by Toni DeMaio
I squeezed his hand before going in for a big hug. “We’re huggers around here,” I reminded him, patting his broad shoulders. “Now introduce me to these adorable children of yours!”
Little Anthony was a clone of his father at that age, and being up close to Tori only confirmed my conclusion that she was indeed a miniature of my own daughter. It was almost surreal.
“We have plenty of food and desserts, along with some fresh apple cider in the dining room, Kids, so you all run along and help yourselves!” I said, sending them on their way. It was sweet how Tori took Daisy’s hand and brought her along as she herded both her brother and Little T. through the doorway.
“Got any wine for the grown-ups, Mama-Meri?” Lilly asked, looking a little frazzled in her French maid costume.
“Of course, go on back to the kitchen and help yourselves.”
Tom, dressed as an umpire, was hot on her heels, “Come on, Gino, we’ll hook you up,” he said, “I know I need something after that crazy hayride. You never disappoint, Mama-Meri.”
I hugged Kat next. She was pretty gorgeous herself in her form-hugging black cat-suit, looking like a big sexy relative to Crow, who must have sensed she was nearby and sat up, sleepy-eyed and blinking at the noisy crowd surrounding him. “Gino is more handsome than ever!” I whispered in her ear, “And it looks as if things are going really well with the two of you.”
Kat shrugged, and I realized her face told a different story as she reached down and snatched Crow up from his cushion. She cradled him under her chin and he purred happily. “Not really,” she said, “I think he’s amazing, and I’ve already fallen in love with the kids, but we can’t assume anything at this point. Actually, I’m getting pretty close to Tori, and even though she likes me, she’s made it very clear she doesn’t want her father to date anyone.”
“Well, it’s a good thing that isn’t her call then,” I said, hoping it was the truth.
“That’s the thing, Mom. I’m getting mixed messages from her father. He’s a great dad and clearly the kids are his main priority, as they should be, but when it comes to the two of us spending alone time together, he made it clear he would like to date me but really can’t at this time.
So we’ve agreed to be friends, but he keeps suggesting I join him along with Lilly, Tom, and the kids. And it’s been like a big friendly group date, and He’s already talking about all of us having a tailgate party for the homecoming game at the college and then all going together to the tree lighting ceremony in town the day after Thanksgiving. But he doesn’t seem at all eager to see me alone. I think he’s getting comfortable with my friendship. And like I said, I already love his kids.”
“But it’s wonderful that he makes sure you’re included in his plans! Isn’t it?”
“It would be, if there was any hope Tori will accept me as more than just a friend of the family. And frankly, I’m not sure Gino’s completely over his wife’s death. Tori and I are building trust, though, and maybe because Gino finds it hard to reach her, he’s hoping I’ll be a good influence on her.”
“I think that’s very flattering and considering it hasn’t been that long since you starting seeing each other socially, I think it’s going better than you think.”
“You do?”
“I do! A single father has more to consider than just his own needs, Sweetie, and it sounds to me as if he’s really interested in you. Tori will come around in time, you’ll see.”
“Maybe you’re right,” she sighed, “but she’s fragile and I don’t want to upset her in any way. She’s been through so much heartbreak, losing her mom like that. Hurting her by betraying her trust and ruining the relationship we’re building just wouldn’t be worth it. I’d rather get her blessing first.”
I hugged Kat again. “And I’m willing to bet that’s exactly what Gino is waiting for too. But keep in mind, hot-blooded hunks like him aren’t all that good at waiting, and he’s been a widower for quite a few years now. I think you should just relax into the relationship you’re building with him and his children and let nature take its’ course.”
***
Frannie and her husband, Mark, along with Billy and little Ann swept into the dining room for refills on cider, and I had to laugh at them because they were dressed as an entire family of shiny red apples. Her mom, Liz, and her dad, Jack were close on their heels, dressed in matching blue-checked shirts, rolled up jeans, and twin straw hats. Signs hung from their necks declaring them to be Champion Apple Pickers. If I were running a contest, they all would have won first place.
