by Julie Cannon
“About six-five, brown hair, lots of tattoos and twelve stitches in his head.” Kyle held the chair for her to sit.
“I take it that you won?”
Kyle couldn’t take her eyes off the woman seated next to her. It felt good to be sitting on the patio of The SandPiper again. “I’m the good guy, he was the bad guy. I always win.” She smiled at the easy way her replies came to mind. God I miss her.
“I saw you on the news the other night talking about the murder of that little girl.” Lane saw a flash of pain cross Kyle’s face before she could mask it. “That must have been very difficult for you. Are you okay?”
Kyle knew that Lane was referring to the nightmares she experienced when investigating a case involving children. Kyle was tired. She didn’t want to try to convince Lane of something that wasn’t true.
“I have my moments. But I’m okay.”
The anguish that appeared on Kyle’s face tore at Lane’s heart. As much as she wanted to speak, she forced herself to sit back and listen. Kyle wouldn’t be here unless she had something to say.
“It almost killed me when Allie died,” Kyle said abruptly. “It was like losing a part of me, the best part. She was everything to me, and I wanted to die with her. But I couldn’t. She’d given me the privilege of raising her child, and I couldn’t let her down. I won’t let her down.” Kyle’s voice was strong in conviction, but as her eyes dropped to the table Lane glimpsed a trace of shame in their depths. “But I can’t deal with this. Maybe I’m shallow, or maybe I’m overly sensitive, but right now when I look at you all I see is my sister’s face and I can’t do it. If you get sick or your body rejects the heart, I can’t go through that again. I can’t lose her again. I’m sorry.”
Lane remained calm even though she wanted to scream. “Kyle, do you know for a fact that this heart is Alison’s?”
Kyle shook her head.
“Then don’t sell us short until you do. Yes, I’m going to die, we all are. For crying out loud, you’re a cop! You have a higher probability of dying than I do.” Lane sighed leaning forward in her chair. “Kyle, I can’t make this right for you. No one can except you. I don’t care about the circumstances, only that we’re together. I love you, but I can’t watch this eat you up inside.”
For the second conversation in as many times, Kyle was left at the table alone.
Chapter Eighteen
It was a warm spring day, and Hollie was enjoying it as only a two-year-old can. She sat on her mother’s lap smelling the flowers she held in her chubby little hands.
“Hollie, put them over there.” Kyle indicated the spot where the flowers were to go.
Her daughter proudly did as she was told and then ran into the arms of her grandmother standing several yards away. Kyle watched her parents and daughter walk back toward the car. They were here to commemorate the second anniversary of Alison’s death. Five days earlier they’d celebrated Hollie’s birthday.
“Allie, can you see your little girl? She looks so much like you, and Mom says she’s the spitting image of you at her age. She’s a good girl, and I know you’d be proud of her. I’m doing the best I know how to raise her. Thank you for giving me this honor. I promise, Hollie will always know you’re her mama. God, I miss you.”
Kyle plucked a few blades of grass and let them slip through her fingers. “I’ve met someone, Al. You’d really like her. Hollie’s crazy about her. And I am too. Her name is Lane and she’s absolutely charming. She is a wonderful, kind woman and she willingly puts up with my job, my schedule, and our child. She takes my breath away just to look at her, Al, and my body cries out to touch her.”
Kyle didn’t care what others thought of her as she talked to her sister’s headstone. “There’s only one problem. I think she has your heart. Yeah, sounds crazy doesn’t it. Believe me I’ve been trying to figure it out for months now. It’s been kind of creepy thinking that the woman you had sex with might have your sister’s heart. Jesus this sounds like a soap opera.”
“All the evidence points to one conclusion, except this one thing.” She held up a sealed white envelope. “Travis gave me this before I left. He called it the smoking gun. It proves one way or the other if it’s your heart.”
Kyle had been with him when the fax came across the wire. He had been beside her with his unspoken support as she sifted through reports, newspaper archives, and medical journals searching for the answer she needed. When the final piece arrived, she wasn’t sure she was ready. She asked him to take the paper and seal it in an envelope.
