Executive Privilege - A Sequel

All honor to saddletramp1956 (if you like this story). If you don't, I apologize and the blame is mine. It is a sequel to saddletramp1956's "Fallout 09" story. I suggest you read it for context. He has graciously allowed this sequel. I liked the story, as bleak as it was, just like I like all the Tramp's stories. But we all know the Bear loves happy endings, and this just didn't cut it. Plus, as much as she may (or may not) have deserved it, I don't think Katie West got a fair shake. So the Bear will endeavor to fix this small oversight. I hope you like it. It is posted in "Sci-Fi + Fantasy". You'll see why.

Please, as always, enjoy.

Katie West moaned slightly, shuddered, and slowly opened her eyes. For a brief instance, she thought she detected a taste of dust, or dirt, in her mouth. Then her mouth and breath cleared and she felt alive and clean. She sat up from the prone position she had been in and looked around.

'It's so beautiful here! Clean, and bright, the air smells so fresh. Where am I?'

The sky was a cerulean blue hue, with high puffy clouds, being blown sedately alone by a cool breeze. The temperature felt like a comfortable 74 degrees, and the sun was gently caressing her arms and legs. She examined herself. Her skin was smooth and soft, vibrant almost, like it had felt when she was in her twenties. Her eyes were clear and focused, taking in the beautiful landscape around her. She was wearing a clean, off-white sheath that went from her shoulders to about mid-calf. She felt almost like a child again. She knew she was not her 38-year-old self.

"But where am I? I don't recall coming here from home. And how long have I been here? And where are my family- Tom and Jim, our son??"

She was startled out of her revelry by a soft female voice from her left. She turned and saw a middle-aged Woman, dressed in a blue gown with a powder blue shawl. She was 'crowned' with a gold halo-like crown, which was interlaced with a plethora of springtime flowers. She had a kind face, slightly worn and wrinkled, showing a beatific smile like a kindly aunt, or a young grandmother.

"You are in eternity, my child. Heaven, if you prefer. You have had a fairly long and full life, but the last few months were not good. You have been dead for five mortal years, to serve some of your penance in a purgatory of fitting conditions. You were not totally guilty of your sins, but you were complicit in the commission of them. When judging you, mercy was shown, but the evil you delivered and the pain you caused on your family had to be addressed. Your husband, your son, and your parents all were aghast at your actions, and shocked and pained by your death. Your husband prayed every day for your soul and has not remarried, or expressed interest in another woman since you passed. Nor is he likely to. Your behavior crushed him and he lost all trust in females.

"Your son graduated with honors from the American Military Academy at West Point. He is a fine, outstanding young man, a credit to you and your husband. He is married, to a doctor. They are very happy and are living in Germany where he is stationed with NATO. Your husband never told him the exact nature of your passing, so he has no knowledge of your actions. He thinks you died in an auto accident."

By this time, Katie was devastated. The gracious Lady came and knelt next to her. She wrapped her in her shawl and rubbed her shoulders.

"It is past, my child. You were naive and seduced, but rather gullible. And you had ample opportunity to stop it. But you were led along and corrupted by some very despicable individuals. Which brings us to the present time."

The kindly woman rose and took Katie's hand, assisting her to stand. She rose gracefully without the remembered slight aches and pains of her past life. The minor bothers of growing older. They turned and walked along a smooth, almost loamy path toward a grove of trees. Fruit trees, rose bushes, and flower trees, are dense, but not overbearing. Along the way, numerous ornate stone benches were situated, each seeming to be cached in a vignette of flower bushes, burbling brooks, pools, or placid hillside clearings. After a brief stroll, the Lady led her to one bench and they sat.

Katie was much calmer now, more relaxed, and at peace.

"I seem to remember a large park, and it was nighttime. I was groggy and not feeling well at all. There were two, or three men with me, and then they were pushing me into a pit .....OH, MY GOD, They were burying me! I was being covered in dirt!! I was choking!!! Then it got black. .... I REMEMBER NOW!!" She started to sob and heave.

The older Woman looked at her. This was part of her penance. At the time of her death, she was so out of it, that she remembered nothing of the last two to three weeks of her life, or very little of the several months leading up to it. Finally, the Lady reached for her and enfolded her in an embrace.

