by Holly Jacobs
There was a knock on her car window and she jumped.
She looked over and saw Liam smiling at her. She got out of the car and simply said, “Hi.”
“You’ve been staring at my porch again.”
She shrugged. “I finished my last appointment and was thinking.”
“A bad one?” He started to lean in and kiss her, but then abruptly stopped, as if he wasn’t sure what her reaction would be.
She noticed the aborted attempt, and reached out to take his hand. “No, it wasn’t a bad day at all. It was a very good one as a matter of fact.”
“I’m glad.”
She got out of her car and joined him. “Listen, before we go inside, I need to tell you that part of me, the part that likes dating you, would like to stop pushing Colm. The other part, the professional part, won’t—can’t. So, I need to know if you can keep the professional separate from the personal, because it’s not an option for me.”
“I can try.”
She gave his hand a squeeze. “Good. Trying is all I can ask.”
“Good.” He started to walk toward the house, still holding her hand.
She gave his hand a tug. “Hold on, one more thing. I want to let you know that I’m taking Colm to meet two other clients. I think he’d benefit from some friends. They all function on a similar level, though Josh is so quiet sometimes you don’t know how much is going on in his head. I thought maybe we’d all take an outing next week.”
If that went well, then she’d talk to him about the house. It wasn’t her wimping out, it was just her giving him time to adjust.
Liam didn’t say anything for a moment, then he nodded. “Thanks for letting me know.”
“We’re not going to fight?”
“No. Fighting with you is not what I have in mind.”
He leaned down, as if he were going to kiss her, but Colm shouted, “Hey, Anna, Liam.”
Liam pulled back and they both watched as Colm ran down to them. “Let’s take Anna to Macky’s to eat. We can ride the bus, and I can show you how good I am.”
Anna looked at Liam. “What do you say? Do you want to see Colm in action?”
“Sure. Macky’s sounds great.”
Anna thought for a moment that Liam was going to say no. She could see that he wanted to. He wanted to keep everything the same. On one level, it made sense, on another, it just didn’t. Still, she felt as if they’d come to some sort of an agreement about Colm. Maybe things would be smoother from here on out.
“WELL, THANKS FOR DINNER, Liam. I’d better get going. I have an early day tomorrow at the office. We have to put the finishing touches on a grant. I’ll be by to get Colm after lunch. Probably about one.” Anna was all business. Professional and polite. Informing him of her plans for the day.
Colm had already given her a hug and sprinted into the house.
“That’s fine, Anna. You don’t have to clear every step you make with me.”
“Fine. See you then.”
“Hey, hang on a minute.”
She took another half step toward her car, then stopped and turned around. “Yes?”
“You’re forgetting something.”
“I am?”
“You’re forgetting this.” He kissed her then. At first, she held herself apart, stiff. But slowly she relaxed and moved further into his arms, her body pressed against his in all the right ways. When they eventually broke the kiss, he said, “I really am sorry.”
“I am, too. I’m worried that somehow this—” She waved her hand between them. “That this will get in the way of my working with Colm and I don’t want that, Liam. He has so much potential. I’m not saying this as a way of disparaging your family. What I am saying is that I care for Colm and want to help him go as far as he can.”
“I know you do.” And he’d have liked to have said he wanted that for Colm, too, but in his heart, he didn’t. He wanted to keep Colm close and protect him. He knew it didn’t make sense, but it was how he felt. Rather than saying that, he repeated, “I know you do, Anna. I think you and I can find a way to separate what we have and your job with my brother.”
“And if we can’t?”
He didn’t have an answer for that.
It didn’t surprise Liam at all. Seemed he didn’t have an answer for a lot of things lately.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“I’M WORRIED,” Ceelie said without preamble the following morning as Anna bounded into the office.
“Good morning to you, too,” Anna said. “So what are we worrying about this morning? A kid? A client? The grant?”
“The grant’s finished. If you’ll just do a read-through, I’d appreciate it. I left it on your desk. And my kids are…well, they’re bickering as always, but they’re fine. My client-base is doing well. I’m worried about the house.”
