Echoes From The Past (Women of Character) (29 page)

She moved to kneel by his side and
gently pushed the hair off his forehead. "Hello, Eric." Tears started
to her eyes. "I’m so glad to see you, Kiddo."

"I missed you," he
murmured, putting his arms tightly around her neck. Christie met Darrell’s eyes
over Eric’s shoulder. They seemed to say, ‘I told you so.’

"But now we’re
together," she said brightly, pulling back. "And you’ve gotten even
more handsome."

Eric gave her his sweet smile and
he yawned.

"You need to go back to
sleep," Christie said. She stood, intending to pull the blanket back over
Eric, but Darrell’s hand was there first. Eric closed his eyes and drifted back
to sleep.

Christie backed up against the
door, surprised by Darrell’s care as he covered Eric. When he left the bedroom
she stepped back into the main room and pulled the door to the room closed.

"Garrett seems like a real
nice guy," Darrell said. "He was kind of protective at first and
wouldn’t let out much information. Almost made me a little suspicious,
wondering what your relationship is with him."

 "My relationships
aren’t your concern," she said sharply. "Why are you here?"

"I told you why." He let
out a deep breath and sank into one of the armchairs beside a small fireplace.
Pushing a pair of cowboy boots to one side he stretched his legs out. "I
know I’ve given you reason to doubt me in the past," he looked at her with
one eye open, "okay, plenty of reason," he amended. "But I’m on
the up-and-up. I want what’s best for my son." He gave a big sigh.
"Christie, let’s have this out, we can’t avoid it any more. I loved Ellen,
but I left, plain and simple. I was scared, I didn’t want to deal with her
illness, the responsibility of it. I knew you’d be there for her," he
ended bitterly.

Christie felt the hair rise on the
back of her neck. "Of course I was there. What does that mean?"

"You were always there to
pick up the pieces," he said. "If Ellen needed someone, she’d run to
you. Hell, she was so dependent on you she sometimes forgot I was her husband.
Do you know what that’s like? You knew every minute detail of our lives. There
was no privacy."

Feeling the couch at the back of
her knees Christie sank down onto the cushion. "But I was her sister. We
took care of each other. You know our parents weren’t there."

"I know. I understand. But I
never liked it. Call me shallow, but she needed you more than she ever needed
me." He tipped his head back and looked up at the ceiling, then looked
sideways at her. "In the beginning it caused a lot of fighting. After a
while I accepted it. Do you know why?"

Wordlessly, Christie shook her
head.

"Because I loved her. Ellen
was a wonderful, vibrant woman, I don’t have to tell you. I loved her and I
knew she loved you. I knew when I got scared and left you would stay. She
wouldn’t be alone."

Now Christie looked away, memories
slamming her. "I could never leave her."

"You stuck it out no matter
how terrible it got. She always had her Christine Louise."

Christie flinched. Her parent’s
name for her. "Don’t call me that."

"Sorry. I’m bushed."

Christie stood up. "Get some
sleep. Garrett said to come to the house in the morning for breakfast. I’ll see
you and Eric then."

She walked quickly to the door.
She needed to get out in the open air. Too many conflicting emotions were
pushing at her. Her stomach churned to think she may have come between Ellen
and Darrell, perhaps contributed to their breakup. Why had she never seen that?

"Christie?"

She stopped with her hand on the
doorknob. "Yes?"

"We can’t change the past.
It’s the future we have to deal with."

Christie closed the door, feeling
numb. Had she over-protected her sister, interfering in Ellen’s life by loving
her too much? Did she put an emotional stranglehold on the people she loved?
Her interference had helped Judith flee her husband.

Her emotions churned and tension
held her rigid. One thing was clear to her where she and Darrell were
concerned. She had to figure out a way to meet on common ground for the sake of
her nephew. It’s what Ellen would have wanted.

Christie reentered her apartment,
her mind searching for answers. A light still burned in Garrett’s house, but
she couldn’t talk to him. Wearily, she wondered if there would ever be a right
time to let all the secrets out in the open.

Christie had just brushed her
teeth when she heard heavy footsteps on the stairs to her apartment. Quickly,
she walked to the door and peered down into the stairway. "Who’s
there?" she called, her voice echoing back to her high and thin.