Soon, Kat and Gino, Lilly, Tom and the kids were gathered around the kitchen table, enjoying the feast Franny and I had made for everyone. I popped in to have a word or two with them, to snap a few pictures for my album, and to be sure the kids had a chance to sample my apple pie before it was all gone.
“This is as good as the pie Kat made for our dinner party last week,” Tori enthused, as I plopped a scoop of vanilla ice cream down next to her pie.
“Thank you, Mrs. Donovan!”
“Me too!” Daisy squealed, hands on hips, “Ice cream!”
“Me too! Me too!” Anthony and Little T. echoed.
It was a perfect party and another memorable Halloween. I loved opening my home to my friends and family. This is why I had wanted to keep the bed and breakfast going after my dad passed. Nothing makes me happier.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Donovan. I was wondering if I might have some of that ice cream to go with this amazing apple pie,” a deep, somewhat familiar voice said from behind me.
I spun around and looked up and into the warm brown eyes of a mysterious masked cowboy. He tipped his hat to me and held his plate toward me. His grin was full of mischief and fun.
My hand shook as I dropped the scoop of ice cream onto his plate. Did I know this guy? His voice was familiar but I hadn’t a clue.
“Brian!” Tom fairly shouted, as he rose from the table and came around to hug another tall, handsome blonde man who stood just behind my mysterious cowboy dressed in a football uniform. “When did you get back in town?”
The two men hugged and laughed and then Gino rose too, and asked, “Brian Potter from J.V. football?”
Soon all three men were laughing and reminiscing. Apparently while Gino and Tom had been on the wrestling team, Brian, who was behind them in Kat’s class, had already been a J.V. Football star, on his way to becoming a high school star athlete. All the while, I was thinking what a coincidence it was that my prospective internet suitor was named Brian, too.
“Mrs. Donovan,” Brian said, “I want to properly introduce you to someone you’re already familiar with.
I put the ice cream down ready to shake hands, as he continued; “I want you to meet my father, Brian Potter Sr.”
The cowboy I’d been wondering about removed his hat to reveal a head of thick shining silver hair, then he pulled his mask off too, and I was stunned to see the face of the Brian I’d been talking to from the dating site!
He laughed a deep, rumbling laugh at the shocked look on my face and pulled me into a bear hug. I must admit I felt a flutter somewhere I’d almost forgotten about…And then I recovered enough to hug him back.
“What a…surprise!” I stammered.
Kat looked puzzled so I tried to explain. “This is the Brian I’ve been telling you about from the computer. The one I spoke to just this morning. Turns out he decided to show up tonight and surprise me, and I guess it’s a double surprise since you all seem to know his son.”
Brian Jr. stood over Kat’s chair, beaming down at her. He was very handsome in his football jersey, his large shoulders impressive as he leaned in to speak to her, “I don’t know if you remember Kat, but I used to sit behind you in Senior English. I was too shy to speak to you back then because you were so good at English and I sucked.” He laughed at the memory. “Good thing I didn’t need great grades in English to become a gym teacher!”
Kat smiled up at him, “So you teach now. That�
��s great, Brian. Where do you teach?”
“Believe it or not, I just transferred to Pocono High as the head gym teacher. Mr. Forester retired early after his hip surgery and I wanted to be closer to my dad since mom passed away three years ago. It’s been hard being based in Boston so far away from him. Mom’s sudden death taught me how valuable time really is.”
I know my daughter, and Kat was visibly impressed as she told him how sorry she was to hear about his mom.
If I was a betting woman I’d wager that life in our sleepy little mountain town was about to get a lot livelier. Gino was watching the two of them intently, and I was glad to see it. Brian Jr. seemed like a nice enough young man, but my money was on Gino Rossi for the long haul.
Brian Sr. reached shyly for my hand and looked me straight in the eye. “I hope you aren’t upset with me for just showing up like this, Meri, but Brian Jr. wanted to surprise your daughter and when he heard about this party at school, he made me promise not to tell you we were coming.”
