by Sharon Ihle
Glancing from her younger daughter to the older, Colleen asked, "You mean you girls traveled all this way just to find me?"
Again Cassie took control of the conversation. "Shylo's been planning and scheming for us to find you since she was ten years old. Been saving up all our money since then, too."
Shylo was just about ready to gag Cassie to keep her from talking, but then she noticed that an actual tear had formed in the corner of her mother's eye. Colleen quickly brushed it away, but Shylo had seen it for what it was—some kind of miracle. Her own tears threatened to erupt again, and she knew she had to look away or risk exposing herself to more pain. Then her mother's silken voice beckoned, trapping her there, making her watch and listen.
"If I had known back then... if I'd only known, perhaps things would have been different."
"If you'd known," Shylo managed to say even though her throat was aching, "you'd have done the same damn thing. You'd still have run off with the first rich fella that came along."
"Possibly," Colleen said, still trapping her daughter's gaze in hers. "And even if I'd stayed, maybe things wouldn't have been so much better. Sometimes I think that some of us women really aren't cut out to be mothers. Whether that's true or not, I am sorry I wasn't a better one to you girls. I really am sorry."
I'm sorry. Shylo had said those words a hundred times herself of late, mostly to Dimitri, but never had they held so much meaning as they did coming from her own mother's lips after all these years. Even so, was she expected to forget the past, just like that? She couldn't—she couldn't.
Colleen draped a hand across Cassie's shoulders and then, tentatively, across Shylo's. "Do you two think that you can find a way to forgive me? Maybe just a little? I'd really like to get to know you girls better."
"And could we call you Ma, not Colleen?" Cassie asked.
Those Irish eyes sparkled with something close to amusement. "How about Mother? I much prefer that to Ma."
"Mother," Cassie said, testing it. "Yeah. I like that."
"And Shylo?" Colleen met her eldest daughter's eyes. "What do you think? Can we be... friends?"
Shylo gulped, knowing she was losing what little restraint she still had left. If she agreed to patch things up with her mother, she would be offering up her heart again, putting herself in jeopardy of being crushed as she had been before. Could she—should she take the risk? It wouldn't be a perfect arrangement, and certainly not what Shylo had dreamed of all these years, not by a long shot. But it was a start.
Forgiveness, on the other hand, would be a long, long time in coming. But it would come, she suddenly realized. It would come.
Shylo bit her bottom lip, aware that tears had begun to roll down her cheeks, and nodded slowly. "I'd like that... Mother."
With a little whoop, Cassie flung herself into Colleen's arms, and then dragged Shylo into the clinch. "It worked," she cried. "I told Shylo when we was planning this reunion that it'd work out just fine, and it did. It worked."
Blubbering now, Shylo turned away from her mother and sister and wiped her face on the sleeve of her jacket. A change of subject was definitely in order before she broke into uncontrollable sobs.
Picking up where Cassie left off, Shylo said, "That's a bold-faced lie if I ever heard one. You argued with me over these plans every step of the way, and never for one minute thought any of them would work out right."
"Uh-uh." Cassie drew away from her mother. "The only thing I ever got upset about was the day you dyed my hair purple."
Colleen gasped. "Is that what happened to your hair? Shylo did that to you?"
Feeling oddly embarrassed, Shylo explained. "I had a little accident with some henna, is all, but it's mostly washed out now."
"You'll notice, Mother," Cassie said, tattling, "that Shylo didn't try the henna out on herself, even though she was the one trying to get all fancied up to go pay Victoria Vanderkellen a little visit."
"You girls went to New York to see Victoria?"
"Yes, ma'am." Shylo flashed her mother a sheepish grin. "We found out right off that you weren't in town any longer and figured this Vanderkellen woman might know where you'd gone and when you'd be back."
"Oh... goodness." Colleen choked on her thoughts as she searched for the right words to express them. "I don't want to be indelicate, but I know how very... formal Victoria can be. She probably didn't even let you past the front door, did she?"
Cassie giggled. "I don't think she wanted to, but Shylo had a plan ready to use on her, too."
