by Ellis, J. J.
“No, no that’s okay. We’ve got it, right Miranda?” he asked the little girl who seemed to have calmed down quite a bit. There might not be much to observe after all.
“It’s no big deal, really. I’m Emily Zane by the way.” She held her hand out first to Miranda, who just bowed her head and looked at her shoes, and then to her father.
“Hi, I’m Russell Harper… Wait a minute. Emily Zane - aren’t you the wild redhead with headgear that used to follow my best friend Chuck around like a love sick puppy?” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized that he should have kept the thought to himself and he clamped his free hand over his mouth. He’d just been exceptionally rude and he could feel himself turning as red as her hair. He quickly let go of her hand. “I’m so, so sorry, that was uncalled for. I just…” Just like his daughter, as a young kid, he’d always had a habit of blurting stuff out like that. But he’d learned to control it better as he got older, or so he thought. Then he realized that this absolutely beautiful redhead had his brain scattered so badly he could barely think straight. And his heart kept doing this weird skipping thing.
Emily laughed. “That’s okay. It was actually quite an accurate description. My hair is still crazy and red, but as you can see the headgear is gone and Chuck is nowhere in sight.” Thank goodness, Chuck Peters had brought out the worst in her. He’d made her think she was going insane with her feelings for him. And now she remembered exactly who this man was, the annoying yet kind-hearted best friend of the boy she had crushed on for five years. Everyone always said she should have gone after Russell. But Chuck had just been so damn sexy. Deep down Emily always knew Russell would have been so much better for her.
She blushed and hid her head so this very attractive man standing in front of her wouldn’t be able to see. She would have been so embarrassed if he knew what she was thinking about. Oh yes, Russell Harper sure had grown up well. He was now sexier than Chuck had ever been. Amazing how twelve years could make such a difference in a person’s perspective.
Russell couldn’t help but laugh along with Emily. There was something about her that relaxed him. “If it helps, the headgear had perfect results. And I like the hair even more now that the red has darkened up a bit.”
Her hand brushed absently through her light auburn curls. “Why thank you,” she said showing the now perfect white teeth that punctuated an absolutely devastating set of luscious lips.
They stood around seemingly mesmerized by each other, until Russell remembered he’d forgotten to introduce his daughter. “This, by the way,” he said taking the girl’s hand, “is my daughter Miranda. We just moved back to town today.”
“Well, it’s nice to see you both.” Emily turned to Miranda. “So, are you going to Harper’s Rock Elementary School this year Miranda?” Emily thought she saw a slight nod in the affirmative so she took it as a yes. “Well, from what I hear, you’ll love it. It’s supposed to be the best school in the county.” Miranda didn’t respond, she just ran to the side of her dad’s vehicle and climbed into the back seat.
Russell looked mortified at his daughter’s behavior. “I’m so sorry…”
Emily held up her hand. “No, don’t apologize, it’s okay. She just seems really shy and she’s probably scared with moving and all. She’ll come around.” The girl’s behavior was still nagging at something in the back of Emily’s mind but it just wouldn’t come to the forefront. She would probably curl up with her laptop when she got home and do some research.
“I wouldn’t count on her ever coming around,” Russell said sadly as he stooped to start picking up his belongings from the ground. Emily joined him.
“It really is okay you know. I’m a licensed counselor. I see a lot of different behaviors and very few shock or offend me anymore.” Russell just nodded and gave a small smile that didn’t light up his face like the other one had. He quickly changed the subject.
“I don’t remember you being here the last time I visited, but then again, it was eight years ago and I may not remember,” Russell reminisced.
“I just moved back myself a few weeks ago. I went to college in Seattle and stayed there, but I got tired of the… the big city, so here I am.” Emily hoped the sadness that speaking of Seattle brought didn’t show in her eyes. She knew she had an outwardly very happy, content appearance, but she also knew that somehow beneath it all, she looked very sad and it sometimes showed in her eyes. She’d been told that so many times in the last six months that it was starting to get annoying. Moving away from Seattle had almost been a necessity but she was finally thinking she might truly be able to be happy again. And she was happy most of the time. She wondered if Russell noticed any sadness. She couldn’t imagine it being that obvious to a near stranger.
