Our Journey Read online

  “Yes, you’re right. I like that you have the ability to think ahead. I’ll reroute the trip. I want those papers for the same reasons you do.”

  “By the way, tomorrow, when we leave here, I’d like you to drive the RV. I want you to get a feel for it. It’s a straight road so it will be easy.”

  “Okay, I’m frightened and excited at the same time,” Kate said, making a funny face.

  “Don’t worry. You’ll see how easy it is.”

  After overcoming her initial jitters, Kate felt very good at the wheel. Jo still kept giving her bits of advice. “Just don’t do over sixty-five miles per hour and don’t make any hasty movements, slow and easy. I’m going to text Todd about us coming over. We should be there tomorrow afternoon.” Jo said as she pulled out her phone.

  ***

  “Hello there!” Todd was outside of the house waiting for them and hugged Jo the minute she got closer.

  “Wow, this is quite a place you have here,” Kate said as she walked over to Todd.

  Mike was just walking out to greet them as well. “Well, it’s a combination of our home and business compound. That’s the benefit of being out here in the West, there’s plenty of cheap desert land available. We’ll give you the grand tour later. Now come inside and have something to eat and drink.” Mike led them to a big patio in the back of the house, which had as a focal point a magnificent stone grill/oven combination, with a pool and garden as a backdrop.

  “Wow! Business must be good, this little compound of yours must have cost you a kidney,” Jo commented as Mike prepared a pitcher of Margaritas.

  “No kidney, thank God!” Todd said as he opened a tray with an assortment of small appetizers. “Business has been good and, as Mike said, land is cheaper out here. So, where have you been, what have you done? Do tell, please.” Todd sat with them and Mike joined them with the drinks.

  The conversation became animated as the friends shared their traveling stories while grilling steaks, drinking margaritas, and lounging by the pool. The men gave them the tour of the house and promised a tour of the compound in the morning when they had already rested from their trip. They wanted to show Jo what they called their tactical resources, which were basically the tools of their trade. They also told Jo that their attorney would be arriving the next evening for them to sign all the paperwork. Ahead of the signing, they had called the attorney about the specifics of the documents.

  The following evening, as planned, the attorney arrived. “Jo, Kate, should we take care of the paperwork?” The attorney asked.

  “Yes, let’s do it,” Jo said. They all went into Todd and Mike’s office. Todd was going to serve as a witness.

  “I suppose you both have read the documents that I sent by email, yes?” The attorney asked as he displayed all the papers in front of them for them to sign.

  “Yes, we have,” Kate responded.

  “I made all the corrections that you requested. All the changes are marked with red tags so that you can verify that everything is as you want it to be,” the attorney explained, and Jo and Kate began to review all the red tags.

  “If everything is okay, please sign anywhere you see a yellow tag.” As he instructed, Jo and Kate signed their will, powers of attorney, and medical directives.

  “Okay, it looks like we’re all good,” Kate said, putting down her pen.

  “What about the forms for my retirement and investment accounts?”

  “Got them right here,” the attorney replied.

  “What are those?” Kate asked, looking at Jo.

  “I’m naming you my beneficiary on both accounts,” Jo replied. “I also would like her to be able to withdraw from the investment account even now,” Jo added, eliciting a serious look from Todd.

  “Wait, what is this about? Beneficiary? As if you died? Wouldn’t the will cover that?”

  “Yes, but by filing this form, the money goes directly to you without going to probate,” the attorney explained.

  “I see, I’m having a hard time talking about this stuff,” Kate protested, “I dread talking about people dying.”

  Jo massaged Kate’s back, fully aware that she was still hurting from Grams’ death.

  “It’s good to plan, Kate,” the attorney said, and his words seemed to comfort Kate to some extent.

  “Yes, as hard as things are, it’s better to plan ahead,” Jo reiterated.

  “What exactly are those retirement and investment accounts?” Kate was genuinely concerned.

