Tiny Dancer

by Pandora Pine

  “First of all, he wants you to know there was no pain. He never felt anything. Stephen wants you to stop picturing the crash in your mind and what he must have gone through. One minute he was talking to you about the drive-thru forgetting the thing,” Ten inclined his head toward Isla, “and the next thing he knew, he was seeing his father again.”

  Riordan gasped. His hand automatically reached out for Faulk. He clutched his arm so hard he was sure the cop would have bruises in the morning. “No one knew that. Only Stephen and I knew that they forgot the T-O-Y. He was turning around to go back for it when the accident happened.”

  Faulk hugged both kids tighter. Tears sparkled in his eyes. “I never knew.” His voice was hoarse.

  “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” Tennyson said. The look on his face had changed, as if he weren’t Ten anymore, but he was speaking for Stephen.

  “What is?” Riordan didn’t understand.

  “How perfect Faulk is for you.” Tennyson smiled at the detective.

  “Wait, I don’t understand.” Riordan shook his head. “Every time something good would happen with Faulk, that’s when the lights would start blinking. The first time I agreed to go to lunch with him. When we had dinner here at this table. The morning we woke up in our bed. Then when Faulk left…” Riordan didn’t know how much more of this he could take.

  “Those weren’t messages to stay away from Faulk, Pooh. They were messages to run toward him.” Ten was grinning harder now.

  Ronan snorted, before straightening his spine, looking as if he were trying hard to keep it together.

  “I’m sorry, Riordan. You were a bit skeptical about this whole thing and when Stephen called you Pooh, I couldn’t resist. Only the two of you knew about that nickname. There’s no way that would be on the internet and there’s no way his coworkers would know you called him Eeyore.”

  Again, Riordan was feeling overwhelmed. Tennyson knew about Pooh and Eeyore. More than that, Stephen’s little tricks with the lights had to do with his approval of Faulk. “What was up with the light show the morning Faulk left?”

  “You mean the morning you asked him to leave and broke his heart?” Ten asked gently.

  “I… I broke his heart?” That couldn’t be right. Could it? They’d only been seeing each other for a few weeks.

  Faulk was silent.

  “Hey, rookie,” Ronan said. “I think that’s your cue.”

  “Come on, Ronan. This is hard enough. I’m fine.” Faulk sounded embarrassed.

  “Bullshit,” Ronan coughed into his hand.

  Isla gasped. “That’s a bad word, Uncle Ronan. Not even Papa can say bad words at the dinner table.”

  Faulk burst out laughing. “Could Papa say bad words away from the dinner table?”

  Isla nodded, covering her mouth with her hand and giggling.

  “Was your heart broken?” Riordan asked. He had to know. As the week had gone on, he’d missed Faulk like crazy, not to mention the way that the girls had been upset that Faulk wasn’t there to snuggle with them.

  Faulk’s blue eyes were misty. He nodded. “I was willing to do whatever you asked me to do, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. All I want, Riordan, is for you and the girls to be happy.”

  Isla frowned up at him. “The girls weren’t happy.”

  Faulk snorted. “Are you speaking for Macy now?”

  “Yes. She cried and walked around calling out for you. That means she wasn’t happy. I wasn’t happy either.” Isla looked at Riordan and nodded as if to prove her point.

  Cuddling both girls closer, he dropped kisses on their heads.

  “That’s what they both need in their lives,” Tennyson said. “A man who loves them like I would if I was still there. As for you…” Ten trailed off.

  “As for me, what?” Riordan looked back and forth between Tennyson and Faulkner.

  “You deserve a man who’s going to love you like you’re the only man on earth. Like you’re his reason for breathing. The reason his heart beats.” Tennyson wiped the tears tracking down the side of his face. “Can you be that man, Faulkner?” Ten’s dark eyes turned to him.

  Faulkner swallowed so hard that his throat clicked. He looked down at the girls in his lap and then over to Riordan who wore an unreadable look in his eyes. He took a deep breath, his eyes going from Tennyson to Ronan and then back to Riordan. “That’s an awful big ask, Stephen.” Faulk grinned. “I want to say yes without a shadow of a doubt, but I don’t know if that’s what Riordan wants me to be.”

