Soul Mates

By Sandy Kay

Carrie Charles had spent the past 25 years building her career and raising her daughter alone. She tried not to think about the love she'd found and lost so many years ago. Through a series of events during the course of one fateful year, all the loss, heartache, and the pain are brought fresh to the surface.
With her daughter moving out to begin a new career in New England, Carrie finds herself struggling with the prospect of spending her life alone. When the love of her life suddenly reappears, how will she deal with his presence and all the painful memories he evokes?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 23, 2012
• ISBN: 9781468553420

Sandy Kay

Sandy Hemphill is a self-proclaimed “wordologist”. She states, “I just love words! Nothing else is so precise, so descriptive, so influential. Words are the one thing we can never ‘delete’, or ‘take back’, because they stay forever! They can be amended, or added to, or elaborated upon, but they are forever “out there”! Sandy was born in Ohio, moved to Florida with her parents shortly afterward, and at age 5 returned to Ohio for her education. After retiring from a career in the medical field, she returned to Florida after 70 years of longing for the palm trees, the magnificent birds and foliage, and of course, the wonderful sunshine! Seldom are we able to fulfill a lifelong dream, and she is living hers! Sandy can be contacted at [e-mail]

Book preview

Chapter 1

Two pairs of socks under her combat boots and her toes were still frozen! Carrie Gallagher shivered as she tugged her winter field coat more closely around her body. Winters in Germany could be cold, but this little northern town in the dead of February was beyond brutal. It was beautiful though — like most of these small villages they had traveled to during her military tour of duty — with its cobblestone streets and ornate, half-timbered buildings, a bakery, a market, a gasthaus, a church, and a smattering of old stone homes—their window boxes barren at this time of year. The village was probably even more beautiful in the spring when those boxes would overflow with colorful flowers.

She stepped through the stone arch that served as a gate on the edge of town and hurried back the alley to the CommCenter base which was set up in the warehouse of a spice company—dubbed the ‘spice barn’ by her friends—just outside of the village.

The warehouse was huge—large enough for all their military vehicles to drive in and set up the entire Communications Center under one roof. It was an emergency site—a backup plan initiated after they realized that their trucks were too large to drive through the stone archways on either end of the village. Something the advance team should have taken into consideration when choosing this location for their current war game. It was the first time their CommCenter wasn’t out in the middle of some German forest under camouflage tarps. The indoor situation should have been a blessing—and would have been—if it hadn’t been for the extreme cold in the unheated warehouse.

As she swung open the door of the ‘barn’, Carrie nearly choked on the overpowering aroma of spices. They were everywhere, lining all the walls of the warehouse and stacked in crates. It didn’t matter how many times she walked through those doors, the smell always knocked her back a step. Heady, slightly nauseating.

The door of the HQ van opened as the barn door swung shut behind her. Where have you been? You left like an hour ago! We’re all starving in here.

Carrie smiled as she handed over the bag she was carrying to her friend and tent mate Tara Shepherd. I was gone half an hour max; and the gasthaus was busy. Besides, it takes a while to make a dozen schnitzel sandwiches.

Seeing as we have been there nearly every night this week with the same order, you would think they would have them prepped and ready. Tara grumbled as she reached into the bag and started handing out the sandwiches to the rest of the night shift. Thanks to us, their profits this week have probably skyrocketed!

Unfortunately, I don’t get the impression they are all that pleased to see us, profits or not. They seem to be quite content with things just the way they were before we got here, and they don’t seem terribly fond of the U.S. Army troop that has taken over their little town this week. Carrie shrugged off her coat and warmed her hands by the small heater in the van. Why do you think the guys here always send one of us girls to make the food run? The old men in the gasthaus don’t give us as much of a hassle.

Who are you kidding? These guys would send us anyway. They think we’re their servants or something. Tara chuckled as Eddy Cardona hurried over, reaching for the food.

Why can’t we ever have these war games in the summer? I lost all feeling in my fingers and toes two days ago! Eddy grabbed one of the sandwiches from Tara and a soda from the cooler. Not to mention that this spice barn reeks!

You can say that again. Carrie grimaced as she sniffed her coat. I think the smell is permanently imbedded in my clothes.

. . . and the creepy tent site arsonist is starting to make me think none of us will be going back to Ludwigsburg alive. Tara shuddered.

What do you mean? I thought the fire last night was an accident. Are you saying they think someone set it on purpose? Carrie glanced from Eddy to Tara as they nodded in unison.

Sarge was here while you were out. Tara pulled up a chair to the small desk by the heater. Apparently last night’s fire was definitely not an accident. There were three more fires so far this evening. Someone is deliberately trying to burn us out.

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Hey! Hello? Earth to Carrie… earth to Carrie! Dori shook her sister’s arm, a look of concern on her face. Are you alright? Your face just turned white as a sheet. You looked like you were a million miles away, and you haven’t heard a word I’ve said.

