The Last Sunset
by
Dorisann Anderson
As she sat in the back seat of the taxi, Betty watched as a seagull flew across the bright blue sky. She closed her eyes and held back the tears that were threatening to fall, trying to keep the image of the blue sky in her mind.
Vern smiled as he looked back in the rear view mirror, but he thought to himself, Such a pretty lady but with a sadness that goes deep.
"I don't think I've ever picked someone up at the airport and driven them to the California Highway Patrol building before," he said, but his heart was sad as he wondered why her eyes showed so much fear.
"I'm going to see my cousin. She's a California Highway Patrol officer," Betty smiled, running her fingers through her long blonde hair as she often did when she was nervous. "I think she works today."
She laughed sweetly. " I can still remember the day Bonnie came over to my apartment to tell me she was going to move to Los Angeles. She said that she was going to be a star or a model. Bonnie needed more excitement then she could get in our small home town."
Betty started to relax as she thought back to a better time in her young life -- a time when she felt she had a lifetime ahead of her. Before the heartbreaking news from the doctor that had changed her life forever.
"I can still remember the day she called me to tell me she was going to go to the police academy."
Betty had been standing in her small flower garden that day, enjoying the bright colors of the early spring blooms. When the phone began to ring, she ran into the apartment to answer it.
"Hello," she said. "Bonnie, hi! How's it going? Got any parts in a movie or TV shows yet?"
As she listened, a sudden quiet came over her, and she found it hard to say the right words. She didn't want to hurt her best friend and cousin, so she tried to keep her voice as a whisper...but the attempt failed.
"YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHAT!" she exclaimed. "Bonnie, are you sure that's what you want? That job is hard and dangerous."
Bonnie sounded so sure of herself, and Betty could hear the excitement in her voice.
She hadn't heard her sound this happy in all the years after the breakup with her childhood stunt-driving boyfriend, Ray.
"Well if that's really what you want, then good luck. And yes, I'm always on your side -- you know that."
Betty looked up at the taxi driver with a little sigh. "It's been over two years ago since she called saying she was going to be a CHP officer, and she has been doing a great job. She's one of the best."
Soon the cab came into the CHP parking lot. As Vern pulled up beside a police car, Betty took one look at the officer and smiled.
She got out of the cab and paid the fare, then gestured at the tall young officer as he got out of his car. " Hi there, tall, dark, and handsome! How about helping me carry this suitcase inside?"
Bear walked over to her and smiled, "Betty, how you doing? It's been a long time since you came to visit."
Betty welcomed the warm hug and the friendships she had found with the guys at Central. Bear picked up the suitcase, then put his free arm around Betty as the two walked inside.
They walked into the Break Room, and Bear set the suitcase down, then pulled out a chair for Betty to set down. He walked over to the soda machine and asked, "Betty, would you like something cold to drink. Or maybe some coffee?"
"Yes, I would like something cold," she said as she took the soda from him. "Thanks, Bear. You're so sweet...you really know how to make someone feel special."
"Well, you're a very special lady," Bear said with a smile on his handsome face. "I'll go see where Bonnie is. I'll be right back"
As Bear walked out of the break room, Jon came in. Bear nodded at his fellow officer, then quickly ran to see if he could find out where Bonnie was.
Betty got up and gave Jon a hug. As she looked into his beautiful blue eyes, she gave a little sigh. " Hi, handsome, have you seen my cousin around?"
"I saw Bonnie about an hour ago," he said. "She was working traffic control. I think she should be back soon. So how long are you going to be in town?"
I'm so glad Ponch is away, Jon smiled.
As Betty set back down, she still held onto Jon's hand. "No, I won't be in town long. So, where is that equally handsome partner of yours?"
"Ponch is in Chicago," Jon looked into Betty's eyes, and he could see the sadness that hovered just beneath the surface. "His sister Patti was in a accident, so he took some time off to be with her."
"Oh dear. I hope she's OK."
Jon smiled. " Yeah, she is. Ponch called last night. Patti comes home from the hospital today."
He shook his head and then added with a little laugh, "By tonight, she'll probably have kicked Ponch out."
He sat down beside Betty just as Bear walked into the room. Baricza had changed into a pair of jeans and a light red shirt, and now he gestured over his shoulder toward the sergeant's office.
"Mmm, Jon...Sarge wants to see you in his office." He shook his head.