  Was that what Riordan wanted Faulk to be? Now that he knew they had Stephen’s blessing it changed things. “I told you things wouldn’t work out between us because I thought Stephen didn’t want us seeing each other.”

  “How could you ever think that? All I ever wanted was for you to be happy. To feel loved.” Tennyson was shaking his head.

  “I know, Stephen, but without you here to say those words, I just didn’t know if it was okay to move on. This family, this house was our dream.”

  “All of this still is your dream. Now you just need to fill it with more dreamers.”

  “More dreamers? As in plural?” Riordan couldn’t believe his ears.

  “There’s still that third bedroom. I may have met someone up here.” Tennyson started to laugh.

  Riordan’s eyes went wide. He had no idea spirits could have relationships. “Someone as in a spirit for you to date? Is it Freddie Mercury? No, James Dean? Elvis?”

  Ten laughed harder. “No, not that kind of a soul. Stephen’s laughing too hard to answer. I know what kind of soul he’s met.”

  Ronan was nodding. “I do too.”

  “Wait, how do you know” Faulk turned to Ronan with shock in his eyes.

  “When Emilyn was pregnant with Everly, Ten and Bertha were able to visit her little soul in Heaven.”

  Riordan shook his head. “Heaven has a soul nursery?”

  “It does. I’m guessing Stephen’s been to visit a time or two.” Ronan was wiping away a rogue tear.

  “He says its been more than a time or two.” Ten swiped at his own eyes. “All of these things are within your grasp if you’re only brave enough to reach out for them. Are you brave enough, Pooh?”

  “Oh no, Papa!” Isla sounded outraged. “Do not tell me that.” Her hands fisted on her hips.

  “Uh, oh.” Faulk started to laugh. “The only time I’ve ever seen Isla get that upset about anything was when she lectured us about not kissing…”

  “Because kissing and late-night Chinese food brought baby brothers,” Riordan finished. “Are we getting a son?” Riordan looked at Faulk and then back to Tennyson.

  “My lips are sealed.” Ten made a motion like he was turning a key over his lips. He threw it over his shoulder and then dusted off his hands.

  “Mine aren’t!” Isla sounded more outraged than before. “Little brothers are gross. They poop all over and then your Daddies don’t love you anymore and… Oh! I like that.” Isla stopped ranting. She turned to look at Faulkner. “Papa says his name is Isaiah Stephen. After two of his Daddies.”

  “Huh.” Faulk ducked his head. He pulled Macy and Isla closer and hugged them.

  “Two of his Daddies?” Riordan looked around the table. “Who’s Isaiah? That name isn’t anywhere in my family.” He was totally lost now. How could a baby have more than two fathers?

  “It’s my middle name,” Faulk whispered. He offered Riordan a watery grin.

  “Papa’s gonna be Isaiah’s Daddy in Heaven. Then he gets to come and live you and Faulk, Daddy.” Isla was all smiles.

  “Wait, does that mean you’re okay with the idea of a baby brother?” Faulk laughed.

  “Only if it means you get to live here.” Isla smiled up at him.

  “That’s something Daddy and I will have to talk about.” Faulk exchanged a quiet smile with Riordan.

  “You were my sun, my moon, and all my stars, Riordan. I’m passing that mantle to Faulkner now. I know that he’ll
love you with all his heart and soul. You need to be all of those things and more for him in return.” Ten folded his hands on the table.

  Riordan spent a moment with those words. They were weighty. Momentous. Stephen was like that though. He was one for a grand gesture. “What happens to you now?”

  “I’ll keep an eye on things, but I’m done interfering, except for one last thing. Maybe two.” Tennyson shook his head.

  “Okay. What are the two things?” This had to be good. With the way Ten was shaking his head, he looked like he couldn’t believe what Stephen was telling him.

  “When Faulk moves in, get a new bed. Maybe even a whole new bedroom set. You don’t need memories of me intruding into your new relationship.”

  That was a good point. Stephen always made good points. “What’s the second thing?”

  “The quarter,” Tennyson said simply. “I always knew.”

