From the Heart: Romance, Mystery and Suspense a collection for everyone (21 page)

Chapter Forty-Six

Brad sat out on the front porch, breathing in the cool night air on this unusually warm spring night, smiling to himself at the way things had turned out. The day he received the news in Keith’s office flooded him with sweet, overwhelming relief. To have Crystal gone and out of their lives was a black tension-filled cloud dissipated. Even the sunshine seemed to beam brighter around them. Crystal had left town right after signing the papers, leaving instructions for the rest of her belongings to be sent to a condo in Seattle.

Keith filed the papers that day. He pulled strings to have a judge sign the divorce decree a few days later. Thirty-one days and
Brad would be a free man.

For the first time in his life, he felt as if he was living with his eyes wide open. “You know, Dad, I’m glad you and Mom are going to stay for a bit.”

Brad’s father clinked his glass to Brad’s. “Here’s to a good woman, your son, and finally getting it right.” He swallowed the single malt scotch, and turned when the screen door squeaked.

“Are the kids asleep?”
asked Brad.

Emily
nodded, and rested her hand on his shoulder.

When he looked up into the passion burning in her sparkling eyes, a lump formed deep in
Brad’s throat. She took his breath away.

“I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.” Rodney stopped and rested his hand fondly on Emily’s shoulder, looking down on her as a father would his daughter.

“Thanks, Dad.” Brad reached around and lifted Emily onto his lap.

“Mmm, yep, all fast asleep.”

He leaned his head down and kissed the tip of her nose. She still couldn’t believe he’d done it: showing up, ordering his men to pack up all their things and move them back out to the ranch. He hesitated for only a moment, and informed her he loved her. And as soon as both their divorces were final, he planned to marry her.

The way he looked
at her, with such everlasting desire, friendship and love, she knew he’d just handed her his heart. For him, it was a rare gift of trust.

Sitting on his lap now, his fingers linked with hers, she knew they had a future filled with possibility.

“You never answered me, Em.”

She slid around on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Answer you about what?”

“I think I asked you to marry me. And you’ve left me hanging.”

She caressed his face with the back of her fingers, unable to remember her heart ever being so full. “If I recall, you informed me we were getting married. But the answer’s yes.”

She snuggled a little closer, she couldn’t wait to share the news with him. She took his hand and placed it on her stomach as a slight blush rose in her cheeks. The doctor said the baby would be born in November.

###

THE GIFT

Chapter 1

David didn’t bring his umbrella. He’d wanted to. He’d even tried to sneak it into the car. But his mother Gloria Hines was being unreasonable. She’d told him in no uncertain terms he wasn’t bringing his red and white umbrella his grandparents had given him, because of what happened the first and last time he’d used it, when they went to the outdoor market, down by the wharf.

Then, he’d been trying out the catch-and-release button that snapped it open. He’d been timing it to see how fast it would open and he didn’t see the produce guy bringing out the box of oranges when he’d snapped it open and heard a grunt and oranges clunked on the pavement and surrounded his feet, rolling down the sidewalk and toward several other shoppers. His mother had yelled “David, no!” and yanked his umbrella away. He didn’t know what he’d done until his mother grabbed him by his arm and marched him over to the old guy with thin dark hair and a heavy mustache that resembled a caterpillar. The old guy started squawking in some thick accent that mom said later was Italian. Apparently the umbrella opened just when he walked behind David with a box of oranges, and it clipped him on the nose, which mom said, but David still didn’t see. But anyway after she dragged David away, her face bright red, she’d said pigs would fly before she’d let David take that umbrella in public, again.

Except he didn’t remember ever seeing if pigs could fly or if there is a special pig that does. Of course Dad frowned, when his mom recounted at home what happened, all the while holding the red and white umbrella in her right hand, and then demonstrating. Dad had laughed and then quickly hid his smile when mom glared.

David knew the drill, but his dad almost forgot which wasn’t good for him, but he’d placed his large hand on David’s shoulder and said, “Let your mom cool off. But umbrellas aren’t a toy, you need to see who’s around before opening. Especially when you’re a nine-year-old boy under four feet in height, and not paying attention to who’s around you.”

So of course David was mad. Because not only did he live in Seattle on this very rainy December day, where it rained constantly and had for the last month. He also had to wear his blue coat with the hood up, and looked like an absolute dork, all because his mom was still mad. The hood didn’t keep the rain drops from his face, and from soaking his hands and pants, but that umbrella would have not only kept him dry, and his hood off his head, but he’d have looked way cool.

