Brown Eyed Girl

by Lori Leger

  “Red told me I was.”

  Drake’s booming laugh carried over the lines. “Good, he’ll respect you more for it. I’m wrapping up a few cases and by the beginning of next week I should be able to start looking for two places in Lake Coburn, one to live in and one to operate a business out of.”

  “You can stay in my rent house—it’s mine until May. I wish you luck with everything, and I can’t wait to have you nearby.”

  “Thanks, Sis. Is Christmas still set for your house?”

  “As far as I know; are you still coming?”

  “You bet your ass I am. I guess you know what happened.”

  “Uh uh, I don’t know a damn thing,” she said, and smiled when she heard his deep chuckle.

  “Yeah, sure you don’t. I’ll talk to you later. Love you sis.”

  Chapter 18

  Sunday came too quickly for Tiffany. By the time she and Red returned from seven o’clock mass, her father was waiting in the driveway for them. Once Daniel and Red shook hands, Tiffany and her father shared several tension filled moments of silence. She barely managed to keep from flinching when he reached out to touch her shoulder length curls.

  “I haven’t seen your hair like this for years. You look just like you did in high school.” He smiled down at her and shook his head. “My God, I’d forgotten how much you resembled your grandmother.” At Tiffany’s frown, he began to explain further. “You look like my mom—not that deplorable woman who gave birth to your mother.”

  “She must have died before I was born, I’m sure I’ve never met her.” Her father’s laughter rang out, sounding unfamiliar—nearly alien to her ears.

  “Sure you did. She died when you were a little over a year old, but you two were very close during that time. I’ve got pictures of you together somewhere—if your mother didn’t destroy them. I’ll try to find some for you,” he said, as Red ushered them both inside.

  Daniel’s smile broadened as he surveyed their surroundings. “This is a beautiful place you’ve got here. I’ve always loved log cabins.”

  “It’s comfortable,” Red told him.

  “I noticed the barns and stables earlier. No horses?”

  “No, the previous owner had quite a menagerie of animals. I only moved in here from Lafayette about a month ago. We had a horse when I was young that I rode mostly to work my uncle’s cattle, but we’ve already discussed buying a couple once we get the chance to breathe. We’re looking forward to riding together.”

  Daniel nodded, smiling down at Tiffany. “From what I can remember, you handled yourself pretty good on the back of a horse.”

  “That’s right, both Drake and I rode,” Tiffany said. “We did anything we could to get out of that house every day for a while. To tell you the truth, I’m surprised you were even aware of that.” She made her way to the kitchen to start a fresh pot of coffee.

  <>

  Red passed his father in law a look of apprehension. “I hope you weren’t expecting to waltz in here to an easy fix. This could take some time, as well as commitment.”

  “I heard she wasn’t pleased that you called me.”

  “No, she wasn’t—and I’m still sensing a hint of reservation, like sometimes she wonders if she made a mistake in marrying me.” He nudged his father in law. “You’d better be serious about this, because I sure as hell don’t want to lose her over this.”

  Daniel stared after his daughter. “If I wasn’t serious, I wouldn’t be here.” He shook his head. “She’s really lovely with her hair that way.”

  “She’s always been beautiful to me, but I have to admit, I love it like this.” Red watched his wife move comfortably around the kitchen until he heard Daniel clear his throat. He turned to him, surprised to see the older man wearing an unexpectedly tender expression.

  “Do you really love her, Red?”

  He nodded. “I can’t imagine my life without her.”

  Daniel’s face split in a wide grin. “That’s excellent,” he said, before returning his gaze to his daughter.

  “Do you love her, sir?” Red asked him.

  “I sure do.”

  “Then it shouldn’t be that difficult to find a way to show her. That’s all she’s ever wanted from the two of you.”

  <>

  “Coffee will be ready in a few minutes,” Tiffany announced as the two men joined her in the kitchen.

  “Coffee sounds good,” Daniel told her.

