A Soldier Finds His Way (24 page)

He’d take the high road out of this, the more honorable way. He would lie.

“The unit has been called up and I have to leave right now.”

He turned to Joe and offered a handshake. “Mr. Lorenzo, thanks again for repairing my truck, and thank you for your hospitality.”

Joe’s clammy hand trembled in his.

Hank pulled him in for a brotherly hug.

And now, Audra. Already teary-eyed, she was locked and loaded for a bone-shaking cry.

But this time she’d have to find someone else’s shirt to drench. “Audra—”

Rumbling thunder vibrated the porch. Large, intermittent drops of rain gave warning of the deluge to come.

Cricket leapt on the porch and took cover behind Hank.

Edward left them and strode with purpose toward the truck.

“Edward, wait!” Audra’s voice trailed after him.

Heavy spatters came faster and faster. He reached for the door handle. The heavens broke loose with a cold, punishing downpour.

Audra grabbed his arm and raised her voice over the din of the storm. “Won’t you at least say good-bye and kiss me before you go?”

Lightening struck near the brook. Deafening thunder exploded. His instinct to protect overrode his anger. He pulled her into his embrace. Rain cascaded over them and pooled at their feet before weaving a path downhill. If only it could carry away the tears and pain. He held her close before pushing her back at arm’s length. One last look.

His hands fell to his side. He stepped away. “Good-bye, Audra.”

Thunderous rain smothered, but couldn’t kill the sound of the roaring engine as Edward’s truck sped away. Soaked to the bone, Audra wrapped her arms around herself and wept. How could he leave like this?

Last night she was a princess who danced under magical moonlight. This morning she was a Cinderella whose prince woke up with second thoughts. There would be no fitting of the glass slipper or ‘happily ever after.’ Edward’s hard, wintry-cold eyes had shut her out; his good-bye speared her heart with its sharp, final tone. She couldn’t imagine anything she could have done to merit such rejection.

Rubbery legs brought her back to the shelter of the porch where Hank and her father waited.

Hank stared at the road where Edward’s truck had disappeared. Brows scrunched, jaws tight, without a doubt, he was as perplexed as she.

With both hands, she wiped rain and tears from her face and looked at her father. “Edward seemed angry. Did he say anything to you—”

“I didn’t even see him until he said good-bye to us a few minutes ago.” His jaw quivered. “I’m sorry,
la mia preziosa
.” My precious one.

Kettledrums of thunder crescendoed and chased them indoors.

Audra entered the living room, guided by her father’s gentle hand on the small of her back.

A moment later, Hank came into the room carrying a towel from the hall bathroom. Standing in front of her, he reached around and draped it over her shoulders like a shawl, then gave her upper arms a pat and stepped back. “I’m going upstairs to make a few calls.”

Arms crisscrossed, she grasped the edges of the towel and pulled it taut around her. “Thank you for the towel, and,” a sob hiccupped from deep within, “for being here.”

“You’re welcome.” He turned and walked away.

Hank would call Edward, of that she was certain. But would Edward talk to him? Who else was he planning to call?

Her father’s voice diverted her thoughts.

“I’m sorry, Dad. You were saying?”

“I said, you’ll feel better once you change into some dry clothes.” His small, forced smile contradicted the distress that twisted his brows and caused wavy lines about the eyes.

“I’ll go change.”

At the top of the stairs she took a few steps, stopped, and leaned against the wall while she pulled off her wet sneakers.

Hank’s garbled words drifted out into the hallway.

Shoes clutched to her chest, she tiptoed forward and inclined her ear toward his door.

“…Uh-huh, uh-huh… But, why would he lie and tell us the unit was called up? I don’t get it.”

She covered her mouth to stifle a gasp.

“…no, he… Don’t yell at me, Greco. I’m not the one who… No, if he were going to my house he’d have made a left instead of a right onto the road. My guess is he’s going back to Bragg. If he doesn’t show up in a day or two, call me. I don’t…”

Closer, she had to get closer. She pressed her ear to the door.
Click.
Not fully engaged, the latch gave way, and the door cracked open an inch
.
She scurried to her room, shut the door, and stared at it. Seconds later, a knock.

She let Hank in and left the door amply ajar for decency’s sake.

“Found this outside my door.” He dangled a wet sneaker by its shoelace.

