Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

After school, Kate skipped the snack run and headed straight to her grandparents' hotel. She hoped her grandmother had received her note and was available. As she entered the hotel and saw her grandmother waiting for her in the lobby.

“Kate!” Grandmother waved her over. Kate crossed the room and gave her grandmother a hug and a peck on the cheek. Her grandmother motioned for her to sit in the chair opposite her.

“I see you got my note,” Kate said.

“Yes I did. Now, tell me what has happened.”

Kate took a deep breath and looked into her grandmother’s eyes.

“It’s not the truth and it will break her heart.”

“I see,” her Grandmother said, as she shifted her folded hands to her mouth. “So your father told you about that did he?” she questioned and Kate nodded her head. “And so it has begun,” she continued cryptically. “And what about your friend in the hospital?  Have you had much chance to talk to him again?”

The question, Kate thought, came completely out of left field.

“Grandmother? I don’t want to talk about Mr. Shaw-O’Callaghan. I came here to talk about my mother and father.”

“I know you did honey, but there is nothing we can do about that.”

“Right now, you mean? Nothing we can do about that right now?” Kate said, close to tears.

“No, sweetheart.” She leaned forward and put her hand on Kate’s knee. “There is nothing we can do about what your parents are going through. They have to do it alone. It's their relationship and they have to take that journey. Alone. I’m sorry Kate, but you are just along for the ride, so to speak. That is why we came, your grandfather and I, so you wouldn’t be alone.”

“I was hoping you could give me just a bit more. Is this what you meant when you said 'it's not the truth and it will break her heart' to my parents way back then? Is this what you 'saw'?”

Her grandmother squinted out the lobby window and pointed to one of the buildings. Kate leaned forward and looked where she was pointing. It was John Knox’s house.

“I saw that house over there and I saw you sitting just as you are right now, with your heart broken and nothing to be done about it. Of course, I didn’t see how beautiful and bright and strong you are. I learned about that part over the last sixteen years.” She smiled at Kate who couldn’t help but smile back.

"Did you know that my mom would be having an affair?” she asked.

“I wasn’t sure, at least not until we came here, but it had that flavor of something gone really wrong.”

“You never thought it was Dad?”      

“How am I supposed to answer that? I’m his mother.”

Kate couldn't help but smile at that. “But no, to answer your question, I never did. If it had been him I would have seen that a long time before he met your mom.”

Kate nodded. “What do you think is going to happen?” Kate asked.

“Oh, you know it doesn’t work that way. I see or sense what I do, not because I want to, or need to.”

“Well, that’s not what I asked. I want to know what you think is going to happen,” Kate said.

“What I think. What do I think? Well, hmmm...what I think is there will be a few fights and some long silences and then it will all be resolved. Perhaps not exactly as you would want, but the possibility still remains that it could turn out good. Keep in mind, Kate, that just because something is good for you, doesn’t mean it is good for the ones you love. That's how free will works.”

Kate knew what she meant. She wasn’t happy about it, but she had seen enough of her friends' parents in unhappy marriages to know that it wasn’t about her, it was about the two of them. Her head knew this, but it would take some time for her heart to come around.

Her grandmother waited in silence while Kate thought through all of this. She loved her granddaughter and knew what was ahead for her. She was glad to be here for her, but she was not looking forward to the pain.

“This sucks,” Kate finally conceded.

“It completely sucks,” Grandmother agreed.

After a few quiet moments and tears, Kate sandbagged her feelings about her parents for later. Knowing her emotions would break through the temporary barrier and demand to be dealt with, but now was not that time. “You asked me about my friend in the hospital. What about him?”

“Just, have you spoken to him again? I think you should.”

“You are up to something. Have you seen something or know something?” Kate asked.

“I just have a feeling that we should go see him.”

“Oh please tell me he is going to be all right,” Kate said.

“I don’t know anything Kate, I just have an inkling that we, you and I, should go and talk to him together. I thought that was why you sent the message to meet you.” She paused and studied Kate for a moment. “What say you and I catch a cab out front and go see him?”

“I just need to tell my dad where I am going. With what he is going through, he shouldn’t have to worry about me too.”

“Already taken care of. I talked to him this morning after I received your note and told him you would be spending the afternoon with me and that we would be home around supper time.”

They from a quick phone call to Mrs. Shaw, they discovered Mr. Shaw had been released from the hospital and was recuperating at home. Mrs. Shaw thought it would do him good to have some company.

When they entered Mr. Shaw’s room, they found him sitting up in his bed looking out the window.

“Knew you would come,” he said.

“You did, did you? Did those drugs and tests have side effects giving you telepathy?” Kate smiled at him.

“After a fashion. I heard the missus on the phone in the other room,” he smiled as he tapped his ear. “So you’ve come for a visit and brought someone with you. I dare say I will be sore company for the shape I am in.”

