Well, I'll just wait awhile before looking for them, she thought on her way to get the aspirin. But before she could completely close her mind to her introspection, a tiny voice whispered, What would Gage think about your wanting to write a book?
* * *
Rico sat in a large leather chair, Rebecca and Rafe each perched on an arm. His mother sat on the couch across from him, bursting with pride as she answered his questions about Annabella.
"So Double Trouble is syndicated."
"Sí, and it has been for two years. The strip started in Parents magazine and was picked up by a Spokane newspaper. It became popular with their readers very quickly and was syndicated shortly afterward."
He stared down at the blue posterboard in his hands, holding the answer to one of the more persistent questions plaguing him of late. Now he knew how she was supporting the family. He shook his head, amazed at her talent, never having realized the range of it. The doodles she made on napkins or people she'd drawn in letters hadn't given him a clue.
He easily recognized his children as the strip's characters and, seeing her humorous way of portraying the 'mail adventure' as his mama called it, he could easily understand why parents loved it. Even people without children could enjoy it, relating it to their own childhood mishaps.
"That's me," Rafe said, pointing to the little boy.
"He looks just like you," Rico said with a smile.
Rafe smiled back and leaned against Rico, eliciting a raised brow from Lina.
"Did she start Double Trouble when they were babies?" he asked her.
Lina beamed with pride. "Actually she started it when they were in her—" she glanced at the children "—her stomach."
Both twins nodded. They'd heard this before.
"Really?"
"Sí, she did strips portraying what they may have been thinking and had them talk about what was going on 'on the outside.' She drew funny ones about them kicking her and the twins keeping score, knowing exactly how uncomfortable they were making her. She also did serious ones, showing the twins listening to their mother's voice as she read to them or talked to them."
"So she basically kept a chronological record of their lives," he murmured.
Lina smiled and nodded. "You could experience the twins' whole lives through the cartoon strip."
Rico was unaware of how contemplative his expression was or that Lina noticed.
"Mr. Moran," she began.
"Please, call me … Gage," he said, stumbling over giving his mother a different name than the one she'd chosen over thirty years before.
"How did you get those scars?" That was his mother. Outspoken and blunt, she'd learned long before to throw tact and subtlety to the wind for the answers she wanted.
"An accident, Lina. A very unfortunate accident."
She examined him as if trying to decide something. "Would you like to have dinner with us tonight?"
He was startled until he noticed the gleam in her eyes. Was his mom matchmaking? "I'd love to," he accepted, grinning at the cheers from his children.
* * *
"There you are!" Anna said, bending to give her children hugs and kisses. "Did you finish giving out the cartoons?"
"Yes!" and "Yup!" they yelled.
"Dana was thrilled with hers and said she's holding you to your coffee date. The Hendersons immediately put their cartoon up on the wall, and Gage had a lot to say about your talent." Lina paused. "So I invited him to dinner so he could tell you himself."
"You did what?" Anna exclaimed.
"I invited him over to dinner," Lina answered calmly.
Anna breathed deeply, scrambling to find a legitimate reason why she couldn't be at dinner in her own house.
"Anna," Lina reproved, "he's living in that big house, all alone, and from the looks of his kitchen, he's not a cook. He probably hasn't had a decent home-cooked meal in years!"
This was a cardinal sin in Lina's book. Anna rolled her neck. There was no way out of this.
"When will he be here?"
Lina's wink ruined her serious expression. "You have an hour to do your hair."
"Lina!"
"Don't Lina me, child! I've seen the look on your face when the twins mention him." She walked over and grasped Anna's upper arms. "Honey, I've been doing a lot of thinking. You're still very young, and you can't keep comparing all men to Rico." Despite the younger woman's shocked and immediate denial she continued, "I think I've been doing you a grave injustice. I haven't meant to, but I may have given you the impression you shouldn't be with anyone but my son." She pulled her into a hug. "It's sin enough I kept you two apart. I would never keep you from living the rest of your life, sweetheart."
