by C. J. Corbin
“Elizabeth, I’m okay. I’m just a tired. You don’t need to mother me.” I know he tried to say it kindly to me but it came out abruptly. “I’m sorry. I just want to be alone for a while.”
I nodded my head, “Okay. Let me know when you want some company. I’m just planning on writing today.”
Michael grabbed my hand and squeezed it. “Thanks Elizabeth.”
I closed the door and went inside. Tammy had left me a note that she had all the dogs and was at the park with Jason. My bedroom was still in disarray from the previous evening. I picked up the clothes that we tossed to the side and made the bed. Holding one of my pillows to my face, I breathed in deeply. I could smell Michael’s cologne. I discovered a new resolve. I walked over to Michael’s house.
Letting myself into the back door, I heard water running. I found the same note from Tammy that she had left for me on the kitchen table. This one addressed to her dad. I dug around in the refrigerator for fruit and cheese. Pulling a plate out of the cupboard, I cut up a few different varieties of cheese and fruit into edible chunks. I looked through the cupboards for crackers and could not find any but I did find pumpkin muffins that Tammy had made. I sliced up a few muffins and added those to the plate. I heard the water stopping while I put roasted almonds into a small bowl. Lastly, I took two bottles of water out of the refrigerator and put everything on a tray.
I carried the tray to Michael’s bedroom. His door closed, I knocked briefly. He called from inside. “Tammy, I’m trying to get some sleep.”
I put a smile on my face and went on in.
“Tammy, I said I was sleeping.” He called before he looked up from the bed. He was already lying down. Michael saw me, “Oh, sorry. I thought you were Tammy.”
“Nope,” I smiled. I put the tray down on his bedside table.
“Elizabeth, I told you I’m not really hungry.” He looked at the tray anyway and picked up a grape and a piece of cheese.
I smiled inwardly. “I know, but I was a little hungry and thought if I was going to make myself a snack I might as well share.” Walking to the other side of the bed, I pulled my t-shirt over my head. I slipped off my jeans next.
When I reached behind to unhook my bra Michael finally spoke after watching me. “What are you doing?” He stuffed another piece of muffin in his mouth.
“I’m taking my clothes off.” I said simply. “I know you don’t like me to wear anything to bed, so I’m undressing.”
He chewed thoughtfully, “But why are you taking you clothes off?”
I pulled my panties off and put them with the rest of my clothes on the chair. I slipped between the covers. Inching over to Michael, I leaned on him to pick up a piece of cheese. I lay back on my side with my head propped up on my arm. “I’m going to take a nap with you. Is that okay?” I chewed on the cheese. He handed me a slice of apple and I ate that too.
He turned toward me and likewise propped himself up on his elbow. “Yeah, that’s okay.” He ran his hand down my shoulder. “I only want to sleep is that okay with you?”
I smile and gave him a soft kiss. “Yes, that is all I want from you. Now put your arms around me so we can cuddle and take a nap.”
“You are something else, you know that don’t you?” He said as he wrapped his arms around me.
I pressed myself next to him throwing one leg over his hip. We intimately connected merely one-step from making love. “Yes, I know. Now get some rest.”
I woke up about an hour later. Michael was on his back with his forearm over his eyes. I lay against him on my side with my head nestled on his shoulder and one leg thrown over on him. Opening my eyes and noticing the plate was empty, I smiled, I was glad that he ate. He felt me move and looked down at me.
“Are you okay?” I asked softly.
He blew out a breath, “Yeah, I’m sad though.”
I snuggled up against him and ran my hand over his chest. “I know so am I. I feel empty, like there is something missing.”
He sighed, “We’ll be missing something more too.”
I propped myself up on my elbow and looked at him. “What do you mean?”
He removed his forearm from his eyes and turned on his side to look at me. “Ethel will look for another mate. She may have to travel some distance and she may not come back here?”
“Really?” My lower lip trembled and my eyes filled with tears. “She won’t come back?”
