Following Rain

by Darrel Nelson

  He moved into 2001 and then 2002. There were phenomenal stories contained in the archives, and some of them warranted further investigation—his Spidey senses were tingling—but the stories would have to wait for another day. He had one specific thing he was looking for, but it seemed as elusive as discerning the winning Powerball numbers.

  Persisting, he worked through 2002 and pushed into 2003. At 2:15 P.M. a name jumped out at him as he skimmed over an article in the local news section. McKenzie! He went back over the article again, reading carefully this time. It was dated Saturday, August 23, 2003.

  Accident Claims Two

  Two are dead following a car accident last night. The names of the deceased have not been released pending notification of the next of kin, but an inside source says that a woman and a boy were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Reports indicate they had the same surname: McKenzie

  According to police reports, the accident occurred around 10:00 P.M. at the intersection of 143rd Street and Pacific Avenue. A Ford Taurus collided with a Mercedes E350, seriously injuring both drivers and killing the woman and the boy in the Taurus. A fourth passenger in the Taurus, a teenage girl, has been admitted to the hospital with what has been termed serious but nonlife-threatening injuries.

  These are the fourth and fifth fatalities this month. Police are urging drivers to exercise caution and drive defensively.

  Paul printed the article and placed it in a file folder. Then he continued his search and found another article, dated two days later.

  Names Released

  The two people killed in the car accident on 143rd Street and Pacific Avenue on Friday evening have been identified as Linda Richards McKenzie, 38, and her son Aaron James McKenzie, 11.

  Weldon Charles McKenzie, the driver of the Ford Taurus, remains in critical condition. He has regained consciousness, but the police have been unable to question him. They are not commenting on the reasons, but a hospital source, on the condition of anonymity, says Mr. McKenzie suffered severe brain injury.

  The fourth occupant in the Taurus has been identified as Raina Leanne McKenzie, 15. She has been released from the hospital. Police have questioned her but are not releasing the details at this time.

  The driver of the Mercedes E350 has been identified as Brent Percy, 20, son of city councilor, Lucas Percy. Blake remains in critical but stable condition.

  Paul added this to the folder, as well, moved by the details of the accident and stung by the realization that Charlie was Rain’s father. He searched further and found a third and final article concerning the accident, dated Thursday, August 28, 2003.

  Services Announced

  A private funeral service for Linda McKenzie and her son, Aaron, killed in a two-car collision last Friday, was held yesterday in the Mount Royal Funeral Home. In attendance were the teenage daughter, Raina McKenzie, and her grandmother. We were unable to get a statement from Raina, but it is believed she will be living with her grandmother while she finishes school. Her father, Weldon Charles McKenzie, was unable to attend the services and will remain in the hospital for continued treatment and rehabilitation.

  Brent Percy, the driver of the Mercedes E350, remains in hospital but is expected to make a full recovery.

  Police still have not released details of the accident but charges may be pending.

  Paul whistled under his breath and muttered, “Hope you had a good insurance plan, Charlie.”

  In doing research for a recent feature on rising medical costs, Paul had learned that millions of Americans were uninsured. Many families were one accident or illness away from bankruptcy since most plans only covered a portion of long-term expenses. A myth of the American health care system was that people would receive the medical care they needed even if they had insufficient coverage. The reality was that those who were uninsured, or even underinsured, would have to eventually forgo treatments or face astronomically high medical bills—bills that would haunt them the rest of their lives.

  Paul contemplated the McKenzies’ situation. Bankruptcy may have been the only alternative for Charlie, especially if he was at fault in the accident and had been sued by Lucas Percy. It would have also been the only alternative if he’d had to undergo long-term treatments in a special facility.

  Returning to his search, Paul found an article that was dated several days later and was supposedly based on an interview with Rain. The details were sketchy and speculative and even contradictory in places. There were no direct quotations.

  Paul scowled as he realized that the newshounds were doing just that—hounding her as they clamored for details. He would have been doing the same thing had he been there!

  As he thought of Rain’s reserved nature, he could easily imagine how difficult the ordeal must have been for her. He could also understand why she had been so tight-lipped about her relationship with Charlie. Undoubtedly she wanted to leave the painful memories behind.

  He searched through more newspapers but found no further information on the accident or any legal proceedings. The subject seemed to have been overshadowed by the next wave of breaking news items.

  As he studied the printouts again, Paul thought of how terrible it must have been for Rain to lose her mother and brother in the accident and to have her father permanently injured. He could only describe it as . . . devastating.

  Paul knew how worried he and his siblings were about their own mother and how it affected the family whenever her health took a turn for the worse. Several times they thought they had lost her, and it was a tremendous relief to have her rally and become coherent again—a blessing denied Rain with her own mother and younger brother.

  Added to that was the fact that Rain now bore the burden of caring for Charlie. That explained his presence at the homeless shelter where she worked. It also explained why she had hustled him away when they were cleaning windows so he couldn’t appear in the news feature. She had already experienced the glare of the news cameras and the invasive questioning from the media because of the accident. It was more than simply being camera shy. She was camera terrified!

