In His Eyes

by Barbara Lohr

  She huffed. “Maybe. Who knows?”

  Ah, huh. This was going to feel like a very long visit. How long had Delinda said? “Want to follow me to my office so we can catch up?” Mother and daughter exchanged a dark look. Had Delinda just planned on dropping Maisy off? Anger quickened his steps. Once in the office, he closed the door behind them and took a breath. He had to keep it together.

  Eyes taking it all in, Delinda threw herself into one of the wing chairs across from his desk. “Big office. You must be one of those uppity bigwigs now.” She hooked one leg over the other in what used to be her coy pose. “Thanks for helping me out, Will. You’re such a good brother.”

  The false gratitude took Will back to the years when she’d been his popular older sister, the queen of Beanblossom––at least that’s what he’d thought back then. A late-night partier, she’d filled his young ears with wild tales. Now that he was older, he wondered what had drawn boys to Delinda. She’d caused his parents plenty of sleepless nights. The back of his neck prickled. Would her daughter be just like her?

  Time to lay out some ground rules. He pressed a button on the phone. “Hey, Kelsey, can you take Maisy down to the cafeteria and get her a soda? Maybe give her a quick tour.” This might take some time, and he wanted Delinda alone. He shrugged out of the wool jacket and rolled up his sleeves. The air vent overhead blew dry heat.

  “Sure, be right there.”

  Maisy’s mouth fell open, probably to protest, but his sister gave her a warning look. Kelsey arrived and Maisy disappeared. Putting his hands flat on his desk, Will faced Delinda. He tried to remember that they were related, but the truth was, he was facing a stranger. Sadness seeped through him. “So, what’s your plan?”

  She smiled brightly. “Just like I said, Willie. Gonna take in the islands with my boyfriend. Didn’t think my family would mind helping me out.”

  He grated at his childhood nickname. “Do Mom and Dad know anything about this?”

  “Hell, no.” She took her time unwrapping a stick of gum before jamming it into her mouth. Eyes turning thoughtful, she began to chew. “The folks are getting on, Willie.”

  That was bull and she knew it. Not even sixty, their parents were spry. But they probably hadn’t responded to Delinda’s latest demand for money. He had. “Will. That’s the name I answer to, Delinda.”

  The chomping stopped and his sister’s eyes grew guarded.

  “So where can you be reached and when will you return?” His patience frayed. “It’s Christmas, for God’s sake.”

  Delinda’s caked eyelashes blinked slowly, another throwback to her high school days. “I’m flying out of Kalamazoo tomorrow. Gonna meet up with Richie in Florida. His friend’s got a boat. Great, huh? We’ll be cruising for a while...”

  The blood pulsed in his head.

  “Two weeks, probably,” she quickly added.

  Fourteen days. What the hell was he going to do with Maisy for all that time?

  He’d made surprise reservations at a bed and breakfast over the holidays. Diana’s shop would be closed, and Jan could handle things here at the facility. They could enjoy some time alone, and he wasn’t thinking of Christmas shopping or tree lighting. Since Thanksgiving, they’d gotten their relationship back on track.

  Now Delinda had thrown a monkey wrench into that plan. But she was his sister. Families came with responsibilities.

  “Give me your cell number so I can get a hold of you.” He slid a pen and paper across the desk. “Don’t you feel bad leaving your daughter at Christmas?”

  Lips pursed, she made some notes and pushed the paper back. “Girl knows her mam’s got to have a little fun.” Her bleak eyes carried years of wreckage. His poor niece. What had she seen and experienced over the years?

  “Right. Fine.” He got up. Outside the snow kept falling. “Be careful driving to Kalamazoo.”

  “Of course I will.” Jumping up, she grabbed her purse.

  Leaving his office, she turned left. Dammit, she was heading to the front door. He grabbed her arm. “Delinda, the cafeteria’s this way. I’m sure you want to say good-bye to your daughter.” He jerked a thumb. With an aggrieved shrug, she fell into step. How had he ever wound up with this sorry mess for a sister? His parents had tried to discipline her but it had never done any good. Nausea sloshed in his stomach. Would he have any better luck with her daughter?