“Mr. Shaw, this is my grandmother. Grandmother this is Mr. Shaw, O’Callaghan...which is it? I can’t even properly introduce you to my grandmother,” Kate said, flustered.

“Pleased to meet you, Mr. O’Callaghan,” her Grandmother said, smoothly rescuing Kate from her conundrum.

“Ah, at our age you need not call me Mister. You can call me Boyd, and you too Kate. That might alleviate some of yer confusion about who exactly I am.”

Kate smiled and nodded, and tried out the name on Mr. O'Callaghan, “All right, Boyd,” she couldn't help but giggle, seeing her friend from school's face on Mr. O'Callaghan's body.

“You find my name funny?” he smiled.

“No, your name is fine. I have a friend at school that is also named Boyd. I like the name and I think it must be in part due to the nice people who own it.”

Boyd put his hand on his heart, “Now you see why I like this girl. She speaks to me heart. What a lovely girl.”

Kate smiled and took his hand. “I like you too,” she said.

“Since we are going on first names please call me India,” Kate’s grandmother said.

“India?” Boyd said.

“My given name is Pearl, but I like to be called India. It’s a nickname my father gave me and I’ve never been called anything else.”

“All right. So Kate, what brings you and India to me?”

“When we came to see you at the hospital,” Kate started, “you told me that when you felt better to remind you and you'd tell me why you changed your name. That is why I have come. And Grandmother arrived the other day from the states for a visit, and is just tagging along.”

“Learning about Kate’s friends?” he asked India. “I would do the same. Can’t know enough about people until you learn about their friends.”

India nodded and said, “So Boyd, tell me about yourself. Since I am here to learn about Kate’s friends and you happen to be on the top of her list, I guess I should learn a bit about you.”

“Fair enough. Let’s see, this should also answer some of yer questions Kate, two stories for one, so to speak. I was born and raised in Glasgow. My father was a ship builder there. Big shipyards, still there mind you. My mother was a sickly person and did her best to take care of me.”

“You were an only child?” Grandmother asked.

“I had me a brother once,” he stared out the window.

“I’m sorry,” Kate said.

“Oh no, he din’t die, at least we don't think so. Course it's been years now, who knows?” he paused.

Kate and her grandmother caught each other's eye.

“I don't remember him much. I was just a wee child, around two or three, when he disappeared. After, well, me father was never the same. Mum told me that I was too young to really know him. I do have vague memories of someone sharing the room I had and of feeding me, besides me mum. She always said it was the boy from next door that I was remembering.” He trailed off.

“What happened? Does anyone know?” Kate wondered aloud.

“No one really knows. He had accompanied me da' on a trip and one day he just disappeared. No one saw or heard anythin. He was just gone.”

Mrs. Shaw entered the room with some refreshments. She looked at her husband and his visitors.

“Am I interrupting?” she said apologetically.

“No Catherine, I am just telling our Kate and India how I came to live here.”

“Oh Boyd, are you sure you are up to that?” she asked, and then looked at Kate. “Are you sure you are up for that?”

“I had no idea that he had a brother or that he wasn’t from here,” Kate said.

“Yes, there is quite a bit you don’t know about him. Did you know that he can juggle three balls in one hand?” she laughed. And the room lightened up a bit. She reached for a sandwich and her grandmother, a cup of tea. They sat in silence for a moment then Boyd started again.

“When I was nine or so, me mum told me about Andrew and how he had disappeared. Scotland at that time, well everywhere, was falling on hard times. Me da' was lucky to have a job, but not so with all his friends. They put together a rally and marched all the way from Glasgow to Edinburgh to talk to the Ministers and leaders of the country. Of course, that is another story, but what you need to know is that me da' left the job he had and walked with the others who needed help. Andrew convinced him to let him go along. His friend had also convinced his da', the two were inseparable, or so they thought. From what me da' ever told me, the four of them made it all the way to Edinburgh before any trouble happened. As far as I can tell, when they reached Edinburgh, Andrew and me da' we’re split up for one night. He slept at the police station,” he pointed a finger at Kate, “I know what you are thinking, but they were the only beds left in town, and Andrew went with a teacher of his that had come along with her husband. The women had separate sleeping accommodations with the children. The next morning, when it was time for Andrew to meet da', he never showed up. The woman and her husband had said that they had been up on the Royal Mile until the time for Andrew to meet Da'. They had walked with Andrew until he had spotted him and had run off to meet him. They had assumed they met up. The last me da' saw of him was a few days later when he spied a newspaper with Andrew’s picture on the front page. He was standing outside the Tron Kirk. I had the picture framed and now it hangs in the kennel reception area. I had hopes that one day he would walk in and see the picture of himself. Childish hope, actually. But it’s better than having it stashed away in a memory book somewhere.”

“Oh my. What did your father do? He must have felt horrible,” India asked.

