Outside Forces Read online

CHAPTER 7

  Saturday 07:04 Bow Valley Provincial Park, near Canmore, Alberta, Canada

  It was the longest day of the year, and the sun had been dancing above the horizon to the east for the better part of an hour. Breakfast was over and the sun was still casting its warm tentacles through the forest down into the campsite when Michelle suddenly had a change of heart about participating in today’s hike.

  “You sure you don’t want to come with us?” Richard asked. He sat bent over at the picnic table as he laced up his hiking boots.

  “I’m really not up for an all-day hike today, Richard,” Michelle replied. “You two go on. I’ll clean up here and find something to do. I did want to spend some time alone taking photos this weekend, remember? Maybe I’ll drive up to Middle Lake. I should get some nice shots up there, don’t you think?”

  “We’re not doing an all-day hike. Just six or seven hours,” Richard said. “You should come with us. You’ll get much better photos from up top the mountain.”

  Michelle raised an eyebrow at him and he knew exactly what that meant. She simply didn’t want to go on any hike up any mountain. She turned and smiled at Tawnie. “And can you leave your keys for me, Tawnie?” she asked presumptuously.

  “You can walk to Middle Lake from the campsite,” Richard responded. “You don’t need to take Tawnie’s car. It’s only a mile or so.”

  Michelle reached down next to where she was seated and grabbed her tripod from the gravel—“…and carry this and all my lenses? No thank you, Richard.”

  “Suit yourself,” he replied and finished tying his boots.

  Tawnie moved up next to Richard with her backpack in one hand. A tripod stuck out the top and the pack bulged from the multiple lenses, water bottles, and sandwiches she prepared for the three of them. She rolled her eyes as she dug the keys out from her pocket and threw them onto the picnic table.

  Last night wasn’t exactly the perfect evening. He knew it wouldn’t be. But Michelle at least didn’t open up all cylinders on Tawnie, and Tawnie was polite enough to put up with the little digs Michelle planted in front of her repeatedly. Richard was proud Tawnie was smart enough to recognize them for what they were and never rebutted or challenged Michelle.

  “I guess it’s just the two of us,” Richard said energetically. He winked at Tawnie.

  Tawnie shook her head and rolled her eyes.

  “I saw that,” Michelle called out.

  “What?” Tawnie replied.

  “You know what.”

  “Come on, you two,” Richard interjected.

  Tawnie raised her backpack into the air and shook it at Michelle. “You just don’t want to go because of me.”

  Michelle sprung from her chair. She pointed her finger at Tawnie. “Don’t you go start telling me what I want or don’t want!”

  Tawnie stood her ground. “But it’s true, isn’t it? You dug into me all last night about not coming around or being too busy to spend any time with Dad whenever you’re around. Now we’re all ready to go hiking, pretending to be one big happy family, and now who’s the one pulling out?”

  “Tawnie, please,” Richard said.

  Michelle interjected. “No, Richard, it’s alright.” She hesitated a moment and splayed her hands up above her. “As a matter of fact…” She flashed a glare at Tawnie—“…she is damn right.” Her hands fell to her sides with fists loosely clenched. “I really don’t want to spend all day with her on some stupid hike up some stupid mountain.”

  Tawnie threw up her arms. “See?” She looked at her father for a response. “What’s the point?”

  Richard stared at Michelle and sighed heavily. It was moments like these that challenged him. He would never deny that he loved Tawnie’s mother, Ashley, in the early years, but when the issues with Michael surfaced, their marriage eroded as if an incurable cancer had been planted between them. It felt like a knife had been jabbed and twisted into the heart of their relationship, causing irreparable damage. Michelle’s arrival had been like the sun bursting out across the sky after many years of cold and gloomy weather. With the exception of how she was currently behaving towards his daughter, Michelle was everything he had always wanted in a partner. Until both Tawnie and Michelle warmed to each other, the ugly moments would continue.

  “I wish you hadn’t said that, Michelle,” Richard said. “It’s not helping anyone.”

  Michelle raised her eyebrows at him. “I told you yesterday I’m not holding back how I feel.”

  Richard was at a loss for words.

  Tawnie shoved past Richard, who was still seated at the picnic table, and moved hastily down to the edge of the gravel beyond the far end of the travel trailer. She hopped into the passenger seat of Richard’s truck and slammed the door.

  “She started it,” Michelle said.

  “She didn’t start anything.” He walked up and kissed her once on the cheek. He looked at his watch. “It’s twenty after seven now.…” He counted in his head. “We should be back around three this afternoon.”

  She gave him a look and he knew she wasn’t pleased. She faked a smile.

  “Please be nice when we get back,” he said.

  “I’ll be nice if she’s nice. You have seven hours to teach her how to do that before you get back.”