Vivian (15 page)

She pulled herself from the sheets and nearly fell on the floor when they tangled around her legs as she tried to stand.

Just then the door opened and Clayton walked through with a cup of coffee.

“
You wake up rough, don’t you?”

“
The girls. Where are the girls? I have to get going.”

He shushed her and anger began to zip through her, but he reached out a hand to touch her before she could let that anger fly.

“
The girls are with Grandma Dorothy watching TV until I leave for work. Amelia called and the other two families have transferred to the rec center until you can open again.” He handed her a cup of coffee. “Sam would like to see you in his office at ten.”

She stood there with the cup of coffee clenched in her hands. “Are you always chipper in the morning?”

“
No.” He moved in closer to her. “However, my girls will tell you different. I never want them to see me wake up dreading the day. You never know how a day will end.”

Her stomach clenched when he said those words. “I’m so sorry.”

Clayton reached for her cheek and rubbed his thumb across it. “Don’t ever be sorry. We are both here for the same reason. I don’t suppose there will ever be a day when we don’t stumble over each other’s feelings.”

“
I don’t think I loved Adam like you loved Linda. I don’t suppose I’ll ever miss him the same.”

“
Your mourning came before his death.” He leaned in and brushed a kiss on her lips. “And I think in time you will realize just how much you loved him. And I’ll be here to help you through that. Just as you’ve been here for me.”

Vivian bit down on her bottom lip. “I don’t think I’ve done anything to help you.”

He smiled. “You have no idea.”

He kissed her again. “I have to go. Grandma Dorothy has offered to keep the girls today if you’re okay with that. She knows you have things to do.”

“
I don’t know.”

“
You discuss it with her. She’s a beautiful woman, Vivian. The girls will do great with her.” He picked up his jacket from the chair in the corner. “She’s keeping my girls today. Actually for a while. I think she wants to stay as long as she can.”

“
That’s nice.”

He moved to her again. “She’s also going to keep my girls so I can take you away for a few nights.”

Her breath caught in her lungs. “Just us alone?”

He brushed his fingers into her hair. “Alone.” He moved in closer. “I miss the perks of a real relationship.”

Vivian swallowed hard. “It’s been a very long time.”

“
For me too.” He pulled her close, minding the mug in her hand. “I’ll never push you. But I’d give anything to be
with
you.”

This time he gave her a harder kiss on the lips, though since she was very conscious of morning breath and she didn’t deepen the kiss.

“
I’ll see you after school. I love you.”

Her heart fluttered in her chest. “I love you too.”

Vivian strolled into Sam’s office at ten o’clock. The weight of the world seemed to be lifted from her shoulders for a while and it felt good.

The girls had begged to stay with Grandma Dorothy and she’d assured her that she’d take very good care of them. Though a little hesitant, Vivian finally had given into Dorothy’s charm—and the girls’ begging.

Brock sat at the reception desk taking a phone call. He gave her a wave and pointed to Sam’s office.

Vivian smiled and headed back to the room where she could hear Sam and Amelia talking.

When she walked through the door both heads turned toward her.

“
Good morning,” she chirped. “I was thinking, where should we have Thanksgiving? It’s a week away and we haven’t planned anything.”

Vivian walked toward the couch in Sam’s office and sat down. “I know we can’t run business out of the old house, but it should be big enough for everyone.” She thought for a moment. “I wonder if Brock’s family will be here. She’s too close to having the baby to travel.”

When she looked up, Amelia’s eyes were wide on her.

Vivian couldn’t help but smile at her. “How are you feeling?”

“
I’m fine.”

“
No morning sickness?”

Amelia exchanged looks with Sam, who tucked in his grin before she hardened a look on Vivian. “Yes. Let’s just keep that quiet, okay?”

“
Right.” The mood changed again in the room and she felt the need to stand up and move toward them. “Something’s wrong. Is Penelope okay? Are you okay? Your baby…”

“
Is fine.”

“
Confirmed?”

Amelia nodded. “Confirmed.”

But the mood didn’t rise in the room. “Something is up.”

Sam reached for her arm. “Why don’t we sit down?”

Vivian jerked her arm back. “Why don’t you tell me what the hell is going on?”

“
Where are the girls?”

“
With Linda’s mom.” When both sets of eyes questioned her she continued, “Clayton’s late wife’s mother. It’s a really long story. Tell me what’s going on.”

Again Sam and Amelia exchanged looks.

Sam took a deep breath and retracted his hand from her arm. “Frank called very early this morning. According to Frank, Darby was right. Stella was in rehab.”

Vivian shook her head. “Well, at least we know she wasn’t in the house. I’m glad she’s getting help. Really I am. I mean…”

“
There’s more.”

Vivian nodded and bit down on her lip to keep quiet.

“
Frank called to let us know that she passed away while there.”

