Chapter Three

Chapter Three

At the far end of a winding, heavily wooded lane sat the Shaw Kennels. A cottage nestled amidst a healthy evergreen hedge and two very large pine trees. The steep moss laden roof sat atop dark rough wooden siding, while white trimmed windows looked out onto the world and honeysuckle vines framed the front door, making the whole scene straight from a fairytale book. Quite unusual for a kennel, thought Kate. If it hadn't been for the sign hanging in front of the door proclaiming it to be Shaw Kennels, she would have imagined it to be the home of Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella. The owners of the kennel, Mr. and Mrs. Shaw, an older, childless couple, inhabited the top floor, while the kennels occupied the main floor. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw had gone out of their way to make Chili and his owners feel at home. They had practically adopted Kate the moment they met her and had become good friends with Bruce as well. Which was quite easily done as they were there almost every day since Chili had arrived so many weeks ago.

Kate had spent many hours at the kennel playing with Chili and talking with Mr. and Mrs. Shaw. More often as not, she would care for the other dogs’ cages while Chili was being groomed. It wasn’t unusual to find her and her father in the back room with Mr. and Mrs. Shaw, chatting about what Chili had been up to, new arrivals or just the news in general. But lately only Mrs. Shaw greeted them. Mr. Shaw had taken ill and was having a hard time recovering.

A small bell tinkled overhead as Kate pushed open the door. A homey room filled with paintings, and photographs of animals, owners and their pets, and what she imagined were family photos of days gone by, greeted her. A tall wooden counter along the main wall was the only indication that this was a place of business. A door along the wall behind the counter led to the actual kennels. It shielded the customer from the sight, but not the sound, of the multitude of animals in residence. The cacophony of howls and barks mashed together, announced the unseen customers' arrival, but with a quick whistle from Mrs. Shaw there was peace.

“Ah, the Thorn family, I see you got my message,” a warm honey voice floated from behind the counter. “Good to see you Bruce, and you too, Kate. Guess we haven't seen you in what, two days?” She smiled warmly at them, “Chili is having a wonderful day. The clearance papers you have been waiting for came in this morning and you can take him home with you,” Mrs. Shaw said. “All you need to do is fill out a little paperwork for his license and he is free to go.” She handed the paperwork and a pen to Bruce.

“Can I go back and get him?” Kate asked.

“Sure dearie, let me just get Puddles put up and then you can come on back. You know how snappy he can get.”  In one fluid motion she scooped up a small white dog and deposited him in a small carry kennel below the counter. She then propped open the door to the grooming room and unlocked the gate for Kate to pass through to the quarantine area.

“We sure are going to miss Chili. You will bring him back for a visit?”  Not a question, more of a statement or Jedi mind trick. “You will bring Chili back for a visit.”

“I will. I’m going to miss this place too.”  Kate sighed looking around the only other place she spent more time in than school or home. “Is Mr. Shaw still not feeling well?” she asked.

The floor beneath Kate began to lurch, she was thrown off balance momentarily. The room spun lopsided, as if she had stepped onto a carnival ride. She closed her eyes to shut out the spinning and saw Mr. Shaw in a hospital bed hooked up to a multitude of machines. It only took a moment and then the vision was gone. She opened her eyes to beg pardon from Mrs. Shaw for her actions and realized she hadn't noticed anything.

Mrs. Shaw sighed and said, “You know Kate, I’m having a hard time believing it was just the flu. I think it was something else, but just try to make a man go to the doctor. He won’t do it. I’m starting to get a wee bit worried.”

Mrs. Shaw was a caring woman of about fifty years. Not old-old, just starting to get a little gray in her dark red hair. Kate liked her and Mr. Shaw, and she was more than a little concerned for the both of them, especially with what she had just imagined. For that's all it was, her imagination, right?  She glanced over her shoulder to her dad, wondering if he had noticed anything, but his eyes were lowered to the forms in front of him.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.

Mrs. Shaw looked thoughtfully at her then said, “Perhaps there is, but let me talk with yer father first.”  She turned to the cages, “all right then, let's release the prisoner!”

