Skye Blue (Hell Yeah!)

by Hunter, Sable

  “Shit.” Joseph sighed.

  “Okay, I suggest we just sit on this until we know more. How long did he say it would take?” Jacob paced back and forth across the room.

  “About a week, maybe less.” Isaac sat down heavily.

  “This has been hard,” Jacob confessed. “And with Jessie and the baby…” He looked up at Noah. “So, what else?”

  Noah felt bad about bringing it up, but he knew he couldn’t wait. “I need to know who I am.”

  “What?” Isaac looked blank.

  “I went up in the attic to look for those papers you told me to search for.” He was addressing Jacob. “And I found Mom’s diary. She implies that I am not a McCoy.”

  “What the fuck?” Isaac exclaimed. “Of course you’re a McCoy!”

  Joseph didn’t say anything. He just looked at Jacob.

  Noah looked at Jacob. Isaac looked at Jacob. “Tell him Jacob. Tell him that he’s a McCoy.”

  Noah’s heart was hammering. “Hell. I knew it.”

  “You don’t know anything.” Jacob ground out the words. “It’s not what you think.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” Isaac was reacting more than Noah.

  “Explain it to me.” Noah held his breath.

  “Well...” Jacob shoved his hands into his front pockets. “You’ve got to understand something.” He looked hard at Noah. “It never mattered. It never mattered to anybody.”

  Noah slammed his fist on the desk. “Well, it matters to me. My whole life is a lie!”

  “I don’t understand.” Isaac looked dumbfounded. “You’re our brother.”

  “Look at me!” Noah yelled. “I don’t look like any of you.”

  “Stop!” Jacob held up his hand. “Like I said, you don’t get it. You are a McCoy. You are Daddy’s son.”

  Noah froze. He thought he was going to throw up.

  Jacob repeated himself. “You are Daddy’s son. By another woman.”

  ***

  Skye stood with Jessie at the incubator. “He’s the most beautiful little boy I’ve ever seen.”

  “I think so.” Jessie beamed. “Just wait till you have your own, you’ll think they are just perfect.”

  Skye didn’t say anything. She just smiled, sadly.

  “What’s wrong?” Jessie put her hand on Skye’s arm.

  All of a sudden, it was just too much. Skye started to cry. “I can’t have children.”

  “Oh, no.” Jessie wrapped her arms around her. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Me, too.” She hiccupped a sob.

  “Doctors can do so much these days. There are fertility drugs and, look at me, I was a surrogate mother. Bowie is mine. We used my egg, but in most cases they use the donor’s egg.”

  Skye shook her head. “It’s complicated.”

  Jessie realized Skye didn’t want to talk about it. “When you find the right man, you’ll make the right decisions, I’m sure.”

  They visited for a while longer, but when the nurse came to check on Bowie, Skye left. Walking out of the hospital, she let thoughts of Noah flood her heart. Everything was a thousand times more complicated now than it had been a few days ago. She smiled. Her trip had been successful. Despite having company, she’d been able to make peace with her past. She now knew she could live with herself. All she had to figure out was what she was going to do with Noah.

  Coming to the crossing, she checked the light. When it gave the signal to walk, she started out, deep in thought about a paper she needed to write for class. The gunning of an engine got her attention and she looked up just in time to see a big car coming right at her. Skye screamed and tried to dart out of the way, but she didn’t make it…

  ***

  Noah stared at Jacob. “I’m a bastard.”

  “Well, we knew that,” Isaac drawled.

  “This isn’t funny, Isaac,” Joseph barked.

  “You are our brother. You’re a McCoy. End of story.” Jacob slashed his hand through the air. “I wasn’t very old, but I can remember the day Daddy brought you home.”

  “I don’t understand.” Noah dry-scrubbed his face. “Daddy loved Mother. How could he do that?”

  Jacob looked miserable. “You gotta understand something. From the day you were carried into this house, you were our brother. Aron, Joseph and I were old enough to realize a little of what was going on. We didn’t understand biology, but we knew something was different. Mama and Daddy closed themselves in their room and we could hear them shouting. Daddy told us that you were our brother and we were never ever to mention to you or anyone else any different. And we didn’t.”

  “She didn’t want me.” Noah hung his head.

  “Wait a damn minute,” Jacob snapped. “You’ve got to look at it from her point of view. Her husband was off riding rodeo, team roping, you wouldn’t remember because he never went again after you were born. But he was gone more than usual that summer and when he would come in, he was extra attentive to us boys and would bring Mother flowers and candy.”

  “He was guilty.” Joseph interjected.

  “Yea, I guess so. But the day came when he drove up with you. And yes, it was a shock to her. Of course, it was. And she could have picked us up and walked off or she could have made a difference in how she treated us. But she didn’t. Our Mother loved you just as much as she loved me, or Joseph or Aron or Isaac. And then Nathan came. And we were happy!”

  Jacob was whispering, but it was the loudest whisper Noah had ever heard.

  “You’re right.” He wiped a bit of dampness off his cheek. “I loved her too, so much.”

