Resilience

by Tymber Dalton

  “Okay.” Usually her car, Tyler’s car, Tommy’s truck, and Mikey’s truck sat parked in the driveway. But when they’d bought the house and made their renovations and additions, they’d included adding on a garage large enough for all their vehicles, for Tom’s restored 1958 Ford pick-up truck, and their motorcycles and the RV.

  She looked at the graphics now posted on the screen. “They’re saying they won’t reach the US mainland until early the next coming week. Are you trying to tell me you think you might not be home for another week?”

  He didn’t answer at first, which was enough of an answer. “He needs time. You know how he is. If he feels guilty about being here, he’ll stuff his feelings and not focus on himself and that’ll hurt him more in the long run.”

  Of course Ty would.

  Didn’t mean she liked being magnanimous. “You really owe me.”

  “I know, sugar. So who’s Dad’s new friend?”

  He switched conversational tracks so fast that her train of thought derailed. “Huh?”

  “The guy at the football game and dinner. From the video and pictures. Who is he?”

  “He’s very nice. His name is Colin Dawson, and it’s a very long and complicated story that I haven’t heard all of yet. But Dad really likes him. He’s spending the weekend with Dad. Karen was texting with me last night and said Chloe adores Colin.”

  “So…”

  “So he’s apparently Dad’s boyfriend, yes. But don’t tease Colin. His family’s a bunch of jerks.”

  “Ah.” His throaty chuckle warmed her, heart and soul. “I’m looking forward to meeting him.”

  “And not scaring him off.”

  “I won’t scare him off. I promise.”

  “Good.”

  “Anything new from Crystal?”

  Nevvie groaned. “I’m gonna kill Ty for siccing her on me. I know she’s trying to do her job, but she’s annoying the crap out of me in the process. Why is she going nuts over this release? It’s not like Tyler’s some schlub or something when it comes to sales.”

  “He’s her first really big client. Try to reframe it in terms of she’s eager to make sure Tyler succeeds and make herself look good in the process.”

  “Why are you sounding like you’re on her side all of a sudden?”

  “I’m not, exactly. But Elliot trusts her or he wouldn’t let her work with Ty, right? And can you fault her for trying to do her job the best she can?”

  She knew he was right, even though it grated on her to admit it. “I suppose.” She glanced at her tablet, where last night’s e-mail lay waiting for her in Tyler’s account.

  “And think of it this way—we don’t have to beat her up for trying to move in on our guy.”

  Nevvie burst out laughing. “Where’d that come from?”

  “Because I know that’s where your mind went, because that’s where mine went until I thought about it a little more. I mean, her first big job out of college, and now she’s working with Tyler Paulson? Unless Elliot repped Stephen King or another author of that caliber, you can’t get much bigger than that when talking about authors.”

  He had a point. “True. I hadn’t thought about it like that.”

  “She’s just trying to make a good impression. Please, baby girl, work with her so she isn’t trying to contact Tyler again right now. Okay? He needs to focus. The more he can focus, the sooner he’ll get done—”

  “And the sooner you’ll both come home.” She rubbed at her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” She yawned. “Let me get off here and start coffee and deal with Crystal.”

  “You sound thrilled.”

  “You can’t see my face. I assure you it’s anything but thrilled.” She stared at the silent TV, where a satellite loop now played of the tropical train making its way westward. “For a variety of reasons.”

  “I have every confidence in you, sugar. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  She ended the call and stared at the TV as she tried to shove the negativity out of her brain. The possibility of tropical weather always drew out the worst in her after what they’d gone through, first the hurricane hitting Tampa while her family was stuck down there and she and the kids were up here in Savannah, and then Alex tracking her down and attacking her and Tommy just days after he’d killed Emily.

  I fucking hate storms.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  It was full daylight outside when Andrew awakened to find Colin smiling down at him.

  Andrew couldn’t help smiling in return. “Good morning.”

  “Mornin’.” Colin leaned in and kissed him.

  It felt better than right—it felt perfect. “You certainly look happy this morning, love.”

  “I am. It’s nice to feel happy again.” He glanced toward the window, where the blinds were closed against the bright morning. “I haven’t felt this good in…years.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yeah.” His focus returned to Andrew. “Can I ask something?”

  “Of course.”

  “Steven will be coming by my house tomorrow afternoon after school unless I call him and tell him not to. Can we be there when he stops by? And do you think I should introduce you as my boyfriend?”

  Andrew sat up, moving slowly as he usually did first thing in the morning, and kissed him. “Yes, we can be there. And yes, if you wish.”

  “It…won’t bother you?”

  “Why should it bother me?”

  “I don’t know how he’ll take it.”

  “It’s all right, love. I’ll be there for you. And even if you change your mind about that at the last moment, that’s all right, too. I understand how difficult this is for you. You can leave that decision until later.”

  “That’s just it. I don’t want it to be difficult anymore. I want the truth out there. I’m tired of feelin’ like I have to pretend to be someone I’m not to make people who don’t really give a shit about me happy. I don’t want to keep lyin’ about who I am. I hope Steven can accept me, since he’s the oldest of his siblings. But if he can’t, I’d rather get it out of the way now. It’ll make some things easier.”

