In Another Time Read online

  Chapter 18

  Chris had known Sam’s dad, Jerry Evanston, since he was a little boy. He shared with Sam that some of his favorite childhood memories were going to Smitty’s Garage with his own dad on Saturday mornings and sitting in the office drinking an orange Nehi while the men swapped anecdotes. Later, when he was a teenager, he’d worked at Smitty’s after school and on Saturdays. He’d always had an affinity for working on automobiles and Jerry had been a patient mentor. In the end, Chris had become a lawyer because it was his dad’s desire that he stay in the family business. But he fondly recalled the many pleasant evenings and weekends as an adult that he’d spent at the garage tinkering on cars with Jerry and the guys until Sam’s parents had put everything up for sale and moved to Florida. He did share with Sam that Jerry had seemed to age ten years overnight after they’d gotten the news of Sam’s demise.

  “It was so hard to watch such a vibrant, God-fearing man crumble into a mere shell of his former self,” Chris said sadly, shaking his head. “Honestly, I don’t know how your parents survived as long as they did after losing both sons. Maybe there’s something about that Florida sunshine after all. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the depth of their loss. It’s such a shame that they never knew that you made it,” he lamented, fidgeting with the salt shaker, his head lowered. Looking up at Sam he said earnestly, “Your dad would be so proud of the kind, respectable, gentleman you’ve become, Sam. I’m truly honored to meet you.”

  At that Sam choked up and hot tears stung his eyes. He’d made it through the entire morning without breaking down, but now all of his bottled-up emotions came rushing to the surface. Barely able to speak, he bowed his head, uttered a gracious thank you and excused himself to the men’s room.

  Standing alone at the mirror, his tears flowed freely. For the first time since Jeanette’s passing, he allowed himself to grieve for all of his losses. He’d been deprived of so much: Lillian, his parents, his friends…everyone that had been dear to him in his life. That is, his real life.

  Knowing Chris needed to get back to his office, Sam splashed his face with cold water and toweled it dry. He didn’t know how he’d ever be able to thank Chris enough for his persistence in settling his parents’ estate.

  Exiting the restroom, he turned the corner and saw David, his grandson, and Chris Jennings talking at their table. With a grin from ear-to-ear, he strode over to them, grabbed David and gave him a big hug. Then he stepped back and looked him over.

  “My goodness, David, it’s been too long. You look well. Your parents and I have really missed you,” he said.

  “I’ve missed you guys, too, Granddad. You look great!” David replied nodding, pleased to see how put together his granddad appeared. His eyes displayed a touch of sadness, but physically he looked as healthy as a horse. After Grandma Jeanette lost her battle with cancer, he hadn't been sure that his granddad would make it much longer. It was the only time he’d seen him look defeated.

  “I almost swung by to see you when I arrived. Obviously, I didn’t, but I planned to in the next few days. It’s wonderful seeing you!” Sam put his hands on David’s shoulders as he grinned then asked, “So, what brings you here?”

  “Our department had a business lunch with the dean. The college is thinking about making some adjustments to the science curriculum and we were discussing the possibilities.”

  “Well, I hope these adjustments are to your liking?” Sam replied.

  “Yes, I think they’ll benefit the students. I’m actually kind of looking forward to the changes. You know curriculums can get stagnant if fresh ideas aren’t integrated occasionally,” he said earnestly.

  Sam looked at Chris Jennings as he gestured toward David and inquired, “I take it you two know each other?”

  “Yes, we met last year at the college’s fall carnival,” Chris replied. “David just informed me that he’s your grandson.”

  “That he is,” Sam said proudly as he gently slapped David on the back and cupped his shoulder.

  “Well, he’s a fine, young man. ‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’ as they say,” Chris observed looking from one man to the other.

  Sam and David hugged again and made plans to meet the next day for lunch before David exited the restaurant then Sam and Chris donned their coats and scarves and walked out into the crisp October breeze.

