by Rod Carstens
Tom had cooked the steaks to perfection on his grill on the deck. As usual they had begun slowly how was your day or shift but once they started the memories came tumbling back and they had hardly stopped talking through out dinner. More than once they both were laughing so hard that their sides had hurt. When they finished they had sat for another hour with wine and more stories. They were finishing up the last of the dishes in Tom small kitchen when Kate said with a smile.
"Remember the first steak you tried to fix?"
"It wasn't my fault. They weren't that bad." Tom said.
They both began to laugh as they remember Tom's first attempt. They had been so burnt that when Kate tried to eat her's she had to spit it out.
"Really?" Kate said giving him an arched look.
"I was able to eat mine."
"Liar."
"Well part of it."
"You got two bites down before your jaws got tired of chewing."
"And that was after eating C-Rations for the last months. God they were awful. That is when you suggested we drink our dinner."
"Yes, yes I am afraid I did." Kate said embarrassed by the memory. She had gotten so drunk she had taken her bikini off and danced nude on the beach until Tom had grabbed her to take her upstairs. She had kissed him when he grabbed and carried her to a towel under the pilings of the house and made love to her. Their eyes met for a long moment as the memory seemed to flow directly between them. Kate held his eyes letting her mind go back to the wonderful sensations of two young lovers making love on the beach. Tom cleared his voice and said.
"Want to have some drinks on the deck? It is a beautiful night."
"Sounds wonderful."
"Another martini or some more wine."
"Wine please." Kate said walking out onto the deck. It was a beautiful cool Florida November. Her phone in her back pocket went off again. She had been ignoring it but Tom was still in the kitchen opening a new bottle. She glanced at it and saw it was Michael again. She turned it off and slipped it back into pocket. That could wait until another time.
Tom came out with a freshly opened bottle and two glasses. He poured them both glasses.
"Would mind if I got out of these boots and put my feet up?" Kate said.
"Sure. I don't think I have ever seen you in shoes this long anyway."
Kate was leaning over to unzip the boots when he said it. "Is that it right?"
"Well what can you expect from a poor girl from the sticks of North Carolina."
"This is said to me by a surfing bum."
"More glamorous than trailer trash."
Kate shot him a bird. The quite was suddenly broken by a child's voice.
"Papa, papa where are you?"
"Out here sweetie." Then he looked at Kate. "Shit. I should have arranged for you to meet them long before now. Are you ready for this?"
"Do I have a choice?"
They heard Carri's footsteps as she ran out to the deck.
"Papa." Carri said and jumped into his lap. Then she saw Kate and smiled.
"Hi, Kate."
"Hi sweetie."
Another voice came from the front of the house. "Sorry Dad. She jumped out of the car and ran in here before we could stop her. She was telling us some strange story about you and some actress. We thought we find out what was going...."
He stopped dead in tracks when he saw Tom and Kate with Carri on the deck.
"Danny what are you.." Karen said. She too was frozen with the shock of seeing someone famous sitting barefoot on her father-in-law's deck.
"Sorry guys. I should have given you some warning. I would like you to meet Kate Newhouse a very old friend of mine."
"She is Papa's girlfriend." Carri chimed in.
Tom and Kate laughed at her comment. Danny and Karen stood there silently, then looked at one another too stunned to speak. Then Danny smiled and held out his hand.
"It is nice to meet you Ms. Newhouse."
"Kate; please. It is nice to meet you. Your father has told me so much about you. And you must be Karen. It is so nice to meet you too."
Karen smiled but did not say anything. Kate knew she was still sizing up the situation with a woman's eye.
"I guess I owe you two an explanation." Tom said.
"Yes, I think you do." Karen said her eyes moving from one to the other. Kate did not miss Karen's measured tone.
Tom began and with the help of Kate and Carri they told their story. He had never talked about Vietnam or those years with Danny. Some of it was hard to tell, but Tom was able to get through the rough parts with the help of Carri and Kate. Karen listened silently her eyes moving from Tom to Kate as they told the story. Kate watched Karen closely this was a woman who was skeptical and was closely guarding her family and their happiness. She knew exactly what she was thinking, who was this woman and would she disrupt what was obviously a very happy family.
"So that is where we are now. And as they say in the movies that is when you guys walked in the door."
"Quite a story Dad. I think I am going to need another beer to digest all of that." Danny said.
Tom stood and walked into the kitchen with Danny and Carri in tow. Karen and Kate did not say anything, and it was soon apparent by the laughter coming from the kitchen, that they were going to stay a while. Karen pointed to Kate's cigarettes and said.
"Can I bum one of those?"
Kate was glad she asked because she was nervous but had been trying not to smoke. It gave her a good excuse.
"Sure." Kate lit Karen's cigarette then her own.
"Daddy, Mommy is smoking again." Carri said from the French doors and headed back in the house.
"I've quit but I still have one now and then. She gets upset with me."
"I understand. She is quite a girl. Very, very smart."
"Thank you. I have a question I would like to ask you." Karen said.
