Call of the Canyon (25 page)

“I’m okay with that,” Kate smiled. She’d
forgotten Thomas worked that Friday at the restaurant. They could
wake up, have breakfast and she’d have Drew all to herself for the
whole day. Then they’d head back to Ohio even though she felt badly
she’d cut the weekend short. She had to do this for her sake....for
Drew’s sake. “Then after we eat, let’s clean up and enjoy the rest
of our time together, just the two of us.”

The day turned to evening too quickly for
Kate. They headed back to the bedroom and Kate couldn’t help
yawning. “I could sleep forever. It must be the turkey.”

Drew swept her into his arms. “Don’t you
know that’s a falsehood? Turkey does not make you sleepy, eating
too much does.” He lightly kissed her on the mouth.

They landed on the bed together, pulled up
the comforter and promptly fell asleep.

* * * *

Kate awoke to voices but was so drowsy she
could hardly move. Drew was speaking with Thomas. She knew they
needed time to talk so she decided to stay put. Anyway, Drew would
come back to bed soon. She rolled over and went back to sleep.

“Drew!” Kate sat up with a start. Feeling
like she slept too long, she stretched her arm out and over to
Drew’s side of the bed. He was missing. She bolted out of bed and
quickly got dressed. “Drew?”

Kate entered the great room to nothing but
silence. She glanced around the other areas–kitchen, dining
room—and even ran down to the wine cellar. “Drew!” She called his
name more frantically. “Where are you?”

She ran back to the bedroom and saw a note
on the nightstand she hadn’t noticed before. Hands trembling, she
picked it up and began to read:

My dear Kate,

There’s something I need to do. Last night I
had the dream again, the one where I’m in the boat fighting the
rapids. I feel the canyon is calling to me, beckoning me back to
its core where the river runs. I am going down to base camp today
and face it head on. I want to let the river know it didn’t win. I
am still here, a year older and wiser. It’s a challenge I must face
and maybe I will stop having those nightmares. Please don’t follow
me, I’ll be alright. See you tomorrow.

I love you with all my heart.

Your husband,

Drew

“No!” Kate screamed out to no one. “This
can’t be happening!” She quickly dressed and ran out the door,
heading for El Tovar.

When Kate got to the restaurant door, she
felt like it was vaguely familiar, like she had done it before. She
raced into the kitchen calling Thomas’ name and Miss Betsy
appeared. It all came back to her. It happened last year and now
she felt like she was in some bizarre play acting out a part.

“Why, Miss Kathryn, are you doing all this
yelling?” Miss Betsy asked.

Kate swallowed hard. She knew what she would
say next and how Miss Betsy would answer. “I’m looking for Thomas,
Miss Betsy, is he here yet?”

“He should be here shortly.”

Kate turned and ran out the door, heading
back to the cabin. She knew Thomas would be coming down the path
and finally spotted him. She tried to figure out why he didn’t hear
her yelling if he was in the cabin. He must be a really sound
sleeper. Waving her arms she called out his name.

“Kate, what’s the matter?” Thomas looked
concerned.

She quickly told him how she had to find
Drew. His reply was the same as last year, it wasn’t a good idea.
Kate brought up that Drew’s life could be in danger and Thomas
immediately headed back to the cabin. Kate knew they wouldn’t find
him there but had to let this play out. Entering the cabin, Thomas
rushed through the rooms and then they both sank down into chairs
in the living area.

“Darn, that boy!” Thomas looked frustrated.
“He said he would wait until I could go with him and he took off
anyway. You know, this morning was kind of strange. He told me I
was his best friend and that he loved me. I felt like he was almost
saying good-bye, like it would be the last time I’d ever see
him.”

“He does love you and wants the best for
you, Thomas. Never feel guilty that he went without you. There was
nothing you could have done to stop my husband.”

“You sound pretty sure about that,
Kate.”

“I am. You go to work and I’ll keep looking
for him. Don’t worry, I’ll find him if it’s the last thing I
do.”

Thomas laughed. “Knowing how headstrong you
are, I believe it.”

They both headed out the door and parted
ways at El Tovar. Kate knew she changed history in that cabin as
promised, hopefully for the better. Last year she was a sobbing
mess, but now she knew she needed to stay in control if she was to
find Drew. Realizing what she had to do, Kate returned to the
boardinghouse to find Carl. He would help her.

