Finding Hope (18 page)

Hope, excited by seeing
to see her dear friend replied, “I came into town this spring. Been working here ever since. I’m so surprised to see you. What brought you to Ocean City?”

Joy thought about the question and grabbed
Hope’s small hand. Looking at Hope lovingly, she replied, “I remembered all the stories you told me of your childhood. You spoke so kindly of this wonderful town. When I was lost in St. Louis, I saw a poster for Ocean City. I knew right then Ocean City was where I had to go. Right now I work as a waitress at Chez Moerae – a couple miles down the road. I’ve been working there for almost two years now. It's fun, and I get to meet so many great people.”

Hope said taking a giant breath, “I still can't believe you'
re standing here in front of me!”

Joy smiled at Hope, eyes filled with admiration
, and said, “What are you doing tonight? We totally have to get together. It's been so long since talked. We need to catch up.”

Hope, putting her hand on Joy’s arm, replied, “Well, tonight I'm actually
performing, so I can’t. Hey… you should totally stop by later. I’m playing at eight o’clock.”

Joy’s face lit up at the thought of seeing her best friend play her songs again.
“I’d love that. But I need to go pick up my boyfriend first. He's coming in from Dover tonight.” Then Joy gave Hope an affectionate hug adding, “It’s so wonderful to see you. I’ll be back a bit later. We’ll talk and catch up.”

Hope waved her hand at Joy as she left the small café. She
was overwhelmed with excitement knowing she’d see her friend again later that evening.

“Hey D
ad, I’m heading back down to Ocean City this afternoon. I should be back again on Monday,” Isaac said tossing a couple of wrinkled shirts into a bag.

Mr. Howard looked at his son with pride filling his thin yet strong body. He was so impressed with his son’s ability to meet his obligations with the campaign and still
pursue his new girlfriend. Isaac had been making this trip almost every weekend for over six months.

Isaac and Joy were completely in love. Every moment they spent together felt so natural, so destined, that they both were entirely consumed with destiny.

“Do you need any spending money?” Mr. Howard asked his son.

“No, I should be fine,” Isaac
answered proudly. “I still have plenty in my savings.”

Mr. Howard walked over to his son and began to help him pack.
“So when do I get to meet this Joy?” Mr. Howard asked razzing his son. “She must be pretty special considering she has you always on the move.”

Isaac smiled sheepishly
trying to avoid his dad’s gentle teasing. “A couple weeks from now she’ll be coming up for the convention. You can interrogate her then,” Isaac said chuckling softly.

“Anyway…
while you’re away you’re going to miss the surprise I have planned,” Mr. Howard said mysteriously.

“Let me guess, you’re not going to tell me what it is,” Isaac replied sarcastically.

Mr. Howard put his muscular arm around Isaac’s shoulder and said, “On Sunday… we’re getting a car.”

Isaac jerked his neck to look at his dad a
nd said, “No way! An automobile? How can that be?”

“Well … it’s actually for the campaign, but yes, a new car,” Mr. Howard explained.

When Isaac finally reached Ocean City, he spotted Joy waiting for him right outside the train. With his bag in hand, he leaped down the steep stairs, off of the locomotive, and into Joy’s arms. They held each other kissing for the entire world to see.

“It’s been too long. I hate this back and forth thing,” Isaac proclaimed hugging Joy even tighter.

Joy smiled and said, “We’ve got to hurry. I think we’re already late. I want to introduce someone to you.” Joy repeated with a devilish grin on her innocent face. “We’ve got to hurry.”

Both Isaac and Joy ran out of the station and into the street. Hand in hand they
raced down the boulevard as the sun fought to provide the last light of the day.

“Eight o’clock! S
he’ll be starting any second. Hurry,” Joy commanded her faithful partner.

They reached the café around eight-fifteen and snuck into the back. They found a small round table in the dark and sat down. “Good, it doesn’t look like she’s started yet. I’m going to get some coffee for us. I’ll be right back,” Joy said as she stood
leaving Isaac in the dark.

Joy walked up to the counter and ordered coffee just as Hope stepped onto the stage. Hope noticed Joy and smiled, giving a little nod with her head. Joy pointed to the small table in
the back of the room signaling where she was sitting. She then gathered up her drinks to return to her seat.

Joy sa
t down next to Isaac and said, “This is going to blow you away. This is my old friend, Hope. I was friends with her years ago. She’s fantastic.”