  Details that had previously puzzled him began to fit into place, but there were still a few unanswered questions. What had happened after the accident? What course did her life take? Why was she living in relative obscurity and working at the homeless shelter?

  His Spidey senses were tingling again and there was more he wanted to learn. Fortunately, he had the perfect opportunity to glean further information because he was the sponsor’s designated liaison, which gave him access privileges. And he intended to make full use of them.

  CHAPTER 23

  Rain held the receiver to her ear, her cheeks flushed, her mouth frozen open.

  Maria came into the office just then carrying several file folders. “What’s the matter?” she asked in alarm. “More bad news?”

  Rain covered the mouthpiece with her hand and whispered, “It’s Paul. He says he has something exciting to tell me.”

  Wrinkling her brow, Maria asked, “So what’s the problem?”

  Rain’s eyes grew wider. “He says he’ll only tell me about it over dinner.”

  “He’s asking you on a date?” Maria said, her expression brightening.

  Shaking her head vigorously, Rain said, “It’s not a date. He just wants to talk to me about another idea for the fundraiser.”

  “That’s great. So go to dinner with him.”

  Rain could feel the blood draining from her face. “I can’t. What about Charlie? I can’t leave him alone tonight.”

  Maria waved her concern aside. “That’s no problem. I’ll take him home with me. My kids love him. He can have dinner with us, and then I’ll bring him to your apartment when you get back.”

  Rain was interrupted by Paul’s voice on the other end of the line. “Rain, are you still there? Hello?”

  “Uh-huh, just a minute, Paul, okay?” She quickly covered the mouthpiece with her hand again. “I—I can’t do it, Maria.”


  “If it’s about the fundraiser, then it’s for a good cause.”

  Rain shook her head again. “I know, but”—she glanced down at her clothes—“I don’t have anything to wear.”

  “Just wear a nice pair of pants and a shirt,” Maria said, frowning good-naturedly. “You’ll be fine.”

  Rain looked at her uncertainly.

  “Go have a great time,” Maria said encouragingly. “You deserve it.” Then with a twinkle in her eye, she added, “He is very handsome.”

  “Rain?” came Paul’s voice again. “Is everything okay?”

  “Everything’s fine,” Rain replied. Then looking imploringly at Maria, she whispered, “What’ll I do?”

  “Say yes.”

  Hesitating a moment longer, Rain wet her lips and spoke into the phone. “What time do you want to pick me up?”

  “How about seven?” Paul replied. “All I need is your address.”

  She gave it to him and then hung up. Slumping back in her chair, she drew in a deep breath. Then looking in disapproval at Maria, she said, “There, are you satisfied?”

  Maria placed the file folders on the edge of the desk and went into her office, chortling her reply.

  Rain watched her go and forced a smile. Then her expression grew solemn again as the reality of what had just occurred sunk in. No matter how she chose to regard it—business dinner or fundraiser planning meeting—she was going on a date. Her first since junior prom.

  * * * * *

  Paul’s phone rang just moments after he finished talking to Rain. His first thought was she was calling back to cancel. She was so hesitant to commit and had come up with a series of excuses. But when he checked the call display, he noticed it was Grunge.

  “Hey, you’ll never guess what I just scored,” Grunge said cheerfully when he came on the line. “Two tickets to Groove.”

  Groove was a Broadway-bound rock musical that was making its debut in Seattle. The production was getting great reviews, and the performances had sold out weeks ago. According to the local buzz, it was a shoe-in for a Tony Award.

  “You and your contacts,” Paul muttered. “I don’t know how you do it. When are the tickets for?”

  “Tonight. Sorry about the late notice, but they just fell into my hands.”

  Paul winced. He wanted to see the production before it left town. “I don’t suppose you could trade them in for another night?” he asked hopefully.

  “Are you kidding? Even with my connections, it’s not going to happen. Anyway, you got something better to do?”

  “Yes, actually. I’ve got a date.”

  “Figures.” He suddenly gave an evil chuckle. “Hey, don’t even think about it. I’ve only got two tickets and one of them is for me.”

  “I wouldn’t think of asking for your tickets,” Paul said defensively.

  “Yeah, right!”

  “Besides, I’ve got a nice table for two reserved at Elliot’s.”

  There was a pause and then Grunge asked, “So who’s your date?”

  “Remember the secretary we met at the homeless shelter?”

  Grunge coughed. “Her? She didn’t even smile when you introduced me.”

  “So she’s a good judge of character.”

  “Ha, ha. Look, I’m sure she’s a nice person and all, but she’s not exactly your type.”

  Paul laughed. “It’s more of a business date, really.”

  Grunge muttered under his breath and said, “Let me get this straight. You’re willing to miss Groove so you can go on a date with someone who’s not your type, in order to talk about something that two weeks ago you had no real interest in?”

  “Something like that, yeah.”

  “Okay, who are you and what have you done with the real Paul Blakely?”

  Laughing louder, Paul replied, “But here’s the good news, Grunge. My idea for the fundraiser involves you, too.”

  “That’s what I was afraid you were going to say. Am I going to like it?”