  “Easier?”

  “Yeah.” He laid his hand over Andrew’s and laced fingers with him. “I want to feel like this every mornin’. I want to wake up not alone and I want to wake up feelin’ like I’m where I belong. I feel more at home here than in my own house, where I’ve lived for over forty years. Your family, so far, has treated me better than mine. Even if we decide we’ll only be friends, I know I can’t go back to the way life was. Like you said, time is short, and it’s not gettin’ any longer.”

  “You said Susan talks to people about you. Isn’t it already out there, so to speak?”

  “Not really. She…basically threatens people. To sic her stupid church on them.”

  “What if you were interested in a woman?”

  “See, that’s just it. She thinks she’ll force me to either stay alone or eventually be with another woman if she keeps doing that. I don’t blame people for not wanting to invite that kind of ruckus into their lives. It’s easier for them to walk away from me than to risk her publicly outing them or making life hard for them at work.”

  “She hasn’t met me yet, love. She tries anything like that with me, the stupid cow will find herself up against someone with far more steel in their spine than she has.”

  Andrew glanced at the cable box and saw it was after seven. “Feel like helping me make the cinnamon rolls this morning?”

  Colin’s grin lit the room brighter than the sun. “Absolutely.”

  They were the first ones up. As they got the coffee started, a bleary-eyed Chloe made her way into the kitchen, her favorite stuffed rabbit in her hand. She threw both arms around Andrew’s legs and held on tightly.

  “Good morning, Grandpa.”

  He could still pick her up—barely. Fortunately, she was small for her age. It wouldn’t be much longer before he wouldn’t be able to do this. “Good m
orning, sweetheart. Grandpa Colin and I were about to make cinnamon rolls. Would you like to help?”

  She sleepily nodded, even as she laid her head against his shoulder and cuddled her rabbit. Obviously, she wasn’t quite awake yet, but every morning she usually sought him out first thing. It was strange having her in school now and not around all day during the week.

  Lonely.

  Maybe even better the timing of him meeting Colin now.

  “Did you already use the bathroom?” he asked her.

  She nodded again.

  “And washed your hands?”

  She nodded, but still he carried her over to the kitchen sink so he could wash his. She set Rabbit aside and washed hers, too. They left Rabbit in his usual safe spot on the windowsill, where he always sat to watch them while she helped Andrew cook, before Andrew carried her over to the table and sat her there while Andrew oversaw Colin mixing the dough.

  Chloe was no slouch. She knew the recipe by heart already and helped guide him, even though he had the laminated index card with Peggy’s writing on it on the table for reference.

  Once the rolls were in the oven, she helped mix the icing for them, sitting there with the bowl between her legs and a serious expression on her face as she stirred it. “Are we making scrambled eggs, too, Grandpa?”

  “We can, if you’d like.”

  She looked up at Colin. “Do you like scrambled eggs, Grandpa Colin?”

  Andrew wasn’t sure the man might not start crying right there. He smiled, but his green eyes suddenly looked too bright, and he blinked a few times. “I love scrambled eggs, sweetie.”

  “Yes, please,” she said to Andrew. “Scrambled eggs. Oooh, and bacon!”

  “Anything my little princess wants to keep her happy.” But he was looking at Colin when he said it.

  Colin closed his eyes and chuckled, slowly shaking his head.

  Andrew brushed a kiss across Colin’s cheek in passing as he headed for the refrigerator.

  By the time Karen and Bill had awakened and joined them, they had a nice breakfast ready for them all, and Chloe had already polished off her first cinnamon roll.

  Karen shot Andrew a wink after kissing him and Colin good morning on the cheeks on her way to the coffee pot. “I like having a larger crowd for breakfast,” she said as she poured mugs for both her and Bill. “Feels like old times again.”

  “Me, too!” Chloe echoed.

  Andrew met Colin’s gaze. “As do I.”

  * * * *

  Tyler lay awake in bed, studying the ceiling. It was nearly one in the afternoon and he’d been awake for the better part of thirty minutes.

  He couldn’t get Marcus’ writing out of his head. And he felt torn between wanting to delve into it again and knowing he should be working on his own edits. The sooner he finished, the sooner they could return home.

  The laptop could make the journey with them.

  Or, maybe it shouldn’t.

  Maybe it should remain there, on the desk and out of temptation’s reach, until he’d had a chance to better process the events of the past week.

  Except he already knew he’d be packing it in his carry-on. He’d already decided to take the set of clothes he carried in case his luggage got lost and put them in his suitcase to make enough room.

  At least the letters weren’t such a draw. He couldn’t read them, and he’d have to figure out how to have them translated, which was a logistical problem all its own. He’d need privacy, someone who wouldn’t ask too many questions or who wouldn’t copy them and sell them to online gossip sites.

  The laptop was right there. And all of Marcus’ writings were in English.

  On the dresser lay the envelope and note Tom had taken from the safe deposit box. Tyler finally got up and retrieved them, sitting on the end of the bed for a moment before starting with the note. In Marcus’ handwriting, it was a simple inventory of what was in the box, and based on his own memory, Tyler thought everything was there that should be.

