After Kit checked over and over to make sure the call had ended, she just sat there. The crying had stopped and she couldn't believe the peace she was feeling. She took a slow deep breath and decided to take a drive.
Kit had probably by instinct arrived there. It was her refuge many times. She looked around and could almost see, herself as a child. Running and jumping in the waves, chasing her sister and brother, never catching them.....
Kit's mother's family had owned this little cottage for 4 generations. She adored it. This was where she had her first big crush with an older boy, and this is where she wanted to be. She sat on the old rocker, still damp from the morning dew and lulled herself to sleep.
"Hello there stranger". Kit didn't jump, she softly awakened. She knew this voice, although it had grown a little weaker since she had last heard it. "Good morning I say". "Hello Mr. Mallory, how are you"? Kit could see how he was, old and bent over but he still had that twinkle in his eyes, she remembered. "How long has it been since you'Ve come here my dear, I know it's gotta be at least a dozen, but you haven't changed a bit"! "Well neither have you."she lied. "and I think it may only have been a couple of years Mr. Mallory". "Hey, remember what you kids used to call me, I kinda prefer it". "Okay sure, Captain,and why did we call you that, oh oh now I remember. We used to get you to play with us in that old broken down boat and we made you the captain". "That's right" he laughed, coughing as he did. "That cough sounds pretty bad, you ought to have it heard by a doctor, Mr. ahhh sorry Captain". "I have my dear, it's lung cancer" he was so matter of fact about it. She took a moment trying to think of how to respond. Here she was all upset about things in her life, while this poor man was dealing with lung cancer. She couldn't help it, she started to cry and just didn't stop. Poor man, what must he think, how could she be so selfish. "Thank you sweetie, you know you are the only person who has had that reaction when I have told them about the big C. I guess most people think, oh well that old buzzard has lived long enough. It's nice to know you cared enough to cry. Now now that's enough though".
The old place was just as it had been left. Kit thought her sister Kim had been there since she had. She and Kim had always been close as young girls. Now she was lucky to see her once a year if that. Kim lived in Ohio with her husband, they didn't have any children yet. She was a writer, although she had yet to have any of her work published. Kit knew it was just a matter of time, as she thought Kim was a wonderful writer. Their brother Kip was always stealing her diary and Kit was only to eager to share a peek. From a young age everyone knew that Kim had a gift.
Now Kip on the other hand was the rebel. Even though Kit had the pregnancy thing, up until that, Kit had been the perfect child, or so it was thought. Kip was too wild, too funny, too crazy to live a normal life. That is why it was such a shock and quite the joke to everyone when Kip became a minister! He had a rather large congregation in his non-traditional church, in North Carolina of all places. He was yet to be married, but there was never any shortage of willing brides to be.
How could it be that all those years had passed. The people she lived with, gone for the most part, from each others lives. Still she had her memories and for now that was a great comfort.
Kit's phone had not stopped ringing since she had made that insane call to her immediate boss. And everyone it seemed was leaving messages. She didn't dare listen to them. She couldn't resist. The first message was from Henry. "Kit, Kit dear, what is wrong? Carol called me with the impossible news. Kit you know you don't mean it. Call me asap. I love you we can work this out."
Henry did sound sincere. Should she call him. Maybe she shouldn't have quit, maybe she should see what he had to say. After all he was always saying he loved her. Maybe she was a fool to walk away from this.
She listened to the next message....."Listen you bitch, I left a message hours ago for you. So that is how you want to play it. Your are the most ungrateful stupid woman I have ever bothered with. Oh and you better look for another line of work. Your name is trash in this biz. Have a nice life bitch!"
Once again Kit had been saved from herself. She had made the right move, but couldn't shake the fact that she was ready to make the wrong one again. When would she ever learn, when would she ever know when to trust someone and who. She started to cry again, but now more from anger.............."OMGOSH, BONO!
No comments:
Post a Comment