Karen Pt. 05 - Conclusion

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I looked over at Andrea as she placed her forearm on her own darkened bedroom doorframe and pressing her head on her arm, began shaking with silent laughter.

"It's encouraging to know that our neighbors are getting along so famously." I said without missing a beat.

The slight exhibitionism provided by Alex and Emma had lifted the somber mood which had permeated Andrea's apartment after the discovery of the letter in the jewelry box, a few hours earlier. As Andrea and I spooned together in bed, I thought once more of the letter and its contents. I wasn't exactly sure what to think in regard to the letter. It really wasn't important, I finally concluded, and tomorrow I was going to talk heart to heart with Andrea I had decided, it was time. I pulled Andrea closer to me and slept.

The next morning Andrea and I, again, showered together and drank a few cups of coffee together inside Andrea's condo. Before climbing into Andrea's BMW, I had transferred the Garmin from the Nissan into Andrea's car, as I was still experimenting with the unit and wanted to play around with it some more along our journey. Sitting in the passenger's seat now, I sipped my coffee as Andrea put the BMW into gear and we started off.

"Karen told me, last night, that you have to clear the Garmin every so often, otherwise they act strangely and don't work properly." Andrea said as we drove.

"I do what's called, a master reset, every week or so, Andrea, I learned how to do it on YouTube." I said sipping my coffee.

"OK if we stop in Searchlight for more coffee, Tim?" Andrea asked.

"Please, I was going to ask if you wouldn't mind stopping there." I said.

Andrea and I drove for the hour or so required to reach Searchlight and when we arrived, Andrea pulled the Beamer into a parking space and shut off the car's engine.

"Could you get me a large coffee and a danish, Tim? I'm going to use the ladies room." Andrea said.

"Sure honey, cream, no sugar. See you back at the car." I said.

Standing in the check-out line of the small coffee shop, I noticed Mitch from the Laughlin car rental ahead of me in line. There were four people in line between us and Mitch was talking on his cell phone. Mitch had on his car rental uniform and was apparently talking to someone in relationship to the rental agency. I don't think Mitch had noticed me in the coffee shop. A few minutes later he walked out the door and climbed into an expensive looking dark colored sedan. A high-end rental as Mitch had described them to me during our road trip together, several weeks before. Watching him pull out of the parking lot I silently wondered if it had been Stephanie on the other end of the phone line. I paid for the coffees and danish and walked out to the Beamer, found Andrea sitting in the passenger's seat and working on her lap-top.

"Tim, do you mind driving for an hour or so, I just received a call from a client and I need to organize and send him some information, later." Andrea said as I handed her the coffee and danish.

"No, that's fine honey, could you give me the address for Karen's, Vegas office." I asked, moving the seat back.

Andrea rattled off the address without looking up and I typed it into the Garmin. The Beamer was a nice little car to drive and the roads were somewhat deserted for a Saturday, I noticed, as I sipped my coffee. Andrea was engrossed in whatever she was doing on the lap-top so I just decided to keep conversation to a minimum and focus on driving. I thought again, briefly, of the card which had been hidden in Mom's jewelry box and then just shrugged my shoulder, people were people. The weather forecast for the coming week had promised cooler temperatures and slight chance of rain so Andrea and I had brought along slightly warmer coats for our journey. A little over an hour later Andrea and I arrived at Karen's work and traded vehicles. Karen had stepped out of the office but the receptionist, who I recognized as May, was well informed of the exchange of vehicles between Andrea and Karen, and soon I was sitting in the passenger's seat of the new truck with Andrea at the wheel.

"Ricky and Brenda won't be at the trailer, this trip, Andrea so it'll just be us and the kidz.

Brenda has already informed Mister Hadley of our visit so there shouldn't be any glitches" I said.

"Oh, where are Ricky and Brenda, this weekend?" Andrea asked, as she drove now.

"I think they're in Hemet at a bike show or something. Brenda says that Stormy is really doing well now and that Yogi has even taught her how to use the doggy door, for the back yard, when she has to go potty." I said.

"I can't wait to see her and Yogi again." Andrea said smiling.

