part 5

Chapter III

                                                                      18      

The week flew by.  We would talk on the phone several times a day when we both could and we would talk on the phone all evening.  I didn’t like being apart but we had jobs that needed our attention.  We had discussed that.  His job allowed us to do what we did last weekend.  My job, paid my bills.

Friday at noon my cell rang.  Caller ID said Trey.

“Hey sweetness,” he said when I answered, “3:30, our place?”

“Sounds wonderful.” I said, “Then the rest of the weekend…?”

“I have it planned.  You like NASCAR?”

I know he expected me to say I didn’t but truth was I loved the smell and sound of racecars.

“Why Sugah,” I said, “I surely do.”

“Great because I have a friend who sponsors a car and he asked us to go watch.”

“Is there a local track near here?” I asked.

“Just a little one, Watkins Glenn.”

“Aw…gee whiz…New York again?” I pretended to be annoyed.

“C’mon, you’ll love it. It’s beautiful this time of year.”

“So you plan on getting out of the hotel?”

“Sometimes…”

“OK, sugah, I’m in.  See ya at 3:30”

19

We spent Saturday in the VIP area, drinking and eating and watching the race on the television.  You can’t see much from the stands, so the experience was in the VIP tents where there were fans and coolers for the hot day.

The car we were there to see was really a K&N Pro car, but we got to rub elbows with the big boys.  It was a long afternoon and our friend’s car didn’t fare well coming in 14^th.  But the passes were good for the whole weekend so we stayed over night.

The moon shone brightly between the slats of the Venetian blinds, casting a striped pattern on the floor next to the bed.  The heat of the day had long since given way to the cooler evening and the window was open.  Frogs crickets and cicadas all chirped in harmony . But the humidity hung around, making the sheets, which were damp from our recent tryst, stick to my naked body.

He was behind me, cupping me in his body, breathing softly in my ear as I stared at the bright moon.

“Lovely isn’t it?” he whispered..  I was in that post sex state where I was very relaxed and without looking at him; I wiggled my butt into him

“Umm Humm.” I replied, a smile creasing my face.  It was beautiful, just a few clouds that would slide over it and the chorus nature made a new symphony.

His hand slid down from my breast to my belly .  “I am lucky to have two lovely things at one time.”  He nuzzled my neck. 

“You’re silly.” I responded to him, “But thank you for the compliment.”  He hugged me closer.

“Who were you?” he asked.

“Who was I?” I replied, “What do you mean?   You said we didn’t have any past.”

“No who were you?  I feel we knew each other sometime.” He said

“We just met last week in a bar, remember?” I giggled

“There are many things in this world that people don’t understand.  I believe we come back and meet those we knew in previous lives.”

I was interested now. 

“So, then” I asked “Who were you?”

“I can’t tell you yet.” He whispered, “It would  affect your answer.”

“But I don’t have an answer.”

“Yes you do,” he said quietly, “You feel it too.”

“I don’t know, I have never thought about it.” I said.  My hand now covered his and I pressed it into me. “Maybe I was Aphrodite or Helen.   You say I’m a Princess.  Maybe that’s it.”

“No,” he said, “We weren’t all famous.  But I know when I saw you the first time, it was like I knew you.”

“Maybe I was a guy.” I sighed.

“No, your spirit has always been feminine.  I just wonder.”

“Well, now I can’t sleep, thank you very much.” I said, “I’ll wonder who I was all night.”

“I can help you sleep.” He started kissing me.  It didn’t take long for us to start again.

The familiar tingle was building in my chest as he brought me closer and closer to the edge.  I wanted to let go but he held me back.

“They say that right after orgasm is the closest to the portal in your mind as you can get.”  He whispered, “Now relax and let your mind ride the wave.  I’ll be here to hold you and nothing bad will happen.  I promise.”

  It didn’t take long for me to finish and he was right, I went right to sleep.  Then the dream came.

