Wild Irish_Wildly Drawn To Him

by Melissa Keir

Her son laid his hand on her arm. “I feel bad for Mr. Steele. No kid should be punished like that. I thought it was horrible when you took my video game power cord away for a week after I got into a fight at school. I trusted you’d never hit me.”

  “It was hard for Tony, so I tried to make his life better. We would go for strolls and picnics. We danced in the rain… I loved him.”

  “More than my dad?” Anthony tilted his head to the side as he looked at her.

  “No. But I’ll explain. Back to my story. One day I found Tony’s foster father beating him bloody and ran home crying. My mom had worried Tony would be hurt bad, so we called the authorities. The next day, Tony was removed from the house, so the evil man wouldn’t ever hurt him again.”

  “And the police took the foster man away to prison, right?”

  “They had to follow the steps, and the man died before going to prison. Thank goodness, Tony was sent to a wonderful family. He enlisted in the Navy and well…you’ve read his bio. He found his passion for drawing.”

  Anthony nodded. “I know that stuff.”

  Carina stared down at her hand intertwined with her son’s. “Here’s what happened next. Because Tony was under eighteen, I couldn’t find out where he went. No one would tell me, and believe me, we looked…for years.” She brushed her thumb over her son’s fingers. “I had a very important reason to find out. Tony and I had hoped to get married. We were going to live with Grandma and Grandpa while Tony worked and raise our children.”

  “But that didn’t happen.”

  “After I learned I was pregnant with you, Tony was sent away, and we couldn’t find him. He never learned he had a son. I raised you with Grandma and Grandpa’s help, even while we searched for Tony for years. I’d learned he was in the military, but no one could tell me if he was alive or dead.”

  “Are you saying Tony Steele is my dad?” Anthony raised his voice.

  “Yes. But he didn’t learn about you until tonight. I’d planned on telling him thirteen years ago, but when he was beaten, all I worried about was getting him safe. I didn’t realize I’d miss my chance to share the wonderful news.”

  “Then, why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

  “Remember, I didn’t know Tony Steele was your father. I knew him as Tony DeMarco. And I couldn’t find out if he was alive or where he was. For years, your grandparents and I searched for him. We put ads in the newspaper, but after Tony’s foster father died, there was no way of figuring it out. I’d given up until today when I saw him on stage at the convention.”

  “But you told me my dad was not interested in us.”

  “What were my exact words? Your father was in the military, but we couldn’t locate him. I did give you his name, Anthony. Tony’s real name is Anthony.”

  Her son’s mouth formed a little O, and his eyes widened. “What if he doesn’t want me?”

  “That’s not going to happen,” a deep voice boomed through the curtain moments before Tony entered the cubicle. “I’m sorry for the circumstances, but I’m not sorry for having a son like you.”

  Carina smiled as Tony strode around to Anthony’s other side and brushed his hand over her son’s hair then squeezed his shoulder.

  Tony dropped into the chair. “Your mom and I have some talking to do about how to work it all out. But, rest assured, you can’t get rid of me now.”

  Carina released the breath she’d been holding. Hearing, from Tony’s own lips, an assurance of being a part of Anthony’s life gave her a feeling of elation. She’d always longed for her son to have a father who loved him.

  Chapter Twelve

  Anthony’s million questions to Tony kept the atmosphere in the room from being strained. For the moment, Tony kept his emotions under wraps. He’d wrestled with those fears and his anger in the waiting room before realizing the blessing he’d been given—a son. One any father could be proud of.

  Tony kept Anthony entertained by teaching him about comic book drawing. The nurse had brought in some blank paper and a pen for them to doodle with, once she’d learned who he was. Sometimes being famous had its perks.

  The doctor had stopped in to update the family on Anthony’s injuries. The X-rays ruled out abdominal injuries, and the simple fracture of his tibia would require a cast. The concussion and open fracture in the arm were the biggest concerns.

  An orthopedic specialist was called in to review the arm films before arranging surgery. As the ER doctor stated, he could repair it, but with the surrounding muscle and tissue injuries, he’d have wanted the best for his own son.

