Lightning Strikes (Hudson 2)

"Wow. That is fast. What about...you know who?" he asked.

"I've written him a letter."

"I'll be thinking about you." he said. "And that's not a promise; it's a fact."

"Okay, Randall. Thank you," I said, smiling.

"Rain. You're really the nicest girl I ever met. I'm sorry about what I did to ruin it."

"That's another thing I'm tired of, Randall, apologies. You don't have to make any. We didn't get involved enough to owe each other any promises or any apologies,"

I said. I was sorry I sounded so cold, but my emotions felt like they had been running on empty for hours and hours.

"I know," he said. "But I wish we had. Have a good trip, Rain."

"Thank you."

"Bye," he said. "I'll be thinking of you next song I sing."

"Bye:' I said and placed the receiver in the cradle. I truly wondered if we would ever see each other again, or just be memories dwindling into shadows.

Boggs went by with my bags, glanced at me and continued on.

I could hear my great-aunt and great-uncle coming down the stairway. I took one final look at the big house. It was really never a home to me. Perhaps it could be a home only to ghosts, living and dead. I moved quickly to join my great-aunt and great-uncle at the door and we all walked out to the waiting Rolls. Boggs had already put their luggage in the Wet. He held the door open for them and they got in quickly. I looked at him and then followed. No one spoke. Moments later, we were on our way to the airport.

We all slept for most of the trip across the Atlantic. When we arrived in Richmond, Jake was waiting for us at the gate. I felt like running into his arms so we could comfort each other. One look at his face told me of his great sorrow. His thick, bushy eyebrows we

re turned in toward each other as the ripples of deep sadness formed on his forehead. When he saw me, his eyes brightened and he smiled.

"Hello, Princess," he said before he greeted the Endfields. My Great-uncle Richard was obviously displeased about that.

"You can help us with our carry-ons," he told Jake.

"Oh, sure," Jake said. He pulled a cart around and filled it quickly with the smaller bags. Then he looked at Great-aunt Leonora and said, "Sorry for your trouble, Mrs. Endfield."

"Yes," she said in a dreamy, far-off voice, "yes, thank you, Jake. Do you know if she suffered any at the end?"

"How would he know, Leonora? He's not your sister's doctor. He's your sister's chauffeur."

"From what I understand, Mrs. Endfield," Jake replied ignoring Great-uncle Richard, "it happened so quickly, she didn't have time for pain. That would be like her," he added for me.

He leaned toward me as we continued toward the baggage carousels.

"You look all the lady now, Princess. She'd be damn proud," he whispered.

I smiled and squeezed his hand. He looked at me quickly, feeling how my own hand was trembling. "How is my niece?" Great-aunt Leonora asked him. "And which one would you mean, Mrs. Endfield?"

"Victoria, of course," Great-uncle Richard said sharply.

It was as if they'd already plucked my mother out of their family tree.

"Oh. She's doing fine. She's at the house waiting on you all. Megan will be here with her family early in the afternoon," he added.

"It takes a funeral for us to see her," Great-aunt Leonora moaned.

"Humph," my Great-uncle Richard grunted.

Jake glanced back at him and then at me, winking. I had one friend forever, I thought.