by Sarita Leone
“It’s okay…you’ll be fine. No, don’t try to speak, just wait a minute, you’ll be breathing again in a second. Hold on, you’re doing just fine…”
Had she heard him correctly? Or had she finally gone off her rails?
Chloe dried her eyes with the handkerchief. It was monogrammed, and felt expensive, but her nose was dripping so she dabbed at it anyway. When Kyle handed her the coffee, she took a sip. It had gone cool, so she took a big mouthful.
She finally managed to speak. “Did you say what I think you said?”
He smiled. “It shook you up, didn’t it?”
“I’d say so. But, Kyle…”
He pushed his sunglasses up on his head. “Did I mean it?” She nodded. “Yeah, every word of it. Chloe, I’m crazy for you in a way that I’ve never been for anyone else. When I’m not with you all I can think about is being with you. When we’re together…” He swallowed, shook his head, and met her gaze. “I never want it to end. Do you understand what I’m saying? It’s fast, but I knew how I felt the first day you were in my ED. I just knew…what can I say? It was like a bolt of lightning—one I’ve waited for a long time to hit me.”
It was crunch time. Her whole life, she’d wanted to be loved by a fabulous man. Here was her chance. She could either leap or be a coward and regret it forever.
“Me, too.”
He raised a questioning eyebrow. “Are you saying…?”
“I am. And, I do—too. I have, since that day. It’s been—” She put a hand over her mouth to stifle the giggle that bubbled up from her throat. Fortunately, he was grinning, so she said, “I’m babbling.”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, you are. But I kind of like it. I worried…well, I worried you don’t feel the way I do.”
She shook her head at the absurdity. How could he not know how she felt?
“I do—I have—oh, Kyle, it’s been a dream come true, to meet someone who makes me feel this way. Couldn’t you tell when we were on the beach? I practically threw myself at you.”
He took the cup from her hand. Placed it beside his again. Then, he closed the gap between their bodies, and put an arm around her shoulders. “Sex isn’t what I’m looking for. Yeah, of course, it’ll be great when we’re ready but I want a real relationship. Marriage. Family. All that square stuff—it’s what I want.”
“All that? It’s exactly what I want, too.” She tilted her face to receive his kiss. It was the type of kiss to seal fates, a soft, soulful moment when they claimed their feelings without words. When he broke the connection, she kept her eyes closed for a full minute longer. She leaned against his strong shoulder and savored the moment.
There were still matters to discuss, though.
She looked out to sea. She couldn’t even believe she was going to risk ruining this but two lives didn’t become one without a foundation of honesty.
She looked over and found him watching her.
“Your turn.”
A sigh. “I know.” She tugged the elastic out of her hair, shook it loose and ordered her thoughts. The truth. The only way through anything was with the truth, so she began with the biggest one. “I have a daughter. I got pregnant on graduation night, and when I realized I couldn’t care for her properly, I decided on adoption. Right from the hospital. Never saw her before this week. It’s wrong, but I didn’t tell Neil.” She watched for any sign he was upset, but there was none.
He rubbed the palm of his hand against her shoulder, a reassuring touch that worked the knots out. “I bet she’s beautiful. Like her mother.”
A flash of pride brought a smile. “She’s adorable. Her name is Penny and…” She took a deep breath. “She’s going to come live with me. Starting tonight, probably.”
Pulling her close against his side, he put his lips to her head and kissed her temple. Murmuring against her hair, he said, “I can’t wait to meet her.”
A tear rolled down her cheek. “I thought…”
“Shh, I know. Last night, I thought the same thing.” He kissed her temple again. “I had quite a talk with Neil, and he set the record straight. He’s a good guy who just wants what’s best for you, and for his daughter.”
She wiped the tears away with the back of one hand and turned to meet his gaze.
“He’s Penny’s dad, so he’ll always be part of our lives.”
Kyle didn’t flinch. “I’m adopted, remember? I know how important it is for a kid to have a family. It’s great, I think Neil should be involved with his daughter. And I want to be involved, too.” He paused and gave her a reassuring smile. “I love her mother. I’ll love her, too.”