As Jon left the room, Bear took Betty's arm and helped her up. "Betty, I just had to work this morning. I'm off duty now, and it will be a while before Bonnie gets back in."
Bear paused shyly, then went on, "Would you like to go get some lunch with me?"
"I would love to, Bear, but what do I do with the suitcase?"
He picked up the case. "We can take it with us."
Bear hurried Betty out to his car, wanting to leave before Jon could return. As he pulled out of the parking lot, Betty turned to him.
"Bear, Sergeant Getraer didn't really want to see Jon, did he?"
Bear whispered sheepishly, "No I just wanted to ask you out before he did."
Boys will be boys! Betty thought to herself.
As Baricza drove, Betty watched the traffic. She found herself holding back the tears again and wishing there could be another way.
There just isn't any other way, she thought. I have to do this.
"Betty, is every thing OK?" Bear asked. "You seem really upset. Is there something you want to talk about?"
She smiled, "I'm OK, Bear... just tired."
As they walked into the restaurant, Betty stood as close to Bear as she could. She took his arm and held on tightly as they walked to their table.
Over lunch, she started to relax and enjoy the company. "I just don't understand my cousin, working along so many handsome men and not even trying to date one of them."
"We all think of Bonnie as a sister," Bear said as he played with the food on his plate.
He still wasn't sure that he believed Betty's story, especially when he saw the way that she still looked so close to tears. But he didn't know just how to ask what was wrong.
"That's what she always says. 'The guys are like brothers to me,'" Betty said. "Bear, the lunch was wonderful. Thank you for asking me out. I didn't realize just how hungry I was. But I think we need to be getting back to Central now. I'm so tired."
Outside, Bear stopped to help a lady as she tried to lift her grandmother's wheelchair over the curb. While Bear helped them, Betty continued walking towards his car.
Suddenly, she heard the screeching of a truck's brakes. Betty froze as the truck stopped only a few inches from her, and for a moment, she was unable to speak or move. But as soon as she felt Bear's strong arms around her, she began to cry.
The truck driver stormed out of his vehicle. He took an angry step toward Bear and Betty.
"What's wrong with you, lady?" he demanded. "Can't you see?"
Bear held up his hand. "Look, man, it was just an accident, OK? She really didn't see you."
The man shook his head, then reluctantly climbed back into the truck. Something in the tall man's voice made the driver think he was dealing with more then he wanted.
Bear walked Betty over to his car and opened the door for her. For a moment, he held her in his arms and stroked her long blonde hair as he asked his questions.
"Betty, are you all right? What happened back there?"
Betty got into the car, then looked back at Bear and smiled as best she could. "I'm fine. I just need some rest. Really, Bear, I'm fine."
Back at Central, Bonnie waited in the break room for Betty and Bear to return. "Jon, did she say why she is here or why she didn't drive herself?"
As Jon was about to speak, Bear and Betty entered the room. Bonnie walked over to her cousin and gave her a hug. But then she began to bombard Betty with questions.
"What's wrong, Betty?" she asked. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I could have taken some time off so we could have had a better time. Is every thing OK at home? Why did you come by plane?"
Betty's voice was a whisper. "I'm really tired, Bonnie. I need some rest, and then I promise I'll answer all your questions."
"Sure, Betty, I'll take you to my place and then you can get some rest." Bonnie looked worried. "I'll be getting off duty in a few hours, and we can talk later."
Knowing Betty as well as she did, Bonnie knew something was terribly wrong, but she kept the conversation light during the drive to her apartment.
Betty walked into Bonnie's apartment, then took her suitcase and went to the extra bedroom. As she looked around the bedroom, she felt the sadness return.
This is the last time I'll ever see Bonnie, she thought.
Bonnie stood at the door, watching her. "Betty, I have to go back to work. I'll be home in a few hours. Make yourself at home, and I'll see you then."
Betty watched from her window as Bonnie pulled out into the traffic. She sat down on the edge of the bed, then picked up the pillow and hugged it close to her as the tears began to fall.
"Why me?" she couldn't control her cry. "Why me?"
Soon, she lay across the bed and cried herself to sleep. Before she fell asleep, she whispered, "Soon I won't hurt any more...and I won't hurt the people around me."
Two days later, Bonnie set in the briefing room, staring into space as Sergeant Getraer gave the morning briefing, but she hadn't heard anything he'd said because her mind was on Betty. Jon and Bear walked over to Bonnie, then sat down on either side of her before she could get up.