  Jacob nodded and continued. “We talked about it once. It was the night you graduated from Junior High as valedictorian. They were so goddamn proud of you. Mama cried. When she went down to take pictures of you, I asked Daddy if he was your father and he said, ‘yes, of course and that woman down there who’s prouder than a peacock is his mother. Some things happen for a reason and Noah is supposed to be here’. He looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘wouldn’t it be a damn shame if we didn’t have him’.”

  ***

  In his room, Noah sat on the bed and looked at a picture of his folks. Lord, he wished they were still alive. All of this would be so much easier to handle if they were here to draw strength from. What they’d learned about Aron tonight was horrifying. Could he be dead? It didn’t look good. Just the thought of telling Libby tore his heart out.

  And his own private hell—well, at least now he knew. He was a McCoy. His brothers were his brothers, and the woman who raised him would always be his mother. He had heard the will read and knew he had been named specifically to inherit an equal portion along with the five others. So, why did he still feel...raw? He couldn’t fault anyone for not telling him. If his father was still alive, he might demand an explanation, but he didn’t blame Aron or Jacob or Joseph. By their reactions, it had been clear they didn’t consider the circumstances of his birth to be important.

  But what had changed was his own perception of himself. All of his life, he had prided himself on who he was, the family legacy, the status and recognition that came with being a McCoy from Tebow ranch. And now, he was humbled. Oh, not by the family, but by the possibility that his life could have been so much different.

  Standing up, he set the portrait back on his dresser. He needed to go raid the freezer and get one of Libby’s homemade lasagnas she kept for emergencies. He’d say that his taking dinner to a girl’s house qualified as an emergency. Skye. He was going to see Skye. Just knowing she was there waiting for him made all of this so much easier to handle. Now, the only thing he needed to find out was...who was his real mother? Eventually, he’d want to know.

  Buzz!

  Noah picked up his cell phone. Lance. “Thanks for taking care of th
e cattle truck wreck. What does it look like?”

  “Noah, it’s Skye.”

  “What do you mean?” Instantly he was on alert.

  “She’s not hurt...much.”

  “What’s wrong? Where is she?”

  “She’s at the cabin, but she won’t let me do a damn thing for her.”

  “I’m on my way. Talk to me.” He took off. Food wasn’t a priority at the moment. He sprinted down the stairs and out the door before Lance could get another word out.

  “Hit and run. At the hospital. I don’t know much else.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be with her in a minute.”

  Noah knew he drove like a madman, but getting to Skye was all he could think about. Tonight, he slung more gravel than the last time he was here. Throwing the door open, he bailed out, slammed it and bounded up on the porch. He didn’t knock. He just went in. He’d fuss about her leaving the door unlocked later. “Skye! Skye!” He stepped up behind the couch and shouted. “Skye!”

  “Look down.”

  He did. She was curled up on her side on the couch, wearing a sleeveless pink cotton gown. There were bandages the size of his hand on knees and her forearms. A big bruise discolored her shoulder. In two seconds flat, he was around the sofa and on his knees at her side. Laying his head next to hers, he said, “God, I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you. Who did this to you? Why aren’t you in the hospital? And why in the hell didn’t you call me the minute this happened?”

  She didn’t move very fast, but she sat partially up, threw her arms around his neck and held on. “I was at the hospital. And I don’t know who did this. It happened too fast and I didn’t call you because it knocked me out. But, I’m okay. The nurse found Lance’s name in my wallet.” She took a shuddering breath. “I didn’t want to bother you.”

  “Bother?” Noah buried his face in her neck. “My God, baby. Don’t you realize how much I care about you?”

  He did. She was beginning to see that. Noah cared about her. “I care about you, too.”

  “Let me see where you’re hurt.” She laid back and he examined her, running his hands over her body, making sure all of her parts were still there.

  His hands were shaking.

  “No broken bones. No concussion. My head is too hard. Just bruises and scrapes.”

  He smiled. “True, but I’m glad.” He bent down and kissed her middle, then between her breasts and then her lips. “Tell me what happened.”

  “Get on the couch with me.” She forced herself against the back of the couch.

  Carefully he crawled up with her and cradled her to his body. “Don’t let me hurt you.”

  “I need you close.”

  He kissed her forehead. “Now tell me.”

  “I went to check on Jessie and the baby. And when I started to leave, I came to the crosswalk. I looked both ways, but when I got to the center, I heard a noise, looked up and this car was right on top of me. I jumped and ran and tried to get out of the way and I guess I did, mostly. He hit me, but it was more like a graze. He just knocked me down.”

  “God, Skye. You could have been killed.” With gentle fingers, he stroked her face. “So, it was a man?”

  “Yes, I think so.” She kissed his throat. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “Where else would I be?” With complete devotion, he peppered her face with kisses. “You’re my girl.” The feeling he had for Skye was a thousand times more powerful than he’d ever felt for a woman before. “Did you get a good look at the man behind the wheel?”

  “No, I didn’t. Just an impression that he was big and older, heavy-jowled, a cowboy hat.”

  “Had you ever seen him before?”

  “I can’t be sure.” She shivered in his arms. “No, I don’t think so.”

