by Jacki Renée
“She’ll be calling me daddy by the end of Emm’s party.” He smiles.
“And I’ll kick your ass,” I warn.
CHAPTER SEVEN
I can’t escape the stench of fish and old socks. It’s suffocating me. Hundreds of hands grab me, pulling me down.
The scream tears from my throat and my eyes pop open.
Panic spreads through my body.
Where am I?
This isn’t my bed.
The room is dark except for the moon’s light glimmering through the glass doors.
“Kourtney,” I yell out, kicking the covers off.
Hands clamp down on my shoulders. I shriek and knock them off.
“You’re safe, Dani,” Bryan whispers.
I blink, several times until my eyes adjust to the dimness. I take a deep breath and give my mind time to catch up.
Kourtney is safe. We’re at Bryan’s house. No one can hurt us here.
Out of nowhere, grief overshadows panic and tears flow from my eyes. Bryan’s fingers brush them away. His tender touch makes me cry harder. My heart aches for the years I’ve needed a comforting touch.
His warm body slides into bed next to me. He pulls me into his arms and shelters us with the covers.
I rest my head on the soft cotton of the shirt covering Bryan’s chest. The steady beat of his heart helps calm me. It’s familiar.
“Go back to sleep, Dani. I’ll fight off the bad guys for you.” His arms tighten around me. I close my eyes. Relax my body. And will myself to go back to sleep.
***
A softness against my ear and Bryan’s whispered words awaken me. “The PA is here to check you.”
Rolling over, I peek at the clock; it’s six in the morning. Falling asleep in his arms kept the bad dreams away.
Bryan helps me sit up.
The name on the badge attached to her powder blue scrubs reads Charisse Flowers, PA, along with her picture. I know she’s from the hospital; I have the same badge.
PA Flowers is a short, plus-size Black woman with a warm smile and gentle touch. Her long dark hair has purple and pink highlights.
She asks questions as she examines me.
I yawn through my answers.
After typing notes on a tablet, she leaves.
Bryan comes out of the bathroom; a loosely tied hunter-green robe doesn’t hide his body. His brown hair is darkened by water and slicked back. “Don’t worry about Kourt. Marie will make sure she’s ready for school.” He winks at me on his way to the closet.
“Thank you.” I snuggle into the bed, closing my eyes. I fall asleep to the sounds of him moving around the bedroom.
Sometime later, a soft knock wakes me. Footsteps pad across the room.
“May I see my mom?” Kourtney whispers.
“Of course you may. Come on in,” Bryan says.
To gage her reaction to seeing me asleep in his bed, I purposely keep my eyes closed as I listen to two sets of feet approach. I hope the bruises on my face don’t scare the girls.
“Is she okay?” Kourtney asks.
“She’s fine and will be even better in a day or so.” Bryan’s tone sounds reassuring. “Are you girls ready for a three-week winter break?”
I wait for the answer, but one isn’t spoken.
“Dad, can we go ice skating on the pond after school?” Emma asks.
“I’ll ask Marie and Willis to take you.”
“I’ve never been ice skating,” Kourtney says, her voice laced with excitement.
“We want you to take us,” Emma pleads. “You’re the best teacher.”
“How can I argue with that?” He chuckles. “I’ll take you two down to the pond.”
I stretch and moan, opening my eyes.
“Good morning, Mommy.” Kourtney climbs onto the bed dressed in her school uniform.
Bryan helps me sit up and stacks pillows behind me. He’s dressed in a white shirt and platinum black pinstripe suit pants.
“How did you sleep?” I ask Kourtney.
She giggles as I tickle her. “Like a baby.”
“Your hair looks cute.” I play with the intricately constructed braids.
“Ms. Marie did it.”
“Did you sit still or did you give her a hard time?”
A sheepish smile spreads across Kourtney’s face. “I tried my best to sit still.”
I turn my attention to Emma. Her hair is braided like Kourtney’s. “Good morning, Emma. How did you sleep?” I reach my hand out to her.