“Listen, we have the variance from the zoning board. And we’ll just have to persuade those protesting neighbors. Our clients deserve to have homes. And even if the home would mean more than two non-family members in the house, I think they’ll function as a family. I’m planning to take Colm over to meet Gilly and Josh this afternoon.” She hoped they’d be roommates someday.
She’d promised she’d discuss things with Liam, and she would. As soon as she was sure that they all meshed. Before she could even seriously consider recommending Colm for housing there was still a lot to do. Colm getting a job being the big one.
“I am worried that if we can’t make this new house happen, your heart will break. You’ve fought so hard for this one.”
“It’s my first attempt.” And there was a sense of pride in the job she’d done.
“I know. And I’m worried about you in general.”
“Ceelie, I’m fine. The house will be fine. We’ll both be dancing when we’ve cleared that last hurdle and made our presentation to City Council.”
“I keep thinking about when we were talking at my house. I know I said it would all be okay, but I think you’ve gotten too close to the Franklin brothers.
“I know there’s no oversight, no rules against our seeing the people we work with, but Anna, I think this week has shown why there should be rules. I know I was all sunshine and it’s-going-to-be-all-right the other night, but I don’t know if you can serve Colm’s needs as well as you should if you’re this wrapped up in the whole family.”
Anna knew her friend was right. But there was no keeping herself distanced from the Franklin brothers. And to be honest, she wasn’t trying to. They touched her. And she thought she was good for them. “Ever since that first day, I’ve been wrapped up in the Franklins and I don’t know how to unwrap,” she admitted.
“Maybe you should try. You’re going to end up hurt.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But maybe this is where I’m supposed to be. Maybe…” She realized who she sounded like. Her mother. Believing in a relationship that had no chance of working out. Clinging to someone when everyone else was warning her to let go.
The thought was uncomfortable.
“You’re getting too close, too fast, Anna.”
“With Colm, not Liam.” That was a lie.
Ceelie was far too much of a mom to buy that. “Maybe with Colm, but with Liam, too. And from what you’ve told me, he’s not an easygoing sort of guy.”
“Ceelie, I have everything under control. Colm’s riding the bus now on his own. I’m taking him for a job interview on Monday, and…” She paused, afraid she was sounding too defensive. “It’s good, Ceelie. It’s all good.”
“I hope so, Anna. For your sake, and for Colm’s.”
Anna noticed Ceelie didn’t include Liam. She realized that Liam had probably had that happen his whole life—people worried about Colm, but not for him.
The thought broke her heart.
AFTER LUNCH, Anna pulled the van up in front of Colm’s. He was sitting on the porch next to Aunt Betty and bolted for the van as soon as it stopped.
He opened the door and poked his head in. “Where we goin
’, Anna?”
“I thought you might like to meet a couple of my friends.”
“Okay.” He climbed into the passenger seat, shut the door and buckled his seatbelt. “Are they nice?”
“I’m pretty sure all my friends are nice, Colm. I thought the four of us could have a bit of an adventure today.”
“Are we taking the bus?”
“Not this time. We’re going to take this van because my friend Josh is in a wheelchair, and the van is easier for him than my car or a bus.” She started toward Gilly’s house.
Anna glanced over at Colm and he was frowning. “Oh. Why’s your friend in a wheelchair?”
Josh’s story wasn’t hers to share, and Anna wasn’t sure she would even if she could. She answered, “Because his legs don’t work right. But he’s very, very nice. I think you’ll like him.”
“And the other guy?”
“Is Gilly. I think you’ll like him, too. He tells knock-knock jokes.”
Rather than looking relieved, Colm looked worried. “Do you think they’ll like me? Most guys don’t, ’cept Liam, and he has to ’cause he’s my brother. But these guys might not.”