  Riordan gasped. He felt the sting of tears and was powerless to stop them. “How?”

  “What quarter?” Faulk asked curiously.

  “When we were trying to decide who’d be Isla’s father, we flipped a coin. Stephen called tails. I flipped it and it came up heads. I lied to him and told him it was tails because I knew how important it was to him to become a father. He asked to keep the quarter because he was so excited about being a Daddy. It’s in his jewelry box upstairs.” Riordan swiped at the tears cascading down his cheeks. “How did you know?”

  “That eyeball tick. Gives you away every time.” Tennyson started to laugh.

  “What eyeball tick? I don’t have an eyeball tick.” Riordan looked around the table.

  “Yes, you do,” Faulk agreed.

  “Ronan has something similar. All husbands do.” Tennyson winked at Ronan.

  “What? I object!” Ronan’s face crumpled into a disgusted frown.

  “This isn’t court, Ronan, but I will be on the lookout for this thing.” Faulk grinned at his boss.

  “Is there anything else you want to ask Stephen or say to him before we end for today?”

  Riordan thought about that for a minute. He never had a chance to say goodbye last time. Stephen was simply there one minute and gone the next. “I couldn’t have asked for a better husband and father for our children. I never dreamed things would end the way they did. Your blessing on this relationship with Faulk means more than anything, Stephen. I’ll always love you. So will our girls.”

  “My eyes will always be on Isla and Macy.” Tennyson nodded. “Goodbye, my love.”

  “Bye, Papa!” Isla waved.

  “Papa!” Macy waved along with her sister.

  “Bye, Stephen.” Riordan managed a smile. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to maintain it for long.

  “Papa?” Macy looked around and then up at Faulkner. Her bottom lip trembled. Then came the tears.

  “I’m so sorry, honey.” Faulk held both girls tighter, reaching a hand out to Riordan. “I’m feel so lucky to have gotten the chance to have met him through Ten.” His watery blue eyes were locked on Riordan’s.

  “Me too, Faulk. Me too.” Riordan took Faulk’s hand and held on tight. It was going to be a while until he got over what he heard today.

  18

  Faulkner

  It was hours before the girls were calmed down enough for bath time, stories, and bed. Working together, Faulk and Riordan managed to get through all the tiny tears and Macy repeatedly asking for Stephen. Her pitiful wails for “Papa” were almost too much for him to take. He bucked up though and did what he needed to support the toddler.

  By the time both girls were asleep, Riordan looked as worn out as Faulk felt. Neither one of them had talked about it, but Faulk was staying the night. He knew they were on the same page when he walked into Riordan’s bedroom and the pair of sweats he’d worn that first night were lying on the mattress waiting for him. Riordan was sitting on his own side of the bed as if he were lost.

  “Hey,” Faulk sat down beside him. “You okay?”

  Riordan managed a weak smile. “I think so. I just feel like I aged ten years and have the weight of the world off my shoulders. I also feel like I could sleep for a month.”

  “I hear you. That was really emotional today.” Faulk shook his head. He agreed with the sleeping for a month sentiment. “For everyone.”

  “You’ve seen Tennyson do that before? Reunite people with loved ones who’ve passed on?” Riordan asked.

  “I have. It’s always emotional like that. Some people laugh. Others cry. The thing of it is, I’ve never been on this side of a reading before.”

  “What, the personal side? No one’s ever had a message for you before?” Riordan reached for Faulk’s hand.

  “Oh, I’ve gotten messages, but not from my own people who’ve passed on.” There was really no one in Faulk’s life on the other side he’d been close enough to in life who would have a message to pass along to him.

  “You mean from Bertha Craig?”

  Faulk nodded. “When I first met Tennyson, it was during the Vito Dragonni case.” Faulk hated even saying that man’s name out loud.

  “I remember you telling me about that.” Riordan gave their joined hands a squeeze.

  “It was a nerve-wracking time for all of us with Vito’s hit list and everyone having a bullseye on their back. I asked Ten to read me.”

  Riordan grinned. “What did he see? A widower with two little cherubs?”

  Faulk shook his head no. “He only saw one image. At the time it made me think this psychic thing was a bunch of baloney.”

