Only in Her Dreams (18 page)

What is it with humans and coffee? he thought. “I’ll just wait here.”

“Suit yourself. Watch out for Mrs. Greenley. She’s due for her evening walk soon. She’s a touchy feely old gal.” The nurse continued down the hall and disappeared into a patient’s room.

Turning back to the open door to Marie’s room, he heard light sobbing. He stilled himself before he rushed inside to comfort her.

“I’ll see you soon, Marie,” Lucessa’s voice drifted out to him.

Thirty minutes, huh?

Maxim backpedaled down the hall. He couldn’t let her catch him following her.

She’d be exiting the room any second. He looked to his left and grabbed the handle of a door labeled supplies.
Locked! Damn it!

He turned to outright flee the hall.

“Excuse me young man!”

He looked into the face of an elderly woman and a hand reached out and grasped the front of his jeans.

“You should really watch where you’re going,” she scolded. Her hands moved from his crotch, grazing his stomach and clawed at his pectoral muscles.

“Quick, where is your room?” He reached to push her searching hands away.

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Well, well...I told Ethel I still had it. The men around here just don’t appreciate a take charge kinda gal. I’m across the hall, there.” She lifted her vein marked hand and pointed to an open door about five feet away.

“Let us not tarry a moment longer.” Maxim moved the woman’s walker to the side and scooped her into his arms.

“A man who knows what he wants! This is a good day, indeed.”

Looking over his shoulder, Lucessa fled in the opposite direction down the hall. Breathing a sigh of relief he set the older woman down, just inside her room.

“Wait until the ladies hear I’m a cougar now.”

# # #

A hot tear streaked down Lucessa’s cheek as she walked out of Marie’s room. She avoided eye contact with the nurse and other patients as she moved along the hallway. Her visits were always bittersweet, but Lucessa wouldn’t give up her time with her mother. She wouldn’t give up
on
her mother, period. The pitying looks sent her way when she arrived and departed wouldn’t keep her away.

The sun was starting to set when she unlocked her car and slid behind the wheel. A part of her couldn’t wait to get home and see Maxim. Another side of her dreaded seeing Greg.

Conflicted, she recognized, about the repercussions if she chose Maxim and asked Greg to leave. The pressure and stress of his return had come at a bad time. Not just the trouble she was in with the Oneiroi, but also her relationship with Maxim. Not that she could call it a relationship.

As she drove home she allowed her recent dreams to play back in her mind, Maxim touching her on the beach, and her leaving Greg to embrace and kiss Maxim. She had no idea what to think. Thankfully, Maxim was in her house and not in her dreams.
There is no way he can be in two places at once, right?
Heat spread across her face at the thought of him witnessing her wanton behavior.

The idea Greg would show up had never crossed her mind. What was more inconceivable was that she was no longer interested. She didn’t love him anymore, the look in his eyes no longer raised her blood pressure; and her pulse hadn’t quickened, not even once last night. It wasn’t from lack of trying on his part. They’d talked about the past and the memories they shared, including their wedding day and her college graduation party.

They’d sneaked away from both festivities to enjoy each other’s company. She remembered the good times with fondness, but didn’t long to relive them or repeat them.

It was what they hadn’t talked about that worried Lucessa. Every time she tried to steer the conversation to the last year, the time he’d been missing, he artfully redirected her. The last straw for Lucessa had been when she’d left the living room to get clean sheets, blanket, and a pillow for Greg’s bed on the couch. The man had dared to follow her upstairs, as if he were planning on sharing their marriage bed.

Lucessa didn’t know this Greg. Time would tell if they’d be able to reconnect.

Lucessa inserted her key in the door, balancing a bag of burgers and her purse in one arm. As she turned the knob, she listened for male voices on the other side. Hopefully, tonight would go better than the last. She judged the situation was safe, so she pushed the door open. She was greeted by wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen. She knew the smell well; pot roast, potatoes, carrots, turnips, and rutabagas. Her mouth instantly watered. She left her bags and her purse on the hall table, completely forgotten as she moved toward the wonderful aromas in the kitchen.

