Kelsey felt so privileged to be sitting and sharing among them. She looked over at Gareth during the conversation. He sat and regarded his mother and sisters with the warmest smile as he listened to them retell stories that he had heard hundreds of times. Camilla looked at her watch, “Oh my goodness! Let me get the kettle on for some tea to go with our dessert. How does that sound?” Becs and Ana excused themselves to the restroom as Kelsey let out a yawn, “Oh my! That snuck up on me,” she giggled.
The men at the table let out a snicker. “You don’t have to have dessert and tea, Kelsey. My mum will understand,” Gareth assured her. “Oh, but I’m enjoying this so much; I can hang in there a little longer.” Ollie and Phil excused themselves to the library so they could grab a quick glass of brandy to go with their dessert. While they were the only two at the table, Kelsey decided to take advantage of the moment. “Gareth, I need to apologize for my reaction to the suitcases event earlier. My life has been so crazy for the past nine months, but especially the past two weeks. I graduated from high school, said goodbye to my two best friends and my fiancé, not to mention all the prep into getting here. I’m truly sorry that I had such a nasty response. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me so we can start over?”
Gareth stared at her for a long moment studying her face, processing what she said and, with a puzzled tone in his voice, asked, “You have a fiancé?”
March 2015
The Truth Bomb and a Reunion
The phone rang, and Kelsey grinned ear to ear, something she rarely did these days. “Hello, stranger,” Kelsey beamed.
“Hello right back! I’m calling to check in on you. I need to know how you are and get an update on everything.”
Kelsey held the phone between her chin and her shoulder as she put her plate in the dishwasher and then headed over and plopped down on the couch. “I just got in from the barn, had a quick bite, and was settling in for the night. You know this is the hardest part of the day for me. When everything settles down. It’s like pain and grief wait in the corner all day. Not that they ever go away, but sometimes a small window of my new normal opens up, and just when I think I’m getting the hang of it, they rush in and sack me. Your call at this very moment is helping me stay distracted a little longer.”
Courtney just listened to her friend get it all out as she had always done. After all those years of being each other’s sounding board, never in her wildest imagination did she ever expect that her friend would have to go through this. As Courtney listened, Kelsey continued, “The lawyer called me on my way home from work to let me know that the jury has been selected.”
“How did that call make you feel, Kels? I mean—you had to feel something?”
There was a long pause as Kelsey chose her words carefully, “I’m not sure how I’m suppose to feel. I don’t feel relieved. I don’t feel anxious. I still feel numb so much of the time. Yes, pieces of me are coming back a little at a time, but I’ll never be the same, Court. No matter what happens to Michael James Dupree, I’m never getting my husband back. At the end of the day, that’s all I come back to.”
Courtney listened carefully and mulled over the truth in her friend’s words. “When does the trial begin?”
“June fourth.”
“Are you kidding me? Almost a year to the day of the incident?”
“Yeah, I know. Ironic, right? I’m choosing to trust the justice system. We have good lawyers who are representing us and the company as well. You know, Court, there are times when I think about coming face to face with Dupree just to ask him if it was worth it. After all Jason did for him, giving him multiple opportunities to start his life over again at twenty-one. A clean slate, no strings attached. All the support he needed to stay clean, and it all ends like this. That’s the part I cannot reconcile.”
“Look, Kelsey, you and I both know that you’ve come a long way in a year, but you still have a long way to go. I’m going to make two radical suggestions, and before you react, you have to hear me out.”
There was a beat of silence. “Go on; I’m listening.”
“What if you went and visited him in jail? Straight up asked the son of a bitch if it was worth it. Let him see the pain in your eyes and burden of sadness that you carry around. Not for his sake but for yours. You and I both know that, in the end, the only way you’ll be able to ever move on and live in true freedom from this situation is through forgiveness. Maybe seeing him and asking him would begin that journey.”
Kelsey let out a begrudging “ha.”
“Just let me finish, Kels. I know it sounds crazy, but this harkens right back to our Sunday school days and nights at youth group and the really important lessons we learned about what it means to forgive.”
Kelsey could feel her face growing hot and eyes filling with tears. “I cannot believe you’re seriously having this conversation with me right now! Since when did you become the authority on all things Gospel?”
Courtney was able not to take the reaction personally as she knew her friend was still so broken, but, in true Freeman style, she soldiered on. “Kelsey, I may have my non-traditional views and am way more liberal for most people’s liking, but twenty years later those lessons and my views on God have never been more important than they are today. I owe it to you as your best friend to remind you of that. If the roles were reversed right now, I know that you’d do the same for me.”
Kelsey remained silent and let the tears slide down her face, using the back of her hand to wipe them away; she knew her friend was right, even if she didn’t want to hear it. She took a deep breath. “Dare I even ask about your second suggestion?”
Courtney laughed, “Well, I think it’s time you get your ass on a plane and come visit me.” Kelsey let out a forced reply, “Ha, you do, do you?” “Yes I do, and I already spoke with Jasper, and he completely agrees and said the moment you say yes he’s coming as well. Come on, Kels; we haven’t seen you since the funeral except on FaceTime, and that doesn't count. You need to get out here; experience life outside of your sadness. It will give you some perspective and maybe some healing in this process.”
