-1Heartland Sunset
D. K. Graham
Copyright 2012 by D. K. Graham
Smashwords Edition
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
PROLOGUE
Ralph had assured him that he would take care of everything. He told John that he would pose as an inspector from the gas company in order to gain entrance into the house. After that, he preferred not to let John know what would happen. The less he was told, the less apt he was to be tagged as a suspect. John figured it would have something to do with explosives, given his knowledge of Ralph's background in the service.
The day of Mary’s doctor's appointment arrived. John couldn't help himself ... he had to go to the neighborhood where Jay and Mary lived and watch what would happen. He caught an early bus and arrived on the scene about fifteen minutes before he knew Mary would be leaving the house. Hiding behind a large tree, he waited, watching the back door by the garage.
"Wait a minute!" John thought to himself. "Mary only had one little girl with her! Where was the other one?" John began to panic. He didn't mean any harm to come to Mary's daughter! Sweat began to pour down his face. His stomach was in knots. His legs trembled under him, and he could barely catch his breath. Mary backed out of the driveway ... still, only one small blonde head was visible by the passenger's side window. Mary headed her car down the street, but made a U-turn and headed back! Saying something to her daughter, she got out of the car and went back inside. The small girl got out of the car, too, and went toward the back yard, following her mother.
Just as she reached the gate to the back yard, a loud explosion rocked the air, and she was thrown backward. Without thinking, John rushed forward and grabbed the frightened little girl. He knew that he must get away before anyone spotted him. Clutching the weeping child in his arms, he bolted around the corner to the bus stop as fast as his legs would carry him. He jumped onto the first bus to arrive, only a couple minutes after the explosion. He had no idea where the bus was headed. He didn't really care. He only knew that somehow he was now responsible for this little child.
CHAPTER ONE
I wish I were small and still believed in the little girl in the mirror, thought Jaina as she stared dejectedly at the cell phone in her lap. Nellie always helped me when I was sad or lonely, or when I just needed someone to talk to. I miss her, but a 16-year-old girl can't believe in pretend friends.
"Jaina!" She heard her Aunt Sharon call from the kitchen. "Please set the table. Supper is almost ready and Uncle Jim will be home in a few minutes."
"Okay. I'll be there in a second." Jaina slowly put the cell phone back into her pocket and glanced at her reflection in the mirror over her dresser, hoping - but not really expecting - to catch a glimpse of her old friend, Nellie.
The old familiar cloud settled over her as she walked dejectedly down the steps. She often felt there was something elusive, something she couldn't quite grasp, that was missing from her life. She supposed it was a subconscious feeling brought about by the unexpected death of her parents when she was only three years old. She couldn't remember them at all, and had seen very few pictures of them.
Her mother had been Uncle Jim's older sister, and Uncle Jim wasn't the photographer type. Although she didn't remember much about it, she had been told that her mother and father had died when a gas water heater had exploded in their home. Jaina had been at the park just down the street with Uncle Jim when the loud explosion rocked the ground and air around them. Minutes later the fire trucks went careening by, their lights flashing and sirens blaring. But they were too late. The house was engulfed in flames, and her parents were gone. Their remains were not even identifiable. Jaina remembered the sound of the blast, and vaguely remembered the lights and sirens of the fire trucks. She still got a queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach whenever she caught the perfume of bouquets of mixed flowers, reminding her of the smells at the memorial service. At the age of three, she could only associate the sounds, lights, and flowery aromas with the fact that she no longer had a mommy or daddy. Only Uncle Jim and Nellie remained to offer stability to the sanity of the little girl.
* * * * *
Jim Cotter had been a college student at the time of the explosion, living with his older sister and brother-in-law. His own mother had died a few days after he was born. His father had remarried, but little Jimmy had never felt close to his stepmother, who had two sons of her own to care for. His older sister, Mary, had been more like a mother to him, even though she was only six years older than he was. When she married at the age of eighteen, she and her new husband continued to make him feel a part of their family. When Jim entered college two years prior to the tragic explosion, Mary and Jay had asked him to move in with them as they were only a few blocks from the campus. It all seemed so perfect at the time. He thoroughly enjoyed being "Uncle Jim", and sunny bright eyed little Jaina was one of his favorite people.
After Mary and Jay Wilson died, Jim moved himself and Jaina into a small apartment not far from the college campus, where he worked part time as a busboy/dishwasher at the student union. It was also conveniently close to the department store where he worked part time as a stock boy. It was at this department store where he met Sharon Goss, who was the manager of the cosmetics department.
Sharon's heart-shaped face, with it's clear blue eyes set off by swirls of dark chestnut brown hair, and her dimpled smile when she spoke to him, captured Jim's attention. Jim knew at first sight that she was to become someone special in his life. They talked easily and laughed freely as he helped her unpack the cases of colognes and lipsticks that he had taken to her from the storeroom.
Before he realized what was happening, he had invited her over for a pizza supper after work.
Somewhere between the store and his apartment, he remembered Jaina. With an embarrassed grin, he apologized to Sharon, telling her he needed to pick up his niece at the baby-sitter's. She looked perplexed, but followed him as he jaywalked across the middle of the block, up a set of stone steps, and rang the doorbell of a cozy house. A very tired middle-aged lady answered the door and called to Jaina to hurry.
Sharon was immediately struck by how pretty the little honey blonde girl was. Jaina seemed to light up the whole doorway as she burst through it, singing, "Uncle Jim! Uncle Jim!" and throwing herself upward into his arms.
"Thanks, Mrs. Sheridan," Jim said as he handed the woman a check for the week's services.
"Her teacher said to remind you about the open house next Monday night," was Mrs. Sheridan's only reply.