  Tiffany got three mugs down from the cabinet. “Have you eaten breakfast?”

  “Yes, I have.”

  “I hope you eat chicken. I’m roasting a hen for lunch,” she said, turning back to him.

  “The entire thing?” he asked, his eyes gleaming with delight. “I eat a lot of baked or broiled poultry, but I’m not allowed to eat anything but the breast. Ugh, I hate white meat…”

  “It’s too dry,” Tiffany interjected, before recalling she was supposed to be making him work for today.

  “Finally someone who agrees with me!” he said. “Would it be rude to call dibs on a big, juicy leg quarter?”

  Tiffany frowned at her father. “I guess that would depend on why you’re not allowed to eat anything but the breast.”

  He looked down, scuffing the heel of one expensive western boot on the floor tile. “My doctor says I need to lower my cholesterol level and my blood pressure.”

  “Do you get regular check-ups?” she asked.

  “Every six months, if not more.”

  “Have you had a colonoscopy and a PSA test done?”

  “Several times already, and my results are always good.”

  She nodded, satisfied with his answer.

  “Does this mean I can have that leg quarter?”

  She pursed her lips. “We’ll see.”

  “If it helps, I’ve just come up with a sure fire way to lower my blood pressure,” he volunteered.

  Tiffany placed the carafe of coffee in front of her father as they seated themselves around the island. “Oh yeah? How’s that?” She pushed a mug toward him.

  Daniel poured himself a cup of the steaming brew and took a sip. “Mm…good, strong coffee,” he said, adjusting his position on the bar stool. “I’ve asked your mother for a divorce. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but I’ve been in a relationship with another woman for twenty-eight years. I realize now how unfair I’ve been to all of you. If I’d divorced Monica years ago, I could have taken you and Drake to live with Leah and me.” He took another sip of coffee and set the mug down on the granite countertop. “Your mother would have taken me to the bank, of course, so we wouldn’t have been as well off, but we could have been a family. Leah couldn’t have children of her own, but she would have been a wonderful mother to you and Drake. More importantly, I would have been a better father to the two of you. I was such a fool.”

  “Mother would have put up a fight for the check book, that’s for sure.”

  “Of course,” he grunted. “And she’d have dragged us through the mud, while playing the poor, pitiful housewife…”

  “All the while sleeping with the pool boy…,” Tiffany said.

  “…and the horse groomer…,” he added.

  “…don’t forget the gardener…,” she said.

  “…along with several of my friends at the Gold Club.”

  Tiffany shook her head, thinking it would have been much funnier if it wasn’t all so true. “Drake says Leah’s a nice lady.”

  “She is, Tiffany. This whole situation…her regret over not being able to be a part of your lives…it’s always made her so sad.”

  Tiffany studied this virtual stranger standing before her, not quite ready to let him off the hook. “You’d think if she cared that much she would have convinced you to take a more active role in my and Drake’s life.”

  “Oh, she tried, believe me. She almost left me a couple of times because of it. But she stayed, thank God.” He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry again for upsetting you over the phone last night. Le
ah reamed me out pretty good for offering to pay for your honeymoon. She said it was tacky, considering how neglectful I’ve been all these years.”

  “Leah sounds like a smart lady,” Tiffany said.

  Daniel chuckled. “She is. Is there anything I could do? Besides being an active part of your lives, because I still intend to do that.”

  “We don’t need your money.”

  “I know you don’t, but Leah did make one suggestion that you may possibly find more agreeable.”

  Tiffany sighed, already tired of the subject. “What is it?”

  “A college fund for any future grandchildren. She said the only thing that could replace an education would be another education. Do you find that offensive?”

  She looked at Red, who smiled and gave her a nod of encouragement.

  “I guess that would be okay,” she said.

  Daniel beamed at his daughter. “Good. At least that’s something. Now, have you spoken to your mother lately?”

