A Hero For Holly

by Kristy K. James

  If only she knew why her mother was coming to see her out of the blue, with just a few hours’ notice, after more than ten years. As she sank into a dining room chair, the sounds of Sesame Street and a Game Boy filling the air, a frightening thought occurred to her. She’d worried that her father might be ill…but what if it was her mother? Was she sick? Is that what the visit was about?

  “I can see you’re imagining every worst case scenario in the world.” The screen door squealed when Jenna opened it and let herself in. A quick peek in the other room would reveal Billy engrossed in one of his favorite television programs, and Zack playing one of his many Pokémon games. “Good morning, boys.”

  “’morning, Aunt Jenna,” Zack mumbled. She didn’t get so much as a grunt from Billy.

  “It always warms my heart when they’re so thrilled to see me,” she commented, pulling a chair out.

  “I’m afraid you’d have to buy your own neighborhood, or acquire the ability to morph into something big and metal to interest them this morning.”

  Jenna laughed as she sat down looking, as usual, like a million bucks. Today she wore red slacks and a sleeveless white blouse, with a chunky red necklace, bracelet, and earrings. Holly tried to ignore the fact that she wore nothing but an old pair of jeans with a ratty blue tee shirt. And not as much as a hint of makeup.

  “So,” her friend asked, reaching across the table to lay a hand on hers. “How are you doing this morning? No, wait. Don’t answer that.” She raised her head and sniffed the air. “Hmm. Lemon furniture polish. Murphy’s Oil Soap. Windex. If I were to make a guess, I’d say you’ve been cleaning like a fiend since about six.”

  “Four-thirty, actually,” Holly admitted with a blush. She did tend to be predictable, cleaning when she was upset. In her defense she added, “I am used to getting up then, you know.”

  “Yeah, I do. And all I can say to that is better you than me. I don’t want to see that hour of the day, coming or going.”

  “It is getting old.”

  “Would have been old after the first day for me.” She looked at Holly closely. “What time did you go to bed?”

  “A little after ten.”

  “Sam was here?”

  “Yes. We talked for a while after the boys dozed off.”

  “Duh.”

  “You need to stop saying that. Zack and Billy are picking it up,” she chastised lightly.

  “Sometimes it’s the only response that works. What time did you fall asleep?” Holly scowled at her. “That late, huh?”

  “Late enough, I suppose.”

  “Then we really don’t need to rehash everything you and Sam discussed, or what you obsessed over half the night. Which is why I’ve come to your rescue.”

  “My rescue?”

  “Yes, Ma’am. I have a picnic basket in the trunk loaded to the gills with all sorts of goodies, and a cooler full of drinks. Get yourself dressed in something presentable. You and I are taking the boys to the park for the afternoon.”

  “Jenna,” she groaned, dropping her head on the tabletop. “I can’t. I’ve got too much on my mind to even think about doing that.”

  “Which is precisely why you’re coming with us, young lady. What else are you going to do? Clean the gutters, weed the yard, obsess about why your mom is here? I don’t think so. You’ll be a wreck by the time you need to leave for dinner. You already are.”

  “Jenna-”

