Hope is a gift,
Love is a treasure,
And FAMILY is forever!
Hank and Hannah Gunner together at last!
~ Lindsey Rawling ~
Ribbons and balloons filled the hospitality room at Hannah’s and Kathy’s apartment complex. A cake placed on the center of a table was surrounded by finger foods, punch, beer, and wine. Hannah, Kathy, Cash, Lindsey, Nigel, Sandy, Nate, and Sharon were among the guests crammed into the room.
“They’re here!” whispered Hannah excitedly. “Hurry. Turn off the lights!”
Giggles and whispers were all you could hear as people unsuccessfully tried to hide in a room with limited places to do so. Michael opened the door, and Hank followed him into the dimly lit room.
“Surpriiiiiiiise!” everyone yelled.
Hank studied every face of those present, recognizing most, but unfamiliar with a few. How he had aged and missed so much over the years. Hannah approached him with Cash by her side. Beaming, she held out her hands and in it was the conch shell that he had given her so many years ago.
“I told you I still had my magical shell!” She giggled and placed it by his ear. “It still works—hear the ocean, Captain?” Hannah laughed. “I couldn’t resist!”
Laughing, he reached up and took the shell out of her hands. He held it firmly against his ear and listened as the air swirled around and around. She was smiling, just like she used to, and he couldn’t believe this beautiful young lady who now stood before him used to be his little girl. Wrapping his arms around her frame for the first time in years, he hugged her as tightly as he could without hurting her. To his relief, she hugged him back. Tears ran freely down his cheeks as he buried his face in that mass of hair, and he felt no shame in being so emotionally overwhelmed. No words were exchanged; there was no need. Hannah held on to him as if she was afraid he would be taken away once again, and he held on to her as if he was scared to let go. Cash stepped back a bit and let them be, while Lindsey pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of the two. Posting it on her story, she captioned the touching moment: Hope is a gift, love is a treasure, and FAMILY is forever. Hank and Hannah Gunner together at last!
“There’s someone I’d like you to meet,” Hannah whispered. “Please be nice.”
Hank’s eyebrows rose as he waited for the introduction. Hannah reached out and pulled Cash toward her.
“Dad, this is Cash.” She turned to her boyfriend. “Cash, this is my dad.”
Reaching out to shake Hank’s hand, Cash waited for a firm death grip to intimidate him. Pleasantly surprised when a strong but normal handshake reciprocated his, he finally relaxed. The vivid memories that Hannah had shared of the Captain popped into his head as they spoke and, despite trying not to picture him with a sword in his hand, Cash was struggling not to see a pirate standing before him.
“Nice to meet you, Cash. An unusual name that, Cash.”
“Yes, sir, it is. It’s a nickname. Grayson Parks is my given name.”
“Ah ha! Nice to meet you, Grayson!”
And there it was! Cash could’ve sworn he heard the Captain, the one Hannah had so often described. Trying to focus on what Hank was saying as they spoke, Cash continued to make small talk. Noticing that Hank always had an eye on Hannah throughout the entire evening made Cash a tad nervous.
“Can I have everyone’s attention, please?”
The room fell silent, and Nigel made a toast to honor Hank and his release. Hank raised his beer, which tasted unbelievable after all those years, and made another toast to his legal team.
“I can’t begin to thank you, Nigel, for taking on Nate’s project and talking Michael into helping you help me—for free, I might add.” Everyone laughed.
“I will, however, make a substantial donation to your firm as soon as you obtain my funds from the state!”
“We’re on it!” Michael laughed.
They cut the cake, had a few more drinks, and started to say their goodbyes for the evening. Hannah had insisted that he stay with them, but he had convinced her that the nearest hotel would be best until he was on his feet.
“That’s not fair to Kathy,” he’d insisted. “And, this might not make sense to you, but I don’t think your momma would approve.”
“What?” Hannah laughed. “That makes no sense at all!”
Hannah’s heart skipped a butterfly beat as soon as he referenced her mom. Shaking her head, she let him say his goodbyes, and he even accepted Cash’s offer to drive him to the hotel. Kathy hugged him, as did Hannah, before he climbed into the Jeep. Lindsey waved goodbye.
“It was lovely meeting you, Mr. Gunner.”
“Thank you and likewise. But you can call me Hank.”
As they were about to pull out of the complex, Hannah tapped on the hood of the Jeep. Cash stopped the vehicle and half-wondered if she was about to hop in.
“Tomorrow. What do you want to do tomorrow?”
