The Moose, the Tree, and the Irish Writer

"So what is it that you do out here in the middle of nowhere?" She asked walking beside him. He had taken her heaviest bag, which she greatly appreciated.

"Oh, well here in Idaho I work on my art and my poetry. I was taking some photos there at the end of the driveway when your accident happened." Viggo explained.

"You said that as if Idaho isn't your only home?" Tabby asked.

"Well you are right...I am an actor and have a home in Los Angeles. I spend most of my time lately here though with my horses, it allows me to work on my art and poetry more than I can in L.A. Guess acting is just the art that pays the bills anymore." He added laughing.

"So you are a successful actor...not just a waiter who says he can act?" Tabby teased.

"You don't watch movies much do you?" Viggo asked curiously.

"No I don't. I am more of a reader I guess. I haven't been out to the movies in 10 years I think, and well the last time I watched American television I think I had to have been in college." She responded shifting her backpack on her shoulder.

Then she stopped. It dawned on her who he was. "Viggo Mortensen? Didn't you take Stuey's place in the Tolkien movies?"

"Stuey? You mean Stuart Townsend...yes, you know him?" Viggo asked, stopping and then dropping back to where she had stopped.

"Yeah, he and I shared the same agency back in Ireland. He was an arse...I am sure you did a much better job of it than he ever could. Aragorn was a much more complex character in Tolkein than he could have pulled off I think." She said with determination. Viggo tried to suppress a laugh at the way her nose scrunched up when she called Stuart an arse.

"Thanks, I think." Viggo said smiling at her.

She shrugged anartearted walking again. "Christ, Viggo where the hell do you live?"

He laughed. "Just over the hill here...I know it's a long drive way, I like it though, guaranteed privacy."

"I suppose." She said shaking her head and mumbling something about actors.

"You said you and Stuart shared the same agency...you aren't an actress though right?" Viggo questioned.

"Lord no...I am a writer." She said simply.

"What do you write?" He asked interested.

"Nothing of any importance really. Fluff by most people's standards." She responded again shifting the bag on her shoulder.

"Is that heavy?" Viggo asked concerned.

"Aye a little." She admitted.

"Here." He said a little exasperated and took it from her. Damn it was nearly as heavy as the bag he already had of hers. No wonder she kept shifting it...she was so tiny he doubted should could have carried it much longer. Stubborn Irish lass he laughed to himself...Sean would love it.

She just smiled at him and watched as he walked ahead of her. She couldn't help but appreciate the view. "Nice." She whispered.

"Huh?" He asked looking back at her.

"Nothing." She said turning red and jogging to catch up.

Viggo had heard her though and it took his entire acting prowess to keep from snickering. She had really been checking out his ass. Tabby O'Shea was definitely very interesting.

When they topped the little hill he heard her suck in a breath.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Viggo asked indicating his ranch he loved so much.

"Aye." She whispered stunned. The house itself wasn't overly large, it was a gorgeous modern cabin though and the barn matched its architecture as well.

It was truly a lovely place and the view around it...absolutely gorgeous. Once they reached the porch Viggo opened the door and let her step in before him. It was his turn to check out her ass that looked damn good in those snug faded jeans she was wearing.

He stepped in behind her and said, "Welcome to my home, Tabby."

She looked around at all the beautiful hard wood and was in awe. Nearly every wall was covered in shelves of books...beautiful old books and some new and paperbacks mixed in along with a few pieces of brightly colored modern abstract paintings and photographs.

"These are yours?" She asked pointing at a small group over thrge rge stone fireplace.

"Yes, a few I kept at my son's request." He answered setting down the bags on the desk by the door.

"Your son?" She asked.

"Yes I have a 15 year old son named Henry. His mother and I are divorced." Viggo explained. For some reason he felt compelled that he had to mention he was divorced.

"Ah." She simply nodded.

Then the phone rang. Viggo went over and picked it up.

"Hello."

"Hey Sean! Really? That's great, congratulations. Here? Well, uh, well sure when? .... Next week? .... Well alright..... You want me to pick you up?...well if you think you can find it...sure.... See you then!" Viggo hung up the phone smiling.

"Friend?" She asked curiously.

"Best friend...his name is Sean Bean, an actor from England." He answered.

"Sean Bean? I believe I saw him in a play last year in London, he's quite good." She responded and looked at Viggo curiously.

"What?" He asked trying not to smile at the way she was staring at him.

"Umm weren't you going to call a tow truck?" She asked.

"Oh...oh...sorry yes." He said then grabbing the phone and punching in Bob's number.

"You have the tow truck driver's number memorized?" She asked.

"Bob's a friend." He answered then the other person picked up.