"It’s Garrett, Christie. I just
talked with Randy. Can I come up?"

"Yes."

"He told me what
happened." He entered semi-dark room and Christie quickly turned on
another lamp. "Are you okay?" he came immediately to her. Gently, he
reached for her hands and turned them over, muttering an angry curse as he saw
the bruising on her wrist. He put his arms around her and she let him, savoring
his closeness, his caring. She wanted to hang onto him and not let go. Not
realistic, but for right now it felt wonderful.

"I was just shook up,"
she said, "but I’m okay now." She stepped back.

He looked at her doubtfully.
"You don’t look okay. I want you to stay at the house until they find Les.
It’s the safest thing to do."

She turned away. "I’ll be
fine," she assured him.

"That’s right, you will be.
Come on." He gently urged her toward the door.

She held back, but he wasn’t
giving up and she was tired. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to let him take charge for
one night and not worry about being the strong one.

"Okay. I am worried about Les
being out there ... maybe watching me."

"Randy filled me in, but I
want you to tell me what happened."

As they walked downstairs and back
to the house she related everything that had occurred that night. By the time
she had finished, Garrett looked even more furious. "The guy’s off his
rocker, but then, when he gets drinking, he seems to lose all sense of
decency."

Christie couldn’t help the shiver
that crawled across her. "Are his wife and little boy okay? Ally said Kim
left with the baby."

"They’re fine. Randy spoke to
Kim at her mother’s house. Randy’s going to keep in touch with her."

As they entered the house,
Christie couldn’t help but look around outside one last time. "I wondered
if Les might have had something to do with the fire."

"When they catch up with him
he’ll be questioned about that too." Garrett glanced at his watch.
"It’s late, why don’t you try and get some rest. You’ll be safe here, I
promise."

Christie felt the threatening
prick of tears and blinked quickly. "Thank you Garrett."

He stared at her intently, and she
thought he would say something more, but in the end all he did was nod his
head.

"Goodnight." She wanted
to stay with him, but she turned and walked down the corridor to the room where
she had stayed before, wishing things had been different.

###

Christie continued her work
routine in the barns. With Darrell and Eric at the farm the last three days she
knew she would be staying at least until they left. The authorities still
hadn’t been able to locate Les, and that preyed on her mind also.

Christie dumped a wheelbarrow load
of sawdust in the next stall and paused to look at Eric. He’d been helping her
all afternoon and she could sense something was bothering him, but he’d
remained quiet when she’d gently prodded him about what was wrong.

"Aunt Christie, can I smooth
that sawdust for you? Ally showed me how to do it."

Christie smiled. "Sure, just
keep the pitchfork tines pointed away from you." Christie kept a close
watch as he leveled the sawdust. "So what did you and Hannah play this
morning?"

"We played games and then she
showed me the ponies. They’re really neat. They can find carrots in your pocket
without even seeing them."

Christie laughed at his obvious
amazement. Eric was a city kid, just liked she’d always been a city kid.
Although maybe now that was changing, Christie mused. She didn’t want to be a
city kid anymore.

As Eric finished with the
pitchfork she took it from him and led the way from the stall. "We’ll make
a country boy out of you yet."

"I liked the puppies,"
he said suddenly, kicking his heel against the ground. "Dad said I
couldn’t have one, even though Hannah’s got lots. He makes me mad."

Christie squatted beside Eric and
pushed the hair out of his eyes. "Those kind of dogs grow pretty big and
they need room to run. It’s tough having a dog that size in the city."

He crossed his arms. "He
could stay at our apartment."

"Eric, I bet your dad would
love to have a dog, but he knows a puppy wouldn’t be happy in an apartment all
day while you’re in school and he’s working."

He looked thoughtful. "Do you
think Daddy always wanted a dog and he could never have one?"

"I think you should ask
him," Christie said, seeing Darrell enter the barn with Ally.

"See you later, Aunt
Christie." Eric ran to meet his father and Christie could see him talking
to Darrell. Darrell looked at her thoughtfully a moment, and then he smiled and
took the hand Eric held out to him. Together, they walked from the barn.