She found him behind the barn by the
bunkhouse. He was chopping wood, which seemed a little strange to
her. “Carl! What are you doing?”

As soon as he put down the ax, Kate knew
something was terribly wrong.

“Destroying something...my life maybe.” He
put his hand over his face. “I broke it off with Rachel today. I
told her to marry Thomas. He asked her last night.”

Kate was not surprised about the marriage
proposal, but knew Carl needed her. She took a few steps forward,
but he put up both hands to stop her. “Don’t. I’m too crazed right
now. I need to be left alone.”

“Carl, please listen to me. I need you. I
need your help. Drew decided to go down to the river today. I don’t
know what came over him. I think he feels he has something to
prove.”

She saw his brotherly instincts kick in.
“Drew will not die today. I’m sure of that. Come on.” He grabbed
her hand and headed for the barn. They saddled up both horses and
rode to Kaibab trail.

“We have to put the horses in a barn or tie
them up somewhere.” Kate said when they got there. It was a
practical thing to do and she needed something ordinary in her life
right now to calm herself. After they got the horses settled, they
ran to the trail.

“Kate, do you think you can make it?” Carl
looked concerned. “It’s going to take a while to get to the
bottom.” He threw a canteen over her head and started down the
path.

Kate barely remembered the trip into the
canyon. When she spotted the bunkhouse and saw a lot of people
standing around it, she had hope. “Drew!” she screamed out. A
dark-headed man seemed to look up at the path. “Drew!” she screamed
again.

Please
, she prayed,
don’t make me
go through this again
. Suddenly, that person ran to the bottom
of the path and began climbing.

“Kate! Carl! What are you doing?” Drew was
out of breath.

“Stopping you!” Kate was so happy to see
Drew, but angry he was down there.

“I’m not going anywhere. I was going to try
again but thoughts of you overwhelmed me. I couldn’t do it.”

“Thank goodness.” Kate fell into his arms.
“Carl, did you hear that?” Kate looked around. He was nowhere to be
found. She looked toward the river and saw he was already standing
at the edge, staring at the water.

Drew and Kate ran down the rest of the path
with Kate pushing past Drew to reach him. “Carl! Carl!”

He looked at Kate. “Someone has to die
today. The river knows it takes a life and it’s going to be
me.”

“No one has to die.” Kate screamed at him.
“You’re just emotional, so much has happened.”

“That’s right, it has. I’m finally alive. I
found my life here. Back in California I was just a shell of
myself. I didn’t have a life. I was doing a job. When Thomas the
third told me about Rachel’s three kids–Josie, Thomas and Deborah–
I knew instantly Josie was mine. It all made sense, especially when
I found out she was born premature—seven months after their
wedding. She wasn’t premature at all. She was mine. Joseph...Josie,
it was Rachel’s way of remembering me.”

“What? You figured out Josie was yours just
by her name?”

“It’s like I said before, Kate, I was
supposed to be here. I
am
a part of this world. I did some
digging and found more about Josie. She lives in Texas so I went
there to find her. She’s an old woman now but was open to what I
had to say. Rachel told her if a man named Carl Joseph Johnson ever
came looking for her, she was to believe everything he said. The
first thing I asked her to do was a DNA test, which she took
willingly. It came back a 99.9% match. I was her father. So I sat
her down and told her my story...Rachel’s and my story. I give
Josie credit, she believed every word. I have a daughter, Kate. Can
you believe that? I want you to stay in contact with her, she knows
about you and Drew. That’s why I can let Rachel go. I know there’s
a piece of our love living on.” Carl sat on a large rock and gazed
out at the river.

“Carl, how did this all happen? You promised
to stay away from the canyon. I thought you did.”

“I stayed away as you asked, but did come
back again. Think, Kate, for your wedding. Remember? You wanted me
to come.”

She gasped. So Josie was conceived on her
wedding day. Thinking back to that day, Lindsey was frantic because
Carl disappeared with Rachel. “You already knew...before it ever
happened.”

Carl nodded. “Strange, isn’t it?”

