Just Married...Again (4 page)

“Why don’t you cover him with that blanket while I get some ice?” she suggested.

When Maddy returned with her homemade ice pack, she found Danny gazing down at his uncle sorrowfully. “Is he going to die?” the boy asked.

Maddy tried to swallow the guilt that rose in the back of her throat, but it refused to go away. “No, of course not,” she said. “Once I get the swelling down, it’ll be better.” She didn’t know that for sure, but she didn’t want to frighten her nephew. She was scared enough for both of them.

Maddy placed the ice pack against the injury. “I’m surprised Michael isn’t carrying his briefcase. He takes it everywhere.”

Danny shook his head. “I heard him telling Grandma he was leaving the rat race behind, which he said included his phone and briefcase. That’s what the doctor ordered.”

She frowned. “What doctor?”

“The one that told him he had high blood pressure. He’s supposed to go on a diet and stop smoking.”

“Your uncle doesn’t smoke, Danny,” she said.

“Wanna bet? There was a smoke cloud in his car all the way up here. I could barely breathe.”

Maddy was surprised. Michael was very particular about his car; she’d never known him to let anyone smoke in it. She studied her husband closely. She could see he’d gained weight. He’d always been lean and fit, thanks to a steady regimen of jogging. She knew how hectic his schedule was; she suspected he was living off junk food these days. No doubt he’d picked up a few other bad habits as well.

“You should have told him the smoke was bothering you, Danny,” she said.

“He didn’t know I was in the car.” The boy stopped abruptly, and it was obvious from his reddening face that he’d said something he shouldn’t have.

Maddy gazed back at him. “How could he not know you were in the car?”

Danny looked away quickly. “I was hiding on the floor in the back.”

“You were running away from home? I’ll bet your poor parents are worried sick.”

“I left a note. They know I’m with Uncle Michael. But I plan to split once the roads clear.”

“Well, Danny, you’re not a baby anymore. I guess there comes a time when a man’s got to make his own decisions. I just hope you’re prepared.” She saw the blank look on his face. “You know, in case some lunatic tries something funny with you. I mean, what kind of people pick up hitchhikers nowadays?”

The boy looked startled at the thought. He opened his mouth to answer but was cut off abruptly when the man on the floor moaned softly.

Maddy snatched her hand away at the sound. Her fingers had grown numb, but she barely noticed. “Michael? Can you hear me?” She could feel her heart thumping wildly in her chest. “Michael? Are you in pain?”

“’Course he’s in pain,” Danny said. “You tried to kill him.”

Maddy shot the boy a dark look. “Michael, please wake up!” she cried.

“You better hope he doesn’t file charges against you for assault and battery.”

“This is nothing compared to what I do to mouthy teenagers,” Maddy snapped. “Now put a sock in it.”

Danny suddenly became quiet.

The man had grown still again, and Maddy feared he would never wake up this time. She shook him gently. “Michael? You need to wake up,” she said firmly. Even as she said it she realized just how much she dreaded coming face-to-face with him again. Nevertheless, she had to do what was best for him. She reached out and tugged one earlobe. “Michael, wake up this minute!” she said sharply.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” Danny protested.

“I’m trying to provoke him. He hates having his ears touched.”

“Oh, I get it.” Danny leaned close. “Open your eyes, Mike!” he shouted so loud that Maddy thought she’d jump out of her skin. “He hates being called Mike.” The man on the floor shifted and frowned. “See? It’s working.”

“Oh, Michael,” Maddy said dramatically. “Ernest Tate has gone and made Brenner full partner. You know how much you dislike Adam Brenner. He’s going to eat your lunch, Michael. You’re going to end up working for him.”

“You’re a crappy attorney anyway, Mike,” Danny said, his voice ringing off the cabin walls. “A real slug. You couldn’t win a case if your life depended on it.”

Michael’s eyes twitched and fluttered open. He blinked once or twice, as if to focus. Maddy breathed a sigh of relief as consciousness began to register on his face.

Danny was gazing at the ceiling as if looking for inspiration. He was beginning to like this game. “Man, you ain’t got squat for brains, Mike. You could put your brains on the head of a pin, and you’d still have room to park your car. And how ’bout your mama? Why she’s so ugly, she has to sneak up on a glass to get a drink of water.”