"Oh, I had forgotten all about it. Thanks! I think I have to work until 7:30 that evening, though. "I'm sorry, Jaina. Maybe we can still make it toward the end," Jim told his little niece. He knew how much she loved preschool, and how big it made her feel. He really hated to disappoint her.
"That's okay, Uncle Jim." A brief shadow crossed her angelic face, but the moment was gone as quickly as it appeared. "I'll just talk to Nellie, instead."
At that point she looked over Jim's shoulder, noticing Sharon for the first time. "Who's she?"
"This is my new friend from the store. Her name is Sharon. Sharon, this is my niece, Jaina. Jaina lives with me and takes really good care of me, don't you, Honeybun?"
"Yup!" was the childish answer.
Sharon couldn't help laughing. "Well, young lady, I'm very pleased to meet you! I'm sure your Uncle Jim couldn't get along without your help!"
"Yup, he sure couldn't," Jaina grinned, vigorously shaking her golden curls.
After the pizza had been made and consumed, Sharon helped Jim and Jaina clear the table and wash the few dishes. Then Jim seemed suddenly embarrassed again. "I hope you'll excuse me, but I always read Jaina a story before she goes to bed. I pick out a couple of stories while she takes her bath, then she decides which one suits her mood for the night." After a short pause, he shyly asked if Sharon would care to listen, if Jaina didn't mind. Sharon announced that it sounded delightful; and Jaina, shooting her a guarded look, said she guessed it would be okay.
Within a few weeks this became a regular routine, with Sharon occasionally cooking the dinner and reading the bedtime story. Sharon thought it was comical the way Jaina always threw a good night kiss at Nellie, "the little girl in the mirror".
A few months later, Jim asked Sharon to marry him. She really was part of his world now: He, Sharon and Jaina seemed like the perfect family.
* * * * *
The wedding was a small one on a warm Saturday in May. Sharon's brother Gary was the best man, and Gary's wife, Wendy, was matron of honor. Of course, Jaina was the very solemn, very proud flower girl. Jim knew, as he watched Sharon follow Jaina and Wendy down the aisle, that he was the luckiest man in the world. For a few minutes he was even able to put aside the uneasy feeling that he was also a very overworked and underpaid man, with one more added responsibility.
This problem had been eating at him for several weeks, and he had decided to apply for a full time sales position at the department store, and to quit his job at the student union. He had labored over the decision to put aside his studies for a semester or two, but it seemed the only solution for the time being. He had decided to talk with Sharon about that after the honeymoon, which would only be a weekend stay at a reasonably-priced hotel upstate. They couldn't even afford that if Sharon hadn't been working.
The strains of the Wedding March shook him from his reverie. Everyone was standing as Sharon glided down the aisle, looking like an angel in white tulle, satin and lace, on the trail of pink, red, and yellow rose petals that Jaina had proudly strewn on the white bride's carpet.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." Rev. Bascomb took one step backward as Sharon and Jim shared the first kiss of their married life. The small gathering of family and friends applauded and cheered.
Now Jim had given Jaina the mother figure he felt she needed, not to mention the fact that he now had the only possible woman he'd ever want as his wife. Yes, he was, indeed, the luckiest man on earth!
CHAPTER TWO
"Jaina, honey, please hurry a little! Uncle Jim is already in the driveway, and the gravy is going to be too thick if we don't eat right away! You know we have to hurry a bit if we're to leave here on time! It's such an important night for Uncle Jim!"
"Yeah, Aunt Sharon, I know. Sorry. Guess I'm just a little out of sorts today. I'll hurry." Jaina knew she should be happy for Uncle Jim. Of course she was happy for him. If Aunt Sharon could give up her job and family and friends to move to a new home in the Midwest, she ought to be able to do it, too. Why did Uncle Jim have to go and get promoted to a store in another state? Why couldn't they send the manager of the local store, and keep Jim as the new manager here? Life just wasn't fair!
After supper had been eaten, dishes washed and put away, Sharon and Jim had left for the big going away party their coworkers at the store were throwing for them.
Jaina walked slowly back up to her room. Once again she pulled out her cell phone. With a shuddering sigh, she dialed the familiar number. The call was answered on the third ring.
"Oh, Jaina! Hi. I'm really glad you called!" The cheerful voice of Uncle Gary and Aunt Wendy's son, Lonnie, almost made her forget why she had called. She really liked Lonnie, who was only a few months younger than herself. She always looked on him as a cousin, even though she knew that, genealogically speaking, he really wasn't. They were very good friends, and had been since they had first met as small children. He really did seem like a cousin.
"Oh, Lon, it's awful!" she moaned. "We are leaving a week earlier than planned ... on Monday, in fact! I don't think I can do it! I'm really scared, Lon! I've always lived on the east coast. There's no ocean in Kansas! No mountains, either. All the pictures make it look like miles of wheat and windmills ... and dust! I wish we didn't have to go. I'll really miss you most of all, you know."
"Yeah, I know. I'll miss you, too. But we can write, and maybe we can visit each other! I'll get my driver's license next month and I can help Dad and Mom drive. This isn't a forever kind of goodbye, you know. Cheer up, Jainie, old girl. Think of all the cool guys just waiting to meet you!"
"Oh, sure! Cowboys or hicks in overalls, I'll bet. I'll wind up working on a farm milking cows, or whatever they do on a farm. Some future!"
"Can't be all that bad. They have cities, too! Isn't Topeka in that state? I think Wichita is, too. And I'm sure there's even a big airport in Kansas City."
"Kansas City is in Missouri, dopey. At least the airport is in Missouri. I guess part of the city is actually in Kansas. Sort of a dumb setup, if you ask me." Jaina couldn't help smiling a little, in spite of herself. Lonnie always managed to cheer her up. It was almost like the old days when she could still talk to Nellie. Why do people have to grow up and put away their imaginary friends? The little girl in the mirror was so much a part of her. Suddenly she knew she couldn't stand being alone all evening. "Lon, how about meeting me at Steve's for a burger, or something? Maybe we could go watch the skateboarders in the park later. I really want to spend a little time with you before Monday. How about it?