“It looks like you’re happy to be back,” he commented switching the wrapped gift he was holding back and forth from hand to hand. “At least for the most part.”
“Oh I am.” Darn it, she was that obvious. “I hated it here as a kid, but now I love everything about it. It’s so calm, quiet and safe.” She looked away, embarrassed that she had been so forthcoming with someone she hadn’t spoken to in more than twelve years.
“That’s good.” But he’d sounded almost sarcastic, and he dropped the gift he’d been holding.
Emily bent to pick it up and handed it back to him. She searched his eyes for some meaning behind his sarcastic statement. “I take it you aren’t as excited to be back here as I am,” she guessed.
“Yeah, you’re right about that!” he laughed harshly. “I only came back because I needed help with Miranda. Ever since my wife left…well, it’s been hard to…” He paused and looked toward the horizon. “Sorry I didn’t mean to go on and on like that. You must think I’m some kind of babbling idiot.” Russell’s gaze returned to Emily.
She smiled at him. “That’s okay, people say I’m easy to talk to. I guess that’s why I’m a counselor.”
“They’re right,” he said quietly.
Emily looked away, slightly embarrassed. “Single dad, huh? I sure as heck don’t envy you. And I’m sorry about your wife.”
A small nod was his only response. Neither of them felt like holding up their end of a conversation after that so they continued working side by side in silence until the job was done.
“Thanks for the help, Emily. I really appreciate it.” His mood was somber now and she wondered if there was more going on with Miranda than met the eye.
“You’re very welcome. It was my pleasure,” she smiled at him. “Well, I should be heading home now.” His return gaze made her feel like jelly inside. Emily walked unsteadily to her car and stopped as she reached the driver side. “I’ll probably see you tomorrow.” Before opening her door, she hollered a goodbye to Miranda and gave her a little wave. She slid into her seat, started the car, and backed out. When she was parallel to Russell she rolled down her window. “By the way, it’s nice to see you aren’t that tall, super skinny kid with bad skin anymore.” She winked at him, rolled up her window and left him standing there laughing and wondering why she’d said she would probably see them tomorrow. And wondering why he was so damn excited at the prospect.
************
“Grandma! Grandma, we’re here.” Miranda Harper burst through the door of the back offices of Movie and a Pizza Place, after her father had pointed her in the right direction. She wasn’t exactly the quietest child in the world. In fact she could be outright obnoxiously loud, but Russell didn’t try to reprimand her this time. It was the most happiness and excitement she’d shown in two days and he wanted to enjoy every minute of it. Because as he well knew, it could be fleeting.
“Yay my girl is here!” Evelyn Harper squealed as she moved from behind her big oak desk to take the little girl into her arms. Okay, so Russell knew where Miranda got some of her loudness from.
“And it’s good to see my boy too,” she said looking over Miranda’s shoulder at her son. Her look was asking how the little girl was
coping with the move, and he just shook his head.
“It’s good to see you too, Ma. You sure do look great.” Russell was so relieved. His father Cole’s death had been hard on her and he hadn’t been able to come back for the funeral to see her, a circumstance he still regretted. “Are you sure you want to retire? You look like you could go on for another twenty years.” Russell wasn’t exaggerating either. His mother’s red hair had barely any grey in it and she looked much younger than her sixty-three years. She looked like she was still raring to go. And he knew she hated not being busy.
“You, my son, are a flatterer,” she replied. “And yes I want to retire, it’s time I had some fun and help you take care of my granddaughter. And don’t give me that look, son. I know what you’re thinking.” She shook her head at Russell. “Don’t you worry, I promise I’ll keep plenty busy.”
Miranda shook her head furiously and Russell and Evelyn looked at her with curiosity and amusement. “Daddy’s not a flatterer, Grandma. He told a lady in the parking lot that she was a wild redhead that followed Mr. Chuck around like a lovesick puppy.”
