Disengaged (Terms of Engagement Book 3)

by Melissa R. L. Simonin

  With a twist, the gas supply to the house shut off.

  Rob returned to the garage, and cautiously opened the door into the house. The wind that rushed through the garage dampened the odor, but it was there. Natural gas.

  Rob propped the door open, then went back to the front. The key still refused to turn in the lock. It could be frozen. The front door of F faced the brunt of the wind.

  He waded through the heavy snow to the backdoor. There the key turned, and the door opened. The smell of gas was strong, and Rob knew better than to enter. He adjusted the spring on the door, and it remained open.

  It might not remain attached to the frame, considering the beating it was taking. Opening the house to a blizzard wouldn’t be without consequence. But, better that than to have it explode.

  Rob checked the gas valves on houses E, D, and C, on his way to B. All were in the off position. E and C, shouldn’t be. Rob felt his phone vibrate. It was probably Erik, but he would have to wait. It was impossible to carry on a conversation in this storm, and he had work to do.

  ERIK’S eyebrows knit as he put his phone back in his pocket. Either his brother lost cell service, or something was wrong.

  He decided to think about dinner, rather than worry about what he had no control over. With that end in mind, he examined the contents of the kitchenette’s refrigerator.

  His choices were bread… and mayonnaise.

  Correction. Make that moldy bread, and mayonnaise.

  Erik tossed the bread in the trash, and decided a run to the store was in order. He scooped up his keys and grabbed his coat, then headed for the parking lot and his vehicle.

  The snowflakes drifted down softly now, lit beautifully by the streetlamps that glowed bright in the dim light of dusk. His thoughts veered to Pine Mountain, and the tumultuous weather he left behind.

  He wondered what his brother was doing. Rob would call, unless he had a good reason not to. Erik wished he knew what that reason was.

  SAMANTHA turned off the hot water. She dried her hands and collected her socks, then stepped cautiously into the hall.

  Silence.

  Of course there was silence, she thought, as she walked upstairs to the laundry room. If Rob was back, she’d already know it. He’d make sure she did.

  She tossed her socks into the dryer, and turned it on. She’d toss her jeans in too, if she had anything to replace them with. She didn’t, so she resigned herself to wearing the cold, damp garment and was thankful for the hot air that continued to rush through the heating vents, filling the house with warmth.

  She glanced at her watch. She wondered where Rob was, and what he was doing, as the wind wailed and beat against the house mercilessly, first from one direction, then the other. Snowflakes slashed at the window panes, as if determined to gain entrance by sheer force.

  ERIK parked his SUV in the Safeway parking lot, and went inside. He opted for a basket rather than a cart, and began perusing the shelves.

  AMBER referred to the list in her hand as she slowly pushed the shopping cart down the grocery store aisle. Caleb sat in front, eating Cheerios out of the cup clipped to the basket in front of him. He put the last one in his mouth, and patted her wrist. She added a few more from the single-serving size box she managed to hold, while simultaneously pushing the cart with her elbow. Caleb offered to take the box from her, so she doled out a few more.

  ERIK added a loaf of bread to the basket he carried, then paused to glance at his phone, on the off chance that Rob tried to call or message him.

  AMBER glanced at the contents of the basket. Bananas, check. Apples, check. Oatmeal, check. Bread, check…

  Caleb patted her wrist as he bounced up and down.

  “More,” he told her.

  Amber pushed the cart with her knee as she studied the list she held, and added Cheerios to Caleb’s cup.

  The cart came to a jarring halt.

  “Ow,” she heard, as she glanced up sharply. Her eyes widened.

  “I’m so sorry!” she said to Erik Davison. He looked back at her in surprise.

  “Amber Fields?”

  “That would be me,” she said, her mind racing. “I’m sorry for smacking into you… I was kind of preoccupied.”

  “That’s alright, I have more than one knee,” he replied. He was staring at Caleb as if in shock, which is exactly what he was. “I had no idea you were married, Amber.”

  But… she wasn’t wearing a ring.

  Erik had no idea what else to say.

