“He must have put his body toward the fire to keep you safe,” she explained keeping her eyes on the road. The dog had put his life in danger to save Julia’s and Kate would be forever in debt to him.
Julia sat in the backseat and cradled Shamus’s head in her lap, stroking his face and ears. She didn’t know what else to do. The gentle touch seemed to calm him some, so she just kept petting him. Over the ears, down the cheek and neck, across the shoulder, over and over while tears streaked down her face. There was nothing else she could do to help.
Every time Shamus whimpered, Kate pressed down harder on the gas pedal until it was pressed firmly against the floorboard. When they arrived at the hospital, she screeched to a halt in front of the entrance.
Julia didn’t have her cane, so she held tight to Kate’s arm as her sister hefted Shamus from the car and led her into the building.
Under the bright lights of the animal hospital, Shamus’s injuries were even more prominent. He was covered in blood and so were Julia’s hands. The white cardigan was now red. His injuries were more serious than Kate had feared and she willed herself to stay calm for her sister’s sake.
“They’re rushing him into a room,” she told Julia, narrating everything that was happening around them. Kate kept her voice strong even though she wasn’t able to keep the emotion from rising up in her throat. “We need to stay out of the way and let them work.”
“Okay,” Julia said weakly.
“I see a restroom. Let’s go wash up while they see to him,” she suggested and led Julia into the restroom.
Let’s wash the blood off our hands.
Julia numbly went along, her slippered feet shuffling along the glossy linoleum. Like a meek child, she did as she was told, too numb to do otherwise. They might have to wait a while for an update on his condition and she didn’t have the strength to argue anyways.
Julia choked back a cough and let warm water from the faucet run over her hands.
“We need to get you to the hospital, Ju. You probably have smoke inhalation.”
“I was asleep,” Julia croaked, ignoring her sister. “Shamus was barking like crazy and then I smelled the smoke. VINCE was yelling about the temperature. He usually gets it wrong…”
“Shh, honey. It’s okay.”
Suddenly, Julia was enveloped in a warm, comforting embrace. As much as she wanted to, she wouldn’t let herself cry. If her eyes were so dysfunctional that they couldn’t see, then she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of shedding tears.
When they emerged from the restroom, the veterinarian was there to greet them. He was a middle-aged man with kind eyes. Unfortunately, those eyes spoke more than words ever could.
“How is he?” Kate’s voice quivered and it was all it took to bring forth a whimper from Julia.
“He suffered third degree burns and severe smoke inhalation. We’ve bandaged him and given him something for the pain, but to be honest,” he said gently, “I don’t think he’ll make it through the night.”
“No,” Kate whispered.
Julia’s body slumped. Kate held tight to her, her face awash in disbelief, the air stolen from her lungs.
“I’m sorry,” he offered, knowing it wasn’t enough.
Julia straightened her shoulders and tipped up her chin. “Can I have a minute alone with him?” she asked the doctor.
“Of course,” he said.
“I’ll be okay, Katie,” Julia reassured her sister. “I just need to… I need to say goodbye.”
Inside the exam room, Kate squeezed her sister’s hand before placing it on the table next to Shamus so she’d have a point of reference in the unfamiliar surroundings.
The tags on his collar jingled as Shamus lifted his head.
“I’m here,” Julia reassured him and he laid his head back down with an exhausted huff.
His breathing was more rapid than normal like it was a struggle just to breathe.
It was one if the few times her blindness was a blessing because she didn’t have to see her best friend laying on the cold, hard table, bloodied and bandaged.
Kate leaned down and gently patted him on the head. “Thank you, Shamus.” They were the only words she could get out before her voice cracked and her throat tightened painfully. “I’ll be right outside,” she whispered to Julia.
When she heard the last of the feet shuffle out and the door click, Julia leaned down and nuzzled Shamus’s neck. His fur smelled like smoke, but beneath that he smelled like he always did. He smelled like Shamus.
