Chapter 3

The stranger

I woke up to the sound of banging at my bedroom door. I realize that it was a new day as light was coming through the window above my toilet.

 

“Honey wake up! Breakfast is ready,” my mom yelled on the other side of my bedroom door.

“Honey, you’ve been asleep for hours, don’t make me break down this door to see if you are still alive” my mom continued.

I felt groggy, and sluggish from the sight of last night.
“I’ll be right down mom”, I yelled back.
“Good, you’re alive, I’ll see you downstairs”

A minute passed and I could still feel my mothers presence on the other side of the door.
“Is everything alright fish head?”, my mom’s weary voice was enough to push me over the edge of an emotional outburst.

“Yes momma, I’ll be right down” I repeated, and then I could hear the footsteps of my mom going down our creaky stairs.

I showered, and dressed and packed a few things so I could quickly leave the house, to not only avoid this tainted house but also to get re acquainted with the town I left. I made my way downstairs, and I froze as soon as I stepped into the dining room. I felt like a bowling ball shot right to my stomach, and I wanted to hurl it back to the man who was sitting at the head of table eating his breakfast like nothing had happened last night.
“Freida! My baby, it’s so nice to have you back again!” my dad exclaimed, he was smiling, but his smile did not meet his eyes. I was still frozen, as my dad got up and made his way towards me, he froze right in front of me and looked at me.

I felt about a million emotions coursing through my body, and none of them were positive.
“Come here baby girl”, my dad had reeled me into a hug, my arms still at my sides. My dad released me, and looked at me like I had grown two heads.

“Jim, she’s just tried, let her get settled in”, mom said as she brought me a plate of pancakes, eggs, and fruit.

 

It felt like eternity, but I finally mustered up my words,
“Sorry, I was just getting adjusted back home, I couldn’t sleep last night, felt like there was a lot going on” I stared at my dad in hopes he knew the meaning behind my words.
My dad sat back down, and stared at me with caution, he looked pained, and put his head back down, “I can’t imagine why honey” he answered with a sigh.
I thought I had reached my quota on anger, but I was even angrier now. I felt my scalp pricking and heat rising to my fists.
“You know what mom, I have plans to go into town today and I really want to surprise Gisele, I don’t think she knows I am back in town and I want the upper hand in surprising her today.” I say, almost convincing myself.
“Okay honey, here...” she hands me a 20, but I refused to take it.

“It’s okay mom, I feel like all I do is take so much from you and it’s only fair that now I am an adult, I can afford my own breakfast” I say as I stare at my dad, in hopes he gets the double meaning. But no, he keeps his head down and continues to eat his eggs. There was an awkward tension in the room and my mom quickly turned around before I could see the look on her face, she made her way back into the kitchen to put my breakfast away. I made my way out the door, and started walking down the road. I did not know where I was headed, but I know I wanted to get some head space. I kept walking, and walking and somehow ended up on a trail I use to take with Gisele. Snow was still sticking to the ground, I use to go snowshoeing on this trail but I left the house so abruptly, I left my snowshoes behind. I could feel myself out of breath, and the streets start to disappear as I made my way further and further up the trail. I came to an opening, as I stared into the beautiful view.

Without all this bullshit, my town is a pretty beautiful. I thought to myself.

 

I stared into the view that overlooked our small town, the stores, buildings, and cars looked like little specs, with mountains and snow surrounding it. What a view. I glanced at my watch to find that it was already 4:00 pm.
S**t, I muttered to myself. I knew my mom would be worried sick; she couldn’t even reach me because I left my cellphone behind. She would definitely call the police if I stayed out any longer. I took one last minute to take in the breathtaking view, turned around and started to make my way down the trail. As I was headed down the slippery trail, I had slipped on a slipper patch of ice and found myself on both knees. I felt the burning pain in my knees, at the pain of slamming my knees against the patch of ice. I tried to steady myself as I reached for a near by tree, but I when I attempted to get up again, I slipped once again, and I started to tumble down the trail.
S**t, s**t, s**t, I muttered to myself.

