Waiting for Dusk

by Nancy Pennick

  “That’s why I was trying to stop you from going back. I didn’t want you to feel like I do. I didn’t want you to feel guilty about anything. I had mixed feelings about you meeting Andrew. He was a great guy; I would be proud to have him as your boyfriend. I knew how it was going to end; and I wanted to spare you all of this. Please forgive me.”

  Katie looked at her father. There was so much pain in his eyes. She made this all about her, not thinking of his feelings at all. “Dad, there’s nothing to forgive. I love you. I can’t believe that every year you go back to look for him... I went, too.”

  His eyes flashed with a look of hope.

  “No, no luck.”

  They both sat down on the bed and didn’t say a word. Then Katie jumped up. “Dad, we are not giving up. If anyone can find him or stop him, it’s you. You’re going back there to try again.”

  “It’s too late, honey. Andrew has a day’s jump on me. I always went back on Friday. I stayed here to talk to you instead.”

  “Don’t say it’s too late. You’re going to do this. I have faith in you. Go find your book and we’ll make all the arrangements. Dusk comes early in November.” Katie ran into her bathroom to get ready for the day.

  Joanna came home and was filled in on their plan. “Jackson, you better get over to Maya’s, if you know what I mean.”

  “Mom, there are no more secrets. I know that Maya has a set of books.” Katie was starting to feel better about all of this.

  Jackson went to the key cupboard and grabbed the keychain with the apple on it. “I’ll be right back.”

  “The cabinet is locked!” Katie called after him.

  “Don’t worry, I got it,” Jackson called back as he went out the door.

  Dusk could not come soon enough. Katie paced back and forth in the kitchen. She kept looking at the clock, willing it to move. Her father explained he could be gone for days and she was not to worry. She had to promise she would go on with life and attend school as if everything was normal. It was hard but Katie promised.

  Joanna told her that they would talk and she would fill in all the blanks for her and finally answer any questions Katie had.

  As the sun started to set, Katie went out on the deck. She saw the moon faintly in the sky. Andrew, if you can hear me, we are coming for you. I know that you are looking down on me now.

  As she watched the moon grow brighter in the sky, the first star appeared. “I will give you the moon and the stars”, that’s what he had said to her.

  Katie clutched her bracelet tightly. If only wishes came true, she thought.

  Again, one of those fairytales popped into Katie’s head. You can wish upon a star and your dreams come true. That was now a childhood fantasy. Things don’t always work out and you can’t depend on a star to solve your problems. Katie knew who she could depend on, her father. She was putting all her hopes and dreams on him. Maybe that wasn’t fair, but that was all she had left.

  Her mom came out onto the deck. She put her arms around her daughter and whispered in her ear, “He’s gone.”

  Chapter Forty

  Joanna told Katie that she would be sleeping in Katie’s room or that Katie could sleep in hers, it was Katie’s choice. Joanna said she didn’t want her to be alone at a time like this but Katie knew the real reason; Joanna wanted to make sure she didn’t use her book and join her father.

  They made plans to stay up late and talk. They got drinks and snacks and took them up to Katie’s bedroom pretending everything was normal.

  “Start from the beginning. How did you meet Dad? Are you from the past?” After Katie said that she realized it didn’t make sense. Her mom had parents and brothers here in the present.

  “No, I’m not from the past. I’m right where I’m supposed to be. Maybe that’s why you fit so easily into both worlds. You have one parent from the past and one from the present. We can’t figure it out--how you seem to have a life in 1927 and one here. You are in that wedding picture; I know that’s you, but how? I guess we will never know or understand it all.”

  “So you really think it’s me? I guess I do, too. Anna recognized me when Lindsey and I went to the ranch,” Katie decided to tell all, too.

  “Really? That’s unbelievable. But we’re getting off track, if you want to hear my story.”

  Yes, please go ahead,” Katie wanted to hear this story more than any other one.

  “Your father met Carl in the winter of 1927. Well, it was one of many winters for Carl as you know. Carl was married to Maya and Carl Jr. was a young boy by then. Maya stayed in the present all the years Carl was growing up and Mr. Johnson would travel back and forth because he needed to be in both worlds. Maya always understood that.

  I met Maya in the library when I was a freshman at the college. She was always helpful, took me under her wing and we became friends. I got a part-time job at the library because, as we know, all college students need cash. One day, Carl showed up at the library with a young man. He was extremely handsome and very curious about everything. He spent hours looking at the books and walking around the library and campus. We met briefly but Maya seemed intent on keeping us apart. That made me all the more interested.