She held her hand as if she were playing a trumpet, called out a little fanfare and opened the cage. Chili bounded out to Kate’s open arms, hopped up on his hind legs and began covering her in wet, sloppy dog kisses.

“I think he knows he is going home today,” Kate said.

Mrs. Shaw leaned down to pet Chili. “I already told him this morning when the papers came. He’s just been waiting for you.”

“You want to go home? Huh? Well it’s not the home you remember, but I’m sure you can find something that smells the same.” Chili dropped to the floor and she knelt down to hug her best friend and give him a good two-handed scrub on his cheeks.

They collected his collar and leash from Mrs. Shaw, said their goodbyes and headed out the door. Chili pranced around like a show dog.

“He is so happy to be out here. Look how energetic he is,” her dad said. “Let's celebrate. No cabs for us! We’ll walk home though the gardens.”

“Dad that’s about three miles and most of it's up hill. Are you sure you’re up to it?” she ribbed.

“Three miles? Well that's just a good stretch of the legs,” he quoted one of their favorite movies.

“All right, let’s stretch those legs then,” she said.

As they headed down the street they could hear people passing by ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh' at Chili, appreciating his size, soft coat and enthusiastic demeanor. They crossed the road and headed down to the gardens. Chili had to stop every now and then to smell a flower or leave his mark.

“So, what do you know about taking care of other people’s dogs?” he asked.

“Not much, just what Mrs. Shaw has shown me, cleaning out the cages and feeding them that’s all. Why?” she asked.

“Well, they think Mr. Shaw’s illness is not just the flu. They think there may be something a little more serious wrong with him,” he said.

Kate stared at the ground thinking of the vision she had seen.

“How? Why? Has he agreed to see a doctor? I thought he wouldn’t go?”

She stammered. He looked at her as he took her hand.

“Mrs. Shaw didn’t want you to worry. She is taking Mr. Shaw to the hospital for some tests. They just want to rule out other problems,” he explained.

“What other problems?” she wasn't surprised by her reaction to the news. She had come to realized how close she had gotten to the Shaw’s. The thought of something happening to Mr. Shaw caused tears to trickle from her eyes. “When are they going?  Can we go see him?” she asked.

“They are going on Wednesday morning,” her dad continued. “Mrs. Shaw wanted to know if you would come into the kennel that day to feed the animals and clean the cages. I told her we would work something out. She will call us tonight with the details.” He looked at her and stroked her hair from her face, “Kat, people go to the hospital for tests all the time. I’m sure it’s nothing that a little antibiotic won’t cure. Don’t worry. Besides, we have some celebrating to do.” She smiled, but the vision of Mr. Shaw in the hospital bed remained seared into her mind.

They continued their hike up the hill. When they reached the top, her father was panting and out of breath but managed, “Great-stretch-of-the-legs.”  They rested for a minute or two and then he said, “Now, about that celebration dinner. How does sausage and mushroom pizza sound?”

“Sounds fine,” she answered.

“How does sausage and mushroom pizza from Pizza Hut sound?”

“Really? You would willingly let fast food enter our home? Oh what would Mom think?”

“What? We can’t go a little “crazy” when there is something to celebrate?” He made air quotes on the word crazy.

“Exactly! Pizza Hut sounds great. Gosh, I haven’t had American food in forever. I hope my stomach doesn’t explode,” she said.

They walked up the close and onto the street where a small pizza kitchen was tucked in among all of the other shops, a red Pizza Hut sign graced the front.

“I’ll wait out here with the guest of honor,” she said. “I think since it was your idea, you should have the pleasure of entering this fast food establishment and placing the order yourself.”

“My, what big words you’ve learned, my child. Just stand back and be amazed as I walk though these doors,” he said as he stretched and flexed his fingers toward the doors. Then, pointing toward her he said, “Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back.”  He looked right then left, spy like, not wanting anyone to see him, and the next moment he disappeared inside.

Kate stood outside with Chili, taking the time to do a little people watching. Edinburgh seemed to have more than its fair share of characters. On the other side of the street, she noticed an old man clothed in a well-worn dress jacket, trousers, cap and perpetual two-day gray stubble. ‘Monkey’, as people referred to him, was sitting on a bench passing time. An average height man with a slight build, Monkey was an odd sort of fellow. He would approach passersby, say “Hello,” and if no reply came or he was ignored, he would punch the offenders in the arm.