Folded in her arms against her bosom was its mate. She took the shoe from Hank and tossed the pair aside.

“How much did you hear while you were eavesdropping?”

“Enough to know that Edward made up a story to get away from me.” Her breaths came in short gasps; her stomach convulsed and pushed out a moan that sounded like an animal in a trap. “My heart was his for the taking, but he didn’t want it. He didn’t want me.”

Huge hands gripped her shoulders. “Shh. Audra, look at me.”

Sympathy and concern stared back when she met his one-eyed gaze. The black eye patch that covered the evidence of his personal tragedy added to the aura of Hank’s understanding of pain. “I have no idea why Eddie left the way he did, but I’m sure it wasn’t because he didn’t want you. That’s simply not possible.” Hank leaned in with a smile, as if to emphasize the truth of what he’d just said, then let go of her. “I know he hurt you, but I’m asking you to give my brother the benefit of the doubt. Don’t write him off. Not yet, at least.”

“I’m not sure he deserves a second chance.” She dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

“Maybe he doesn’t. But something doesn’t feel right about this whole thing. I’ll be the first to admit that Eddie can be a jerk, but this is over the top, even for him.” His chest rose with a long, deep breath. Shaking his head, he exhaled in a slow, steady stream. He stroked his chin as if he still had his beard. “If you don’t mind my asking, how did everything go yesterday?”

At the window, she pushed the curtain aside with a finger. Raindrops tapped the glass and joined to form watery snakes that slithered down the pane. Devilish serpents. Even the weather was against her.

Yesterday, the sun caressed her and the moon smiled down upon her. The wind had puffed its cheeks and pushed her deeper into the arms of the man she wanted more than anything. “Yesterday was the best day of my life.”

* * * *

Breakfast couldn’t be over soon enough. If Hank hadn’t told her he was leaving after the meal, she’d have stayed in her room where she didn’t have to hide her whirlwind of colliding emotions.

How much more could she take of her mother’s piteous glances, or Zoe’s whining about Edward not saying good-bye? And her father. How long was he going to rave about how great it was to meet Edward, and how unfortunate it was that he had to leave so unexpectedly? The more he prattled on, the more difficult it became to give Edward the promised benefit of the doubt. After all, the man on the receiving end of these accolades was also a liar and a heartbreaking cad. Wasn’t he?

The twins were another story. “Edward is cuter than this one, or that one, or not as cute as so-and-so.” Why couldn’t they be quiet and eat?

Sitting across the table between Mike and Zoe, Vanessa wore her sisterly we’ll-talk-later face.

Hank’s bags waited in the foyer. He cast a glance in their direction. It was time. Rising from the chair next to her, he said, “Guess I better shove off.”

She followed him to the front door.

Hank bent and circled his arms around her. Nearly a foot taller and sturdy as a Clydesdale, his size might have been intimidating if not for his gentle nature and his kindness toward her. “Everything will turn out all right. I know it doesn’t seem like that now, but you’ll see.” Hank spoke with confidence as if he believed every word he said.

“Thanks. I hope you’re right.”

The family drifted into the foyer with Zoe pressing her way to the front of the pack.

Audra faded back and went upstairs leaving the cacophony of voices behind. If she could stay busy, maybe her thoughts would stop swirling around Edward.

With linens retrieved from the hall closet, she went to the room Hank and Edward had shared. She stripped and changed the bedclothes on the queen-sized bed. The presence of dog hair told her this was where Hank slept with his faithful sidekick.

On the trundle, the pillow lay hollowed where Edward’s head had rested. She sat and dragged it onto her lap. “Did he think of me as he drifted off to sleep? Did he dream of me? Oh, how I wish you could tell me.” She shucked off the pillowcase and tossed it in the pile of linens on the floor, then rose, stripped the sheets and made the bed afresh.

The trundle would have to be collapsed and pushed under the big bed. But, that could wait. She arched her back, rubbing it with the backs of her hands, then leaned back against the dresser.

What was that in the shadows under the trundle? She dropped to her knees and pulled a bag from under the bed. Her breath caught. Inside, Edward’s camouflaged uniform pressed against the clear plastic.