  Dr. Emery and another woman wearing a white medical coat entered the room. “This is Dr. Quint, the orthopedic surgeon.”

  “Hello.” She smiled. “I’ve been looking over the X-rays, and surgery is certain.” The doctor pulled back the pad covering the area around the bone. “Yep. With childhood fractures, it’s important to get them set as soon as possible, since children’s bones are still growing.” She paused and looked back at Tony and Carina.

  “Your son has a Monteggia fracture. Both bones of the forearm are fractured, with the ulna broken through the skin. The top of the radius is dislocated as well. The blood loss was caused by his bone nicking a blood vessel, and so we’ll make sure to evaluate further damage when we see inside.”

  Her calm and matter-of-fact tone helped him relax. Tony slid his arm around Carina’s shoulder. “She sounds like she knows what she’s talking about. How soon will you do the surgery, Dr. Quint?”

  “We’re going to get him prepped in ten, and the surgery should take a few hours. We will move him to a regular room after that. If you haven’t gotten something to eat, picked up a change of clothes for this guy, or maybe his tablet, you will have time to do it while he’s under our care.”

  Carina’s back stiffened under his arm. “I won’t leave the hospital while he’s in surgery. I want to be close by,” she said.

  Dr. Quint tapped Anthony on the toe. “I’ll see you soon.”

  Carina pulled from his arm and darted toward the bed. She wrapped her arms around her son’s shoulders.

  “Awe, Mom.” Anthony wiggled in her grasp. “Ouch. You’re hugging me too tight.”

  She stepped back. “I love you. Don’t you forget it. Now, if I can reach our neighbor, Susan, to bring you some things, what do you want?”

  “My jeans and Tony Steele SEAL Team T-shirt, and my iPad.”

  Carina sat on the edge of the bed. “Will do. I’ll have her also bring clean socks, underwear, and your homework.”

  “Mom!” His frustration was the sound all children make when their mothers say silly things.

  She chuckled. “Just kidding. Well, about the homework.”

  The nurse returned to the room and began unhooking Anthony from the wall. She laid the cables over his shoulders and across his stomach. “We have your cell phone number. We will call when he’s out of surgery.”

  Tony ruffled his son’s hair, not comfortable with kisses and hugs, yet. He hoped they could make up for lost time.

  Carina brushed a kiss on Anthony’s cheek before the nurse wheeled him out. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

  ***

  She gathered her coat and belongings, gripping them tight to her chest as if she was holding onto her son’s hand. Letting him go into surgery alone was one of the hardest things she’d ever done. In reality, she longed to chase after the cart and lie down next to him, being there by his side should anything unfortunate happen.

  Carina wiped the tears away. She didn’t want anyone to think she was weak. A needy mom.

  She needed to call her friend. She hoped Susan would be able to bring Anthony some things. Carina also wanted to touch base with her boss in case she needed some time off. Dr. Quint spoke about putting him in a regular room, but for how long? Her stomach growled.

  “Do you want to grab some food?”

  Carina jumped. She’d forgotten Tony was still in the room. “I’ll just grab something in the cafeteria. I don’t w
ant to be gone long in case the surgeon needs to speak to me.”

  “I’ve got a plan. Why don’t you head up to the surgery waiting room and I’ll make a call and join you in a bit?”

  She leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks. For the offer of food and for everything. I couldn’t guess how you’d handle the news. I appreciate you being here for Anthony.”

  ***

  Tony called Mike first and gave him brief details on Anthony’s condition and shared the revelation about the boy being his son.

  “I knew you two looked alike. Didn’t I say it? Did you not hear me ask you?” Loud voices sounded in the background.

  “I won’t be back today. Can you pack up my things and drop them off here at the hospital? It’s about four blocks north and one block east of the convention center.”

  “Sure. I’ll buzz you when I’m in the lot and you can meet me by your car. Congrats on the dad thing. The kid was cool. And you do get to skip out of the whole diaper-changing part. Win-win in my book.”

