Remote Healing

When Janice saw Adam she screamed "Adam" and ran for her car. She fumbled her keys getting them into the ignition. Adam was almost out of sight when she tore down the street following him. They drove for about six miles going down dirty dusty country roads. Janice was coughing and her eyes were running from the dust before Adam got more than a mile from the paved road he left town on.

Janice almost hit Adam's truck when he abruptly slowed and turned into his nearly hidden lane. She flew past his turn off but Adam never noticed. It is doubtful he even knew there was a vehicle behind him that almost hit him when he slowed abruptly. Janice skidded to a stop and backed up. She carefully turned into the lane and bumped along behind Adam as he disappeared into the trees.

Janice had an easier time getting her vehicle through the trees and brush than Adam did his. The Jeep sat slightly higher from the ground and had a shorter wheel base so just slid through the tight spots.

When Janice got almost to the clearing she saw Adam's camp. He was already out of the truck and drinking a beer as he carried his purchases to the spring where he put them into the water to stay cool. He put his meat into a plastic container and also put it in the cold water.

Janice started to drive into the clearing and confront Adam. She remembered her promise to her mother and decided to call her first. When she tried to dial her phone she had one bar service intermittently. "Shit," she muttered. She looked at Adam. He was settled down beside the stream munching on a sandwich and drinking. Janice put her Wrangler in reverse and backed out of the trail. Adam heard her but when he turned his head to see what was making the noise she was out of sight.

After he looked around a moment Adam shrugged his shoulders and settled back down. Janice was almost to Steelville before she had three bars of service and could make her phone call. When Amy answered the phone Janice excitedly said, "I found him, Mom. He's camped beside a stream about six or seven miles outside of Steelville. I was in town asking about him when I saw his truck leaving a small grocery store so I followed him."

"That's wonderful, Honey. How is he?"

"I don't know Mom. I haven't talked to him yet. There's no service by the stream. He was sitting drinking beer and eating so I decided to call you before we talked. I had to drive most of the way back to Steelville before I got reliable cell coverage. From what I can see his color is better and he looks healthier but he's still dirty and unkempt. I'll call you tomorrow when I know more. Bye now."

Janice quickly turned her Jeep around and returned to Adam's camp. This time she drove straight into the clearing and parked behind Adam's truck. When Adam heard the vehicle coming he turned to watch. His first thought was deep anger at being disturbed. His land was posted against trespassing according to state law. He stood to run the interloper off then stopped in shock when he saw Janice jump from her vehicle and run toward him.

Janice didn't think before she acted. When she was a step away from Adam she launched herself at him. She hit him hard enough to knock him back a step to keep from falling. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. She was crying and beating on his chest with her fists as she said, "Damn you, Adam. How could you do this to us? How could you just disappear and leave us to worry about you. We didn't know if you were dead or hurt or what. I've been so scared Adam."

Adam just stood listening while Janice beat on and stormed at him. Her words made no sense to him at first. Why was she so angry and hurt? He didn't do anything to her. He just had to get away. Finally, without conscious thought, his instincts took over. Here was a friend crying and in emotional pain. He needed to console her. He slowly placed his arms around the still crying Janice and gently pulled her to his chest. He laid his head on hers and gently ran his hands up and down her back and sides as she slowly stopped crying.

Finally, still sniffling Janice pushed away from Adam. She gave him a tentative smile and wiped the tears from her face with her fingers. She looked around the primitive campsite and said, "It's beautiful here. How did you find this place Adam?"

"It's mine. It's been in the family since 1842. When Dad and Mom died I inherited it. Jill and I used..." Adam stopped talking and got his haunted look once again. He turned from Janice and walked toward the spring. He picked up a beer, opened it and took a deep draught. Without further words he walked to the river and sat leaning against his favorite tree.

Janice whispered a quiet "FUCK" under her breath. She watched Adam move off. Her heart died when she saw him sit beside the tree and stare into space over the river once again. She walked to the spring and got herself a beer then walked toward Adam.

Janice didn't say anything when she got to Adam. She sat almost touching him and leaned back against the tree. They sat quietly drinking their beer and watching the river. When Adam finished his beer he got up and got another then resumed his seat. Janice did the same thing when hers was gone.

