The Journal: Fault Line (The Journal Book 5) (24 page)

“Remember that seminar I was going to the
last time we talked? It was in Granite City and part of ground zero
for the earthquake…” she said quietly, letting all those memories
come washing back.

“You were at ground zero?” John exclaimed,
astonished.

“Yeah, me and a co-worker. I climbed down
three flights of stairs filled with debris from falling walls, even
while the ground was still shaking, just to get out of the
building. Lois was crushed when the stairwell collapsed.” Her voice
quivered. “It was horrible, Dad, really horrible! I saw people die
and I saw others come together to help each other. I was one of the
lucky ones. It took me two days just to find my way out of that
city and get back on the road to go home. I stopped at the T’N’M’s
at the 31 exit for gas and Trevor was there, working. Only he
doesn’t really work there, he owns the stores.”

“Owns the stores? Wow.”

“And then one of his employees burned down
one of the stores and tried to kill him.” She thought back to that
day, and it seemed like so long ago. “Then the flu hit. Trevor got
sick, but I didn’t. These past few months have been a real wake-up
call for me.”

“Sounds like we both have a lot of stories to
share, baby girl.” John drove on. It was another half hour before
he spoke again. “Do you love him?”

Christine smiled. “I sure do, Daddy. He’s a
wonderful man. He’s kind, gentle, generous, and very protective.”
She turned to her father, watching his rugged profile, his bald
head covered with the ever-present cap. “Do you love Allex,
Dad?”

John sighed. “Yes, Christine, I do.”

“Then you have to go back to her!”

***

“It was good to see Grandma and Aunt Ann.
Thanks for taking me along, Dad. I feel badly that I haven’t been
to see them all this time,” Christine lamented.

“Your grandmother is very independent, you
know that. With everything she does, and all those friends with her
now, I wonder if she missed us at all!” John laughed. “Plus she had
Ann with her. I was surprised to hear that the textiles mill where
she worked had been shut down by the government.”

The drive back to Greenwood was quicker than
driving down. The traffic was lighter and the weather was
delightful.

“Even if you haven’t set an actual date yet,
have you thought about when you would want the wedding?” John
asked.

“I’ve been thinking about June. I know I want
you there, Dad, to you know, ‘give me away’, I also think we would
like a small wedding. It just occurred to me that the park near the
house would be perfect, and we could get Seth to perform the
ceremony. I think he would like that. Could you come back in
June?”

“I’ll make sure I can, baby girl,” John
reassured her. “I have my rotation schedule in my bag back at the
house. If you can work within that it would help. Who is Seth?”

“He’s one of our new friends that we met at
the park. He’s a minister and has a church downtown. His wife died
in the last flu sweep and he’s been taking his dog to the park for
something to do. Dot and Holly are best buds now.” Christine
laughed.

***

The three of them sat at the kitchen table
with John flipping through his work calendar.

“It looks like I’ll be in rotation the second
full week of June, starting on the twelfth. I could be down here
for the weekend of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and the seventeenth.
Does that work for you two?” John asked.

Trevor sat there, stunned.

Christine took his hand. “I know this seems
fast, even though it’s two months away. What do you think,
Trev?”

“I’d marry you tomorrow if that’s what would
make you happy,” he said, and realized he meant it. “I know we were
only waiting so John could be here.”

“So we agree that Saturday, June sixteenth is
the date?” Christine said, excited. “Next time we go to the park,
let’s ask Seth to do the ceremony.”

“That is a splendid idea!” Trevor agreed.

John made a note in his calendar. “Now,” he
said, “about your wedding gift. I’m going to deed this house to
you, free and clear.”

Christine gasped and Trevor was stunned for a
second time.

“Before I do that, I want to explain
something to the two of you.” John looked at them and saw how in
love they were. “It’s my belief that every couple should have
something that is theirs individually, separate from the other.
Kind of like a property insurance policy. Trevor, you have your
stores that you own, so I’m going to deed the house to Christine.
Please understand, Trevor, it’s no reflection on you. From my
experience, a woman needs the security of having her home,
something no one can take from her. After one year, you can do
whatever you want, Christine. That should be enough time to
understand and repair any differences. Will the two of you agree to
that?”

“This is a most generous gift, John. I have
no problem whatsoever of Christine having the house in her name
only for as long as she wants,” Trevor replied.

“Oh, Daddy.” Christine stood and gave him a
hug.

“Now that we have that settled, the final
gift to you both is I will keep the utilities paid until your
wedding, after that, you’re on your own. And of course I’ll pay for
the wedding,” John added. “Oh, and I’m keeping the house in Ft.
Wayne.”

“Why?” Christine asked.

“Never know when I might need a place to go
or somewhere to stop.”

***

News that evening announced that the new
bridge over the Mississippi was near completion and truck traffic
would resume in a week.

“That is really great news, Christine!”
Trevor said joyously. “That means there will be another route for
getting supplies and inventory for the store. I might even be able
to open the one on Exit 31. Things are really looking up for
us!”

“Christine, I would love
to help you with the wedding!” exclaimed Marion.

“It’s going to be small, you understand, and
we plan on having it at the park near us. I don’t know many people
in town, and most everyone that Trevor knows are customers and not
really friends, so the guest list will be short,” Christine said.
“I guess the main thing will be food and maybe a tent? I have no
idea what is available, that’s why I need help.”

“I’ll do whatever I can, dear,” Marion
reassured her. “You need to pick out a dress of course, and even
though there aren’t any florists still open, June will be the
perfect time to pick flowers from the garden. I’ve got some lovely
flowers that will be in bloom then. The weather is usually warm
around that time and stable too.” She paused. “That’s something
else I wanted to talk to you about. A garden. You have a nice big
yard, have you considered putting in a vegetable garden to help out
with your food? Fresh grown is so much better and you don’t have to
go to the store for it.”

