Still running her hands over her belly, Liz didn’t raise her eyes. Veronica sat without speaking. She didn’t dare say a word, because the thought of Darnell and Jake adopting Simeon was just too good. She didn’t gamble on pushing for it—she might screw everything up. If Liz decided, on her own, that giving Simeon up was the right choice for her, then—well, Veronica would do everything she could to get them all together.
After a few minutes without a word, Liz’s eyes lifted to meet Veronica’s again. “Do you think they’d let me stay in contact?” she asked in a whisper.
Veronica wanted to say yes, to promise her anything. But she knew she couldn’t do that—she really didn’t know. “If you like,” she said, “once my friend is doing a bit better, I could have him and his partner come visit you. You could meet them, and see for yourself what they’re like. And you could ask them all about how it would all work.”
Liz thought about this. Then she nodded. “Yeah. I think I’d like to do that.”
~~~
When Veronica returned to where Jake, Adelaide, and Harriet waited, she noticed that Sunny was gone.
“She asked if one of us would drive you home when the time came,” Jake said. “I would have liked for her to stay to greet Darnell when he wakes up—he owes her a big ‘thank you.’ But I understand why she didn’t want to have to wait around here.”
Veronica nodded and suppressed the urge to blurt out her news about Liz. Better to wait and see if Darnell was going to be okay, she decided. She settled on one of the seats and picked up a magazine.
Almost two hours later, the doctor in the colorful scrubs appeared.
He approached their group. “Is everyone family here?” he asked.
Veronica opened her mouth but Jake said, “Yes!”
She glanced at Adelaide and Harriet but both of them were staring at the doctor, apparently unconcerned that she was staying.
“Well, it went as well as it possibly could,” the doctor said. “He’s going to be in the ICU for a while—”
“How long?” asked Harriet.
“Barring any complications, not too long. Maybe twelve hours, maybe less. Then we’ll move him to a room, and he’ll stay with us at least three more days.”
“When can we see him?” Adelaide asked.
“Right now he’s still knocked out from the anesthesia,” the doctor said. “So in two or three hours, you can have a brief visit. But he’ll have a breathing tube so he won’t be able to talk.”
“A breathing tube?” Jake echoed.
“It’s completely normal,” the doctor said. “And it’s not the only tube. It can be a bit of a shock, seeing a loved one all hooked up to machines. He’ll have a stomach tube, a chest tube, an arterial line… it will look like he’s got hundreds of tubes everywhere. Just keep in mind that in a day, we’ll remove most of them.”
“My Lord,” said Adelaide.
“He’s got some recovering to do,” the doctor said, “but the cardiac surgeon who worked on him is the best we have, and you all brought him in just in time. I can’t make any promises, but I’ve seen a lot of bypass surgeries and patients like Mr. James, and I’d say things look pretty good.”
With gasps of relief, Adelaide and Harriet embraced, and then they gathered Jake into the hug. Veronica stood awkwardly to the side until Jake extricated himself just enough to grab her and bring her in.
As they released each other, the doctor smiled at them. “You should go have a bite to eat or something,” he advised. “It’ll be a while before you can see him, as I said.” He gave them a nod. “I’ve got to go see to other patients, but if you have any questions, let one of the nurses know, and I’ll do my best to get back to you about it.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Jake said, and Adelaide and Harriet repeated their thanks as well. Then Jake turned to Veronica and hugged her again. “And thank you, Veronica,” he said, his voice muffled in her hair. He released her and took a step back. “Without your help…”
Veronica shook her head. “We can’t be sure what would have happened,” she said. “I’m just glad Darnell decided to come to Mel’s house, and that Sunny was there.”
“I want to thank her again, too,” Jake said. “Maybe when everything is back to normal, we can have you both over one night for a dinner or something?”
Veronica smiled. “I’d love that, and I’m sure Sunny would, too, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It sounds like Darnell’s going to need some time to get back on his feet.”
~~~
That night, Gerry sent Veronica a dream of a future Christmas. She knew it came from Gerry, because she didn’t experience it from the perspective of anyone there, but rather as if she was watching among them.
The large, colorfully decorated tree, with countless packages of varying sizes under it, standing in the center of a blue-carpeted living room, clued her in to the fact that this dream was happening at Christmas. The room was nice, with a blue and white striped couch and matching loveseat, and a garland of real holly and red ribbons hanging on the mantel of a tidy fireplace over four bulging green felt stockings. Veronica admired the Tiffany-style lamps and tried to read the titles of three children’s books scattered across the white-painted coffee table. After a moment of seeing the room without people, she heard voices approaching.
Darnell’s rich baritone rang out, though she couldn’t make out his words. Then a child’s voice said, “It’s Christmas?”
“You bet it is,” said Jake.
A brown-haired little boy in blue pajamas covered in trains barreled into the room, with Jake, dressed in yellow pajamas, right behind him. The boy was no more than three, Veronica judged. A moment later Darnell followed them in, wearing a red robe tied over plaid pjs.
“I’ll get the coffee,” Jake said to Darnell and left through an archway to the left.
