"The Truth" Chapter 4, The Report (part 2)

Foster Ranch, Main House, Roswell New Mexico, 17:00 hrs, July 3rd 1947

Rick was actually lying down on the couch. Sarah couldn’t believe what she was seeing. For as long as Sarah had been married to this man she had rarely seen him lying down while there was still daylight. Rick never even took to lying down when he was sick, which wasn’t very often. As she busied herself in the kitchen preparing dinner for the guests that would arrive within the next hour or so, she was almost overcome with feelings she had not experienced before, it felt almost like panic. She had been told by the man that she loved more than life itself that he had seen and touched aliens from another world. She was excited, concerned, and frightened all at once and it was about to overwhelm her.

Kaitlyn was in the kitchen with her, she was in the process of making rolls for her family and the Army men that were coming home with her brother. Sarah sat down at the small table in the kitchen and Kaitlyn had noticed that something was wrong; she dropped everything and went to her mother’s side. She kneeled down beside her mother and asked if she was feeling alright. Sarah reached out and hugged her tightly. In a release of emotions that had been building since Rick had returned from the barn after his ride, she wept on her daughters shoulder. She wept tears of love and concern for her husband and family, tears of joy that her family was coming together for the holiday, and tears of apprehension at the surprising events that she had been told about this afternoon. She sat in the chair and held her loving daughter as if their family’s life’s were about to be changed forever.

After several minutes of this Sarah dried her eyes, stood up and said they must finish dinner and get ready for company. Then emotionally, again she reached out and hugged Kaitlyn quickly and then held her daughter at arms length. She looked at her as she hadn’t looked at her before. Who was this young woman she was holding in her arms? She’s so mature for her age, she thought to herself. She is the type of daughter that every mother dreams of, and Sarah was extremely proud of her.

Kaitlyn, though still young, was truly beautiful in appearance and personality, but the best part of her beauty was that she didn’t seem to know just how beautiful she was. Her complexion was lightly tanned, as smooth as glass, and blemish free. She had the most beautiful brown eyes. She had inherited her father’s eyes, thought Sarah, but unlike her father Kate's eyes seemed to have little specks of gold mixed in. They would sparkle when she was happy, excited, or when she was being mischievous. She had dark blond hair that she normally kept wound up and pinned in a bun, but today she had let it down, washed and brushed it out. It was just over shoulder length, as fine and soft as a newborn baby’s hair, and it was filled with soft natural curls. She had let the sun dry it as she was reading one of the books from her summer reading list from school.
Kaitlyn was a month away from her sixteenth birthday; she was about 5’7” tall. A full 5 inches taller than any of her girl friends from church and school, and taller than most of the boys her own age. It made her a little bit self conscious, but her mother had always told her that the other girls only wished they were as tall as she was and that most of the boys would soon catch up and surpass her in height. She sometimes felt lanky and awkward around her brothers and their friends. However, all of her life she had been loved and encouraged by her family so she always felt good about herself inside. Sarah had seen her with her friends at church and as she walked the 3 miles to and from school. Everyone Kaitlyn knows seems to consider her a friend. She is easy to talk to and fun to be around, she has a good solid character as well as a good sense of humor, and Kaitlyn is always smiling. This Beautiful smile was what Sarah was seeing now.

Kaitlyn had told her mother that she loved her and then in a playful way, told Sarah that she could use her shoulder as a snivel rag anytime she felt the need. “I’m sorry dear” said Sarah, “I’ve just been really excited about this weekend, and then with your father coming back from his ride with the burns and story of how he got them, I was just feeling a little overwhelmed.” As an after thought, Sarah smiled and said “Thanks for letting me snot on you though,” and with a little giggle, “I feel so much better now.”

Sarah and Kaitlyn laughed with one another and then continued to make dinner. Sarah was thinking to herself that her family was going to be her biggest achievement in life, but especially Kaitlyn. This young woman was truly a treasure, worthy of the best man of her time.
She prayed with all her heart that Kaitlyn was blessed with a man just like her father, someone that was caring, loving, and understanding; a real man’s man but with a heart of gold. She prayed that Kaitlyn found someone with whom she would always feel safe and protected, and that she found someone that she could trust implacably and be completely open and honest with.
“Mom!.…Earth to mom!” The statement brought Sarah out of her deep thoughts and back into the kitchen. “Yes dear” Sarah said, and Kaitlyn nodded at the stove where the oven was beginning to smoke. “Oh My,” Sarah said as she lunged for the door of the oven, "I do hope I didn’t ruin the roast." Kaitlyn laughed and said, “I like it with the blackened outside!” Kaitlyn snickered with joy, as her mother began to laugh at herself for losing track of the cooking time. She managed to cut off the section that was burnt and the rest of the roast turned out fabulous, with just a hint of smoked flavor that really did add to the favor of the meat. Kaitlyn would have to remember that process for later experimentation.

