Finding Pride (Pride Series) (4 page)

“Now, go take her this. And be nice!” she said as she pushed him out the door.

Every bone in his body said that his sister was right, but his blood was boiling so hot he wanted action. Matt was like a brother to him, not only his best friend, but blood. What hurt Matt, hurt him. He missed his friend, he felt sad, angry and lost about his death. He knew Matt would’ve wanted them to take care of Megan. Todd was going to make sure that Megan was taken care of. Period.

Knowing that his little brother and sister felt the same way, he knew that Megan was family now. But, he couldn’t deny the quick pull he’d had when he looked into those sea green eyes of hers.

B
y the time Todd brought her a large plate of food, the room was full of strangers. Who, no doubt had been warned by Lacey to keep the conversations short, since everyone had quickly greeted her and moved on. The rooms in the house were quickly warming up and with all the food being brought in, it was started to smell like heaven.

As it was, meat pie was nothing more than beef pot pie in larger quantity. After eating two plates of it; a scoop of potatoes, potato salad, and then washing it all down with some tea, she felt almost human again. She hadn’t realized she could eat so much. It must have been the long flight and stress or maybe just the weather.

After returning her plate to the kitchen, which was full of older women, she began to wander around the rooms. She heard a baby crying and children playing loudly in a room down the hall. Enjoying the warmth she felt from the people around her, she stopped occasionally and chatted with people. Most were polite and had nothing but nice things to say about her brother. Matt really had embedded himself in the small town.

Just then a group of older women approached her.

“We just wanted to welcome you to town and tell you how sorry we are for your loss.” The smallest woman said, she was shorter than Megan and a good deal thinner, her brown eyes showed sympathy. The other two women chimed along with their sympathy, they were slightly larger, but had on matching faces.

“We’re the Henderson sisters; we work down at the library. I’m Annie; these are my sisters Amber, and Andrea.” All three women were dressed similarly in long flowered skirts, with long sweaters covering their thin frames. “If you need anything at all, just let us know.”

She was saved from saying anything as another sister piped in with more of the same. It took about fifteen minutes for the trio to run, what Megan assumed was a planned speech by all three. They had talked in detail about the town and most of the people in it, she had enjoyed every word.

She must have met more than two dozen people, before everything started blurring together. Faces, names, she knew she wouldn’t remember, so she found a soft chair somewhere and sat down just as the music started in the next room.

Someone was playing a violin. The sad song drifted softly in from the room Megan deemed the TV room. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes and remembered her brother.

Remembered all the years it had been just her and him, all the birthday parties he’d thrown for the little girl she had been. She thought of all the Christmas presents he’d bought and wrapped. Placing them under small trees they had always picked out together. She remembered him hovering over her when she’d been sick with the flu after attending a friend’s slumber party. It seemed like it had always been Matt, she could vaguely remember her mother, and had an even harder time conjuring up an image of her father.

“I could have the room cleared out in under a minute.” A cheery whisper came from above, interrupting her thoughts. Megan opened her eyes without moving her head; Lacey was leaning over her face looking down.

“Oh, I’m sorry” she said sitting up straighter. “I was just enjoying the music.”

“Todd plays well.” Lacey said giving Megan a hand up from the chair.

“Todd?” she asked. “Todd is playing that?”

“He’s been playing since before I was born. Natural talents, all the Jordans’ have it.” Lacey said pulling her toward the back room.

As they reached the hallway, she began hearing a low male voice singing along with the slow tune. Looking around the room, she noticed Todd was playing next to an old piano, which sat in the corner of the room. Iian was standing facing his brother singing along with the tune.

Their eyes were locked on each others for timing. Talent didn’t begin to describe a deaf man who could sing like that. Lacey walked over and stood next to her brothers while singing with a rich smoky voice. The song was unfamiliar to Megan, but spoke of lost love. The sound was very soothing and sad. She leaned against the door frame and let the music fill her.

When the song ended another one began, the room and hallway filled up quickly. People made their way from other parts of the house. The chairs and coffee tables were quietly moved aside.

One of the elderly women, sat at the piano as another song began playing; there was more singing, dancing and hand clapping. People she didn’t know had come to celebrate her brother’s life. It brought a slight smile to her lips and tears to her eyes knowing that so many people could care. Before she knew it she was being pulled into a dance with Father Michael.

What seemed like hours later, she walked back into the kitchen. The only remaining people in the house were a few church women chatting as they cleaned the kitchen. Iian and Todd were still somewhere in the house as well, cleaning. Lacey had left about half hour earlier, heading off to work. Before she left, Megan had overheard her scold her brothers to help tidy up the place.

She had been sitting in the kitchen listening to the group of women talking. But now, headed back to the living room; she wasn’t in the mood to continue with the conversation. Iian was there clearing off the coffee table, he looked up and gave her a smile.

