extended cab pickup, but until then, it was speed and power all the way home.
She had one more stop before she headed home. She pulled the car into the long driveway that curved between tall evergreens before it opened into an ample parking area. She stopped the Chevelle in the far corner, as far away from any other vehicles as possible. Door dings were not an option. The cost to repair those nasty little dents was outrageously expensive and something she went to great lengths to avoid.
Inside the big brick building located on the other end of the lot, Louie waved hello at the guard seated just inside the double doors. Low, sweet music played overhead. A subtle antiseptic smell pervaded the interior. At first it had bothered her. Now, it was strangely comforting.
"Hey Joe, how's life treating you?"
"Doing fine, Lou, and you?" Six-feet-six in his socks, Joe was a fixture in her world these days. She looked forward to seeing him and cherished his warm sense of humor. He could always make her smile and there were days when a simple smile made all the difference.
"Great. How's Abby?"
"Good as gold. Says to tell you hey and wondering when you're going to settle down with some fine man. You know have a kid or three." He was grinning as he said it.
Louie laughed. "Soon. Tell her real soon." Good thing Joe didn't see the way she had her hands all over Paul McDonald. It'd be all the ammunition he'd need to start making wedding plans for her.
"I'll give you away, ya know."
"I'm sure you will." She tapped the counter as she walked by laughing.
His laughter followed her most of the way down the first long hallway. Still smiling, she made a right at the T and kept walking. A few feet down this hallway and she could no longer hear Joe or the soft music. Instead, it was quiet except for a low mechanical hum. Like the smell of the place, the hum had also become a comfort to Louie.
The door she stopped at was second to the last. Here the hum was louder. Before she went in, she tapped her fingers twice on the door. She didn't really know why except she did the same thing each time she came here. Part ritual, part prayer. In the back of her mind, she hoped one day when she tapped twice on the door, Chris would tell her to come in. Tonight wasn't that night.
She pushed open the door and stepped inside. The lights were on near the bed positioned parallel to the large picture window. One of the efficient attendants had been in to draw the blinds shut against the darkness of the evening. She grabbed a chair from the corner and pulled it next to the bed.
"Hi, Bro." She took his pale, motionless hand in hers and brought it to her lips. She kissed Christopher's hand and then put it gently down on the sheet. He was thin and pale, his short dark hair a sharp contrast to his paper-white skin. His eyes were closed, as they were most of the time. Louie was torn between wanting him to open his eyes and fear of the emptiness in them if he did. Every day of the last five years she waited for Christopher to open his eyes, sit up and ask, "What've I missed?"
It hadn't happened yet and it didn't happen now. Instead, he lay unmoving in the bed as she spent the next hour telling him about James and Paul McDonald. She talked to him of her own thoughts and concerns as if he could hear and understand every word. Deep in her heart she hoped he did, and one day they'd look back on these days with a smile about the conversations held in the light of the lamp, alone in a room at the end of the long hallway.
Someday.
Chapter Five
Jamie was scared and didn't know what to do, so he returned to Kendall's only to find it six feet deep in police. He'd told her he'd steer clear except he loved her and just wanted to see her one more time before he headed north. The reality that he might not be able to be with her for a long time hit him really hard and so here he was.
He'd come with absolutely no intention of going up to the house. His whole plan was to sit
She had one more stop before she headed home. She pulled the car into the long driveway that curved between tall evergreens before it opened into an ample parking area. She stopped the Chevelle in the far corner, as far away from any other vehicles as possible. Door dings were not an option. The cost to repair those nasty little dents was outrageously expensive and something she went to great lengths to avoid.
Inside the big brick building located on the other end of the lot, Louie waved hello at the guard seated just inside the double doors. Low, sweet music played overhead. A subtle antiseptic smell pervaded the interior. At first it had bothered her. Now, it was strangely comforting.
"Hey Joe, how's life treating you?"
"Doing fine, Lou, and you?" Six-feet-six in his socks, Joe was a fixture in her world these days. She looked forward to seeing him and cherished his warm sense of humor. He could always make her smile and there were days when a simple smile made all the difference.
"Great. How's Abby?"
"Good as gold. Says to tell you hey and wondering when you're going to settle down with some fine man. You know have a kid or three." He was grinning as he said it.
Louie laughed. "Soon. Tell her real soon." Good thing Joe didn't see the way she had her hands all over Paul McDonald. It'd be all the ammunition he'd need to start making wedding plans for her.
"I'll give you away, ya know."
"I'm sure you will." She tapped the counter as she walked by laughing.
His laughter followed her most of the way down the first long hallway. Still smiling, she made a right at the T and kept walking. A few feet down this hallway and she could no longer hear Joe or the soft music. Instead, it was quiet except for a low mechanical hum. Like the smell of the place, the hum had also become a comfort to Louie.
The door she stopped at was second to the last. Here the hum was louder. Before she went in, she tapped her fingers twice on the door. She didn't really know why except she did the same thing each time she came here. Part ritual, part prayer. In the back of her mind, she hoped one day when she tapped twice on the door, Chris would tell her to come in. Tonight wasn't that night.
She pushed open the door and stepped inside. The lights were on near the bed positioned parallel to the large picture window. One of the efficient attendants had been in to draw the blinds shut against the darkness of the evening. She grabbed a chair from the corner and pulled it next to the bed.
"Hi, Bro." She took his pale, motionless hand in hers and brought it to her lips. She kissed Christopher's hand and then put it gently down on the sheet. He was thin and pale, his short dark hair a sharp contrast to his paper-white skin. His eyes were closed, as they were most of the time. Louie was torn between wanting him to open his eyes and fear of the emptiness in them if he did. Every day of the last five years she waited for Christopher to open his eyes, sit up and ask, "What've I missed?"
It hadn't happened yet and it didn't happen now. Instead, he lay unmoving in the bed as she spent the next hour telling him about James and Paul McDonald. She talked to him of her own thoughts and concerns as if he could hear and understand every word. Deep in her heart she hoped he did, and one day they'd look back on these days with a smile about the conversations held in the light of the lamp, alone in a room at the end of the long hallway.
Someday.
Chapter Five
Jamie was scared and didn't know what to do, so he returned to Kendall's only to find it six feet deep in police. He'd told her he'd steer clear except he loved her and just wanted to see her one more time before he headed north. The reality that he might not be able to be with her for a long time hit him really hard and so here he was.
He'd come with absolutely no intention of going up to the house. His whole plan was to sit
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