The Truth About Family

by Kimberly Van Meter

  Wandering back to her bed, she let herself fall, not even caring when the row of stuffed animals bounced to the floor. Stuffed animals were for babies anyway. At least that’s what Allen said. She scrunched up her face at the thought of him and wondered if she even cared what he had to say. Since making up with her dad, she realized she had nothing in common with the kids she was hanging around with. All they wanted to do was play mailbox baseball or sit around and smoke cigarettes—or worse. Her cheeks flamed in embarrassment at being caught with marijuana. She didn’t even like the smell of the stuff. It stunk like dirty socks left in a wet hamper too long but at the time it’d been worth it just to catch her dad’s expression. Now, she just felt ashamed for worrying him. What the heck was she doing with those wastoids, besides ruining her life? After her court appearance next week, she was never going near Allen and his crew ever again. Besides, she missed her old friends. A shadow passed over her thoughts. What if they didn’t take her back? Then, she’d make new ones, she countered. But something told her, she wouldn’t need to go down that road. Her real friends were there for her. No matter how much she’s screwed up.

  Her gaze roamed to the framed picture of her parents that now sat on her dresser. She wanted to make it up to her dad somehow. Lately, he seemed…sad. He tried to hide it but she knew him too well.

  Peeking around the corner she saw her dad busy trying to throw something together for dinner. Tiptoeing to his cell phone she snagged it and quickly returned to her bedroom. She had a feeling he kept Erin’s number in the memory. Scrolling, she smiled when she found it.

  Wasting no time, she quickly dialed. It rang twice before Erin picked up, her voice hesitant.

  “Hello?”

  “Erin? This is Danni.”

  Was that a breath of relief or disappointment…? Danni couldn’t tell.

  “Hey kid, how’s the camera treating you?”

  “Good! I love it. I want to show you some of the pictures I took and see what you think. Do you have an e-mail address I can send them to?”

  Erin did and gave her the address without hesitation. The subject of photography was an easy ice-breaker to what Danni was really interested in talking about. After a few questions were answered regarding lighting and some confusion over the f-stops was cleared up, Danni bit her lip and plunged forward.

  “Erin…I think my dad misses you a lot,” Danni said, holding her breath a second before adding truthfully, “and I do, too. When are you coming back for a visit?”

  On the other end, Erin’s heart raced and she would’ve laughed at Danni’s childish straightforward manner if she hadn’t felt as if someone had put their fist through her chest. He missed her. Tears sprang to her eyes but she tried to keep the watery sound from her voice. “It’s hard to say, Danni. I’m up against some pretty tight deadlines….”

  Suddenly an echo of Caroline’s voice stopped her as she realized she’d always given the same excuse to her aunt. Her breath hitched in her throat and she struggled to keep her voice stable. “Well, I’ll try. I’d love to see you again.” She refrained from admitting seeing Colin again might break the tenuous hold she had on her determination to stay away. He was better off without her, she reasoned. But the old argument lost some of its conviction as Danni went on about how much her dad had changed since she left.

  “He kind of mopes,” Danni confided. “You know, like he’s depressed or something. He tries to hide it but he isn’t any good at it. He stares out the window a lot, too, and that’s just plain weird, if you ask me.”

  Erin had to laugh, though she could certainly relate. No matter how hard she tried to exhaust her body during the day, by night, she was staring out at the city streets, looking but not seeing.

  “And you’d think he’d be totally happy since he was offered the position of chief of police! I’m not sure if he’s going to take it, though.”

  Erin sat up straighter. “Roger Hampton is retiring?”

  Danni sounded bored. “Yeah, something about his health, I guess.”

  Erin knew the real reason but strangely she didn’t fault Roger for his decision. The whole situation had affected everyone in different ways. “Why doesn’t your dad want the job?”

  Erin could almost hear Danni shrug. “Dunno. He just doesn’t want it.”

  Groaning, she almost asked Danni to put her dad on the phone but seconds before it popped out of her mouth she reined in the impulse. “Well, I guess your dad will do what’s best for your family,” she said lamely.

  Danni snorted. “You haven’t seen him lately. He’s like a different person.”

