Henry

by Cilika Kunovic

  Henry was getting restless, which was quite out of character for him. He was not at all at ease.

  “Dominic, how would you and Sasha like to come to the cottage with me this weekend? I don’t know if your mother would care to come as well but she is definitely welcome. I have also invited the Prestons to come. Mrs. Preston was interested in the proposition. What do you say?”

  “I would like to come and I know I can speak for Sasha but I am not sure about my mom. She is having major issues lately. The problem is, I am not comfortable leaving her alone at home. I just have this feeling that we should all go, or no one. Let me think about it.”

  “Very well, let me know what you decide. No offence, should you decide against it.”

  So the message regarding the cottage had been sent around, and it was decided that everybody was going. Nicole was probably the happiest one of all. She knew that Henry needed an outing but she was more worried about Dominic. She was aware that he was worried about his family. The only one with no worries was Sam, who had no idea of what had been going on while he was away. He and John had been away longer than ever before. He missed his family and felt uneasy about being away so long.

  Finally, Barb contacted Henry and had a chat with him. “Henry, I know that you must be anxious for me to let you know about the weekend outing. Not only have I been very busy, but Sam has been away for the longest time ever. I had no way of knowing what to say to you. Are we still on?”

  “All is good. The kids have told me all about it. I will be going up, and the rest of you can either join me or come up after. If for some reason you can’t come, it’s okay. Have a good weekend anyway.” But in reality, he was not at all comfortable lately, regarding what had been going on. He knew his place and didn’t want to impose on anybody.

  He and Serge had been doing a lot of walking lately in order to get his leg back in shape. He was missing Lily a whole lot lately. She would know what to do.

  On Saturday morning, he received a phone call from Inspector Cooper, who introduced himself rather uncomfortably, saying that he would like Henry to come to the station at his convenience.

  “I have some information for you regarding the two accidents. I would like to have a talk with you, if you don’t mind.”

  “Information? I will be right there. By the way; will I have any trouble getting to you? I have had problems getting to the right people at your station.”

  “I am not sure what you are referring to — just ask for me at the front desk. What time will you be here?”

  “It should not take me longer than half an hour, Inspector.” He hung up the phone and got ready for a battle — unless the news was good. In the back of his mind, he was thinking, Let’s hope this is it. Perhaps I can finally deal with this situation directly, without all the mystery involving these accidents. He felt scared and excited at the same time. His legs refused to carry him as quickly as he wished to go. He was ready to go on with his life. He was talking to himself out loud, and Lily came to mind. How devastated she was when Edward was killed! She always said that Ed was the brother she never had.

  Henry had no trouble at the station this time. “Good day, Inspector Cooper; I am Henry Dobbs.”

  “Yes, Mr. Dobbs; please be seated. I would like to go over some details with you. After studying your brother’s circumstances regarding the nature of his accident, I am a bit puzzled as to how similar the two accidents appear to be. I understand your brother was driving a car at the time of the accident. The witnesses had confirmed in both cases that they had heard a male voice shouting some obscenities . . .” He paused.

  “Are you trying to tell me that the same person may have hit both of us?” Henry was outraged.

  “The possibility is there, but nobody has identified the culprit as of yet. Unfortunately, we do not have a suspect; nor do we have anybody in particular in mind. It would help us a lot if you could possibly think of anybody who might want you dead.” Inspector Cooper felt awkward saying it. He was worried.

  Henry had heard this before. “Does this mean that I should be looking over my shoulder every time I walk outside?”

  “Likely, yes, Mr. Dobbs. I wish I could be more help at this point, but our hands are still tied. The fact that both cases seem to be connected is actually helpful to us, as far as the investigation is concerned. I just wish we could be further with it. I promise you, we will do our best.” At which point, Inspector Cooper politely dismissed Henry, whose heart was heavy as he walked out the door and away from the police station. The questions that kept popping into his mind were none other than, what is going on? and who would want us both killed? He hardly remembered getting into the car and driving home. Luckily, when he got to the house, there were Dominic, Sasha, and Nicole waiting for him in the driveway. They looked happy and were chatting one over the other; Henry didn’t have the heart to spoil the scene.

  “Hello, Henry! How are you?” Nicole spoke first. “How would you like to have company going to the cottage? We were hoping that you hadn’t left yet. My dad just got home, and they will be joining us later. Mrs. Lambert wants to come with them if you don’t mind.”

  “You can either take us with you or we will run after you all the way there,” Dominic added.

  “What do you mean? I’m too tired to run. After all, I packed everything for all of us, so if I don’t get to go in the car, then nobody will have anything to eat. So how do you like that?” Sasha laughed.

  “Well, we wouldn’t want to be without food, now would we?” Henry said, giving Sasha a big hug. “You people just happen to be my reason for living. Now, let’s get going, and the sooner, the better.” Henry was suddenly back on track as far as his physical strength was concerned. Just a short while before that, he was not doing so well. The trip to the police station had given him a shock, to say the least. Before long, they were all singing together, and it didn’t matter what songs they were singing. They may not have been the best of singers, but it was great. They all needed the release.