Colleen's suddenly appreciative gaze slid over to her older daughter as she encouraged the younger one to go on. "Did she now? What did Shylo do?"
"She got all dressed up in the best clothes we could afford, then went knocking on Mrs. Vanderkellen's door and told her that she was Shylo Folsom, the niece of President Grover Cleveland himself."
Colleen gasped, her hand back at her throat again, and said to Shylo, "You told Victo—the Victoria Vanderkellen—that you were the president's niece—and she believed you?"
Shylo gave her a broad grin. "She sure did."
"Oh—oh, my." Colleen burst out in unrestrained laughter, and her daughters joined in. When she caught her breath she added, "I can't wait to introduce you properly to that old bag of wind." With movements as natural and automatic as any mother, she took Shylo's hands in hers. "Oh, sweetheart—you're truly priceless. Really, you are."
Priceless? Her very own mother thought of her as priceless? At the thought, the hint of respect, if not love, it suggested, those damnable tears popped back into Shylo's eyes. They were only words, small utterances of admiration, but somehow they soothed her heart and began to heal the wounds to her soul.
If a loud banging hadn't sounded at that exact moment, Shylo had a pretty fair idea that she'd have collapsed about then, making a complete and utter fool of herself.
Grateful for the diversion, she said, "Excuse me. I'll get it," and rushed to the door, dabbing her nose all the way.
Her tears vanished when she opened the door to discover Ari standing at the threshold. His right arm was bent at the elbow, and his hand was pressed between his wrinkled jacket and his soiled shirt. The odd posture, combined with his general disheveled appearance, made him look as if he were performing a rumpled impression of Napoleon.
"What is it?" she asked, slightly irritated by the intrusion.
"Good afternoon, Miss-sh Sh-Shylo," he sputtered. "I am to represent... I am speaking for"—he laughed, sounding a little giddy—"the Greek delegation, who are seeking—"
The door burst open before he could finish his announcement, and a very unstable Buck stumbled past Ari and into the room. "Sugar lips?" he called, brushing by Shylo, and then staggering backward a little. "You in here, darlin'?"
"Bucky." Cassie started for him and met him halfway. "What's wrong? You look... Oh, hell, Buck—you're drunk."
"I'm drunk up with love for you, sugar buns, and I've come for you. I've—I've..." He paused, trying to remember what it was he'd been about to say, and then caught sight of the red-haired woman standing next to his sweetheart. His good eye blinking as he peered in at her, he said, "Are you Cassie's ma?"
"Oh, my... " Colleen grimaced at the sight of Buck's battered face, and then her gaze darted from him to the open door. Shylo backed out of the way to allow the others inside the room. Niko was among them, she noticed with horror. She quickly averted her gaze.
Cassie, thrilled to have her mother meet the man she loved, even if he was a little pie-eyed, said, "This is Buck Dilly, Mother, my own true love."
"That's me all right—Dilly the Kid in the fresh," he said, nearly falling as he turned to Colleen with outstretched arms. "I'm here to tell you that me and Cassie's getting married. I'm gonna kidnap her hand just the way I kidnapped her before—whaddya think a them apples, Ma?"
"Bucky," said Cassie, appalled.
Colleen backed away, swishing her hands at the young man as if he were a swarm of flies. Then her husband's bo
oming baritone voice reached her from across the room.
"Matia mou. You are here. We are all here." Niko strode over to his shocked wife, took a hard look at Cassie, another quick glance at Shylo, and said, "Are these my girls? They are so beautiful."
Colleen stared at her husband a moment. "Niko? What are you doing here? And what's wrong with you?"
"I've come to meet my girls." He spread his arms wide as if to welcome them but instantly lost his balance.
"Niko," said Colleen, her voice sharper. "For God's sake. The sun hasn't even gone down and look at you—you're in your cups. This is absolutely inappropriate."
Niko rolled his eyes, looked to both Ari and Dimitri, and said, "What did I tell you? Never disturb a hibernating bear—never, never, never."
"Especially," Ari chimed in, "one protecting a roomful of cubs."