Vivian’s hand came directly to her mouth to cover the gasp that had escaped. “She’s dead?”

Sam nodded.

She wondered how so many strange emotions could flood her at one time. Adam’s mother was dead. But so was the grandmother of her children. But, if she were really dead then there was nothing to fear anymore. Things could go back to normal. And yet she was sad too. She didn’t like Stella Monroe, but she’d been a big part of her life.

Vivian took a moment to gather her thoughts. “So we can move back into the house? If she’s dead then…”

Sam held up his hand. “Frank says they’re investigating the death as a possible homicide.”

Vivian backed to the couch and sat down. “Why would…”

“
He doesn’t know. Darby told him about the break in and he assumes she was involved. Maybe they were covering their tracks. And maybe she just died. We don’t know yet.”

Vivian could only nod. Everything she was hearing was spinning in her head. She rested her head in her hands and just sat there.

“
I’ll get you some water,” Amelia said and turned toward the small refrigerator in the corner.

“
I don’t want water.” Vivian stood with anger boiling through her. “I want answers.”

“
We don’t have any,” Amelia shot back.

“
I don’t know what to do with this. First Adam and now Stella?” And then it hit her. Just as Clayton said it would. Adam was gone and she was finally feeling it.

Sam moved to her. “Sit down.”

“
Adam. He never knew I loved him.”

“
He knew.”

She shook her head. “No. She kept him from me. She…”

“
Shh.” He looked toward Amelia. “Get the water.”

He pulled her to him and she rested her head on his chest. “He wanted a baby, he did. Emma was his pride. Why didn’t he tell anyone about her?”

“
I don’t know,” Sam said rocking her against him.

“
Brock held him. He held him in his arms as he died,” she cried. “I never got to say goodbye to him.”

“
You can. We can go out there.”

She nodded as Amelia handed her the bottle of water.

“
Sip. You need to calm down a moment.”

Vivian sat up and took a sip of the water. “He left after seeing Ava,” she sobbed. “He took one look at her and said,
she’s not mine.
”

Sam wrapped his hands around hers, which held the bottle. “She is his, right?”

Vivian knew she should lash out at the accusation, but he was just being Sam.

“
Of course she’s his. I’ve never been with anyone else. Ever.” She took another sip of the water. “I always wanted to tell him he was wrong. I wanted to tell him that we needed him and we wanted him.”

“
Did you write to him?”

She nodded. “But not to the address where his letters came from. He didn’t know how I felt.”

The tears fell freely and Sam pulled her to him. “I don’t know what to say to make it better,” he admitted. “I just know you have a man now who does love you and you can heal together.”

She did. Yes, Clayton would help her heal. She could tell him all of this and she could be real about how she felt for Adam. Suddenly, she didn’t hate him anymore and that was harder. When she’d hated him, she could forget him.

“
Why don’t I have Amelia take you back to Clayton’s and you rest.” It wasn’t a question, but an order delivered in the calm manner Sam doled out. “Let’s have dinner at the old house tonight and we’ll plan Thanksgiving.”

Sam kissed her on the top of the head and she sat a moment longer, just letting her heart ache.

Amelia drove her back to Clayton’s house where the girls all played in the back yard and Dorothy kept a watchful eye on them.

“
I want to go out and sit with them,” Vivian said as she walked into the house and looked out back. “I feel the need to just be with them. All of them.”

“
Why don’t you talk to Clayton about going out this weekend. I’ll take the girls.”

She smiled at the woman who should be her enemy. Amelia Monroe had a hard exterior that matched her own. How they ever broke through that she’d never know.

“
I’d appreciate that. Dorothy is going to stay here for a while and she can take Clayton’s girls.”

“
I still stand by the thought that if you get laid you might snap out of your funk.”

She opened her eyes wide to stare at Amelia who was smiling at her. Amelia had said those words to her when it had become common knowledge that she was seeing Sam. Now it was laughable. And perhaps she was right.

“
I have a class to teach. I’ll take your car to the house tonight when we have dinner.”

“
I appreciate it. Tell Sam thank you—for everything.”

“
I will.”

Vivian saw Amelia out. She then went to the kitchen for a glass of water before joining Dorothy on the back porch.

“
They play really well together,” Dorothy mused.

“
They do. They want to be sisters and have entered an order for a brother.”

Dorothy nodded slowly as Vivian sat down next to her. “I think they’d take good care of him.”

Vivian laughed. “Children are innocent. They have no idea what is involved with building a relationship and having children. To them it all happens.”

“
These four are special. They do get to have a say.”

She looked at Dorothy. “It doesn’t bother you that I’m here? You should hate me.”

“
I don’t hate anyone, my dear. And it bothers me that Linda isn’t around to see how big the girls have gotten. But I know she’s watching over them and Clayton.”