.

Claire drove past the Sky Lake and reached Nashville. She stopped by a gas-station. After filling, she started her journey back to home. After watching a movie in a theater in the nearby Davenport, she stopped at a nearby grocery-stores and filled her bags. It’s been more than 2 years since she watched a movie. Two long years, since she enjoyed a moment.

The gentle weather in Tennessee is uplifting her spirit. She removed the top of her car and drove at a slow pace. She watched as her car moved in a slower pace, the leaves in the trees had turned green. The roadside is filled with crawling creepers with flowers. Two years back when she moved from Kentucky to here, the ground is dry and weather is rough. Gone are the days when people say that the Lake State is nature-filled. They say that people come here for a nice weather. But, she didn’t came here for a nicer weather. She came for a different reason.

She halted her car and looked at the front. An old man is standing at the junction. Whether he was trying to cross the road or just stood there watching … She didn’t understand.

She got down from the vehicle and approached the man.

“Hi …”

The man smiled back.

“You … Are you lost ?”

The man laughed and said: “I was actually trying to catch a Cab, while you arrived ”

“Hmm … Well, Um … Where’s the cab then ?”

The man laughed again at Claire’s words.
“What ? What so funny ?”

“You are really funny … Lady” The old man replied.

“Okay. Where do you live?”

“Lincolnshire – About 5 miles from here”

“Oh, I live there. I mean nearby. Jus’ come along. Hop in my car” Claire waved at the car and the old man walked towards it.

As they drive past the suburbs, the man closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

*************

She turned the wheel and the car entered a dirt road. The path is very narrow and only a car can pass through. At first, she tought it was a biking-track, but the rough tarmac is not a good option for bikers. The road is lined with pines on either sides. The dry leaves have filled the road with another layer. The path looked untouched. As she drive forward, she had a feeling that she’s entering horror setting. From the gap between the trees, she could make out an outline of a building.

The gate looked heightened. She stepped down from the car. A fountain with foamy water caught her attention.

“This way, please” She followed the old man.

“My name is Logan by the way”

Claire shook the old man’s hand. The mansion is filled with paintings. As Claire left the mansion, she had a feeling that she should return.

****************

Next morning, Claire returned to the mansion.

“Hello, Logan. Thought I could stop by. Here, some homemade cookies” Said Claire giving the box which contained the cookies she prepared for him.

The rest of the afternoon, she spent with Logan watching sitcoms on Television. As she left, Logan said “Please, do come tomorrow. I have tickets for the Grand Ole

*************

Next day, they both went to enjoy Nashville’s extravaganza to the core.

************

As the days passed, Claire visited Logan almost daily and they both enjoyed each other’s company by sitting on the wooden bench at the bank of the lake.

**************

The wind is gently touching the water and the lake turned the wind into a cool breeze. The breeze travelled past the wooden pier and reached Claire. Claire is now sitting on the wooden bench at the bank of the lake with her back to the road. As she sat there staring at the lake, her thoughts took her to the moment.

The moment …

Two years back …

Which made her life jump into a completely different phase.

All she remembered is only fragments of that day’s moment.

Her mother … Her best friend.

The townsfolk of Wilmore, Kentucky always remember her as brave. When Claire was 15, a rogue bear entered the neighborhood from the nearby woods. It stayed there the whole afternoon, terrorising the residents. Claire’s mother took a rifle and went to hunt down, while all the people remained indoors. An hour later, they heard a gun-shot. The brave woman returned after gunning down the wild beast.

The next Christmas, two fugitives escaped from a Federal Prison and hid in a house in thier quiet neighborhood. The family that lives in that house quietly hid in the backyard shed. But, the dilapidated shed cannot hold them long. The Federal Agents would soon arrive, prompting the criminals to take the family as hostage. Atleast one life would be taken. But, the brave Ambrose braved the situation and sneaked past the fence behind the shed and guided the family through marshy soil and helped them escape.

And, just two years back, she confronted the Mayor of the town, when he failed to crackdown biker-gangs. Teens who drive Harleys had become a nuisance in the town. Her face appeared on the local Daily and she became a celebrity overnight.

Many incidents will speak of her courage. But, her courage failed in one instance.

