by Mae Nunn
The front door was unlocked. Drew jumped to full alert. When Faith didn’t answer his call, he raced up the stairs. Adrenaline pumping, he made a quick pass through all the rooms of the house before extending his search to the grounds.
He’d hated leaving her alone all day with crafts and videos for company. She did it all the time back home and he knew how quickly she’d get bored at the shop.
When she wasn’t in any of the residents’ favorite outdoor spots, he offered up a prayer and made a dash for the Commons, thinking she might have wandered there.
“I was afraid something like this would happen when I let her talk me into coming. She’s going to be on the next plane back home when I find her.” Even as he muttered the words to himself, he knew he’d never have the heart to call an early end to his baby sister’s visit.
As he tried first one room and then another, fear began to surface. As well-adjusted as Faith was, she was not equipped to deal with a crisis. In all his years of dangerous military maneuvers, Drew had never panicked. But the thought of something bad happening to his sister, so dependent upon others, brought panic close now.
Hurrying back down the hallway toward his own door, he suddenly thought to enlist Jessica’s help in the search. He pounded loudly and called her name. From inside came the sounds of barking and familiar laughter. Jessica opened the door, and there on the floor, surrounded by photograph albums, sat the obviously happy object of his worry.
“Roselyn Faith Keegan! What are you doing here?” His fear turned to anger. She’d disobeyed orders.
Faith’s expression changed in a moment from delight to remorse. Her bottom lip began to quiver as tears gathered and then fell. Drew stooped low to fold his sister in a comforting embrace, his anger forgotten.
“I’m sorry, Andrew. I wanted to see the dog.” Faith sniffled.
“You promised you wouldn’t open the front door. How could you leave the house like that?” He gentled his words and pulled a fresh bandanna from his hip pocket to wipe her tears.
“It was my idea. Really.” Jessica defended Faith. “I saw her in your window. I introduced myself and invited Faith over to visit. I didn’t think you’d have such a problem with it.”
Drew stood. He stepped over the albums and faced Jessica squarely.
“I’m glad you got to meet Faith. I’m sure you can see she’s very special to me and I take her safety seriously when she’s in my care. Did it ever enter your mind that I might be alarmed to come home to an empty house? Did you even consider leaving me a note, or is that just one more cleanup detail you couldn’t be bothered with right now?”
She stood still for a moment. His words resonated in the vaulted room. Then she turned, picked up the phone, pressed the redial button and handed it to him.
On the second ring a voice answered, “Metro Muscle.”
“Uh, Hank? It’s Drew.” He looked suspiciously at Jessica.
Hands on hips, she waited silently.
“Hey, man. I’ve got a message for you. Jessica called a couple of hours ago and said to tell you your sister is with her.”
“Thanks,” he said, feeling like a jerk. “I went to see those donor cars and dropped by the bank. Sorry I didn’t check back with you sooner.”
“No problem. Enjoy the weekend off. See you Monday.”
He laid the phone back in its cradle, aware that both women quietly watched him.
“I’m sorry. I overreacted.”
“Father says Andrew’s a control freak.” Faith spoke very matter-of-factly to Jessica.
“Is that so?” Drew contorted his face playfully at his sister. She stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes.
In a flash Drew dropped to the floor, grabbed his giggling sister in a headlock and affectionately rubbed her crown with his knuckles. He threatened her through gritted teeth.
“You better watch out, Miss Smarty Mouth, or I’ll tell Father about those new words you picked up at camp last summer.”
Frasier bounced around the horseplay, yapping over the excitement. Drew released his captive and checked to make sure his hair was neat. When he twisted around to tuck in his shirttail, he noticed the opened photograph albums spread across the floor.
The eyes that stared up at him were familiar, but the person was a stranger. Picture after picture of the same pretty blonde adorned the pages. He was embarrassed to have Jessica watching him when the light of recognition finally dawned. He glanced up into her face, her eyes unreadable.
