Colum caught a tear from the tip of her nose with his index finger. After catching it, he saw Katherine watch him intently as he licked it off the tip of his finger. He saw Katherine watch him, intent on his tongue. “Keep that thought... but for now how about Travis drives the girls back in the Rover?”
Katherine shook her head. “Normally I would think that is fine but Olivia is pretty shaken up.”
Colum smiled. “I have a way out of that.” They watched as Travis approached the girls. He was talking to the girls and then the girls came up excitedly as if nothing had happened.
“Mom isn’t this great, Travis here is going to drive us back so you can take the copter with Colum... Shopping was so cool today, Mom... ” She looked up in the sky. “Oh Mom, Colum, look snowflakes!” She and Olivia danced around trying to catch them on their tongues.
Katherine looked at the girls and then at Colum. “What just happened? Sally acts like she never saw what happened, I don’t understand this, unless she is fooling around?” She called her daughter. “Hey Sally, how do you feel? Do you remember what just happened?”
Sally came up, pulling her friend behind her. “Of course Mom, we got the best deals because Colum came and told us where to get all the deals on jeans... ” She jumped up and hugged Colum. “Thanks again Colum, you’re great.” Then she whispered in his ear. “And I know my mom likes you, too.”
That brought a smile to his face. Katherine just stood there with her mouth hanging open.
The girls went to get into the Rover. The other men made sure their two wayward terror suspects were secure. Colum wrapped an arm around Katherine.
“I’ll explain when we are up in the air.”
Katherine shook her head. She let herself be led to the helicopter. She buckled up and then was handed a headset.
Colum climbed in put on his headset. He glanced over at Katherine. “Can you hear me OK?”
Katherine shook her head. She watched as Colum got ahold of the cord attached to her headset and plugged it in. He smiled at her.
“Can you hear me now?”
She nodded her head. “Yes. I take it that it will be noisy?”
“Just a little bit. But we aren’t going to be up long enough for it to matter.”
He set the controls and cleared for take off from the Jet Port.
“How long will it take, Colum?”
Colum quickly glanced over to Katherine. “Twenty-five, maybe thirty minutes. We have a wind picking up and with the snow starting it will slow us a bit. If we don’t get going now we will be grounded soon.”
Katherine watched as they hovered. She waved to the girls who were hanging out the Rover’s windows, smiling like nothing had just happened and this was just any other day. She had the good sense to wait till they were flying steady and then she turned to Colum.
“So tell me what just happened? Not only what Travis did to the girls to make them forget or act like they had never seen what just happened but who are those men and why were your men there?”
Colum reached over and took one of her hands. He gently rubbed her knuckles, making circles with his thumb.
Katherine glanced down at her hand, Colum’s fingers and his massaging her hand, sending sparks all through her body. It felt like a pinball was ricocheting throughout her body. She felt a heat starting to spread and move into areas that hadn’t heated up in years. She shifted in her seat and started to squirm. Then she thought of what happened and she could feel herself getting angry again. She was a mess. First, she was aroused, then she was angry.
“Those men are the result of your funeral tirade. They are not the first though... and I am sure they won’t be the last. It appears that whomever you pissed off, now wants to eliminate you. Once you get on a list of theirs, only death takes you off. I am going to make sure that they get no where near you.”
“Death! But who are they? Are they really terrorists? And how... Oh, what about the girls? Also, why did they act so odd after Travis talked to them?”
Colum tried not to smile too much. “Travis used an age old practice that you can see in Star Wars. In the movie the Jedi use it to change someone’s thoughts. It’s a form of hypnosis and is harmless and really it was the best thing to do in this situation with your daughter and her friend. Your car, yes, while we were having breakfast, I had one of my men make sure it wouldn’t start. My Rover is like a tank, just like all my vehicles. I saw another man the other evening and he was dispatched.”
Katherine couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She felt like she was in the middle of a spy movie. “Dispatched? How?”
Colum brought her hand to his lips and smelled her frustration. “Let’s just say he won’t be a threat any more... ” He kissed her hand one more time, letting his lips brush the top of her knuckles. He smelled the rise of her attraction and arousal but anger still simmered.
Katherine couldn’t believe this. She was mad and aroused all that the same time. “I wanted this to be my fight... even though I thought it would never come... ” She shook her head as Colum let go of her hand to get on the radio. She now noticed the changing weather outside; it was getting worse. The helicopter was starting to act like a small toy.
Colum started talking to the tower at Owls Head.
Turning slightly to Katherine. “We are going to have to put down in Wiscasset. The wind has picked up too much. We can put down behind the public safety building.”
Katherine felt the wind buffet the helicopter. She tried not to be scared but she was not the best passenger on normal airline flight but this was beyond hairy. “Are we going to be OK?”
Colum took her hand. Kissing it, he then put it on the other side of the control. “Hold on and know that if you’re with me, everything will always be fine. You’re always safe with me.”
She tried to believe that. After all he had saved her once before. They were flying low over an open area. She could see a brick building that looked like a large place to house fire trucks.