  Stopping to say their goodbyes in front of the restaurant, Sam offered his hand and said, “Thank you so much for seeing that my parents’ wishes were properly taken care of. Others would have given up on locating a family member long before you did. I’m happy you were so persistent. I’ll cherish my parents’ belongings, and I appreciate your dedication to them for all these years. You’re a good man, Chris Jennings.”

  “Thank you, Sam. It’s been my pleasure, and it really was an honor meeting you,” Chris replied.

  They parted ways aware that they’d probably never see each other again.

  Chapter 19

  Friday Morning

  Sadie woke promptly at six, showered, gulped a quick cup of coffee, gathered her notes and was on the road in less than forty-five minutes. It took her nearly an hour to get to Dr. Evan’s office which was in the CPP—Chemistry, Physics, and Pharmacy—building on campus. Their meeting was scheduled for eight, and she felt hopeful he’d clarify some confusing concepts leaving her time left to grab another cup of coffee and pore over her notes one last time before the test.

  Dr. Evans was running late and his hackles were up. First, his secretary had called in sick at the last minute and the midterms for his ten o’clock class had yet to be copied. Then, there’d been a fender bender on Spring Street and the police had narrowed traffic to one lane. Finally, at eight twenty, he bolted into the reception area of his office. Sadie jumped when the door slammed shut behind him.

  “Oh, Miss Connelly, sorry I’m late,” he said absentmindedly as he glanced in her direction. Unlocking his office door, he motioned for Sadie to follow him inside. After several minutes of watching him remove his outerwear and take papers from his briefcase, she cleared her throat hoping to gain his attention.

  “I’m sorry. Of course, I’ll be happy to answer your questions. Please, have a seat. I appreciate that you’ve waited so patiently. I’ve had a couple unforeseen obstacles this morning. Go ahead.” He took his seat behind his desk and ran his fingers through his wavy locks.

  They discussed the principles Sadie had been struggling to understand, and for once, she felt satisfied when she left his office. In fact, she felt so confident, she decided to treat herself to a pastry along with her second coffee of the day in the student union while she perused her notes.

  *****

  Sam went through his usual morning routine then headed to the diner down the street for breakfast. The waitress escorted him to his table, took his order and came back with a cup of coffee. He noticed a stack of newspapers on the table of the empty booth across from his, so grabbing it, he began flipping through the pages.

  He read an article about the presidential candidates—Vice-President George H. W. Bush and Governor Dukakis—which made him chuckle, in the sports section, Jose Canseco was making claims that he and the A’s were going to beat the Dodgers in a short series in the 85th World Series, and in US news, a nuclear weapon test the day before had registered 5.8 on the Richter scale and had shaken high-rise buildings in Las Vegas eighty miles away.

  The waitress brought his order and refilled his cup. He finished eating, left a generous tip with his payment on the table, and strolled outside. It was a lovely day, so he decided to explore some of the shops on the square before heading to King’s Landing to meet David for lunch.

  While window shopping around town square, he observed that several of the businesses bore family names that were faintly familiar to him. Smiling as a result of that knowledge, he found himself wholeheartedly enjoying his outing. Whimsical souvenirs and appealing one-of-a-kind crafted items of local artisans attracted his interes
t and even led him to enter a few of the boutiques. Before he knew it, he’d browsed for several hours and it’d grown close to time for him to head to King’s Landing.

  Chapter 20

  Sadie took a front row seat and readied her desk for the exam. Looking up to accept the tests from Dr. Evans who stood in front of her desk, she wondered if he’d actually meant to nod and smile at her. The funny little flutter in her belly and color rising in her cheeks gave her pause. Then staring at the papers for a second before passing them back, she thought this was definitely an improvement in his demeanor. After scanning the questions, she smiled, relaxed her shoulders, then flipped back to the first page and began the test.

  An hour and a half later, she looked up to check the time and realized she was the only student left in the room. Dr. Evans was at his desk with the newspaper unfolded on his desk. It was eleven-thirty, and she’d just finished answering the last question. Concentrating on checking over her answers before submitting her test, she felt a funny sensation as if someone was watching her. Fully expecting Dr. Evans to be glowering at her, she slowly lifted her eyes to meet his gaze.

