Peter's Promise

The next day his building material was delivered by Home Depot. As soon as the truck left Pete began getting ready to work. The first thing he did after laying out his proposed walls was hammer drill holes in the rock and place rebar. He formed up and poured concrete to level the area he would build his stone wall on and the cave floor. While that was setting up Pete measured out and poured a stem wall for his little porch. He was lucky that the drop off in front of the cave only required a wall 30" high at its highest point.

After the concrete was dry enough to remove the forms Pete hauled in river gravel to fill in under his porch floor then he mixed and poured the concrete for the 30 by 12 foot porch in front of his little cave home. All this work took him a week to complete. It would have taken even longer if he hadn't had a front end loader on his small 45 horsepower tractor.

The day Pete began mixing and pouring the concrete porch floor his neighbor across the small stream began cutting the field for hay. When Pete rested he would sit and watch the tractor go around and around. He had never seen anyone cut hay as fast as they were cutting. He couldn't recall ever seeing the man on the tractor either. He wondered if it was a custom operator or hired help.

That afternoon after the field was cut the tractor drove to the stream and stopped just across from where Pete was working. The operator got off the tractor and limped toward the stream. As they walked they took off their shirt. When beside the stream the operator stopped and removed their shoes then dropped their long pants. Pete stared in surprise. The tractor operator was a very pretty woman. She looked over at Pete for a moment then moved into the stream and dunked herself in the small deep hole. The deep part of the stream where the woman was trying to swim was not really large enough to swim in. It was maybe twelve feet across and fifteen feet long. At its deepest point it was chest high and shoaled rapidly from there. After she had gotten completely wet the woman lay on her back and just floated in the cool water. Pete found himself watching instead of working.

Finally with a small shake of his head Pete turned back to his work. For the next thirty minutes Pete mixed concrete in his small electric mixer and poured it onto his new porch floor. He figured he needed three or four more mixers full and he would be done for the day when he heard movement then a voice said, "Hello. I'm Fiona Morgan. I know it's none of my business but what the heck are you doing to the old cave here?"

Pete said, "Nice to meet you. I'm Pete Johnson. I've decided to turn the front part of the cave into my house. I'm pouring the front porch right now. I really need to keep working until I get the concrete poured. I'm not being rude, I just can't let the concrete get too dry or it won't set up right on the new pour."

"Cool. I always used to like to play around in the cave when I was a girl and we came down to swim. You mind if I look around for a minute or two?"

"Naw. Go ahead. I'm almost finished here then I'm going to clean up and jump in the creek myself. I'll even wear clothes this evening since you're here."

Fiona turned and looked at him when Pete said that. She saw he was smiling and said, "Well I hope so. I'd hate to have to use my official U.S. Army combat training on you."

"You're in the Army? I'm a Staff Sergeant in the Reserves. I've been in a little over 6 years now. What's your MOS (Military Occupational Specialty)?"

"I'm not in the Army now. I guess you noticed I don't walk like I should. Sergeant Fiona Morgan, U.S. Army, Retired would be more accurate for me I guess. I was a Medic and got a little bunged up on a mission. They sewed me back together but as you can see I can't get around as well as I need to so they put me out to pasture. Now I'm helping dad and mom on the farm while I try to decide what I want to do with the rest of my life. I never had much interest in college and there aren't many jobs around here so I'm just helping the folks until I decide what to do. I may go on and get my EMT certificate and try to get on with the ambulance district. I sort of enjoyed being a Medic. How about you?"

"About the same as you I guess. I already told you I'm a Staff Sergeant in the Reserves. I've been on two deployments and I take all the short tours I can get. I plan to make the Reserves my career. I got my AA degree at the Junior College but I don't want to go on. This 80 acres was grandpas and I inherited it from him when he died. I was lucky he lived longer than my Dad. Everything Dad and Mom had went to pay their bills after they died in a car wreck. What you see is all I have in the world and I'm fine with that. I plan to live here in my cave like a hermit, grow whatever I can on the farm and take all the short tours I can get from the Reserves and then retire."