Carrie Charles pulled her arm free, perhaps a little too hastily, which brought yet another look of concern to Dori’s face. Sorry. She grimaced. A million miles and about thirty years to be exact. Carrie could feel her stomach start to churn. I’ll be fine, but if you don’t mind Sis, I really need to get out of this shop. I’m feeling a little nauseous. She turned on her heels and headed for the door.

Dori quickly followed. Are you sure you’re going to be okay? We don’t have to do this shopping today.

Carrie shook her head. Honestly, I’m fine.

Well, then perhaps we could just walk down to the coffee shop and have a drink and sit for a while.

Once outside, Carrie took a deep breath of the brisk February air as color returned to her face. A cup of coffee sounds great. Besides, I need something to warm me up. She smiled, hoping to remove the concerned frown from Dori’s face. I’m fine now. I just had to get out of that spice shop.

I’m so sorry… I totally forgot you have some freaky aversion to spices. Dori shook her head as the realization dawned on her. You never have explained why though.

It’s a long story. One for another day, another time.

Dori nodded. Okay. If you insist. I have nothing but time though, if you ever want to talk.

A sudden gust of a cold February wind whipped through the square of Lititz as they turned to head down Main Street to the little coffee shop on the corner of Sturgis Lane. Carrie shivered—not certain if it was from the cold, or from the memory.

What did you mean back there about being ‘a million miles and thirty years’ away? Dori pulled out the chair from the little bistro table and handed Carrie her cappuccino. Or does that have something to do with your aversion to spices story?

Carrie shrugged. It was nothing; don’t worry about it. My mind was just somewhere else, that’s all. Hoping to change the direction of the conversation, she asked about the party they were shopping for. So… what else do we need yet for Bill’s party?

Temporarily forgetting her concern for Carrie, Dori gleefully rambled on with the list of things her husband had asked her to pick up to prepare for his annual St. Patrick’s Day party which was less than two weeks away. Being of Irish descent, Bill McGuire celebrated every year with a huge blow-out party at their home in the woods just north of Brickerville. This year promised to be another success with Dori taking care of the details. I’m trying my best to rein him in, but you know Bill. Dori chuckled.

Carrie smiled to herself. Dori and Bill had been married about twenty-five years. It was a second marriage for Dori, first for Bill. Dori had gone through a rough patch after her first marriage ended in divorce and she found herself alone with a young daughter to raise. She was a couple of years older than Carrie, but they had always been close.

Dori was quiet by nature, or at least she had been… until she met Bill. They met at an Irish pub that had just opened in Lancaster, and hit it off immediately. They had been together ever since. Bill had taken to little Jenny as if she were his own. Carrie could hardly believe that ‘little’ Jenny was now pushing thirty. Where had the years gone? She took a sip of her coffee, trying to shake herself free from the lingering scent of spice that still clung to her senses.

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Eddy jumped up onto the counter and took a big bite out of his schnitzel sandwich while Carrie was waiting to hear the latest news of the fires at the tent site. He swallowed quickly after catching the reproving glare in her eyes. Apparently, Jesse was on his way back from the mess tent when he saw flames coming from the direction of Alex’s tent. He called for help and a couple of the guys from B Company, who had also just left the mess tent, ran over to help him put out the fire.

Carrie gasped, Wait!! Alex? Is he okay? Tell me he wasn’t in the tent!

Eddy grimaced, He wasn’t in the tent… but he’s not exactly okay. He paused, seeing the color drain from Carrie’s face. Ben found him unconscious outside, about twenty yards away. They took him to the hospital in Frankfurt. No news yet. Sarge said he would let us know as soon as they find anything out.

Carrie shook her head in disbelief. She liked Alex; he was her squad leader and she was drawn to his kindness and intelligence. The two of them had just started dating a few weeks before they all left on this latest field exercise. If you could call it dating. They were just friends for the most part. After all that she had been through in the past two years, Carrie wasn’t looking for much more than someone to hang out with, have dinner with, go to the club… I hope he’s going to be okay. What about the other fires? You said there were three?

Two more from our platoon. One small fire was at the tent I’m in, and the other fire was in Ben’s. One of the guys in my tent suffered minor burns, but he caught the fire before it did too much damage. All my stuff is probably gonna reek of smoke! Ben’s tent on the other hand is a complete loss. Eddy took a drink. It appears as though someone has a vendetta against the guys in our platoon. In our little group of friends, to be exact.

Just as Carrie was about to ask more questions, the HQ van door swung open and Sarge walked in barking orders. Put that stuff away and look busy! The General is on his way here to do an inspection. I want this place cleaned up and everybody on their best behavior! Move!!

Sarge? Carrie called to him as he was headed out the door. Any news on Alex or the fires?

There was a pause, and Carrie couldn’t help but notice the glance between the Sarge and Eddy before he answered. Nothing concrete yet, I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.

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Thomas Gallagher grabbed the morning paper and a cup of coffee as he stepped out onto the balcony of the hotel room. February in Augusta, Georgia. To most people, it would have been a little too chilly to sit out here with coffee and a paper, but not for Tommy. After all, he had spent the past three years in Minnesota. Now that was cold! Just the thought of it made the chill in the air this morning feel downright balmy.

