Acceptance, The (2 page)

“I’m finally getting to make the journey to take my brother home.”

Tyler let out a long breath and watched as this woman he’d just met turn her face towards the warmth of the sun coming in through the small window.

He’d gained a sister and felt like his world had ended.

Courtney had lost a brother and yet was thankful to be with him on his final ride home.

Tyler rested his head against the back of his seat. His life didn’t make any more sense than it had three years ago when he’d left Nashville. But at least when he got there his brother, sister, and his parents would be there.

What was there for Courtney?

Chapter Two

Courtney sat with her face toward the window as the plane took off. The trip was already harder than she’d imagined and now she’d involved a man she didn’t even know into her misery.

He was sitting with his face forward, his hands in his lap, but she knew his eyes were on her. She’d spent most of her life with someone keeping watch over her with their peripheral vision.

Usually someone on a plane seated next to her would be stiff—rigid as though they were worried about having to help her, the poor blind girl. But that wasn’t the vibe she was getting from him. He was just waiting until she spoke again.

“I suppose the weather will be getting warmer soon. Nothing quite like Nashville in the summer.”

She heard the laugh that rattled in his throat. “There is this enormous boulder in the middle of a stream on my grandmother’s property. My brother and I would spend hours laying on that rock when it was hot.” He let out a soft breath. “When it would get hotter you’d stick your feet back into the water.”

“That sounds nice.”

“Oh, it was—is. She has horses and a garden. So you’d spend time on the rock and then run through the field to the horses and go for a ride. We’d cut my mother bouquets of flowers from her rose garden and my grandmother would never complain.”

“I love roses.”

She knew he’d turned his head to face her. “Do you?”

Courtney nodded. “My brother was actually the last person to buy me some when he was on leave last year. They were in an enormous arrangement. If I think about them hard enough I can still smell them, feel them.”

“Feel them?”

“Yes. The satin soft touch of their petals. I know they were red because he told me, but I imagined they were pastel.”

“So you get to imagine things look just as you’d like them to?”

“I guess I do.”

“Pastel roses are pretty.”

She smiled. “I always thought they were.”

She heard him run his hand over his cheek and he was due for a shave, though she was sure he was stunning with the slight bit of beard growth. But she also was sure he was thinking.

“So you know pastel? Does that mean you have had sight?”

The whole fact that this man was talking to her as if she were perfectly normal had her heart fluttering. Usually when she did the
drop the scarf
thing with a good smelling man he wouldn’t even acknowledge her after she’d get her scarf back. More often some old lady would end up picking it up.

But Tyler was different. He didn’t seem put off by her lack of sight. Well, okay, he was polite. The flight was only a mere few hours. He might walk right off that plane and never care to look back. But at this point what did she have to lose?

“I was eight when I lost my sight. I remember many things, many people. I’m lucky that way. I can remember colors.”

He leaned in closer to her and she could feel his body heat as he grew closer. “I’ll bet the colors you see are much more vivid.”

She tried not to sigh, but it was damn near impossible.

“My favorite color was pink. I see it most often. I can see light and dark.”

“As in day and night?”

She smiled. “Yes.”

“I don’t know that I’ve ever had a favorite color.”

“I would guess your favorite color would be blue.”

“Like my eyes.”

On a laugh she said, “Yes, just like that.”

“Why blue?”

“Because you’re easy and cool.”

“Cool?” That had actually made his voice rise. “Oh, I don’t know about that.”

“You are. You’re cool with people. Not as like your cold to them, you’re cool around them. They don’t ruffle your feathers too much.”

“Around strangers I suppose.”

“But around family?”

She felt the seat next to her bounce a bit. That had hit a nerve.

It took a moment, but she heard him take the breath to tell her about his family.

“I have a wonderful family. But I’ve been on a bit of a self-exploration of sorts for the past few years.”

Courtney nodded. “You needed to find yourself?”

