Lost and Found (A Novel) by Kathy Adams Page B

and my car refused to start.” Her voice was now tinged with desperation.
     
    Wynne stared at Caelie as tears kept streaming down from her hazel eyes. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to help but it was the sense of familiarity that her pleading eyes bore that struck him speechless. He sat rooted on his bike blinking unseeingly at Caelie as his mind traveled into the murky depths of his locked up memory. A sense of deja vu washed over him.
     
    “Wynne, what the heck are you staring at her for? Can’t you see that she needs help?” Alex’s voice snapped Wynne back to the present. He blinked again, now seeing Caelie slumped on the ground as though dejected with the fact that he was ignoring her. Alex was bent over her rubbing her back soothingly. She glared at him as Wynne caught her eyes. He wondered how long he had been lost in thought that he had not realized Alex had came over. Grabbing his spare helmet, he thrust it towards Caelie.
     
    “Put this on and climb up.” Wynne commanded. Alex took the helmet and helped Caelie, who now seemed to be in a daze, to put it on. Once she was securely up on the bike behind Wynne, Alex gave a short nod towards Wynne who then sped off. Based on what little direction he could get from a distraught Caelie, Wynne rode as fast as he could, sensing the urgency in Caelie’s voice. He did not know what the emergency was but he would do whatever he could to help Caelie get to her destination before it was too late. Gripping tightly to the handles, Wynne swore that he would not let his foolish stubbornness to repeat history.
     
    After what seemed like an endless ride through the rain, Caelie finally guided him towards a house set within the countryside. Jumping off the bike even before Wynne could stop properly, Caelie ran into the house with her helmet still covering her head. Wynne dismounted from his bike and took off his helmet. Leaning against his bike under the shade of a tree, Wynne looked towards the verandah where Caelie had run into. He did not know whether to wait or follow her up there. Not wanting to intrude, he stayed put. A moment later, an old man walked out of the verandah, turning to his left and right until he spotted Wynne. Wynne stood up awkwardly as he recognized him as the man whom he had followed Caelie with to the diner a few nights back. He watched as the man made his way towards him.
     
    “I believe you are the one who helped Caelie to get here?” The man spoke. Wynne nodded his head silently. “I’m Wilburn Beyene.” He extended his hand towards Wynne, who took hold of it.
     
    “Wynne Grant.” Wynne replied, shaking Wilburn’s hand.
     
    “Thank you for helping Caelie. It means a lot to us for her to be able to get here on time.” He said again, his expression laced with profound sadness.
     
    “It’s no problem at all. Err...” Wynne paused hesitantly. “Will she be okay?”
     
    Wilburn looked back towards the house for an instance before turning to Wynne. Sighing, he shrugged his shoulders. “I should hope so.”
     
    Wynne nodded his head uncomfortably. “Well then, I should be getting back now.” Wynne put on his helmet and mounted his bike.
     
    “Ride safely.” Wilburn called out to him as Wynne slowly rode his bike out. Putting up his hand, Wynne watched Wilburn waved at him from his side mirror until he was completely out of sight.
     
     
     
     
    Caelie knelt down by Annetta’s bedside, watching her still body as she laid with her eyes closed. Bending closer, she watched her chest rose slightly with her weakening breath. A hand covered her mouth as she tried to stifle her sobs. How could she not have detected the pain in Annetta’s voice earlier?
    “Annetta...I’m so sorry I wasn’t here earlier. Why didn’t you tell me?” Caelie whispered softly, her voice broken up with hiccups.
     
    “She didn’t want you to worry.” Caelie looked up as Wilburn walked in and sat beside her. “She called to tell you that she