The Claw

Chapter 4. The Opportunity

The drive to Florida would take two days. This would be a special opportunity for Clare and Jane to be together on an adventure. Many people would make this drive and not think twice. They were not just many people. Their lives were becoming predictable and they needed a shake up.

The trip started with a morning cup of coffee, the same kind of coffee that they had consumed every morning since their beginning.

They ventured through Ionia, a beautiful community, bountifly dressed when the apple blossoms were in bloom. Ionia was a town that held great memories for both of them. The downtown stores were introduced to them when they were children. Clare would always remember the electronic Santa standing in the corner of the five and dime, wearing fingerless mittens. It would move back and forth and wave one of it's red mittens. He was three years old and looked down at his hands to see a brand new pair of red mittens. He would move back and forth and wave his hand just like the mechanical Santa. The people standing there would grin at his little show.

Jane liked that story the first 20 times. Now that story was old and cliche. Theirs had become a routine with an over due change needed. Even if the stories were old the chance to go to Florida and explore a new community was not. She looked forward to an adventure. On the way home there may be new stories to tell and a new place to call home. She imagined the new friends she would make, women with simular likes and passions. This could be a place where friends go to be together.

As they left the state they could feel the excitement of adventure. The years had quickly passed since their last driving vacation.  That year they went north through upper Michigan then across the Mackinac Bridge into the U.P. They enjoyed the scenery but were newlyweds and were more concerned about physical things. The natural beauty was found in each other and was not out a car window.

"It has been 30 years since we took a driving vacation, Clare," Jane stated.

"Time has flown, and on every other vacation so have we," Clare replied. They laughed at the thought. He had been correct. The old fashioned car trip was a thing of the past for many families. As time changed and the economy was becoming tighter other families were rediscovering car travel. Alas so now were the Howard's.

Ohio and West Virginia were a major change as the hills became larger and larger. The Carolina's were amazing as were Georgia and Florida. They would arrive at their destination 42 hours after the trip had begun feeling beat. Everything after Charleston, West Virginia seemed to be a blur as exhaustion set in. Even a motel room and a hot shower seemed to fail to revive them. They had stepped into the exhaustion zone, a mirror image of the Twilight Zone television show episodes they had enjoyed as children. Only this was no show. They were tired and hungry in reality and would sleep in that morning. At 11A.M. they were ready for food. They went to the Grant Family Restaurant and the beginning of a whole new life. Barbara and Jane instantly hit it off. Jane could only think that Barbara Grant would be a great friend. Barbara was 7 or 8 years younger than Jane and had lovely daughters. Hopefully Jane could be a person of interest to Barbara and could garner a little of her time. As it was with Barbara and the 3 girls that time was hard to crack. They worked together at the restaurant and would eat together afterward. Where Jane could fit in that routine could only become conjecture.

After brunch Clare and Jane went to see Mr. Anderson. As luck would have it the home was still for sale. They had their tour and fell immediately in love with the place. After checking everything out they were ready to buy the home. They dealt with Anderson and the realtor through the buying process and soon owned the place.

The home had been well cared for and Jane loved the long mantle. There were cute little buildings with a holiday feel stretching along the top. There was a built-in television and an electric fire place and several pictures on the wall. She would leave it alone other than for cleaning on occasion.

They were exploring there new surroundings and realized that the community was as billed. The small Baptist church was made up of friendly people, many living in the mobile park, and several were from different parts of the state of Michigan.

On Saturday Clare and Jane spoke with Kevin Bradley. He was one of the vendors in the flea market. They knew him from his days of waiting on them at the hardware store. They exchanged the usual pleasantries with young Bradley. Clare was interested in Kevin's outboard motors and small engines for powering electrical table tools in his new work shop. It would turn out that the small garage next to their new home would become his new work shop. He would crank out all kinds of knick knacks and wall hangings for Jane to find room for in her new home.

Before long the day would arrive that they would have to return home to Fred. As the miles grew behind them they were missing their new home. They were constantly talking about their new experiences in the new surroundings in Florida. Arriving home on a Tuesday they would receive a call from the police in Fremont. There had been an accident and a young woman had died. She was a beautiful lady from their church. Her husband had died three years earlier from a stroke. His death had gripped and shocked the community like little else. His name was Karl Greene, a former star for the Fred High School, fighting green hornets football team. No one would believe that Karl could ever succombe to death so early in life. He was a family man, church going and alcohol free. Now his beloved Kerry was dead. The community would get behind the last surviving member of the Greene family.

Kurt Greene, the son of Karl and Kerry had been worried about young man things such as finding a wife. Even though he was very backward and shy his lifes goals were suddenly shattered with the loss of his other parent.

Jane was in shock. If the death of a young woman could do anything it should inspire others to want to achieve their goals. For Jane, Kerry's death was a wake up call. They had just purchased a beautiful new home and wanted to live there. She was mingling through the crowd of mourners during visitation and constantly returning to the casket. Her mind could not wrap itself around the idea that Kerry was gone.

As the crowd continually grew and Kurt was greeting friends and family she would stand near by. He was a broken man. He loved his family and now they were gone. The shock was clearly in his face.

As Alice Buttner was commenting on Kerry's name Kurt never heard. "Her name was spelled with a 'Y' and not an 'IE' as is common with a woman's name. Her parents must have been stupid," Alice stated. Alice was unmarried and a class mate of Karl and Kerry. She had a thing for Karl and hated Kerry. Kerry had won Karl's affection, married and had two beautiful boys.

Alice was a nurses aid at the hospital in Fremont and crowed with glee every time something bad happened to Kerry and her family.

Jane raced across the floor to Alice and began yelling at her. She literally shoved Alice from the building. The large crowd of supporters cheered as they watched Alice leave. Jane was their hero that night.

Kurt never noticed or heard the loud encounter. His life was shattered and Jane protected him that night. For the next three years she would watch a young man with a broken heart try to recover. Many would try to help but no one could. He would die with a broken heart.