Evelyn stifled a laugh. “You ran into little Emily Zane in the parking lot I take it.”
“Uh yeah, yeah we did. She’s not so little anymore though Ma.”
“You noticed hmm.” She raised her eyebrows to convey a secret meaning only to her son. “She sure has grown up to be a beauty. She’s still little though. Not over five-two I’d guess. And she seems a bit sad underneath her happy-go-lucky demeanor. I think something bad may have happened to her in Seattle.”
Russell smiled but didn’t say anything. His mom was right on in her assessment of Emily Zane, from her beauty to her deep-rooted sadness. “Well Miranda my dear, I sure hope your daddy apologized to Miss Zane for being so rude.” Evelyn looked pointedly at Russell.
“Oh, he did Grandma. And then she reminded him that he was skinny and had bad skin when he was a kid.”
Evelyn laughed so hard she had to sit down on the edge of her big oak desk. And when she finally composed herself, she looked up at Russell. He didn’t like what he saw one bit. His mom had romantic ideas running through her head and he wanted no part of it. He had his hands full with a flaky ex-wife and a challenging child. He would have to make sure to have a talk with his mother about any matchmaking ideas she might have. Just because he was going to live in her house didn’t mean he had to put up with it. He didn’t want to fall in love, and he especially didn’t want to be put into a relationship with the enchanting Emily Zane.
Twenty minutes later, after Evelyn opened her gift and Russell got a quick tour of his new workplace, all three of them were on their way to Evelyn’s home. It had been Russell’s childhood home, and now for the foreseeable future would be his home again. What a depressing thought.
Miranda decided to ride with her grandmother and Russell hoped she would behave herself. His mother knew all about the girl’s problems, but for some reason it always mortified him when his daughter broke down even if it was in the company of family. None of them had ever blamed him though, so maybe he should just relax and trust the ones he loved.
Russell took a deep, cleansing breath and felt himself slowly relax. Time alone was really nice once in a while. After his wife’s departure, he’d discovered that he needed a break sometimes, but he hadn’t had many in a long while. And now he could just let his mind wander as he drove to the family homestead. He didn’t have to worry about tantrums or rude behavior or quiet sulking. Not that he didn’t love Miranda, because he did, more than anything in the world, but it was nice to be worry free for a while. Even if it was just for a few minutes.
Russell had to admit it really was good to see his mom. It seems the older he got the more he missed his family. He only wished they could have moved closer to him instead of the other way around. He didn’t see how he was going to survive living in Harper’s Rock without suffocating. Following High School, he’d almost gone out of his mind having to stay here and commute to college. He’d lasted one term before he transferred to Denver with friends and never looked back. The cold of Denver had led to the warmth of Las Vegas where he had met and married his ex-wife Vivienne. Miranda was there before he knew it and life was in full swing. He now owned three restaurants in the Vegas Valley and was hoping he could keep them successful from afar - while also running Movie and a Pizza Place no less. Maybe the slow pace of Harper’s Rock would keep things in check and he wouldn’t work himself to death. He could hope at least. The other option - being bored to death - would be just as bad.
“Home sweet home,” he mumbled to himself as he stepped out of his vehicle. He guessed it could be worse, but at the moment it hit him that he didn’t know how. He was on a wide open, one-hundred-fifty-acre ranch and he felt the walls closing in on him already.
“Daddy, Daddy, Grandma put me in Grandpa’s old office so I could use his bookshelves.” Miranda came flying across the dirt driveway with a wild look in her eyes. Russell worried she was almost too excited and would be hard to calm down. “He had hundreds of ‘em.”
Evelyn laughed at her beautiful granddaughter’s excitement. “Not quite hundreds sweetie, more like eight, but you will have plenty of room to grow your book collection.”
Russell smiled at his mom as Miranda skipped ahead. “Great idea, thanks Ma,” he whispered.
“You’re welcome, son. And you should know that I knocked the wall out between your old room and the second spare room so you could have some more space.”
