Abound in Love

by Rosemarie Naramore

She wasn’t certain how she felt about that. It was disconcerting that the boy she’d ‘loved’ had grown into a man, and that that man was currently kicked back in a recliner downstairs. Of course, seeing Dalton in her home wasn’t unusual. He had spent a lot of time at their house when they were kids. Laura’s mother had essentially taken him in, since his mother had died when he was young, and then his father had been killed several years after, while on the job as a police officer.

  Although Dalton had an aunt living in the area, he had preferred spending time at Laura’s house, hanging out with Thomas and Candace. Laura had often been in the background, almost an afterthought where her family was concerned. She typically spent her time daydreaming about a future with the object of her childish musings—Dalton.

  He was three years older than her, and as children, it had amounted to a huge age difference. Now, the difference was irrelevant. Not that she expected anything to come of her arrival in town. She had no illusions that Dalton saw her as anything but the younger sister of two of his dearest friends.

  Laura sat up, turned, and pounded the pillow—which was thin and wholly uncomfortable. She fell back against it and closed her eyes. She suddenly remembered all the times she had embarrassed herself around Dalton. One time in particular, when she’d been about thirteen, she had dressed in a blouse and a skirt, donned high heels, and applied makeup to her plump cheeks—an attempt to get him to notice her.

  When she’d come downstairs—trying to float down the staircase like a princess—Candace had spotted her first. She had burst out laughing and nudged Dalton, who was beside her on the couch. “Get a load of Laura. She looks like a clown!” She’d taken her voice down a notch and whispered something Laura hadn’t been able to hear.

  To his credit, Dalton had only smiled serenely. “You look very pretty, Laura,” he’d said.

  Candace had burst out laughing. “Oh, Dalton! You’re terrible!”

  Laura froze on the stairway. She could only stare in horror at Candace, who by now was clutching her sides and laughing hysterically.

  Thomas, who had entered the room from the kitchen, saw Laura and surmised what had happened. “Candace, leave her alone! Laura, go wash your face and get out of that dress. You need to give the dogs their supper.”

  Laura had spun on her heel and run up the stairs. As she’d scrubbed the blush off her cheeks, she’d begun crying. She also had nearly leapt out of her skin when Dalton had popped his head into the bathroom a moment later. “Don’t cry, Laura,” he’d said. “You do look pretty.”

  She’d turned toward him and he had smiled encouragingly.

  “Dalton!” Candace had called from downstairs. “Get back down here! We’re leaving.”

  Although Dalton had made her feel incrementally better, she’d known her sister was going to talk about her for much of the evening, poking fun and laughing at her. Even then she’d wondered why Candace treated her so badly. They were sisters. Weren’t sisters supposed to care about each other?

  As Laura drifted toward sleep now, a series of hurtful memories ran through her mind like a bad movie. Being back here, in the room she’d shared with Candace, was probably a bad idea, she mused groggily, as she felt herself succumbing to sleep…

  ***

  “Laura! Laura! Wake up!” a deeply masculine voice whispered into right ear. “Wake up. It’s all right.”

  Unable to shrug off sleep’s hold, Laura remained imprisoned within the nightmare. It was Halloween. She was fifteen, Candace seventeen. A group of her sister’s friends had commandeered the family’s living room. They were dressed for the holiday, though they were attending a harvest day party at their church, rather than attending any ‘Halloween’ events.

  Laura, dressed as a character from her favorite movie of the time, had come downstairs. She was going to the same event at their church later that evening. She remembered someone inquiring of Candace what exactly her costume represented. She was dressed in a plaid skirt and button down white top and wore comfortable, serviceable loafers on her feet. She’d pulled her hair into pig tails and was wearing a pair of lense-less glasses Laura recognized. They were an old pair she’d worn when she was younger. She’d known immediately who her sister was dressed as—her.

  “You don’t know who I am?” Candace had asked, as she had risen from the couch and spun around to give everyone a clear view of the entire costume. “Really?” She had laughed delightedly then. “I’m a nerd—specifically, I’m…” She’d turned toward Laura and grinned triumphantly. “I’m Laura!”

