The plane finally landed mid-day in a private Kansas military air base.
Richard helped the ground crew unload Whitney's body from the back of the
plane. They took it away in a hearse to go directly to the funeral home.
Smallville was only a 10-minute drive away, and Richard was both excited and anxious to get there. Whitney's mother, Mrs. Fordman, had already been told of Whitney's death and their arrival, and had invited Richard to stay in her home for as long as he wanted. He accepted, but mostly out of duty. She would probably need his comforting for the next few days, or even weeks. Richard really didn't know how long he had to stay in Smallville. The army would surely expect him back at some point.
Soon enough, Richard's small military Jeep pulled into Mrs. Fordman's driveway. The house looked perfect, painted light blue with snow-covered bushes in front. Richard wondered what it would look like in the summer, with all the flowers in bloom. He walked up to the door and knocked on it with a shaky hand. A woman in her mid-forties answered the door. She immediately hugged him, and began to weep softly.
"You look just like him." Mrs. Fordman said with tears in her eyes, and stood back to admire her son's friend.
Richard just smiled sympathetically, not knowing what exactly to say. "Mrs. Fordman, you had an extraordinary son. Whitney was the greatest friend that I've ever had. He even saved my life. Coming here is the least I can do."
She smiled back, and invited him inside. There seemed to be a picture of Whitney on every table and wall. Some of them were with him and another girl, who Richard suspected to be Lana, while others were of him playing football, or fishing with another man, who was probably Whitney's father. It made Richard think back to his own home, and he wondered if his parents had done the same.
The two of them sat down at the kitchen table, and were soon immersed in a deep conversation about fond memories of Whitney. Mrs. Fordman even talked about his childhood, and the family camping trips they used to take. Richard began to feel more and more like he'd known Whitney since before he could remember. He just wished he was still alive.
Smallville was only a 10-minute drive away, and Richard was both excited and anxious to get there. Whitney's mother, Mrs. Fordman, had already been told of Whitney's death and their arrival, and had invited Richard to stay in her home for as long as he wanted. He accepted, but mostly out of duty. She would probably need his comforting for the next few days, or even weeks. Richard really didn't know how long he had to stay in Smallville. The army would surely expect him back at some point.
Soon enough, Richard's small military Jeep pulled into Mrs. Fordman's driveway. The house looked perfect, painted light blue with snow-covered bushes in front. Richard wondered what it would look like in the summer, with all the flowers in bloom. He walked up to the door and knocked on it with a shaky hand. A woman in her mid-forties answered the door. She immediately hugged him, and began to weep softly.
"You look just like him." Mrs. Fordman said with tears in her eyes, and stood back to admire her son's friend.
Richard just smiled sympathetically, not knowing what exactly to say. "Mrs. Fordman, you had an extraordinary son. Whitney was the greatest friend that I've ever had. He even saved my life. Coming here is the least I can do."
She smiled back, and invited him inside. There seemed to be a picture of Whitney on every table and wall. Some of them were with him and another girl, who Richard suspected to be Lana, while others were of him playing football, or fishing with another man, who was probably Whitney's father. It made Richard think back to his own home, and he wondered if his parents had done the same.
The two of them sat down at the kitchen table, and were soon immersed in a deep conversation about fond memories of Whitney. Mrs. Fordman even talked about his childhood, and the family camping trips they used to take. Richard began to feel more and more like he'd known Whitney since before he could remember. He just wished he was still alive.