“These are all great pictures. But you look so…” He paused, searching for the right word.
“Skinny?”
“Unhealthy.”
“You really think so?”
The disbelief in her voice surprised him. She leaned over to examine the same pictures.
“It’s a tough lifestyle. Some dancers go to extremes to stay thin. I just worked hard and was careful about my meals.”
“Well, it looks to me like you were careful about avoiding meals.” He gazed up at her. “I know it was important to be thin for your dance career, but according to these pictures I’d say you were pushing the extreme limits yourself.”
Jessica regarded the pictures again, noting the dark circles beneath her eyes and the sharp angles of her cheeks.
“Now that you mention it, I was on the bony side.”
“Which may appeal to some men, but I like curves on a woman. Jessica, you’re much more attractive today than you were in these pictures.”
There it was again. His heart thumping hard in his chest. It had been happening frequently over the past two weeks. And he’d specifically asked for decaf when he’d stopped for coffee earlier. Maybe he’d switch to herbal tea.
Jessica held his gaze after the unexpected compliment, her expression incredulous. It was becoming clear, even to an oblivious male like him, that she struggled with an image crisis. Long weeks in a body cast had taught Drew much about handling that subject. Not knowing whether his brutalized spine would heal, he’d sweated through many nights of imagining life bound to a wheelchair.
During those times, he’d mentally replayed the relentless weeks of combat training, wondering what it had all been for if he ended up broken, only half a man. The mental stress combined with the excruciating physical therapy had been more than he could handle. Only the act of turning his life over to Christ had made it bearable.
“Jessica’s taking me to see the dancers.” Faith interrupted his thoughts.
“That’s if you will allow me. I’m long overdue for a visit to the company and there’s a performance tomorrow night. Would you mind if I took Faith?”
His heart continued to thump oddly. Was it anxiety over allowing his sister to go someplace without him or just jealousy because he wasn’t included in the invitation? Maybe it was time to have his blood pressure checked.
“You come, too, Andrew. That would be just the thing.” Faith tugged at her brother’s shoelace. She flashed the family dimples.
He hesitated, wanting to be part of the fun but reluctant to horn in on his sister’s new friendship.
“Sure. You’re welcome to join us,” Jessica agreed. “It will be a nice introduction to the Atlanta artsy crowd.”
“As long as you girls are sure I won’t be intruding,” he agreed.
He stood and held out a hand to help Faith up off the floor.
“Come on, cutie pie. Let’s get you home so you can change for dinner.” He pulled his kid sister to her feet and, for the first time, noted she was not the well-groomed person he’d left that morning.
“What have you been doing to get so dirty?” He compared Faith’s clay-stained T-shirt to its double, worn by Jessica.
“Never mind. Forget I asked.”
Jessica was a nervous wreck. She always hated shopping. The day spent at Phipps Plaza searching for something affordable only put her more on edge.
Becky Jo’s taste ran from the absurd to the extremely expensive. Having her friend along had only complicated matters.
They finally agreed on a two-piece navy suit that accentuated Jessica’s tanned arms and shoulders, while playing down her much fuller hips.
Arriving at the theater with the other patrons was a surreal experience for Jessica. For the first time she’d be watching the performance from the outside of the curtain. With all of Faith’s questions and exclamations, there was little time to feel nostalgic or sad.
Drew held Jessica’s elbow firmly as they made their way down the sloping aisle to reserved seats. Against the physical therapist’s orders, she had abandoned the full-time use of her cane, depending upon it only for climbing or stressful activities. This evening probably qualified, but she was determined her visit to the company would not be marred by its presence.
“Jessica says we can meet the dancers afterward.”
Faith had been to the theater many times with their parents, but this would be her first close exposure to a modern dance troupe. The thought of getting to go backstage had her fidgeting with excitement. To focus her attention, Drew opened the program and showed Faith pictures of the company and the ADT board of directors.