She had that weird and unpleasant experience the first day they arrived. She was lost in thought staring up at one of the many interesting buildings, when she heard a man by her say, 'Hello.' Not realizing he was speaking to her, she continued her inspection of the building when the blow came. He had punched her in the shoulder. Punched hard enough that she had to take a step or two to regain her balance. She remembered the disorienting feeling and the way her cheeks had become hot with the embarrassment. She entered a shop to escape the horrid little man. The kind shop owner approached her, telling her he had witnessed the spectacle and saw by her reaction and the look on her face that she wasn't familiar with Monkey. He had reassured her that Monkey was harmless, aside from the odd 'manner reminder' and that he wouldn’t remember it five minutes from now and in order to avoid the arm-punches in the future, she should always respond quickly, with a loud and friendly “Hello!”

The next day Monkey had approached her and asked her “How’s my girl doing this morning?”  She had spoken up and told him she was doing just fine. He smiled, patted her on the shoulder, gave her a wink and walked on. Kate's whole body shook at the absolute weirdness of it all. A feeling of homesickness shot through her and a stab of anger at her mom for being the callus, self-centered person she was, forcing them to move here. Followed quickly by the feeling that this would never be her home.

Her dad appeared with the boxed pizza, grinning a wide grin. He tilted the box toward Monkey sitting across the street, “Remember the first time we saw him?” he said, balancing the pizza on one hand and rubbing his arm with the other. He too had been a victim of mad Monkey's manner reminder. She nodded.

He handed her the pizza and took Chili's leash. She pressed her nose to the box and breathed in the heavenly aroma. The smell of freshly cooked sausage and mushrooms smothered in melted mozzarella wafting from the cardboard chased thoughts of Monkey from her mind.

They arrived home, standing back to watch as Chili entered the flat for the first time. He had a grand time exploring, padding from room to room with his nose to the ground as the new tags on his collar jingled, musically. Soon he managed to sniff out his toys, which had just arrived earlier in the week and were still packed in one of the few remaining boxes. Kate dug out the box he was pawing at, broke the seal and threw him a couple of his favorite chew toys. She watched him shake a little hedgehog for a moment drinking in the relief just having him here had brought her. She hadn't realized how much a part of her life was missing while he was gone. She left him to his snorting hedgehog and went to set the table.

The phone rang as she was getting out the plates and glasses. Her dad answered and she could hear him from the other room. He hung up and entered the kitchen.

“Let me guess, Mom’s going to be late again?” she said.

Her dad gestured to her and said to no one, “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Great Kate, reader of minds, seer of the future.”

“Oh please! It is quite elementary, my dear father. No one else knows our phone number here but her and the school. And seeing as how the school is now closed, I therefore conclude, members of the jury that the phone call was indeed made by that of the mother-wife figure. I rest my case,” she took a deep bow.

Her dad slowly clapped his hands and smiled at her. Then he gave her a big hug as he commented, “It’s like just the two of us have moved here alone, isn’t it?”

Chili came in and wiggled between the two of them, his nose beckoning him towards the smell of pizza. “Except now Chili makes three,” she said in a high-pitched voice people only used when talking to babies or dogs. In her normal voice, she continued, “Did you think here was going to be any different? I mean, Mom always worked late. Even on holidays she worked late. I can’t remember a holiday picture with her in it. I do believe that you, my dear Papa, are a single parent.” Concern crept into his eyes as he looked at her, then his face softened and he said, “I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be a single parent to.”

“You know I don’t really have to go to school. Especially now that I have assaulted a teacher and all. You could home-school me and then you wouldn’t be alone all the time,” she teased.

“Oh that’s all I need, you home all the time. When would I go shopping? You wouldn’t believe all the little grocery stores I have found. Hey! Wait a minute!  I could take you to all the neat little grocery stores I found and you could help me pick out meat and smell all the spices and then I could teach you how to cook. Wait!  You could cook for me!  I'm liking this idea.”  Kate walked away; her dad grabbed her shirt tail and pulled her back. “Oh no you don’t. Let's talk about this. I think you are on to something.”

