Chemistry of Love

By Bette Sabo

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, companies or events is entirely coincidental.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098334352

Book preview

Copyright © 2007 B. Jaffers

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, in any manner without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, companies or events is entirely coincidental.

Print ISBN 978-1-09833-434-5

eBook ISBN 978-1-09833-435-2

Contents

In the Beginning

Then There Was Jill

The Capture

Home at Last

Part 1

In the Beginning

1976

Chapter 1

What a beautiful spring day, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, what more could you ask for. It had been a bad winter in Washington, D. C. The temperatures had been the coldest the city had experienced in over ten years. The snow storms had virtually put the city to sleep. This day is glorious. Congressman William Marten came running down the steps of the Capital Building. He was a handsome man, he often turned the ladies heads. He had dark brown hair and stood a good six feet tall. Bill had been working nonstop lately. Following the Paris Peace Accord, 591 U. S. prisoners of war were returned during Operation Homecoming. Bill has been working on the investigation to discover the plight of approximately 1,200 unaccounted for Americans. They are listed as missing in action or killed in action and bodies not recovered. The fate of these servicemen and civilians has been highly emotional to the country. Their families need closure. Since the collapse of the Accords and the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, little progress has been made recovering any remains.

Spring session is over finally. He and his wife, Ann, are going on vacation. This will be the first vacation they have had in a long time. Bill and Ann were college sweethearts. Ann is a pretty blue eyed blond that nearly reaches Bill’s shoulders. They knew that there would be no one else for either of them. They graduated from Harvard in June and were married in July. That was five years ago. Bill has been a congressman from Illinois for three years. Their home is in Chicago and they rent a small condo in Washington so they can be together as much as possible. Ann had been an executive for Comcon Inc. now she is a stay at home wife. They have not been blessed with a child they want so desperately. The doctors believed the stress of her job and being separated from Bill was the cause of her problems. She still has not been able to conceive. They started discussing adoption three months ago.

Bill gets in his dark blue SUV thinking about their vacation. It was a welcoming thought to put aside the plight of those servicemen’s families for three weeks.

Where could he and Ann go that would be very special? On the way home, he turned the radio on to listen to the news. Jimmy Carter was on a talk show telling about a program called Habitat for Humanities. That would certainly be an adventure. What would Ann think about it?

When he arrived home, he jumped out of the SUV, ran into the house.

Ann, Ann, where are you? I have an idea.

Ann came running out of the kitchen, Bill what on earth is all the excitement about?

I just had an idea about our vacation. What do you think of going to Utah and working for Habitat for the Humanities?

Well, let me think about this. Ann stared at him, How did you think of this idea? What in the world is Habitat for Humanities?

"I heard Jimmy Carter on the radio. He was telling about this program that was recently started in Georgia. They use volunteers to help build nonprofit homes. Their aim is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness. One of their programs is just starting in Utah.

It sounds great to me. Let’s go shopping at Goodwill tomorrow and get some old jeans and some tee shirts. Our wardrobe isn’t exactly what one would wear to paint walls and hammer nails. She snickered giving him a big hug.

The next morning they went shopping. They didn’t go to Goodwill, they found that they could buy faded denim jeans at most department stores. They came home laughing. What a strange array of things they bought, sleeping bags, canvas raincoats, thermos bottles to keep coffee hot and igloo containers to keep drinks cold and of course several pairs of faded denim jeans and colorful tee shirts. This was fun for Ann, she never wore slacks.

Bill made some phones calls. He located an area in Utah working on homes and reserved a place for them on the team. It was a small Canuche tribal village near Ogden, Utah.

Bill asked Ann, How about traveling old US Highways and state routes? The speed limit is about the same as major highways but it is easier to pull off the road to visit the historical sights.

That’s fine with me. Let’s go down to the service station and get some road maps. We can start planning what we would like to see and try to keep on a time schedule.

They decided to follow the Mormon Pioneer Trail from Nauvoo, Illinois along the North Platte River to Salt Lake City.

In Nebraska, they visited the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument, toured a Pioneer Village, a nineteenth century mansion called Brucemore in Cedar Rapids and the Budweiser Factory in Lincoln. This time together, just the two of them, was what they needed, no problems, no worries. They talked, laughed and loved. Bill had been concerned about Ann. He had been leaving her alone a lot lately. He loved her so much. His work required him to spend many long hours at the office. Dear Ann, she never complained. She made the best of the time they did have together. She was spending a lot of her time working for charities, especially the one for battered women.

When they arrived at the outskirts of Salt Lake City, they had three more days before reporting to the site. They decided to spend the night in Oakdale

which was about 50 miles from Ogden. They found a quaint roadside inn that had a lovely suite of rooms and a highly recommended restaurant. After dinner Bill went to their room to make some business calls. Ann decided to take a walk. She didn’t take her purse with her. Bill would be there to let her in when she returned.

