Traveler

He lowered his head and lightly bit her nipple. "Oh God," she screamed again. "Okay, big boy, let's go again."

She came two more times before Al. Then it was Coral who let him rest before wrapping her mouth around his semi-hard cock and bringing it to full mast again.

It was no-holds-barred sex and it lasted until three in the morning, at which point they both fell asleep in a pool of sweat and wet spots.

The next day a member of the crew saw the scratch marks on his back when Al removed his shirt in the sweltering heat. "Hey, it looks like Traveler's got a girlfriend," he yelled. Al looked up to the wheel house to see if Captain Jack heard him. Jack was staring at him with a knowing grin but said nothing.

***

HE'S ALIVE!

Dawn was staring at the text on her phone. It could only be referring to one person but she had no idea who sent it. There was no name, just a number she didn't recognize.

Who is this?

There was a two or three minute lull before Dawn got a response.

Shannon

Her eyeballs were almost seared by simply looking at the name. She wanted so much to disconnect but if she really did know something about Al..."

Please watch the video. It went viral and is all over Facebook. It's him, Dawn. I know it's Al.

Dawn excitedly tapped on the link. It showed a man saving a dog from drowning but it was too small on her phone to really see anything. She raced to her laptop and did a google search. There it was; the fourth one down on YouTube. She brought her face as close to the screen as she could in an attempt to see better.

Blocking out any and all distractions around her, Dawn's eyes scrutinized the screen as she watched someone's cell phone video. There was a large group of people on one side of a bridge. They were all leaning over the guardrail, yelling and pointing down into the fast moving water flowing beneath them. Dawn's eyes followed the steel support girders down and saw a wet and tired dog clinging to one of the cement encased pilings. She could see the poor critter struggling against the current that threatened to take it out to sea.

Suddenly someone from the crowd was throwing a leg over the rail. Carefully, he searched with his foot until he found some support then inched his way along the bridge's understructure. He worked his way over to the piling then started to shinny down to the crying canine.

While gripping the slippery girder with one hand, he reached down to grab the dog by his neck but the furry creature slipped. The crowd cried out in terror as the animal was caught in the tide. Unable to turn around, the man braced his feet against the support and launched himself into a perfect back dive. Already several yards downstream as he broke the surface, the young man swam with all his might to catch up to the drowning pup. The animal's head had just slipped under the water as the man reached out and grabbed it. With the large mass of fur safely tucked under one arm, he swam to the shoreline using the other.

A crying young boy ran to them as man and dog climbed out of the raging water and onto dry land. The crowd's paladin laid the beast in the grass and fell down beside it to gather his strength. The boy, obviously the dog's companion, went into hysterics when he saw his furry friend was not breathing. Another man stepped up and started CPR on the animal. The video concentrated on the action taking place. The entire group of people yelled out in triumph as the dog started to breathe again. By the time the camera phone swung back for a better view of the man who miraculously saved the animal, he was gone.

Dawn never got a good look at him. If she didn't see him that clearly, Shannon couldn't either. The man in the video was stockier than Al and he had a beard. Did Shannon know something else; something that wasn't apparent in the video?

She hated the thought of talking with that woman but if it meant finding Al she'd talk with the devil himself. She looked up the number from the text and dialed. A cold chill went up her back when she heard Shannon's voice again.

"What makes you think that's Al? That guy's heavier than Al and he had a beard."

"Dawn, it's been three years since he disappeared. He could have easily put on some weight and grown that beard. Did you see the dive? Dawn, it was a perfect back dive, just like Al used to do. Watch it again. Watch how he arches his back and reaches out with his arms. I watched it over and over about twenty times. I'm telling you, it's him."

"Okay, let's say it is him, now what? I checked, it doesn't say who shot the video or even where it was shot. I...I don't know if he'd talk to me again but just knowing he's alive would..."

She stopped talking and Shannon could hear her former friend starting to cry. "Dawn, now don't get mad again but when I saw that I called the only person I knew could help...Terry."

"Terry!" she screamed. "After all this time, you two are still at it?"

