Truth and Humility

by J. A. Dennam

  Austin drummed up the same memory of his family surrounding her in her servant’s room. “Someone’s in trouble,” he quipped through a ghost of a smile. Whether it was Danny or himself, he wasn’t sure. Whatever was going on down below, it couldn’t be good if the Cahills and Bennetts were taking notes.

  “He’ll calm down after it’s over,” she groused, knowing she would get it as sod g/font>

  The hissing stopped and light poured in through the side as the funnel was broken away. Smoke curled out of the new opening and Danny rolled over and began to fan the air with the shirt. Derek’s face popped into view. He readjusted a pair of green protective goggles so that they sat atop his head.

  “Shaw, hand me that blanket,” he ordered and reached down. His hand came up with an insulated mat and he spread it over the hot metal. His next order was for Danny. “Out.”

  She shook her head. “Less movement, remember? I’m already in here, I’ll push.”

  Shaw and his goggles appeared beside Derek. The kid peered in to see for himself that Danny was okay then leaned in close to Derek, spoke low. “Your Pop’s here,” he warned awkwardly.

  Derek ducked, craned his neck until the old man was in sight. Air pushed through his teeth and the sound morphed into a “shoot”. “Not good,” he said, reaching for her hand. “C’mon. Time to go.”

  “Nope. Wasting time trying.”

  “Dammit, Danny, I’ll get in there! It’s safer!”

  She managed a laugh and began to tug on metal pieces. “Damn right it is.”

  Orders were being shouted from below for the two men to evacuate the ladder in order to make room for rescue workers.

  “Sure,” Danny sniped impudently over her shoulder, “you guys get to use the ladder.”

  Derek swore loudly as he debated over his options. Hop in and help her, or face his father’s wrath on the ground.

  The vat lurched dangerously. Austin let out a pained yell and everyone was shocked into stillness.

  “That settles that,” Derek decided quickly, his options sheered in half.

  After taking a brief moment to collect herself, Danny addressed the man who lay hurting beneath the heavy blades. “Okay. Just so you know, I’m getting these damned blades off you whether it hurts or not. Can you handle it?”

  He jerked out a nod, inhaled fresh air. She began to pull again, gently. The last paddle came off and Danny bit her bottom lip as she studied his wound.

  “It came out when the blender slipped.”

  His voice was getting weaker. Blood poured from the long wound, soaking his shirt, spreading out over the metal floor.

  “I need a little instruction here!” she shouted when a fireman appeared in the new, larger opening. Supplies came up and Danny did as was instructed, packing the wound as best she could. But his pallor was gray, his skin chilled. In a panic, she used all her might to turn him, shove him toward the fireman. Though Austin triughest sed to help her, he was just too weak. The unstable environment no longer worried her. This had to be done now.

  “Slow!” she heard over and over from the floor. Something jerked beneath them. “Slow it down!” The yells were frantic as the scissor lift buckled some more.

  Danny looked up to see the ladder move horizontally against the opening. The fireman reached behind him and produced a backboard. Together they moved their patient onto the board and the fireman strapped him on.

  It was a slow process with her pushing – wading through the stagnant red pool of Austin’s lifeblood – and the fireman pulling. But when they made it all the way onto the ladder, it began to move slowly downward. Once they were within reach of rescue workers on the floor, all hell broke loose.

  It didn’t take Danny long to know she was in a lot of trouble with a lot of people. The fire chief came down on her hard for pulling the stunt she had. Policemen backed him up and paramedics checked her over in the back of an ambulance, admonished her for pulling the stunt she had. Her jeans were something out of a slasher film, soaked in red from the knees down. Austin’s blood. Just about all he had by the looks of it.

  All the while, she craned her neck to look around them toward the other ambulance, to see what was happening with Austin. The paramedics were talking to him as they hooked up an IV. Of course. The man was tough as nails and, by some miracle, still awake.

  Shaw came into view. The kid was watching her from the front of the crowd of onlookers. He was in plain view, closer to Austin’s ambulance. It looked as if he was dying to tell her something, so she only smiled, mouthed the words “thank you” and waved.

