Falcon Song: A love story

by Cross, Kristin

  She walked out of that office both sad and amazed. She hadn’t really had time to plan what she was going to do next. Apparently John had helped her decide after all.

  After a tearful farewell to Amber, Kate put Kennen into his car seat and then took the rest of her things and her sad heart and this time, she headed for the Oklahoma state line, praying as she drove, “Father, help me to make a new start out there, please. I’ve learned so much from John. Help me to build on that and make a stable home for my son.”

  ***

  The solution to Jason’s drinking binge, when it finally came, was far more simple than Cody had ever dreamed and he was almost kicking himself that he hadn’t realized it several months sooner. One night as he dragged a mean and drunk Jason into his Jeep, he said sadly, half to himself, “Geez, Kate would be so disappointed, Jason. She’d take one look at you and know she’d made the right decision to go. She probably knows she was right to leave, but I’ll bet her heart is breaking seeing what you’re doing to yourself. She thought you were the strongest charactered man on the planet.”

  That’s all he said. And in truth, he didn’t realize for a couple of days that Jason had even understood what he’d said. But when he stopped by to get him to meet the tour bus two days later, Jason opened the door with clear, bright emerald eyes for the first time in months. Cody just looked at him, stunned. And then the two friends who had been friends forever embraced as Cody said, “Welcome back, dude! I’ve missed you.”

  Chapter 20

  Having the cold sober Jason back was actually a new experience for Cody. They’d never both been designated drivers at the same time and frankly, with neither of them drinking, the bars and clubs held absolutely no allure for either of them. Almost at a loose end for a little while, they begin to try different ways to get high than chemicals that came in liquid form.

  They considered sky diving and then decided a less than perfect ending could put a definite kink in the band that was selling more albums than ever and decided to keep thinking. They tried everything from technical rock climbing, to bungee jumping off of some insanely high bridge in South America, to bull riding up in Wyoming at a gig they were doing there.

  After attempting to ride the bulls, they moved that idea over into the more guts than brains column and limped back home to Oklahoma to try something more along the lines of extra spicy Mexican food for a while. That was about all they were up to while their bones and backsides healed.

  It was actually something relatively innocuous that nearly got them. Nearly got Cody at least. Cody almost drowned and then almost bled to death. Jason just almost died of trying to save him.

  They’d decided to learn to kayak on the Cimarron River north of Oklahoma City near a small town named, ironically enough, Stillwater. It wasn’t supposed to be dangerous and even their guides had been surprised to come around a bend and find that the sleepy river had risen due to overnight rains until there was quite a rapid up ahead.

  Even as they approached the rapid, Jason and Cody hadn’t been too concerned. They’d done this a couple of times now and even knew how to right the kayaks if they somehow rolled one. What they didn’t know was that usually white water kayakers wore helmets to protect their heads in case they rolled a craft in the rapids.

  It all happened so fast Jason wasn’t even sure what had occurred, he just knew that Cody’s boat had gone over and it wasn’t turning back upright and it had been way too long in that swirling black water. Jason had known he was watching his friend die and paddled like a mad man and then bailed out of his own kayak and dove under Cody’s.

  It had taken everything he had to right that boat and drag it to shore and roughly rip Cody out of the apron. He’d started CPR and although it had only been a few moments until Cody began to breathe, it had felt like a lifetime of praying for all he was worth and literally willing his friend to inhale. The two guides had arrived and they took over while Jason tried stop the bleeding of a gash on the top of Cody’s head where he’d apparently hit a rock at just the wrong moment. It was a few minutes that made you stop and think about how you were doing in this thing called life. That was for sure.

  By the time they got him life flighted into the hospital in Tulsa, Cody was in bad shape and Jason wasn’t far behind him. Cody had low oxygen saturation, a brain concussion and had bled far too much and they both had hypothermia.

  As Jason sat beside his friend, swathed in heated blankets in the emergency room and watched as a very pretty young trauma surgeon encouraged Cody to relax as she stitched, he breathed a prayer of gratitude. They were a mess, but at least Cody hadn’t died. His complaints were a huge improvement over how lethargic he’d been a short time ago, and how dead he’d seemed while they’d worked to resuscitate him. They had a lot to be thankful for.