Maddy noted the dark look on Michael’s face. “That’s enough, Danny,” she said.

“I’m talking ugly,” Danny said. “Your mama’s so ugly she has to—” With lightning speed, the man reached up and grasped the boy by the collar of his shirt. Danny shrieked and made a gagging sound. “Aunt Maddy, he’s choking me! Make him let go.”

“Michael, no!” Maddy tried to pull the boy free, but she was no match for the man. Danny gagged. His face was the color of fresh strawberries. “You’re hurting him, Michael!” she cried. “He’s just a kid. Let him go.”

Michael blinked several times as though trying to understand what she was saying. Finally, he released Danny. The boy coughed and sputtered, then glared at his aunt and uncle. “Man, you guys are crazy, you know that?” He leaped to his feet. “I’m almost sorry I left home.” He stormed off toward the bedroom.

Maddy jumped when the door slammed. She knew she was going to have to apologize, but first she had to see to Michael. He was staring at her with a strange look on his face.

“Why am I lying on the floor?” he said.

“You, uh, fell,” she said. “You have a big knot on your head.” She decided not to tell him the truth until he was better. “I need to put more ice on it. Do you think you can sit up?”

Very slowly, he pushed himself into an upright position. He felt the back of his head and winced when he discovered the lump. The pain seemed to radiate through his skull. “Do you have any aspirin?”

“Yes, of course. Let me help you up, and I’ll get it.” Holding one of his arms, she struggled to get him to his feet. He swayed, and she grabbed him around his waist to steady him. He felt familiar, despite the added pounds. When he looked as though he could stand on his own, she went into the kitchen and grabbed the aspirin bottle and a glass of water. She turned and discovered he was watching her.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He just stared at her.

He was beginning to frighten her. But that was ridiculous; they had lived together for five years, had known each other almost seven. “Here, you’ll feel better after you take this.” Maddy shook two aspirin into his palm and handed him the water.

“Thanks.” Michael popped the aspirin into his mouth and drank all the water before returning the glass. He took in his surroundings, the plaid sofa and chair with plump cushions, the dried-flower arrangement, and the matted and framed photographs that hung on the wall. The empty fireplace made him frown. “It’s freezing in here. You should have a fire going.”

Maddy wondered at his impersonal tone. He’d obviously been very successful at shutting her out of his life; she almost hated herself for the buckets of tears she’d cried after leaving him. “The wood is wet, Michael,” she said. “I carried in a couple of loads, but it’s going to take a while for them to dry out.” His gaze landed on her once more. “I’d better find that ice pack. The sooner we get that swelling down the better.” She started for the kitchen, and then paused. “Would you like something? A cup of coffee or some hot chocolate
?
We don’t have much water, so we’ll have to conserve as much as we can until we find the water valve.”

“Huh?”

He looked at her as though she’d just rattled the whole thing off in German. Maybe he was still dazed. In that case, she wouldn’t want to give him more to think about than he needed at the moment. “I asked if I could get you anything,” she said.

“Some answers would be nice,” he said sharply. “For starters, I’d like to know where the hell I am. Once you answer that, you might tell me who
you
are.”

Maddy was too stunned at first to speak. “You’re saying you don’t know who I am? Is this some kind of joke?”

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

She had to admit he didn’t. His eyes were dark and hooded, impenetrable. There was an aloofness about him that made her edgy. His body language told her he was as tense with the situation as she was. She didn’t like what she was thinking. Surely to heaven he didn’t have amnesia. Those things only happened on TV, not in real life. “No, you don’t.”

The bedroom door opened and two dachshunds raced out, going into a fit of barking the minute they spied Michael. They skidded to a stop and attached themselves to the hem of his jeans, growling and snarling as though they had every intention of tearing them off his body.

Danny followed close behind. He looked hurt and embarrassed. “I’m sorry I said those things about Grandma, Uncle Michael,” he said, trying to make himself heard over the noise. Maddy was on her knees trying to pull the animals free. “I was just trying to get you to wake up. I’m glad you’re okay.” Without warning, he threw his arms around Michael.

Maddy managed to pry Muffin loose, but Rambo refused to give up, dodging all her attempts to grab him. She would have to close the female in her bedroom, then try to wrestle the male free. She stood and noted the frantic look on Michael’s face. He obviously didn’t know what to make of the boy.

