Chapter Twelve - Truth? Or Consequences ...?

Justin counted down the numbers on the street signs as the bus rolled along.  Fifty blocks to go.  Forty-five.  Forty.  He began to fidget.  Thirty-five.  Thirty ...

Justin fanned himself - was it getting awfully close in this bus?  Nobody else semed to notice.  Did the windows open?

Twenty-five.  Twenty.  Fifteen ...

Justin wrestled with the window, but a wicked Edmonton winter had welded the windows shut, and nothing would budge the damn thing.

Fourteen.  Thirteen.  Twel --

Justin yanked on the bell cord and the driver guided the slowing bus up to the next stop.  It coasted to a halt with a grunt and a hiss, and Justin pushed on the exit door, trying to will it open, and stumbled forward off-balance when it finally did.  He gasped in some fresh air,  slung his kit onto the grassy boulevard, plopped down on it, and lit a smoke.

"Christ.  What am I doing?" he thought.  "What am I going to say to her?"

Verna Hextall's words echoed in his head.  "I can only imagine her heartbreak,"  Verna had said.  "I would have thought the Christian thing to do would have been to write the occasional letter.  Do you know how long that silly girl mooned over you, young man?  She may be mooning still.  I think she's well shed of you ..."

Now, even allowing for the old bat's meddling and exaggeration, she did have a point.  He should have written.  He'd thought of writing, dozens, scores, hundreds of times.  Anybody else would have.  But he hadn't written a single letter in more than two years.

He'd received lots of letters.  Dozens  (although none from Mary ...).  All had gone unanswered.

He didn't suppose it would matter that he hadn't written his Mom or Dad, or his sisters, or Eva.  (He winced, and thought "Until two days ago ...").  That wasn't going to be a good enough reason.  Other guys had written their sweethearts; he'd seen them in the barracks, hunkered over their bunks, scribbling, using clipboards and cookie tins from home and whatever was to hand as a writing surface. 

Paul had written his parents religiously every Sunday (if you could call skipping Mass to write a letter "religiously").  And since Paul's parents and his were friends, Justin knew that the two families would talk, and his parents would call on Eva's folks, so everybody would know things were fine and nobody would be unduly worried.  His Mom had even said she didn't expect him to write.  Eva's letters had started off plaintively begging for - then sulkily demanding - replies, but had settled into pouting resignation on the subject. 

He just wasn't the kind of guy who wrote letters.  Ever.  "Until two days ago ..." . Another wince.

"What can I say that would make her understand?" he wondered as he stood, slung his kit over his shoulder, and started walking the ten blocks to her parents' street.

"First things first," he thought. "Her mom is going to hate me.  And her dad.  If I can make them understand, maybe they can help with Mary.  And if not, they'll never give me her new address anyway.  So I'll deal with them, and that will give me time to figure out what I'm gonna say to her."

Satisfied with this orderly, sensible plan, Justin picked up his pace along the quiet thoroughfare.  The sun was doing its best to come out, and as he walked briskly along he became warm enough to stop, stow his jacket in his kit, and check in a store window for wrinkles in his shirt. 

(It was the only really nice shirt he had - a light blue Oxford weave he'd bought in Liverpool.  He'd carefully tucked it away against the day he arrived home.  A quck shower at the YMCA in Calgary was all he'd been able to manage, and that had been yesterday.  So the best he could hope for in terms of how he looked was "not dishevelled".)

Eight blocks.  Five.  Two.

What would he say?  How could he convince them there was a good reason to not write their daughter? 

He stopped short as an idea hit him.

"Brilliant," he thought.

Lots of servicemen went overseas and found themselves in sensitive assignments.  Top secret.  Unable to write home.  It was a war, after all.  So, maybe that was it.  He would love to tell them why he didn't write, but he was still not at liberty to say.  All whispered with a knowing wink and a finger alongside the nose.  Top secret, don'tcha know?  And by the time everybody realized there was no need for it to be Top Secret anymore, either they'd have forgotten the whole matter or it wouldn't seem all that important.

And wouldn't that same little ruse work for Mary, too?  I mean, he'd been at a small base in Wales.  He didn't recall any guys from Edmonton.  And even if there had been, what were the odds she'd have run into anybody who'd met him overseas?

"Brilliant," he told himself again, and rounded the corner onto a tree-lined street as a mother walked past pushing a squawking child in a stroller.  Two kids barrelled along the sidewalk on bikes; he executed a nmble side-step to miss them.

