SOLACE: Behind The Shield (Beauty 0f Life Book 2)

by Laura Acton

  “Now, let’s get you situated,” she said. “Bram, the girls are just out of their baths. Would you please check on them? Leslie planned to help Allie dress, but she might need some help. You know how Allie can be at times.”

  Grinning, Bram bounded up the stairs, leaving Dan in Kellie’s capable and caring hands.

  Kellie noted Dan’s questioning mien. “Allie likes to run around nude sometimes. She can be slippery to catch and dress. A phase I’m praying she snaps out of soon.” Kellie gently touched Dan’s arm. “Your room is this way.”

  Somewhat unsteady, Dan followed her to a downstairs bedroom across from the family room. He stopped and scanned the cozy room decorated with tons of Christmas items.

  The huge, real tree lit with hundreds of multi-colored lights gave off a pleasant pine scent. It brimmed with an assortment of ornaments. Many appeared to be handmade by children. A mid-sized fireplace with a fire softly flickering in the hearth took up most of the outside wall. An enormous overstuffed couch and three comfy looking chairs were positioned in front of the fireplace. Warm, inviting, and homey.

  An outlandish thought formed. If a room could do such a thing, Dan believed if he entered, the room would hug him. Tempted to find out, he wavered on one foot, leaning heavily on the crutches. Inwardly shaking his head, because physically doing so would cause him to hurl, Dan wondered at his bizarre thought. He had not taken the painkillers, yet his thoughts were loopy. Crap, I rattled my brain too much this time.

  He was brought back to the present as Kellie said, “This is your room.”

  Dan turned and spotted Kellie standing in the doorway with a warm smile on her face. He slowly and unsteadily made his way into the guest room as he fought another wave of nausea.

  Bram’s Home – Dan’s Room

  Once Dan hobbled in, Kellie said, “The bathroom is the next door down, but I put a trashcan next to the bed in case you need it. Getting to the washroom fast enough might be difficult with your injured ankle.”

  Patting the bureau, Kellie drew Dan’s attention. “I set out a pair of Bram’s sweats and a t-shirt here for you. The sweats have a drawstring so you can cinch them to fit. They’ll be quite big on you given Bram’s size, but they should do for tonight. I thought they would be more comfortable for you to sleep in than your jeans and button-down shirt. Tomorrow, Bram can run to your place and grab you something to wear, if you want.”

  Kellie glimpsed two quick, but gone-in-an-instant emotions. The first occurred as Dan peered into their family room. He appeared to yearn for something. The second was astonishment when she told him about the clothes. Her offer was a simple thing, but she formed the impression it surprised him anyone would think of his comfort.

  “Uh … thanks.” Dan was unsure what to do next, but he moved towards the bed because the room spun and he needed to sit before he fell. He managed to make it to the edge of the mattress and thankfully the spinning stopped. Eyeing the small trashcan, Dan didn’t want to puke in front of Kellie—that would be embarrassing.

  Kellie headed to the door. “I’ll leave you now so you can change. Bram will be back to check on you after the girls are in their PJs.”

  Within thirty minutes, Dan was changed, tucked into bed with his foot propped up by several folded blankets, and had an ice pack on his ankle. Dan took the pain meds at Kellie’s soft urging. The house was mostly quiet, which also helped with his pain.

  Bram brought in three of his four girls to introduce them before shooing them out. When he left, Bram left the door ajar in case Dan needed him. As he rested in the darkened room, occasional giggles of excited, joyful girls filtered in. He glanced at the clock, noting it was only eight-thirty. Haven’t been in bed this early in a long time. Though, I have not had a concussion in ages, either. Wait, my last one was only a few months ago, but who is counting?

  Staring at the ceiling, glad his sensitivity to light had receded, Dan hoped his headache and nausea would leave soon, too. His stomach growled at him, but he didn’t dare eat. He didn’t want anything making a return trip.

  To distract himself from hunger, he conjured an image of Bram sitting on the couch in front of the fire. Bram cuddled a daughter on each side of him and held one daughter in his lap as he read to them. Dan pictured Kellie smiling and sitting in one of the comfortable chairs holding their infant as her husband cared for the other girls. Kellie possessed a welcoming smile.

