Authors: Julie Pollitt
Finding Kate (8 page)
The whir of grinding coffee beans drowned out the cafe music. Trevor raised his voice, “I want to be sorry for coming on too strong, but I care for you. A lot.” He stared into Kate’s eyes. “Do you remember the time we went down to the river? They dyed it green for St. Patrick’s Day.”
Kate laughed. She always got a kick out of the Chicago’s holiday tradition of dumping green dye into The Chicago River. “How could I forget?”
“The wind blew and the cold cut into our faces. But, we held hands and didn’t move. I…I didn’t care about the cold bite in the air. I just wanted to keep talking, soaking you in. Doesn’t that say something about how much we care for each other?”
“I caught a cold the next day.” Sure, it might have meant something, but she stayed home sick in bed for three days. And, it was a long time ago.
Trevor didn’t speak. He glanced outside then down at his iced tea and lifted the cup, swirling the ice inside. Drops of condensation fell onto his napkin, still on the table.
“I just meant…I meant the cold made me sick. Not you.” The day held fond memories for her, too. “Maybe you’re just confused. You broke up with Victoria and you have a lot to think about right now,” she said.
“We had something. It’s been awhile I know. But it was something,” he said. His voice rose higher. He set his drink down and strummed his fingers against the table.
He does know me after all
. All her idiosyncrasies, her ambitions, her insecurities—and he still wanted her.
That says something, right?
Or was he confused and trying to convince himself that he loved Kate, in an effort to avoid committing to Victoria?
“You’re here for the summer. We could give it a try. See how things go.” His eyebrows rose as he posed the question.
Kate remained quiet.
What is wrong with me? Say yes. Say yes
. She swallowed. “I need to sort some things out.”
His fingers stopped moving.
She wanted to reach across the table, hold Trevor’s hand—this time to comfort, not share a romantic moment with him.
“I need to know soon Kate.” Trevor stood up. “C’mon. Let me walk you to your car.”
She lifted her purse off the chair and followed him outside.
Trevor lifted the handle on her car door and opened it. He rubbed his hand along her arm. “I just care so much about you Kate.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
As she turned around to get in her car, she stopped before sitting down, in time to see Will driving past. He peered out of the window at the two of them from his truck.
Trevor lifted his hand in a wave.
Will turned his face forward. No wave. He saw the kiss, no doubt
.
***
“If you’re afraid of heights or can’t climb down a ladder, this tour is not for you,” Will said to a small group of tourists, waiting to explore Balcony House cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park.
As much as he wanted to sit by Emma’s side, it was refreshing to be back at work in the open, fresh air.
“Those of you who want to succumb to the adventure of a lifetime, hand me your tickets.” He smiled wide and the group lined up.
“We have room for one more.” He’d told Kate to be at the bus stop over thirty minutes ago but there was no sign of her. She must’ve changed her mind
.
His heart sank a bit at the notion she wouldn’t be a part of today’s tour. After seeing her embrace his friend in town the day before, Will figured she loved Trevor.
Kate suddenly walked through the crowd. “I have a ticket.” His pulse quickened and Will took a deep breath as she walked up and handed it to him.
He adjusted his hat and couldn’t force his facial muscles to bring his smile to a close. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Kate placed her hand on Will’s forearm and said, “Me too. Although the twists and turns on the highway up here just about did me in. That’s why I’m late.”
She had to be on to Will. His smile always gave him away.
“Ready to crawl through a twelve-foot tunnel and climb up and down ladders? It’s pretty strenuous.”
“Are you saying you have reservations about my abilities?” Kate crossed her arms and lifted one eyebrow.
“Not you. I just wondered if your shoes could handle it?” His line of vision took a nosedive to her shoes. She needed a good pair of boots.
“I’ll be fine. I assure you. I’ll take extra care.”
“I’ve got others to look after, so I won’t be able to keep an eye on you at all times. We know how you’re a magnet for trouble.” He wanted to focus on her all the time, but duty called, not a beautiful woman.
“I can handle my own.” Kate kept her arms crossed and a smile on her face.
***
Not wanting to slow down the group, Kate decided to bring up the rear. She climbed the stairs and wheezed before entering the child-sized tunnel. The altitude took a toll on her breathing.