Andrea and I hummed along, in Karen's new truck, for another four hours when we decided to stop at a roadside diner and have lunch. The diner had been in existence since the nineteen fifties and possessed a charming genre. The walls were covered in oversize black and white photographs of famous actors and anonymous people, depicting their interaction together with food and classic vintage cars. In the booth in which Andrea and I sat was a large color photograph on the wall depicting an attractive girl in cut-offs, sitting on the front fender of a nineteen fifty seven Chevy convertible and smiling up at a young man carrying two Coca-Cola bottles. Andrea and I had a nice lunch and ordered coffees afterward as we sat making small talk about our journey thus far and what the expected weather conditions were predicted to be for the Seattle area. After a short lull in the conversation I decide to take the bit in my teeth.

"Andrea ...cards on the table now?" I asked looking at her.

"Please" Andrea replied.

"I've never been good with bullshitting around so I'm just going to be straight-up. Andrea, I'm in love with you and would like for us to be man and woman - date exclusively." I said.

"Shhh, wow ...you don't screw around, do you?" Andrea asked, exasperated.

"There's no guarantee with anything in life and we'll either fly or crash but I'm willing to take the chance if you are." I said.

"I've been expecting this for a while now, Tim. I guess whenever I get tired of your shit I could always tell you to go back to your own condo, and get rid of you for a while. We are going to make love tonight, by the way, Tim, it's time." Andrea said, looking at me over her coffee cup.

"...Holy shit, you don't screw around either do you Andrea, pardon the pun." I said, smiling nervously.

"I'm not playin' baby." Andrea said seriously.

"Watching you nursing that tiny kitty cat, with the milk bottle, cinched it for me." I said after a pause.

"Watching you wrap her in the towel on the hood of the car is what cinched it for me." Andrea replied.

"I don't want to control you, change you or rescue you or be rescued by you, Andrea. I just like the way it feels to be in your presence and interact with you." I said.

"I already know that, Tim. We have a saying in real-estate, whenever a transaction is agreed upon by two parties. That saying is simply this, DONE." Andrea said.

"Holy shit." I said as I closed my eyes and my heart fluttered.

"Relationships are a lot of hard work, Tim. Hope you're ready to rock and roll baby, because it's going to be a wild ride." Andrea said.

"It already has been. Let's get out of here." I said.

I was a bit unsteady, on my feet, as I climbed out of the booth and stood. Andrea quickly put a hand on my arm to steady me.

"What just happened?" I asked Andrea, holding my forehead.

"You grew-up a little bit, that's what happened." Andrea said, kissing me.

After our meal at the diner I lost track of time as Andrea and I took turns driving and alternated dozing in the back seat of Karen's new truck. The Explorer was, indeed, a joy to drive and ate up the miles quickly. I enjoyed the drive and before I realized it the headlights were on and the clock on the dashboard read ten fifteen PM.

"My turn to drive, cowboy." Andrea suddenly said from the back seat.

"OK, I need to make a pit-stop anyway; do you need to use the ladies room, honey?" I asked.

"Yes and I could stand a cup of coffee too." Andrea said.

After stopping at a truck stop, Andrea and I got underway once more with me dozing in the back seat. Seemingly a few short minutes later Andrea was shaking me awake and announcing our arrival at Ricky's trailer. Andrea and I then went inside and crawled into bed together, in Ricky's guest room. We slept late into the afternoon and after a shower and light breakfast we began loading Mom's antique vanity into the cargo bed of Karen's truck, being careful to insulate it from the weather with the use of thick cardboard and a plastic tarp. After strapping down the piece and closing the tailgate, Andrea and I were both satisfied that the piece would ride securely during the journey back to Laughlin. We also took a few selfies with Yogi and Stormy. The small kitten looked healthy and happy in her new environment and was adapting quite well to her surrogate caretaker and was now wearing her new collar and tag, I noticed. Andrea and I then made the decision to spend the night at Ricky's trailer, whereupon we would proceed back to Laughlin the following morning.

"Let's go downtown and walk around some, Andrea. If it's alright with you, we can take Ricky's old Ford, I'd prefer to drive Karen's new vehicle as little as possible especially now that the vanity is loaded in it." I said.

"I was going to suggest a walk somewhere also, Tim. It's a beautiful afternoon and a walk downtown someplace would be nice, I think. You ok with yesterday, any buyer's remorse yet?" Andrea asked.

"No buyer's remorse, I just need a little time to get use to the fact that I'm in a relationship again, Andrea." I said pulling her toward me and kissing her.

