Chapter 57

Abby and Kathy got back from their trip to Scottsbluff about two that afternoon; when they got to Ray and Rosalyn's house, Jamie was still there, helping Rosalyn with the billing. He stood up from his seat at the dining room table where they were working, kissed Abby, asked Kathy how the appointment went, and offered to get them something cold to drink.

"Iced tea would be wonderful," Abby said. "Even with the air going full blast in the car, the heat was brutal. Thanks, Jamie."

He brought the tea and they all sat down at the table.

"Did Mom draft you?" Abby asked.

"Nope. After you left, I decided I could help, since I used to help Myrna Bukowski with the billing for the photography business, so I called and offered, she sprung me from the hospital and fed me lunch, and here I am," he said, tweaking the story just a bit.

Rosalyn smiled at his creative storytelling. "That's right," she commented. "When he called and offered to help, I jumped at the chance, and thanks to him, we just finished right before you two got home."

"Great. We dropped Dotty off at the motel, Jamie, but she got some good paint and carpet samples at the store where Dan works, and he's going to talk to his manager about getting Uncle Eddie a good deal on everything, since they have twelve motel rooms to redo," Abby said.

Just then, the doorbell rang. "No, I'll get it, Mom," Abby said when her mother started to get up. She went to the door, there was a short conversation, and she came back with a certified letter. "It's from the Thornton Foundation," she said. "I had to sign for it and everything." '

She tore the envelope open and unfolded the letter.

"It's from Mr. Thornton," she said, and scanned it silently before she said, "Oh, my gosh. Oh, wow. He says that the foundation has arranged for this year's interns to get college credit for our work this summer through George Mason University – that's where Kendra Davis, Phillip King's girl, got her bachelor's and master's degrees, Mom – and that they're sending a transcript to UNL. If the university accepts the credits, that's nine credit hours I won't have to take to finish my degree. I only need thirty more to graduate, and I'm pre-registered for eighteen of those. If UNL accepts those nine hours, I can add one more course to the fall semester load to make it twenty-one and apply for December graduation."

"Twenty-one? Will they allow you to do that, Abby?" her mother asked.

"I'd have to get written permission from the dean, but I think I can do that. It will mean I spend most of my time studying, but that's all right too."

"You'll need a quiet place to study, and those dorms aren't quiet," Rosalyn said. "We need to find you an apartment or even a house to rent."
"Mom, nobody is going to rent me an apartment, let alone a house, for only four months. They all want at least a six-month lease, and most of them want a year. I can go to the library to study. Mom, I need to take Kathy home; I'll be back in a little while."

After they left, Rosalyn said, "I guess she's right, but I really wish she had a quiet place to study besides the library."

"I'm not familiar with Lincoln at all; would she need to be close to the university?"

"Not really; commuting times are very short, and the city is laid out in very orderly blocks. Nothing is very far from anything else."

"Of course it's orderly; it's Nebraska," he said with a smile. "If I've learned anything about this state, it's that things are orderly and well-regulated. Let me see what I can do. I've been trying to think of a good birthday present for her and I'm coming up empty. I'll get her flowers, of course, but it's too soon for what I really want to give her."

"A ring, Jamie?"

"Yes, ma'am. I certainly don't plan to wait three years to propose like Lee did with Mom, but two months is a bit too soon, not because I don't want to, but because I don't want her to feel pressured."

"Oh, she wouldn't; Abigail knows her own mind. When she makes up her mind, she sticks with the decision. All the same, her father and I appreciate your consideration."

Jamie spent the rest of the day and the evening with the Kozal family before returning to the hospital. The following day, August 1st, marked exactly one week since Jamie had been shot, and he knew his doctor would be coming by assess his progress, so he decided to have a quiet day in his hospital room – or that's what he told Abby when she drove him back to the hospital. When she said, "I think that sounds like a good idea, J-Man," he knew she was thinking about preparations for what she thought was going to be the party in his honor the following week; she had no idea it was really a party for her. He smiled. "But day after tomorrow, we'll do something, even if all we do is sit by Uncle Eddie's pool."

"Count on it." She walked him to his room, kissed him good night not just once but several times, and left; almost as soon as the door closed behind her, Jamie was on the phone to his new boss, Frank Duffy, in Kansas City.

"Duffy," the older man said when he answered the phone.

"Hello, Frank. It's Jamie."

"Jamie! How are you, Son? How's the wound healing?"

"It's going very well; my doctor says he should be able to take the stitches out in another week. I'm walking all right with a cane, and I spent the day out of the hospital with Abby's family today, just hanging out and helping her mom with the end of month billing for their auto repair business. Frank, Abby got a letter from Harry V. today saying that the foundation had arranged for their interns to get nine hours of credit from George Mason for their work; if it transfers to UNL, it will mean she only needs another twenty-one hours and she can graduate in December."

"Hey, that would be great! Is she still talking about going for her master's in Omaha? I ask because Stacey in the office just told me that she's going to be leaving in December; her husband will be finishing his Ph. D. at UMKC and he's already got a post-doctoral position lined at Wichita State in Kansas. I'd love to be able to hire Abby to take her place."

"I don't know, Frank. I'd certainly like to have her closer than Omaha, but I don't know what her plans are. Even if she has to stay in Lincoln for the whole school year because UNL won't accept the credits, or will only accept some of them, her family would like to get her out of the dorms and into someplace quiet where she can study. Since our office oversees operations in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, I thought you might know of someone that could help me find someplace like that. She might only be there through December, and most places want at least a six-month lease."

"Sure, I understand. I have some contacts in Lincoln; let me make some calls tomorrow and see what I can turn up."

"Thanks, Frank. The doc should cut me loose within the next ten days, and once he does that, I can come back to KC."

"How are you going to get here? Is Abby bringing you?"

"No, I bought a truck, or rather I'll be buying a truck. Out here, it makes more sense than the Beemer. If you know of anybody that would like to buy my car, Frank, tell them to give me a call.'

"I do know of someone – my son Rob. He's a lawyer in D.C. and when he came out to visit a couple of weeks ago, he was almost drooling over your car, Jamie. Let me give you his number; you can call him and talk terms."

"Should I wait until tomorrow morning?"

"No, call him tonight; you have a better chance of catching him even if it is after ten in D.C."

Jamie thanked him, cut the connection, and dialed the D. C. number Frank had given him.

"Robert Duffy."

"Rob, my name is James King, and I work with your father in the Kansas City office. He tells me that you might be interested in buying my BMW."

"You're selling it? Wow, yes, I am definitely interested."