Soul to Shepherd

by Linda Lamberson

“Hey, Evie, you ready?” Quinn called out as he just about reached the door. “I thought we’d pick up dinner together.” He walked into his room and smiled when he saw me. “Nice. Very nice.”

  “You sure?” I asked, fishing for another compliment to quell my insecurities.

  “Dressed to impress.”

  “I don’t look like I’m trying too hard, do I?” I certainly didn’t want give that impression.

  “No, you look beautiful.” He kissed me on the cheek. “I thought you might want to come with me to pick up the food.”

  “Sure.”

  Quinn took me by the hand and led me downstairs and into the kitchen, where he grabbed his wallet, phone, and keys off the counter.

  “Whoa! Looking good for dinner with the Ps,” Doug noted, grinning as he walked into the kitchen with an empty bowl and glass.

  “Thanks.” Quinn did a slow turn for Doug, winking at me.

  “I wasn’t talking about you,” Doug replied. I couldn’t help but giggle at Doug’s annoyed expression. “Why don’t you learn some manners so your girlfriend can receive a proper compliment?”

  “Tsk, tsk, no manners.” I playfully punched Quinn in the arm.

  “Great, Doug’s here a day and already has you taking his side,” Quinn joked. Just then, his phone buzzed with an incoming text.

  “Mom and Dad are on their way. Is the food ready to be picked up?” Quinn asked Doug.

  “Yup,” he replied.

  “Did you pay for it?” Quinn asked.

  “Hey, I’ve got school loans out the wazoo and rent, dude.”

  “Whatever.” I could tell Quinn was slightly miffed. “C’mon, Evie, let’s go.”

  *

  Doug opened the front door of the house when we pulled up. He grabbed the two bags of food I’d carried from the car.

  “It’s show time,” Doug mused, winking at me. I heard Quinn’s parents inside the house. I took a deep breath and smiled as Quinn and I followed Doug into the foyer.

  “Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad! Welcome home!” Quinn called out. “How was your trip?”

  “Great!” his father called out from his office. I pictured Quinn and me in that very room after the party nearly two weeks ago and felt my cheeks heat up a little.

  I followed Quinn into the kitchen where he set the rest of the takeout on the counter next to the bags Doug had carried inside. Quinn walked over to his mother and kissed her on the cheek as she was pulling dishes out of the cabinet.

  “Hey, Mom, this is Evie Harper. Evie, this is my Mom, Maggie Harrison.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Harrison.” I smiled and extended my hand towards her.

  “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you too, Evie.” She smiled, taking my hand in both of hers and holding it for a moment. “Oh, and please, call me Maggie—everybody does.”

  “Dad in his office?” Quinn asked.

  “You know him. The second we got home he holed himself up in there and began uploading the hundreds of pictures he took on our trip onto his computer. You’re all in for a real treat tonight.” Maggie rolled her eyes, and Quinn and Doug moaned. She looked at me. “I have to apologize in advance for my husband. He does this every time we travel. He thinks he’s a professional photographer who needs to take a gazillion pictures wherever we go. And the worst part is he won’t be happy until he talks your ear off about every last one.”

  “Oh, I don’t mind,” I replied. “I love to travel.”

  “So does Quinny—of late, anyway.” A knowing smiled stretched across her lips as she glanced at us both. “Well, I suppose I should get dinner on the table. Quinn, go get your brother and set the table, will you?”

  “Sure thing.” Quinn stepped into the foyer and yelled “Doug! Get your butt down here and help set the table!”

  “Some things never change.” Maggie shook her head slightly, looked at Quinn and handed him a stack of plates. “Boys have volume control issues no matter what age they are.” She sighed and smiled at him. He smiled back, grabbed the dishes and walked into the dining room.

  “What can I do to help?” I asked.

  “We have a rule around here—guests never have to lift a finger.”

  “Oh, please, I’d feel bad just standing around watching everyone else make themselves useful.”

  “You sure?”

  “Absolutely.” I smiled.

  She returned my smile. “Okay, then why don’t you help me spoon the takeout into these serving dishes and set them on the table.”

