Posted As Missing

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Anything we could do differently with the set-up this time?" David asked as they laid their packs behind the gabbro block. "Let's stand here for a while and see if we can think of anything to improve on the layout."

The three stood looking for a minute, maybe a little more, then Maria said, "I think you got it pretty well perfect the first time. The only thing I can see is to move it over twenty, twenty-five centimetres so we won't have to hide the corner with bushes."

"That was my only adjustment also," Rachel said. "Other than adding running water, a bathtub, a commode and a bidet, I can think of nothing else to improve its excellent design."

David wedged a line back into the crack in the rock, pulling the canvas about eight or ten inches farther along and wrapped the line from the next corner around the flake again. He moved the two large rocks across the slab a short distance and tied the lower lines to them. As he did this, Maria had set the mirror back into place, popped inside under the canvas to check its alignment and continued working with Rachel to unpack and arrange.

David dribbled linseed oil along the creases in the canvas, adjusted the tension on the roof and stood back to look at it. "We're completely invisible now," he said. "Amazing what eight or ten inches can do."

"Come inside, David, let me check your wounds, I haven't looked at them since yesterday," Maria said softly from the shelter.

"I'd love to come inside," he replied with a chuckle. "I haven't done that since May Day back in '15."

"You're a quick one, aren't you? I love it. Maybe you can show me some more amazing things about moving twenty or twenty-five centimetres," she chuckled back.

"You're both very quick," Rachel said. "I'll go sit on the ledge in the sun and give you two more privacy."

He hugged Rachel when she came out, kissed her cheek and said, "Thank you Mama — I hope you don't mind my calling you that, it just slipped out."

"I love it! Please keep calling me Mama. It's so much more warm and personal for me."

"Stay close to the cliff, behind the bulge, out of sight from the corner in case Fritz comes nosing around."

Maria was nearly undressed as he stooped in under the canvas. "I'm getting into my nursing uniform before I prep the patient." She looked at him and giggled. "Please be patient."

"You are such a beautiful woman, Maria. Beautiful dressed in grubby, baggy men's clothing, beautiful dressed only in your skin. Beautiful as an image in my mind. You have a beautiful mind, such an open mind, you hide nothing. You have a beautiful wit, a beautiful spirit. You're all my images of a beautiful woman."

"I have difficulty absorbing all this. Difficulty understanding it. I've never been close to a boy – to a man before I met you. Well, except for the gangly dimwits I was forced to take a few turns with on the dance floor at the graduation party last year. Other than that and wonderful talks and hugs from my father and some frolicking with my brothers, I don't know men at all." She shrugged.

"Mama told me you're a very special man. Not the normal, not like any she has ever seen. She told me this morning while you were still sleeping that you're a very rare bird and I would go through my entire life finding no one near as fine. Also, she told me not to tell you this, but I guess I already have. You know I can't keep my thoughts inside. I don't want to."

"You're the special one, Maria. I'm just me. Just me being the only me I understand. I don't even know what I am, who I am, what my purpose is. I've pondered these things since I can remember. Sat high on mountain ridges and on many summits thinking, trying to understand why I'm here. Do you know why you're here?"