More Than Scars (17 page)

             
Each girl found their favorites and began distributing apples. I found it amazing that the little ones were so unafraid of the big animals. Of course…I had been Brianne’s age when my father started taking me to the stables.

             
I sauntered over to Zosimo who greedily accepted his apples. I didn’t stay long with him, since the girls couldn’t come around him and I wanted to keep my eye on them. He was not happy with me for my lack of staying power.

             
Jack was happy to see us too. “Mr. Byrne said I should get the ring out for you all tonight! I have plenty of firewood! He also said you’ll be taking the hayride tonight.”

             
I felt surprised at this. “He hadn’t said when, but I guess after we have some bonfire time, it will be fun! Do you need any help?”

             
“No Miss, got this!” He smiled brightly and waved us off as he continued with his work.

             
Things were falling nicely into place! So, since there was nothing left to plan, we took a walk. The fall leaves were beyond gorgeous right now and gathering them was too much to resist.

             
“We should rake them up and jump in them,” I laughed. “That is part of fall! Tell me you guys have done that!”

             
They both looked at me with curious eyes and I had to groan. I pulled out my phone.
Uncle Ian fail…these girls have never jumped in a pile of leaves?
I quickly texted.

             
What? I am the worst of uncles!

             
No worries…I’ve got this…Rissa to the rescue!

             
You are the best…Tonight, friend!

I laughed and shoved the phone in my pocket. We finished our leisurely walk and hurried back to the house with our collection of colorful leaves for soup and then some hot cocoa to warm up.

              I asked Stewart for a rake and he gave me an odd look.

             
“To make a pile of leaves,” I laughed. “I can’t believe all of those gorgeous leaves lying out there and these girls don’t have piles to leap in.”

             
Stewart’s kind eyes softened. “Well, I am not having you rake them Miss. Let me get one of the garners. We have a pile ready in no time. Give me an hour?”

             
I gave him a smile and a kiss on the cheek. He honored me with a flush of the cheeks.

             
Upstairs I braided the girl’s hair and bundled them in turtle necks, sweaters and jeans. You didn’t jump in leaves in your coats! I also made sure I gathered up my camera so I could document.

             
We were outside and ready for the fun in no time. I couldn’t wait to watch them experience this! It was a travesty they hadn’t before! Stewart had not disappointed. There was a pile of leaves to rival all piles of leaves! The gardener had made quick work.

             
“Have at it,” I laughed when they stood just staring. “Jump in!”

             
They didn’t have to be told twice. They lit out to jump in. I had my camera out flashing pictures to capture the moments. I would want to share these with Liam…and of course with the “Worst Uncle in the World”! I smiled…just imagining his face as he got the text.

             
The same moment I smiled, I also frowned. Was that why Brianne had the wrong idea? Why Liam felt it necessary to caution me against dating Ian? Did I like him too much? I considered this for a moment. And while I certainly liked Ian Byrne…he had never made my heart skip a beat, or ever made me hold my breath. Not like…his brother. I smiled and took a few more photos.

             
I was surprised when a little while later, Stewart joined us outside. His elderly face was filled with amusement, watching the girls throw leaves at each other, and then burrow beneath the pile.

             
“This was a good idea,” he chuckled. “I’m sorry I hadn’t thought of it.”

             
I smiled at him. “My dad used to do this for Al and me every year. He would clean up our big yard and we would ruin it every time. He would patiently rake it up all over again.” I shrugged. “One of the best things I remember from my childhood!”

             
He nodded. “I told Liam what was going on. He’s very pleased.” His eyes danced. “Very pleased with you Miss.”

             
My snort had him smiling.

             
“Okay, the other day he was livid! But you brought the children home safely and you gave them a beautiful memory! He couldn’t stay angry with you!”

             
My eyes wandered back to the happy children. “Are you angry with me Stewart?”

             
“No Miss…no I’m not.” He cleared his throat. “I have known Liam since he was a child. He is stubborn…good…but stubborn. It is how he became who he is. It is how he has survived but…forgive me…it is how he has remained stuck! You shook him up. He needed it.”

             
Shock made me to snap my gaze back to him.

             
He gave a sharp nod. “Yes Miss…he needed it.” He turned, and headed toward the house without another word. I turned back to my photography with a smile playing at my lips.

             
We were more than ready for the night’s festivities, though Brianne did get nervous over the dark. She clung to my hand as we headed to the back yard. Amelia ran ahead, completely unafraid. Ian would already be at the fire waiting. He had loaded up a wheelbarrow with the food goodies and the pokers for roasting marshmallows and hot dogs. There had been blankets to tote for around the fire to be laid on the chairs.

             
The hay wagon was nearby, loaded with blankets. Jack would hitch the horses when the time drew nearer. I was very much looking forward to that time. It meant time with Liam. Yes, I was being selfish. I wanted to hurry through the bonfire and jump in the wagon.

             
“Slow down Amelia Bedelia,” I called out. “There is a fire ahead and we do not run near a fire!” She obeyed right away and even stopped to wait for me and Brianne to catch up.

             
She smiled sweetly. “I like when you call me that,” she giggled. I stroked her dark hair and tugged her into my side as we walked.

             
Brianne seemed to calm once she saw the fires light. I didn’t like to see her fear.