I panicked as I hit another rock, which sent me over to the edge of a nearby cliff. I managed to grab a root that was held in place by dirt, and more roots. Anxiety started to loom on me, and panic took over my body.
“HELPPP, SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME” I yelled. Was this how my life was going to end? Of all places, of all scenarios, I was going to die from falling off a cliff in a town that hurt me so much.  No, I thought to myself, I am not dying today. I could hear the roots start to break off from the ground, and I started yelling, yelling so loud I was piercing my own ears. I could feel myself, starting to let go as my hand started to cramp. Just as I was about to let go, and succumb to my inevitable fate, I felt strong hands grip both my hands.
“HEY, HOLD TIGHT, I got you”, a deep voice bellowed above me. I could not see clearly, from the dirt that clouded my sight.

“Please don’t let go,” I yell back.

“I got you, I won’t let go. I am going to pull you up okay, just hold on”, the voice yelled back.

It was like fate talking back to me, telling me to hold on to my life. Was I dead, was this God speaking to me. Before I knew it, strong arms hoisted me up, I grabbed on the man’s muscular shoulders. I held on for dear life, even though the man had set me back down and away from the cliff. I stood in place, crying, holding on for dear life to the mystery man who saved my life.
“Just breathe, you are safe now” gentle hands pulled me from my grip. I rubbed my eyes in attempt to get the dirt out so I could thank the man before me. I managed to get most of the dirt out of my eyes to stare at the man who saved my life. I imagined a firefighter, or a 50-year-old hunter who had saved me. I was wrong. The first thing I noticed was his eyes. His eyes were big, light blue in color, like the color of the lakes I used to swim in during my summers in Colorado. The next thing I noticed were his lips, pink in color, his mouth slightly open. He had stubble, looked like he had just shaved, his beard growing back in place, his hair a deep auburn brown, slicked back. The next thing I noticed was his jaw, his jaw clenched, a jaw so sharp it could cut me. He was wearing black snow pants, hiking boots, and black winter jacket, by the looks of it he was trekking into the trail, just like me.
There was a long silence, before he spoke again. His strong hands gripped both sides of my upper arms and held me in place to look at me; it was enough to send blood to my cheeks and a numbing feeling to my legs. I can’t tell if the numbness was from the fall, or if it was my body’s reaction as I looked at the man who saved me.
“Hey, can you hear me? Are. You. Okay?” He repeated slowly, in staccato. It took me a moment to process what he had said; I shook my head and stared back at him.

“So-sorry, I think I am just in shock. Thank you… thank you so much” I stutter.

“Jesus, do you make a habit to hike up this trail on your own? You could of died!” He replied in a stressed tone.

“So-sorry” is all I could muster
“Stop apologizing!” he raises his voice, “Jesus, seriously, are you alright? Listen, your bleeding,” as he stares at my forehead.
All of a sudden I felt self-conscious of my body, I touch the top corner of my forehead and noticed blood on my finger tips.
“Oh” I say, and all of a sudden I feel light headed, as a nurse, you’d think I would be use to seeing blood, but not my own for some reason, and I start to feel my legs give out, only to have the man catch me again, and slowly bring me back down as he set on me on top of a rock. The man took his backpack off his back and reached into the bag and grabbed a small red bag and pulled out some medical gauze and an alcohol bottle.

“I’m just going to clean your nasty gush you have on your forehead there. I’m Caleb by the way,” he says softly.

Nothing. Not one word came out of my mouth; I just stared at him, mesmerized. You could say, if there were a third person present in this akward scenario, they’d say I looked like a damn fool just staring at Caleb. It’s been a while since I had a man make me feel the way I was feeling right now. If there were an award of the most awkward silence in the world, it would definitely be given to me right now, at this moment.
“Okay then, listen I get your in shock, so don’t freak out okay? I’m just going to dab some gauze to where you are bleeding” he says.

“Thank you” is what I could muster up; I finally find the confidence in my voice to start interacting. I reach for the gauze and start wiping my gash myself. I did not feel as much pain as I should; but I was just too captivated at the sight of Caleb.

“I’m a nurse, I know what to do”, as those words left my mouth, I realized how much of an idiot I sounded, “I mean, I’m a nurse I know how to clean wounds up pretty well, I mean…” I couldn’t find any words as embarrassment washed over my face.
“I get it… you’re a nurse” he chuckled, “You should start packing a first aid kit with you if you go on these hikes often, that and a hiking partner so you know… you don’t die” he chuckled again. I could sense the amusement in his voice. I was embarrassed even more.

“Right, sorry. I haven’t hiked these trails in a while, it was kind of a spur of a moment kind of thing” I reply back to him.
“Ah, I see, so you’re from here?”

