The Mountain: A novel by Raymond J. Steiner

44 Sarah Steele — probably through Joe Bundy who, much to Jake’s embarrassment, had been spreading it about town — had gotten wind of Jake’s first showing at the Woodstock Artist’s Association’s Spring Exhibit in 1939 and, in honor of the occasion, had invited a few guests for a small dinner party at her home on the Wednesday evening before the event.

Though Jake had no intention of attending the opening — scheduled on the Saturday of the same weekend that Joe and Andrea were getting married — he did agree to serve as best man for Joe on Sunday, and had happily accepted Sarah’s invitation. To also appear at the opening reception of the Spring Exhibit, however, was far more than he thought he could handle.

As they sat down to dinner at a large table set out for their guests — Cal and Sarah joined not only by her parents Mae and Cyrus but, along with Andrea, Joe, and Jake, the Iskowitzes and a new couple, Catherine and Edward Fielding, she, an art historian and he a noted mural painter — the evening’s conversation inevitably centered on discussions of art.

“I’d be a wreck,” Jake was telling Andrea as they took seats at the Steele’s dinner table.

“And I’m not?” Joe joked as he put his arm around his intended bride. “How do you think I’m going to survive on Sunday when I have to go up to the altar to tell this lady that ‘I do’?”

“Oh, you’ll survive,” said Jake as Andrea playfully poked Joe in the ribs with her elbow.

“He’d better!” she said with a laugh. “We’ve got a ton of things to do in the next few days.”

Joe and Andrea had decided to combine their two separate 281