Shelley, Maria and Sarah followed Nancy’s lead and found places to sit. Claire watched them, and once they were seated, she appeared to have made up her mind. She addressed all of them.
“You think me telling my story will help.” She said it as if it was an accusation. “It’s not going to help me. ... I feel ... no hope.” She dropped her gaze again. Her long grey hair cascading in front of her face.
“I have no hope.” She said as she raised her eyes, looking through the grey curtains of her hair.
Nancy was unperturbed. She uttered a single word. “Try.”
They were silent for several long moments. Nobody moved. Claire looked to be on the verge of making another run for it. But then something changed for her. She swept her hair from her face and looked at each person in the room, as if trying to determine their intention.
“Ok.” She said.
Claire took a deep breath, trying to compose her thoughts. She remained standing, with the window at her back. Then she started to talk.
“My husband. ... Tom.” Claire smiled when she said his name. “Tom and I were empty nesters. Both of our boys had been out of the house for years. We led a comfortable life. Routine.” She said with a small nod.
“Things changed so fast... I struggle with it.”
Chapter Forty-eight
Claire
October 26, 3:20 P.M.
The man lurched from behind the car onto the sidewalk. He heard something, which made him look up. There was a steady hum above the house in front of him, from the power lines high above. He had taken a few more steps when he heard a dog barking.
Tex was barking again. The golden retriever sensed somebody approaching the house. The dog hopped around excitedly and scratched at the front door as a person reached the other side of the door. The handle turned, and the door opened. Tex was out the door and lunged at the newcomer.
“Tex! Take it easy, boy. Down boy!” Dale tried to keep the dog from pushing him off balance. With a laugh he put a hand on the dog’s collar, dropped to his knees and pulled the dog down. The over-excited dog would not stop whining and barking, all the while trying to lick the young man’s face. With a sputter, Dale pulled the dog away from his face. “It’s ok boy. Calm down!” This only got the dog more excited and with a lunge Tex bowled Dale over. There was no getting around it. The young man was getting a slobbery wet welcome.
“Tex! Here boy!” Tom sternly called from the doorway. The dog reluctantly looked up, and with one final lick left the young man to heel next to its master.
Claire stepped out onto the porch with a concerned look. “Get up, Dale. Come inside.” She stood over him and reached down to help him up, her head up and scanning the street. Dale ignored the hand and got himself up. His mom wasn’t the strongest person, while he was a shade over six feet tall and a shade over two hundred pounds. He’d be more likely to pull her down if he used her proffered support.
“It’s ok, mom.” He stood up and gave his mom a bear hug. He could feel her squirm slightly before returning the embrace. She always was one of those types of people that tended to avoid public displays of affection. Or rather, she knew that Tom disapproved. It only made Dale hold on to her longer.
Dale let go of his mother and turned around to grab his luggage. The front yard looked immaculate – just like it always did. The cleanest sidewalk and driveway, the tidiest house, and the best-looking yard. Those were of the utmost importance to the Moore household. Appearances mattered.
Tom and Claire were probably more concerned about the neighbors seeing this embarrassing episode, than they were about the crazy things transpiring in the world. Dale smiled sadly.
He remembered growing up here. They used to have an awesome tree in their front yard. Great for climbing. He used to climb it all the time with his buddies. His parents used to hate that.
Then the power company decided their house was in the middle of a planned power corridor. They’d offered a good sum to purchase the lot.
But dad hated change.
He refused. There was even a court case. Finally, dad’s stubbornness wore down even the city governance. The powerlines went in, but the Moore family stayed exactly where they were.
Dale picked up his suitcase and sports bag and entered the house. He dropped them inside the living room and embraced his dad. “I missed you guys!” he said. The lie rolling off his tongue all too easily.
Tex was getting all excited again, so Tom broke off the embrace. He pulled the dog to the kitchen at the back of the house and opened the back door.
“Tex. Out!” He said, pointing sternly out to the back yard. The banished dog skulked out of the back door with that heartbroken look that golden retrievers were masters at.
Dale collected his bags again and made his way down the all-too-familiar hall towards his old room. He opened the door to his old room and dropped his bags inside. He stood for a moment just inside that door and breathed in the memories of his youth, then stepped out and closed the door behind him with a rueful smile.
It was good to be home.
Dale walked back to the living room and saw his mother fussing in the kitchen. He inhaled, and the smell of meatloaf met his olfactory senses. Yet another smell that brought him back in time, to his childhood. There was always some kind of good smell coming out of that kitchen.
His dad was sitting on the couch reading a magazine. This was a typical day at the Moore’s household. Dale