Jessica offered bits of personal information.
“Who’s this?” Faith pointed.
Looking into the heavily made-up eyes of an extremely thin woman, Jessica forced a smile. What she really wanted to do was snort in disgust.
“That is Amelia Crockett, somebody else I’ve known for years and hope to avoid if I’m lucky.”
“She’s not your friend.” Faith made everything sound simple.
“No, she’s not. She wouldn’t let a little thing like friendship get in the way of her social standing, so we’ve never been friends.”
“She sounds like an evil witch.”
“Roselyn Faith!”
Jessica coughed behind her hand in an effort to mask a smile. Drew turned away for the same reason, but Faith made no pretense of hiding her own grin.
“Even though I don’t particularly like her, Faith, she really has done a lot of good for the company. She’s in the program tonight because of her Platinum Patron status. That means Crockett Textiles, her daddy’s business, just pledged a lot of money to the ADT. It also means she’s around here somewhere, so keep your eyes peeled.”
Drew stood to help Faith remove her light sweater. Jessica caught him making a casual but sweeping glance of the theater. Not once, but twice.
As expected, the first half of the performance dazzled the audience. The ADT had a reputation for athletic dance and innovative choreography.
Faith sat still, her face alight with pleasure, as she watched, spellbound by the performers. Drew hardly said a word, even between numbers. Maybe she’d been wrong to invite him. He must be bored stiff, she thought.
The lights came up and everyone began to head to the bar for intermission.
“Can I have a soda, please? Something lemony. That would be just the thing.” Faith left, taking the lead up the aisle.
“Sure,” Drew agreed. “I might get something stronger myself.”
So he was bored. Jessica began to feel slightly annoyed. After all, he had expressed an interest in attending, so why act put-upon now? Didn’t he realize this was her first time back in these surroundings since the accident? She didn’t need to be worrying about his feelings when her own were so raw.
By the time they reached the lobby, she was downright ticked off. A bit too briskly, she pulled her elbow from his supportive grip and excused herself to the ladies’ room.
Fifteen minutes later, Drew and Faith stood to one side of the lobby, observing the well-dressed crowd, sipping their drinks. A smattering of applause caught their attention.
He glanced toward the noise, surprised to see Jessica at the center of the excitement. Even from a distance, Drew could hear the inquiries and good wishes. She shook hands, gave an occasional hug and nonchalantly handed out business cards.
“That old lady doesn’t like Jessica.” Faith raised her hand to point.
Grabbing the offending hand and tucking it into his elbow, Drew was once again reminded that what his sister now lacked in IQ points, she seemed to make up with intuition.
A matronly, pug-faced woman stood behind Jessica, looking her backside up and down smugly. She nudged the jeweled arm to her right and the two socialites shared a look down their noses at the fallen star.
Before he had time to think it through, Drew took his sister by the hand and quickly crossed the room. He reached over the heads of the pretentious female observers and gently touched Jessica’s chin, possessively tilting her face.
“There you are, darling. I thought we’d lost you in this crowd. I should have expected we’d have to share you with your admirers tonight.”
All eyes turned upward at the sound of his voice. The lobby lights flashed several times, signaling the end of intermission.
“Excuse us, ma’am.” He directed his comment to Pug Woman. “I need to assist this gorgeous lady back to our seats.”
Before Jessica could add words to her questioning look, he caught her hand, drawing her from the crowd. Taking an elbow firmly in each large palm, Drew steered Jessica and Faith away from the curious stares and wondered what in the world had come over him.
Jessica resisted just a bit, forcing him to slow his pace down the aisle. Now and again she stopped briefly to chat and hand out her card.
When they finally reached their seats, she glanced across his chest at Faith and whispered loudly, “Your father’s right. He is a control freak.”
Standing near the stage at the front of the crowded theater, Drew held Faith’s hand after the performance and waited for the foot traffic to thin.
“Drew Keegan! As I live and struggle for breath, is that really you?”