“That’s a good idea. I don’t have a clue on
what to grow or even how to go about it though,” Christine said.
“What would you suggest I plant?”

“Tomatoes, green beans, lettuces, peppers,
carrots, whatever you like to eat fresh would be good to have. I
can help with that too. I love gardening, but our lot is small and
there are so many trees the backyard doesn’t get enough sun. I do
have flowers in the front though.

“Why don’t we do a big plot and share it?”
Christine offered, and Marion beamed. “When do we start
planting?”

Marion laughed. “That’s a ways off. We need
to get the ground ready first, and check into what nurseries may
still be open.”

***

“John, these are our friends, Chief of Police
Martin Mallory and his wife Marion,” Trevor made the introductions.
“Marty and Marion, this is Christine’s father, John Tiggs.”

“Well, if you’re going to have only a few
friends, the Chief of Police is a good one to have,” joked John,
holding out his hand. “Martin.”

“Please, call me Marty. I’m pleased to meet
you, very pleased! You have a wonderful daughter, John.”

“Thank you, Marty,” John smiled. “On our way
back from Kentucky after visiting my mother and sister, we stopped
at the state liquor store and stocked up. Prices down here are a
lot better than in the U.P., though still very expensive. The bar
is open, Marty, Marion.” John led the way to the side table that
fit up against the wall in the dining room. Christine had ironed
her favorite table runner and placed it on the long table to
protect the polished wood, and then set out a bucket of ice and a
variety of glasses next to the liquor bottles.

John had purchased Kentucky Bourbon, spiced
rum, vodka, whiskey, and a selection of wine, along with some
common mixers. The wine made him think of Allex and his heart
ached. Christine had gasped at the total when John handed over
several hundred dollar bills, some of which he had folded and
slipped to the clerk and the guard. Later he explained that graft
was common during times like this.

“Oh, my. I haven’t had a rum and cola in
months!” Marion exclaimed, pouring herself a drink.

***

Dinner was a simple dish of pasta with a beef
flavored gravy and mixed vegetables. Meat was still scarce. Trevor
had brought home some garlic bread from the store and dessert was
fruit cocktail over yellow cake Christine had made from a box
mix.

“That was really good, Christine, thank you
for having us to dinner,” Marty said, wiping his mouth with the
colorful pink and green cloth napkin. He picked up his glass of
wine, a smooth red blend, locally made, and said, “John, thank you
for adding to this delightful evening. We don’t often get to eat
and drink this well anymore.”

“My pleasure, Marty. I’ve always thought that
money was best spent on things that please us, and I know right now
I’m very pleased.”

***

John and Christine sat on one side of the big
wooden desk in the branch manager’s office at the local bank.

“Changing real estate titles are not
something we normally do, Mr. Tiggs, especially when there are no
liens on the property. As I understand it, you purchased the house
outright, is that correct?”

“Yes, I did. Who do we see to change it?”
John asked.

“I would suggest you take the deed to a real
estate attorney and ask them. There is one across the street. It
might be a simple matter; I just don’t have the answer for
you.”

***

“It’s easy, Mr. Tiggs,” the attorney said.
“We fill out a Quit Claim Deed, you sign it in front of a notary,
and I can file it with the Register of Deeds here in town.”

“Great, let’s do it now. I have to go back to
Michigan soon.”

An hour later, the deed was signed, John paid
the attorney plus the filing fees, and they left, mission
accomplished.

“Daddy, this is so generous of you. Thank
you,” Christine said, tears forming in her eyes.

“Just remember, there are still property
taxes to pay, and of course all the usual utilities. As a married
woman, I won’t be supporting you anymore.”

“Yes, I know that, and I want you to know how
much I appreciate all you’ve done for me over the years.”

***

“Do you have to leave so soon, Daddy?”
Christine said a few days later.

“Yes, baby girl, you know my rotation is
always limited.”

“When you get back are you going to see
Allexa and try to make up with her?”

“I will give that some serious consideration.
I don’t know if she’ll take me back though. I hurt her pretty
bad.”

“Then you need to take her a gift, Dad, a
big
gift, to say you’re sorry.”

“What would you suggest?” He smiled at his
daughter, thinking she might be right. He once again had access to
his large bank accounts and an expensive gift would be easy to do
now.

“You mentioned before that she sacrificed a
lot. What did she do without that maybe you could give her?”
Christine questioned thoughtfully.

Instantly John knew what he would get for
Allex. Something she needed, something she had done without and
something she could use: a new car.

Trevor whistled as he
stocked the shelves. This time next month he would be married to
the woman he loved. It was overwhelming him, in a good way. So much
had happened in the past seven months and he knew that out of all
the bad, good was there too.

Trevor knew he had good business sense and
had proved it by getting the two remaining stores functioning again
and turning a profit. He and Christine had a house to live in
thanks to her father, and their future looked bright. Even though
the country was still teetering on the brink of collapsing, they
would be fine. He had no doubt.

Christine had been working hard to make sure
their wedding would be perfect. Marion was over almost every day
now as the plans took shape. Seth had readily agreed to perform the
ceremony; the park had been reserved, as well as a tent canopy from
a local rent-all happy to have the work; and they had already
applied for the marriage license. Christine, Marion, and Janis
would be working on the menu today, he was told. Simple items, but
plenty of them.

Finished with the restocking, Trevor lowered
the security gates, emptied the register, and turned out the
lights. As he locked the back door, he felt a sting in his neck and
went down.

***

“I see you’re awake now, Trevor. I didn’t
think I shot you up with that much. My bad,” the voice giggled.

Trevor’s head spun and his vision was
blurred. He needed to concentrate.
Focus on the voice
he
told himself. Something about it was familiar, but he couldn’t
place it.