There’s an unhappy expression on her face.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?” I cup her chin in my hand.
She stares at my face. “It’s my fault Uncle Vinny hurt you.”
“I’m fine. Just next time introduce me to your uncle before I punch him.” I laugh and tickle her.
“I tried... to tell you... it was... Uncle... Vinny.” She stutters. The sound of her laughter brings on memories of better times.
I wrap both girls in my arms, ignoring the ache in my shoulder.
“Dani, are you hungry?” His voice sounds off. Emotional.
I watch him, hoping he looks at me when he finishes buttoning the vest.
“No one ever calls Mom Dani. She doesn’t like it,” Kourtney says.
Finally, his gaze meets mine. The suffering in his eyes makes me blink back tears. Maybe being a single parent hasn’t been easy on him either. Although the Franklins weren’t my real family, I knew what it was like to grow up in a two-parent home. I want my daughter to have that experience. I’ve dreamed of family time like this, Kourtney’s with her dad and sister. As much as I tried to get over him, those dreams always included her father. Does Bryan have those same dreams for Emma?
“Yeah, she told me, but I call her Dani because I care about her. And I call you Kourt because I care about you too.” The pain in his eyes is gone. He playfully pulls one of her braids. “Go eat breakfast. We’ll be leaving in thirty minutes.”
Kourtney kisses my bruised cheek, then jumps off the bed and runs out of the room. Emma follows her.
“Have a good day,” I call after them.
“You, too, Mom.” Her voice echoes from the hall.
“Bry...”
He turns and walks toward the closet, cutting me off. Okay, he doesn’t want to talk about it. I’ll let it go for now.
“So you’re leaving me to fend for myself?” I raise my voice so he can hear me.
He steps out of the closet with his suit jacket on. “I have something going on at work that requires my attention. Marie and Willis are here. If you need me, just call. Your number is on the list. Riley will put your calls through even if I’m in a meeting.”
I ease back down in the bed and roll onto my stomach. “Remind Kourtney to take the gift bag I left next to her backpack. Ms. Williamson’s gift is in there too.”
“I’ll check on you in the afternoon, Dani.” His soft lips linger on my forehead.
***
Marie brings in a breakfast smoothie a little after nine. Chewing food clashed with the pounding headache.
My cell phone buzzes while I’m sipping the thick berry-flavored beverage. It’s an email from Bryan. He called in sick for me. It feels good to be taken care of.
In high school, James came to visit me the few times I’d gotten sick. He brought me comfort food and gossip about what I’d missed at school. I did the same for him. Boy, the slightest ailment sent him over the deep end. It was up to me to pull him back up.
I swallow another pain pill and go back to sleep.
In the afternoon, my cell phone rings. I reach for it with my eyes closed.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been hit by a tank.”
Bryan laughs. “That’s a good way to describe Vin.”
Hmph.
“Sorry it’s taking me longer than expected to handle things at work. Do you need anything?” he asks.
“I’m fine.”
The bedroom door opens afte
r a soft knock. Marie comes in carrying a tray.
“Are you eating?” Bryan asks.
“Marie just walked in with a tray.”
“I’ll let you go. Enjoy your lunch.”
“See you when you get here.” I end the call and sit up, stacking pillows behind me.
“Homemade chicken noodle soup,” Marie says.
I stare at the big bowl. There’s no way I can eat all this.
The chime of the doorbell rings throughout the house.
“Eat what you can, dear. Leave the tray on the nightstand. I’ll come back for it in a little while,” she says rushing out of the room, closing the door behind her.
I take a tentative sip from the spoon. Not bad. This isn’t a canned soup.
My eyes droop. I fight to open the lids. Dr. Acosta wasn’t kidding when he said the pain medication would make me drowsy. I try to eat, but my eyes won’t stay open.
***
I feel the presence of two little girls standing on the side of the bed, watching me sleep.
“Hi, baby, how was your day?” My voice sounds muffled because my cheek is pressed into the pillow.
