Life - Message From The Past

23-Miguel Sr.

Pete made his way back to the tavern. Miguel barely recognized the man who once had a long full beard but now had only a few weeks growth on his face.

Miguel smiled at the man he loaned his truck to. "What happened to you?" He asked.

"Long story." Pete sat at the bar and the tavern owner placed a beer in front of him.

Miguel looked at Pete closely. "You lost weight." As another patron walked through the door he smelled smoke coming from Pete's clothes. "You smell like a person who has been in the desert. And your friend?"

"Not sure of my friend." Pete guzzled most of the beer then surprised Miguel with a note.

"What's this?" Miguel opened the note. He knew the handwriting of his mother. "That village keeps calling her back." He set another beer up for Pete. Looked at the man and set a third beer on the bar for him. "I will be about an hour."

Pete just remembered. "Oh hey Miguel, I need to charge my cellphone. Can you help?"

The tavern owner pulled a box of charging cables from behind the bar. "Sit in the corner there." Miguel pointed to an empty table. "See you in an hour."

Miguel pulled his apron off and called to his employee. He pointed to Pete then left his tavern in search of the items on the list.

Pete found a charging cable and plugged his cellphone in. A few minutes later it had enough power to turn on. He took another long drink of the beer.

Not knowing exactly what he wanted to tell Madeline he first called the Thompson twins. They put him on speakerphone. "Pumpkin! Three weeks Baby, where have you been?"

"A long story, girls." Pete felt good to hear the twins' voices. "Not sure when I am gonna make it home. Just wanted to call to say I missed you two."

The twins spoke together as they did so often. "Awww Pumpkin! Be safe, Baby! Kisses!"

"Bye, Girls!" Pete felt better just by hearing the twin's voices. Then a sinking feeling came over him not knowing what to say as he dialed Madeline's phone.

The Cottage

Madeline, Gwen and the kids returned to the rental cottage. The kids headed inside looking for something to drink as the women sat outside on the deck.

Madeline sat under the umbrella and out of the hot August sun. "This is a nice place, Gwen."

Charlie sat right next to the mother of three and instinctively Gwen began to pet the dog. "It is one of the older cottages but it is spacious. You should stay with us!"

"Oh I don't know ~ but Charlie loves it here." Madeline looked at the border collie. "Look at you and Charlie getting along!"

Gwen seemed surprised at the thought of even sitting near the dog and even more surprised petting Charlie. "A month ago and I would never of believed we would be getting along."

Madeline smiled. "You know accepting his dog will make Harmony a very happy princess!"

Gwen sighed.

"What is it?" Madeline didn't know what to make of her reaction. "Not a good thing, Gwen?"

Gwen slowly shook her head. "Harmony asked where Jeremy was. She thinks he is a really good person."

"Now you are worried he is gone?" Madeline looked over at a devastated woman who agreed by nodding her head several times.

Gwen covered her face as she began to weep. Madeline moved in to comfort the mother of three as her cellphone went off. With one arm around her friend she pulled the phone from her back pocket.