by Sharon Sala
Justin wanted to hug her, but all he said was, “you’re fine, but you need to put something in your stomach or you’ll fade out on yourself again.”
“I can’t eat.”
“Yes, you can. Mike’s alive. I’m thinking it would be to your advantage to stay strong for him.”
She stifled a frown. Why did he have to be right, too?
Kenny overheard the conversation. “I’ll get you something,” he said, and headed for the vending machine on the other side of the room.
Justin didn’t say a word until she had eaten an entire sweet roll and finished a cup of coffee. Once it was obvious that Mike had come through the surgery, the police presence on the floor thinned considerably. Kenny returned to the precinct to write up the reports, leaving Justin and Poppy in the waiting room alone.
“I’m going to say something now that you’re not going to like, but I can’t fall any farther in your eyes than I already am, so what the hell. You are such a strong, beautiful woman. You remind me so much of your mother that it makes my heart ache. I’m very proud of you and whether you like it or not, I’m growing to love you.”
Poppy felt cornered.
“And having said that, I think it’s time for me to leave. You weathered your crisis like the survivor that you are, and would have done just fine without me. I needed to be here for you, more than you needed me and that’s okay. Call if you need me.”
He kissed the top of her head then walked away without looking back.
Poppy didn’t say goodbye. She’d already thanked him. It was all she could manage for one day. Her panic did not fully subside until she was allowed to see Mike. Between the steady blip of his heartbeat on the monitor and the warmth of his skin beneath her touch – she finally allowed herself to believe he would survive.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It was close to sunrise when the nurses came to tell her Mike was waking up. The moment ICU was open to visitors she made a beeline for his bed, but he hadn’t moved since her arrival. Now, she was standing at his bedside willing him to regain consciousness while she was there. The frustration of limited visiting hours was driving her insane. He had to wake up soon. This was her last day off from work, and come hell or high water, to keep her job, she had to be at The Depot tomorrow.
All of a sudden, he moaned. It was the first sound she’d heard him make since they’d moved him from recovery. She took his hand, threading her fingers through his and gave them a squeeze.
“Mike, it’s me, Poppy. I’m here, sweetheart.”
His fingers suddenly tightened around her hand.
Her heart skipped a beat. “Yes, honey! I’m here. You’re okay. You’re going to be okay.”
His eyelids began to flutter. She glanced at the clock. Only seven minutes more and then they’d make everyone leave. She waited, willing them to open as she cupped the side of his face. The whiskers were like sandpaper against her palm - tough like the man who wore them.
He blinked.
“Hi honey.”
He blinked again and then suddenly his eyes were open. Momentary confusion began to escalate until he saw her. His grip tightened as Poppy whispered in his ear.
“Welcome back, Michael Amblin.”
“Love....”
Her smile ended on a sob. “I love you, too.”
“Sorry,” he said, and then his eyelids fluttered again as he slid back under.
This time when the nurses ended visitation, she was leaving on a high. He was coming back to her. It no longer mattered how long it took. All that mattered was the journey had begun.
When she went home, she called Johnny and told him what had happened.
“Oh my God, sister, are you okay?”
Poppy sighed. “Yes. I’ve come to understand something I’d never understood before.”
“What’s that?” Johnny asked.
“The human body can only take so much damage before it dies, but the human spirit is different. No matter how many times it’s wounded, it rejuvenates itself by nothing more than the passing of time. Remember that old saying, ‘time heals all wounds?’ I finally get it.”
John was silent.
“Are you still there?” Poppy asked.
“Yes, I’m just trying to come to terms with the fact that, although I’m older, my baby sister is wiser now than I ever will be.”
“Don’t feel bad, Johnny. I thought you already knew women are smarter than men.”
****
By the end of the day Mike was remembering everything, including the fact that right after he’d been shot, he feared he was going to become the next person in Poppy’s life to let her down. Eternally grateful he’d been wrong, he lived for the moments when she was with him, and gave her all the confidence she needed when she had to leave.
Their relationship had just been tested in the most difficult of ways, and Poppy Sadler had come through with flying colors. During the ensuing days, every time one of the guys from the precinct came by to visit, he heard it over and over again. It was everyone’s opinion she had the makings of a damn good cop’s wife.
****
Justin’s new house was rising like a phoenix from the ashes of his past. It was now apparent it would be majestic, but what surprised most of the residents was how scaled down in size it was compared to the massive mansion in which he’d been raised.
There was also something else going on down on the north side of the riverbank that they had yet to figure out. A few weeks earlier ground had been cleared of brush and trees and the earth had been turned and worked. First guesses from the community were that the head offices were going to expand. But when a small tractor suddenly appeared one morning pulling a seeder, they realized something was being planted – most obviously some kind of ground cover. After that, it ceased to draw interest.
They had no idea that it was the single thing on which Justin was most focused. It was his last ditch effort to show Poppy how much she meant to him, and that he was not above shouting it to the world.
