Familiar Ground

by Michelle Lynn

  “You’re thinking pretty heavy over there,” Leah’s groggily voice says as her hand reaches for me.

  “It’s nothing, baby, sleep,” I say, getting up and kissing her on the forehead.

  “I need lips,” she says, smiling and never wanting to disappoint her, I bend down and kiss her lips. She moans into my mouth. “Better.”

  “How are you feeling?” I peer around at the machines she’s still hooked up on.

  “Lonely,” she says. “Come lay with me.” Her face cringes when she scoots over.

  Joining my girl on the hospital bed, I hold her close, because if this goes south, I lose her forever. She’ll never understand what I’m about to do.

  Two days have passed, and I’m feeling better, although my bruises are still visible, and it’s painful to breath. Adam said he had to go to work this morning. He’s been acting odd lately, not even spending the night with me, claiming he’s trying to work with the police on who did this. Dani calls me every day, and I talk to Jan, as well. The best surprise happened this morning when the friendly young nurse came in and told me I can go home. Then it dawned on me that I don’t want to go home, at least not to mine. Even if they ever figure out who did this to me, I can’t go there ever again. Not wanting to bother Adam at work, I decide to call my friend Meghan to come and get me. She says she’ll take me to her house. After I hang up with her, a small little girl’s voice that has the ability to melt my heart flows into the room.

  “Auntie Leah.” She runs over hugging my legs. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too. Are you having fun with Grandma and Grandpa?” I ask her, carefully leaning down to hug her. An image emerges from the hallway, and my breath hitches. It’s Steve, Adam’s dad.

  “Yeah, I’m out with Grandpa today. I’ve been asking every day to come and see you,” she says.

  “Yes, she has, Leah, but we had to wait for Aunt Leah to get better.” He smiles, and I’m reminded again how much Adam resembles him.

  “Thank you for bringing her Steve,” I say moving over to the bed, and Dani follows, hopping up next to me.

  “You’re welcome, dear. He did quite a number on you, huh?” He points to my face and probably sees how slow I’m moving.

  “Yeah, he did,” I agree.

  “Auntie Leah, did you fall down?” Dani asks, placing her palm on my face and slowly investigating the bruises on my face with her hand.

  “Something like that, but I get to go home today.”

  “Can I come home now?” she asks. I look at Steve, who shuts his eyes slowly, hanging his head low. As wonderful as it is to hear her wanting to come home, she can’t, and we both know it. Until they figure it out, there’s too much danger.

  “Soon, sweetie. I just need a couple days, but I will come and get you this weekend. Okay?” I see the disappointment in her eyes.

  “Okay,” she says, her eyes focusing on the floor.

  “So, you are getting out today?” Steve asks from his chair by the door.

  “Yes, my friend is co—” I’m interrupted by Meghan bursting into room.

  “Let’s get out of here, but did you see that young hot doctor? Tell me, Leah, did he exam all of you?” She stops suddenly when she notices Dani and Adam’s dad. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you had company.”

  I start laughing before trying to quiet my giggle forgetting Steve’s here. “Meghan, this is Adam’s father Steve, and this is Dani,” I introduce the two of them.

  “Nice to meet you, even though I’ve never met your son, I’ve heard plenty.” Meghan puts her hand out for Steve.

  “Meghan!” I shriek.

  “Things a father surely doesn’t need to hear.” Steve shakes Meghan’s hand, chuckling.

  “Dani, it’s great to meet you, too.” She walks over taking Dani’s hand, kissing the top like she’s a princess.

  “Hi,” Dani giggles.

  “All right, Dani…”

  “Wait, Meghan do you mind taking Dani down to the cafeteria while I have a moment with Leah?” Steve takes his wallet out getting out a couple bills, handing them over to her.

  Meghan looks back to me with trepidation, and I nod in agreement. Dani grabs Meghan’s hand to go with her, she seems to instantly fall for Meghan like she did Adam. Meghan grabs the money out of Steve’s hands and shoves it in her pocket.

  “Meghan?” I whisper.

  “Hello. Broke college girl here.” She points to herself.