Goosey met her in the kitchen. She paused, bending to one knee to show Goosey some love. The dog had no boundaries and her tongue lapped at Lucessa’s lips, nose and forehead. A smile spread across her face, her troubled soul lifted a bit.

“Hey, welcome home,” Greg said from the stove, Lucessa’s purple apron tied tight around his neck and waist.

“Look at you.” She couldn’t help but smile even more. Greg had never cooked in all the time they’d been together. And wearing an apron...forget about it. “When’d you learn to cook? You never cooked when we were married. Nice outfit.”

“I needed to dress for the occasion. Have a seat.”

Lucessa turned toward the dining room table set for dinner complete with tablecloth, flowers and wineglasses. She frowned, confused. “There are only two place settings.”

“Of course, I made dinner for the two of us.” He smiled, clearly proud of himself.

“What’ll Maxim eat?”

“That’s not our problem.”

“Greg, he’s my guest. We can’t exclude him from dinner.” She sighed as if explaining something very basic to a child.

“What’s the relationship between you two anyways? You haven’t told me why he’s here, in
our
home.” Greg’s neck turned red and he clenched his fists.

“What’re you so mad about? He’s just a friend. By the way, where is he?” Since she’d arrived home, Lucessa hadn’t heard any footsteps on the floor above, and Goosey hugged her side. Maxim probably hadn’t returned yet.

“Just a friend, huh? Haven’t seen him since this morning.” Greg moved toward the oven, retrieved the pot holders off the counter and removed the roasting pan full of dinner. “I figured you probably told him it was time for him to move on.”

“Why would I do that?” She followed him to the table, where he set the hot pan directly on the wood surface. “Put something under that!” The heels of her shoes clopped on the floor as she rushed to get a towel. Returning to the table, Greg lifted the roast and she slipped the layer of protection between the heat and her table.

“The situation can’t continue like this forever.”

“What situation?” Her mind fought to remember what they’d been discussing before Greg almost scorched her tabletop.

“You, me...and him. We can’t all live under one roof.”

“If you don’t like the living arrangement, feel free to leave. Until you can tell me what I need to know, I don’t see anything changing around here.”

She saw the moment he gave up on the fight, his shoulders sagged and he averted his eyes. The old Greg was back, the Greg who always needed someone to take care of him.

# # #

With Lucessa safety home, Maxim continued on to his brother’s shelter. The place looked deserted, the same as the other day but he knew Melas Oneiroi slept and copulated inside. No light shone through the missing door and no movement could be seen through the windows. His senses drew him to the house, he knew his brother was inside.

He pulled his jacket closer around himself, more to hide his presence than to keep the cold out. The element of surprise was what he needed. His brother wouldn’t expect him to come again.

Surveying the exterior of the house, Maxim slipped into the back yard, having a quick look in all the windows that weren’t covered. He came to one that had been recently boarded over, probably broken out by degenerates in the neighborhood. Weeds grew tall against the house, in some places so thick they looked like small trees. Rounding the last corner, he headed toward the front door, pushing a black bag of garbage out of his path as he walked. The inside of the house was colder than outside, with no electricity or gas to fuel the heater. The interior looked much the same, only dirtier, if that were possible.

Maxim lifted his feet high and walked through the room toward his brother’s area in back. This time his door was open and he could see his brother sitting at a table. Darius held a fork in his hand and his mouth moved, too late Maxim realized that there was someone else in the room, his brother’s eyes met his.

“I have a guest, please excuse me,” his brother said to the hidden figure. If someone replied, it was too low for him to hear. Darius pulled the door closed behind him and looked at Maxim in silence.

“Your man is sloppy, Darius,” he started, as his brother continued to look on. “Where’d you find Greg?”

Darius’s eyebrow raised. “Greg? Do you mean our good Dr. Flynn?”

“You know damn well who I’m talking about.” Maxim allowed the anger to roll through his body. His hand shot out, grabbing his brother by the neck and forcing him up against the wall. “I’m tired of playing games with you. I don’t know what you’re up to but I’m about ready to tell Guy to put you out of your misery. This is my last warning. Get
him
out of
her
house.” With that Maxim pushed off the wall and released his brother.