Her it comes Kate thought.
"Shoot."
"What are you doing with Tom? He is not some rich man or an actor. He is a good man, who has lived a good life in spite of a lousy marriage. He has had very few women in his life over the years, and he is certainly not in your league. So what is the story?"
"You heard the story. I am lucky to be in his life, not the other way around. All the stuff you read in the tabloids has made me appreciate the kind of man he is. They are rare, and I am lucky to have found him again. Nothing is going on between us except some reminiscing about old times."
Karen was silent for a moment then said.
"Ok. I'll accept that for what you say. But he has been like a father to me. My own father and mother were both drunks. I am lucky to have found Danny, and Tom has been a bonus. I guess I am concerned that you are going to do something that makes him unhappy. If he is unhappy then that is going to make all of us unhappy."
Kate liked this young woman, she was as straightforward and honest as anyone she had ever met. She was protecting her family from someone who might be a threat, and she wanted to make sure she had her say. Kate smiled.
"If I do anything to hurt him, you can do your worst to me, because I would deserve it. I am not about to screw what we have now. And if you think I am, I want you to come to me and we will have a woman to woman talk."
"Fair enough." Karen said.
Kate was not sure Karen was completely convinced yet, but before she could say anything Danny walked out with a beer for Karen. They spent the evening talking on the deck while Carri watched a movie. Tom even brought out the pictures of Vietnam and the one of them together. By the end of the evening they were all laughing together. It had been a very good evening but Kate could still feel Karen hold back her judgment. She would not be easily won over. Over the next couple of weeks they had several dinners together both at Tom's place and the kids. Kate felt she had made real progress with Karen.
CHAPTER 53
Tom wearily walked into his house. Gaby came bounding up to meet him. Karen had dropped her off on her way to work as usua
l.
"Morning girl." He said rubbing her ears.
He tossed the bag he took to work each shift on the floor of the bedroom and stripped out of his uniform. It still smelled of the last fire they had last night, really this morning, it had come in at two o'clock. It had been a long shift with two fires and a myriad of other calls; if he had gotten two hours sleep he would be surprised. He climbed into the shower letting the hot water slowly wash away twenty-four hours of sweat and grime. He had to shampoo his hair twice before he could get most of the smoke smell out, his record was four times before he finally could get it out and it still wasn't completely gone. He toweled off then brushed his teeth. He threw on some boxers and closed the blinds making the room almost completely dark and climbed into bed. Gaby jumped up and settled in beside him. He was asleep in minutes.
The phone ringing woke him. Groggily he looked at his watch it was close to two in the afternoon. He had been asleep since eight that morning and he still felt tired. It was taking him longer and longer to recover from the all nighters. He was beginning to feel his age. He reached for the phone.
"Hello." Tom mumbled into the phone.
"Tom is that you?" Kate said.
"Who is this?"
"Tom its Kate. Are you all right?"
"Yeah, yeah. I was asleep. It was a long shift last night. What's going on?"
"Tom its Jack."
Tom sat up in bed immediately awake.
"He's had a heart attack. He is in intensive care." Kate said.
"Shit. Any other details?"
"No. Gretchen called and said the doctor told her that anyone who cared about him should get there as soon as possible."
That did not sound good Tom thought.
"Look the studio is sending a plane for me and Rachel. I thought you would like to come too."
"Of course. Thanks Kate."
"It is due to pick us up at the private side of the airport around six or seven this evening. Tom I am so scared."
"Look at his age these things can be as minor as a cold for all sorts of reasons. I treated enough of them. Try and hold on to some good thoughts. He has no previous history and the last time he went in for a check up he got a clear bill of health. I'll meet you at the airport. I've got to make some phone calls to make. I need to arrange for some time off and get the kids to take care of Gaby."
"Do you need a car to pick you up?" Kate said.
"No Kate. I worked at the airport for a while. I know exactly where everything is I will meet you there. Just hang on and try not to worry too much until we have the whole story."
Tom pulled into the parking lot next to the private jet side of the airport. He parked his ten-year-old pick-up truck next to the Mercedes, Cadillac's and Hummers that seemed to fill the parking lot and climbed out. He grabbed his bags out of the back of the pick-up and walked into the lobby. A pretty receptionist took one look at him and frowned. That is when Tom realized he should have dressed a little more like someone about to get on a private jet. He wore an old Hawaiian shirt, blue jeans, tennis shoes and a fire department baseball cap on the back of his head.
"Can I help you?" the receptionist said in a cold tone.
"Yeah, I am here to catch a flight."
"Which flight?"
"Not sure of the number but it is the one from Kate Newhouse's studio. The name is Ballard, Tom Ballard."
The receptionist took a long look at him then glanced down at the manifest for some time. She shuffled through several papers that looked like manifest and passenger lists.
"I am sorry I don't see your name on the manifest or a passenger list."
"I guess she didn't have time to put me on. Can I wait here?"
"No sir. The lobby is for passengers and their guests. You'll have to wait outside."
