Chapter Ten

On the way back to the highway, it took a while before Becky’s car began to run smoothly as it had been sitting for a long time, but Jon seemed to know exactly what to do with it. She felt safe with him at the wheel.  

“Thank you, God for sending this man to help me,” she said silently. “Thanks for  all of your help, Jon. I really do appreciate it.”

“I am just doing my job. You said you are alone.”

Ned followed behind them in the truck, so they could speak freely to each other, without any interruptions.

“I am,” said Becky cautiously, not wanting to tell him too much. “My parents died when I was young.”    

“Why on earth did you come up here all by yourself?”

Bit by bit, she told him about her trip to the city to meet with the publisher, her disappointment because of the manuscript rejection and her desire to get home as quickly as possible.

“I should have headed back home on the highway, but this gravel mountain road is supposedly so much shorter.”

“It is, but it can be treacherous too,” he told her. “The highway would have been a lot safer for you.”

“I had no idea.”

“That is what BBB is, the publishing company that is run by that cantankerous old man.” Jon was deep in thought.

   

“I understand that he tends to be hard on writers.”

“I don’t know about other writers, but he sure threw me for a loop.”

“I guess.”

“Maybe I was just expecting too much.”

Jon and Becky enjoyed each other’s company thoroughly, talking openly about their lives which were similar in many ways, as they travelled down the gravel mountain road towards the highway.

Suddenly, Jon pulled off to the side of the road and got out. Ned pulled up right behind him.  

“Wait here for a moment. Keep the car running, as it will charge up the battery,” Jon said, as he walked back towards the truck. He pointed towards the ditch and Ned got out of the truck.

Becky waited patiently while they pulled a large, wooden, red barrier out of the ditch and loaded it onto the truck. “Road closed,” Becky read. There was small yellow sign beside it that said “Animal crossing.”  

“No wonder you didn’t see any signs,” said Jon, as he got back into the car. Ned waved, as he drove past them.

“Ned is going down to the corner to block off the gravel mountain road again, before anyone else tries to come this way. He is just a crotchety, old codger who means well. We will catch up with him at the corner.”

Jon handed her his lunch box and thermos. “I have some sandwiches and coffee. Let’s take a minute and have a bite to eat, as you must be starved.”

“I have not eaten yet today,” she said, smiling, knowing Jon was taking good care of her.  

When Jon and Becky arrived at the highway, a while later, Ned was standing there arguing with another man who was insisting on being allowed to travel up the gravel mountain road. Jon got out, went over and talked to them both for a moment. Then he and Becky, headed towards the city. 

“The guy is just one more tourist,” he said.

“He would not have gotten much further than I did.”

“Probably not, Becky, as he did not know the area had been evacuated.  He would not have been able to get to the gas station to fill up his gas tank either. It is a good thing that you get good mileage on this car.”

Becky knew that it was still a long drive to the closest garage.

When they got there, Jon stayed right with her while the service man replaced her battery. He wanted to make certain that she was all right after her ordeal and enjoyed every moment he spent with her. She was thrilled at all of the attention he was giving her.

“I know that you will probably be fine on your own from here, but can I call you later?” Jon asked.

“I would really like that,” said Becky, without any hesitation. She pulled up the directory on camera phone and handed it to him, so he could write down her number. I need your name, address and date of birth too, for our report. It will be on your driver’s license.”

Becky had no qualms about giving him the information he needed.

“I will have to charge up my camera phone battery,” Becky said to him. “I will do that as soon as I get into the city. I will rent a motel room for tonight. Then I want to talk to that publisher again.”

 

“I want to know how you make out with BBB. Maybe this man will purchase your new manuscript, especially since you have photographs that go with it. I still want to see them, as well.”     

 

“I will show them to you,” she promised.

          

Later on that day, Becky met with the publisher again. He was surprised to see her and thrilled with her new manuscript. This time, there was absolutely no question about her credibility. What he really liked was the photograph of the moose.

Jon called her later and they talked for a long time. He decided to take the time to get to know her better and she wound up accepting his marriage proposal a year later.

  

Becky’s new book became a best seller. She was a successful freelance writer, as well as a nature photographer. Jon encouraged her all the way to the top.

The Majestic Mountain Range had been the biggest challenge of her life, but she had been victorious over it and in many ways, it proved to be the best thing that ever happened to her.