  “Okay.” I grabbed one of the takeout containers and worked the foil trim back with my fingers and removed the lid. Instantly, a small cloud of steam drifted into the air, carrying along with it the smell of chicken marsala.

  “Ooh, my favorite,” Maggie said as she caught the scent of the dish. “You must try this. It’s the best chicken marsala I’ve ever had. Oh, and wait until you try the spaghetti carbonara—it’s delicious. It just melts in your mouth.”

  Quinn walked back into the kitchen to grab some bowls, overheard what his mother was saying, and stopped short.

  “Sorry,” he mouthed, flashing me a somewhat horrified look. As wrapped up as he’d been about me meeting his parents, I wasn’t at all surprised he’d forgotten about my nonexistent “appetite.”

  “Well, if it tastes half as good as it smells, I’m sure it’s amazing,” I replied, winking at Quinn.

  A minivan pulled into the driveway just as Maggie stuffed the rest of empty food containers and takeout bags into the trash.

  “They’re here!” she exclaimed excitedly as she washed her hands in the kitchen sink, drying them on a nearby kitchen towel. “Tom, put those photos away and grab your camera! Mary’s here!”

  Moments later, we all joined Maggie in the foyer. Quinn’s dad had his camera poised and ready to take pictures. It was cute to see how excited they were to see their granddaughter.

  “Ready for this?” Quinn whispered to me.

  “Do I have a choice?” I whispered back, only half-jokingly. Quinn squeezed my hand reassuringly. Tommy walked through the front door, and Sam followed with Mary in her arms. The baby girl I’d saved not that long ago had grown so much.

  “Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad.” Tommy greeted his parents with hugs. “Dougie!” he bellowed, giving him a fist bump. Then he turned to Quinn and slapped him on the back. “And you—looks like you’ve been taking good care of the other love of my life. How’s she treating you?”

  “Still purring like a kitten.”

  “Well, don’t drive her too hard. You changing her oil regularly?”

  “Twice in the past few months alone.”

  “Oh, yeah, that’s right. Doing some cross-country sightseeing. So nice of you to make time in your busy schedule to visit your family.” He looked at me. “And I see you’ve brought a friend.”

  Quinn just looked at me and winked. “Tommy, I’d like you to meet Evie.”

  “Evie, it’s nice to meet you.” He looked at me carefully, studying my face. It made me nervous. “Have we met before?”

  Crap. I was beginning to suspect that Quinn wasn’t the only one in this family who could retrieve memories buried by a Shepherd.

  “No,” Quinn replied on my behalf. “I’ve just described her to you before. This is the girl who left me in Bloomington for a job,” he explained to Tommy in a more hushed tone.

  “Back with Quinn so soon? What happened?” Tommy teased playfully.

  “She came to her senses is what happened,” Quinn replied, beaming from ear to ear.

  “Yeah, that’s one interpretation.” Tommy chuckled. “Being a glutton for punishment is another.” He winked at me. “Well, it’s great to meet any girl who can tame my baby brother.” Tommy swept me up in a big bear hug. “Let me introduce you to my better halves,” he said before setting me back down. “Evie, that’s my wife Sam, and that little lady over there being smothered by my mom is Mary.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Evie,” Sam said as she walked over to shak
e my hand. “Quinn convinced you to meet all of us at once, did he?” she asked good-naturedly before leaning in towards me. “I remember when I was in your shoes, and I was nervous as could be,” she whispered. “But I survived just fine. And something tells me you’re going to do great. Just relax.” She smiled and winked at me while giving my hand a reassuring little squeeze.

  “Thanks.” I smiled in return and exhaled the breath I’d been holding.

  “Quinn, always good to see you.” Sam hugged him.

  “You too.” Quinn hugged her back. “Hey, Mom, stop hogging Mary for a second so I can say hello.” He walked over to his mother and took Mary from his mother’s arms, holding her up in the air and cooing before giving her a hug. Mary giggled, thoroughly enjoying all of the attention.

  “Mary,” Quinn said softly, “this is Evie.”

  “Hi, Mary,” I leaned forward to meet her at eye level. “You are very cute—and so happy,” I cooed.