Lights flashed in my brain and I felt a movement, but I wasn’t moving.  Then I was in a hot dry barren place.  The yellow grass grew around me, coming almost to my chest.  The sound of a meadowlark came to my ears.  I could see trees in the distance but the flatness of the land was deceiving as to how far.

This was home.  I knew that.  I stood and faced the sun letting it warm my face and body.  I wore a blue calico dress, worn in spots, but still serviceable.   Over it I wore a white apron.

I heard a distant voice come on the wind

“Kathleen!”  It was a man’s voice and I knew the man, but I could not see him yet.

“Over here!” I called back.  The man came over the knoll.  He was tall and lanky, well muscled and the color of warm caramel.  His light hair hung just below the brim of his hat in the back,  His smile was bigger than all outdoors.

“Kathleen, me love, I was beginning to worry, you out here all alone.” He took me in his arms and hugged me.  Then he leaned back and his smile got even bigger, “Missues Marchain., you are the most beautiful woman as far as the eye kin see.”

“Thomas,” I knew his name? It was my Trey, “You’re nuthin but a storyteller.  Besides there ain’t no other women for 10 miles.

“Aye so what I say is true, no?”

“That it is, Thomas.” He kissed me on the lips, “Thomas…in broad daylight, in front of God and ever’one?”

“God don’t care.” He kissed me again then stepped back.  “And you’re me wife.  A man should be able to kiss his wife when he’s a mind.” 

“True that again.” So I stood on my toes and kissed him back. “And what’s good for the goose be good for the gander, eh?”  He laughed and pulled me to the top of the hill.  When we reached the crest I looked down on our homestead.  He had been working on the soddy for weeks now and it was done.  We would still need a door, but the greased paper would do for windows for now.  A curl of smoke, lifted above the stone chimney, the only part of the house that wasn’t made of dirt.

“How could ya be for walking away from such a great mansion?” he asked me as we went down the other side of the hill.

“I was just overseeing the grounds, m’lord”  I teased.  Then a memory came back on me.  Thomas did have a mansion in Mayo County, Ireland.  It wasn’t a castle but was very large.  The land and air there was so different than where we were.  It was green and you could feel the sea breeze.  I had met him doing just what I had been doing today, standing on a hill with the sun and wind in my face.  We married a scant year ago, then came to America.  Even though he wasn’t a farmer, but a merchant by trade, settled here, in Nebraska.  I had lost a child before birth and the doctor had told us we would never have our own.  But Thomas didn’t care.  Oh sure he would have loved an heir, but he was happy to be with me.  I would have stayed in Ireland if it were my choice.  But he explained that the country was in trouble with the lack of food and the English.  He wanted to be his own man and take care of me without worry.

So I followed him here.  This dry, barren land that was our own, not his family’s, 160 acres, all ours if we could make it work.  It was a good piece of land with a small creek running almost exactly through the middle.  There were cottonwood trees but Thomas said they would be more good to us later for a barn, not a house.

“Kathleen, I will build you that mansion, I promise.” He said quietly.  “We will make this land grow and bloom.   We will spend our days together here“

“I know Tom, I know.” I held his hand. “you’ll do that.  And I’ll be here for you.”

“For us, m’lady, for us.”

Then the vision faded out and returned.  I was alone in the soddy.  Something wasn’t right.  The fire was out, there was no warmth.  It was summer outside but the house felt cold and empty.  I stood and walked out the door, a door Thomas had had shipped here from the east, It looked out of place in the frame.

I walked into the sun now. But now it felt mean.  No longer did it caress me but it beat down on me.  The farm yard had a barn and I could hear the milk cows lowing .  Chickens scuttled at my feet, expecting feed.  A bay horse stood in the corral.  And next to it, the new grave.  I walked over to it.

“Thomas, what will I do without ye?”  I whispered.  “You promised me.  How could you leave me?”  I sat on the sandy soil and cried.

“I don’t know what I shall do.” I said to the wind, “I can’t stay here.  I can tend the stock and the garden, but what about the rest of the farm?  Those 20 head of cattle are beyond my kin.  And if I sell them, I won’t be able to keep the place.”

