Safe House Under Fire

by Elisabeth Rees

  She smiled. “Thank you.”

  He waited for her to mention her father and his possible birthday visit, but she remained silent, so he placed a hand on her shoulder. “I also want to thank you for noticing the leaking fuel from the car and giving me the idea of setting it on fire. You saved us today, Astrid. Well done.”

  She grinned and looked at her mother. “Did you know I came up with a genius plan today, Mom?”

  “No, I didn’t.” Lilly hugged Astrid from behind, kissing the back of her head. “You have all the best ideas.”

  “I’m also really tired,” she said, letting her head fall onto her mother’s shoulders. “It’s past eleven.”

  “Let’s turn in for the night,” Lilly said, leading Astrid to the door. “It’s so peaceful here. You’ll sleep like a log.”

  Astrid tucked her purse into her armpit, rubbed her eyes. “This is a safer place than the last one, isn’t it?” she asked, sounding as though she were trying to convince herself. “He’ll never find us here.”

  David swallowed his fears and reassured her. “We’re completely cut off from the world,” he said. “No signals can get in or out. We’re untraceable.”

  Lilly smiled. “There are worse places to be cut off, I guess.”

  With its picturesque views, endless greenery and forest surroundings, this cabin was a haven of tranquility, and David hoped that Lilly would be able to relax enough to enjoy it. She sure needed it.

  “Sleep well, you two,” he said. “Goldie and I will take turns on lookout shift, so someone will be watching over you through the night.”

  “That’s what God does too, right?” Astrid said. “He never sleeps.”

  David wasn’t sure if she was teasing him, but he could detect no sarcasm in her voice. She appeared to be asking a genuine question.

  “That’s exactly right, Astrid,” he said. “God will be watching over you too.”

  “I’m sorry I made fun of you when you talked about your faith.” She avoided his eye. “I feel bad about it.”

  He was pleasantly shocked to hear those words. “It takes guts to apologize when you’ve done wrong,” he said. “I appreciate it.”

  Astrid took hold of her mother’s hand and walked from the room, looking to be so much younger than her fifteen years without the black lipstick and eye shadow. And she was revealing a vulnerable side that activated his paternal streak.

  In the hallway, Lilly glanced back, silently mouthed the words thank you and gave him a thumbs-up.

  David smiled in response and watched them head off to their room, hand in hand. He realized that he was growing as attached to Astrid as he was to her mother. Astrid was rebellious, difficult and rude, but she was a good kid underneath.

  Her new, more mature attitude might just soften Lilly’s resistance to a possible romantic relationship. Could David dare to hope that he had a second chance at love? Would his daughters be happy for him if another woman entered his life or would they resent his attention being directed away from them?

  He shook his head, rousing himself from the ridiculous fantasy.

  “It’s not gonna happen, David,” he told himself. “Never in a million years.”

  * * *

  Lilly tucked Astrid into bed just like she used to when she was a toddler, pulling the sheet taut around her body.

  “Too tight, Mom.” Astrid laughed. “I can’t breathe.”

  She loosened the sheet. “You used to like the feeling of being tucked in nice and tight when you were small.” Lilly picked up White Bear from the shelf overhead and handed it to her daughter. “You always looked so peaceful when you slept.”

  Astrid pushed the cuddly toy away. “I don’t think I want White Bear tonight. In fact, I’m not sure I need him anymore.”

  “Really?” Lilly felt her eyes widening. “But you love White Bear. He always sleeps with you.”

  “I’m almost sixteen. It’s time to put away childish things—isn’t that what you sometimes say?”

  She was amazed that Astrid actually remembered her occasional words of advice, especially the ones taken from Scripture.

  “Well, okay then,” Lilly said, placing White Bear back on the shelf. “I’ll just leave him there in case you need him in the night.”

  “I won’t need him.”

  Lilly pushed Astrid’s hair from her forehead. “You seem a little different tonight. What happened?”

  Astrid thought carefully before replying. “David put his life on the line trying to protect us today. He could’ve gotten himself killed but he didn’t give up.” She chewed her lip. “And Dad won’t even come visit for my birthday unless we pay him. What I saw David do today really made me think about things. I had an epi-phoney or whatever you call it.”

  “I think you mean an epiphany, honey.”

  “Yeah, I had one of those. I want to be a better person, Mom. I really do.”

  “You’re already a great person,” Lilly said, stroking her cheek. “But there’s always room for improvement.”

  “I’ve been really mean to David and said bad things, and he doesn’t deserve it.” She rubbed the cotton bedsheet between her thumb and forefinger. “He’s a nice man.”

  “I think so too.”

  “I know you like each other a lot.” She smiled. “A whole lot.”

  “We respect each other,” Lilly said diplomatically. “And we’re friends.”

  “Friends who kiss each other are more than friends, Mom.”

  They both burst into laughter. It felt good to be lighthearted with Astrid again. She had seemed to be so distant lately and now there was a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

  “Yes, David became more than a friend,” Lilly said. “I didn’t mean for it to happen, but it did.”

  “You can’t help who you fall in love with,” Astrid said. “And I think you fell in love with him.”