  Shaw smiled back, his heart leaping at the thought that Danny appreciated his efforts and his skill. She trusted him enough to single him out along with her brother, requested his help specifically.

  “You need to quit looking at her like that.”

  The gravelly comment came from the ambulance beside him and Shaw’s attention was quickly diverted to the man on the gurney. Black eyes, though weak and heavy lidded, regarded him with hostility.

  Danny noticed the kid’s quick transition from beaming pride to red-faced embarrassment. Had Austin said something to him? Damn it but, if anything, he should be thanking him. She sighed heavily and forced the rubber band from her hair, ran her fingers through the sweaty mass, closed her eyes.

  “Danny.”

  It was one voice of many she wasn’t ready to hear. She sniffed, gave the ceiling of the ambulance a thorough inspection while she collected her wits. “Ruth.”

  Austin’s sister crossed her arms, leaned against the door of the ambulance. Her emotions were clearly written in those signature onyx eyes. “So,.&n she you’re a Bennett,” she said shortly. “Suddenly it all makes sense.”

  “I’m sorry, Ruth,” Danny replied tiredly while the blood pressure cuff tightened around her arm. “I didn’t want to lie to you.”

  “But you didn’t lie to me. You told me as little as possible. Drove me nuts.”

  Danny shrugged helplessly. “Now you know why.”

  Unsure of what her next response should be, Ruth simply unfolded her long limbs and made a move toward the other ambulance. She paused, looked over her shoulder. “Thanks for saving my brother.”

  Was that a sincere gesture on Ruth’s part? It was hard to tell. The next voice she heard was her brother’s.

  “Whew, that was awkward.” Derek was all smiles now that the dangerous part was over and his sister was safely on the ground. He climbed up and, ignoring the paramedic’s scowl, took a seat beside her. “I take it you met some of the Cahills during your imprisonment. You okay?”

  “Yeah,” she responded half-heartedly and brought their joined hands up to her forehead as she leaned over. “Ruth is pretty nice. Her daughter’s a bit of a clepto, but I can see us getting along if our last names weren’t an issue.”

  “They’ll always be an issue.”

  She swallowed hard, rolled her eyes toward him and nodded. “I know that now.”

  Derek squeezed her hand, noticed her pallor was slowly returning to normal from the beet-red of heat exhaustion. She tipped a water bottle and drank. “You did good today, Danny. Made me proud.”

  Her face relaxed. “Thanks, big brother. Couldn’t have done it without you.”

  Mac was there and, after an awkward stare-off, the big man extended his hand toward Derek. “We owe you, Bennett. You put yourself out there and I apologize for being such a dick earlier.”

  Brows raised, Derek took the offered hand and jerked his head in Danny’s direction. “She took all the risk, man,” was all he said.

  Mac softened as his eyes skimmed over her and he stuffed his hands inside his bibs. The look said it all. “Yeah, but she didn’t surprise me. I knew she’d come through.”

  As soon as she was given the okay, Danny hopped down from the ambulance just as the other was pulling away. She watched it go, lights flashing. As soon as it left the parking lot the siren howled and split traffic.

  Would he be okay? Would she e
ver know if he wasn’t? Would anyone bother to tell her?

  “Don’t worry about it,” Derek said, reading her thoughts. He rubbed a soothing hand over her back. “He’ll be alright.”

  There was a commotion going on behind them and Danny hung her head with dread. Their father was coming and making a scene to cut through the crowd of workers and rescue crew, ordering all of his employees back to their trucks and back to home base. The tone he used was a familiar one that generally left his children shaking in their boots. Though grown, Derek and Danny both felt that old childish dread creep in.

  “You two. In the parking lot. Now.”

  People were watching. Everyone she knew from Cahill Salvage, the Cahill family (all except little Laney) and the rescue workers all watched their walk of shame as if they were five-year-olds about to get a whuppin’. Damn if it wasn’t the most embarrassing moment of Danny’s life.

  Ty intercepted and thought he’d throw out a bit of a lifeline. “You two should take those skills of yours and put them to good use,” he offered, clapping Derek on the shoulder and tipping his helmet to Danny. “Ever think of getting into search-and-rescue? Make it legal?”