"Sure. I'll meet you there in about ten minutes, okay?"
Jaina replaced the receiver with an uneasy mixture of feelings. She really was glad that Lonnie was going to spend his evening with her, but she knew that it would probably be the last time she'd be able to spend any real length of time alone with him for a long, long time, maybe forever. Forever. What a scary, lonely word! That's how long her parents had been, and always would be, gone. Now that she was sixteen, she also knew that Nellie was probably gone forever, too. She felt silly now talking to herself in the mirror. The image she saw now just wasn't Nellie. Nellie had long honey blonde hair and big blue eyes, and dimples in her cheeks, just like the image she still saw. But Nellie was only about four or five years old. No. She wouldn't see Nellie again. That she knew for certain. Now she was probably going to lose another best friend. Lonnie said he'd write or go to see her. But he'd be busy with his junior year in high school. He'd really mean to write to her, or call her. But she just knew he'd never get around to it.
The ringing of the family’s telephone shook her from her depressing thoughts. "Hello. Oh, hi, Aunt Wendy ... Hey, that would be great! I think Aunt Sharon and Uncle Jim will like that, a picnic tomorrow sounds nice. I'll let them know when they get home tonight ... Yeah, they're at that going away party for Uncle Jim that the people from the store are giving them ... Okay. Please tell Lonnie that I'm leaving right now. Thanks!"
She grabbed her purse and jacket, checked to make sure she had her key, and hurried down the street to the hamburger stand a few blocks away, across the street from the park.
Steve's was the local hangout for the teens and younger college crowd, and had a CD jukebox that kept current with the hits. She and Lonnie had spent a lot of time and money there over the past few years. She knew this was one more thing she was really going to miss. Why, Wayland, Kansas probably didn't even have a place to get a decent hamburger, let alone a place to hang out with friends ... not that she'd have any friends to hang out with. If only they didn't have to move.
Lonnie wasn't able to lift her mood at all that evening, in fact she had a souring effect on him. He walked her back home around 8:30 and said he guessed he'd see her the next day at the picnic. Then, staring at his shoes, he trudged slowly home.
The next morning arrived with a thunderous BOOM, and bolts of lightening danced across the sky. "There goes the picnic," thought Jaina. She pulled the comforter up around her chin and mumbled, "Come in" to the knock on her bedroom door.
Sharon opened the door and, smiling widely, entered the room. "I called Wendy, and we altered the day's plans a little. She and Lonnie and Kara are all coming over around 9:30 this morning and will help us pack the things we don't want the movers to handle. Uncle Gary has some errands to run and will join us here about noon. He's going to bring a bucket of chicken and all the trimmings, and we'll all just picnic right here on the living room floor!"
Jaina's spirits rose slightly. She'd still get to spend some time with Lonnie, and she did like fried chicken! Too bad that little Kara had to tag along. At twelve, Kara thought she was every bit as old as Lonnie and Jaina, and they had a hard time getting rid of her for any length of time at all. Oh, well. At least Lonnie would be here. "Good. We can sure use the help! Guess I'd better shower and get dressed."
Ten minutes later Jaina was in her blue jeans and sweatshirt, her long blonde waves caught back in a bright blue ribbon. "No time now to use the blow drier and curling iron," she said to her image in the mirror. "There I go, again," she chastised herself. "Talking to myself in the mirror. Oh, Nellie, I do miss you!"
Sharon called to her as Jaina hurried down the stairs. "There's orange juice in the fridge and a few pieces of cinnamon toast on the counter. Help yourself."
"Thanks!" Suddenly Jaina felt ravenously hungry. Noon and fried chicken were still a long way off. Finding a glass and filling it with juice, and putting two slices of cinnamon toast onto a paper napkin, she joined Sharon in the den. Boxes were everywhere: some empty, some already filled and waiting to be marked.
"Here's a black marker. Please mark the boxes I've already filled, then we'll decide what you can do next." Sharon tossed the marking pen at Jaina, who caught it with the flourish of a softball player.
A few minutes later the doorbell rang, and Jaina hurried off to answer the door, fully expecting it to be Aunt Wendy, Lonnie and Kara. She threw open the door with a grin on her face. The grin changed to a look of puzzlement when she saw the young man in a Western Union uniform.
"Your telephone seems to be out of order, so I'm delivering this message to a Mr. James Cotter. Is this his residence?"
"Yes, but he's not here right now. Can I sign for it? I'm his niece. We're moving, but the phone isn't supposed to be disconnected until Monday. That's odd; must be the storm!"
"Sure, you can sign, right here by the 'x', please." Looking at the yellow envelope with perplexity, Jaina closed the door and turned to see Sharon coming into the hall.
"Who was that? I thought it might be Wendy and the kids." Then Sharon saw the envelope in Jaina's hand. "Who is that for?"
"Uncle Jim. Wonder who is trying to reach him?" She handed the yellow envelope to Sharon and said, "The delivery man said the phone is out of order. Didn't you use it this morning to call Aunt Wendy?"
"Yes, I did about an hour ago, in fact. I'll go check it." She went into the kitchen and lifted the receiver. "Dead as a doornail! Must have been hit by lightning, or something?"
Just then, Jim came in through the kitchen door. "Hi, Honey. This just arrived for you." Sharon kissed her husband and handed him the Western Union envelope. "It seems that the phone is down, or something. There's no dial tone, and the messenger said they couldn't get through to you by telephone."
