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Chapter Eighteen
HOMECOMING
Stretching its ancient
branches above them, the tree that blocked the pathway and hid the Arch in the Baraboo
woods near Devil's Lake, shadowed and sheltered them like an old and dear friend.
"We're home!" Tears of happiness rolled down
Laura's face as she gazed around her.
Dan turned his face and hurriedly brushed away a tear
before anyone noticed. "It's about time," he said gruffly. "Let's get out
of here before Belinda and whoever else changes their minds."
Phil looked around. "Belinda, Jeremiah? They're not
here," he observed.
"They must have gone home, too." Laura sighed.
"We have to find that Paul Schultz guy," Phil said.
"I'm going to spend some time with my wife and son
first," Dan said.
Dan led the way as they jogged down the path toward the
park. "Jeremiah must be in Jerusalem. I'm sure going to miss that kid. He'd be in his
seventies now. Wonder if he even remembers us."
Phil laughed as they neared the park and the telephones.
"You have got to be kidding. How could he forget such an adventure?"
"Does anyone have change for the telephone?"
Laura queried anxiously.
"Didn't Salamas tell us we could only come back with
what we took with us in the first place?" Dan stopped as did the others and they all
searched their pockets.
"Hey, I've got my polka dot sun dress on again,"
Laura said in amazement. "I've also got some change in my pocket."
"Me, too," Dan said with a big smile.
Phil had his change in his hand counting it out. "The
only one I need to call is my mother in Roswell, but I don't think I have enough
here."
"No problem," Dan rumbled. "You can call
from my house. You, too, Laura. I just need to call my wife to come pick us up."
"We won't stay long," Laura looked at Dan
knowingly. "I know you want to spend some time alone with your wife."
"You can have the run of the house. All I need is the
bedroom."
Phil laughed. "Hurry up and make your call. I wonder
what your wife will say when she hears your voice."
"She'll probably think you're a ghost or
something," Laura squealed in excitement. "My girls will probably think the
same. I'm sure they're with my mother. I always told them to go to her if I wasn't around
for some reason."
XXX
Betty answered the phone after three rings.
"guess who this is," Dan said laughing happily.
"Is this some kind of joke? If it is, it's not
funny," Betty answered coldly.
"It's me, it's really me. I'm at the park. I need you
to come pick us up."
"I don't believe you. Don't call again!" The
phone clicked loudly.
"She doesn't believe me!" Dan said incredulously.
"Do you blame her? Put yourself in her shoes for a
moment." Laura said.
"Your point being?' Dan said with an edge to his
voice.
"It was summer when we left. By the look of the trees
and the amount of leaves on the ground, I would say it's mid fall now. We didn't come back
to the exact time we left. Let's go ask that man what the date is?" Phil jogged
toward the man who was now leaning on his rake studying them with interest.
"Do you have the correct time?" Phil asked coming
to a halt in front of the aging, blue jean clad man who was staring at their summer
clothes with his eyebrows raised. Even with his heavy shirt on he hadn't worked up a sweat
in the cool autumn air.
"This park is closed for the season, mister," he
stated.
"We got lost in the woods...the time?" he
repeated pointing to the man's watch.
"It's almost five and time for me to quit and go home
for supper."
"Would you mind also telling me the date and
hear?"
"How long you been lost, mister? Must be a long
time. You're dressed like it's summertime."
Phil nodded as the others joined him.
Laura shivered and hugged herself. "It is cold. Wish I
had a sweater or something."
"Did you ask him the date and time?" Dan asked.
The man informed them it was mid October and the year was
later than they could have guessed. It was two years later than when they had left.
"No wonder my wife freaked out." Dan stared at
the man. "Do you remember two years ago any reports of people disappearing in these
woods."
"Yeah. Some guy disappeared more than two years ago,
and before that a mother of two teen age girls and some tourist from New Mexico a day or
so later. It seemed really strange; so many disappearances all around the same time like
that. Dogs, men, helicopters and everything searched for days, but never turned up
anything. You know anything about it?"
"We are those people," Laura exclaimed.
"The ones that disappeared?" The man's mouth fell
open and the rake dropped.
"That's us." Dan confirmed.
"Where have you been all this time?"
Phil sighed. "It's a long and detailed story. right
now we need to get to Dan's house. It's been a long time since he's seen his wife. I have
to call my Mom. She probably things I'm dead or something and Laura needs to contact her
kids."
"Of course, of course. I'll take you there in my car.
It's parked right over there," he said, pointing. He picked up his rake and led them
to the car. "Wait till I tell the guys at the pool hall about this. The whole town
will want to know. I'll be famous." The man grinned and continued mumbling to
himself.
"We'd really rather you didn't say anything about us
being back," Phil said.
"Of course. Of course, but what about the police?
They'll have to know."
"We will tell them," Dan said emphatically.
"Sure, mister. You tell'em."
He pulled up in front of Dan's house. The boat was parked
alongside the driveway with the canvas tied around it waiting for Wisconsin's cold winter.
Dan wondered if it had been used since he had been gone.
They got out. Dan led the way up the sidewalk to the door.
The park caretaker roared away grinning to himself,
wondering who he should tell first.
XXX
Betty opened the door. She stared incredulously at Dan and
fainted.
Dan picked her up and carried her to the couch. The others
followed him in. "Go ahead. Make your calls. The phone is right over there." He
said, pointing.
Dan held Betty in his arms staring down at the face he had
almost forgotten, as if to devour her with his eyes. He brushed back a stray lock of hair
that had fallen across her face.
She stirred and moaned softly. slowly she opened her eyes.
"Is it really you?" She traced his face with her fingers.
He kissed her with a long lingering kiss. "Does that
answer your question?"
They held each other silently for along time. Betty sat up
suddenly. "Where have you been all this time? I thought you were dead...and who are
those people?" she said nodding in the direction of Phil and Laura who were talking
excitedly on the phone.
"We disappeared at different times, but we all ended
up in the same place," Dan told her. "I'll tell you all about it later. Right
now, there's something else I've been waiting to do." Dan carried her to the bedroom
and locked the door behind them.
David came in the door just as they were disappearing into
their room.
"Was that my Dad?"
"That's him all right," Phil laughed. "I
think he wants some time alone with your Mom, then he'll be anxious to see you. You must
be David. He's told us all about you."
"Who are you guys," David stared at them still
frozen in the doorway.
"You're quite the young man," Laura said looking
at the tall, dark haired, boy in front of her. "He'll be amazed at how much you've
grown, I'm sure. You remind me of a friend of ours. His name is Jeremiah.
"As for who we are. You might call us your Dad's
traveling companions. Let us tell you a fantastic story while you're waiting to see
Dan." Laura and Phil led him to the couch and began to tell him the story they would
be telling over and over for the rest of their lives.
XXX
Flash bulbs exploded, TV cameras whirred and people tripped
over each other as police and reporters filled Dan's house and questioned the trio
continuously.
Laura looked out the window for the arrival of her mother's can.
She was nervous and happy all at the same time waiting to see her girls. When they
arrived, hugs and kisses were exchanged only briefly before they were separated by police
and reporters, and questions, questions, questions.
What a homecoming this was!
Chapter 19
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