  Erin started to offer some excuse but Danni cut in. “Erin…do you love my dad?”

  The question, brutally honest and just like a kid to ask without hesitation, left Erin speechless. Danni pressed on.

  “Here’s the thing. I think my dad loves you and if you can make my dad happy I want you guys to work whatever it is out so you can be together again.” Danni paused, and then her voice dropped to a solemn tone usually reserved for a confessional. “My dad hasn’t fallen in love with anyone since my mom…died. I never really thought about it until I realized how he was when he was around you. His eyes got all warm and gooey when he looked at you and I can tell he thinks you’re something special. That says a lot in my book. My dad’s a pretty good guy. Don’t you think?”

  The question, delivered with a child’s earnestness, hung between them. Finally, Erin answered with a whisper. “Yes. Your dad’s one of the best.”

  Danni seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “Then why are you still there and not here with us?”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  ERIN STEPPED OFF THE PLANE with her heart in her mouth. She had two major tasks ahead of her. One, she had to pick up her father from the hospital; and two, she had to undo the damage she’d created between her and Colin.

  It’d been a week since Danni’s phone call and two days since she’d quit American Photographic. Her father had awoken, groggy and confused as to where he was and began ripping I.V. lines from his body as if they were leeches dining on his blood. Erin almost laughed as she recalled the doctor’s account.

  “Ms. McNulty, I’ve never seen a man so strong after lying in a coma for as long as he did. He must have a will of steel!”

  Erin had chuckled. If only he knew…

  They’d had to sedate Charlie to keep him from splitting open the stitches that were holding his insides together. Erin found it vaguely ironic that after awakening from a coma, he was immediately put under sedation for his safety. But it was just as well—she wanted to be there for him when he received the news Caroline was gone. Somehow she knew he’d take the news better if she were there. She figured if they were to rebuild their relationship, now was as good a time as any. Erin finally understood what Caroline was trying to tell her about the importance of family. Now that she was gone, Erin was determined to make an effort to pick up the pieces of the McNulty clan. Patching her relationship with Charlie was a start. She tried picturing Caroline smiling down at her for her decision but tears were never far behind when thoughts of Caroline entered her mind.

  But, even so, the years of anger weren’t easily wiped away, no matter the circumstances. She and Charlie were due a very long conversation—and Erin wasn’t under any misconceptions on how difficult it would be to quell the angry echoes of their past. But for the first time, she was willing to try.

  Quitting the magazine had been relatively easy once she figured out that she had no desire to be Harvey Wallace’s No. 1 whipping girl. She was talented and could work anywhere, which was what she planned to do when she returned to freelance work. She had enough in her savings to float for a year if need be, but she wasn’t wasting much more time on that issue. Right now, her heart was hammering in her chest at the thought of one meeting.

  Colin.

  It’d been almost a month since she’d seen him last but it felt like a lifetime. In all that time she hadn’t dared to call, though she’d wa
nted to. It wasn’t until Danni’s phone call that she realized she was clinging to old habits, when in the end, they’d done nothing but bring her misery.

  Still, she couldn’t deny the shiver of fear that traveled through her at the thought of seeing Colin again. Would he reject her? Was he angry? She wouldn’t fault him if he was but she could only hope he felt the same as she did—anxious to see if they had a future together.

  There was only one way to find out.

  COLIN HAD HEARD CHARLIE MCNULTY was awake and immediately placed under sedation until his daughter could arrive, but he deliberately stayed away from the hospital. He wasn’t so pathetic that he would follow her like some lovesick puppy when she clearly wasn’t interested in his affections. But the effort it took to keep from doing just that made him surly. When everyone began giving him a wide berth at the station, he knew it was impossible to push her from his mind.

  Gripping the report he was trying to read in his hands, he forced his attention to the words that had become nonsensical as his thoughts wandered.

  Suddenly, Leslie appeared at his desk and he nearly snapped her head off when she started talking.

  Swearing under his breath, he began an apology but she cut him off. “There’s someone here to see you.” She moved aside and Erin was there. Sucking in a surprised gasp, he couldn’t believe she was standing before him when so many times he’d dreamt of the very same scene, yet woken up alone.

