A Close Relationship

All of my writing is fiction, and the stories and characters are products of my imagination. They were created for my fun and, hopefully, your enjoyment. Some of the events in the stories are not particularly condoned nor encouraged by the author but are there to create and enhance the story of the imaginary characters and their lives. Comments are always encouraged and carefully reviewed. All characters within the story that need to be are 18 years of age or older. I hope you enjoy! And take a second to vote and comment.

~~~

"Well, hon, how does it feel to be a college graduate?"

"I don't know. It's still too soon, I guess. It's only when I stop to think about it that I realize it's true."

"I think you notice it in the evenings when you don't have assignments to take care of."

"That's true, but I'm spending lots of time looking for a job."

."How's that going, Katie?

"Mom, now that I'm going to be a businesswoman, I think I'd like to be Kate. Katie sounds too much like a little girl."

"I'll try," Lois chuckled. "but undoing twenty-two years won't be easy."

Kate hugged her mother. "I'll give you and Dad special permission to call me Katie, but only in private.

Both of them had a good laugh about that.

"Where's Dad?"

"He's working late today, so dinner will also be a little late, too."

"No problem. I wondered why I didn't smell anything cooking."

"I'm just ready to start."

"Can I help?"

"I'll call if I need you."

"Oh, I just remembered. Do you have anything planned for your

empty nesters

vacation?"

*Katie, we're not empty nesters yet."

"You will be as soon as I get my job."

"I understand and am excited for you to be on your own."

"Thanks so much, Mom. I appreciate that. How long will you guys be gone?'" A normal question, but Kate had no idea of its implications.

"About ten days, I think. Your dad has all of the details."

"Three or four national parks?"

"Yes, and I can hardly wait to see them."

Kate cherished the look of excitement on her mother's face. Her life had not been hard except that they had skipped long and extensive vacations (I.e., expensive) in order to save for Kate's college and avoid student debt. They'd been successful and were using the excess for this long-awaited trip.

"You can still go with us, you know."

"Aw, thanks, and I know, but this is like a second honeymoon for you guys, and you need to enjoy it together. Hopefully, by the time you get back, I'll have a job."

"That would be wonderful. I'll pray for that every day."

Cubed steaks were cooking, potatoes were boiling, and the broccoli only needed a quick zapping in the microwave.

"There's a bag of salad in the fridge, hon."

"I'll get it," Kate said as the garage door opened. "Hey, Dad, you're just in time."

"Smells like it. I'll be right back."

Kate had just finished the salads when Carl was back in the kitchen in shorts and a T-shirt.

"That's enough suit and tie for one day," he said, sounding exhausted.

"It gets to you sometimes, doesn't it, Dad?"

He chuckled. "More than sometimes. Frustration is a part of the job, and there's no way to escape it."

"But, think of the good you're doing."

"But there's so much more that could be done and needs to be done."

"Anything new on the legislation?"

"So far, it's just talk. I don't know how you can make homelessness a crime, but some states are doing it. People have nowhere to go, and they're going to be arrested for that. I had a meeting with the Board of Directors today to see if there's anything we can do to provide beds and overnight lodging for at least a few of them."

"That would be good," Kate said. "I guess you need to get ready in case there is legislation."

"I think getting ready is finding a multimillionaire to fund a new building for us. Haven't had much luck making that happen."

"Well, here's my order to you. You're to forget about that for the ten days you're gone. And don't hesitate to spend money. If you see something you want to do, do it. You've been scrimping and saving for so long it's become a habit, a nice habit for me, but you need to break it now. And that goes for you, too, Mom."

"We're gonna try. We'll act like rich people, I guess." Lois laughed at that. It would be so unlike how she'd been for the past twenty-two years.

"When do you leave?"

"Day after tomorrow," Carl said, and Kate could see the excitement building in him.

"Dinner's ready," Lois called. "Let's eat."

~~~

"Good job, Don. I enjoyed reading your paper."

"Thanks, Professor Stephens. I enjoyed the research and the writing."

"It made a lot of sense."

"Other people are working on it, too, and I'm anxious to try it out when I have my own practice."

"Determining the visual acuity of dogs will be a challenge, I'm sure."