But here they were a week before Christmas, taking Dad to the airport all because his boss, Mr. Driscoll, had come down with the flu and couldn’t fly to Denver to do the presentation. Whatever that meant, as all David knew is his dad worked for the government and had a desk job where he wore a suit and tie every day. So instead of using his snazzy red and white umbrella to take dad to the airport on this miserable cold and very wet rainy day in Seattle, he was standing with Gloria, his mom, dripping wet, as she hugged his dad. Dad’s flight was announced, and he knelt down and said, “Come on champ, cheer up. It won’t be long until I’m home. In two days, which is plenty of time before Christmas.”

David hugged his dad back, missing him already. Because that was two dinners with mom, two nights in a quiet house where he’d listen to mom pacing at all hours, and for two days mom would be on edge. She didn’t sleep when dad was gone. She picked at her food, she was cranky, all because she missed him. Maybe that’s what dad whispered to mom before kissing her again and striding away with his laptop computer briefcase; he turned and waved one last time, before heading through the doorway to where he’d go through the security and where they scanned everything to make sure you didn’t sneak something on board the plane you shouldn’t.

“What do you say we go out for pizza tonight?” Mom asked as she hugged David.

“Can I please have my own this time?  I want pepperoni pizza and lots of pineapple, and I don’t want all those weird vegetables you always pick.” David said as he stared at his mom with big hopeful eyes. She smiled one of her distracted smiles, the ones she did when she wasn’t really listening.

She sighed. “Deal. As long as you eat it all.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Maybe this time dinner would be fun, and the ice cream wouldn’t accidently land on the floor—and maybe he could talk Mom into a movie. Then Dad would be home in no time.

Chapter 2

David didn’t know what happened to change Mom’s mind. But she’d taken his red and white umbrella down from her closet and handed it to him. “You can take it to the airport to get your dad. But it stays closed while you go inside. Okay?”

David jumped up and down he was so excited, because this day was turning into a super awesome day. Dad was on his way home, and David had his umbrella back. Even Mom hadn’t been too bad this time. Although he heard her last night in the wee hours pacing in the living room, the floor squeaking under each step. But the pizza and the movie were a great distraction, and were kind of fun. And even though Mom dragged David through the crazy crowded mall for all the last minute shopping she insisted had to be done, it had been okay. Because this time David’s mom saw him. Maybe it was the fact Dad phoned twice a day, and each time Mom would race to the phone with an easy smile that touched her lips, flashed in her eyes, and each time her face softened, when she heard Dad’s voice on the phone.

Mom came darting out the door pulling it closed behind her, to where David waited beside the Subaru with his umbrella. “Let’s go get your dad.” She practically sang the words, her excitement glowing from every part of her. David couldn’t help but smile brighter; he too was excited, because Dad made everything fun. He handled everything at home. He looked after things and had a way of calming Mom down when David really messed up. David could make her laugh and giggle, but he could also make her pretty darn mad.

Since mom was in a really good mood, David knew he could ask for just about anything and she’d say yes. Including popping in his Justin Bieber CD, the one she really hated. And she didn’t hesitate. Heck, she even cranked up the volume. David bopped in the backseat to the beat and wondered if maybe now would also be the time to hit mom up for something really big, like a new hardtail. But then as he started to blurt it out he stopped, realizing maybe that might be pushing it.

Mom drove in the huge parkade at the SeaTac airport driving up four levels before finding an empty spot. She leaped out and yelled, “Come on, we’re late!” And practically dragged David by the hand as she raced through the walkway to the main terminal, which was already crowded. And when you’re under four feet tall, it becomes annoying: all the people that look right over you, and step on you as if they can’t see. His mom squeezed his hand, pulling him behind her, and stopped at the big flashing sign that announced incoming and outgoing flights.

“What the heck? It says your dad’s flight is delayed. Come on, I’m going to find out what’s going on.”

She pulled David behind her over to a ticket agent at one of the airline counters. Several other people waited in front of David’s mom. One man yelled at the lady behind the counter and that’s when Mom asked the couple in front of her what was going on. The man who had silver hair and a double chin said his daughter was on the flight coming from Denver, home for the holidays. And the lady behind the counter said the plane was delayed. When Mom finally had a turn at the counter a man in dark blue suit who worked for the airlines appeared beside the frazzled young lady. All the people who’d gone up were really mad. David couldn’t help the frustrated sigh that escaped, as this was boring and taking a really long time. He stopped listening until the man said to his mom: “Take a seat over there someone will be out in a minute to talk with you.” The man pointed, and that’s when his mom tensed, and he knew she was already upset.