“Help me Thomas,” I screamed, “Help me do what is right.”

I woke suddenly, the moon no longer shining through the slats and the cold air filling the room.  I was soaked with sweat and I sat up, looking over at Trey.  He wasn’t moving., I couldn’t see him breathe!

“Oh my god!,” I screamed, “Trey! Stay with me!”

His eyes flew open and he sat straight up.

“Princess,” he put his arms around me and held me “Princess it’s OK.  Just a dream.  Relax.”

I shook, not just from the cold but from the memory of the dream.  Seeing the grave.

“Are you OK now?” He asked, kissing my damp forehead.  “Oh my god, you’re soaked.”  He wrapped the bed spread around me.

“Promise me, Trey, Promise me you will never leave me.”

“I have done that, Princess, and I will keep my promises as long as they are in my power.”

“I can’t lose you again.” I whispered.

“Again?  Honey you have never lost me…wait, the dream, you saw something in the dream.” He hugged me as hard as he could.  “Oh baby, that was a long time ago I’m sure.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

I shook my head “no”.

“OK, if you ever want to, you can OK?” he kissed my forehead again.  Now can you get back to sleep?”

“If you hold me I can.” I told him, “Hold me please.”

I lay back down.  The sheets still damp and now rather chilly.  Trey snuggled in beside me, one arm under my neck and one over the top of me.

“Sweet dreams this time m’lady.” He whispered.

20

The New York countryside was beautiful and we had left the plane in Pittsburgh, so a drive through the hills and countryside seemed a good plan for going home.  Since we didn’t really have any “horse in the race” as they say for the NASCAR race and we could beat the crowds, we left about eight in the morning.  We got off the interstate at Allegheny to so south through the Allegheny forest.  A quick stop in the city of Bradford yielded meats, cheeses, breads, fruits and some wine.

Driving a little south we found a road that led into the woods   This is where we had lunch.  We didn’t have a blanket or anything so we sat on a small patch of grass.    Trey laid down on his elbow as I sliced pieces of cheese for us to nibble with the bread and meats.

“You scared me last night, Princess.”  He finally said, “I didn’t know what to do.”

“I’m sorry, honey, but it wasn’t intentional, trust me.”

“I do,” he said, “but you know I will always be here if you ever need me.”

“I know and now I don’t wish to discuss it anymore.” I shoved a grape into his mouth, “all I want to do now is be here with you in the sunshine.  Gee it is warm isn’t it?” I smiled at him

“Very.”  He agreed

“I think I need to take off some things.”

Trey looked around and all we saw was trees. 

“OK, but keep things close at hand, it is daylight and this is a public area.”

I slowly unbuttoned my blouse and slid it off, revealing a lacy bra.  He smiled at the sight.  Then I unzipped the skirt I had on and slipped it down so I was in my panties.

Now I could see Trey’s eyes getting bigger.

“You know, there is no one here, “ I said, “and the edge of the woods is just over there, no one will see us if we….”  I jumped up, leaving the food and clothes and ran to the edge of the woods.  Trey was close behind and as I got past the tree line I saw a spot that looked soft.  I pulled off the panties and threw myself on the ground, my legs spread open to him.

“You shouldn’t do that,” he told me.

“C’mon, no one will know.” I motioned him over.  “We’re in the woods, squirrels and birds and…

“Poison ivy”

21

We drove to Mt Jewett, the closest town of any size we could find.  I had left the panties and put the skirt and blouse back on,  Luckily, or unluckily, only my butt had been exposed to the ivy.  I could hardly sit as Trey drove into town.

“You doing ok, city girl?” he asked.

“I’m not a city girl.  For your information I was in the Boy Scouts.”

“Missed the poisonous plant seminar huh?” He smiled.

“No I didn’t I just wasn’t paying attention.”

“Then or now?” He asked.

“Both,” I conceded. “Dammit Trey, I thought that would be fun.”

“It would have been.,” he agreed. “but next time, keep your panties on until we check things out.