  “How are you people adjusting to your new home?” Henry asked Nicole.

  She said she had dreaded moving there but now she loved it. “There is something special about living by the water, especially first thing in the morning. You wake up to that view of the still water . . . it is so peaceful . . . it takes your breath away. I am hoping to get accepted at McMaster University when the time comes. I want to live at home for as long as I can.” Then she turned to Sasha: “I know that you and Olivia are older than I, but one can dream, can’t one?”

  “Oh, Nicole, you are definitely Olivia’s sister. She comes out with statements like that.” Sasha had no intention of thinking about school just now. She was more than willing to set aside such worries for a day or so. After all, how often did she have the chance to feel free out in the open spaces, and at a cottage? Then she added: “By the way, if you ever plan on marrying my brother, you will have a long wait. He is going to kill himself studying in order to achieve his goal. He is very stubborn, you know.” She laughed. She had a great sense of humour regardless of the nature of her family life.

  Nicole piped up, “Henry, can we please change the station on the radio? This one is driving me crazy!” Now it was Nicole’s turn to laugh. Sasha hit her on the shoulder lightly and then gave her a hug. The mood was light, and since the two men were sitting up front, the two girls were able to talk in confidence. They had been very close since Olivia had dropped Sasha as a friend. However, there was no animosity between any of the girls.

  As they pulled up to the cottage, there was something not right. It felt hollow. There was a feeling of danger surrounding them.

  It turned out there had been a burglary, and the thief took the strangest items, such as: Lily’s picture; the bedroom drapes in one of the bedrooms; and the comforter from the other one. And in the kitchen, there were a few broken dishes. Other than that, it was okay.

  Henry said, “Let’s have a swim and forget about the burglars.” In the meantime
, he went to the neighbour’s cottage and called the police. He was interested in fingerprints.

  But he was unable to deceive his bright, young companions. They were way ahead of him, and there was no need to tell them not to go in and touch anything. In fact, this was of great interest to them. By the time the Prestons arrived, with Susanne in tow, there was plenty of commotion at the cottage.

  After the police had completed their work, everybody settled down. The weather was fine, and they ended up having a good time after all. It was hard to go home on Sunday.

  A few weeks later, everyone was again looking forward to going up north. Sasha and Dominic were able to get away as well. The Millers were more than happy to let them go and have the weekend off so as to give Dominic a chance to relax. He never learned how to relax in just any circumstances. Only Nicole knew best how he felt and how great this was for him to unwind. She knew how he worried about Sasha: As long as she was happy, he was able to let go. The good thing was they were growing up, and soon she would be able to look after herself. Dominic hoped Sasha would marry somebody who would love her unconditionally, for she deserved it. As for him, he knew he had a soulmate in Nicole.

  They all had a few good weekends together at the cottage. As for Henry and Serge, the two of them often went up north by themselves through the week, unlike in previous years, right after Lily passed on. Henry had finally made up his mind to start living again. He still had his best friend, who was as loyal as they come.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  The summer went by too quickly. Now it was time to start fresh and get serious about school. For Dominic, commencing as a freshman at McMaster University, this could mean either success or complete disaster. A lot would depend on how well his parents could deal with their differences. There was something big that divided these two, and he thought it was likely his father’s character. He also worried that his father might start digging into their finances. Such as: where did they get the funds to send Dominic to McMaster? If there is money in the picture, why does he not have any?

  “Sasha, are you awake?” Dominic asked, standing by her bedroom door. “Get going, will you?”

  “Yes, Father; I am and have been awake for some time now.” Sasha often referred to her brother as “father.” “I was about to get you, in case you were not up yet. You may open the door.” He opened the door and she wished him a good day, for she knew how much this day meant to him. This was her brother, who was proudly approaching his future . . . his manhood. She was proud of him as well as happy for him. Her own future did not worry her. Sasha was aware that she would always have a better chance at getting into a good career because she was more flexible and more open-minded regarding the future. Her brother, on the other hand, was determined to find out what motivates people and what prevents them from getting ahead. Psychology was a mind-boggling process and a difficult one to study. How does one go into a person’s way of thinking without damaging trust? There is a very fine line between right or wrong decisions in life, yet so much depends on those decisions.

  Susanne was also awake and nervous. She was shaking and happy at the same time. Her first-born was about to start on a journey in a completely new walk of life. He was grown-up at last. He had been an easygoing baby; there had been no tension between her and Larry regarding Dominic. Life was fairly good, until . . .

  Dominic stopped by Henry’s place on his way to school that first morning. He wanted to express his gratitude once more to his mentor.

  “Good morning, Henry,” Dominic said as Henry opened the front door.

  “Dominic! What brings you here this morning? Are you not supposed to be at school today? Is everything all right at home?”

  Before he could say any more, Dominic stopped him. “Everything is just great, Henry. Today is a great day!” Dominic was beaming with pride and anticipation. Henry was touched beyond belief.

