Past Sins Revisited

by Mary Goldberger

  “I am,” Edric admitted removing her hand from his arm as he nodded his head to the others.

  Sophie smiled letting her body relax stating, “After your talk with Calida, we will leave on our vacation.”

  Edric turned to look at her as he noticed Jake going over to the truck where he gave Calida her medicine along with bottle water, and Edric glanced back at Wilma who nodded her head.

  The meds that the doctor gave Calida made her drowsy which was why Calida had been hesitant to take them. Wilma knew with the weariness pulling at Calida she would probably began to doze the minute Edric started driving and yet she had told Jake to add one of Calida’s sleeping pills to the meds knowing that Calida hadn’t slept much the night before.

  Wilma watched Calida take her medicine before she told Edric, “I told Jake to give her a sleeping pill also because last night, she had a rough night.”

  Edric frowned but nodded his head as he began to walk to the truck only to be stopped as Sophie said, “When are we leaving, Ric, so I can go home and pack?”

  Edric turned to stare at her before he responded, “We’ve been friend s for eleven years and yet this is the first time I’ve been disappointed in you Sophie.”

  Sophie’s face filled with confusion and shock as Edric added, “Even when you chose to accept that other man’s proposal I hadn’t been that upset because I wasn’t in love with you although we had a good relationship. I’m still not in love with you but I regarded you as a friend so I’m upset that you did what you did to the woman I love.”

  Sophie shook her head at his words pleading, “Ric, you don’t know what you are saying. You can’t love that woman as she’s related to the man who harmed your sister and…”

  “You were helping Jeffrey,” Edric told her sharply watching as she stumbled back before he turned and continued toward the truck sliding in the driver’s seat.

  “How are you feeling, honey,” he asked Calida turning to her as she turned glazed hazel eyes to him.

  “I’m tired,” she answered honestly and he reached over to lightly grab her hand.

  “Get some sleep, Calida,” he told her gently watching confusion fill her eyes. “Don’t worry I’m not going to hurt you.”

  Calida stared at him for a few seconds before she sighed and leaned her head back against the head rest muttering, “No more than you have already, Edric, huh.”

  He didn’t answer right away watching her eyes close and her breathing even out before he admitted, “No, no more than I have already, sweetheart.”

  He caressed her cheek before he started the truck and backed out of the driveway aware that Sophie stood there staring after them.

  As the others walked up to her, Sophie turned to Tomas and said, “How much longer is Ric going to continue with this revenge against Jeffrey?”

  Tomas stared at her in shock while Mariah admitted, “Sophie, he’s finished with the revenge.”

  Sophie glared at her before she turned back to Tomas ignoring her telling him, “I’m going on vacation so when he gets tired of playing his game with Calida, tell him to join me.”

  With those words, she walked away pulling her cell phone out as she called her hired car.

  “She doesn’t get it,” Marti muttered shaking her head.

  Tomas gave Mariah a worried look but she shook her head before muttering, “Sophie will understand soon enough and even if she doesn’t, I don’t think she will be able to destroy their relationship if they can finally air out their problems.”

  Chapter 28

  It’s time, Calida, to face the past and your future.

  Calida frowned in her sleep as the words reverberated through her mind and Edric glanced over at her a sigh of relief coming from his lips at the movement even if it was a frown. She hadn’t moved since they left the house and he had worried that maybe the sedative combined with her meds had been too much, and he reached over intertwining their hands as they were only about five miles from his house.

  The house he pulled up in front was one story that was simple completely different from the house that he lived in Owens. He smiled as he parked the truck staring at the house because this is where he came to relax when work became too overbearing for him and he needed to disappear for a few days at least.

  With a satisfied nod, he turned to Calida lifting his free hand to brush back her hair that was curling around her cheek.

  “Calida,” he said quietly in his rough timbre fingers lingering on the curve of her cheek while her eyelashes fluttered at the light touch and rough voice.

  Hazel eyes flashed up at him as a slight frown settled on her face before she lifted her head and looked around eyes sharpening at the unfamiliar scenery.

  “Where are we,” she asked turning back to look at him a puzzled look going across her face. “I thought we were going to talk.”

  “We are,” Edric told her with a roguish grin kissing the hand that he held before opening his door and climbing out.

  Calida stared at him as he circled around the truck and opened her door giving her a hand down even as she stared at him in confusion.

  “Edric, I thought…” she mentioned shaking her head to clear it as he closed the door before going to the bed pulling two cases off.

  Calida’s gaze sharpened even more as she asked in a sharp voice, “How do you have my case?”

  Edric winked at her before he started for the steps and the house calling out to her, “I’ll be back in a minute to help you.”

  “I’m not helpless,” she told him gruffly still trying to figure out what he was planning as she headed for the stairs checking out the simple house, and she smiled briefly liking what she saw.

  She had already reached the porch when Edric came back out the front door and he gave her a narrowed look which she countered with a smirk that had him chuckling and shaking his head.