Another man dressed in the same dark blue suit appeared and tapped Mom on the shoulder. He said, “Your husband is on the flight from Denver?”

“Yes. What is going on, they won’t say anything, just that the plane is delayed.” Mom sounded a little scared. David’s gaze was glued to shorter man.

And that’s when the man touched mom on the shoulder and walked them over to a room at the back. He opened the door and there were some chairs and other people sitting and waiting. “Everyone, can I have your attention? You all have someone on the flight from Denver. We lost contact just over an hour ago, and the plane went down. We have ground crews and search and rescue searching, but the area they were last reported is heavily forested, and visibility is dense.”

His mom let go of his hand. David wasn’t sure he understood what was going on, only that his mom was now crying and a stranger was hugging her. And a lady beside him said, “What you’re saying is the plane crashed and you don’t know where my son is, or if there are any survivors?”

David couldn’t hear what the man said next because of the rush of blood pounding in his ears. His dad’s face flashed before him. His gut twisted with a pinch worse than any stomach ache he’d ever had, when worry whispered in his ear,
Dad wasn’t coming home
.

Chapter 3

The living room window was a big rectangle that Mom filled every year with those Christmas stick-ons, Santas, reindeer, and angels. The Christmas tree was placed in the center so when the Christmas lights were plugged in, everyone could see from the front yard. Gifts were piled so high surrounding the tree that the lower branches brushed the stack of brightly wrapped gifts. David stood in the corner behind the curtain, peering out the window watching cars drive past, and listening to the murmur of voices in the house. Mom’s three sisters and their husbands arrived. Dad’s brother and David’s grandparents were huddled in the kitchen, all of them waiting for the telephone to ring. David’s mom hadn’t stopped crying since leaving the airport. And David’s stomach hurt so bad his head ached. He’d cried and begged in his head for his dad to come home. But all he felt was an emptiness and a deep loss that nothing would be the same again.

Before today, he’d been counting down on his advent calendar the days to Christmas. And each day he’d snuck into the living room and tried peeking into the really big wrapped gifts to see if he could spot the edge of the packaging that would solve the mystery and tell him what the gift was. But right now, as David hid behind the curtain, he’d trade every single one of the gifts just to have Dad walk through that door.

Uncle Paul tapped David’s shoulder. “You should come and have some dinner.”

Uncle Paul was David’s favorite uncle, married to mom’s sister Betty. He had long dark hair he kept tied in a ponytail, a big guy who taught Kung Fu for a living. He always spent time with David, talking and really listening in a way that said loud and clear to a nine-year-old boy, what he had to say was important.

“I’m not hungry. Uncle Paul, have you heard anything about Dad? Have they found him?” David’s voice trembled. But when Uncle Paul watched him with his soft brown eyes that glistened with tears, David knew without his saying one word, the news wasn’t good.

“We’ve heard nothing. The airlines will be giving us another update soon. Come on over here and sit down with me, I want to talk to you about your dad.” Uncle Paul hefted David over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing more than a pillow and then sat David on the sofa beside him. Uncle Paul and David were alone in the living room, everyone else was crowded into the kitchen. It was the air of worry and stress that hung throughout the house which leant no peace for anyone, a far change from yesterday. And yesterday is what David wanted to go back to. He wished to be able to shut his eyes and then open them, and this would all be a very bad dream.

Uncle Paul held both of David’s hands in his large hands that were so warm and rough, and for the first time since this nightmare started, made him feel safe. “Listen. Your dad is one of the bravest and toughest men I know. And he is a survivor. If anyone can walk out of this okay, he can. So you and I need to believe that. Hold on to that. And he’s going to need all our prayers, all our good thoughts sent to him. Do you think you can do that?”

David loved his dad and couldn’t imagine him not coming through that door. So if he had to pray every day, all day, every night, he would until his dad walked through that door. “
Okay.” A nasty lump jammed in his throat and hurt like the dickens. Tears burned his young eyes and his Uncle pulled him onto his lap and hugged him. And David wept quietly so as not to upset Mom.