The long, dusty roads of Chippewa Falls spread out as far as the eye could see. William hid behind his mother’s skirts as a young man in a horse drawn cart pulled up in front of Jack, ready to take them into town.
“Can I help you guys?” he asked. He was tall and seemed friendly.
“Do you mind giving us a lift into town? The bags are heavy and our son isn’t one for long walks.” Jack grinned, knowing how tired Will’s legs got. Then he would complain bitterly until his father put him on his back or shoulders.
“Of course. Are you new to town? Haven’t seen your faces before.” The man took the suitcases from Jack and loaded them into the cart. “Hop in.”
“Actually, I was born here, but we live in Santa Monica and thought we’d come back here to see what was happening.” Jack lifted Will up into the cart before helping Rose up and climbing up himself.
William looked around at the scenery, which was new to him. “Mommy, where are all the people?” he asked. The roads were completely deserted.
“I know, Jack. Has it always been so…dead?”
Jack laughed, shrugging his shoulders. “Pretty much. Well, these parts are, but once we’re in town, you’ll see all the regular faces and such.”
“The town center hasn’t changed in…” The man thought for a moment. “…about twenty years or so. I was born here twenty-eight years ago and the only thing they seem to have built is the new restaurant in town. It’s a little more swanky than the others. They play the blues and jazz there.”
“I left here…must be well over ten years now, maybe twelve.” Jack told the driver. “If you are more familiar with life here now, maybe you could suggest a good hotel?”
“Ah…let me think. There are only two that I know of, but they seem to be full a lot. You should try Anne’s by the lake. She’s good to customers and lets kids stay for free.”
Jack looked at Rose with a smile on his face. She smiled back, feeling Will squeeze her hand. “That sounds great.”
The journey continued down the bumpy roads. Every few minutes, Will would ask a question that Jack would answer. Finally, they reached what appeared to be some sort of community. Passersby looked intently at the new people in their town. Rose felt slightly uncomfortable, as though she were under their scrutiny.
The lake could be seen to the left of them. Jack attempted to not look in that direction, not yet ready to make peace with his childhood. He would need to get Rose and Will settled in the hotel before even thinking about himself.
Rose saw Jack look out at the lake every few seconds and knew that it was hard for him to be here. She reached over William’s lap, grabbed her husband’s hand, and gently touched it, bringing his attention back to the present. She smiled a small smile of reassurance at him.
“When will we be there? I feel sick,” William complained, feeling motion sickness from the cart.
“Just around the corner, young man.” The driver smiled at him. “This is Anne’s.” He pulled around the corner, coming up to a small building with the word Hotel above the doorway. The lake was behind it, with several shops lining the opposite side of the street.
Jack looked at the building, but his eyes traveled to the several fishermen on the grassy hill at the side of the lake—the exact place where his father had fallen into the water.
He shook his head, breaking his concentration, and stepped from the cart, feeling life flow back into his legs after sitting in the crowded cart for an hour or so. He helped Rose from the cart. She picked up Will in her arms, feeling his weight and knowing he was tired.
“This looks all right.” Rose looked around. It appeared to be clean and the view of the lake from where she stood was lovely. A few boats floated here and there. Rose guessed they were fishing. It wasn’t too cold, but a slight breeze drifted past every now and again.
“Yeah, it does,” Jack replied absentmindedly. He pulled their suitcases from the cart before handing the driver a few coins. “Thanks for the ride.” The clip-clopping of the horses could be heard as the driver took off to his next job.
“Well, here we are.” Rose looked at Jack, who simply nodded. She knew that he was having a hard time getting used to being back home again and needed a few days to readjust.
“I’m tired, Mommy,” Will told Rose, his voice quiet.
She kissed his forehead before walking up the length of the path, leading Jack to the door, where she knocked quietly, hoping someone would answer. The last thing they needed was a trek around town, finding another hotel or a place to stay.
A small, plump woman around forty answered the door with a smile on her face. “Can I help you?” she asked, eyeing their suitcases and Will, who was in Rose’s arms.
“Yes. We’re the Dawsons. We heard you have a room to spare,” Jack spoke up.
The lady backed away from the door, making room for the family to step inside. “Oh, of course, of course. Come on in.” She ushered them inside the tiny hallway and realized it was a squeeze. “Don’t worry. The bedrooms are much larger than this hallway.” She laughed.
“It’s all right. We just need a place to stay,” Rose told her, feeling William becoming heavier as he nodded off to sleep.
The lady pushed some spectacles up her nose before referring to a small book in her back pocket. “Well, I’m Anne, as I’m sure you have been told. How long will you be staying?”
Rose looked at Jack, who simply shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe a week to start with.”
Anne looked at her book, knowing that these people were just here on vacation. They didn’t even know how long they were staying. “Well, say now until next Tuesday, which would cost two dollars a night. We serve breakfast and an evening meal around six or seven, but other than that, you provide your own food. No smoking in the bedrooms and no bringing other people back to sleep, which I doubt you two will be, assuming that you are married.”
“Yes, we are. I’m Jack, and this is Rose, my wife. William is our son, but he’s tired right now.” Jack saw his son’s eyes as he struggled to keep them open. “It has been a long journey on the train and then the cart.”
“I know. I made that journey, too, when I was a young girl. Well, you are in Room 26. There is a bed for the child as well as a double for you two, so don’t worry about sleeping three in a bed.” Anne smiled, handing a key to Jack. “Dinner will be served in about an hour. I think it will be tuna casserole, if you fancy it.”
Rose nodded before thanking Anne and struggling to carry Will upstairs. Jack grabbed the suitcases before taking Will from Rose and holding his son over his shoulder. They reached their room, which was lovely and spacious. Dumping the suitcases behind the door, Jack gently lay William on the small single bed. He simply curled up before continuing to sleep.
Rose shook her head, feeling tired herself. “Dear boy. He’s exhausted.”
“He is. It’s been a long journey.” Jack removed his jacket, hanging it over the door handle.
The window had a view of the lake. After stopping to look out for a few seconds, he closed the curtains, making the room dark even though it was only around six.
Rose went to Jack, knowing how hard it would be for him to come to terms with the fact that he was home.
“I’m sorry. It’s just hard to look out there at the moment,” Jack told Rose, who held his hand.
“Don’t worry. It’s going to be a while before you can look out of the window without bad memories.”
“I don’t even know if I can go down there, near the water’s edge, without feeling the same guilt I felt as I watched my father’s body being dragged from the water.”
Images from the past flashed through his mind. He shook them away, but still felt tears come to his eyes. His father’s body had been cold and blue, and he couldn’t get rid of the memory of himself, a fifteen-year-old boy shouting to his father to be alive, that he couldn’t have died, that he was all that Jack had.
“Jack, don’t do this to yourself. Don’t blame yourself in any way. We came here to help you fight these demons, not allow them to take over your life again,” Rose told him, touching his face.
He flinched at her touch. She frowned at him, not knowing what had gotten into him. Tears fell down his face and he backed away from Rose a little, still remembering his father’s face. He remembered his mother, hearing her screams as she had struggled to give birth to his brother, Stephen. Neither of them had made it.
“Jack, don’t do this.” Rose tried to touch him, but he backed away until he reached the door.
“I’m sorry, Rose, but there’s something I have to do…by myself.”
With that, he ran out of the door, not taking a coat or anything. Rose shouted after him, but he didn’t listen. Will awoke, asking for Jack, but she told him he had gone to find them something to eat and would be back soon.
But he wasn’t.