She kissed his cheek and stroked his velvety ears.
“I’m going to miss you so much.”
Sensing her distress, he whined and she felt his tongue lick her face. “You’re a good boy. You saved my life, Shamus, and I thank you.” She wished she had more than kisses to give him, like a treat, or a miracle.
She petted his fur where there were no bandages. “I love you.”
All of a sudden his breathing slowed. He took one last sigh and then was still. The tears ran down her face and mingled with the soot on his fur.
“I love you.”
* * *
After Julia was checked out at the hospital and released with a few minor cuts and bruises, Kate took her home to her little bungalow.
“Let’s get you into the shower.”
Kate linked her arm with Julia’s and Julia shuffled along beside her like a zombie. She didn’t particularly want to take a shower right now, but apparently that’s what Kate wanted her to do. Once again, she didn’t have the strength to argue.
The will to fight had left Julia’s body and left an empty numbness behind. Afterwards, she would crawl into her sister’s spare bed and escape into sleep. Numb and quiet sleep.
And maybe, if she was lucky, she wouldn’t wake up.
In the bathroom, Kate shoved the shower curtain aside. “Okay, the soap is here on the ledge. Shampoo on the left and conditioner on the right. I’m putting towels right here on the corner of the counter. All right?”
“Left, right, corner,” Julia repeated numbly.
Kate left and quickly came back with a T-shirt and shorts for her to sleep in. “I’m putting a fresh change of clothes underneath the towels. We’ll have to buy you some new things tomorrow.”
New things, new clothes, new everything to replace all that had been lost in the fire.
Kate had switched into “in charge” mode and had already begun making mental lists of everything that would need to be done.
“I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.”
When Kate closed the door behind her, Julia let out a sigh of relief.
She undressed and stepped gingerly into the tub, careful not to trip. She tried not to think about how Shamus used to hold her towel out for her when she got out of the shower. She tried not to think about anything at all.
But maybe if she concentrated hard enough she could return everything back to normal and magically transport them to her non-inferno engulfed bedroom, cozy and safe.
No, it was too late for that, she realized. She had left normal’s zip code several miles back.
Quickly, she realized her legs were too weak and couldn’t hold her for the duration of a shower. She bent down, felt around for the tub stopper and plugged the drain. Then she lowered herself into the tepid water and sat there wondering how everything had gone so terribly wrong.
* * *
At the airport, Gabe claimed his luggage and tried calling Julia again. He had been calling her phone for the past hour and she still wasn’t answering or returning any of his calls. After reaching her voicemail for the umpteenth time, he pondered calling Kate. This was the first time he’d ever not been able to contact Julia on the first try and he was beginning to worry that something might be wrong.
Maybe she just really didn’t want to speak to him and was following up on her plan to break up with him despite their talk. Even if that was the case—and he had a hunch it wasn’t—he had no qualms about bringing
her sister into the mix to help clarify the situation. They were free to be together now with nothing standing in the way. Except maybe for Julia herself.
When Kate answered her phone, she sounded tired and Gabe was afraid he’d woken her up. “Hi Kate. It’s Gabe. I can’t get ahold of Julia.” He couldn’t help the panic that crept into his voice. She always answered her phone when he called. That was their routine. Every day they talked and he hadn’t missed a day in a year.
He just needed Kate to reassure him that everything was fine and dandy before he rolled up to Julia’s apartment in his rental car.
Kate made a strangled sound and then she finally spoke. “Gabe, there’s been a fire. Don’t worry, Julia is okay, but there was a fire at her apartment.”
“What?! Is she okay? Where is she now?” What happened to fine and dandy? There had been a fire?!
He sputtered and she kept talking so he’d hear the details. “She’s here at my house.”
“She got out? She’s not hurt is she?” Gabe had a thousand questions and Kate wasn’t answering any of them quickly enough.
And there was more she wasn’t telling him, he was sure of it.