It was 20 minutes to 6:00pm and Sarah told Kaitlyn to go and get ready for dinner while she finished up. Kaitlyn headed upstairs while Sarah went to the living room and woke up Rick who was snoring loudly. “Honey, its time to get ready,” Sarah said and Rick grumbled and moved upstairs to wash up.

With the promptness that only comes from military training, at 6:00pm sharp, a sedan pulled up to the ranch house and four men got out, straitened their clothing, and knocked on the door. Then Bryan opened the front door and called into the house that he was home.

Rick and Kaitlyn had been coming down the stairs and Sarah entered the living room from the kitchen. They all hugged one another and then Bryan made the introductions.

“Rick, Sarah, and Kaitlyn Foster, I would like to introduce the RAAF Provost Marshall and my boss, Colonel Ted Hunt.” Bryan said, as they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries, Bryan continued with the next man, “and this is Colonel Walter Haut, he is the Public Affairs Officer for the Post,” and again the exchange of pleasantries. Then Bryan introduced a man he had just met an hour and a half ago. “This is Mr. David Rothman from Washington DC”. Rick shook this man’s hand with a solid, firm handshake and looked him dead in the eye for a period that seemed long to everyone in the group. Rick was sizing him up as to his character and whether this man could be trusted. Bryan knew what was happening, as did the two officers, and they also observed Mr. Rothman’s reaction. To Rothman’s credit he looked Mr. Foster strait in the eye and did not falter or release his grip until they had both completed their first impressions of one another. He then shook both of the ladies hands and said “very nice to meet you all.”

Sarah not understanding what had just taken place said with a nervous laugh, that dinner was ready and would be served in a few minutes. She pointed them to the bathroom and told them if they would like to wash up there were fresh towels hanging on the rack. While the guests moved in the direction of the bathroom Bryan hugged his mom and dad again as it had been several weeks since he had seen his mom and he was still very concerned about his father.

Bryan had warned the PM and guests that his mother would probably have prepared dinner for them, and that his family was from the school of thought that a guest should be fed and given the opportunity to relax no matter why they were meeting. After the initial attempt by everyone in the vehicle to bow out saying that it wasn’t necessary, Bryan said they would offend his mom if they did not eat at least a little of what she had prepared. So they resigned to the fact that they would be having dinner and spending some additional time at the ranch. Bryan thought to himself with much amusement that if he knew his mother, these gentlemen where in for a meal they would not soon forget, as his mom could cook like nobody else he had ever known. They were in for a treat!

Sarah and Kaitlyn brought dinner to the table and everyone was seated. Rick asked God’s Blessing over the meal and welcomed everyone to his home. Then the feast began. Everything was so good that it wasn’t long before the Army men threw caution to the wind and fully enjoyed the unexpected, but thoroughly delicious, home cooked meal that they had been invited to. As the meal progressed, and as everyone relaxed a bit, they began to establish somewhat of a rapport with one another. They began to address one another by their first names.

During the meal Kaitlyn had sat quietly, eating with her best manners and quickly stealing glances at the visitors at her table. She was especially curious about the only man at the table that was in a suit. All the other guests including her brother were in military uniform. The government man, David Rothman, was quite attractive and had caught her glancing at him; she demurely lowered her gaze and did not repeat a glance in his direction thereafter, fearing he would catch her again.

After everyone around the table had been completely, if not overly, satisfied and they showered compliments on the cooking abilities of the hostess, the conversation turned to the reason they had come here. They had requested to speak with Rick alone but he told them that he would say nothing that he had not, nor would not, share with his immediate family anyway. After a slight pause they agreed to have the conversation at the table.

David skillfully took charge and steered the next part of their conversation with a request for Rick to explain what he had seen from the beginning of the incident.

As Rick began to tell what he had experienced, he became animated with the details and even a few sound effects. You see Rick Foster was a story teller extraordinaire; he could tell stories around a campfire that would entertain everyone, no matter what age they were, for hours. Kaitlyn knew that nobody on earth could tell a story like her father.
She as well as everyone else were all transfixed on her father and could not pull their eyes away from him. As Kaitlyn had not heard the whole story yet, she was rapt with anticipation and concern at the facts and details her father was skillfully unfolding.

She had never known her father to exaggerate or stretch the truth in any way and was in shock at the revelations she was being made privy to. She was trying to come to terms with this new situation that had now been revealed by the man she trusted more than anyone on earth, when David cleared his throat and asked for some water.

Kaitlyn, in a daze of disbelief, jumped up and moved to the kitchen without saying a word and quickly returned with a tall glass of water. She approached the table from behind David and to his right and for the first time she noticed how muscular he was and again thought to herself that he was very attractive. Then she smelt his scent.

She was not sure if it was his very sweet and agreeable scent, or because of the excitement and slight trepidation she felt over the story she had just heard, but Kaitlyn felt a sensation that she was unfamiliar with. A shiver went through her from the top of her head to her toes and she felt a tingle in her tummy that she had never experienced before. She placed the water on the table and lingered just a second to breathe in his scent again, then she quickly took her place at the table again.

