My Mountain Home

Chapter 1

November 16, 2012

Eight thirty on a cold snowy November night wasn’t the best time to be driving up a winding mountain road to get home.But Nathan Shepard had faith in his reliable old truck. In himself and his driving as well, he’d made this trip many times over the last six years since his graduation from Prairie Flats High School. Some of his classmates had bigger dreams and had went off to college, a few went into the military. All that as fine and well for them, but Nathan prefered a simpler life and a simpler way of making his living. He had a love of the earth and for the green and growing things that gave life to himself and everyone he knew. Farming was his passion and he figured it always would be. He didn’t care about fancy degrees or big titles, that wasn’t what defined your worth, what you did for the earth, for fur kind, that was the true measure of a furs worth. The work you did to earn your keep is what your true worth was, and he loved what he did. 

Rounding a bend in the road he saw the flashing emergency lights of a car sitting at the edge of the winding mountain road, “not the best place to have car trouble, especially on a night like this,” he said to himself as he slowed and pulled up behind the stalled vehicle. Reaching behind the seat as he got out of the drivers door he grabbed the flashlight he kept stowed there and walked towards the Lexus. Seeing him approach the driver lowered the window and stuck her head out looking at him a bit nervously as he approached. 

“Evenin ma’am, havin’ a little car trouble?,” he said “I can take a look at it, if you want, see if we can’t get you on home and out of this weather.”

“Thank you, I would appreciate it. My silly phone doesn’t seem to get a signal in this area and I wa starting to think I was going to be stuck here all night.” the pretty young Dalmatian said brushing a lock of her long, flowing Chestnut Brown hair back from where it had fallen across her left eye. 

“Yes ma’am, this curves a dead zone ‘cause of the rock walls around it, can’t get a signal until you’re nearly to Winter Creek. That’s where you’re headed I’d assume. Not much reason to be on this road this time of night otherwise,” he said walking towards the front of her Lexus as he added, “pop the hood and I’ll see what I can do.”

The soft pathunk of the hood latch releasing sounded louder in the still mountain air as he reached in releasing the safety lath and tugged the hood up. As he swept his flashlight across the compartment he noticed the battery terminals were considerably corroded, the white oxidation nearly covering them. 

“Found the problem,” he said as he walked past her open window to his truck, returning shortly with a hand full of tools. After removing the corrosion and cleaning and tightening the terminals he said, “alright try starting it now ma’am”

Valerie turned the key in the ignition, the engine catching quickly and coming to life again. Smiling softly Valerie opened the drivers door grabbing her clutch purse opening it she pulled a twenty from it. This is for your trouble,” she said attempting to hand the bill to him. 

“No ma’am I can’t take your money for doing you a kindness,. it’s not the way I was raised,”Nathan said politely refusing the offered money. 

“Then at least let me buy you a cup of coffee in town, say at Mel’s Diner for helping me on such a horrid night Mr.,” the pretty dalmatian woman said.

“Shepard, Nathan Shepard ma’am,” he said tipping his ball cap to her.

“I’m Valerie Zaritzky, it’s a pleasure to met you Mr. Shepard,” she said smiling at him.

“A pleasure to meet you also Ms. Zanitzky,” he replied, “I don’t think you’ll have any more trouble out of your car, but I’ll follow you into town just to be on the safe side.”

“Thank you, it’s nice to meet a man that hasn’t forgotten what chivalry is,” she said.

“It’d be a pleasure to join you for a cup of coffee ma’am, Mel’s is a good place, known the owner for a long time. He’s pretty good cook too, for a fox anyway, I was headed there for supper as it was. Mama’ll be in bed already and she don’t cotton much to me rattling around in her kitchen after she’s cleaned up for the night,” the shepherd stated grinning slightly.

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Twenty minutes later they sat in the cozy wartn of the small diner steaming cups before them as they chatted quietly.

“So how long have you been in Winter Creek Ms. Zaritzky, don’t think I’ve see you around town before?” Nathan asked hoping he didn’t sound too forward.

“I moved here about two weeks ago, from Marble Cliff New Hampshire, it...wasn’t a good place for me to be any longer,” the pretty Dalmatian said quietly, her head drooping as she stared at the table before her.

“That sounds to me like someone caused you some hurt. If you don’t mind me sayin so ma’am, that would make them an idiot in my book. Anyone dumb enough to hurt such a pretty lady needs to be dog slapped, hard, and set straight about bein a fool,” Nathan said looking at his paws wrapped around his drink, blushing slightly.

Raising her eyes to look at the shepherd across the table from her Valerie asked, “is everyone here as insightful as you are?”

“Some are, but I’m not exactly what you would call a shining example of the town. Most people that live here are pretty well off money wise. I’m just a simple farm hand, work for the local ranchers in the fall and winter. Handyman yearlong, simple work, simple life, but that’s how I like things. Mamma and Pappy taught me all my life that you don’t need a big house or fancy things to be happy. Honest work that you give all you got to it, treating people the way you want them to treat you. That’s the way to be happy, you get back as good as you give out pappy always says,” the shepherd said a friendly smile on his muzzle.

Valerie regarded the man more carefully, he did appear as simple and plain as he described himself. Blue Jeans slightly frayed at the cuffs, simple brown cowboy boots, ordinary plaid western style fleece shirt. His clothes as simple and plain as could be. But there was something about him, he was direct and to the point when he spoke. The expression on his face was kind, even gentle, he seemed to wear it as he wore the shirt on his back, as if it was just a part of him.
His physique clearly showed he worked hard everyday, lean and toned, muscular but not bulky like a bodybuilder. His was the body of a hard working man who, as he said himself, gave it everything he had.

“I’m sorry ma’am, got to yammerin about myself and didn’t even ask what kind of work you do.” Nathan looked at her sheepishly, almost like a scolded child..

“Oh, I’m completing my residency in pediatrics as Prairie Flats Memorial. Less than a year to complete it then I can open my own practice,” she said pride evident in her voice at such an accomplishment.

“Pediatrics, that’s a doctor for babies and kids right?” Nate asked.

“Yes, it’s what I’ve always felt I was called to do. I love kids, want to have a few of my own someday. Taking care of children and caring for their health just feels right to me.”

Glancing at the clock above the long counter of the diner Nate’s eyes went a bit wider, “Sorry to leave such wonderful company miss Zaritzky, but I need to get on home to Mamma’s. She worries a lot in this weather if I don’t get there when she thinks I should. I would like to talk to you again though, get to know more about you if you wouldn’t mind,” he said blushing a bit at his own forwardness in asking.

“Are you asking me out on a date Mr. Shepherd? It certainly sounds as if you are.”
Valerie found it almost odd that she did not feel put off by his direct approach, and a little pleased that he had asked.

“W   well y  yes ma’am I  am. If it’s too forward I’ll understand if you say no,” the embarrassed shepherd stammered, blushing again at his own forwardness.

“How about next Wednesday at say 7:00, you can show me how good of a cook Mel really is?” Valerie said leaning in slightly.

“Yes ma’am, that sounds fine with me. I’ll see you then Ms. Zaritzky,” Nathan said excusing himself., as he walked towards the counter to pay for their coffees.

Valerie shook her head as she watched him pay the bill and amble out of the diner. He was so different from the men she had known back in New Hampshire. Everything was so different here in this quaint mountain town. Maybe there was something to what Nathan had said about a simpler life...