  In the cafeteria, a group of residents played bingo, while Bev called the numbers. Maisy sat at a table, sipping a can of pop.

  “Guess I’ll be running along, sweet pea.” Delinda bustled over and dropped a kiss on her daughter’s forehead. Were tears brimming in Maisy’s eyes? “I’ll call you, okay, sugar plum?”

  “Sure, whatever.” Blinking, Maisy stared straight ahead.

  “Be sure to keep your phone charged up, now.”

  “You gonna do the same, Mom?”

  “That was just one time.” Delinda’s hands fell to her side. “Want to walk me out?”

  “Can I take the soda?” Maisy asked Will.

  “Sure. Come on, we’ll see your mom to the door.” Walking to the lobby, they were a sad little group. The clicking of his heels and the squeaks of their shoes couldn’t cover Maisy’s sniffles. How his sister could leave was beyond him. Delinda filled the silence with comments that shot from her lips like popping corn. The walls, the bulletin boards, the nurses’ stations––her attention veered to anything but her daughter.

  At the door, she jabbed another kiss at Maisy. When she finally pushed through the frosted glass, a frigid breeze invaded the waiting area. Even Harold had moved to an inside chair. Disgust and awe churning in his stomach, Will watched his sister brave the drifts until she made it to her rental car. To his relief, it started.

  ~.~

  Waiting for Will to pick her up for the Holiday Walk that Saturday, Diana felt a shiver of apprehension. He’d sounded nervous on the phone. That wasn’t the confident Will she’d come to know. His sister had shown up to drop off his niece. Then Delinda left. “Maisy’s a total stranger.” He sounded rattled. Diana was burning with curiosity.

  A niece. Poor kid. An only child of a single mother. She wondered how that was working out.

  After two days of blizzard-like conditions, the town was covered in a glistening mantle of snow. Diana had ordered a bright white jacket online, with a hood trimmed in white fake fur. A bright green stocking cap was another find, long enough to twist around her neck and cover her chin.

  Will’s car fishtailed into view and she chuckled. No way was the boy going to drive the red Mustang in weather like this. Her own car stood in the driveway, a shrouded white form.

  The walk started at two o’clock, and Rachel told her she could handle any traffic at Hippy Chick. They didn’t expect many customers. Diana wanted to zip through the other stores to see what they were offering. She imagined the Holiday Walk would be like Moonlight Madness. Mercedes had mentioned that Kate’s spirits seemed to pick up as she threw herself into this new promotion. Thank goodness. Diana’s heart still ached for Kate and Cole.

  When she threw open the storm door, a blast of cold air took her breath away. She waved. Getting out of the car, Will came around and opened the door for his niece. The collar of his navy parka was turned up and he looked handsome as ever, despite the scowl. The girl who climbed out of the car almost made Diana tighten her grip on the door. A shock of neon green hair framed pouty features, and the bright sunlight glinted off several piercings. Leading the way up the walk, Will looked at her with resignation. Poor guy. What a pair. They looked like punk rock meets business casual. She leaned out the door. “Hey. Where’s the Mustang today?”

  “In the garage where it belongs.” He stepped to one side. “Diana, I’d like you to meet Maisy, my niece.”

  Not looking at all pleased, the girl mumbled something.

  “Great. Well.” Diana stepped back. “Good to meet you, Maisy. Come on in while I grab my things.”

  “Wipe your feet on the
mat,” Will told his niece as they came through the door.

  “Like I didn’t know.” Maisy made a show of wiping off her tennis shoes. Her feet must be freezing.

  “I’ll have to get a bigger mat. All this snow. Do you think it will be busy today? Rachel is holding down the fort at Hippy Chick so we can take our time...” Diana’s words rattled out with a speed that brought a strange look from Will. Maisy was taking stock of the bungalow. But she quickly dropped her eyes when Diana caught her staring.

  Slipping into her white parka, Diana crammed her hair under the green stocking cap and wrapped the tail around her neck. When she felt the girl’s eyes on her face, she pulled the knit higher.

  “Don’t you just look like Christmas.” Will’s eyes warmed. With his niece standing right there, he gave Diana a kiss that burned through her body until she felt it curling her toes.

  “Whoa, buddy.” Dazed, she nudged him away. “Let’s save that ’til later, okay?”