  “Look, kid. I’m not going to sit back and watch you drive yourself nuts. Change your clothes. Do it now. No arguments.”

  ~~~~~

  Sam was getting worried. He’d tried to phone Holly several times throughout the afternoon, but she didn’t answer. Maybe he’d been mistaken. He thought today was one of her few days off, though he supposed she might have gone in anyway, in an effort to keep busy. She had been pretty freaked out by the call from her mother the night before.

  He flipped his blinker on for the right turn he needed to make at the construction site, waited for traffic to clear, and then spent a couple of minutes looking for somewhere safe to park. Not that the world would fall apart if he got a flat or a scratch, but he was driving Holly in to the hotel tonight and preferred not to do it in a battered vehicle.

  “Hey, Sam,” one of the workers called out when he exited the car.

  “Hi, Paul. How’s it going?”

  “Pretty good. You?”

  “Can’t complain. Do you know where I can find Chris or Jon?”

  “In the modular, I think.”

  “Thanks.” His long strides carried him to his destination quickly, and he rapped once on the door before entering.

  “It’s about time,” Chris snapped from where he leaned against the wall, arms folded over his chest, frowning.

  “It didn’t sound that serious on the phone.”

  “He’s not mad about the wiring,” Jon chuckled. “But we need to know if what was delivered will work, or if we need to send it back. It’ll hold up production, but we’ll leave that up to you.”

  “Let me have a look.”

  The three men walked out to the utility shed where crates of electrical wiring were stacked. It didn’t take but a moment to determine that it would compromise the quality of the homes they were building. Anderson Electric was known for their integrity, yet the supplier liked to see if he could slip their inferior products in once in a while.

  “I know it’s not what you wanted to hear,” Sam sighed, “but it’s garbage.”

  “Told you so,” Chris muttered irritably.

  “Get over it,” Jon said good-naturedly as they headed back to the trailer.

  “Harry?” Sam guessed.

  “That’s her.” Chris pointed off into the distance.

  He’d been right. She was a little thing, all hair and eyes. But as far as Sam could see, she was pulling her weight.

  “He’s been in a foul mood since the day she first showed up. I don’t know why. I thought it was pretty ingenious of her.”

  “She lied.”

  “She did not. She used her nickname to her advantage.” Jon lowered his voice, though Harry was too far to hear him. “And with a name like Harriet, who could blame her for using it?”

  “It’s not her nickname I object to. She deceived us.”

  “You sound like a broken record. Would you have hired her if she’d come in and applied in person?” Jon asked reasonably.

  “Not a chance.”

  “That’s actually discrimination,” Sam said reluctantly. Chris scowled at him.

  “And completely beside the point.”

  ‘Which is that ‘women don’t belong in construction?’” Jon mimicked.

  “Exactly!”

  “It’s the twenty-first century, old man. Get used to it. Women belong anywhere they please. And she can do the job.”

  “You’ll regret your attitude someday when she hurts her back, because she’s not strong enough for the job, and sues our pants off.”

  Jon lowered himself into a folding chair and kicked his feet up on the desk, crossing one ankle over the other as he studied Sam.

  “Not to change such a scintillating subject, but how goes it with Holly?”

  “Really good,” Sam said with a grin, which faded slightly as he thought about the situation with her mother.

  “Or not so good?”

  “It’s not that.” He briefly explained about the phone call, and why it had upset her. Even Chris was appalled enough to exclaim,

  “Ten years. They haven’t spoken to their daughter in all that time because they didn’t like her choice of husbands? Man, that’s just wrong.”

  “You’re telling me,” Sam agreed, sighing mightily.

  “I can’t imagine anything that would make my parents disown me,” Chris continued. Sam shot a nervous glance at Jon, who didn’t seem bothered at all by the topic of conversation. “Or my sister. And if they tried it, I’d tell ‘em to eat dirt.” J
on burst out laughing.

  “You would not.”

  “Wanna bet?” Chris challenged.

  “Okay. Five’ll get you ten that the next time your dad calls, you’ll be ‘yes, sir’ing him in two seconds flat.”

  “So? I respect my dad. Big deal.”

  “Need I say more?”