She struggled against the swell of love Lina's words conjured up and hugged her hard. "I love you, Madre," she whispered.
"And I love you, hija."
"This does not mean," Anna began, pulling away with a sniff, "I'm going to get involved with Gage. But I've been doing a lot of thinking myself these past days."
"Bueno," Lina whispered. "Rico loved you very much, hija, but not always very well. It's your turn."
Anna smiled, although she could feel it waver. "Can I help you with dinner?"
"No, we're having spaghetti and meatballs. I have some of my sauce in the refrigerator and some leftover meatballs in the freezer. You go change."
"Okay. Anyone want to come upstairs with me?" she asked the twins, who were parked in front of the television.
"Me!" yelled Rafe, running to join her.
"Rebecca, why don't you help me make garlic bread," Lina said, drawing the little girl away from the television. Both women tried to limit their hours of TV viewing.
Anna jogged up the stairs after her son, tickling him as he scrambled up ahead of her.
"Can Mr. Moh-wan help me with my puzzle?" Rafe asked as he climbed onto her bed.
"Moran, honey," she said, correcting his r. "I'm not sure he'll have the time." Seeing his crestfallen expression, she added, "We'll ask him after dinner."
"Cool!"
She opened her closet doors, surveying its contents while Rafe played with a couple of plastic action figures he'd left in her room. What was she going to wear?
With Lina's approval on top of her own shaky decision to start living her life, she turned to the closet with a lighter heart. Taking out dark-blue jeans, she paired them with a silk blouse and applied a minimum of makeup, not wanting to look too obvious and give him the idea this wasn't a normal dinner. Her hair she took down from its customary clip and bent over, attacking it with the hair dryer. Rafe helped, pumping hairspray where she directed until she stood back up and her hair settled in a cloud of curls and waves over her shoulders. Not bad, she thought critically. Slipping on gold hoop earrings, she posed in front of the mirror.
"How do I look?"
Her son tilted his head to one side then back to the other. "Cool."
Anna laughed. Didn't get much better than that.
* * *
It's like I'm going on my first date, Rico thought, irritated and amused at his own feelings. Carrying a bottle of wine and three bouquets of colorful flowers, he knocked on Annabella's front door.
She answered, a hesitant smile curving her rosy lips. She wore a gold shirt, its dull sheen sliding across her chest and molding to the full slopes of her breasts. Jeans clung to her small waist and long thighs, dragging up memories of her legs tangled with his.
His throat went dry.
He shot his gaze back to hers, hoping his arousal wasn't written on his face. The flowers did their job and provided a shield for the area that couldn't disguise his need.
One look into her eyes told him she hadn't misinterpreted anything. Midnight dark, they hypnotized him, reminding him of so many other times.
How could he hide this need for her when just looking at her made him tremble? He ducked his head and strove for control.
He'd have to tell her, but not tonight. As soon as he knew there was no
chance of danger.
* * *
Why did he look away? The heat in his eyes had been so intense, so arousing, and she couldn't help her body's instinctive sway toward him.
"Hello, Anna," he said politely.
Humiliation flooded her, stinging her face. Had her own desire blinded her, made her see things he didn't feel? Had the connection she felt when their eyes met been a complete illusion?
She wanted nothing more than to run up the stairs and disappear until he left. My God, what did she expect! To be swept up in a passionate kiss?
"Hello, Gage. Please come in." She stepped back and closed the door behind him, using the precious seconds to mask her seething emotions. Never, she vowed, would he know how close she came to making a fool of herself.
Her children saved her when they bounded in, no longer restrained by Lina.
"Mr. Moran, Mr. Moran," they yelled, ignoring Lina's shushes.
"Hi, guys. Rebecca," he said, handing her a miniature bouquet of wildflowers, "These are for you."
Her eyes round as saucers, Rebecca regally took the flowers from him, showing an inherent grace that would flourish in her maturity. "Thank you," she said, her voice muffled by the flowers pressed to her face.