Late in the evening …

The day when that moment occurred, she is a total failure. One that fateful day, Claire went to her friend’s house in the nearby town of Harrisburg. When she arrived at her home, twilight was closing in and the street lights were on. As she stepped out of her cab, she saw that a couple of patrolling cars were parked in front of her house. A dozen police men were standing outside her house blocking the way. As she entered the gate, she saw neighbors staring at her sadly.

A cop stepped out and spoke to her: “Miss Claire, this is officer Reagan. Sorry to inform you – Your mother died”

Your Mother Died …

What the f**k is he speaking ?

Is he nuts ?

She didn’t understand what is going on !

Later, when the officers left, Dave – Her mother’s friend told her everything.

Dave visits thier house, almost daily. Just to chat with her mother. When he came to thier home, the door was ajar and he saw that no one is there in the house. He knows that Ambrose usually sits in her backyard doing some wooden work. So, he went there and didn’t find her. When he was about to leave, he caught sight of a piece of cloting lying on the ground … Torn apart.

He could easily recognise it, because it is he who gifted her that dress on her 50th Birthday. He immediately reached the shed in the backyard and opened the door.

And … What he saw sent shockwaves across his mind: Ambrose was lying in a pool of blood. He took few steps and saw that her head is wounded.

And, that’s not all !

Her dress was torn and she may have been dragged from outside into this room.

Revelation dawned on him now … She was raped !

Later, forensics reveal that she was brutally violated and murdered for resisting.

The brave woman who fought … Ended in a rapist’s hand.

Weeks later, the cops zeroed in on the suspect on one Mr Mathew Felix. The police located him to the woods near Lexington. But, as they surrounded him, he confronted and died in a shootout. The case was closed and the town believed that justice evaded Ambrose.

Claire returned to the present and saw Logan sitting next to her. She opened her mouth and began to tell her past to him.

“So, that’s why you left Kentucky and settled here” Logan said.

Claire nodded silently.

They both sat there watching the sky turned into darkness and light around them vanishing slowly. As Claire left, she thought why such things happened only to her mother and why good people like Logan had to suffer loneliness. As she entered her home and reached her bed, sleep came to her immediately and she slept like a baby.

**************

Claire opened her eyes and saw that the room is filled with light. The blinds didn’t seem to stop the morning Sun. The light entered and filled every corner of the bedroom. She got dressed and drove to Logan’s residence in the reclusive suburb. As she turned her car into the narrow alley, a sense of De Ja Vu returned to her. Police cars parked in front of the mansion and officers spread out all around. Flashes of her mother came instantly.

Tears rolled in her eyes as the cops told her everything. Last night, Logan breathed his last. He died from a cardiac arrest. She walked slowly to the wooden bench and sat there silently. She can’t understand … Today is the only day, after so many since her mother’s tragic death that she is free from grief. Yesterday, she told Logan about everything. That had lessened her burden. She was relieved. And, today … The heart-breaking news.

“Miss Claire” A female officer placed a hnd on her shoulder and said ” I’m sorry for the loss. Here … We found this envelope besides his bed”

She handed the envelope and left. Claire opened the cover and began to read:

“Dear Claire,

Forgive me for all the wrong. My son’s name is Mathew Felix. He is the one who … Who … Killed your mother. No one knows how I slent endless days in agony over what my son did to your family. My heart bleeds everyday – Every single day. But, I didn’t know that you are that noble woman’s daughter until yesterday. My son deserved that death penalty. That shootout. But, I spent months and months crying … For what he did. My heart is guilty. I’m responsible for this tragedy. I’m the one who is responsible for this grave sin. I should have raised him as a better kid. I should have punished him whenever he did wrong during his childhood. I killed your mother. Not him. Let me wash away my sin with my Will”

Claire completed reading the letter and took the will which is in the same cover.

Logan had written both the Will and this letter last night. He had decided for himself that he may not see the light of the day.

Logan died alone … With no one around. But, repenting !

*****************

One month later, Claire returned to her hometown of Wilmore in Kentucky. She loves her mother more than anything in thks world. But, she is not cruel to ignore the old man’s plea … Logan’s.

Logan had confessed … His heart is filled with guilt. She had to remove that guilt from his heart. She had forgiven Logan and as the Will states that Claire has the sole rights to the property owned by Logan, she didn’t take a penny from it. Instead, she sold the mansion and started a charity named Logan Foundation. She kept all the money for the organization and started to reach out to rape victims to help them live survive. She had finally removed the guilt from his heart.