The Road Home

Chapter 5

After a week's worth of sessions, Harper was barely on the next page of the script, was still getting frustrated easily, and had begun to think the Professor hated her.

After her Monday morning session, she decided she couldn't handle any more free time in South Dakota. Without telling Melinda, she contacted her label and asked them to send a private jet to Rapid City. She was close to Nashville International Airport before Mel called.

"Where are you?"

"Fixin' to land in Nashville." Mel's pushiness was getting on her nerves.

"Why?"

"I had to get out of there for a while. I didn't want to wake you this morning."

"I wasn't here this morning," Mel sang in an octave higher than her usual.

"Where were you?" She wondered if Mel heard the indifference in her voice. She took a sip of her Diet Coke and continued reading her magazine.

"I stayed at Eric's last night."

"Eric?"

Mel laughed. "The Director of Photography."

"Frolicking with the crew." Harper rolled her eyes. "How unusual."

"Stop it!" Mel chuckled. "I really like him."

"You just met him." Harper noticed the flight attendant motion for her attention. "I've got to go. I'll be back by tomorrow night."

Once the plane landed, she got into the black limo that waited on the tarmac and was nearly to her home outside of Nashville when the phone rang again. Looking down she saw Statler's number.

Her throat tightened. She had avoided numerous calls from him lately and knew what he wanted to talk about. However, she wasn't ready to deal with it yet. She took a deep breath, held it, and answered the call.

"I've been trying to reach you for several days. Why haven't you returned my calls?"

Harper didn't answer and he didn't press the issue. He knew her well.

"The memorial service is scheduled for Friday at noon. It's going to be at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Beverly Hills. When are you coming in?"

"I don't know. I'll call you later." What could she do to make this nightmare go away, she wondered? She thought about going to Paris. Maybe hide out in her family home there. The veranda offered a nice view of the city.

"Make sure you do." Statler's tone brought her out of her daydream. He continued, "I may have court that day so I'm not sure of my plans."

After they said their goodbyes, Harper stared out the window and tried to block the fear of her mother's funeral. The fact that she might have to go alone made her even more nauseous, if that was possible.

At her house, she was met by Robert Davis, the older gentleman who worked as caretaker. Robert and his wife, Martha, had spent their lives working for the Wills: raising the children, tending to the homes, gardens and horses. When Martha died nine years ago, Robert had decided to continue working and Harper was glad that he had.

"I wasn't expecting you," Robert smiled.

"I wasn't really planning on coming. I just needed to get away." Harper wiped a tear off her cheek and hoped he didn't notice.

"I'm sorry about your mother."

She nodded and hugged him. He had been one of the few constants in her life. She could tell time had crept up on him. He was an old man when she was a little girl. She wondered about his age and made a mental note to ask her father about it sometime. She walked in and headed for the stairs. "I'm going to try to get some rest."