Colum could feel the wind changing even as they attempted to land. He felt the copter being buffeted by the strong wind gusts. Bringing the bird down, he glanced over at Katherine and saw that her hands had gone to white-knuckled and she had closed her eyes tightly.
Taking his hand he touched her lightly and felt her jump. “It’s OK, we’re down.”
Katherine opened her eyes and looked around quickly. She felt her breath come out in a quick rush of air as she exhaled.
Colum brought her hands up to his lips and kissed them. Then letting his hand go around her neck he brought her in for a kiss. Feeling her hand come up behind his head and hold onto it, he was aware of all the sensations as her lips opened up to his, his tongue finding hers, and enjoying the little taste of her. If only she knew how she hadn’t changed much over the years. “Like honey... ”
Katherine opened her eyes as Colum kissed her. She let her hand touch his face. “Funny I haven’t had any honey since this morning... at your house.”
Colum let his lips trail kisses on her face. “I’m having some now.” He let his lips slide down her neck and found her pulse, which made him that much more aroused. He felt her blood and heard it sing to him. She was calling to him and she didn’t even know it.
Katherine felt so drawn to him. She never thought that would happen again after John but she felt like even with all the strangeness, maybe they could be more then friends.
She caught something out of peripheral vision. “Company coming.”
They straightened up and saw some men coming out of the building and a police cruiser pulling up.
Colum handed his flight jacket to her. “ Here put this on, you are going to need it.”
He opened his door and climbed out. Slamming the door shut sent a flurry of snowflakes towards Katherine. Katherine put Colum’s B-3 flight jacket on over her leather coat. It was all shearling inside and she pulled the sleeves over her hands. She opened her door and was met by the snowstorm. The wind gust hit her fu
ll in the face and she felt the snow sting her face. She instantly wanted to be snuggled by a warm fire with a cup of tea or glass of wine. “God, this weather wasn’t supposed to start until tonight.” She kicked herself a few times as she walked up to the men.
Chapter 5
Colum turned to Katherine. Wrapping his arm around her he brought her into the group. “Let me introduce you to the everyone here, if I can remember their names.”
Katherine saw four fire fighters, one town police officer and a Sheriff’s Deputy.
“Katherine this is Deputy Smith, Officer Palmer and here is the crew for the Wisscasset Fire Department.” Turning to the men he said, “You’ll have to remind me of your names. This is Katherine MacNamara formally of NYC, now of Rockport.”
Katherine could see it took about a New York second and the light of recognition lit in the guys’ eyes. “Wow, Katherine MacNamara... it’s an honor to meet you. Come on, let’s get out of this weather.”
She felt Colum’s arm wrap protectively around her as they ran for the building. They all ran in and the door slammed, bringing snow in with them.
One younger man came up and took her hand. “Mrs. MacNamara, you are a hero and so was your husband. The Chief will be upset he wasn’t here to meet you. God, what can we do for you?”
Katherine looked up at Colum. “Well, we were going back to Rockport when the storm hit us. We have family on the road, if we could just wait for them, that is if you don’t mind.”
One of the guys spoke up, “Who does the helicopter belong to?”
“The helicopter is Colum’s, Katherine said.
The rest of the guys looked up at Colum. The same young man turned and shook Colum’s hand. “You were the one who saved Mrs. MacNamara weren’t you? I read about it, that is, we all read about it in the newspapers and Firehouse Magazine had an article about you and your husband. There wasn’t one of us left untouched by what happened and what you went through. What you said, you spoke for many of us on that day. I am sure many were touched by what you said at your husband’s funeral.”
Colum squeezed Katherine’s shoulders. “She’s a fighter that’s for sure. Though it wasn’t easy, even for me being the size I am and her as little as she is, to rescue her that day.”
All the men laughed. “The fighting Irish,” someone said.
“We just need to stay here till my men come and can pick us up. Then I or someone from my family will be back to pick up the copter, as soon as the weather clears.” He looked down into Katherine’s eyes. Saw her smile and felt her take his hand. Looking up, “If you will excuse me, I am going to make sure the copter is secure and then could someone take us into town? I want to get Katherine something to eat. I thought maybe Sarah’s Café.”
All the men nodded and a few volunteered to help Colum.
“We’ll give you a ride down to Sarah’s after you finish.”
“Great, I’ll phone the men to let them know where to pick us up, since they will be driving by here and see the copter and wonder where we have gone.”
“It’s great having cell phones,” someone said.
Katherine talked with one young man while Colum and the other three were out securing the copter. She found out the young man’s name was Bryan. He had been a fire fighter since he was fifteen, as were his father and grandfather.
“Wow, it’s great to see families like that. My father was second generation. I was in EMS. My brother is a firefighter too.”
The door opened and in came Colum with the men behind him along with more snow. “Let’s go to Sarah’s... ”
They all piled into a couple booths, talking as if they’d known each other forever. Colum, easily being the largest man in the group, fit right in though. The guys enjoyed hearing his war stories. Bryan turned to him. “What was it like in the North Tower? Were you ever scared?”
Colum took Katherine’s hand from under the table and squeezed it. “I didn’t give that a thought. I just knew I had to get her and as many people out as fast as I could. Something kicked into overdrive and any fear that might have been there, was gone.”
