His Holiday Family (10 page)

“Why not? She could help Nana fix the meals.”

“You're right. I don't think anyone has asked her. But remember, Jared, she's a guest in our home.”

“This isn't our home. It's Nana's. We don't—” His voice caught. “We don't have a home.”

“Yes, we do. Home is where we are together even if it is at Nana's. We might not have a house or apartment for a while, but we have a home.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Why can't we?”

“Because we were not the only ones who lost their house. There will be a shortage of places to live until people can rebuild. That will take time.”

“Like Miss Alice's house?”

“Yeah. Her place will need extensive work to be livable again.”

“While Nana's and Gideon's don't?”

“You're right. We only sustained minor damage compared to others.” Kathleen shoved to her feet. “Now I need to go help Nana clean up. Are you coming downstairs?”

“No, I need to make sure Bubbles is all right.”

Kathleen hugged Jared. “I love you. Everything will be all right in time.”

As she left her sons' room and descended the steps to the ground floor, she wondered if everything really would be all right in time. She hoped—prayed—it would be, but she felt buried under a pile of rubble the storm created.

Seeing the house cleared of neighbors now that darkness was settling outside, Kathleen checked in the den where the sleeper sofa was set up for Miss Alice to see if she needed anything. The woman wasn't in the room. Voices coming from the kitchen drew her toward it. When she entered, she found Miss Alice drying the dishes while her mom washed and Gideon put them away in the cabinets.

“This is an efficient team. I guess you all don't need me.”

Gideon slanted a look over his shoulder then continued to stack the glasses into the cupboard. “Yeah, we'll have this cleaned up in no time. Miss Alice was telling us about her first job when she was a young girl. She was a dishwasher in a fancy restaurant in New Orleans. I've eaten in the place a couple of times.”

“You lived in New Orleans, Miss Alice? I thought you'd lived here all your life.”

“Child, I lived all over the world until I was thirty and retired to Hope.”

“Retired? At thirty?” Kathleen bridged the distance between them and made herself busy putting away the rest of the food.

“That's what I call it when I stopped traveling and put down roots in one place. I chose Hope for that.”

“Why?” Gideon took the dried plate from Miss Alice.

“It was smaller fifty years ago, quaint and hospitable. I didn't want a big city where I didn't know many
people. You might not believe this, but at one time I was a mover and shaker here in Hope. I've been through my share of hurricanes. I even organized groups to deal with the aftereffects here in town.”

Kathleen shut the pantry door. “What did you do?”

“If people group together, the cleanup can go faster. A lot like what you've gotten this neighborhood to do, Ruth.”

Her mother grinned at Miss Alice. “At your suggestion.”

“Like what we're doing right now, cleaning up after dinner. Teamwork.” Miss Alice's eyes twinkled as they fell on Gideon. “Like you do as a firefighter.”

“It's hard fighting a fire without teamwork.” Gideon put away the last dish.

What happened to Miss Alice while she was upstairs? Kathleen wondered. For the past couple of days, the old woman had been depressed and quiet but for now. Kathleen stared at her, trying to figure out the change.

Miss Alice caught her attention and winked. “It was Kip who reminded me I still have a lot to give. That I could still be part of the team.”

Kathleen's mouth fell open, feeling as though the woman had read her mind.

“When Gideon brought Cottonballs downstairs a while ago, Kip hurried and took my cat, telling me he would take care of him. He knew I must be tired so I should rest. I suddenly realized that had been the way I had been acting for the past two days. No more. I may be eighty-six years young, but I'm not gone yet. So tomorrow I'll be at my house helping with whatever I can.”

“You know what the neighbors are going to do?”

Miss Alice grinned. “Gideon broke the news to me. I may be set in my ways, but not that set, I can't appreciate the help.” She folded the dish towel and shuffled toward the door that led into the hallway. “With that in mind, I need to get my sleep so I'll be ready. Good night. Ruth, the dinner was delicious.”