Hank was solemn, but he answered immediately.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to say my goodbyes, properly, to your mom.” Hesitating, he asked her if that would be okay. “I understand if it’s too painful for you, too soon to go back, but I didn’t get a chance to make things right, and I need to say my goodbyes.”
Taken off guard, Hannah’s shock was written all over her face. She hadn’t visited her mom’s grave since they’d buried her.
“No. I don’t mind at all. I’d like to do that with you.”
“See you in the morning, then.”
“See ya.”
Hannah waited in the lobby for Hank to come down. She held a hot cup of coffee in her hand from her favorite coffee shop. Each time the elevator doors opened, Hannah searched for him, but he never stepped out among the people getting off the elevator. There was no point in checking her phone, since Hank didn’t have a cell phone yet. Nervously she paced the lobby.
“Hannah.”
Whipping around, her dad was standing behind her. He had a new look about him, and she couldn’t quite figure out what it was; rest maybe, refreshed, and the knowledge that he was free had made a difference this brand-new morning.
“Where did you come from?” she asked. “I brought you coffee.”
Handing him the cup, she pointed to the door.
“I’ve got creamer and sugar in the car because I had no idea how you take it.”
Smiling, he reached for the cup and said, “Good morning.”
He took a sip and added, “Black is good! And I took the stairs. Enjoying being able to walk where I please these days.”
The cemetery was less than forty minutes away. Finally having her driver’s license, Hannah drove Kathy’s car. She had initially climbed into her mom’s car, but couldn’t bring herself to drive it. Climbing into it earlier that morning had sent chills down her spine. Feeling sad and depressed, she begged her aunt to switch vehicles for the day. Kathy reluctantly switched keys.
“We could sell or trade the car and get you something else. Just a thought, but think about it,” Kathy suggested.
Hannah wasn’t sure if she wanted to do that, either. She rarely needed to drive, and there was so little left of her mom that wasn’t packed away in a box. At least each day when she walked past the car she was reminded of Gloria and the adventures they had shared, good and bad, moving from town to town in that damn run down, piece of crap car!
“Ready?”
“Whenever you are,” Hank grinned. “Can we stop at a flower shop, please? You know, the cemetery and all.”
Hannah nodded, disappointed she hadn’t thought of that. Hank pointed out different landmarks, shops, and parts of town that he remembered when they had all lived there, and ones that had changed since he’d been gone. Hannah hung on to every word.
“That’s the park I wrote to you about, do you remember? I told you we’d go hike and have a picnic there, likely bury our treasure.” He laughed out loud. “It’s Dolores Park, doubt they’d let us dig.”
Hannah giggled. “You know, I read every one of those letters once I had them in my possession, every one of them! And I remember playing our game just about every night.” Laughing, “Mom must’ve hated that game.”
“Nah. She didn’t hate it.” Hank rolled down the window, and the cool breeze filled the car, carrying the smell of the sea-salt in the air.
“She’d sip her wine and sit outside your bedroom door, listening to us play. Once you were settled, almost asleep, we’d talk about what had made you laugh during the game that day. Was it the seagulls pecking at your hair? The buried treasure you could never find? The imaginary waves tickling your feet as you jumped over them on your bedroom floor, or even navigating the ship—you know, your bed.” Hank smiled. “Gloria, your mom, loved to hear you laugh, and you might not believe this, but she loved when I was at home playing that game with you. Why?” He chuckled. “Because it made you laugh.”
He laughed again, and Hannah noticed that the deep lines on his brow seemed to have softened, and his eyes were no longer dull.
“It’s my fault you thought she didn’t like it. I used to call her a tyrant, but I was only playing because it made you laugh and I liked it when you laughed.”
Pulling in to the cemetery had an effect on both of them; the mood changed from jovial to somber instantaneously. It took Hannah a few minutes to find Gloria’s gravestone, but when they did, Hank approved. Reading the words on her headstone over and over again, as if memorizing them, Hank crouched down next to her.
GLORIA YVONNE GUNNER.
LOVING WIFE, MOTHER, AND SISTER.
GONE FOR NOW, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.
WE’LL SEE YOU SOON.
“I never meant those angry words that I said about her before, in Folsom. I never meant ’em. I’ve loved this woman, seems like most of my life. Damn sure the best parts of it.”
Reaching around him, Hannah placed her arm around the back of his waist and leaned her head against him. Realizing he was praying silently, she stood up and gave him some space. His gentle hands were shaking, voice trembling, when he finally spoke again.
“I never knew she was sick. I didn’t know.”
“No one did,” Hannah whispered. “She didn’t want anyone to worry.”
