Authors: Suzette Vaughn
He looked over the bookshelves, pulling out a thick book with a light blue cover.
“I remember it.”
“Would you rather I read something else?” He started to look back over the books.
“No, it’s perfect.”
He offered her his hand. She wanted to stay in the window but accepted, wanting to be closer to him
even more
. Once she was standing, he put his back to the wall and his leg against the window, giving her room to sit between his legs. The smile slid out and she took her seat, his arms curling around her so she too could see the book.
“The Sea Hare,” Galen began. “There was once upon a time a princess, who, high under the battlements in her castle, had an apartment with twelve windows, which looked out in every possible direction, and when she climbed up to it and looked around her, she could inspect her whole kingdom….”
Madelyn had fallen asleep before he finished the short Grimm’s Fairytale. Her day had been hard and all he wanted was to make it easier. To take the pain and hurt away. To take the hatred and lack of trust, just to have back his Madelyn.
He’d tried several times to write a note before taking off but how did you tell the woman you loved that you were going to clear her name, incriminate your father, and hopefully find her mother’s body. He’d even thought of waking her but she would have tried to talk him out of it.
He sat the book on the floor and pulled her into his arms. Life could pass by with them in the window seat and he would be happy
with
that. Yet, he picked her up and moved her to the bed with little more than a moan from her. He let her slip out of his arms and slid the blanket over her.
“Don’t go.”
His heart lifted, “If that’s what you want.”
“Never go.” She drifted back to sleep.
He slid off his shoes and eased into the bed behind her
,
wrapping his arms securely around his sleeping princess.
With her fingers caressing his hair, he woke to a sun filled day. A day that would hurt her beyond his imagination
;
but now she looked at peace, even with
one
hand balled in a loose fist against his chest, his shirt tangled in her grasp. The shirt slipped from her grip easily still her eyes opened wide as he eased from the bed.
“What time is it?” Her voice was thick with sleep, her eyes blood shot as she blinked.
He glanced to the clock on the wall. “Not quite seven.”
“When is the …” She cleared her throat.
“Not until eleven. I’m going to fix breakfast and let you get ready.”
Her brow arched
but she didn’t say anything. Deciding not to ask
,
he picked up the tray from her dinner and headed to the kitchen. Tess, Rita, and a few others had made sure the house was clean after the sheriff’s department had gone through every room, finding little bits of the story
hidden throughout
.
He’d consi
dered having the after funeral gathering
at Harland’s when they offered but Madelyn wouldn’t have been comfortable. Not that she would be perfectly at ease here, it was just the best he could do.
He went out the back door and pulled the car out of the garage. Having her go into that building wasn’t going to be an option. Once back in the house
,
he waited for the water to shut off from the bathroom and cleaned the dishes. Then he put on fresh clothing and set out her dress.
Slipping on the black jacket, he left the room only to run into her.
“You look good.” She averted her eyes to the floor.
“So do you.”
She stood with damp skin in his dark blue terry cloth robe and her hair in curlers.
“Sorry, I didn’t pack a robe and. . .” she pushed on the curlers.
“Stop.” He grabbed her hand. “Anything you need is yours.”
“Be careful. Last time someone in this house told me that I walked out with a lot.”
“Well the safe doesn’t have much in it but you’re welcome to what it has.”
She laughed, a good healthy sound, her eyes though were still red and full of pain.
“How long will it take you to get dressed?”
“You can really cook breakfast?”
“I’ve had to cook a few meals in the last three years.” He nodded trying to not watch her foot nervously slide up and down her bare leg.
“I should be dressed in about fifteen minutes as long as you don’t mind eating with me in curlers?”
“Not at all.” H
e turned to go down the stairs. “
Your dress is on the bed.”
Madelyn shut the door with his footsteps still echoing down the stairs. The deep breath did little to settle the butterflies in her stomach and even less for the ache of her chest. He was being too helpful, knowing she wouldn’t
be able to stand strong
all day. Nothing would make her
think about tomorrow.
With the dress on, she admired the fit in the mirror. Tess had done very good, she was sure the hat and shoes had been Rita’s doing. The dress stopped at her knees with a little room to move. The sunglasses were definitely Rita’s and might just come in handy, and not because of the sun.
Cassie would be proud of her only child. She looked good. She owned her own business. Although Mama might not be as proud of not having grandchildren. She slid on the shoes and grabbed the hat,
and coat;
her fifteen minutes was up.
The smell of food filled the air
and
didn’t further upset her stomach when she opened the door. Galen was setting the plates on the table in the kitchen when she came in. Each plate was full of flapjacks.
“You know even on a good day I can’t
eat that much.” She sat the accessories
on the counter.
“I didn’t know, better to have too much right.”
She had to offer him a smile, “How many ended up in the trash?”
He eyed her suspiciously, “One.”
“I can smell it.” She winked. “
S
till that’s not bad.”
