Coming Home (The Morgans)

by Savanna Grey

  “I’m going to take this downstairs and drive down memory lane later.”

  She closed the box up and placed it next to the attic opening.

  “Okay. Let’s find those lights.”

  She was so surprised that seeing Drue this morning hadn’t been awkward. After the scene in his kitchen and her parting words, she had not been looking forward to coming face to face with him again.

  It was probably due to the fact that both of them seemed to be pretending that it had never happened.

  “Grandma had every box labeled. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find.” “You start at that end and I’ll look here.” She directed. “We’ll meet in the middle.”

  She chuckled. “Hey isn’t that a Diamond Rio song?” “I love them!”

  Drue had his back turned to her reading labels on boxes. He smiled to himself. Victoria’s mind always ran full tilt. She was a fireball of energy. Who needed light bulbs with her around? She lit up any room she came into.

  They worked in silence for a while, searching for a box that would indicate containing lights.

  “I haven’t found anything remotely close to lighting. You?” Tori asked Drue.

  “Not yet, but there seems to be just a little bit of everything under the sun.”

  “I know. That’s what I was thinking when I first came up here this morning.” Tori said thoughtfully.

  “Oh! Wait. Maybe I’ve found something.” Tori reached up on tip toe to slide a box off a stack.

  Drue turned around just as Tori was twisting around to bring the box down.

  “Victoria, be caref-“

  As she turned to set the box on the floor, her feet tangled with one another and she started to lose her balance. Drue tried to get to her in time, but just as he grabbed the box Tori reached out and caught her hand on a nail.

  “Owww!”

  She felt pain stab the palm of her left hand. Drue quickly set the box down and turned back to Tori. She had sat back down on the floor holding her hand to her chest.

  “Victoria, let me see your hand.”

  She looked at her hand and saw blood streaming from a small puncture wound in her left palm below her thumb.

  Strong and able to handle most situations but the sight of blood, seeing blood escaping her own body even at a small rate made Tori feel faint.

  “Ugh! I don’t feel so good.” Tori grumbled. “Stupid nail.”

  Drue took her hand in his to examine the damage. It wasn’t too deep a cut, but it did need to be cleaned. He looked at the nail that was the culprit. Just as he suspected. Rusty.

  He didn’t know when was the last time she had a tetanus shot, but he bet she was due.

  “Okay. Let’s get you downstairs so I can clean this up.”

  Drue took charge then. He helped Tori to her feet, gently pulling her up.

  She looked a little pale even though her cheeks were flushed.

  “You okay?” Drue asked.

  “Yes. I just don’t have a strong stomach for the sight of blood, especially my own.” She took a deep breath to suck in some oxygen.

  Drue headed down the steps first. He wasn’t entirely sure she was going to be steady on her feet. It wasn’t the injury that was an issue. It appeared to be her squeamish stomach. He didn’t want her to pass out coming down the attic stairs and end up with bigger problems.

  The thought of Tori being seriously injured created a strange feeling in his chest. It tightened. It was uncomfortable. He didn’t like it. He pushed those thoughts away and led her to the kitchen after she safely descended the steps.

  “Here. Sit down while I find something to clean that wound.” He sat her in a kitchen chair.

  “Where did Millie keep first aid supplies? Upstairs or downstairs bathroom?”

  “Both.” Tori mumbled. Drue figured he’d start with the downstairs first.

  Her hand was throbbing . Why was it that the smallest injuries could hurt the worst?

  Just like a paper cut. They were the worst.

  Drue came back in a few minutes later with peroxide, a gauze bandage and first aid tape.

  “Alright now. I need to clean this. It might hurt a little.” He said a little uncertainly.

  Tori frowned. She wasn’t a fan of pain either.

  “Come on. Be a big girl.” Drue teased trying to lighten her mood.

  He directed her over to the kitchen sink. He stood behind her.

  “Hold your hand over the sink while I pour this on.” He opened the bottle of peroxide and held her wrist with one hand and poured the peroxide over the wound with the other.

  “Eww. It’s cold, but at least it doesn’t burn.” Tori let out the breath she had been holding.