Actually, now that he was standing in front of me, I wasn’t upset in the least. I squeezed his hand reassuringly, “Not at all. I was nervous about meeting anyone online and now that you’re here, and with such great references, I find I’m relieved we got that first meeting over with.”
“Talk about romance,” Lilly teased, while the rest of the table broke into grins and giggles.
I laughed out loud. “I didn’t mean it to come out that way, but just know I am definitely glad you and your son are both here! Come with me and let’s get you both plates of food. You men need to eat more than just pie.”
“Look out, Brian! My mom is a take charge kind of lady.”
He grinned back at Kat, an attractive blush on his cheeks, “No argument here! I like a strong woman.”
As I led them back through the opening to the dining room, I heard Brian Jr. make a suggestion to Kat, “Maybe we should all four of us double date to make sure these two don’t get themselves into any trouble?”
I glanced back over my shoulder to see how Gino took that suggestion and I smiled to myself because he was the only one at the table not laughing.
CHAPTER TEN
ANGEL
Dressed as an angel with purple iridescent wings, I blended in with the crowd at Mom’s Halloween party better than I could have hoped. If anyone was there who had psychic abilities and were able to spot me, believe it or not, I wouldn’t be conspicuous among this group.
And I wouldn’t even be the only angel. Miss Peterson, the Barrett Township librarian, had me beat as a super-glam angel with a huge pair of hot pink wings, a long pink wig and false eyelashes. A lucky coincidence for me; but then, there are no coincidences.
I was on a mission and a risky one at that. I had to get through to Kat and at least to the point where she realizes I’m trying to tell her something important. And the time had also come for Tori to find out I’m Kat’s sister. Both of them needed desperately to explore that connection. And I knew Mom would be very glad to have confirmation that I did check in with the family every now and then.
Materializing takes a lot of energy, and this group had plenty of it, so I was counting on that to help me eventually show myself to Kat, Mom, and Tori. I was praying that wouldn’t backfire and make things worse.
I was waiting until they were all in the dining room watching Mom give angel card readings at the dining room table. For years people around here had gotten used to relying on her as someone with reliable intuition and so she had a lot of takers.
Crow can always happy to see me when I pop in, so I hung out with him for a while on the window seat and we both enjoyed looking out the front window and watching the kids, young and old, bob for apples on the porch and play pin the tail on the Halloween Cat.
Both Frannie, who had been a good friend of mine, and her mom, Liz, were keeping order and handing out the prizes and it brought back wonderful memories of my Halloweens here when it was Grandpa and Grandma’s bed and breakfast. My grandmother had started this party tradition years ago and it was just like Mom to keep it going.
In a few hours the crowd thinned out so I took the opportunity to materialize and appear in the kitchen, then stood for a minute in the doorway to the dining room. I generated a nice lavender glow around me, and Tori happened to be the first one to see me.
She gasped and jumped out of her chair. Then, with wide eyes, she pointed at me, “Angel!” she shrieked.
Everyone turned and stared right at me, I smiled, waved, and then I spun around and darted off across the kitchen and down the long hallway toward Mom and Frannie’s office. I slipped around the corner and inside; then disappeared from view and retreated to the corner just as Kat, Tori, Lilly, and Mom came barreling in practically on my heels.
Mom was out of breath so she sank down onto her desk chair, then worked on finding her voice again, which didn’t take long, “You all saw her, too, right?”
Tori nodded. “It was Angel. She comes and talks to me in my dreams. It’s weird to explain, but it’s like we’re friends, even though I know she isn’t real… because she’s in my dream…But if she’s not real how she can be here?”
Kat put her arm around Tori’s shoulders. “I’m confused Tori,” she said, “Angel, was my sister. She passed away from a heart condition ten years ago. How could you possibly see her in your dreams? Maybe you have her confused with someone else.”
Tori shook her head. “Then maybe she’s a real Angel! I don’t know why she comes to me, but I’m sure it’s her.”