“Chili, get him!” she said. Chili jumped to his feet and started pawing at Bruce. Kate threw her hands in the air and crowed, “More pizza for me!”

She picked up the pizza box from the counter as her dad extracted himself from Chili and moved to the table to eat. After a few bites, she asked, “So when are you going to open your own restaurant?”

He started to choke, reached for his water, and took a big drink. “My own restaurant?  What are you talking about?” he squeaked.

“Well, you are such a great cook and Mom is making so much money, I don’t see why you can’t start up your own business. Just think of all the Americans who will come to your cafe, or pub, for some great Scottish food. Of course it will have an American twist, but they won’t know the difference and they will tell all their friends back home how wonderful the food is here, especially that one little restaurant. You could...”

“Hold it just one second!  Could I please just get a word in edgewise?  What makes you think since your mother isn’t here much, that I'd want to open my own restaurant?  I have plenty to keep me busy here during the day, like exploring the town, hanging out with Chili, watching my shows.”

She rolled her eyes. “Dad, you have covered most of the town on foot and we have been here only a month and a half or so and you don't have any shows. What are you going to do when we have been here six months?” she paused, “I guess you could hang out with your mates down at the pubs all day, I hear Monkey is looking for a friend.”

He held up his hand, “First of all, I don’t want to hang out at the pubs and second, the food here is amazing, why would I want to change it, and third, what about you?  If Mom isn’t here for dinner at night then what makes you think that I would be here if I were running a restaurant?  I would think that most people want to eat dinner at dinnertime. That would put me squarely in the ‘working during dinnertime’ box. Where will you be?”

She looked at him. “It would put me in the 'here at home alone with Chili doing my homework and watching T.V.' box. Dad, I don’t want you to not do something because of me. I’m getting older and I don’t need you to feel you have to continue to put your life on hold for me. Besides, you saw Mr. Corkin today. If I can put him on his back I can pretty much put anyone on their back. “

“Except Monkey,” he chided.

“Except Monkey,” she amended.

“Speaking of that,” she pinched her eyes shut thinking, here it comes. “Mr. Corkin said that he would love your input on the defense class program and that he would prefer that input before class starts. He wants to meet with you tomorrow during one of your free periods.”  She groaned outwardly, but inside she was delighted. “Kat, this is pretty cool. Not all teachers are willing to admit they need help or recognize one of their students knows more than they do. He is a pretty grounded guy if he can ask a new student for help.”

“What kind of input do you think he wants?  Did he give you any idea?” she asked.

“He wants to know what practical moves, not tournament stuff, just something that someone, mostly girls, could use. You know, a guy gets a little excited and won’t take ‘No’ for an answer type stuff.”

“Dating defense moves. I guess I should think about that and write something down.” She paused and played with her pizza, “This is going to feel awkward,” she said.

“I know, but you can handle it. You’re a smart girl, lass, girl,” he joked.

Not as smart as you, she thought, realizing he had turned the conversation away from him and toward her.

The phone rang again and he left the room to answer it. Picking up her pizza, she followed him into the other room to hear better. She was a card carrying eavesdropper, she couldn’t help it, something was happening and she had to be in the know.

He saw her come in and motioned her to sit next to him on the couch. He put his hand over the receiver and said, “It's Mrs. Shaw. She wants to know if you would be available to come in starting tomorrow, instead of Wednesday, around four.” Kate nodded her head yes. “Mrs. Shaw, she said that she could be there. Oh… yes I will tell her. And tell Mr. Shaw that we are praying for him. What?” he chuckled. “All right, don’t tell him if will make him nervous, but we will still say a prayer for him…Don't worry Mrs. Shaw, she will be there tomorrow. Bye.”  He hung up the phone and turned to Kate.

“That, obviously, was Mrs. Shaw, add one more person who knows our phone number.”  She immediately recognized his 'don't be alarmed at what I have to say' tone of voice. “She is taking Mr. Shaw into the hospital tomorrow at noon. She said that the animals would be fine until you arrive and to just do what you would normally do if she were there. She said that the key would be in the potted plant by the back door, something about a fake rock,” he shrugged his shoulders.

