For Love of a Dog

by Janice Carter

LUCA WAS STACKING the last of the dinner plates in the dishwasher when he heard Margaret and Harry slowly make their way out the front door to go to the bungalow for the night. Kai went with them, guiding their way with a flashlight. There were lights on the porches of both homes, but nothing in between. Luca had been invited to stay over, and Kai was going to make up the bed in her parents’ old room for him. The whole arrangement felt awkward and a bit uncomfortable, but it was late and he was reluctant to leave, wanting to talk to Kai. He liked her parents. There was a frankness about them that he appreciated, although he felt Margaret’s thoughtful gaze on him most of the evening. Speculating about his intentions? he wondered.

  He turned on the dishwasher as Kai returned, bringing with her a swarm of moths that immediately encircled the kitchen light. “Care for a nightcap?” he asked.

  “Uh, sure. What did you have in mind?”

  Her startled expression made him pause. “I guess a cold beer. Unless your father has a stash of something stronger hidden away.”

  “Hardly. A beer would be great.” She slumped onto a kitchen chair. “But it’s so hot in here.”

  “Outside then?” He took two cold cans out of the fridge and popped them. Still sitting in the chair, she didn’t seem keen on the idea, but he refused to put off the talk he wanted to have with her.

  “Okay,” she said with little enthusiasm and followed him out to the Adirondack chairs.

  The night sky was overcast, pressing down the heat and humidity. Luca wiped his forehead with the back of his arm and swallowed some beer, considering where to begin. Kai had seemed preoccupied since his arrival, and he couldn’t figure out if she was happy about his return or not.

  “When I called you from New Jersey, I got the feeling you were surprised—maybe even taken aback—at what I was trying to say. Were you?”

  “Um...well...I guess I wasn’t sure exactly what you were trying to say.”

  This is going to be harder than you thought, Rossi. He took another swig of beer. “Yeah, I can see that. I was on a high after seeing the Lopezes, plus I’d had a very open discussion with my mother about some unresolved issues between us. For the first time in ages I felt positive about my future. As uncertain as it still is.” His half laugh echoed in the quiet night. “I guess that’s why I wasn’t very clear about what I wanted to tell you.”

  She swiveled in her chair to look straight at him. “Tell me now, then.”

  “I said that I cared for you and Thomas and wanted to keep you both in my life. Wherever and however that might be.”

  She didn’t speak for a long time, her face solemn in the spill of light from the kitchen porch. But her gaze never wavered.

  Undeterred by her silence, he went on. “I want there to be an ‘us,’ and I want to know how you feel about that.”

  She caught her lower lip between her teeth and turned away. Luca waited, stifling the urge to reach out for her. When she looked at him again, the soft smile in her face eased his worry. “I like the sound of that,” she said.

  Luca let out a loud breath. “Ah, I do, too.” He leaned against the back of the chair to stare up at the dense, starless sky.

  “Have you thought about what you might do after leaving here?”

  He wasn’t expecting her to get to the nitty-gritty of plans so quickly, but he’d given that very question some thought on his drive. “I want to get back into some kind of engineering. Maybe take more courses.”

  “What kinds of courses?”

  “Not sure yet, but something to do with architecture. I like building things. Designing roads was something I learned to do in the military.”

  “So you could do that in New York?”

  He caught the tentative tone in her voice. “Sure.”

  “You sound hesitant.”

  Luca decided Kai was better at reading him than he was at figuring her out. “Well, I grew up in a big city and a suburb. These last few weeks have shown me another way of life. One that appeals to me.”

  “But city life would be okay, too?”

  He pivoted to face her straight on, seeing the question in her eyes and said, without a second’s pause, “Definitely.” Then he tipped his index finger beneath her chin, bringing her face closer to his, lowered his head and kissed her.

  * * *

  WHILE KAI MADE COFFEE, she thought about how much longer she and Luca would stay at the farm. Yesterday, when Luca had offered to build ramps for the kitchen entrance and the bungalow, her parents had gratefully accepted. Kai had mixed feelings about the project now, especially since they were selling the farm. What was the point?