  So. He thought Caleb was hers. That was better than thinking he had an uncanny resemblance to the Davison side of the family! Amber seized the opportunity he handed her.

  “I’m not,” she responded. “Are you kidding? I’m only eighteen.”

  Erik had no idea what to say to that. She wasn’t helping any, she stood there looking back at him, almost as if she was amused by something.

  “He’s—yours?”

  “You better believe it,” Amber replied. After all, he was her nephew. And Erik’s! “This is Caleb. Isn’t he adorable?”

  Caleb looked back at Erik with eyes as blue as his own, and smiled. Then he held out his hand and opened it, to reveal several Cheerios.

  “Yeah, he… is,” Erik said, no less stunned. “How old is he?”

  “Sixteen months. I was sixteen when he was born, if that’s what you’re really wondering,” Amber replied.

  She felt a little sorry for Erik, he seemed so horrified, but… he was Rob’s brother. It was worth tarnishing her reputation, if it kept Rob from finding out Caleb was his son. Even if she did have a major crush on Erik ever since their siblings’ wedding. He was even better looking at twenty-three, than he was at eighteen. But… it’s not like that would ever go anywhere. Not since Rob was his brother.

  Yet another reason to despise the man!

  “Sixteen,” Erik said faintly.

  “I turned seventeen right after,” Amber elaborated. She felt a little guilty for horrifying him. He was taking it awfully hard.

  Erik was taking it very hard. He was remembering the thirteen-year-old kid he hung out with at their siblings’ wedding. He was best man, and she was maid of honor. She was younger than the rest of the wedding party, and he didn’t want her to feel left out. She was also funny, direct, and confident. He had fun listening to the comments she made about absolutely everything. The thought of her being taken advantage of, filled him with dismay.

  Caleb’s blue eyes were now solemn. He continued to hold his hand out, waiting. The sound he made was unhappy, and snapped Erik out of his stupor. He hesitantly reached out, and accepted the Cheerios he was offered. Caleb smiled.

  “Thank you. I’ll, uh… save these for later,” Erik said, and put them in his pocket. Caleb was satisfied, and went back to feeding himself.

  Amber laughed at that, and kissed Caleb’s forehead.

  “That’s generosity for you. I’m pretty sure he half-chewed those first, too.”

  “Yeah, I think so,” Erik smiled, refraining from wiping his palm on his jeans.

  “I should get back to our shopping,” Amber said, nodding to the list in her hand.

  “Me too,” Erik agreed, falling into step beside her. “So… what else are you doing with your time? Are you going to college, or…”

  “Yes, I’m in college,” she smiled.

  “That’s great!”

  “Yeah, Mom and Dad are a big help. Me and Caleb live with Samantha, we share an apartment. We make it work. So how about you? Are you finished, or still going to school?”

  “Finished. My grandfather gave me and my brother the option to buy into his contracting firm when he was ready to retire. We did.”

  “Really. You work with your brother,” she said, her expression now grim.

  “That’s right,” he replied. He watched her consider that, as they walked. She stopped suddenly, and turned on him.

  “Tell me something, Erik,” she said, her words clipped. “What in the world is wrong with yo
ur brother? And your mother! You seem normal enough. What’s the matter with the rest of them? Or maybe you’re just really great at acting.”

  “I’m not sure how to answer you,” he sort of laughed. “Or if I want to. Some of those questions are loaded.”

  “I guess they are,” she replied. She lost some of her intensity, and began pushing the cart again.

  “I’m not acting, though. Except… I’m not crazy about having spit on my fingers. No offense, Caleb,” he said. The toddler smiled at the sound of his name, and Amber looked amused, as Erik scrubbed his hand against the side of his jeans.

  “Want a wipe?” Amber offered.

  “I’m good,” he replied, glancing at the contents of her basket. Nothing cold, nothing frozen. “Do you have time for coffee? There’s a shop right over there.”

  “I think what you really want, is a chance to wash your hands in the bathroom right beside it,” she teased, as she considered his question.

  “Well… two birds,” he smiled.