Everything in her wanted to assure Colm that of course Josh and Gilly would like him, but he deserved more than hollow promises on her part. She thought they would all three connect. As a matter of fact, she was counting on it. But there was no reasoning out chemistry. It was either there, or it wasn’t. “Colm, we can’t control how other people feel or behave. All we can do is be in charge of ourselves. So, even if they don’t like you, you should be kind.”
“Yeah, lots of people didn’t like me in school, and I was still nice. But Liam, he had fights. I don’t want you to have fights if these guys don’t like me, Anna.”
“Liam was young in school. He’s older now, and he doesn’t have fights anymore, does he?” she asked. She knew that even though Liam no longer got in physical fights on Colm’s behalf, he’d do whatever Colm needed him to do.
“Nah, he don’t fight no more.”
“See? You don’t need anyone fighting for you. You can handle yourself.”
“What if someone’s mean? They call me names sometimes,” he said in a whisper.
“If someone’s mean, then you need to feel sorry for them because they have…”
“Small hearts?” he asked, obviously remembering their last conversation.
“Yes.”
“And that must hurt.”
Anna nodded. “I think having a small heart must hurt a lot. You’re special, Colm. No one can take that away from you by calling you a mean name.”
“Yeah. But I’m not smart like Liam.”
“You’re different than Liam. You’re different than anyone else in the world. You’re Colm, and that’s special enough.”
“I’m special different?” He laughed, happy again.
“You’re very special different. So are Gilly and Josh.”
“Maybe if we’re all different, that makes us the same and they’ll like me.”
Anna felt her heart constrict and she hoped that the three men would become friends. Colm could use some friends. And maybe, if the house was rezoned, maybe the three of them…
She was getting ahead of herself.
She’d have to broach the idea with Liam slowly. But she wouldn’t hide the idea this time. She knew Colm could do it. She’d present her well-thought-out reasons. Logically. And trust that logic and his love for his brother would win out.
Sunrise’s goal was to help clients live up to their full potential, to be as independent as possible. And Colm had so much untapped potential. Anna wanted to help him live an adult life on his own. A life that included a job, friends, his own home. He was a grown-up, not a child. And he deserved what all her clients deserved—Anna’s complete commitment to him and helping him find out how far he could go.
She couldn’t do that if she worried about fighting with Liam.
Ceelie was right that getting involved with Liam had been a mistake. She normally had no trouble fighting for what her clients needed. But fighting against Liam was harder because…
Because she cared for him.
She cared for him and she cared for Colm.
Liam wanted the status quo. He didn’t want things to change.
But Colm deserved to live the life that he could.
What was best for Colm and what Liam thought was best for himself were two different things. Somehow Anna was going to have to find a balance and do what was best for everyone.
The ride to Gilly’s house wasn’t long. He was waiting for them as well and climbed into the van. “Gilly, this is Colm Franklin. Colm, this is Gilbert Masters.”
Gilly thrust out a hand. “Come on, fella, you gotta shake when you’re a guy and meet another guy.” He took Colm’s hand in his and pumped it up and down. “There. That’s how us guys do it. But don’t call me Gilbert. Call me Gilly. Everyone does. Except my aunt. She calls me Gilbert. And she won’t shake. She hugs. And she smells funny. Mom says I have to be a man and hug her anyway. But guys, we can shake.”
“I’ll remember that. Anna, she never taught me that.” Colm shot her a look that said she should have.
Gilly shook his head and looked serious as he proclaimed, “Yup, Anna’s good, but she’s still a girl.”
“Hey, Gilly, I’m right here.” Anna waved her hand for emphasis. “Why don’t you get buckled up so we can go get Josh?”
Gilly snickered as he buckled. “Sorry, Anna.” He dropped his voice to a stage whisper and said, “You gotta be careful of girls, Colm. They get their feelings hurt real easy, Dad says.”
Anna started back toward I-79 for Route 6N. Then they swung toward Waterford to pick up Josh.
“You live with your mom and dad?” Colm asked.