“Sounds about right,” he managed, but Hannah knew he was trying to hold it together for her.
“Things got so out of hand so fast. The fighting. The arguing about bringing you up there to visit me, the phone calls, me getting into fights and ruining my parole. The entire situation turned into a huge mess. Gloria panicked. And though I’m angry that I didn’t get to talk to you or see you for all of those years, and I am upset about that, I think I understand how she felt that I forced her hand.”
Fighting back tears, afraid of scaring his daughter, Hank took a step back. He couldn’t look at her at that moment.
“If you go back to the very beginning, none of this would have happened if everyone would have come clean in the first place. The rest of the mess I take accountability for. Don’t blame your mom, blame me.”
“How about we don’t blame anyone?” Hannah took the flowers out of his hands and placed them on the grave.
“How about we consider today and every day going forward a gift? I’ve got my Captain back, after all.” Hannah smiled the way she used to, and looped her arm in his. “Captain Fin is back!”
“You make me laugh!” Hank pulled her into his arms, kissed the top of her head, took her by the hand, and walked her back toward the car.
“I make you laugh! At a time like this; why do I make you laugh?”
“Yes, you make me laugh!”
“Explain yourself, Captain Fin!”
Laughing, Hank shoved her playfully as they walked. “That, that right there… why do you insist after all these years on calling me Captain Fin?”
“What?”
“Captain Fin, Hannah. Why do you keep calling me that?” He laughed out loud. “Me and your mom laughed about it every time your tiny voice said it.”
“What are you talking about? Captain Fin! That’s who you are, to me, my whole life! You know, you, you’re the Captain, Captain Fin, and I’m the First Matey. Hell, mom was the scallywag turned tyrant.” Hannah let go of his hand and shoved him as they walked. “Why you gonna mess us up like that?”
Leaning against the car door, all smiles, Hank shook his head. To tell her or not to tell her, tell her or not, that was the question. It was too funny not to inform her of the truth, not to mention it was time to lighten up the mood.
“Hannah.”
“Yes.”
“There never was a Captain Fin.”
“What in the helllll are you talking about? Explain yourself!”
Laughing so hard he could barely speak, Hank tried to pull himself together long enough to explain. “The book that I read to you every night when you were a little girl, which turned into play-acting, was Treasure Island. My dad used to read it to me, and his dad to him. The pirate in the story was Captain Flint.”
“Na uh!”
“Yep! Flint. Captain Flint. The story goes, Jim Hawkins’ father owned the Benbow Inn. Jim realizes that Billy Bones, a lodger at the inn, is in hiding. Anyway, later in the book, Jim cares for Bones and Bones tells Jim that he was the mate of the late and notorious pirate… Captain Flint.”
“Well, I’ll be damned!” Hannah burst out laughing. “I feel like an utter idiot; all these damn years I used the wrong damn name!”
Grabbing her in his arms, he swung her around. “Well, me lass, not completely wrong. Ye used to have me swagger, right?”
His stance, like a pirate, made her howl. His voice, gruff and thick like a pirate, was the one she remembered that had brought her so much laughter as a kid. Standing in the cemetery parking lot, within seconds Hannah was whisked back in time as her dad became the pirate of her past. Opening the car door, he instructed her to dive in and take the wheel so they could grab some grub.
“I’m craving seafood, not just any seafood mind you, fresh seafood.” Hank pointed out the window. “Let’s go to the bay, lass. Find a cook.”
“All right, knock it off! I get the picture,” she laughed. “And I do know a great seafood restaurant.”
Chatting about memories, mistakes, the future, and letting go of the past, Hannah and Hank enjoyed their lunch. Having no idea how involved Hank would be in her life, one thing was for sure: Captain Fin, regardless of the incorrect name, wasn’t going anywhere. He’d been her salvation when she was scared. Her sweetest memories even when she thought he was a dream. A voice that connected her to her past that turned out to be her closest remaining family, and Captain Fin was even the connection to her future with her dad. Tucked away in the corner of her mind, Captain Fin would remain with Hannah forever.
“Now, start talking.”
“About what?” Hannah asked, startled.
“Cash. Fill me in on this boy—everything. What are his goals, colleges he wants to attend, what his family is like. I want details.”
Grinning, Hannah set down her fork. “Cash. Um, where to start! Let’s just say I do love that boy, and I wouldn’t be surprised if one day, not anytime soon, I wouldn’t consider marrying that boy!” Grinning, she added, “But gawd, Dad, don’t tell him I said that!”