“What did she say when you told her we would pray for Mr. Shaw?” she asked.

“She said that if she did, he would think that she was keeping something from him and that he would assume he was dying,” he chuckled again. “He reminds me of my dad. Never will go to the doctor and if he does, it’s always ‘Get the will!  This is it!  I’m not coming back,’ but he always does. That man will outlive me.”

Kate smiled, thinking of her grandpa. Now that she thought of it, she never did hear of him being sick. “I think he will probably outlive me too if Mom comes home and finds dirty dishes in the sink.”

She tossed Chili the melted cheese that was stuck to the bottom of the box then tossed it in the trash. Stepping up to the sink with the dirty dishes, a thought struck her. “How come we unpacked the dishes before we unpacked anything else in this house? Just to torture me and make me clean up after every meal?” she yelled. She heard him in the other room opening boxes and pushing things around as Chili headed out of the kitchen to investigate.

“What are you doing in there?” She looked around the corner with her wet hands up in the air like a doctor. “Are you unpacking without me?”

He was digging through one of the larger boxes that had been delivered with the last batch earlier this week, his head and shoulders deep inside. “What are you looking for?” she asked, grabbing a dish towel and joining him.

He came out of the box with a worn tennis ball in his hand. Chili began turning in circles and jumping up and down. He threw it down the hall and the dog chased after it.

“I just felt that he would feel more at home if there were more of his things out.”  He reached back into the box and pulled out a dog bed. “Where should we put this?  In your room like at home?”

“Of course,” she replied.

She took the bed and started down the hall. Chili, obviously knowing a game of tug of war when he saw one, dropped the retrieved ball and grabbed one corner of the bed and yanked on it and the game was on. A few moments later Kate had finally managed to drag the bed, with the dog still attached, down the hall to her room. She placed the bed prominently in her bay window and with a chuff and a quick circle, Chili claimed his spot, pressing his nose against the window.

A few moments later a whine escaped him and his tail began to wag. Glancing out the window, Kate watched as her mom walked through the courtyard. Even at the end of the day she always made the extra effort to ensure she looked her best, with hair and makeup perpetually in place. She moved with grace and efficiency and a no-nonsense manner that she rarely allowed to slip.

Kate jogged down the hall to the front door with the dog at her heels. As she stepped outside Chili brushed past her, bounded down the front steps and launched himself at Meg's chest. With a quickness that belied her dress, her mom side-stepped him and he sailed past her into thin air. Without missing a beat, he chuffed once and spun around to smell her clothes and tried desperately to lick her hand. She mostly ignored him, but he kept on vying for her attention. At first Kate laughed at Chili's antics, the familiarity of it all, but that feeling changed and she felt a twisting in her gut the way her mom so easily dismissed someone who loved her and was desperately begging for affection. And then her mom spoke sending her thoughts scattering.

“Yes, yes hello, Chili. It’s nice to see you too,” she said dismissively. Kate, is there any dinner left? I am so famished!  All I’ve had to eat today was take-out pizza.”

“Oops,” Kate said.

“Pardon me?  What does this ‘oops’ mean?” her mom asked in an uncharacteristically lighthearted fashion.

“You see, Dad and I kind of had a celebration dinner honoring Chili’s release from doggy prison and we brought home some pizza from Pizza Hut,” she confessed.

Astonishment, followed closely by irritation, crossed her face, “Bruce allowed you get fast food?” She always called him by his first name when speaking to her. Kate had heard her friends' parents refer to their spouses as Mom or Dad when speaking to their children, but her mom refused to do that, citing that he was not her dad.

“We weren’t expecting Chili to come home today and it took a long time to fill out paperwork and then we walked home from the kennels.” She took a big breath, “By then it was too late to make dinner and, believe it or not, it was Dad's idea. I think there are a few pieces left,” she finished sheepishly. Her mom gave her the obligatory hug and walked into the apartment.

Later that evening, after Kate finished her homework, she stayed up to talk to her mom. As she walked down the hall she heard Mr. Shaw's name. She froze, then, being careful not to make a sound, she eased closer. Stopping in the shadow, she closed her eyes and gave in to her eavesdropping habit.