  The group had erupted into laughter during the real event, but in Laura’s nightmare, they had risen from their respective seats and come toward her, chanting, “I’m Laura. I’m Laura…”

  “Laura, wake up,” Dalton said firmly, now shaking her shoulder.

  Finally, finally, she managed to wake up, and she stared into Dalton’s concerned face. “I’m … awake,” she said, though she felt anything but.

  “You were having a nightmare,” he told her.

  “Yes. I think you’re right.”

  “Do you remember what it was about?”

  She wasn’t about to tell him that an event from her childhood still had the power to hurt her deeply enough to cause a nightmare. She shook her head. “No, I don’t remember.”

  He rose to a standing position. “It’s nearly noon. I made lunch. Nothing fancy, just a couple sandwiches. Are you hungry?”

  She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the mattress. She thought for a second. “I am. Will you give me a moment? I’ll be right down.”

  “Are you sure you’re all right?” And to her surprise, he said softly, “Coming home has a way of stirring up old memories, doesn’t it?”

  She lifted her eyes to his. She saw sympathy in the depths of his irises. Seeing it there, knowing he’d been witness to the many humiliations she’d suffered courtesy of her sister and her friends… His friends… She felt embarrassed, inadequate—as if she were the same awkward girl she’d been when he’d last seen her.

  “You know, I … think I’m going to pass on the sandwich. I’m really not that hungry.”

  Dalton swallowed hard and spread his hands. “Laura, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

  “You didn’t.”

  He stared intently into her face. “Laura…”

  She forced herself to make eye contact.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t do more to…”

  She understood what he meant. He was apologizing for not intervening on her behalf more often. Though, aside from Thomas, he was the only one who ever had.

  She stood up and forced a smile. “Don’t worry about it. It’s ancient history.” She turned away from him, desperately hoping he hadn’t seen her eyes moisten from the tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks. She braced, waiting for the sound of Dalton leaving the room.

  Relief flooded through her when she heard his receding footsteps, though she stiffened when she sensed he’d paused at the door.

  “Laura?”

  “Yeah,” she said crisply, attempting to sound like herself.

  “If it’s any consolation, I think you’re the bravest person I’ve ever known.”

  Chapter Six

  Laura remained upstairs in her bedroom the entire day. Occasionally, she heard Dalton puttering around downstairs, but she just couldn’t bring herself to join him. If she’d known he was living with her brother, she probably would have booked a hotel nearby.

  As much as she tried to tell herself she was a grown woman, long past her romantic musings about her siblings’ friend, she couldn’t seem to shake off those wistful feelings. It was ridiculous that someone she hadn’t seen in years—who really wasn’t someone she’d ever associated with—still held sway over her heart.

  She was beginning to regret coming home. She should have stayed in Georgia, where she remained intensely focused on her career, to an extent that romance was the furthest thing from her mind.

  Thinking of the jo
b awaiting her back home, she retrieved her laptop from its case and glanced around the room. Her eyes lit on the old desk she and Candace had shared—or more often than not—had fought over. She remembered her mother had picked it up at a garage sale, given it a coat of white paint, and installed it in their room. Laura had spent many an evening at the old desk, pouring over books, or doing homework.

  Crossing the room with her laptop in hand, she tried to remember if there was a plug-in nearby the desk. They were few and far between in the old farmhouse. If memory served, however, there had to be a plug-in nearby, since she remembered she’d often studied under the muted light of an old lamp. Fleetingly she wondered what had happened to the lamp.

  She set the laptop on the desk and bent down, in order to look behind it. Sure enough, she spied the plug-in, but she noticed something else, as well. It appeared to be an envelope. She leaned in, closer to the back of the desk, and extended her arm as far as she could manage. She gripped the envelope between two fingers and pulled it out. Without glancing at it, she plugged in her PC’s charger, and rose from the floor.