****
Callie called Poppy every Saturday - sometimes to issue an invitation that was never accepted - sometimes just to remind Poppy that she and Justin were in her life, whether she wanted them or not.
Justin saw her on a regular basis at The Depot, and continued to wear the red poppy, although its bedraggled state was pitifully obvious. When it was a business lunch, he greeted her warmly and introduced her to his dining companions as his daughter, leaving Poppy with no option but to bear it silently or lose her job for causing a ruckus.
He knew it irked her, but what he didn’t know was that, for Poppy, his dogged determination not to quit was also beginning to wear away her disdain. The fact that John held him in high esteem and Mike liked him as well left her riding that fence alone. And the truth was that Mike filled her with so much love, it was impossible to maintain hate.
****
July 4th
It was the end of Mike’s first week back at work. They’d put him on desk duty, which rankled, but at the same time he was so grateful to be back at work he wasn’t about to complain.
An invitation to Justin Caulfield’s housewarming was on the kitchen counter where Poppy left it the day it arrived. It promised food, wine, and fireworks over the river and begged an RSVP which she had ignored.
The new house in question was sugar-frosting white - straight out of the old South and sporting four massive pillars that ran the entire length of the front façade. They supported a two-story roof over a deep wrap-around porch. It wasn’t hard to imagine that some southern belle in a long hoop-skirted dress might come strolling out onto the veranda at any moment.
The black-top road leading up to the property was like an arrow pointing the way to the new diamond shining in a bright green rough.
Poppy resented it for the constant reminder it was, that she was in any way attached to the owner, and at the same time felt small for being so petty. It had been nearly a year since her life had unraveled, a
nd to date, she had yet to find a single critical fault with the man her mother had so desperately loved.
The crop he had planted months earlier had turned out to be nothing more than a huge long field of tall, uncut grass. She supposed it was to prevent erosion and run-off, which was a positive difference from the muddy, brushy riverbank where Jessup had been murdered.
She hadn’t been able to discard the housewarming invitation, but at the same time couldn’t bring herself to go. While her feelings for Justin and Callie were slowly changing, they were still too fragile to air them in such a public fashion.
Tonight she and Mike were going to grill burgers and hot dogs in the front yard and feed anyone who happened to swing by, and after it got dark, enjoy the promise of Caulfield’s fireworks from their side of the river.
As she drove over the bridge on her way back home, she glanced toward the river. The thick greenery on the riverbank looked different. There were subtle color changes here and there and some flashes of scarlet. Clover was a common cover crop. If he’d planted the crimson clover variety it was probably putting on blooms.
Her thoughts shifted to preparations for their cookout and reminded herself to ask Gladys and Mel to bring folding chairs when they came. Kenny had already warned them he was going to drop by and liked his burgers rare. It was going to be their first official party as a couple and she couldn’t wait.
When she pulled into the drive, she gave the new exterior of their house a critical examination. Mike still didn’t know about the vandalism she’d endured, or about her fight in Millwood’s store, and she wasn’t going to tell him. If it came out, then fine. If not, so much the better. The longer he thought he was marrying a lady, the happier he would be.
She quickly unloaded the groceries and then began prepping for the grill.
****
Mike was in his element over an open fire. It was all Poppy could do not to laugh. He handled the spatula and tongs like he handled his gun - with skill and speed – and the running commentary that went with it kept everyone laughing.
As it neared sundown, people began walking up on foot while more cars began driving by the house. Word was getting around that Poppy and her cop were entertaining. She was on her way out of the house with a new bag of ice when she saw a big white Hummer turn the corner and come slowly down the street.
Oh my God, it was Aaron!
Everyone, including the police, knew the Coulter family was up to their ass in illegal activities, but they had yet to prove it or put one of them behind bars. She paused, wondering if he would acknowledge her as he passed the house. Having Mike on this side of the river had probably made them antsy. But to her surprise, not only did the Hummer pull up and park, but Aaron got out, carrying a six-pack and a big bag of chips.
She grinned. No one had ever accused Aaron of being shy.
She dumped the ice into the chest and then wound her way through the crowd toward him.
He looked a little uneasy when he saw her. “Am I going to put a kink in the festivities?”
“No. Have you met my fiancé?”
He smiled. “I can happily say I haven’t had the pleasure.”
Poppy laughed.
Mike’s radar where Poppy was concerned was always on high alert. When he heard her laugh, he turned toward the sound. The man she was talking to looked familiar, and when they started toward him, he realized who it was, but his inner cop was off duty tonight.
He also remembered it was a tip from Aaron Coulter that had been part of what turned the tide in solving Sadler’s murder, so he couldn’t be all bad.
“Hi honey.” Poppy slipped a hand under Mike’s elbow. “You haven’t met Aaron yet. Aaron, this is my fiancé, Mike Amblin. Mike, this is Aaron Coulter. He and Johnny have been friends since high school.”