  Lilly wondered if this conversation had gone too far. “Perhaps I did, but that’s not any of your business, missy.”

  Astrid smiled. “I just wanted to say that I won’t cause any more problems for you.” She pulled a serious face, put on a deep voice. “You have my blessing.”

  This prompted a real belly laugh from Lilly. “I have your blessing? That’s hilarious.”

  “I know,” Astrid said with a giggle. “Who knew that I was both smart and funny?”

  “I did,” she said, kissing her daughter’s forehead. “But my and David’s relationship is more complicated than you think.”

  “It is?”

  Lilly wanted to be honest with Astrid but also wanted to shield her from adult worries and fears. She tried to be careful with her response.

  “I loved your father once,” she said. “I really did.”

  Astrid seemed to read her mind. “And he let us down, didn’t he?”

  “Yes, he did, so I need to be absolutely certain of David’s intentions before I trust him.”

  “Mom,” Astrid said, propping herself up onto her elbows. “David would die for you.” She placed the back of her hand onto her forehead, theatrically. “He’s like a movie star hero rushing to save the heroine, who’s stuck on a rock in the middle of a flood or something.”

  Lilly let out another laugh. “That’s a very creative fantasy.”

  “It’s not a fantasy. It’s what David does for us every day, right?”

  “Yeah,” Lilly admitted. “He’s one of the good guys.”

  “So why are you worried about his intentions?”

  It was time to bring this conversation to a close. Lilly stood up, smiling brightly.

  “It’s late. Sleep tight, honey. I’ll be in the bed right across from yours, okay?”

  “Okay, Mom. I’ll stop asking hard questions. I love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  Lilly padded acros
s the floorboards in her socks and went into the bathroom. Shutting the door, she contemplated the words she had just exchanged with Astrid, realizing that the most significant barrier to a relationship with David had now been removed. Could she bring herself to let go of her fears and trust him to be a better man and father figure than Rylan had ever been? No matter how decent David had shown himself to be, there was always a seed of doubt, a lingering worry that he might skip out on them when the tantrums and arguments were too overwhelming. Astrid could test anyone’s patience.

  The most sensible thing to do was to wait a little while, to be sure of making the correct decision. At fifteen years old, Astrid was unpredictable, prone to mood changes for the slightest of reasons, and her attitude tomorrow might be in stark opposition to the one she displayed tonight. She could easily return to her old habits of baiting David with her rudeness. Waiting was definitely sensible.

  After all, there was no point in rushing into things without testing the water first.

  NINE

  David rolled the dice and moved his piece along the board. It had been many years since he’d sat at a table playing a game, feeling part of a family. And he liked it.

  “Okay, listen up,” Astrid said, picking up a card. “If you get this question right, you win the game. You ready, David?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” he said. “Shoot.”

  Astrid slid her eyes over to her mother. “No helping him, okay, Mom?” She inhaled a dramatic breath. “Who was the fortieth president of the United States of America?”

  David already knew the answer to this one, but he pretended to struggle as he tapped his temple. “Now let me think.”

  Astrid was taking this quiz very seriously and shot Lilly and Goldie severe glances, warning them against lending assistance. She had found the game at the back of a cupboard and had persuaded everyone to play around the coffee table after dinner. On a wet and windy night, with the fire burning brightly in the hearth, the atmosphere in the cabin was cozy and comfortable. With no sign of Henderson having found them, David thought that their fortunes might have finally changed for the better.

  “I think the answer is Ronald Reagan,” he said.

  Astrid dropped her shoulders in defeat. “Yeah, that’s correct. You win. You’re too smart for us.”

  “That’s not fair,” said Lilly playfully. “I was given all the hard questions. David got an easy ride with his simple ones.”

  “Yeah, you might be right,” Astrid said, resetting the board. “His questions were kinda easy, so we should have a rematch.” She smiled at him. “Perhaps you’re not so smart after all.”

  He put a hand across his heart. “That’s harsh. I won fair and square.”

  “Maybe we should pair up for the next round,” Astrid suggested. “Mom, you go with Goldie and I’ll go with Dad...I mean David.” She blushed furiously. “Sorry, it was a slip of the tongue.”

  The room fell momentarily silent while Astrid busied herself with the pieces of the game, clearly mortified. In contrast, David felt honored that she would accidentally call him dad. It meant he had made a breakthrough.

  “Don’t worry about it, honey,” Lilly said, obviously wanting to cover her daughter’s embarrassment. “David sounds a lot like dad when you say it quickly, and we all mispronounce names sometimes. Do you remember when somebody called you Aspen by mistake?”

  “Of course I do,” Astrid said. “I actually preferred it. Astrid is a horrible name.”

  “Not this again,” Lilly said, side-eyeing David for backup. “Astrid hates her name. She thinks it’s awful.”

  At this, Goldie jumped into the conversation. “You’re kidding me. I’d love to be named Astrid. It’s so beautiful.”

  “But Goldie is much nicer,” Astrid said.

  “Goldie is the short version of my real name,” she said. “The longer version isn’t so great.”

  Astrid thought for a few moments. “Is your name Goldilocks?”