“I got a good gift from Karen Patterson.”
“What did you get?” I ask.
“A teddy bear diary with a lock and key.”
“How was your day, Emma?” My eyes do not have to be open to know she’s standing next to Kourtney.
“I didn’t like Jacob Brooks’s gift.”
“What did he get you?” I ask.
“A ring with a shiny pony on it.”
“Sweetie, when you get older you’ll be happy to get a shiny ring from a boy.”
Bryan grunts. “Over my dead body, and not even then.”
My eyes spring open. He walks out of the closet pulling a sweatshirt over his head.
How long has he been here? The girls have changed out of their uniforms.
I look at the time. It’s only two o’clock. They get out of school at two fifty.
“Marie has a snack waiting for you in the...” The girls are out of the room before he finishes.
I throw the covers back and stretch. “What time did you guys get here?”
“One thirty.” He disappears in his closet. “I picked them up early. I wanted to avoid the after school traffic jam.”
“I need to get up and go to the pond with you guys.”
Bryans leans on the doorframe, arms folded. Blocking me. “Ig said not to overdo it. Besides, you heard Emm. I’m the best teacher.”
So he knew I was pretending to be asleep this morning.
“I’ve been in bed all day. My body needs movement. Where’s my suitcase?” I try to squeeze past him. He holds me by the waist from behind.
“Marie unpacked your clothes and, knowing her, she put your underwear in my top drawer and moved mine to the bottom.” Bryan’s seductive whisper makes my stomach ache, in a sensual way. I lean back, loving the feel of his body against mine.
Knock.
Knock.
I hear the bedroom doors open.
“Danielle, I brought you a passion fruit smoothie for a snack,” Marie announces.
Bryan and I pull away from each other like teenagers getting caught doing adult things. I turn around in time to witness Marie scowling at him.
Bryan kisses my cheek and fast walks out of the bedroom.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The pond is about a seven-minute casual stroll from the house. The cement path cleared of snow. Bryan carries a plaid fleece blanket under his arm. A pair of black ice skates, tied at the laces, dangle over his shoulder.
We pass a one-story house, not too far from the main house.
Bryan cleans off a spot on a bench for me to sit and watch.
“You own all this property?” The wooded area, just beyond the pond, is full of winter-bare trees.
He nods. “It took a couple years to build the house and remodel the old one for Willis and Marie. The pond is manmade. We’ve been here for five years.” He unfolds the blanket, wrapping it around me.
I’ve asked him more than once how long he’s been in Boulder. He didn’t answer the first time, yet he so nonchalantly tells me now. A mixture of emotions rolls through me at the revelation. Bryan’s being closemouthed about himself. Am I being irrational for feeling hurt that he’s being secretive?
And this land. That house. It’s bigger than the dream home I designed in my head while cuddling in bed with Kourtney’s father. Once he was gone, the house went with him. Or so I thought. I’m staring at it. Temporarily living in it. We were supposed to share a home like this. Is my irritation over the pride Bryan takes in constructing this place justified? Why do I suddenly feel like he’s trying to make up for something?
Kourtney’s excited laughter draws my attention. I stop living in the past and push aside those thoughts, tucking them away until there’s a better time and place to analyze them. What’s important in this moment is my daughter’s happiness about spending time with her best friend and Bryan.
Bryan helps Emma put on her skates and she takes off, gliding on the frozen water.
He turns to Kourtney, explaining the skate’s blade and how to lace the ties of a pair of brand new ice skates.
How early did he pick them up?
With skates on his feet, Bryan guides Kourtney onto the frozen surface, holding both her hands. As he skates backwards, coaching and instructing, he tells her the ice isn’t smooth like at an ice skating rink.
It doesn’t take long before she lets go of his hands to skate on her own.
Lots of slips and falls later, Kourtney glides across the ice with confidence. Bryan skates near her. And once she’s more stable, Emma shows her how to do a small jump.
After wincing and gritting my teeth, I finally relax enough to laugh and clap in encouragement, and take pictures with my phone.