The next time Adam finished his beer he returned with two. He handed Janice one. Still they sat in silence watching the river and an occasional canoe. After her fourth beer Janice decided she needed to get rid of some water. She said, "Uh, Adam, I need to pee. Do you have an outhouse or something?"

Adam barked a laugh and swept his arm in a semi circle. He said, "You choose, Sweetheart."

Janice felt her heart lurch when he said that even though she knew he was just being facetious. She thought 'oh, if only.'

When it came to alcohol she was somewhat of a lightweight. She was already giddy and had trouble standing. Her walk to a more secluded place to urinate was not steady or in a straight line. She moved out of sight of the stream and Adam then slowly and with difficulty lowered her shorts. She squatted and let her stream go. Unfortunately she was pretty unsteady. Before she was done she lost her balance and fell onto her shapely ass. She had elected to urinate on a slight slope. Unfortunately she was facing uphill when she did so and so fell back into the dirt where her stream had flowed.

When she fell backwards of course, Janice screamed. When her ass hit the muddy ground she continued falling until she was lying on her back in the mud and dirt. She was still struggling to get up when Adam came running unsteadily through the woods. When he saw her he stopped and stared. He laughed. He laughed and cried and pointed and laughed some more.

At first when she saw Adam Janice was horrified. She scrabbled more trying to get up, cover herself and regain her dignity. The more she scrabbled and then fell after finally almost getting up several times the harder Adam laughed. His laughter quickly became hysterical. Of course Adam's laughing made Janice angrier and more embarrassed with her predicament. Adam laughed until he cried. He fell to the ground and soon he was not laughing, he was just lying on the ground curled into a ball crying, bawling and sobbing his heart out. He had finally broken.

Janice went from seething anger to sorrow and caring in a heartbeat. She couldn't seem to get her damn shorts pulled back up. With an oath she pushed them the rest of the way off her feet and ran to where Adam was laying. She sank to her knees beside him and pulled him up slightly. In his pain Adam grabbed Janice. She fell to the side and somehow pulled Adam partly into her lap. She pulled him to her breast and gently rocked him back and forth while she smoothed his brow. Occasionally she would kiss his head as she crooned to him. Slowly, Adam stopped sobbing so piteously and fell into a deep sleep. Janice continued holding him. Her leg that most of her and Adam's weight was on went to sleep but she continued to hold him.

Finally as dusk began to fall Adam stirred and tried to sit up on his own. He pushed away from Janice and wiped his face. He looked at Janice, really looked at her perhaps for the first time ever. He moved and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek then said, "Thank you, Janice."

Janice sat a moment then noticed Adam was staring at her crotch. Reality came slamming back to her. She realized she was naked from the waist down. She tried to cover herself and stand at the same time. She fell when she tried to use her dead leg. When Janice fell back naturally her legs came apart somewhat. Adam got to see her beautiful little pussy for a moment. Janice saw where he was looking and once again tried to preserve some of her modesty.

Adam once again began laughing. Janice felt a surge of anger slam through her again but it didn't last. She sat a moment and felt herself laughing along with Adam. He stood and offered her a hand to help her stand. After a moment Janice reached out and took Adam's hand. He helped her up then walked the few feet to her discarded shorts and underwear. He picked them up and handed them to Janice.

Janice looked at the dirty, muddy clothes and said, "Shit." She turned and started walking toward the "beer drinking tree".

When he heard her, Adam laughed and said, "No, I think the word is piss, Janice." Her heart thrummed when he said that and she gave a small laugh afterword.

Janice looked over her shoulder at Adam and continued walking. When she got to where they had been sitting she continued walking into the stream where she cleaned herself and her clothes. Adam first stood on the bank watching, then to her surprise he dropped his shorts and walked into the stream with her. Janice was standing in waist deep water with nothing on except a thin T-shirt. Adam was completely naked.

They both stood watching each other for a moment. Adam reached out and gently touched the side of Janice's face with his fingers. She smiled and held his palm to her face with her hand. Finally Janice stepped back and removed her shirt. She threw it toward the bank then fell back into the water where she just floated and looked up at the foliage above her.