"That's it? Just you and your little piece of ground? Don't you ever plan to get married or anything?"

Pete laughed and said, "Well I was planning on getting married and doing the old 9 to 5 but she decided she wanted to run around with her girlfriends instead of me so we split. She's somewhere out west now drinking and screwing around I suppose. Yeah, it would be nice to have a woman but it's not real high on my priorities right now. If I find one then we'll have to see what I do later."

Pete and Fiona visited for several more minutes. She even drank one of his beers with him before she sighed and said she had to get back home to help with the chores. Before she walked off she said, "I'll see ya around I suppose Sergeant. I hope ya don't mind if I come by every so often and soak in the creek do ya?"

"No. Hell, wouldn't matter if I did. It's your creek also. Your folks land borders the south side of the creek so you have as much right to swim in it as I do." Pete grinned and continued, "Besides, I like the view when you're washing off the dust. It might be a good thing if you made a little noise when you come down though. I have been known to swim without anything on."

Fiona turned and grinned at Pete. She looked him up and down and said, "I've been known to do that also but that was years ago before I figured out all you men are just waiting to pounce on us poor defenseless naked women. I may just sneak up on you though. I might enjoy the view." She laughed and said, "Catch ya later Pete."

Two days later Fiona was back. This time she was raking the hay into windrows in preparation for baling it. After she completed that hot dusty job she once again drove down beside the small stream and stripped to a bathing suit. Pete had completed the short wall in the back of his cave by then and was working on the front wall. He had been watching her off and on as she worked. After he used the mortar he had prepared he put his tools in a water bath and walked to the stream where Fiona was floating.

Pete took off his shoes and waded out into the stream carrying a pool noodle. When he was in the deepest part he floated on the noodle and said, "Afternoon Fiona. Mind if I join you for a while?"

Fiona smiled and said, "Not at all. How's it going Pete?"

The two young people visited for several minutes then Pete decided he needed to return to work. He invited Fiona up for another beer before she left. Those two days seemed to set a precedent. For the rest of the week after Fiona finished her days work in the field she would meet Pete at the swimming hole and they would talk. After she finished her swim she went to Pete's and had a beer or two with him and looked at the work he had accomplished while she had been gone.

Pete's little 'home' took shape rapidly. He had a two level floor inside the cave room. He even managed to pipe in water from the old well and set up a bathroom inside. He had a hell of a time breaking out enough rock to get the water lines and drain lines deep enough they would not freeze but he was proud of his accomplishments. When he was done the room under the natural rock was 24 by 15 feet. His bed was in the far rear of the small room. He built a small kitchen area on one side of the front and a sitting area on the other. His bath room was behind the kitchen area. Pete was happy. He had placed a small wood stove in the room for winter heat. He was good to go. The best thing was he only spent about $3700.00 on the building materials for his small room.

After the hay was up Pete did not see Fiona as often as he had when she was working across the stream from him. She still came to the swimming hole at least twice a week throughout the hot part of the year though. To his surprise Pete found himself looking forward to seeing her. He was disappointed when she did not show up. Finally on a Wednesday when they were floating in the stream drinking a beer Pete asked her out.

Fiona looked at Pete in shock when he asked her for the date. She said, "You're kidding right?"

Pete's feelings were a little hurt when she said that. He said, "No I wasn't. I was serious but if you don't want to go fine. I just thought we could go out and have some fun. I'm sorry I suggested it."

Fiona saw the hurt in Pete's face and said, "Hey Pete. I didn't mean to upset you. I was just surprised is all. You've never given me any indication you thought I was anything except a beer drinking buddy. Besides, I'm a shot up soldier. I can't dance and have trouble walking. My scars are hideous. I've not had a date since I was wounded and you just surprised me ok? If I didn't piss you off totally, yes. I would like to go out with you ok?"