  “Not since she called me after I broke off my engagement to Tanner. She said she had no need for ungrateful children.” Tiffany shook her head, still amazed at her mother’s nerve. “Did she ever want Drake or me? Did she ever even try to care for us? I mean, change a diaper or give either of us a bottle in the middle of the night? Something…anything?”

  Daniel LeBlanc shook his head. “In all fairness, she raised you the same way she was raised. She had the first nanny hired before we even brought you home from the hospital. My mom was still alive then, and when she came to see you for the first time and saw how that woman was handling you, she begged me to get rid of her and find someone decent. I can’t remember what the woman’s real name was, but she was German. My mom called her Fraulein Frankenstein, and said you wouldn’t have lasted a month in her care. After that, we went through three more, and your grandmother and I vetoed every one of them. Then mom met Melinda and talked her into taking over your care. She said Melinda needed you as much as you needed her. It really irked your mother, and she even tried to fire her once. I told her unless she wanted to take over the diaper changing and two o’clock feedings, she’d better leave Melinda the hell alone. That was the end of it. So, as much as I’d like to take all the credit for hiring Melin, you can thank your grandmother for finding her.”

  “I wish I’d have known her long enough to remember her. Any fond memories of my childhood only include Melinda and Drake,” she said, as an uncomfortable silence filled the room.

  Finally her father cleared his throat. “Like I said, I’ll try to find some photographs of you two together.”

  “I’d appreciate that. I’m going to go change my clothes into something more comfortable before starting lunch.” She walked down the hallway into her and Red’s bedroom.

  <>

  When the door closed her father let out a low whistle. “She wasn’t kidding, was she? She’s not going to make this easy on me at all.”

  “Do you blame her?” Red asked him.

  “Not one bit.”

  “About those photographs, I need to get my hands on a couple dozen photos of Tiffany from infancy through college. My mom wants to have an album made for Tiffany for Christmas. It’s a surprise so don’t say anything to her.”

  “I doubt seriously if Monica has anything, but I’ll bet Melinda has plenty.”

  “Do you have a number where she could be reached?” Red asked.

  He shook his head. “I don’t, but I’m fairly certain Drake does. She’s married and lives in Washington now.”

  “That’s what Tiffany said. Listen, Daniel, this is a time sensitive issue, so I’m going to get this rolling right now. I don’t want Tiff to hear me, so I’ll step out for a minute, if it’s okay with you.”

  <>

  Tiffany rejoined her father, dressed in comfortable jeans and a sweater. “Where’s Red?” she asked, faced with being alone in a room with her father.

  “He had to step outside to make a business call.”

  “Oh,” she said, as she programmed the oven then pulled the pan containing the hen out of the refrigerator. She added a few more seasonings to the bird she’d prepared the night before, feeling her father’s gaze on her.

  “Tiffany,” he said, finally breaking the silence. “I was wondering if you would like to pursue a relationship with Leah. If you say no, I won’t push you. I won’t blame you a bit, but she told me that nothing would make her happier than to become a part of your lives. She’s hoping to become a doting step-grandmother one of these days.”

  Tiffany stopped in her tracks, trying to imagine what it would be like to have another mother figure besides Melinda. “Does she really?” she said, still leery of accepting his word on faith.

  Daniel nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely! She wanted children so badly. She stayed on the pill for years to avoid getting pregnant, and when I finally told her that we could try for a baby she developed uterine cancer and had to have a complete hysterectomy. She had chemo for a year and it almost killed her. I came damned close to losing her.”

  “How long ago did that happen?” she asked him.

  “That was fifteen years ago.”

  Tiffany stared at her father in disbelief. “And still you didn’t divorce mother for her. That must have made her feel really special.”

  He sighed. “Okay, Tiffany, we’ve established the fact that I’ve been a fool for a lot of years now. Could we move on?”

  “I wouldn’t necessarily call you a fool, dad.”

  “Well, then what would you call me?” he asked.