  He placed an arm around her waist as he escorted her into the house telling her, “It’s been a long drive and I’m hungry.”

  Calida gazed at him as they entered the house and she turned her intense gaze to the layout while Edric studied her reaction closing the door behind them.

  “Do you like it,” he asked after a few minutes and Calida nodded her head liking the simple, yet rustic, look that complimented the house.

  Edric smiled before he said, “Your bedroom is over here” showing her to the room he had placed her case although he preferred she slept with him, but he didn’t think she would appreciate that just yet.

  Calida walked into the bedroom looking around as Edric stayed in the doorway and she asked without turning to face him, “What are you up to, Edric? We could’ve had our talk at your house and afterwards you and Sophie could’ve gone on your vacation.”

  Edric’s mouth tightened but he didn’t comment on that as he said, “Go ahead and get settled while I scrounge up something to eat for dinner.”

  “Wait…” Calida began only to stop in frustration as Edric walked away from the doorway.

  She shook her head as she sat down on the edge of the full bed muttering, “What does he want now?” ignoring the thrill that went through her at the fact he was with her.

  Not sure of the answer, she shook her head again and got up with a sigh as she walked over to the window staring at the darkened sky hinting that a storm was coming.

  She sighed again before turning back to the bed and her case which she began to unpack placing clothes in the dresser that was surprisingly empty.

  After unpacking, she slid the case under the bed wincing as her wound pulled at her and Edric coming to the door saw it asked, “Should we take a look at your wound before we sit down and eat?”

  Calida turned around a little too fast but she controlled her wince this time as she shook her head telling him, “I can handle it, but thank you for your concern.”

  She could tell that Edric didn’t like her words but he nodded his head and indicated that dinner was done.

  As she walked out of the room, she grumb
led, “I’m guessing that you had help in getting me here.”

  Edric didn’t try to deny it as he said pulling out her seat when they reached the table, “Everyone wants us to talk and clear up a few things.”

  Calida took her seat as she muttered, “Which could’ve been done at your house, or even mine when you dropped me off.”

  “True,” Edric agreed with her taking his own seat but he didn’t say another word as he fixed both plates with a casserole a neighbor prepared for him and then began making small talk while they ate.

  “Edric,” Calida began once, but Edric merely glanced at her green eyes flashing before he continued on talking about nothing really as Calida sighed and picked at her food.

  Once they were done, Calida went to get up to clean the table but Edric pushed her hands away and did it himself telling her to go relax on the couch. He frowned a little at the food left on Calida’s plate but he didn’t say a word when he took the dishes to the sink.

  Calida got up angrily and walked over to the couch to sit down waiting until Edric was finished so they could have their talk only to be thwarted when Edric, after finishing the cleaning up, told her “I’m going to take a shower. There’s a radio for entertainment but unfortunately I don’t have a TV here.”

  Calida stared at him in surprise as she said, “Edric, you said we need to talk.”

  “We do,” Edric concluded her walking over to lean down and give her quick kiss on the lips, “but we will talk when you’re more ready. I have a week vacation and plan on spending it right here with you.”

  With those words, he walked to his room coming out a few seconds later with a change of clothes and a few other things before going over to another door that opened to the bathroom.

  Calida watched as the door shut behind him and she sunk back into the couch a frown on her face as her cell beeped in her pocket, and she pulled it out seeing that the phone was almost dead.

  She scowled as she got up about to go into her room before she remembered that she didn’t recall seeing her charger when she unpacked and she walked over to the bathroom where she froze for a second before knocking on the door.

  Edric heard her knock but decided to ignore it as he had a feeling he knew what she wanted so he turned his head up into the spray as the knocking stopped and a brief hard smile went across his face.

  Twenty minutes later, he was running a towel over his hair when another knock sounded on the door and he took the two steps to pull it open watching as Calida’s eyes widened briefly at his shirtless attire.

  “I…I was wondering,” she stuttered a blush coming up over her cheeks, and Edric took a few steps forward watching intently as she stepped back clearing her throat. “Do you have my charger by any chance so I can charge my phone?”

  Edric frowned as he continued forward turning off the bathroom light before telling her, “I have my charger but as we know it doesn’t fit your phone.”

  At the intimate reference, Calida turned away and started toward her room but Edric moved fast wrapping his arms around her and pulling her gently back against him.

  “Edric,” Calida said trying to wiggle free feeling his bare skin against her back still slightly wet from his shower. “Let me go.”

  Edric only tugged her closer as he said close to her ear, “Are you ready to talk now?”

  Calida stilled before she uttered in a soft voice, “You got my envelope. It has everything you need to know.”

  Edric shook his head as he said, “Not everything, but I’ll let you have some more time before we talk. How about we listen to some music for the evening?”

  “I’m going to bed,” Calida told him briefly wiggling free from his hold before disappearing into her bedroom.

  Edric watched as the door closed behind her and he sighed running a hand through his still wet hair as he muttered, “This is going to take some time as I thought” as he went back into the bathroom to get his necklace which he put on the charm and ring brushing his collarbone.