“So you were a Scout?” he asked.

“Yes and remember, life before we met doesn’t count.” I warned him.

“OK I just find it interesting is all.  Sometimes I wonder what you…”

“Don’t even go there,” I said wiggling to scratch my butt.

“OK,” he said then went silent.

He found a small store and went in to buy some calamine lotion.  He brought it out to me.

“I would rub that on but, “he looked around, “There may be people watching.”  He got back in the car. “It’s going to ruin that skirt you know.”

“I’ll change in the plane. “ I told him. 

“It will be several hours yet..”

“I know but what else can I do?”

“I’m so sorry honey, I really am.”

“Not your fault,” I said, “I was just in a romantic mood.  I’ll be OK, it’s feeling better already..”

“Seeing your red bottom made me wish I had done that.”

“Laid in the poison ivy, you’re welcome to.”

“No” he giggled, “made it red.”

“Someday.” I promised,

22

By the time we got to the plane and settled in, the pain was less.  After we reached cruising altitude, I went and put on a different skirt.  Then I came back and sat in the right seat.

“Better?” he asked.

“Much,” I said.

“Panties?”

“No.”  I lifted the hem to my waist.

“Beautiful.” He commented.

“Listen Trey, “ I started, “about earlier.  I’m sorry, it’s just that the past and especially that era in my life was horrid.”

“No problem,” He said, “It isn’t important.”

“It is to me.” I said. “and I want to forget that.  It made me who I am though and if you need to know, I can tell you.”

“What I know is you aren’t a very good camper.”

“But I am a hell of a lay.”

“You got that part right.”

Part IV

23

I had put off travel since I met Trey because we were traveling on the weekends.  But being a sales rep it was a major part of my job.  And being a sales rep for a growing pharmaceuticals company, I was going to new places often.  So when I came in Monday morning I wasn’t surprised when my boss called me into his office.

“Susan, don’t you have a pink glow to you?” he asked.  I thought, if you only knew what was under the dress.  “Have you ever been to the capital of Kentucky, Lewis-ville?

“Louisville.”

“Huh?”

“It’s pronounced Loo-wee ville.” I said absently, my butt itched, “and the capital is Frankfort.”

“Damn Bill in accounting, he said it was Louisville”

“Well, yeah, Bill is an ass.  So anyway, that’s where I’m going?”

“Uh huh , if you could get there tonight, we have you set to meet a doctor’s breakfast tomorrow morning.”

“Swell, thanks for the warning.” I said.

“It’s important Susie.” He said, “This could lead to big accounts.  Commission…”

“Sure, Chip “ I said with a sigh,  “I can drive and be there in a few hours.”

“Awesome sweetheart,” he hugged me, “I knew I could count on you. “

“Yeah, count on me.  That’s what I do.” I said.

“What’s the matter, babe?”

“First the ‘babe’ part,” I started, “and second did it occur to you I may have a life?”

He stopped and thought a moment, “Nope.  You never have before.”

“Well I do now.” I snapped, “Didn’t any of you men notice the ring?”

“Yeah, “ he said, “We noticed.  Just figured you bought it with last month’s bonus.”

“No,” I said with exasperation, “I didn’t.  It was a present.”

“Nice,” he said, “So about Louisville…”

“Looeeville.  Yes I’ll go.  I’ll leave in a few hours, let me go home and pack.”

“That’s my girl.  You are the best salesman I have.”

“Woman,” I whispered.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing, can I get going?”

“Sure, keep track of the miles.”

I turned and left the office, going to my desk where Dale the guy in the next desk looked at me and said, “You going to the capital of Tennessee?”

“Looweeville” I said and went home.

24

I called Trey from the apartment and left a message that I would be gone for the week.  Then I packed up and drove to Louisville.  It was about 6:30 when I checked into my room, so I went down to the hotel bar to get something to relax and maybe eat.

Hotel bars all look alike, dark, the lighting sort of a pale yellow.  Full of lonely salesmen.  I found a stool at the bar.

