CAUSE AND EFFECT
CHAPTER THREE
by
Sabrina Lonewalker
As Kermit poured out his story and his pain, including his thoughts about committing suicide, the stranger listened intently, and Karen even saw tears sparkle in his eyes as he listened to Kermit's pain over what had happened. After Kermit went silent, the man was also silent for a few moments. He then looked full into Kermit's face. His next words astounded Karen and sent a leap of fear into Kermit's eyes.
"She is another one of those you were unable to save, like the one who still haunts your soul." Karen's mind raced, how did this guy know about David? Kermit's little brother, an undercover cop, who had been murdered by a Miami, Florida drug dealer. How did this guy know how it still haunted Kermit to this day? Kermit looked at this mysterious man and mutely nodded. The elderly man nodded and smiled sadly.
"Unfortunately, my friend, there are those we cannot save, no matter how much we believe that we can. I lost my only child several years ago. He died when our home was destroyed by an old enemy and I was unable to save him. Before that, I was unable to save his mother, my beloved, from a cruel disease. Now, I search for some spark of his essence, some small part of him that might still live. You must go on, as your brother would have wished. Help those you can and possibly they will be able to help those that you cannot. To lose someone you love is, indeed, hard but honor them by helping those you can. As long as they remain in your heart, they are never truly gone from us. My wife and my son remain here, within me and as a result, are always with me. So is it with those you have cared about and lost. Also, suicide is never the answer. It is the lowest form of deception for it never brings peace, only eternal darkness and seperation from those we love." He gave Kermit's hand a squeeze and smiled.
"I must return to my tasks, or I will be, I believe the term is, 'out of a job?' " He said with a slight shrug of one shoulder and a quirky, almost lopsided grin. Kermit looked up at him. His voice was husky, almost gravelly in tone.
"Thank you. Who are you?" The elderly man smiled.
"Who I am is not important. How you deal with this situation is, for how you do so could determine the rest of your life. Take care, both of you." He then reclaimed his mop and went into the back to finish his chores. Karen paid for the meal and drove Kermit back to the motel. Once inside, he promptly went to sleep. Karen smiled and spread the blanket over him. She then settled in the overstuffed armchair and curled up herself.
Sometime during the night she awoke to the sound of Kermit crying. She quietly walked over, sat on the edge of the bed and gathered her friend into her arms, letting him cry. She began to make out what he was saying.
"Mariska, David, I am sorry I couldn't be there for you, please forgive me, forgive me." After a few minutes, the tall, usually quiet mercenary finally drifted back to sleep and was quiet the rest of the night, his head pillowed in Karen's lap. Upon awakening the next morning, Kermit did feel better than he had since returning from Russia. Karen smiled as he packed his duffle.
"You ready to head home?" She asked. He nodded and smiled.
"Yeah, but can we stop at the diner? I want to thank that guy again. He was right you know. All of this with Mariska brought back those feelings I had after David's murder. I never expected it to hit me like a ton of bricks, though. I really thought I had dealt with all of that, especially when I found out Larson was responsible." Karen looked at her friend.
"You gone after him yet?" she asked. Kermit's gaze went dark and his voice cold.
"No. It seems like he's disappeared off the face of the planet but soon, I'll find him, and when I do..." His voice trailed off menacingly and Karen knew that if and when he found Larson, there would, most definitely be hell to pay. She just hoped it wouldn't cost her friend his soul.
Kermit followed Karen to Hertz so she could return her rental. He then insisted on driving her back to Carlsburg so she that could catch a flight from the airport there. They again stopped at that old diner and went in, ordering lunch and coffee to go. Kermit then looked at the waitress.
"Is your janitor here, the elderly guy with the grey hair? I wanted to speak to him again." The waitress looked at him and smiled sadly.
"I'm sorry but he came in just after we opened, collected his pay and left, saying he had to continue his journey. He took the bus out of town at about seven this morning. Too bad, he was a really nice man." Kermit sighed in disappointment, thanked her and then he and Karen headed back to Carlsburg.
Kermit had really wanted to thank the man for his help but, saw no way to do so. He had no way of knowing that, years later, he would, finally, get his chance. It was to be the culmination of an extraordinary set of circumstances but he would also learn that everything happened in its own good time and place and for a reason.
Kermit Griffin was soon to learn that the law of cause and effect was about to work out for him, in a way he could never have imagined.
TBC