  At the Prestons’ house, there was not much of a change on this day. The girls were still attending the same school, and so was Trevor. So Barb took them all to school on her way to work. Sam and John were away again; that was a norm by now. John and Gina had married in June that year. They were happy. Gina had been a great addition to the family for some time, and now even more.

  Olivia had made quite an impression on her mother, helping at the office during the school holidays. Barb was hoping her daughter would be available some weekends during the school year as well, providing her homework was not extensive. Nicole made sure that she was still welcome as a swimming instructor at the local recreation Centre. As for Trevor, he was happy to wait till he qualified as a trucker.

  Speaking of trucking, Bill Randall, who had previously approached Sam and John about joining forces, called again and wanted to have another meeting. This time, his partner, Douglas (Doug) Wilson, would be present as well. Sam and John were all excited about the meeting.

  “Sam, you remember Bill Randall?” Barb was trying to be helpful.

  “Yes, of course. Hi, Bill — and this must be your partner, Doug?” Sam said, as he shook the man’s hand.

  Barb said, “Well, gentlemen, I believe my job here is done. I will be in the other office if you need me. There is plenty of work waiting for me.” She had no interest in the guys’ discussions, especially about trucking. However, Bill and Doug had a great proposition for Sam and John. Bill was the spokesman for the two and had a good mind, as well as plenty of good will for compromise. He spoke first.

  “You guys have two trucks as well as we do, but we all know how hard it is to refuse a job at times just because one of the trucks is in the shop. Am I right? If we put our resources together and get extra trucks and extra drivers on the road, then we’ll have more options.” Bill was on a roll, and Doug was observing Sam and John.

  “Yes, you have a good point, there,” Sam said. “We could also rent out one or two trucks at times. And we could have a couple of drivers on call; that way, we wouldn’t have to pay them if there aren’t any calls.”

  “You’re right. They would get paid by the load, or by the distance.” John stepped in, all excited.

  “What do you think, Doug?” Sam wanted to know.

  “I’m all talked out already, Sam. Bill and I have been talking about this since we found out about you and John and your business.”

  “There’s only one problem: Where do we get the funds in order to start this wonderful business?” Sam wanted to know. “Does anybody here have a rich uncle?” His mind was racing while he was being sarcastic but he sincerely wished that he had one. The idea sounded good to him. “What do you think, John?”

  “I am still working on the rich uncle; I know that I don’t have one. This whole thing is very appealing, and I believe we can do it. Let’s take some time to talk it over between us and try to come up with some good ideas regarding the funds.”

  Sam happened to run into Henry on his way to the bank. “Henry, how are you doing these days? Would you have a minute for a coffee and a chat?”

  “Coffee would be good. How about I wait for you next door?” There was a popular coffee shop right next door, and Henry waited there for Sam. He welcomed the chance to have a visit with Sam, who joined him shortly after that. “Well, Sam, how is business?”

  “Henry, I don’t mean to sound like I am using you every time I see you, but I have something on my mind that needs a neutral opinion.”

  “I’m honoured. What’s on your mind?”

  Sam proceeded telling him all about the latest developments regarding the business. He told Henry about Bill and Doug; how they had approached Sam and John with the business proposition. It took a while, and Henry listened patiently without interrupting his friend.

  “Am I boring you?” Sam said apologetically. “If so, let me know.”

  “On the contrary — this is very interesting. And I might have a solution for you.”

  Sam was all ears. “Yes? Have you had some experience with this kind of thing?”

  It was not unusual fo
r Henry to have valuable advice to share. The man was intelligent for sure and always willing to help. “Would you be interested in a silent partner? I have no intention of working at my age but I could help financially for an equal share. I would want for my opinion to count, and that way you would have that needed deal-breaker. I know a thing or two about business.”

  Sam was taken aback. “Wow — are you serious about this? I need to speak with the others and get back to you.”

  “Take your time and let me know what comes of it. It was good to see you, regardless.”

  “Thank you, Henry. I will be in touch soon.”

  Two days passed before all of them could get together. After minimal discussion, all agreed to include a fifth partner. When Sam mentioned Henry’s name he noticed that there was an aura of confusion.

  “Are we talking about Commander Henry Dobbs?” Bill asked. “If so, we know him well. We have had dealings with him, and we know he can be trusted.”

  “Why don’t I give him a call and see if he can join us right now?” Sam offered. At the same time, he wondered how those two guys knew Henry.

  As Henry answered the phone, he had a feeling he knew what the call would be about. Sure enough, it was Sam.

  “Hello, Henry; we are in a meeting with Bill and Doug regarding the partnership and we would like you to join us, if you can make it here. We are at the Wattses’. Can you make it?”

  “Give me half an hour and I will meet you there,” Henry answered. Then he hurried to get ready and was out the door. He was excited, to say the least. On his way there, Henry had all kinds of things on his mind. He figured this distraction would do him good. He would get involved and get out more. He needed some changes and was looking forward to the meeting.