Massive rocks flanking Kate arched up from the ground and rose far above her head, leading to the tunnel. She glanced at the other end of the small, rectangular hole and filled her lungs with air.
I can handle this. There’s light shining through at the other end.
Smooth stones pressed against her kneecaps as she knelt down on the ground. She spun her camera around to rest on her back as she made the mini trek to the other end. Her dry palms scraped along the dusty ground.
“I can do this. I can do this,” Kate whispered. The brown stone walls brushed against her shoulders as she inched along. She lifted her feet up attempting to keep them clean and free from scraping along the ground behind her, placing more pressure on her knees.
Everyone else on the tour cleared the tunnel. Her heart thumped in her chest and sweat built up on her temples and under her arms. Claustrophobia had never posed a problem for her before, but it appeared to be right now. Her body felt torn. Part of her wanted to crawl into the fetal position and freeze while the other half wanted to race to the end of the tunnel.
Sunlight warmed her face as she neared the end. As quick as Will’s hand appeared in front of her she grabbed it and stood upright.
“Have a problem in there? You took a little longer than most. You’re welcome to wait here if it’s too much for you.”
“Nope. No problem here.” She darted her vision away from him and slipped her quivering hands behind her back, forced a smile, and turned to walk away before he figured her out.
Her fear washed away as she approached the cliff dwellings, replaced with the onset of awe. The ancient ruins looked like a hidden fortress of burgundy-colored sand castles still intact from two thousand years ago. A series of multilevel rooms, carved from the massive rocks, filled the concave structure. In the distance, she could see lush juniper and pinyon pine growing for miles below the rim rocks.
Will’s voice boomed in the background, giving the details of the Anasazi Indian tribes that once roamed the area.
The tribes had occupied the dwellings for centuries. Hundreds of years ago children must have ran in and out of the buildings chasing each other, much like today. There was breathtaking scenery in every direction.
“Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Will said, stirring Kate from her thoughts.
“I never would have guessed this was hidden back here. People lived here, roamed through here, and died here.” She tried to keep her mouth closed, although awe seemed the word of the moment.
“I’ve been down here hundreds of times and the view gets me every time,” he added.
Kate nodded. The breeze fluttered through wisps of her hair.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Will said.
“What’s that?” Kate turned and faced him.
“Do you want to have dinner with me tonight?” His voice cracked. “Ya know, like a date.”
“A date, or like a date?” Kate teased. Her smile grew across her face.
Will adjusted his hat and smiled. Kate figured he fidgeted with his hat every time he got nervous.
“Sure. I would like that.” She looked around to see if any of the other tourists were watching. Inside she wanted to do the happy dance. That would have to wait.
“Meet me at the parking lot when the tour is over. We can go from there,” Will said.
“What about my car?” Kate asked as she brushed a bit of the pale brown, fine sand off her hands.
“It’ll be fine. Give me the keys and I can get one of the guys at the visitor center to drive it back—if that’s OK with you. You can ride to town with me and avoid all those twists and turns you’re so fond of.”
She dug the keys from her pocket and laid them in the palm of his hand. Before, she never would have given someone her keys. But she trusted Will. He dropped them in his pocket, walked back to the ruins, and began his speech again. Her date turned and winked and chill bumps popped up on her arms.
I can get used to this.
***
Will fiddled with the knob on the green Coleman lantern sitting atop the long wooden picnic table. It hummed louder as the glow brightened. He opened a cooler and pulled out several plates, still steaming.
“This is the closest I have ever been to camping,” Kate said, sitting up straight and arching her back, feeling proud.
“Seriously?” Will curled his lip in what had to be disbelief. “We’re still close to a bathroom.” He pointed in the other direction. “You need to hike a few miles out, carry a fifty-pound backpack, cross some creeks, and pitch your tent. That’s camping.”
“I’m not sure about that,” Kate said. “There aren’t any bathrooms at the end of the trails?”
“No, no bathrooms. Just a few trees.” Will shook his head and laughed. “Can you get a show of stars like this in Chicago, city girl?” Will pointed up toward the sky.
“It’s breathtaking.” The Chicago city lights made it impossible to see very many stars. “How is Emma doing today?”
“Oh, about the same.” Will looked down at his plate of food and moved a few things around with his fork. “It’s hard to watch her go through this, knowing things are going to get worse.”
“She has such a strong faith,” Kate added.