  Derek pushed air through his lips and dismissed the idea, but only briefly. Soon, his brown eyes sparkled with the possibilities. Danny could tell the idea had never occurred to him, perhaps held some appeal.

  “Absolutely not,” their father answered, letting any building air out of Derek’s tires. “They have jobs and I’ll thank you to keep your suggestions to yourself.”

  Ty’s mouth snapped shut and he gave the two siblings a reserved look that bode them good luck.

  Muttering the rest of the way, Herbert kept his scathing remarks low until they reached their vehicles. “I’ll meet you at home, young man,” he barked, jerking a finger toward the awaiting Challenger. “Danny and I are going to take a drive.”

  “Sure, Pop.” Derek mouthed the words “hang tough” to her over the hoods before they were to part for good. Having been on the receiving end of Herbert’s wrath countless times, he truly felt her pain.

  Danny propped her elbow on the window ledge and rested her head in her hand as her father drove. Disapproval emanated from the elder, reducing her to a quaking, nervous child. She had done so much behind his back. Now that it was all out in the open, she was sure to arrive home half the person she was just moments ago.

  His voice finally broke through the silence, making her jump.

  “Lord, Christ almighty, girl.” His temper had been building. “Make me understand. After the history we’ve had between our families, especially between your brother and that Cahill kid…why the hell did you think you could run to them for employment?”

  Danny watched the passing landscape and shuddered slightly. “It was a stupid thing to do,” she admitted quietly. “I didn’t mean to start trouble, Pop. All I wanted was to work so I could afford college. The pay was good.”

  “The pay was good,” he quoted nastily. “Do you know how that sounds after I hear you were caught climbing out of his bed?”

  Herbert watched her, saw the utter dejection that put a slump in her shoulders. Judging by what he’d heard from Austin’s family, she’d been living in the old Bennett/Cahill home with that ruffian for almost two weeks. He didn’t want to believe the possibility that he was forced to consider. Didn’t want to even go there. But it would explain his daughter’s darkened mood since she’d come home.

  The rest of the ride was silent and he pulled into a wooded lot just before their driveway up ahead. Next to the woods, he put it in park, cut the engine and placed both hands on the wheel.

  “Do you love him?”

  The words, spoken so directly from her father’s lips made her chest implode. She stared down at her hands and didn’t answer.

  Her silence was answer enough. “Lord, Christ almighty,” he repeated through his teeth. It amazed his daughter how many times he said it when their mother wasn’t around. “Walk with me.”

  Following orders, Danny got out and gently closed the passenger door. She kept in step with her father, taking comfort in the breeze that caressed her bare arms and cooled her sweat-soaked camisole as they walked through the trees toward the creek. When they reached the bank, Herbert bent and picked up a couple of small stones. “I’ve been doing some thinking,” he said and tossed one into the slow-moving ribbon of water. “We need to expand. Thought about adding a welding and fabricating shop,” he swept an arm before him, “right around here.”

  Danny scanned the woods across the creek, hooked her thumbs in her jeans’ pockets and tried to keep up. Was he mad at her, or was he trying to tempt her with an opportunity to weld for the family business? “Okay…”

  Herbert turned his upper body toward her, fumbled with the remaining rocks in his hand. “I’d like you to build it.” Danny’s thought process came to a screeching halt. “But I guess you need a degree for that kind of thing, so…”

  Light, bright and wonderful began to burn deep within her. Was it possible? “Pop…” she began, feeling her way around his meaning.

  “I’ll get you a dorm at Columbia.” His small smile was one of defeat. “The sooner the better. You have some catching up to do.”

  Tears slid down her cheeks and suddenly she was gazing at him in complete adoration. He shook his head and acknowledged the ache in his heart. She was his little girl. He needed her, would miss her terribly…but some things were more important than others.

  Dannyw Ruld choked on a tearful laugh. “I don’t. Have any catching up to do, I mean. If you want open honesty, I never stopped my on-line courses.”