Adam stood watching her breasts wobble on her chest as the water flowed over her abdomen. He moved over beside Janice and also lay back to float and watch the overhead cover. Somehow their fingers became intertwined.

The couple floated with the gentle current until they touched the rocks at the downstream edge of the pool. With some difficulty they stood and walked back into deeper water. They swam to the upper part of the pool and quieter water where they resumed floating and relaxing.

After several more minutes of floating without conversation Janice tried to stand. The pool was deep enough she couldn't reach bottom so she swam toward the "beer drinking tree". She reached shallower water, stood, and walked onto the bank. She picked up her clothes, rinsed them out once again, wrung the water from them and walked toward the camp site.

Adam stood watching and admiring her as she took care of her clothes and walked away from him. To his surprise and embarrassment he became aroused. Five minutes later he followed her into camp still half hard and still as naked as she had been when she left the river.

He intended to dress when he got to the camp but to his surprise Janice was still naked. She was rummaging around in his food stash. She turned to him in disgust and said, "How have you been living? Almost all you have here is junk food and beer. How do you expect me to make a good meal with this shit?"

"Uh, I don't? I didn't need much. If I caught a fish I would fry it with some potatoes and onions. I have some pork and beans."

"Well this won't do. Tomorrow we're going to town and get some healthy food. Now sit down while I make a sandwich or something. I'm starving. I haven't eaten since breakfast."

After eating their sandwiches and having a couple more beers Janice and Adam got dressed once again and he laid out sleeping bags for them. Or rather he laid out what used to be Jill's bag for Janice. His was still where it had been ever since he arrived here.

The next morning after some coffee and a breakfast of bacon and eggs Janice grabbed Adam's hand and pulled him toward her Wrangler. As she pulled she looked back at him and said, "Well, come on. I told you we had to go to town and get some better food. Let's go before it gets too hot. I want to be back here in the water by then so I can stay cool. I didn't bring the doors for the Wrangler so the air won't work in it very well."

Janice spent almost $100 of Adam's money at the small grocery. Against her better judgment she allowed him to stop at the liquor store and pick up some wine to go with the steaks she insisted they purchase. They decided to eat lunch at the local restaurant before leaving town.

While they were sitting there a man came into the restaurant and sat at the table beside them. He greeted everyone in the building as he walked past them. After he was seated the waitress greeted him with a cheery, "Hi, Charlie. How ya doin'?"

"Great, Doris. How're you today?"

"Can't complain. Know Whatcha want or need to see the menu?"

"Naw, just give me the special and unsweet ice tea."

After the waitress left Charlie turned to Adam and Janice. He said, "Hello. I'm Charlie Fielding. I'm the Veterinarian hereabouts. I think I've seen you around a time or two but I haven't seen you before, ma'am. You all live 'round here?"

Janice looked at Adam then back at Charlie. She knew she needed to say something but didn't know what to say. She started to say they were just camping by the river but didn't. Adam looked at her then turned his attention to Charlie and began speaking.

Adam said, "I've been staying at the old Sanders place for a while. Janice here just arrived yesterday. I'm Adam Sanders."

Charlie looked somewhat surprised. He said, "I thought all the buildings over there had fallen down. Are you going to build there or what?"

"Yeah, the old house and barns are gone. I've just been camping beside the river. I have a business in town and a small house, also. I just had to get away and this was the only place I could think of, so here I am."

Somehow Charlie ended up at their table and to his surprise Adam found himself telling him about Jill and his troubles. He even enjoyed the conversation.

Charlie looked at his watch then leaned his forearms on the table. He said, "Adam, I don't know what to say here. I know how you feel, man."

Charlie saw Adam clench his jaws and start to speak. He quickly continued talking. He said, "I do know how you feel. I lost my first wife to antiaircraft fire in Afghanistan. She was flying a helicopter and got hit. She crashed on landing and died. I was still here in the states when she bought it. She was a Major and commanded an aviation company. I was a Major in the reserves with a private practice outside Ft. Lewis, Washington where she was stationed. I know the pain you are going through, Adam. I crawled into a bottle afterwards and almost lost it all. Somehow, something my mother said got through to me and I pulled myself back from the brink. I spent a lot of time alongside a river with my memories and John Barleycorn, too. That's not the way to go, son. Janice is right there.