"No, no, Dawn, let me finish. I called him because he has money. I shamed him into hiring a private eye. He found out who shot the video. I've got her name and phone number. She lives on the east coast in...hold on," she said as she ran to her desk for the information. "Stonington, Connecticut. I was going to call her but I thought maybe you'd like to do that."

Dawn had never given up hope. She was desperate, so even if this was a long shot... "Yeah, I'll call her right now. What's the number?"

Shannon gave the information to Dawn then asked if it made them friends again. If the information panned out, it was a possibility but she left it at that.

As soon as she hung up with Shannon, she called the number. It sounded like an elderly woman. Dawn introduced herself and confirmed the woman shot the video. She asked if she knew the name of the guy who saved the dog.

"I don't know his real name," she answered. "He's one of the commercial fishermen. People call him Traveler."

"Can you tell me how long he's lived there," Dawn asked.

"Oh, I don't know, a few years I guess. You might want to talk to Amelia over at Joe's Galley. I know he hangs out there sometimes."

"Joe's Galley? Is that a bar or something?"

"It's a restaurant," she said.

Dawn thanked her and pulled up the restaurant's website. There she found the phone number. Amelia answered but wasn't quite as forthcoming with information as the other woman was. She wanted to know what business Dawn had with Traveler.

When Dawn told her what happened three years earlier, Amelia was sympathetic but couldn't give her Al's phone number if she wanted to; she didn't know it. What she did do was give her Coral's. As soon as Dawn hung up she made the third call.

"East Wind Gallery."

"Hello, I'm looking for Coral Erikson."

"This is she. How can I help you?"

"Ms. Erikson, my name is Dawn Spencer. I'm looking for someone. His name is Al McCain. He disappeared three years ago without a trace. I...I think he might be living there. Somebody told me he's known by Traveler. Can you help me?"

Even over the phone, Coral could hear the desperation in the woman's voice. Was this the woman who squashed Al's heart? "Ms. Spencer, what makes you think Traveler is your missing person?"

"It's a long story," she explained. "I saw a video of him saving a dog. Al was on his high school and college diving teams. When that guy in the video does that back dive he looks just like Al looked when he was in competition. Please, do you know him? The woman at the restaurant gave me your number and said I should call you."

Coral didn't know what to do. The woman over the phone sounded so distressed but she wasn't about to give her information without checking with Al. "You...you say he disappeared?"

"Yes," as Dawn thought back to that awful day she started to cry as she spoke. "We...we were engaged, then something horrible happened. Poor Al was devastated. He...he took off and no one's seen him since, not even his parents. Oh please...just...just tell me if it's him. Tell me he's alive...please," she sobbed over the phone.

All this was very disturbing for Coral. Of course she knew the woman was talking about Traveler but disappearing without even letting his own folks know he was okay? That seemed so out of character for the guy she knew.

"Look, ah, Ms. Spencer, I don't know if Traveler is the person you're looking for or not." She could hear Dawn crying and hated to lie to her but she didn't know what else to do. "I will try to get word to him and see if he will call you. That's about all I can do."

"Okay," she responded. "I...I understand. I...I'll also understand if he doesn't want to talk to me but please have him call his mother. I've kept in touch with her over the years and I just found out his dad has cancer. He's in the hospital and doesn't have much longer."

"Yes, yes of course. I promise you, if Traveler is the person you're looking for, I'll make sure he calls his mother."

"Thank you," Dawn sniffled. "And...and if you do see him, please tell him I know the truth and I'm so sorry for not believing him."

"I will," Coral confirmed. She wrote down the phone numbers before they said their goodbyes and hung up. Al was out on the boat with her dad and she didn't expect them back until the following night. That gave her more than twenty-four hours for her disappointment in Al to turn into anger. When he came home the next evening, she was waiting for him. When he saw her he smiled, thinking he was going to get laid.

"What in the world would possess you to disappear and let your parents wonder if you were alive or dead for three years?"

He lost the smile and stopped in his tracks. "Who told you that?"

"Your former fiancé."

"Dawn? How the hell did you happen to talk to her? Is she here?"

