The Christmas Train Part 16

chapter twenty-four.

As Tom staggered to the lounge car to find support at the bottom of as many tequila shots as he could fire into his body, the Chief hurtled on to Lawrence, Kansas, primarily known as the home of the University of Kansas. They'd reach that stop at about one-thirty in the morning, followed by Topeka at two, and thereafter in fairly quick succession Newton, Hutchinson, Dodge City, and Garden City, their last stop in Kansas before entering Colorado. La Junta, the site of the marriage, was the second stop in Colorado, and about two hours before the Chief began its a.s.sault on the Raton Pa.s.s.

The storm was now fully formed and, driven by fierce upper-level winds, was plowing south, knocking against the immovable frame of the Rocky Mountains. So far the winter in the area had seen above-normal snowfall, and the mountaintops were heavily wreathed in white. The winds kicked some of the fallen snow around, but no serious damage was reported, and while forecasters had their eye on the moving ma.s.s of swirling wind and moisture, they had no reason to believe it was any different from countless storms that had come before it.

The Chief would have to ascend toward the Raton Pa.s.s, navigate the half-mile-long tunnel that ran under the pa.s.s, and then descend into the station stop at Raton. As soon as the train exited the tunnel, it would leave Colorado and enter New Mexico. There'd also been considerable snowfall here, and the mountaintops were caked with many feet of hardened snow that normally wouldn't leave until summer, and even then some of the highest peaks would retain their white beard pretty much all year round. It would take a lot to dislodge all those millions of tons of snow.

Eleanor wandered through the train, trying to stop from dissolving into tears. She looked in on Father Kelly, who was sitting in his compartment, fully dressed and reading his Bible. He invited her in, and she sat down next to him.

"Can't sleep?" she asked.

"Well, Max is hosting a bachelor's party for Steve, and I'm resting up for that. You know, when I had my parish, I worked sixteen hours a day and slept hard for eight hours at night, my mind free from worry because of Him, and because I'd done my best during the day. And now that I'm 'out of the service,' so to speak, I don't work nearly as hard and I don't seem to require nearly as much sleep. And the train is a soothing place to read and reflect. I spent all my time and consideration on my paris.h.i.+oners' trouble for all those years, and I guess I didn't reflect enough on my own. Pretty late in life to arrive at that conclusion, isn't it?"

"Better late than never," she said.

He said diplomatically, "I saw Tom with that lady. They seemed to know each other very well."

"I guess they should. They're sort of a couple, somehow."

"Oh, I see."

She looked at the Bible in his lap. "Any advice in there for a broken heart?"

"There's help in here for anything that ails you, Eleanor."

"I go to Ma.s.s regularly, but I haven't studied the Scriptures as much as I should have. Maybe I should do something about that."

He smiled. "Well, better late than never. I'll be talking to Him later, and I'll be sure to say a blessing for you. I'll even make it a double."

"I really appreciate that, Father."

"They say that during the week of Christmas any miracle is possible. Of course, as a priest I believe that miracles are always possible, but it does seem that around the birthdate of Jesus there's a more positive energy out there."

"That's a nice thought," she said unconvincingly.

"Things might look bad now, but in matters of the heart you'd be surprised how quickly things can change."

"Actually, that's what I'm afraid of."

"Where there's faith, there is no fear."

She smiled weakly. "What part of the Bible is that from?"

He patted her hand. "That one, my dear, is from Father Paul Joseph Kelly. And you can have it at no extra charge."

Roxanne walked through the lounge car, doing a last check on things, and saw Herrick Higgins still sitting there staring out the window. She sat next to him.

"Why don't you get to bed, Herrick? I have a spare bunk in the transition car I fixed up for you."

"Thank you, Roxanne. I'll get to bed shortly."

She followed his gaze out the window at the plunging snow. "I put extra food on at KC, just in case."

"You're a wise woman. One can never be too careful."

"You getting nervous on me after all these years, Mr. Higgins?"

He shrugged and smiled. "Maybe I'm inventing worries just so I can feel useful again."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "They should never have let you go. When we all heard about it, that was the consensus up and down the line. Some folks work these trains, they don't care, just drawing down a paycheck, but you're not like that. People like you put the soul in these big hunks of steel."

"And people like you, Roxanne." people like you, Roxanne."

As the Chief rolled on, she said, "I've been doing this a lotta years. I wonder when it's time to make the last train stop and call it a show."

"When and if you do, do it on your terms, Roxanne, not anyone else's."

"Well, there might not even be trains ten years from now. What happens then?"

He smiled. "Then we tell our grandchildren how wonderful they were to ride."

Tom was intercepted by Max and Misty before he could reach the lounge car.

"I need a drink," he told Max. "I need a drink so unbelievably bad. If I don't get one I'm not responsible for my actions."

Max said, "I've got every drink you can think of plus a case of chilled wine in my compartment. Let's start the bachelor's party right now. And I decided, why limit it to the guys? So I invited the girls too."

"Actually," said Misty, "I think that was my idea."

"How'd you manage all the booze?"

"He's Max Powers," said Misty.

"I just phoned ahead to Kansas City and said 'Charge it.' This isn't exactly rocket science, kids."

"I love it when he calls me a kid," said Misty. "Makes me feel so young."

