by R. T. Wolfe
He felt relieved Brie wasn't leaning on the new guy the same way she would never lean on him. He watched as she sat, leaning forward between the two of them with her forearms resting on her thighs and her head drooped almost between her knees. The new guy leaned back in his chair watching her, too. Damn it, he missed her.
The doc walked out and Brie stood. He had a gray beard and mustache, pooch belly. Her back was straight. Chin up. Just like Brie.
"She's unconscious, but stable. You can see her now."
Both men knew enough that this part was Brie's to deal with. Neither tried to follow her.
Dr. Lanter took her to the same room they had been in a few days before. Wall-to-wall cabinets filled most of the space and hanging metal instruments filled the rest. Macey lay on the tall, stainless steel table with a long plastic tube deep in her mouth.
The doctor's youthful assistant stood behind Macey with a wooden clipboard in her hand. She wore a light blue smock covered with pictures of cartoon dogs and cats. Macey's tongue dangled out and to the side farther than what Brie thought was natural. An IV was stuck into her front leg. Her underside was shaved with a long line of dark pink stitches starting near her tail and along her belly.
"She has a good chance of pulling through this. Your friend got her here fast. Brie, I had to remove her uterus. I'm so sorry." He placed his hand on her shoulder in a way that reminded her of her father. "I'll need to keep her at least a few days."
He reached in his pocket and pulled out a business card. Turning it over, he wrote down a phone number and handed it to her. "This is my private number. Call if you need anything or think of any questions. There's nothing you can do now. Let her rest. I'm going to stay a while."
"Can I sit with her for a minute?"
"Of course. I'll be in my office. Stop in before you leave." He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and left them.
* * *
As he waited, Nathan made arrangements with his folks. They agreed to keep Duncan and Andy for the time being. He sat back and quietly sighed.
McKinney stood, his chest expanding. "You can go on and take Brie's truck back. She needs me now. We've been friends for a very long time."
Nathan didn't get up or even move his head, only turned his eyes up to meet McKinney's. "This isn't the time to have a pissing contest over a girl," he said quietly, "and I have no insecurities about what's mine. I will ask how you happened to be there today."
"Just what the fuck are you getting at?"
"Probably just what you think I'm getting at."
"You think I hurt her dog? You're sick. How did you happen to be there?"
Nathan heard Brie say her goodbyes to the vet. He leaned back and pulled a leg up, resting an ankle on his knee.
Dark rings had formed under her eyes; her skin was pale and lifeless. This was the first time he had seen her look entirely defeated.
"Dr. Lanter thinks she's going to be okay. She's still unconscious and will be here for at least a few days." She walked up to McKinney. "I didn't have a chance to ask why you stopped by today. I'll just say thank you. Thank you for your help." She wrapped her arms around him.
Nathan refused to let it show the way his heart tightened and almost strangled him from the inside out. He stood and put his thumbs in his pockets, but kept his distance.
Brie patted McKinney's arm twice, then turned to him. She walked over, pressing her forehead on his chest. "Take me home," she whispered into his shirt.
He wrapped an arm around her waist, kissed the top of her head and steered her toward the door. His staggering relief mixed with guilt from thinking of himself. They didn't speak on the way to her house.
Brie sat in the middle of the bench seat of her truck, closed her eyes and rested her head on Nathan's outstretched arm. Linking her fingers with his hand, she rolled her head to the side to look at him as he drove. He'd stuck. She wouldn't forget it. One side of her heart was broken. The other wanted to run away with this man. He seemed to always be there for her without ever suffocating her.
They pulled into her garage, and he turned off her truck. He opened her door for her before she could gather the energy to do it herself. As they walked through the quiet, she felt his hand on the small of her back. Small gestures. She took a seat at the kitchen table, folded her hands in her lap. Without asking, he pulled down some glasses and an already opened bottle of wine and was pouring them both a half-glass when the phone rang.