  Real life was beginning to interject itself into this bubble they’d created at the Westfield farm. Although she was looking forward to resuming her life in New York, she was also sad about the inevitable goodbye. But since their talk last night, she’d felt more positive about returning to the city.

  Last night. The memory of his lips on hers had lingered hours after she’d turned out her bedside lamp. But it wasn’t just the kiss, as thrilling as it had been, that had kept her awake. It was all that it implied—the hope of a life with this complex, fascinating man and the chance to share hard times and good times with him. Maybe forty-three years of them, like Mom and Dad.

  Reestablishing her career wouldn’t be too challenging, and as long as Luca was there, they’d figure out options for him. Right now she’d enjoy their time left on the farm while looking ahead to the city. The coffee was under way when Margaret came through the screen door. “I could have made breakfast for us in the bungalow,” she said, taking in the bacon sizzling in the frying pan and the egg carton on the counter. “But this is a lovely surprise. Can I help with something?”

  “Sure. There’s some fruit in the fridge to make into a salad if you like.”

  Kai watched her mother slowly remove things from the fridge and wondered how she felt about another person taking over her kitchen. It was interesting how a different picture of Margaret was forming in her mind. The past several weeks had highlighted the amount of work involved in running a household, which Kai couldn’t imagine doing for a year, much less four decades.

  “Your father will be over shortly,” her mother said.

  “Can he manage on his own?”

  “He wants to try. It’ll be easier with the ramp. Luca must have gotten up at daybreak to start work on it and he just finished setting it in place. He said he’d get the other one going after breakfast.”

  Kai put pieces of bread into the toaster, thinking that perhaps she and Luca might be leaving sooner than she’d expected. She had no deadline for leaving, of course, and neither did Luca. She was excited about being in New York with him, but those days were not yet a reality. There were still moments when the uncertainty of the future she was dreaming about worried her.

  “So have you and Luca made plans for after you both leave?” Margaret asked while she washed the fruit at the kitchen sink.

  Kai’s sigh was audible. Her mother had uncanny mind-reading abilities.

  Margaret craned her head around. “I’m not prying, dear, just curious. There’s no rush for either of you to go. We enjoy the company. But I’m assuming you both have jobs to get back to and so on.”

  “Well, I do, but Luca doesn’t have work yet. He’s only just recovered from his injuries.”

  “I realize that. As I said, I’m simply curious.”

  “Well, if I knew myself I’d tell you.”

  Her mother’s head turned sharply. “No need to get snappy.”

  “What do you want me to say? Give you a timeline on when I’ll be gone?”

  Margaret moved away from the sink to stand next to Kai, waiting for the toast to pop.

  “Are you in love with him, honey?” she asked, placing a hand on Kai’s arm.

  The softly s
poken question made Kai feel worse. After a moment, she said, “Sorry. I don’t mean to be nasty. I just feel all mixed-up inside. Like a teenager again!” She laughed at the comparison but knew there was some truth in it. “I feel happy when he’s around and I miss him when he isn’t. And though I already know a lot about him, I realize there’s so much more to learn. It’s...it’s a bit daunting.”

  “Sounds like love to me,” Margaret murmured. “Why don’t I finish breakfast while you freshen up?”

  Kai impulsively wrapped her arms around her mother, kissing her on the cheek. “Thanks, Mom. For everything.”

  Margaret patted her on the back. “Okay, off you go then.” She turned to continue washing the fruit. “Oh, I think we have a visitor.” She leaned forward, peering through the window. “Were you expecting someone?”

  Kai joined her mother at the sink. A taxi was parking in front of the garage. The cabbie extracted a small suitcase from the trunk and then opened the rear door. A long, trouser-clad leg stepped out followed by another. Kai’s heart rate picked up as a female figure emerged, paid the driver and raised a hand to her forehead as if searching for something. Or someone.

