A Scent of a Woman

by Shaolin Kitten

Part 4

At the end of the week, Laura was surprised at how tightly Kwai Chang managed to pack her station wagon with all of her belongings. The apartment she'd rented came already furnished so she did not have to move that as well. Earlier that day, Mrs. Johansen had become frantic when she saw that the stranger who was staying with Laura was carrying boxes down to her car. Laura had put her at ease and told her she was moving out and that she would return the keys to her that evening before she left. When Laura told her this, Mrs. Johansen became very teary eyed at losing one of her favorite neighbors, but Laura had explained to her about the death of her parents and that she was returning home to live. Once the car was packed and ready to go, Mrs. Johansen then wished her luck, but as a last-minute farewell, tried to delay their departure by insisting on going through the now vacant apartment. She was quite surprised how clean the place looked, and even more surprised to find that a long-awaited repair to the kitchen sink had been done, and done very well. Finally, they said their farewells and Laura pulled the car away from her home of five years and headed to a new and uncertain future.

Two hours out from the city, Laura was getting restless. The drive to Braniff so far had been uneventful. Laura and Kwai Chang had lapsed into silence just after they left the city behind. She asked Caine if he would mind taking over the driving.

"I do not know how to drive."

"Are you kidding?" The expression on Laura's face was one of astonishment, but Kwai Chang's face was serious. "No, I guess not. Well, I'm going to need to take a break and stretch. It's still three hours away and I haven't driven distances like this for some time."

They pulled into a rest stop and got out to stretch their legs, grab a bite to eat, and use the facilities. As Caine waited for Laura's return, he began doing some other forms of stretching that turned into exercises. The exercises turned into a series of kicks and punches then progressed into graceful arm and leg movements that suggested the image of a large bird floating down to meet the water. Caine did not notice that Laura had returned and was intently watching him and smiling. As Kwai Chang performed his movements, his mind floated and he saw not one, but two people standing behind him, watching. One was the woman called Laura Carradine, the other was a small boy about a year or two old holding onto her hand. Feelings of deep love and great joy filled him but were soon followed by deep sadness. Suddenly, the image changed and only the boy remained, now older and sitting on the ground in a half lotus staring with great intensity. Pride and love filled his heart, but they were matched by frustration and longing. As Kwai Chang continued his movements, the image changed again. This time, he felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness, as if something had been lost, and he nearly fell to the ground from the deep emotional reaction. Then Kwai Chang gave a deep sigh and blinked and turned to see Laura, once again standing by a tree, watching.

Kwai Chang shook his head, not sure what to make of the vision he had just seen. Was it a view of his future? There had been stories from other monks, that he heard as a boy, of times when, during meditation, visions would appear. Sometimes they would turn out to be real, others were only possible outcomes. He did not know which this might be. Laura motioned for him to come to the car and they were again off on the road to Braniff.

"I couldn't help noticing what you were doing. What's that called?"

"It is called Kung Fu."

"I've only seen something like that once. A young man at the college that I attended did a demonstration. His name was Bruce Lee. Do you use that for fighting?"

"Only when it is absolutely necessary. It is used for health and meditation."

"Could you teach me some time?"

Kwai Chang turned his head toward her. He had never considered teaching the skills that he had been taught. It could be interesting. In teaching, it was said that new skills could be acquired as well as making sure old ones did not fade. Kwai Chang continued to reflect on the path that he was currently following. If he were to stray on this path, how could he help others? But would he not be helping at least one person by staying and teaching? There was also something else that brought his heart into his throat. He was finding that he was developing feelings for this young woman, although he was not sure how to voice them. There was something more about her that he still did not know. Perhaps that was why he was also thinking about remaining. For now, he would have to consider her request.

The final leg of the drive took longer than they expected but they finally made it to the small town. As they approached, Kwai Chang looked toward the hills on the other side and caught a glimpse of the temple high upon the cliffs. Sunlight reflected off the stone gave it the appearance of burnished gold. Laura glanced over toward Kwai Chang and she could see the far-away look in his eyes. She knew that look herself. But this time, for her at least, going home would have a whole new meaning.

Laura pulled up the drive to the little white house. Her parents' house had been the last one at the end of the street. It was set back and hidden from view, giving the house a lot of privacy. But it also meant that very few people would visit. Laura opened the door of the car and hesitated. She was glad she did not have to face this alone. Before arriving at the house, Laura had called the family lawyers and had them send the extra set of keys she knew her father kept in the safe deposit box at the bank. When the accident had happened, what had been left of her parents' belongings had been badly damaged in the fire that had erupted on impact. Her father's keys had melted into the ignition and were useless. Her mother's keys also were in no condition to be used. Nothing was recovered from the scene except the charred remains of two bodies.

Laura slowly approached the porch as Kwai Chang watched from the car with concern in his eyes. He could clearly see how very difficult this was for her, but he also knew that she had to face this on her own. Laura ran her hands along the banister that surround the porch. This house was now hers. It felt odd to be coming home in this way. Suddenly, Laura's knees gave way and she collapsed onto the floor of the porch with her face in her hands. How was she ever going to face this loss. There was no one else she could turn to. What friends she had were now five hours away and she no longer knew those of her childhood. She didn't even know where they might be, even if she wanted to contact them. Suddenly, warmth surrounded her, and she became aware that someone was slowly rocking her. She looked up into the still, gentle hazel eyes of the young Shaolin priest. Deep concern could be seen there and the promise of something more.

'Funny,' she thought. 'He always seems to know when I need help.'

To her surprise, she felt safe within his arms. His deep concern for her was unlike any other she had experienced. When Laura was ready, she gently pushed his arms away, not in rejection, but letting him know she was ready to leave the safety of his caring arms. She gathered her resolve and pulled out the keys from her purse and unlocked the door. When she stepped inside, it felt stranger still. It felt as if her parents had only just left to run some errands and they would soon be back. As Laura walked around, she noticed little items that her mother had left undone. The sewing basket that was always on the floor by the couch had instead been left on the couch along with one of her father's shirts, waiting to be mended. On the dining room table sat a box wrapped in colorful paper. Close inspection revealed that a card was attached with her name on it. It was their gift to her on her Birthday. They had forgotten it on the day they left to see her. Laura looked up to see Kwai Chang still standing on the porch, not wishing to intrude. She marveled at his way of knowing when she needed to face something herself. Suddenly, she realized he would be leaving as soon as her car was unpacked. How she knew he would be leaving, was uncertain, but in her inner most heart, she knew that he would not be leaving her alone for long.

End of Part 4