Brie didn't move and Nathan answered while handing her a glass. She could hear Liz's voice.
She appreciated that Nathan read her enough to know she wasn't in the mood to talk and didn't try to hand her the phone. She listened to Nathan as she drank her wine, going over the story of the surreal evening and reassuring her sister that she was okay.
"She says she's glad to know you're not alone and will call in the morning." He sat next to her at the table and took her free hand, holding it in both of his.
"Don't leave." She lifted her hand with one of his and laced their fingers together.
Softly, he answered, "I'm not going anywhere."
Brie set her wine down and moved over to sit on his lap with her legs dropped one on each side. "No. I meandon't leave. Stay with me, Nathan." She kept her eyes on his. "I don't want to think tonight. Touch me." She slowly pressed her lips against his. "Take me." Kissing him again, she let her lids drop and sighed.
Oh, shit. His pulse flew. He could feel hers mimic his as she leaned her body over him, mouths moving together. Not now, not now... "Not now." Reluctantly, he pulled back and took her shoulders in his hands. "Not like this."
Brie sat looking at him with deep, needy eyes. "From where I'm sitting, I can tell not all of you agrees with that." She moved just enough to make his eyes cross. "I want you. I've never said this to anyone before, but I need you."
"I'm in this for the long haul, Brianna. I'll be here for you, but when I make love to you the first time it's going to be because it's time and not like this. It's getting late." She looked tired and worn. Leaving the glasses on the kitchen table, he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom.
She still had on her work clothes. He wondered if the news reports were right and if she would be wearing them again anytime soon. He undressed her down to her lacey camisole and panties, then pulled the pins from her hair. He remembered from New Year's Eve that her pajamas were in her top drawer, and he dressed her in the first set he found. He tucked her in much like he would Duncan or Andy and lay next to her on top of her covers.
She rested her head on his shoulder. "Nathan." Her eyes were closed. "I'll behave. You don't have to sleep in your jeans. Come under here with me."
He didn't know if he could handle it, but he undressed down to his boxers and crawled in with her. She pulled herself partially on top of him, resting her head on his chest and was asleep in seconds. He thought of how they fit. Lying awake for a long time, he combed his fingers through her mass of hair, thinking of what had to be done next and how he'd have to push her. He would give her some time, then he would have to push.
* * *
She woke to thunder and noisy drops of rain on her windows. It took Brie a minute to remember Macey wasn't in her corner bed. Lying on her side facing the windows, she also remembered she wasn't alone. He'd stuck. She kept her eyes closed, willing herself back to the sleep that wasn't going to come.
Nathan must have sensed she woke. Although no movement came from behind her, he whispered, "Hey."
She still didn't open her eyes. "Hey, back."
"How about I make us some coffee?" He kissed the back of her head, sat up and pulled on his jeans.
She pushed her side of the covers away and stood, pulling her robe off the hook from her closet door.
He walked toward the hall. "You need anything?"
"Just the coffee. The grinder is to the left of the stove. Thank you. For everything."
He left and she sat back down. Yes, she thought, he stuck. And he gave her room. I
t would be difficult to push him away to survive the next several days. She hoped it wouldn't push him over the edge. Taking a deep breath, she headed for the bathroom.
The hot shower and the smell of the coffee almost made her feel human again. Fully dressed and anxious to check on her dog, she knew she needed to wrap things up with Nathan first. She picked up the paper, kindly wrapped in plastic, from her porch and tucked it under her arm. Leaning against her kitchen counter, Nathan held her phone. He looked worn as he ran his fingers through his messy black hair.
"She's here." He held it out for her. "It's your sister." Handing it to her, he walked away and stood looking out the glass doors at the down-pour of rain.
She tossed the paper on the kitchen table as she took the call. "It's me. I'm really okay... No, don't. I'm just going to go sit with Macey anyway... I will. I'll deal with that next week. Love you, too."