She settled into the seat facing the back door and he slid out
of
the chair next to her. There was no possibility of her ignoring the back door as she stared at it.
“Would you rather eat in the dining room?”
“No, Galen.” She slid her hand over his
,
realizing too late how personal the touch was. Quickly she removed it, “This is much better.”
They ate in silence and again she wondered how the house had gone from so much to so little. Harland should have been sitting across from her cracking jokes. Tess should have been at the sink cleaning the pans. Kate Langley should have been taking food to her husband in the study, or doting over Madelyn and the boys. She could see the ghosts, feel the way it should have been. Instead, it was just the two of them.
Half the flapjacks sat untouched on her plate when she pushed it away. She couldn’t eat anymore with the tears pushing
,
but she did rub her hands across
her face
to keep Galen from seeing how close she was
to crying
.
“Maybe you should let them fall.”
He knew too well.
“I’m afraid once they start, they won’t stop.”
“Can you take those things out of your hair?”
“The curlers?” She looked at him.
“Yes.”
She touched them. “They should be set.”
“Take them out and we will drive around until we should be. . .
there
.” He stood and slid
into his jacket.
“Why Galen?”
“Because you need to get out of this house.”
“If I do that, you pay for it right?”
“You’re not running before the funeral and after that
…
you’re not leaving my sight.”
He leaned on the chair as she stared at the back door.
“I want to get you out of this house,” he continued following her line of sight. “And the car is out front.”
Bastard, thoughtful bastard.
She stood and walked down that hall. “Hey
,
Galen?”
“Ye
s?
”
“Thanks.”
The car was fac
ing the street when they got in;
she didn’t have to look at the garage, still she knew it was back there. She could hear Will’s voice upset, talking to her mama. Perhaps he was right, they needed to get her away from that house.
They pa
ssed down his street full of big beautiful homes. So many memories. Trees were bigger, new landscaping, but the houses all looked the same.
The traffic
signal
made them stop, again
.
She waved when people waved at them, but when they would turn away each looked a little somber. “Everyone knows why I’m here.”
“I couldn’t keep your mama’s story out of the paper.”
“I’m sure you tried.”
He ran his hand across her shoulder and down.
Reassurance was a wonderful thing but she wished for more. Those strong arms holding her like she’d
awa
ken
ed
to in the night, with his cheek brushing across her forehead. The shear closeness of his body had caused questions. Why had he stolen the papers and turned her in? Did he really think he could keep her out of jail or was this a means to an end?
The end being: find her mother, put his father away, and make Madelyn pay for not waiting patiently by. He had to understand that she’d tried. Sh
e hadn’t agreed to marry Harland;
they’d all cornered her and were saying congratulations before she could ev
en object. Before she could say
there was only one man for her on this earth.
There would also be other people, others she didn’t want to see. Her fingers started to twine together.
“Stop doing that.” Galen interrupted her thoughts. “Anyone who sees you will assume I’ve been manhandling you.”
“Well
,
that’s the problem.”
She whined.
“I haven’t laid a hand on you.” His eyes darted to her then back to the road.
“No.” She fussed. “I’m talking about anyone who sees me. They think I stole money. They think I ran away ‘cause of it.”
“They will understand. Today you have more important things to worry about.” He stopped the car.
She looked out the front window for the first time since they’d left the city. The house hadn’t changed. Bushes pushed against the walls. Rocks lined the flowerbeds that were now empty but would be full of sprouts come spring.
Madelyn pushed the car door shut as the older woman came around the edge of the house. Her hair was in a gray cinnamon bun on top of her head. She was already dressed in her mourning frock.
“I don’t believe it.”
Maddy wondered how the woman could talk and run at her age while she couldn’t find her voice.
“He said he’d bring you home and he did.” Vicky’s arms squeezed tight. “I just can’t believe it.”
“It’s me.” She defended herself as the woman looked her over.
“All grown up.”
Vicky hugged her close again
,
giving her a moment to look over to thank Galen. He was
looking at the ground
giv
ing
them a moment.
He cleared his throat. “Why don’t you two go on inside. I’ll go for a walk.”
“Now Galen Langley
,
it’s too cold for you to be out walking around.”
“I’ll be fine M
s. Dutton. You two have family affairs to talk about.”
“Get your butt inside.”
Galen kept his mouth shut and followed them into the house. The poor man never had a chance.
They sat in the kitchen nursing coffee and talking. They mostly talked about Cassie without a tear shed. This was how people should be remembered. By good times and life in general, not how they passed or how young. Cassie had been too young and her daughter too young to lose her.
“How is it you stay so young?” Maddy’s eyes gleamed.
“Simple.” Vicky patted her hand. “I never had to deal with men.”
Maddy shook her head, glanced his way, and then nodded as if she understood.
“You kids better be on your way. We don’t want to be late for the ceremonies.”
Maddy stopped smiling.
“Galen, go on out and start up that car while I bundle up my girl.”