  “Do you know that woman, Kai?”

  Kai let out a long, resigned breath. “I’m afraid I do.”

  * * *

  LUCA’S HEART SANK as he opened the screen door for Harry and noticed the woman sitting at the kitchen table, holding a coffee mug.

  He almost bit his tongue holding back the “What are you doing here?” that sprang to his lips. He opted for, “Mother?”

  She gave him her best Isabel Rossi smile. “Surprise, darling! You made me so curious about this place that I had to see it for myself. And—” she wagged her index finger at him “—you haven’t been answering my emails or texts, so...”

  Luca saw the amusement in Harry’s eyes as he made his way around the table to take a seat. Margaret’s expression was wary, and Kai’s face had a definite “if looks could kill” air that Luca worried might be aimed at him.

  “How did you get here?”

  “It was easy. I flew to Toledo and would have taken a train, but unfortunately there was no direct train from there to Lima, so I took a taxi instead.”

  Harry gaped at her. “You took a taxi here from Toledo?”

  Isabel looked from Luca to Harry. “Well, a taxi to Lima last night and then another one from there this morning. You must be Harry, Kai’s father. Pleased to meet you.”

  She set the coffee mug on the table and held out her hand. Harry chuckled as he shook it. “You could have taken a bus from Toledo. Would’ve been a lot cheaper.”

  Isabel laughed. “A bus!” She waved a manicured hand at the idea.

  The silence that fell on the room highlighted for Luca the gap between the two families. He wondered whether Harry had ever taken a taxi, and if his mother had ridden on a bus, it was long ago. But country hospitality kicked in and an offer of breakfast came from Margaret. Harry asked Isabel if she’d like to look around the farm afterward. Thomas soon came in from watching TV in the family room, Amigo trotting after him.

  “You must be Thomas,” Isabel gushed. “I’m Luca’s mother. You can call me Isabel if you like.” She held out her hand.

  No one in the kitchen expected Thomas to take it, but he placed his hand in hers and smiled. Luca noticed that she avoided contact with Amigo, tucking in her legs as the dog assumed his usual place under the table.

  Luca stepped over to Kai and whispered, “So sorry about all this. I’m as surprised as you are.”

  “It’s okay,” she said, the tightness in her voice saying otherwise.

  “Can I do anything to help?”

  Kai smiled. “Run interference as much as possible?”

  He managed a grim smile. “I’ll do my best.”

  Luca sat next to his mother as Margaret served breakfast. The room was quiet while they ate. He figured the silence stemmed from the mystery of why his mother had shown up uninvited, and he feared what would eventually be revealed. When Harry suggested a short walk around, Isabel said she’d love to. Thomas and Amigo followed them out the door, leaving Kai, Margaret and Luca staring at one another.

  “You two go ahead. I’ll clean up in here,” Margaret said. “I know you were planning to finish that other ramp, Luca.”

  He was grateful for the chance to work while deciding what to do about his mother. Kai offered to help, and they were soon bending over the steps at the side porch, getting the ramp in place.

  They worked without speaking at first, until Kai asked, “How long do you think your mother plans to stay?”

  The question alarmed him. He’d been interpreting the impromptu visit as a day-long event but then remembered she’d brought a suitcase. He set down the electric drill and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry about this, Kai. I really had no idea she’d do something so spontaneous. It’s very unlike her.”

  Kai placed a hand on his forearm. “It’s okay. Truly. Mom and Dad don’t mind. But I’m sure they’d like to know her intentions.”

  “I don’t know them myself. I’ll drive her back to Lima this afternoon and try to find out. She can stay at a motel there and get back to Toledo tomorrow.”

  “By cab?” Kai started laughing. “The look on my father’s face!”

  “Yeah, it was funny, but...that’s my mom. Money is never an issue with her.”

  “Well, if you’re going into Lima this afternoon, we should get busy at this ramp. Besides, the weather doesn’t look promising.”

  Luca followed her gaze to the darkening sky. “Rain would be good. Break this humidity.”