She wasn't sure where to start. She poured coffee and joined Nathan. Facing him, she rested a shoulder on the glass. The steady thumping of the rain thrummed on her arm.
"A gun. He had a gun. Liz said pointed at you." Nathan rubbed a hand over his face. "Aren't you supposed to see some kind of trauma somebody when that happens?" He turned and faced her but didn't come closer.
"I'm more worried about what happened to my dog right now."
"That's what your sister said you would say. I know the dog means a lot to you, but—"
"I'm talking about what happened to my dog. Someone knew where to hurt me, Nathan. Knew she was pregnant. The vet said the drug used is meant to induce abortion. Only whoever did this used so much it could have killed her. Would have if we weren't there, if you weren't there. This isn't random and it isn't a disgruntled parent. This is personal."
"I want you to come and stay with me."
She pushed away from the glass. "And bring this to Duncan and Andy? I know how to lock my doors, Nathan, and I need to ask you to give me some room." She held up a hand before he could interrupt. "Just a few days, Nathan. I need to think. I'm going to write up that list for Dave and I'd like it if you would come with me to file the police report. Right now, I need to spend some time with my dog and wrap my head around all of this. Sandy told me not to come back. She said I'm suspended." He didn't look surprised.
"I'll agree only if I install dead bolts and locking bars for the basement and first floor windows. I can get it done today."
"I can agree to that." She stepped forward and took his hand, placing his warm palm to her cheek. Closing her eyes, she asked, "How is Andy?"
"Worried. Worried, but okay. He doesn't really know what was going on in the hallway except there were men yelling. The boys are also distracted. My folks have been planning a trip to—"
"Niagara Falls." She took the newspaper from her table and pulled the rubber band off. "I've been hearing about it all week. The weather isn't any better up north. Thank you for staying. I won't forget it."
Chapter 16
Brie pulled up to Dr. Lanter's building a few minutes before it opened for the day. Through the dark clouds, torrents of rain fell onto her windshield. She planned to stay as long as they would allow. So, she'd packed a bag of things to work on. Slinging it over her shoulder, she trudged through the rain and into the lobby. The receptionist pecked away at her computer. She wore the same type of smock as the doctor's assistant from the night before, light blue and covered with cartoon animals. Dripping across the linoleum, she walked to the front desk, where the receptionist nodded in recognition.
"Good morning, Miss Chapman. Macey will be so happy to see you." She led her to the room of kennels reserved for injured or recovering patients.
When she saw Macey was conscious, she dropped her bag at her feet. Groggy, her dog didn't lift her head, but her tail thumped on the concrete floor of the kennel.
"Hey, girl."
Brie sat on the hard, cold floor next to the kennel and opened the door. Macey didn't get up, but she lifted her brows and made eye contact. Brie figured she should be worrying about her students, worrying about her job, but the overwhelming relief left little room for anything else.
As she scratched around her ears, Macey's chest expanded deeply in a cleansing breath, then she sighed like a human. They sat like that until her beloved friend fell back into sleep.
Leaning against the empty cage next to her, Brie pulled out a yellow notepad and started making notes for Dave, starting chronologically from the first incident. The dead mouse. She knew it took place before the first time her windows had been shot out, but how was she supposed to remember dates? She tried to associate the events with days of the week or weather conditions. The people that were around at the time of each incident were listed to the side in a different color. Writing the names of friends and family felt like a heavy betrayal.
Dr. Lanter came in and crouched down near Brie. "She's doing well. Vitals look strong and the poison is flushing from her system. We're going to try and get her up before night."
* * *
Nathan sat in his truck in the gravel parking lot of his father's shop. He remembered the years he'd worked here in junior high and high school with his brother. The smells of sawdust and plastics glue came back quickly. He and his brother used to argue over who would start the fire when the scrap particle boards filled the enormous metal garbage can.
He parked several spaces from the front door and walked around the rain puddles. His dad had four employees who'd worked for him for years. Sylvester Reed was a great boss. Nathan didn't inherit that trait. The shop was large and open. Through a door to the left, he knew, were the offices where he would likely find him.