  “I think I’m going to let you two continue this argument on your own,” Sam said with a chuckle. They might not be brothers by blood, but they’d worked together long enough that they bickered like a pair of them. “Call the supplier and get the right wire. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Wait,” Jon said as he reached for the door. “Cal dropped by earlier and told me to tell you that he and Darby are having a get-together Saturday.”

  “What’s the occasion?” Jon cocked an eyebrow at him.

  “What’s your I.Q. again? Holly’s birthday, genius.” Sam slapped his forehead and groaned.

  “Oh, man, how could I have forgotten that?” He groaned again. How could he have forgotten that?

  “Hard to say.”

  “Oh jeez. Has anyone mentioned it to her?” He ran his hand through his hair.

  “I believe Darby called her and mentioned something about a girl’s night out.”

  “So it’s a surprise party?”

  “That’s my understanding, yes.”

  “What about the boys?”

  “Darby’s hoping you’ll offer to babysit and bring them with you when you come out. She wants you to pick them up early so you‘re there by the time Holly arrives. She hasn’t called you yet?”

  “Well,” he admitted reluctantly, “she might have tried. I can’t remember the last time I checked my voice mail.” Sam really missed the days when answering machines were all the rage. “I haven’t been home much either.”

  “Well you better call her, pal.”

  “I will.”

  “And make sure Holly is there. Cal’s making his lasagna and Caesar salad.”

  “She’ll be there.” He slapped his forehead again. “What if her mother is still here?”

  “You know Cal. The more the merrier.”

  “Her birthday. What should I get her?” He’d never shopped for any women, except his mother and sister, of course. Never for a girlfriend.

  “Can’t help you out there. You know her better than we do.”

  “Give her Harry,” Chris groused. “That’d get her out of our hair.”

  CHAPTER 5

  “Just take some deep breaths and try to relax,” Sam suggested, wishing he could reassure her. He didn’t know the reason for her mother’s visit any more than she did. And Holly was right, it could be bad news. But, wanting to reassure her yet again, he just said, “It’ll be okay,” and hoped he was right.

  “I’ll try.” Her voice was shaky but she inhaled slowly and deeply. He sure hoped it worked better for her than it had for him the day he’d invited her and the boys out for dinner. In case it didn’t he reached over to hold her hand. Her fingers closed around his tightly.

  “So what did you guys do at the park today?” he asked, hoping to take her mind off the upcoming meeting. Less than five minutes from the hotel now, and he feared she might start to hyperventilate.

  “I- Um- We played on the swings and merry-go-round.”

  “Sounds like fun. What else?”

  “We walked on the trails for a while.”

  “That’s all?”

  “Jenna had another cooler with water balloons.”

  “A water balloon fight!” he exclaimed with all the enthusiasm he could muster. “I’m jealous.” Holly glanced at him and smiled a bit.

  “Next time we’ll invite you along.”

  “Cool. I’d love to come. Did I ever tell you about the water balloon fight the guys and I had? In the middle of January?”

  “What?” Holly asked, choking on a laugh.

  “Yep. We did. Dan and I against Cal and Jon. We built a couple of quick snow forts…and about froze to death.”

  “Oh my gosh.” He’d finally gotten a chuckle out of her. “Please don’t mention that to Zack and Billy. They think everything you do is great.”

  “So you don’t want them copying that, huh?”

  “Absolutely not,” she laughed, her hold on his hand relaxing a little. “I’m surprised your parents didn’t throttle you.”

  “Actually, as I recall, what we all got was grounded. For two weeks.” Except Jon. But then his parents never really cared what he did.

  “Two weeks seems a little extreme. Even for something so foolish. How old were you?”

  “Fifteen.” This time she laughed long and hard, and he was grateful the memory had come when it had.

  “Then I’d say you deserved it.”

  “We sure did.”

  Unfortunately they were at the stop sign on the exit, and Holly’s amusement died a swift death. They could see the hotel from there.

  “Well, I guess this is it,” she said quietly. He squeezed her hand, a rather difficult achievement since he’d lost all feeling in his own somewhere around Diamondale.

  “It’ll be okay,” he repeated, praying that it really would be.