"Yeah! It's really a mess out there! There's some cola and potato chips in the car, but I want to wait until it lets up a bit before I bring them in. It's coming down in torrents!" Jim took off his raincoat, picked up a hand towel from the counter and vigorously rubbed his hair, which was soaked from the rain. "Hope our next home has an attached garage with an electric door opener!" He opened the yellow envelope and turned pale as he read the contents. Without a word, he turned and walked unsteadily to the living room and sat down in his recliner.
"What's wrong, Jim?" Sharon looked really concerned. Jaina shuddered with a sense of foreboding clouding around her.
"Oh, nothing, Sweetie. Just a slight glitch in some plans. That's all. Nothing major." Jim gave an unconvincing grin. He changed the subject as he folded the yellow message and stuffed it into his hip pocket, tossing the envelope into a paper bag that was being used for trash. "Well, where do you want me to start?" His attempt to throw them off didn't go unnoticed by Jaina, who caught the quick warning glance he shot at Sharon. But she knew better than to pry. It was probably something he thought of as grown-up stuff, and he still regarded her as a little girl. She wondered if he would ever accept the fact that she was almost grown.
Fifteen minutes later, at 9:45 A.M., Lonnie called from the back door. "Anybody home?"
"In here," Sharon called, as Jaina rushed to the kitchen to take their sodden rain gear.
"You're all soaked! Let me see if there is any instant hot chocolate in the cupboard. Yeah, here it is. Aunt Wendy, do you want chocolate or coffee? There's some in the pot, left from breakfast."
"I'll get myself some coffee, thanks!" Wendy poured the steamy dark liquid into a mug and headed for the den. Jaina put a kettle of water on the stove to boil for the hot chocolate.
"I guess the three of us kids have to go through the closets. You two know pretty much what we will want or need, and what is just garbage. There's a box of trash bags on the counter here, and lots of packing boxes in the den and living room. Let's start with the big closet downstairs in the playroom."
The trio worked diligently for over an hour, stopping their chore only when Kara came over to where Jaina and Lonnie sat amid books, magazines, games, and old scrapbooks. "Look at this," Kara extended a shoebox toward Jaina. "Old pictures. I think they are of you."
Jaina took the box with a puzzled look on her face. She briefly noticed that the top of the box had an address label with Uncle Jim's name on it. "Yes, they do look like me. I thought most of our pictures had been burned in the explosion! I wonder how these escaped? Maybe Grandpa had them." She looked through the pictures with a growing interest. Looking at the old photographs gave her the sense of looking at Nellie in her mirror again. She felt both comforted and a trifle uneasy. "I wonder why Uncle Jim and Aunt Sharon never showed these to me?" Picking up two pictures from near the bottom of the box, she said, "That's strange. I don't remember ever having a broken arm, but my arm is in a cast and sling in both of these pictures. And, they were taken at different times, because I'm dressed differently and my hair is in a ponytail in one of them! I guess there are some things I just don't remember about myself or my past." She put the lid on the box, saying she wanted to keep this box to look at later. She climbed the stairs to her room, and put the box next to her large suitcase, which would be going with her in the car.
A few minutes after noon, Gary arrived with lunch. The rain had lessened its relentless pounding, so Jaina went out to Jim's car to get the cola and chips.
As she walked through the door of the dining room to put the beverages and chips on the table, she heard part of a low conversation drifting in from the living room.
"You're kidding!"..."How can you be sure it's for real?"..."What are you going to tell her?"..."I don't think I will, not just yet, anyway. I need more information and more proof first."..."What if she finds out?"..." She won't. They are supposed to be in a different town, anyway. We'll just have to be careful until we know for sure. This guy could really be dangerous if we are careless. At least this explains the package."
"I just can't believe it; after all this time! Jim, are you sure you want to take this job?"
"I have to. Opportunities like this don't happen every day. If I turn this one down, it could be years before I'm offered another promotion."
Sharon looked at the dining room doorway, and speaking more loudly, said, "Looks like the drinks are here. Who's hungry?" The other three took her cue and changed the subject in a louder, more understandable tone of voice.
"Boy, I'm famished! We've done a lot this morning!"
"Yeah, got any beer in the fridge?"
"I think there are a couple cans left. Let me check."
"Chicken sure smells good!"
Jaina felt more confused and uneasy than she had at the sight of her arm in a cast and sling. Something weird was going on. Why didn't they let her in on it?
Everything had been set out buffet style on the dining room table, so everyone helped themselves and found a spot on the living room floor, using the boxes as tables. Kara stated, "This is a lot more fun than a real picnic!" Everyone agreed. A half an hour later, everyone had eaten more than they should have, and all were groaning words to that effect. A few hours later, Sharon decided that everything had been packed that could be packed at this point, and the movers could get the rest on Monday. The men drifted off to the den to see if they could find the remote control for the television to watch the pre-season baseball games. Sharon made another pot of coffee. Kara, who had left her cell phone at home, discovered the phone was working again and began calling her friends, from whom she'd been cut off all day. Jaina and Lonnie went out onto the front porch to sit on the damp top step. The rain had stopped, and everything smelled just washed and clean. Birds were chirping in the trees. "I'm sure going to miss all of this."
Lonnie looked at her and laughed. "Kansas has rain and birds, and almost everything that the east coast has, except the ocean or mountains!"
"It doesn't have you! You've been my best friend for so many years, Lonnie! I can't remember life without you!" Jaina wiped a stray tear that had broken loose, in spite of her resolve not to let Lonnie see her cry.
"Look, Jainie, I'll always be your best friend! You're not loosing me! We're related, for gosh shakes! Besides, there are tons of new friends waiting for you in Wayland!"
"I'm not good at making friends. You know that! I can never think of the right thing to say. You and Nellie are the only ones I could ever talk to."