She took his shirt out of the bag and brushed off bits of dried mud. Her finger dragged across the name tape. Giordano. His scent lingered on the collar, a powerful reminder of how good it felt to be close to him. The shirt slipped on easily. She hugged it to her body and moved away from the bed. Turning, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Great heaving sobs overtook her.

The door opened, admitting Vanessa, and causing a slight movement of air in the room, then clicked shut. Vanessa’s embrace was quick and tight. “Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry Edward had to leave. I know your heart is aching, but he’ll be back. Yes, he’ll be back every chance he gets. Until then, you can talk on the phone, write, or even text.”

Vanessa’s words were little more than a Band-Aid on a severed limb or salve for a gunshot wound. What could they do for an injury of this magnitude? This was going to hurt for a long time and there was no getting around it.

She suppressed her sorrow, pushing it back to a place where it would lie in wait to ambush her later. Inching away from her sister, head bowed, a tear fell from the tip of her nose and quickly absorbed into Edward’s shirt. “I miss him so much, it’s hard to breathe.”

“I know.”

Audra turned and bobbed her chin at her reflection in the mirror. “Look at her. She’s pathetic, isn’t she?”

Vanessa met her gaze in the glass. “I love her. I think she’s awesome. The guy who owns that shirt thinks she’s awesome too.”

“Does he?” If only Vanessa knew.

“Yes, he does.” Vanessa’s slender arm slid around her waist. “I’ll never forget turning the corner into the foyer and seeing you and Edward together. It was beautiful. You in your blue dress, him in his uniform. The atmosphere was charged with tender affection that left me breathless.” She averted her eyes as if reliving it that moment. “Your back was to me, but I saw glimpses of Edward’s expressions. He was overwhelmed.”

“I was too.” The beginning of a smile lifted her cheeks. She shared a few seconds of quiet reflection with her sister, trading small smiles in the mirror.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Vanessa handed her a yellow envelope. “This is from Brad. Dad asked me to bring it to you because it might,” her fingers air-painted quotation marks around the words, “cheer you right up.”

“Dad still doesn’t get it. Why can’t he simply let it go
and accept the fact that Brad and I will never be more than just friends?”

“I don’t know, sis. It’s crystal clear to everyone else in the family.”

Audra opened the greeting card and found a handwritten note inside. She read it aloud. “Dear Audra, Happy Easter. It’s official. I got the job. I’m settled in and I love living in the Windy City. Things are going well. I’ve got my eye on a girl who works in the mailroom, and I’m mustering the courage to ask her out. Wish me luck. I’ll always think of you with high regard, Audra. My hope is that you’ll find the love of your life, and that your happiness will know no bounds. Your friend always, Brad.”

Audra handed the card back to Vanessa. “I’m glad he’s happy. Really glad.”

Vanessa looked the note over and reread Brad’s last words aloud. “My hope is that you’ll find the love of your life.” Vanessa’s face glowed with a warm smile. “I think that hope has already been fulfilled.”

“I said, go away.”

Three raps sounded again on Edward’s door despite his angry protests.

The mini blinds glowed with daylight. What time was it? Morning? Afternoon? Bleary eyed, he pushed himself up to a sitting position on the couch and clicked on his smartphone.

Audra’s picture, the last thing he looked at before he fell asleep last night, filled the screen.

He slouched against the back cushion and scratched his cheeks. His coarse, stubbled face hadn’t seen a razor for two days. But he didn’t care. With a huff, he tossed the phone aside. Who was he to think he could land a girl like that?

Bam, bam, bam!
The light, knuckles-on-wood from a minute ago changed into a fist hammering that shook the door hinges.

He bolted upright and grumbled his way to the door. “The building better be on fire or someone’s gonna leave with a fat lip.”

A look through the peephole revealed the identity of his unwanted visitor. “I’m not in the mood, Greco. Go away.”

More sleep, that’s what he needed. He eyed the sofa, but Greco wouldn’t be ignored. The pounding continued. He yanked the door open and stood on the threshold. “Well, well. Who have we here, all dressed in civvies? Dave Greco, my buddy, or Major Greco my fearless leader, camouflaged as a civilian?”

Straight faced, Greco said, “Drop the sarcasm, would you? Figured I’d drop by for a friendly visit. You got a problem with that?”

“I don’t feel like chit-chatting, Dave, so go away.” He backed up and swung the door hard.