The Strange Healing

by Malone, Misty

  Phil chuckled and said, “I take it you two worked out any issues you may have had when we left you at the pool last night?”

  Sara innocently asked, “Issues? What issues?”

  “Good,” Phil said, nodding his head. “Glad to hear it.”

  Sara grinned as she said, “Me, too.” Heath leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. She smiled at him, and asked, “Do you guys like French toast? Heather mentioned last night that she's got some bananas she's afraid will go bad soon, and I make some banana stuffed French toast that's pretty good if you guys are willing to try it.”

  “Sounds terrific, Honey,” Heath said. “I didn't know you could cook.”

  “Then maybe Heath needs to spend more time getting to know Sara.” She grinned, and went to the refrigerator to pull out what she'd need.

  Heath said, “Brat,” but his smile lessened the impact tremendously. He looked over at Phil, who was smiling, as well.

  Sara had breakfast just about ready when Heather walked into the kitchen, asking, “Who's cooking what? It smells delicious.”

  After breakfast as the girls were cleaning up Heather said, “Sara, I agree with the guys. That was delicious. Thank you for making breakfast, but you didn't need to do that. You're our guest, although I wasn't much of a hostess.”

  “Oh, it was my pleasure, believe me. I love to cook. While we're on the subject, would you mind if I make dinner tomorrow? Yesterday Heath mentioned chicken cacciatore, and I thought I'd make some if you guys like it.”

  Heather laughed as she said, “If you want to impress Heath with cooking, that's the way to do it. His favorite dish is chicken cacciatore. Phil and I love it, too, and I can't make it. I've tried a few times, but it's never worth eating, so I quit trying. There's an Italian restaurant close by that we go to every so often so Heath can get his fix.”

  “Really? He mentioned it, but I had no idea it was his favorite. Now I'm worried, though. I never could find a recipe I especially liked, so I came up with one of my own. What if he doesn't like it?”

  Heather quickly countered with, “But what if he loves it?”

  “Yeah, I guess,” she mumbled. “But what if he doesn't?”

  “Then I'll be impressed that you came up with your own recipe and made it for me, even if it's not what I'm used to.”

  Sara spun around and looked at Heath, who was standing at the doorway and had obviously heard at least part of their conversation. “If you don't like it will you tell me?”

  “Do you want me to?”

  “Yes, of course. If you don't like it I'll let you take me to the restaurant and try the one you like, then I can try to duplicate it.”

  “Deal,” he said, holding out his hand as if to shake on it.

  Grinning, she reached out her hand, which he promptly used to pull her into a hug. After a kiss, he shook her hand, as she laughed.

  They spent the day doing exactly as Heath said; getting to know each other better.

  When Heath took her back to Phil's for the night he said, “You have a good day tomorrow, Honey.”

  “You, too, Heath. Remember to come over for dinner.”

  “Oh, I'll be here. You promised me chicken cacciatore, woman. You bet I'll be here.”

  She laughed, until he gave her a serious goodnight kiss. Now, that got her attention.

  Chapter 10

  Monday morning Phil and Heather walked hand in hand toward the kitchen, smiling when they were greeted by the sound of someone whistling, and the smell of coffee. They stopped in the doorway and watched as Sara bustled around the kitchen, checking the contents in the oven, setting the table, pouring the juice, and cleaning up the kitchen, whistling the entire time.

  Looking at Heather, Phil quietly said, “Someone's happy.”

  Turning at the sound, Sara said, “Oh, good, you're here. The quiche is almost done. Good morning.”

  “Good morning yourself,” Heather said with a big smile. “So, what's up with you this morning?”

  “What do you mean what's up? Nothing in particular.” Turning to take fresh cinnamon rolls from the oven, she said, “Life is grand, isn't it?”

  They both chuckled, remembering their wonderful lovemaking session last night after Heather's spanking. Phil said, “It most certainly is,” while Heather was smiling ear to ear and nodding her head in agreement. Pulling himself from last night's memories, he asked, “What's got you in such a good mood?”