Lonnie smiled as she coupled him together with her pretend friend from childhood. All of a sudden, he felt like a security blanket that was about to be wrenched away from Jaina. He felt really sad for her, and found himself uncharacteristically at a loss for words. They sat silently for a long time, watching the spring evening surround them. The setting sun broke through the clouds as they looked west down the street at the park. The mauve sky above turned pink, then edged into a vivid tangerine and an explosion of gold tinged the red-orange clouds behind the trees.
Jaina caught her breath at the sight. "I love this, the silhouette time of the evening," she sighed. "No artist could paint a sky and dark brown and black silhouettes to match this. I wonder if Kansas has pretty sunsets and silhouettes as wonderful as these in the evenings? I've always thought a sunset is a small glimpse into Heaven!" She shuddered as a faint chill passed over her.
"We'd better go inside," Lonnie said as he noticed her shiver. "I'll bet Mom and Dad are about ready to go home, anyway. It's getting late, and Dad is teaching Sunday School tomorrow."
"Yeah, I'm getting a little tired." Jaina stood up and stretched, suddenly feeling a little stiff from the bending, lifting and packing she'd done all day. She heard Kara call to her mother, "I'll be off the phone in a minute," and Wendy's reply, "Well, hurry. We want to get home before your dad gets hooked on the next TV show!"
Gary made a face at his wife, and they both laughed. "Come on, Kara, or you'll walk. See the rest of you at Sunday School in the morning," Gary called to the family, who were now all assembled at the kitchen door.
The Goss' car backed out of the driveway, and Gary gave a "good night toot" of the horn. Jim put his arms around Sharon and Jaina as they stood on the back porch, watching until the taillights had disappeared around a corner.
"Need any more help, Hon, before we call it a day?" Jim tried to look helpful, but succeeded only in looking exhausted. He felt mentally, physically, and emotionally drained. The events of the day had taken a large toll on him.
Sharon, knowing how tired he was, and feeling suddenly tired herself said, "No. I think we'd better all just clean up and get some shuteye. Maybe tomorrow we'll all feel rested and ready for the new day." She kissed Jaina on the cheek and headed up the stairs for a warm bath and bed.
Jaina locked the kitchen door, and got the coffeepot ready for Sunday morning's breakfast. Looking over the mess of boxes and dishes still stacked on the counters, she knew she'd never again see this kitchen as it had been for years: neat, clean, and cozy. After this mess was gone, it would only be bare. Bowing her head in sadness, she turned off the kitchen and dining room lights, and headed up to her own bath.
Lying in bed that night, she found sleep elusive, drifting into and out of consciousness for several hours. At 5:00 A.M. she gave up trying to sleep. Pulling on her soft pink sweatpants and matching sweatshirt, she headed downstairs to the kitchen. She poured herself a big glass of orange juice and turned on the coffeepot, hoping the aroma of coffee would drift up the stairs and wake up Jim or Sharon. She was lonely, and very uncomfortable in the once-familiar house, made very unwelcome by the stacks of packed and marked boxes. Unsettled. That was the word she was searching for. She felt very unsettled. She wandered around the house, trying to capture the old feeling of belonging somewhere. The feeling was gone. As she passed the mirror in the hallway, she glanced at her reflection. No. Nellie wasn't there anymore. She'd been missing for quite awhile now, but Jaina felt that, by moving out of this house, she was somehow abandoning her old friend.
At that moment, Jaina caught something in her reflection, and she giggled. Jaina, you idiot! You act like Nellie were a real person! She's a figment of your imagination, and you know it. Now, get a life! Grow up, she told herself as sternly as she could.
Sharon came down the stairs at that moment. "Whatever are you giggling at?" she questioned.
"Oh, just laughing at my own stupidity. That's all. Your coffee's ready. Want me to pour you a cup?"
"Thanks. That would be great!" Sharon answered, still wondering what caused Jaina's uncharacteristic giggles. "I figured you were already up when I smelled the coffee. Kind of early, aren't you?"
"Couldn't sleep. Nervous, I guess. Are you going to teach Sunday School one last time today, or is Janet going to take over now?"
"Janet said she'd handle it starting today. She knew I'd be too busy packing and all this week to get the lesson prepared right. I'll just go along to adult class with Jim."
Jaina looked at the clock, now resting on the counter.
"Only six o'clock. Guess I'll take one last walk around the old neighborhood. Want to join me? We can just leave Jim a note by the coffeepot. We'll probably be back before he even knows we're gone!"
"Sure. Let me grab a jacket and find my tennies. Won't be but a minute."
Jaina rinsed her glass and Sharon's cup, leaving them in the sink in case they wanted more later.
"Ready. Let's go," Sharon called from the front hallway.
The sun was still casting a pretty gold and pink light across the early morning clouds as they walked toward the neighborhood park. A few birds were singing, and the only other sound was a baby crying somewhere in the distance, and a paper carrier whizzing by them on his bicycle.
Breaking the silence, Jaina asked her aunt, "Is everything okay for Uncle Jim? I mean, that telegram and all. He seemed so upset. Does he still have the job?"
Sharon took a deep breath before answering, not wanting Jaina to guess there might be any problem. "Oh, sure. Everything's fine. He was just told about something that happened rather unexpectedly. But, there's nothing to worry about. The job is fine, and we're leaving tomorrow morning, as planned." She hoped her answer would put Jaina off the subject. It wasn't her place to tell Jaina, anyway. Jim would have to handle it in his own way, if the need ever arose.
Just then a siren sounded in the distance and grew louder as it approached them. As the fire truck roared into view, Jaina shuddered, suddenly remembering another siren thirteen years before, the siren that signaled such a dramatic change in her life. Funny how an odor or sound can trigger long forgotten memories. She stood very still for a moment, watching as the fire truck passed them and rounded the corner behind them. Giving herself a slight shake, she turned and followed Sharon west toward the park. At the edge of the park, Jaina suggested they head back home to get ready for early church service, as long as they were up, anyway. She really didn't want to stand around talking to acquaintances today, and she knew they would if everyone wasn't headed straight to Sunday School after church. After Sunday School, most would be going into the second worship service, so they wouldn't be so apt to stand around and talk. She was depressed enough, without having to say goodbye to everyone in the church. Besides, she knew that Lonnie would be at the early service, and she wanted to sit with him one last time.