  “Okay… yeah, sure,” she smiled back. It wouldn’t kill her to hang out with her crush for a little while, even if he was Rob’s brother. Besides, she had some curiosity that needed satisfying. So, she’d get him to talk. She’d get the answers to the questions she didn’t ask yet. Then, she’d get the rest of her groceries and go home.

  Erik and Amber carried their drinks to a corner table, then he brought over one of the available highchairs for Caleb. Amber buckled in their nephew, and after cleaning the table, she placed a few Cheerios in front of him.

  “What are you doing here in Ocotillo? You didn’t move here, did you?” Amber wondered, as they both had a seat.

  “No. I live in Ashland. Have you heard about the development on Pine Mountain?”

  “Yes. My sister’s in charge of staging the model homes.”

  “That’s right, of course you would know. I didn’t exactly see your sister, but she was up there today.”

  “She still is, she’s snowed in. And why do you suddenly look like you’re watching the Titanic go down?”

  Erik struggled to come up with a positive way to frame his answer. There wasn’t one.

  “Rob is there, too. I had no idea Samantha still was.”

  Amber gripped the sides of her head and stared back at him in horror. Caleb’s lip quivered as he looked from one to the other. Erik noticed, and managed a convincing smile for the sake of the worried toddler.

  “Hey there, Caleb. What do you have?” Erik asked, looking at the little boy’s clenched fist. Caleb looked down, then slowly held out his hand and opened it, revealing more soggy Cheerios. By the time he gave them to Erik, and Erik put them in his pocket with the others, Amber regained control of her expression.

  “What an adorable little thing you are,” said an elderly shopper, pausing on her way past. She smiled from Caleb, to Erik. “You look just like your father.”

  She didn’t wait for an answer, and for that, Erik was grateful. Amber wasn’t. She wanted to know what he’d say. It was all she could do not to laugh at the horrified look on his face.

  Then she remembered Samantha, stuck on the mountain with Rob. All laughter faded from her eyes.

  “Samantha said he wasn’t there,” Amber worried out loud.

  “Rob didn’t mention her, either,” Erik said.

  “What are the chances they’re stuck in different model homes?” Amber wondered hopefully.

  “Not real great, unless Rob stays in one with no water and no furnishings. Model A is the only house that’s been staged.”

  “Oh my goodness,” Amber said, struggling not to hyperventilate. “I’ve got to get up there—or call Dad—this is terrible!”

  Erik had his phone out.

  “Who are you calling?” she wanted to know.

  “My brother,” Erik replied.

  ROB felt grim satisfaction as he installed gas locks on each meter. It wasn’t an infallible fix, but it was better than nothing. It might be enough, if those responsible chose to come back.

  Not that they could, in this storm. Visibility was next to nothing.

  Rob locked home F’s gas meter, then slowly entered the house through the garage door. He didn’t smell gas, but there was a second floor, and natural gas was lighter than air. He took a deep breath, held his glove over his nose and mouth, and hurried up the stairs and opened the nearest window. Then he raced back down again, and out the backdoor. He closed it behind him, then took several deep breaths.

  He waited there for what felt like a more than reasonable amount of time. His phone vibrated again, but he didn’t bother to answer. Erik would think he was lost in a blizzard, if he did. Intelligible speech was impossible, with the wind blowing like it was. Texting wasn’t an option either, even if he didn’t mind getting his fingers frostbitten.

  ERIK returned the phone to his pocket, and exchanged a concerned look with Amber.

  “He’s not picking up.”

  Amber sighed, and set her phone on the table.

  “Samantha’s is off. It goes straight to voicemail.”

  “I’ll try Rob again in a few minutes,” Erik decided. He wondered if Rob’s failure to answer had anything at all to do with Samantha. He wondered what, if anything, Rob discovered when he went to check out home F.

  “What is going on up there,” Amber fretted, her eyes filled with worry.

  “I don’t know, but Rob wouldn’t hurt your sister, if that’s what you’re afraid of,” Erik tried to assure her.

  Amber’s eyes flamed, and she glared at him.

