19. Surprising Connection
“What do you mean?”
Pat hesitated. “How ‘bout this? I think we need to have a bit of a break before we talk. Plus, I need to find some things that will help everything make sense. Is that okay with you?”
Claire nodded. The emotional onslaught after recovering from pneumonia had left her weak. “Good idea. I never thought going to the doctor would wear me out, but it has. Coupled with this crazy breakdown, I think I need some time on my own.”
“Do you need help to get back to the casita?”
She stood. “No, I’m fine.”
“Let’s do this. I’ll run and get you a smoothie unless you want something else.”
“No, that sounds good.”
“Okay, you go get in bed and I’ll do that. Then why don’t we grab some dinner before we get into everything? To be honest, I still need to wrap my mind around some things, too. Will that work?”
“Yes, thanks.” She planted a kiss on Pat’s cheek. “Sorry for the crying jag earlier. I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t expect it.”
“All good. Now you go take a nap or whatever you need to do. Don’t worry about me. If you’re asleep, I can either leave the juice outside—”
“I should be awake, but in case I’m not, just come in.”
Claire made her way down the steps and over to the casita. Inside, she sat on her bed as her thoughts drifted back to her youth. Lying back against the pillows, she closed her eyes.
Charlie.
Claire woke to find the covers over her. Pat had come in. She swung her legs over the side and took her time to wake from the deep sleep. Her eyes were puffy, showing she may have been crying in her sleep. Or had it been the earlier crying spell that had caused it?
She padded over to the fridge. Inside were two options, one with orange coloring and one with a purple mix. She poured some of each into glasses, sipping at the cool drinks as energy infused her. She took them back to the bed, sitting up.
How in all the world could she have met someone who knew Charlie at the same time she did?
What was it they called that?
Claire struggled to come up with a word. Finally, it came to her. Serendipity.
Was it that? She looked up the word on her phone.
It read: A serendipitous moment happens by accident, usually when you’re doing something completely unrelated, like digging a hole in your yard only to find a treasure chest of jewels.
Was that what this was?
An accident?
That out of all the people in the world, she would rent a room from a man who knew Charlie. Or was it more than that?
Claire took another sip of her drink. She looked back at her phone. She skimmed through the messages, seeking one in particular.
The words stared back at her from the screen. Plot twist.
Yes, that felt more like it. Two men, almost fifty years apart, who had both captured her heart. And who had known each other? What were the odds?
It had to be something like one in a million. Or even a trillion. It would be interesting to hear what Pat had to say about it. He looked as shaken as she had felt. His face had been a mix of emotions. Or had that simply been because she’d been so torn up about seeing Charlie’s picture? All the pain from those days had come back in a rush. Her thoughts drifted back to a moment seared in her memory.
“Claire, you have a visitor!” Her mom’s voice called up the stairs.
“Be right there.” She’d bounded down the stairs, stopping on the landing when she spied Charlie’s mother.
Their eyes met and Claire saw the sadness in them. She screamed, “No! No. It can’t be. No, I refuse to believe it. There’s some mistake.” She collapsed on the landing as her mother came and gathered her into her arms. Claire rocked back and forth, finally catching her breath.
She bolted up and over to Charlie’s mom, who stood stoically as tears rolled down her face. “I had to come. I couldn’t tell you over the phone.” They embraced. The grief uniting them in a way nothing else probably could.
Claire’s mom had gone into the kitchen to leave them alone. She returned, carrying a pitcher of iced tea with some glasses. She set them on the coffee table before pointing them to the sofa. “Please, take your time.” She handed Charlie’s mom a box of tissues.
“Thank you. I still can’t believe it. His father—he is struggling like I’ve never seen before.”
“When did you find out?” Claire’s mom’s voice was gentle in her request.
“Yesterday. I’d finished vacuuming when I opened the blinds. A car pulled up outside, and I saw two men in uniform. I must have screamed. Hank, thankfully, was home. He rushed to me. I pointed toward the window. By then, the men had reached the door. They rang the doorbell, but neither of us would move. It was as if we didn’t open the door, it wouldn’t be real. It couldn’t be true. Not my son.”
She broke down again as Claire wrapped her arms around the woman. They sat that way for a long time, neither speaking. Finally, she wiped her nose and spoke. “I didn’t want you to hear it from anyone else.”
“Thank you.” Claire clenched her fists, struggling with her desire to bolt from the room.
Her mother saved the moment by asking if they could do anything.
“Thank you for asking. As soon as we know about funeral plans, we’ll let you know. Right now, it will be a while before the…” She slipped into quiet sobs. “I’m sorry. I’m having a hard time making sense of this.”
“Don’t feel you need to apologize for anything.” Claire’s mother replied.
She hugged Claire and stood. “I’ll keep you up to date. Well, goodbye.”
Claire watched the woman who would have been her mother-in-law walk away and with her the future she had envisioned.
The next weeks had been a blur with the church service, the funeral with the sound of taps and guns firing, the only things breaking through the shell of grief. Where did she stand? She hadn’t been his wife; she wasn’t part of the family; she was an outsider.
Days passed.
Then months.
Then years.
Until one day, she felt whole again. As if the broken pieces had mended but were still fragile.
Claire came back to the present. So many lives. Now she had a chance to find out how Pat knew Charlie. It was time to think of the good times.
She changed her clothing, and, after brushing her hair, pulled it up with a butterfly clip. She decided a walk would be helpful for what lay ahead. She opened her door to see Pat standing up on the veranda.
He waved at her.
She shielded her eyes with her hand. “I’m going for a walk. Would you like to join me?”
“It depends. What shoes do you have on?”
She laughed. “Closed-toe flats.”
“Okay, then I’ll join you. Hold on, I’m going to grab my hat.” He disappeared into the house before meeting her by the gate.
“Shall we?”
“Yes.” She smiled at him.