He picked up his phone and checked for messages. None. Not that he was really expecting any. Donna had not been happy about his taking this particular job. She had made that loud and clear yesterday before he left. Then again, Donna hadn’t been happy about much lately. Tommy thought that moving to Arizona after he retired from the military would be a welcome change from the bitter cold of Minnesota. He thought it would be good to get away from the things they seemed to always fight about and start fresh in a new place. At first, Donna seemed to agree, but lately…

Tommy sighed. He and Donna celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary last year, but their relationship had been a continual rocky road at best. On more than one occasion, they had gone their separate ways, even contemplating divorce once or twice. The circumstances behind their getting married in the first place should have been a clue as to how things would turn out, but Tommy had been determined to try to make their relationship work.

Guilt played heavily on his heart, that’s the main reason he kept agreeing to try again. Donna had known from the beginning that Tommy’s heart belonged to someone else—someone he had never quite been able to forget about. But she had been willing to take a chance on him. He was sure she loved him, in her own way; but how much was love, and how much was a need to have a father for her children… Tommy had never been entirely certain. It was a little grain of salt that had rubbed their relationship raw on one too many occasions.

Like this one. Knowing that being in Georgia would bring back a lot of memories for him, Donna had emphatically tried to persuade him not to come. Insisting that it was his job, and he didn’t have the option to pick and choose where that job took him, just seemed to add fuel to the fire.

Truth be known, if he had really wanted to, he could have refused the assignment. This was only a part-time retirement job, and his boss was a friend. He would have understood. Donna knew that too. The bottom line was, Tommy wanted to come. He wanted to remember; and that is what had Donna so upset.

Tommy took in the view of the city from his balcony. Thirty-four years had passed since the last time he was here. A lifetime ago… yet, sitting here as this new day was beginning brought back that flood of memories of another day, another life, another girl. Even though he had only known her for a few short months, he had known that she was his soul mate. She had been an innocent young girl from Pennsylvania—shy, quiet, sweet… and intelligent. Not usually the type that attracted him, but this girl was different. Tommy never did quite figure out why she had joined the Army instead of heading off to some fancy college somewhere. It just wasn’t a good fit for her; she seemed so out of place.

They were assigned to separate companies on the same Army base but they had computer classes together, and he would see her often around the common areas. Charley picked up on everything so easily that it forced Tommy to question his own intelligence… something that had never happened to him before; he had always excelled in school. This girl challenged him, and he had to admit he was intrigued. He had flirted. She had flirted back.

Tommy checked his watch. He was due at a meeting with the boss in a little over an hour. Perhaps there had been more than a bit of truth to Donna’s warnings. Being here wasn’t going to be as easy as he thought it would be. He would have to do his best to put Charley out of his thoughts if he ever wanted to get this company’s computer system upgraded and back on line. He took another sip of coffee, realizing he hadn’t even opened the paper, and went back inside the hotel room to get ready for his day.

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Mom… wake up! Carrie sat upright, struggling to get her bearings, her eyes adjusting to the figure of her daughter, Liz, standing by her bed, a concerned look on her face. Lizzy? What’s the matter?

I think you were having a nightmare. Lizzy handed her a glass of water. You were mumbling something about a fire and spices… and who’s Alex?

Carrie took a sip of the water and sighed. Sorry Liz… I should never have agreed to go into that darn spice shop in Lititz today with your Aunt Dori.

Lizzy looked confused. What? Why not?

Let’s just say the mind can play tricks on you. It’s a long story… one of my ‘war stories’ from my time in the Army. The spice shop just brought back a lot of bad memories. I’m sorry if I woke you.

You didn’t exactly wake me. I was thinking about some old guy who yelled at me yesterday at work, and I couldn’t sleep; so I got up to get a drink. That’s when I heard you talking. I thought I had better come in here and make sure you were okay.

Carrie smiled and patted Lizzy’s hand. I’m fine. Go back to bed; you have to be up in a few hours to open your café. And thanks for the water.

She watched as her daughter closed the door behind her on her way back to her room. Readjusting the pillows, Carrie laid back down. Sleep was probably out of the question any more tonight. She hadn’t thought about Germany, or the Army, or that darn spice barn in years; but now, it seemed to be the only thing on her mind.

As far as she knew, no one had ever figured out who set those fires. Yet the simple threat that there could be more had set the whole camp on edge. Carrie had spent many sleepless hours in her own tent, fearing that at any moment the whole thing would burst into flames. It had gotten so bad, that the girls in her tent were afraid to even light the fire in the stove for heat, and they had all woken up with icicles hanging from their cots. Carrie shivered at the memory.

The only thing that she had been certain about at the time was that the perpetrator had to have been one of their own. No one else could have walked through that tent site unseen or unquestioned. The military had tried to blame it on a rogue German from the nearby village, but had never been able to come up with any proof. Probably because there wasn’t any to be had. The whole incident had been swept under