  Looking at them momentarily before turning back to take the quiche from the oven, she said, “Heath.” She paused, and as if lost in a memory herself, added, “What a man.”

  Remembering how she and Phil had ended their night, which had her feeling the same way, Heather almost spit her coffee across the floor. “What did my brother do last night?”

  Turning to look at her oddly, Sara asked, “What do you mean? He didn't do anything in particular. But the more I get to know him, the more, uh, the more I, uh, the more I want –”

  Phil could see that Sara was at a loss for words, and he was pretty sure he knew what his wife was thinking, and he was pretty sure he knew Heath would not have made love to Sara yet, so he jumped in to try to diffuse the situation before it became a true situation. “The more you get to know him the more you want to know him?”

  “Exactly!”

  Heather sighed. “Thank heavens that's what you meant.”

  Sara was clueless when she looked at her. “What did you think I meant?”

  Heather turned red as she admitted, “I didn't know. I mean, you did say what a man.” Sara still looked clueless, so Heather repeated, “What a MAN?”

  When she emphasized the last word Sara caught her meaning. Now it was Sara's turn to blush, as she said, “No, not that kind of man. I mean, I'm sure he is that kind of man, but that's not what I meant.” She turned an even deeper shade of red as she said, “I mean, I guess I'm not sure, not absolutely positive he's that kind of man, but he's probably that kind of man. I mean, I don't know, I can't say from experience, but I'll bet he is. I mean –”

  Phil stepped in. “Sara, if you turn any deeper shade of red I'm going to worry about you, so maybe you need to stop trying to explain yourself. Heather, I'm surprised at you. You know your brother better than that. He would not take advantage of a woman like that, especially someone he cares so deeply for as Sara.”

  Heather looked ashamed as she said, “I know. I'm sorry, Sara. I don't know what made me even think that way.” Grinning at Sara, she said, “Actually, I do know what made me think that way, but that's not something I can tell you about here.”

  “Heather!” Phil's voice boomed across the room, and he blushed this time.

  Sara looked at him, saw him look embarrassed, and looked at Heather. She remembered how they'd come into the kitchen holding hands this morning, and figured out what Heather was referring to. She felt her face heat again.

  Heather saw Sara blush, and knew she'd figured out what she meant. She felt her face heat, too, just as they all heard a knock on the door. Phil was standing right there, so he asked, “Who's there?”

  When Heath responded, the very subject that started all this talk, all three of them looked at each other, as if they'd been caught doing something they shouldn't. Phil opened the door for Heath, looking down at the floor. Heath looked at him oddly, then at the two girls, both with red faces and trying to look anywhere but at him.

  He looked again at all three of them, and asked, “What the heck is going on here?

  All three in unison said, “Don't ask.”

  Heath burst out laughing. The three of them looked at him, then at each other, and one by one, they joined Heath, laughing. They laughed hysterically for a few minutes until Heath, who still didn't know what had happened that had everyone embarrassed, asked, “So will someone please tell me what's going on?”

  He pulled Sara into his arms for a quick kiss, then looked at her expectantly.

  She tried to control her laugh and explain what happened
. “I was whistling and they asked why and I said what a man you are, and Heather thought I meant because we'd made love and I said no, you weren't that kind of man, but then said, yes, you probably were, but not that I knew personally and Phil knew I meant I wanted to know you even better and Heather thought I meant know you better that way and Phil said he didn't know why she was thinking that way and it turns out she was because they did last night and so she thought we did, too.”

  Heath was watching her try and say all that in one breath, while turning red again and obviously embarrassed. He didn't have a clue what she was talking about, other than it had something to do with making love, which right now sounded like a wonderful idea to him since she was as cute as can be with her adorable red face.