  “You don’t think words can hurt, Erik?” she snapped.

  “I know they can, please stop, before you draw blood,” he quickly replied. “I meant he wouldn’t hurt her physically.”

  “Do you have any idea how broken she was when she showed up at Mom and Dad’s, that night?” she asked, careful to keep her voice low. “You can’t, or you wouldn’t say he’d never hurt her.”

  “Amber, that wasn’t what I was trying to say,” he replied calmly.

  “He wanted to hurt her!” Amber hissed, as quietly as she could. “He liked hurting her! He knew exactly what to say to rip her to shreds, and wouldn’t give up until he did! He’s the one who was out with that ex-girlfriend of his! He’s the one who got angry at my sister, and demanded to know where she got the picture someone sent her! As if she was the one who was guilty of something!”

  “What?” Erik asked sharply.

  “Yeah,” Amber snapped, with a swift look in Caleb’s direction. He was focused on the child seated on the other side of the eating area, and appeared to be unaffected by her quiet outbursts. She turned back to Erik, her eyes flashing. “It wouldn’t surprise me a bit, if it was your mother who sent it. She was the one who just had to throw that Christmas party on the only night Samantha had to work. She knew Samantha couldn’t go. She didn’t want her to.”

  Erik ran his fingers through his hair and leaned forward, his voice low.

  “What picture?”

  “Of your brother, and that disgusting ex-girlfriend of his! Or should I say, girlfriend,” Amber rolled her eyes in distaste.

  “I don’t know anything about a picture,” Erik said. “I think you’re right about our mother’s motivation in choosing the date of the party. I know she invited Rob’s ex-girlfriend, and that she seated them together. I don’t think Rob knew she’d be there. He did spend the whole evening hanging out with her. If a picture was taken that night, it was taken in public. I know he wasn’t ever alone with her.”

  “As if that matters!” Amber snapped. Quietly. “They looked extremely cozy, in spite of it.”

  “It only matters because being anywhere, with any woman besides his wife, is bad enough. I don’t want it to be any worse than it is.”

  Erik looked back at her soberly, and the fire in her eyes slowly died. Her shoulders slumped a little.

  “I’m taking this out on you,” she admitted apologetically. “I’m sorry.”

  “I underst
and you being upset. I am too, and… I don’t have the comfort of knowing my brother has done no wrong.”

  “Now I feel terrible,” Amber said, her eyes filling with remorse. “I’m sorry, Erik.”

  “Thank you,” he replied seriously, then curiosity knit his eyebrows. “Did Rob ever try to make things right with your sister? After she left?”

  “No.”

  “Did he contact her at all?”

  “No. But… I guess it’s just as well. She wanted to believe that somehow, it was a mistake. But then he said such awful things to her. He wasn’t sorry for anything. She realized there was no hope, and that’s when she left. Still, if he tried at all… but he didn’t. And she moved on. She’s doing really great, or was, until she saw him today,” Amber frowned.

  Erik shook his head in disbelief, and rubbed his forehead.

  “It makes me sick that he never even tried.”

  “I’m afraid she’ll get sucked back into that toxicity,” Amber said, worry filling her. “She worked so hard to break free…”

  “I’ll keep calling,” Erik tried to reassure her. “When the storm lets up, I’ll find a way up there. If my SUV can’t handle it, I’ll rent a snowmobile or something.”

  “I’m going with you,” Amber promptly replied. Erik looked back at her in surprise.

  “What about Caleb?”

  “He can stay with my parents. They help out all the time, they’re really great. Mom watches him while I’m working, and taking classes.”

  “It must be hard being a single mom,” Erik replied sympathetically.

  “Especially at my age,” Amber pointed out, and Erik looked a little sick.

  “Does his father help out at all?”

  “No,” Amber replied grimly. “His father didn’t want him, or his mom. He wasn’t a very nice guy. But… I learned a lot from it. I won’t make that same mistake. All things work together for good, you know?”

  “‘And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them,’ Romans eight, twenty-eight,” Erik quoted.

  Amber looked back at him in surprise.