The Other Side of Life
Page 39
I hope you have found your own peace. In the short time I have known you, there has been an absence of light from your eyes. So much sorrow, and understandably so. Perhaps the best way to be with your daughter again is not to ceaselessly mourn her loss, but to adopt her brave spirit as your own. As with this land, I am certain that what once was beautiful and alive can be again.
EPG
“The letter is undated.”
“Yes. Since she is only talking about Charlie, she had to have written that sometime in 1865 or 1866.”
“What do you mean, only about Charlie?”
Rachel smiled. “Cal was Calvin Garrity, my great grandfather. They had four children, Charlie was the oldest. Anne, my grandmother, was born in 1866.”
“You read it?”
“I did. You’ll forgive me, I did not think of anyone’s privacy when I was opening a letter written seventy-five years ago.” She paused, biting her lip. “But she wrote as if she knows you, and she obviously knew of your daughter. The daughter you lost just two months ago. How is that possible?”
“It isn’t.”
“I agree.” She pointed to the letter. “And yet.”
He shook his head. “This must be a hoax. Unless it was written by a ghost.”
“A hoax?” she asked, more than skeptical.
Kelsey didn’t hear her, his eyes skimming over the words again. His eyes were stuck on the words ‘brave spirit.’ “She sounds like a remarkable woman.”
Another smile, his words evoking both pride and loving. “Oh, she was. In so many ways. She wrote each of her children a letter nearly once a week, until just before she passed away. I have the letters she sent to my grandfather, I brought them here. They tell you so much about her. She ended each and every letter with audentes fortura iuvat. That’s Latin for—”
“Fortune favors the bold,” Kelsey finished.
She smiled, quite pleased. “Yes. They’re at my hotel, and I could bring them to you, but I can understand if you aren’t interested—”
“Bring them, please,” Kelsey said, smiling, “if you are willing to share. I bet she was a quite a writer.”
“She was quite an everything, Mr. Kelsey.”
An older nurse appeared in the doorway, pushing an empty wheelchair.
“Visiting hours are over,” the brusque woman grumbled, her prickly voice signaling her disapproval of a visitor in the room at any time. Particularly a young lady.
She moved the wheelchair against the bed. “Doctor Richetti has said if you are up to it we should take you to the cafeteria and stuff you like a Christmas turkey. Now in you go.”
“A moment, Nurse Kral? If you’ll excuse us?”
The older woman’s frown morphed into a scowl as she reluctantly left the room.
Rachel laughed as the door closed. “Not much for bedside manner, is she?”
“She changed my sheets earlier. She’s got a face like a hatchet, and a personality to match. I passed on the sponge bath.”
They both laughed at that.
“Shall I return tomorrow?”
He liked her laugh. And her self-assuredness. She was far younger than he was, but her manner and poise suggested a sophistication that appealed to him. As did her good humor. And he was laughing, the first time in months.
“Please do. I’d like to know more about your great-grandmother.”
“It appears we have quite a mystery on our hands,” she remarked.
“It appears we do.”
“Do you really believe this is a hoax?”
He shook his head.
“Good. Then I guess we’ll have much to discuss tomorrow.”
Kelsey sat up a bit more. “Perhaps you can come by during lunch? I’d venture you’d be far better company than Nurse Hatchet.”
“That would be lovely. Say noon?”
“It’s a date,” he offered.
His choice of words was not accidental, nor were they lost on the young woman. He had been away from this game for some time, so he watched her carefully, studying her reaction to his forwardness.
Rachel hesitated a fraction of a second, but then her smile quickly broadened.
“Yes,” she said, clearly pleased. “It is.”
Rachel moved toward the door, but just as she pulled it open he called to her.
“Your great-grandmother, and her husband, this Cal. Do you know how this ended? Did they have a good life?”
She thought for a moment. “No, Commander,” she said, shaking her head slowly. But then he caught the exuberance in her eyes. “They had the most extraordinary life.”