  I was heading down the library stairs at the end of my shift when I ran into Jackson. We chatted and then he offered to escort, yes, he used the word escort, me home. Wow, handsome and a gentleman, I thought. We ended up making tea and talking for a few hours but when the sun began to set, he got nervous and said he had to be going. I asked if I’d see him again and he was very vague. I liked him and I hate to admit falling in love with him already.

  The more I asked Maya about him, the more agitated she got. I dropped it and just hoped I’d see him again.” Her mom sighed and got a far away look in her eyes. Katie patted her mom’s arm to say she understood.

  “At the canyon, Jackson was staying at the boardinghouse for free room and board. Carl finally decided he needed help around the boardinghouse to get it up and running and had placed an ad in the local paper. It took him many winters of 1927 to figure that out!” Joanna laughed and then continued. “Your father answered the ad. Anyway, one night your father found Carl reading the book and being an author himself asked a few questions about it. Carl said it was an old book he discovered in the house which made your dad all the more curious. Carl hoped Jackson would leave well enough alone but your father was an avid reader, too, and said he’d love to read it when Carl was done. Carl promised him that he could have the book when he was finished with it.”

  Katie giggled. “Dad didn’t give up, I take it.”

  “No, he didn’t. Of course, we know that Carl was just trying to appease Dad and would never give him the book to read. After that, they said goodnight. Your dad then remembered one more thing he wanted to discuss, returned to Carl’s room and discovered he was gone. Your father is a smart man. He stayed in that room until Carl returned the next morning. That’s when he got Carl to explain everything and made him promise to take him to the future. Carl agreed to do it just once. He didn’t know your father would meet me.

  So that’s the story, boy from the past meets girl from the present, they marry and live happily ever after!”

  “Mom, there’s more to it than that.” Katie knew there was always more to the fairytale now.

  “Of course, there is. Jackson and I got married after I graduated from college. It was a September wedding. He stayed here with me in the present, going back to the canyon for a day or two here and there. After Thanksgiving he wanted to stay longer and asked my permission and I gave it willingly. I didn’t want him to be homesick. When he got back from that trip, it took a long time for him to recover from the tragedy of Andrew’s death. That’s when I agreed to go back with him and have him show me his world. We told the family we would be traveling because of Jackson’s job and would visit as often as we could. We spent a lot of time together in his past.

  He took me to New York to meet his family. His father’s name was Robert. That�
�s how we came up with his new last name--Jackson Roberts. Mainly, we would stay at the canyon because that’s where your father liked to do most of his writing. It was an interesting time, almost dream-like.”

  “Wow, you’ve been there. Don’t you love it?”

  “Not really, I haven’t been back since you were born. That’s why your father always says I don’t take it seriously. He thought I saw it as an extended vacation that I’m done with now. It’s not really true. I just like living in the present and being with my family, it’s my preference. Your father is free to come and go as he chooses; I don’t stop him.

  This summer he wanted to start a new book and planned on being gone for awhile. That’s how he saw you, Katie—you and Andrew at the canyon. He knew it was going to end tragically and tried everything to keep you apart but you already know that.”

  Katie was happy to have the final piece to her puzzle. Her father did see her at the canyon. For awhile, this story kept her mind off Drew and what was happening right now. “Mom, do you think Dad will find him?”

  “If anyone can, it will be your father. Now let’s turn off the lights and call it a night.”

  Chapter Forty-One

  Katie was flying down the rapids being tossed around like a rag doll in the boat. She hung on for dear life. Only one thing was important to her, finding Drew. She kept calling out his name as she clung to the boat. Then the boat flipped over and she struggled to hang on to the side of the boat. She felt herself going under but was able to scream for Drew one last time.

  “Katie, wake up! Are you alright?” Her mother shook her. “Katie, please, you must be having a terrible nightmare!”

  “Drew!” Katie sat up in her bed and looked right through her mother.

  “No, honey, you’re here with me at home. I’m sorry to say, you have to get ready for school.”

  Katie sunk back in her pillows. The dream was so real. She felt like she was going to drown and never see Drew again. In a way, she was glad she was at home.

  Katie couldn’t believe it was Friday already. Her father had been gone a week. She tried to focus on school but it was hard. Lindsey was trying to help her through the best she could, even using a little humor. “Earth to zombie,” was now one of her favorite sayings.

  Katie spoke to Anna every day after school. Last night Katie decided to finally ask her about their last conversation at the boardinghouse.

  In a way, Katie still needed validation that this was all true. If the Anna from the past told Katie in the present what the secret was, she’d know for sure this is all one hundred percent real.

