Unexpected Love

by Melissa Price

  He gave her a quick kiss.

  “Would you go with me to the hospital tomorrow?”

  “Sure. I think it’s a good idea. The kids will like to see you.”

  Thirty-seven

  Early afternoon, they went to the hospital. On the way she asked, “Did anyone give you a hard time at work about the bruises?”

  He laughed, “Of course. I was expecting it. They like harassing each other although everyone knows no one means it. I heard about it several times at roll call and when we went back at shift change.” He shrugged, “It’s okay. They are a good group to work with.”

  Sean held her hand as they went into the hospital. She gave him a disconcerted look, “I’m not real happy to be at a hospital.”

  “Different reason. Relax, I’m here.” He squeezed her hand.

  Her stomach churned slightly. She stopped and smiled at an elderly woman sitting in a waiting area near the elevator who looked like she had been crying. “Are you okay?”

  The woman shook her head no, “I’m worried about my Greg. He came in for a procedure and its taking so long.”

  “I’m sure he is okay. They would have come out and talked to you if there was anything wrong.”

  “You’re right. I just want to take him home. We’ve been married fifty-three years last week. I meant every word I said when I said my vows. Every word.”

  Taylor bent down to hug her and Sean slipped his arm around her waist to steady her. “I’m sure you have been very happy and I bet you’ll have more happy years together.”

  “Thank you, dear. You reminded me to have faith and be strong. Stop back by on your way out.”

  “I will.”

  Sean helped her straighten up. He smiled at her, “You seem to almost always see the positive and help others see that too.”

  Taylor shook her head, “I try but I have a hard time trusting people.”

  Sean gave her a quizzical look, “You wouldn’t know it from the way you treat people.” He was glad she had confirmed what he had been thinking.

  “But I don’t have to do anything but be friendly and talk to them, trust doesn’t come into it.”

  Sean wondered if she trusted him. Maybe that was one reason she thought she was not ready for anything else with him. He’d have to work on that.

  They visited the kids who looked a lot better than the last time she had seen them. They both remembered her and their parents were with them. Their parents looked battered but at least they were okay, Taylor thought.

  The mother said when they went out into the hall, “Thank you for being there for little Beth.” She broke down and her husband held her.

  They walked down to the elevator and Sean kept looking at her. She was close to crying, he could tell, but she was determined to not cry there. Especially not in a hospital.

  When they passed through the lobby where she had met the older woman, the woman waved them over.

  “The doctor was just here. I can take Greg home soon. Thank you for encouraging me. I hope you two young people have the same devotion and love for each other as Greg and I do.”

  Taylor ignored her last comment. She smiled at her, “I’m glad he’s okay. Take care.”

  When they got to the car, he stopped her. She was trying so hard not to cry but when Sean took her into his arms, she couldn’t stop. Why she felt like she could cry around him, she had no idea.

  “You did great. Her mom was right you know. You were there for Beth.” He brushed the tears off her face and kissed her softly.

  She nodded and got into the car.

  Sean left shortly after they got home for the night shift. She felt oddly unsettled. No dinner to cook so she made herself a sandwich. She watched TV and called her Grandmother, who assured her they were fine. They talked about what they had been doing and how she was feeling. Her grandmother had wanted to come when she was in the hospital, she knew but they had been unable to make the trip. She told Taylor they had a healthcare worker at the house five times a week during the days to check on them and help them.

  “Her name is Betsy. She even does some cooking for us. She is such a dear and we are lucky to have her.”

  “That sounds great. I’m glad someone keeps an eye on you guys.”

  Her grandmother laughed, “Our days of causing trouble are over. We behave ourselves. Most of the time.”

  Taylor spoke briefly to her grandfather.

  Taylor felt bad about not getting there to see them. She did not tell her grandmother what had happened so far and about Sean. Later. She wasn’t sure what to say about Sean and she did not want to worry them about anything.

  Thirty-eight

  Early the next morning she heard Sean come home. She had not slept well and was glad to know he was back. She closed her eyes and fell back asleep.

  Later, when they were both up, he told her he had to work that night and then go back on days. She nodded her understanding.

  He asked, “How did you do last night?”

  She shrugged. She didn’t want to upset him and she didn’t want to admit how much she had missed him.

  He picked up her hand and held it. “If it makes you feel any better, I thought about you all night.”

  She looked at him and then threw her arms around him. He hugged her tight and then kissed her. “I want to take you to someplace special. How about we pack a sandwich?”

  “Okay. Where are we going?”

  “Somewhere I want to show you.”

  They drove about ten minutes and turned into the woods down a narrow path. He stopped the car and helped her out. He handed her the insulated bag and a blanket and scooped her up into his arms.

  “Sean, why are you carrying me? I can walk you know.”

  “It’s a little bit of a walk and over uneven ground. Can’t have you tripping and falling down, now can I?”

  When they emerged from the woods, they were in front of a large body of water. He set her down and spread a blanket on a rock overlooking a crystal blue lake. The rock was shaped like a big chair. Flat on top with a flat back.