  ~~~~~

  “It’s going to be okay.” Sam had uttered one form or another of that same phrase about fifty times since they’d pulled out of her driveway, Holly thought, as they approached the main entrance of the hotel. Poor guy. She was beside herself and he was trying so hard to help.

  “I’ll hold you responsible if it isn’t,” she teased. Or tried to. Apparently she hadn’t pulled it off because Sam looked positively stunned and she hurried to reassure him. “Bad joke, Sam. I’m sorry.” He nearly sagged with relief.

  “Whew. Had me scared there for a minute.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.” She gave him a quick hug. “I suppose I can’t put it off any longer.”

  “I suppose not.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and pulled the door open. “Let’s get it done.”

  She hadn’t changed much, was the first thing Holly noticed when she saw her mother standing by the registry desk. Her hair, a couple of shades lighter than her own, was still the same. Funny, she would have expected it to be flecked with gray by now. Generously. There were few lines on her smooth skin, and she seemed to have finally dropped the fifteen pounds she’d fought a losing battle against for as long for as Holly could remember. Actually, she looked fantastic in a beige skirt and jacket.

  “Holly.” There were tears in her clear blue eyes as she approached the daughter she hadn’t set eyes on in a decade.

  “Mom-” Holly ran from Sam’s side into her mother’s arms, and they both began to weep. “Why are you here?” she demanded, her voice thick. “You said Daddy was all right. Is it you? Are you sick?”

  “Yes, darling, I am. Sick and tired of not seeing my only child. Sick of not knowing my grandsons. That’s why I’m here.” She hugged Holly tighter. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I’ve missed you, Mom.”

  “Oh, let me look at you.” She pushed her an arm’s length away, and cried some more. “You’ve grown up.”

  “Yes,” Holly said softly. “I have.”

  “We’ve wasted so much time. Can we go somewhere? I’ll buy you dinner, and we can catch up. You have a vehicle?”

  “A vehicle- Sam?” She turned to find him standing behind her, smiling broadly, and pulled him to her side. “Mom, this is Sam Jensen. Sam, my mother, Eileen Barry.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Ma’am,” he said politely, offering his hand. Her mother took it without hesitation.

  “The pleasure is mine,” she assured him earnestly.

  “I drove Holly in. And I’ll be happy to drop you anywhere you’d like to go.”

  “Drop us-? No. Sam, I asked you to come along because I wanted you here,” she protested, clutching his arm.

  “Excuse us,” Sam said politely. He pulled her a short distance away
and whispered, “You were afraid there might be a problem. Obviously there isn’t. You need to be alone to catch up, Holly. I’ll just be a distraction.”

  “No. You’re wrong.” Holly could feel the beginnings of a panic attack. “I need you here. Please, Sam? Stay with me.”

  ~~~~~

  Sam couldn’t refuse her. He thought they’d get along just fine, but if she needed him to feel comfortable, that was okay with him. In fact, he thought, as he ushered both ladies out to his car, it was perfect. The more she needed him, the better his chances when she found out about- No. He wasn’t going to think about that. Not yet.

  “You sit in front, dear,” Mrs. Barry was saying. “I’m perfectly comfortable in the backseat.”

  “No, I’ll be fine in the backseat,” Holly tried to protest.

  “I’m sitting back here,” Eileen insisted. Sam could only hold the door open and shrug when Holly looked to him for assistance.

  “Why don’t you drive, and that way both of you can sit up front?” he suggested, holding his keys out to her.

  “Sam, I can’t do that. It’s your car,” she protested, though her eyes were shining as she gazed at him.

  “Sure you can. It’s that or I’ll just sit in the back with your mom, and we can sit here and starve.” Both ladies laughed, and Holly hugged him for a moment before giving in and taking the keys.

  “Thank you,” she said softly, stepping away from him reluctantly. At least he hoped it was reluctantly.

  Once they were all buckled in, she asked where they’d like to eat. Neither one could think of a place, so he tossed out the suggestion of McGinty’s. Holly gasped in surprise because, apparently, the thought hadn’t crossed her mind.

  “McGinty’s?” Mrs. Barry asked, leaning forward.

  “Holly’s restaurant.”

  “You have a restaurant?” The sadness in her voice came through loud and clear. Not knowing something as basic as your child’s line of work had to come as a shock.

  “Yes. Mike signed it over to me when he left.”