Flight to Paradise (Flight Trilogy, Book 1) (27 page)

“Mom, I’m fine, really.”

After eating, he helped her clean up the kitchen and then said, “I think I’ll hit the sack, I’m exhausted.”

“I put fresh sheets on your bed and clean towels in the bathroom, if you need anything, just let me know.”

“Thanks, mom.” He hugged her, took his bag, and headed for his old bedroom. After a hot shower, he collapsed.

The next morning, he awoke to the smell of breakfast cooking. When he entered the kitchen, his mom greeted him with a hug. “You look much better,” she said. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, I needed that. I feel great.” The aroma of fresh coffee brewing, biscuits in the oven, and cheese grits made him smile. “Mom, you are amazing. Look at all this food.”

“Help yourself to some coffee,” she said.

He poured himself a cup, adding milk and a packet of artificial sweetener. “After breakfast, I’ll run down to the
U
-
Haul
place and pick up the trailer I reserved. They weren’t expecting me until this afternoon, but hopefully I can pick it up early.”

“I’ve already boxed up most of my things, so it shouldn’t take us all week.”

Ryan knew better. He would have to recheck each box, ensuring she hadn’t packed anything that wasn’t absolutely essential. What they didn’t take he planned to haul-off to
Good
Will
or the trash.

He took a sip of coffee. “We can spend today going through everything. We have today, Friday, and Saturday; that should give us plenty of time.” He would need every minute of it, especially with her condition.

The one item he desperately wanted to find was Keri’s telephone number in California. He realized he couldn’t ask his mom because she thought Keri lived with him, and talking to Barbara Ann was the last thing he wanted to do. Unless a miracle had somehow changed the bitter woman, he was pretty sure she still hated him. Even if he did call her, she would probably refuse to give him her number, making up some lame excuse.

Mom
never
throws
anything
away
.
I’ll
bet
she
has
every
letter
Keri
has
written
her
hidden
in
a
shoebox
,
somewhere
.

By late Saturday afternoon, the meticulous job of sorting through every detail of his mom’s life was complete. With the trailer stuffed tight with boxes, her favorite overstuffed chair, and a rocker which she refused to part with, he convinced her to donate the remaining furniture to
Good
Will
. They arranged for a pick up Sunday morning so they could use the beds their last night.

After an exhaustive search of every box and every address book he could find, all that turned up was Keri’s old address in Fort Lauderdale—nothing for California. He remembered Keri telling him in New York she hadn’t heard from his mom since the wedding. Perhaps, his mom truly believed—more than she didn’t—that he and Keri were married and living in Texas.

He had no choice but to call the Hart’s house. If he was lucky, Mr. Hart would answer, or possibly Nora Jean, the maid. He and Nora Jean got along great—especially after his dad died and Barbara Ann started treating him like trash. Then again, Nora Jean was probably more afraid of the wrath of Barbara Ann than she would have been of the conic masks and white robes of the Ku Klux Klan.

On his first attempt no one answered. He decided against leaving a message on the recorder. Several more tries that night were also unsuccessful.

When Ryan awoke Sunday morning, his mom had prepared breakfast and was busy making turkey sandwiches. After eating breakfast and washing the dishes, they packed the last few boxes and loaded them in the back seat of the car.

The
Good
Will
truck arrived right on time. Two large men quickly disassembled the beds, loaded them onto their truck, and were off in less than an hour. The little house was completely empty.

“Are you ready to go,” he asked.

“I’m ready,” she said.

He locked the door and helped his mom into the front seat of the car. “Mom, I forgot to unplug your phone. I’ll be back in a second.” He closed her car door and hustled back to the house. He had left the phone in the kitchen on purpose, still plugged in. He needed to call Keri’s house, one last time.

After dialing and listening to three unanswered rings, Keri’s mother answered, “Hello.”

“Mrs. Hart, this is Ryan Mitchell—”

“Well, hello Ryan!” She sounded excited, but he knew differently. “It’s been a long time. What’s going on with you? Did you ever leave the Army?”

“Yes, ma’am, I left the
Navy
a couple of years ago. I’m working for the airlines now—”

“How nice. You know, Keri is also with the airlines.”

“Is that right?” He wanted to make it as short as possible; get the number and go. “Well, I called to see if you might have her telephone number?”

“Of course I do, but why in the world would
you
want to contact them.”

He thought, ‘
them’
?

She continued, “Besides, they won’t be back in California for at least another week.”

Perplexed, he said, “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about. Who is ‘them’?”

“Oh, darlin’…you must not know…I’m sorry. Keri is on her honeymoon. Her wedding was just last night, and I must say, it was spectacular. You should have seen her, she was absolutely gorgeous.”

He couldn’t speak. While his heart raced, his mind rewound to the day he’d spent with Keri in New York. In a matter of seconds, he scanned a mental tape of every minute, but found nothing, not even a hint. She had said nothing about Bill, or anyone else. She was engaged and said nothing.

Why
?
Why
didn’t
she
tell
me
?

Then it hit him.

She
must
have
been
afraid
that
if
I
knew
she
was
getting
married
I
wouldn’t
have
had
anything
to
do
with
her
.
She
wanted
us
to
be
together
.
I
knew
it
!
She
still
loves
me
.
If
only
I’d
known
about
Emily
sooner
.

“Ryan, are you still there?”

He no longer needed Mrs. Hart’s help. He was too late.

“Ah…yes, ma’am, I’m still here.”

“Ryan, Keri is very happy, and I think it would probably be best if you didn’t contact her. I think you understand.”

“Yeah, I understand,” he said sarcastically.

“I knew you would, dear.” Sounding very social, she said, “Now darlin’, be sure and stop by sometime, we would love to—”

He jerked the cord from the wall. “Don’t hold your breath! I’ll bet you’re happy now! You finally got your way.”