He reached behind my head and brought my face closer to him. Michael kissed my lips softly, “I love you so much Elizabeth. You’re crying for a stupid eagle.”
I wiped my eyes, “They are not stupid.” I protested, “They are magnificent creatures, you taught me that.”
There was a knock on the door and a voice called from the other side of the door, “Dad, I heard about the eagles. I wanted to let you know how sorry I was about the news.”
Michael kissed my forehead and mouthed, “Later” to me. I nodded. He called to Tammy while moving out of bed. “Honey, we’ll be right out, have you had lunch yet?”
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
As Michael predicted, Ethel left the nest and did not return. It was difficult to recover from the loss of both eagles. I knew that Michael felt the lost more deeply than I did since he had bonded with the two birds after spending countless hours watching them. He grieved for them almost like grieving for a friend. At times, he remained distant from me and I would have to redouble my efforts to bring him around again.
The young man who had shot the eagle was under eighteen. He had done it on a dare, and there had been two other boys with him. The other boys didn’t have the nerve to shoot at the eagle, this one unfortunately did. The tribal council decided not to turn the case over to the Feds. Michael was angry enough to approach the council to argue for appropriate punishment. The boy’s punishment for the drunken driving offense was a state matter, but it appeared his punishment for the eagle would be community service.
Michael and I visited the nest often in hopes that Ethel would return. Annie had announced that the tribal council would do a cleansing ceremony in early December and they invited both of us to attend.
As the weeks grew closer to Thanksgiving, Michael’s spirits seemed to brighten more. We would be celebrating the Thanksgiving Day holiday with his family at his grandmother’s house. Katy and Paul surprised us by flying in to spend the long weekend with us. They were now living together in New York and amazingly, Michael agreed to let them stay together in her room. Somehow, I convinced a reluctant Debi to let Jason come with us to Grandmother Helen’s house for Thanksgiving. I suspected however that Jason and Tammy would be eating two meals on Thanksgiving.
During this time, I finished writing my book. I worked with Robin and planned to finish the edits by the end of the month. Michael bugged me about letting him read it and I relented. He approved and laughed when he recognized himself as the main character. When I asked him if he minded, he grinned and inferred we could retest the chocolate covered cherries pages anytime I wanted. I replied that it would make him fat if we did, he lazily grinned again said we would work off any extra calories.
Angel let us use their mini-van for the trip down to Calistoga so we could all go together in one car. There was much bustling in and out of the house loading the car before we left. Finally, Michael issued an ultimatum to everyone. The bus would leave in five minutes with or without you. We set off on our adventure, Michael and I in the front, Katy and Paul in the middle seats, and Tammy and Jason in the back row.
This felt like my family, my very own, something I had thought I’d never have. I was always a sister, an aunt, a daughter, but never a mother. It shocked me when I realized I had maternal instincts. How could this have happen after only three months? I didn’t know but I reveled in my new role. It was evident that Michael enjoyed viewing me in the job also. His stepping back had been subtle but I started directing little things in his house. He left it to me to arrange Katy’s visit and ensuring that Jason would be with u
s for Thanksgiving.
Us. Michael and I had become us. It was almost a transparent change in the dynamics of the relationship and it happened one afternoon right after Halloween while Michael arranged a football outing with his friends. He checked with me first to make sure we did not have plans. It hadn’t struck me at first but sitting in the van with the entire family made me smile because of the change, a family was forming.
When we arrived in Calistoga, the house was already full. Michael’s parents, sister, aunts, uncles, and assorted cousins were milling around the front yard, inside the house and the back yard. I lost count at thirty and still more were pouring into the house. Grandmother Helen in the kitchen was in the center of all the action.
The weather was beautiful and it would be a perfect day to be outside enjoying the autumn sun. Tables and chairs were set up in the back yard so I guessed we’d be eating outside. Greek music playing from loudspeakers filled the yard and filtered into the kitchen. And the food. Extra tables had been set up in the kitchen and dining area solely to hold the food.