  Jason went back to the magazine he’d picked up in the waiting room and in disgust showed it to Cody and the pretty doctor. “Geez, where do they come up with this stuff? Look, Cody I’m being forced into a paternity test with… Mary Ellen Fitzpatrick, whom incidentally, I’ve never met before in my life, but facts aren’t necessarily relevant. And you’re secretly attracted to guys. That’s awful!” Cody merely grunted as the attractive surgeon took another stitch and Jason went on, “I wouldn’t care, but I hate to have Kate see this stuff. She already thinks I’m a player.”

  At that, Cody finally weighed in tiredly, “It could be worse. She could think you’re secretly attracted to guys. Ouch! Save me, Jase. This extremely attractive medical professional is trying to kill me!”

  Jason shook his head. “That’s what you get for having a thing for men. Besides, I’ve already saved your sorry hide once today. What do y’all think I am? You owe me by the way.”

  “No way, Falcon. I’ve hauled your butt out of so many messes these last few months that you’ll be in my debt forever. Y’all probably owe me your first born by now.”

  Jason handed him the magazine. “Well, there you have it then. It seems I have one out in Nevada. Actually, from what I’ve read, that’s like my fifth. An amazing feat for a man who is deeply committed to celibacy. But don’t worry. If it’s printed, you can trust it.”

  Cody groaned and Jason grinned. “She a bit rough on the fragile little guitarist?”

  “No. I’m groaning at the thought of having to deal with five of your kids.”

  Jason was more tired than he ever remembered being by the time he got home that night and was able to get a shower and finally warm up. What an awful experience. Somehow he didn’t think kayaking would ever be his and Cody’s hot button.

  Sitting in Cody’s hospital room the next day, watching his still-slightly-looped-from-his-concussion friend hassle that same doctor, he had to wonder if Cody hadn’t found a different new hot button. He’d never seen Cody act like this. But then he’d never seen Cody interact with a drop dead gorgeous Harvard Medical School trained surgeon either. It was positively enlightening.

  ***

  Kate found a small house on a quiet street on the outskirts of Tulsa, not far from the restaurant John had bequeathed her and began to slowly furnish it as she and Kennen got settled in. John had been right. Being a widow now, instead of an unwed mother, was perfectly respectable and she was able to go to church and not worry about fitting in or being a poor example. That respectability was truly a priceless gift. A nice looking man there had even shown an interest in Kate already. Not that she cared, but at least she knew she wasn’t a leper.

  The restaurant was well run and profitable and Kate didn’t have to do much but look in on it from time to time and sign the checks and she found that being able to focus on being a mom and watching her son grow was another of John’s gifts. He’d been so thoughtful to help her be able to not have the regrets he had had.

  She was out in the yard putting together a prefab sand box with Kennen when she looked up to see the little girl from next door looking through the chain link fence. She was the same age as Kennen and had white blonde hair in tin
y, curly piggy tails with baby blue ribbons in them that matched the trim on her little overalls. Kate took Kennen’s hand and walked over to the fence and said, “Hey, there, Gretchen. What are you doing today?” Gretchen replied only by putting a finger in her mouth and looking up at Kate with big, trusting eyes.

  Kennen let go of Kate’s hand and toddled closer to the fence and reached his little hand through to hold onto Gretchen’s. Kate felt something tug at her heart when she remembered how she and the first Kennen had been. They’d been even younger than this when they’d become fast friends.

  She left Kennen there and returned to her project. She only had to set the boards in place and tighten the screws and then she could begin dumping in the bags of sand.

  ***

  Cody held the door to his Jeep open for Dr. Jennika Andrus to get out and almost felt a bit silly that he was enjoying her this much. He was going grocery shopping with her and it was the most romantic thing he could ever remember doing. He gave himself a wry smile and wondered if that meant the brain concussion had never healed or if he was just losing it all the way around. Either way, he was just fine with it. Finding her had been well worth nearly dying day before she stitched him back together.