  The sealed envelope, however, contained more pages, also handwritten. Marcus had left details about each piece’s origin and history.

  The watch he’d given Jean-Claude as a day collar when he’d first formally collared him.

  It was a bit of an inside joke between us, because with my teaching schedule, I usually ran perpetually late due to talking to students after class. When we were together, one of his tasks was time management, making sure we didn’t run late to events or movies or plays, keeping me on task and on time. A running joke between our friends at the time was that if they wanted to ensure Jean-Claude arrived to an event on time, the best way was to not invite me along with him…

  One of the necklaces was also a day collar, as was a ring.

  Matching wedding bands the men had worn following Marcus’ return from Florida after meeting Tyler, and their reconciliation, despite never being able to achieve “legal” spousal status.

  I continued to wear mine, and his, from the day I lost him, up until the day I wrote this very note and placed both rings and the note in here, on the way to the care facility with Goossens.

  I know I will never return from there for these. As it should be. It’s long past time for me to leave this world…

  Tyler felt the tears spill down his cheeks before he even realized he was crying. He stared at the wedding band on his left ring finger, the mate to the ones Tom and Nevvie wore.

  This demon who’d haunted his soul for so long had merely been an imperfect human.

  Who among them was perfect?

  Not me, that’s for bloody sure.

  He would need a trip back to the bank, however. He stared at the urn on the dresser before standing and walking over to it. Yes, the two of them would go to the United States, and he would find a way to keep them together forever, remembered by him if no one else.

  It was the least he could do.

  And, for today, he needed to focus and dedicate himself to working on his edits.

  Because the man awaiting him in the living room, and the woman awaiting them both in Savannah, deserved to have all of his energies devoted to them, not to a ghost who could wait.

  * * * *

  Nevvie sat at the kitchen table early Sunday morning, working on her second mug of coffee, and carefully reread the e-mail she’d composed to Crystal. Yes, it was aggravating, but Tom had helped her remember that Crystal was trying to do her job.

  Maybe this was a good thing. Maybe it would boost Tyler’s sales so that when he started self-publishing some of his books, like he wanted to, those sales would take off like a rocket.

  Instead of seeing Crystal as an aggravation, maybe Nevvie needed to look at her as a source of helpful information and new skills.

  Adam yawned as he walked into the kitchen. “Morning, Mom.”

  “Good morning, sweetheart. I need to ask a favor—”

  He held up a staying finger and poured himself a mug of coffee—black, like Tyler took it—and then leaned against the counter as he blew across it.

  He looked so much like Tyler it was breathtaking.

  I’m going to have to kill the first girl who breaks his heart. I just know it.

  “Sorry, Mom. What do you need me to do?”

  She explained the storms, which seemed to wake him up faster than the coffee. He turned on the kitchen TV and tuned it to The Weather Channel, which was currently talking about the weather systems.

  “Damn. All right. I’ll get started on that as soon as I finish eating something. I’ll do Grandpa’s first.”

  “Um…let me text Karen and make sure they’re all…awake before you go over there.”

  “Huh?”

  Nevvie smiled. “Keep a secret?”

  “Sure.”

  “Colin is spending the whole weekend with Grandpa.”

  His eyebrows arched. “Shut. Up.”

  “Karen texted me last night that she and Bill really like Colin. Chloe adores him.”

  He smiled. “That’s great, r
ight?”

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “Okay. I’ll text Aunt Karen myself.” He headed out of the kitchen.

  “Where are you going?” she called out.

  “To get my phone and get dressed. I’ll be right back.”

  Nevvie finally sent the e-mail to Crystal and finished that mug of coffee. She’d stood to pour another mug of hot, brown nectar when Adam returned, phone in hand.

  “Aunt Karen says they’re awake.”

  “Good.”

  He was also ready for a refill. Now that he had a mission, she knew she could count on him to take care of it.

  Just like Tyler, only with a lot of Tommy’s common sense and learned mechanical skills thrown in.

  “And they invited me over to eat breakfast with them. So I’ll head there now.”

  “Take my car, honey. I think I parked you in. My keys are on the bookcase by the door. And turn off the alarm before you go out.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” He kissed her cheek before heading out, cup of coffee in hand. Moments later, she heard the telltale beep of the alarm being turned off at the keypad before she heard the front door open and close.

  Mikey made his way downstairs not long after. “Did I hear Adam leave already?”

  Nevvie filled him in.

  That also woke him up. “I’ll start working on the garage. I’ll leave your car and my truck out for now, but I’ll put Dad’s and Pop’s inside. And the Pilot.”

  Nevvie’s mind flashed back to Zoey’s cantankerous mood upon their return. “Is there anything I need to know about the party last night that you didn’t want to say in front of your sisters?”

  He shrugged. “No, not really. Willow seemed to have a good time. Zoey was…Zoey. I think she couldn’t accept the fact that Cole was as big of a jerk as we all told her he was. Even Steven Jardine tried to spend some time talking to her early in the evening, and he’s a really nice guy. But she kind of blew him off going after Cole, from what I saw.”