"Lina," he said, handing her a bouquet of purple lilies, pleased by the enjoyment evident in her soft thank you. "And Anna." Did his voice deepen on the last word? She focused on the bouquet of tiger lilies, carnations and pink roses she'd taken automatically.
"Thank you very much. They're beautiful." Did she sound like a woman who received flowers all the time? Or was it obvious that her last bouquet had come from Lina at the birth of the twins?
"Well," Lina said in a cheerful voice. "Let's all go inside and get some drinks. Gage, Rafe will put your jacket in the living room."
Rico handed it over before following them into the kitchen. "Oh, Rafe," he said when the boy came in. "I almost forgot. I have something for you."
Anna had her wits about her enough to be proud that her son hadn't pointed out he hadn't received anything.
"If you look in the right jacket pocket, you'll find it." Rafe beamed and took off with Rebecca on his heels. "Please have a seat. Can I get you a drink?" Lina offered, indicating one of the kitchen chairs. Anna turned and started arranging flowers in vases, trying to appear cool and confident. She vaguely registered the conversation behind her and jumped when Rafe yelled, "Oh, wow! Cool!"
His feet pounded into the room. "Mom! Mom! Look!"
She had to face her son and swiveled with her head bent, avoiding Gage's gaze.
"It's a yo-yo, the kind that will glow just like my stars!" Rafe's chubby hands cradled his new toy protectively, and Anna's heart dropped. In her mind's eye she heard Rico's voice.
I want my son to have everything I didn't. Two parents, safe neighborhood and a yo-yo instead of a gun to play with.
"This is a great yo-yo," she enthused, hoping her son didn't notice the weakness of the reply. Was her mind so full of Rico that a coincidence made her paranoid? After all, there wasn't any reasonable explanation for the pull she felt to him or the yo-yo.
"Hey, Mom, can we show Mr. Moran our room and stars?" Rebecca asked.
Anna wanted to yell yes! Anything to get him out of the room for a few minutes so she could calm this paranoia. "It's not quite dark enough for your stars, honey, unless you close the blinds tight."
"We will," Rafe said.
The twins looked at Rico, who in turn looked at Annabella. "I can't wait to see your room," he finally said, taking a small hand into each of his and letting them guide him out of the kitchen.
Lina went to Anna's side immediately. "Are you okay. You look like you saw a ghost!"
"Lina, I don't know what's going on." She explained about the yo-yo and the pull she felt for Gage. "I mean, it's got to be a crazy coincidence, but it's so eerie. It's like he walked through my memories and is playing them out."
"Okay, Anna, look at me." She waited for Anna's attention. "Now, I admit I had a strange feeling at Gage's house before, but it's nothing I can put my finger on." She wrapped her plump arm around Anna's waist. "What I think is that Gage is the first man we've spent time with in a while. He's stirring up emotions and memories, that's all."
Anna sighed. "I guess so." She hugged her. "Can you please go upstairs with them? I'll watch the spaghetti."
"Sure," Lina murmured.
Anna didn't want to think Gage would hurt her children in any way, but she wasn't letting a virtual stranger in her children's bedroom by himself. She took the time alone to run cold water over her wrists and have a few gulps of wine from her glass. She had to get ahold of herself!
* * *
Rico leaned against the wall of his children's room, taking in all the toys and colors. Their beds flanked opposite walls, and the whole room was decorated with Walt Disney characters. Their bedspreads, pillowcases, the two lamps and pictures on the walls depicted Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald Duck, plus some he didn't recognize. Rafe's closet door, as his son showed him, was painted a bright red, while Rebecca had picked blue for hers.
"Now watch this, Mr. Moh-wan," Rafe said, missing the r sound completely, Rico noted with an inward grin.
The blinds closed, the room was plunged into complete darkness. There were green stars everywhere! The ceiling looked like a miniature outer space and there were even some stuck to the lamps. On the door she'd arranged the stars in an arrow, as if to point out direction to a sleepy child. During the day the glowing stars were unnoticeable, but now they turned a child's room into a universe of possibilities.