"You know, in a way you had it easier than I did. At least you got to hold her and let her know you loved her before she went. I didn't have that. At the same time what you had was harder than what I faced, too. You had to watch her get worse day by day. You suffered right along with her. You just need to know one thing and hold onto it. You had each other. You had a love so deep you'll never forget it. You need to know though, that she would never want you to ruin what is left of your life crawling into a bottle like you say you've been doing.

"Grieve, then place her memories in a special place in your heart and move on with the rest of your life. Now it's your and Janice's time." Charlie looked at his watch again and said, "Now I have to go. I'm late for my next appointment. I hope I see you around again."

As Charlie walked from the building he yelled, "Hey, Doris, put my lunch and Janice and Adam's on my tab please. I'm running late." As he talked Charlie was dialing his phone. Before the door closed Adam heard him say, "Hi, Honey. Would you call Tim and let him know I'm running a little late. I'm on my way out now. Thanks, I love you."

Janice and Adam stood and walked to the cash register. They tried to get Doris to let them pay but she flatly refused. "Nope. Charlie said he was agonna pay. Now you two just run along."

During the ride to the campsite Janice looked over at Adam. He appeared to be deep in thought. She reached out and rested her hand on his thigh. She said, "You know he's right, Adam. You have to put her memories in a special place in your heart and let her go. I loved her, too. She was my friend and I'll never forget her, but she's gone now. We have to live the rest of our lives without her. We have to live up to her expectations."

Adam felt his chest tighten. He bit his lower lip and nodded his head yes. "I know," he whispered. "It's just so damn hard to do. Every day I think I need to tell Jill something and I realize I can't."

After they returned to the campsite Janice and Adam went almost directly to the stream. They just floated and talked the afternoon away. Adam was still quiet and pensive but he seemed to be in better mental condition.

That evening Janice prepared steaks and baked potatoes. She served a bagged salad with the meal and even allowed Adam to open a nice bottle of Malbec to go with the steaks. They were sitting after the meal, sipping their wine, when they saw headlights bouncing across the field. The lights stopped at the tree line.

Soon, two doors closed and a flashlight came on illuminating the trail and coming closer. When the light got to the edge of the small clearing they were camped in they heard Charlie say, "Boy, you sure hid back in the toolies didn't ya, Adam? I hope you don't mind but when I told Amanda about meeting ya she wanted to come add her two cents worth. If ya don't wanta talk about Jill we can just sit and enjoy the evening with ya. Of course, it would be more comfortable if ya came down to the resort. I'm getting too old to sit around on the ground like ya all're doin'."

Janice laughed and said, "Of course, you're welcome. Find a spot and have a seat. Can I get you something? We have beer, soda, water, unsweet tea, and a little Malbec left."

Charlie looked at everyone then said, "I'll be right back. I have to get something out of the truck." Charlie walked back to his veterinarian truck and opened one of the doors in the back. He reached inside and pulled a bottle and some plastic cups from it, then returned to the fire.

Charlie showed the bottle to the three around the fire and said, "I think I'll just have some of this fine elixir. I brought extra glasses in case any of the rest of you want some."

Amanda smiled up at Charlie and said, "Ever since he discovered the Balviene Caribbean Cask that's almost all he'll drink. If you don't mind I'll have a small glass of the Malbec."

Charlie looked at Adam and Janice and waved the bottle.

Janice said, "I'll stick with my Malbec."

Adam looked at his empty glass and held it out to Charlie. After Charlie poured, Adam took a sip and grinned. He sighed and said, "Damn, now THAT'S some good scotch. And to think I've been drinking beer the last month."

Charlie and Amanda stayed for almost three hours before Amanda finally said, "Honey, we really have to go. You have appointments tomorrow and I have to be in the office. It's almost midnight now."

"Ok, Ok," Charlie said. He lurched to his feet and turned toward the truck. At the edge of the firelight he turned and said, "Now, you all gotta come see us at the resort. We'll do some sippin' and chattin' with the rest of my family. Maybe they can help ya more with your problem. Maybe not. You all are fine folks and we'd just plain enjoy havin' ya come see us."