Home Fires (17 page)

Mike sprawled back in his chair with a smile. “I’ll agree with you on that one.”

She eyed him curiously. “What about you? Why did you move out of the city? Your family is still there, right? So, why the move north? Don’t tell me you abandoned the city for bikes. All you do is drive around in that pickup of yours.”

One look at his face and Rose knew she’d gone too far. When would she learn to keep her mouth shut? They’d been having a nice time, and now he’d clammed up. Now she might never know. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be nosy. Just forget I said anything, okay? Why you moved north is none of my business.”

Apologizing never came easy for her, but at least the effort brought some reward. Rose watched as the hint of a smile crept back on Mike’s face.

“You weren’t being rude. You were just being… inquisitive.”

She couldn’t help but smile, too. Inquisitive was such a nice word for prying. Someone definitely had taken the time to teach Mike how to put a pleasant spin on things.

“I’m afraid my mother wouldn’t agree with you. She always said I was a nosy little girl, and that I grew up to be a nosy woman.”

His grin widened. “I knew there was a reason why I like your mom.”

She couldn’t keep herself from giggling. Whatever they were doing—conversing, talking, flirting—she thoroughly intended to savor every delicious moment that Mike sat in that chair at her mother’s kitchen table. He was so different than the other men she knew, the stern suits she encountered daily inside the firm, or the dedicated debaters within the halls of justice. None of them made her feel the way she did now. Like she was sixteen again—lighthearted, playful, without a care in the world.

“My mom thinks you’re pretty special. Lil likes you, too.”

His grin returned full tilt. “The two of them are quite a pair.”

“Lil is like the sister my mom never had. They grew up in James Bay. They went to school together and out on dates together. They even got married around the same time. Mom was there when Lil’s husband died, and Lil was there when we buried my dad. Thank goodness they have each other to lean on. They bicker occasionally, but it doesn’t really matter. Lil is family.”

“They’re lucky.” Mike regarded her with thoughtful eyes. “And I think your mom’s pretty lucky to have you, too.”

A soft meow from the doorway interrupted them.

“Hey, Bozo. Here, kitty.” The aging Red Persian padded over to the table to sit near Rose’s feet. Picking him up, she stroked the cat’s soft red fur as he settled in her lap.

“Bozo? Where’d he get a name like that?” Mike’s eyes stayed trained on Irene’s precious feline. The cat’s yellow eyes focused cool and steady on Mike as he purred his pleasure at the post-midnight pampering.

“My dad named him. He said any animal with all that red hair deserved a name like Bozo. Mom couldn’t come up with a better one, so it stuck. Right, Bozo?” Rose rubbed the cat’s head affectionately. Her condominium didn’t allow animals and she hadn’t realized how much she’d been missing the companionship. Maybe she should think about finding another place to live. One that allowed cats. With space for bicycles.

“Anyway, Bozo is one of the family. My mom sets great store by him. He keeps her company when I’m not around.” Her face dropped. “Which, according to my mother, is quite a bit lately.” Rose sighed. “And I have to admit that she’s right.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re here now, when it counts, and I’m sure that means a lot to your mom. Probably more than she lets on, and more than you know.”

Mike’s quiet reminder, gentle and insistent, settled soft in Rose’s heart.

“I don’t come home as much as I should. It’s difficult to pull myself away from work.”

“What type of law do you practice? Criminal defense?”

They’d never discussed the scope of her work. For all he knew, she could be a skillful litigator, a prosecutor whose days were spent convicting murderers, drug dealers—and arsonists.

“I don’t have the stomach for criminal work. Most felons are constantly in and out of the system, working it for everything they can get. I stick with civil work and corporate law—employment law mainly. It’s nice and clean, and fortunately there’s lots of it. I have a good practice. It keeps me busy.”

Abruptly her thoughts flashed on the white gauzy bandages covering Irene’s knee. They would need changing come morning. They needed changing every morning until the wound was healed. What if that didn’t happen? What if it took more time than she had? The firm was already impatient with her six-week leave of absence. She couldn’t stay here indefinitely. Who would take care of Irene?

