Eye of the Storm 177

Ceci shook her head. “Oh yes. I certainly do. Thank everything you were home or I’d never have gotten her in for those x-rays. She almost took out three nurses as it was.”

“Lord. That’s the truth.” Andy chuckled. “That little Kerry’s got her wrapped round her finger, though. You’d never believe it.”

“She seems nice,” Cecilia ventured.

“Good kid,” he agreed. “Got a good heart and she’s damn gone on Dar.”

“Roger Stuart’s kid, isn’t she?”

“Half assed bastard. Yeah.”

Her pale eyebrows lifted. “Didn’t know you knew him.”

Andy didn’t answer for a moment. “Threw her out the house when she done told him ’bout her and Dardar.”

“Mmm.” Ceci pursed her lips. “He’s pretty conservative. I know it was a little hard for us too.” She paused. “It was an adjustment. Must have been quite a shock.”

“Mmm.” They sat down in the grass, and Andy stretched his long legs out, leaned back against a jutting rock and looked out over the water pensively. “More than that. He tried to put her butt in the nuthouse cause of it.”

Ceci felt like she’d been hit in the chest. “What?”

Andy nodded soberly. “Yeap. Took her out of the house and locked her up.” His nostrils flared a little, and he peeked at her. “Dar flew up there and busted her out.”

She blinked in shock. “She did?”

Her husband pulled at his lower lip, trying to mask the look of intense pride. “Yeap.”

A soft sigh. “She’s definitely your daughter.”

His blue eyes took on shadows. “I know you two always wrassled,”

he acknowledged softly. “She turned out okay though.” He turned his head towards her. “Think maybe you two’d get on better now?”

Cecilia considered the statement. “Maybe,” she responded with a sigh, then opened the basket and removed a wine bottle and two glasses.

She uncorked the bottle and poured them each a portion. “So much has changed.”

Andy took his and studied it. “Yeap.”

They were quiet for a bit, just watching the flocks of birds circle the lake, some landing to feed, other wheeling over them in intricate patterns.

Finally Ceci rested her cheek against his arm. “Where do we go from here?” She felt the shift and knew that if she tilted her head back she’d see him looking at her. “Now that I can start my life going forward again, instead of just letting it drift past me.”

It was curious. She could feel the minute shifts in her husband’s body, as he collected his thoughts and prepared to answer the question.

But she also got an undeniable sense that he was holding back a surprise, in the way that he used to unpredictably show up in her bedroom win-178 Melissa Good dow, one hand firmly behind his back and a tiny sparkle in his eyes.

He sorted out his questions and asked the first one first. “You like it here?”

Ceci shrugged. “It was the furthest away I could get from where I was.”

He just looked at her and didn’t answer that for a minute. “Been living out of the VA hostels down south. Bunks and a blanket when I could get ’em. Not something you’d be wanting, I don’t think.”

“As long as they’ve got an extra blanket.” She gazed peacefully at him. “That sounds great.”

“Cec—”

“Listen to me.” She reached up and caught his jaw, forcing eye contact. “You are my life.” Inhale. Exhale. “I don’t care if you live under a bridge. Wherever you go, I’ll go.”

His eyes smiled at her. “Honey, I know that,” Andrew answered softly. “I wasn’t gonna say you can’t. I was gonna say I was damn tired of living that way and I’d got a hankering to find me a little place…out near the water. Fer just you and me.”

A sense of vivid relief splashed over her and turned the colors nearby far more intense. “I’d like that very much.” Ceci took in a happy breath. “In fact, with the paintings and all, I’ve got a little money put by.

We could—” She hushed, as a large finger covered her lips. She grasped it. “It’s all right, Andy. That apartment belongs to Charles. I just pay him rent for it. There’s nothing holding me here, in fact—” Now she had to be quiet, because the finger had turned into an entire hand, which was larger than half her face.