  When Jennika reached for his hand as they started to walk in, he decided he must be losing it. There was no other excuse for how happy simply holding a beautiful, intelligent, dynamic, poised, articulate, competent and graceful woman’s hand could make him feel. He grinned again. If Jason could see him now, he’d get an upset stomach. He was that pathetic. Jennika turned and gave him a smile and something in his heart did this little hiccup thing. Yup, Jason would wanna hurl.

  They’d selected such romantic and alluring things as a gallon of skim milk, pork chops and dish soap, and were just looking for crackers when Cody could suddenly swear he could hear Kate talking. He shook his head and went back to the Wheat Thins, then he heard it again and this time the hair on the back of his neck began to prickle. Not only was it Kate’s voice, but she was talking to someone named Kennen. Maybe his brain concussion really had left permanent damage. The only person he’d ever heard named Kennen before in his life was Jason’s younger brother who had died when they were teenagers.

  All thoughts of snack crackers gone, Cody walked around the corner of the grocery aisle to see who sounded so much like Kate. When he got into the cereal aisle and realized it really was Kate, he couldn’t even believe it. She reached up for a box of Cheerio’s and then nearly dropped them when he spoke her name, “Kate. Is it really you?”

  She whirled around and put a hand to her chest and he apologized for scaring her. She gave him a small, sad smile and moved closer to her cart as she said, “Cody! What are you doing here? Just decided to cruise on up to Tulsa and do a little marketing?”

  He gave her a grin that he knew was ridiculously happy and nodded. “Actually, yeah. I have a friend who lives here who keeps me coming back and we thought grocery shopping sounded absolutely romantic. As soon as she finishes deciding which crackers are the healthiest and go with smoked salmon, she’ll be right here.”

  Jennika’s silky voice from the next aisle over said, “I heard that.”

  He laughed and asked, “What are you doing Kate? Y’all here in Tulsa to market as well?”

  For just a second she looked guilty and he wondered what was going on and then he heard a little voice and realized she had a baby in her cart and she had stepped in front of it when he’d walked up. He wondered what was going on as Jennika came around the corner.

  He introduced them and then as they spoke briefly, Cody nonchalantly walked forward as if he was going to pick out some cereal and stopped in his tracks. There strapped into the front of her cart was a miniature Jason, right down to the raging green eyes and firm lower lip. Under his breath he whispered, “Holy sh…” Jason had a kid!

  He struggled for composure and then did his best to go back to small talking as he introduced his Jennika to Jason’s Kate. Jennika knew exactly who Kate was. She’d heard about her a few times and Kate smiled a huge smile as Cody admitted to having been smitten as Dr. Jennika had tortulated him with surgical instruments. The two women laughed good naturedly at his expense as he struggled to wrap his brain around what he had just seen.

  He was still so shocked he almost missed Kate hesitantly admitting to Jennika that her husband had recently passed away. At that, he did a double take and Kate got wary. He saw that old pain in her eyes as she began to edge away and said, “It was so nice to meet you, Dr. Jennika. Whatever y’all did to his head, it worked. I’ve never seen him like this. Take care, Cody.”

  With that, she pushed her cart around the corner and Cody finally came unglued. He grabbed Jennika’s hand and whispered, “C’mon. We have to go.” Jennika looked at him a bit strangely and then willingly followed him to the check out counter where there was another magazine with a story about Jason’s untrue escapades. Cody turned it around, paid for Jennika’s groceries and hurried out of the store.

  ***

  Someone began to pound on Jason’s door and didn’t stop until Jason opened it up with a snarl, “All right! All right! Y’all don’t have to break it down! Cody, what the… What are you doing?”

  Cody came in and shut the door and said almost intensely, “Sit down, Jason. I need to tell you something.”

  Jason looked at him like he’d lost it and then obediently sat down on his guitar stool. “Ok, I’m sitting.”

  Cody let out a huge breath and said, “Dude, you’ve got a kid!”