A tight smile pinched Rose’s face. “I’m not a very good daughter, I guess. My mother deserves better than me. I know I’m busy, but I should try to get home more often.”

“
Don’t should on yourself.
”

“Excuse me?” Rose frowned.

“It’s something my brother Terry says.
Don’t should on yourself
.”

“What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t let guilt get in the way of doing what you feel is right. Guilt doesn’t solve anything. It only creates more problems.”

Rose silently observed him across the table. How had he known she’d been thinking along those lines? “Your brother sounds like a pretty smart guy,” she finally said.

Mike nodded and drained the last of his milk. “You couldn’t ask for better.”

Her curiosity got the better of her. “Do you have any sisters?”

“Nope, it’s just Terry and me.” Mike toyed with his empty glass. “He’s a couple years older than I am. He works in the family insurance agency.”

“So, you’re the baby of the family.” Rose flashed him a quick smile. “I suppose everyone spoiled you rotten.”

Mike grinned. “Believe me, my mom is not that kind. She works in the business alongside my dad. She trained Terry and me fast. We were making our beds and doing dishes long before we started school.”

A thoughtful look appeared on his face. “You remind me of her in a way,” he said after a moment. “You both have careers, you’re both centered and focused. But you’re different than my mom…”

“Different?” She hoped so. For one thing, his mother had to have at least thirty years on her. “How so?”

“You’re
much
softer around the edges.”

He studied her, his eyes locked on hers, holding her close.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she replied in a voice barely above a whisper.

“Good. I meant it as one.” Mike reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “Rose, I wish things…” He broke off suddenly and sat there a moment, shaking his head. “I don’t know. It’s been a long time. Maybe I should…”

His hesitation urged her on. “What was that you just told me? Don’t
should
on yourself?”

His head came up as he met her eyes again. “So, you were listening after all.”

“You bet I was.” They held each other’s gaze in silent understanding. The touch of his fingers, warm and pressing against her skin, set a delicious thrill surging through her as the grandfather clock in the front hallway bonged a quiet chime of two o’clock. Most of the world was fast asleep, but Rose felt as if she’d just come awake for the first time in her life.

“Cecilia Rose? Sweetheart, are you there?” The faint sound of Irene’s voice floated down the hallway, accompanied by the louder jingle of the bedside bell “Cecilia Rose? I need help.”

Bozo jumped off Rose’s lap with a soft meow and padded out of the kitchen without a backward glance.

“I’m sorry.” Rose reluctantly pulled her hand from Mike’s and stood up. “She probably needs one of her pain pills.”

“I should be going anyway. It’s getting late.” He neatly pushed his kitchen chair under the table and carried his empty glass and plate to the sink.

“You don’t have to go. I’ll only be a minute.”

“No, it’s late. I need to leave. I’ll call you tomorrow. And don’t forget what I said.”

“About?”

His eyes filled with promise. “I still owe you dinner.”

“I won’t forget,” she said with a shy smile.

“Thanks again for the chicken.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, just as she caught another jingle of her mother’s bedside bell.

“I have to go.” Rose started for the hallway.

“Wait, you forgot something.” Mike reached out and held her back.

“I did?” She looked at him in surprise. “What?”

“You forgot this.”

His arms pulled her close. Rose caught her breath as she felt his hands cupping her face, his fingers drifting gently through her hair. She could feel his heart thumping steady against her own. She was adrift in a midnight world made up solely of the two of them. His eyes locked on hers, held her close.

Then he kissed her.

Rose lost herself in the lush sweetness of his lips. Willingly she surrendered to the pleasure of his touch. A rush of long forgotten sensation returned to mind. Of longing and desire, of something she’d yearned for and hadn’t even known.

How long had it been since she had felt the welcome sensation of a man’s arms wrapped around her? Since the smell of a man’s aftershave mingled with her own perfume? So long, she couldn’t remember. So long, she didn’t even care. All she wanted at this moment was precisely this.

She kissed him back, enjoying it immensely.

From the hallway came the ringing of Irene’s bedside bell again.

