Lost December (37 page)

My father and I stood above the concrete embankment looking down into the mouth of the flood tunnel.

“You lived in there?” he asked softly.

“Home sweet home,” I said. “About a hundred yards in from the entrance, I made myself a cozy little cardboard nest.”

My father was quiet as he looked down at the tunnel, and I wondered what was going through his mind. Then, after a minute or so, he asked, “What did you learn, son?”

I looked down into the gulley for a moment, then back at him. “I learned to be grateful.”

He nodded and I could tell that my answer pleased him. “Anything else?”

A large smile crossed my face. “I learned that my father’s love was unfaltering.”

His eyes welled up. “Unfaltering, unconditional, unceasing.” He turned and looked at me, his eyes focused on mine. “Never, ever, ever forget that.” He put his arm around me. “Are you ready to go home?”

“Almost,” I said. “Almost.”

I don’t know what’s behind the curtain,
only that I need to find out
.

Luke Crisp’s Diary

My father turned to me as I got out of the car in front of Crisp’s. “I haven’t been to 317 for nearly twenty years.”

“It’s a good center,” I said. “Wayne’s done a good job.”

“Wayne’s done an exceptional job. His store is ranked second in volume in Nevada and twelfth in the western region.”

“How do you keep all these figures in your head?” I asked.

“You’ll get the hang of it,” he replied.

I opened the door for my father, then followed him in. Colby greeted us as we walked inside. “Luke!”

Colby reminded me of a puppy. If he had a tail, it would be wagging. “Colby!”

“I didn’t know if you were coming back.”

“You think I’d leave without saying goodbye?”

“Nah.”

I looked around. “Is Rachael here?”

He shook his head. “No. She hasn’t come back yet. Wayne can’t get a hold of her.” He suddenly looked at my father with a peculiar expression, and I suspected that he was wondering if my father really was who he thought he was. He turned back to me. “Hey, did Wayne know that you were coming?”

“No,” I said, as my father and I walked around the counter. “We thought we’d surprise him.” We walked back to Wayne’s office. His door was shut and I knocked on it.

“Come in,” he said.

I opened the door. “Anybody home?” I said. Wayne was eating lunch at his desk. His face lit up when he saw me. “Luke!”

I opened the door the rest of the way. “Hey, buddy.”

He stood up and walked to me, extending his hand. “It’s so good to see you. I can’t believe you did it. How did you get Price to change his mind?”

“I didn’t,” I said.

He looked at me quizzically. “Huh?”

Just then my father walked into the doorway. Wayne immediately stiffened, like an enlisted man standing at attention for an officer. My father smiled at his reaction. “At ease, soldier,” he said. My father put out his hand. “How are you, Wayne?”

“Mr. Crisp. I’m terrific, thank you.” They shook.

“It’s been how many years since we had our talk here?”

“Twenty-three and a half. Give or take a few months.”

“You were a good investment. You’ve done a great job with this store. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

“No, thank you. And especially for taking such good care of my son. He speaks highly of you.”

“He’s a good man. You should be proud of him,” Wayne said. “A chip off the old block.”

“I am proud of him,” he said looking at me. “Always have been.”

“Wayne,” I said, “do you know where Rachael is?”

“No. I haven’t been able to reach her. She’s not answering her phone. I planned to drive by her place this afternoon to see if I could catch her.”

“So she still doesn’t know she has her job back.”

He shook his head. “No.”

“We’ll visit her,” my father said. “I’ll let her know.”

Wayne smiled. “I’m sure she won’t be expecting that.”

My father and Wayne visited a little while longer and then we went back to the car. On the way over to Rachael’s apartment my father asked, “So, Luke. What’s your plan?”

“My plan?”

“Your plan to win back the girl.”

“Honesty,” I said.

“And if that doesn’t work?”

“Beg.”

He laughed. “How much do you care about this woman?”

“I’m not sure how to quantify that.”

He smiled. “Have you stopped thinking about her since you last saw her?”

“No.”

“Is she the one?”

“I’m not sure.” Then I added, “But I’d really like the chance to find out.”

He sat back in the leather seat and looked forward again. “That’s what I wanted to know. You better let me handle this.”

Rachael’s car was parked in her reserved space at the apartment building. The driver parked below the apartment’s west entrance, and my father and I went inside the building and up to the second floor.

“It’s 207,” I said.

My father walked up to the door while I stood down the hall where she couldn’t see me. My father knocked on her door. A moment later I heard the locks slide, then the door open.

“May I help you?” Rachael asked. Hearing her voice made me both happy and nervous.

“You’re Rachael Simmons?” my father asked.

“Yes,” she said. Long pause. “You look like …”

My father reached out his hand. “I’m Carl Crisp. I’m the founder of Crisp’s Copy Centers. I’m here because I was mortified by some of the actions that were taken in my absence—actions that included the termination of some valued employees, you being one of them. I came on behalf of myself and Crisp’s Copy Centers, to extend an apology and offer you back your job.”

She was temporarily speechless. “Are you doing this with everyone?”

My father laughed. “No.”

“Thank you,” she said, her voice piqued with emotion. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”

“I might.” His gaze intensified. “Rachael, do you like my company?”

“A lot more today,” she said.

My father laughed.

“I think it’s a great company,” she said. “You’ve always taken good care of your employees.”

“I’m glad you said that, because I think we can do an even better job of taking care of you. I’d like to make you an offer. We have a position available in our corporate office. You would keep all your benefits but your salary would be substantially more. You would also be able to work from home in the afternoons so you could be there when your son gets home from school.”

I desperately wanted to see her face.

“There are, however, a couple catches.”

“Like what?”

“The first is that you would, of course, have to move to Phoenix.”

“I have no problem with that,” she said quickly.

“The second is not as pleasant. You would have to answer directly to Crisp’s new CEO.”

“Why would I have a problem with that?” she asked.

“Well, I think you better find out who he is first.” My father turned and gestured me forward. I walked up to the door. Rachael froze when she saw me. She still didn’t know that he was my father, and she looked back and forth between us, trying to understand the connection.

“This is my son, Luke. He is likely to be Crisp’s new CEO.”

Rachael just stared at me.

My father said, “I would consider it a personal favor if you would at least listen to what he has to say.” He looked at me,
then back at Rachael. “I’ll give you some time alone. It’s a pleasure meeting you, Rachael.” He turned to me. “The floor is yours, son.”

He walked back down the hall and disappeared down the stairwell. Rachael stood there staring at me.

“Hi,” I said.

She threw her arms around me. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

I put my arms around her and pulled her close.

“I’m sorry I wouldn’t let you explain,” she said. “I was so afraid. And I wanted you to be good. I wanted it so bad.”

“I don’t gamble,” I said.

“I know. I called your accountant.”

“Mike told you?”

“I told him it was a matter of life or death,” she said.

I held her for several minutes. When she finally leaned back, she said to me with a grin, “So you’ve
met
Mr. Crisp, have you?”

“I’m sorry.
That
I was hiding from you.”