When Miss Alice left, Kathleen swung her gaze between Gideon and her mother. “Is that the same lady who we kept over here during the storm and sat in a chair, not speaking or doing a thing for hours?”

“I've heard stories about Miss Alice in her younger days. She's right. She was a regular dynamo. Then about fifteen years ago she stopped going to church, being involved with others and holed herself up in her house. I was never sure why.” Kathleen's mother started for the same exit. “I think I'll follow her. Good night.”

Kathleen released a slow breath. “It's only eight but I feel like I've been up for the whole day instead of four hours.”

“A lot has happened in that time.”

“I'm tired but not sleepy.”

“Me, too.”

“Where did Kip go?”

“To feed Cottonballs and settle him in the laundry room. I guess I probably should also leave. I have some work I want to do at home.”

“In the dark? We have your generator.”

“I have lanterns like you do.”

“Stay.” The word came out before Kathleen could censure it, but she didn't want to be alone at the moment.

“I should— Okay, for a little bit.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Kathleen saw a flash
dart by the doorway. “Why don't we go out on the porch so little boys with big ears don't eavesdrop?”

Gideon glanced toward the entrance and laid his forefinger over his mouth. “Surely you don't mean Jared or Kip?” he asked as he crept out of the kitchen through the dining room.

“Well, they have been known to listen when they shouldn't. You can never tell if…”

A roar erupted in the hallway followed by a yelp from Kip. Two seconds later her older son and Gideon came into the room.

“Look who I found standing by the door. Listening.”

“Imagine that. My son with the big ears.”

Kip frowned. “I don't have big ears. Jared does, but I don't.”

“No, I don't,” Jared squeaked from the dining room.

Kathleen made her way to where the sound came from and peeked around the door. “Come out. What were you doing behind there?”

Jared trudged into the kitchen, his eyes downcast. “If Kip can listen, so can I.”

“Both of you need to get ready for bed. Now.”

“But, Mom, it's only eight-twenty, and we don't even have school tomorrow.” Kip's mouth twisted into a frown that he shot at his brother. “See what you made Mom do.”

“I did not.”

“Jared. Kip. Enough. We have a lot to do tomorrow, and we need to get up early. I don't want two cranky kids. That's why you're going to bed a little early. I understand from Nana you both were up late last night. You've got some sleep to make up.”

“I don't need a lot of sleep. Besides, I shouldn't have
to go to bed at the same time as Jared. I'm older. Age should have some privileges.”

“I agree. And I'm older than both of you. So I get the privilege of you two listening to me then doing exactly what I say.”

“But that's not what I meant.”

“Go.” Kathleen fluttered her hand toward the hallway.

“See you two tomorrow bright and early. I'm going to need two helpers. I can't do all I would like to do because of my cast.” Gideon struggled to maintain a serious expression, but the second they disappeared into the hall, he chuckled.

“I heard that,” Kip said right before he stomped up the stairs.

Gideon laughed even more. “Finally alone at last,” he said to Kathleen.

“You think this will last? You don't know my boys. They'll come up with one excuse after another to come down here just so they can stay up.”

He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the foyer. “Then let's escape onto the porch like you suggested.”

“Great minds think alike.”

As Kathleen shut the front door, she glimpsed Kip at the top of the stairs staring down at them. When he saw her, he turned around and went into his room.

The cool night air washed over Kathleen. She sat next to Gideon on the top step and surveyed the neighborhood. Dim lights, from candles and lanterns, shone from some of the houses, the only illumination on the street. The darkness hid the piles of debris and torn up landscape. Across from them, Tom Baker had a tarp over part of his roof covering a hole where some of the
shingles had blown away. The place next to him had its carport ripped away from the house, pieces of it lying scattered all over the yards along the street.

The scent of salt water drifted to her, reminding her of how far the Gulf came ashore and covered the area near the beaches and swamped the whole peninsula known as the Point in Hope. The sea retreated but had left its mark on the town, the stench of dead fish and rotting vegetation.