“Yes,” he said with an excited pitch to his voice as if she understood exactly what he meant. And didn’t she? Hadn’t she been doing much of the same herself?

“What made you decide you needed to find yourself? Was your college major not what you thought it would be?”

He laughed. “No. I found out I had a relative I didn’t know about.”

Courtney tucked her hair behind her ear casually. “That could be very broad. You have a cousin you’d never met?”

“A sister.”

“Now that is a bit more intriguing.”

“I suppose. She’s wonderful actually. The last time I was back in Nashville was for her wedding.”

“So you’re friendly with her?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re close to your parents too, so this is why she is a problem.”

There was a chuckle from him. “You’re good at this.”

“I’ve had a lot of practice.”

Tyler shifted in his seat and she could feel hers move as he adjusted. “My mother never told me. I didn’t know I had a sister. I didn’t know she’d been involved before my dad. Nothing.”

“Your feelings are hurt.”

“Were. I’m going with were.”

She was still going with
are
because he wasn’t over it yet. But she’d give him points for heading back home to try and make amends with it.

“She found your mother then?”

“Yeah. She’d hired some guy to find out about her. She’d been told her whole life that her birth mother died.”

“That would be horrible.”

“Her birth father was crazy.” The word played on his voice as though he were frightened of him too.

“So her mother, your mother, gave her away to keep her from him?”

“Exactly. He’d tried to kill them both. She thought it was better if she lived somewhere else—with someone else. As someone else.”

His voice had grown distant as though he was hearing this story for the first time and it meant something to him. She’d continue to talk then if he was having an ah-ha moment.

“Why would he try to kill them? I don’t understand why people just don’t walk away. It happens often enough.”

“He was some rich—I don’t know what he was,” he said as if he realized there was part of the story missing. “I just know he invested in things. He’d invested in a build my father was building and that was how he found out my mother didn’t die.”

“I can’t even imagine.”

“Neither can I.”

She felt Tyler turn and she knew someone was there.

“Courtney, can I get you a drink?” Celia asked.

“A Bloody Mary would be wonderful,” Courtney answered.

“And for you, sir?” she asked Tyler.

“I think that sounds good. I’ll have one too.” Tyler turned back to her. “I think I’ve only had one Bloody Mary in my life. It was at a bar on Broadway where my cousin was playing.”

“In Nashville?”

“Yeah.” He relaxed back again. “I can’t remember where.”

“Your cousin is a musician?”

He laughed. “Yeah she is. She and her husband actually.” He turned and she could feel his arm brush hers. “Have you ever heard of the Wrights?”

“The singing duo?”

“Yep.”

“Clara and Warner Wright?” She turned so their faces were close.

“That’s them.”

“You’re kidding me? Clara Wright is your cousin?”

He moved and she heard him lower her tray table and then his. “Clara’s dad is my mom’s brother.”

“What a small world.”

“Her brother is married to my sister.”

Courtney dropped her shoulders. “The sister you just found out about is married to your cousin?”

Tyler laughed. “My mom, my aunt, and my uncle are all adopted. So my cousin and sister share no blood relation. And they fell in love before anyone knew who she was.”

“That’s a very romantic story.”

She heard the rustle of drinks being set on the tray and Tyler adjusted them. “I suppose it is romantic. I’ve never been one for romance. I guess I never gave it enough time.”

“How do you give romance time? It just happens, right?”

He laughed again. “You’re asking the wrong guy about that.”

Courtney turned so she faced him fully. “Are you telling me you’ve never had a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend?” She didn’t think the latter was his way, but she’d feel it out.

He’d picked up his drink and she was very certain he’d choked on the sip he’d taken when she asked.

“Boyfriend?”

“Just being P.C.”

He cleared his throat. “I’ve dated a few girls over the years. But nothing ever clicked.”

She felt a click between them. It was probably the altitude so she was certainly going to keep it in check.

Courtney reached for the Vodka bottle.

“It’s on your right. Straw is between the cup and the can of mix.”

