Facing the Past.

More than midway through this very short month, time flies.   It has been an emotional week here in the US. The senselessness of children being slaughtered because the NRA has such a hold on our Congress makes me want to scream.  I think of my grandkids,  our daughter and son in law who are in education, and all the other children and educators and pray for them and their well-being.  No where is safe anymore.  Children must be taught to be self-aware and look for places to hide in schools, malls, movies, churches, restaurants.  What happened to a world where those places were once safe? 

Sorry, I didn't mean to bring that here but the tv is on and well... I did take heart though in listening this morning.  The young people are standing tall, taller than the adults who should have been and making their message heard.  Maybe, just maybe, this is finally the time.

Anyway, on to the story.  Some of you may recall part of this story.  I've reworked it and added to and it will be featured over the next couple of weeks.  Hope you enjoy.

Daniel Lodestone walked into the establishment, his eyes searching for a familiar face. He had been gone a long time and wasn’t sure if there was anyone left who knew him back before all the hoopla.  He didn’t want to be recognized so he purposely downplayed his appearance. He hoped that sporting a three-day growth of beard, clipped hair with all highlights removed, glasses instead of contacts, without his usual garb and minus his entourage, would go a long way toward making him unrecognizable except to those who knew him well. His eyes locked on his target – his search was over.  His past and his future were about to collide.

She felt eyes boring into her.  She was used to people staring, so at first, it didn’t phase her.  It wasn’t until she had that creepy feeling on the back of her neck that she paid attention. It can’t possibly be him, not after all this time was her first thought.  His eyes never wavered as she went about her business.  When she couldn’t ignore him any longer, she felt her shoulders slouch and her reserve disappear – it was him, and she wasn’t sure what to do.  Time was up; he was coming toward her.

“Hello, Callie,” he said unsure of himself.

“What are you doing here?”  Her manner was defensive.

“I think we have some things to discuss, don’t you?”

“I can’t imagine what they would be.”

.

“I think you can.” From behind her, he heard someone yell to her that customers were waiting, and their food was getting cold.

“I have to get back to work.”

He took a seat at an empty booth.  “Fine, I’ll just sit here and wait.”

Callie Morgan grew up with Daniel Lodestone. He was her first childhood friend and in the beginning, they were like brother and sister. Jacob Lodestone, Daniel’s father, came from a long line of wealthy businessmen and when Daniel’s mother was killed in an automobile accident,  a long list of people helped him raise Daniel.  Callie’s mother was one of them.  She was employed as a housekeeper but became more like a surrogate mother, especially once Callie began accompanying her mother to work. It was easy to think of Lila that way. It was fine until Jacob Lodestone found them with each other in Daniel’s bedroom. They weren’t doing anything more than talk but Jacob read much more into the innocent situation.  He told Lila Morgan not to bring Callie around anymore, and he forbid Daniel to spend any more time with Callie. 

Jacob Lodestone never gave it a second thought. He naturally assumed his edict was obeyed.  After all, his directives were always adhered to the letter.  But to Daniel, the forbidden fruit was all the sweeter.  Daniel and Callie continued to meet clandestinely – it wasn’t that difficult, Jacob was not an attentive father and Lila worked all day.  It wasn’t until Lila Morgan informed Jacob Lodestone that Callie was pregnant and Daniel was the father that he realized drastic measures needed to be taken. He had bigger plans for his son than to end up with the housekeeper’s daughter. 

Furious, he immediately shipped Daniel off to military school and arranged an abortion for Callie. He paid Lila for the cost of the abortion and her future silence on that matter. He cut all ties with Newton and relocated to Los Angeles, California.

Daniel’s efforts to stay in touch with Callie failed.  His letters returned unopened and after a while; he quit trying. He and his father became more and more estranged through the ensuing years. While in college, Daniel and a couple of his friends started a small band. They began to get quite a following and soon, much to his father’s displeasure, Daniel dropped out of college to pursue a full-time music career. The band, Full Speed Ahead, was ‘discovered’ playing in a small club near the LA airport.  They were an instant hit and soon every cliché you ever heard became their life. Daniel, the spokesman, and lead singer became the fodder for every ‘rag’ in the supermarket shelves.  Every sordid detail was chronicled in magazines and tabloids in and out of this country.  Some of it was true, but most were stories made up by the band’s publicist.

 His life continued in this fashion until that fateful day when the band’s tour bus was involved in a fatal accident that took the lives of two of his bandmates, and the drivers of both vehicles.  Daniel survived, but barely.  His injuries included two broken legs, damage to his pancreas and liver, as well as head trauma and numerous deep facial cuts. He was hospitalized for months, and in rehab for months after that.

While recuperating the one thing that kept up his spirits were the good wishes of all of the band’s fans.  He tried responding to each and everyone personally and one of the notes was from his original hometown.  He opened the note a couple of pictures fell out.  The first picture was old, taken when he was probably about ten – he was standing next to Callie.  He remembered exactly what they had been doing that day – it was at a carnival and he and Callie had just finished eating cotton candy when someone snapped the picture.  He was trying to wipe the sugary concoction away and it looked as if they were kissing.  He smiled at the memory.  When he looked at the next picture, his body went numb.  “What the hell?” he said to himself.  He turned the picture over, looking for a clue or explanation and then turned to the envelope for an address. There was no return address.

After that note, Daniel had a new resolve and made some life-altering decisions. He knew he had to pursue finding Callie.  He contacted his father but as usual, it was like confronting a stone wall.  His father either didn’t have or didn’t share any information. His public persona made pursuing this kind of thing difficult so he hired an investigator to find Callie Morgan.

It didn’t take long. Callie Morgan had never left Newton.  The rest of the information rocked his world and he knew the first step of the rest of his life would begin in Newton. As soon as he was able, he took that first step. 

See you later for more Aimless Ramblings.