  Now, Herb didn’t know whether to be angry or proud. It could only mean she’d graduate sooner. Reigning in his desire to turn her over his knee, he only nodded. “Figures.” His chin began to tremble. “You’re the most stubborn…pig-headed child.”

  She swallowed and wiped her eyes. “I’ll work on that.” And she threw her arms around his neck, hugged him tightly until he returned her embrace. “I love you, Pop. I know you’re only getting me out of town because of Austin, but it doesn’t matter. This is what I’ve wanted for so long.”

  “Then promise me you’ll never go near that Cahill boy again,” he begged, the sound muffled against her nec

  k. “I’d like to stay above ground a little longer.”

  She backed up and rested her hands on his shoulders. “I know. And it won’t be a problem. It’s over between us.”

  “I assume he found out you were behind his fiancé’s death, not Derek?”

  Her lungs filled with air. How much had he learned recently and from whom? “The same time I did. And he isn’t the forgiving type.”

  Herb didn’t look satisfied. “But what if he does forgive you? Especially now that you saved his life.”

  Danny shook her head and shoved her hands back in her pockets. “It won’t matter. I know now that this feud will always win no matter what kind of good intentions are offered up from either side.”

  Satisfied, Herb put his arm around her shoulders and turned her back toward the truck. “Good. We’ve all learned the same lesson, Danny, both the Bennetts and the Cahills. At this point, after so many years, the best thing we can do is just stay out of each other’s way.” After a few more long strides, he added, “And if that son-of-a-bitch has knocked you up, I’m going to shit-can everything I just said.”

  Chapter 23

  Austin sat up in the hospital bed, slowly swung his feet to the cold floor and attempted to untangle the IV lines from the bedrail. There were shouts coming from the hall. Angry, heated words that vibrated through the closed door to his private room.

  The fact he’d only suffered blood loss and no serious internal injuries enabled him to recover quickly. He’d received six units of O-positive, ten stitches to his inner muscle lining and twenty staples to the skin. If all went well, he’d go home tomorrow where Ruth threatened to nurse him back to health until he was ready to get back to work. If he coul
d stand his sister’s company that long. The woman was ruthless inw Rulurs her quest to shame him for bedding a Bennett. The fact she didn’t tear into him for letting the Bennett into the sacred library baffled him enough to question her priorities.

  Apparently, Ruth hadn’t known about the library incident and he quickly suffered for the slip. But if the library door had been locked by the time she found Danny in his bed...who could have closed it?

  It was a legitimate question, one that prompted Ruth to blab everything to their mother. And that woman’s incessant scolding opened wounds much deeper than the one in his side as he lay trapped, strung up to a hospital bed with no emergency exit.

  How could you let that Bennett trash into our ancestral home! Maybe you aren’t to be trusted with that place, maybe Ruth and Winston should move in. Is that what you want? Next time you pull something like that I’ll cut you off, is that clear? Austin! Are you listening to me?

  It didn’t seem to matter to Patricia Cahill that her son had almost died. Or that the “Bennett trash” she referred to had just saved his life. Undoubtedly, her embarrassment over such a scandal took priority over the accident itself, now that it was over and Austin was out of the woods.

  This time.

  If it hadn’t been an accident…if someone had sabotaged the blender to break loose when he was inside it… Well, all he could do for now was hope the detectives who’d interviewed him earlier that morning could find out for him. Being stuck in a hospital, helpless and weak, was torture. Mac, Sue, Frank and half the crew had been in to see him earlier that morning and he’d been trapped. Forced to endure the endless stream of tasteless blender jokes. All the classics. Frog in a blender, baby in a blender – and of course, the revised – boss in a blender. Ha-ha.

  Finally out of bed, Austin reached for the brown robe that his sister had flung over the chair and slipped it on. Damned IV tube. Everything was hard with the blasted thing attached to his hand. Since he didn’t have slippers, his bare feet moved over the cold linoleum and toward the door. He opened it, peeked outside. His eyebrows rose as he witnessed the heated exchange between his mother and an older man with glasses and wavy hair. The man was red-faced with temper, shouting accusations and pointing at her. What had she done to piss him off?