"No, she's not here but apparently she's been searching for you all this time. Somebody shot a video of your heroics last month. It's all over the internet. She said she recognized you by your back dive."

Al saw there was fresh coffee made so he walked over and poured himself a cup, then sat down.

"How could you do that; just leave your folks hanging like that?"

"Coral, you have a great relationship with Jack so you probably wouldn't understand but my parents never loved me. Hell, they never even liked me, especially my dad. You know, in my whole life I can't ever remember him smiling at me—not once."

She sat down next to him and laid her hand on top of his. "Maybe it felt like they didn't love you sometimes, Traveler, but I'm sure they do." She took a breath. "Which brings me to some bad news; you're...you're dad has cancer. He...he doesn't have much longer to live. I promised Dawn you'd call your mom."

Al sighed. He felt very little for his father but he knew his mother loved the man.

"You can use the phone in the gallery."

Al never did get a phone. He didn't see any reason for one. Everyone he wanted to talk to was in town, within walking distance. "What-now?"

"Yes, now. Chicago is an hour behind of us. It's only eight o'clock there. I'm sure your mother is still up."

Al sat there thinking it over.

"You're not getting any sex until you call her, buster," she flatly stated. "Oh—you should call Dawn too. She wanted me to give you a message. She said she was sorry and she now knows the truth."

"Yeah, well she should have known it then. I'll call mom but I'm not calling her."

"Okay, okay—I won't make you call her but I want you to call your mom right now."

"Alright." With that, Al wandered into Coral's office and made the call. He didn't even get a chance to say hi. As soon as she heard his voice she broke out bawling.

"Mom...mom..." he gave up and just let her cry for a couple minutes. When he heard her starting to calm down he tried again. "Are you alright, mom?"

"Oh, son, I...it's so good to hear from you. I've been so worried. Where are you?"

"I'm in New England, mom."

"New England? Oh, Al, can you come home? I need you. Ralph has cancer. He's not doing good, son. Please, can you come home?"

Al sighed. He knew before making the call he'd probably wind up going back home for a little while. "Maybe for a few days, mom, but just for a visit. This is my home now. I have a job, a place to live; I've made new friends..."

"Okay," she said in a voice that was barely audible.

"But, mom, if I go out there it'll only be for you and dad. Don't go calling Dawn or anyone else."

"Oh, but honey, Dawn has been so worried about you."

"I don't care, mom; no one, not Dawn, not anyone."

"Okay," she muttered.

Before hanging up, his mom told him she spends every day at the hospital and gave him the information so he could join her in his dad's room. Two days later he had to take a deep breath before walking into the hospital, back to his old life, even if only for a little while.

Outside of having sex with Coral three or four times a week, his new life didn't offer much in the way of real happiness but at least he didn't have to put up with all the pain, humiliation, and disappointment from the people who supposedly loved him.

Even though they knew he was coming, neither his dad nor mom recognized him right away as he walked in the room. "Al," she finally shrieked as she jumped up from her chair and ran over to give him with a big hug. It was probably the most affection she'd ever shown him. After they broke the embrace, he walked over to his dad's bedside. If Al had passed him in the street he doubted he'd have recognized him. The disease had caused the imposing and intimidating man that Al had known, to shrivel up into a little old man before his time.

Even his voice was weak. "You've grown up," he told Al.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," he replied.

"Ar...are you here to stay?"

"No, I have to get back. I'll stay a couple days but that's it."

It was one of the few times he saw his dad look sad and not angry.

"Can you sit down? I...I've got something I have to tell you."

"Ralph...please don't."

Al looked over at his mother who appeared worried.

"Please, Ralph..." she begged.

"He has to know," responded his dad. "He has to know why. I need to apologize." He looked up at Al. "You'd better take a seat. You're going to want to be sitting for this."

Al took a chair from the corner and pulled it up next to the bed alongside his mother and waited.

"I'm not your dad."

At first he thought his dad was disowning him but that didn't tie in with the apology he was supposed to be getting. What the hell was he talking about? Before he could ask, his dad continued...

"About a year after your mother and I were married she had an affair with an old boyfriend. He was the one who got her pregnant, not me."