“Yes, he did. He stayed in Edinburgh searching day and night, for a fortnight before he was finally convinced to leave. He always said that he left part of himself here. Sometimes at night I would hear him up, wandering around the flat talking to Andrew, ‘Where did you go Andrew? Where are you?’ It was heartbreaking.”

Kate sat motionless; she could not even begin to understand what it would be like to lose someone, a child, like that. The not knowing, the guilt, it could eat at even the strongest of people. She thought about how, even if her parents split up, that she would always know where they were and that they loved her, but the not knowing. A shiver ran up her spine.

“So how did you end up here?” Kate asked.

Boyd shifted in his bed and took a drink of water.

“Well, when I got old enough, I took a job at the docks with me da'. The boatyards found new life and we made good money. I managed to sneak away every month or so to come here to look for Andrew. It was a fool’s errand I see now, but back then I would take that picture of Andrew and walk around showing it to people, asking if they had ever seen him. Of course, it was a fourteen-year-old picture. Even if they did know him, they would not have recognized him.” He paused and looked into Kate’s eyes, “I wonder sometimes if I was walking right past him on the street. Would he have recognized me? Then, one weekend I was walking down the street and I ran into the most amazing creature.” He looked at Catherine.

“He means it. He nearly bowled me over. He was walking so fast he never even saw me,” she smiled as she recounted the meeting.

“I was late for the train back to Glasgow and I admit that I din’t see her. I was looking at the time and just ran right into her. I din’t make the train and I never regretted it. Not for one day.” They shared a private smile. “After that, I started visiting every weekend then twice a week, three times a week. I moved here shortly after. I told me parents what I had been doing and how I had met someone. Me mother wanted to come and meet her but she was too sick.”

Catherine picked up the narrative. “So I went and met her. She was a lovely woman and yer da' was a pillar of strength. Oh he had shoulders oot to here.” Catherine held her hands wide.

“Boyd moved in down the street and me father took such a liking to him. Taught him all he knew about taking care of animals. Back then we din’t just kennel dogs, there was a barn out back that was always full of horses in need of shoes, or in foal, we even once had a cow. I don't recall why,” she laughed.

Boyd continued the story, “We married and when Da' became too old to continue at the shipyards, we brought both of them here to live with us. It was a blessing and a curse. Mum was thrilled to be here but Da' started talking to Andrew at night again. They both died in the same year. About four years after moving here, Da' died, and Mum just six short months after. They are buried up on the hill.” He pointed to a cemetery that Kate knew was there but could not see from his window.

“Do you have children?” India asked.

Catherine shook her head with a sad smile, “We were never blessed. I had the fever when I was a child.”

“Well, children are a blessing, and a curse,” India looked knowingly at Kate.

“Well that is the story of how I became an Edinburgh citizen. As for the name change, when Catherine's father, the first Mr. Shaw, died I took over the ‘Shaw Kennels.’  Everyone just assumed that I was Mr. Shaw and eventually I just got tired of correcting them. So I just became Mr. Shaw one day. Of course, the government and those close to me know the truth,” he winked at Kate.

Kate took a deep breath and sat back in her chair. “That is fascinating,” Kate looked at her grandmother. “Anything?” she asked.

“Yes, but nothing solid yet.”

Boyd and Catherine exchanged looks. “Is there something you would like to tell us?” he asked.

“Not really, Boyd, I just sometimes get these feelings and I admit I felt compelled to come here and hear your story,” India said.

“Oh, like you were compelled to come to Edinburgh to see me?” Kate asked.

“Something like that.”

“My Grandmother is something of a psychic. Not a medium but she gets flashes and feelings,” Kate offered in a manner of explanation.

“Ahhh,” Catherine said.

“So, you have been here most of your life?” Kate asked.

“Yes, most of me life. It’s hard now to remember what it was like in Glasgow, just flashes and impressions, sort of like your grandmother. I tried going home one time to see if Andrew had returned but, no, nothing. I asked around. No one had seen him. His best friend Billy moved away shortly after I did. Never found out where he went. I suppose he found a girl,” he looked back at Catherine and they smiled.

“Wow, look at the time,” India said looking at her imaginary watch. “Your father is going to kill me. I told him we would be home before now. It has been a pleasure meeting you, Boyd, and you, Catherine,” she said as she stood.

“I hope we can have another visit before you leave,” Catherine said.

“Oh, there is no need for hope. I can almost guarantee it,” India said.

“You saw something, didn’t you?” Kate asked her grandmother as they walked out of the house and towards a waiting taxi.

“Yes, I certainly did. I saw the clock on the wall and realized that it was almost dinnertime and I promised your dad that I would have you home. I also saw his face when I brought you home late. So yes, I saw something, just not what you were hoping for.”

“What exactly what was I hoping for?” Kate asked.

“The mystery of the picture of the boy in the kennel. I suppose you got your answer while we were in there. You now know that the boy in your dream, Andrew, was his long lost brother.”

“'Is' his brother, not 'was' his brother,” Kate corrected her.

“So he is,” she smiled.