“I agree. That can be pretty scary not knowing what is going on. But I am sure the doctors will administer the proper tests and this will be cleared up in no time,” her mom was using her lab voice.

“Kate is going to help out with the kennel tomorrow,” her dad said.

“Oh really?  Do you think she is up to something like this?” her mom asked. “Taking care of another animal is a pretty big responsibility. She's never done anything like this before.”

“Meg,” her dad replied, “Kate and I have been down to the kennels three or four times a week. Kate has been taking care of the animals while Mrs. Shaw was busy with grooming or with Mr. Shaw. She knows what she is doing, it's really not much different than anything she does with Chili. She knows the kennels just as well as the Shaw’s or even Chili. Besides, it is only for tomorrow and maybe a few days after. She can handle it,” he reassured.

A thump pounded in her chest, and a warmness tingled inside of her. She left the shadow, crossed the room and snuggled onto the couch next to her dad. She just felt the need to be next to him at that moment.

“All finished with your homework?” her mother queried.

“Yes, not much tonight,” she answered.

“Your father has told me all about this defense class you are taking. Don’t you think that trying to hang onto your old life is just going to make adjusting to this life that much harder?”  Her mom put on a pained looking face. Like the one used to talk a child out of a bad flavor of ice cream. “I feel it’s better if you drop that course and try to take something more ladylike. Maybe there is an astronomy course or another math course or maybe even a cooking course you could get into?” Cooking course came out an octave higher than the others.

Kate stared at her mother, dumbfounded. What could she possibly be thinking?  Math!  Me…?

“Mom, it’s not a regular course. It’s after school and it’s a class in name only. More of a club really. I thought it would be a great way to meet other kids. Kids that were interested in the same things I am.”  She tried to keep her voice level. Reason resonated with her mother more than emotion.

“Kate dear, there will be kids in a math or astronomy class too. You could meet them and learn about your world out there,” her mom said.

“Mom, that’s really not the reason I chose,” she started, but her dad interrupted her.

“Meg, she really is good at what she does. You should have seen the faces of the other students when she did this move on the instructor. It was amazing!  He had no idea what had happened to him. One minute he was standing there, the next he was on the floor looking up at her.”

Her mom looked horrified, slowly putting her head in her hands.

“You would have been proud,” he finished, realizing belatedly that this story was not something he should have shared with his wife. “Kate honey, why don’t you go on to bed and I will be in later to say goodnight,” her dad said. “Maybe you could give some thought to a math class too,” he added weakly.

With a sigh, she kissed both her parents goodnight and headed off to her room, Chili on her heels. She slowly changed into her pj’s, hit the light and crawled into bed wondering all the while if her mom was her real mom. Her dad came in and kissed her again.

“Don’t worry about Mom. I will not make you quit the defense class. Your Mom,” he started, “she just doesn’t understand. She is more of a brain person than you are. Besides, do you honestly think that I would allow anyone other than myself teach you how to cook?”  He turned to leave the room then looking back he said, “Remember to say a prayer for Mr. Shaw. Love you, goodnight.”  Then he left.

She said her prayer and rolled over to look out the window. She couldn’t see any stars but she could see the lights from the other buildings. They lit up the sky and cast shadows on the walls of her room. She wasn't sure if her Dad was right about the city being enchanted, she felt more like it was bewitched. Chili jumped onto the bed and put his head on her chest. It felt so good to have him with her.

She closed her eyes and began to dream.

The hum of tires on the road brought peace to her life. Riding in a car, Josh at the wheel beside her, was exactly what she needed. Her mom just didn't understand her but Josh did. Even now she knew he could read her mind, he knew exactly what she needed. He reached over to put his arm around her and she leaned into him.  It had been so long since she had last done this, she thought, as she melted into him. He smelled great and felt so warm against her. She lay her head on his shoulder, closed her eyes and listened to the rain on the roof of the car. She counted the beats of the windshield wipers. Josh leaned forward to turn up the radio. 

"I love this song,” he said putting his arm back around her. "It reminds me of you. I know you’ve been gone for a couple of months and it’s been half that long since I quit writing and calling, but I sure miss you." 