"We have a wedding tomorrow, and you and Eleanor and the others are playing pivotal roles. So along with the party we have to rehea.r.s.e too."

"I don't think that's such a good idea right now, Max," said Tom.

"Don't be silly. Take it from me, I know what I'm talking about. I do this for a living. You have to rehea.r.s.e or else you'll screw up. We owe it to Steve and Julie to put on a good show. Now come on, kiddies, Uncle Max always gets his way."

The man literally skipped down the corridor, obviously enjoying himself immensely. Misty followed, and that left Tom to trudge miserably after the impish pair.

Max sent Kristobal out to round up Steve, Julie, Eleanor, Roxanne, and the minister who'd be conducting the service. The latter was tall and trim, with short gray hair, a wise look, and kindly eyes, the perfect image of a man of the cloth. Tom actually would have preferred Father Kelly who was also in attendance. The priest tried to chat with his colleague, but the minister was quite standoffish and Father Kelly finally gave up. Max's compartment consisted of two rooms arranged as a suite. Tom looked around at the s.p.a.ciousness. "How'd he manage this?"

"He's Max Powers," said Misty.

The director took center stage and pa.s.sed out pieces of paper stapled together. "Okay, here's the script for tomorrow including each scene - I mean, each part of the wedding."

Tom slid over to Kristobal, who was manning the bar that had been set up in one corner. "Got any scotch?" he said.

"I'm afraid all we have is twenty-five-year-old single-malt Macallan's. It's Mr. Powers's personal favorite."

Tom stared at him. "Well, I guess that'll just have to do, won't it?"

"I spent all afternoon typing out those scripts," said Kristobal. "Max, of course, had a million changes, he always does. The man is brilliant, I have to give him that."

Tom sipped his scotch and looked over at Eleanor, who, it seemed to him, was trying mightily not to make eye contact with anyone, particularly him. And who could blame her? She was studiously going over the script while Max barked directions to everyone.

Tom had just worked up the courage to go over to her when Lelia flounced in and sidled up to him.

"I understand there's a bachelor's party going on that my my Mr. Langdon failed to tell me about." Then Lelia's gaze fell upon Max Powers. Tom noted that as soon as the director saw Lelia, he tried to hide behind Misty. Mr. Langdon failed to tell me about." Then Lelia's gaze fell upon Max Powers. Tom noted that as soon as the director saw Lelia, he tried to hide behind Misty.

"Max? Max Powers?" said Lelia. "My G.o.d, it is is you." Lelia fussed at her hair and tugged at her dress though both were immaculate. you." Lelia fussed at her hair and tugged at her dress though both were immaculate.

Max turned back, acted surprised, and then said, "Lelia, is that really you?"

Tom said, "You know each other?"

"Oh, it was years ago," said Max quietly.

"But it feels like yesterday, Max," said Lelia. "I auditioned for one of his films, a minor role. It was years ago, but he was already a legend," she added in an awestruck tone.

"Now, Lelia," said Max nervously, "my ego is big enough without your adding to it."

She didn't appear to hear him. "I didn't get the role. You remember the film, Max?"

"No, sweetie, I really don't. I've lost so many brain cells since then."

"It was Fall of Summer Fall of Summer, about a young couple falling in and out of love during a summer holiday."

"Right, right, of course."

"I never really knew why I didn't get the part of the girl's best friend, Bambi Moore."

"Obviously, one of my biggest mistakes, Lelia. I made lots of them early on in my career."

"Well, you had the decency to take me to dinner one night. Do you remember that?"

"Of course, dinner. It was lovely."

"And dinner stretched to breakfast. I trust you remember that part of the audition." Lelia hiked her eyebrows and puckered her lips.

"Let's break out the booze," shouted Max, "and get this rehearsal really rolling."

Max's considerable skill as a director and obsession over the smallest detail were felt by all that night. Again and again he put them through their paces.

Finally Tom called for a break, over Max's protests, which were quickly shouted down by all hands.

Lelia walked over to Eleanor while Tom looked on in horror at this imminent clash.

"I understand you're the maid of honor and Tom is the best man. How fun and convenient for you."

"You really think so?" said Eleanor. "Those weren't the adjectives jumping to my mind."

"Tom and I are going to Tahoe for Christmas."

"You went from LA to Kansas City and got on a train headed back to LA so you can go to Tahoe for Christmas? That's quite a circuitous route to take."

"Well, I had something very important to ask Tom."

"Oh, what was that?"

"To marry me."

Eleanor looked over at Tom furiously, and then Lelia said, "Somebody told me you and Tom once dated. You don't have hepat.i.tis, do you?" she added with an impish grin at Tom.

"Excuse me?" said Eleanor.

"You know, it's funny, Eleanor... it is is Eleanor, isn't it? Well, it's funny Tom never once mentioned your name. I guess it wasn't a very memorable relations.h.i.+p." Eleanor, isn't it? Well, it's funny Tom never once mentioned your name. I guess it wasn't a very memorable relations.h.i.+p."

"Sure he mentioned my name," said Eleanor. "Probably when you two were in bed together." Lelia's mouth dropped so far Tom could see the woman still had her tonsils.

"So, how's everyone doing on drinks?" was all he could think to say.

With one more fierce glance at him, Eleanor said to Lelia, "Don't worry, honey, you can have him."