  He stared at it before he pulled on his shirt and went out into the living room to turn on the radio loud enough for Calida to hear it in her room as he grabbed a briefcase that he had placed under the table, and did some work.

  The next day, Edric woke up late and was getting a late breakfast started when Calida walked out of the bedroom in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with sneakers on her feet.

  “Good morning,” he told her with a brief smile before he turned back to the frying pan.

  “Good morning,” Calida responded back quietly going over to the coffee pot where coffee waited for her.

  She poured her cup watching Edric handle the frying pan with ease although she could tell he didn’t do it often, and she frowned as she put down her cup and reached for the pan.

  “Set the table,” he said without looking at her and she scowled at him but did as he requested.

  Once breakfast was on the table and they were eating, she was surprised at how good it was and told him so.

  “It’s good, Edric.”

  “I can cook, you know,” he stated in a disgruntled voice stabbing a fried potato and popped it into this mouth.

  “Well, Ms. Welsh did all the cooking at home,” Calida stated her eyes shifting to the plate in front of her as Edric stared at her until Calida recalled what she said and a slight frown crossed her face.

  “She did,” Edric remarked seeing the frown, and deciding to stop her from thinking too much on it, continued on. “She also taught me to cook along with Adella who was better at it than I was though.”

  At the mention of his sister’s name, Calida’s fork hit the plate as her fingers lost their grip and she glanced up her hazel eyes wide.

  Edric didn’t pause as he reached over and picked her fork back up handing it to her. “Ms. Welsh told us that food was a way to a man’s stomach and heart while to a female, it impressed them when a man was able to cook.”

  Calida had to bite her tongue to stop from laughing as she began eating again while Edric made idle chitchat not bringing up his sister’s name again for the moment.

  Once they were done eating, Calida won the argument of who would do dishes and Edric helped her clear the table before retreating to the living room.

  Calida took her time as a perplexed frown came to her face while her mind was filled with questions that had no answers.

  She finished and dried her hands glancing around the kitchen making sure that everything was clean before she headed out to the living room.

  Edric was working in the living room his green eyes intent on the paperwork in front of him that Calida went to her room grabbing a jacket and then quietly slipped out of the house.

  She took a deep breath enjoying the fresh air as she walked down the steps feeling her wound pull slightly but when she dressed it before leaving her room it seemed to be fine although a little red so she put some ointment on it before bandaging it.

  She walked off the porch and began to explore the land finding a small barn off the side of the house and being curious, she went over to it looking through the small window as Edric said behind her, “it is an old barn that I use for storage.”

  Calida jumped and turned around putting a hand on her chest as she huffed out, “You scared me.”

  Edric smiled running a lazy look over her before he walked over and pushed open the door to the barn.

  “I have to cut some wood up in just case we do get a storm,” Edric mentioned thoughtfully reaching for a switch on the wall.

  As he flicked the switch on, Calida poked her head in and Edric smiled at her before he put a hand on her back pushing her inside the room.

  “Hey,” Calida said giving him a narrowed look although she turned around and began to explore the large room as Edric watched her leaning against the door frame.

  “I would’ve given you a tour,” he said watching her, and Calida shrugged her shoulders.

  “You were busy and I needed some fresh air,” Calida told him poking around in so
me junk in the corner coming up with an old model car. “Look what I found.”

  She walked it over to him her hazel eyes gleaming with excitement and Edric liked seeing that look in her eyes as she handed him the model car.

  “Well made,” he said examining it as Calida watched him with serious eyes. “It will make a child very happy.”

  At the mention of a child, Calida’s eyes grew dim with sadness as she said softly, “Yeah, it would. I’m going to continue to look around outside, Edric.”

  Edric glanced up seeing the sadness in her eyes, but before he could stop her Calida had slipped out the door and wandered off around the building.

  “Damn it,” he muttered running a hand through his dark hair placing the model car on the shelf and turned off the light closing the door behind him before he searched the grounds for Calida.

  He found her sitting on the steps to the porch and he sat down next to her just as a cool breeze whipped across them, and suddenly Calida gasped as she looked up.

  “It’s snowing,” she said awe in her voice unaware of the adoring look on Edric’s face as he stared at her.

  They sat for a little longer until he saw her shiver and he put an arm around her as he urged, “We should get inside now.”

  Calida nodded her head reluctantly as she allowed Edric to usher her inside and as the door closed behind them the wind grew colder and the snow came down steadier.

  As the wind grew stronger and snow came down harder, Edric turned on the radio and said, “How about a game?”

  “What did you have in mind,” Calida asked sitting down on the couch rubbing her arms before she looked up sharply. “I thought you said that you had to cut some more wood.”

  Edric grabbed a quilt from the chair and wrapped it around her shoulders before he produced a deck of cards from a drawer in the coffee table in front of the couch. “We should be okay for the tonight, but I’ll have to definitely cut some tomorrow. As for now, let’s play a game of poker if you’re up to the challenge.”