"Okay, if Jim is up and can be ready on time. Sounds good to me. Maybe we can go out for an early lunch afterward, and spend the afternoon at Gary and Wendy's. They did invite us."
Jaina brightened up a little at the prospect. Not only would she be with Lonnie, but there wouldn't be any depressing boxes sitting all over the place reminding her of tomorrow. "Race you home," she called to Sharon, as she took off on a run.
At the front porch, Sharon arrived out of breath and laughing, "Just you wait. You'll be old and out of shape someday, too, you know!"
"Never," Jaina taunted her. She impulsively gave her aunt a hug.
"Wow! It's been a long time since I got a hug from you!" Sharon exclaimed.
"I know. I just felt like doing it!" Jaina said.
Gary, Wendy, and their two children decided to go to dinner with the Cotters and Jaina. "Something elegant," Kara requested.
"No way," Lonnie replied. "Elegant makes me nervous!"
"Can we at least go somewhere where they wait on us? I don't want to waste my new dress on the crowd at Steve's!" Jaina teased, holding out the sides of her powder blue skirt and giving a slight curtsey.
Lonnie looked her over and agreed she was a bit overdressed for hamburgers. They all settled for a steak house not too far from the church.
"Jaina, you sure are pretty today in that new dress, and your hair all curled that way," Jim admired his niece. "You are really growing into a beautiful young lady."
"Gee, thanks, Uncle Jim!" Jaina was a bit flustered by the unexpected compliment. She knew Jim loved her, but he wasn't big on giving compliments.
"You really are lovely," Sharon picked up her husband's cue. Jaina's spirits rose, her self esteem bolstered by the unaccustomed praise. She beamed at her aunt and uncle. She did feel better. She knew they loved her, but the love in their family was known more from actions than from words. The rest of the day passed quickly, evening appearing much too soon for Jaina's liking.
As Lonnie stood on the Goss' front porch with his family, saying goodbye, he asked what time the movers would arrive the next day.
"Eight o'clock," Sharon said. The all too familiar cloud of gloom suddenly reappeared and settled directly over Jaina.
"I'll be there before eight, then," Lonnie promised, noticing Jaina's forlorn expression. "We'll all be there," Wendy assured them. "Gary took the day off to help, if you need him."
"How sweet," Sharon gave her brother a hug. "We'll have the coffee ready," she promised, as they climbed into the car and waved goodbye.
They drove home in silence, each in their own little world, with their own thoughts. Jim was experiencing both excitement and nervousness, looking toward his new responsibilities in Kansas. Sharon was a little apprehensive about settling into a new environment, away from her beloved brother and his family. Jaina's thoughts were of the past, of the fun she had shared with Lonnie, and of how much she would miss having him close by.
At home, Jaina walked up the stairs to her bedroom for her last night in that house. She drew herself a steamy bubble bath and lowered herself into the tub. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and prayed that God would grant them a safe journey, and that Kansas would be at least tolerable.
The next morning she finished packing her suitcases with the things she'd need for the trip. Two to three days in a car, and one or two nights in a motel seemed both depressing and exciting. She hadn't traveled very much in her sixteen years. She'd gone to New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia with her class, but never anywhere that required more than a day's travel! Just before she clicked her last suitcase closed, she remembered the box of pictures. "I wonder where I put that? It must have gotten packed into a box. Guess I'll have to wait until we get there and unpack everything to go through it. Just then, Lonnie called up the stairs to her to go down and watch the movers, who had just arrived.
The household furniture and boxes were soon on the moving van, and last minute directions were being given by both Uncle Jim and the movers.
Sharon, followed by Lonnie and Kara, walked slowly through all the rooms, now empty except for Aunt Wendy's vacuum cleaner and mop, which would be used before everyone left that house for the last time.
Sharon asked her niece and nephew where Jaina had gone, but neither had an answer.
After walking through most of the house, they went into the room that had been Jaina's bedroom for most of her life. They found her in the adjacent bathroom, searching for something -- or someone? -- in the medicine chest mirror. Her hands leaning on the sink, she moved closely to the mirror and whispered, barely audibly, "Goodbye, Nellie. Take care." Wiping a tear from her cheek, she turned around and joined the others in the bare bedroom.
They walked down the stairs, and Wendy said she'd do the cleaning up so they could get their trip under way.
Giving Jaina a quick hug and a kiss on her cheek, Lonnie said in a rather husky voice, "Write. Soon as you get your new address, write. Don't forget! Please don't get so busy with your new life that you forget about me!"
Jaina answered with a bear hug and a whispered, "I'll write, right away." Neither could see the other's tears through their own.
CHAPTER THREE
"Jaina! Wake up! We're almost there! Look, we're going over the Pony Express Bridge! That sign in the middle says "Welcome to Kansas"!
"Where are we? I must have dozed off," was Jaina's sleepy reply.
"Dozed off! You've been sound asleep for about five hours! We're almost out of St. Joseph, Missouri, crossing the Missouri River. See, now we're in Kansas! Wayland is only about a half hour away, but we're supposed to spend the night at a motel in Hiawatha. I guess that's more like forty minutes away," answered Jim.
Jaina sat up and straightened her hair the best that she could, observing her reflection in the rear-view mirror. Looking outside at the scenery running rapidly by her window, she marveled at the green of the wheat fields, and the beautiful contrast of peonies in the yards of passing farm houses. Cows watched with bored expressions as the car passed the pastures where they grazed. Highway signs proclaimed this part of Highway 36 as the "Pony Express Highway". Jaina remembered Aunt Sharon's saying they had just gone over the Pony Express Bridge. "Was this really the route that the Pony Express rode?" Jaina asked.