Kelsey couldn’t argue with Courtney, as she knew she was right—this really could be the perfect outlet to mentally and emotionally prepare herself before the trial started. “I’ll sleep on it and text you both in a couple of days with an answer.”
“The fact that you’re thinking about it makes my heart happy!”
“Thank you, Courtney.”
“For what?”
“For just being my best friend, for being real with me. If you were next to me right now, I’d hug you.”
“Aww, I love you too, lady. Why don't you text me in a few days and let me know when you’ll be delivering that hug in person?”
Kelsey laughed, “I can do that.”
* * *
The Next Day
“Dr. Blythe, I presume?”
“Please, call me Gareth. I’m glad to finally meet you, Dr. Eaton.”
Both men extended their hands in a friendly handshake as they greeted one another. “Please call me David.” Dr. Eaton had stood when Gareth entered his office, and he motioned to a leather chair across from him. Both men sat as David continued, “How was the flight over; I trust you’re getting settled?”
“I am, slowly but surely. Much of my stuff is being shipped and won’t be here for at least a month, so in the interim I’ll live with the basic necessities. It’ll be a harkening back to my old undergraduate days.”
Dr. Eaton laughed. “And I trust the staff here at EVMS has been welcoming as well those over at the hospital?”
“They’ve been amazing, truly a delight to work with.”
“Good to hear. So no regrets taking the leap across the pond, so to speak?”
“Not in the least; it was time for a change, and I was ready for a new challenge. Don’t get me wrong, York and the University are home, but this is where I need to be right now.”
“Well, we’re
excited to have you come into the rotation, and you’re filling some very large shoes.” Gareth knew this to be the case and was completely aware that his new colleagues were going to be watching very closely. He knew he was going to have to earn their trust and respect, regardless of the resume he was bringing in with him. “Dr. Spaulding’s retiring was not unexpected, but the man was a legend, not just here in the school but in the medical community. But enough about Charles, you’re here now, and we know you bring great things with you. You’re a gifted cardiologist.”
Gareth reflected for a moment, allowing the compliment to soak in. “After my father’s death I had no idea that it would change the course of my life to the degree that it has. I’d planned on being a professional football player, but instead I’ve made it my life's mission to make a small contribution to this community, in particular to cardiology. I’m willing to do it one case at a time if it means that a family won’t have to go though what I did.”
Dr. Eaton nodded his head and replied, “That is the kind of passion and moxie that patients and students need to hear. Will you be attending the Congenital Heart Disease conference in Los Angeles with me and Dr. Cameron in a few weeks?”
“My assistant has already confirmed the dates on my calendar and booked my airline ticket and hotel.”
“Excellent! Have her adjust your return ticket to stop in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I have a hunting and fishing cabin, and I’d love to take you fishing out on the Snake River.”
“That sounds amazing, but are you sure I won’t be intruding?”
“Not in the least; it’ll give you a chance to see a beautiful part of the country that will take your breath away.”
“Well, I look forward to it.”
“Monday is your first official day, correct?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Well, come back to my office at anytime; my door is always open.”
Gareth stood and shook Dr. Eaton's hand. As he walked out of the office, he took a deep breath and headed for the car. He was tired and ready to fall asleep as his body had not adjusted to the time change. He pulled out his phone to look at his list of reminders and realized he needed to pick up a few things. He pressed the round home button of his smart phone and asked, “Where is the closest Istore?” Within a second he got a response, “The closest Istore is 2.1 miles away on Montgomery Avenue. Would you like me to get you the directions?” With that Gareth said “yes” and opened the door of his rented vehicle and was on his way.
The day had been a typical Friday in the store, just slightly busier as the weekend was kicking off. Kelsey was finishing up with a couple who’d just bought their first computer and was about to head off to dinner when another customer stopped her and asked about a charging cable. As Kelsey walked over and pointed them out, the customer asked a few more questions before asking to be rung out. Kelsey processed the transaction and wished the customer a great weekend. Just as she was about to turn around she heard a voice: “Kelsey, Kelsey Chapman?”
Kelsey froze and slowly lifted her head, turning on her heels to face the voice that had called to her. She immediately felt all the color drain from her face, and she looked up and felt all the air in her lungs being sucked out.
The only thing she could manage in response was “Gareth, Gareth Blythe?”
July 1995
Golden Hearts
The pace of the summer art program was intense, and while Kelsey was fine with that, she was having a difficult time connecting with classmates. Most of them would go to the local pubs and drink, as the legal drinking age in Great Britain was eighteen. Kelsey didn't drink, and she knew that her classmates would find that weird, so it was just as well that she returned to the Blythes’ home after the long days, had a snack, and jumped right into her paintings and studies until bedtime. Besides, she looked forward to dinner with Camilla and Gareth.