“Cecilia Rose? Where are you?”

The bell jingled some more, ringing through the hallway.

Damn that bell! Rose thought to herself as Mike suddenly let go. She made a mental note to hide it far from Irene’s grasp the next time Mike showed up at the house. She tried to make her knees work again. Somehow her entire body had gone into shutdown mode, lost in the delicious sensation of being in his embrace. She wanted nothing more than to sink back into the crush of those strong arms, to feel those soft lips pressed hard against her own.

Suddenly she was finding it
very
difficult to breathe.

“I’ve been wanting to kiss you since the day we met. I thought it might be worth waiting for… and it was. You definitely know how to kiss. Thank you.”

“Thank
you
.” It was the only thing she could think to reply. For some reason, her mind didn’t seem to be working. It felt weak, just like her knees.

From the hallway came a faint tinkle of the bell, followed by silence.

“Come on, I’ll walk you. Don’t want your mom giving up on you.” Mike took her by the hand and turned toward the door. Willingly Rose allowed him to lead her down the hallway to the front den, presently serving as a makeshift bedroom.

“Cecilia Rose?” Irene’s voice wavered from beyond the door.

“I’m right here, Mom. Give me a minute.” She held Mike’s hand tight as her eyes searched his own. She knew her plea was useless, but she still had to try. “Please don’t go. Stay a little longer?”

“Sweetheart, I can’t reach my pills.” Irene’s plaintive voice sounded, with a loud meow from Bozo taking up the chorus.

Rose glanced up Mike, eyes pleading. “Please?”

He shook his head softly and leaned in close enough to place one final kiss softly upon her lips. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Rosie. You get some sleep.”

Rosie
. He’d called her
Rosie
without even knowing. No one had called her that in years. Not since she was a little girl in pigtails and another Michael John Gallagher held her heart. She floated into her mother’s bedroom as Mike let himself out the front door.

“I can’t reach my pills,” Irene fretted in the darkness.

“It’s all right, Mom.” Rose reached for the small bedside lamp. “I’m right here.”

“I thought I heard voices. Isn’t the party over?”

“Everyone’s gone now. Yes, the party’s over.”

The party was over, at least for tonight. But Mike’s kiss lingered fresh upon her lips. Rose hugged that special secret close in her heart as she flicked on the light and searched through the medications for the small prescription bottle with the pills that would banish her mother’s pain.

“Here they are. Let me get you some water. Now take your pill, Mom and then let’s get you back to sleep.”

Kindness, tolerance and gentleness came natural when you felt happy and lit up inside. Rose smiled. Life would be wonderful if it was always as easy as this. She waited as her mother obediently swallowed the pill, followed by a few sips of water. Bozo jumped up on the bed with a soft meow and settled down in a comfortable heap close at Irene’s side as Rose took the glass from her mother’s hand.

“Thank you, sweetheart.”

“You’re welcome. I love you, Mom. Good night.”

Rose bent and placed a soft kiss upon Irene’s forehead. Just as she moved to turn off the light, a furious beeping outside the open window sliced through the silence of the still night air.

She’d heard the same noise once before and hadn’t recognized it, but this time, Rose knew
exactly
what it meant.

“I’ll be right back,” she said in a hurried whisper.

She was out the front door and halfway down the porch steps as he flung open the truck door.

“Mike, wait! What is it?”

“We’re being toned out. I’ve got to go.” His voice cut through the still darkness like a knife. He threw himself behind the wheel and the truck’s overhead light bar came instantly to life, swirling red and white zigzag emergency lights.

The insanity of the moment, the need for immediate response prickled the skin on the back of her neck. One minute he’d been headed home for much needed sleep. Now he was rushing off toward the unknown.

“Wait! Where’s the fire?” She tried to keep the growing panic from her voice.

“There’s a vehicle on fire down at the newspaper office.”

With a screech of tires, Mike pulled a U-turn in the middle of the street. Rose stood and watched as the pickup roared off toward downtown.

CHAPTER NINE

EDITORIAL

____________________________________

By: Charles Kendall

The James Bay Journal