Sharon, who still remembered bits and pieces of history, and who had been observing billboards as they had approached St. Joseph, stated that St. Joseph was where the short-lived Pony Express had begun. And, yes, they had ridden along this route. Maybe someday soon they would drive back to St. Joseph to visit the museum. She also told Jaina that St. Joseph was where the infamous James Brothers, Frank and Jesse, had lived, and that Jesse James had also died there.
"I didn't realize this area was so rich in history!" Jaina exclaimed. "I just thought it would be dusty and boring. Maybe it won't be quite as bad as I thought," she conceded.
Jim and Sharon laughed at their niece's slight spark of interest. They were both glad; this was the longest conversation Jaina had participated in with them since they had left New York State. They hoped she was beginning to drift out of her doldrums.
"I'm sure hungry, hope we get there soon," complained Jaina.
Sharon smiled at Jim ... Yes, Jaina was beginning to return to her old self.
They rode on in silence, watching the late spring scenery. Jim said how surprised he was that Kansas actually had hills. Years ago he had traveled by car to Denver along Highway 70, and he didn't remember more than a very few slight rises in the landscape. These were real hills! He told himself that maybe Kansas really wouldn't be so bad; maybe he had made the right decision, after all.
"Look! There's a sign for Wayland!" Jaina sat up straighter and looked almost excited. "Can we please just drive through it before going on to the motel?"
"Sure, why not?" Jim answered, as he put on his right turn signal and slowed on the off ramp. Turning north on a paved county road, he drove the prescribed one mile toward the trees and houses they could see in the distance. As they rounded the curve in the road, they were all pleasantly surprised at the pretty little town.
They drove past small cottages and large old Victorian houses for a few blocks, then into the town itself. There were a pharmacy, three dress shops, a card and book store, a few antique and gift shops, an elementary school, a middle school, and a small high school. There were also a Dairy Dream for soft ice cream, a coffee shop, and a pizza parlor, two taverns, a hardware store, two grocery markets, a city hall, and a small theater. They went up and down several side streets, noting a wide range of churches, three apartment buildings, and several for rent and for sale signs adorning the lawns of various houses.
"At least there are a lot of homes to choose from. I guess the guys at the home office were right when they said we'd want to live here instead of closer to the store in Hiawatha. At least I'll be far enough away from the store so that I can actually get away from work once in awhile," Jim chuckled.
"Tomorrow Jaina and I can check them out while you check in at the store," Sharon offered. Jim agreed with his wife that it would be best to do it that way. They might find something sooner, because he had no idea how long he'd be needed at the store tomorrow.
Jaina noticed that there were only a few cars around the schools, and that students who would still be in school in the mid-afternoon back east were not only not in school, but dressed in leisure clothing. "How come school is out?" she wondered aloud.
"It does seem strange," Sharon answered. "Maybe it's some local holiday."
Jim stopped the car in front of an older building which boasted a sign announcing that it was the Wayland Gazette. Getting out of the car and saying, "I'll be right back, ladies," he went inside the building. About ten minutes later he climbed back into the driver's seat and handed Sharon a copy of the newspaper. "School lets out for the summer the third week of May here," he announced. "Mr. Fletcher, the publisher, said they start school the third week of August, though. He also gave me a copy of their paper, which only comes out on Tuesdays and Fridays. At least it will have current house rental and sale ads."
"How nice!" Sharon exclaimed. "I wonder if everyone is so friendly?"
Just then a balding man about fifty years old came out of the newspaper office. He motioned for Jim to roll down the window. "I just thought of something. My brother, Al, has a house for rent on the west side of town. His renters just bought a house over in Hiawatha, and he needs someone to rent the house as soon as possible. It's not good to let a house stand empty, you know. I'll give him a call if you like. Come on back in, all of you, while I do that." With that, he turned and went back into the office, obviously expecting them to follow him.
Jim shrugged his shoulders at Sharon and Jaina and said, "Guess it can't hurt to look at it."
By the time the three of them were inside the office, Mr. Fletcher was on his cell phone. "Yeah. They're here now. Want to meet us there? ... Okay. Be right over." Smiling, he said to the waiting trio, "Let me put up the closed sign and lock up. I'll take you over."
"You don't have to close up shop for us," Jim protested. "We can find it if you give us directions." No one back home would close their place of business just to show a stranger how to get somewhere. As a matter of fact, he didn't know anyone back home who would volunteer information on a rental, solicited or not. This sure was going to be a different experience!
Mr. Fletcher held open the door of his older sedan, expecting them to climb in. Back east they would never have gotten into a car with a total stranger! But, somehow, they trusted this Mr. Fletcher. He was obviously not only safe, but a really nice man. He drove about eight blocks and pulled up in front of a white Victorian house.
Jaina got out of the car and looked up. There were three stories with little turrets decorating each of the two front corners of the house. Gingerbread decorated the gables as well as the eaves of the porch. The lawn was tidy, and boasted neat little flower gardens. There was a hedge of pink and white peonies between this yard and the one next door. A concrete walk led up to the wide front porch. A man resembling Mr. Fletcher, only younger and with more hair, opened the front door.
"Hi, Tom. Come on in!" He patted his brother good naturedly on the shoulder. "You must be the Cotter family. Welcome to Wayland! Feel free to wander around the house. If you have any questions, Tom and I will be in the kitchen back there." He motioned toward the end of the long entrance hall.
"Thank you very much," Sharon said, looking with awe at the beautifully polished wooden banister which bordered the steps curving to the second floor. She led the way up the carpeted staircase. At the first landing, there was a door which, they found, led to a small rounded room, occupying one of the turrets. It would be a cozy place to curl up with a good book, Sharon thought to herself.