Chapter 40
Chloe did not know what to expect when Debra dropped her daughter off. The exchange was a fast one, with a pink backpack and brown paper grocery bag the only luggage. The child kissed her aunt goodbye, but there were no tears.
Penny enchanted the adults in the house, and she did it quickly. Within twenty minutes, she was in the kitchen, helping prepare dinner.
Gabby had put one of her t-shirts over Penny’s clothes. It reached past her knees but kept her from wearing the ice cream she helped churn. She’d mastered the art of splashing, and they all had spots of cream dotting them.
Julia flipped burgers at the stove. “How do you like your burger, honey?”
“With cheese, please.” She cranked with rugged determination, her lower lip between her teeth. “This is gonna be some good ice cream when we’re done.”
Uncle Ted reached around and helped turn the handle. “It sure is. But why don’t I give you a hand with that?”
“Harder than it looks.” She relinquished the churn but kept an eye on his progress. The pointer finger on her right hand made circles beside his hand, her method of directing.
Reva removed a tray of tater tots from the oven. She took them and a big casserole of macaroni and cheese out to the picnic table beneath the oak. It was set beautifully, with festive paper plates, colorful napkins and a red-and-white checked tablecloth. The girls and her uncle had gone to a lot of trouble to make this evening perfect.
It was a blessing being loved so thoroughly. Uncle Ted and Penny both declared the ice cream ready for the freezer at the same moment. It was a good thing, because Julia announced, “Burgers are done. Let’s get to eating.”
Penny took her hand when they all stood and headed outdoors. Their fingers seemed to fit together as if they’d been made from the same mold.
Once they gathered around the table, dinner was a blur of laughter. Spilled grape juice. Silly conversation. Too many tater tots, and ketchup on a sneaker. It was one of the best meals of her life.
When the food trays were picked clean, Gabby clapped her hands together and stood. She began to gather the dishes. “Who’s ready for ice cream?”
They all were. Uncle Ted and Penny gave nearly identical singsong “Me!” responses.
“Good. We’ll just deep six the paper plates, napkins and cups, and grab some fresh ones from the house.”
Chloe rose, but Reva pushed her back down. “Sit a spell. We’ve got this, sister.”
Penny looked over her shoulder at the woman. “Sister? So, you’re my aunt?”
Without missing a beat, the legal eagle folded the paper plates in her hand and nodded. “That is an affirmative. We are family. We’re all close as sisters, so yes, I’d say you’ve got three new aunts. How do you feel about that?”
The girl looked from one to the other. A smile spread across her face, lifting her ketchup-smeared lips. “Groovy. Very groovy.”
Reva leaned down and brushed a kiss across the child’s brow. “We think you’re very groovy, too. Now, we’ll be right back with the ice cream.”
Uncle Ted looked at the sky. “Hope we don’t get rained out. Those are some pretty big thunder clouds coming in from the ocean.”
She looked up. Gray clouds scudded above them. In the distance, they turned black. “Looks like we’re in for a storm.”
“Good thing the roof
is secure. That plastic should hold against whatever Mother Nature dishes out.” He’d taken the damage well after the initial shock wore off. They all had, because done was done, and there wasn’t much they could do about the mess other than deal with it. Not hard to take something in stride when there was no other choice.
“It should hold. I hope it does—but I’ll make sure nothing of importance is under the plastic. Definitely not Julia’s guitar.”
Penny inched closer on the bench. “I don’t like storms.”
She put an arm around the small body. “I understand. When I was your age, I didn’t like storms, either.”
“What changed?”
“Well, I lived here—”
“You did?”
“Mmm hmm, I did.”
“With your mommy and daddy and Uncle Ted?”
Chloe met her uncle’s gaze across the table. He watched silently as the girl climbed onto her lap.
She looked into the big hazel eyes that reminded her of her own and sighed. The secrets had to stop sometime. Now was that time.