  The attorney took the lead in explaining. “Jo served several years in the military. While there, she contributed, along with the government, towards her retirement. It’s customary to list someone as a beneficiary in case of death of the retiree. In the case of married couples, spouses opt for each other. The same applies to investment accounts. While Jo served in the military, she saved all of her paychecks while she was on tour in the Middle East. That money has been in an investment account in which you’re listed as the beneficiary.”

  “Can Jo and I have a minute in private?” Kate asked.

  “Sure, we’ll wait outside,” Todd said.

  The minute the men walked outside, Kate charged. “McCallister, I don’t care how much money you have in those accounts. I don’t want—.”

  “Kate, I thought we had covered the money subject already.”

  “Jo, I accepted the bank account deal, and all the other stuff, but I will not let you put my name on those forms. That is your money, and I don’t want anything to do with it.”

  “Ever?” Jo seemed out of sorts.

  “Jo, ever is a long time. I feel like you have given me too much already!” Kate walked about the room concerned. “I realize that as things are, we only have each other, but I need to feel like I’m contributing something before you—.”

  “Kate, if something happens to me and I don’t have a beneficiary, the money goes back to the government. I don’t want that to happen. I want you to have it to go to medical school. And on the giving thing, you’ve given me a lot too. You’ve given the most valuable thing you can give me! You gave me a family! I felt like Grams was my own grandmother, and you’ve also given me your heart. What more can a person ask for? What can possibly be better than that?”

  “You’ve given me your heart too. Jo, please, let this one go for now? Okay?”

  “And what if I became incapacitated and couldn’t work? You’d need money to finish school and to live while you finish school.”

  “If that were to happen, I’d called the attorney and ask him to enforce the power of attorney.”

  Jo didn’t see the point of continuing to argue. Kate was resolved, and there was no way she would change her mind. But the truth was that she didn’t need Kate’s approval to list her as beneficiary. “Okay.”

  Nothing more was said on the subject for the remainder of the evening. Jo did have a talk with the attorney about accessing her accounts online. While he showed her how to do it, she added Kate’s name to the forms online. The attorney looked at her and smiled.

  Having seen Kate’s unyielding attitude on the matter, Jo felt that there was no point with any further discussion for now. Grams death was too fresh on her mind, and Kate would never accept any plans that contemplated any contingency plan that did not involve Jo. That was the reason she had made the unilateral decision to name Kate as her beneficiary. Some day in the future, she would tell her, but now was not the right time.

  That night cuddled in bed, they continued to talk. “Jo, I’m sorry. The money talk upset me.”

  “I know, but I want to make sure that you’re covered for medical school no matter what,” Jo said.

  “I know, but I already told you about my plan. It’s enough that you will be the one paying the bills while I study. I’ll take care of the tuition with loans, which I’ll pay off with the money I make during my residency. And if I quit before then, I’ll go back to work and pay the debt off. In any event, in case you haven’t noticed, that means that you will
be paying the bills for a long time, McCallister, are you sure you want to do this?”

  “I’m fully aware of that, and it’s what I want. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m all in on this journey, don’t forget that!”

  “I know.” Kate kissed her on the neck, and Jo lowered her face looking for the lips she craved.

  “I’m all yours, baby,” Jo added.

  “And I’m all yours, but I’m exhausted. Let’s get some sleep.”

  Even after Jo fell asleep, Kate remained wide-awake thinking. She thought of Jo’s kind heart and generosity and thought she was lucky to have found someone so wonderful, but she also thought Jo was lucky to have found her, someone who truly cared for her. You need looking after, Jo McCallister, no one will ever take advantage of you ever again. I’ll make sure of that. She took Jo’s hand and lifted it to her lips to kiss it. Instinctively Jo pulled her closer and snuggled to her. Kate closed her eyes and went to sleep with a smile on her face.

  Before leaving Northern Utah, they visited Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake. They were surprised to see more buffalos there than at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone, where they had barely seen a few. They admired the beauty of the area surrounding the lake but were disappointed that it was not good for swimming and with the odor near it. A ranger told them that organisms that grow on the shore produce the smell.