"Bonnie, briefing is over," Jon asked. "Did you hear any of it?
Bonnie shook her head. "No, Jon, I guess not. I'm so worried over Betty. I know something is wrong but she won't talk to me about it. When I called her brother last night, he said that he didn't even know where she was. They've been worried sick She never told them she was coming here." She paused and took a deep breath. "But that's not the strangest part. Jack said Betty had sold her car and gave the money to her younger sister for a birthday present. I know how Betty loved that car, so what she's doing doesn't make any sense." Bonnie looked over at Jon. "I don't think I can do my job today. I just can't stop thinking what could be wrong."
"Hey, Bonnie, try not to worry," Bear said. "I called Betty and asked her out for dinner and a movie tonight. She said yes, so maybe I can get her to tell me what's wrong."
Jon looked over at Bear. "You're moving fast these days, Bear."
Bear smiled as he walked past Jon. "I've been watching Ponch."
Bear walked out of the room, still chuckling to himself. Bonnie took Jon's hand and then gave a little laugh.
"Don't worry, Jon," she winked. "I'm sure Betty would go out with you to if you asked her."
Jon smiled and patted Bonnie's hand. "I'm going to hit the bricks now. Bonnie, if you need backup, just ask, OK? I'll come running."
Bonnie watched as the brown Ford pickup came into view. She checked the tags, then radioed it in. "Seven Charles in pursuit of light brown Ford pick up, California tags David Ocean Ida 654. On the 420, southbound. Possible hit and run."
Darting in and out of traffic, Bonnie did her best to keep up with the truck. It wasn't long until she saw the motor coming up from behind her.
Bonnie smiled at Jon. She was glad to see backup, and given the way the driver of the truck was driving, she knew that the motor officer could keep up with the vehicle better then her cruiser could. Jon could see the truck just ahead of Bonnie. Now the chase was at a dangerous level. Jon passed the cruiser and soon caught up with the truck.
"Pull over right now," he said angrily, making the driver think twice about continuing the chase.
As he put the cuffs on the driver and put him into Turner's cruiser, Jon glanced at the freeway. With a worried look, Jon walked to the over to the driver's window.
"Hey, Jeb, did you see Bonnie?" he asked. "She was right behind me."
Bonnie's mind was half on her job and half on Betty...so much so that she didn't see Bear as he pulled on to the highway. He veered sharply to the right and ran up the embankment.
Bonnie pulled over to the side of the road, then got out of her car and ran over to Bear. "Are you OK, Bear? I'm sorry...I guess I didn't have my mind on my job."
"I'm OK." Bear saw the tears that fell down Bonnie's face "Bonnie, why don't you ask Joe for some time off until you can find out what is wrong with Betty?"
'Bonnie, Bear -- are you two all right?" Jon saw the tears that Bonnie could no longer hold back.
"Oh, Jon, I'm no good like this. I can't even do my job." Bonnie laid her head on Jon's shoulder. "I could have… I could have killed Bear."
"It's OK," Jon said. "Bonnie, like Bear said, why don't you ask Joe for some time off due to family problems."
Back at Central, Jon and Bear watched as Bonnie left Joe's office with her head down. She walked outside, and as she got into her car, she saw Jon heading towards her.
"I'm on leave for a while till things can get back to normal," she said. "Jon, she doesn't act like her old self, and she keeps saying that after this week, everything will be fine. She talks as if she's not going to be around any more."
Bonnie shook her head, and her voice was a whisper. "It's like she's dying, but she won't tell me what's wrong."
"Go home, and get some rest," Jon said. "Maybe she'll talk about what's wrong soon. And if you need me, just call me."
For the rest of the afternoon, Jon couldn't stop worrying about Bonnie, and after work, he drove to her apartment. As she stood at the door, he noticed that her car was gone. He turned to leave, but at that moment, the door opened.
"Hi, Jon, come on in." Betty smiled as she saw how the sunlight made Jon's hair look almost golden. "Bonnie went to the store. She should be back soon."
As he sat down on the big Easy Boy chair, Jon looked at Betty and smiled. "Betty, did Bonnie tell you why she came home early from work?"
Betty whispered, "No, Jon, she didn't. Is she in trouble?"