  He picked her up and sat her on it and then sat next to her.

  “I found this place not too long after I moved in. I like coming here after a bad day or when I need some quiet. It relaxes me and reminds me to keep things in perspective. There are some ducks that come around and there’s a swan family that travels the lake. There’s a park across the lake on the opposite side. People go there to picnic and enjoy the day.”

  She smiled at him, “It’s so beautiful. I can see why you come here.” The sun sparkled on the water, making it look like there were floating diamonds on the surface. There were fluffy clouds in the sky in the deep blue sky. The air was cool and crisp.

  They ate their sandwich and sat quietly, listening to the quack of ducks and the songs of birds in the overhead trees. Two of the ducks waddled over to the rock and looked at them curiously and expectantly. One had a shiny green neck and the other was brown. Mallards. The male quacked really loud at them as if demanding them to share. Taylor laughed and threw pieces of her bread to them. They both gobbled it down.

  Sean turned to her, “You can ask me a question and then it’s my turn.”

  “Okay.” She tilted her head to the side, thinking. “Have you ever seen a kangaroo in the wild? And do you miss Australia?”

  “That’s two questions. Yes, I went on a class trip to the outback and saw kangaroos, crocodiles, and lots of other animals. Do I miss it? Not really. I like where I am and I might miss a couple of things but as a whole, no. My turn. Tell me about the car accident.”

  “Is that a question? I can’t tell you much because I don’t remember much. Even the three months in the hospital are fuzzy. I do know that a man had been drinking and had hit us head on. My best friend, Lisa and I were sitting in the back. One of her legs was kind of crushed and the other broken so she walks with a limp now. The two women in the front were hurt worse than we were. No one was killed so we were lucky. I remembe
r a fireman looking at me and holding my hand, telling me I would be okay. I had a lot of complications in the hospital which is why I was there so long. I had some liver damage and other stuff. I was pretty much bed ridden for 3 months which is why I lost all muscle tone. My question is what is it about being a cop that you like?”

  “Hm. I guess it’s the fact that I help people when they need it. Or protect those who are being hurt or in a bad situation. And I like working with a group of people who have your back and are there for you when you need it. There was a cop in Australia that would talk to me and showed me what kind of future I could have and I decided to go for it. I keep in touch with him. So, I take it you and your mother have never been close?”

  She looked out over the water. “No. She and my dad fought a lot and I was a daddy’s girl so that did not help. My father left because my mother had an affair. I’m not sure if he was the only one, but I didn’t want to know. You said once that you were a difficult child, what did that mean?”

  “Hmm, good memory. Well, my parents fought a lot too and I guess I just kept getting into trouble to get their attention. They were so focused on hating each other, I just couldn’t seem to get any of their time or energy. I thought if I got into some trouble they would pay attention to me but I quickly realized it was not going to work so I did little things just to irritate them. That didn’t work. Do you miss your apartment and old life?”

  She shrugged, “Not really. I am surprised that I don’t miss it more. But since I have been able to cook here and I have done things I have never done before much, like watch TV, go shopping. My turn. What sort of things did you do before I showed up?”

  “Not a whole lot. Mostly work, going to the gym, going out with the guys after work once in a while.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Okay, maybe took a woman out to dinner.” He wanted to change the subject so he quickly asked, “So, tell me about these goose bumps you keep getting. Do you get them whenever someone touches you?

  She shook her head no, looking out over the water.

  “Just when guys touch you?” She shook her head no.

  He took her chin and gently made her look at him, “Just when I touch you?” He knew the answer to that one, but he had to ask.

  She looked into his eyes and shook her head yes. He smiled, then bent his head and touched her lips lightly. “So it’s a good thing, right?”

  She shrugged, embarrassed that it was so obvious but she could not help it. She smiled at him and he smiled back. They kissed again. This time with more heat and fervor. His tongue gently pushed between her lips and tasted her. It was heavenly.

  When he pulled back, he put his forehead on hers. He was breathing hard and having a hard time controlling his emotions. “I hate to say this but we need to go. I have to go to work.”

  She made a light dinner quickly so that he could eat before he left.

  As he walked to the door he told her, “Try to get some sleep tonight. You know you’re safe here, right?”

  She nodded, “Will you call me? No matter what time it is? I don’t mind being wakened.”

  He gave her a quick kiss, “I’ll call.” Then he left.

  She could hear a storm coming. The thunder and lightning were still at a distance, but the weather channel had predicted a 100% chance. The sky was turning dark and gray.

  She went upstairs and changed. The storm was closer. Big thunderstorms had always made her nervous, but it was worse because Sean wasn’t here. She jumped at a loud crack of thunder overhead. The house even shook a bit. The heavy rain was beating down on the roof. She walked into his room. She laid down and hugged his pillow. It smelled like him. She decided to stay for a few minutes. She cuddled the pillow and drifted into a light sleep.

  When he called she was only half asleep. She looked at the clock. 2 am. The storm was not over but the thunder was getting farther away.

  “I figured since you like waking up at this hour, it would be a good time to call you.”

  She giggled, “And you don’t even sound grumpy.”