"I guess it's a little like dealing with small children. They can't tell you verbally what you need to know, so you have to find another way for them to tell you. I'm looking forward to trying it out, and if it's successful, I'll advertise to help dogs with known or suspected visual problems."

"Sounds perfect. Keep me informed. I enjoy hearing what my former students are up to."

"One more year, and I'll be out there on my own. I can hardly wait."

Don left school feeling very happy. The fact that his professor liked his paper buoyed his spirits. He had another year before he could begin his career, but in order to get more experience, he had decided to volunteer at the local dog shelter. It would give him a chance to put some of the things he was learning into practice and would give him a chance to hang out with dogs, something that he found always worth the time invested.

Don was glad to get home, anticipating his mother's usual delicious dinner. It was something his father had insisted on, as well as their eating together. It was just the three of them now since Don's older brother had gone to the Netherlands to study and had taken a job there after he'd graduated. He'd informed them that he had a Dutch girlfriend and would probably be getting married in a year or two.

"Hello, son. Did you learn our money's worth today?"

"I hope so, Dad. The prof liked the last paper I did."

"I should hope so. We Bells always do good work."

"Plus, I'm going to volunteer at the county dog shelter."

Gilbert Bell was suddenly quiet, a dark look on his face.

"Why on God's green earth would you do something like that? What's in it for you?"

That was his dad's favorite saying.

What's in it for you?

That was how Don's father evaluated everything. Volunteer for something. A total waste of time. Only things that brought monetary reward had value.

"It will give me a chance to try some of the things I'm learning," Don said, looking to his mother for support. She simply shrugged. Gilbert wasn't always right, but for Joan, he was always Gilbert, and not to be questioned.

"Then you should be adequately compensated due to your extensive and expensive training."

Don knew the futility of arguing with his father, and he wished there was some way he could disappear for the evening. But he also knew the futility of that, so he decided to eat dinner and talk with his mother.

"How long before dinner?" Gilbert asked.

"Probably ten minutes."

"I'm going to the bathroom. Don't start without me."

When he was gone, Joan smiled at Don. "I'm glad you're volunteering at the shelter. I'm sure they need help, and you have special help to give them. Don't tell your dad, but I'm volunteering at the church two days a week."

"That's fantastic, Mom. I'm sure you'll love it. And I'll have the whole summer at the shelter. I'm sure I'll learn tons there."

~~~

Don pulled into the parking lot and stared at the old building -- the county dog shelter. He'd never been there but was anticipating spending many hours there in the next three months. He went to the door and then inside, noting from the aroma that it certainly was the dog shelter.

"Hello, may I help you find a dog?" a pleasant middle-aged lady said.

"Oh, hello. I'm Don Bell, and I've signed up to volunteer here for the summer."

"Bless your heart," the lady said, nearly running to Don and hugging him. "I'm Tess Shilling, and you'll be working with me most of the time."

"Great, glad to meet you, Tess."

"You said summer. Are you a college student, then?"

"Yes, ready to finish my final year."

"Final year in what?"

"Veterinary medicine."

Tess's mouth dropped open. "You're kidding," she said with a chuckle.

"It's true and hard for me to believe, too."

"Oh my gosh, this is going to work out so well. I can't believe I'm this lucky. When do you start?"

"On Monday. I'm anxious to get into it."

"If you have a few minutes, I'll show you around."

Don received a tour of the facility and met most of the thirty-one dogs housed there.

"Not many small ones are there?" he said after the tour.

"The small ones move out quickly. And we don't get many of them to start with. A few puppies that families can't give away." Tess shook her head. "Lots of Pit Bull mixes that people are afraid to tackle."

"A high school friend of mine had one and loved it."

"I know what you're saying. I've only had real trouble with two of them in all the years I've worked here. It's hard to change preconceived notions."

"You're very correct in that, but we all do our best."

Don had a big grin on his face and was obviously anxious to begin his volunteering.

"Tess, it's great to meet you and thanks so much for the tour. I'll be here and ready to go Monday morning."

"Have a good weekend, Don."

"You too," he replied as he headed out the door.

~~~

Kate watched her parents load the car, hugged them both, and wished them a bon voyage. She'd have ten days to herself, something she wasn't used to. She had things to do, including an interview with a real estate firm, which she was looking forward to with lots of excitement.