"Whew! Are you as hot as I
am?" Ally asked, dropping down to sit on a bale of hay. "I can’t
remember the last time we had a stretch of weather like this in June."

"Might as well be a
hundred," Christie muttered, feeling a trickle of sweat slide down her
cheek as she too sat on the long bale.

"Got any plans for after
work?"

"No."

"Well, it's Garrett’s
birthday. We've reserved a room in town at one of the restaurants. Everyone's
going. There'll be music and dancing. Say you’ll come."

Christie felt her heart race, then
slow. Garrett's birthday and she hadn't known. She didn’t know a lot of things
about Garrett. Christie pushed back the ache. "Is it a surprise?"

"Yeah. His mother planned it.
And Randy," she added.

Christie thought Ally’s voice
sounded too nonchalant. She gave her a coy look. "Oh yes, Randy."

Ally’s cheeks turned a delicate
pink. With a small laugh she shrugged. "You know Randy, he likes to play
both ends so I don’t take him seriously."

"Maybe you should,"
Christie suggested gently.

"Sometimes I think he’s the
best thing that ever happened to me, the next minute I can imagine him flirting
with every woman he comes in contact with." Ally shrugged and looked
across the driveway. "I don’t want to take that route again. I keep
thinking it won’t last."

"I can understand the
fear."

Ally sighed. "But you think
I’m wrong."

"I think you’re smart. You’ll
figure it out."

Ally smiled and draped an arm
across Christie’s shoulder. "Thanks for the confidence. Now what about
tonight? There's a bunch of us riding in my car if you need a ride."

"I don't know, Ally --"

"Come on, Christie, don't
tell me you're thinking of staying home. It'll be loads of fun. I invited
Darrell and he’s planning on going. Anyway," her smile turned teasing,
"Garrett would miss you if you didn’t show up. Now I’m going to give you a
little advice. Don’t let the opportunity pass to get to know this guy. I know
the boss likes you."

"Seems he likes everyone
here," Christie supplied casually. "It’s nothing more than
that."

Ally raised an eyebrow in obvious
disbelief.

"Christie, come on, level
with me. I like to think I've gotten to know you in the time you've been here.
I think you and the Boss would be good together. I've never seen him pay
attention to anyone else the way he does you. I’d take that as a good
sign."

Christie cleared her throat.
"Have you known Garrett long?"

"Most of my life. It's a
small community and we all know each other at some level."

"Did you know Judith, his
wife?"

"I’m sorry to say I
did." Ally gave her a straight look. "Look, I don't gossip, but I
know for a fact Judith made Garrett miserable. She'd say one thing to his face
and sneak around behind his back. Everybody knew it, which of course made it
worse. That girl had a bunch of problems." Ally lowered her voice. "I
was here the day she took off. I was still working in the barns, finishing up
some painting and whatnot. Luckily, it was late, and no one else was around. It
was hard not to hear what was going on since Judith was screaming. Some of the
things she said, she was downright cruel. The best thing she did was walk out.
It was too bad she forced Hannah to go with her. That accident messed that
little girl up pretty bad for a while."

"Hannah didn’t want to
go?" Christie asked quietly, disturbed by what Ally had revealed about
Judith.

"Nope. She wanted to stay with
Garrett. She’d called him Daddy from day one and it was like she was his second
shadow. He was probably the first bit of stability she’d ever had in her life.
That poor kid begged to stay with him but Judith made her go, pulled her out to
the car by the arm. I don’t think Garrett even knew Judith was leaving until
her car tore out of here."

Christie felt an ache in her chest
for Garrett and Hannah, for the wounds inflicted. "Judith sounds like she
was a lost soul. Her leaving really hurt Garrett," she said flatly.

"To give Judith her due,
though, she was a good mother to Hannah. She just had a lot of insecurities.
But truth to tell, it would’ve hurt Garrett worse if she’d stayed. Those two
were like a pair of Kansas twisters. You can only take so much of that kind of
living and then it starts to wear you down."

Christie looked askance at Ally.
"Are you kidding? Garrett seems one of the most even-tempered guys I’ve
come across."