  Tony chuckled. Only Mike would see missing your child’s first years of life as a positive. “Talk to you later. Thanks.”

  The next call he made was for food. While he’d heard Carina’s stomach growling earlier, his own was swallowing itself.

  “Thank you for calling Pat’s Irish Pub.”

  “Hi, this is Lane’s foster brother. Is she still there?”

  “Yeah. This is Tristan. Let me get her.”

  Tristan called out for Lane to come to the phone. Glasses clanking and people talking filled the background. Tony wished he could get Carina to leave the hospital for a bit. He’d love to have Lane and her meet up again.

  “Hey, Tony. Are you coming by later?”

  “Naw. I was hoping you guys could do a special delivery for me. I’m hanging out at the hospital with my son.” He loved how the word “son” sounded coming from his lips.

  “Your what?” The noise of the bar subsided with Lane’s squeal.

  Tony brushed his hand over his face. “I have a son. I just found out today and he was in an accident at the convention center.”

  “Oh no. No problem. We can drop off some food for you. Do you know what you want? We have shepherd’s pie on special tonight.”

  “That sounds good. Two orders please. Do you have any desserts? Something to make Anthony perk up?”

  “Sure do. We make a mean triple chocolate cheesecake. I’m sure I’d gain about fifteen pounds just looking at it. I’ll even throw a small container of ice to keep the cheesecake cool. Are you at Mercy Medical Center?”

  “Yes. We’re at Mercy. Lane, I appreciate you doing this. I don’t know if you do delivery or not, but I can’t leave my kid in surgery to grab food, and while the cafeteria is okay, it’s not… Well, to be honest, I wanted to touch base with you.”

  “Oh.”

  Tony felt bad asking, but he had to be sure. “Do you remember after I was taken away, anyone coming around trying to find me? Asking about me?”

  The sounds of the bar had picked back up again. It sounded like a busy time. “Yes. There was this one girl. The one who used to come around. The one I caught you kissing. She came by a few times before they removed me and the rest of the kids to see if anyone could get ahold of you. We were all relocated the week after you were gone.”

  “Did she ever tell you why?”

  “No. She wouldn’t let it go. She kept bugging me for a way to get in touch with you. However, the girl avoided Mr. Prescott. She’d come when he wasn’t home. I told her the truth. I didn’t know. Why are you asking?”

  “Guess I got lucky on my first try with her. She tried to find me to let me know I was going to be a daddy. We’d talked about marriage as a someday but…well, it appears our plans changed. My son is twelve and when she couldn’t find me, she raised him on her own. He’s a good kid. You’d love him.” Tony couldn’t keep the pride out of his voice.

  “Any kid of yours would have to be special.” She chuckled. “Tony DeMarco has a kid. Huh, and he was lucky enough to do it without all the pain of handling a pregnant wife, changing diapers, and the lack of sleep.”

  He laughed. “I’d change it if I could. But it is what it is. Anyway, I’d better get back. Thanks, Lane, for the food and the chat. If you call when you get here, I can run out and pick it up. That way no one has to come inside the hospital and track us down.”

  “Sure, Tony. I’ll do that.” She paused. “Hey, each of us has fought our own demons. As Tristan likes to point out, we are stronger today because of the pain of our past. Don’t look back— Look ahead.”

  “He’s one smart man. You did good, Lanie.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  The shepherd’s pie warmed her insides. Carina couldn’t believe Tony had found a way to bring dinner in for her. He’d always been a considerate guy, but she’d forgotten how he went out of his way to help others. Seeing him with Mike and then his fans, she knew he hadn’t changed much over the last thirteen years. Neither the abuse nor combat broke him.

  She cocked her head so she could continue to eat and study him. Still as handsome as ever. His dark hair was shorter, but that only drew more attention to his eyes. A sprinkling of beard around his mouth… His piercing blue eyes seemed to see right to her very soul. They had a few more wrinkles around them, but she’d bet they were from laughing, not anger. As he lifted his spoon to his lips, she stared at his mouth and recalled how she felt when he kissed her. Tingles slid down her shoulders to her toes, causing her to shiver.