Justin checked the numbers as he walked.  10173 ... 10175 ... and there it was.  10177.  He wondered if he'd even remember what Mary's mom looked like.  He was just hoping it wouldn't be her dad to answer the door ...

"Top Secret," he thought.  "That's the key."

His foot hit the bottom step and the door opened.

. 

Comments

[Katherine]

oooh, sneaky! can't wait to see if he gets away with his little lie.

[Gora_Kagaz]

yea, i'm also wondering whether he'll get away with it; although he might not because he isn't expecting her to open the door. guess we'll have to wait until next time to see how it goes :)

[CircusKelli]

Wait... didn't she meet some guys from Edmonton, though? Oh man... can you imagine if she DID know?! Poor Justin would be in for a world of trouble!!

[Ortizzle]

I just *knew* this chapter would end with Justin's foot on the dang doorstep. Geeeeeeez.

Now, as far as getting away with the lie... this leads me to wonder what he told Mary right before he left. After their romantic evening together, did he promise to write her? And if Mary had wanted to keep in touch, which she must have, wouldn't she have asked him for an address?

Oh, well, minor details. Meantime the door is creaking open. So close and yet so far... :-))

[Nils]

He'd left with no promises - but certainly there would be some sort of expectation, you'd think. Dad shrugs about that. As for her keeping in touch ... she was not allowed to write a boy unless he wrote first, even if she knew where he was stationed - which she might, once she met up with the boys at the dance who had come home to Edmonton and (cue dramatic music) remembered Justin from overseas.

Little details are often casualties in these damn true stories. Forgive them where you can, and see if the big picture is enough to carry you along. :)

[Sara Sue]

Hee Hee! It's like riding a rolley coaster!

[Ortizzle]

Nils: OK, got it. Incredible what little freedom women had in those days!

Don't worry, I wasn't concerned about the details for accuracy's sake at all... just trying to figure out the reaction to the proposed "lie" which is very ingenious, by the way!

The *bigger picture* is certainly more than enough to carry me along!!! Like everyone else, I am always starved for the next installment.

Thanks for keeping us all so admirably entertained. :))

[Squirl]

Oh, the tangled web. We'll see how the lie works. What a predicament. A guy who's too cool to write and a girl who's not allowed unless the boy writes first.

Again, anxiously awaiting the next installment.

[Lyn]

I can't say anything to hurry this along, I suppose? Oh, dear! the suspense is awful!!

[wordgirl]

Mary's a smart gal, and I hope love doesn't allow her to fall for this untruth...no matter how small. Yeah...I know they wind up together, but the "journey" is just as important as the "destination". A lie this early on is a bad way to start off. I'm just sayin'.

[Nils]

Patience now. As I am fond of saying: "All will be revealed in the fullness of time". Can I get an "Amen" on that ... anybody ...?

[Sara Sue]

AMEN Brother Ling!!

[Laura]

well um....I see a problem here.

so no Amens just yet. (g)

[Laura]

besides, why doesn't he just tell her the TRUTH?
i'm gonna climb onto Sara's rolley coaster while I await your detailed answer.

[Ortizzle]

I took Nils' comment of "All will be revealed" as kind of a hint that Justin will probably tell her the truth.

And speaking of the truth, my guess was, before even commenting on this, was that Justin, not expecting Mary to be at her folks' home, and not expecting her to open the door, would suffer a total meltdown and just come clean, hoping and praying that she would forgive him for not writing.

I'm still putting my money on that outcome... but only Nils knows best!!! :-))) (So yes, AMEN from me)

[wordgirl]

Uh..oh yeah...AMEN!

[Laura]

no Amens from me. Nils doesn't always know best. ;)

[Ern]

Some people can't just appreciate a good cliffhanger and let it be! They are probably the same people that ask lots of questions during a movie. (Not to say I'm not anxious to hear how it ends!)

[Tracy Lynn]

I truly can't handle all the suspense. I'm going to lie down and wait for the next installment.

[CircusKelli]

Fullness of time?!

Time's feeling pretty full over here, Nils.

I'm just sayin...

[Bucky Four-Eyes]

Poor boy's just gonna make it worse before it gets better, isn't he?

Never expect a woman to react in a reasonable manner...

[MrsDoF]

Oh gosh darn it all!
I saw you left a comment over at R&O, so I thought you might be goofing around at your computer again and a new post might be up.

This is what my dad called a 'hurry up and wait' situation.