“Shh.” Andy removed his hand. “When Dar was up here, she had to sign some paper stuff had to do with May’s trust, and—”

“Oh.” Ceci felt herself flush. “Goddess…please. Don’t…I’m so sorry about that.”

He paused. “Huh?”

Cecilia sighed. “It was my fault. I should have checked. I should have…that stupid trust.” She paused. “I’m sorry. I told her I was—”

“Ceci, what are you talking about?”

She blinked. “The trust. When the family found out I was…that I’d asked Dar to come up for the funeral, they asked me to talk to her about it.”

“Yeah?”

She shrugged. “It never occurred to them or to me, honestly, that she’d have been as successful as she is.” Ceci looked up to see honest hurt facing her. “I know. I know, Andrew. I fell into that trap.”

He looked down at the ground.

“Richard had mentioned that Dar had recently changed all her legal papers and had named a new heir. I guess the concern was…” Cecilia stopped and took a breath. “No. I’ll be honest. We—me included—were worried someone was taking advantage of her and she didn’t have the sense to realize it.”


Eye of the Storm 179

Andrew sighed. “Lord.”

Ceci exhaled and closed her eyes. “I don’t blame her for being upset.

When I realized…it was so hard, Andy. I didn’t even really know what to say. What to do. I felt like a fool.” She rested her head against one hand.

“What a mess.”

“Well,” Andy put his arm around her, “that musta stung, right nuff.

But I think Dar figgered out a way t’get her own back.” He chewed his lip. “Put it somewhere yer family’d go nuts with.”

“Mmm?” Ceci lifted her head. “What did she do? Give it to the Humane Society?” She half joked, as he slowly tugged something out of his back pocket and handed it to her. “What’s this?”

“What she done.”

She unfolded the paper on to her thigh and read it.

Then she read it again.

Then she looked up at her husband.

“Didn’t even give me a chance t’say no.” Andy smiled wistfully. “I damn near almost fell over.”

“Wow.”

“Yeap.”

Ceci fingered the paper. “I feel pretty damn small.” She had a bitter taste in her mouth. “She’s so outgrown me.”

Andy pulled her closer and she felt a tiny thrill as his lips pressed against her hair, despite the shame that covered her. “We all made mistakes, Cec,” he murmured. “Let’s just tie our shorts tight and move on.”

She collapsed against him. “We got all sorts of new chances now.”

Yes they did, didn’t they? Cecilia put her hands against her husband’s chest, feeling the powerful beat of his heart under her fingers. Dreams were possible now. Though the only one that had ever meant anything to her was real, and breathing, and surrounding her with strong arms.

Anything was possible.


Chapter

Twenty

THE SKY OUTSIDE slowly turned from black to purple to gray, and the birds started piping, just barely heard through the closed window.

Kerry watched their shadows through the blinds as she lay curled up in the waterbed, her arms wrapped snugly around Dar’s sleeping body.

It had been a very quiet, very peaceful night. Dar had fulfilled her part of the bargain and managed to get most of a bowl of soup down and keep it there, along with a half bottle of Gatorade. Then Kerry had done her part by forgetting about all the things she had to do and crawling into bed for a very long evening of pleasant cuddling.

They’d talked for a little while, then Dar had dozed off with her head resting on Kerry’s shoulder, feeling much better. Kerry wondered how much of that was the medicine, how much was her lover’s own sturdy physiology, and how much was the TLC, but in the end, it didn’t really matter, did it? She was content to think her care had helped, at least emotionally, and that was enough.

The hand resting on her waist moved, and she turned her head slightly, not surprised to see Dar looking back at her. “Morning.”

“Mmm.” Dar nodded in acknowledgment.

“How are you feeling?” Kerry inquired, smiling as the tall body next to her uncoil and stretch out to its full length, then relax. “Better?”

Dar nodded again.

“And the aftereffect of this is laryngitis?”

Dar chuckled. “No.” Dar’s voice was husky with sleep, but otherwise normal. “Just kick starting my brain. Still a little fuzzy around the edges.”