  Maisy snorted.

  “Must be cold out there. Your cheeks are freezing.” Diana pressed her palms to his face.

  “Maybe they need your hands to warm them up.”

  His niece’s expulsion of breath filled the room. They broke apart. No use putting on a show, although from what Will said, her mother was dating someone.

  “Let me get my gloves.” She wrenched open the closet door. Tension crackled in the air. Will was in trouble. Sure, she’d hoped for an intimate Christmas with him, their first. But the situation had changed, and it sure looked like his niece was a handful. Diana felt sorry for both of them.

  Five minutes later, they were crammed into Will’s car, their breath quickly steaming up the windows. Tires whirred and squealed on the slick streets. His windshield wipers shuddered across the window until he turned them off.

  “Do you think people will come out in the cold?” Diana looked at the banks of frozen snow along the street.

  “I have no idea.”

  Maisy looked upon the snowy scene with disgust. Maybe she was used to warmer weather. “Maisy, do you have much snow where you live?”

  “Not much. We live in Kentucky right now. I’ve lived everywhere. California. New Mexico. Florida. You name it.” But it was said with disgust not pride.

  “Sounds interesting.” And a major upheaval. “All warmer climates, right?”

  “Yeah, I wonder how those people pay their electric bill.”

  Diana exchanged a look with Will. The words sounded so adult, as if she were echoing her mother.

  Will pulled over when they got close to Brewster’s. “Well, now you’re here and it’s the Christmas season. The Holiday Walk on Whittaker is new this year. Should be fun. “

  “Yippy do,” his niece muttered.

  Good thing Will didn’t hear her. He was already out of the car, coming around to help them out.

  Whittaker was decorated in colorful green and red holiday garb. Over the street sprinted reindeer, their flight lit with tiny white lights. At the end of the street sat a sleigh where a red-suited Santa sat ready to greet a long line of children. Elves in green costumes handed out candy canes to those who waited. All along the street, each store had someone dressed in costume to welcome shoppers.

  “Hi Diana, Will?” Oscar Werner waved to them from the doorway of Sun and Sail.

  “So they do this every year?” Some of the disdain had melted from Maisy’s face. Without the frown, she was really kind of pretty but she had brown eyes, not Will’s piercing blue.

  “We have a new PR person who dreamed this up,” Will said, taking in the scene with approval. “Maybe I should have had Bev bring some of the residents down, although the sidewalks might be slippery.” Blue ice melter glittered on the street.

  Diana was blown away by the holiday scene. “Isn’t it beautiful? Maisy, don’t you think the street looks like a Christmas card.”

  “I guess.” Maisy scuffed at the snow. Had the poor kid ever gotten a Christmas card?

  Pulling Diana’s arm through his, Will led the way. “Let’s stroll up to Santa.”

  “Don’t even think I’m gonna climb onto that guy’s lap,” Maisy said. “Probably the local perv.”

  Turning on his heel, Will faced her and Diana’s stomach sank. “Enough, Maisy. People have worked very hard to make this a special day. I won’t have you ruining it, got it?”

  Amazement emptied Maisy’s face, making her purple eye shadow even more obvious. “Well, don’t get your shorts in a bundle. I get it, I get it.”

  Diana watched Will struggle. His hands clenched and opened. This was so hard, but lashing back wouldn’t help. “Come on.” Diana tugged on his arm. “I should check on Hippy Chick so we have to move this along.”

  Relief filtered through her when he turned his attention back to Santa’s sleigh.

  As they drew closer, Santa’s hearty “Ho, ho, ho” could be heard.

  Will and Diana exchanged a smile. “Cole?” she asked.

  He lifted a shoulder. “I guess. Maybe Kate roped him into it.” When they got closer, Diana noticed Sarah standing with her little boys, Nathan and Justin. Both boys were practicing for their turn with Santa, ticking items off on their fingers.

  “Looks like serious business,” Will chuckled.

  “Did you ever sit on Santa’s lap?” she asked Maisy, trying to start conversation.

  “Nope. Where would I have done that?”

  Yep, her childhood had been pretty bleak.

  “Well, look who’s here!” Cheeks ruddy from the cold, Sarah clapped her hands. “My boys are getting ready to put in their order.” She winked.