"She almost wrecked her cruiser today," Jon said. "Her mind is on you and what could be wrong. She didn't see Bear coming on to the highway, and she ran him off the road. Betty, they both could have been badly hurt. I don't know what's wrong, but I can see how it's upsetting Bonnie. Why don't you talk to her?"
Before Betty could answer, Bonnie walked in. She giggled when she saw Jon.
"I knew you'd be around when you got off work," she said.
Betty stood up and cleared her throat. "Bonnie, Jon I need to tell you both something. I … I have…"
Before she could finish her sentence, there was a sudden knock on the door. Betty started to walk to the door. "That will probably be Bear. We're going for a little ride along the coast."
Bear walked in the living room. Like Jon and Bonnie, he was anxious to hear what Betty had to say.
"I have Retinitis Pigmentosa," she said. "It's a progressive eye disorder that causes you to go blind. Bonnie, you remember how I've always had trouble seeing in the dark? Well, this disorder is the reason. Right now, all I have is tunnel vision. I can only see straight in front of me."
Betty started to cry. There was more that she wanted to say, but the tears got in her way.
Bonnie stood up, and tears ran down her face, as well. "Why didn't you tell me? I would have been there for you. You didn't have to deal with this alone."
She took a deep breath and went on, "Betty, we have a great school for the blind here, and I can stay with you to help you with this, I'll take some time off work."
Betty's face was full of anger. "Bonnie, what would they teach me? How not to see? How to be helpless? How not to see colors? No, I just can't do it."
She reached out and took Bear's arm. "Please, Bear, let's go for that ride now."
As he walked to the door, Bear turned and whispered to Bonnie, "I'll try to talk to her."
In the car, Bear began to talk to Betty. Soon his soft voice had calmed her down.
"Betty, Bonnie was right," he said quietly. "The school for the blind could teach you to live as independently as possible. Sure, you're going to have a total life change, but you can do it. Anyone would be scared if they were going through this, but you have folks that love you and are there for you."
Betty didn't say any thing until they got to a steep hill. "Bear, could we stop and look at the ocean, please? It seems so nice and peaceful here."
As they stood together at the top of the hill, Bear wrapped his strong arms around Betty for a moment. She smiled at him, thankful he wasn't asking questions.
The next evening, Bonnie ran out of the extra bedroom with a note in her hand. She called Jon and Bear to come help her look for her cousin. As she read the note to Jon and Bear, Bonnie trembled with fear.
"Dear Bonnie, you have always been my best friend and more like a sister then a cousin,'" she read the note aloud to them. "'I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me. You did nothing wrong, so please don't blame yourself. It just has to be this way. I love you. Betty.'"
Bear thought back to the day before. "I think I know where she is."
Bear ran out of the apartment, and he wasted no time to get to the hill where they had watched the ocean waves hitting against the rocky ledge. As she stood on the edge of the cliff, Betty watched as the angry ocean surf crashed against the rocks below.
"Soon my pain will be over," Betty spoke to no one.
Her heart was breaking for the loved ones she would be leaving behind. She knew the pain she would be putting them in, and she could only hope that in time, they would understand why she had to do this.
As the tears ran down her face, Betty's thoughts were on the people she loved. "I hope Bonnie can forgive me for doing this. I just can't live the rest of my life in darkness,"
Bear slowly made his way to the ledge, and his voice was almost a whisper. "Betty, think about what you're doing and who you're going to hurt the most."
"Bear, how did you find me? Please...just go away."
Betty's tears rolled down her face, but she didn't move. Soon she felt Bear's strong arms around her again.
"Bear, I don't want to hurt Bonnie," Betty turned around and buried her face against his chest. "I love her but I just can't...I'm too scared to live and to scared to die. Help me, Bear."
"Betty, you don't want to do this," he said firmly. "You're stronger then this, and you can deal with it. Deep down inside, I think you know it, too. Bonnie said she'd go with you to the school for the blind, and she'll help you through it."
Soon she realized what Bear was saying was true. "Maybe you're right, Bear. I've always wanted a dog, and now I have a reason to have one."
She managed a small laugh as she walked away from the edge of the cliff. As soon as she reached a safe place, she stopped. "Bear, please -- let's watch the sunset."
As she stood on the hill overlooking the ocean, Betty rested in the Bear's arms as the sun colored the sky for the last time that day. Together, they watched the last sunset.