Bringing Him Back by Gary Whitmore - HTML preview

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Chapter 26

 

It was another beautiful morning in Santa Barbara.

Trevor woke up to the beautiful smell of bacon cooking in the kitchen. He got up off the couch and looked for his uniform pants. There were not on the floor where he left them last night.

He wrapped the blanket around his waist and walked into the kitchen where Diana was cooking in her nightgown.

"Good morning," she said with a warm smile the second she saw Trevor.

"Good morning. Ah, where are my pants?" he asked.

"Oh, I washed and ironed them. I'll go get them in a few minutes," Diana said then drained the grease from the frying pan into a small glass jar and placed the bacon on a plate. 

Trevor waited while she walked out of the kitchen.

A few seconds later, she returned with his pants, all pressed.

"Thank you," Trevor said while he took his pants and went into the living room.

While he dressed, Diana started frying up some eggs and poured three cups of coffee.

Trevor walked into the kitchen.

Ben entered the kitchen and held Robert in his arms. He walked over and placed Robert in his high chair.

"Please sit down," Ben told Trevor.

He sat down at the kitchen table while Ben brought the three cups of coffee from the counter.

He sat down just while Diana brought over three plates of fried eggs and bacon. They all started eating their breakfast.

Then Diana's eyes lit up with an idea while she sipped her coffee. "Trevor, why don't you call your wife after breakfast to let her know you're on your way home?" Diana suggested.

"Of course. And don't worry about the long-distance charge. I'll pay for it," Ben said.

Trevor looked at their smiling faces and wondered how he could get out of this suggestion. "That's really nice of you," Trevor said then decided he'll figure a way out when the time comes.

After breakfast, Diana and Ben watched while Trevor dialed a fake phone number. Then Trevor waited for a few minutes. "Hi honey, it me's Trevor," he faked a call. Then he paused to pretend she responded. "Yes, I'm on my way home, and I spent the night in Santa Barbara with a buddy I was stationed with," he faked again. Then he waited to pretend she responded. "Okay, baby, I'll be home as soon as I can," he said, then paused. "I love you," he said, then hung up the phone.

Diana looked happy. "I know exactly how she feels knowing you're on your way home," she said while Ben placed an arm around her.

"She really wants me home right away, so I think I better take the next train out to Spokane," Trevor said.

Diana and Ben looked sad that Trevor wanted to leave, but they both knew his wife misses him terribly.

"We fully understand," Ben said but was a little disappointed. 

"Why don't you drive him to the train station?" Diana asked Ben.

"It would be my pleasure," Ben replied with a huge smile.

Trevor looked at them while he pondered an excuse as being dropped off at the train station would make it extremely difficult for him to go back to 1995.

Meanwhile, back at Lloyds house, the mailman walked up to his front door. He dropped a letter in the mail slot in the door.  The mailman walked away.

Inside Lloyd's living room, he walked up to the front door and picked up the letter. He saw it looked official since it was from a Colonel Weaver with an APO address and it was addressed to a Mrs. Trevor Walker but had Lloyd's address.

"What the hell?" Lloyd said while he looked the letter over. 

He opened up his front door and peeked outside. He saw the mailman walk down the sidewalk. He closed the door.

He couldn't resist and open up the letter. After all, it had his home address.  

"Dear Misses Walker, I'm Colonel Weaver commander of the United States Marine Corps base at Engebi in the Marshall Islands. I was Trevor's commanding officer, and I'm deeply sorry for the loss of your husband. Sincerely yours, Colonel Weaver, USMC," the letter stated.

"Stupid Marine Corps," Lloyd said then ripped up the letter and let it rain to the floor.

He walked away and went into his kitchen.

Back in Ben's home, Trevor looked at Diana and Ben who waited for his response on a ride to the train station.

"I really appreciate the offer for the ride to the train station, but I just feel like walking, if you don't mind," Trevor said. "Besides, you two really need to spend some time together," he added.

Ben and Diana looked at each other and smiled, as they've been looking forward for some time alone for a long time.

"We fully understand," Ben said then stuck out his hand and Trevor shook it.

Ben walked over and picked up Robert from the high chair.  He held him in his arms while they walked Trevor to the front door.

"I can't thank you enough for saving my life. I owe you," Ben said when they got to the door.

"Think nothing of it. Just the job of a Marine," Trevor replied with a warm smile.

"Stay in touch, Trevor. Let me know if you would like a job with dad's construction company," Ben offered again.

"I will and thank you for everything," Trevor replied.

"Remember, you're always welcomed in our home," Diana said.

"If you don't need a job, please bring Teri down to California sometime soon. We would love to meet her," Ben said.

"Yes, I would love to meet your wife," Diana added.

"I think that might happen in the future," Trevor replied with a warm smile. 

Diana walked over and gave Trevor a kiss on his cheek.

"Bye, little buddy," Trevor said to Robert. Then he picked up his seabag and opened the door and left.

Diana looked curious while she stared at the door. "This is so weird," she said.

"How weird?" he asked.

"I can't get over this feeling that he's somehow family."

Ben smiled. "I know what you mean. He felt like a brother to me," Ben added.

They held hands as they walk away.

"I thought it's too late to change Robert's middle name?"

"No, to what?" she asked.

"Let's change it from Carl to Trevor," he replied.

"Robert Trevor Grayson. I like it," she replied with a smile.