She's done so much for them! He was glad for the dark to hide his painful wave of emotion. Everything he'd ever dreamed of for his children was in this room.
There was a tap on the door before Lina's head popped in.
"Well?" she asked Rico.
"It's fantastic," he replied.
All three smiled. It hurt his heart to look at them. They were his family and he'd never felt more alone.
Would Annabella accept him, scars and all, and forgive him for all the hurt he caused her? Or would he lose them for good when she found out the truth?
* * *
Dinner turned out to be a bittersweet affair for Rico. He was a stranger with his own family and he didn't like it.
Not one bit.
"So, Gage, what do you do?" Lina asked, twirling the spaghetti around her fork.
"Right now I'm a computer analyst for a firm owned by a longtime friend. It enables me to do a lot by modem and work from home." Seeing only Anna understood, he was glad he left out security from his job description and explained modems and how they worked.
The Rico part of him felt a full measure of satisfaction at the impressed lift of brows Annabella tried quickly to hide. He'd found his niche in computers, understanding them more than the complexities of human emotions, although he was working on that.
Rico heard all about his kids' favorite animals, toys and television shows and even learned about his mother's life. She attended the local church and was very involved in all of its functions. Other than that, she seemed to care for Annabella and the twins with a zealous determination. It wasn't surprising, he thought. She's lost so much, yet less than she knows.
"Can we go play?" Rebecca asked.
Anna nodded and the two were in the den in no time. Conversation resumed, again with little contributed by Anna, other than small smiles and nods.
Suddenly Rafe's high-pitched voice shouted, "I shot you! You're suppose ta fall, Becca."
Anna's reaction was so extreme Rico stopped talking. Her head whipped around, eyes growing wide in her pale face. She shoved back her chair and stood, spine rigid, and stormed into the den. Rico looked at his mother, and they stood at the same time, following her.
"Rafe, how many times have I told you that I don't like you playing these games?" She bent, pulling Rebecca up from her death pose. "Even pretending to shoot your sister isn't funny!"
The
twins stared up at her in mute apology.
"Give me the stick," she demanded, holding out her hand for the "gun."
"But, Mom," Rebecca whined.
"No buts, Rebecca. I've told you over and over that guns, even play ones, aren't a game. Shooting someone is serious! And they don't just fall down and get back up like they do in cartoons."
"It's just pretend, Mom," Rafe said quietly.
Anna drew in a deep breath, obviously calming herself. "I know it is, sweetie, but some things you shouldn't pretend about. There's no reason to play a game that needs one of you to be hurt or pretend to be dead."
As he watched Annabella hug the twins and set up a board game for them to play, Rico saw the scars she carried from her childhood. Even though she'd argued about him using guns in the army, he never realized how deeply she despised them.
Yet another contention between them. A gun threatened her idea of safety; he didn't feel safe without one.
All too soon for him, the twins tired and Rico got to see the other side of their personalities. The cranky, obstinate sides.
"No," Rebecca pouted, her right index finger further twisting a black curl, a gesture he remembered making himself at her age.
"Yeah," Rafe said belligerently, obviously not liking the idea of bed any more than his sister.
"How about a story," Anna asked gently, cuddling Rafe to her side, his head nestled on her shoulder.
Rico clenched his teeth, frozen by the picture they presented. Light bounced off their hair, blending blond highlights and blurring them together like a large halo.
He'd missed so much.
"Only if Gage reads it," Rebecca said, coming to stand next to Rico, her small hand diminished even further by lying on his forearm.
Annabella opened her mouth to deny them.
Rico interrupted her.
"I'd love to read you a story," he said soothingly, running his fingers through his daughter's silky curls before he could stop himself.
The frowns became smiles, and Lina started collecting their dirty dishes. "I'll clean up while you two read to them. Come here, angeles, give your grandmama a hug and kiss."
TWICE UPON A TIME Page 5