Kate dressed thoughtfully for her Monday interview, conservative but stylish, with highlighting colors here and there for accent. The heels she was wearing jacked her up to five feet eleven, and she hoped that wouldn't be overwhelming to potential customers, something she'd never had to consider before.

She arrived five minutes early and was greeted by Ed Roberson of Robertson & Albert. He seemed to be always smiling, gregarious, and easy to talk to. Kate was amazed at how quickly the time had passed, and she felt very comfortable with how the interview had gone.

"Kate, I'm very satisfied with today, and I hope you are, too. Ron is out of town for two days, and I need to review it with him when he returns. I don't envision any problems, though. I have all of your information, and I'll be getting back to you soon.

"Thanks so much for your time and the information. I'm anxious to hear from you."

Kate hurried home, not sure if she could stand the two-day wait. She was anxious to tell her parents, but she'd do that on the regular evening call they shared. But there was Melody, and she'd be anxious to hear the news.

"Hey, Kate, how are you enjoying being alone?"

"I'd wondered how I'd do, Mel, but I'm really enjoying it and looking forward to the next few days. I miss Mom and Dad but know they'll be home soon, so I'm not really alone, you know."

"I know what you mean. But if you do get lonely, give me a call and we can get together and do something."

"Thanks, Mel. I may take you up on that before the week is over. But what I really called about is to tell you I had an interview today with Robinson & Albert, and it went really well. I think they're going to call back in two days to offer me a job.

"That sounds fantastic, Kate. And I've heard of Robinson & Albert, so it has to be a big outfit. Good luck, for sure. And hey, my mom is calling, so I'd better run. I'll be talking to you."

"Thanks, Mel. Talk to you later."

Kate was still excited about the interview and decided to change her clothes before doing whatever she decided would fill her afternoon. As she came down the stairs, the doorbell rang. Still smiling, she opened the door.

"Kate Watkins?" one of the two uniformed men asked.

Her smile disappeared. "Yes," she answered, her voice trembling.

"May we come inside?"

"Yes, please do."

The officers came inside and sat down, joined by Kate.

"Ms. Watkins, I'm afraid we have bad news for you. Your mother and father were killed in an automobile accident in Missouri."

Kate's gasp was audible. "Killed?"

"I'm so sorry to have to tell you. I believe it happened earlier this morning. Do you have family here?"

"No, none," she sobbed. "They're dead or in India.

"Is there anyone you can call?"

Kate was sobbing so hard she could barely think. "I have a good friend," she was finally able to say.

"Do you think she could come here to be with you?"

Kate shook her head. She pulled out a phone and handed it to one of the officers. "Can you call her?"

Officer Bowman took the phone, noting that it was unlocked. "What's your friend's name?"

"Melody Simmons," Kate said through the hands clutched to her face.

The call was made.

"She'll be here in a few minutes."

"What happened," she finally asked.

"I'm afraid we don't have any details," Officer Bowman said. "I'm sure Missouri is still investigating, and you'll get a full report."

His answer did nothing to comfort her, but the front door opened, and Melody and her mother rushed in. They hugged the sobbing Kate, talking softly with her.

Both officers stood. "Here's my card. If you have questions, feel free to give me a call. I'm so sorry to have brought you such devastating news, but you should be hearing from Missouri, probably yet today."

"Thank you," Kate said through her sniffing.

"I don't envy you gentlemen your job. It has to be thankless sometimes," Grace Simmons said to Officer Bowman, who simply shrugged.

'"Sorry again, Ms. Watkins.

The three ladies were alone, and for an hour, they talked, remembering things from the past.

"Mom. I'm going home real quick and pack a suitcase so I can stay here with Kate."

"Mel, you don't have to do that."

Melody smiled and waved her hand at Kate. "I won't be long."

Mel was back and ready to stay with Kate as long as she was needed. The call finallycame from Missouri with more information. Kate and Melody booked airline reservations and flew to Missouri the following morning. They learned that an eighteen-wheeler had gone left of center and hit the Watkins' car head-on. They assured Kate that there had been no suffering. They were in closed caskets, and the two girls accompanied them back to Ohio.