“For now. But Anna’s looking for a house for me and Josh. We’ve been working real hard, me and him, so that we can get our own place. And then we’ll be the bosses. My mom makes me clean up my clothes and maybe in my own house I won’t.”
“Come on, Gilly,” Anna said. “Who wants to step on dirty clothes? If you get your own place, you’ll still need to pick up.”
“See, that Anna, she’s a girl like my mom.” Gilly’s tone said that Anna and his mom’s girliness was not a huge compliment.
Colm ignored the discussion of dirty clothes on the floor and instead asked, “You’re gonna live with Josh, not your mom and dad?”
“Yeah. Hey, who d’you live with?” Gilly asked.
“My brother, Liam.”
“Ah, that’s tough, guy. Livin’ with a brother ain’t the same as livin’ with a friend. Me and Josh, we’re gonna have a guys’ house.”
“Me and Liam have a guys’ house.”
“But it’s not the same if it’s your brother,” Gilly said sadly.
Anna decided it was time to change the subject. “Gilly, Colm is going to talk to a man about a job on Monday. Why don’t you tell him about your job at the warehouse.”
“Oh, man, my job is so cool, Colm. We get all these glasses and you have to be real careful so you don’t break ’em. Then we wrap ’em and…”
Gilly’s step-by-step account of his job took them all the way to Josh’s house. Josh was on the porch with his foster mom, waiting for them. He waved when he saw the van.
“Oh, here comes Josh, Colm,” Gilly announced. “You’re gonna like ’im. He don’t say too much, but he’s a good guy.”
Anna lowered the lift on the side of the van and strapped Josh’s chair in. She had become an expert at strapping the chair into the van. “Josh, this is Colm Franklin. Colm, this is Josh Hampton.”
Thanks to Gilly’s tutelage, Colm thrust out his hand to shake.
“No, Colm,” Gilly said before Anna had a chance to. “Josh’s hands don’t work so good, like his legs don’t. So me and him we do a fist bump. Anna taught us. Like this.” He bumped his fist to Josh’s and Colm followed suit.
Josh simply smiled.
�
��Okay, everyone’s buckled in and set. Let’s go to the zoo.”
“Better watch out, Colm. Last time we went to the zoo, Anna started singing and—”
Right on cue, she started singing Tom Paxton’s “Going to the Zoo.”
“See, Colm, that Anna, she’s crazy.” But despite his decree, Gilly was soon singing along, and it didn’t take Colm long until he’d caught on to enough of the chorus to sing as well. She glanced back into the rearview mirror and saw Josh grinning.
Anna felt a sense of satisfaction. She’d thought these three might hit it off, and it looked as if she was right.
IN BETWEEN conference calls introducing Ben to clients he’d be taking over, Liam spent his day speculating what Anna and Colm were doing.
It was quickly apparent that Ben wasn’t only well-versed with computers, he had people skills, as well.
Aunt Betty had already left for the day and the house was quiet. It should have made work whiz along. Instead, the silence seemed oppressive. Liam finally put a CD on.
When Anna brought Colm back, he felt a sense of relief. He wasn’t sure why he’d been anxious. He knew Anna would look out for Colm. As he listened to his brother’s account of the outing, Liam’s nerves finally relaxed.
“…and then we picked up Josh. Anna, she was drivin’ the van, ’cause he’s in a wheelchair. His hands don’t work so good neither, so he can’t shake like Gilly, but he fist-bumps like this.”
Colm bumped Liam’s hand.
“I liked ’em,” Colm said with a huge, happy sigh.
“I’m glad.” As Colm had given his rundown of the day’s events, what stood out the most for Liam was that Colm had been lonely. How could he not have known that? Everyone needed people in their lives. And as he had the thought, he realized that so much of his life was wrapped up in work and Colm that he hadn’t cultivated many real friendships either. He had neighbors, colleagues and now Ben, a coworker. He had Aunt Betty and Anna, though he suspected there was a growing distance between himself and Anna. He glanced at her. Her hair was in a ponytail and she had on a baseball cap. She was smiling as she listened to Colm.