“And how about cinnamon toast for everybody?” Darnell suggested.
“Cinnamon toast!” the boy cried with glee.
“Okay, buddy,” Darnell said to him, “First thing we have to do is get the stockings down.”
They went to work right away. The boy watched as Darnell got down each stocking, and Darnell got him started unwrapping the small presents in one of them. After a few moments Jake reappeared with two mugs of coffee, which he put on the coffee table, and then he left again, returning shortly after with a plate of toast. The boy dropped the stocking he was holding and raced to the table, grabbing a slice of toast and stuffing most of it in his mouth all at once.
Veronica had never seen what Simeon looked like as a child, because she always saw his visions through his eyes, but this boy looked enough like the siblings she’d seen to know without a doubt who he was. Seeing him grinning, mouth full of cinnamon toast, as Darnell got him back over to help pull little gifts from inside each stocking, her heart was full for him.
Simeon made short work of the small stocking-stuffers—matchbox cars, bubble blower, crayons, and the like, and soon moved on to the larger gifts under the tree. After each—a fire truck, a boat with animals like Noah’s Arc, a book about a giraffe that loved to dance—he stopped and played with his new toy for a good fifteen minutes.
“He doesn’t know about tearing through all of them at once,” Jake murmured to Darnell.
“It’s just as well,” Darnell said back quietly. “He’s less likely to get overwhelmed.”
As Simeon pulled the wrapping off a box that held a set of play cookware the doorbell sounded. Jake hurried to get it, and brought back a woman who at first Veronica didn’t recognize as Liz. Her face had lost its exhausted look, her skin firmed up, with a rosy tone. Her hair was cut in a neat pageboy, and her clothes, a pair of jeans and a red cable-knit sweater, were in good condition.
“Mommy,” Simeon said, beaming at her. He dropped the box of pots and pans and threw himself at her legs, giving her a big three year old’s hug. She was carrying a canvas bag and she opened it, pulling out five gifts one after another.
“Liz, you shouldn’t have,” Darnell said, shaking his head. His eyes were concerned, but his voice was warm.
“It’s alright,” she said, running a hand through Simeon’s hair. “Since I got that job at the restaurant I can afford to go a little crazy. I’ve been dying to spoil him since the day he was born.”
“I told you the AA would pay off,” Jake said. “Can I get you some coffee?”
She smiled. “Is Darnell still doing unleaded?”
“Yep,” Jake said.
“He watches me like a hawk,” Darnell said with a grimace.
“I’ll go for unleaded, too,” Liz said warmly.
“You got it,” Jake said, disappearing again.
Liz sat down next to Darnell and after a moment Jake joined them. Together the three of them watched Simeon opening each gift, and playing with each one.
“I love Christmas!” the boy exclaimed.
The adults laughed. “Yep,” Liz said. “It’s pretty much a given that most kids do.”
“Hey, how about bringing the rest of us some presents to open?” Darnell said.
“Okay,” said Simeon.
Jake got down on all fours and helped Simeon find gifts for each of the adults. The child smiled happily as he gave each one, clearly almost as thrilled with giving gifts as with receiving them himself. After each adult had opened two gifts, they let him go back to his own.
Shifting to sit with Darnell’s arm around him, Jake said, “We’re so very lucky.”
Nodding, Darnell said, “Yes, yes, we are. I feel lucky every day, but a day like today is just above and beyond.”
“I’m so grateful for the way you two have included me in his life,” Liz said.
Darnell frowned and shook his head. “It’s the other way around.”
“Well, I’m happy for all of us,” Jake said with a chuckle. “I think we all lucked out.”
Veronica felt that he was right.
Chapter 16
Almost a week later, on Friday, Daniel invited Veronica out to dinner. He took her to one of their favorite restaurants, a French restaurant called Chez Jacques. When Daniel told her he was taking her out, and to dress up a bit, she hadn’t expected they were going there—Chez Jacques was one of the most expensive restaurants on the river, and she protested that it wasn’t a special occasion.
“Surviving a shooting, catching a criminal, saving a friend, and finding an adoptive family for a baby are each individually reason enough to celebrate,” Daniel insisted, so to Chez Jacques they went.
Veronica ordered the filet mignon with wild mushrooms and haricot verts, and Daniel ordered the pheasant in a white wine and garlic butter sauce. As they waited for their dinners, Daniel asked, “So how did it go when you told Darnell and Jake about Liz?”
That conversation had happened two days before, when Veronica visited Darnell at home.
“They can’t wait to meet Liz. I hope it all goes well.”
“It will. You had that dream. And you’ve seen her again, what, three times? And you said she seems more into the idea every time you talk to her.”
“Well, telling her about the dream helped. And of course, when I asked if they were okay with an open adoption, they were all about it,” Veronica said. “Liz really does want to stay in contact and watch Simeon grow up.”
“Do you think they’ll keep the name?”
“Jake said something about making it a middle name. I guess we’ll see. The doctors are hoping to keep the baby cooking for another month, at least,” Veronica said.
The server arrived with their appetizers, setting a plate of pat�, with toasts and sliced gerkins in front of Veronica and a plate of radishes and butter in front of Daniel.