The funeral had its very somber moments as well as joyful moments as the Watkins' lives were celebrated. Suddenly, though, everything was over, and Kate went home, thankful for Mel's company. Time and the passing days were a sort of blur for Kate, only Melody's presence keeping her somewhat grounded. Almost three weeks had passed since the funeral, and Kate had an appointment with Samuel Newman, the family attorney and close family friend. She'd talked with him a couple of times, but this meeting was to be a summary of all the information he'd been able to gather.

Kate had canceled the appointment with the real estate firm, and they had been very understanding, assuring her that when she was ready to begin, they'd have a place for her. That was comforting, but she had no idea when that might be.

They hugged when Kate entered his office.

"Have a seat, Kate. Are you getting along alright?"

"I guess. I'm still a little numb."

"I can't even imagine. Is your friend still staying with you?"

"Yes, she's been wonderful, but I can't ask her to keep doing it. Somehow, I have to start getting along on my own."

"Well, I have some information here that may help you decide some things about your future.

Samuel opened a file folder and leafed through several sheets of paper.

"First of all, there's a family trust so that we can avoid probate. Your house is paid for. The car you drive is paid for, and your parents still have a loan to be paid but that will be covered by the trucking company. And, with your permission, I'll file a lawsuit against them."

"I guess. Whatever you think."

"I'll take care of it, and we can talk more later. But the value of everything in the trust is about three hundred and forty thousand dollars."

"Wow, I'd never thought about that."

"Kate, that's just the beginning. Your father and mother both had a fifty thousand-dollar insurance policy. Your father's company had a three hundred thousand dollar policy, as well."

Kate's eyes were wide now.

Now, before they left, your mother and father purchased travel insurance. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars each.

"Oh, my gosh, are you kidding?"

"For your sake, no, I'm not kidding. All together, it comes to about one and a quarter million dollars."

Kate sat there staring at Samuel, speechless. She was a millionaire. It had almost no meaning for her.

"I know it's a surprise and a shock, but it will give you time to make some decisions."

"I don't know what to say, Mr. Newman."

"Kate, just call me Sam, okay?"

"I'll try."

"You have access to the money in the bank, and most of the rest will be here in a week or two. We can get together later to work on more details."

If Kate had been in a daze when she arrived at Samuel Newman's office, she left in a haze, but a different kind of haze. At home, she fixed a lunch and had just finished it when Melody came in.

"Well, I'm a millionaire."

"Say what?"

"It's true. Mom and Dad had lots of insurance. And the lawyer said I might get that much more from the lawsuit." Kate sighed, "I'd give it all up in a heartbeat for Mom and Dad."

"Of course you would. But wow, you can start your own business."

"Not gonna do that yet, but I don't want to steal more of your time, Mel."

"You're not

stealing

my time. I'm enjoying spending time with you, and I hope I've been a help."

"I don't know how I'd have made it without you, Mel. I'll make it up to you."

"No need. Love you, Kate."

"Love you, too, Mel."

After more discussion, Melody packed up and headed for home.

Kate needed to breathe, and she decided that maybe taking a walk would help. She couldn't remember the last time she had gone for a similar walk. The neighborhood was all very familiar, and she knew the names of most of the people who lived close by. Even those further away were known by sight and wave. Memories flooded back of taking walks with her mom and dad when she was tiny. Most of them included many stops to talk with the neighbors. She hadn't taken any of those walks recently, but the thought that they were now impossible seemed to crush any semblance of happiness that dwelt within her.

It was all a familiar picture, except someone had cut out the most important part. There was a huge black hole right in the center, and the picture couldn't be like the one that Kate had been imagining. Something needed to change, and she knew that she could make it change if she wanted to.

~~~

"Where're you going?" Gilbert Bell asked as he saw Don headed for the garage door.

"Got some stuff to do, Dad."

"You're headed to that stupid shelter, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am."

"I can't believe you're still wasting your time doing that. There's nothing in it for you. You're just giving away your time."

"You're right about that, Dad. I'm giving away my time. And I'm doing it very willingly. But I'm learning, and other people are getting the benefit of my time."

"Exactly. They should be paying you for doing it. I've never wasted or given away my time."

Don knew that was true. No money to charity, no volunteering his time, nothing that didn't have a tangible benefit for Gilbert. Don knew that he had taken after his mother and was thankful for it.