The Soldier's Homecoming

by Patricia Potter

  She started to ask a question, when her cell phone rang. Except for using it to record conversations, she hadn’t used it much. She hadn’t expected anyone to call, but saw it was Lenore. “Hey there,” she answered, surprised at the call.

  “Where are you?” Lenore asked.

  “Nearing the Grand Canyon.”

  “I thought you were on a business trip.”

  “I am. We’re on the way back, and since I’ve never seen the Grand Canyon, we’re making a stop. I’ll be back in Covenant Falls by Monday night.”

  “Someone called for you. A David Brent. He wants you to call him.”

  “He didn’t say anything else?”

  “No. He called Mother because that was the only number he had. Your old number apparently isn’t active. He wants you to call him.” She hesitated. “I didn’t give him your number. I thought you might want some warning first.”

  David Brent was the executive editor of the largest news service she’d submitted articles to. He’d called her when she was in the hospital, and she’d told him she would contact him when she was ready to return to work. It wasn’t a matter of if; it was a matter of when.

  She didn’t think it was a social call now. David didn’t do social.

  She didn’t have to write the number down. She knew it well.

  “How’s Charlie?” She didn’t want to think about the implications of David’s call yet.

  “Fine. She likes the new school and is already in accelerated classes. She’d dying to meet Anna. The photos were great. So you will be back in Covenant Falls Monday night?”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “Are you going to stay in Covenant Falls longer?”

  “Yes. I’m not sure how long.”

  “Charlie has a school holiday coming up in two weeks. Teacher Training or something. She’s dying to go down there. If you’re still going to be there, I thought we could drive down on Friday morning and stay the weekend if you’re not too busy.”

  She didn’t know whether she would be or not, but she knew Charlie would love Covenant Falls. Jenny wanted her niece to visit Jubal’s ranch and learn to ride. “Of course not,” she said. “I’ll make reservations for you at the inn. You’ll love it. It’s loaded with personality.”

  “Great,” her sister said. “I’m looking forward to it.” She paused, and then she added, “And don’t forget about Mr. Brent. He seemed anxious.”

  “I won’t,” she promised and hung up before Lenore could ask another question. She didn’t want to talk about the future in front of Travis. She didn’t want to talk about it at all now.

  Wasn’t that what she wanted? Her shoulder was getting better, or at least she thought so. The pain wasn’t quite as sharp when she did her exercises. Was it well enough to return to the Middle East? Did she want to go back? She’d always been so sure before. Always known every step she would take.

  “Charlie’s your niece, right?” Travis asked.

  “Right.”

  He didn’t ask any more questions. Of course he wouldn’t. He didn’t pry. She was relieved he didn’t because she didn’t have any answers. A month ago, she would have returned David’s call immediately. Now...she wasn’t sure. She didn’t want to spoil this weekend. She didn’t want to think about next week, or next month.

  They saw signs indicating the approach to the Grand Canyon entrance gate. Travis paid the entrance fee and obtained directions for the lodge. The roads were crowded, but she suspected not as much as they were yesterday. She’d discovered that Sunday night was usually less crowded in popular attractions. Still, traffic had slowed to a crawl.

  He found the lodge, and they checked into their room. Then he grabbed her hand in his good one, and with Anna in tow, they took off for the rim.

  It was about a mile away. A shuttle existed, but it didn’t take dogs. That was all right. They were both stiff from the car, and there was a clear sky and cool breeze. And she was a people watcher. There were certainly a lot of people to see. Many were foreigners who had come long distances to see what had been in her backyard.

  As they neared the main rim area, she saw more and more of the canyon. The afternoon sun painted the cliffs in gold. They took her breath away.

  They reached the outlook and glanced down. A long, steep trail led downward, and she would have been on it a year ago. Now she wouldn’t trust her shoulder to catch her if she slipped.

  She looked at Travis’s face. It was so damn strong, but she saw the same wistfulness she felt. She remembered him saying he walked down into the canyon with his friend. His leg probably wouldn’t allow it now. Her hand tightened around his, and she leaned into him.

  She knew she wanted to come back, maybe ride a donkey down into the canyon or raft down the river, or just bask in the wonder of the sheer majesty of the place.

  “Thank you for bringing me here,” she said simply as her heart seemed to overflow with so many emotions, she didn’t really know how to contain them. Wonder. Joy. Warmth. Possibilities.

  * * *

  AN IDEA HAD started to form in her mind from the seed that had been planted in Raton. It had grown throughout the week as they visited ranches owned by people who cared enough about veterans to spend all their resources in helping them. There were the small-town restaurants with good-hearted waitresses, the quirky museums and Karen who trained dogs for veterans with PTSD.

  She envisioned a series of articles about the sublime to ridiculous that could then be made into a book. She wanted to share her own amazement and joy and appreciation of a country she barely knew. She even had a tentative title: “Exploring America through Fresh Eyes” or something similar, with the subtitle, “The Beautiful and the Wacky.” She might have to work on that a little bit.

  She wondered if she could sell David on it. That reminded her of his call. She couldn’t believe she had forgotten it, that she hadn’t called him back.