Author’s Note
All of the characters in this story are fictional, with the exception of George Armstrong Custer, whose presence at Gettysburg as a 23 year-old “boy general” was very real. Francis Middleton is a character inspired by Edwin J. Hill, the U.S.S. Nevada’s real Chief Boatswain who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism during the Pearl Harbor attack.
The events surrounding these characters, however, are true. The Nevada was indeed captained by her junior officers on that fateful morning as she bravely sortied down the channel while fighting off her Japanese attackers. The 1863 rout of Union cavalry at the Battle of Fairfield was also true, and Virginia cavalry regiments did indeed skirmish with their Union counterparts just outside Gettysburg, on the same day General Pickett led his more famous, but far more ill-fated charge against Union forces on Cemetery Ridge.
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I want to convey my heartfelt gratitude to Donna Font and her team at Neverland Publishing. Every new author aspires to find a publisher who is every bit as passionate about the author’s story, characters and message as the writer himself. In that regard, I struck literary gold with Donna and Neverland. A million thank yous for this opportunity, as well as your fantastic dedication and tireless work to publish and promote this book.
I also want to thank those who provided invaluable input and advice throughout this process, helping me maintain as much fidelity as possible to these historical events. Eric Wittenberg is an award-winning Civil War historian and author, and one of the country’s foremost experts on the history of the U.S. Cavalry. CAPT Neil Byrne USN (Ret.) and CAPT Fred Moosally USN (Ret.) brought authenticity to the operations of a World War II battleship, and to all other things nautical. To Elena Arène and Brad Collick, who, with not-so-gentle nudges and just the right words, managed to put the writing of this book into motion. And a special thank you to Elizabeth Abrams and Eben Carle; my colleagues, my confidants, and two gifted editors. They helped me navigate myriad course corrections and provided vital insight and guidance, not to mention unwavering encouragement, during the production of this book.
There are no words to describe how instrumental the influence of my parents was to the development and writing of this book. Stanley Kutler—scholar, author and playwright—has always been my writing sensei. I miss and think of him every day, but his influence can be found on every page of this book. Those who knew my father knew what an incredible force he was, and his books and columns over the years opened my eyes to how mere words can have such a potent and lasting impact on readers. He taught me how to write with purpose, clarity and power. Not to be outdone, Sandy Kutler, the matriarch of a family of true characters, taught me how to write with humor and heart. That too, is everywhere in this book.
Special gratitude to my wife and best friend, who watched her husband disappear into his basement office night after night, for more than two years, chasing this dream. Her love and support has been there every minute of our 13 years together, and I would be lost without her. And finally, to Maddie and Ben. I wanted you to have another book to put on your nightstands next to Grandpa’s. Please know that no father has ever been prouder. I live for your laughter, and I love you both to pieces.
Also by Neverland Publishing
A Lighter Shade of Gray by Devon Pearse
Nola Gals by Barb
ara J. Rebbeck
Signs of Struggle by John Carenen
A Far Gone Night by John Carenen
The President’s Mortician by Tim Fleming
The Killing Jar – based on a True Story
by Gloria Nixon-John and Robert “Skip” Noelker
Kings of New York by Jeremy Lee
New Frontier by Jeremy Lee
The Intangibles by Monte Dutton
The Audacity of Dope by Monte Dutton
And many more
About the Author
Andy Kutler is a writer living in Arlington, Virginia. A native of Madison, Wisconsin and a graduate of Michigan State University (B.A.) and Georgetown University (M.A.), he has previously worked on the senior legislative staff of two United States Senators before serving as a senior policy officer with the U.S. Secret Service. He is working today as a consultant to the national security community.
While Andy’s writings have appeared in The Huffington Post and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Other Side of Life is his first novel. Andy's interests include travel, military history, his Wisconsin sports teams, and most importantly, spending time with his wife and two children. You can learn more about the author at www.andykutler.com.