self she remembered. He’d always made her laugh; his ease a good contrast to her more sensitive and emotional nature. When out riding the trails by themselves to check for fallen trees, brush, rocks on the path, or other problems, they talked while they worked. They chatted about school, work, goals, family, books they’d read, movies they’d seen, the stable horses, funny memories, the aspects of nature all around them.

“You sure are easy to get along with,” Josh said to her one day when they’d stopped to clean around an old cemetery and then sat down on a log to rest. “I remember we used to date back in the past and it was good.” He grinned and winked at her. “Why did we break up anyway?”

“We didn’t break up. We were never really going together to officially break up.”

He scratched his head. “Well, I remember you said we should see other people.”

She gave him a saucy look. “Funny, I remember you saying that, too, when neither of us were going out with anybody else.”

Josh thought back and then shrugged a little sheepishly. “Well, you were a really nice girl and a lot of the guys were having some adventures with girls that sounded kind of intriguing. I didn’t want to miss out on that aspect of my education, so maybe that’s why I suggested we see other people.”

She crossed her arms, annoyed now. “So, you really wanted liberty to experiment around. Is that right?”

Josh laughed. “Come on. I was a kid with raging young hormones. I loved my experimenting with you but I knew I couldn’t take it any further.” Seeing her bristle at that remark, he added, “Besides, when we both headed for college, you said we should branch out and see other people there. It wasn’t just me, Hannah Stuart. We were kids. Didn’t you enjoy dating other guys in high school and college? We didn’t need to be tied to each other from the time we were twelve and thirteen. That’s too young to be sure.”

“Maybe,” she conceded. “Did you have adventures with some of those women along the way?”

He looked a little shocked at her question. “Let’s just say I had a lot of fun meeting a lot of different girls and learning about them along the way.”

Hannah looked down at her lap. “Did you ever fall in love with any of them?”

“I guess I thought I did a few times, but most all my relationships crashed and burned in time. Either they dumped me and moved on or I changed, found we didn’t really suit any more, and I moved on. I never got into anything too serious, did you?”

She looked away. “I thought I did,” she answered in a quiet voice. “I got serious about someone for a long time in college, thought he would be part of my future, but I guess, like you said, he decided I didn’t suit any more, and he moved on to someone else.”

“Was that recent?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Well, come on. You have to get back up on the horse again after you fall off. You know that.” He leaned closer. “Have you kissed anyone since you broke up?”

She looked away, shocked, and shook her head.

“Well, that’s a mistake. Let’s fix that right now.” He leaned over and kissed her, pulling her closer and showing her well that he’d learned a lot more about kissing than in those young school days.

Her eyes widened, as he pulled away to look at her. “See? Isn’t it better when you remember how good kissing is rather than remembering hurt attached to it? Life’s too good not to savor and enjoy Hannah.” He winked at her. “You kiss a lot better than when we were kids, too, I can tell you that.”

She giggled. “I was thinking the same thing about you.”

“Well, then, let’s do it again.”

They experimented kissing a little more, laughing and making jokes, but then realized their heartbeats were kicking up and the moment was growing more heated.

Josh stood and reached down to take her hand. “Those hormones sure do have a sweet way of kicking up sometimes. But I need to be careful not to let the boss catch me kissing on his daughter. I might lose my job.”

“Do you think Harrison would care?” Hannah asked.

“I’d say he would if it was more than kissing. I’m not sure about anything else.” They mounted up to head back to the stables.

Off and on over the summer, Hannah and Josh took some moments to enjoy the little flirtation that had started that day on the trail. Hannah wasn’t sure if it was anything else but a flirtation, but she knew Brandon had receded from her mind, except as a memory, the thought of him no longer painful. If she dreamed now, it was of Josh. She could feel his attraction, often saw him watching her, liked the times when he moved close to her when no one was around just to be near her, to run a hand down her arm, or to brush her hair out of her face. What was developing between them was sweet, but Hannah didn’t know if it would grow further. And Josh hadn’t put any words to his feelings.

Hannah didn’t talk to any of her family about her changing friendship with Josh. In the evenings she enjoyed time with her family, laughing with them about work experiences, watching movies or playing games on the weekends, going shopping or to the pool or mountains. Megan told funny stories about the tourists she encountered at the Visitor Center and Stacy was full of stories about Maureen’s shop in Gatlinburg and about her and Rachel’s adventures.