  The peroxide fizzed and bubbled over her hand as it penetrated the puncture and cleaned it.

  Drue gently dried around her hand with a paper towel and sat her back down at the kitchen table.

  He moved a chair next to hers and picked up her hand to examine it.

  Heat shot up Tori’s arm that had nothing to do with her injury. Her gaze went directly to Drue’s. His eyes were already on her. He had apparently felt it to.

  “I’m going to put some antibacterial cream on this and a bandage.”Drue stated. His eyes never left hers.

  God he was so intense. If he didn’t stop looking at her like that –

  “Then we have to go in to town and have a doctor give you a tetanus shot.” Drue interrupted her thoughts.

  Shot? “What are you talking about?” Tori sputtered?

  “I don’t need a shot!”

  “Now, Victoria.” Drue continued as he bandaged her hand.

  “You don’t want to take a chance of getting an infection, do you? Although doesn’t that lead to lockjaw? That could be a plus for you in many ways.” Drue’s lips smirked. He figured that would get a rise out of her.

  She straightened in her chair her chin coming up.

  “Hey! That wasn’t very nice, and I’m not twelve anymore.” she scolded. “You don’t need to treat me as if I am.”

  His hands stilled on her arms as he finished taping the bandage. She looked up at him feeling the tension shift in the air.

  His hand caressed her cheek and placed a wisp of hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear.

  Holding her chin he looked straight into her shining brown eyes.

  “I’m more than well aware of the fact you are no longer a kid.”

  The green of his eyes has turned a deep emerald. Her breath caught in her chest as if in slow motion Drue leaned into her and gently brushed her lips with his. It was a tender sweet kiss that knocked her socks off. Not like last night with enough passion to ignite the house, but a soul-sweeping whisper of a touch that sent her reeling and wanting more.

  Her eyes had closed of their own accord. As Drue pulled away they fluttered open. She stared back at him unsure of what to say.

  “We need to talk, but first I need to get you to the doctor.” he stated matter-of-factly.

  “Get your coat and your purse while I call Mom and let her know what’s happened.”

  Grumpy and her hand aching, she didn’t like how he was ordering her around. She was so used to bantering back and forth with Drue. Spending more time with the adult Drue was proving very challenging. He was still the same ole Drue. The man with a plan. Organized, responsible, hard-working, but underneath that was a gentle, loving and certainly a passionate man. She had experienced that first hand.

  Yes, she knew they needed to talk. She just wasn’t certain she was prepared to hear what he had to say.

  Well she guessed she needed to put her big girl panties on and suck it up for this shot and their talk.

  She grabbed her purse from the hall table and her coat from the hall closet. As she walked back into the kitchen where Drue was on the phone, she heard him say “Yes, Mom. I promise she’s okay. It’s just a precautionary measure to insure she doesn’t get tetanus from the nail.” He looked up and shook his head. “Tell Kevin she i
s fine. He can look her over when we get back. We’ll see you for dinner.”

  He hung up the phone and turned back to her.

  “Come on let’s get this over with before they send out the Calvary.”

  She wasn’t certain if he meant the shot or their talk. She guessed she would find out soon enough.

  It was just a short fifteen minute ride into Mumford where the doctor’s office was located. They made the ride in relative silence. It wasn’t awkward really. Just quiet. The radio was playing George Strait. Who needed to talk when the King of Country was singing anyway, right?

  Her hand still ached a little, but it certainly wasn’t anything a few ibuprofen couldn’t handle.

  “Dr. Ross’s office is just up the road.” informed Drue. “He’s been here for about five years now ever since Dr. Hobbs retired.”

  Victoria smiled. Dr. Hobbs had treated many a cold, flu, even her broken arm when she fell out of the oak tree on the farm. He had been a kind and caring doctor.

  “What did he and Mrs. Hobbs do? Did they get the RV and travel like they always talked about?” Tori questioned.

  “They sure did. Mom got a postcard from Mrs. Hobbs a few weeks ago from somewhere in Arizona.”

  “Well good for them,” Tori said and she meant it. “They deserve it. He worked hard taking care of this community ever since I was a little girl.”