  Steve smiles, and I’m happy he doesn’t seem to judge her. Her outward personality and the now green streaks in her hair could throw some people off.

  Meghan and Dani walk out the door, and I can hear Meghan singing some princess song as they skip their way down the hall.

  I don’t know what to do with Steve being here. I can assume Adam has told his dad everything, since he’s Adam’s confidant. I sit on the edge of my hospital bed, focusing on my hands. In the past few days, I have picked away the majority of skin that surrounds my fingernails.

  “Leah, I want you to know that I want us all to be a family. This is an unusual situation, but I think we can all make the best of it.” He moves to the chair closer to me, so he faces me head on, but I don’t look up.

  “Is this when you tell me we all have Dani’s best interests in mind?” I ask in little over a whisper.

  “Yes, Leah, I believe we do,” he assures me. “I’ve talked with Jan, and we want you to come stay with us until you get better and this situation is behind us.”

  “You do?” Ignoring the pain, my head jolts up, and he can probably notice the wetness that fills my eyes.

  “Like I said, we’re family. Adam works long hours, and Jan stays at home.”

  “Is this temporary?”

  “Of course. Jan and I only want to be her grandparents. We do want Dani to have Shane in her life.”

  “Thank you,” I say, my shoulders losing their tension. I can be with Dani, and she can be taken care of.

  “You’re more than welcome.” He stands up and holds his arms out to me.

  I allow my arms to wrap around him, and he squeezes me gently due to my ribs. For the first time, I feel safe and protected by a family.

  “There’s something else,” Steve pulls back, and the crease in his forehead informs me it’s bad. “I can imagine who did this to you, and I’m sure Adam does, too. Adam isn’t one to sit back and let things work themselves out,” he continues.

  “He’s been odd, keeping me in the dark I feel,” I divulge. Adam has always been so attentive to me, but the last two days he says everything right and shows affection to me, but the fact that he’s missing every night is unusual.

  “I fear he’s taken it upon himself. I tell you this because you are the one that can get through to him Leah.” He sits back down in the chair, and I sit on the bed cautiously, realizing this is why he wanted Dani out of the room.

  “I don’t know much about Jimmy,” I say honestly. “Well, other than he’s a drug dealer.”

  “In many ways that’s a good thing. Jimmy and Adam were childhood friends. They grew up playing baseball together, inseparable. Since Jimmy was always around the house, Cassi became friends with him too. She probably had a crush on Jimmy, at least that’s what Jan thought when they were in high school.” He rubs his hand across his mouth, dragging it down to his chin. “Jimmy’s parents died his senior year of high school. In a plane crash, and since Jimmy was eighteen and an only child, everything of theirs became his. Adam started hanging around the house. At first I let it slide, knowing Adam was like Jimmy’s brother, and he was helping him through his loss.” I sit quietly on the bed, listening to a story I wish Adam would have told me. “Then Adam wouldn’t return for days, and Jimmy dropped out of baseball, and Adam started skipping practices. Jimmy’s life was spinning out of control, and he was dragging Adam down with him. That’s when I stepped in.”

  “What happened?”

  “I showed up at the house and found Adam beating the shit out of som
eone on the side of the house. After I broke up the fight, thinking it was just a typical boy disagreement, I saw Adam’s eyes. They were clearly strung out with how glossy and red they were. I grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to my car. Jimmy came out like a damn Eddie Haskell from Leave it to Beaver. Trying to defuse the situation, but I grabbed him and told him to get his shit together, too.”

  “Then Adam got clean?” My heart stops, waiting for the answer. There’s no way I could be with someone that was a former addict. I won’t allow myself to live in that fear for the rest of my life.

  “Adam’s a lucky one. Once I got him out and practically locked him in the house for a few days, he came around. Although he threw baseball out the window, he got late acceptance into college and straightened himself out.”

  “He just stopped talking to Jimmy?”