Occasionally, she saw Hobart or Harrison watch the two of them thoughtfully. They were the ones who saw her and Josh together most often, but the most Hobart ever said was, “It seems like the two of you have become right good friends again. You always did get on well.” He’d laughed then. “I remember when that Vance Palmer was pushing on you, Hannah, back in your young days, and Josh here fought him and blacked his eye for it.”

Josh laughed. “I remember that, too.” He looked at Hannah. “Vance Palmer hasn’t been giving you any more trouble has he?”

Surprised, she said, “No, I haven’t even seen him at the market since I’ve been home. Only his parents. I think I heard Stacey’s friend Laura Sue say he got married. Lives in Knoxville now or something.”

Later, Josh told her, “When I heard Vance had pushed on you and kissed you when you didn’t want him to, it was one of the first times I realized I liked you a little more than I thought. I went over and gave him what for and he left you alone after that.”

Hannah remembered that time, too, pleased Josh would stand up for her. How young they were then. And yet in many ways the same.

As July faded with August on the horizon, Hannah realized she’d done little about thinking ahead about her life. In talking to Alice, she clarified that in order to practice as a professional counselor, like Alice did for the Wayside Agency, she’d need to get her masters in counseling. With a little internet research, she’d learned nearby Carson Newman University had a Master of Science in Counseling program. She could commute to prepare for the coursework, credentials, and the state licensure she would need to practice. Hannah knew she’d like doing work like Alice did or working in a similar area. However, she knew she hesitated about any permanent plans because she didn’t know what Josh would do in the fall. Had he even been looking for a job? He only vaguely talked about it. The subject was one they both tiptoed around.

Summer camps and summer jobs were nearing the end for everyone as August settled in. Tildy and Thomas were back home, Stacy and Rachel talking about their upcoming year in high school, Megan soon heading back to the University of Tennessee and the apartment she shared with another girl in her program. Even Will was excited about heading back to school and wondering who his teacher would be in fourth grade.

While checking out the trails together the next day, Josh said casually, “I’ve had a management job offer at another Kentucky stable.”

“Is that right?” Hannah said, trying to squash down the tumble of emotions his words brought.

“it’s another thoroughbred stable but I think their operation is more low-key, their methods and practices not pursued as aggressively as the other stable where I worked. I’ve talked to some people. Their training and breeding practices are all handled more ethically, too. That matters to me.” He talked more about the job, about some of the champions the stable had produced, its reputation, the salary and responsibilities he’d carry.

Hannah felt like weeping as she listened. She knew she’d allowed her feelings for Josh to grow far beyond friendship. But what could she say? He’d never declared any feelings to her or laid out any plans for a future with her.

After a time, he said, “I guess you’ve got some plans made, too.  I think you said you might get your masters so you could go into professional practice in a position like Alice’s.”

Biting back her emotions and struggling not to make a fool of herself, Hannah said, “Yes. Alice and Harrison have encouraged me in that. Several schools have the graduate program I need. Carson Newman in Jefferson City is a nice small school, like I especially enjoy, and it has a good program with a Master of Science in Counseling. I could commute there with the college only about forty-five minutes away or I might connect with someone in the program to get an apartment near the campus. Megan does that at UT, where she’s studying in Outdoor Recreation and Park Management to be a park ranger.” She forced a smile. “I’m sure something will work out.” The fact that she hadn’t even applied to the program by this time was stupid, but she didn’t mention that.

“Summers end and real life goes on, doesn’t it?” Josh said in an odd tone.

Hannah couldn’t think of a response to make and only nodded, but she cried herself to sleep that night. How foolish she’d been to fall for someone again who didn’t want a life with her. Why did she let herself get into these situations?

It stormed heavily for the next two days, cancelling any trail rides scheduled.  Harrison closed the stable in bad weather like this, although he or Hobart came in to feed and check on the horses, of course.

The following Monday, Harrison sent Josh and Hannah out to check trails, knowing there would be branches down, muddy areas to note, trail problems to look for. Josh and Hannah were both quiet riding up the wet trails, stopping as they needed to in order to move fallen branches off the trail or to look for other problems. As they crossed over a ridge trail, the rain hit again in a torrent. Josh hollered to her to head to the old Ramsey cabin nearby for shelter. They’d thrown on ponchos but were still partially drenched when they got to the cabin and tied their horses inside the covered shed beside it.