  “I’ll leave you two to talk,” Leslie said before turning to give Colin a glare. “And if you’re not in a better mood after this, I don’t care if you’re the chief or not I’m gonna give you a swift kick in your ass!”

  The corners of Erin’s mouth twitched at Leslie’s comment. “I always liked her,” she said, her voice a little breathless.

  He wanted to be cold, to tell her there was nothing for her in his heart, but he knew it was useless to try. His hands were trembling as he fought the urge to crush her to him. He swallowed and gave a short nod in response. “How’s Charlie?” he asked, searching wildly for neutral territory.

  “Ornery as ever,” she said. “He took Caroline’s death really hard. It’ll be a while before he can say her name without turning away so no one can see his tears.”

  “And you?” He barely got the words out, afraid of what her answer would be. He wasn’t sure if he could stomach the thought of Erin moving on so quickly.

  “I quit American Photographic,” she replied. When his eyes widened in surprise, she added, “And I’m thinking of moving out of San Francisco.”

  Thoughts of a new relationship flew to his mind and he fought to keep the bitterness out of his voice. “I’m happy for you.”

  She took a hesitant step closer. “Are you?”

  “Of course, Erin,” he said, finding the scent of her skin distracting. “Your happiness is important to me.”

  “Good.” Suddenly, she wound her arms around his neck and his arms automatically closed around her, drawing her close. She looked up at him and her eyes roamed his face as if he were the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. “Because I’ve discovered I’m most happy—” she pulled his head down to press her lips to his “—with you.”

  EPILOGUE

  COLIN SMILED AS HE WATCHED Erin critique Danni’s latest batch of photos. Butterscotch had adopted Danni and never left her side, despite her slow gait. To her credit, Danni never got frustrated with the old girl and had even put a new dog bed for Butterscotch in her room.

  Colin couldn’t help but swell with pride as Erin delivered genuine praise over the fledgling attempts. Erin looked up and caught his smile, returning it with a blinding one of her own.

  He didn’t think it was possible but each day she became more beautiful. She rolled her eyes at him whenever he told her so but he could tell she enjoyed hearing it, especially when she felt ungainly and awkward as her belly continued to protrude with their expected twins. He loved to rub her stomach and watch as his unborn children moved under the taut skin. Erin complained that they were using her kidneys as punching bags and her bladder as a trampoline but the comment was delivered with an excited twinkle in her eye. They decided to name the babies, both girls, after Caroline and Rose. When Erin had approached him with the suggestion, he’d hugged her close, believing it was only fitting. In their own way, the two ladies had brought Erin and Colin together. He hoped both were finally at peace.

  Charlie was coming over for dinner, and though Erin’s relationship with her father wasn’t typical, it worked for them. He was a crusty curmudgeon, but Erin had discovered the soft underbelly he’d been trying to protect all those years and his blustering was mostly an act these days. In fact, Charlie was keeping busy carving a double cradle for the girls. He said the project kept him going when the bad times hit.

  And there were bad times. Times when grief bowled him over and the temptation to drink returned but Erin was always there for him. Erin had insisted Charlie move out of that falling-down shack and into Caroline’s house, which he did but not before giving her an earful about how he liked where he was and didn’t want to leave. In the end, he agreed to move and secretly, Colin believed that Charlie was glad to get away from the memories locked behind those old walls. Somehow, Erin had known that and managed to push without making Charlie feel railroaded. Her insight and generosity of spirit never ceased to move Colin. She was one amazing woman.

  And she was all his.

  “Just what are you grinning about, Chief?” Erin asked playfully, coming to slip her arms around his waist as much as her burgeoning belly would allow.

  He gazed into the startling blue eyes that had taken hold of his heart at their very first meeting and nearly melted at the love cascading through his body.

  “Just wondering how I got so lucky,” he answered, placing a sweet kiss on the tip of her nose.

  Erin’s stare drifted over to Danni, who was busy fiddling with her camera, and her hand slid over her stomach in a caress. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, they were shining with happiness. “Me, too.”

  ISBN: 978-1-4592-1701-0

  THE TRUTH ABOUT FAMILY

  Copyright © 2006 by Kimberly Sheetz.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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