“Good evening Miss,” the bartender said, “What’ll it be?”

“Hemlock, straight no chaser.”

“Having a bad day?”

“Long day, I’m sorry, Manhattan,  Extra cherry please.”

“One extra sweet Manhattan coming up.”

“You have a menu?”

“We do, let me know.” He handed me the menu and walked away.

He came back with the drink, and three cherries.

“Don’t get all filled up on those cherries,” he said with a wink, “You won’t have room for the grits.

“I’ll pass on the grits.  Maybe a shrimp cocktail please and a side salad.”

“YOU bet,” he said and walked away again.

I looked around the room.  It was semi busy.  No one was paying any attention to me.  I called Trey.

“Hey, baby.” I said when he answered.

“Hi, Princess, sorry I missed your call earlier.”

“That’s OK, it was short notice.  But here I am in Podunk Kentucky.”

“Louisville is nice, I have had business deals there.” He told me, “So whatcha doin?”

“Sitting at the bar…. drinking…waiting for you to walk in.”

“Aw, sorry, I wish I were there.” He said, “So you alone?”

“Let me ask the two men on each side of me.”

“Just remember you have to come home to me.”

“You make it sound like you don’t care.”

“I do, “ he explained, “But a beauty like yours cannot be controlled.”

I laughed, “Yeah right, that’s why I am alone.”

“I trust you sweetheart, whatever you decide, I don’t own you, I don’t control you.  All I ask is you be safe and come back to me.”

“You amaze me everyday.” I told him. “But don’t worry, I am yours exclusively …oh look!  Brad Pitt!”

“You’re funny, Brad called me earlier, he’s in LA.”

“Nothing bothers you does it?”

“Being away from you does.  Call me tomorrow OK?  Tell me how your day goes.”

“OK, I will have another drink and this salad, then go to bed and dream…” I stopped, the image of the grave flooded my mind..

“Princess?”

“Dream of you.  Love you.” 

“Love you more, honey.”  He whispered, “Call me.”

25

The meeting the next morning went well. 35 oncologists from the area eating breakfast while I regaled over our drug.   I visited the major hospitals afterward to discuss with their controllers about keeping us on their formularies.

I called Trey from Bowling Green and the bar in the hotel I was staying at.

“Hey,” I said.

“You sound tired. You doing OK?” he asked.

“Yeah, I miss you and talking with you…and having you hold me at night.,” I told him.  “How are you doing?”

“OK, I guess, I have to fly out of here tomorrow.” He said, “When will you be back?”

“I’ll drive back Saturday morning.  The meeting tomorrow is at four so after that I won’t feel like driving.”

“Where are you now?”

“Bowling Green Kentucky.  It’s a nice town.  Not a lot going on.”

“Uh huh.” He said, “You alone?”

“Well alone in the hotel bar eating veggies and cheese.”

“I can imagine you on a bar stool with celery and dip….and a Manhattan.”

“Pretty much right..  The place is almost empty.”

“Make it an early night, watch some Netflix.”

“Do they have porn?”

“Do you need porn?”

“No, I’m good.  I will just go to sleep, I have to drive a couple hours in the morning.”

“OK, Princess, sleep well.”

“I wish you were here.”

“Me too, but I will see you soon.  You’re probably about ready to spend a weekend at home.”

“Will you spend it with me?”

“You have to ask?”

“Then, yes, I’m ready.  I will call you tomorrow night wherever you are.”

“I’ll be waiting, love you honey.”

“Love you too.”

I slept very well that night and had plenty of time to get to Nashville for my 4 o’clock meeting.   The doctors were very receptive and wanted to use the product.  We were done by five.

“You want to get a drink or something, “Dr Havers asked as I was leaving.

“No thank you, I’m good.” I smiled, “I have a long drive in the morning.”

“You should stay and see our city.” He suggested, “Lots of great country music.”

“I’ll be back, especially if you buy our product.”

“Well then, I’ll be seeing you soon.”  He walked me to my car and told me the best way to get to the hotel I had booked.