Al was finding it hard to process his dad's words. "I...I don't understand..."

"What's to understand? Your mother had an affair with another man and he got her pregnant. It's not that complicated," he stated. "I didn't even know it until a couple years later. We had been trying for another child but nothing happened. I finally went in for some tests and found out I couldn't have kids. I confronted your mother and eventually got her to confess."

At first Al thought this was some kind of new cruelty his dad had thought up, but his mother was crying. When he stopped and thought about it, he knew he was being told the truth.

"I was so mad if I could have found that guy I think I would have killed him but by the time I found out, the asshole had moved out west somewhere. I was going to divorce your mother but then I thought of a worse punishment—you. She loved the living hell out of you and it infuriated me. I knew by punishing you I'd be punishing her. Every time I yelled or cut you down she would cringe. She knew why I did it but she could never say anything. Oh it was great revenge. Every time I'd criticize and berate you I'd look at her and just dare her to say something. Watching the pain in her face was the only pleasure I had in life."

Al sat there just stunned. Like a jigsaw puzzle, all the pieces fell together; all the times that bastard made him feel inferior and inadequate, all the times he looked to his mother for support and never got it—it all made sense now.

He looked at his weeping mother. "So who is my real dad?"

She took a tissue from her purse and wiped her eyes. She took a deep breath and stiffened her back. "His name was Conrad Lipp. He was my high school sweetheart. It...it was kind of ironic. I never had intercourse with him in high school because I was terrified of getting pregnant, but I always wondered what it would be like.

"I ran into him after Ralph and I had been married. He was working for a company with offices all over and he was trying to get transferred. He always wanted to live out west and he had been told of a couple spots that would soon be open. He was sure he was going to get one or the other. I knew if I was ever going to have sex with him I had to make my move. When I asked him to get a motel room after one of our lunches he didn't hesitate."

Al had to chuckle to himself. This was just too much. "Where is he now?"

"He died three years ago from liver cancer."

That was news to her husband. "You kept in touch...behind my back; you kept in touch with him all that time?"

"No, Ralph. I haven't talked to him since he moved. His sister still lives here though. I ran into her last year and she told me."

"Did he know about me?" Al asked.

"No. In fact I didn't know myself until your dad took those tests. Connie got his transfer about two months after we'd slept together. We had one last lunch, just to say goodbye. I wasn't showing yet and didn't mention I was expecting. I didn't see the need. He and I had only slept together that one time so I really thought Ralph was your father. That was the last time I saw him."

Except for the beeping of the heart monitor, the air became silent. Everyone was in deep thought and didn't even hear the rapid footsteps in the hall getting louder. Suddenly a disturbance caught everyone's attention.

Out of breath, her chest heaved from heavy breathing. She held onto the door jamb for support.

Al looked over at this mother; so much for not telling Dawn he was there...except that she looked as surprised as he was.

Dawn studied him. He looked different. It wasn't until he surly greeted her by name that she dared believe it was really him. She was feeling light headed. Her legs felt like rubber and her eyes began to roll back into her head. Al leaped from the chair and grabber her just before her head hit the hard floor. A male nurse saw what happened from the hallway and helped Al get her over to a small couch along the wall. He asked Al if she was sick, did she need a doctor? Al told him he was pretty sure it was just excitement because they hadn't seen each other in a while and thought she'd be fine. The concerned nurse left but said he'd check back in a few minutes to make sure she was okay.

Al looked back at his mother. "You just had to tell her I was here, didn't you."

She shook her head. "No—no, I didn't call her, honest."

"Then how..."

He stopped when he heard her coming around. He was bending over her when she opened her eyes and stared into his face. She had to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She reached up and touched his cheek. "It's...it's really you."

Al straightened up. This was all becoming overwhelming. First he finds out his mother was a slut and his dad is not his read dad. Then she betrays him by calling the one person in the world he never wanted to see again...and then lies about it. He walked over and sat back down in the chair to think.

Dawn struggled a little to sit up then took a couple of deep breaths to get her heart pumping again. She looked at him staring down at the floor. "Al, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Shannon lied to me. I'm so sorry I believed her and not you."