Lightning Strikes Twice

by Erik Schubach

  I had to look back and forth between the two of them as they both slowly and carefully unwrapped the gifts, removing the tape meticulously. Oh god, did Abbey have OCD too? That must hurt Mia… I paused and noticed the way Abbey mirrored her mom. No, she wasn’t precise enough. Then I smiled in realization. She was accommodating her mother so she wouldn’t feel anxiety if she just sloppily tore the wrapping paper from the gift. She was considerate of her mother’s condition. I felt a little more pride for the young woman.

  Abbey’s eyes went wide at the old hope chest. She ran one hand across the lid but then forced her attention away from it and first folded the wrapping paper neatly and placed it on the coffee table and I saw her looking side to side to make sure it was lined up evenly with the edge of the table like Mia would do. She gave a fond smile to her mother who wasn’t looking and currently folding her wrapping paper at the time.

  Abbey shot me a little wink when she saw that I caught her. I couldn’t stop the grin. Then Abbey and Sammie went about examining the hope chest. It thunked when they tipped it up on end to examine the bottom. They stopped and set up back upright and Abbey used the cast iron heart key to unlock it. She looked inside at the book wrapped in red satin. Mia was leaning forward in interest her eyes snapped wide open in shock at the leather bound book that was revealed as Abbey unwrapped the fabric.

  Abbey looked between Mia and me and said to her mom almost in question, “This is like the books that mother wrote in mom.”

  I said in a trembling voice. “It IS one of your mother’s books. She wrote two volumes for me before she… passed away. They are poems nobody else has ever seen.” I smiled wistfully; the two books were my treasure, a gift from Vee. The art world fought for every scrap of prose that woman had ever written. The emotion and pain and love she could convey in simple words was unmatched. These unreleased works had incalculable value but were worth more to me than even that. They were a piece of my heart, and I wanted to share one of them with my goddaughter.

  My voice was a little husky as I said, “I just thought I’d share with you a piece of your mother. Merry Christmas Abbey.”

  She was turning the handwritten pages slowly with reverence. Silent tears flowing unchallenged down her cheeks as she ran her fingers lightly down the words. She closed the book and sprang up and pulled me up off the couch into a tight hug. She whispered, “Thank you so much Vicky. I… I don’t know what to say.”

  I gave her a squeeze. God she felt like my own child… “It was all I could think of.” I shrugged as I fought off a tear of my own and she went back to sit beside her fiance. A warm hand in mine was pulling me back down beside Mia.

  I shot her an embarrassed smile and the look she was giving me was one of amazement, and something else I couldn’t place. Sammie’s voice, with its rich British accent, made us both look up. “What did you get Mia?”

  I held my breath as the black haired vixen cutely held the little white box up to her ear and shook it a little like a curious and playful child. I couldn’t help but grin at her antics. She grinned excitedly back and opened the lid and just as quickly shut it again and hugged it to her chest lovingly with a smile of amazement on her face.

  I shrugged and her eyes watered up. Abbey was about to ask what it was when Mia shot up out of the couch and motored on over to the huge Christmas tree between the seating area and the kitchen area. She reached into the little box and pulled out the gift and hung it on the tree in a gap in the decorations. I had to blink a couple times and pulled up the memory of that one Christmas she and Vee had spent at my parents with me back in college. The tree duplicated the one from back then, down to the ornament and light placements.

  The Popsicle stick snowflake covered in glitter that I just gifted her, with a current picture of me glued in the center was just like the one mom has that I made when I was five. It now sat in the gap where the other one sat back then. Mia looked back at us with a smile as the girls stood to go look at my terrible artistic ability.

  Mia just held one hand out toward me, opening and closing her hand expectantly. I tentatively approached and took her hand and she clasped our fingers and pulled me to her side and laid her head on my shoulder as she looked at the silly ornament. She whispered, “It’s perfect Vicky.”

  The girls looked at it with confused expressions and half grins. I shrugged. “I know it isn’t much, but it is all I could think of. I remember how you smiled every time you looked at it at mom and dad’s that year. I just wanted you to smile again.”