  Jason rolled his eyes and waved a hand. “I don’t even know who it is this time, Rawlings, but it’s not mine. I swear it. They’re lying. I was an idiot with the booze. I admit it, but I’ve never been with anyone and you know it. Well. Anyone but Kate that one time. It’s just another story.”

  “No! You’re not hearing me, man! I’m talking about Kate! She’s got a son! I just saw him not two hours ago!”

  Pain darkened Jason’s eyes and he shook his head. “I’m telling you Cody. He’s not mine. I wish he was. If Kate has a baby, it’s her husband’s. I haven’t been anywhere near her since a year ago last May.”

  Cody grabbed him by the shirt with both hands. “Jason! Listen to me! Listen to what I’m saying! It’s yours! It’s not a baby. Well, not a tiny one. It’s a little boy! Like one or two or something. Named Kennen! With flaming green eyes! Do the math. Kate hasn’t been married that long! And her husband’s dead! She told Jennika, I heard her. Jason, I’m telling you! He’s yours! He’s like a clone! I swear it! Go see for yourself! You can’t miss it. You got a kid, man!”

  Jason stood up and looked at him and then his face blanched and he sat right back down shaking his head. “No.” He kept shaking his head. “No, there was just that one time. We couldn’t have… Kate would never do that to me. I know she was upset, but… No. She would never.” Finally, unable to process this, he asked, “Would Kate really do that to me? Have my baby and never even tell me?”

  “Cut her some slack, Jase. She was pregnant and scared and came to tell you and found you with the beer and another girl. If you were her and had a kid to think about, you’d have walked away too.”

  Cody went to the counter and picked up Jason’s keys and went to hand them to him and then thought better of it. “No. You shouldn’t drive right now. I’ll take you. Y’all want a change or anything?”

  Jason looked down at his button down hanging open over his jeans and bare feet and then shook his head. “I’ll be okay, Cody. Just give me minute to absorb this. Now where is she?”

  “In Tulsa. Damn! I forgot to find out where she lives or anything. We’ll have to ask her mom. Surely she’ll tell you, now that she’s got your kid.”

  Jason shook his head and rolled his eyes. This had rattled Cody almost as much as it had him. “If what you’re saying is true, Cody, then she’s had my kid since that awful night with the champagne. Her mother probably still won’t tell me if Kate hasn’t okayed it.”

&n
bsp; Cody’s face fell and then lit right back up. “Then Kiersten! Kiersten will tell you. She’s a softy. She’s known this was wrong the whole time. Go ask Kiersten!”

  “No. Kiersten would have told me a long time ago if she could have. She’s been sympathetic to me, but she’d promised. But you think Kate acted like she lived there in Tulsa?”

  “Well, yeah, she was grocery shopping with her kid. Your kid. She wouldn’t have him with if she was just there on a business trip.”

  Jason went over to his laptop and Googled Katelyn Birch-Garland. “Maybe after this much time she didn’t bother going unlisted. She knew I would quit trying to find her after I knew she was married.” After a long, pensive moment, a Tulsa address popped onto the screen.

  Jason looked up at Cody and could feel his heart pounding in his throat. Geez, a kid! His mind was racing with a million different thoughts. It had been nearly two years since they’d messed up that night. Cody was watching him and finally asked, “You sure y’all don’t want me to drive you? Finding out you have a kid must be kind of a shock.”

  Jason shook his head and finally smiled. “Ya think? I’ll drive myself. Just give me a year to calm my heart rate and I’ll be fine. I’m more excited than shocked. Do you realize that I know where Kate is and she’s no longer married? You just gave me my life back!”

  Cody looked horrified. “Whoa, Tex. She’s been upset enough with you to hide something this big and not speak to you in I don’t even know how long. Don’t go barging in there and scare her out of the country again!”

  “Give me some credit, Rawlings. I know how much is at stake here. Now get out of my house and let me think.” Cody turned for the door and Jason added, “And Cody?” He turned and looked back. “Thanks. I owe you. But forget about getting my first born.”