  She realized then she didn’t want to go back to war. It had slowly been killing her soul. She hadn’t really felt joy in a very long time. There had been satisfaction in writing a good story. Writing was her life’s blood, but writing about tragedy had also been draining her.

  She took her eyes away from the canyon and looked up at Travis. He raised one eyebrow, recognizing that something had happened, had changed, and his arm went around her.

  He smiled, and her heart cracked. It was that crooked smile caused by the scar, but she had come to like that face very much. Despite his career as a warrior, he was compassionate, with a desire to make the world better.

  His ex-fiancé had to be one of the world’s greatest fools.

  Her fingers tightened around his. Anna barked as if she sensed a change of some kind.

  They walked around the rim, getting different views and stopping at one of the big telescopes to get a better look. “How does it look from down there,” she asked wistfully.

  “Even more awesome than from here,” he said. “Maybe someday we can raft the Colorado through here.”

  Someday. We. Implying a future.

  But he didn’t know what he would do or where he would go next, and neither did she.

  He broke the spell, as if uncomfortable himself with what he’d said. “I’ll treat you to an ice cream cone.”

  They bought ice cream cones with chocolate fudge toppings and found a place to sit where they could watch the canyon walls change color as the sun headed west. Anna happily settled down under the bench where she could safely watch people go past, some of whom stopped to tell her what a charming dog she was and asked what breed. No one had ever heard of an affenpinscher before. The usually shy Anna seemed to bask in the praise.

  Travis and Jenny stayed there until the sun went down in glorious colors, and they oohed and aahed with everyone else. Jenny started conversations with any number of the tourists, including a seven-year-old boy
who wanted to take Anna home with him.

  They bought two hot dogs for supper and watched the moonrise. She thought it amazing they could be silent and still so comfortable. She found herself leaning into him. His arm went around her, and she felt safe and happy and wanted. It was nearly ten before they left, Anna trotting happily alongside them. Jenny could barely believe she was the withdrawn dog of a week ago. She obviously felt comfortable. Safe. It suddenly hit her that she hadn’t had a flashback or nightmare since that first night. Because of Anna? Or Travis? Or both?

  When they reached the room, he poured them both a glass of wine and they sat on a lumpy sofa, his arm around her, and Anna at her feet. “I don’t want to leave,” she said.

  “I don’t either,” he said. “But we should be on the road by six in the morning. It’s going to be a long drive.”

  “I think my shoulder is better,” she said. “Maybe I can relieve you in the long stretches without much traffic.”

  He nodded and said, “We had better go to bed. It’s nearly eleven. I’ll take Anna out for a last walk.”

  After he left, she eyed the two queen beds and tried one, and then the other. They didn’t compare with those at the Camel Trail Inn. She picked one, turned it down and went into the shower.

  The water was perfect by the time he joined her. They soaped each other and then fell into each other’s arms, oblivious of the hot water. She’d never wanted someone so much.

  She didn’t know who turned off the water, but they stumbled from the shower, grabbing towels and drying each other before falling on the bed. The first time they made love, he’d been a gentle lover, but now he was as hungry as she. He thrust again and again, sweeping them both into pure sensation that climaxed in one magnificent, blazing explosion. He fell on her, and together, they rolled to the side.

  He wrapped his arms around her, and they went to sleep.

  * * *

  THEY WOKE AS the sun filtered into the room.

  Travis looked at the clock. They were well behind the hour he’d expected to leave.

  He didn’t regret a minute of it. Yesterday and last night ranked as the best in his life.

  Jenny was still sleeping. She looked peaceful and had a smile on her lips, as if she’d experienced a wonderful dream. He leaned down and kissed her. Her eyes opened, and the smile widened.

  “Good morning,” she said slowly.

  “It is that, but we should leave. It’s after seven.”

  “Oops,” she said. “I’ll be ready in twenty minutes.” She practically jumped out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

  Nineteen minutes later, she met him in the car. And ten minutes after that, they left the park. She looked longingly back but knew that yesterday would always be vivid in her heart. It was the best day of her life.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  TRAVIS WARNED HER it was a long drive with few places to stop.

  He was right.

  The traffic going in and out of the park Monday morning was not nearly as bad as it had been coming in. Travis drove for an hour, and then he stopped at a gas station, where he filled up the gas tank and ordered two large coffees to go. Food choices were limited.

  Neither had eaten breakfast. Hunger made them choose overcooked hot dogs—one each for the humans and one for Anna—and they were back on the road.

  Jenny was sleepy and had to force herself to stay awake. Travis turned on the radio, but there were only a few channels available, mostly country and talk. While Jenny liked country once in a while, a steady diet grew old fast.

  But the noise kept them alert. She’d put Anna in the dog car carrier so she could follow the map while she sought to discover more about Travis. Particularly his family, because he’d said so little about them.

  “Eve said you played baseball in college,” she said. “Where did you go?”

  “The state university. Baseball isn’t nearly as big as football, but it had a good overall sports program.”

  “And you were a pitcher?”