His twin doubled over, his chest heaving. Maxim watched as his face faded from a deep red to a glowing pink.

“Have I made myself clear, Darius?”

“It’s too late, brother. This is out of my hands, out of your hands.”

“What do you mean ‘out of your hands’?”

“This is bigger than you and me, Maxim.” Darius shrugged and turned back toward his door.

“What the hell are you talking about? I can’t keep saving your ass! Guy is livid and he’ll seek his revenge.”

“I’m afraid my Lord won’t take kindly to that,” Darius said over his shoulder.

“You’re talking in riddles.”

“That’s the way it has to be for now. You’ll see soon enough.” He opened his door and returned to his company. The lock clicked softly.

Chapter 25

Maxim closed his eyes as he walked over the threshold and out of his brother’s personal hell.

Thinking about Lucessa, he took a deep breath, smelling another new aroma. It assaulted his senses. Opening his eyes, Maxim heard raised voices below. His whole being sensed
her
; and the other voice belonged to the “good” Dr. Flynn--Greg. Heading to the stairs, he wondered what they were fighting about.

The heavenly aroma increased as he traversed the stairs and entered the kitchen.

“Something smells wonderful.” Two heads turned in his direction, Lucessa’s filled with irritation and Greg’s held resignation. “Am I interrupting something?”

“Yes, you are, as a matter of fact,” Greg piped in.

“Classy apron.”

“What--”

“This is my house, Greg. No Maxim you’re not interrupting anything.” Lucessa cut off Greg’s retort. “I stopped and picked up burgers for us on the way home. Since it looks like Greg cooked dinner for himself, there’s more for us.”

Maxim looked back and forth between the pair. He’d definitely interrupted something.

“Well, I’m famished,” Maxim said to defuse the situation.

“Of course, our food is on the hall table. We can eat in the living room.” Lucessa stormed by him toward the front door. He heard a paper bag crinkle as Lucessa sat heavily on the couch.

If looks could kill Maxim would be dead on Lucessa’s kitchen floor.

“Good to see you again, Greg. Enjoy your dinner.”

# # #

“I’m sorry you had to witness that. I’m so embarrassed.” Lucessa ran her hands down her overheated face. “I’m not sure what’s gotten into Greg. He’s acted so odd since he showed up.”

Thankfully, Maxim reached for the bag of food, relieving Lucessa’s embarrassment. “What heavenly food do you have for me today?” he asked.

Smiling, Lucessa reached for the bag Maxim peeked into. “Tonight I have A&W Root Beer. Best burgers in town.” He always knew how to lighten the mood.

“They don’t smell as good as what Greg prepared, but I’m starving,” his smile mirrored hers.

She lifted the burgers out of the bag, followed by French fries, both lukewarm. “Do you want me to warm up your burger and fries. They taste better fresh off the grill.”

“No need, I’m starving.” Maxim peeled back the wrapper and took three quick bites.

“Slow down, you’re going to choke.” Lucessa tried to keep the alarm from her voice.
Don’t they eat where he comes from?

“Would you save me, Ms. Sarcona?” Maxim asked with a wink, after swallowing the majority of his large bite.

“If you’re lucky.” She couldn’t help teasing him. He seemed to be doing the same.

# # #

Maxim finished his food and decided to test the waters. “How are things going with Greg?”

“Awkward. I don’t know what to say.”

“Did he tell you where he’s been hiding?” he pushed, trying to find out how much she knew. Most likely, his brother and Alexander had given Greg zero information about why he was here.

Her face clouded with confusion. He didn’t want to tell her Greg was only back to play games--back to hurt her again. It had nothing to do with his promise to Guy, but how he felt about her. Lucessa didn’t deserve to be drawn into Guy’s and Darius’ power struggle.

Maybe it would be better if he told her what was going on, instead of her finding out part of the truth from Greg. But to confide the truth to her, Maxim would have to admit that he was the reason her mother was sick. That decision must ultimately fall to Guy. While telling Lucessa would impact Maxim, it would severely affect his eldest brother.

“No, he changes the subject every time I broach it,” she said around a mouth full of burger. “He’s so defensive if I press the issue.”