  Paul murmured affirmatively. “If it works out like I’m hoping, you’ll love it.”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard that one before.”

  “No, really. I’m actually quite excited about it.”

  Following a slight pause, Grunge said, “So when are you going to let me in on the details?”

  “I want to bounce it off Rain first. Then I’ll tell you all about it.”

  Grunge sighed sarcastically. “I can’t wait.”

  “Actually, I can’t, either,” Paul replied. And he meant it.

  CHAPTER 24

  Elliot’s Oyster House was a popular restaurant in Downtown, situated along the waterfront. It specialized in oysters but also featured a wide variety of seafood. Rain had never been here before, and she studied the interior nervously as the hostess greeted them at the door.

  She enjoyed being around Paul but was uncomfortable with the notion that this was an official date. It made things seem so formal. And somewhat awkward.

  It began when Paul arrived with a bouquet of wildflowers. She had no vase to put them in, so she filled a kettle with water. The container was large and clunky in comparison to the delicate flowers, and she felt embarrassed about using it.

  Things became more awkward when she saw that he was wearing dress pants and a button-down shirt. She decided she was underdressed and raced back into her bedroom. Rummaging through her closet, she selected her nicest dress. She took a moment to check her makeup, and then she brushed her hair so it fell loosely about her shoulders.

  When she finally emerged, Paul stared long enough to make her feel self-conscious. “You look beautiful,” he said.

  The ride to the restaurant was casual and comfortable, filled with idle chitchat and variations of How was your day and how are things going? She tried to get him to reveal his idea for the fundraiser, but he just smiled mysteriously and said, “During dinner.”

  She employed his tactic of subtle investigation by asking questions that approached the subject from different angles, but he was having none of it. He laughed and changed the subject. Frowning good-naturedly, she sighed in resignation and went along with him, aware that he was watching her from the corner of his eye.

  They continued their casual conversation until they arrived at the restaurant. Things turned formal when she surveyed the exterior of the high-end establishment and realized she was out of her element.

  Now as the hostess led them to their table, Rain studied the stylish décor and tugged at her dress uncomfortably. She would have to save up for a month to be able to eat at a restaurant of this caliber. Two months if Charlie accompanied her.

  Paul held her chair and then sat across from her.

  “Your waiter will be right with you,” the hostess said, placing their menus in front of them before departing.

  Paul interlocked his fingers and looked at her. “I’m really glad you could join me, Rain. You deserve a break from all the hard work you’ve been doing.”

  She forced a smile that she hoped was natural in appearance. “Are you ready to tell me about your idea for the fundraiser?”

  He laughed lightly and shook his head. “Let’s order first.”

  Exhaling slowly, she opened her menu and then stifled a gasp when she saw the prices.

  Paul noticed her reaction. “It’s not the home cooking I helped serve at the homeless shelter on Monday, but I’m sure you’ll find something equally delicious.”

  And terribly more expensive! Rain thought. She began searching for the cheapest item on the menu.

  Their waiter, a young man with black hair and a silver stud in one ear, arrived. “You’re Paul Blakely!” he said. “I’ve seen you on the news.”

  “Guilty as charged,” Paul replied.

  “Can I get you anything to start off with?”

  Paul motioned toward Rain.

  “I’ll have a glass of water,” Rain said.

  The waiter nodded. “Would you like it with a lemon wedge?”

  “No, thank you.�
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  Paul looked at the waiter and said, “I’ll have the same.”

  “You got it.” The waiter spun on his heels and left immediately.

  Rain noticed Paul grinning at her. “What?” she said.

  “I’m good for this, Rain. Honest. And there’s no extra charge for lemon wedges, by the way.”

  She dropped her gaze guiltily and studied the menu. Of course he could see what she was doing. And it wasn’t fair to him for her to go on the cheap. He would feel obligated to do the same, and that would spoil the stage he was setting in order to present his idea. She decided to elevate her choice to something in the mid-price range.

  As she perused the menu with renewed determination, she thought of her grocery shopping experiences with Charlie. He would stand in the cereal section and agonize over which brand to choose, practically tying himself in knots in the process. Strangely, she felt the same way now. There were so many delectable choices that it was a bit overwhelming.

  The waiter returned with their two glasses of water. No lemon wedges. “Are you ready to order yet?” he asked, placing the glasses on the table and waiting dutifully.

  “Not quite yet,” Paul answered.

  “No problem. I’ll check back in a few more minutes.”

  Paul glanced at Rain and then said, “May I make a suggestion? The grilled salmon is delicious.”

  “Is that what you’re going to order?”

  Paul nodded.

  “Then I’ll have the same.”

  “There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” He signaled the waiter and placed the orders: two grilled salmon dinners and a bottle of red wine. They remained silent while the waiter topped off their water glasses.

  “Would you like your salads before the meal or with the meal?” the waiter asked.

  “Before,” Paul answered.

  When the waiter left to place their orders, Rain glanced around the interior once more and then turned her attention to Paul. She noticed that he was looking at her intently, and she quickly dropped her gaze. “I saw your single-cup coffee maker feature the other day,” she said. “I thought you did a great job.”