Bryan having experienced things in a little different way from his dad was also listening intently to what his father was telling them. Bryan was mentally making notes of the details his father had remembered and confirming them in his memory as these forgotten details flooded back to him. They let him finish his story completely before they began to ask there questions.

As Rick began to answer questions from everyone at the table about what he had witnessed, Col Hunt and the Col Haut, coming to their senses, got out their note pads and pens.

Ted asked Rick to explain how he received his injuries again and he repeated that part of the story. Col Haut asked several questions as confirmation of what Rick had said. Then from out of left field David asked, “How many head of cattle do you have here Rick?” Rick looked at him and answered, “Approximately 2000 head, give or take a couple of dozen.” Then again with something that didn’t appear to have any bearing on the conversation David said “So that makes your ranch one of the largest cattle operations in this state, am I correct?” Rick, with a slight hesitation, answered him with a simple “Yes”.

David looked at Rick with a new found respect. He mentally filed Rick Foster into the category of few he had ever met. He had credited Rick with the respect that one gives an opponent of rare and superior abilities, as he drifted out of the conversation. The questions the others were asking him did not intrest him any longer. He had drifted into his own deep thought process.
David stared at this man, whom he had just met and share a meal with. He admiradly thought to himself, Richard Foster is a self made success. He is physically and mentally tough; he is an honest and forthright businessman. He does not openly brag, nor rest on his laurels. He is likeable, understated, and very friendly, in a reserved sort of way. For David this was a rare thing for him to deal with, as he was used to the stuffy politically minded types of Washington D.C. Rick showed that he had the drive and determination to successfully accomplish anything he set out to do. He had succeeded where many had tried, and failed. Rick Foster was truely a man of character.

Regretfully, David thought, he liked this man. Under any other circumstances he could consider establishing him as a friend. He was thinking it was regretful, because he thought to himself that liking him may make it more difficult to do what he may find himself having to do in the not to distant future.

He pushed these thoughts aside for now and refocused his attention to what was being said. Rick had just asked, "what about the alien that was taken back to the post alive?" “I have not had a chance to see him yet Rick” was the answer that David gave. He candidly told Rick that he had gotten off the plane and was picked up by the Colonels and Bryan, just in time to come here. His plan was to see this alien for himself as soon as they got back to the post.

The others asked a few more questions of no real consequence. Then they finished the interview with friendly handshakes all around, and had to beg off of the desert that Sarah had made them, pleading the simple fact that they would all bust if they tried to eat any more. Sarah smiled with satisfaction at their excuse, and said “maybe another time.”

They all thanked their host and hostess again as Bryan and Rick saw them out to the car. Bryan informed the PM of his approved weekend pass and requested that he be allowed to stay with his family and not return back to post with them. Col Hunt readily agreed after receiving Bryans completed report and statement earlier that afternoon before their departure from post. It had been well done and complete, and had earned him the Col’s compliments as to the detail of it. He informed Bryan that he would see him in his office first thing in the morning on Monday and they parted ways in the driveway of his family’s home.

Bryan looked at his father in the light of the porch after the car disappeared down the driveway and said to him with a wide grin, “that’s some sunburn you have there pop!” Rick grabbed him around the neck and held his head in an elbow lock and they laughed as Rick gave his son a noogie. Rick had done this with all his boys from the time they were little. He rubbed his knuckles on the tops of their heads and ruffled their hair. Bryan let him finish the noogie without too much resistance and then hugged him again as they went back into the house with their arms around each other.

Bryan and Rick made small talk for a while until his mother came from the kitchen into the living room; she had finished cleaning the kitchen with Kate’s help and went to hug Rick. Bryan looked at his father as his mother and sister entered the living room and said with a deep breath, “we have a lot to discuss this weekend dad.” Rick not really knowing the full extent of Bryan's meaning, agreed by saying “we sure do, but it can wait until morning.” Rick gave Sarah a hug and kissed her, then said “It’s late and your old man is tired.” He looked at Sarah and said to Bryan “We’re going to bed, and I suggest you do the same. We have a lot to do in the morning to prepare for the BBQ. Your oldest brother and his family will be here at first light but Dale won’t be here until later, he wants to pick up his girlfriend before coming out to the house.” Bryan agreed thinking; the disappointment he had to reveal to his father could wait a while longer. Rick looked at his son and said “I’m glad your home Bryan.” A shot of guilt went through Bryan’s conscience as he told his mother and father good night and headed upstairs to his old room.

He would find the right time to tell them both about his decision to reenlist before the weekend was done. He had to; he couldn’t live with this feeling that he had somehow ruined his father’s grand plan. As Bryan wrestled with his thoughts he heard his sister come up the stairs and remembered how grown up she had looked this evening. He made a mental note to himself to tell her that tomorrow. Then he heard her door close softly down the hall from his room.
As the peace and quiet fell on the house, Bryan lay on his bed and listened to the night sounds of the ranch. The sound that he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep to was the rhythmic sounds of the crickets chirping outside his window.