Isaac sat in silence staring at the stage. Hope pulled out the guitar and began to strum quickly.

She sat back and announced, “This song is called “Sax Rohmer”, by The Mountain Goats.”

The chords marched out and
bounced around the packed room lit by candles and lanterns. The tempo pounded a tribal rhythm as she began to urgently whisper her lyrics.

    
Hope’s guitar boomed percussively as the chords pounded on. Everyone in the room was silent as they listened to the story feeling the emotions Hope was living in that moment. Her voice sang loudly with zero insecurity or waiver. Her strength and confidence swept over the crowd completely. Joy turned and looked at Isaac who was lost in the performance. His attention was directly focused on Hope and her mighty music.

    
Hope belted out the lyrics as her guitar shook violently blasting out sound and meaning. Joy again looked at Isaac who was overpowered by Hope and her triumphant song. He was sitting, with an unshakable stare, tears flowing freely down his face and onto his neck. Confused by Isaac’s show of emotion, she handed him a small cloth napkin. He took it, wiped his eyes, and continued to cry without breaking his gaze upon Hope. Hope continued, snarling the lyrics from deep in her soul, and again blasted out the chorus.

After Hope finished her song, she put down her guitar. She couldn’t wait another moment and needed to see her long lost friend. She walked to the back of the room where Joy and Isaac were sitting. As Hope approached the
table, Isaac stood and waited for the response he needed to see. Hope looked at Isaac and felt her heart ignite with memories.

“Isaac!” Hope said with a gasp. Isaac reached out and embraced Hope’s small, tired body. The instant Joy saw Isaac holding Hope, she knew the source of her great mystery. She completely understood how she knew Isaac. Without a shadow of a doubt, she could see why she was so drawn to him. It was plain to see why she trusted him completely. Her connection to Isaac became clear. The resemblance between a mother and her son was unmistakable.

Chapter 16

Re-connect

The winds of change swirled around the small town of Dover as the country prepared for its first televised debate in years. Electricity was still sparse in most towns, but key areas were brought online to allow the viewing of the debate. Weeks had
passed since Hope reunited with Joy, and they spent almost every moment together. When Isaac came to town on the weekends, the three were unbreakable. Hope and Isaac reformed a tight bond, and she was so thankful he and Joy were together. On several occasions Joy and Hope made the trip to Dover, meeting Isaac’s adopted parents and spending time together as family.

Mr. Howard and his wife Lori
accepted Joy and Hope feeling fortunate Isaac had them in his life. They understood life is unpredictable and situations change as quickly as the seasons. After several weeks of commuting back and forth, Joy and Hope left their tiny town of Ocean City and moved to Dover to begin their new lives. Lori and Hope became fast friends. After all, they shared many things in common. They would often go for long twilight walks allowing Joy and Isaac the privacy young couples often need. Everything was falling into place, and Hope felt more at home than ever before in her life. She had found Joy and her baby boy, Isaac, and shared an entirely new group of strangers she now called family.

The exciting day arrived, and the new family took the campaign’s car down to Ocean City. Mr. Howard even let Isaac drive part of the way since he rarely had the chance to drive the shiny, new automobile. They arrived in Ocean City at ten-thirty in the morning. The convention was being held at the Chez
Moerae, which was perfect as it was where Isaac and Joy first met.

“How do I look?” Mr. Howard asked his lovely wife. “I hate wearing suits.”

Lori looked at him and answered, “You look amazing Paul. I know you’re going to knock ‘em dead.”

Isaac, Joy, and Hope all agreed the thin man looked impeccable, ready to face the nation. Mr. Howard smiled
at the group, kissed his wife, and walked out the door of the hotel led by his entourage of political might.

The remaining family members huddled into the room attached to the main hotel lobby to watch Mr. Howard
’s performance.

“He really does look great,” Hope
admired as she sat closely with her son.

Lori watched
the television screen lovingly and replied, “He does, doesn’t he? That powder blue tie looks so good on him.”

The group made light conversation while the talking head on TV surged wi
th political polls and opinions urging the importance of the debate. There was detailed conversation about the political views of each candidate, complete with personal history and affiliations. The music started, and the debate began.

Lori watched intently as her husband laid out his plans for the country. Isaac
, filled with pride, hung on his father’s words as he spoke carefully presenting counterpoints to all arguments.