  For long moments, he just held her. Thankful for the privilege. Finally he asked, “Are you hungry? I didn’t take time to get dinner. I can make you some scrambled eggs.”

  “No, I just want you.”

  “You got me, baby. You’ve got me.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “Are you sure you’re going to be all right?” He didn’t want to leave her.

  “Yes, I’m fine. I’m going to work on this paper and you have to take Nathan to Galveston. You promised.”

  Last night, after holding her as long as she wanted him to, Noah had carried her to bed. Before joining her, he’d returned a few text messages. The family had checked on him, Lance had enquired about Skye and then Nathan had asked Noah to take him to see Tina.

  “Yes, but you come first.” The truth was easy to recognize.

  “You’ve been very good to me.”

  He’d only done what he wanted to. He loved taking care of her. He’d gotten up, made her breakfast, shared with her about Aron and almost, almost told her about his adoption. Adoption. Yes, he’d called Jacob back and verified that Sebastian had signed a paternity statement and Sue had adopted him. Somehow, the knowledge that that particular piece of paper existed made everything better. His mother had wanted him. Noah needed to tell Skye soon. And he would, but he wanted to do it when there wasn’t a ton of other subjects cluttering up their mind. Right now, he was more concerned about Skye and Aron. His own problems could wait.

  “What are you doing?” she asked as he returned from the bathroom, arms loaded with stuff.

  “I’m going to change your dressings before I leave.”

  A tug of absolute love gripped her heart as he knelt at her side and began removing her bandages, applying salve and more gauze and tape. “You didn’t have to do this.”

  Noah gave her a heart-stopping grin. “Of course I did. I take care of what’s mine.”

  God, oh God, oh God. She didn’t know what to say. Skye just watched him tend to her. “Thank you.”

  “There.” He stood up, gathered the things and kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll call you and I’ll be back late. Put the chain on the door, I’ll call you or bang on the door or something.”

  “Be careful.” She followed him to the bathroom and then she followed him to the door. Skye didn’t want him to go. Taking her in his arms, he tenderly kissed her goodbye and then she watched him leave. She stood at the screen door and stared until the last puff of dust was settled and he was long out of sight.

  Sighing, she went back in. There was much to be done. Noah had spoken to Zane about her a job, but she didn’t know if that was wise. “Dang!” She hit the door facing. How much longer could she keep all of this secret?

  She wasn’t guilty! So, why did she feel so dirty? Hanging her head, she knew why. The years of disdainful looks and slights and shoves and ugly remarks because of her skin color coupled with the degradation of prison life had taken its toll. Maybe she should just tell Noah and get it over with. After all, he was the one she really dreaded finding out. Zane’s acceptance or rejection would mean little compared to the opinion of the man she loved.

  Loved. Yes, she loved him. No question of that.

  First things first. Skye went to the bedroom to change clothes. Digging in the closet, she found a loose fitting dress which wouldn’t touch her anywhere but on the shoulders. It would be comfortable. Now, for shoes. She’d been padding around barefoot all morning. Walking to the edge of the bed, she stopped, looking down in amazement. What in the world?

  By her shoes, in a neat little mound, was a pile of tiny pebble. Brightly colored river rocks. At first, she just stared and then she started crying.

  Noah had just declared himself.

  Oh, so carefully, she bent down and gathered them up one by one. To her they were more precious than roses or diamonds. Happy little sobs of emotion broke the silence. Putting them in a crystal bowl, she carried them under her arm. Where she went, they went. Wiping her face, she went to the ki
tchen to make some coffee and there, by her beloved Keurig, was another small pile of rocks. “Noah!” She wanted to hold him so badly, she ached.

  A rap at the entrance caused her to jump. Placing her precious rocks in a safe place, she went to look out. It was Cady. Opening the door for her she was alarmed to see how pale she looked. “Come in. What’s wrong?”

  “I hate to bother you, but I was wondering if you would ride with me into town to see the doctor.”

  “Of course.” Skye agreed. “Let me get my purse.”

  “I hated to ask, but I didn’t want to alarm Joseph or the family until I knew for sure there was something to be worried about.” Then, it was as if Cady got a good look at Skye. “What happened to you? You can’t go. You’re hurt!”

  Skye waved her hand and held the door open. “Oh, I’m a lot tougher than I look. Let’s go. I’m fine.”

  “What happened?”

  “I just got knocked down by a car. I’m stiff and a little sore, that’s all.” She smiled. “Noah took good care of me last night.”

  “Ah, I knew it.” Cady nodded, knowingly. “Let’s go in my car.”

  “You don’t want to ride in my ole’ jalopy?” Skye laughed. “And what do you know?” She looked at her suspiciously as they walked slowly to the car. She knew about Cady’s abilities. But right now, she was worried. Her friend was holding the right side of her very pregnant stomach. “Are you in pain?”

  “A little,” Cady confessed. “And unfortunately, I don’t know much. Or rather, let’s say...I don’t know if I can trust what I think I know. So, I don’t put in with anyone’s business. Since I’ve been pregnant my psychic wires have been crossed.”

  “What are you feeling?” Skye asked after she’d crawled behind the wheel of Cady’s nice sports car.