  “Are you cold?”

  Carina shook her head. “A little, but the pie is warming me up.” She wouldn’t share the truth about the shaking. Too embarrassing if he didn’t feel the same way. “Thank you again for the meal.”

  “No problem. My former foster sister is married into the family who owns Pat’s Irish Pub and restaurant. Her husband dropped it off.”

  “Oh. I remember her. She was always following us around. Didn’t you torment her with bugs and worms?”

  “Frogs. And she won’t let me forget it.” He shook his head as he smiled. Carina was glad he kept in touch with his former sister. The two of them had been close.

  “I think I read about their restaurant in the local paper. I’d hoped to stop in for some dinner, but well… Anyway, it worked out. The shepherd’s pie is delicious.”

  “Lane threw in a special dessert for Anthony after he gets out of surgery. She was excited to hear about him. She’d said she remembered you asking about me.” His voice dropped at the end.

  “It was frustrating when I couldn’t find any information about you and where you went.”

  Tony’s gaze turned serious. “We need to talk about Anthony. I want to be part of his life. I’ve missed so much already.”

  “How will your wife feel about you having a son?” Carina set down her plate and took a large swig from her bottle of water. She needed to compose herself before she blurted out something she’d regret. While she also wanted Anthony to have his father in his life, she didn’t know if she could handle sharing Tony or Anthony with another woman.

  “I’m not married. Never have been.”

  “A girlfriend, then? Significant other?” She didn’t want to know, but she couldn’t stop the words from spilling from her lips.

  “Nope, there’s no one in my life.” He glanced off into space. “I’ve dated, but none of them could compete with my memory of you.”

  She gasped and began coughing. “Me?”

  Tony patted her on the back. “Do you need your water?” He handed it to her.

  Carina took a swallow and cleared her throat. The coughing subsided.

  “What about you? I asked at lunch, but only Anthony answered. Is there any other man in your life?”

  “Anthony has been the only man in my life since you left.”

  “So, there’s no one to feel threatened if I spend more time with you and my son?”

  Why did his words make her giddy? It wasn’t like
he was asking to date her. “No one. What were you thinking? We live in Finksburg, and I work at the local elementary school. I can’t uproot Anthony and move him. Where do you live?”

  “Tony Steele’s hometown is Fredricktown, which was where I went after leaving the foster home. I wouldn’t want you to move or switch up Anthony’s life. Having a father around will be enough of a change. Besides, my job is mostly online and traveling for conventions and such. Once in a while, I fly to New York to meet with the rest of Dark Dream Comics’ staff but with video conferencing, those trips have been less frequent.”

  “Sounds like you want to come hang out in Finksburg.” She couldn’t believe she’d even thought about it…but then the words slid out. “You can stay with us. We have an extra room. And it’d give you a chance to get to know Anthony. Besides, with his injuries, I’d sure appreciate the extra hands.” Whew…she felt like she’d never stop giving him reasons to stay with her. But would he accept?

  He squeezed her hand. “I appreciate it. But I wouldn’t want to take advantage of your offer. I’m sure you don’t need another person underfoot. It would be nice to spend more time with Anthony…and with you.”

  “Why don’t you give it a try and we can go from there?”

  Tony nodded. “I’ll plan on it as soon as Anthony gets home.” He leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek. “You always were so generous and caring.”

  “Mr. and Mrs. Cane.” Dr. Quint approached them. She sat in the remaining chair at the table. “Anthony is in recovery. The surgery went well. Bad news was he did have a small tear in the common interosseous artery, which we repaired. But the good news is that the radius wasn’t as torqued as we thought. His recovery time should be less. With the swelling in the arm and the incision, we didn’t put a plaster cast on at this time. We did put a cast on his broken leg. We’re keeping Anthony overnight to watch for any issues with the surgery and his concussion, but he should be released tomorrow with a splint on his arm. You’ll need to bring him back to get a soft cast in about a week. This will also allow us to check on the incision and follow up with a second set of X-rays.”