  “Sort of. I’m not sure what made Adam come around and stop being involved with the drugs and the happenings at Jimmy’s. But, I try not to question it because he’s never given me reason to worry since. Cassi, though, it was as though Jimmy owned her. Like he had some chip embedded into her the way she followed him and did anything he requested.” I give him a small frown because I can relate to it. “I tried. Jan tried. Adam tried, but we couldn’t keep her away. Adam will always bear guilt over giving Cassi her first taste of pot, but he’s not to be blamed. The only other interaction Jimmy and Adam had was when Jimmy gave Cassi oxycodone. Not sure how the information got back to Adam, I guess mutual friends.” He shrugs his shoulders. “Adam went over to the house and beat the crap out of Jimmy. Cassi was there, and he threw her over his shoulder and brought her home.” His eyes focus back up to mine. “She left us a week later and never returned.” He takes a deep breath. “At first, I thought Jimmy would heal from his parents’ deaths and come around. He was a good kid, but it only got worse as the years went on.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I sympathize, knowing all too well the life of an addict’s family.

  “I tell you this, Leah, because Adam is a fixer. He won’t sit back and allow the police to handle this. The fact that you think he’s acting odd, worries me. I’ve lost one child to Jimmy, and I won’t lose another.” Not sure what to do, I nod, silently agreeing to find out exactly what Adam’s been up to. “Thank you.”

  Dani and Meghan barrel into the room, laughing and eating Popsicles. Dani’s mouth is completely green from hers. Meghan stops in her tracks, looking between me and Steve, sensing something, but keeping quiet.

  “Well.” Steve stands up. “We should get going, Dani.”

  “I don’t want to leave Auntie Leah,” she whines.

  “You don’t have to, I’m coming with.” I smile down at her, and she jumps up, wrapping her arms around my legs.

  “You are?” Meghan asks.

  “Yeah, I’m sorry Meghan for making you come all the way down here.”

  “It’s okay, I got to meet Princess Dani,” she remarks, and Dani beams up to her.

  I mouth thank you, and she nods her head.

  After they finish their popsicles, Steve grabs my bag, and I message Adam to tell him where I’ll be. “Get better, girl. I’m going to find that doctor, so I’ll catch you later,” Meghan tells me, and I laugh. Even Steve rolls his eyes slightly.

  The next week, Dani and Jan lay the tablecloth across the table, and then Dani sets napkins on the plates. She’s giddy; I can’t stop smiling while watching from the chair in the living room. “Do you know my daddy?” she asks Jan, and I bite my lip in anticipation.

  “I’ve only met him once,” Jan kindly replies with no hint of anger.

  Then Dani runs over to me and hops on the arm of the chair. “I’m so excited. I’ve missed Daddy,” she remarks, and I hug her lightly, because I have too. I’ve talked to Shane a few times, and he calls Dani every night. However, this will be the first time we’re all together. Not to mention my grandma is coming down as well.

  “Your great-grandma Winnie is coming, too,” Jan hollers from the dining room before walking over and taking a seat across from me. When she sits, she smiles over at me, and it’s nice that there isn’t any animosity in this house.

  “Aunt Leah showed me a picture of her. She has white hair,” Dani says, and we both giggle.

  “Well, your grandma has white hair, too,” Jan tells her and Dani cocks her head to the side. “It’s just covered up.” She laughs, and I join in, but Dani still looks confused.

  Then the doorbell rings, and the casualness of the room shifts to uncomfortable. Jan and I find each other’s eyes as she rises to her feet, slowly moving over to the door where Dani already waits impatiently. I can hear Shane’s voice after she opens the door, and Dani’s small footsteps as she scampers into his awaiting arms. Jan and he exchange pleasantries, and, a minute later, Jan walks in with a plant and disappears into the kitchen. Even with Dani attached to him like a magnet, he leans down and kisses my cheek. “How are you feeling?” he asks with guilt written all over his face.

  “I’m better,” I assure him, never wanting to make him feel guilty. I’m scared it could throw him off kilter.

  He sits on the couch, and Dani runs out of the room and comes back with a card. “I made this for you, Daddy,” she hands him the purple card, heavy from glue and glitter she made him yesterday.

  Tears well up in his eyes. “Thank you, princess, I love it,” he says, hugging her.

  “I knew you would,” she asserts, and we laugh at her young arrogance.

