Old Flames


By Elizabeth M. Lawrence (luckyliz@astound.net) 

Thanks to Carol H. Monterosso for beta help. Comments always welcome. (This is
a hint, people <G>) Other stories of mine can be found at
http://www.mindspring.com/~luckyliz.)


Carolyn Hawkes put the dirty dishes on the counter, then returned to wipe down
the table. It had been a long day, and she'd be glad when she could finally
close up the coffee shop and go home.

Days like this made her wonder why on earth she had ever thought getting a job
would be a good idea. It wasn't as if she needed the money. But somehow she'd
gotten the idea that if she didn't want to end up like her mother, she needed
to get out and meet people. And what better way than Maggie's old job?

Maggie could have her old job, if she ever got back from Wyndcliffe. Carolyn's
feet hurt, her back hurt, and her ears were still ringing from all the rude
customers.

At least there was only a half hour to go. It couldn't come soon enough, as
far she was concerned.

The door bell chimed, telling Carolyn it was time to get back to work.

As the man walked up to the counter and set his cane on the edge, Carolyn put
on her fake smile and handed him a menu.

"Grill's closed, so if you want anything hot, it'll take a while," she told
him. "Coffee's fresh."

"Coffee's fine," he said, sitting down.

Carolyn found a clean cup and poured the coffee, sneaking a peak back at him
as she did. He _seemed_ familiar, though she knew he wasn't a resident of
Collinsport. Not to mention, the only person she knew who walked with a cane
was Barnabas. 

"So, you new in town?" she asked, handing him the cup.

"Just arrived today," he answered, taking a sip. "Been a long time since I've
been in Collinsport. Ten years, almost. How's the family?"

"The same, pretty much. David's been accepted to art school, but other than
that we haven't changed. Do I know you?"

Instead of answering, the man gestured to her right hand. "You've been
married, I see. I hope he was a better husband than I would have been."

"_You_ would have been...?" Carolyn repeated. "_Buzz?_"

She looked at him again, trying to reconcile the drunken biker she'd once been
engaged to with the clean-cut, business-suit wearing man before her. "What
happened to you?"

"Got drafted, not long after we split," he answered. "The old man hoped it
would straighten me out, so he wouldn't pay to get me out of it or run to
Canada. Then after I got back, he died and I had to take over the family
business."

"Sounds like we've both had our share of hardships then," Carolyn noted sadly.
"So what brings you up our way? Checking out the old stomping grounds?"

"Business meeting with your mother," he corrected, shaking his head. "She's
finally decided to upgrade some of those old machines at the cannery. "

"Yeah, I know. None of us can believe it. We're all stunned," Carolyn grinned.
"Wait. I thought her meeting was with Herbert Anton the Third. What happened
to Buzz Hackett?"

"Would you take a biker named Herbert seriously?" Herbert/Buzz pointed out.
"Ruins the image."

Carolyn tried to imagine the Buzz she'd known, renamed as Herbert and laughed,
failing miserably.

"I've missed that," he told her.

"What?"

"Your laugh. It got me through some rough times. So did this." Herbert reached
into his jacket and pulled out a well-worn photograph. "Kept it with me all
through basic training, battle, rehab and beyond."

"That's me," Carolyn realized, touching her blood-stained picture. "You've
carried it all this time."

"Every day," he nodded. "Every time I was scared or thought I was going out of
my mind or going to die, I'd take it out and look at you. You gave me the
strength to go on. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Carolyn answered, touched. No one had ever said such a thing
to her.

Upon impulse, she leaned over the counter and kissed him. It made her skin
tingle. Not in the heated rush she'd shared with Jeb, but a nice, comfortable
way she quite enjoyed.

"Do you have to go back home, or can you stick around for a while?" she asked.

"I'm free as long as you want me," he promised.

Carolyn went over to the door and turned the open/closed sign over. 

The two spent the rest of the night and most of the next day talking, much to
the chagrin of any customers. The owner soon after fired her, but by that
time, Carolyn was already Mrs. Herbert "Buzz" Alton. The newlyweds stopped at
Collinwood long enough for Carolyn to pack and say goodbye, then they moved to
Buzz' home town of Pope Mills, New York.

And for once, a member of the Collins family lived happily ever after.

                              THE END