  Turning her attention to the envelope, which was sealed, but had no writing on the face, she was about to open it when she heard the sound of her niece’s eager voice. “Aunt Laura! Are you up there?”

  “I’m here, Krissy!”

  The little girl charged into the bedroom. “Aunt Laura, I got an ‘A’ on my division test!”

  Laura pulled open the top drawer of the desk and tossed the envelope inside. She’d have to have a look at it later. “Krissy, that’s great news!”

  “Are you gonna come downstairs?” the little girl asked. “Please come down.”

  “Okay, honey. I will.”

  “Uncle Thomas is in a bad mood,” she warned, lowering her voice slightly and making a scary face.

  Laura furrowed her brow. “He is? Why?”

  Krissy shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. He said something about his life being turned upside down…” She narrowed her eyes in thought. “Oh, I remember! He said his life was being turned upside down ‘through no fault of his own.’ He also said he ‘used to have a life.’”

  “He said that in front of you kids?” Laura asked, concerned. It surprised her he would talk like that in front of the children.

  “Well, no,” she said. “I heard him. He was in his bedroom. He was being loud, opening drawers and closing them and stuff.”

  “And you could hear him from the living room?” She hadn’t heard him from upstairs.

  The little girl appeared sheepish. “Well, no, but when I put my ear against his door…”

  “Krissy!” Laura scolded, attempting to keep her expression stern. “You should not be spying on your uncle.”

  “But I was worried,” she declared. “He’s usually smiley and happy, but when he drove us home, he was really quiet and…”

  “Okay, okay. Why don’t I go check on him? Do you have any homework to do? Maybe you could sit at the desk and start it, and I’ll come back up and see how you’re doing when I’m done talking to Uncle Thomas.”

  “Okay.”

  Downstairs, Thomas was nowhere to be seen, so he was apparently still in his room. Kenny was sprawled out on the sofa, watching television.

  “Hello, Kenny. How was your day?”

  He shrugged. “Okay.”

  “Do you have any homework?”

  “I did it at school,” he told her, without looking at her. He reminded her of a surly teen, but then, at eleven, he was nearing adolescence.

  “Hey, is your uncle still in his room?” she asked him.

  This time, he turned toward her. “Yeah, and he’s upset about something. I don’t know what, but it probably has something to do with me and Krissy.”

  Laura gasped. “Why would you say that, honey?”

  He turned away again and fixed his eyes on the cartoon playing on the television screen. “Because, he’s stuck with us ‘cuz nobody else wants to watch us. As if I can’t take care of myself. I’m eleven—old enough, but my parents won’t let us be alone, so…” He gave a world-weary shrug. “Uncle Thomas is stuck with us, cuz he’s too nice to say ‘no’ to my parents.”

  Laura sighed. “I think he watches you two because he loves you,” she said succinctly.

  “Yeah, sure.”

  Laura raised a finger, as if gesturing for him to give her a moment. He didn’t notice, since his eyes were still intent on the television. She walked down the short hallway to her brother’s room and knocked lightly on the door.

  “Who is it?” he called, and she had to admit, his voice did hold a surly note.

  “Your visiting sister. May I come in?”

  She heard the sound of footsteps on the hardwood floor. The door flung open. “Did you need something?”

  “No, but my guess is, you do.”

  He ran a hand through his dark hair. “What does that mean?” he asked, with a weary sigh.

  “It’s Friday night. Why don’t you and Macy go out together? You look like you could use a break.”

  Thomas pressed his eyelids closed. He stood silently for a full moment.

  “What are you doing?” Laura asked, perplexed.

  “Remembering what it was like when Macy and I were actually able to spend a quiet evening together.”

  “And how long has it been since the two of you went out on a date?”

  “Over a month.”

  “Well, you’re in luck, brother. You’re going out tonight.”

  “If you’ll remember, you have a dinner date with our elusive sister.”

  “Oh, that’s right,” she mused. “Well… Hmmm? Hey, wait, didn’t Candace say the kids are accompanying us?”

  He gave a bleak smile. “You just wait. She won’t take them. Something will come up. Something inevitably comes up.”