  Dan relaxed, drifting closer to sleep with the calm cadence of Bram’s voice reading Twas the Night Before Christmas, and the scents of pine, hot chocolate, and cinnamon wafting around him.

  Home. This is the home of a loving and caring family. Something denied him as a child which he desperately craved. Would’ve been nice to grow up with someone like Bram as a Dad. Sleep finally claimed him taking him into a dream world where he was loved and not alone.

  Bram’s Home – Family Room – 11:59 p.m.

  After checking on Dan, Bram returned to the family room, finding Kellie curled up on the couch with a mug of coffee in her hands as she gazed at the blinking lights on the tree. She had an odd expression on her face. Bram sat beside her and pulled her to him.

  Kellie relaxed and lay her head on Bram’s shoulder. She checked her watch, noting it was almost midnight. “How’s he doing?”

  Bram appropriated the coffee, took a long drink, then set the ceramic mug on the end table before answering. “As well as can be expected. Dry heaves again. Nothing in his stomach to throw up. Dan told me he didn’t have time to eat today.” He glanced at the clock on the fireplace mantle as it chimed midnight. “Well, actually yesterday. Got him to take a few sips of the ginger ale you brought him, but still a no go on the dry toast. He’s resting again. I’ll check on him in a couple of hours.”

  “Concussions are no fun. I hope all the squealing in the morning won’t be too painful for him.” Kellie peered up at Bram. “Now that I’ve met him, I truly think Dan is lonely. I’m sorry he ended up with a concussion, but in a way, I’m glad. This way he is with us and won’t be alone on Christmas. Bram, you should’ve seen the expressions on his face when he looked in here earlier and when I offered your sweats to him.”

  “He’s difficult … no impossible to read. What did you perceive?” Bram asked.

  Kellie shifted, sitting straight to face him. “It’s hard to describe. The emotions were so brief. If I had not been looking at him, I would’ve missed them entirely. Gave me the impression of sadness, surprise, and longing all rolled into one. I might be reading too much into this, but I sense he’s been alone for a long time. I’m unsure why, … only a … I mean, I don’t know anything about him. Bram, why would he be surprised someone treated him with kindness?”

  “I’m not sure.” Bram thought back to the hospital and his own impression Dan longed for something he never had or something he used to have.

  “You never answered me when I asked about his family. Wouldn’t they want to be here and take care of him? Particularly during the holidays. For that matter, you all have four days off. Don’t they live in Ottawa? He has the time to go visit them. Why wouldn’t he?” Kellie fired off several questions.

  Bram sighed as he recalled Dan’s words in the emergency room. “Dan told me not to bother contacting his parents because they wouldn’t come.”

  “Won’t bother to come? Why would he think that?” Kellie spoke her thoughts out loud.

  “Not everyone grows up in a loving family, Kellie. Though, I think Dan and his father don’t relate well. He mentioned his father once, and his tone was full of derision and he referred to him as the general.”

  “But his mother would come, wouldn’t she?”

  Reaching for the coffee mug, Bram recalled a fleeting sadness on Dan’s face when he asked about calling his mother. He took a sip. “It might be complicated like it was with Loki’s ma. The general could be controlling like Loki’s stepfather.

  “I remember Loki saying his mother was cowed by the verbal abuse his stepfather rained down
on her and hesitated to do things she wanted if they differed from her husband’s dictates, even when related to her children. Could be the same with Dan’s mother.”

  Kellie thought about hers and Bram’s extended family and suggested, “Perhaps other family? Aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins … someone?”

  Bram shook his head. “I don’t know. Apart from the one time Dan mentioned his father, in all the months he has been with the team, Dan’s never shared a single thing regarding family. Nothing, nada, zilch. He doesn’t talk about his past at all and shares nothing of a personal nature.

  “Well, except for what he shared with us about the death of his best friend, Brody. I’m glad Dan told us. I hate the circumstance under which it was revealed, but I think it was beneficial for all of us. It showed us the enormous guilt he carries and explains why he is closed off. I still can’t believe how awful we treated him. Already in in such pain and we heaped more crap on him.” Bram sighed. An ugly, yet ultimately useful confrontation between Jon and Dan conjured remorse in Bram. They failed horribly with Dan.

