by Dave Balcom
Chapter 54
We didn’t have much to say as we drove down U.S. 31 from Traverse City to Ludington. We stopped at a turnout just north of the port city and let Judy relieve herself; then we stopped at a convenience store to fill up our coffee containers, but we didn’t have any conversation.
When we pulled the Suburban into the belly of the Badger, I could tell Jan was in a hurry to be topside, and I didn’t delay her.
I checked to make sure Judy had water, but the temperature in the auto deck was mid-60s and I knew she’d be fine for four hours or so in her cage.
I went upstairs to find Jan, wondering how she was holding up in the aftermath of this adventure. I can recall my own feelings in the wake of action. It’s not the action that hits the nerve endings for most folks; it’s the unnatural quiet after the firefight that chews at the loose ends, gives us time to rethink and second guess.
She was sitting inside the glass-walled cabin, as far forward as you can be, and she had a cup of tea in front of her. It had started to rain but I could tell she was ignoring the rain-streaked windows in front of her.
I had filled my bottle with a mixture of decaf and dark roast. I sat beside her on the bench seat and was careful not to touch her. I could tell she was deep in thought.
Finally she blinked a couple of times and then turned a smile on me; an invitation.
“So how was your reunion?” I asked.
She made a face and nodded; a habit of hers as she weighs an answer. When she finally spoke, her voice and cadence were dreamlike.
“It was great ... then it was not so great ... before it became god-awful ... and then it all turned out pretty great ... I think...”
I touched her hand, and I tried my hardest to show her my best nature with a gentle voice. “From what I’ve heard, that pretty much sums up everybody’s recollection of their class reunion.” I paused. “Right?”
Her lip curled a bit, and she shook her head just the tiniest bit, “Pretty much, lover; probably pretty much.”
-30-
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dave Balcom spent his adult life as an award-winning journalist, writing, editing, and photographing local news and sports for community newspapers in a career that spanned 35 years and eight states. When he was no longer involved in the newspaper business, he turned to Jim Stanton Mysteries to satisfy his passion for writing. He and his wife, Susie, have two happily married children, two grandsons, and a spoiled Yellow Labrador Retriever. Like their heroes, they love the outdoors; foraging, hunting, and fishing at every opportunity.
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