On the back of a dragon.
She might need to pinch herself to check that it was all true.
Leaning out of the bed, she closed her hands around her clothes and pulled them under the covers. With some wriggling and body contortion, she managed to get dressed and then get out of bed which was growing colder now that O’Malley wasn’t in it.
Grabbing her hairbrush from her pack, she dragged it through her messy hair which she then braided. That should keep it out of the way while they were journeying across the mountain.
On their pilgrimage. She’d never have guessed that was why Karl came to the Himalayas. It wasn’t exactly the kind of place she’d imagined you came to find yourself. Or in Karl’s case, lose yourself.
He’d obviously thought something was missing from his life. Something he hoped to find out here in the wilderness.
Hannah packed her hairbrush back in her pack. She needed to find out more about this pilgrimage, along with any more information O’Brian might shed on her brother’s state of mind.
Leaving the bedroom, she took one last look at the bed she’d shared with O’Malley. Not that she could recall much after getting under the covers and falling asleep. But she’d slept soundly, not waking up in a cold sweat fearing the worst for Karl as had become her normal bedtime ritual.
“Coffee.” O’Brian handed her a cup as soon as she walked into the small kitchen area. “O’Malley is just making use of the bathroom.”
“Thanks, it smells good.”
“A local grower sells us a couple of sacks of coffee beans every few months. We grind it ourselves and Elvie adds some herbs and makes her own blend.” O’Brian spoke of his wife with such pride and admiration.
She didn’t ever remember her father talking about her mom like that. But then she couldn’t remember her dad talking about her mom at all from before she passed away. Since her passing, her dad had only talked of her with sadness. He’d never moved past his sense of loss to a time when he could celebrate their love and lives together.
Perhaps that was why Karl came here. He needed to find a way to move on from the past and find a new future.
Something Hannah seemed to have found in O’Malley.
Chapter Eleven – O’Malley
“Now that we’ve had breakfast and coffee, I suppose it’s time we talked about why you are both here.” O’Brian was seated at the table. Elvie had taken their two children to school, leaving the house quiet.
“I’d appreciate anything you can tell us,” Hannah said as she sipped a second cup of the delicious coffee. She looked adorable with her hair in braids, her cheeks were flushed with color leaving her looking fresh and ready to face the day ahead.
“There isn’t a lot.” O’Brian’s expression was filled with sympathy. “As I told you, Karl contacted me and asked if he could come and visit. I think he was after a place to unplug and clear his head. He said he felt as if he was at a crossroads.”
“A crossroads?” Hannah had no idea her brother had felt that way. None at all.
“Since he left the Army, he said he didn’t feel as if he really fit in. He had no purpose.” O’Brian glanced at O’Malley. “We both know what that feels like.”
“We do.” O’Malley nodded. “I don’t know if opening my bar gave me a purpose or whether it just filled the hole left after leaving the Army.”
“I only found my true purpose when I came here. I like helping the villagers and I love the simple life. Elvie and the kids are the center of my world. I don’t have to divide my time between a commute and family time.” He grinned, his red beard waggling. “Honestly, I wake up in the morning and think I am the luckiest man alive.”
“This is a special place and you have a wonderful family.” O’Malley smiled wistfully, a reaction that was not lost on his mate. “I’ve found a similar home in Cougar Ridge.”
“O’Malley is opening a new bar there in a few days.” Hannah gave O’Malley an apologetic look.
“So, you are on a tight timescale.” O’Brian shook his head. “I never saw you as a bartender.”
“I’m not just a bartender,” O’Malley answered. “I own the bar. If my new bar opens, I’ll own a small chain.”
O’Brian laughed. “You always did have ambition. I always thought you would stay in the Army and work your way up through the ranks. You would have made a good commanding officer. I bet you are good to your staff.”
“I try.” O’Malley sighed, time to steer O’Brian back toward his meeting with Karl. “So Karl came here.”
“Yes. He stayed for three or four days. He liked the simple way of life. But when I told him about how I met Elvie, it was like he became obsessed. He thought that if he went on a pilgrimage, he would find his way forward and know what he was supposed to do with his life.” O’Brian glanced nervously at Hannah. “I am sorry for my part in this.”
“None of this is your fault,” she assured him. “I wish he’d opened up to me about where he was in his head.”
“It’s not your fault either,” O’Malley told her firmly.
“No one can take the blame for the actions of another if that other is acting of their own free will and are in a sound state of mind.” O’Brian grinned. “That is what my Elvie has told me many times.”
“She’s a wise woman.” O’Malley would love to spend time here with his old friend, but they really needed to leave.
“So Karl left. Which route did he take?” Hannah got up and went to her pack. When she returned, she had a map which she spread across the table. “Any information would be a great help.”
“As I told the search party that came looking for Karl, he took this route, heading for the cairn here.”