Pete found himself smiling. He said, "Great. But you've got it all wrong Fiona. You may be shot up and have scars but anyone who can't see what a great person you are doesn't deserve a date with you anyway. I just enjoy being with you. I don't give a rats ass about the scars and I never liked to dance anyway."

Pete was not the most observant person but then what man is when it comes to women? He really didn't notice the way Fiona's eyes and face lit up when she heard him tell her he enjoyed being with her for her personality and inner beauty rather than her now damaged exterior. She felt her heart flutter when he said what he said. She could tell from the tone of his voice and his facial expression that he meant every word too. She felt her spirit lift higher than it had been since her injury. She wasn't in love with Pete but she was well on her way after that statement.

Pete and Fiona continued to date and visit back and forth throughout the long winter. She was amazed at how cozy his little home under the cliff was and enjoyed every moment she spent within it with Pete. One spring day they were once again at Pete's home visiting. They were sitting on the front porch watching a typical spring thunder storm when the wind began blowing much harder and the sky darkened horribly. They heard a loud roaring and his porch roof began rattling. Pete watched in amazement as the roof began flexing. The rain was coming down almost sideways and blowing all the way across his porch. All at once he understood what was happening and grabbed Fiona. He began dragging her toward his front door and shouted, "Tornado. Come on. Hurry. We need to get inside under protection."

Pete didn't stop when they got into the main room of his little home. Pete pulled Fiona to the back and into the small room he used for storage of his root crops and other bulk items. They closed the door and sat on the floor. After the door closed they could barely hear the roaring of the storm. Soon they heard a crash of breaking glass then shortly thereafter an eerie quiet descended on Pete's little farm.

Pete waited for another ten minutes then he opened the door into his home and allowed Fiona to follow him out. One of the front windows had been broken. Part of the porch roof was thrown through it. Rain and debris had blown into the room. His bed was damp but not horribly wet. The porch roof was gone, torn away by the wind.

Pete walked out into the now softly falling rain and looked toward his machine shed. It too was gone. Some of the roof had fallen on his machinery. Many of the beautiful trees around his home were damaged, some uprooted. Fiona came to Pete and wrapped her arm around his waist. She leaned her head on his shoulder and said, "Oh Pete. I'm so sorry. Come on. Let's see what the damage is."

They first walked toward the shed. When they turned around the corner of the bluff the cave was in they saw both their trucks. There was some damage from debris hitting them and Fiona's front windshield was cracked and starred from a hit in the center by something large and heavy. Both vehicles appeared to be operable however even if Fiona's truck was not legal to drive with the damaged windshield.

They walked on to the damaged machine shed. Much of Pete's machinery was bent and damaged from the building falling on it before blowing away. Some of the smaller pieces were rolled around the barnyard. He would have to clear the wreckage off before he could determine if it was damaged enough to be inoperable. He also had a lot of trees to cut and storm damage to repair. It was obvious however that this had not been a terribly strong tornado. Pete's machine shed was blown down more than blown away. Sure some of the metal siding and roofing was completely gone but much of the building was lying on top of the machinery stored inside.

Fiona and Pete walked up onto the top of the bluff over the cave home and observed the storm's path. Fiona gasped and grabbed Pete's arm. She hysterically said, "Pete. It looks like the storm hit our farm. The house and barns are all damaged. I have to get home and check on Mom and Dad." She took off running or hobbling as fast as she could toward her truck. Pete ran to catch up to her.

When Pete got to Fiona she was trying to get into her truck. He grabbed her and held her back. He said, "Wait Fiona. You can hardly see out of your front window. Come on. Let's get my chain saw, some other tools and first aid kit then we'll take my truck."

Pete and Fiona rummaged around in his broken down shed until they came up with the chain saw, fuel and oil for it as well as some ropes and chains, a come along and a couple of heavy steel bars to pry with. They then drove out of his lane as fast as they safely could and turned toward Fiona's home. Twice they had to stop and cut trees from the road before they could proceed. Because they had to clear the road it took them nearly 45 minutes to drive the two miles to her home. It would have been faster to go through the fields probably except they would have had to cut one of the fences.