Gideon laid his flashlight down beside him. “When I went to the station, I felt so useless. An alarm went off while I was there, and I had to stand by and watch the others leave to fight the fire.”

“I'm so sorry. I'm the reason you're in that situation.”

“Hold it. That isn't the reason I told you that. You're not to blame for my injury. I thought we were past that. What do I have to do to make you understand that?”

Her husband had always made her feel she was the cause of things that had gone wrong in their marriage. As though she had been the one to get them into debt. She'd begun to wonder if she was the reason. Had Derek thought she'd wanted a new car or a swimming pool? She hadn't, but he'd acted as if she had.

“Old habits die hard.” Placing her elbows on the tops of her thighs, she leaned forward and clasped her hands.

“What do you mean?”

“According to my husband, I was the reason everything went wrong.” She turned toward him and realized how close he was to her on the step. Their arms brushed against each other. His coffee-laced breath mingled with the night scents. Her heartbeat reacted to his nearness by speeding up. “Don't get me wrong. I know marriage is a two-way street. We rushed into it.
I think I was in love with the idea of marriage. I won't make that mistake again.”

“What mistake?”

“Marrying. The year before Derek died I felt like I had to guard everything I said. I even went to the doctor because I was so anxious. I would cry at the drop of a hat. I was always so tired, and it wasn't from work like it is now. My husband didn't want me to work after Kip was born. I agreed with him.”
To keep the peace.

Gideon covered her hands with his. “You'll feel different with time. It hasn't been that long since he passed away.”

She nodded. “Fifteen months. But I don't think time will make a difference.”

“You're a great mother, patient with your sons even when they test you. You might want to marry again, have another child. Your mom told me you once said you wanted six kids.”

“I was fourteen. When did she tell you that?” She was going to have to keep an eye on her mother. Next she would be bringing out her baby pictures to show Gideon. She knew what her mom was up to, and she needed to put a stop to it.

“When she was quizzing me about when I was going to start a family. I don't think your mother knows the meaning of the word subtle.”

“I'm finding that out lately. Don't mind her. She thinks the answer to my problems is a man. She doesn't understand a man got me into the mess I'm in.” The second she said that her cheeks flamed, heat radiating down her neck. “I mean…”

His hold on her cupped hands tightened as he shifted toward her. “Shh. I understand perfectly.”

In the soft glow she could barely make out his face.
But she couldn't read the expression on it. Which meant he couldn't read hers. Relief trembled through her because embarrassment still heated her cheeks. The cool breeze flowed over her, but it did little to ease the warmth suffusing her.

“This past week you and your family have kept me sane. You have given me a purpose at a time when I haven't been feeling so useful. You have to understand I'm a man of action. That came to a grinding halt with the accident.”

She opened her mouth to tell him she was sorry again, but he covered her lips with his fingers.

“Not a word about you causing it or I will leave.”

“Do you always threaten friends?” She tried to school her voice into a serious tone, but laughter leaked through.

“I'm not answering that on the grounds that it might incriminate me.” He cradled her face in his large palm. “When do you go back to the hospital?”

“The day after tomorrow. I think we'll be back on our regular schedule soon unless something further happens. How about you? When do you report to headquarters for desk duty?”

He groaned. “Don't remind me. In two days, but I guess it's better than doing nothing.”

The feel of his skin against hers momentarily robbed her of speech. She frantically tried to put together a coherent sentence, but every inch of her was aware of the man sitting next to her, so close his breath fanned her chin. “You call what you've been doing nothing, and you've been doing it with only one arm. I certainly have appreciated all your hard work around here and at the cottage.”

“I'm glad.” He bent a few more inches toward her, their mouths only a breath away.

Her pulse accelerated. Her throat went dry. Her stomach tightened.

His hand ran down her jawline until he took hold of her chin and tilted it up toward him. Her lips parted as she inhaled deeply.