'That's enough. She will remember everything soon enough. And she will have to live or exist with it, for all eternity. But she has paid enough.' She soothed her crying form and turned her face to look at her.

"You see what happened to you, some of what you did, what you allowed to happen, and what was done to you. This is more of your penance. You will remember and relive the rest over time, but over time it will fade and you will have peace. You will have the chance to come to terms with your actions and know that, eventually, you will be allowed to reconcile with your loved ones. But it will not be for a while. And you will see what they went through, what it did to them, and what your actions cost you. It will not be pleasant."

The Lady looked deep into her soul.

"It is necessary. But I believe you can overcome all these things, and find peace. It is your decision."

"MY DECISION?? I THOUGHT I WAS DEAD. WHY AM I STILL BEING PUNISHED??"

She was losing it.

The Lady nodded. She knew this was coming. When they woke up here and realized where they were, most souls expected butterflies, rainbows, beautiful weather, and peace and solitude for the rest of eternity. But it wasn't like that. It was a journey, one that would continue forever. Eventually, maybe, she would come to terms with her grief. Or maybe not. It would get better, more focused, and distant. But it would probably always be there, as part of her psyche. The Lady focused on Katie.

'But she is a strong woman. Easily led sometimes, but she would continue to heal. It would be long, though.'

Katie was lost in thought.

"What of Tom? .... And Jim?? You said they were getting on with their lives. How are they??"

The time had come. The Lady inhaled, then sighed.

"Would you like to see?"

"YES! YES, PLEASE! May I??"

The Lady nodded and gestured to nothing in particular. A shimmering light grew in front of them, and a scene opened up.

Tom was putting down a cup of coffee on the kitchen counter, and picking up up his keys. He glanced at the wall clock, sighed, and headed out the door to the garage. Getting into his car, he hit the button to open the garage door and simultaneously started the engine. The Ford Explorer came to life, and a moment later he started backing out.

Tom had changed, a little. Older, slightly grey around the temples. 'Distinguished, that's the word,' she thought. 'And he got a new car!', she added.

The Lady smiled.

'She is getting reacquainted.'

He drove along on the way to his new job at the engineering company outside of town. A sprawling complex, newly built about two years ago. He had taken the settlement from the Ryder lawsuit, and, with the money from the hose sale, bought a piece of land and had a log cabin built. Very modern, though. Three bedrooms, three baths, 3500 sq. ft., big kitchen, huge family room, stone fireplace, and a man cave. Three-car attached garage. And empty of any presence other than his. There was no 'feeling' in the 'house' because that's what it was. A house. Not a home. His life was a shell. The whole reason for his existence was buried in the plot on the other side of town.

He had a tasteful marble headstone erected. Engraved with her name, date of birth, and date of passing. The name of her 'loving husband', and 'beloved son'. And the epithet-

"‡ Katie, I loved you, more than you will ever know. I will love you forever--only you. Just watch.‡" A little extreme, but it was what he thought at the time. She teared up. He pulled into his reserved parking spot and got out. Entering the building her swiped his badge and was allowed access to the secure facility. The company did a lot of work for the Government and their security was tight.

Taking the elevator up to the fourth floor, he passed down the corridor to his corner office, stopping at his secretary/assistant's desk and smiling at her. She was stunning. No other word fit. Blonde, built, long legs, chastely encased in nylons and a skirt cut two inches over her knees. 3-inch heels, and a white peasant blouse under a smart suit jacket. Tom nodded to her and exchanged pleasantries, then turned to his office.

Immediately Katie bowed up and her jealousy blossomed.

The Lady smiled.

"You are dead, my child. You have no claims on him. And besides, you can see he has no interest whatsoever. And look at her face, her demeanor. She knows there is nothing there. She knows he is not interested, as does every other woman in their division. Your husband is a lost cause. I don't believe I've ever seen anyone like him before in my existence." Katie noticed the look on the secretary's face, the definite slump of her shoulders, and the shaking of her head, as she returned to her work.

Katie was stunned.

'Had she done this to him? Is this what she had turned Tom into??'

"OH, MY GOD!!", she wailed.

A brief peal of low thunder echoed in the clear, blue sky. Katie wheeled and looked up in fear. The Lady smiled and chuckled slightly. She put her hand on Katie's shoulder.