We held each other for a long few minutes before climbing into the old ragged Ford and driving off. Andrea and I spent most of the afternoon and part of the evening walking around in the downtown Seattle area within the midst of much younger people, which some might have referred to as "Yuppies" but Andrea and I were both under the intoxicating influence of young love and found ourselves actually enjoying the atmosphere and interaction with the younger crowd. Our infatuation with one another wasn't lost on the kid's that we were in close proximity to and seemed to be greeted with overwhelming approval and adoring smiles wherever we went or with ever whom we happened to talk with. By nine o clock Andrea and I were once more back inside Ricky's trailer.

_______ 14 _________

"May I see the photo of your mom, please, Tim?" Andrea asked me.

I leaned over to the night stand and handed Andrea my phone without saying anything. Mom's carnival photo was very dear to me and I didn't let just anyone see it.

Andrea swiped the screen and Mom's photo appeared.

"My God ...she's gorgeous." Andrea exclaimed quietly.

I laid my head on Andrea's breast, looking up at the photo and said

"Yeah, she was twenty eight in that photo; my Aunt Elsie took the picture in nineteen fifty five. I've never known why, but Mom HATED that photo. There isn't a woman, past, present or future that wouldn't kill to look just like her. You're a woman, why would she hate that photo so vehemently?" I asked Andrea.

Without answering for several minutes Andrea continued to study Mom's photograph.

"The photo may have been associated with some kind of grief for her." Andrea finally concluded.

"What was her name, do you mind if I ask, Tim?" Andrea asked as she looked at me.

"Her name was Lovisa but friends called her Lovey." I replied.

"Oh, that's adorable. Was she Swedish?" Andrea asked.

"Yes, first generation American." I replied.

"Did you crop this picture from a larger photo Tim?" Andrea suddenly asked me.

Without saying anything I reached up and took the phone back from Andrea and pulled up the photo in its original format, a full body shot of Mom standing in front of a nineteen forty one Plymouth coup with carnival rides in the background. I then handed the phone back to

Andrea. Andrea studied the photo for a few minutes and then looked at me and asked "Do you mind if I email this to myself?"

"Sure, go ahead; just don't share it with anyone, please." I said.

"No, I won't." Andrea replied quickly.

She then quickly typed in her email address and pushed 'send'. Andrea then sat up on the edge of the bed and turned on the lamp. After lighting a cigarette, she got her laptop, removed it from its leather bag and opened the device. A few minutes later Mom's carnival photo filled the screen. I closed my eyes and laid my head on Andrea's leg while she studied the photo intently for several minutes.

"What year did you say your mom was born, Tim?

"Nineteen twenty seven. ...What's wrong?" I suddenly asked.

I opened my eyes and looked up as Andrea peered down without saying anything to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked again.

"Your Aunt Elsie didn't take the photo, Tim, and your mom was thirty seven years old in this photograph not twenty eight." Andrea said.

"THIRTY SEVEN? What do you mean?" I asked, sitting up now.

"Look at the license plate on the car" Andrea said as she zoomed in on the plate.

"Look at the tab on the license plate; it's the number sixty four as in nineteen sixty four." Andrea said as she looked at me.

Andrea took a drag off her cigarette and blew the smoke out as she continued with

"I did some modeling when I was in my twenties and thirties; your mom must have modeled some also at one time in her life. Look at her body language in the photo; see how her body is turned perfectly toward the camera at a 90 degree angle to present all of her best features at once. Look at the perfect placement of her arms and hands and the way her foot is propped up on the bumper of the car, that's a classic modeling pose, Tim. Look at the way her head is held high with pride in herself. Now look at the way her back is arched to make her breasts appear slightly larger. She's PRESENTING herself in this photo Tim."

Andrea then zoomed in on Mom's face.

"Look at the eyes, her defenses are down in this photo and she isn't afraid of showing her true self which indicates a trust of whoever is taking the photo, - they're happy eyes - as we call them in modeling. Now look at her smile, this isn't a feigned smile, its genuine, she really is feeling joy in this moment, that's why it's such a good photo because the joy in her is genuine. The shutter of the camera was clicked at exactly the right moment which indicates to me that the photographer had a fair amount of experience in photography. He probably said something funny to her and clicked the photo at the exact split second your mom was on the verge of laughter - an old modeling trick. This photographer knew what he was doing and wanted to take the PERFECT photo because he was truly interested in his subject matter which in this case was your mom. Your Aunt Elsie didn't take this photograph Tim. The photo was taken by a man and the girl in this photo is a woman in love."