  As they left, after having a buffalo burger on the small eatery on the island, they drove to the Bonneville Salt Flats in western Utah, which are the remnants of the ancient Bonneville Lake. They were surprised to find such a strange place. Although they did not drive on the salt flats they saw other vehicles driving on it. They marveled at the depth and of the salt and the immensity of the area.

  Chapter 3

  As they continued southbound, they reached the vicinity of Phoenix. They camped in that area for several days because Kate had not been feeling well. “Why don’t we go to the doctor, and have you checked?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. I probably have a virus. If we go to the doctor, he will tell me to take Tylenol and wait it out. I don’t even have a fever.” However, that night things took a turn for the worse. Kate got up quietly and hardly made it to the bathroom to throw up.

  Jo heard the retching and got up. “What’s going on?” She didn’t need a reply when she saw Kate doubled-up over the toilet bowl.

  “Oh, Jo!”

  “It’s okay, baby. It’s okay.” Jo held her by the arm and caressed her back with her other hand. “Let it all out.” After she brought Kate back to bed, she helped her clean up, and to change into a clean T-shirt. Kate looked miserable, holding her stomach on the bed.

  “Jo, I think I might have appendicitis.”

  “Shit!” Jo paled. “Are you sure?”

  “I have all the symptoms.”

  Jo’s heart stopped. She had been to hell and back, but seeing Kate in pain and maybe facing a surgery had deflated her.

  Even in her precarious condition, Kate tried to keep her cool because she could see Jo’s anxiety. “It’s going to be okay. Just take me to the emergency room. It’ll be fine.”

  “Okay, I’m unhooking the RV,” Jo said. “I’ll be right back.” She was back inside a few minutes later. “We’re good to go. I need you to come up front so that I can buckle you in.”

  Jo was not prone to panic, but she was worried after hearing Kate’s self-diagnosis. She looked in the GPS for the nearest hospital and drove there. The ER was pretty empty, and the hospital staff took Kate inside immediately. Kate identified herself as a registered nurse and gave the ER personnel her evaluation of her symptoms.

  Once the doctor concluded his examination and the results of the test were in, the doctor spoke to Kate. “Ms. Nolan, I agree with your assessment. It’s your appendix, and it needs to come out. We have top-notch surgeons on staff who will take care of you.” The minute the words came out of the doctor’s mouth, Jo widened her eyes and felt as if her heart would come out of her chest.

  “Okay,” Kate agreed without a second thought and looked at Jo, immediately reading her shock-stricken face.

  “You know the drill. I’ll bring the consent forms for you to sign,” the doctor said, leaving them alone in the small ER cubicle.

  Jo stood next to the gurney with her heart pounding what felt like a million beats per minute. Being in a hospital always brought back horrifying memories, and now she was facing her demons with Kate at the mercy of doctors.

  Despite her pain, Kate could see the agony on Jo’s face. She took her hand and kissed it. “Come here. I’m going to be okay. It’s the simplest of surgeries, and doctors do it every day a million times.”

  “Yeah, but this time it’s you. Kate, is this the only thing to be done? Can’t they give you some medicine? Is surgical intervention the only option?”

  “Surgery is the only course of action.” Kate reiterated, regretting having to tell Jo exactly what she didn’t want to hear. Jo’s head hurt, and the pounding in her chest was making her light-headed. “Jo, it will be okay, it’s a simple procedure that won’t take long. I’ll be back in the RV tomorrow.”

  Just then, the doctor walked in with the paperwork, and Kate signed all the forms. “Any next of kin?”

  Jo now had a lump in her throat. “Joelle McCallister, she’s my partner.” Jo was in pure agony, thinking of the worst-case scenario. In her mind, she knew that appendicitis was not a big medical deal, just as Kate said, but this was happening to her Kate, and the thought of anything happening to her was terrifying. Jo tried to put on her best face for Kate’s sake, but Kate knew better.