  He parked in front of a small brick building with a large glass window with a sign stating Mumford Medical.

  “This is it.” Drue hopped out of the truck and just as Tori was about to open her door, Drue beat her to it.

  She looked up at him and smiled. “Thanks.”

  She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had opened a car door or any door for that matter for her. It was a lot chivalrous act these days. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan had raised their boys right. No doubt about that.

  They walked into the clinic. It was a warm welcoming waiting room with large brown chairs and pretty pictures of families and places in the community adorning the walls.

  “Hi, Gail. Is the Doc available for a walk in?” Drue asked the cute blonde behind the front desk.

  “You know for you Drue he is always available. I’d make sure of that.” The blonde smiled brightly at Drue.

  Well then, thought Tori as she frowned. I’ll just bet she would.

  “It’s not for me. It’s for my…my friend Victoria here.” He hesitated and stuttered slightly.

  “Oh, well then I just need her to fill this out, and we’ll be good to go.” The blonde looked Tori up and down as if she were trying to decide whether to let her in or not. Tori smiled sweetly at the girl and took the clipboard.

  “Hussy.” Tori mumbled under her breath.

  “What was that, Victoria?” Drue asked.

  “Fussy.” she replied. “You don’t need to make such a fuss.”

  She quickly sat down to fill out the paperwork and realized she had a problem. The hand she wrote with and the hand that was injured were one in the same.

  She looked up at Drue as he continued to chat with Gail.

  “Ah, Drue…” she grabbed his attention.

  He glanced over at Tori and saw the frustrated look on her face. “What is it?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”

  “You mean besides not wanting to get a shot?” she replied sarcastically. “I can’t fill this out.”

  “Why not?” Drue asked.

  Then he saw the problem. He knew Tori was left-handed. He saw the pen in her injured hand.

  “Ah. I see. Here, let me.” Drue took the clipboard and pen from her. “I’ll fill it out. You just supply the necessary information.”

  “Okay. You haven’t had any other surgeries besides the appendix removal, have you?” Drue asked.

  “You remember that?” Tori asked surprised.

  She had been 10 when that had happened. She thought she was dying. She and Kevin had been playing pirate and damsel in distress under the oak tree that summer when she had doubled over in pain.

  “Of course I do. Kevin thought you were going to die.” Drue told her. “I wasn’t so sure either, basing it on how you looked and the pain you were in. I thought we were going to have to sedate Kevin he was so upset.”

  “Yes, even that had a positive outcome.” Tori remembered and smiled. “We ate all the ice cream we wanted for weeks.

  Drue laughed. “I remember that too. You guys were spoiled rotten.”

  “We were not.” Tori started.

  Just then a nurse with a friendly smile called Tori back.

  “Be a big girl and you might get a sucker when you are finished.” Drue teased her.

  “Funny. Very funny.” Tori stuck her tongue out at Drue playfully and went through the door to receive her torture.

  Drue waited. It had been 30 minutes already. There had only been one other patient come in since they had. He didn’t think it would take too long. He hoped everything was okay. It was just a little puncture wound.

  Just then the door opened and Tori came out. She had a new bandage on her hand and a band aid now on her arm where he assumed she had received her shot. She looked paler now than when she had gone in.

  He stood and met her at the reception window.

  “Everything go okay?”Drue asked.

  She frowned back at him and turned back to Gail to receive her receipt.

  “Come on. Let’s go.” Tori mumbled.

  Drue was confused. Was she upset about the shot? Surely it wasn’t that big of a deal. Sure. Nobody likes to get them, but they were necessary when needed.

  Tori didn’t say anything as Drue opened the truck door for her to get in.

  As he slid in beside her, he started the truck and studied her. “Something wrong?”

  Tori shifted in her seat and turned to face him with a look of embarrassment on her face.

  “Nothing, unless you consider that fact that I passed out at the sight of a needle and embarrassed myself to death, anything wrong.” She muttered and looked down at her hands in her lap.

  Drue couldn’t help it. He smiled. Right there that instant she reminded him of the twelve-year-old Victoria that always pulled at your heartstrings when something hadn’t gone her way.

