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YESTERDAY'S DREAMS

Chapter Eight

"So after my dad came home from Korea, they struggled a lot. Mom had a job at a local five and dime. But that wasn't nearly enough to make ends meet. And then she found out she was pregnant with me about five years later. They were just about to get back on their feet when that happened. I blamed myself for a long time as I grew up. But dad always assured me that I was a ray of sunshine during a hard time. Not another burden."

"So you're forty now?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Katheryn blushed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. I just did the math in my head."

"Hey, no worries."

"If you don't mind me saying, I thought you were no older than thirty."

"I don't mind. I'd rather look young and hip than older and deathly."

"True! I've often been told I look sixteen. Baby face issues."

Ben laughed. "Just remember that it'll play into your favor as you get older. Just look at me."

"Thanks. Now you said your sister was really close to your father?"

"Yep. She was daddy's little girl. The war created a special bond between those two. Erin was born literally right before dad shipped out. He had to watch her grow up through out of date pictures and torn letters. Uncle Hawkeye never let us forget how much he talked about seeing his little girl again."

"And your parents are still alive?"

"Yes! Alive and well in Maine believe it or not."

"Maine?!" Katheryn's eyes grew large with surprise, immediately picturing her trip becoming even more cross-country by the moment.

"Yep. Uncle Hawkeye and my dad always said they wanted to live near each other again. We'd always split our time between California and Maine. One Christmas here and the other there. When those stiff-collar executive dweebs offered to buy up the whole neighborhood, mom and dad were heartbroken. But he finally decided it was an opportunity to move closer to his best friend."

"How long has it been since they moved?"

"About four years."

"I don't understand. Mr. Klinger gave me this address for your mom."

"That's right. His letters come to me, and I forward all their mail to Maine."

"Seems complicated."

"No, not really. I send a care package once every other month. It's always fun for me. Gives me something else to do for my family."

Katheryn turned hesitantly from her spot by the laundromat window to see the sun sinking quickly. It had to be no earlier than four o'clock. She couldn't believe she had spent the entire day at a laundromat. But with the endless family history and friendly company, Kath was quickly willing to label this laundromat as her most favorite one in the world.

"Well, I ought to be heading back to my hotel." Katheryn stood to shake Ben Hunnicutt's hand. "It's been a pleasure talking to you."

"Likewise," the man returned jovially. "Look, if you need any more information, here's my card. Maybe you'd like to have coffee tomorrow?"

Katheryn remembered her flight home was tomorrow afternoon but knew she could manage. After all, she wanted as much information as she could get her hands on. "I'd love to join you."

"Great! Here, let me write an address down on the back of my card. It's my favorite place. Not far from the airport in fact. They have the best scones in town." He handed back the card after scribbling on it. "See you tomorrow, Miss Beaumont."

"I look forward to it."

Kath issued one last handshake and smile before she called a cab and returned to her hotel. Suddenly, the awe began to wear off and hunger pangs replaced her oblivion. Needless to say she looked forward to room service and a long phone call with her partners in crime.

"But, Carlos! This is my chance to actually meet someone who was in the war. I could talk to the very people that buried the time capsule!"

"I realize that," Carlos tried leveling his tone from across the miles. "But that's across the country, Kath."

"And?!"

"I—I don't want you to go by yourself."

"Carlos Sandoval, I'm a grown woman. I can travel the whole damn world if I very well please!" Immediately Katheryn regretted the sharpness of her words. "I'm sorry, Carlos. I just want to meet these people so much. It's an opportunity of a lifetime."

Carlos also knew how much this meant to Katheryn as he watched the stars shine from overhead in the McNulty's driveway. "Okay," he finally breathed, pacing back towards his Durango. "I won't stop you. It's not like I could anyway." He smiled to himself. It was Kath's independent streak that made him secretly proud of her more than he dared admit. "Send me a postcard?"

"Nope. I'll bring you something better when I get back home to Dallas."

"Sounds good." Sarah and her son then drove up into the driveway, signaling Carlos with a nod and smile. "Look, I've gotta go. Trent and I are taking shifts tonight at Sarah's house to try getting the guy that hurt her."

"That's great. So you think he'll show up again?"

"We're almost sure of it."

"Well, stay safe, mon amour. See you soon."

"Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

"First entry. I don't know why, but I feel the need to start a journal for some reason. Actually, it's been on my mind for quite some time. I've scribbled in a few notebooks since I moved to Dallas. But it was never anything serious or thorough. But now that I'm on my way to meet with some heroes from one of the most horrific war conflicts in American history, I somehow feel I owe it to myself to record my own history a little bit more. So today is the first day of that. I'm not going to miss a day. Well, I might. But at least this way I can journal quickly and easily. And maybe my grandkids will enjoy my voice more than my crappy penmanship."

"Hey! There's only two commodes on this thing!"

Katheryn panicked and stuffed her brand new hand-held voice recorder into her purse before slipping out of the airplane convenience. She inched her way past an angry passenger, giving the lady her best penitent smile before hurrying back to her seat next to Ben Hunnicutt.

Ben gave her a grin from below. "Got yourself in trouble back there?"

Katheryn chuckled. "Who knew people wouldn't let you have some personal time." She reached for the recorder, realizing it was still recording. She stopped it and waved it to Ben. "I decided to start a voice journal."

"Oh, that's a neat idea."

"Thanks. I don't know. Since I'm meeting some true heroes soon, I started feeling a little pensive about life, you know. Wanting to leave something for the next generation. Maybe this could be my one little contribution."

"It sounds like a great idea. My father did that you know. After he came back from Korea he never stopped writing in that little journal he brought back with him. I got a peek at it one time and was amazed at the stories. Some nearly made me cry. Dad always put on a happy front. But it was truly hell over there."

Katheryn sighed, "Yeah. I know what you mean. My fiancé. His sister's husband died in Desert Storm. I don't know. It always feels so real when you know someone war's had an effect on."

"That's very true!"

Silence settled between the two traveling partners for quite a while. Before long Ben had let himself surrender to the urge to sleep the rest of the miles away. Meanwhile, Katheryn kept steady in her thoughts which raged on. She first of all was fortunate Mr. Hunnicutt had agreed to travel with her to Maine. Not only did it calm Carlos down somewhat. At least she hoped once word reach him through Molly that she wasn't traveling alone that he'd be relieved. Still, it made her smile somewhat seeing how happy Ben was at the thought of seeing his family after a long period of time. Still, she wouldn't have the heart to tell Trent what the extra plane fare expense was all about. Kath hoped to God he'd understand the why. After all, he was a vital part of the investigation now after all.

Before she knew it, the landscape had changed tremendously. Plains rolled into mountains while hills morphed into rocky coasts. Maine was the next stop. And a whole new world of information lay right at the fledgling investigator's delicate fingertips.