Mom quickly recovered from her unexpected sprint, stood and came around her desk holding the picture of me she always keeps there, just as Tom, Gino, and both Brian’s crowded into the room. She looked so happy I was instantly relieved. The last thing I wanted to do was upset Mom.
“Sweetheart,” she said to Tori, “Please look at this picture and tell me if this is the person who visits you in your dreams.”
“Huh?” Gino asked, “What’s going on?”
Kat put her finger to her lips and shook her head gently.
Tori took the photo of me out of Mom’s hands and we all watched her eyes grow even wider as she started to breathe hard and deep with excitement.
“It’s her,” she whispered, this is Angel; then she hugged my picture to her chest and I wanted to much to step forward and hug her back. “I can’t believe a real live angel is visiting me in my dreams! And she’s really your sister, Kat? That’s wild!”
Kat nodded and Mom beamed at everyone. “Yes,” she said, “pretty wild and wonderful! I’ve been telling you all for years now I knew Angelica was working as an Angel-Guide. Especially you, Kat, I told you all the time, but you refused to listen to me.”
Kat shook her head. “This whole thing is unbelievable. And even if Angel is trying to communicate with us, why would she be showing up in Tori’s dreams? Why wouldn’t she be in your dreams, Mom, or mine?”
“Well, I think it’s obvious that the hand of fate at work here, or maybe more appropriately, divine providence.” Mom said, giving Kat a meaningful look. I loved seeing Mom so happy she was actually glowing. “And everyone knows,” she continued, “children are the most open to this sort of thing!”
Kat turned red when mom hinted at divine providence; then glanced shyly at Gino who was staring at her, but the minute she caught him at it, he quickly shifted his glance back to Tori. These two needed a healthy dose of confidence and courage if they were ever to get together.
Poor Gino appeared as if he’d seen a ghost himself. “I’m totally confused. Can somebody please tell me what just happened?”
Kat jumped in and stammered an explanation of sorts, “As fantastic as it may sound, it appears that my late sister, Angelica, who we all called Angel, is appearing in Tori’s dreams. And a few minutes ago, Mom, Tori, and I all saw her materialize in the doorway to the dining room. Then she floated away down the hall and into this office which is why we all got up and ran after her… I have no explanation for why
any of this is happening, but I did see her with my own eyes, and to make it even crazier, Tori has just identified my sister, the young woman in this picture, as the one who comes to visit her in her dreams. And, well… that’s about it.”
“And that’s a lot,” Gino said, touching Tori’s arm gently, “Tori, are you sure you’ve seen the girl in this picture in your dreams?”
“Yes, Dad, Angel is my friend and she comes and talks to me about stuff; especially if I’m upset. Kind of like an imaginary friend, but now I think she’s way more real than a dream.”
Lilly sank down on the leather loveseat in the corner. “Holy shit,” she said.
“Wow! I’m speechless,” Tom whispered, sitting down next to her and taking her hand.
Then Brian Sr. cleared his throat and said, “I’ve had some experience with dream visitation from departed loved ones myself.”
Brian Jr. rolled his eyes, “Dad!” he said, “Not that again.”
“Sorry Son, but I have had what I would characterize as dream visits in the past. Your mother came to reassure me she was alright shortly after she passed over and my own mother and sister have also popped in to see how I’m doing from time to time. I’m sorry if that makes you uncomfortable, but that’s a fact.”
Mom beamed up at the elder Brian and patted his back. “I believe you, Brian, and I didn’t realize how much we actually do have in common. “I, too, have been in touch with my late husband and my parents. I’d like to discuss this with you more, perhaps over lunch tomorrow?”
He took her hand in both of his. His eyes were warm and full of compassion and the hint of something deeper. “Nothing would please me more Meri. I’m still teaching part time at the University but it so happens I don’t have any Saturday classes. So how about you and your daughter join me and my son at Mama Maria’s tomorrow at 12:30 for lunch? I would be our treat, of course, as long as you have no other plans.”
“We’d already planned on meeting for lunch tomorrow. It’s fine with you, too, Kat, isn’t it… if the Brian’s join us?”