“It’s just that she loves God all the more when things go wrong.” He took a few bites of food. “She’s suffered so much and still has joy. I’ve tried to understand that, but I just can’t.”
“You’ll find a way,” Kate said. “God has a knack for following you around until you’re ready to understand. He cares way too much about you.” She appreciated that he was sharing his feelings with her. Kate pulled the napkin from her lap and folded it. She placed her plate into the cooler Will had brought. “By the way, where did you get this incredible food on such short notice?”
“I know a few people at one of the restaurants here in the park. I called them and they threw something together for us.”
“Not bad for just throwing something together.” Kate helped Will carry the picnic items to his truck.
Will closed the door and turned to face Kate. He tucked a flyaway hair behind her ear. Her heart started to race. It felt as though someone let one hundred butterflies loose inside of her. She wanted to lose herself in his stare.
Before things got too close, Kate cleared her throat and said, “I enjoyed our noncamping picnic with a bathroom nearby.”
“I did too.” As Will laughed he moved closer. His breath felt warm on her face. “I really like you, Kate.”
“I—“
“You don’t have to answer that.” His voice stayed at a whisper. “You’re from the city. You like that espresso stuff and really fancy clothes. You’ve kicked the ‘g’ out of grace with all your accidents. You’re the opposite of everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman.” His hands went to her waist. “But, I can’t seem to get enough of you. There’s only one problem.”
Problem? What problem? That was the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard,
Kate thought.
“I don’t know how to make this work. You’re from Chicago. You said it yourself, you’re leaving in the fall.”
Oh yeah, the fall. Chicago. Ugh.
He poked his finger against the tip of his hat and pushed the brim up. He slid his hands into hers. Her face warmed and she melted.
Her phone rang, jarring her from the moment. The ringer on her phone was loud enough to create an echo throughout the park. She glanced at the caller ID. Trevor. Naturally. Could his timing be worse?
She flipped the ringer off and stuck it in her pocket.
“Let me get you back to town. I’m sure you have plenty to write about.”
Kate didn’t want the evening to end.
The Anasazi Indians, of what is now Mesa Verde National Park, continue to call out to visitors from the ruins. Even after almost one thousand years, some petroglyphs are still clear enough to tell a story, yet the quiet longstanding absence of the people leaves many questions unanswered.
Kate leaned against the back of her office chair and stared at the computer screen, trying to concentrate on her newspaper article. The deadline loomed over her, but her mind continued to wander far from the ancient ruins of Mesa Verde, back to Will.
Their date the night before turned out worlds different than what she was accustomed to experiencing. Chicago offered some of the finest dining in the world. White linen tablecloths, four star meals, and views of the city lights were more familiar to Kate than a wooden picnic table in the middle of a national park.
The smell of fresh pine in the open air and quiet surroundings under an umbrella of stars went down in her book as the most romantic date so far. She suspected that Will, sitting across from her during the meal, had a lot to do with her happiness at dinner.
Thunder clapped outside, jolting Kate to the present. She shivered and wheeled her office chair to the window. The black clouds rolled into view overhead. The area could use some rain to settle the dust.
Several minutes later, the scent of burning wood filtered through the air. She stepped outside and looked around. Nothing.
As she walked back inside the office, chatter picked up on the police scanner, sitting on the roll top desk. She fiddled with the knob, turning the volume higher. The dispatcher put a call out to the volunteer firemen in the area.
Moments later a blur of red fire trucks raced by her window.
Wanting the story, Kate grabbed her camera and notebook, stuffed a pencil behind her ear, and fumbled for her keys while running to her car. Once inside, she slid the key into the ignition and started the engine.
She circled around in the opposite direction, driving away from the downtown area. The dispatcher called the address over the scanner, but the plume of black smoke rising into the sky was all the evidence she needed.
She coughed, feeling choked, as the pungent odor of burning materials filled the air, filtering through her vents.
Kate turned the corner, following the smoke. Fire trucks parked in the middle of the street. The firemen raced to put on their masks, shielding them from the toxic vapors. Behind the commotion, the black cloud rose above Emma’s church, now engulfed in a red dance of flames.
She pulled into a driveway, a safe distance from the fire. She spotted Will’s truck driving in her direction, then pulling in next to her.