It was downtown but not hard to find.  I parked and checked in.  My room was on the 5^th floor and had a good view.  I put my suitcase on the bed, took off my clothes and took a warm shower.  Afterward I put on my make up and a nice business dress and headed down to the bar.  I needed a drink.

There were several spaces at the bar, but the place was busy with Friday afternoon people from the area.  The bartender took my order and my phone buzzed.  It was Trey.

“Heya sweet cheeks, what’s happening.” He said when I connected.

“Hmmm…let’s see…Friday, downtown, bar, alone, again.”

“Aw there’s no one there you could talk to?”

“Not hardly.” I said, “I don’t know these people.”

“Well, you need to meet someone.”

“Oh really?  You would like that?”

“Just to talk, they’re probably lonely too.” He said, “Look around anyone catch your eye?”

“Not really, Trey this is silly, I don’t want to talk to strangers.”

“When you talk to them they won’t be strangers.” He said, “There must be someone who you could talk to.  I feel badly that you are all alone in a big city on a Friday.”

“Well, there is guy who is alone” I told him, “He has his back to me and is on the phone.  No one else I can see.”

“Go sit with him, have a drink.”

“No!”

“Stay on the line, go over and talk, hand him your phone and I will tell him it’s OK.”

“Alright, but this seems weird.”   I walked over to the man and he put his phone down as I walked up behind him.

“Excuse me but I am in town for the evening and I wondered if you would like to…”

He turned to me.  It was Trey.

“Hey, a beautiful woman like you, I would love you to join me.” He beamed.

“Damn you, Trey.” I laughed, “You had me going to talk to a strange man.”

“They don’t make ‘em any stranger, Princess.” He pulled a chair out for me.  “You probably should hang up the phone though; your boyfriend may not like it.”

“How did you know?” I asked him, “How did you find me?”

“Well, I knew you were going to Nashville, I knew the kind of hotels you had stayed at…”

“You called every hotel?”

“No, I called your office and talked to…”

“You called my office?” I asked,

“Yeah,” he smiled, “Some guy named Dale said you were here.”

“Dale! Told you where I was staying?”

“I told him you were at my office earlier and had left your cell.”

“Awesome, I am glad you weren’t a stalker or something.”

“But I am.” He said as matter of fact.  “I stalk you.”

“Well the least you can do is buy me dinner.”

“That is the least.” He said, “um…I don’t have a room, can I stay with you?”

“Only if you hold me all night, there’s only one bed.”

26

The little chipmunk ran from one rock to another before me.  He looked at me.

“Sorry, I am out of peanuts today.”

He chattered at me.

“OK,” I said, “OK, here” and I laid a peanut next to me.  He took a few hops toward me, stopped and sat up, then a few more.  Finally he ran up to me grabbed the nut and shoved it into his cheeks and scampered off.  It was a tradition we had established in the last week.  I sat on the rock and pulled my knees to my chest and stared out over the valley below.

There was snow on the peaks, winter was creeping up on us.  The air was a bit chilly too.  I had spent a lot of time out here looking at the town at the base in the last two days.  Trey had to fly to LA but would be back today. 

I hadn’t realized how used to having him around I had become. Nights by the fire seemed empty.  I tried reading but I couldn’t concentrate.

The chipmunk was back, now sitting next to me looking out over the valley.

“You have everything ready for the winter?” I asked him, “I won’t be back for a few months.”  I laid the rest of the nuts I had in my pocket on the rock.  He grabbed as many as he could stuff in his cheeks and ran off.

I had two steaks ready for the grill in the kitchen and salads.  I was a terrible cook and Trey would joke the best thing I could make was love.  He would be here soon so I wandered back to the cabin.

I was finishing the salad when the phone ran.  I picked it up. 

“Hughes investments.”

“Miss March?” a woman’s voice said.

“Yes,” I replied.

“This is Carol in the LA office.”  She said slowly

“Uh huh, Trey has told me about you.  Is he on his way?”