  Mary squealed gleefully and began clapping her hands together in excitement before holding her arms out to me, wanting me to hold her. Quinn chuckled while trying to hang on to his squirming niece.

  “Wow!” Sam replied in shock. “These days, Mary’s usually pretty shy around people she doesn’t know—stranger anxiety.”

  Mary was practically climbing out of Quinn’s arms to grab hold of me. He flashed me a knowing smile, realizing she’d remembered me.

  “May I?” I asked Sam.

  “Absolutely.” She smiled.

  I reached out to Mary and took her from Quinn’s arms. The baby cupped my face with her chubby hands and stared at my face—studied it. She squealed again and began giggling as she flung herself at me. I could tell she was completely healthy. I hugged her back, fighting back tears of joy.

  “She’s just beautiful—and so affectionate.”

  “She’s also a good judge of character,” Maggie stated. “And she obviously likes you.”

  “I guess I’m lucky to pass Mary’s test.”

  “You are, indeed. Not many do—trust me,” Tommy said with a wink. “So, what’s on the menu? I’m starving and the smell of that food is driving me crazy.”

  *

  Dinner went as well as could be expected. I managed to get by with only eating a few bites of food here and there and sipping water. Quinn helped me out by sneaking food from my plate whenever possible.

  With the pressure of eating gone, I had the opportunity to sit back and observe the family dynamics. The room was full of laughter, friendly banter, and love. There was a certain melodic rhythm to their conversation; it ebbed and flowed in pitch and volume depending on who was speaking. Of course, Mary joined in as well, intermittently squealing in delight—or in frustration if she felt like she was being ignored.

  And there I was, sitting at the table being part of it all instead of a ghost in the room; it was as great as it was nerve-wracking. I was mindful of being under the magnifying glass, watching everyone’s reactions towards me—and, more importantly, Quinn’s interactions with me.

  I was careful to pay attention to the shifts in topics of conversation and the questions directed my way. The last thing I wanted to do was sit there like a wallflower, but I also didn’t want to find myself backed into a corner, coming face to face with my inability to lie. Much to my relief, his family didn’t ask me anything too unusual or surprising, and Quinn did a great job at fielding any questions that would require me to stretch the truth beyond what I could.

  Quinn told them all about my parents’ house in Michigan and my dog, but steered clear of talking about my parents, letting me talk about them. We both spoke about how we’d met at IU, lightheartedly correcting each other and finishing each other’s sentences to add our own spin to the story. By the end, everyone was laughing and smiling.

  I caught Tommy studying us. At one point, Quinn put his arm around me, and I swore I could see a déjà vu moment pass over Tommy’s face, which made me anxious. And Tommy and Doug occasionally threw in a few playful remarks about Quinn “settling down” at such a young age, which also sent a few ripples of concern through me.

  *

  “Nicely done, Mom. You always know how to throw together a great meal,” Tommy commented, throwing his napkin on the table as he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his stomach.

  “Thanks, but you can thank your brothers for this one.”

  “What?” Tommy asked in surprise.

  “Actually, you can thank Sarpinello’s,” Quinn clarified.

  “No wonder I liked it so much,” Tommy blurted out before realizing his blunder. “I mean, not that I don’t like your food, Mom. It’s great, too.”

  “Thanks, Thomas,” Maggie replied dryly.

  “Crash and burn,” Doug muttered under his breath while Quinn stifled a chuckle.

  “Well, I think it might be a wise move for me to excuse myself and get Mary ready for bed,” Tommy said.

  “You’re staying here tonight?” Quinn asked.

  “You did see us haul in all that baby gear, didn’t you? I mean, even for us, that’s overkill,” Sam joked.

  “Yeah, I’ll say. The guest room isn’t even big enough for the three of us with all that crap, so Mary’s staying in my old room with her entourage of toys.”

  “So, where does that leave me?” Quinn asked.

  “Do I hear a couch with your name on it?” Doug cracked up, laughing at Quinn’s predicament.

  “I can stay with friends if my sleeping here tonight will cause a problem,” I said.

  “Nonsense,” Maggie replied. “We’re all adults. Quinn and Evie can share his room.”