Kate shifted her car into park and picked up her camera before getting out. When she stepped outside the heat from the fire surprised her.
“Stay back,” Will said, grabbing fire gear from his truck bed. “These fires can rage out of control fast. They get hot enough to burn the reflective tape right off a stop sign.”
“Where are you going? I mean, what are you doing?” She bunched the camera strap in her hand.
“I’m a volunteer firefighter. I’m needed here right now.”
“But you could get hurt.” She wanted more time for the information to sink in.
“That’s a chance I’ll take.” He put his helmet under his arm and faced her. “Stay back. I mean it. You can get good enough pictures from here.”
She nodded. “Please be careful.” Kate took a deep breath and exhaled as she watched him run toward the death trap.
The chief arrived on the scene, and parked a few yards from Kate. He lifted his radio to his mouth and yelled, “Taking command from Engine two.”
Thick yellow water hoses snaked across the dirt road and onto the grass. “We’ve got a one story fire on the alpha side, with minimal exposure on the delta side.” He continued. “Get your second hose line in position.”
Another man pulled a flat hose from the fire engine, dragging it toward the church and leaving it on the ground.
“Supply line hooked to hydrant,” someone said over the radio. “Attack line out and ready.”
Two men aimed the hose at the church, shooting a steady, solid stream of water directly into the building. A loud explosion, followed by shards of stained glass flying through the air, ricocheted in the distance.
Kate jumped and grabbed her chest as her pulse accelerated. She fumbled for her camera hanging from her shoulder and started snapping pictures.
Moans escaped from the building, as flames grew higher. The wooden structure crackled as more sections became engulfed in the fire.
“We made a primary search. No one was inside,” the chief said. Another one of the volunteer firefighters stood on the side of the engine working the pump controls as the others continued to fight the blaze.
Kate lifted the camera to get a shot. She zoomed in on the church, searching for Will. She scanned back and forth the length of the church. She focused on Will at the front door in time to see him and another man enter the church through the foyer.
More breaking glass echoed through the air as several of the other men from the crew broke windows around the structure, ventilating the church.
Her eyes darted around, waiting for him to leave the building.
He’s trained to fight fires. He’ll be okay.
She tried to convince herself.
Her hands trembled on the zoom lens, trying to catch a glimpse of Will on the inside of the church. She moved the camera back and forth, but couldn’t see through the smoky haze.
Flames burst through the roof, eating away at the structure. Like a domino effect, rows of tiles began caving in, as though they were being devoured into a pit.
“Emergency retreat!” The fire chief yelled into his radio. “Dispatch, activate emergency retreat tone.” He lifted his thumb off the button and pressed it again. “I repeat, activate emergency retreat. Get those men outta there.”
A tone resounded over the radio waves, giving the men the signal to get out of the building. The fire engines blared three long blasts and Kate covered her ears, shielding them from the eardrum bursting noise.
Tips of the trees surrounding the church began burning. Thankfully, no other buildings were close enough to catch fire.
Kate put her hand over her heart again, fearing the worst. She kept her eyes glued on the door waiting for the Will to exit. The doors didn’t move. Were they trapped inside?
Please come out. Please come out.
With the sound of a crackling wildfire, the church began to crumble.
The chief reiterated his statement. Three long sirens sounded on the engines again. She watched. Waiting.
Pieces of wood dangling from the deathtrap, turned to black as the fire ate away at more of the now tangled frame.
Finally, the two men emerged. She exhaled the breath she had been holding.
As they ran from the building and into the front grassy area, steam smoldered off the two men. Will fell to his knees. The power line connected to the church erupted into flames, just above them. It arced for a few seconds and teetered off the pole.
Kate’s hand flew to her mouth.
One of the other firemen grabbed Will and threw him several feet before the line hit the ground, sparking and jumping around like a firecracker.
He stumbled several times before getting up again. This time, he moved toward the ambulance, now parked halfway down the block.
Kate sprinted to the ambulance, to Will’s side. She couldn’t hold back the sobs. The thought of having to tell Emma he was gone sent shivers through her body. She shoved the thought out of her mind.
She touched his uniform before jerking her hand back from the heat. “You’re scorching hot.”
Will removed his helmet and said, “Look at that. It melted the shield.”
“Are you okay?” She stepped to the side as one of the paramedics moved closer to Will.