Kate snuggled closer breathing in his cologne, "I miss you too. This feels so nice, you smell so good."

He chuckled, "Well I should! You bought this for me. Every time I put it on I think of you and wish you would move back home." The thrumming on the roof grew louder as it rained harder. Josh turned the wipers up. 

"We really should pull over until this lets up a little,” Kate said. 

Headlights lit up the interior as passing cars came and went.

"Nah, it's no big deal. I know where we are. We're almost home. Just a little while longer. Another passing car threw a huge spray of water across the lane, temporarily blurring their vision. 

"Whoa! That was a good one,” Josh said with a little nervous laugh. 

"Josh, we could just pull over here and wait. I really don’t want to rush. I want to stay here longer with you."  

Josh looked at her and smiled a sad sort of smile. "I wish we could, but it wouldn't make any difference. You’re going to leave anyway." An oncoming car lit up Josh’s face and she could see a tear trickle down his cheek. "I'll care for you, always," he said. 

The deafening sound of metal on metal pierced the night. Water and glass crashed into the front of the car. Kate threw up her hands to protect her face. Then all was silent. She began to grow cold as rain drops poured in thru the missing windshield, and everything went black.
            She woke moments later to the sound of her father and mother's, voices. 

"Kate, Kate honey. Wake up." She could hear her father moving around her. "Meg turn on the light. Kate, can you hear me? Wake up sweetie." 

"Kate, wake up now!" she heard her mother demand. 

She opened her eyes, her face was wet with tears and her pj's sodden with sweat. She looked around to see her mother and father sitting on either side of her bed. Her father in his pj's, his hair on end and glasses askew. Her mother in her silk pajamas and robe, looking rather irritated. 

"Kate, you were dreaming," he said. 

"Screaming is the correct term. Heaven knows what the neighbors think we were doing to you. You expect something like this in the lab. You prepare for it, make sure there are precautions in place." Her mother stood and walked to the window to look outside. 

Kate, still dazed from being awoken so quickly, wondered if her mother was looking for prying neighbors or the police. She looked back to her father. 

"What happened?" 

He glanced at Meg. Rubbing his chin he said, "You were dreaming"

Meg folded her arms, making an irritated noise, and said, "More like night terrors," she said, dispassionately. As she spoke, she paced the room, alternately looking out the widow and the bedroom door.  After a few passes, she huffed and said, "I have an early meeting." And she left the room. 

Her Dad looked backed to her. He reached up and dried her face with the sleeve of his PJ’s and asked, "You want to tell me about it?" 

Kate took a shuddering breath. Feelings and emotions from her dream quickly resurfaced. She shivered and leaned into her dad, crying silently. After a time she pulled herself together and tried describing the events of the dream, explaining to him what her feelings were, but she couldn’t find the right words. It sounded lame when she talked about it, and yet it felt so vivid and unnerving.

When she finished, he was looking out the window. Then he looked at the clock, and finally turned his eyes on her. He started to say something but stopped himself. Then he took her hand and said softly. "It’s three in the morning here so that’s nine in the evening there. I think it would be all right to give Josh a call to see if everything is well." He handed her a Kleenex. "Would you like to do that?" She nodded her head. They walked to the living room and found the phone. 

"Would you call for me?” she asked. "I feel so foolish you know, 'Hey I know it’s been almost two months since I have heard from you but I had this dream.'  Sounds like I'm making something up so I could call.”

Bruce picked up the phone, "You want me to call?” She nodded her head. “All right, but you have to dial."

Kate managed a smile. Without auto dial, her dad was lost. She dialed the number and sat next to him on the couch. He smiled and put his arm around her.  

"Hi Mrs. Jones. Oh sorry, Mrs. Miller. This is Bruce Thorn…Yes, that’s right Kate’s dad."  There was a long pause. Kate’s dad took his arm from around Kate and leaned forward. "I see.  Oh. I see.”

He turned and looked at Kate, keeping eye contact with her while he listened to what Mrs. Miller was saying. She began to feel cold. She wanted to hear what was being said. She sat forward on the edge of the couch with him.