  “Oh,” I looked at Quinn, wide-eyed. There was no way I was staying in his room with him while his parents were there.

  “Or, Quinn can stay in Brady’s room,” his mom added, slightly amused by my reaction.

  “Perfect gentleman that I am, I’ll crash in Brady’s room.” Quinn put his hand on my knee and squeezed it gently. I squeezed his hand in thanks.

  “Yeah, I bet you weren’t much of a gentleman this afternoon,” Doug quipped under his breath to Quinn. Quinn glared at him and kicked him underneath the table, which made Doug cough as he swallowed his laughter. All I could do was sit there and try my best not to turn beet red.

  *

  After the table was cleared, the leftovers stored, and the dishes stacked in the dishwasher, everyone sat down to look at Quinn’s father’s photos in the family room. By the end of the slideshow, Mary had fallen asleep in her pack-and-play, so Tommy carefully picked her up and transferred her to the crib in the guest room. Sam and Doug excused themselves fairly quickly thereafter, followed by Quinn’s father.

  “I’m going to run upstairs and grab our bathing suits,” Quinn informed me. “I’ll be right back.” He kissed me on the forehead and then bolted for the stairs.

  I walked over to the mantel and looked at the family photos. There was one that always caught my eye—it was a picture of Quinn and Brady when they were probably no more than six and eight years old, carrying a huge pumpkin, wearing the most triumphant smiles they could muster.

  “That’s my favorite picture of the two of them,” Maggie commented from behind me. “It took the two of them hours to carve that thing.”

  “They look so happy.”

  “They always were back then. All four of my boys were close growing up, but those two had something special. The closest I’ve ever seen two brothers get—and I should know, I grew up with seven of them. From the minute I brought Quinn home from the hospital, he and Brady were inseparable. They’d always look out for each other, make sure the other was included in whatever was going on. They even had the same friends. Everyone always thought they were twins.” She sighed sadly. “I’m assuming Quinn has told you about Brady?”

  I nodded slowly.

  “It broke all our hearts when we learned the extent of Brady’s gambling addiction, but it hit Quinn the hardest. Tom and I have tried everything to help our son, but Brady is
like a different person—a stranger I no longer recognize. I often look at this picture and try to remember all the good in him—all the joy, love, and compassion he exuded—and hope he can find it again and come back home to us.”

  “I hope he can too,” I said. She squeezed my arm gently and offered me a sad smile, which I returned with one of my own.

  *

  “So?” Quinn asked once we were inside the pool house. I knew he wanted to hear my thoughts about how the evening went.

  “So?” I toyed with him.

  “So, it wasn’t so bad, was it?”

  “Your family’s amazing. And I must admit, it was really nice to feel like part of one again.” I turned to Quinn. “And when you think about it, the timing was perfect—my meeting them tonight.”

  “And why’s that?”

  “Well, your dad took up a lot of time talking about the trip and showing us pictures. And Mary took up another good chunk of your mom’s attention. So I wasn’t the sole focus.”

  “True,” he conceded. “But you would’ve handled everything just fine even if the spotlight had been solely on you.”

  “Well, I’m just glad they didn’t start in with the twenty questions. I mean, did you see the way Tommy looked at us when you put your arm around me? I thought he was going to remember me right then and there!”

  “I know what you mean.” He sighed. “Still, I’m curious to see what they all thought about us.”

  “I’m sure they won’t hold back telling you exactly what they think about us—about me—as soon as any one of them gets you alone for a minute. I can hear it now: ‘What’s going on with you and that girl?’ ‘How come you’ve never mentioned her name before?’ ‘How serious is this?’ ‘What’s her deal?’”

  “That’s what family is supposed to do, right? Look out for each other?”

  “Yeah,” I mumbled, fighting back the wave of sadness bearing down on me as I thought about my parents. I looked away from Quinn, not wanting to spoil his good mood.

  “Crap,” he muttered under his breath, running his hand through his hair. “I’ve been so wrapped up in you meeting my parents I haven’t even thought about how hard this would be on you—that it would make you miss your own.” He took me gently by the arms and turned me to face him. “Evie, I’m sorry.”