But, it would be so nice to see her again! Being treated like a member of the family for so many years, he had the same feelings as her father… caring, missing her, longing to see her again, love for a daughter, everything he missed out on by never marrying or having a family himself.
“Great! I’ll call her first thing in the morning,” he said, spryly walking back across the room. He settled in his chair, already starting to formulate plans for the visit.
The book still open on his lap, concentration broken, nothing could have prepared him for that request. He knew Travis was ill and didn’t have long to live. Maybe his longtime friend had sensed the end of his own mortality and decided to make amends.
Harry let his mind wander over what had occurred the last several years. It all began when Elizabeth died.
Elizabeth...She was the glue that held the tiny family unit together. She and Travis Morton had been married almost ten years with no hint of children in their future, but then Elizabeth went to the doctor because she thought she was suffering from a bout of stomach flu. Pregnancy was the farthest thing from her mind, but when the doctor told them the news, she was speechless, Travis, ecstatic.
Together, they awaited the birth of their child with gleeful anticipation, and, when he held the tiny bundle in his arms for the first time, he fell in love all over again. He didn’t think it possible to love two women and now his beautiful baby girl, Karen, stole his heart too. Tending to his wife as if she was a piece of fine china, he fed, diapered and soothed the baby to sleep, reveling in his new role as proud father while mother regained her strength.
The ensuing years brought untold happiness and joy. When Karen was in high school however, her Mom began to have spells where she would stay in bed for days at a time. It was obvious she was in a lot of pain.
When Elizabeth finally went to the doctor and learned the truth, she made Travis promise not to tell their daughter. Only the two of them knew the full extent of her illness…that cancer had dealt them a cruel blow. The doctor told them they didn’t have much time, but in their desire to protect Karen, they held her at bay.
She dealt with her apprehension by spending long periods alone, wondering at the reason for her parents’ preoccupation.
Elizabeth lasted only four months, dying quietly in her sleep. Travis, so overcome with grief, ignored his daughter’s attempts to share his feelings. Then, and only then, did the doctor reveal to Karen that her Mother had died from liver cancer. By the time Travis realized he had totally ignored the one person left in his life he truly adored, she went away to college, and he experienced the loss of his love all over again. He compensated by trying to exert too much control over her.
Karen rebelled and it was no surprise to Harry. She still resented her parents’ decision not to tell the truth about her mother’s illness.
Harry stood by, watching all of this happen while working for Travis at his insurance agency in Indianapolis, Indiana. The two men had become very close friends over several years. Travis hired him when no one else would take a chance on him.
Harry Parker, known as a loner, very quiet and withdrawn, lived with his mother throughout college, worked to put himself through school and never had time to meet a young lady, fall in love and marry. By the time he graduated, his mother was very ill and he spent his time nursing her until her death years later.
When he finally tested the job market, employers were leery of hiring a thirty-one year old who had not worked in ten years, whose people skills were less than desirable, and whose college training was a bit outdated.
Willing to take a chance on this shy young man, thirty years later and a lifetime of friendship in the process, Travis never regretted his decision.
Harry was there when Travis and Elizabeth Morton were newlyweds. He spent time in their home, enjoying their hospitality, during holidays and for regular weekly dinners. It gave the couple an opportunity to hear his story and have a renewed appreciation for what he had accomplished… completing college, caring for his mother, and postponing his own career until after her death. Even though it seemed as if there were some details of his previous and present life that he did not share, they recognized his sense of loyalty to family, saw it develop towards the two of them, and finally, when Karen came along, they noticed it expand to include her as well.
He was there when Elizabeth became sick, saw what the illness did to Karen, recognized the hurt and knew instinctively when she needed to lean on him for support. Keeping in touch during her college years, he was always available when she needed someone to talk to, affirming a very special bond that continued to exist. For his part, Harry just knew; he knew exactly when things started to fall apart between Karen and her Dad.
That was one of the things that always set him apart, made him different from a young age. He had a sixth sense that others remarked on but didn’t understand. His mother called it a ‘gift’ but sometimes it scared people and they distanced themselves from him. His Mother understood because she had the gift too. She taught him to respect it, not use it lightly. He saw things others didn’t, knew things before anyone else did. He was a psychic.
CHAPTER TWO
When Karen went to college in Illinois, she met Jonathon Sand, a kind sensitive young man, willing to listen and offer words of encouragement when she needed it most.
Harry thought back to the first time she brought him home to meet her Dad. Travis tried to be pleasant, considering the awkwardness that already existed between father and daughter, but in his futile attempts to be friendly, he only managed to seem aloof. He found fault with anything the boyfriend said or did, passive-aggressive, infuriating Karen so much that she decided her allegiance was with Jonathon, the one who had been there for her more recently, the one who cared deeply for her. She knew they were falling in love.
Within a few days, the couple left for school and Karen’s visits home came less frequently, relying more on phone calls to bridge the distance.
On those occasional visits, when she tried to bring up Jonathon, Travis only turned a deaf ear; it hurt to know that another man had taken his place although he never admitted it.
Sadly, when Karen and Jonathon were married just two years later, her dad did not attend the ceremony. After the wedding, moving to California, she tried to maintain contact through phone calls, cards and letters but there was always this friction between them. She felt she was putting out all the effort and getting little in return, so she justified her decision to limit contact with her dad by reasoning that she and Jonathon ran a very successful real estate agency, and the pressures of running the business took up most of her time.
Her husband loved her dearly, feeling the same disappointment from dwindling contact with Travis, but any time Jonathon encouraged her to communicate with her Father, he was often met with steely resistance.
Harry, pondering Travis’ sudden change of heart, was surprised to hear his good friend and employer admit he might be wrong and ask to see his daughter again.
“And, I want you to call Jake Turner and explain the changes in my will.”
Harry’s guard immediately went up at the mention of the attorney; there was something about that man he did not trust. He knew Travis had been very impressed with the young attorney, recently out of law school, when he interviewed him to take over his account. He had come well recommended by John Hawkins, one of the partners in the law firm where Jake worked. John had always handled his account, but he was distributing responsibilities to others in the office due to impending retirement. Travis arranged a meeting with Jake and went away with a satisfying feeling that John’s replacement was a trustworthy young man.
Just a few months ago, when Travis was told that he had terminal cancer and didn’t have long to live, Jake had been very helpful in arranging his financial situation so that he wouldn’t have to worry about his medical and living expenses. Travis delegated affairs to the new attorney, knowing he would take care of any matters that might come up.
But