"Where is he now?" he said. "Yes, I know where that is, yes, well thank you Mrs. Miller....Yes, give everyone our best. We’ll call again soon." He turned away from her, hung up the phone and exhaled. Turning back he said, “Well, that was the next door neighbor, Mrs. Miller, as you probably figured out."

"Dad what is it? Something bad I know. Please just tell me," she sobbed. 

"Yes, it’s bad. Josh was in a car accident earlier tonight. It’s been raining there today and he had a head on collision with another car. The police said that the other car crossed the line and hit him. He has been taken to St. Luke's hospital. She said his mom is there and had just called to give the family an update. Right now Josh is in intensive care, but stable. He has not regained consciousness." 

Kate slumped forward and shook as she cried. He took her into his arms and let her cry. 

"Dad, I saw it all. I knew everything. How?" 

"I don't know sweetie. Sometimes these things just happen." 

They sat there for a long while, Kate crying while he held her. After a time, she sat upright and wiped her eyes. She looked around the room. 

"I need to do something. I know it’s really late but I just can’t be trapped here right now. Can we go for a walk?" 

He put his hands on his knees and stood up, “Yes. I think the dog could use a walk. Why don’t you change and I will tell your mother what we are doing."
            In her room changing her clothes, she saw one of the pictures of her and Josh from the farewell party. She picked it up and looked at it. Memories flooded through her; the first time they spoke, how shy they both were. He could hardly look at her without blushing, she could hardly speak, and she felt so tongue-tied. Their first kiss, her first kiss, just a quick peck as they were leaving school. And then the slow, passionate goodnight kisses that followed. She stood in the middle of her room and hugged herself. Four thousand miles between them. God how she missed him. She stroked his face on the picture. She recalled their last call how far away he sounded, not just on the line but his voice. He sounded so distracted. And then everything just...stopped. Her heart ached remembering all the days she turned on her computer looking for emails, how many hours she sat waiting for the phone to ring, waiting to hear his voice. How stupid to was she to expecting things to stay the same. How could they? She was four thousand miles away, with a new life. Had he started a new life without her?

"Ready to go?" her dad poked his head into her room.

"Yeah," she said sadly as she placed the picture on her dresser. She looked at it one more time, trying to soak up the image with her eyes.  

"Mom not coming?" she asked knowing full well that she wasn't. 

He pursed his lips and sighed deeply, "Early meeting,” was all he said.

She crossed the room and put her arms around him and put her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat and steady breathing. He hugged her back. 

After a few moments, they slowly parted and headed for the door. 

Chili was waiting with his leash in his mouth. Kate smiled, thanking God that some things never changed. They walked out into the cool night. 

Pools of light littered the sidewalk up and down the street giving it a lost and lonesome look. She tipped her head towards heaven, Kate took a deep breath and stared into the sky and searched for answers written there. There was no moon and the sky was saturated with stars. The Big Dipper and Orion found her; they comforted her. No matter where she had traveled, they had been there. She stared at them now willing them to give her...what? The answer? A sign?

Her dad gave a low whistle. “You don’t get a sky like that here very often,” he said.

She shook her head; she had no words. 

"Which way?" he asked. 

She shrugged her shoulders. 

"Let’s walk up to the castle. It should be very quiet this time of day and it's all downhill on the way home," he said. 

She smiled at his idea of when “day” was.

They headed up the close and onto the main street. As they walked the dream replayed in her mind. 

"Dad, did Mrs. Miller say where the accident took place?"

"Yes, she did. She..." 

"Don't tell me,” she interrupted. They walked in silence for a moment, "Let me ask you. Was it on Old Farm Road heading back into town where that big tree hangs over the road just before the bridge?" 

He slowed and looked sideways at her. 

"Yes," he said quietly. 

Tears streamed down her face again. "I did this. I caused it to happen. I was so mad at him for abandoning me.” She started gasping. “I wanted something horrible to happen to him and then it did." 

He stopped and took her into his arms, "No, I don't think you have the powers to cause something to happen. Unless you have been painting pentagrams and killing chickens in your room?” She shook her head hearing the absurdness of it and then they began to walk again.