18 april 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2710: drive off a cliff

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“Big Joe Wainwright – it's Hell to Pay Ludlow!”

“Captain – where you been, sir?”

“Here, there, and everywhere, Sergeant – I didn't have the sense to get out like you in 20 years, and then I had to collect some grandkids and a cousin their age, so I'm back down in the valleys of Lofton County after that sinkhole started growing a half-mile from the western edge of the Veteran's Lodge.”

“Oh, yeah, that creek top they never should have built on thirty years ago – that's not going to spread in your direction, but it is as good as gone where it's going, because the vibrations from the Blue Ridge Parkway traffic ain't gon' just stop. I've been down to see that mess – it's like Slocum Slide all over again, because we are one good rainstorm and dumb decision away from that being a done deal.”

“Ain't nothing changed in Lofton County since I left here for the Army, Sergeant – it's one of the reasons I was away so long.”

“Captain, I understand … but I knew I was coming home up here, and indeed, nothing has changed … God's handiwork is still amazing in these mountains.”

“I know it is, and I intend to bring the family up to the Lee Homestead where my mountain roots are in due time – but I didn't know you were both Lee and Jubilee too!”

“Well, it's not like a captain and a sergeant get to talk a lot in the Army, but I'm really glad you called, because my youngest two children adore you and I just realized yesterday that they were talking about the best captain I ever served with – things are coming full circle in our old age!”

“I adore Frank and Francesca, Sergeant – they remind me of my own eager beaver grandchildren, just grown up into what I hope my grandchildren will be someday.”

“Well, there's a good chance that your grandchildren will, and much, much better than you think, because first, they have you, and so do Frank and Francesca, more than I think you know. I'm texting you a picture, Captain.”

“You know I have never thought to ask for a picture – I'm sure they are lovely young people.”

“They found your picture on social media the other day, and that got me to thinking … .”

Capt. Ludlow's phone beeped, and he looked – and was staggered – surely he was having a mental break, for there he stood with Alexandra Ludlow at age 19. But no – the dress was modern business casual, and it said, 'Wainwright Business Consulting.' But then –.

“I've seen a lot of crazy things, keeping up the Blue Ridge Parkway,” Sgt. Wainwright said, “and one of them is that if people are going to drive off a cliff in these parts, it's always going to be Turn T6 or Turn T11, because both offer an amazing final view and it's downhill going into the turn so you can really get the speed up. However, people who love the water always think they can reach Lake Esmeralda from T11.”

Capt. Ludlow's mind served up the memories ... his first wife, Alexandra, loved to swim, and loved going to Lake Esmeralda.

“I know from the tire marks what happens – there are few accidents at T11, which is what told me that on August 2, 2001, some distraught mother had cared enough about her beautiful newborns to leave them by the side of the road before heading out on a last dive into Lake Esmeralda.”

“The divorce nearly caused me to despair also,” the captain said like a man in a dream. “That was the day it was final … but we had last been in court five months earlier … I noticed she was a bit larger, but discounted the math then until I realized what she had done … a last act of spite … but she didn't do it.”

“She didn't, Captain. You are Frank and Francesca's biological father. I've had them all along. She put up them up where they wouldn't be run over and also in the shade, and where the investigators would have found them anyway, but I was working out there and was first, and it was really hot, so I had to get those babies out of the heat and get some water in them, and forgot to call it in so then the investigators had no clue.”

“Big Joe Wainwright, my best sergeant, and his darling wife … you've had my youngest children all this time … and then they cold-called me out of the blue.”

“Yep. The Ludlow Bubbly is Lofton County's most remarkable new business, and among the kindest and fairest – everybody loves you and Sgt. Trent that works for y'all, so Frank and Francesca wanted to check you out, and that's how it happened.

“Francesca found the newspaper article in the Big Loft Bulletin today about the car being found in 2001, a mile from the shore of Lake Esmeralda, and eventually the body being identified as Alexandra Holmes Bell through dental records. Then we went and found the marriage and divorce records for you and her. Sure enough: it was indeed August 2, 2001 when the divorce was final.”

“I was redeployed – it would be six months before I found out what had happened,” Capt. Ludlow said. “Her relatives did not even think to call me when they found out in September, and our two eldest, being distraught, mislaid my contact information for my deployment.”

“I imagine they were distraught … and, we kept looking at the records, so, my condolences to you on the loss of your oldest two. When we found all that out – well, I was going to call you anyway to let you know to answer your door.”

Like a man in a dream, Capt. Ludlow floated through his house to the door and opened it, and there, waving from the street, were Sgt. Joe and Mrs. Melba Wainwright, and Frank and Francesca, the captain's 19-year-old twin surviving children, hale and hearty and looking just like their biological parents.

Mrs. Ludlow came to the door and knew instantly what had happened.

“Your younger two found you!” she said.

Capt. Ludlow nodded, and felt his throat and his chest begin to constrict – it was almost too much for him. But he shook it off and called for his grandchildren and their little cousin.

