Chapter 9

Noah's face, solemn, in the back of a taxi. He was back from war, wearing his uniform. He passed under a banner strung across the road. It read, "Welcome Home, Boys!"

The taxi pulled up to Sara's house. Noah got out and walked to the front door, and rung the bell. Sara appeared behind the screen door and saw Noah in his uniform. Noah had no answer for why he survived and so many others did not. Although once, while hiding in a foxhole near the Rhine, he imagined he saw Allie watching over him.

Sara got the news and collapsed into Noah's chest. He sat her on the porch swing, and together, they rocked gently back and forth.

Noah walked up the dirt road, suitcase in hand. Frank ran down to greet his son returning from war. He hugged Noah tightly and didn't let go. "Good to see you, son. You okay?" "Hi, Dad. Yeah," his father took his suitcase and led him by the arm," come on in. Come on in. There's something I want to show you."

His father's house was starting to be packed up into boxes, he ran over and handed Noah a check and he was excited. "What's this?" Noah asked. "I sold the house," he replied. "Sold?"

"Yep. Got to be out by the end of the month. Don't you understand? With this, and your G.I. Bill, you're going to get it," his father explained. "Get what?" He didn't understand. "Your dream house. The Windsor Plantation," he said. "Dad…" he paused. "Don't "dad" me. I don't want to hear about it. I've already talked to the bank. It's all set. They are going to give you the loan." Noah didn't know what to say.

"I don't know," he said. "Do it, son. Dreams are good. They're important." Noah took a long time before taking the check. He threw his arms around his dad," thanks, dad. But, wait a minute. If you sell the house, where are you going to live?" "With you, dummy. Somebody's got to help you fix it up."

Frank's old pick-up coughed smoke as it pulled up to the decaying structure (Windsor Plantation). Noah and his father shared a look as they took it all in, "lot of damn work," said his father. Noah took a look at the house but only saw one thing. Allie.

Noah walked out with bags of supplies in his arms. He passed all the old haunts, the Malt shop, the movie theater. He was home. And no matter where he went, or what he did…

The carnival was back in town. He looked out the window from his father's track and saw the Ferris wheel turning. He was surrounded with memories of her. At the Windsor Plantation, the front of the house had been ripped down, and a new structure was being put in place. Noah was daydreaming, looking down at the river. She consumed his thoughts.

His father had prepared a giant wood support beam, "you want to give me a hand? It's your damn house, you know." He decided that wherever she was, he would find her and tell her he couldn't live without her. Noah stepped up to the window's ticket booth at the bus station. "Round trip to Charlotte, please," he said.

He stared out the window then he took out his wallet and looked at an old address and a picture of him and Allie. Better days he thought. On the road to Charlotte, the bus moved down the long empty highway, climbing the gentle grade with cotton fields on both sides.

The bus entered the busy downtown section of Charlotte. People were everywhere. Noah stared out the window, watching the people on the street. Suddenly, he saw a woman wearing a yellow dress. While it was difficult to make her out clearly, it looked like Allie. He pressed up against the glass, trying to get a better look. Her face was blocked, but he was sure it was her. He jumped up and raced to the front of the bus. "Let me off," he said to the driver. "Sorry, Mack. Can't stop the bus until we get to the depot." "No, no. It's an emergency. Open the door. I have to get off here." "You understand English, pal? Nobody gets off until we get to the depot. Now sit down."

Noah grabbed the long door handle and yanked it open. "Hey!" The driver called as he slammed on the brake, and Noah jumped out of the bus.

He raced in front of the bus and across traffic. Cars slammed their brakes, narrowly missing him. The woman in the yellow dress turned the corner at the end of the block. Noah raced ahead, pushing through pedestrians, until he came to the corner and turned it. Halfway down the street, the woman in the yellow dress entered a restaurant.

He watched, as inside the restaurant, a man was waiting for the woman. She kissed him deeply, and for the first time, he saw her face clearly. It was Allie, and the man she was kissing was Lon. Noah was stunned as he watched the couple go to a table. Through the window, Allie and Lon sat laughing, talking, flirting. She had the biggest smile on her face. Noah stood there, frozen, taking it all in.

In the middle of Lon's story, Allie got a strange feeling, a sense of something familiar. She turned towards the window, where Noah should have been, but he was gone. It was raining cats and dogs at the Windsor Plantation, but a bare-chested Noah, was on the roof using a crowbar to rip off the shingles. After seeing Allie that day, something inside Noah snapped. He turned all his energies towards the house, completely throwing himself into his work.

Noah was working like a madman, laying cement for the house's foundation. He became obsessed. The next day, he was up on the second floor, furiously banging nails into the support structure. Some called it labor love, others called it something else… but in fact, Noah had gone a little mad. Old Allie and Duke sat on the bench overlooking the pond, Duke continued to read.

(Duke Read) "He got the notion into his head that if he restored the old house where they had come that night, Allie would find a way to come back to him," then a voice interrupted Duke. "Excuse me. Time to eat. We're serving lunch in the sunroom today," Nurse Esther made them aware.

A table was spread with fruit and salads, sandwiches, juices, and tea. Duke was fixing a plate for Old Allie, finger sandwiches and melon slices. Esther stood beside him, "there's a new couple, I'd like you to meet when you have a chance." Nurse Esther indicated an elderly man and woman across the room.

"Interesting story. Childhood sweethearts. Madly in love, but for some reason, she goes and marries someone else. He waits fifty years for her while she raises a family. Finally, the husband dies. The kids put her in a home, so he follows her here, and starts to court her all over again," the nurse explained.

"Patient man," Duke admired him. "Yes," the nurse agreed. "Look, I'm not courting Allie, I'm reading to her," he said. "Sure. How's she doing today?" She asked. "She's fine," said Duke.

Duke moved to a table where old Allie sat gazing at the lawn. He set her food in front of her, but she barely looked at it. "Melon's good. I had a bite," he urged. "Did they ever see each other again, Noah and Allie?" She suddenly asked, still gazing motionless. "Now, you don't want me to spoil the end of the story before I get to all the good parts, do you?" He asked.

Good parts? Hmmph. Okay, I suppose you're right. It's a very sexy story, you know, you're not trying to seduce me, are you? Because if you are, boy are you barking up the wrong tree," she said with humor. Duke laughed. Then he looked at Allie's untouched plate of food, "tell you what I'll do. You eat some food, and I'll keep reading." "Okay, but just know I'm on to you." She agreed. Duke smiled and opened the book. As he put on his eyeglasses, old Allie cut a small slice of melon and ate it.