“No. I lived here with Aunt Ginny and Uncle Ted. My parents weren’t alive when I was little. So my aunt and uncle took good care of me.”
Her daughter considered the words, putting a finger beside her lip, and tapping it. Lifting the finger, she said, “My mommy and daddy aren’t alive anymore either.”
“I know. I’m sorry for that, honey.”
She endured a serious stare from those pretty eyes. Penny’s voice was soft when she said, “Aunt Debra says you’re my mommy, too. Is that right? Can a kid have two mommies?”
Conscious that the answer would have a lasting impact, she chose her words with care. “Yes, it’s true. I am your mommy. You actually had two mommies and two daddies. When you arrived as a little baby, I was very young. I couldn’t take good care of you then, so I gave you to your other mommy and daddy—because I knew they would love you and keep you safe. So yes, I am your mommy.”
There. It was out. She held her breath, waiting for the all-important reaction of the child she’d loved, lost and now loved again.
Penny put her arms around her neck and snuggled her sweet head onto her shoulder. Wrapping her in a hug, she held her tight, the feel of her girl’s heart beating against her own almost too perfect to bear. She swallowed her tears, not wanting to ruin the moment by crying.
Penny pulled her head back. “Did you say I had two daddies?”
“I did. And, you did. Your mommy and daddy who are in heaven now, and me and your other daddy—the one who was like me, too young to take care of a tiny baby.”
“Does he live here? My other daddy?”
“No. He has his own house. If you want, you can meet him tomorrow. He said he’d come over whenever you want to see him.”
“Tomorrow’s good.” The child kissed her on the cheek, then rubbed her nose against Chloe’s. Her peripheral vision gave her a shot of Uncle Ted wiping his eyes. “Tonight is for us. Just us, at my new house. With my new family. And my Mama. That’s enough.”
“I agree, it’s enough.” A fat raindrop splashed on Penny’s head. Then, another landed on the hand she put over her daughter to shield her. “I think we need to eat our ice cream inside. What do you say, Uncle Ted?”
He rose, picking the last two cups up from the table just as the rain started to fall harder.
“I say we run for it if we don’t want to get soaked!”
Chapter 41
Situated on the coast of Maine made Lobster Cove prime real estate for nor’easters. Those who made their homes there were hardy people and endured storms with stoic New England grit. The gale was furious, but not much different from others they’d weathered.
“Wind’s picking up.” Reva spoke quietly, so as not to be overheard. “Hear it howl?”
But for once, Uncle Ted’s hearing problem was a blessing. He and Penny were watching Diff’rent Strokes in the living room, with the television so loud Arnold and Willis sounded as if they were in the house, too.
“I’m just glad she hasn’t noticed yet. It’s hard enough to move in with people she only just met, but to do it on a dark, stormy night? Ugh.”
Reva put the last dish in the plastic drainer and let the water out of the sink. Chloe put the cup she’d just dried in the cupboard. Julia wielded the other dish towel. She took the final dish, gave it a swipe, and stacked it on the counter.
“I’m a lot bigger than she is, and I hate storms like this.” Julia lifted the stack and carried them to the cupboard. With a grunt, she lifted them and put them in place. Slamming the door closed, she asked, “How did that happen? We used paper, so where did all those plates come from?”
“Preparation. We used them when we cooked.” Reva wiped the sink out, hung the dish rag on its hook and wiped her hands on the hem of her shirt. “I am bushed. Really, truly tired.”
“Last night did a number on all of us.” Chloe hung the dish towel on the cupboard door knob closest to the sink. “I’m with you, sister. It’s going to be an early night. As soon as that show is over, we are going to bed.”
The lights flickered.
They looked up at the ceiling. Then, at each other when the lights came back on.
“That might be sooner than you think.” Julia went to the pantry. They kept a supply of candles, flashlights, and batteries there, so she grabbed three flashlights and one candle. She put them in the center of the kitchen table, then put a Bic lighter beside the candle. “Just in case.”
“Good thinking.” Reva went into the pantry and grabbed two more flashlights. She stuck one in her back pocket and handed the other to Chloe. “Might need this. Especially up on the third floor.”