He didn’t need visual confirmation. He’d have known the sultry sound anywhere. It was the voice of the woman who’d made him an offer too good to refuse. Somehow he had imagined he’d be more excited to hear it again.
Jessica’s eyes widened in amazement when Amelia Crockett pushed past, stepping into what must have looked like a familiar embrace.
Faced with no alternative, he awkwardly returned the hug, flashing a stern face at his sister. Faith, who always spoke without thinking, didn’t utter a peep.
“You know each other?” Jessica’s voice was little more than a whisper.
“We go way back.” Amelia emphasized her comment by keeping her small body pressed against Drew’s side. Eyes for him only, her arm draped tightly around his waist.
He stood still, a hornet’s nest of unfamiliar emotions buzzing madly in his head. This wasn’t happening as he’d planned, but it was finally happening, and he had to make the best of the situation.
So why would he rather be standing in the open door of a transport aircraft at 40,000 feet, preparing to jump?
“Drew and I had very special feelings for each other. Didn’t we, honey?”
A cascade of onyx hair framed the exotic face. She hadn’t changed—she was pretty as ever and just as bold. He remembered the teenage girl who’d known what she’d wanted, determined to have it all one day.
At that time, Drew’s life was mapped out. Deviations from the plan were not optional. He was a West Point senior and regimental commander, and his future was in the military. Everything else was on hold, indefinitely.
He’d left for officer training school and she’d moved on to Wellesley College. Her offer resonated in his memory.
When you get tired of playing army and want some real excitement, come find me in Atlanta.
“Goodness, how long has it been? Eight, nine years?” Amelia stepped back and held him at arm’s length, giving him a better view of herself as she openly admired him from head to toe. “If it’s possible, you’re even more handsome.”
The flattery and attention would normally stroke a man’s ego. In front of his sister and Jessica, the compliments made him uncomfortable. He needed to get away from her and sort this all out. He relaxed his hold on her hand. She continued
to grip his.
“It’s wonderful to see you again, Amelia. I’ve been meaning to get in touch since I moved to Atlanta.”
“You live here?” He knew her well enough to catch the shift in her tone. She was strategizing. “That’s fantastic news. You must join us for supper tonight so I can introduce you to my friends.” Amelia spoke exclusively to Drew.
“Speaking of introductions, this is my sister, Faith. She’s visiting me from Virginia for a few days.”
Realizing she had a green light once again, Faith spoke up. “Why do you wear so much makeup? Father says it’s trashy.”
“Well, maybe on some women it is, but that’s only because they don’t know how to apply it. I’d be glad to give you a lesson while you’re here and then you can surprise your daddy when you go home. By the way, when will that be?”
“Faith’s going to be with me a few more days. I’ll call you and we’ll get together.”
He felt guilty making plans, realizing Jessica was hearing every word. He turned to her. “Forgive me, Jessica. I believe you and Amelia are acquainted.”
For the first time since spotting him, Amelia noticed Jessica.
“You!” Amelia’s dark eyes narrowed. She whipped around to face him, ebony hair flying. “What are you doing with her?” she demanded.
Drew would have been the first to admit he had zero experience dissecting the feminine psyche, but this was a reaction he hadn’t expected.
“Andrew Keegan, answer me!” Amelia persisted with a spoiled stamp of her designer shoe.
“Jessica is my neighbor. Faith and I are here tonight as her guests.”
“Are you aware you are associating with a murderer?” The smoky voice shrilled with accusation.
Jessica stepped closer. “That’s a lie, Amelia. Adam’s death was ruled an accident, and you know it.”
“Oh, sure.” Amelia glared up at the blonde, taller by several inches. “Is that what you tell yourself at night so you can sleep?” Appraising her opponent, Amelia let out a whistle of disbelief and smiled with satisfaction. “Well, well, well. I heard you’d packed on the pounds, but I had no idea it was this bad.”