  Kellie grasped one of Bram’s large hands in her smaller ones. “That, my dear, is in the past. You’re doing the right thing now. Give it time. Things will work out. Dan needs time to accept you are all there for him and everyone wants him on the team.

  “Trust takes time to build and is a fragile thing. Once built, it can be reinforced with time and actions, and become rock solid. But it can be broken by a single action, too. So, don’t hurry the process and tread carefully with him. Give him time to realize you are a man he can trust.”

  Bram placed his other hand over hers. Kellie always said the words he needed and helped soothe him. “You’re right, sweetheart. And I’m pleased Dan is with us, too. Why don’t you head up to bed? I’ll camp out here for tonight. I want to be near the guest room in case Dan becomes sick again.”

  Scooting close, Kellie kissed the tip of his nose then grinned. “You’re a fine man, Bram. I’m kinda glad I married you.”

  “Just kind of?” Bram retorted with a playful smile.

  Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed Bram ardently for several minutes. When Kellie drew back her eyes shone with the deep love she held for Bram. “Kinda like, I like kissing you,” Kellie teased as she rose and picked up three parcels from the table.

  Recovering from the passionate kiss which stirred his loins, Bram asked, “What are those?” He leaned back and kicked his feet up onto the couch.

  Kellie set them down under the tree and came back to the sofa. “A few presents for Dan that the girls made him. When you were at the hospital, I told them Dan was coming to stay with us.

  “Allie became sad and I asked her why. She told me Santa Claus might not know where Dan is because he isn’t at his home. She didn’t want Dan to not have any presents to open. So, our daughters whipped up gifts for him.”

  “Wow, just wow! We have some very special girls. Makes my heart burst with pride at their thoughtfulness,” Bram’s mouth open in a broad proud papa smile.

  Leaning down, Kellie kissed Bram once more. “Mine, too. Merry Christmas, honey. Goodnight. See you in a couple of hours. If you need any help with Dan, come wake me.”

  Bram kissed her back. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart. Sleep well.”

  Christmas Morning to Cherish

  15

  December 25 – Christmas Day

  Bram’s Home – Dan’s Room – 4:00 a.m.

  Dan woke instantly sensing someone in the room with him. He maintained his breathing as he stealthily assessed his surroundings and pretended to be asleep. He relaxed after hearing soft, light breathing near him.

  He cracked his eyes open. Before him, stood a lovely little girl staring at him with eyes which sparkled blue-green like her father’s. Her light brown hair was mussed up, and she wore a set of candy cane flannel pajamas. In her arms, she held a love-worn, stuffed teddy bear. If he remembered right, this was Bram’s three-year-old daughter, Allie. Dan smiled. “Hello, Allie.” She smiled at him so brightly it lit up her eyes even more. She will be a heartbreaker for sure when she grows up.

  Allie tossed the bear up onto the bed, reached out, grabbed the sheets, and pulled herself up too. She retrieved her bear from his stomach and then sat next to him.

  Dan looked at the door wondering where her parents were. Everything remained still and quiet in the house. He glanced at the clock. No wonder it’s quiet … only four in the morning.

  Allie snuggled close seeking warmth. “Mommy says, you my Uncle Dan.”

  The honorary title of uncle threw Dan for a loop. “Where are your sisters or Mommy?”

  Propping her elbows on his chest and placing her chin in her hands, Allie yawned. “Sleeping. Santy Taws coming. I wanna see what he gots me, but I havtas wait for Leslie and Emilie. I wait heres with yous?”

  Dan smiled at her addition of s on words and mispronunciation of Santa Claus. Too cute. “Sure, I guess.” When she shivered, he asked, “Are you cold?” She nodded, and Dan pulled the blanket up covering her.

  Allie regarded the man a long time. “Mommy said Santy Taws will finds yous if you not home. True?”

  Unsure exactly what to say, Dan scrambled to come up with a suitable answer. “Yes, he will, or he’ll leave my gift at my home, and I can open it when I return.” A sad thought plagued him. This is the first Christmas without Brody. There will be no small token to be found on my bed.

  “Yous sure?” Allie’s tone filled with doubtful.

  Dan realized his sadness must have shown in his expression and made Allie not believe him. He schooled his features and tried again to alleviate her concern. “Yes. Santa located me in many different places when I served in the Army.”