  “What did he see?” Riordan wore a curious look on his face.

  “It was a pair of ballet slippers.” Faulk snorted.

  “You’re kidding.” Riordan’s mouth dropped open in obvious surprise.

  “Nope! Not kidding. Then, when I met Bertha Craig for the first time, she saw the same thing. Ballet slippers, again.” It felt like all of that was a lifetime ago.

  “What did you think of that?”

  “That it was nuts. I didn’t dance. I didn’t know anyone else who did either. So, after a while, I forgot about the prediction. We dealt with Vito Dragonni. I got transferred to Cold Case and life went on. To tell the truth, it was Tennyson who reminded me about the ballet slippers after the recital when I met you, Isla, and Macy.”

  “Really? You’d actually forgotten about the prediction?” Riordan wore a look that said he couldn’t imagine it was possible.

  Faulk nodded. “I’m one of those guys who goes out and makes things happen in my life, Riordan. If we’re going to be together and give this relationship a shot, that’s one thing you need to know about me. I’m not going to sit on my hands and wait for things to come to me. I’m gonna go get them.”

  Riordan looked up at him. “Did you ask Tennyson to come here? Is that how this whole thing got started?”

  “No. I was at their house on Monday like usual. I told Ten and Ronan what happened the other morning and how you startling was what woke me up. Ten thought that maybe something happened to cause that reaction.” It still amazed Faulk how Ten had come to that particular conclusion. It would have been the last thing on his list.

  “And his first thought was spirit-related?” Riordan looked shocked.

  “Yeah. He thought yours would be too,” Faulk said gently. This relationship was still so new. He didn’t want to put Riordan on the defensive.

  “What do you mean?”

  “We’d just had our first night together and our first sexual encounter. I was sleeping in the bed you shared with your husband. It’s not a far reach to think you might have been feeling a bit off the next morning and if you were feeling like that, an encounter with spirit could confirm the thoughts swirling in your mind.” Faulk brushed a kiss against Riordan’s cheek.

  Riordan’s chin hit his chest. “That’s exactly what happened. I was feeling guilty about being with you, here in this bed, and wondering if that had been cheating on Stephen. Then the lights blinked twice. They’d been doing
that.” Riordan lifted his dark eyes to meet Faulk’s. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that sooner. This was the third time it had happened and instead of thinking it was Stephen saying, ‘Go, you,’ I thought he was saying, ‘No, you.’”

  The guilt in Riordan’s eyes was unmistakable. “You have nothing to feel guilty about. None of this has been easy for you. You have every right to your own feelings.”

  “Those feelings made me push you away and they turned out to be wrong.” Riordan got up and started pacing around the bedroom. “What if you didn’t know Tennyson? Or what if you hadn’t been the kind of man who went after what he wanted? Jesus, Faulk, we could have lost each other forever.”

  Getting up from the bed, Faulk pulled Riordan into his arms. “When two people are meant to be together, their hearts always find each other. I have no doubt we would have run into each other at the supermarket or at Isla and Laurel’s next dance recital. We would have come back together.”

  “You sound so sure.” Riordan sighed.

  “True love finds a way, Riordan. If you’re going to believe in anything, believe in that. Believe in me.” Not waiting to hear Riordan’s response, Faulk kissed him. It was gentle at first, their lips just brushing together.

  It didn’t stay gentle for long. Riordan grabbed Faulk’s hips, pulling their bodies together with a crash. He moaned when Faulk opened his mouth and their tongues met, dueling together in his mouth.

  Moaning, Faulk went for the hem of Riordan’s shirt. It would seem his lover was also a man who went for what he wanted. Thank Christ what Riordan wanted was him. Throwing Riordan’s shirt to the floor, he went for his pants next. As much as he wanted to take his time and go slow, his long-suffering dick was urging just the opposite.

  Riordan seemed to be of a like mind. He was yanking at the waistband of Faulk’s sweatpants, trying to push them down with one hand and shove the other one inside at the same time, all while Faulk was doing the same thing. It wasn’t working out so well, they were doing this crazy dance routine around the bed.