by J.T. Lewis
“Sharpshooter,” She replied like that was an everyday occurrence for someone to ask.
“I’ve got a plan,” I said, hiding my lack of confidence in the thoughts swirling in my head. “If I draw his fire, can you spray the area of his muzzle flash, empty your clip if you have to?”
“Sure Gabe,” she responded worriedly, “but can you do it…safely?”
“Don’t know,” I said, the confidence in my voice not accurately reflecting what I was feeling, “but we gotta do something.”
“Give it up Gabriel; you’re only prolonging the inevitable. I’ve got a car waiting to take me out of this Godforsaken part of the country, kind of a vacation if you will.”
Another laugh…this guy really thought he was clever.
An added concern crossed my mind right then, one that I may not have a chance to mention later if things went badly.
Looking over at Abby, I whispered, “If we get out of this, there are some things we need to discuss.”
A half smile crossed her lips, worried, yet relieved.
“I guess I shoulda known that you would have figured it out.”
She looked worried again, “I wasn’t…”
Holding my hand up to stop her, I cocked my ear; I was hearing movement.
“He’s on the move; get ready.”
I held my dirty hand out, taking Abby’s quickly in mine. Moving my face close to hers, I looked her in the eyes through the darkness.
“Thanks for finding me, kid,” I said simply before planting a quick kiss onto her forehead.
A worried smile returned to her face as I let go of her hand. Sliding the colt into my waistband at my back and laying on my side, I gently pried at the edge of the top table of the stack, sliding my fingers under the edge. Pulling my knees up under me, I prayed that I could jump up quickly enough as I tensed my muscles to move.
“Are you sure this will work?”
“No, I’m not Abby,” I whispered as I readied myself to go. “But we have a saying around here, and it really seems to fit at this moment.”
She snickered in spite of herself, looking over at me with that grin I had grown so fond of.
“And what would that be?” she asked as I lifted the edge of the table slightly higher, ready to spring.
“Hold my beer and watch this!” I grunted as I sprang up, yelling loudly while pulling up the table and carrying it like a shield as I attempted to noisily run over the piles of tables to my left…drawing his fire…(3)
***
We had been close ever since, the adventures that we had shared cementing our relationship like no other.
She smiled as she patted my hand, “You still have a long time to thank me dad…you’ve still got a lot of living left in you!”
I had led a busy life, and had many adventures. I had spent most of my life as a detective, and in fact had just finished a case less than a year ago. I believed that to be my last however, and told her so.
“Maybe,” Abby said with an unbelieving look on her face, “Unless they ask you again.”
I had to smile, if anyone was crazy enough to ask this old man to help solve a mystery, I suppose I would at least have to think about it.
As I gazed at my amazing daughter, I realized that she still looked much younger than her actual age. Her hair was still mostly dark, having only lately started to sprout some gray strands along the front around her face. Her creaseless features still turned heads when she walked down the street, as she was routinely mistaken for someone in their forties.
“You know I’m just marking time kid,” I continued with a weary smile. “I’m way past the point where I should expect to wake up on any given morning.”
“Oh!...shut up old man,” Abby said with a tear in her eye. “You…oh…just shut up!”
She pulled out a tissue, dabbing at her eyes as her words escaped her.
“Listen Abby, I need to say something…I need you to promise me something.”
“I’ll try dad…what is it?”
Another sniffle.
“I know you don’t want to talk about this, about me moving on and all, but I’ve got something eating at me.”
I leaned forward anxiously. “I’ve led a good life…some would say a fantastic life. I’ve had some pretty major luck, and made a few mistakes along the way too. And you’ve been there with me a lot of the time.”
A smile crossed her face then, nodding in agreement.
“I sure have Gabe. I couldn’t have asked for a better life.”
“These kids of yours,” I continued, “their life will be tame compared to ours. And I’m not saying that they should try to do anything like we did. But I think it may be important to them one day to know what we did do with our lives. Your kids and grandkids…they need to know what a fantastic woman you are!”
“You mean was don’t you dad? I don’t do that stuff anymore, remember? Besides, it’s you that they need to know more about…I’m always telling them the stories…”
“I wrote it down.”
“Wrote what down dad? Some of the cases?”
“Everything,” I said leaning back in my chair, suddenly very tired. “I wrote it all down. My whole life until the time you entered it; and both of our adventures after that.”
Abby was shocked. “I had no idea dad, where is it?”
“There are a whole bunch of journals, in the old safe in the floor of your old room.” I leaned back into my chair again tiredly. “Remember my grandpa’s old journal?”
Abby nodded with a smile. “I certainly do, you showed it to me on the plane from South America…remember? It was the first thing I ever touched that gave me a feeling of having a history…a connection with the past…a family. But I haven’t seen that in years…is it still around?”
“It’s in there with the rest…I need you to do something though. I think it’s important.”
“Certainly dad, anything I can do.”
