PART TWO - I Saw You Today.
She pulled into the VA car park, parked in the closest free spot and grabbing her bag, she got out. She walked into the building and headed up to the main desk.
"Can I help you?"
The receptionist asked.
"Yes, My name's Kate Kawalski. I have an appointment with Dr. Richter - he's expecting me."
"One moment, please."
The receptionist picked up the phone and dialled an extension. After a short conversation she put the phone back down.
"Dr. Richter will be right down."
"Thank you."
Kate smiled and wandered away to look out of the window. After a few minutes she heard footsteps approaching from behind and she turned around.
"Kate."
Dr. Richter smiled.
"Adam."
They hugged.
"It's good to see you. How've you been lately?"
He asked her.
"Not so good actually. I've got a favour to ask of you."
"Well, why don't we head up to my office and I'll make some coffee and we can chat."
"Sounds good."
She smiled and he led her off.
She'd first met Adam Richter after her last tour in 'Nam. He had worked in that hospital she had gone to afterwards and he'd always been a good friend. He was the only one from her past that knew she was still alive - and that was only because he was asked to help on a higher secretive engagement which involved his talents as a psychologist. Kate had recommended him for the job and he had been a little more that stunned to see her still alive.
She was soon settled into his office, coffee in hand. Dr. Richter took a sip and placed the mug on the deck, then leaned back in the chair, linking his fingers and resting his hands on his stomach. He looked at Kate.
"So, what's the favour."
Kate took a breath.
"I need to chat to one of your patients - Sergeant Michael Donaldson."
Dr. Richter leaned forward.
"You want to 'chat' with Donaldson?"
Kate nodded seriously. Adam sat back in his seat and took a breath himself.
"Maybe you should start at the beginning."
Kate looked down, slightly nervous - something Adam had ever seen before - ever.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded.
"It's just kinda difficult, that's all."
Her eyes glanced off to the right of him, and out into the gardens.
"Well, talking about it will help."
She gave him a small smile.
"Yeah. The beginning...right."
She stood, wondered around the office and finally settled down on the window sill.
"Basically about a year ago I was injured - took about ten months to recover and now I'm looking for the group who did this to me. I have one lead - which is Donaldson. Somehow he's connected to them and I want to find out how."
She paused.
"Why do I hear a 'but' here?"
"Thing is...I'm still on sick leave, so this is kind of unofficial."
She gave him a look that said 'please help me with this'. Adam took another deep breath in thought.
"Unofficial?"
She nodded.
"I'm sure that I can arrange something. How long would you need?"
She sighed with relief and gave him a smile.
"Thank you. Um...how long? It depends on how quickly I can get the information from him. What's his mental state like?"
"He has good days, bad days. He's usually quite co-operative. I could give you a week. Maybe longer, it depends."
"Thank you, Adam. I owe you one - big time."
"Yeah, well least I could do, for a good friend."
They smiled.
********************
Despite all the distance and time
And the changes that I have gone through
You never strayed far from my mind
And I never stop hoping once more I'll see you
Out in the garden Murdock looked up from his book. Something familiar was tugging at the back of his mind. That old well known feeling...that 'she' was there. He looked around knowing that he would see no-one. It was quite chilly outside. Autumn had just arrived, the hot summer days long gone. The cold didn't bother Murdock. His jacket was a lot warmer than it looked.
He looked down, back at his book but he couldn't concentrate. The feeling was so strong it was suffocating and he couldn't get her out of his mind..., her dazzling green eyes, here soft touch... her dark blonde hair - he could still imagine the feel of her hair as he ran his fingers through it - so thick and soft...
He looked up into the sky.
I used to wish on a star
And I used to send up a prayer
To Heaven where I know you are
That some day I'd see you up there or somewhere
"What you doing here, Kate? Haunting me? I wish you would...I miss you...you can hear me though, can't you? I'm okay you know...and one day...we'll be together...just not yet...I'm not planning on checking out until I'm old and grey. So until then...maybe you could just stay at the back of my mind, please Hon...?"
Then I saw you today
In the backyard at play
Baby-blue eyes, blond hair in the wind
She's you all over again
Although you went away
I saw you
I saw you today
He looked back down, but as he did so his eyes caught sight of a figure in a window. She glanced out, then disappeared from sight. His heart jumped into his throat. That presence...the girl he saw...she had the same hair - it was slightly shorter than the woman he once knew...but it was the same.
And she had the same look about her...and he was sure that he had caught a glimpse of green from her eyes...even at that distance...they were unmistakable.
He shook his head...it couldn't have been her...she had died...couple years ago...or had she...? He had heard rumours that it had all been cover up...to keep her safe...but he didn't know what to believe. He couldn't see Kate going into that sort of work...it wasn't her. But who was he to say that. He hadn't seen her for what? 14 odd years? People change...just look at him...he'd been normal, sane when he knew her...
He shook his head again, more violently. He stood shakily. He had to go inside. He had to think about this in private...not out in the open like he was now. And anyhow, he had a meeting soon with the good Doc.