“Nice to meet you,” Mike said, as he shook Aaron’s hand. “I’m glad to finally get the chance to thank you for the tip you gave us that helped catch Sadler’s killer.”
Aaron was surprised by the cop’s genuine friendliness, but hid it behind a big smile.
“It never hurts to keep an ear to the ground, you know?”
Mike smiled back. “Yeah, it’s the same in my profession. Grab yourself a burger and good luck in finding an empty chair.”
What could have been an uneasy moment passed without a hitch as Aaron headed for the table where the food was spread out buffet-style.
“That deserves a pat on the back,” Poppy said.
“I’ll settle for a kiss,” Mike said, and got what he asked for.
The sun finally gave up and disappeared, but the porch lights were coming on all along the block, keeping lights on the party still in progress.
All of a sudden there was a loud, thunderous boom that shocked everyone into sudden silence. They turned toward the river just in time to see the falling sparks in the sky and realized it was coming from Caulfield’s new residence.
“Looks like the fireworks are about to begin,” Mike said, and when Poppy frowned, he pulled her back against his chest and whispered in her ear. “Keep an open mind, my love. They are innocent fireworks and have no part in your personal war.”
She snorted beneath her breath but didn’t comment.
The fireworks began and as expected, were a spectacular show that added another layer of fun to her party. She watched for a few minutes, but couldn’t stop thinking about a perky little blonde who wanted an older sister and a boy who’d been her mother’s first love. Finally, she begged off the show, using a trip to the bathroom as an excuse.
Once inside the house, she skipped the bathroom and went into their bedroom and closed the door. She needed to get a grip on her emotions, but didn’t know how. It was just a house. The people who lived there meant nothing in her life, so why did she feel guilty that she wasn’t there?
She sat down on the bed, wishing she could just curl up and sleep when the phone suddenly rang. She answered it without thought.
“Hello?”
“We missed you,” Justin said.
Poppy sighed. How had he known to call the moment she’d crawled off into the quiet to hide?
“Mike and I are having a block party.”
“It’s probably more fun than my housewarming.”
She didn’t answer.
“Callie says hello. She was hoping you would come because she’s going to spend a couple of days with the Tillers and wanted to see you before she left.”
The news was actually surprising. Not only was Justin generous enough to share his child, he was giving her birth father a big foot in the door.
“Really?”
“Really.” Her silence was painful. No matter what he did, she didn’t seem inclined to accept the olive branch he kept offering. “Do you still hate me, Poppy?”
She sighed. “No, but it’s not for lack of trying,” she muttered.
He chuckled, and the sound washed through her. Then his mood shifted again to a more serious note.
“Are you ever going to forgive me for abandoning your mother?”
“It’s not my job to forgive you for that.”
“Then I don’t understand. What’s left? What’s keeping you from just meeting me halfway?”
“I live here. Being connected to you makes it hard for me to stay.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“I don’t want to leave here. This is home. Mike and I are going to live here even after we’re married.”
“You’re getting married?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“December 1St.”
There was a moment of silence before he spoke. “Do you think I might be invited?”
“I suppose the possibility exists. Tell Callie if I decide to have a bridesmaid, the job is hers if she wants it.”
He smiled. That was more than he expected.
“Oh she’ll want it, trust me. Are you watching the fireworks?”
“I was, but I came inside.”
&nb
sp; “You might want to go back out, because the last one’s for you. I’m not ashamed of you, Poppy Sadler and want everyone to know it. I live for the day when you’re no longer ashamed of me.”
The dial tone was sudden and unexpected. Poppy stared at the receiver. He’d hung up. All of a sudden she remembered what he’d said and hurried outside.
“There you are,” Mike said, as she slipped under his arm and then wrapped it around her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded.
“Oh wow! Would you look at that!” someone yelled.
All eyes turned toward the sky and the exploding rocket, then down to the grounds in front of the house where a fireworks display had begun to light up.
“It’s spelling a word! Look! Look!” The crowd began to spell in unison as one by one, the letters lit up on the hillside.
“P” “O” “P” “P” “Y”.
All of a sudden, the yard went quiet.
Poppy could feel their shock and waited for the judgment that would follow. Mike’s arm tightened around her, reminding her she wasn’t bearing this alone. But nothing happened.
There were a few whispers and then someone giggled.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. What was he thinking?
Then someone in the crowd started clapping. She dared a peek, but it was too late to see who had started it. The sound was spreading as more and more people began to join in, then Aaron came through the crowd, clapping and grinning. She should have known.
“Way to go, girl,” Aaron said. “Maybe he heard about Frankie and JoJo.”
Poppy glared at him, and then quickly looked at Mike.
That made the crowd erupt as the clapping and jeering got louder.
Mike frowned. “Who’s Frankie and JoJo?”