Shylo, who'd finally closed the door behind the surprise visitors, had yet to close her mouth. What in hell was going on? A three-ring circus? She tried to catch Dimitri's eye, but he'd been careful to avoid her completely. He just leaned against the wall near the door, apparently as fascinated as she was by the scene being played out in the center of the room.
Buck, who'd managed to turn back to where he'd last seen Cassie, pointed himself in her direction and kind of fell toward her. "Give us a little kiss, my pink- haired gal," he said just before tripping over his own feet and landing facedown across the width of the bed.
Colleen took the hand of her inebriated husband and said, "None of this is making any sense. We'd better go now."
Niko roared his laughter and swept Colleen into his arms. "Ah, you are so secrets, agapi mou, but I find out. I know of your two beautiful secrets." He winked at her, and she seemed to melt against him. "Zoei mou, hara mou, do you not know that you can tell me anything? Do you not?"
Shylo turned to Ari, who'd stayed next to the door. "Is he cussing her or congratulating her?"
Ari laughed. "Is, how you say, love talk—my love, my life, my joy, such as that."
She nodded, turning back to the sight of her mother in the arms of the man she loved, and instantly felt bereft in a way she'd never felt before. Immediately she sought Dimitri's gaze, and this time he met her eyes.
He was still leaning against the wall for support, and now an amused grin was plastered across his handsome face. He raised his free hand then, cocked his index finger, and beckoned Shylo to join him.
Hoping he'd found it in him to forgive her, knowing somehow that he hadn't, Shylo walked over to him on stiff legs. Up close she saw that his grin was more of a silly smirk—and that even his dimples looked intoxicated. "What do you want?" she asked, slightly irritated.
"I am wondering of you," he said quietly, "if you're injuried, if you are well, and I didn't injury to you, did I?"
"What? I'm afraid I can't understand you. Why don't you come back later when—"
"Now." Dimitri sighed, sending the faint aroma of whiskey under her nose, and tried again. Brushing her cheek with his free hand, he hesitated, and his features softened for a moment, making him look unguarded as he whispered so no one else could hear, "If I injuried, this morning to your, to the ah... nuptials. Did I injury you?"
Aware at last what he'd been trying to say, Shylo blushed from head to toe. "No, you didn't 'injury' me, but thanks for asking. I appreciate your concern."
"Concern, yes." Dimitri took his hand from her cheek. "I must go now."
"But Dimitri—"
"No more." He pressed his finger against her mouth and hardened his expression. "We have no more business, remember? I have no further need for your 'lofty' connections. Ari," he called in a louder voice, "we must go now—our business with Miss McBride is concluded, no?"
Ari shrugged, but Dimitri pushed himself away from the wall and joined him.
As Niko and Colleen headed for the door, too, Niko suddenly planted his feet. "What about my girls? They do not know me yet. I am Niko, my beautiful daughters, your new baba."
Colleen gave him an indulgent smile. "We'll get you properly introduced later when everyone is feeling better. Right now, I think it's best if we were all on our way. Isn't that best, Shylo?"
"Yes, and thanks, Mother. Perhaps we can all visit tomorrow."
Ari opened the door but paused to ask, "Do you ladies need some help getting Buck to his room?"
Shylo glanced at her sister. "Is he staying at this hotel?" Cassie's eyes bulged, and her face turned as pink as her hair. "Uh, he, uh, well, sort of... "
Shylo rolled her eyes and sighed. "Never mind, Ari. We'll take care of Buck. Good night."
As everyone filed out of the room, each responded with the same "Good night" except for Dimitri, who was last out the door.
When he stepped into the hallway, he tossed Shylo a grim smile and said, "Good-bye, Miss... have you picked out a new last name yet?"
Her heart sank, and she quickly looked away.
"I guess not." Dimitri stared at her long and hard, and then said, "Yasas, Miss Shylo—better luck next time."
Then he was gone.
Chapter 19
The following morning Shylo woke up out of sorts and disoriented. The window in her room seemed to have moved, and her head was pointing in the wrong direction. Then she remembered that she was no longer sharing the bridal suite with Dimitri but was in bed with her sister. Her heart heavy with that stark realization, she also realized that the lower portion of her body felt as if it were weighed down, too. In fact, her legs were numb.