“I’d like you to share them…copy them someway, or type them up. Give them to your kids, your grandkids. Let them know where they came from. They are good people, but they need to know their history. It’s a lot to ask…”
“It’s not too much to ask Gabe, I will be happy to do it, maybe May will help me, she’s a pretty good writer if you’ll remember.”
I grinned at her statement, her daughter May was a best selling author of crime fiction. Besides Abby, I was probably closer to May than any of my offspring. We had even had a few adventures of our own when she was younger. (4)
May had been named after my second wife, my best friend from childhood. Abby adored her, and they had formed a very close bond from the second they met.
My friend May’s husband had been killed overseas a couple of years after Betty’s death. After a time, when we were both ready to once more share our love with another, our renewed friendship developed into something more…
***
We had just finished a case, solving the murder of May’s first husband…
May stayed where she was, and I would swear that she was averting her eyes from me as she busied herself with smoothing her slacks…slacks that already looked freshly pressed.
Crap, I thought, knowing something was going on, but sure the hell not knowing what it was. I sighed inwardly.
Women!
“It’s a beautiful day today May,” I finally got out. “Would you like to take a walk through the garden?”
Not responding immediately, I thought at first she hadn’t heard me until she rose from the chair and then gave me a smile as she nodded her head.
“That sounds great,” she replied as she walked toward me. Turning, I led her through the kitchen, holding the back door open for her as she went through.
She relaxed visibly when she reached the garden, taking in the plants as we slowly made our way around the yard. But there was still something off, and I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“May?”
“Hmm?”
“We’ve been friends an awful long time you know.”
She looked at me with a smile, “Yes we have Gabe, but everybody here already knows that.”
She giggled then, a little of her normal charm finally showing through.
“So what’s wrong?” I asked, diving into the proverbial deep end with my eyes closed.
Her smile disappeared as she turned and once more and continued walking slowly along the plants.
“Nothing,” she sighed, “I just need to stay out of it…it’s really none of my concern.”
I reached out and clasped my hand on her shoulder, gently turning her to face me.
“You are my oldest and dearest friend May,” I started, even though a big part of me wanted me to shut up. “If you can’t talk to me, who could you talk to?”
Raising her hand to her shoulder, she clasped my hand in hers for a few seconds as she looked into my eyes silently. Pulling my hand down, she also wrapped her other around mine and leaned close as she started walking among the plants once more.
“I’m just worried about you is all,” she said quietly as she leaned into me closer. “This thing you are getting ready to do, I guess I don’t totally understand why you are doing it…it sounds so…unreal.”
I wasn’t sure what to say at that point, so I remained quiet as we walked on.
Suddenly, May stopped and turned toward me, looking up at me with tears forming in her pale blue eyes.
“I think I’m falling in love with you.”
She immediately dropped her head, shaking it while bringing her hand up and wrapping it over her eyes.
“Dammit,” she said angrily, “I swore to myself that I wouldn’t say that.”
Too surprised to talk, I placed my hands on her shoulders and pulled her closer, or at least tried to before she pushed me away again.
“Don’t do that Gabe; I don’t want your pity.”
Still speechless and losing the battle quickly, I watched as May started to walk away from me. At the last second, I reached out and caught her shoulder, spinning her around and pulling her to me quickly.
Shocked, she looked up at me, embarrassed and ready to tell me to let her go… when I kissed her.
I kissed her, and then I kissed her again. Then I pulled her even closer and did it once more, threading my fingers into her hair as we lost ourselves in each other.
Pulling away slightly to catch my breath, our noses still touching, tears streaming down her face from closed eyes, I whispered to my old friend.
“Did that feel like pity?” (5)
***
The friendship that never let us get romantically involved when we were younger now brought us together again for a second chance. We shared a glorious life together for over twenty years before she too left this world to join her soul mate.
“Probably pretty boring stuff to an accomplished author like her,” I continued as I closed my heavy eyes.
“Why am I so damn tired today?”
“I’ll make sure to fill May in on the emotions involved in the stories dad, and maybe some background here and there. It won’t be boring…trust me!”
I nodded my head while keeping my eyes closed.
“So tired kid…think I need a nap.”
“Ok dad, we’ll hold off on the cake for awhile…you get some rest.”
I felt her lean over my chair and kiss my forehead before moving her mouth to my ear. “I’m very proud to be your daughter Gabriel Celtic. I love you.”
I smiled and nodded slightly as I felt sleep overtaking me. “Ditto kid!” I whispered as I nodded off.
***
I strode into the room and breathed in the warm air tinged of wood smoke. I enjoyed coming to the room even more these last couple of years, as my body had no pains or creaks here. I headed over to my old comfy chair, almost an exact replica of the one in my living room. In fact, over the years, my living room had been slowly transformed to look exactly like this room. The room of my dreams.
I had been coming to this room in my dreams for most of my life. In it, I had always felt relaxed and safe. I had also been given clues here for many of my most important cases.
I grabbed the steaming coffee off of the table and greedily gulped down some of the hot brew. The cup of course refilled itself when I set it on the table for a moment. I never tired of that little bonus.