  Laura pinned him with a look. “Thomas, there’s something you’re not telling me,” she said, watching him through suspicious eyes.

  He sighed. “Nothing … concrete. It’s only speculation at this point.”

  “Fill me in,” she said, folding her arms across her chest.

  He shook his head. “No. Not until I’m certain.”

  “Okaaayyy. But anyway, one way or another, I’ll see that you get an evening with your fiancée. I promise.”

  Thomas took a deep, shoring breath. “I’m sorry, Laura. I apologize for behaving like a petulant, middle-school student, but I’m just…”

  “Tired,” she interjected. “I can see that. It’s clear you need a break. I’m sorry you’ve taken on the…”

  “Burden of watching us,” Kenny said from the doorway.

  Both Laura and Thomas turned toward the little boy, stunned.

  “Kenny! You are not a burden,” Thomas protested.

  “Honey, you could never be a burden,” Laura said earnestly.

  “Yeah, right. Our own mother doesn’t even want us. Why should you?” He spun around and ran out of the house. Both Laura and Thomas charged after him, but he was too quick and already out the front door. Thankfully, they spied a patrol car coming up the driveway.

  “That’s Dan,” Thomas murmured, relieved.

  Kenny apparently spotted his father, since he drew to a stop in the driveway. He stared at the oncoming patrol car, kicking at the gravel beneath his feet. Laura could see puffs of air, where his warm breath merged with the bitter cold outside.

  They watched as Dan pulled to a stop about midway along the gravel drive. He opened his door and stepped out of the car. Even from a distance, Laura and Thomas could see Dan was concerned about his son. His posture was stiff, wary. He spread his hands, as if asking the little boy what was wrong. He started toward the boy, and when he reached him, pulled him into a hug.

  Laura’s heart tugged. Father and son stood together, locked in one another’s arms. It was apparent Dan was talking to him, since he saw his mouth near Kenny’s ear. The boy was nodding his head up and down.

  After a moment, Dan to
ok him by the shoulders, spoke to him, and nodded. He followed by gesturing to the patrol car. They watched Kenny shuffle to the car and slide into the passenger seat.

  Dan turned and walked toward the house. When he reached the steps, he immediately spotted Thomas and Laura.

  “Dan, I’m…” Thomas began.

  He only shook his head and gave a dismissive wave. “Please. No. You didn’t do anything wrong, Thomas. Even Kenny told me that. He knows his mother and I have relied on you too much.”

  “Hey, no, that’s not it at all,” Thomas assured him, but sighed. “Dan, you know I love those kids. I really do. I’m just worried about Candace. I’m worried about…”

  “Macy,” Dan said knowingly. “And you should be. You didn’t sign on to fix my and Candace’s problems. I want you to know I appreciate everything you’ve done for us, and I’m sorry we’ve taken advantage of you.”

  “You haven’t,” Thomas assured him.

  Dan gave a humorless laugh. “Oh, yes, we have. It’s just…” He ran a hand through his short blond hair. “I just don’t trust anyone else with the kids. I’m not accustomed to Candace…” He sighed and stared at the ground. He finally shook his head and glanced up, and appeared to spot Laura for the first time. “Laura…” His mouth tugged into a smile. “Wow, is it really you?”

  She smiled in return, and when he opened his arms to her, she stepped into them for a brief hug from her brother-in-law. “It’s good to see you, Dan.”

  “You’re looking well,” he told her, and snared Thomas’ gaze. “Certainly better than the rest of us. I guess you’ve heard, we’re falling apart at the seams around here.”

  She gave him a sad smile. “I wish there was something I could do. If…” She sighed. “If there’s anything—anything—I can do, please let me know.”

  He smiled softly, his sad eyes twinkling briefly. “If anybody can figure out this mess, it’s you. Candace may even listen to you.”

  Laura was taken aback by the remark. She had no idea what he meant by it. How could she do anything to fix his marital woes? Candace certainly wasn’t going to listen to her? She never had before. Why would she start now?