When they arrived at Fiona's home they saw the house and outbuildings were destroyed. Like Pete's machine shed however, the buildings were more blown down than blown away. Fiona ran frantically around screaming for her parent's. Finally she and Pete heard a muted yell coming from within the wreckage of the house. Pete backed his truck as close as he could and they began clearing wreckage from the area the noise was coming from. Fiona was crying as she frantically worked at the wreckage. There was a large tree lying over that corner of the house.

After they got the tree cut away Pete saw a broken down cellar door partly covering steps into the cellar underneath the house. The yelling was coming from the cellar. They finished clearing the door and Fiona rushed down the stairs screaming for her parents. Pete followed her carrying a flashlight. When he got to the bottom of the stairs he saw Fiona hugging her Father and Mother. Pete walked up to Fiona and wrapped his arm around her waist to comfort her also.

After the initial euphoria of finding each other safe Fiona's Father Seth began walking out of the cellar. When he got to the top of the stairs he stopped and looked around his farm in shock. Fiona and her mother walked to each side of him and each wrapped an arm around his waist. Pete walked up beside them and stood in silence for a moment.

After the three began slowly walking around surveying the damage Pete followed Fiona. The rain was picking up once more so he said, "Look folks. It's getting dark and the rain is picking up again. Why don't we all go to my place for the night? We can decide what we need to do in the morning and get started on rebuilding. My place isn't the most fancy or comfortable for all of us but at least it will be dry and warm. I will have to put something over the broken window then we'll build a fire and get comfy."

The next morning Fiona and her mother prepared breakfast on Pete's small wood stove. While they ate their meal the four friends discussed how to recover from the disaster. Pete insisted Fiona and her parents plan to stay with him until they could get something set up for themselves. After the meal they split. Seth, Bridget and Fiona returned to their place in Fiona's truck. Pete went to town to purchase replacement material so he could replace the broken window and porch roof. He also turned his loss in to his insurance agent. They promised to have an adjuster out in the next day or two. Pete was instructed not to begin work rebuilding until after the adjuster had been there. He was allowed to replace the window only because that would safeguard his home from further damage.

Pete also mentioned the damage at the Morgan's place. They also insured through the same agent so he promised to have the adjuster visit them the same day. Pete returned home with his replacement window and spent the rest of the morning installing it. After that he worked on his machine shed until he could get his tractor out. Some of the sheet metal was bent on the tractor but it was otherwise undamaged. Now he was thankful he let the insurance agent talk him into getting a policy that covered his equipment as well as the machine shed and his little shack of a home.

Just before dark Fiona and her father came back to Pete's with a mattress, refrigerator and some bedding and clothing for them all. They also had some preserved food in the truck. Bridget had taken the family truck to town to purchase some groceries. They had gotten a generator running and plugged the deep freeze in to keep their frozen food cold. Pete also got his generator out to run his electric appliances until the power company could restore service. News broadcasts indicated it would probably be later the next day before service would be restored in their area.

The next ten days were hectic. The insurance adjuster was there and Pete was awarded $100,000 to rebuild his machine shed and two smaller out buildings. He also was to receive $15,000 for the damage to his machinery and $7500 for the damage to his small home. Much of the settlement was for labor to rebuild. Much of that would be pure profit for Pete because he intended to do almost all the work himself. He decided with that kind of money coming to him he would increase the size of his home to include the 12 by 30 foot porch. He would add a new porch surrounding the three sides of the building now. Doing the work himself it would take more than the $7500 he received for the damage to the house but not much more. He would then use the cave portion of the home for a bedroom and the new addition for living, kitchen and office space. He would even build a larger bathroom just inside the cave with access from the new addition and his bedroom.

Pete got busy digging the footings for his new porch two days after he got the promise on the amounts he would receive from the insurance adjuster. He used scrap materials from the blown down buildings for the form work. He had the concrete poured and was ready to begin the construction by the time he received his check for the damage. He explained to Fiona and her family what he planned to do and they were all for it.