  The girl’s smiles bloomed larger and Sammie hugged Abbey’s arm and laid her head on her shoulder. I grinned at that and noted again that Abbey was as tall as Vee had been. Mia said, “It was always my favorite. I swear I was jealous of your mother for having that, I have always wanted to pilfer it.” Then she added as she locked eyes with me, “Thank you so much Vickster.”

  Then she took a deep breath and stood taller as I was getting lost in her eyes and said, “Let’s get you fed then I want to know EVERYTHING.” It looked like it took a force of will for her to tear her eyes from mine. I was breathing faster. Oh god. 5-3-4-2-1-1-7-0-6 Mildred R. Cumberland, Jose E. Rodriquez, Aturo V. Valencia. Frogs can’t swallow without blinking.

  The girls smiled and ambushed me, pulling me back to the couch while Mia went into the kitchen. Abbey and Samantha sat on either side of me. Abbey said in a voice so much like her mother’s, “So… tell me about my godmother. I want to know it all.”

  I started answering every question she had. Mia returned and I snorted when she handed me a breakfast burrito. She grinned and bobbleheaded at our inside joke while the girls looked on in confusion. I had to fight off a smile when Mia just had to reach out and nudge my napkin around on the coffee table with a finger until it was lined up perfectly with the edge.

  She joined in the question answer session but stopped when Abbey asked how excited my parents were when I came back home. I said simply, “They don’t know yet. I had to face Mia first.”

  She had a confused look on her face. “You didn’t tell them? What do you mean face me?”

  I took a deep breath. My damn mouth had a mind of its own. I sighed in resignation, saying softly, extremely self-conscious of the young women present. “I needed to see if you could forgive me for running before I faced them.”

  She cocked her head to the side and squinted a little. “Running?”

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and exhaled and said at a million miles an hour, “I left you. I left you and Vee…” I opened my eyes and glanced at my goddaughter. “and Abbey. I was a coward. I couldn’t… couldn’t watch her die. I.. I… I…”

  I was tearing up and my voice was failing. Mia was looking down, her eyes heavy, her body rigid, and her face unreadable as she laid a finger on my lips but not making eye contact. “Vickster, slow down, breathe. We can talk about this later. You look beyond exhausted. Let’s all get a good night’s sleep.”

  Everyone was silent as Mia took a deep breath and forced a smile on her face as she looked back up to me. Then she said almost forcefully as she locked eyes with me, “But before that, you WILL call your parents and let them know you are home for good. They deserve that woman. Tell them we will drop by tomorrow, after the Christmas showing at the gallery.” This was new, she was always strong but shy to a fault, I have never heard her so assertive before and I… I liked it. Maybe she has changed more than I had thought.

  She was suddenly twice as intriguing to me. I lowered my eyes so that I wouldn’t get lost in her eyes again. I said like a child who had just got caught doing something they knew they weren’t supposed to, “Yes Mia.”

  I helped clean up my dishes and properly and neatly dispose of the wrapping paper and little white box. I made a call to my squealing mom and almost stoic father. He made me promise twice that we would be over as soon as we could. That I shouldn’t disappoint my mother. I felt like shit that he thought that was necessary, but I understood.

  The girls hug
ged and kissed my cheek and retired to Abbey’s room. I grinned a little at the fact that Mia was letting them sleep together while they were here. I know they are adults, but still… I thought it was cute.

  Then I think I made an “Ack!” sound as I was pulled bodily by the hand, down the hall, to the guest room that had been my room when I lived here all those years ago.

  Mia pulled me over to the bed and turned on a little light on the nightstand. We climbed onto the bed and sat cross-legged across from each other like so many times before. She grabbed both of my hands and kept moving her head to catch my eyes as I avoided her until she captured my gaze with hers. Then she whispered, “Explain.”

  I poured out my guilt and admitted to everything except my love for her and Vee. She just sat and listened intently like I was the only other person in the world. Whenever I could tear my eyes from hers, I took in the guest room. It was untouched. Down to the tiniest detail it was exactly how I had left it the day I left for London, abandoning the girls. Mia had kept it this way for twenty years, frozen in time?