  He sighed, “I have told you I’m not grumpy. Why do you want to keep dreaming it?” She heard the smile in his voice.

  “I wasn’t dreaming it. How is your night going?”

  “Slow. John isn’t as talkative on nights either. How are you doing?”

  “Fine.” She wanted to tell him she missed him being there, but she didn’t.

  “Go back to sleep. I’ll be home later. I’m glad night shifts are over.”

  “Me too.” She said it before thinking. Then she added, “Good night” and hung up.

  Sean thought about what she had just said. She was happy night shifts were over too. He smiled and drove down a street. John was tired and had let him drive. He teased him about it, “It’s a miracle. You letting me drive.”

  “Don’t get used to it.”

  When he got home, it was very quiet. The storm was finally over. Yeah, now that he was off. He was not used to these hours so he was very tired. He walked into his room and found Taylor sleeping with her head on his pillow. He changed out of his damp uniform even though he had a raincoat on and slipped into bed next to her. He pushed some hair out of her face and fell asleep beside her.

  Thirty-nine

  Sean left before Taylor woke up. He took the fluffy sweet rolls and crockpot of chili to the station that Taylor had made for the officers. At lunch, Sean and John stopped to get some chili and found it was all gone. John laughed, “Lesson learned, get it early or put it aside.”

  One of the Officers, Wagner, came by, “Man, that chili was the best. Too bad you didn’t get any.” He grinned and walked away.

  Sean and John responded to a call late in the day. The neighbor said she was worried since she had not seen anyone next door for a couple of days and she always watched the house if they left town. They knocked several times and rang the bell.

  John spoke up, “The car is in the driveway. I’m starting to get a bad feeling about this one, Sean.”

  Sean peered in a window. “John.” It was all he could say. John peered in. He saw the blood and body immediately. They broke in the house and were confronted with a sight Sean never wanted to see again.

  Sara called Taylor. “Turn on channel 3.”

  Taylor watched as the newscaster did a live broadcast about a family all found dead in their home. “Police are not making any comments other than an investigation is underway. We do know there are four children in the house ranging from age 2 to 8. One has been taken to the hospital. The other three we have learned are dead along with the mother and father. It seems that the father may have allegedly killed his family and then taken his own life.” The camera panned to the house and chaotic scene. Taylor saw John and Sean in the background. “We have confirmed that the boy taken to the hospital was four years old.”

  “I can’t imagine how awful it is,” she told Sara.

  “Yes. I’m going to have to give John a big hug and some space when he gets home. Call me tomorrow.”

  “Okay.” Taylor turned off the TV and waited for Sean to get home, her stomach churning. What a tragedy. It was the kind of thing you heard about but could not imagine happening in the same town. The poor children. Would Sean appreciate a hug? Sara was going to give John some space. Maybe that is how he coped. Well, she would have to figure it out as she went because she was not a leave it alone kind of girl. But she didn’t know how Sean would cope with it.

  When Sean finally got home, he went immediately upstairs. Usually he stopped in the kitchen. Taylor turned the crock pot off and went upstairs. She went into his room just as he pulled a t-shirt out of his drawer. He glanced at her and gave her a weak smile. She walked up to him and put her arms around him. It took a couple of seconds before he put his arms around her and buried his face in her neck.

  She whispered, “I’m so sorry. I know it must have been awful. I saw it on the news.”

  He said nothing, just hugged her tighter. She could feel his warm skin through he
r shirt. They stood that way for several minutes before he pulled back. She smiled softly, “You needed a hug, Officer Reed.”

  “I guess I did.”

  What the heck, she thought. She hugged him again. He asked, “What’s this one for?”

  “For being a good guy.”

  That finally brought a real smile to his lips. “I never gotten a hug like that before.”

  She shrugged, “You deserve it.”

  He pulled his shirt over his head and sat on the edge of the bed. He made a face, “Bad day.”

  “I saw you and John on the TV.”

  “I didn’t really notice. I know they were there.”

  “Can I get you anything?”

  He shook his head. She pulled his hand to get him up. “Come for a walk with me.”

  He followed her downstairs and outside. “Taylor. I don’t want to talk about it. Not right now.”

  “I know. We’re just going for a walk. A no talking walk.” Sean held her hand as they walked silently.

  After a few minutes, Sean started to say, “It’s a…”

  Taylor held her fingers to his lips, “Shh. There is no talking during the walk.” She pulled his hand to start him walking again.

  When they turned back towards the house, Taylor’s legs were shaking. She had walked too far. What she would really like to do was sit on the side of the road for awhile and give herself a break. Instead, she kept walking. She had walked too far on already tired legs. She finally stopped and Sean looked at her.

  “Are you alright?”

  She shook her head no. “Can you go get the car? I’ll wait here.”

  “I’m not leaving you alone. Here, jump on.” He had turned his back to her and stooped down.

  She hesitated and then climbed onto his back. He put his hands under her knees and started towards the house.

  When they got home, they sat on the couch and watched a movie. When it was over, Sean looked at her, “Can I talk now?”