  “Yeah. Not good enough for the majors, and I knew it. But I liked sports, and it was a field that interested me. I wasn’t cut out to be a businessman, or engineer or manager who is in an office every day.”

  “And yet you turned out to be some of all three, unless I’m wrong about the role of a Ranger officer.”

  He looked sheepish. “I guess you’re right.”

  She plunged and asked the big one. “What about family?”

  He didn’t answer for a long time. She thought he wouldn’t, that she shouldn’t have pried, but then they’d seemed to be beyond that now. She wanted to know what made him who he was today.

  He shrugged. “I told you my father had a farm. It had been in the family for nearly a hundred years. Farming was his life, and his goal in life was to ensure that the farm remained in the Hammond family. After I was born, my mother had two stillbirths, but my father demanded she keep trying. He wanted sons in the plural—mainly, I think, because he recognized that I wasn’t at all interested in farming.” Jenny saw his fingers tighten around the steering wheel as he continued.

  “Mom became pregnant again. She was older then, in her forties, and she died in childbirth. But she gave my father what he wanted, my brother, Adam.

  “My father and I fought from the time I was little, but it became worse after my mother died. I don’t think I ever forgave him for my mother. I blamed her death on him. I thought he was sacrificing us for a way of life that was dying. It was work dawn to dusk, with barely enough money to pay the bills. The land was worn out. He couldn’t let himself see it.”

  His voice turned hollow as he continued. “As much as I hated the farm, I loved sports. Dad thought I should work the farm and wouldn’t sign the necessary papers for me to play high school baseball. I made a bargain with him. I would work early in the morning and late in the evening, but the afternoons were mine. That’s when I practiced baseball.

  “It worked for a while, but Dad was increasingly demanding. He was losing control, and he knew it.”

  Jenny interrupted. “You don’t have to...”

  “Yes I do,” he replied. “I’ve never talked about it before. Maybe it’s time.” Still, he hesitated before continuing. “Adam was getting old enough to work on the farm. He was ten when I was eighteen and he loved working with the animals and growing things. He would offer to do some of my work for me, and I took advantage of it. He was a good kid.”

  The tone of his voice changed. “I did get two scholarship offers, one in my home state and one at a university two states away. I took the one two states away. The farther I could get from the farm, the happier I was.

  “I had a lot of reasons not to go home. In addition to academics and baseball, I volunteered with an inner city Little League team and had a part-time job with a youth center. It meant I didn’t go home which was okay. I wasn’t welcome there.”

  He glanced at her, and she nodded for him to continue.

  “I finished with a bachelor’s degree in sports management, but I needed a master’s. I wanted to go into the athletic management on the college level. Then Nine-Eleven happened and I went into the Officers Candidate School, then Ranger training.

  “Adam and I had kept in touch through letters mailed to a friend of his. Two days after his high school graduation, he enlisted. He hadn’t asked me about enlisting, or talked to me about it, maybe because he feared I would argue him out of it. He applied to Ranger School, made it through and was sent to Iraq. He was killed in his fourth month there. I heard it happened when he was trying to help some Iraqi kids.

  “My father blamed me. He basically disowned me. I tried to call after Adam’s death, but he always hung up on me. One time I visited, and he wouldn’t open the door.

  “He died three years later of a heart attack, after losing the farm to the bank. He never told me he was in f
inancial trouble. If he had, I would have helped him.”

  There was such sadness in the last sentences, she almost cried. It was obvious he blamed himself for both deaths.

  She reached over and touched his hand on the wheel. “Adam must have been one heck of a kid.”

  “He was.”

  “Is that why you’re looking after Danny?”

  He looked startled for a moment, and then he nodded. “I wasn’t aware of it, but yeah, maybe.”

  They lapsed into silence then. He turned the radio up.

  It explained a lot about him. About why he hadn’t mentioned his family, why he’d been so good with Nick and other kids he’d spoken with on the trip, why he’d basically adopted Danny. Had Josh known about his family, or had he just recognized someone who cared about other people? Was that why he’d enlisted him in this project?

  She rested a hand on his leg. She wanted to do more, to let him know she understood.

  It was time, she thought, to share her own insecurities. She wanted him to know why she’d felt such a need for independence. They were at a point now, she knew, to either break apart clean or explore a future that could forever change their lives. Were either of them ready for that?

  She only knew she’d never been happier. She would be a fool to throw it away because of fear. But could she merge a life with Travis and her instinct to run to the nearest story?

  She was jumping ahead of herself. He’d never said anything about a life beyond this week. Sure, the past week had been terrific. But would it be enough for her? Or Travis?

  She decided to be honest. “We have something in common,” she said. “A difficult father. Mine also wanted me to be something I wasn’t, never could be. Women, in his world, were obedient wives and daughters. From the day I was born, he resented me. My sisters—both of them—were tall and blond and obedient, at least until lately. They were popular, ran with the right crowd and married men in the same class, and of the same stripe, as my father. I was a skinny redhead, rebellious and fought with him until I left after high school. I put myself through college with scholarships and part-time jobs.”