Rising up to her elbows, Shylo blinked the sleep from her eyes, and then focused on the foot of the bed. Buck, whom she and Cassie had carefully positioned on the floor and tucked in for the night, had gotten up at some point and reclaimed his spot on the small mattress. He was curled up at the foot of the bed like a huge puppy dog, his slumbering body resting on both Shylo's and Cassie's legs. Any other time Shylo might have found the sight amusing, if not endearing. On this particular morning, however, it shot a spurt of rage up her spine.
She quickly worked one foot free of her sister's paramour, then gave his backside a fierce kick as she said, "Get off my bed, you stinking, drunken animal,"
Buck rolled off the mattress and hit the floor with a thud. He followed this immediately with a loud groan.
"Bucky?" cried Cassie, instantly awake. "Are you okay, honey?"
He groaned again in response, and Cassie leaped down to the floor beside him. "She kicked me. Your sister went and kicked my ass right off the bed."
"Shylo?" Cassie popped her head up above the mattress. "How could you have done that to Bucky? His face is still a mess from the last time you lit into him."
"I'll do it again if he doesn't get on out of here by the count of three. I need some privacy so I can get dressed."
His head ached, and every bone in his body felt as if it'd been broken, but Buck got to his hands and knees and crawled halfway across the room before he collapsed. "Let me be," he begged, hiding his head beneath his arms as he fell flat on the floor again. "I swear I won't look, but I just cain't face nobody else right now. Don't make me go out in the hall."
Cassie, who'd crawled right along behind him, said, "Please, Shylo? Bucky looks powerful sick, and he sounds just terrible."
"Oh, all right," she grumbled, tearing back the covers, "but I'm warning you now, mister—I catch your one good bloodshot eyeball peeking my way, and I swear to God, I'll close it up tight like I did the other one."
A tremor racked Buck's body, prompting Cassie to put her arms around him. She kissed the nape of his neck, then frowned at her sister and said, "Don't worry, grumpy. He ain't interested in anything you got." As Shylo slipped on her stained, torn, and completely rumpled suit of pink sateen, Cassie added, "Why are you so danged ornery this morning, and where are you headed for in such a hurry, anyways?"
"I didn't sleep too good, if it's any of your business, and I thought I'd go down to the bridal suite and get my things before Dimitri sets fire to them." She turned, hands
on hips, and faced her sister. "Is that all right with you?"
Cassie studied her sister's costume. "You going to see Dimitri looking like that? Them buttons I sewed back on your jacket yesterday look like they're ready to fall off again, and the whole thing looks like you slept in it. Between that and your sweet disposition, I doubt he'll let you in."
Shylo glanced down at her ruined outfit, then shrugged and walked over to the vanity. After dragging the brush through her hair a couple of times, she pinned it up hastily and said, "I don't think Dimitri will care one way or another what I look like, and I don't have much choice of attire until I get to his room and collect what's mine. As for my mood, he doesn't have any interest in talking to me anymore, no matter how sweet I am to him."
Satisfied she couldn't do much else to help her raggedy appearance, Shylo stalked over to the door and pulled it open. Just before leaving the room, she glared down at Buck and said to Cassie, "By the time I get back, you'd better have your sweetie cleaned up and ready to face the public. He's got to get himself a job today, or tonight he'll find himself sleeping in the street."
Then she slammed the door and stormed down the hallway, thinking all the while that what she needed to make her morning truly complete was for a door to open along the way and the wonderfully in love Mr. and Mrs. Niko Pappas to step into her path. Love all around, with nary a drop for her. For a moment Shylo thought she might throw up—or cry. She did neither, but when she reached the bridal suite she'd shared with Dimitri, the reality of why she was there set in.
Her hand was shaking so violently, she curled it into a fist and brought it to the door. As she worked up the courage to knock, Shylo realized that it was already open a crack. Pushing the gap wider, she stuck her head inside the foyer and called out, "Dimitri? Are you in here?"
After a flurry of tiny footsteps, one of the hotel maids appeared from the bedroom. "Yes, miss?"
"Oh, I was looking for my, ah, Mr. Adonis. Is he here?"