Thunder rumbled, so loud the house shook. They looked at each other, then jumped when lightning flashed just outside the kitchen window. The yard was momentarily illuminated, as light as if it were high noon instead of nearing nine o’clock.
“Did you see that?” Again, Reva kept her voice low.
Tree limbs were down in the yard. The chairs usually grouped around the fire pit were overturned and scattered.
“Going to be a mess to clean up in the morning.” Chloe had tomorrow off, courtesy of Jade who offered to work her shift so she could spend time with Penny. “Whatever it is, we’ll put it all back to rights. Not as if we haven’t seen a storm before.”
“You’re right.” Julia crossed her arms and leaned a hip against the kitchen table. “Whatever Mother Nature throws, we’ve just got to keep on truckin’.”
“Mother Nature needs a Midol right now.” Reva jumped when thunder rumbled again. It was surprising that someone so logical could be so illogically affected by weather. “I hate this. I really, really hate this.”
“C’mon. It’s just a little storm. We get ’em here, you know that.” Julia put an arm around the shaking woman’s shoulders and gave her a reassuring hug. “Imagine being out on a boat in this. Now that’s got to be hell.”
“I can’t begin to imagine how awful that must be.” Reva trembled visibly when there was another near-miss lightning bolt. “I’d die. I’d just literally die, on a ship in the middle of this mess.”
The phone rang. Chloe was closest, so she picked the receiver up. “Hello?”
Static hissed on the line.
“It’s Neil.”
“Reception is really bad. Are you okay?” He’d been released from the hospital that afternoon. She’d suggested he stay with Chris and Allen for a few days, but he went home to his own place. It was large, and he lived alone, which was fine as long as he didn’t go on another bender.
“It’s okay…I’m okay. Not singing the blues, just checking to see you’re all safe. This is one big storm, I hear. Fast-moving, but hit hard just south of us.”
“We had no idea anything was brewing until we were caught out in it.” The lights flickered again.
“Want me to come over? So you’re all not alone over there?”
“We’re fine, thanks. Stay put,
that’s much safer. I think we’re all turning in early.” Another rumble of thunder that seemed to go on and on. “Do you hear that?”
“How could I not hear it? Shook the whole damn house.”
“Here, too.”
“You’re breaking up, Chloe. Listen, the storm’s going to pack a wallop, then head up to Bar Harbor. It’s just riding the coast, so hunker down.”
It was sweet of him to care how they fared. And it was nice to know the track of the storm. Usually she was on top of that, but with Penny’s arrival, she’d missed listening to the forecast.
“We’re hunkered. You, too.”
“Will do. See you tomorrow.”
Before she could reply, the phone line cut out. Not even a dial tone when she hit the bar, so she hung up.
“No phone.”
The lights went out. No flicker, just blackness. Suddenly the house was silent except for the tempest’s roar.
From the living room, Uncle Ted’s steady voice reassuring Penny. Then, they appeared in the kitchen doorway, the child held close to his chest. Chloe crossed the room and put her arms out. Penny came willingly.
“I think it’s bedtime.” Chloe nuzzled Penny’s cheek. “What do you say? Want to see your new room? Gabby’s up there, putting nice sheets on your bed.”
“No, Gabby’s not up there.” She came into the room from the hallway. “Gabby was halfway down the stairs when the lights quit. Made me wish for headlights above my eyebrows.”
Penny giggled. “That’s silly.”
“Yeah, well Aunt Gabby is the funny one around here. Hey, kiddo, sleep tight.”
They all hugged the little girl, took flashlights, and headed upstairs. Except for Uncle Ted, who called a final reassurance to the child before he went into his room near the kitchen. “Remember, honey, there’s nothing to be scared of. Just a little storm. Tomorrow the butterflies will be flying and the birds will be singing.”
She put Penny down at the bottom of the first flight of stairs. Reva went ahead of them, with Gabby and Julia close behind. They all trained their lights on the treads, and Chloe held her daughter’s hand.