[Nils]

a) I WAS 'goofing around' ... but as I'm sure you'll appreciate, these stories aren't the product of idle goofing;

b) Around these parts we have a saying: "Time is longer than rope". Apply it to the short wait between chapters.

c) Yes, I do know best. On this one, tiny, narrow topic.

[Laura]

LOL! ;)

[Jenny]

Ack! Where's the next chapter? Don't leave me hanging.

[MrsDoF]

Sorry, Nils. At our house, the head of household earns our food and shelter by doing computer work. Youngest son maintains his band's MySpace and website and schedule. I've been a college student doing research for composition papers for the last couple years.
Therefore, Work is done on our computers.
So when we ask someone across the room "Are you goofing around?" that means cruising blogs, typing comments, or writing a blog post.
Having Fun, not duty.
Believe me, I do appreciate great writing.
Especially when the hours involved are not billable.

[Nils]

Heh, Diane ... I hope you didn't think any offense was taken. I can assure you I accept all the admonishments in the spirit in which they are given. I appreciate the nice things folks are saying, feel humbled by people's enjoyment of the story, and it's the comments I'm getting, ironically enough, that make me realize my responsibility to get it right when I finally hit "publish". So don't feel like my response was anything more than warm-hearted fun. I was just ... umm .. goofin' around.

[CircusKelli]

Heh... So, I guess if I left a smart-alecky comment demanding the next chapter, I would prolly be a bit of a spoil-sport then??

K. I'll shush. For now. ;)

[Effie]

As usual, you left us with another cliffhanger...but a good one!

I think the moment he sees her, he'll forget what he had planned to say, and it won't matter anyways...after going through all that work just to find her! Right? Right?

Oh, this is so exciting!!!!!!!!!! (I like exclamation points, sorry! ;)

[MrsDoF]

Hullo, Again, Naturally!

[The Kept Woman]

(continues to tap foot patiently)

[Laura]

...arm wrestling with SaraSue in the meantime....

[Nils]

Oh .. can I watch?

Be patient. Let's say Tuesday morning, maybe later in the day ... OK?

[Sara Sue]

muffled sigh

[Laura]

"Let's say Tuesday morning, maybe later in the day ... OK?"

hmm, that sounds familar. did we have a convo about time management recently?
(smirk) ;)

[Katherine]

Gah! Where is Chp. 13?? For the love of God, write, man, write!

[Nils]

God. I don't think I have seen comments like this on any other blog EVER. "Hey, I love your blog, but for God's sake will you post another entry RIGHT NOW!???" "Dammit, where's the next entry???" "Hey, lazy-ass! Write, dammit!"

Now, stop. All of you. Bup-bup-bup ... Laura, Sara, Kelli .. this means YOU, too. Step away from the keyboard.

It will come when it is done, and not a moment before. And the reason you seem to be enjoying these chapters is because I DO take extra time to try and get it right ... for me, for you, for everyone.

Now, hush.

Or send naked pics. They work as bribes.

[CircusKelli]

*NOT LISTENING!!!*

WHAT?! No chapter 13 YET?!

Sheesh. Ya slacker.

[Effie]

No pics of ME but maybe we could find something suitable online....try this on for size...

or how about this pretty lady

[Effie]

Crap. my links didn't work.

here--check this one out:

http://www.funnypets.com/albums/userpics/0FREDpic.jpg

[Bucky Four-Eyes]

Naked pictures of me would only drive you away from the computer to find a screwdriver with which to blind yourself, and that wouldn't get us the next chapter at ALL, would it?

[Laura]

OH please.
like I said, "close all your windows and get to work!"

[Nils]

It's far too hot to close all my windows, dear ...

... but I AM doing what I think is very good work, thank you.

[Ortizzle]

READERS: %*&^^%!!¿¿´'¡x·#/(&ª[~!!

NILS: S-s-s-s-s-s-h-h-h-h-h-h... (do not disturb: http://tinyurl.com/kdhvs)

;-)

[shawnte]

You have an amazing talent for telling a story, my man! Keep it up, I love the cliffhangers and time between entries. Good things come to those who wait!

[Jim fogg]

Now don't make the aging rock band mistake and have us beg for the encore or greatest hits package!

We'll just lose respect for ourselves.

[CircusKelli]

Oh dear. You said sometime Tuesday, didn't you? You didn't tell us WHICH Tuesday... that was on purpose, wasn't it?

Ok then. I guess I'll have to go do some work or something until then...

[Ern]

Yeah, I guess I would be late this morning if there was a new chapter.

[Larcik-od]

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