Camilla was awesome about tuning in and making sure she felt less homesick, asking all the right questions and just being genuinely interested in how her day went and how she was doing. “I’m sure your classmates are out having drinks after class, and while I know that you don’t drink, there are plenty of non-alcoholic beverages the pub would serve. Gareth could take you up the road a way to the Grey Horse. It’s a great spot, and you need to experience at least one pub while you’re staying with us. You don’t mind do you, Gareth?”
Gareth sat wide-eyed, looking at his mother, then Kelsey, and just as he was about to finally say something, Kelsey quietly looked at him and said, “You can say no, Gareth. I understand if you don’t want to.”
“No, no, I’m fine with it. Are you sure you’re fine with it?”
“Of course. I mean, I have homework tonight and then I’ll be with Camilla and serving at the homeless shelter on Friday after classes, maybe we could go Saturday evening?”
What Gareth wanted to say to Kelsey was I will gladly take you wherever and whenever, just say the word. Instead he responded with a “Yes, that’s fine, no problem. I’m actually planning to be at the shelter Friday as well.”
“Oh?” Kelsey asked.
“Gareth’s been so kind to volunteer a few times a month since his father died, even with his studies and football keeping him so busy. I think he’s been over there more than I have,” Camilla shared.
“It’s important to keep involved in the work that meant so much to him,” Gareth explained.
“Well that settles it then,” Camilla said. “We’ll all serve meals on Friday, and you two can enjoy an evening out on Saturday. Who’s ready for a cup of tea?”
As they sat together, Camilla told stories of the local history, funny stories of her children growing up including the one of Gareth losing his first tooth and playing in his first football match. She also told stories of how his older sisters Becs and Ana would dress Gareth in makeup and their dresses. Family: Kelsey knew it well, and for as strict as she was raised, she knew the importance of how it grounded you and formed you into the adult you become.
As they finished tea and cleared the table, Kelsey volunteered to wash dishes. Gareth helped by drying them and eased easily into conversation with her about growing up as a Blythe. Gareth could see that Kelsey was genuinely interested and kept the stories coming. They bantered back and forth while putting away clean dishes and leftover food. Kelsey shared stories of her and her sister growing up in the country with animals like dogs, horses, goats, and the occasional raccoon or fox that took up residence. She went on about how much she loved horses and about her love of painting. Creating something out of nothing was therapeutic on many levels. Gareth leaned against the counter, and Kelsey leaned against the sink, wiping her hands with the towel when they heard the grandfather clock chime in the hall.
“Oh my goodness! Is it really ten o’clock? I still have work to finish!” She folded the towel and laid it next to the sink. “Gareth, are you sure you’re okay taking me to the pub Saturday? I’d feel awful if you were only doing it out of obligation.”
“Not at all. If I felt obligated I would tell you. I think you and I are at a place where we can speak freely with each other, don’t you?” That brought a big smile to her face, which made his heart swell. “Well, you have me there. Goodnight, Gareth.” When she was out of sight, Gareth tilted his head back and closed his eyes while he tried to figure out what this girl from America was doing to him.
* * *
That Friday
Class let out at three in the afternoon, and Camilla had Kelsey meet her at her office so that they could ride over to the shelter together. The ride over was filled with talk about what to expect from the shelter: they’d be prepping some of the meals to be served there and deliver some meals to the elderly residents who were living on very small pensions and were unable to physically come in for a hot meal.
Camilla explained that Duncan had discovered this specific need while at the local market one afternoon. He bumped into an older gentleman unable to reach some cans on the top shelf. Duncan went o
ver to help out and then struck up a conversation with the gentleman. In that conversation he learned that once every two weeks he would stock up on canned beans, stewed tomatoes, lentils, and even lima beans to survive until his next pension check arrived. The older gentleman cared for his ailing wife, and while he did his best to prepare decent meals, most of it was thrown together with the cans of food he could purchase. Duncan was overwhelmed by the exchange and quickly learned that there were many other elderly in York in a similar situation. Camilla’s sadness wore heavy around her eyes as she thought of all whom had been helped because of her late husband’s goodness.
“You see, Kelsey, these dinners delivered three days a week may be the only hot meals many of these wonderful old souls will get. Some have no families to check in on them, and helping them became a mission for Duncan as it was his way of giving back. Continuing to help in this way keeps him close to my heart and makes it feel as if he’s still by my side. I think it’s meant the same to Gareth.”
Kelsey could see that Camilla was carefully brushing away the tears that had snuck in as she talked. Reaching for her hand, Kelsey gave it a quick squeeze. “It’s my honor to help in any way I can. Duncan sounds like a warm soul, and I bet we would’ve hit it off from the moment we met.”
Camilla smiled, “Of this I have no doubt.”
Gareth was already inside with the shelter director James helping bag the to-go dinners when Camilla and Kelsey came into the kitchen. Gareth made eye contact with Kelsey immediately and saw her smile that lit up the room and his heart. Once Camilla did the introductions, James explained that one of their drivers wouldn’t be able to make the deliveries. In that moment Gareth spoke up, “I can do it. I’m sure I remember the route, and maybe Kelsey could assist me.”
Dream a Little Dream of Me Page 7