“She’s unhurt, but the fire destroyed everything.”
“I’m here in Red Valley.” He sprinted over to the rental car counter. There was no time to waste. “Just tell me how to get to her.”
Kate gave him her address and he programmed it into the GPS on his phone. Luckily, she didn’t live far because he didn’t want to wait another moment to see Julia.
* * *
When Gabe arrived at Kate’s bungalow, he parked on the street and bounded up the steps. He would sort out the details of getting a hotel later. He had to see Julia. Now.
Kate met him at the door before he even had the chance to knock. “Gabe.” She rushed toward him and embraced him in a hug. “I’m so glad you came.” She pulled back and gripped his hands in hers. “Come on in. Julia’s in the bedroom.”
“How is she?”
“She’s had a rough night.” Kate searched his eyes and he waited for her to elaborate. She looked like she was trying to keep herself from crying, but wasn’t doing a good job of it. He had a feeling that what she was about to tell him would be painful.
“What happened?” he asked gently.
Kate squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. “We lost Shamus. He was burned pretty badly and lost a lot of blood. He led her to safety and died later at the vet’s office. And Cassidy is missing. I guess she jumped out of the window ahead of Julia...”
Gabe stepped toward her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Shamus was gone?
Gabe swallowed and thought about the loyal dog that was always by Julia’s side. They’d been beautiful to watch, moving as if they were a single entity. Everyone had loved Shamus.
No one was closer to Julia than Shamus. None of them. He was with her literally every step of the way.
Julia must be beyond heartbroken.
Gabe gathered Kate’s hands in his and squeezed. “I’m so sorry.” He searched for more meaningful words, but everything seemed flat and empty.
“She’s devastated. They were soulmates,” she said of Shamus and Julia. Kate touched his arm, a comforting smile curving her lips. “In a different way than you,” she explained although he already knew what she meant.
Gabe looked at her, his eyes pleading without meaning to. “Can I see her?”
She nodded. “Of course. I’ve got her set up in the guest bedroom.” She led Gabe down the hall and turned toward him when they reached the door. “She’s going to need time.”
Gabe nodded. Every tragedy required a grace period in which to grieve and he understood that. He just wished he could offer her and her sister more than an apology—no matter how heartfelt it was.
“I’ll leave the two of you alone.” Kate began to walk away and then turned around again. “How’d you get to Red Valley so quickly?”
He sighed. His big news would have to wait. There were more important matters at hand. “It’s a long story. I’ll explain later.”
She nodded and left him in the hallway.
Gabe stood in front of the closed door and wondered what you were supposed to say to someone who had lost so much in one night.
* * *
Gabe knocked softly on the door and opened it a crack. The bedroom was dark, but there was a sliver of light coming from what looked like at attached bathroom. “Julia?”
Water splashed.
“Gabe?” Julia’s quivering voice came from the bathroom, sounding small and weak.
He rushed in, knelt by the tub and gathered her up in his arms. She sobbed into his neck.
He couldn’t find the right words to say, so he just held tight. Without letting go, he slipped off his shoes, emptied his pockets and slid into the tub, clothes and all, and held her.
* * *
Logan was at the NorCal Center watching the game from the booth. He still wasn’t cleared to play yet, but his face was already healing and the bruising around his eye had already changed from black and blue to a flattering mosaic of pea green and golden yellow.
Something drew Kate to him. She didn’t question the pull, she just got in her car and drove. Luckily, she didn’t live far from the arena. Even though Gabe was with Julia, Kate didn’t want to be away from her sister for too long. In fact, she probably shouldn’t have even left in the first place, but one minute she was in her kitchen and the next she was in her car heading downtown.
Kate waited for Logan in the parking lot and was standing next to his car when he came out of the building. He looked so handsome in his suit that she hated to be the bearer of bad news, but she didn’t know what else to do. She couldn’t stay at home while Julia cried in the bathtub. The agonizing sound was enough to break her heart all over again.