  She finished and said, “So the whole thing was so embarrassing, and then you came over, which just made it that much worse.” Hearing what she'd just said, she tried again. “I didn't mean that. It's not worse that you came over. That's fantastic.” She reached up and gave him a quick kiss, before asking, “So why did you stop in this morning? I thought you said you wouldn't be over until tonight?”

  Heath, Phil and Heather all started laughing again, at her obvious attempt to change the subject.

  Heath pulled her in for a hug and a much better good morning kiss. “I came to see you, Sweetheart. I just had to see you a few minutes before I went to work. I seem to be having a hard time getting you off my mind.” He leaned down and gave her another soft kiss. “And now it'll be even harder to get you off my mind because I'll probably spend all day trying to figure out what you just said.”

  They were all four laughing again.

  Phil suggested, “Why don't you sit down and enjoy Sara's cooking again, and then I'll explain it all to you as I walk you out to your car.”

  Heath looked at the food on the table and said, “That's the first thing any of you have said that's made sense all morning.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Sara chased the three of them off after breakfast, insisting she'd clean the kitchen up. They all had to get to work, and she didn't have any work that was pressing right now.

  Once the kitchen was back in order she grabbed her purse and headed for the grocery store. She wanted to be sure she had everything to make dinner before she started illustrating her next book, which was about a purple and pink zebra. She knew she'd need to get some more colored pencils for this new project, especially pink and purple, and planned to get them while she was out, as well.

  Getting the groceries was easy, but they didn't have the colored pencils she'd need. The clerk was very helpful, though, and suggested an office supply store that would probably carry them. She followed the directions and found the store easily, but finding a parking space was a different matter. She drove around the block twice, but no parking spaces were available. She didn't even see any signs pointing to a parking lot.

  She was getting concerned, because she had fresh chicken in the car and she didn't want it to spoil. All she needed was five minutes and she'd be in and out. On the third time around the block she saw what she thought was a space in front of a line of parked cars, and pulled in. As she got out of the car to go in the store, however, she saw a fire hydrant, and the yellow paint indicating no parking. She looked at the hydrant, and then at the store. She knew she could grab the pencils and be back out in five minutes, and she didn't want the chicken to spoil, so she made a quick dash for the store.

  Four minutes later she hurried back out to her car, only to find a policeman placing a ticket on her windshield. She ran up to him, saying, “Officer, I'm really sorry I parked here.”

  “I am, too, Miss.”

  “But I drove around the block three times and couldn't find anywhere to park, and I had fresh chicken in the car that would spoil, and I knew it would take me less than five minutes in the store.” Looking at her watch, she added, “And it did. It took four minutes. Surely you understand my dilemma.”

  The officer looked sympathetic as he said, “Ma'am, I do understand your dilemma. However, the law is the law for a reason. What would have happened if there would have been a fire and you were blocking access to the hydrant?”

  “But sir, I was only in there four minutes.”

  “Sorry, ma'am.”

  “So what do I have to do now? I'm not from here. Where do I have to go to pay this, and how much is it?”

  “The fine is $200 and you can pay it around the corner there at the Municipal Building.” He smiled a little as he said, “If you can't find a place to park and would rather, you can mail it in.”

  “$200? For parking for four minutes? That's highway robbery!”

  “Ma'am, I don't set the fines, I just enforce the law.”

  Sara was about to explode, but she carefully made a concerted effort to control her temper. She took two deep breaths before saying, “I understand. I'm sorry, Officer, I didn't mean to take it out on you.”

  “Thank you, ma'am. I hope your day goes better.”

  “Yeah, me, too,” she mumbled as he walked off. She got in her car and drove back to Phil and Heather's, still upset.

  When she got inside she fixed some tea to calm down. She knew the sooner she could put this whole incident behind her and forget about it the better off she'd be. She wanted to start working on her zebra book today before she cooked dinner, so she got her checkbook out and wrote out the check. She put it in the envelope provided with the ticket and put a stamp on it. She put it on the counter so she'd remember to ask Heather where to mail it.