As she left the inn, she saw a dress shop on the other side of the street. The window display looked interesting. She started to cross the street, the heel of her shoe caught in the grate, she fell forward. She was hit by a car slowing down for a stop light. A crowd of people ran toward her.

Stand back, someone yelled. Call 911.

An emergency vehicle arrived and she was taken to a hospital in Salt Lake City.

The hospital staff could not identify her. She was unconscious. They found nothing at the accident scene, nor in her clothing to identify her. They had no way to notify relatives. Hospital attendants were very concerned about her condition.

Chapter 2

Bill began to worry about Ann. She had been gone about two hours. He noticed she had left her purse on the table. Where on earth is she? No one in the lobby had seen her. He asked the doorman if he had seen his wife.

A lady was hit by a car about an hour ago. She stepped right in front of it. The ambulance took her to a hospital in Salt Lake City. I think she was dead.

He jumped into his car and sped down the highway to the hospital. This can’t be true. Not my Ann.

He arrived at the hospital, ran down the hall trying to find the admissions desk.

"What room has Mrs. Marten been taken?

We have not admitted any Mrs. Marten tonight.

She was hit by a car in Oakdale about an hour ago.

We do have a lady in ER that could be the one you are looking for. Take the elevator and go to room 210.

Bill was so nervous, he didn’t know what to expect. He kept praying, Let her be alright. I cannot go on without her.

He entered room 210. There she was, bandages on her arms, a cold pack on her head and tubes in her nose. She was unconscious and attached to a beeping monitor. He bent over her taking her hand in his.

Ann, Ann, can you hear me?

A nurse came into the room. Do you know this lady?

Yes, she’s my wife, Ann Marten. Is she going to be alright?

She has a concussion. We will not know the extent of her condition until we get all of the test results. She will probably be awake soon.

Bill sat beside the bed holding her hand for an hour. She opened her eyes and moaned. He rang the buzzer attached to her bed. A male nurse ran into the room.

What’s the problem?

She’s waking up.

The nurse left the room to summon the doctor.

Ann was struggling, trying to pull the tube from her nose.

Bill held her hands. Ann calm down. The doctor is on his way. He will help you.

The doctor rushed to her. There, there young lady, you’ll be fine, just a big bump on your head. The doctor turned to Bill, Her tests do not show any internal damage. She has a slight concussion. She should stay over night. We need to keep an eye on her. He removed the tubes and disconnected the monitor.

Ann smiled and held out her arms for a hug.

Carefully, Bill leaned over and took her in his arms.

Are you OK? He held her out from him to take a good look.

I’m fine, I just lost my balance.

They didn’t know who you were.

I think I was out cold when they brought me here. I left my purse in the hotel room. I didn’t think I was going to be gone long. The nurses had no way of identifying me so they couldn’t call you. Let’s get out of here.

Hold on there. We’ll leave the first thing in the morning. Doctor, will she be able to work at the site?

I don’t think that will be a problem. She will need an aspirin or two. She will have a lulu of a headache. There is a gentleman in the hall that is quite concerned about you.

Ann looked at Bill and shrugged her shoulders. Who is he?

He is the driver of the car that hit you. He wanted to make sure you were OK.

Tell him to rest easy. I’m fine. It was my fault.

The gentleman smiled in relief and left. Bill slept in a chair holding her hand all night.

The next morning he took her in his arms and kissed her.

You gave me such a scare. I love you Ann, I don’t think I could live without you.

I’m sorry I scared you. The heel of my shoe got stuck in a grate and I fell forward.

In front of a car.

Yeh, thank goodness the car was stopping for a light.

The doctor released her. While she was dressing, Bill went to the office to pay the bill.

The nurse looked at him and said I’m certainly glad there were no further injuries to your wife. Being hit by an automobile often causes many serious injuries. Bill nodded and agreed with her. When he returned to the room Ann was dressed. Lovingly, Bill put his arm around her and led her to the car.

On to Ogden.

Are you sure you’re up to it?

A bump on the head won’t stop me.

Chapter 3

They left the inn early Sunday morning arriving in Ogden in the afternoon. They checked in at the Mariott, unpacked enough clothes for the evening and tomorrow morning. They decided to take a tour of the town before they went to dinner.

They drove down Wall Avenue, visited the Browning Kimball Car Museum, Union Station and Union Station Natural History Museum. They went to 25th Street, an intriguing place, a glimpse of Ogden’s past. It had antique stores, shops, and restaurants. Around five o’clock they were exhausted. They dined at a bistro on 25th Street and decided to call it a day.