When he returned to the car, his mother asked, “Is anything wrong? Your face is beet red.”

His heart was racing from anger and regret. If he had been within arm’s reach of Keri’s mom, with her little uppity attitude, he would have backhanded her into next week. None of this would have happened if it hadn’t been for her. He took a deep breath and exhaled. After a short pause, he forced a smile and said, “Everything is fine, mom.”

“Are you sure?”

He looked at the sincere concern in her face.

How
will
I
ever
explain
this
to
her
…
probably
won’t
have
to
.

“I’m positive…everything is fine,” he lied.

Things
could not be any further from
fine
. He’d committed adultery with a woman his mother thinks he is married to; his wife just left him; and the woman he loves—and who he now knows loves him—is on her honeymoon with some guy named, Bill.

He pulled out of the driveway and onto the road with the trailer in tow. “Mom, it looks like it’s just you and me…just like old times.”

She reached over and patted him on the shoulder. He glanced at her and then back at the road. “Ryan, it’s all going to be alright.”

“I know.”

But he didn’t know. All he did know was he loved Keri and that she loved him. He couldn’t rest until he talked with her. He wanted Keri to know Emily had left him.

CHAPTER 46

On the return trip to Dallas, Ryan stopped in Vicksburg, Mississippi. He wanted to surprise his mom. He had made reservations at a bed and breakfast located in Vicksburg’s historic garden district overlooking the Mississippi River. The fifteen-bedroom inn was a true Southern mansion built in the late 1800s and recently converted to a bed and breakfast. It turned out his mom was thrilled. Vicksburg, being located half way between Atlanta and Dallas, made for the perfect stop on the easy two-day trip, putting them in Dallas late Monday afternoon.

“We’re home,” he said, as he backed the trailer into the driveway. Once parked, he switched off the ignition. “Welcome to Texas.”

“You have a beautiful home,” his mother said.

“I think you’ll like it. Let me show you around.”

“Okay.”

She appeared to be happy. The trip from Atlanta could not have gone smoother. He enjoyed reminiscing about old times. She talked about the past with a surprising clarity, but it was the more recent events that made her stumble.

He was thankful she had only alluded to Keri twice during the two-day trip: once, when she asked if she would be home when they arrived; and a second time, when she asked if he and Keri had talked about starting a family, anytime soon.

After touring her through the house, he headed back outside to start unloading the trailer, but first, he unloaded the weeks-worth of mail from the mailbox. A casual flip through the stack of mail caused his heart to pump a few extra beats with the sight of each bill or bank statement.

To keep from misplacing the bills, he decided to drop the mail off inside before starting to unpack. Once in the kitchen, he quickly rifled through the mail, tossing the junk mail in the trash. He anxiously ripped open the bankcard statements, afraid of what he might find. With the unfolding of each statement, blood rushed to his face. “What the…”

All five statements showed balances equal to their individual card limits: $10,000; $12,000; $6,000; $5,000; and $15,000. “Emily!” It didn’t take him but a second to know what she’d done.

“Is everything okay,” his mother asked. “Who is Emily?”

CHAPTER 47

Keri and Rex arrived back at their Laguna Beach condo, refreshed, tanned, and married. After a trip to the grocery store, Keri planned to start the wash, cook dinner, and settle in.

More than once during her honeymoon, she had thought about Ryan and his mother. She imagined Martha Mitchell adjusting to her new life with Ryan and Emily and hoped she would be happy.

“Martha thinks I married Ryan.” She smiled.

Wish
I
could
see
the
look
on
Emily’s
face
when
she
finds
out
.

Keri returned from the grocery store and found a scribbled note on the kitchen counter.

Keri
,

Back
in
a
few
.

Love
,

Rex

While putting away the groceries, the phone rang. “Hello.”

“Keri…” She heard her dad take a worried breath.

“Dad? Is everything okay?”

“Keri, I have bad news. Your mother was in a terrible accident last night, and…she didn’t make it.”

“What?” She struggled to grasp the reality of what her dad had just told her. “What happened?”

“She was coming home on West Paces Ferry Road when a drunk driver in a pick-up truck crossed into her lane and hit her head-on. She passed away early this morning.”

“Dad, are you okay? What can I do?” He was alone. She needed to be with him. She was the only family he had.

“Darling, there is nothing you can do. I’ll be fine.”

“Dad, I’ll catch the first flight out in the morning. Don’t worry about picking me up at the airport, I’ll rent a car.”

“Are you sure?”

“I think it would be easier that way. You’re going to be busy with all the details for the funeral. I should be there by three or four tomorrow afternoon.”

They spoke briefly before hanging up. The thought of her mother’s death saddened her, but, surprisingly, she didn’t cry.

Her mind raced, reaching for something that might anchor her in the real world.

I’ve
got
so
much
to
do
.
I
need
to
get
a
load
of
wash
in
,
unpack
,
fix
something
for
dinner
,
and
I
should
get
to
bed
early
…
but
first
,
I
need
to
take
a
bath
.

Suddenly, reality blindsided her.

She’s
gone
—
her
voice
,
her
smile
,
her
touch
.
I’ll
never
see
her
again
.
We
will
never
talk
again
.

Keri’s legs weakened. She collapsed to the sofa, bursting into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. Regret and guilt invaded her memory. Scenes of her and her mom arguing flashed through her mind; about things that really didn’t matter. It all seemed so useless, now that she was gone.

She heard the back door close. “Keri, I’m home,” Rex called out. “What’s for dinner?” With her face buried in her hands, she felt Rex sit beside her. Putting his arm around her, he said, “Babe, what’s wrong?”