“Hey, Ludlows!” he called.

“Hey, Ludlows!” all eight answered (for they had taught Cousin Glendella their adopted-sibling-to-be the rules) and came into the house from the back and to where their grandparents were).

“The seven of you who are my grandchildren are the children of my children, and I will say for Glendella's sake that I adopted your seven cousins because their parents have passed on. I also had two younger children, but they were lost … but were found by my friend, who, not knowing they were my children, made them his children … and now they have found us.”

“Oh, wow – this is perfect!” ten-year-old Andrew said, “because Glendella came first, making us four boys and four girls, and now we are five and five!”

“It just had to be like that, eleven-year-old Eleanor said.

“Let's go meet them, shall we?” Capt. Ludlow said, and off they went.

Ten hours later, the Wainwrights, the Ludlows, the Lees, the Trents, and the Stepforths were still up, talking and learning, learning and talking, filling up all the space of the years, for as it turned out, the Wainwrights were cousins to the Trents through the Jubilees-of-the-mountain, and cousins to the Lees and the Ludlows out of Hilda Lee's branch as well, so it turned out that Frank and Francesca were with their big cousins all along.

“Oh, I get it,” Glendella said. “Once you decided to be Big Cousin and step up for me, Big Cousin Robert, the Lord showed you that your friends had stepped up to be big cousins to your own lost children who were never really lost, but just are getting more found so they can have two real families.”

“It is as good an explanation as any other,” Capt. Ludlow said.

Late that night, in a dream, the captain saw his first wife.

“Aren't you glad you already forgave me after all those weeks of therapy?” she said.

“I am, Alexandra,” he said. “Thank you for four beautiful children of our own, and for letting me love your daughter Mosette as much as your need to keep her maternity hidden allowed … I know the world we grew up in.”

“Yes – in which you could be experienced and I would be shunned – of course I had to not claim Mosette after all that,” she said, “but I noticed she made a beeline for you anyway when we visited. For all your strength, you would be just the man stuck on some kids.”

Capt. Ludlow smiled.

“My dear, it has worked for me! I have outlived you by 19 years!”

She flinched, and then looked like she would have spit, but subsided as her ex-husband stepped forward and opened his arms.

“You're not serious,” she said.

“If I was going to hurt you, I would have done it 20 years ago,” he said. “It was not for fear of me that you chose suicide, and you know that.”

“I hate you because I don't understand you!” she said. “I don't know how you just love people – you've even found a way to love me after all this!”

Capt. Ludlow stopped short on that.

“You're right,” he said gently, “and I don't even understand that except that I know how God blessed me through you, even though we had no business getting married and that is my fault. Yet I cannot regret it. They were left to me and others so that they could know love. Even our eldest two, who followed your decision, knew they were loved by me and also my present wife – not your replacement, Alexandra, for there is no replacing your importance in my life.”

“I don't get how you are dreaming about being nice to me, after all I did against you!”

“Because I can, Alexandra. Because I can. You have what you chose. I have what I chose. You have your consequences, and I have mine. I chose love. I chose love when I found out about your endless adulteries and did not snap your head off your neck because our children would have lost both parents at once. I chose love when I chose not to speak evil of you ever to your children or your grandchildren, so through me you are held in honor by them. I will have to give our youngest two the facts, but not in detail … so I will still protect you from the full disgrace you deserve, because you are their mother. I chose love, Alexandra. I will continue to choose it, for by it, I live. I am a Christian now, for real … the love of God embraced His enemies, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

“I mean, we celebrate that every year, but I never took that seriously and hated that you did,” she said. “Good Friday for what? It happened 2,000 years ago.”

“Different choices, Alexandra, different outcomes.”

“I still hate you,” she said.

Capt. Ludlow dropped his arms.

“And you are where you can do that, and not disturb me or your descendants at all,” he said. “I wish it were otherwise, but, I respect your decision and once again release you to it! I have our family to love here in the morning! Therefore, forevermore, goodbye!”

And Capt. Ludlow did what he had done to his son in real life, having seen that same hatred in his eyes, and knowing Robert Jr. and Anne would do what their mother had done: the captain turned on his heel with military precision and marched away. Alexandra and the children she taught to hate were no more … and this was the last time the Ludlow survivor of those four would ever dream of them. His choice was complete.

Capt. Ludlow woke up at reveille, as ever, and Alexandra Ludlow's baby grandson was looking for him.

“Good morning, Papa!” five-year-old Lil' Robert Ludlow said as he sleepily stumbled out of his room. “Coffee time!”

“Yes, sir, it is – I wonder if your Uncle Frank and Aunt Francesca do coffee time in the morning, because I know your Big Uncle Joe and Big Aunt Melba do. Let's call them and find out!”

“Oh, yeah, because, see, the more family, the better!” Lil' Robert said. “More houses to eat in!”

Capt. Ludlow laughed.

“Among other things, Robert,” he said as he picked his baby grandson up.