“No,” she stopped and took a deep breath, “His plane is missing.  It went off radar.  There has been no emergency beacon though.”

I almost fainted but I grabbed the counter,

“Oh my god,” I whispered.

“That’s all we know right now. “she said, “are you OK where you are?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” I gasped, “Should I go somewhere, call someone?”

“Not right now.  Mr. Hughes senior said to make sure you were alright and that we would keep you up to date.”

“Thank you Carol.” I said and hung up the phone.   I looked out the window at the mountains.  They looked so tall now. 

It would be OK, Trey knew how to fly and he knew how to take care of himself.  He is probably just landed somewhere. That’s all.

The image of the pioneer grave flashed through my mind.

“Thomas, what will I do without ye?”  I whispered.  “You promised me.  How could you leave me?”

27

I curled up in front of the fire and waited.  It seemed so strange in today’s world to lose a plane.  I was at once scared and then mad at him.  I knew it was selfish.  I never did tell him the dream for fear it would somehow come true.  And now it had.

The phone rang,.  I ran to answer it.

“Hel…hello?”

“Susan?” a man’s voice said and I could swear it was Trey’s,

“Trey, is that you?”

“No Susan it’s Tom Hughes, Trey’s father.”

“Have you heard anything?”

“No but the civil air patrol is looking.” He said and I could hear the catch in his voice, “We don’t know yet.  How are you doing?”

“I am scared to death.” I told him, “I can hardly breathe.”

“We are doing all we can.  He was with our best pilot.”

“He wasn’t drivin…I mean flying the plane?”

“No, this time our corporate pilot was at the controls.  Excellent woman, decorated Air Force.”

“OK.” I said, “what should I do.  I mean I am here using your company’s cabin and food and…”

“Susan, listen.” He said, “no matter what, you are part of my family now.  You are my daughter, just as if you had been married OK?  You can stay there as long as you need to but if you want to come home I will send a car for you.”

“No, no” I said tears streaming down my face, “I’ll wait…in case he shows up you know?”

I heard him giggle a little bit, “That wouldn’t surprise me at all.  I’ll call you later.”

28

I lay back down in front of the fire and drifted off a bit.

“Kathleen, Kathleen where are ya?”  the voice came through the mists.

“I’m right here Thomas.” I replied., wiping my hands on my apron.

“I’ve got to go down to the Schmidt’s, the water is risin in the creek and we got to get his family and stock up to higher ground.”

The Schmidt’s were our second closest neighbor, about two miles away near the big creek.  A huge thunderstorm had just passed the area and the creeks were at bank level.

“Do you need me to come?  I just put some bread into the oven…”

“I’ll be back before it’s done, I promise.”  I watched him mount the chestnut gelding and ride over the hill.  At the top he waved then disappeared.

Then I saw myself, in a dreary cabin.  Whiskey bottles sat on the table and a strange man was in the bed with me.  I had become a whore, a drunken whore.  Mixed in the bottles was one labeled “Opium.” I drank it all and fell into a long sleep.

I woke in a sweat again. I stared at the fire.  I wished that there was a bottle of opium.

The phone rang, I jumped up and answered it.

“Hello?”

There was no one there. 

“Thomas if that’s you, I’m here waiting.” I thought.

The phone rang again.  I picked it up.  No one there again.  A third time,

“Hello, whoever this is, talk to me.:”

“Princess?” a faint voice came through, “It’s me.”  Then it went dead again

I tried calling his cell number, the beeping that said there was no connection came to me.

I waited.  Should I call LA?.  Maybe they knew something.  But they hadn’t called me.

The phone rang again.

“Trey?”

“Princess listen  I don’t have much time.  We’re OK but the radio is dead.  I will have to see if I can find cell recep…”

Dead again.  I waited.  Should I call LA maybe they could trace it or triangulate or whatever they do…?

The phone rang again.

“Trey, where are you?”

“This isn’t Trey, Susan, it’s Tom, they know where they are and they are sending help.”