After racing inside, they pulled off their wet ponchos and soaked boots, finding some old towels in a cabinet to dry off with. The Ramsey family kept the old cabin partly furnished, as in the early settlers’ days, as an interesting place for trail riders to stop and explore and take a break from the saddle.

“Gosh, I’m soaked,” Josh said. “And so are you.” He helped her dry off and she did the same for him as they laughed about their situation.

It broke the tension that had been between them. Avoiding the old bed in the cabin, they sat down on a wooden bench, propping their feet on a battered trunk.

They were quiet for a few minutes then, listening to the ongoing rain pound down on the cabin’s metal roof and listening to the thunder rumbling overhead. It was dark in the room, too, with the rain storm not letting much sunlight into the cabin.

Josh cleared his throat. “I’d like to say here in the dark I’ll miss you, Hannah Stuart,” he said in a low voice. He reached out to take her hand. “Will you miss me, too?”

“Yes,” she whispered, trying not to cry.

“I have another job opportunity on the table I want to tell you about,” he said. “Harrison has offered me the job as the stable manager for the Ramsey Stable. He has a much bigger enterprise and operation than I realized with the market, rental cabins, land he leases out to farmers and family money that has grown. The salary he offered is good one and he told me I can have the Ramsey farmhouse as part of the job offer, the house where Deke used to live. It’s where Harrison grew up and where he lived before he married Alice. It’s a really nice place and a big home. I know you’re familiar with it.”

“Would you want to take that job?” Hannah asked, trying not to let him hear the hope in her voice, trying to sound neutral.

He took a deep breath. “I’d only want to take it if the girl I’ve fallen in love with would marry me and live in that house with me and help me fill up those empty bedrooms with some kids.” He turned to her in the darkness and put his hands on her face. “That’s you I’ve fallen in love with Hannah Stuart. It happened little by little, creeping up on me, or maybe I’ve loved you since I was thirteen and I beat up Vance Palmer for kissing you when you didn’t want him to. I kept hoping all summer I’d know somehow if you loved me, too, but somehow we never talked about it. I don’t know why when it’s so good between us as sweethearts and as friends. You’re like my other half now, Hannah. I can’t stay if you don’t love me, too, even if I’d like to. You’ve kind of stolen my heart and I didn’t think I’d ever say that to anyone. But here I am doing it.”

A moment of quiet passed, Hannah afraid she’d start crying if she said anything. Josh loved her, and he’d told her he did. It was like a fairytale moment.

Hannah found her voice then. “I love you, too, Josh Sheldon. I’ve been crying myself to sleep knowing you were leaving at the end of summer to take that new job in Kentucky and knowing I’d fallen in love with you. But I was afraid to tell you because you’d never said any words like these to me.”

“And you’ll be happy to marry me and live at Harrison’s farmhouse with me and make that our home? It’s a wonderful old house. I’ve always liked it.”

Hannah started crying then. She couldn’t help it.

“Why are you crying, Hannah? Are you not happy?”

“No, I’m wonderfully, gloriously happy. That’s why I’m crying.” She leaned closer in the darkness. “Please tell me you love me again, Josh, and kiss me long and hard, too.”

“I do love you Hannah Stuart and you’ll be hearing those words over and over all our lives together. I promise you we’ll be happy. You can still drive over to get your degree. I know you’ll be a wonderful counselor but I’ll want you to help me with the stables when you can, too. I love riding with you, working with you, just being with you.”

Hannah interrupted him to find his mouth in the dark and kiss him. “Do you think your Uncle Hobart and Harrison will be happy about this?”

Josh laughed. “I think they set us up for this just like they did back when we were twelve and thirteen. So, I imagine they’ll be two smug old matchmakers.”

“Well, then, we’ll name our first two boys after them,” she said giggling.

And, actually, they did.

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To read more about how Hannah and Josh first met … and about how the six Stuart children first came to Meadowbrook with Alice Graham, read my novel FOR SIX GOOD REASONS, a favorite in in the beloved Smoky Mountain books, each set in a different place around the Great Smoky Mountains.