“I haven’t opened it, Al. I don’t know if I want to know what’s inside. I love her, but I don’t think I could be with her if it’s your heart.” Her hands shook and the tears flowed unabashed down her cheeks. “But I don’t know if I can live without her. Oh Allie, please help me, please tell me what to do.”
*
Lane thought she was doing a good job of faking it. That is until Christina came up beside her. “You really don’t want any part of this do you?”
Lane looked around the restaurant at all of her friends and family that had gathered to celebrate the second anniversary of her life. She should be thrilled that she was healthy and surrounded by people that loved her. She leaned into Christina’s arm around her shoulder. “Not this year, no.”
“Thanks for indulging us.” Christina hesitated before asking, “Have you spoken to her lately?”
Lane didn’t need to pretend that she didn’t know who she was. “No. She hasn’t been in.”
“I still think you need to go get her.”
“Christina, I know you mean well, but I can’t. She needs to come to me. This is her issue to resolve, not mine.”
And that was the most frustrating part. Lane was a woman of action and having no control over this situation made her feel absolutely helpless.
“Come on,” Christina said. “I think they’re cutting the cake without you.”
*
Lane sat alone in her office, her shoes off and her feet on the table. She wanted to unwind before heading home. The front door opened and she assumed it was one of the custodial crew cleaning up after the party. A movement in the corner of her eye drew her attention to the doorway.
“I hope I’m not disturbing you. I saw the lights on and took a chance.” Kyle was nervous, shifting her weight from foot to foot.
Lane reeled in her heart. “No not at all. Come in. Can I get you something?”
Kyle came into the office but didn’t sit down. “No thanks I had something on the plane.”
“The plane?”
“My parents and I took Hollie to Alison’s grave. I guess I don’t have to tell you why.” Kyle walked slowly around the small room picking up little knick-knacks Lane had placed around her office.
“No.” This time Lane would let Kyle do the talking.
“She’s really too young, but it’s something I think is important.” Kyle stopped and sat down on the table in front of Lane. “Before I left, Travis gave me this.” She held up the envelope. It was no longer pristine white and stiff. She had held it too tightly for too long in the hope that she would eventually know the right thing to do with it.
“What is it?”
“The last piece of information that will prove whether or not you have Allie’s heart.” Kyle’s tone seemed harsh, but they were way past the point of beating around the bush.
Lane struggled to remain calm. The envelope was unopened. “What are you going to do with it?”
“I asked Allie the same question. She didn’t answer me. One of the few times my sister had nothing to say and I needed her the most.” Kyle smiled fondly. “It’s pretty apparent this is my decision to make.”
“And have you?” Lane held her breath. Kyle’s next words would either tear her world apart permanently or cause the sun to shine again.
“Yes.” Kyle’s eyes had always been the window to her soul, but this time there was an intensity that Lane did not recognize. Her gaze drilled rig
ht down to Lane’s core.
Kyle rose and walked over to the corner of Lane’s desk. She held the envelope in both hands, studied it one more time, then dropped it in the paper shredder.
“It doesn’t matter whose heart you have, Lane. I’m just thankful that you got one. Because if you hadn’t, then I wouldn’t be loved by someone so wonderful.” Kyle returned to her place in front of Lane and took both of her hands in hers. “I wouldn’t be able to say that I love you. I wouldn’t be able to tell you that you are the most important person in my life and that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want you to help me raise Hollie. I love you Lane. How could I have ever doubted it?”
Lane put her finger to the lips that drove her crazy and were responsible for passionate delights like she had never known. They were as soft and warm as she remembered. “Ssh. What matters is that we’re together now.”
Kyle’s eyes were explosive with love and passion that would last a lifetime. Lane cupped Kyle’s face in her hands and kissed her gently.
“Let’s go home.”
About the Author
Julie Cannon is a native sun goddess born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. After a five year stint in “snow up to my #$&” and temperatures that hovered in the 30’s, she returned to the Valley of the Sun vowing never to leave again. Julie’s day job is in Corporate America, and her nights are spent bringing to life the stories that bounce around in her head throughout the day.
Julie and her partner, Laura, have been together for sixteen years and spend their weekends camping, riding ATV’s, or lounging around the pool with their seven-year-old son and daughter.