  “Grandma’s coming,” I remind him, and he nods.

  “She called me and asked me if it was okay,” he mentions. It’s nice to hear they still talk regularly.

  Dani flutters in and out of the room, showing Shane everything Jan and Steve have bought her. Shane’s eyes take in the pictures of Cassi displayed along the walls and coffee tables. The sadness in his eyes is hard to miss.

  “Is it hard,” I whisper when Dani leaves the room.

  “What?” he asks, and I give him a tight smile. “It’s hard but a good reminder of why I’m doing what I’m doing. In a way, I’m doing it for her, too.”

  “It doesn’t make you want to—,”

  “You have to relax, Leah. You can’t keep me from triggers. I need to learn to deal with them myself if I’m going to survive this.” He leans over and pats my knee. “And here comes my biggest reason,” he says, hearing Dani’s feet pounding across the floors.

  Leaning back in the chair, I admire my brother and his daughter playing together. Adam and Shane think it’s so easy to let go of a learned behavior, and I’ll need to figure out how to not allow Shane’s addiction to consume me, but it’s easier said than done.

  Then I hear the muffler of Adam’s car outside, and Dani’s ears perk up. “Uncle Adam’s here.” She runs over and hides behind the wall.

  Adam walks in, and I wonder where exactly he’s been, since it’s Saturday and he’s not supposed to work. He has his work clothes on, but I don’t see any trace of a workday performed in them. He steps into the room, and Dani jumps in front of him, screaming Boo. For the first time ever, he appears surprised by her, as though he was truly startled by her. Rubbing his face, he smiles and picks her up. “You got me,” he tells her, but he doesn’t swing her around or throw her over his shoulder.

  After shaking Shane’s hand, he sets Dani on Shane’s lap and walks over, giving me a short kiss. “How’s it going?”

  “It’s good,” I say, our usual conversations lately.

  “I’m going to hop in the shower,” he remarks and leaves the room without another kiss.

  Thank goodness all the awkwardness Adam just brought into the room gets interrupted with my grandma’s arrival.

  Jan answers the door, and Shane stands up immediately, embracing our grandma. The shorter grey haired woman cries into his chest, gripping him tight. When they pull back, she grabs both his arms. “I’m so proud of you.” He nods his head, but anyone can tell he doesn’t believe it. “Do you hear me, Shane? What you’ve
done, very few have been able.”

  “I have a long road, Grandma,” he tells her, but she pokes her finger into his chest.

  “Take the credit you deserve.” Pulling him into her again. “You’ll get there, I have faith.”

  “Thanks, Grandma,” he says.

  She comes over to me. I try to stand up to hug her, but she shoos me back down. “Just relax, honey.” She pats me on my knee, and I can smell that flowery scent of her. “Now, where’s my great-granddaughter,” she says, looking around the room.

  Dani barrels back into the room and halts when she sees my grandma. “Come give me some sugar, sweetie,” My grandma sits in a chair and holds her arms out. Surprisingly, Dani does just that. She runs over to her and the two hug each other.

  “Oh, Clark, dear, bring those over.” She signals to a man standing in the archway. Shane and I stare at one another before focusing our attention on the older gentleman with thinning grey hair holding overflowing bags in his hands.

  “Grandma?” I ask, and she turns my way with curious eyes. “Who is this?” I question when she doesn’t divulge any information.

  While Jan and Shane rush over and grab the bags from his arms, a small smile forms across her lips. “My boyfriend,” she quips, and I smile.

  “Oh, well, introduce us,” I request, and she waves me off.

  “Oh yeah. Clark, this is my grandson, Shane, and my granddaughter, Leah. This is Jan McAllister —,” as she’s making the introductions and the man is going around shaking all our hands, Adam’s freshly showered self rushes down the stairs. “Not sure I know who this handsome fellow is, but I think I can guess.” She winks my way, and I grin, eager to introduce her to the man who holds my heart.

  Adam walks in and shakes Clark’s hand. “Adam McAllister,” he introduces himself, and then makes his way over to my grandma. “It’s a pleasure meeting you,” he says, kissing her on the cheek.