Though, to be honest, Dar mused, as she snuggled back into her warm nest of Kerry, she wasn’t sure if it was the medicine, or the aftereffect of being doused in solicitous affection all night. Boy, that felt good. Her stomach was still a little tender, but she wasn’t nauseous any more and her reactions seemed to have returned to a more normal alertness.

She stroked Kerry’s side and nuzzled her, receiving a low, pleased murmur in return. “Thanks for taking care of me.” Dar turned her head and peered up at her lover’s chin. “You did a great job.”

Kerry tilted her head down and smiled. “Glad to hear it.”

A dark eyebrow waggled. “You went to bed early last night. Bet you’re hungry.”


Eye of the Storm 181

“Mmm, yeah. How’d you know?”

Dar lifted her head and tapped the flat surface she’d been resting on.

“That’s some serious growling going on down there.” She winked and gave Kerry a tickle.

“Aruum.” Kerry cleared her throat, a little embarrassed. “Yeah, well, I kinda forgot lunch, too.”

“Tch.” Dar rolled over and glanced down off the side of the bed, where Chino was tucked in her basket. The Labrador had tried their waterbed once or twice, but decided it wasn’t to her taste, so they’d gotten her a comfortable, fleece lined bed to sleep in. “Tell ya what. I’ll get breakfast ready.”

Kerry snorted in laughter, then hastily covered her mouth with one hand as she got a wounded look from her lover. “Sorry. You don’t deserve that. You made me the best eggs I ever had once.”

Dar rested her chin on her arm. “You remember that, huh?”

“I sure do.” Kerry squirmed over to her. “You don’t have to get breakfast though.” She closed her eyes against the scarily adorable pout.

“Ooo, Dardar. Not that face. Nooooo.” She peeked, then rolled over and covered her face with her pillow. “Nononono—eeekk!”

Chino yelped and scrambled up to see.

“Gotcha.” Dar pounced on her and tickled her belly unmercifully.

“Hahaha.”

“Eeeeee!” Kerry smacked her with the pillow, then wriggled out of the way, rolling herself up in the comforter. “No fair!”

Dar was up on her knees and elbows and she started slinking forward, a look of maniacal glee on her face. “Make fun of my breakfast will you.”

“Yeeoo!” Kerry scrabbled to escape, but couldn’t move fast enough and got caught in mid-lunge, finding long arms wrapping around her and pulling her down. She gurgled and tried to twist free, but got more and more tangled in sheets, blankets, and lots and lots of Dar. “Frisfig-ffifng,” she squealed, as a nibble tickled up her ribcage. “Darrrr!”

“Arrggghhh,” Dar growled happily, making Chino bark. She rolled them both over, then yelped as she forgot where she was, and felt nothing but air under her back. “Oh shit…”

“Yeooww!” Kerry responded, as they tumbled out of the waterbed and onto the floor with a double thump. “Ow.”

Dar, who had landed first and was now providing a resting spot for her lover, sneezed. “Dusty down here.” She closed her eyes as Chino rambled over and licked her face.

Kerry straddled her, sat up, and folded her arms. “Oh boy. Do I ever have you where I want you now.” She grinned with neatly evil intent.

Dar liberated an eyeball and turned it on her. “Uh.”

“Heh.”

“Okay. I surrender.” Dar tried to fend off the puppy, who was now lovingly cleaning her nose. “Hey.”

Kerry unbuttoned her lover’s shirt and started her own licking.


182 Melissa Good

“Mmm. Chino, good idea.” Dar jerked as she nibbled her navel. “This beats eggs for breakfast hands down.”

“H-hey.” Dar swallowed, her body’s reaction sending colorful jolts up and down her spine. “I don’t think I…” She paused as the gentle touch traveled up the slope of her belly, with the tiniest nibble on a rib. “Uh, Ker. I’m still a little…um…”