  Was their father on that list? Sarah’s husband Jamie had been overseas for almost a year, or so Kate had told her. Must be hard, although Sarah had her mother.

  “And who is this young lady?” Sarah asked, eyes landing on Maisy.

  “My, ah, niece Maisy,” Will said. His lips worked the name like a new dish that he doubted he’d enjoy.

  “Isn’t that nice? Visiting your uncle for Christmas?”

  “Yeah. I guess.” Maisy concentrated on a parking meter. Sarah shot a puzzled glance between Will and Diana.

  “Is your mother watching The Full Cup?” Diana asked, eager to change the topic.

  “Of course. She was up until midnight, making gingerbread men.” Sarah checked her watch. “We better get back.” By that time, the boys were finished with Santa and Sarah gathered them up.

  Maisy shuffled her feet. “Can we go home now?”

  Will’s mouth opened and then snapped shut. He seemed to be counting to ten. “And what’s waiting back at my condo, Maisy? What could be more fun than this?”

  Diana’s heart just about stopped when the girl rolled her eyes. Will’s face flushed and then drained.

  “Don’t you have video games or some movies?” Maisy asked in a pathetic voice.

  “Video games have never been my thing. I spend most of my time at work...or at Diana’s.” Well, the truth was, Diana was spending a lot of time at his condo, but she wasn’t about to point that out.

  This continual confrontation was making Diana nervous. She took his hand. “Come on. Let’s stop at the library.” She turned to Maisy. “You can pick out something.”

  But once inside the library, Maisy wrinkled her nose. “This place smells weird. “

  “Books,” Diana supplied. “Do you use a Kindle?”

  Maisy gave her a vacant look. “Thought you said we were going to get some movies?” Her voice held a whine that was getting old fast.

  With that, Mildred Wentworth stepped from behind the desk. “Did I hear something about movies?” She waved toward a steaming dispenser and a plate of cookies. “Help yourself and then I’ll take you back.”

  The cookies had definitely caught Maisy’s interest. Not only did she take two, she stuffed more in her pockets after Mildred turned around. A chuckle tickled Diana’s throat but Will’s expression told her this was no laughing matter.

  “All she wants to e
at is sugar,” he mumbled, following Maisy to the back, where Mildred helped her pick out some movies and a couple TV shows. Fifteen minutes later, they were on their way to her store.

  When Diana opened the door to Hippy Chick, the place was packed. Rachel waved to her from the behind the counter, looking totally panicked.

  Chapter 21

  “How’s it going?” Diana murmured to Rachel, slipping behind the counter.

  The girl looked frantic. “Thank God you’re here. The fitting rooms are full. I was thinking of offering the stockroom.” Three women stood waiting, clothes over their arms.

  “Sorry, Rachel. I didn’t expect this or I would have been here.” Maisy wandered off and Will was quickly surrounded by chattering women.

  “Pardon! Pardon me, ladies, can I have some help here please?” Shivering with indignation, a gray-haired lady dangled holly earrings in Diana’s face.

  She got to work. “Did you know these are buy one, get one fifty percent off?”

  “Oh. Well, let me look.” The woman stepped back to the case.

  “I’ve got this, Rachel. Check out the fitting rooms, okay?” Turning back to her elderly customer, she helped her select a second pair of earrings for her granddaughter. Her attention was pulled away when two women began fighting over a pair of sunburst earrings on the turnaround display. She totally understood. The bright copper pair was a personal favorite. “Ladies? Ladies!”

  While she sorted them out, she got a glimpse of Maisy sitting on a chair in the corner, eating cookies. She felt sorry for the girl. Like Diana, she’d been kicked to the curb by a mother more involved with her love life than her daughter. How sad was this?

  Maybe Will wouldn’t welcome her interference, but she couldn’t help but become involved. The poor guy. Eyes wide, he edged toward the door, looking like he wanted to bolt.

  ~.~

  How would he ever get through the next two weeks? Guilt played havoc with his stomach. After all, Maisy was his niece. Still, he felt like he’d been stuck with a stranger. “Maisy, can you wait to eat that cookie? You’re getting crumbs all over the floor.”