Michael and I stood in the kitchen surveying all the activity. His arm wrapped around my waist and he held me, my back against his chest. “That is a lot of food.” I pointed to Michael.
He chuckled softly in my ear, “There are a lot of people.”
“I know I lost count.” I noticed a tall woman making her way over to us. She had sandy blond hair and the same sky blue eyes as Michael. I guessed it was Christina, Michael’s sister. I stepped aside as she approached us with arms wide.
Christina threw her arms around Michael’s neck and hugged him, “Hello my big brother.”
Michael squeezed her, “Hello my baby sister.”
Still keeping one arm wrapped around his shoulder, she turned to me. Her eyes sparkled and a wide grin formed on her face. Her dimples were in the same place as Michael’s dimples.
“This beautiful woman must be your Elizabeth.” She grinned at me.
Christina stuck her hand at me and when I offered her my hand, she pulled on my arm and embraced me.
“It is a pleasure to finally meet you Elizabeth.” She paused, “All of Michael’s emails go on and on about you. I figured he had fabricated you. You sounded too perfect, but now I see he was right!” She exclaimed.
I blushed. “It’s great to meet you too. I can’t believe how much you resemble each other.”
Christina laughed, “Hell, I hope I’m better looking than this guy.”
Michael slipped his arms around both of our waists, “I think I’m surrounded by two of the most beautiful women in the world.”
“What a silver-tongue devil my brother is.” Christina said shaking her head while she laughed.
Candace came up behind us and squeezed herself in between Christina and me. “Girls, you are needed in the kitchen. Michael, you go outside and make yourself useful out there.”
Christina pouted, “Why do I have to stay in the kitchen? I’d rather be useful outside.”
Candace looked at Christina, “What are you Christina, fifteen? Stop whining.”
As Candace led Christina and me away, I shot a look at Michael. He mouthed the words, “Have fun” to me. I rolled my eyes in response.
While the men set up a large screen television outside so they could watch football, all the women started their tasks in kitchen. Christina and I sat at a table cutting up vegetables and peeling potatoes.
“Do you do a lot of cooking?” I asked her.
Her face took on a bemused look and she snorted, “Hardly. I never had much time for cooking. I always preferred to be with the boys. My kitchen in my apartment is untouched except to make coffee. I can’t live without my coffee. Michael on the other hand is the kitchen’s darling.”
I eyed him working in the back yard and a smile crept onto my face. “Yes he is. His kitchen-produced masterpieces always amaze me. My best cooking is if it has instructions on the box. My mother and sister tried so hard to teach me, but I was their failure.”
Christina chuckled in response. “Boy, do I understand that. Michael was just born creative. I think I was a disappointment for my mother that I didn’t enjoy the kitchen more. From what I hear, you’re no slouch either in the artistic department. I checked out the bookstore when Katy first told me that Michael was dating you. You take up two shelves at the bookstore, well, at least the one in Manhattan. Sorry I wasn’t able to make your book signing. Katy told me it was a grand affair. I really wanted to meet the gal that was knocking Michael off his feet.”
I stopped peeling the potato I had in my hands, “Did Michael tell you that?” I asked curious that Michael would speak about me to his sister.
She laughed, “Oh he didn’t have to. First you have to realize everything gets broadcasted in this family very fast.” Christina laughed again, “Five minutes after you left this house for the first time, email and text messages were being sent around the world.”
Wrinkling my brow, “Why? Was my visit so unusual?”
Christina threw her hands up in the air, “Oh my yes. My brother never, and when I say never I mean ever, brought anyone home to meet my grandmother after Maggie called my grandmother” she leaned over to me and whispered, “a witch. Can you imagine that?”
I glanced over at Michael’s grandmother, and she was directing the traffic in the kitchen from her chair. I remembered my first encounter with her and the comment she had made. I could imagine Margaret in her viciousness saying something back to Grandmother Helen just for spite.