  When I was done. Mia looked to be contemplating a great many things. Then she did what I had last expected. She just pulled me to the head of the bed and we sat with our backs to the headboard. She laid her head on my shoulder and whispered, “Tell me about London.”

  She just listened to me talk until we both faded off into a peaceful sleep.

  Chapter 7 – Vicky

  I woke up with a warmth beside me. I looked down to see my hand still clasped in Vicky’s. Good god, this was real, it wasn’t a dream. Vicky had finally come home! I just looked at her in amazement, my eyes threatening tears. Damn, the years have been kind to her too. She had matured well.

  I thought of everything that had happened last night, fixating on the kiss. My god, was it possible the feelings I had felt? I thought about her revelation that she had accepted the Oxford scholarship to remove herself from the very real situation here at home. I had always suspected. But to be completely honest with myself, I never blamed her. Losing Valla was the hardest thing I ever had to bear.

  Vicky, for how strong and confident she wants people to think she is, is extremely emotionally fragile. I really do think it would have broken her beyond repair if she had stayed to watch Valla fade. She never quite said, but I believe the burden of her gifts almost broke her when she was younger. I think her parents had her institutionalized, what with the subtle hints, unspoken words, and the pain in her mother’s eyes when they speak of her youth. But she had come out of it okay and become one of the most-spectacular women I have ever known.

  No, I didn’t blame her at all, I’d never want her to break. I don’t think she could come back from it again. I almost didn’t. If it weren’t for Abbey, I wouldn’t have.

  I looked down at my long lost friend, gawd she was gorgeous. I’ve never been attracted to anyone since Valla, but… Vicky is just…

  Her lips quirked in a tiny smile, her eyes were still closed as she said, “You’re staring at me Mia.”

  I nodded and she snuggled into my side. This just brought a grin to my face. Crap, I keep replaying that god damn kiss in my head. Did… did she feel something too? Or did we just get lost in the moment and excitement of being reunited? I caught myself staring at her lips. She said, “Still staring at me.”

  I snorted and took a deep breath as I extricated myself from her. “Sorry, I just still can’t believe you are here. You picked up a tiny bit of the accent Vickster. I can tell you exactly how many days it has…”

  She shook her head and interrupted, “Please don’t, I know… I’m here now.” I nodded. I was always counting, it was just how I worked. Seven thousand five hundred and four days I have been without my best friend in the world. As much as that hurt, it paled compared to the joy of having her back.

  And when did she become so… so sexy? I mean the hyper blondie was always pretty, but she’s… with those glasses… damn.

  I found this line of thinking odd because in my entire life I have never been attracted to anyone except Valla. I had thought I was asexual or something before my wife, but that was proven wrong again and again. After her death, which haunts me to this day, I have never found anyone else sexy. Now I look at Vicky and a familiar heat and tingling of anticipation is hitting me. I’m… I’m attracted to her.

  I was so ashamed after that kiss last night, I knew Vicky would probably feel like she was betraying Valla. I wouldn’t ever want Victoria to feel that way. I know I felt that way for a moment, but then I realized what Valla would say and how she would react. She would be happy that I found a spark again. I had always believed that Valla was my once in a lifetime lightning strike. Nobody will ever be able to replace her in my heart, but she would be first to point out that I didn’t have to and there was room in my heart for more.

  I sighed, knowing I could never act on my new-found attraction. I couldn’t bear being the cause of any guilt in her. But it was enough to know it was there, and that Vicky was finally home. Maybe I’ll talk with her after Abbey’s wedding.

  I was knocked out of these thoughts looping endlessly in my head by a pillow strike right to the kisser by a giggling blonde. “Earth to Mia. You got lost in loop land again. We need to get ready for the Christmas showing. It is in two hours and we still need to obtain some tasty breakfast burritos before we hit the museum.” I grinned. We almost lived on breakfast burritos back in college, it was a running joke between us Three Lez-migos.