Katherine was enjoying the interaction of the firefighters. It had been a long time since she had been around any and she realized she missed it. It had been part of her life since she’d been born. She had grown up around her borough’s station. It had been like a small town fire department even though it was part of the greater FDNY.
They talked, ate chowder and homemade bread. Once in a while Katherine glanced out the window and saw the snow piling up. The building’s windows would shake a bit as the big plows drove by. A few hardy customers came in. People greeted the men as they came and went. Colum wrapped his arm around Katherine.
Bryan, who seemed to be comfortable around Katherine, cleared his throat, “So are you two dating?”
“No,” said Katherine
“Yes,” said Colum. “Well, at least I hope we are.” He smiled down at her.
“We will talk about it.” She felt herself being hugged. “Yes.” She smiled up at him and all the guys cheered.
An older firefighter in the group seemed to sum it up for all of them as he looked over at Colum.
“You embodied our spirit on that day, Colum. You did what each of us is trained to do. Each and every time we go out, we don’t know if that will be the day we will be called upon to rescue someone from a burning building or one of our own. You headed for danger while others were trying to get out and your sole purpose of heading into that building was to rescue. You are one of us. I have seen the little blurbs from brothers down in the city. If they knew who you were, they would have been telling you the same thing. You did a very brave thing on that day. Thank you!”
Then Bryan spoke again, “He seems like a good man, gosh he saved your life and he ends up living in the same town as you did... ”
All of a sudden the room got quiet and Katherine could see everyone’s attention was focused behind her. She turned and there stood Travis, her daughter, Olivia and the two men who had followed her to keep her safe. Those two were almost as big as Colum, so she knew the men from the fire department and the police officer along with the Sheriff’s Deputy must be wondering if a ship of Vikings had arrived.
“Sir, the road conditions are worsening, we should get going.” Travis said.
Colum stood. “Let me take care of this lunch and we will get going.” The guys all protested saying they would pick up the tab but Colum was gone faster than they could catch him.
“Miss Katherine...”
Katherine turned her attention to Travis. “Yes, Travis?”
“Colum told us to pick up a ski jacket and boots for you, so we stopped at LL Bean and I picked up things for you and the girls.”
Katherine looked down at her soaked sneakers. “Wow, thank you, Travis.” She saw the girls looking all happy.
“I got them lunch too, so they are all set.”
Katherine took off her sneakers and put them in the box that her boots came from. She put the boots on with a fresh pair of socks and then took off her leather jacket, which had offered no warmth at all, and put on the ski jacket.
“Here Miss, some mittens and a hat.”
Katherine was all bundled up by the time Colum returned from paying the tab. She felt his gaze as she zipped up her jacket to the top. Looking up, she was met by very warm violet eyes.
Colum walked up to her and loosened the zipper. “Just in case I want to kiss that neck on the ride home,” he whispered in her ear.
As Katherine turned her cheek, her lips caught his.
All the guys from the fire department walked to the restaurant door to say good-bye as they got ready to walk out. Bryan walked up to Katherine.
“I just want you to know I felt honored to have lunch with you and Colum.”
Katherine hugged the young man and gave him a kiss on the cheek. When she pulled away she could see him turning a few shades of red.
“Come up to Rockport any time. The door is
always open.”
“Thank you.” Bryan said.
Going out the door of the restaurant they were met by the snowstorm.
The girls ran ahead to the Rover, got in the back. Travis went to the Humvee and Katherine went to the passenger’s side of the Rover, with Colum getting in the driver’s seat.
They got underway and Katherine could see that the normal forty-five minute drive to home was going to be a lot longer.
Colum turned to Katherine for a minute as they waited for traffic to turn. “The girls don’t seem to mind the storm.”
Katherine laughed, looked in the back and then smiled at Colum. She wasn’t fond of storms herself unless she was tucked in the house. “I think it’s all an adventure to them.” She could hear Olivia talking with her mother on the phone and then whispering something to Sally.
“It’s just a matter of time... ”
Colum smiled knowing the girls would be asking for a pajama party. That worked for him.
“Mom, can I sleep over at Olivia’s? Her Mom can come pick us up.”
“Um... ”
Colum patted Katherine’s hand. “Hey girls, how about a ride in the Rover. We will stop at your house first Sally, get your gear and then we will take you over.”
Katherine was met by, “Thanks, oh, that’s sweet... ” from Olivia.
“Mom? Is it OK?”
Katherine could see Colum’s eyes and something was drawing her in. That feeling of she hardly knew him, but felt like she had known him forever, crept in. “Yes... ”
“Oh, thanks Mom!”
They pulled into her driveway an hour and fifteen minutes later. “Sally, you get a change of clothes and ski wear because I think you girls will be going to the Snow Bowl to ski tomorrow.”
“I know Mom... ” Sally ran on ahead as they all went into the house. There was a note on the fridge from John and Pat saying they were spending the night with a mutual friend.
Colum looked at the note over Katherine’s shoulder. “Hmmm looks like you are going to need company tonight... ”
Katherine turned to him and smiled. “I can make you dinner... ”
One Thousand Years to Forever Page 7