“Yes, I’m back visiting family, I’ve been away at school in California” I say while I keep wiping the wound on my head.
“Hmm, I see. I didn’t get your name,” he says curiously.

“It’s Freida”, I say.

He stares at me with curiosity, his stares alone shoot unfamiliar senses throughout my body. Caleb reaches back into his bag and grabs a mepore dressing, a dressing cover that I see at hospitals.
“Here, let me put this on you” he says in an exasperated tone, as he see’s me wiping more and more blood from my forehead.
“Those are mepores” is all I say.

His eyes flick up to me, one eyebrow raised, “ah I forgot, you’re a nurse”.
“Are you?” I ask

“God no, I steal these things at the community hospital all the time” he replies.

“Listen, let’s get you back down this trail before it starts to get dark, let me help you”. He says as he picks me up from the rock.

I didn’t argue or stop him, for some reason, I wanted to hike back down this trail with him. We walked down the trail in silence; one arm wrapped around my waist and his other hand holding on to mine. I hadn’t noticed but I was limping, I might have sprained my ankle, definitely not fractured, it would have been a lot more painful than what I was feeling. As we reach a nearby road, I let go of his strong grip and try and stand on my own.

“Thank you for helping me down, but I should get home, I think my mom is looking for me right now, she’s probably worried sick”.

“You are gonna walk home by yourself? No, let me drive you”, he points to his black 4x4 GMC truck.

Again I didn’t argue, he helped me sit in the passengers seat, not only because my ankle was sprained but also his pickup truck was too high for me to even climb up. As Caleb helped me up, I noticed how strong he really was, he was muscular, I could see that, even though he was wearing layers of winter clothing. I sat in silence as he made his way to his side of the truck.

“I don’t live too far, just 5 minutes up the road, just turn right on foster avenue” I managed to say.

We rode in silence, as I guided him to where my home is. I had an urge to mislead him and take detours so that I could spend a little ore time with this stranger, but I quickly shook that idea off. I noticed little details about him, how he kept one hand on the wheel, the other hand rested on the drivers side window. His pattern of breathing, to the small rip he had on his jacket from holding on to him too tight. Woops, I hope he doesn’t notice that. His car smelled of pine trees, a rosary hanging on his front view mirror, he must be religious.

“My house is just after the stop sign,” I say nervously

Caleb parks near the driveway of my house.

“Ah she speaks, you don’t talk much do you?” he asks with a hint of amusement in his voice.

I was suddenly aware he was making his own assessments of me, his piercing blue eyes gazed into mine, and I felt an odd sensation… down there.

“Sorry, I don’t know how else to thank a stranger who saved my life and who offers to drive me home… I don’t usually get into cars of strangers,” I say with an awkward giggle.

“That’s a good rule to live by, but I’m nothing to worry about” he says with a wink.

I smile at him as no words can escape my mouth. There was a moment where we just stared at each other, his smile finally leaving his face.
“Thank you, for the ride Caleb”
“No problem, try not to die” Yup, he’s making fun of me now.

Caleb gets out of the car and makes his way to my side to help me out, he lends his hand, and I willingly take it, his other hand supports my back as I climb out. His strong arms support me as I climb out, and I small quiet moan comes out my mouth. I close my eyes in embarrassment, only to find Caleb smiling, and staring at my lips. Jesus, please stop staring at me.
“Thank you, I think I am okay to make it up the driveway” I smile.

“Take care Freida”
“Thank you again”

The moment lingers, and I wait for him to say something more, but he doesn’t. Disappointment is all I felt. I make my way up the driveway, I feel his gaze still on me as I walk up to my door.
“How long are you in town for exactly?”

His question freezes me in my tracks. Yes, finally. I turn to him, and say with a nervous tone “I’m on a break from school right now, I’ll be here for another 4 weeks”.
“And then what?” he asks with curiosity.

“Finish my last semester in school, and then I find myself a job”
“as a nurse” he says.

“Was that a question?” I ask in confusion.

“No, I just remember you telling me you were a nurse about 100 times” he says with amusement in his tone.

I smile at him, and turn around again; walking up to my house in complete embarrassment at the fact I told him numerous times I would be a nurse.

“I’ll see you around then” he says all serious.

And then he was gone before I could wave goodbye.
I stared at the spot where his car was, how could a complete stranger make me feel so vulnerable, and excited about our next encounter? Will I ever see him again? I hope so.