  I stood and rolled my eyes and said as my hand discretely reached down toward the bed. “Okay, I’ll get the girls up. And Vicky?” She cocked an eyebrow and I locked eyes with her sparkling blues. Wow! Then I snatched the pillow next to my hand and gave her a sneaky whap to the head with it then ran out of the room as fast as I could from the laughing blonde, barely avoiding the thrown pillow at my escape.

  I listened at Abbey’s door. I was in a playful mood so I suddenly pounded on the door loudly shouting. “Rise and shine girls!”

  I snorted at the “Bloody Hell!” from Sammie, then continued to my room to get ready. I had to grin, I have seen Sammie as a second daughter for the past couple years. I am so excited that after their graduation, she would be my British daughter for real. This made me think of the ever so slight British accent I was picking up from Vicky now. It warmed me in all the interesting places.

  After a quick shower and dressing in my formal dress I wore for openings. I folded my dirty clothing from yesterday neatly and placed them in the laundry basket by the door, full of garments that needed washing. I put on some light makeup… I normally didn’t wear much, but I wanted to look nice for Vicky. I mean that’s what any good hostess would do, right? Hey, don’t look at me like that.

  I lined up my makeup on the counter meticulously, pushing it around with a finger until it was all lined up perfectly then I appraised myself in the mirror. I sighed, I was showing signs of my age, but I thought I looked okay. I could never tell if I was attractive or not, all I could see in the mirror were my flaws.

  When I went out into the great room, I smiled, I was the last one ready apparently. I caught myself almost subconsciously licking my lips at Vicky’s professional look. It was of the sexy librarian caliber the way she was nibbling on the end of her glasses like that. Sammie was dressed in the cutest outfit she had brought with her for Christmas break. Abbey was in one of the sun dresses that made Sammie drool. I had to shake my head with a grin at my daughter’s evilness, she teases the poor girl so.

  I nodded and said, “I guess you all pass muster.” I hugged each of them, not able to keep my eyes off of Vickster. I didn’t realize it until a little later that I had absently grabbed her hand and laced our fingers as I dragged her toward the garage door.

  I stopped at the door to put on Valla’s combat boots. Vicky tilted her head at my purse and I reached in and showed her Little Vee. My tiny, old worn out teddy bear that Valla had got for me to calm my nerves. I smiled fondly… back in the day, Vicky always made sure
I didn’t forget Little Vee.

  I know that combat boots with a formal dress looks a little odd, but if anyone doesn’t like it, they can go take a long walk off a short pier. My wife’s boots gave me strength to be out in the world.

  We loaded up into the FJ Cruiser. I caught Vicky staring at my private artwork on the wall in the garage that doubled as my private art studio. There were a few pieces of my art that I had made just for me that I didn’t want to share with the rest of the world. Her eyes were locked on the one with the blonde, smiling with an infectious smile. I looked between it and her now, you could easily see that young smiling girl inside this new sexy exterior. I cocked my head, there was so much more in her eyes now, but behind it all she looked haunted, almost pained.

  The girls were silent as we made our way to the golden arches to get a quick breakfast. I was determined to follow through on my comedic threat to have breakfast burritos. Every time I looked in the rear view mirror, the smiling girls were just looking between Victoria and me. I finally squeaked out, “What?”

  This just got some chuckles and, “Oh nothing,” from my evil daughter.

  I let go of Vicky’s hand and pointed in the mirror at the girls and said, “Don’t make me stop this car!” Then I reclaimed Vicky’s warm hand. Their eyes followed. Oh crap, I didn’t realize I was doing it. I hope Vicster doesn’t mind. I started to let go, but her grip tightened slightly. I smiled as we made our way through the long drive-through line.

  I parked in an empty slot in the parking lot and we partook of the awesome smelling offerings. If there is a God, then one of his best creations was breakfast burritos. Just sayin’.

  Once we finished, everyone waited as I folded up the yellow wrapper neatly and handed it back to Abbey. I pulled us up to the trash container at the curb and she threw out our trash. I had the urge to get out and pick up the trash from the inconsiderate people who had missed the can. I closed my eyes and fought off the urge. There are times that my OCD is a real pain in the ass. I’m so blessed to be surrounded by people who put up with it.