“Uh, Danny, I have something to tell you,” Maddy began, struggling to hold her pet, who seemed bent on diving from her arms and rejoining her brother.

As though sensing a problem, the boy drew back and looked into his uncle’s face. “Is something wrong, Uncle Michael?”

“Your uncle doesn’t recognize us, honey. He has amnesia.”

Danny looked from one to the other. “Is this for real or are you guys being weird again?”

Michael, who was trying to pull free from the animal’s grasp, glanced up. “It must be real because I don’t have a clue what’s going on here.”

“What
do
you remember?” the boy asked.

“Well …” Michael took a few steps into the living room, dragging the dachshund as he went. He heard the sound of denim ripping, and he hoped he hadn’t paid a lot for the jeans. He had a sudden urge to toss the dog out in the snow, but the woman grabbed the mutt before he could act on it.

“I’m so sorry,” Maddy said, wondering what had turned her pets into beasts. They obviously sensed Michael wasn’t an animal lover. Still, that was no excuse. She carried them down the hall, one tucked beneath each arm. Their tails wagged excitedly, slapping against her back as she fussed. “You two can forget having any T-R-E-A-T-S for a while,” she said, spelling out the word because she didn’t want them to become more excited than they were. She set them down inside the bedroom and ignored their sad-eyed expression as she pulled on the jeans and sneakers she’d worn on the drive up. “Go to sleep,” she ordered the dogs, and closed the door. She found Michael sitting on the sofa when she returned to the living room. “Have you remembered anything?”

He looked at her. “I remember waking up this morning and going to work,” he said. “I know I’m a lawyer. I don’t know
how
I know, but I do. That’s about it. Look, it’s really cold in here. Why don’t I get some firewood out of my trunk?”

“You have wood in your trunk?!”

He suddenly looked baffled. “Gee, I don’t know. I must. Otherwise, why would I have said it? I guess the only way to find out is to check.” He stood.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Maddy told him. “Give me the keys to your car, and Danny and I will look. You need to sit down and put this ice pack on your head.”

Michael reached into his pocket for his car keys and handed them to her. He took the ice pack and placed it against his head. It hurt like a son-of-a-gun. “You never did tell me who you are.”

“She’s the one who tried to kill you,” Danny said. He was still smarting from being called a kid. “I saw it with my own two eyes. She ’bout knocked your brains out.”

Maddy felt the heat rush to her cheeks. “Danny!” Michael touched the back of his head and winced. It was sore as hell. “What did you hit me with, a sledgehammer?”

Danny grabbed the poker from the floor. “She hit you with this,” he said. “Then, when you fell into the snow, she slammed the door and locked you out. You would have died out there if I hadn’t banged on the door and made her bring you inside.”

“That’s enough, young man!” Maddy snapped, taking the poker from him. Her thunderous expression must have convinced him she meant what she said, because he buttoned his lip tight.

“I hope you had a very good reason for hitting me,” Michael said, his lips pressed into a grim line.

She didn’t quite meet his gaze. “I thought you were going to hurt me.”

“Do I have a history of violence?”

“No. It’s just, well, you were coming in the door so fast, and it was dark.”

“Perhaps next time you’ll try to get a better look before you risk crushing an innocent person’s skull.”

He was using his lawyer’s voice now. “If I acted too hastily, it was because I was afraid,” she said. “You can’t imagine what it’s like up here all alone.”

“Perhaps you should stay home where you feel safe,” he replied.

She gave him a biting smile. “And perhaps you should identify yourself when you’re entering a dark cabin in the middle of nowhere. The next person you run into might have a gun.”

Maddy left both of them long enough to retrieve the wading boots, mismatched gloves, and various knitted caps from the utility room. She handed Danny what he’d need. When he looked incredulous at the pink knitted scarf he held, she insisted. “Don’t give me a hard time. We can’t afford to get sick.”

“Oh, yes,” Michael said. “We certainly can’t risk a head cold, can we? Brain injuries, on the other hand, are okay.”

Maddy gritted her teeth as she pulled the boots and gloves on. He was very definitely getting on her nerves. She planted her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Look, it was dark, I was scared, so I defended myself. Okay?”