“
Come and sit down.” He said patting the couch. It looked so inviting that she was drawn to it. “I’ll just get the fire going again before I head off to work.” He said signing along. She like to watch his hands move. She would have to pick up some basic words so she didn’t feel left out.

When he’d stoked the fire enough, he turned back to her. She signed to him, “Thank you.” She’d seen Lacey using the motion earlier. His eyebrows shot up and he gave her an “I’m impressed” look.

It was easy to talk to him, for some reason he made her feel at ease. No other man had done that to her except for her brother. Oh, at first Derek had done that, but still she had never truly trusted him. She was starting to relax into an easy conversation, when the hair on the back of her neck started standing up, she straightened her spine.

Todd had listened to their conversation from the hall. As little brother’s go, Iian was pretty cool. He remembered the day that his Dad had brought him home, he had just turned ten and remembered thinking, I got a little brother for my birthday. But, there had been a price; they had lost his step-mother in the process.

Lacey and Iian’s mother had been like a mom to him, she’d been very young when she’d married his dad. His real mother had left shortly after his second birthday. Even now, he had only seen her once since then, at his father’s funeral, hanging around to see if she had been left anything.

But, now as Iian and Megan’s conversation continued, a ball of something started in his gut, it made him feel uneasy. So much so, that he found himself stepping inside the door, his eyes resting at the back of her neck. And what a lovely neck it was, her pony tail had loosened over the hours, but still gave him a pretty view of her long slender neck.

Now, however, her back straightened and her whole appearance changed. Just a minute ago she was on the verge of sliding down the couch. Now, her back was straight, her hands gripped together in her lap. If he didn’t know any better he would have sworn she was about to jump out of her skin. She turned her head, just as he looked at Iian.

Iian signed “Don’t scare her.” Again he thought. He must be turning into an ogre if his family was going to be forever warning him to stop scaring people.

He signed back, not looking at her. “Don’t you have to be at work?” When Iian threw up his hands in frustration, and quickly signed his favorite dirty phrase, he gave his brother a lop-sided grin.

When Megan saw that grin, her heart skipped and she lost the uneasy feeling. She started to relaxed back against the couch, more like melted.

“You shouldn’t go barefoot in the house this time of year.” Todd said walking to the fire and adding another log, then he moved over and handed her the quilt off the back of a chair.

“I’m sorry.” She looked down at her feet, she hadn’t even realized when she’d taken off her black heels. It must have been a long while back, because just now, she realized her feet were freezing, and they felt like they’d been that way for quite some time. Quickly tucking the quilt around her legs, she said, “Thanks.” And tried to smile back at him.

Iian looked between the two and shook his head. “I have to leave now, good night Megan.” He said and signed along. She signed the movements for “Good night” back to him.

Then he leaned down and gave her a small kiss on the cheek, noticing she had only jumped a little at the touch. It was his plan to get her to eventually not flinch at all.

Megan thought it was just like what Matt used to do, so she gave it no other thought. However, when she met Todd’s eyes, she could see irritation cross his face. When Todd followed his brother out the door without saying a word, she settled back down to watch the flames.

“Good night dear.” She heard from behind her, causing her to jump. She realized she had forgotten the ladies from the kitchen. They were shuffling into the room, but quickly headed towards the front door.

Megan moved to get to her feet.

“No, don’t get up, we can see ourselves out. You’ve had a tiring day. After you get yourself settled in, we’ll come for a nice long visit.” A younger woman, about Megan’s age said.

Megan thought her name was Katie. She knew the woman was married with several kids, which had been taken away earlier by the woman’s husband. Then there was Sue, and Diana, they each had two kids and seemed very nice. Megan enjoyed seeing all the children; they seemed to brighten the dark mood.

“You are well stocked with left overs in the fridge, and we’ve cleaned and cleared everything. Have a restful evening. We do hope you’ll be staying in Pride for good.” Then the trio disappeared down the hallway heading towards the front door.

After she heard the door click shut, the same question kept playing over and over in her head. She’d been asked it numerous times that evening.

Will she be living in Pride now? Was she staying in town?

Did she know that answer herself? She’d just settled back down and was enjoying the warmth spread throughout her body when she heard the floor board’s creek behind her.

She was up in a flash, her body tensed and all her sore muscles screaming. Todd stood just inside the doorway.

“I’m sorry.” He said holding up his hands. “I left my keys, just there,” he pointed to them. “On the table.”

She blushed and feeling like a fool, let her shoulders relaxed little by little. She could feel the tension started to leave her body, leaving behind a tingling trail. Her breath was coming faster than she wanted, so she deliberately took a large breath and released it slowly through her nose. She found it hard to look at his eyes, looking instead at his raised hands that he held palms up.