"Hey, Dad. You busy?" He walked in and stood next to his father, who was analyzing a set of drawings.
"Not too busy. You came at a good time. Take a look at these." He pushed the prints closer to a swivel chair on rollers where he gestured for Nathan to sit. "This is more up your alley. I never get when people spend money to have a custom kitchen made from plastic."
Nathan leaned over. "Looks like they chose plastic because of the curves you see here. Makes more sense to bend the plastic, although I could get wood to do that. You'll want to waterfall the backsplash and counter lip. Maybe suggest some glass fronts on the ends there and there. How's business?"
"Hmm," Sylvester said, nodding his head while still looking at the plans. "Business is good. I've got more orders than I do time. I guess they'll have to wait or go somewhere else. There's an important trip to Niagara Falls I need to get to. We postponed it with the weather and all that's going on with Andy's teacher, but I suppose you know about that. How is the girl?"
"Resilient. I can keep an eye on her out my back door. That makes it easier. I wanted to talk to you about something. You've scaled back a lot over the years."
"Yes."
"I guess you're only using about sixty percent of your space here."
"Fifty percent," Sylvester interrupted. "But go on."
He recognized his father's skeptical tone. Smart man. "I need a place to build. My garage hardly works for my house projects. My little spray room is a pain in the ass."
"Is that all? Bring your tools over. You can use the empty half anytime you want. You still have a key?"
"I still have a key, but that's not exactly what I mean. I need a place to do business."
"Whoa." Sylvester held up his arms palms out.
"Nothing like what I had. I didn't move the kids all the way up here just to put them into the same situation they were in back in South Carolina. I'm scaling back, too, but I need a place. And I need you."
"Son of a bitch, Nathan. I'm just a small-time plastics guy. You're an artist... Don't give me that look. You're paid like an artist. How could you possibly need me?"
"I know how to create and design and build. That's it. I suck at the business end. I don't know how to keep guys busy when I don't need them, and I don't do well managing time or the bookwork. That's all stuff you're good at. I'd give you fifty percent."
"You do suck at the business end. Give me ten percent, and we have a deal."
"Thirty percent and we shake right now." He held out his hand.
His dad reciprocated, and they shook. "Thirty percent. You're a sap. Where did I go wrong?" He pulled his son in with the hand they clasped and hugged him with the other. "It's great to have you and the boys back. You're filling a hole that's long since been empty."
* * *
Nathan drove by the vet's on his way to meet Dave. He saw Brie's truck and pulled in. The lobby smelled like an odd combination of cleaning solution and wet dog. Behind the receptionist, on a padded office chair, lay a sleeping brown and white beagle.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm looking for Brianna Chapman."
The receptionist stood and walked around her counter. "She's in back. I'll show you the way." He followed. "We're about to close. I think she's almost ready to leave, too."
"I'll only be a minute, thank you."
"You're a man of your word." Brie sat on the floor next to a wall cage with the door open. She started to stand, but instead he sat down on the concrete next to her.
Macey whimpered at the sight of him and licked the back of his outstretched hand. "Hey girl." He scratched the top of her head between her eyes. "Goldie's out of his mind. You get better soon."
He looked at Brie while still scratching Macey's head, thinking she looked better, too. "I brought you these." He handed her a set of keys. "Same key fits the front, back and garage knob and deadbolts. Each window in the basement and first floor has a locking bar. You can't see it from the outside and barely can from the inside. How are you holding up?" He placed the keys in her outstretched hand, then brushed his fingers from the top of her hair to her shoulder.
She smiled. "Better now. They got her up for a walk. She looked a little drunk, but made it all the way outside. Dr. Lanter thinks one or two more nights and she'll be able to come home."
"We'll be waiting for you." He reached over, placing his hand on the back of her hair, and kissed her forehead before standing and walking out.