“My side—ah!” He said, changing his position. “It hurts.” He scrunched his soot-covered face when he pressed on his ribs. “If John hadn’t thrown me out of the way I have a feeling I’d be toast right now.” He looked at Kate and shook his head.
Her heart thumped inside her chest, aching from all the excitement.
“It may be a broken rib. It hurts to breathe deeply.”
“Let’s get you in the ambulance. I can give you something for the pain. If I wrap it, it might keep you from breathing properly and lead to pneumonia.” The paramedic slid his hand under Will’s arm and helped him into the truck.
“Ever been this close to the action?” Will asked Kate as he leaned back on the gurney.
“No. And I never want to get this close again. I don’t know how you can stand that heat.”
Kate glanced over in time to see the pastor step out of his car. He stood several yards away from her watching the horror unfold.
Minutes ago it was a story for the newspaper. Kate had witnessed a man almost lose his life and a church turn to ashes in a matter of minutes. Now, for the first time in her life, she felt a sense of duty to put her camera away and help where needed.
“I’ll be right back.” She walked to the pastor’s side and placed her hand on his arm.
Her touch startled him and he turned to face her. He shook his head back and forth, but the two remained silent.
“Tell me what I can do to help you,” Kate said.
“Nothing. No one can do anything…except these firemen.”
Firemen picked up the second hose, pouring water into the blazing building. The charred church began to look unrecognizable.
The flames began to dwindle, as did the building. Piles of black wood and ash lay on the ground, while the rest continued to burn out.
Kate stepped back over to the ambulance to check on Will. Although he was hurt and unable to move around too much, she felt a sense of security whenever he was around.
“How am I going to tell Emma about the church?” He lowered his head and rubbed his face, scratching against his whiskers.
As if Will didn’t have enough problems, now he had to explain why Emma would never see her church again. How much more could the frail woman take?
“I’m so sorry Will. I…I don’t know what to say.” Nothing would change the fact that Emma’s beloved church lay in ashes. Nothing.
***
At Emma’s, Will leaned back in his chair and winced. The X-ray didn’t show any broken ribs; although, he still ached. He’d have to take it easy for a while.
He dropped the newspaper onto the floor next to the table after he finished reading Kate’s story about the church fire. He’d tried all morning to think of a way to tell Emma about the loss of her church. He didn’t want to make her life any more miserable.
She’d never be able to step foot in her sanctuary again before leaving this world. Yet another thing he couldn’t understand about God. Why would he let so much happen to Emma all at once?
Kate had put a positive spin on the story. As much as he tried to buy into her reasoning, he wondered how angry some of the other church members must feel. The church was completely destroyed.
Will did admit, however, it gave him more reason to like Kate. She didn’t aim for the worst perspective in a story like some of the other media. She searched out the truth asked people how they were feeling and what their future plans might include.
He’d tried to talk himself out of the way he felt about Kate, knowing she would be leaving, but his feelings for her were becoming more solidified. He had to figure out a way to keep her in Wintervale.
“Will?” Emma shuffled into the living room and sat on the couch. She continually pushed herself to get up from the bed and move around. He knew exhaustion ruled her life, but she still wanted to be a part of his everyday activities.
“I’m right here.” His body ached as he moved over to the couch and sat down next to her. “I need to tell you something.” He’d debated not telling her about the fire, knowing she’d most likely never have the energy to go back anyway. But, he couldn’t hide it from her.
She turned her head and smiled. “I’m all ears.”
Her smile made it that much harder to tell the truth. “The church burnt down yesterday.” He placed his palm on her thigh.
“What happened?” She lifted her hands to her cheeks.
“They believe it was a lightning bolt from a dry thunderstorm cell that passed overhead yesterday.”
“Oh my.” Emma covered her face. Her shoulders shook and her voice carried the sobs.
“I’m so sorry Emma.” He rubbed her back. She’d already become so frail and thin. Sickness was beginning to ravage her body and her weight dwindled daily.
“I loved that place.” She sat up and wiped the tears from her eyes. “I remember when they built it. We were all so excited.”
“I can imagine.” He felt a loss for words.
“When you were a baby some of us from the church all climbed into a few pickup trucks and drove up into the mountains. We filled the truck bed up with stones that we found.” Emma laughed. “We brought them back and cemented them to the wall around the baptismal.”