“I hope they manage,” Daniel said. “The timing wouldn’t be great if she had the baby now, what with Darnell’s recovery.”
Veronica nodded as she spread pat� on a wedge of toast and topped it with pieces of sliced gerkins. “Yeah. I think with this new chance for Simeon to have Darnell and Jake adopt him, though, he’s going to do his part to stay where he is until the right time.”
“Do you really think he has a say in that?”
Watching Daniel crunch on a radish with butter, Veronica considered the question. “Maybe not,” she said. “But I do think that spirits can influence the living. Look at how they made my ankle hurt so I’d hesitate before walking in front of that car. And they did it again when the shooting started. I mean, maybe on his own Simeon couldn’t stop being born early, but maybe with Gerry’s help… and Liz is doing her part, too, resting and doing what the doctors say. She’s doing a lot better emotionally since I spoke to Darnell and Jake, too.”
Daniel nodded. “Yeah, all that combined might be enough. I hope so.”
Their conversation turned to other topics. Daniel was disappointed that Veronica had never followed up with Sunny about her “evil puppet Shazelle,” but he refused to elaborate. Veronica asked what was new in regards to Felsen, but Daniel wasn’t sure.
“You don’t think she’ll weasel her way out of this?” Veronica asked, concerned.
The server arrived then to remove their appetizer plates. Daniel waited until he left to answer. “I think she’s definitely in trouble, but I’m not sure how much they’ll be able to prove if they don’t catch the guy she called. So far Bayer’s pointed a finger at two guys—both from the Russian mob. But the guy Felsen spoke to wasn’t one of them. We’ve picked up the two he named, but the one she spoke to is still at large.”
Veronica shuddered. “I hope you catch him. And I hope she doesn’t get out of this.”
“Even if she does, I’ll never let her do anything to harm you, Ronnie,” Daniel said earnestly, reaching across the table to take her hand.
“I know you’ll try to stop her—”
“I will stop her,” he said. “I stopped her this time, and if she ever tries something again, I’ll stop her then. Why do you think your spirits never warned you about her? Because I had it all under control.”
Veronica gave him a half smile.
The server returned with their entrees, and Veronica savored the creamy sauce, morels and chanterelles, savory green beans, and tender steak without a word for a few moments. Daniel looked pleased with his food as well.
They spoke of other things—the return of Adriana’s ashes to the Santiagos, for one. Bayer gave the location of the stolen remains during an interrogation. Veronica related Khalilah’s glee when Miguel called and asked her on a date. Daniel approved of Veronica’s choice to have Miguel give her painting lessons. It meant she couldn’t pay Daniel back right away for his help with her medical bills, but she knew she’d be able to sell the dress Eric gave her for enough to cover what she owed him, though she said nothing about it.
After sharing a dessert of “Iles Flottantes”—puffy meringue islands floating in cr�me Anglaise and drizzled with crackling caramel—they took a walk down by the river.
It was a crisp night, but not too cold. Veronica belted her navy blue felted wool coat and held Daniel’s hand as they drifted along the boardwalk. After a while, Daniel stopped and she smiled up at him, expecting a kiss.
Instead, he knelt on one knee.
Veronica covered her mouth with her hands.
Fumbling a little, Daniel dug a small box from the inside pocket of his coat. He popped it open, revealing a sparkling diamond ring in an art deco setting.
“This was my grandmother’s,” he said. “My mom saved it for me, for when I finally found the woman I want to marry. And now, I finally have.”
Veronica stared, her hands still covering her mouth.
“Ronnie, please say you’ll be my wife. There’s no one else in the world I want to spend the rest of my life with. Just you, Ronnie. Please say you want to spend the rest of your life with me, too, and I’ll be the happiest man alive.”
She was vaguely aware that a few feet away, a couple had stopped to watch. And she was pretty sure there were some other people b
ehind her, as well. Plus, she felt the combined presence of her “retinue” of spirits, all waiting along with Daniel for her response.
“Oh my god,” she whispered. Then she lowered her hands and reached for his, clasping his hands with the ring in them. “Of course, Daniel. Of course I’ll marry you!”
A smile dawned on Daniel’s face. He pulled his hands from hers, tugged the ring from its box, and slipped it on her finger. Then he stood and gathered her into his arms and kissed her. The people watching broke out into applause, but she could hardly hear them, lost as she was in his embrace.
About the Author
Sophia Martin is the author of the Veronica Barry psychic mystery series as well as the stand-alone novel, Broken Ones, and the first novel in the dark decopunk Raud Grima series, The City Darkens. She also designs all her own covers, as well as covers for other authors. When she’s not writing and making art, she’s a mom to two boys, a social studies teacher at a continuation high school, a foodie, a nature and animal lover, and an avid reader. She lives in Mount Shasta with her husband, sons, two cats, and one dog.
Keep up to date on what Sophia is doing by following her on Amazon, on Twitter, on Facebook, on Goodreads, and on her blog.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
About the Author
The Gamble and the Grave (Veronica Barry Book 4) Page 30