Sariel
Dranias looked amazing as usual and spoke with perfection as he appealed to the nation’s desire to regain their former glory. Despite the fact that Sariel captured the country’s imagination, it was Mr. Howard who conveyed true sincerity. The two went back and forth during the bitter battle for the soul of the nation.

“He’s such a great speaker. You can tell he believes what he’s saying. There’s a passion there,” Hope said as she closely watched the television.

“It’s unmistakable!” Joy was watching the two men exchange words on the screen but was adrift, just happy to be with the others in the room.

“Wouldn’t you agree with me that this country is the best nation in the world? I mean, our spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial attitude defines who we are. It’s the very thing that brought abou
t the technologies of the twenty-first century,” Sariel said confidently. “I have a hard time understanding why you’re so willing to accept our role in the world. I don’t know about you, but I think we can return to greatness.”

Mr. Howard stood quietly
as the room erupted in applause and cheering. After the room calmed down, Mr. Howard began to explain. “What makes us great? Is it the cars we drive or the clothes we wear? Is it the money we’ve spread all across the world? Could it be our technology and innovation that have simplified life? I don’t think so,” Mr. Howard said with authority. “The simple fact is that when all that stuff was taken away, we pushed on. We relied on each other and our communities to get us through. We’re standing here today, our faces televised across the nation, not because we’re in the global community. It’s because we remembered who we are and re-connected with our neighbors. It wasn’t Washington who came to our rescue. They didn’t tell us how to feed our children. No federal programs told us how to find clean water. I don’t accept the premise sir. We’re the greatest country in the world because we have so much to offer one another, not for what we can offer the world.”

The point resonated with the crowd as they rose to their f
eet deeply connected to Mr. Howard’s words. They shouted and cheered their approval as Mr. Howard gazed across the crowd acknowledging every person in the room. The rest of Mr. Howard’s family felt the electricity of the moment as Sariel struggled to respond. He was speechless. The audience continued to applaud Mr. Howard’s statements. You could almost feel the country agree as the images of the debate flowed out across the land.

After the debate, Mr. Howard re-entered the room. It was alive with excitement and reporters. There was no doubt that Mr. Howard had won the hearts of the voters. During the debate,
Sariel could not recover after Mr. Howard’s comment and spent the rest of his time shaken. His political donors knew their opportunity for power was gone. With his campaign fractured, Sariel Dranias pushed along knowing his chances for victory were out of reach. More dangerous was the fact that global forces and the international elite now shuttered at the thought that their candidate had been eliminated. This was a precarious situation. Men who have a lot to lose tend to be very unpredictable.

“You did a great job out
there, Paul. I’m so proud of you,” Lori said with a twinkle in her eye.

“Yea
h Dad! That was excellent. You stood your ground and controlled the topics. Mr. Dranias didn’t stand a chance,” Isaac said with his arm around Joy.

“Well let’s get ourselves together and head out. Dinner
’s on me tonight when we get back to Dover,” Mr. Howard said triumphantly.

The tight new family grabbed their things and headed down to the hotel lobby. “Dad, let me pull the car around. I’ll pick you up
out front,” Isaac said eager to drive the precision build steel car. “Come on, the lots right there. You can see me from the window.”

M
r. Howard looked out the window to where Isaac was pointing and agreed with his grown boy. “Just pull it up front. No horsing around, okay?” he said as he tossed Isaac the keys.

Mr. Howard, Lori, Joy, and Hope stood in t
he lobby of the beautiful hotel reminiscing about the events of the debate. Moments later, Mr. Howard’s entourage finally caught up with the family standing in the large, busy hotel lobby.

   “Sir, you can’t just up and leave without telling us where you’re going,” one of his aides said nervously. “Security was looking all over for you.”

Mr. Howard smiled defiantly
and said, “Mathew, calm down. We’re just going to drive back to Dover. My family and I are anxious to get back home. We’ll catch up and debrief tomorrow, okay?”

Mr. Howard then noticed his security crew walking quickly to where they were standing. One of the men in dark sun glasses said, “Sir, you need to come with us. There’s been…”

Mr. Howard raised his hand and interrupted, saying, “Like I was just telling Mathew, we’re just going to head back to…”

The man didn’t let Mr. Howard continue. “Sir, I don’t think you understand. There’s been an anonymous tip
we need to look into. Our guys apprehended a man who was wandering around out by the parking lot,” the security specialist said sternly.

Joy felt panic flash ac
ross her body and rushed to the lobby window. “Isaac’s out there!” she yelled.