Logan’s face lit up when he saw her, but when he noticed the blood smeared on her blouse, his expression changed and he hurried towards her.
“Who’s blood is that? What happened, Kate. Are you okay?”
She shook her head, her lips trembling, threatening to break the dam of emotion and spill it all over Logan’s Armani suit.
His arms came around her, strong and comforting. His embrace didn’t erase the past few hours, but it sure made everything feel a hell of a lot more manageable.
“I’m okay,” she sobbed into his tie. “There was a fire at Julia’s apartment. She made it out, but…she lost everything.” She hiccupped and he stroked a hand up and down her back. “Shamus died.”
“Oh, baby.” His arms tightened around her, crushing her to his chest. “Where is she now?”
“She’s at my house. Gabe’s with her. I shouldn’t have come…”
“Sshh Kate. We’ll get through this together.”
And at that moment, she knew exactly why she’d come.
* * *
When Gabe wandered into the kitchen, Logan pushed away from the sink and went to the fridge. He took out two beers—Kate had thoughtfully stocked his favorite brand—and handed one to Gabe. He didn’t look like the type of guy who indulged in alcohol, but under the current circumstances he’d probably appreciate the offer.
The guy looked as expected—rumpled and red-eyed—and Logan sympathized with him. He sure had to hand it to him. He had dropped everything and flown straight to Julia. Unfortunately there wasn’t much the Chicagoan could do by the way of damage control, but he’d obviously comforted Julia with his presence. That alone was enough to make Logan respect him.
Logan was starting to think of the Kapowski sisters as family and it was nice to add a genuinely good guy like Gabe into the fray.
Gabe looked up to find a tall, blonde man standing in Kate’s kitchen and walked forward to shake his outstretched hand.
“Hey, I’m Logan. Kate’s boyfriend.”
His looks rivaled that of a Disney prince with perfect wind-swept hair and ridiculous bone structure. Julia had told him about her s
ister’s hockeyplaying boyfriend and Gabe would have been happy to meet the man under different circumstances.
“I’m Gabe,” he said lamely, knowing the other guy probably already knew that. He took the beer from Logan and offered a tight-lipped smile in return. “Thanks,” he murmured and drank a long gulp.
“How’s she doing?” Logan asked. He had a good idea what the answer would be, but he still asked to be polite.
Gabe shook his head and took another swig of beer. “Shamus…” Gabe’s throat constricted around the word and he stopped. What could he possibly say anyway?
Logan understood and shook his head in disbelief. He’d lost a dog to old age when he was a kid, but he’d never experienced the loss of one in such a horrific tragedy. “We’ll find Cassidy,” he told Gabe. He couldn’t bring back Shamus, but he could promise to bring home Julia’s missing cat.
Gabe nodded and there was gratitude in his eyes. “I hope so.”
He finished his beer and walked back toward the guest bedroom. Julia needed him.
* * *
Kate and Julia’s parents were in denial about Julia’s blindness. They always had been. Or at least their mother was. Their father… well, if it wasn’t about ESPN, then he didn’t give a damn. Kate knew that when he eventually heard she was dating a hockey player she might be granted a few minutes of his time until his attention strayed back to the television. But that time wouldn’t come for a while yet because Kate wasn’t ready to tell her parents about Logan. She and her parents didn’t have a close relationship and they had forfeited their right to have a glimpse into her life long ago when they had turned their backs on Julia.
Everyone in the Kapowski family dealt with Julia’s diagnosis in their own individual way. Kate dove into the world of optometry, determined to help people like her sister. Julia had made a promise to herself to live life to the fullest whether she could see the sun rise and set each day or not. Their mother, on the other hand, wrapped her denial tightly around her like a cloak and roamed the endless highways of the U.S. like a nomad. And their father dealt with things by turning up the volume on the TV and pretending that none of them existed.
Blind Ice (Razors Ice Book 5) Page 21