  She got out her new pencils and the book she was to illustrate, and got busy. She got so involved in her work that she didn't check the clock until it was time to start dinner. She gathered all her papers up from the table and moved them to her bedroom, and returned to start dinner.

  Two hours later the four of them sat down to a dinner of salad with homemade dressing, chicken cacciatore, garlic bread, and a white chocolate mousse for dessert. Everyone complimented Sara on the wonderful food, and they settled into easy conversation while enjoying their meal.

  When they were ready for dessert Heather got up to get coffee. She saw the envelope on the counter and picked it up as she asked, “Sara, what's this?”

  “Oh, that's something I have to mail. Is there a mailbox around here somewhere I can drop it in?”

  Phil glanced over at it, and being a police officer, he immediately knew what it was. Glancing at Heath, he asked, “Sara, what did you get a ticket for?”

  As Phil expected, Heath was instantly concerned. “You got a ticket? What for?”

  Heather's head popped up. She was on high alert, but Sara, who was still new to the whole concept of men who looked out for you, was unaware of the danger lurking behind the questions the men had asked. She innocently answered, “For parking in front of a fire hydrant, but that was ridiculous.”

  Sara didn't see the look the two men exchanged, but Heather did. She tried to warn Sara, but being naive, Sara forged ahead without the concern she should have had. “I couldn't find a place to park, so I drove around a couple times. I thought I finally found one, but when I got out of the car I saw the hydrant. I knew I'd only be a few minutes, so I ran in quick and hurried right back out, but it was too late. A cop was just putting the ticket on the windshield.”

  She looked up and saw two men with stern faces, looking frightfully upset, and Heather, looking very concerned, but sympathetic. “What?”

  Heath looked at Phil, then back to Sara. He cleared his throat before slowing saying, “I think I'd rather wait a while before having dessert.” Standing, he asked, “Phil and Heather, could you please excuse us for a little while? I think it's time for Sara and I to have a discussion, and we need a little privacy for this. We'll go to my condo for a little while, and we'll have our dessert when we come back. Feel free to have yours now if you want.”

  Phil readily responded, “I understand, Heath. Take your time.”

  Heath nodded his thanks, then turned to his sister
. “Heather, I hate to ask you this, but would you mind cleaning up after dinner tonight?”

  Before she could answer, Sara said, “Heath, that's nonsense. I don't know what you want to discuss so bad all of a sudden, but whatever it is can wait until I help Heather do the dishes. It's not fair to leave them all for her.”

  Heather went over to Sara, who had already picked up some of the dishes to take to the sink. She took the dishes from her hands and with a grim expression said, “No, Sara, it's okay. I don't mind, really. You cooked a delicious meal for us. I'll do the dishes. You need to go with Heath right now.” Sara was obviously confused, and Heather quietly told her, “If you want to talk when you come back, just tell me. I don't have to be at work as early tomorrow, so we can talk as much as you want after we have our dessert.”

  Sara still didn't understand what Heather was talking about, but both men seemed to, so she didn't argue. She let Heath lead her out the door, and they walked hand in hand to his condo in silence. She was trying, unsuccessfully, to make sense of what was happening.

  When they entered Heath's condo, he led her directly to the couch. He sat down, pulling her down beside him. She looked up at him with such innocent eyes he had to steel himself to do what he knew he needed to do.

  Taking one of her hands in his, he said, “Sara, I want to talk to you about the ticket you got today.”

  She suspiciously answered, “Okay.”

  “Have you gotten many tickets in the past?”

  Still confused and suspicious, she answered, “No, not many. Why?”

  “Good, I'm glad. Can you tell me why you thought it would be okay today to ignore the law?”

  She quickly tried to correct him. “I didn't think it was okay to ignore the law today. I just couldn't find anywhere to park. When I realized there was a hydrant there I decided I would be in and out quicker than I could get back in my car and drive around more. I had chicken in the car and I didn't want it to spoil. So I hurried in and back and would have been gone in five minutes. No problem. No harm done.”