Bryan snaps close-ups of them on his phone and sends them to me.
I’m happy I didn’t miss this, especially the ice skating bunny hop the three of them are doing right now. It’s really nice to see this side of Bryan. He’s relaxed and a natural with the girls.
A cool breeze flows through the trees. I shiver and wrap the blanket tighter around my shoulders. The sun is sinking lower, the chill growing in the air.
My smiles and words of encouragement falter. The headache returns with a vengeance. I try to hide the pain as best I can. Bryan keeps glancing over at me.
“Hey, girls, it’s getting late. How about we head back for hot chocolate?” he suggests.
Kourtney hugs him. “Thank you for teaching me to ice skate.”
“You’re welcome, Kourt.” He hugs her back.
I stand and fold the blanket while he helps them take off and store their skates in matching bags.
Bryan slides his arm around my waist. We casually walk back to the house. Kourtney and Emma run ahead, giggling.
“What time did you pick them up from school?” I ask.
“Not that early.” He gives me a sideways glance and I raise a questioning eyebrow. “I picked them up after lunch. We went to the mall to get Kourt a pair of ice skates.” He shrugs his shoulders and I raise both eyebrows. “They weren’t doing anything today, just partying.”
I know there’s more to the story.
“Go up to my room and rest. I’ll have Marie bring up your dinner.”
Bryan and I walk through the side door. I hear the girls in the kitchen asking to help make the hot chocolate. He points me in the opposite direction.
I go upstairs, kick off my boots, climb onto the bed, and close my eyes. Sleep comes right away. I dream of a gentle and patient Mr. Tall-And-Sexy teaching me other things.
***
A soft shake of my shoulder and I open my eyes. Dr. Acosta stands next to the bed. The lamp on my side is on. Outside, the sun has set and the sky is dark.
“Hello, Danielle. How are you feeling?”
“A lot better.” I sit up.
He’s dressed in a dark b
lue business suit that looks like it was made to fit his body.
He opens his medical bag. “The PA said your headaches aren’t as intense. The pills are helping?” He checks my eyes.
“Yes, they’re working.”
“Follow my finger with your eyes,” he instructs. “Bryan and Marie adhering to your discharge orders?”
My eyes move left, right, up, and down. “Yes. He’s been taking good care of me.” My eyes cross as his finger taps the tip of my nose.
Dr. Acosta types notes on a tablet. “On a scale of one to ten how bad are the headaches today?”
“A six compared to the ten yesterday.”
He asks more questions as he examines my shoulder and the bump on my forehead. He types more notes on the tablet, then leaves.
I snuggle down and go back to sleep.
***
“Danielle, wake up, dear.”
Rolling onto my back, I open my eyes. Someone covered me with a warm blanket.
Marie’s holding a tray with covered dishes and a glass of iced tea. I struggle to sit up and pile pillows behind my back.
“You must eat something. I tried waking you earlier, but you asked me to let you sleep for another hour.”
I rub my eyes. I don’t remember any of that happening.
Taking the tray from her hands, I place it over my lap and lift the metal covers. “Thank you, Marie. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble making pudding.”
She brushes my cheek with her hand, a motherly gesture. “It was no trouble at all. Kourtney told me you like banana pudding, but I believe it’s more her favorite than it is yours. I was told yours is better.” She sits on the couch, pulling out her knitting needles.
“Where are the girls?” I look at the time on the clock above the fireplace.
“They’re in the family room playing a board game.”
“With Bryan?”
The needles pause and Marie frowns. “He had a business meeting and will be back late.” Her lips tighten and tension wrinkles form around her eyes and mouth.
It’s best to keep the rest of my questions about Bryan to myself.
Under Marie’s watchful eye, I clean my plate and eat half the pudding. Not to toot my own horn, but mine is better.
Marie stores her yarn and needles, retrieves the tray, and leaves the room.
I slip out of bed, use the bathroom, then go downstairs to check on the girls.