  The look on his face was hard to explain. She couldn’t tell if he was actually seeing her or looking right through her, but there was no mistaking his friendly expression. Completely catching her off guard, she quickly averted her gaze and tried to focus on finishing her review of the test. It wasn’t working. All she could see was his handsome face hovering over the page.

  Feeling exasperated, she took a deep breath, stashed her pencil in her backpack, then rose and walked toward his desk. Just as she handed her test to him, he reached for it. Their hands met and lingered in midair for an awkward moment. He obviously was feeling just as rankled and exposed as she was and they pulled back their hands, stuttering and stammering over their apologies. Not knowing what else to do, Sadie smiled timidly and spun toward the door to leave. Just as she did, she smacked right into Sam.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry! Wait! Sam? What are you doing here?” she sputtered.

  “Sadie! Hi! I thought that was you! I’m sorry, I thought you two saw me come in. It seems we’re destined to run into each other, literally,” Sam responded lightheartedly. Sadie stared at him with a stunned look on her face. Smiling, he added, “I’ve come to take my grandson to lunch.” With that revelation her mouth opened into a silent Oh.

  “Granddad, hi! I didn’t see you either!” Dr. David Evans chimed in as he stepped over to hug Sam.

  Finding her voice, Sadie stammered, “Huh? Dr. Evans is your… grandson? He’s your… grandfather?” Sadie looked unbelievingly at both of them.

  “Yes, I’m sorry. Where are my manners?” both men replied at the same time. Then they started laughing at their synchronized response while Sadie stood there looking dumbfounded at the two of them.

  “I’m sorry, Sadie, um, Miss Connelly,” David was finally able to mutter. “Yes, Sam… uh, Sam, is my granddad. I didn’t know that you two knew each other.”

  “We just became acquainted this past Monday,” Sam offered.

  Now David looked bewildered. “Really? I didn’t know you’d been on campus earlier this week, Granddad.”

  “Oh, no. I met Sadie in Harmony Glen. I knew her grandmother, Lillian, a long time ago. I’d hoped to see Lillian again, but Sadie informed me that she’s been gone now for a couple of months,” Sam finished sadly. Smiling fondly at Sadie, he added, “Sadie has been kind enough to allow me to regale her with stories of our past.”

  Sadie smiled back at him shyly, glanced quickly at David, then gazed at her hands that were clasped tightly in front of her.

  “I see,” David replied slowly as he eyed the two of them. “I’m happy you’ve found someone to reminisce with. I know you have a lot of memories of your earlier life in this area.”

  After an uncomfortable silence, Sam cleared his throat and said, “Yes, well, we better get going, David. You said you have another midterm to give at two o’clock. It’s been nice seeing you again, Sadie. I hope your exam went well.”

  “Thank you, Sam. I think I did well. Enjoy your lunch,” she murmured then remembering, grabbed her coat and backpack from her desk and hastily exited the room.

  As she stood outside the door putting on her coat and gloves, she heard Sam say, “Such a nice girl.” Peeking back into the room, she noticed a slight flush that rose in David’s cheeks. “She’s pretty, too. You know, she hasn’t mentioned a boyfriend,” Sam continued, letting the words linger a moment.

  “I’ve missed your subtleness, Granddad,” she heard Dr. Evans harrumph and knew he’d probably rolled his eyes. When he said, “Shall we?” she knew they were headed to the door and with a gasp, she got the heck out of there.

  Chapter 21

  Driving back to Harmony Glen, Sadie played the entire scene over in her mind. Had David, Dr. Evans, been attempting to flirt with her? Had she flirted with him? Had Sam witnessed their awkward encounter?

  She felt so confused and completely flustered. Sam was Dr. Evans’ granddad? How was that even possible? She thought she’d figured out why Sam seemed so familiar to her. Now what?

  “Ugh. This is ridiculous! My emotions are all over the place,” she said aloud.