She clenched her teeth, not because he was telling her where she’d find things, but because she wanted to keep her mouth from falling open. He’d actually not jumped over himself to do it for her. He’d given her direction and she wondered if he believed in love at first sight because she was beginning to.

“With all of these relatives you’re learning about you don’t happen to have a blind one do you?” she asked as she opened the Bloody Mary mix.

“No, why?” His voice had a hint of humor.

“You handle me differently than most people who just met me do. You treat me normal.”

“You are normal,” he replied quickly and that had her heart racing.

“Thank you.”

She heard the ice in his cup against his lips as he drank. If she said much more she was sure he’d be trading seats with her traveling companion, but she didn’t want that. Though the solider assigned to fly with her brother was a nice man, she’d rather keep Tyler as company.

“Tell me about your brother,” Tyler said as she began to pour her drink.

Courtney could feel her hands shake. She let out a breath. “I will. Will you make this for me? I seem to be a little shaken up.”

“My pleasure,” he said softly and she was damn near sure it just might be his pleasure.

When he’d mixed it he set it in her hand. “There’s still half the mix and half the Vodka left.”

“Thank you.” She took a sip and it was perfect. It was just what she’d needed. “Fitz was wonderful.” She didn’t know how else to say it.

She sipped her drink again and then let out a relaxed sigh. “He was younger by four years. So there were times when he was a royal pain in my butt, but he still took care of me—especially after I lost my sight.”

Courtney rested her head back against the seat, closed her eyes, and smiled. “Oh, I can’t tell you how many times he got suspended defending me. But he always stood up for me. He took really good care of me.”

Tyler placed his hand on hers and gave it a squeeze. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you. He was where he wanted to be. I can’t be sad. But damn I’m going to miss him. Especially since we shared a house. Though he wasn’t ever there. But it was ours.”

“You know, I’ll be around. If you ever need to talk, you could call me.”

A warmth filled her body from head to toe. “You mean that?”

“Of course.”

A smile played on her lips, but she didn’t want to seem eager, but she couldn’t help it. “I’d really like that.”

“Do you have your phone? I can put my name into it.”

Courtney reached into her pocket and took out her phone. She powered it up and handed it to him.

A few moments later he handed it back to her. “It’s in your contacts.”

“Did you tag it under cute guy on airplane?”

He laughed. “I’ll let you do that.”

And she figured she just might.

As the flight began its descent, Tyler noticed a change in Courtney. She hadn’t said anything for nearly twenty minutes. Her fingers were entangled on her lap and she kept her head toward the window.

The closer she got to home the harder it was, he knew what she was feeling.

As soon as the plane landed the pilot asked everyone to please remain seated until the soldier and his escorts were off the plane.

Courtney turned her head toward him and placed her hand on his arm. “Thank you for the company.”

“It was my pleasure.”

The soldier who was meant for his seat was standing next to them in the aisle. Both Tyler and the other passenger stood and moved out of the row so that Courtney could pass by. As she did, Tyler reached for her.

“Don’t forget. Anytime,” he said hoping that she’d actually call him.

She nodded, took the arm of her traveling companion, and headed for the door. The pilot stood outside the cockpit and gave his condolences to Courtney and then a hug. A moment later she was gone.

Tyler sat back down in the seat Courtney had occupied. He could see people gathered around the luggage conveyor. Soon she was there with her companion and what he assumed were her parents.

The casket draped with a flag was taken from under the plane and loaded into the hearse that waited next to the family. Tyler was sure his heart and his breath stopped as he watched. Courtney had to be hurting worse than he could ever imagine.

Her father put his arm around her shoulders and held her mother’s hand in his as they walked to a black SUV which also waited. Then Courtney stopped, turned back to the airplane, and waved.

Tyler knew it was meant for him and he waved back, though he caught himself and knew she didn’t see it.

He sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. Before he even stopped to see his own mother and father he would go by his sister’s house. At that moment, he knew he needed to see her first.