             
“Hey girls,” Ian greeted. “Let’s get this party started!” He patted a chair on either side of him and the girls went quickly to him, hugging him tightly. They each sat to his left and right, as I set out to make their hot dogs.

             
The chatter soon filled the fall evening. We stuffed ourselves on hotdogs and s’mores. This had been an excellent idea…and I would be sure to take credit for it!

             
We were soon scooting closer to the fire as the evening cooled and Ian got into telling a scary story. I soon had Amelia in my lap and had to quickly change the story into a princess one.

             
Ian pantomimed as though he were hanging himself and it was all that I could do to get through my happily ever after story.

             
“When are we going on our ride?”  I finally asked when neither Jack nor Liam had made an appearance.

             
Ian cleared his throat. “Yeah that…” he shrugged.

             
I shook my head.

             
“Liam has a night issue.”

             
I furrowed my brow, and then thought of Brianne. Had she inherited that from her father? “He is the one that suggested the ride.”

             
“Not tonight.” Ian held up his phone. “I got a text half hour ago. We were having so much fun…I didn’t want to bring it up…”

             
The girls griped.

             
“We can still go,” Ian said with a shrug.

             
I wanted to protest. This was supposed to have been something we did with Liam!

             
“Not without Daddy,” Brianne whimpered suddenly. She looked over her shoulder and pulled her blanket closer.

             
I looked to her with concern.

             
“Rissa we have to wait for Daddy. We can’t go riding without him!”

             
Ian reached for her hand. “We won’t sweetheart. We will wait for him!”

“We will wait,” I agreed.

He gave me a small smile. “Let’s just enjoy the rest of our bonfire.”

             
I nodded, cuddling Amelia’s warm body. She was getting sleepy anyway. I pushed aside my disappointment and filled it instead with my concern for Brianne and for Amelia’s comfort. “Does anyone know any campfire songs?”

             
The girls clapped and Ian groaned.

             
But as it turned out…we had a pretty good time singing off key.

I heard the scream, but thought it couldn’t be reality. It had to be a part of my dream. I hadn’t been dreaming anything scary! No, that wasn’t my scream. So often I had dreamt of that night with my father and I’d awake crying out, or sobbing. Never screaming!. No, it wasn’t me.

There, another scream!

I tried to shake away the sleep, and only fully awoke as a man ran through my room. Fear pricked my scalp. Yeah, that woke me up. I nearly screamed myself. Not out of fear, but outrage! A man in my room? And he was running into the girl’s room! My befuddled mind noted he should be running away from the room if he had been the cause of the scream.

“Daddy is here.”

Liam! His beautiful voice hit me like a ton of bricks, and I was awake in an instant.

“Brianne my love it’s okay. Wake up sweetheart Daddy is here. Open your eyes
Bri, look! I’m here.”

I was out of my bed and rushing for the room. Scared to death what I might find.

Amelia was in my arms before I could assess anything in the dark room. She was sobbing too, but only out of confusion. She had no idea what was going on with her sister. Well, that made two of us!

I sat down on Amelia’s bed, and she curled right into me, peeking over, as I did. The sight broke me it was so tender. I had to fight tears myself.

Liam was sitting on the edge of Brianne’s bed, his daughter held in his arms, as she sobbed heart breaking sobs into his chest.

I could barely make him out in the darkness, but the light from the window helped. He was shirtless, obviously scared from sleep as I had been. His face was buried in her hair as he whispered over and over. “
It’s okay baby, it’s okay, it’s all over. Daddy’s here now.” He held her like this for several minutes, just rocking her.

Brianne was hiccupping against the sobs, like she couldn’t draw a breath.

“Talk to me. What happened? Was it like the last dream?” He ran his hand down the length of her hair, and tried to get her to look up at him.

“Daddy you died. I couldn’t help you,” she whaled.

Amelia shook in my arms, and clung harder. I whispered soft nothings against her hair, and just rubbed her back gently.

“But I didn’t die, see I’m here.” He adjusted her in his arms. The motion revealed to me other scars along his forearms, his shoulders. His back was free of any marks what so ever.

I saw Brianne then. Her face wet with tears, terror in her eyes. They were wide, taking in his face. “You’re okay?”

“I’m okay,” he chuckled softly.  “Oh precious girl, stop crying.” He wiped her little cheeks with his thumbs. He cupped her face with the scarred hands. The scars stood out in the moonlight. “It was just a bad dream.”

“The monster was there! He cut you again Daddy. I couldn’t stop him!” She began crying again. “And he took Mommy again! Just like before. Just like before when you got this.” She touched his face.

I gasped, and my heart sank. The words she said hit hard. Brianne had been witness to her father’s attack?
Her own mother’s death? I felt despair, I felt deflated, and I felt angry. He had promised he would tell me all when it came to the girls.

I’m sure he’d heard my gasp because he tensed at that very instant. I knew he’d sensed me there all along. But his guard had been down in his quest to comfort the little one.

I wanted to yell at him. Ask how he could keep something like that from me! When I was helping to raise his girls! Shouldn’t I have been informed of something so significant?

“Sleep, Brianne,” he kept his voice soft, as he laid her back down. “I’m safe and well, and it was only a dream.”

Brianne watched him with careful eyes.