She pulled into the VA car park, parked in the closest free spot and grabbing her bag, she got out. She walked into the building and headed up to the main desk.
"Can I help you?"
The receptionist asked.
"Yes, My name's Kate Kawalski. I have an appointment with Dr. Richter - he's expecting me."
"One moment, please."
The receptionist picked up the phone and dialled an extension. After a short conversation she put the phone back down.
"Dr. Richter will be right down."
"Thank you."
Kate smiled and wandered away to look out of the window. After a few minutes she heard footsteps approaching from behind and she turned around.
"Kate."
Dr. Richter smiled.
"Adam."
They hugged.
"It's good to see you. How've you been lately?"
He asked her.
"Not so good actually. I've got a favour to ask of you."
"Well, why don't we head up to my office and I'll make some coffee and we can chat."
"Sounds good."
She smiled and he led her off.
She'd first met Adam Richter after her last tour in 'Nam. He had worked in that hospital she had gone to afterwards and he'd always been a good friend. He was the only one from her past that knew she was still alive - and that was only because he was asked to help on a higher secretive engagement which involved his talents as a psychologist. Kate had recommended him for the job and he had been a little more that stunned to see her still alive.
She was soon settled into his office, coffee in hand. Dr. Richter took a sip and placed the mug on the deck, then leaned back in the chair, linking his fingers and resting his hands on his stomach. He looked at Kate.
"So, what's the favour."
Kate took a breath.
"I need to chat to one of your patients - Sergeant Michael Donaldson."
Dr. Richter leaned forward.
"You want to 'chat' with Donaldson?"
Kate nodded seriously. Adam sat back in his seat and took a breath himself.
"Maybe you should start at the beginning."
Kate looked down, slightly nervous - something Adam had ever seen before - ever.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded.
"It's just kinda difficult, that's all."
Her eyes glanced off to the right of him, and out into the gardens.
"Well, talking about it will help."
She gave him a small smile.
"Yeah. The beginning...right."
She stood, wondered around the office and finally settled down on the window sill.
"Basically about a year ago I was injured - took about ten months to recover and now I'm looking for the group who did this to me. I have one lead - which is Donaldson. Somehow he's connected to them and I want to find out how."
She paused.
"Why do I hear a 'but' here?"
"Thing is...I'm still on sick leave, so this is kind of unofficial."
She gave him a look that said 'please help me with this'. Adam took another deep breath in thought.
"Unofficial?"
She nodded.
"I'm sure that I can arrange something. How long would you need?"
She sighed with relief and gave him a smile.
"Thank you. Um...how long? It depends on how quickly I can get the information from him. What's his mental state like?"
"He has good days, bad days. He's usually quite co-operative. I could give you a week. Maybe longer, it depends."
"Thank you, Adam. I owe you one - big time."
"Yeah, well least I could do, for a good friend."
They smiled.
********************
Despite all the distance and time
And the changes that I have gone through
You never strayed far from my mind
And I never stop hoping once more I'll see you
Out in the garden Murdock looked up from his book. Something familiar was tugging at the back of his mind. That old well known feeling...that 'she' was there. He looked around knowing that he would see no-one. It was quite chilly outside. Autumn had just arrived, the hot summer days long gone. The cold didn't bother Murdock. His jacket was a lot warmer than it looked.
He looked down, back at his book but he couldn't concentrate. The feeling was so strong it was suffocating and he couldn't get her out of his mind..., her dazzling green eyes, here soft touch... her dark blonde hair - he could still imagine the feel of her hair as he ran his fingers through it - so thick and soft...
He looked up into the sky.
I used to wish on a star
And I used to send up a prayer
To Heaven where I know you are
That some day I'd see you up there or somewhere
"What you doing here, Kate? Haunting me? I wish you would...I miss you...you can hear me though, can't you? I'm okay you know...and one day...we'll be together...just not yet...I'm not planning on checking out until I'm old and grey. So until then...maybe you could just stay at the back of my mind, please Hon...?"
Then I saw you today
In the backyard at play
Baby-blue eyes, blond hair in the wind
She's you all over again
Although you went away
I saw you
I saw you today
He looked back down, but as he did so his eyes caught sight of a figure in a window. She glanced out, then disappeared from sight. His heart jumped into his throat. That presence...the girl he saw...she had the same hair - it was slightly shorter than the woman he once knew...but it was the same.
And she had the same look about her...and he was sure that he had caught a glimpse of green from her eyes...even at that distance...they were unmistakable.
He shook his head...it couldn't have been her...she had died...couple years ago...or had she...? He had heard rumours that it had all been cover up...to keep her safe...but he didn't know what to believe. He couldn't see Kate going into that sort of work...it wasn't her. But who was he to say that. He hadn't seen her for what? 14 odd years? People change...just look at him...he'd been normal, sane when he knew her...
He shook his head again, more violently. He stood shakily. He had to go inside. He had to think about this in private...not out in the open like he was now. And anyhow, he had a meeting soon with the good Doc.