Hope then realized the urgency of the situation and met Joy
at the window. They watched as Isaac climb into the car that was baking in the mid-day sun out in the parking lot.

“No!” Hope shrieked and ran to the lobby door.

Joy and Hope ran out into the summer heat only to hear a great explosion. From behind the corner down the block, they saw smoke and shrapnel hurl out from the parking lot. They ran around the corner just in time to witness a second great blast. Mr. Howard’s car was ablaze with thick black smoke reaching into the blue sky. Joy screamed. Hope bellowed as the heat from the car quivered the surrounding air. Joy fell to her knees and wailed uncontrollably into the hot summer air. Hope looked down at Joy and watched her crumple to the concrete. She noticed her cries were silent. The car again exploded with anger throwing Hope from her feet and back into the bricks of the building. She noticed again the absence of sound. The heat from the wreckage engulfed Joy and Hope, but Hope sat along the building watching the car burn, emotionless. She stared at the billows of thick smoke push out of the steel frame of the car. With the world in silence, Hope sat and watched. The flames danced all over the car reaching high into the sky in front of her. She couldn’t look away as the fire burned her eyes. Then something astounding caught Hope’s attention. A ball of fire pushed out from the car windows. It rolled as it floated upward, twisting and turning in on itself high into the sky. Even after the ball of flames burnt its fuel, a white haze continued upward drifting on the currents of air into the sky. She felt in her soul it was Isaac as he slipped away. Delusional and insane from the impact of the events, Hope followed the mist as it floated toward the ocean. Although it completely dissipated, Hope continued to follow. Out onto the beach and into the water, the devastated mother followed. Toward the horizon, out over the ocean, Hope continued to follow with the need to be with her son. She began to swim. She kept swimming with her eyes fixed on the point water meets the sky. She knew nothing else mattered, and she’d see him again soon. She just had to keep swimming. Never looking back, Hope swam for almost two hours until she was out past the breakers. The surrounding water was a dangerous color blue. Hope suddenly noticed she wasn’t alone. Movement swirled around her from the depths below. She felt no fear and continued to swim.

“I’m coming Isaac. J
ust hang on baby,” Hope whispered as she choked on the briny sea.

A fin crossed her path ten feet in front of her
making her stop her frantic arm movements. The creature raised its head from the water to have a look at the broken woman. Hope gasped as she realized the porpoise was softly touching her skin. Hope continued to tread water as the creature circled, coming in close and then retreating away. It was investigating the intruder who was far from shore. Hope gazed at the creature with an empty mind and soul. Indifference was the only thing she felt. The mammal slid through the water until it was right next to Hope. Its green eyes carefully studied her. Hope reached out to touch the porpoise’s head. It remained steady as she stroked its skin. Carefully the creature moved upward until Hope felt its dorsal fin. It gently swam forward with Hope holding on. They moved slowly at first, right at the surface
,
with the afternoon sun dancing on the waves. The creature moved faster, carefully feeling Hope’s grasp, and slowing when needed as they moved in the depths. For three hundred yards, the animal carried Hope, and then as suddenly as it started, the porpoise disappeared. Hope bobbed in the water unsure what it all meant. The mammal reappeared twenty feet from Hope. It pushed its snout up into the air and let out a soft little cry. Hope felt the pain of the animal as it cried a sound that was somehow familiar. She swam towards the creature to see what was wrong.

When she reache
d the porpoise, she noticed a green cord floating just out of reach. The animal swirled and pushed Hope closer. She realized she was looking at an old trawling net. It was drifting in the currents, discarded and forgotten. She pulled the net closer and saw strange red letters written on the edge. Hope knew instantly the net was from one of the Russian fishing boats that used to work these waters. Hope pulled the net – it seemed to be anchored to something. She looked at the porpoise searching for clues. Then it all became clear. Hope saw something ten feet to her left as tired splashing broke the surface. Hope looked back to the creature that had brought her to the net. It simply stared back at her with purpose.

Hope swam carefully, trying not to becom
e tangled, toward the splashing a few feet away. By the time she reached the movement in the water, her arms and legs had lost their strength. She was struggling to just stay afloat. The waves crashed over her as they tried to push her under. She fought back when she realized why she was there. Tangled in a snarl of green knotted cord, a baby porpoise was bobbing in the sea. Twenty feet away the mother watched with hope. Hope found new purpose as she floated far from land. She knew she was the only one who could save this young life. She grabbed the chord firmly and began to work.