Jaina was beginning to catch the excitement and led the way to the second floor. There they discovered four bedrooms and a bathroom, which had obviously been remodeled, as it sported modern fixtures. The room was huge, in the manner of older bathrooms. Sharon obviously was enthralled by all the space in the huge linen closet.
At the end of the hall was a door which led to the back stairs. Ascending these stairs, they found themselves in a large room with a sloping ceiling. Behind this room were two more large rooms and a second bathroom. The front room had a door in each front corner. Each door led to a turret room. "This place is humongous!" Jaina exclaimed. "I love it!"
"So do I," Sharon chimed in.
"Hold it, ladies. A place this spacious has to be way beyond our budget. Remember, we could barely make our eight-hundred fifty dollar a month payments on the little house back home."
Both women showed disappointment, but they agreed with Jim. They went dejectedly down the two flights of stairs.
"As long as we're here, let's at least satisfy our curiosity and see the rest of the house," Sharon said. Exploring old houses was something she had always longed to do.
Jim nodded in agreement and followed his wife through a door to the right of the stairs, Jaina keeping closely behind. They entered a large living room with a huge window. The window had colorful leaded glass at the top and sides.
"Wouldn't this be beautiful for a big Christmas tree?" asked Jaina. Jim and Sharon had to agree with her.
Across the hall was a large room, which was probably a formal dining room. The kitchen opened off this room, and there they found the Fletcher brothers, sitting at the built-in breakfast nook, talking. "Well, how did you like it?" Al questioned.
"It's beautiful!" Sharon sighed. "And, so big!"
"But I'm afraid this will be a little more than our budget can handle," Jim added, looking a little uncomfortable.
"Well, I'll bet something could be worked out," said the jovial younger Mr. Fletcher. "Let's start with the figure I charged the last renters. Maybe we could cut it some if you would agree to do a little lawn maintenance, etc. I got four hundred from the last folks. What ballpark are you talking about?"
"Four hundred dollars!" Jim almost shouted.
"Way too much, huh?" Al Fletcher asked. Maybe we can work out a deal."
"No! No! You misunderstood! That's a very generous price! We were expecting a whole lot more! We'll take it, if you'll have us! And we'll be glad to do the yard work. We'll find it sort of relaxing!" Jim said enthusiastically.
Al Fletcher extended his hand to Jim. "Done deal," he agreed.
Jaina and Sharon were so excited they could barely restrain themselves from jumping up and down. "When will we be able to move in?" asked Sharon.
"As soon as your movers arrive," Al answered. "I'll show you where to go to get the utilities turned on. This range and the refrigerator and dishwasher come with the place. The range and water heater and furnace are all gas. The insulation is good, so your utilities will be pretty reasonable. There are window air conditioners in several rooms, but the big shade trees keep this place pretty cool in the summer. Let me show you the basement and the back yard and garage," he said, leading the way into a small utility room and down a flight of stairs to the basement.
The basement had been partitioned off into four areas. The room at the foot of the stairs was a sort of recreation room. There were also another bathroom, a storage room with cupboards and shelves, and a work room, complete with a work bench.
Still in awe, they trailed up the stairs behind Al Fletcher, and through the utility room to the back yard. There were some fruit trees still in blossom, flower gardens and a vegetable patch, which were showing early signs of growth. The two-car garage had doors to the front and rear, allowing it to be entered from either the long driveway, or the alley behind.
"Will you take a personal check? It's from a New York bank, because we, obviously, haven't had time to get our account switched yet."
"Sure, Mr. Cotter. I trust you. Anyone who can run a big department store has to be a pretty steady fellow," Mr. Fletcher said. "And, by the way, please just call me Al. Mr. Fletcher is our dad!" he said with a grin.
Jim wrote a check for two months' rent and a deposit and handed it to Al. "Thanks. And I'm Jim, this is my wife Sharon, and my niece Jaina Wilson, who makes her home with us."
Al Fletcher smiled in acknowledgment at Sharon and Jaina, then said to Jaina, "Have you been here before? You sure look familiar, young lady!"
"Why, no!" Jaina said. She was clearly astonished. She had heard that everyone had a double somewhere, but always brushed it off as nonsense. The thought that someone around here resembled her, even remotely, intrigued her, though. It might be fun meeting her!
Tom Fletcher held the car door for the ladies as Jim thanked Al, and Al thanked Jim in return.
Before taking them back to their own car, Tom stopped at the city hall, where he introduced them to Nancy Kline, the city clerk. She made arrangements for them to have electricity, gas, and water hooked up the next day, and offered to call the phone company for them to set up service. That done, she wrote down the new phone number assigned to them and handed the paper to Jim. Jim wrote her a check for deposits and thanked her profusely for her generous help.
As they belted themselves into their car, Tom Fletcher gave them directions to the motel in Hiawatha, where they were to spend the night. Driving off, Jim told Sharon and Jaina that he was overwhelmed at the generosity of everyone they had met that afternoon. He really thought he'd like living in Wayland.
Following Tom Fletcher's directions, Jim drove the car past the first two Hiawatha exits, rounded the curve and saw his new place of employment on the east side of the highway. Resisting the impulse to turn into the drive leading to the store's parking lot, he continued to the exit on the right and found the motel just a short way down the street. At the office he found the same friendly warmth in the couple who answered the bell to check him in as he had found in the Fletcher brothers. They gave Jim and his family two of the newer rooms on the west side of the motel, and suggested a couple places they might like to eat. Jim paid the bill, pocketed the keys and returned to the car. "Shall we take our luggage in before finding something to eat? Maybe you would like to freshen up before dinner."
"Sounds like a great idea," Sharon answered. "Which room is ours and which is Jaina's?"