You'd Have to Ask - 25. Chapter 25

Back in Lacombe

Cole arrives back at his house about 15:00. The drive down was slower than normal, as snow had fallen during the night. The highway was cleared but it was still slow going.
He pulled up and parked. Cole is slow getting out of the truck. He is sore from his activities the night before.

Grabbing his bag from the back of the pickup he heads into the house. Taking his boots off prove to be quite the chore. He heads into the kitchen and checks the answering machine. It shows there are 4 messages. There are two messages from his mother and one each from Mark and Kat.

Cole calls Mark first, figuring this would be the quickest one.

“Hey Mark, what’s up?”

“Cole, finally you called, where were you?”

“I was up in the city.”

“You seeing someone up there, shit you are gone almost every time I am off.”

“Yeah sort of, so what’s up?”

“Nothing, it’s just been a while since we have gotten together.”

“Yeah, I was thinking that myself, but I just haven’t had time, sorry man.”

“Well if you are romancing someone I guess that explains it!”

“So who is she? How’d you meet her?”

“I think we should do this over coffee Mark. When are you free?”

“How about after dinner tonight. I can come out to Bentley and we can meet there.”

“Well, I may be in town tonight, have a feeling Mom wants to see me.” Cole says, “I’ll call you later.”

“Sure bud!” Mark says.

Cole hangs up the phone and then calls Kat.

He gets her machine and leaves a brief message saying he is back in town.

Cole goes to the fridge and gets a bottle of juice. He picks up the phone and calls his mother.

“Hello”, the phone is picked up on the first ring and Cole hears his mother’s voice.

“Hey Mom!”

“Cole, well it’s about time you called back!” She says, “I was worried sick about you!”

“I’m OK mom, was just up in Edmonton.”

“Well is that the right thing to do, tell your father some distressing news and then leave town?”

Cole feels an ache in the pit of his stomach, as he knew he should have stuck around to face his Mom. Well time to pay the piper.

“Yeah, I guess I should have stuck around Mom.”

“Well I don’t want to talk about this mix up on the phone. I want you to come over here!”

“OK, I’ll be there in half an hour.”

“See you then!”

Cole hangs up the phone and just stares at the wall.

After 5 minutes Cole goes up stairs and changes. He puts on a dress shirt and some slacks. Coming back downstairs he heads to the door.