Tom started to say something and realized this little girl was just doing her job. If he wasn't on the manifest then he couldn't stay.
"Got it."
Tom walked out to his truck, climbed in and put the seat back. Just one more example of how different their worlds were, he thought and he closed his eyes. He was still tired from last night. He was soon asleep.
"Tom, Tom wake up."
Groggily Tom opened his eyes. Kate was shaking his shoulder through the open window.
"Hey, I must have fallen asleep." Tom said.
"What are you doing out here we've been looking for you for twenty minutes? The plane is waiting on us."
Tom stretched and slipped out of the cab, he grabbed for his bags from the back of the truck.
"I wasn't on the manifest and they said the lobby was for passengers and guests only. So I was out of luck. I got some sleep out here though."
"Goddamn it." Kate snapped and turned on her heel and strode back into the building outdistancing Tom. Tom followed her still trying to wake up. When he walked into the terminal he was surprised at what he saw. Kate had the receptionist cringing as she read her the riot act.
"Goddamn it; how do you think he knew I was going to be here for a studio plane if I didn't tell him you little idiot?"
"But he wasn't on the list and I...."
"You what? What!" Kate said raising her voice.
Rachel was standing back. She knew not to try and stop Kate once she got started. She looked down at her feet.
"Kate enough." Tom snapped.
Kate stopped in mid sentence. Rachel looked up she had never seen Kate stopped by anyone once she lost her temper. Kate looked over her shoulder at Tom.
"Kate she was just doing her job. Following rules that are meant to protect people like you from the crazies. Like me."
Kate tried not to smile but she did anyway. It snapped her out of her anger. Rachel could only stare in awe, no one stopped Aunt Kate once she got her back up.
"Look we need to get out of here so we can see Jack. We're wasting time. I shouldn't have fallen asleep. Let's get on board." Tom said.
Kate face relaxed. She looked at the girl and said.
"Sweetie I'm sorry as my friend here said you were only doing your job. An old friend of ours is critically ill and we are flying out to see him. I am not myself."
The girl looked down then glanced at Tom.
"Sorry sir."
"No problem."
Then she turned to Kate and said.
"I hope your friend is all right."
Kate gave her a sad smile and said.
"Me too dear. Thank you."
Tom followed Kate and Rachel out to the plane.
CHAPTER 54
Somewhere over Midwest America
"Can I get you something?" the flight attendant said politely.
"Yeah. A beer would be nice."
"What kind of beer?"
"Anything would be fine." Tom said.
The similarities between when they first met and today were too many to ignore. A night flight across the country with something difficult and emotional waiting for them at the end of the flight, it was almost as if they were reenacting that time in '68. For Tom it was a big change from the way he had been treated on that flight so many years ago. The seats were wide and covered in black leather. They swiveled allowing Tom to turn and face Kate. A small table came out of the bulkhead and had snacks already waiting for them. He had been on several of these private jets in familiarization tours in case one crashed, but he had never flown in one. Kate had been very quite since the episode with the counter girl. Tom could feel her fear for Jack. It was palpable.
"Miss Heywood."
"Vodka tonic with a lime please. Make it a double."
Tom looked at her.
"Are you alright?"
"No Tommy, I'm not. The thought of losing Jack, well it terrifies me."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Don't count him out yet. He is a tough guy."
"Tommy he has smoked like a chimney his whole life and I don't want to think about how much he has drunk. He is not exactly the model of healthy living."
"It is all about the ge
nes. I've seen patients who have lived harder than he ever thought about living well into their eighties. He's got a lot of life left in him. So take a deep breath and try not to worry."
"That easy for you to say. This is your job. I don't have a frame of reference."
"Then trust me kiddo."
Kate just looked at him. Then stared back out at the night sky. Tom knew how she felt; he did not like the fact that he was in Intensive Care. If they could they would already have had him in surgery fixing what was wrong. He must not be stable enough to get him in OR. She was right to be concerned but he did know the old a adage a doctor told him long ago in paramedic training, there are some patients who will die no matter what you do, there will be patients who will live no matter what you did right or wrong, then there is a small subset that you could affect their outcome dramatically by knowing what you were doing and providing the right treatment. So you treat them all the same because you don't know who you are treating until it is too late. He hoped Jack was the type that would live no matter what. The flight attendant brought their drinks and they sipped in silence for sometime. Kate finally broke the silence.
"Were you able to make all the arrangements you needed to?" Kate said. "It was pretty short notice."
"Yeah, I called Danny and Karen and they are going to take care of Gaby. She'll stay with them Carri will love it. Gaby always sleeps on her bed." A smile flashed across his face as he remembered what the big Golden and his little grand daughter looked like all crammed into her little single bed.
"Did you ever try to explain 60's and what is was like for us back then?" Kate asked.
"No. How do you explain the Sixties? Vietnam, Civil Rights, Riots, Hard Hats, Hippies, the Draft, free love, drugs, riots in the cities all rolling around on the table at the same time. I lived through it just like you and I find it hard to believe some of the events and we lived through them. It was a unique time to live," Tom said.