After we made love, Andrea lay in my arms with neither of us saying anything for a long time. The tranquility of the moment and steady patter of rain on the roof didn't need any words or description for us to enjoy it.

"Do you still have the key with you?" I suddenly asked.

Without answering me, Andrea slowly sat up and lit another cigarette and took a long drag, the orange glow on the tip becoming bright as she did so. Setting it in the ashtray then, she blew the smoke over her ample breasts as she leaned down and retrieved the change bag from her purse. Upon opening it then, she began rummaging around through the quarters and dimes until she came up with the key. She then tossed the change bag back into her purse and picked up her cigarette again. Andrea then handed me the small skeleton key as she rolled back against me, placing her head on my chest once more.

With moonlight coming in through the window now, Andrea deftly watched while I slowly twirled the key within my fingers as recognition from decades past began to dawn on me. I remembered seeing the key many times in Mom's jewelry box and playing with it as a small child. The smell of Mom's perfume and the recollection of the jewelry box itself began to slowly awaken within me. The beautifully handcrafted jewelry box with its delightful tinkly little mechanical melody emanating from within each time the jewelry box was opened, my beautiful mother's prize jewelry box...

Holding the key now, a tidal wave of memories suddenly began to descend on me, faster and faster like an avalanche all coming at once, her radiant beauty and warm smile, the joyous laughter of her youth ringing off the walls and the way she had appeared to me then, as a small child resting safely in her arms. Why, was this small key significant enough for her to hide, taped under her vanity all those years ago? I began playing with words in my mind then, the same way that Mom and I had when I was a small boy and sitting on her lap.

Was it the key to the city?

...Was it the key to success?

Was it the key to a pirate's treasure chest?

Was it a key note?

Was it a key word?

Was it a skate key?

Was it a cracker-jack key?

The memory of Mom's smiling face looking down on me as we played "the word game" together almost overwhelmed me but I choked back the feeling and tried to think that much harder. Mom loved riddles and there must be a riddle associated with the key somehow. What then, is the answer to Mom's riddle? Thinking back to the afternoon in Stony Brook, with Andrea, when I had removed the key from beneath the vanity, I recalled that the masking tape, itself, holding the key to the underside of the vanity was very old. Mom must have been quite young when she had hidden the key, then, I thought. What would she do THEN, how would she think as a young woman? Think! Answer the RIDDLE!

Was it a key player?

Was it a piano key?

Was it a key RING?

Was it a door key?

Slow down, I thought...

I closed my eyes and rested my hand with the key on my chest. Then something Mrs. Parker had said to me, last year, suddenly flashed through my mind when Ricky and I had been boarding up the windows to Mom's house."Your mom and Aunt Elsie were always in cahoots together on something!" Mrs. Parker had said laughing. After a few seconds I dismissed the thought and continued with the word game.

Was it a key stone?

...Was it the key to the future?

Was it the key to Mom's ...heart? A chill suddenly went through me then. I stopped and thought long and hard about this one. Finally I continued onward.

Was it a church key?

Was it a house key?

Your mom and Aunt Elsie were always in cahoots together on something!

Was it a car key?

Was it the key to the garden ga-

I suddenly gasped and sat bolt upright in the darkness as the thought of an old melody that Mom and I had sung together burst onto me like a bombshell. I suddenly felt nauseated then and got out of bed and sat down on the floor with my back to the bedside and pulled my knees up to my chin and put my head in my hands. Without a single word then, Andrea deftly came around the bed to me and, gently, spreading my knees, knelt in front of me and held my head against her breasts.

"I've been waiting for this, Tim. Get it out baby, let her go. She's in the arms of God now and she loves you."Andrea whispered as she stroked my hair.

Andrea held me for a long time and let me do what I needed to do. I couldn't deny the hurt or the feelings of loss any longer, the damn broke and I wept, openly. I didn't feel any shame as the tears flowed freely now, all the while Andrea held me against her breasts and continued to stroke my hair. Eventually she released me with a kiss on the lips before she climbed back into bed again. I continued sitting on the floor with my back to the bed, I suddenly felt a tremendous relief having finally shed some tears over Mom's loss, in Andrea's arms. Ollie Parker's words, then once more, came upon me.