  They were finishing up when Harry and Isabel strolled back from their walk. They admired the ramp, and as Harry thanked him, Luca took in the drawn lines around his mouth and eyes. “Can we help you inside, Harry?”

  Kai got the hint. “Yes, Dad. I think a bit of a rest after that big breakfast and walk is a good idea.” Harry didn’t disagree, and she led her father into the kitchen, leaving Luca alone with his mother.

  “It’s a nice farm, Luca,” she said. “I was impressed by your planting technique. Who knew you could do something like that?”

  “Well, it was a new experience for sure. But an enjoyable one.”

  “I suppose it’s still a novelty for you. I mean, you haven’t been here long enough to get bored.”

  There’s the Isabel I know. He took his time answering. “I think when people are doing meaningful work in a place they love, they don’t get bored.” He smiled, tempering the frostiness in his voice. “What made you decide to come, Mother?”

  She looked away. “As I said, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. After your talk about this place, I was curious to see it. And—” she gave a tinkling laugh “—I had nothing else to do.”

  Those last few words were the ones that resonated with Luca. The hint of loneliness as she’d spoken touched him momentarily, but he reminded himself she had to leave. He knew from experience that she usually had an agenda.

  “Listen,” he said. “Now that you’ve seen the farm and met the Westfields, I thought I’d drive you into Lima after lunch. You can decide whether you want to head right for Toledo or stay in town overnight. I could also drive you all the way to Toledo if you prefer.”

  When she turned to him, he thought he saw a glimmer of sadness in her eyes. But she quickly rallied, briskly saying, “If you like, dear. Whatever you think best.”

  Luca watched her walk up the steps into the kitchen and felt he could have made his suggestion kinder.

  The storm broke during lunch. Harry was lying on the sofa in the family room while the rest had eaten salad, bread and cheese with little appetite. Margaret had graciously made a show of protest at Isabel’s leaving so soon while Kai kept quiet. Luca thought he detected disappointment in Thomas’s fa
ce but decided he must be wrong.

  The flash of lightning and rumble of thunder made them all jump. Margaret and Kai rushed throughout the house to close windows while Luca struggled to shut the kitchen door.

  The wind came up, suddenly and violently. Luca peered out the kitchen window. The trees lining the drive were swaying, and dirt whirlwinds whipped across the yard. Cracks of lightning split the dark sky, strobing the house in neon whites and blues. Luca turned away from the window. His mother sat, pale and trembling. She’d always been afraid of thunderstorms. Thomas’s eyes were big in his thin face.

  “Let’s go in the family room. Cozier.” He clasped Isabel’s arm in his and led them out of the kitchen.

  Harry was sitting up on the sofa, awakened by the storm. “Going to be a big one, I think. All that humidity we’ve had. Had to break sooner or later.”

  By the time Margaret and Kai joined them, the storm was in full force. “I don’t think your mother will be going to Lima for a while,” Kai whispered to Luca as she passed his chair.

  Luca shook his head. “Where’s Amigo?” he asked, scanning the family room.

  “Upstairs under Thomas’s bed,” Margaret replied and they all laughed, except for Thomas, who looked as though he was considering joining him.

  They kept the television on to distract them from the gale outside and pretended to watch it or read. Anything to keep their attention from the windows. Eventually, Thomas wandered upstairs to find Amigo, and Margaret suggested Isabel might want to have a nap.

  “Luca has been using our bedroom while we’ve been in the bungalow next door,” she said. “I’ll show you where it is.”

  “Thank you. Would you mind?” Isabel directed the question to Margaret, but Luca felt it was aimed at him.

  “Go ahead, Mother. I don’t think we’ll be driving anywhere for a while.”

  Isabel followed Margaret upstairs. Kai shot a questioning glance at Luca. “Maybe it’ll be all over in an hour or so,” he said.

  “Hmm, don’t think so.” Harry was staring at the television and a weather advisory scrolling across the screen. “Tornado warning for Allen County.”