  “Anna, do remember our talk in the barn? The one when you saddled the horse so I could find Andrew?”

  “Yes, you said that Jack Woods was your father which didn’t make sense at all. Now it does. You said not to tell anyone, not even you, until you asked. That’s why I bought those books and took an interest in him. I was thrilled to be able to pass those books along to you. I was conflicted because I knew you’d read the journal and find out about Andrew. Then I decided if anyone could stop him, it would be you.”

  Katie thought about that phone call over and over now as she got ready for school. Anna thought she would have the powers to stop Andrew. Well, obviously not. Plus Anna didn’t know Katie would have a huge fight with Andrew, and he would feel he had to let her go to find herself.

  Find myself! I didn’t find myself until I met you! If only she could tell him.

  Katie went begrudgingly off to school. At least it was Friday. As she entered her first class, American History, she saw Mr. Dallas getting a DVD ready in the player. Good old Coach Dallas was reliable. Every Friday the class watched a DVD or a television show. She knew he was getting ready for the Friday night football game instead of being interested in teaching the class. She appreciated the truthfulness of it.

  Everyone loved having Coach Dallas for a teacher. He didn’t care where they sat in class and they were free to have juice or a breakfast bar. Katie headed for the last seat in the middle row. It had become her new favorite spot. The teacher couldn’t really see her and everyone else seemed to know to leave her alone. She put her head down on her books until class started.

  “Class, we’re getting a new student today. He should be here shortly,” Mr. Dallas announced. “Looks like he might be a good quarterback for me next year.”

  The class laughed. They knew that coach loved football. His team was in the playoffs, and he was preoccupied with that.

  Great, Katie thought, another jock. He can be friends with Tyson.

  There was a quiet tap on the door. That got Katie’s attention, and she sat up. The school secretary and a tall young man entered the class. He was wearing a sweatshirt with the hood up over his head and jeans.

  Typical. That hoodie is either designer or has his old high school’s name on it.

  The secretary introduced him to Coach Dallas and the class. “This is Andrew Kelly, everyone.”

  Andrew? Why did his name have to be Andrew? Katie moaned a little too loud.

  Mr. Dallas looked around. “Miss Roberts? Is that seat open on your left?”

  “Yes,” she answered and put her head back down on her books.

  Mr. Dallas gave a short speech about how he liked to follow up his lesson from the week with the DVD he was about to show—the same speech he gave every Friday. As he went to turn out the lights, he turned back and said, “Mr. Kelly, we don’t wear hoods in my class. Please be so kind as to remove it from your head.” The lights went out and the show began.

  Katie couldn’t help herself. She just had to look at the newest jock. His dark hair peeked out from until the hood. He raised his hand to his head and pulled back the hood. He looked at Katie and smiled.

  She gasped. It couldn’t be true. He looked just like Drew. She just kept staring as tears filled her eyes. It was Drew. Her father rescued him and brought him here. She just couldn’t believe it.

  “How?” she started to say.

  “It was because of you, Kate,” Drew whispered. He scooted his desk a little closer to hers. “I started to read your letters when I got to the bottom of the canyon. I couldn’t stop, and the time got away from me. I had to wait until the next day to leave. When I got in the boat, I had such a peaceful trip—being one with nature—but my mind just kept going back to the letters. I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I wanted to finish reading so when I got to the first camp I went ashore. I unloaded everything and tied up the boat or so I thought I did. While I was reading your letters, the boat drifted away and I was stranded. I knew that the men would come looking for me, especially Jack. Jack’s great, but I suppose you already know that.”

  Tears welled up in Katie’s eyes as she nodded. Her wonderful father always had her back; he never let her down.

  “I spent my time reading your letters over and over. That’s when you came back to me.”

  “I never left,” Katie put out her hand.

  “The moon and the stars...” Drew looked down at her bracelet.

  “You already gave them to me,” she smiled.

  Andrew took Katie’s hand. “I love you—across the miles, across time. Those words brought me home.”

  The End

  About the Author

  After a great career in teaching, Nancy found a second calling as a writer. Her debut novel, Waiting for Dusk, was a surprise to her as much as it was to her family. Watching a PBS series on National Parks, her mind wandered to another place and that is where the characters of Katie and Andrew were born.

  Nancy's called Ohio her home for all her life but loves to travel the U.S. She enjoys reading and writing young adult novels with a good cup of tea nearby.

  Blog:

  nancypennick.wordpress.com

  Facebook:

  www.facebook.com/nancy.pennick

  Other works by Author

  Call of the Canyon, coming August 2013

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