The Passenger by Jacqueline Druga (the giving tree read aloud TXT) 📗

had taken a leave of absence, he had all intentions of staying right there.

He was hoping Cate could take time off as well. They could be there together. Grant was happy, he felt so happy and just wanted to share it with the world, especially Cate.

Once he checked into the Motel Six, he saw it was after four and she would be done working. Still, no answer.

At that point it had been long enough, and Grant started to panic. Had something happened to her? Then he realized she probably just got in the car and was on her way. The moment she heard about a lead; he could see his wife just driving to meet him.

Cate never spoke on the phone in the car. She was one of those people who kept her phone far away.

Figuring that had to be it, he called Jessie.

“Hey, Daddy,” she answered the phone.

“Hey, Sweetie. I’ve been trying to reach your mother. Not sure if you talked to her. I sent her a text. I found Jonas.”

Silence.

“Jess.”

“Daddy, you found him?” Jessie asked with a shock sound to her voice.

“I did. He’s fine, Jessie, he’s really fine. He had lost his wallet at the bar and the accident caused some memory loss.”

“When … when did you tell Mom?” Jessie asked.

“A few hours ago.”

Suddenly Jessie’s voice turned cold. “She didn’t say a word to me about you finding my brother.”

“You’ve talked to her.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know if she’s on her way here?” Grant asked.

“No, she isn’t on her way there. She’s right here.”

“With you.”

“Yep. Here.”

There were a few seconds of quiet.

Cate spoke timidly. “Hello.”

“Cate? Cate, where have you been?” Grant asked. “I’ve been calling and calling.”

“I know. I was working. I … didn’t have my phone. I needed to take my mind off of your being out there. I was so nervous. I didn’t expect you to get an answer so fast. Then I saw your text.”

“If you saw my text why didn’t you call me back? You should see him. Oh, Cate, you should see him,” Grant gushed. “He’s gained twenty pounds. Maybe not that much, but he gained weight. His face is round, his hair is short. He has color and Cate … he’s smiling. He is smiling big time. I couldn’t believe it.”

Cate didn’t reply.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“I’m in shock. I mean it’s been two and a half weeks. Why didn’t he call us? Was he in trouble? Rehab?”

“He was in that accident.”

“Still, why didn’t he contact us? Does he have any idea how worried we were?’

“Cate, what is wrong?”

“Does he!” Cate yelled.

“Cate, he has amnesia.”

“Really.”

“What?”

“Really. And you believe that?” Cate asked.

Grant was thrown through a loop, stunned by her reaction. “Yes. He had a head injury.”

“Grant, come on. Amnesia?’

“The doctors …”

“There is no way to prove or disprove amnesia,” Cate said. “You know this. And you also know our son. He hid out, he played this card.”

“No. You’re wrong. He doesn’t know. He really doesn’t. He is in this small town and he’s changed. Why would you even doubt this?”

“Because I know our son.”

“I do, too.”

“No,” Cate argued. “You don’t. Not like I do.”

“He’s not that good of an actor.”

Cate laughed. “You know he is. How many times did he play us? How many times did he break our hearts, my heart for his benefit? This is another one of his games. He’s playing whoever he is with and in another week, he is going to walk away from there with everything he can grab.”

“Cate, if you would see him, you would know. Come out here. Get in the car …”

“No.”

“Cate.”

“No,” Cate said. “My heart has been crushed into a million pieces Grant. I have watched him destroy his life and everyone around him. I have grieved for the son he used to be. I have feared for him, prayed for him, enabled him. Now suddenly he is well and healthy in some small town? Wait. He has amnesia. He did it to us again.”

“No, Cate, you’re wrong. This is me talking,” Grant said. “What I am witnessing is nothing short of a miracle.”

“Grant, it’s nothing short of a con.”

“How ... dare you.”

“What?” Cate asked shocked.

“How dare you? We have been married for thirty-five years. Been together for forty. In all that time, every single day, every year you have been trying to get me to have faith. To see there is a higher power out there working for our greater good. Finally, after all this time, I witness it. I believe. And what do you do? In so many words, you tell me I’m a fool.”

“Grant, that’s not what I’m doing,” Cate defended.

“Yes, Cate, it is. And do you know what? I don’t care, because I am still going to believe. I would love for you to be here, to see this. If not. That’s fine. I’m going nowhere. I will be here in this town, with our son, loving and seeing firsthand what a higher power can truly do to change lives.”

And with that, not wanting to lose the joy he was feeling over finding Jonas, Grant ended his call with Cate.

TWENTY-ONE

A simple trip to the bath, kitchen and bed store followed by an early dinner. That was the plan Jessie had with her mother. She had spoken to her twice on the phone, several text messages, and not once did she tell her Jonas was found.

It angered Jessie … a lot, but she was cautious about saying anything because she had never seen her mother behave quite like she was at that moment.

Her mother often would be a seesaw of emotions when it came to Jonas, and no doubt he was causing it again. Jessie didn’t understand the bitter, angry mood Cate portrayed. After weeks of worrying, hitting brick walls, he was found, and not only was he alive, he was well. Yet, Cate seemed mad about it.

The last time Jonas disappeared he had gone on a binge and the only reason they found him was because Jonas