Christina continued, “After Michael’s divorce, and boy I wish he had gone first, you know I was the first one in the family to get one. I’ll never live that one down. Anyway, Michael wasn’t going to take a chance and bring anyone home because none of us liked Margaret. Everyone was very surprised when you showed up.” She leaned in closer, “You should have heard my grandmother, ‘Oh, she’s so beautiful and such a lady.’ And, my mother raved on and on about your intelligence and the fact you are a writer.”
Michael’s mother raved about me. I bet that was a first. I couldn’t imagine having that much of an impact on Candace.
“You would have thought you were the second coming,” Christina said shaking her head, “and I was prepared not to like you, I mean because my mother did. However, when I heard about the nice things you were doing for Katy, Tammy, and Michael,” she sighed. “Michael needs someone to do nice things for him. He’s always there for everyone in this family and his friends. Always doing and never expecting anything in return. He literally saved me during my divorce. I was very depressed and he pulled me out of it.”
“Michael told me that you did wonderful things for him when he was divorcing Margaret.” I said.
She shrugged it off, “I was so happy to be able to finally do something for him. I love the girls, and Maggie was screwing them up. To see someone coming into their lives again, it makes me feel good. You’re good for Michael.”
I blushed. “Well he’s good for me too.” I looked at her directly in the eyes. “I love him.” I couldn’t believe I was confessing this to someone I had just met.
Christina smiled and took my hand, “I’m so glad Elizabeth. He is a tremendous man and I know you make him happy.”
“Has he talked about me to you?” I asked rather surprised.
She laughed and nodded her head, “Oh, my yes, worse than my Mom and grandmother.” Christina looked past me to the noise of people behind me and shook her head. “Oh oh,” she hissed through her teeth, “Damn it.” She looked behind her around the back yard.
“What’s wrong?” I asked Christina. Her face became pale. I turned around and looked at the person who had walked into the kitchen. There was a flurry of activity around the person and then a tall dark haired woman stepped from the crowd. I tried not to gape. She was my height but she appeared almost delicate with porcelain skin and a fine featured face. She was model pretty. Her hair cut to her shoulders was a mahogany brown and fell around her face in soft curls. Fl
uid movements made her body almost dancelike as she progressed through the crowd in the kitchen.
Christina hissed through her teeth again, “Nicki.”
I whipped around to face Christina with my eyes wide, “Nicki?”
Christina had sympathy on her face, “Do you know who Nicki is?”
I nodded not speaking.
“Do you know the full story?” She asked.
I nodded again and looked down.
“That bitch! I can’t believe she is showing her face today.” Christina spat out under her breath. She looked back at me and then shook her head, “She must have heard Michael would be here and that he would be bringing you.”
I frowned and whispered, “She’s not still interested in Michael, not after twenty years?”
Christina patted my hand. “Don’t worry about Michael.”
She looked up and her body stiffened. Before I had a chance to ask, I felt someone standing behind me.
Nicki’s voice was loud, almost annoying. She stood next to me. “Christina, it’s so good to see you!” The words she spoke had a flat tone of insincerity.
Christina just nodded to her. “Nicki,” she said blandly, the malice barely concealed.
“And who do we have here?” Nicki said and she put her hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at the freshly manicured long fingers pressing into my shoulders. She stood so close to me that the frown lines were evident on her face, and I remembered she was the same age as Michael.
“Nicki this is Elizabeth, Michael’s girlfriend.”
“Well hello Elizabeth.” Nicki said.
I turned to her and with a smile I said, “Hi Nicki. So I’m guessing you’re one of the cousins?”
She looked surprised that I didn’t know who she was but recovered quickly. “Actually, no Elizabeth, Candace is my godmother.”
Christina just sat and grinned. Michael caught my eye from outside the patio door. The slider came open and he walked into the kitchen. The room became quiet. He put both hands on Christina’s shoulders. I could tell they were pressing down hard.