"Hey Dave it's Viggo is Bob there? ……Yeah he Bob...there was a wreck this morning right out in front of my drive waI haI have the nice lady right here in my living room that the tree jumped out in front of...yeah pretty bad but she is ok. Yeah could you come by and pick it up. I hope you can fix it for her...yeah...yes...Jesus Bob...ok tell Kate I said hi. See ya in a bit."

Viggo put the phone down.

"Need to call your insurance company?" He handed the phone to her.

She pulled the card out of her purse and started punching the numbers. Once she explained what happened and there was no police report but she did have a witness who nodded yes when she said, "Would they sign an affidavit...Uh yes, yes they will." Then she got off the phone.

"Good Lord like I ran into the tree on purpose!" She said handing the phone back to Viggo rather abruptly smacking it into his palm.

He smiled. Irish temper as well. "They are just doing their job...lots of people pull insurance fraud you know." He had no idea why he was antagonizing her on this.

"Bloody hell, don't defend the blood suckers." She laughed and he did too.

"It's going to be about thirty minutes before Bob can get over here...would you like some tea?" He asked.

"Oh aren't you a God? Tea? An American offering me tea...oh I could kiss you for that." She said in a rush and just as quickly turned blood red.

Viggo laughed, he thought for a second that the kiss didn't sound half bad. "I have always drank Yerba Matè an herbal tea from Argentina…lived there as a kid. Then I spent fifteen months with many folks raised drinking English tea so I tend to keep it on hand these days for guests like my friend Sean. Find myself drinking it instead of the matè sometimes. Habit I guess."

He led her into the kitchen, which she found just as lovely as the rest of the house.

"This house is wonderful, Viggo." She stated as she sat down at the small kitchen bar.

"Yeah, I fell in love with it when I saw it." Viggo answered as he filled the kettle with water and set it to boil.

They talked for several minutes while the kettle heated and while they drank their tea. She asked what kind of name was Viggo Mortensen and he told her Danish. They talked more and he told her that he had lived all over the world and spoke Spanish and Danish along with a few other languages.

She told him she too traveled a lot as a child, but always back to Ireland. She was from County Clare, the village of Kilfenora, and spoke fluent Gaelic as well as French, Italian, and Spanish. She had four older brothers.

Then he asked again. "So you never told me what you write."

She looked away for a minute and saw a blue tow truck coming down the drive. "Oh your friend is here." She said taking a sip of tea and smiling into the cup. That's the second time she hasn't answered him because of an interruption.

Viggo set his cup down and headed out onto the porch to greet Bob.

She came out a few minutes later and Viggo introduced her.

Bob said, "Took a look at your Jeep before I came back. It's pretty bad, but I think Dave and I can fix it for you good as new...or at least pretty near to it."

"Thanks, here is my insurance card, they said they would cover it." She said handing it to him.

"Ok, it may take a while though, we will probably have to order parts and things, and of course wait on the claim adjuster. You going to be staying here with Viggo?" Bob asked. Viggo looked a little shocked and then both men looked at Tabby.

"Uh...well I thought perhaps a hotel in town." She said looking at Viggo.

Bob laughed. "Never been here before have you, hon?"

"What do you mean?" She asked. "T "There is no hotel in town, and the B&B is booked up through January. The next town with a hotel is three hours away in Pocatello." He said solemnly.

"Oh...well I uh...I don't want to impose on Viggo...is there not anywhere renting a house or a room around here?" She asked.

"Nope not this time of year, we get a lot of folks here in the fall and winter from places where there is no snow." Bob said shaking his head.

"You wouldn't be imposing, the house has two guestms, ms, and you are welcome to stay here as long as you like, Tabby." Viggo said hoping he didn't sound desperate for her to stay. He hadn't thought about it before Bob mentioned it but he really did want Tabby to stay with him. If only for a week or two while her car is being fixed.

"Well...I...What do you think Bob? You know Viggo obviously better than I do...do you think I am safe here...I only met him today." She said smiling.

Bob laughed and said "I have known him a little over a year now. Viggo is a little odd but I think he has had his shots…he’s harmless."

Tabby laughed. "Alright, I guess I will need to get the rest of my things out of the Jeep then."

Viggo ran back into the house and grabbed his keys. "Come on I will drive you out to get them."

After they had transferred all of Tabby's bags from the wrecked Jeep to Viggo's Land Rover they headed back to the house.

"So do you want first or second floor?" Viggo asked.

"Which would you pick if you were me?" She asked.

He thought for a second and said "Second floor."

"Then second floor it is. By the way thank you." She said as she got out of the car.

Viggo just smiled and shook his head...how was he going to explain her to Sean when he arrives next week and is staying in his favorite room?