  Allie gave him an assessing look—like she still doubted him. Dan thought about the small tokens he and Brody exchanged. For the past six years, the gifts were consumables, a bottle of water, a bag of nuts, or a power bar. It had to be small and practical because Dan was always in the field on Christmas. It was not the actual item which held meaning, but the thought behind the giving.

  He only spent two of the last six Christmases with Brody. One he missed entirely being held captive, and the other three years he spent with other units, but Brody always found a way for the practical gift to make it to his bunk regardless. The present awaited him when he returned from a mission. He guessed Brody might be considered his Santa Claus.

  Smiling and trying to convey honesty, or at least as honest as possible about the version of Santa little kids believed in, he said, “I promise. I have not been home in years, and Santa always found me.”

  Pursing her lips together hard, Allie stared into her new uncle’s eyes for several moments. “Pinkie promise?”

  Unsure what the color pink had to do with a promise, Dan said, “Pinky promise.”

  Her little hand moved, and she stuck out her pinkie finger. When he didn’t move, Allie grabbed his hand and put their pinkies together then gave them a firm shake.

  Ah … Dan got it. “Yes, pinkie promise, Allie.”

  She smiled enthusiastically again as she resumed her position with her chin in her palms and her elbows on his chest. “Good. Do yous likes cookies? We leaves cookies for Santy Taws. He eats most, but leaves some for Daddy, ‘cause Daddy likes ‘em, too. Leslie won’t let Daddy eat any last night. But I thinks he snucked one. I saws the cinam … cinammammon sugar on his mouth,” Allie rambled.

  “Yeah, I like cookies,” Dan thought she was trying to say cinnamon.

  “What’s yous favorite? Mine’s peanut butter chocolate chips,” Allie shared.

  Dan grinned. “Oatmeal raisin with walnuts.”

  Allie looked sad. “Wes dinna make any of those.” Then she brightened again. “Mommy helppded mes make stars sugar cookies with red and green sprinkles. Maybe yous like dat one?”

  “If you made them, I’m sure I will.” Dan realized his head didn’t throb as much. Now only a dull ache and no nausea. “When do you get up for Ch
ristmas?” As soon as he inquired he recognized she was too little to be able to tell time yet. She shrugged.

  For the next half hour, Allie asked him all sorts of questions. What colors are his favorites? Does he like dogs, cats, or horses? Would he help build a snowman? Did he enjoy playing dolls? Can he spell his name? What games he played? Who was his favorite princess? The interrogation went on and on with queries only a little girl could ask. She also supplied an answer for each one of the questions. Dan learned a lot about sweet little Allie.

  “I likes yous Uncle Danny. Glads yous here.” Allie yawned and laid her head on his chest. Her eyes blinked several times before remaining closed. In a matter of moments, she fell asleep.

  With her sparkly eyes, sweet smile, and inquisitive nature, Allie wiggled into a special place in Dan’s heart rather swiftly. A precocious girl who, although she didn’t look like Sara, reminded him of his sister’s personality. Dan sensed an instant connection with Allie.

  He wrapped a protective arm around sweet Allie, preventing her from falling off the bed. Dan yawned, smiled, and slipped back to sleep himself.

  Bram’s Home – Family Room – 8:30 a.m.

  A bustle of activity occurred as rambunctious giggling girls bounced around squealing at all the wrapped presents. Ensconced on the couch with his leg propped up and a blanket over him, because Kellie insisted he stay warm, Dan sipped from the mug of hot coffee Bram brought him. In his lap lay a plate of star-shaped cookies liberally covered in red and green sprinkles. He had taken a nibble of one and declared them delicious, causing Allie to beam.

  Dan relaxed as he observed the antics. Now eight-thirty in the morning, the De Haven family geared up to unwrap gifts. Kellie sat in one of the chairs holding their fourth daughter, Sharlie. The one to whom Bram sang ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ to calm her down.

  As Bram finished sorting out all the presents, Dan could almost feel the anticipation of the three older girls as their gleaming faces begged their dad to let them open presents. Bram counted down from ten then shouted, “Merry Christmas.” Apparently, that was the signal to begin opening presents. A sudden snowstorm of paper pieces flew around the room.