Trevor walked the streets of Santa Barbara, and twenty minutes later, he found Memphis Avenue. 

He walked down Lloyd's street and saw his 1940 Packard Touring car in the driveway. He looked in awe at the shiny black car that he recalled seeing alongside the garage back in 1995 completely rusted through. 

"Rats," he said and knew he couldn't sneak inside, so he walked away.

Meanwhile, back at Ben's house, they received their mail, which included the letter from Colonel Weaver to Diana.

Later that day, Trevor found a café and went inside to kill some time.

He ordered a hamburger, French fries, and a soda. He munched on his lunch while he waited.

Then after lunch, Trevor walked the streets of Santa Barbara for a couple more hours.

Then he walked down one of the streets downtown and saw the Majestic Movie House. Trevor stood in awe at the lighted front entrance and remembered hearing stories of his place. He heard it from Carl who said their construction company got the contract to tear it down and build an office building in its place back in 1974.

He looked at the marquee and saw that The Thin Man Goes Home movie was playing tonight. 

He pulled out a dollar from his pocket and walked to the ticket booth.

He bought a ticket and went inside the theater and watched the movie.

Later that night, Trevor left the movie house and walked the streets. 

He eventually walked back to that café and sat down for a nice steak dinner with mashed potatoes and lima beans and a cup of coffee.

After dinner, Trevor left the café and walked to Lloyd's house. His car was still in the driveway, and he saw the lights were on in the living room. He walked away down the street.

He walked back to the Majestic Movie House and watched The Thin Man Comes Home movie again.

Then after the movie, Trevor walked around and stopped for coffee in numerous Santa Barbara café's to kill some time.

Then he made another walk down Lloyd's street and walked in front of his house.  The lights were off, and Trevor assumed Lloyd was sound asleep.

Trevor remembered Diana telling him stories how when she grew up, nobody locked their doors because house break-ins never happened.  Based on these old stories, Trevor felt he could easily sneak into Lloyd's house.

Trevor snuck across Lloyd's front yard and went to his back yard.

Trevor snuck around the rear of Lloyd's home and found the back door.  He peeked through the glass windows of the door and saw the kitchen was dark and nobody was inside. He slowly opened the door and waited. After he determined it was quiet inside the house, he stepped inside the kitchen.

Trevor stood by the door while he waited inside the kitchen for Lloyd to come after him.  

It was quiet, so Trevor gingerly walked through the kitchen and got to the entrance of the hallway. He peeked into the hall where nobody was in sight. 

He gingerly walked down the hallway and peeked into the den, where nobody was in sight.

He rushed into the den and went to the bookcase, where he knew the safe was located. He removed the books from the shelve hiding the safe and placed them on the floor. 

He reached up and dialed the number and opened the safe. 

He reached inside and removed the attaché and reached inside. 

He smiled while he removed the other key from the attaché.

He heard the floor squeak above him, and Trevor rushed out of the room.

He rushed down the hallway and went into the kitchen.

He rushed to the door that led to the basement. He quietly opened the door and went down the stairs. He forgot to close the door entirely behind him since he was in a hurry.

Trevor quietly walked down the stairs. He got to the bottom of the stairs, and he paused. The house was quiet above him, and he felt safe. 

He smiled when he saw the time machine at the other end of the basement. Then he heard the floor squeak above him while Lloyd walked down the hallway.

Trevor rushed over to the time machine and passed by a pile of lumber and other constructions items for making a wall.

Lloyd walked into his kitchen and turned on the light. 

He walked over to his Fridgedare and opened it. 

He removed a bottle of milk and some chocolate cake.

 He got a glass, and fork and walked over to the kitchen table. 

He sat down and poured some milk. He then took a bite of cake and while he chewed, he saw the door to the basement was cracked open. He got a little suspicious and got up from the table.

Down in the basement, Trevor sat down inside the time machine and closed the door. 

"I'm home free," he said while he stuck the key in the ignition.

On the counter, Ben dialed, "October 20, 1995, 2:00 p.m." He wanted to relive that time at the airshow to see Henry again. He reached under the seat and removed the time machine instructions and read it. He flipped a switch, and the console was illuminated. He turned numerous knobs then pushed buttons on the console.

Someone banged on the door glass of the time machine and scared the crap out of Trevor. 

He looked and saw a furious Lloyd that stood outside the time machine.

"Get the hell out of my machine!" Lloyd screamed then he opened up the door.

Trevor grabbed the inside door handle and closed the door.

Lloyd opened the door again.

Trevor closed the door again.

They played tug of war with the door.

"Get out!" Lloyd screamed while they played tug of war.

While they played tug of war with the door, Trevor flipped another switch with his free hand. Then he turned the key in the ignition with his free hand. There was a whine emitted from the machine.

Trevor was able to close and lock the door.

The machine shook, and Lloyd's hand slipped off the handle, and he fell on his butt.

Psychedelic lights illuminated from the windows, and Trevor got that same strange sensation. He experienced pain throughout his whole body from the time machine.

Lloyd ran to the back of the time machine. 

He grabbed the electrical cord and pulled it out of the wall outlet. 

But the end of the cord disappeared in his hand.

 He turned around and saw that he was too late, as his time machine was gone.

Inside the time machine, the pain dissipated from Trevor's body. The psychedelic lights disappeared, and he shaking stopped. It was quiet again inside the machine.