  Kate pulled her closer. “I’ll be fine and back here with you soon. Trust me on this one, okay?” Jo had such a lump in her throat that she was unable to say a word and merely nodded. She buried her face into Kate’s shoulder to hide the tears she had been fighting back. Kate kissed her and whispered in her ear. “I love you.”

  A technician began to push the gurney away to take Kate to surgery. Jo kissed her and began to walk next to her holding her hand. Right before entering the OR, the technician stopped. “Ma’am, I’m afraid you cannot go beyond this point.” Jo was stunned by the news.

  “I’ll see you in a little bit, okay?” Kate smiled, trying to ease Jo’s nerves.

  Jo held Kate’s gaze and nodded. “Okay, I’ll be waiting right here.”

  If she had been the one going to surgery, she wouldn’t have been as frightened. Hell, she had gone through several surgical interventions to remove the shrapnel in her back from the incident in Afghanistan, but seeing Kate go into the OR made her feel as if her heart was being ripped apart.

  Fortunately, as Kate had predicted, the procedure did not last long. However, the brief time it took seemed like an eternity to Jo. During that lapse of time, she had never felt so alone in her life. Before she met Kate, she had never needed anyone and thought she could go her entire life alone. Now everything was different. Nothing made sense without Kate. It seemed as if the very air that she breathed needed Kate’s essence to be whole.

  Jo sat on a chair she found in the hallway and buried her face in her hands. A nurse noticed her and talked to her. “She’ll be fine. Why don’t you come with me to the waiting room, and I’ll get you some water?”

  In the waiting room, Jo sat down, feeling numb. The nurse came back a few minutes later with a bottle of water. “Here, drink this. The doctor will come to see you once the surgery is over.”

  She looked at the nurse and replied. “Okay, I’ll be here. How long do you think it will take?”

  “I can’t say exactly, but it’s a short procedure. Don’t worry, Dr. Arnold is an excellent surgeon.” The nurse patted her on the shoulder and left.

  Jo didn’t move from that spot the entire time that Kate was in the operating room. After a while, the numbness overtook her, and her mind went blank. She recovered her senses when she heard a voice and felt someone shaking her shoulder.

  “Yes, yes, what is it?” Jo
stood up, filled with anxiety.

  “She’s out, Ms. McCallister. The doctor will be coming to see you in a minute.”

  “Is she okay?”

  At that precise moment, the doctor walked through the door. “Yes, she’s fine, and it all went well. It was a standard and simple procedure with no complications. She will be in the recovery room for a while, and then the nurses will tell you when they move her to a room.”

  Jo breathed a sigh of relief, smiled timidly, shook the doctor’s hand, and thanked him. As soon as the doctor left, she leaned her forehead against the wall and relaxed. “Thank you, God.”

  When the nurse walked in, she asked, “are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m okay now. Can I see her already?” Jo asked.

  “As soon as we move her to her room. We’ll let you know, and you can go up to see her,” the nurse replied.

  A while later, the nurse walked out of the recovery room and informed Jo that Kate had been taken to room 346. Jo turned and walked at a fast pace towards the stairs. She didn’t have the patience to wait for the elevator. They had just brought Kate inside the room when Jo walked in, winded from her exertion. Kate smiled when she saw her.

  The nurses were getting Kate settled when Jo walked up to her and took her hand. Kate tightened her grip around hers. “The doctor said everything went well. Are you okay? Are you hurting?”

  “No, not hurting anymore. I’m fine.”

  The nurse checked the IV and explained how the pain medication dispenser worked. I’ll come back in a few minutes. Call if you need anything,” the nurse said as she left.

  The minute the nurse left, Jo kissed her and ran her hand over her hair.

  “I’m fine, baby. I’m just a little groggy from the anesthesia and the medications. How are you holding up?”

  Jo took a deep breath. “I’m fine.”

  Kate smiled knowing that Jo was not as well as she claimed. “Baby, I’m okay, really.”