  The laughter that bounced around the room lifted David’s spirits even higher. Now he truly did feel as though he were part of a loving family.

  Goldie wiped the moisture from beneath her eyes. “My name is Marigold.”

  David’s laughter wouldn’t subside. “I prefer Goldilocks,” he said. “It suits you.”

  Goldie gave Astrid a look of mock disapproval. “Now look what you started.”

  “Sorry,” she said with a grimace. “I like the name Marigold too. It’s nice.” She didn’t sound convinced. “Sort of.”

  “It’s a super old-fashioned name,” Goldie said. “So next time you find yourself wishing that you weren’t called Astrid, just remember that you could be called Marigold instead.”

  Lilly reached for and squeezed David’s hand beneath the table. He wasn’t quite sure what her affections meant, but he didn’t try to analyze the gesture. He simply enjoyed the sensation of her hand in his and squeezed back.

  Goldie stood. “I’ll take a rain check on the rematch. I’d like to go touch base with headquarters and get an update on the hunt for Henderson.”

  “There’s no cell phone reception here,” Astrid said. “We’re in a black hole, remember?”

  “I’ll take a walk to the top of the hill,” Goldie replied, sinking her feet into her boots. “That’s where you catch a signal.”

  “Take a raincoat,” Astrid said. “It’s wet out there, Goldilocks.”

  Goldie walked out into the hallway, shaking her head. “I guess I’d better get used to this.”

  “Don’t go eating anybody’s porridge,” David called out. “And stay away from bears.”

  “That’s a good one,” Astrid said to him. “We could have fun with this.”

  David heard the front door open and close and the key being turned in the lock to make them secure. He then looked across at Lilly, who seemed so relaxed and content that he could almost imagine their previous arguments and bickering had never happened.

  “This is nice, huh?” he said. “It makes a change from the last few days.”

  Lilly nodded in agreement. “Yes, it does. We all needed an evening like this to recharge.” She slipped her hand from David’s and began to clear away the board pieces. “I think it might be a little late for another game, so let’s save it for tomorrow.” She flashed him a smile. “I have a score to settle.”

  He smiled back at her, holding eye contact for a long while, as she tucked her hair behind her ears, her breath quickening.

  “I’ll go make some bedtime cocoa,” Astrid said. “And leave you two to hold hands some more.”

  Lilly gave Astrid a sharp look that David assumed was meant to caution her against overstepping.

  “I saw you holding hands under the table,” Astrid said, ignoring her mother’s warning. “And I think it’s cute.”

  Barely a day had passed since Astrid had thrown a tantrum at the thought of David taking her father’s place, yet she seemed to have totally changed her tune. And he had no idea why.

  The astute teenager was obviously able to read his thoughts. “Everything you said about my dad was true,” she said quietly. “I didn’t want to admit that he’s a loser, but there’s no point in pretending anymore. I need to stop making an effort for him because he doesn’t deserve me.”

  Lilly once again reached for David’s hand and he took it, sandwiching it between his own. They were a united front.

  “What made you change your mind about me?” he asked.

  “Yesterday, you told me you were proud of me and I realized that I’ve never once heard my dad say that. He’s never shown an interest in me or taken the time to get to know me. He’s never even sent me to my room when I’m acting up. You’ve done all of those things, so I guess you really do care about me. You’re pretty cool for a norm.”

  He was shocked into silence for a few seconds. This was unexpect
ed praise from a young woman who had seemed determined to oust him from her family at any cost.

  “Thank you,” he said, reaching across and patting her hand. “And you’re pretty cool for a goth.”

  She rolled her eyes and he smiled. Some things never changed. “I’m not a goth anymore,” she said. “I’m an indie kid now.”

  “Oh, right.” He knitted his eyebrows in confusion. “Good for you. What’s an indie kid?”

  “Never mind. You wouldn’t understand.” She stood up. “I really enjoyed this evening. It was fun. I’ll go make cocoa for everybody.”

  David watched her leave the room, turned to Lilly and said, “Who is that, and what did you do with the real Astrid?”

  * * *

  Lilly threw back her head and laughed. “I don’t know what happened to her, but it’s like she finally grew up.”

  David shifted himself closer to her on the couch, their knees touching, her hand sandwiched between his. In the kitchen, Lilly heard the kettle boiling, the clanking of cups and spoons. Astrid was actually being helpful.

  “It’s quite an amazing difference,” David said. “I like this new Astrid a lot more than the old one.”

  Lilly lowered her voice. She didn’t want to be overheard. “I’m worried that the old Astrid might make a reappearance. In fact, I’m worried about a lot of things, but I’m trying to let them go.”

  “What else is worrying you?”

  “I just...it’s difficult to explain.” She was tongue-tied. “I’m not very good at talking about my feelings like this.”

  “Try. I promise not to interrupt.”

  She took a steadying breath. “When I found out I was pregnant with Astrid, I imagined that my life would be wonderful. I thought that Rylan and I would get married and buy a house and maybe have some more kids later on.” She stared into his eyes. “But it all went wrong because I totally misjudged him.”

  “I guess that must make it hard to trust another man,” he said. “I understand.”