  She decided she’d call Sam at the inn that evening and ask him to meet her at Comfort & Joy the next night after she closed the bookstore and confront him with her questions. One way or the other, she needed some answers.

  Feeling perturbed about everything that’d gone on in her life during the past week, she resolved to put it out of her mind. Certain that La-La Land was in Cindy’s capable hands for the rest of the day, she abruptly turned into the parking lot of one of the strip malls on the highway feeling she deserved a little indulgence. It’d been a killer week. She parked and entered the nail salon she occasionally patronized.

  The mani-pedi did the trick and she felt deliciously relaxed. It’d been her good fortune that Julia was there to pamper her today since early on in their relationship Julia’d caught on to the notion that Sadie only came in when she needed to decompress; therefore, Julia worked quietly allowing Sadie to become totally engrossed in the incredible sensations created by her skillful hands. Before leaving, Sadie hugged her and thanked her for another amazing, relaxing experience.

  While Julia had been spoiling her, Sadie had decided that a quiet evening alone in her pajamas with a good movie and some popcorn would end the day on a perfect note, so she walked two doors down to the video rental store and settled on the romantic comedy, Moonstruck.

  Back on the highway again, she mentally ticked off what she had left to do before settling in for the night. She’d do a couple loads of laundry that were in the hamper—fortunately, Lala had insisted the apartment be plumbed for a stackable washer and dryer unit—help Cindy secure the bookstore and call Sam at the inn. That was it. Feeling lighter with the weight of worrying about her midterms for the last few days lifted, and pushing aside the nagging thoughts about Sam and Dr. Evans, she could feel herself unwinding. Then turning up the radio, she tapped along with the beat on her steering wheel, singing noisily off key.

  *****

  While the clothes washed and dried, Sadie treated herself to a very rare nap waking up just in time to jog downstairs and help Cindy close up shop. Cindy being, well, Cindy, had everything already in place, so they merely spent a few minutes at the front door gabbing about how successful their day had been. Sadie shared that she felt really good about all of her midterms, and Cindy said the bookstore had been crazy busy so the day had flown by. Still working on her uncle’s proposal, Cindy didn’t have a lot of time to stick around, so Sadie thanked her again and the girls hugged promising to make more time to hang out again soon. Sadie locked up the bookstore then jogged back up the stairs taking them two at a time. Finally, she grabbed the phone book to look up the number for the inn, dialed it and asked for Sam’s room. The receptionist came back on the line and told her that he wasn’t answering, so she left a message.

>   In the bedroom she slipped into her favorite cozy pajamas. Walking back into the kitchen, she plopped a bag of popcorn into the microwave and set the timer, popping open the movie case, she pushed the tape into the VHS player slot, then grabbing a bowl, she dumped the finished popcorn into it, opened the fridge to grab a Dr. Pepper, then sat crossed-legged on the couch waiting for the movie to begin. The last movie trailer had just finished when her phone rang.

  “Hello,” she said.

  “Hello, Sadie?” Sam asked.

  “Hi, Sam! Did you get my message?”

  “Yes, I did. I was hoping that David and I didn’t scare you away. I’d love to meet with you again tomorrow night,” he said graciously.

  “Great! I’ll see you tomorrow about six-thirty at Comfort & Joy then,” she agreed.

  “Okay, sounds good. Goodnight, Sadie.”

  “Enjoy your evening, Sam. Goodnight.”

  Determined to hold her curiosity at bay and not think about Sam or Dr. Evans, she clicked the play button and continued with her movie.

  She laughed, she cried, and a little after the first hour, she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. The white noise woke her up to the glaringly bright TV screen. Startled at first, she jumped, then rubbed her eyes, stretched, and reached for the remote to stop the movie. Be kind, rewind ran through her head, so she set the VCR to do so. While she waited, she put the popcorn bowl on the counter in the kitchen and dumped her empty Dr. Pepper can into the wastebasket. Flicking off the light as she exited the kitchen, she ejected the movie, put it back in the case, and placed it back on the table by her keys. Then she headed off to bed.