  “Is that all?” Drue asked. “Well, would a lollipop make you feel better?”

  When Tori turned to Drue he was holding up a blueberry sucker from the doctor’s office.

  He smiled and shook the sucker back and forth and arched his eyebrows, his eyes twinkling.

  She couldn’t help herself. She started laughing. She laughed at her childish pouty behavior, at the absurdity of her fear of needles and the fact that she had been so embarrassed in the doctor’s office just a few moments ago.

  All the pent up tension of the morning evaporated. Just like that. She smiled and swiped the sucker from Drue.

  “Let’s go home and forget all about this morning.” Tori stated cheerfully. She unwrapped her sucker and enjoyed the sweet sugary taste.

  Drue had been wonderful all morning. From cleaning her up, to bringing her to the doctor to cheering her up, his caring, gentle, and yes, playful persona had been what she’d needed. She owed him.

  “Drue.” she started. He looked over at her questioning.

  “Thank you. For everything.”

  Their eyes met and he smiled back. He placed his hand on her knee and said. “It was nothing Sprite, and you’re welcome.”

  “You want a lick?” Tori asked Drue teasingly. Then she realized what she had said. Oh God.

  She looked at Drue eyes wide in shock.

  He looked right back.

  “More than you know.” was all that he said.

  It was enough. Tingles ran through her making her shiver as Drue leaned over and licked the candy, never taking his eyes from her. She didn’t know where their conversation would take them later, but part of her was very much looking forward to it if his responses and gentle touches today were any indication of his feelings. She never was one to back down
from a challenge. She wasn’t about to start now. Her future and her happiness just may depend on it.

  Drue sat back - a serious look on his face- shifted into gear and headed home.

  Chapter Seven

  Drue came to a stop in front of Tori’s house and right away noticed Kevin sitting on the front porch waiting for her.

  “I’m surprised he didn’t meet us at the doctor’s office.” Drue said sarcastically.

  Tori smiled at Kevin through the window and waved.

  “He is probably here for all the gory details.” laughed Tori.

  Before she could open the door, Drue reached over and grabbed her hand.

  She stopped and looked over at him questioningly.

  “We still need to talk.” Drue stated very seriously.

  “Okay, Drue.” Tori started. “I’m pretty sure I know what the topic is, but just so we are clear, is this about last night?”

  “Yes, it is. I believe you asked me a question that I intend to answer.” Drue continued.

  “Let’s talk after dinner tonight. Mom said to tell you she and Dad expect to see you there.” Drue smiled.

  “I think they just want to make sure you are alright too.”

  “Always nice to know people care about you.”

  Just then Kevin swung the door open and pulled Tori out of the truck. He bombarded her with questions.

  “Are you okay? Do you feel very much pain? Is there anything I can do? Did big brother take care of you?”

  “Kevin, take a breath!” Tori teased. “I’m fine. See? Just a little more than a scratch now.”

  Kevin looked at his brother through the open door of the truck.

  “Hey, man. Thanks for taking care of her.”

  He turned to Tori and ushered her up the steps. “Come on.”

  Halfway up the steps he said “You can make us some coffee and tell me all about it.”

  She elbowed him in the side and laughed as he picked her up and carried her the rest of the way up the porch.

  “Put me down, you fool.” she smacked at his back playfully.

  “I’ve already made one trip to the doctor’s office today. I don’t need to make another one when you drop me.”

  Drue watched Kevin and Tori as his hands fisted. It was his hands that belonged wrapped around her not Kevin’s. Or was it? He had thought all along that the two of them would end up together, but last night he had replayed the last nineteen years in his head. Never once had there been any sign of a romance between the two. It had just been expected. So if his brother had those type of feelings for Tori, he had never shown them or expressed them. Drue didn’t know what all of these feelings were or what exactly to do about them, but he knew with Victoria here he couldn’t ignore them any longer. He had ignored them long enough. It was time to find out where this might lead, but first he had to talk with his brother. He drove the half mile from Victoria’s house to his, and as he parked in the driveway he vowed to have the first discussion with his brother before talking with Victoria tonight.