  “How about an asshole?” she accused bitterly. “You tell me you love this woman but she nearly dies of cancer after you decide to allow her to have an illegitimate child of yours and still you can’t make an honest woman of her!” She pulled open the oven door and threw in the roaster containing the hen. She slammed the oven door closed and turned on him. “What else would you call a man like that? You don’t like asshole? How about selfish, self-centered, or insensitive? Any one of those would fit!”

  Red chose that moment to re-enter the tension filled room. He cleared his throat quietly and walked over to his wife. “I leave you two alone for a minute and look what happens,” he said, apparently trying to make light of the situation.

  Tiffany stalked to the refrigerator, searching the contents for absolutely nothing then slammed it shut to turn on her father again. “I have to know. Why the hell didn’t you leave mother then? Why didn’t you marry Leah after that, if you loved her so much?”

  “Because of you and Drake,” he said quietly.

  She couldn’t stop the burst of hysterical laughter. “I cannot believe you’re going to blame Drake and me for that.”

  “It’s always been about you and Drake, Tiffany. You kids were only eight and six when Leah and I got together. She refused to do anything that would hurt the two of you. Your mother would have made all our lives a living hell. So she stayed on the pill until you were older. When you were both in college we decided to try for a baby. She was thirty four at the time and I was forty-five. I planned to divorce Monica and marry Leah, but one day she began to hemorrhage and had to be rushed in for emergency surgery. That’s when they found the cancer—already in stage 2. It’s a miracle she’s even alive. She had to have a complete hysterectomy with several rounds of chemo. After she knew she couldn’t have kids, she said there was no point in me divorcing Monica to marry her. She said it would only have hurt the two of you and it would have been for nothing.”

  Tiffany stood there astonished, not knowing what to say. She finally shook her head. “My God, you must have resented Drake and me horribly.”

  “I never resented you or Drake,” he said. “I resented your mother, and now I’m beginning to see how ridiculous that was. I was stupid, Tiffany. I was a coward for not taking the chance when I should have. It would have been worth losing every dime I had to have you and Drake brought up in a home filled with love. Leah could have given you that. With her around I could h
ave been a better father…a better man.”

  Tears streamed down Tiffany’s face as her father continued.

  “I will live the rest of my life knowing that, not only did I waste years of my life and Leah’s, but also yours and your brother’s childhoods. I could have made it better for all of us if I’d just been...better. I’m so sorry Tiffany. Can you ever forgive me?”

  The icy grip around Tiffany’s heart suddenly broke loose as her father spoke the words she’d longed to hear for so many years. She began to sob openly as her father reached his arms out to her. She stood there crying, but still unable to move toward him. She felt a gentle touch on her shoulders as her husband whispered softly to her. “It’s alright to let it go now, Doc. It’s time to open a new door.” He gently pushed her so that after one step she walked into her father’s open arms.

  <>

  Red stood and watched his wife and her father as they mended thirty-six years of broken bridges…broken by lack of communication, poor judgment, and selfishness. He left them to themselves, giving them the privacy this moment called for, hoping Daniel didn’t say anything stupid to ruin the moment. After fifteen minutes he thought it might be safe to venture out. He opened the door and immediately heard Tiffany giggling, accompanied by Daniel’s hearty laughter. He approached cautiously, leaning against the wall at the end of the hallway to watch his wife interact with her father. They spoke comfortably, as though the years of difficult feelings had never existed.

  Tiffany saw him and went to him, smiling as she walked into his open arms. “Thank you, baby,” she said. “This happened because of you.”

  “All brides need their daddy to walk them down the aisle…that is if you’re still willing to marry me,” he whispered, hoping she’d take the bait and run with it.

  “Of course I will,” she murmured, giving him a gentle kiss. “And I’m sorry for being so harsh.”

  He pulled her tight for a hug. “I deserved it.”

  She hugged him back before pulling away to face her father. “So, how about it, Dad? I need someone to walk me down the aisle the day after Christmas. Think you can handle it?”