“What about Maya? Your mother?” Kate knew
Maya would never forgive her for taking Carl to the canyon,
especially without her knowledge.

“I wrote her a letter.” He dug in his
pocket. “Please give it to her and tell her she also has a
great-grandson.” Carl handed her the letter, then covered his face
and broke down in tears. “Rachel asked Josie to name her son Carl
and she did. Now she knows why. Carl’s a good man. He’s about the
same age as your dad, Kate. You’ll like him.”

“I’m so glad you got to meet your family.
Think of all the time you can spend with them. I’m sure there are
more relations than just Josie and Carl, right?” Kate searched her
mind to find a way to stop Carl from his death wish.

He ignored what she was saying and continued
on. “I heard the story with my own ears, from Thomas, just like you
wanted. Rachel will soon find out she’s pregnant, move up her
wedding to Thomas and go on to have a life with him. That’s the way
it’s supposed to be. She knew what she was getting into with me. I
told her the truth early on. I loved her that much, to be totally
truthful. Rachel didn’t tell me she was pregnant today because she
doesn’t know yet. I’m the only one armed with that information and
could’ve told her. I could change history, but my head ruled over
my heart. I told her she belonged with Thomas, to accept his
proposal and that she’d never see me again. I accept that. I didn’t
know how this was going to end until today. It all became clear
when you found me at the barn. Drew will not die today, I will. The
river needs a soul.”

Kate was close to hysteria. She looked
around for Drew. He was a few yards away with some of the men from
the camp and she ran to him screaming. “Drew, come quickly! You
have to stop Carl from doing something really stupid!”

He turned as soon as he heard Kate’s voice.
“Carl! What are you doing?” he shouted.

Kate turned back and saw everything like it
was in slow motion. Carl was in the boat pushing off into the
river. She ran to the water’s edge, yelling for him to come back.
Drew and some of the men grabbed long poles and ran down the side
of the river trying to get him to grab on. One man even tried to
lasso the boat. Kate couldn’t believe her eyes. She knew she only
had one chance to say good-bye and this was it.

“I love you, Carl. You’re my brother and
always will be. You’re in my heart forever! I will find your family
and love them like you would have.” She ran along the shoreline,
trying to keep up with him. Finally, she gave up, stopped and
watched helplessly as he sailed farther away. She clutched the
letter to her chest. Feeling the paper in her hands, it suddenly
dawned on her. “You didn’t just decide, Carl, you had this planned.
You wrote a letter.”

She stood with Drew until Carl was out of
sight. Men from the camp jumped in a second boat and headed down
the river after him.

“I’m staying here until they bring him
back.” She stared at Drew with a look of defiance.

“I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
Drew took her in his arms and she collapsed.

Chapter Twenty

Kate woke
to find herself in Drew’s arms and sat up slowly. Everything came
back to her in waves of sadness and terror. She began to weep. Drew
stirred and pulled her back down to him. “They’ll find him. They’re
the best.”

“I’m going out to watch for them. You rest.”
Kate got up and ran out of the bunkhouse. It was turning out to be
the longest day of her life. She swept her hair back into a
ponytail and smoothed her pants the best she could, not caring how
she looked. All she cared about was seeing a boat come back to
camp. Swearing she heard voices, Kate rushed inside to tell Drew.
He bolted up and the couple ran out to the edge of the river,
waiting impatiently for the boat to round the bend.

“There it is!” She couldn’t believe it. One
of the men signaled Drew. “What is it?” Kate looked into his eyes
and knew it wasn’t good.

“Why don’t you go inside? I’ll come for you
when they’re here.”

“No, something’s wrong and I want to
know.”

“Carl’s in the boat. I’m not sure if he made
it.” He took her by the arms expecting another fainting spell.

“No, that can’t be right. This isn’t right.”
Kate walked along the water. Standing stoically as the boat came
ashore, she saw Carl’s body covered with a heavy tarp as Drew went
over to talk to the men. Kate saw him nod and she screamed.

“I’m sorry, Kate, I don’t know if he’s going
to make it or not. Carl’s unconscious. They said he hit his head
pretty hard on a rock when he fell out of the boat. One man was
lost trying to rescue him. We need to get him to the top of the
canyon as soon as possible.”