Traveler Ch. 02

The only disagreement we had in that hospital room was when Maddie's folks told me they were holding up the funeral until I was allowed out of hospital, I was to be the guest of honor. Even with an emotionally hoarse voice I told them I couldn't agree to that. Brenda was the guest of honor; it was she who gave me the clue to where she was. Cindy clenched my hand and I looked at her, tears were looming in the corner of her eyes.

The doctor let me out three days later, the funeral was to be a week from that day. I had Brenda's folks on speaker and the girls still in one room as I broached a subject that was going to loom real soon; the press, with Callum's arraignment and then court date. The press took an interest, the funeral was next and none of us wanted it to turn into a circus.

"I know a reporter, he's good, we as water people have dealt with him before, in fact he's married to Cassie. Let him have the story on condition that he syndicates it."

All quickly agreed and Cassie picked up her cell. Patted me on the shoulder as she walked out of the room to talk to her husband.

The day of the funeral, the sun came out. The sky was blue and the girls of the choir all wore red in respect for the red lady. When they finished singing the song Cal-un-den in the church, Brenda's mother walked over to the choir leader, hugged her and asked that she and the choir sing it again. Maddie was still sure she could have sung the song, us water people just looked at her and reminded her that there is no land people translation for Cal-un-den. She simply wouldn't have been able to be taught it in time.

Tears were in abundance that day. Even the choir held hands as they sang Cal-un-den.

*******

A month later, I was getting the boat ready. Cindy and I had decided to travel for a month, no cell phones or even a radio were allowed on the boat. It was one of those times, we just needed to reconnect, on every level. Cindy was at the front of the boat organizing the kitchen and food stuffs into cupboards, I was just tidying up. Then the boat tilted and a bag dropped onto the floor. We both looked over at the bag and then the legs coming down the steps.

Maddie appeared and I looked closely at her, this was the first time I had seen her since the funeral. Her hair was slightly longer and a scrunchie thing held it all in a ponytail behind her. It was clear she wasn't wearing a bra going by the jiggle of her tits in her t-shirt as she moved down the steps, the painted-on shorts on her were real cute as well.

She had just kicked her sneakers off her feet, when I found my voice. "Erm?"

Cindy and Maddie met somewhere in the middle of the boat and tried to hug each other to death.

"What are you doing here girl?"

Maddie looked deep into Cindy's eyes then proceeded to kiss her, and I do mean kiss her. Now I know my wife, she doesn't have a lesbian bone in her body. Her comment is and I quote from her. "I like cock too much."

But she sure got over that opinion of herself when she lip-locked Maddie, not three feet from me.

When they both came up for air, Cindy got in first, I was but a second behind her I assure you. "What are you doing here girl? Got another mystery for us?"

Maddie shook her head. "Nope, just paying my debt. And I quote." She then did that air quote thing with her fingers. "When the dust settles, the land girl can come with us on the boat for a week and we both use her."

I smiled at that memory; I also smiled a lot more when Cindy got lost for words. I mean this is my wife we're talking about here. When it sank in, my wife went beet red. She smiled the evil little smile of hers but she sure couldn't hide that neck and cheeks and chest of hers going a cute shade of red.

"We're going away for a month, not a week."

Maddie still held onto my wife. "Call it interest earned." She then looked and then held out a hand to me. Out of habit, I held onto her. "Jason could have died when he gave me a last chance to see my sister, thanks can't ever cover that, not by a country mile."

Cindy was still persistent. "But we're away for a month?"

Again Maddie nodded in agreement. "As long as you drop me off at college for the start of term. My folks are taking my stuff to college and we'll meet them there."

This time my wife's jaw dropped. "So your folks know what you're doing." She then gulped and added. "For a month?"

The smile just got bigger on Maddie's lips and she nodded. She did that nervous biting of her bottom lip, her cheeks went a solid red and gently slopped down her neck.

"I sat both my folks down and told them about honor, debt and family that is a way of life with the water people. I told them I had made a deal and I wanted to fulfil it. I also expected them to blow up as well. They just smiled and agreed."

Maddie watched Cindy. My wife smiled and her hand went to Maddie's cheek and gently held it. She must have felt her warmth of her cheeks, if not the nipples trying to tear their way out of her shirt, clues to the lust starting to build within the boat.

Maddie then took a step back, leaned down and reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of suntan lotion, looking directly at Cindy, she said. "Strip water girl. It's your turn."

*******

A year later...

Cassie walked from the parking lot, her hands stuck into her pockets. Nothing had changed, a new chapter in folklore perhaps, but nothing about this place had changed. She had heard that the Water Authority people had sealed the hole in the bank before they removed the dam walls and let the water back in. A noise made her look by the corner of the wall leading to the meadow. Abe was staring at her; she patted the wooden beam she was sat on and Abe sat next to her.

"How did you figure it out?"

Cassie looked at the lock, memories still came to her as she did.

"You showed my father a picture of your children. Marion was holding the youngest, the picture showed the gate to your house. The one that's two to the left of the road leading to this parking lot."

"I often wondered how he found the cave since it took a fingertip search by the dive team to find it. I assume all three of your children came up here to swim."

Abe nodded. "I sold the house eighteen months after that picture."

Cassie pulled air into her lungs and said. "He got twenty to life, for killing someone whose only crime was to look a lot like me."

Abe shrugged his shoulders; it wasn't out of indifference, more the fact that Cassie was right.

Cassie couldn't look at him, Abe had always lusted after the power that Traveler held within the families. Now, when it was time to make some real hard decisions he seemed to falter, because those decisions were about his own sons. The one who murdered a land girl and then went after Cassie herself, backed up by his brothers.

"Abe, I've held off having this conversation with you for a year. The funeral highlighted our families, we were shamed on national television, now the families are looking to you to do something about it. Businesses are backing away from our people. Our people are losing money, Abe."

His hand went into his coat and pulled out an envelope, it had seen better days. He handed it to Cassie and she read the letter it contained. It started with the words 'With the deepest regret.' Callum was killed in prison two days ago; he simply picked a fight with the wrong gang.

"When I got your message this morning, I knew what it would be about. I pulled my two boys into a meeting of minds; I even showed them the letter. I gave them a choice, lead by example, since in this families, name and reputation is everything; or pack up and leave your last name on the table on the way out. I told them that if they did leave and I heard they were using the families name; I would personally come after them."

He paused for a moment; a tear trickled down his cheek. Abe took the time to wipe it away before he said. "I now have no children. They left with the clothes on their backs and ten dollars in their pocket. That's what my dad started with. Being a trusting soul, I emptied their bank accounts just in case they got hungry and used my money to feed themselves.

Abe stood just as Cindy came around the corner. Abe nodded to Cindy, then turned to Cassie and bowed to her. Cassie's jaw dropped, Abe took the time to bow once more and then left. Cindy and Cassie watched Abe get into his car and leave.

Cindy then turned to Cassie and bowed to her.

"Welcome back Traveler."

Cassie still sat stunned on the lock gate, her conversation with Abe not going the way she expected. She knew Abe would keep his word; he would forever keep an eye on his two sons. Any trouble and he would deal with it. But she never expected Abe to give up Traveler. He had hungered for that title and prestige for so long.

What Callum did to an innocent, Abe knew and to a point, protected him. He lost sight of the fact that Traveler was the leader of us, us all. There was no way for his sons to be forgiven. Callum killed an innocent, unforgivable at any time, more so since he was the son of Traveler.

Then another thought came to Cassie and gasped. Her eyes widened and she said. "My husband is going to put me across his knee for this."

Cindy was still laughing as they both crossed the meadow to the parking lot.