"Slight off-the-cuff mentions of His name are not a problem here. That was just to let you know he is listening. He hears everything. But He realizes people talk and don't take His name in vane often, especially up here." The Lady smiled and told her not to worry.

"And what of Jim? Is he any better off than his father?"

The Lady smiled and the scene changed to show an evening scene and a tall, striking-looking young man in the uniform of a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Airborne, his crisp fatigues hugging his body as he strode toward a V W Tuareg. He climbed in, whistling and grinning as he started the car.

"OH, MY BABY!!" moaned Katie. "He looks so mature, so big. He is all grown up." She started to sniffle and cry. The Lady touched her shoulder and leaned over to hug her.

"He is grown up. He is almost 27 years old. His wife is 26, just out of her internship, and is 3 1/2 months pregnant."

"I'M GOING TO BE A GRANDMOTHER??" Now she lost it and started to wail. The Lady cradled her and cooed softly to her ear.

"All these things you threw away by your actions. And now you have to face your consequences. They are happy, and your son is almost over your passing. He still misses you, though. And as I said, your husband never told him the details.

"The nefarious individuals responsible were caught and punished. There were many 'bad characters', and between the FBI, your husband, and your father, they were all apprehended. Many died in prison. Some not naturally."

"My father knew what happened??"

"And your mother. Most of your family never knew the whole story, but your Father was instrumental in bringing Tom's boss to justice. He died in prison. His death was one of 'those', not natural."

By now, Jim had arrived at a small two-story building on the outskirts of the town where his HQ was located. An attractive redhead, about 5' 6'' tall was standing, waiting, talking to two other young ladies. As he pulled up, she saw him and her face broke into a huge smile. She waved to her two friends and turned to hasten to their car. Getting in, she kissed her husband warmly and buckled up. He in turn rubbed her barely visible baby bump and grinned. She playfully slapped his wrist and then grabbed his hand and held it.

Katie was now sniffling and sighing.

"Oh, my poor baby! I am so sorry for everything. What have I done??"

"You did it unintentionally, but you did it. And when it happened the first time, embarrassment came over you and you did nothing. You did not confess. You did not tell your husband. You decided to 'tough it out' as you rationalized it. And what did that get you??"

The Lady's demeanor had hardened and her stern visage showed on Katie. Then she softened.

"Child, you have been punished, but just because you are here, you will continue to suffer for your transgressions. But you are 'on the down slope', as it were. You were played for a fool, but you kept yourself 'in the game'. It is your destiny. You will survive. Heaven is on your side. We forgive and forget. But only you can try to forgive and try to forget yourself."

The happy young couple left to go home, and the scene faded. Katie sighed and wiped her eyes.

Over the next few 'days', as time passes much faster and in a different manner than in the mortal world. Katie learned how to access the scenes and views of life on Earth. She looked in on her husband frequently and checked on her son and his wife occasionally. But when she accidentally caught them in a 'delicate and intimate moment' She cut it back. Too embarrassing. But from the sounds and what she did see, obviously, they 'liked each other'. A LOT!!

She got a small domicile, two bedrooms and a sitting room in the forest, by a meandering stream The Lady visited frequently and Katie realized who she was. Being the Mother of the Son of God gave her great influence. Katie was grateful.

Then, after many Earth years, her parents passed away. Her Mother almost immediately joined her in Heaven, but her Father had to spend a little time away, for some 'less than good actions in his past life'. Eventually, he joined them. The reunion was joyful and filled with angst and tears. But they were reunited, and that was half the battle. The past was still there, but fading.

Her son and his wife gave birth to a 6 lb. 4 oz. baby boy named James Thomas William West. Life was good.

Tom was enjoying being a grand father. He had pictures all over the house, and in his phone and his wallet. (So old fashioned!) But he still was morose when alone. It sickened me, because I knew why. James and family were getting ready to transfer stateside. He had a posting at the Pentagon, and had been promoted to 1st Lieutenant. It had been a good run. She had been gone almost fifteen years, and her grandson was nearing five years old. Her daughter-in-law was 6 months along with their second child. Tom was approaching 50 years old and his health was starting to suffer, slightly. Physically. His mental state was a disaster. He could not shake his depression. He still hadn't dated or been with anyone.