It had been said that this room was my vision of heaven.
I believed it!
I was just starting to look over at the chess set that was always beside me when I heard…”Hello Gabriel.”
I stopped…everything. I think my heart even stopped for a moment before it happily started beating again in my chest.
“Betty!”
I leaped out of the seat and ran across the room in a flash. Betty’s gorgeous smile was glowing as I fell into her arms, lifting her and spinning her around as she squealed in delight.
Betty…my wife…the true love of my life!
Setting her down, I drank her in with my eyes…she was as lovely as ever.
“Why now? Why can I see you again after all of these years?” I asked through tears of joy. “How long do I have…are you going to disappear again?”
We had talked in this room just that one time, shortly after her death. I had felt her with me many times since, but had never again seen her here.
“No. I’m not going anywhere Gabe,” she said as she stroked my cheek with the back of her hand. “I’m here with you…for eternity.”
“You mean…?”
“Yes, you have done enough. I told you before that the angel said that there was more for you to do. Well, you’ve done it. It’s time for you to join me…I hope you don’t have any regrets.”
My heart was beating loudly in my chest as I looked upon my angel. Taking her left hand in my right, and putting my hand on her hip, I moved my mouth close to her ear.
“May I have this dance?”
***
“Mom?”
“Yes May,” Abby said from the kitchen.
May Celtic-Jones had always had a wild imagination when she needed it. An author needed such tools to be a good writer, but she wasn’t imagining what she saw before her now.
“I think you had better get in here!”
Abby was wiping her hands on a dishtowel when she entered the living room.
“What’s the matter May…you sound like you’ve seen a …oh my.”
The scene she saw before her was at the very least, unexpected. At most it was bizarre!
Her dad was dancing around the room with a huge grin on his face. Moving like a man fifty years younger than his age, he seemed to be carrying on a conversation as he waltzed around the room.
“Do you know what’s going on?” May asked in wonder as she watched her grandfather lightly stepping around the furniture of the room.
Abby was in awe of what she was seeing as other members of the family eventually filtered their way into the room. Everyone was amazed at the sight before them, and quietly watched in wonder.
Suddenly, a smile crossed Abby’s face as a tear slowly made its way down her cheek.
“I may have an inkling,” she whispered.
It had to be Betty! She was so happy for her father…he had been waiting to see his love for so long.
At the same time, a sadness enveloped her like she had never experienced before, tugging at her heart like it was trying to rip it out. She knew what this had to mean.
A sob escaped her as she quickly covered her mouth with a hankie, biting her lip to quiet her sorrow.
“Mom? What is it?”
***
“I’ve missed you so much!” I whispered into Betty’s ear. “It seems like a lifetime!”
She tightened her arm around my neck as she cooed with contentment.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she mumbled back as she laid the side of her face on my chest.
“I can’t say this is how I figured the day would go when I woke up this mo
rning,” I grinned before pulling her chin up and looking into her eyes with a smile.
“But I’m not complaining.”
***
Abby couldn’t answer her daughter’s question. She was so sad; she wasn’t able to do anything. They had been inseparable for fifty years…she had found so much more than a father when she had found him.
But she knew that his greatest regret in this world had been the loss of Betty, and it seemed that she had finally come back to get him. Abby was beside herself…he must be so happy at this moment, and here she was regretting the moment.
Nodding imperceptibly, she seemed to make a decision.
“It’s a celebration May, a celebration of your grandfather’s life.”
With that, Abby slowly started to clap her hands in applause. Standing next to her, May hesitated momentarily, looking at her mom’s face in wonder. Turning again toward her grandfather, she too joined in. Slowly others of the family joined the celebration; some of the younger ones adding lively calls and whistles as they shamelessly honored their grandfather.
***
“Someone appreciates your dancing,” Betty said smiling as the far off sound of applause filtered into the quiet room.
I hadn’t been paying any attention, but easily heard the noise now.
“I guess that’s my daughter Abby and the clan,” I said in wonderment. Looking back at Betty, “I wish you could have met her, you would have really liked her.”
“You forget that I’ve been around Gabe. I have met her…sort of. And I do like her immensely! I couldn’t be happier that you two found each other!”
I smiled at that, I felt as though I would never be wanting for a smile again.
Looking over her shoulder, Betty nodded and then looked back at me.
“It’s time Gabriel.”
“Did I ever mention that I love you?” I asked with a twinkle in my eye?
A giggle escaped Betty’s lips before she said, “Back at cha buddy!”
Taking my hand then, she led me back to my chair, pushing me down gently and holding my hand as everything faded to white.
***
Suddenly, the dancing stopped as Gabe walked over to his chair and sat down. In that last moment, he sought out Abby’s eyes with his own. They twinkled momentarily as they communicated one last message of love before he finally uttered only… “Wow!”
Closing his eyes then, his head rolled slightly to the side, a contented smile lasting on his lips.