Russell stopped in his tracks and turned to face his mother. “Really Ma? Wow, that must have been some job. You didn’t have to you know.”
“I know I didn’t. But in time, you’ll be glad I did.”
“I already am,” he laughed, wrapping his arm around his mom’s shoulder to give her a quick hug.
They walked up the front steps to the big double doors where Evelyn opened them wide. “Welcome home guys,” she said, quickly ushering them inside. “Upstairs, third door on your left Miranda.” The little girl took off at full speed, but slowed on the stairs because her coordination was a bit off kilter. “I hope she doesn’t mind, I unpacked all of the stuff you sent ahead and set up her room.”
“No Ma, she’ll be so happy. She can’t handle large tasks like that. It completely freaks her out.”
His mother patted his arm and gave him a look that let him know she worried about Miranda too.
CHAPTER 2
Russell rolled over and silenced his alarm. He momentarily forgot where he was as he stared at the bare beige walls of the bedroom in his mother’s house. The memories of the move hit him hard. On this day, of all days, morning had come much too quickly. This was the day he had dreaded the most from their whole move - the first day of school for Miranda. He dreaded the tantrums that would accompany the morning ritual, and he dreaded the possibility of having to drag his daughter kicking and screaming into her classroom. Once she was in class, she was usually well-behaved for the teacher, but until then, it was anyone’s guess. And her interactions with her peers could go either way.
Russell heard a quiet knock on his door - a very familiar knock. “Come on in, sweetie,” he called as his beautiful little girl ran in with a determined look on her face.
Miranda jumped on the bed. “Daddy, can I ask you a serious question?”
Russell marveled at how grown up she could be one minute and then turn around and throw a tantrum like a three-year-old the next. “Of course darlin’. What is it?” His baby girl was more relaxed and happy than he had seen her in a long time. Especially on a first day of school. And for once her clothes matched even though she picked them out herself.
After years of tantrums over mismatched outfits Russell started setting out clothes for her the night before so the mornings wouldn’t be so stressful. In all the excitement he’d completely forgotten to do it before he went to bed.
“Do you really think I could start over here and make some friends at my new school?” she ask
ed hesitantly.
Russell gave a short, happy laugh. “Of course I do sweetie. You can do anything you want to do. You just have to give it your best.” He lightly touched her nose with his index finger. “Now go finish getting ready for your first day.” He would be crossing his fingers all through work that Miranda could pull off her newfound confidence. She’d tried before, but always fell back into the same old patterns. But then again, maybe the whole starting fresh concept was just what she needed to snap out of it. He’d been describing their move as such since he’d decided to come back to Harper’s rock. Maybe, just maybe…
“Okay Daddy.” And she was out the door before he could blink.
For the first time ever, Russell didn’t witness any tantrums before school. Miranda didn’t even want him to walk her to her classroom, but he just couldn’t leave without meeting her teacher Mrs. Platski, who as it turned out, had been a year behind him in school. He felt slightly better leaving her with someone he knew. Miranda didn’t even say goodbye, she just waved him away as if she were embarrassed to be seen with him. She was acting like your typical almost pre-teen.
Russell couldn’t help but think that maybe their move had been a good idea after all. He wondered if he even needed to warn the school counselor about Miranda’s behavioral quirks like he’d planned to do. Maybe he could just get a hold of Emily Zane and see if she could work with Miranda to try to keep her on an even keel. She was a counselor after all and probably had a practice somewhere downtown. He even made it all the way to his vehicle before he turned around and went back to the school’s main office. The thought of Emily Zane becoming a regular part of their lives was a bit too much for his brain, and his body, to comprehend. Miss Zane went from a wild, skinny, slightly crazy teenager to a beautiful, curvy, sexy grown up. He just couldn’t go there. Ever.
The school office was a madhouse. Parents, teachers, and staff members were mingling around and Russell didn’t know if he would ever get someone’s attention. “Excuse me,” he tried to flag down one of the secretaries.
