Kaytee

Con doesn’t say much as he drives Katie to the airport, and waits for her to get her tickets. As Katie embraces him, he gives her a bear hug in return, along with a light chuckle. “If you don’t call me, Reese will, but I’d feel better hearing your voice, knowing you made it all right.” He stands back and gives Katie a wave. As she walks away though, he remembers something. “Hey, Kat, wait!” He jogs up to her while reaching in his pocket. “I, um…don’t know if you really want this or not…if you don’t, just leave it on my desk back at headquarters, but if you do, it’s yours.” He pulls out the CD in the tattered envelope, that has “Jason” scribbled in marker on it. It’s the one he played for her weeks before at the hospital. “There’s a few more songs on it than the one.” Con shrugs, handing it to her. “Safe flight. Talk to you soon.” He gives her a casual salute and turns around, getting lost in the crowd.


The Nevada airport. People are everywhere. Chatter, flight announcements, constant movement. A young man in his twenties stands to the side, raising himself on his tiptoes to see who’s coming off the plane. His tie is loose around his collared shirt, and he pushes his glasses up on his nose for the hundredth time. As he begins to see people from the plane that just pulled in, he whips out his cardboard sign, holding it boldly above his head. It reads “Kaytee Pent.” He scans the crows expectantly, looking at every young woman who passes, despite the distasteful glances he receives in return.


Jason grabs his crutches and is just ready to leave his bunk when he sees an envelope. That was strange. Where had it come from? He bends over, wincing as his knee stretches, and retrieves the note. He tears it open and reads the handwritten words, his eyes widening with each sentence. Backing up, he sinks down on the foot of his bed. Katie had gone to TJY? Reese had invited her? By herself? The words of friendship didn’t seem to mean as much as they should, the news of her leaving and her destination having much more impact.
Tossing the note aside, Jason puts his head in his hands, his emotions boiling over. She was gone…she’d left. Surely what had happened hadn’t been reason enough for her to walk away like this. And why was she the one who got to go back to TJY? Jason would give just about anything to get out of here right now, but he’d made too much of a fuss about staying on the case for that. Now he was stuck, and his world was once again crumbling down around him.
Gritting his teeth, he straightens to stand, resuming his aim for the door. If that’s the way Katie wanted it, then so be it. He couldn’t change the circumstances, so he might as well buck up and deal.
The note is left on the bed, forgotten…for now.