The Lady came by more often. She was very comforting to Katie, and Katie felt something was wrong. Then came the moment when they were sitting in the garden out behind the little bungalow, and the Lady took Katie's hand and looked deep into her eyes.

"Child," she said, "It is almost time. Tom is not well. He only has a little longer to live. Soon he will be joining us here. He has suffered much on earth and will have very little to pay for in the afterlife. Then he will come to be in Heaven. You will then finish your 'penance'. It will be up to the two of you how it will end."

Katie was stunned. She knew Tom was not in great health, but did not realize how bad it was. She took a closer look at his existence and noticed he looked much worse than his years would dictate. She was shattered. She could not be there for him in his final hours. He was alone. Destitute. And it was her fault. HER FAULT.

It had been almost 16 years since she had passed away (okay since she was murdered) and it was just a bad memory. But a memory, nonetheless. And she had almost come to terms with it. ALMOST. Now it all came flooding back to her. And he was going to be here. She disintegrated, and the Lady cuddled her like she hadn't in several years.

Tom passed away a year later. In Earthly terms. About ten days in the hereafter. There isn't a direct correlation between time in eternity. It ebbs and flows. Anyway.....

She was in turmoil. Her looks suffered and she was becoming depressed. In Heaven, for Heaven's sake!! The Lady was not worried. There were a couple of things 'in the wings', so to speak, that should help with the eventual outcome. She whispered a silent prayer and blessed herself. God willing.

Tom was 'in process' and would be in purgatory for a while. Not too long, for his life on Earth was an open book. His marriage and subsequent lonely existence were all documented in the Hallowed Archives of Paradise, but being a man, he had some less than sterling 'incidents' in his early life, and college time. So, being a good Catholic young man, he was called to account.

Upon his release, he was elevated to the Pearly Gates, and met by his patron saint, Saint Thomas Aquinas, his guardian angel, and, off to the side, flanked by two maidens, stood a pretty middle-aged woman, dressed in blue with a white shawl. Unremarkable save for a golden halo, shimmering in the sun, wreathed in a garland of summer flowers. Not exactly 'undercover' or sedate. But he was brought back to the present by the Saint's greeting.

"Thomas, my son, welcome to eternity. I am glad you are here. Walk with me."

He placed his hand on Tom's shoulder and led him towards a path to the small forest, bordering the hills, and a fair-sized stream that cascaded down from the hills. They walked and it felt good to be out and exercising in the sun and fresh air. They talked and after a while, Tom noticed his guardian angel was nowhere to be seen. But the Lady and the two maidens were a short distance behind them and following closely, both distance-wise and monitoring our discourse.

"Thomas," he was saying, "You are a man who has been tested. The Lord has found you to be a decent, honest human being who was deceived, hurt, and crushed beyond all fairness. You lived your life as befits a man who was tested and found worthy. Now, you have it in your power to help a fellow human being who was deceived, used and destroyed much as they sought to do to you. She was murdered to facilitate a despicable, perverted, obscene plot to gain revenge upon you and your family."

Tom suddenly realized what the Saint had said.

"She? You said 'SHE'. Is Katie here? Is she in Heaven??"

"The Saint stopped and looked at the young man, or spirit, if you will.

"I think it is time to introduce you." With that, he turned and bowed to the Lady, who proceeded to advance towards the two of them. Tom turned and looked at her fully for the first time. His eyes widened and he gasped, realizing who she was.

"Oh, my God!", he gasped. Cue the calm thunder in the background. Tom shook and looked up as the Lady came to his side and placed her hand on his arm.

"Tom, it is good to finally meet you. I have been watching you for many years, you and your family. Your son is a fine young man. You did an exceptional job raising him, given the circumstances. His wife is a perfect match, and their children are beautiful. You are to be commended."

Tom stuttered and said, "You're, you're ......"

"Mary?"

Tom gulped and nodded his head.

She smiled at his shock.

"Yes, I am. I am THAT Mary. Does this surprise you??"

He turned to the elderly saint Thomas.

"Yes, a little I wasn't......" But the old man was gone. Vanished. He turned back to the Lady, fully expecting her to be gone as well. But she stood there smiling, her two maidens standing back from them.