Eye of the Storm

Chapter

Twenty

THE SKY OUTSIDE slowly turned from black to purple to gray, and the birds started piping, just barely heard through the closed window.

Kerry watched their shadows through the blinds as she lay curled up in the waterbed, her arms wrapped snugly around Dar’s sleeping body.

It had been a very quiet, very peaceful night. Dar had fulfilled her part of the bargain and managed to get most of a bowl of soup down and keep it there, along with a half bottle of Gatorade. Then Kerry had done her part by forgetting about all the things she had to do and crawling into bed for a very long evening of pleasant cuddling.

They’d talked for a little while, then Dar had dozed off with her head resting on Kerry’s shoulder, feeling much better. Kerry wondered how much of that was the medicine, how much was her lover’s own sturdy physiology, and how much was the TLC, but in the end, it didn’t really matter, did it? She was content to think her care had helped, at least emotionally, and that was enough.

The hand resting on her waist moved, and she turned her head slightly, not surprised to see Dar looking back at her. “Morning.”

“Mmm.” Dar nodded in acknowledgment.

“How are you feeling?” Kerry inquired, smiling as the tall body next to her uncoil and stretch out to its full length, then relax. “Better?”

Dar nodded again.

“And the aftereffect of this is laryngitis?”

Dar chuckled. “No.” Dar’s voice was husky with sleep, but otherwise normal. “Just kick starting my brain. Still a little fuzzy around the edges.”

Though, to be honest, Dar mused, as she snuggled back into her warm nest of Kerry, she wasn’t sure if it was the medicine, or the aftereffect of being doused in solicitous affection all night. Boy, that felt good. Her stomach was still a little tender, but she wasn’t nauseous any more and her reactions seemed to have returned to a more normal alertness.

She stroked Kerry’s side and nuzzled her, receiving a low, pleased murmur in return. “Thanks for taking care of me.” Dar turned her head and peered up at her lover’s chin. “You did a great job.”

Kerry tilted her head down and smiled. “Glad to hear it.”

A dark eyebrow waggled. “You went to bed early last night. Bet you’re hungry.”

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“Mmm, yeah. How’d you know?”

Dar lifted her head and tapped the flat surface she’d been resting on.

“That’s some serious growling going on down there.” She winked and gave Kerry a tickle.

“Aruum.” Kerry cleared her throat, a little embarrassed. “Yeah, well, I kinda forgot lunch, too.”

“Tch.” Dar rolled over and glanced down off the side of the bed, where Chino was tucked in her basket. The Labrador had tried their waterbed once or twice, but decided it wasn’t to her taste, so they’d gotten her a comfortable, fleece lined bed to sleep in. “Tell ya what. I’ll get breakfast ready.”

Kerry snorted in laughter, then hastily covered her mouth with one hand as she got a wounded look from her lover. “Sorry. You don’t deserve that. You made me the best eggs I ever had once.”

Dar rested her chin on her arm. “You remember that, huh?”

“I sure do.” Kerry squirmed over to her. “You don’t have to get breakfast though.” She closed her eyes against the scarily adorable pout.

“Ooo, Dardar. Not that face. Nooooo.” She peeked, then rolled over and covered her face with her pillow. “Nononono—eeekk!”

Chino yelped and scrambled up to see.

“Gotcha.” Dar pounced on her and tickled her belly unmercifully.

“Hahaha.”

“Eeeeee!” Kerry smacked her with the pillow, then wriggled out of the way, rolling herself up in the comforter. “No fair!”

Dar was up on her knees and elbows and she started slinking forward, a look of maniacal glee on her face. “Make fun of my breakfast will you.”

“Yeeoo!” Kerry scrabbled to escape, but couldn’t move fast enough and got caught in mid-lunge, finding long arms wrapping around her and pulling her down. She gurgled and tried to twist free, but got more and more tangled in sheets, blankets, and lots and lots of Dar. “Frisfig-ffifng,” she squealed, as a nibble tickled up her ribcage. “Darrrr!”

“Arrggghhh,” Dar growled happily, making Chino bark. She rolled them both over, then yelped as she forgot where she was, and felt nothing but air under her back. “Oh shit…”

“Yeooww!” Kerry responded, as they tumbled out of the waterbed and onto the floor with a double thump. “Ow.”

Dar, who had landed first and was now providing a resting spot for her lover, sneezed. “Dusty down here.” She closed her eyes as Chino rambled over and licked her face.

Kerry straddled her, sat up, and folded her arms. “Oh boy. Do I ever have you where I want you now.” She grinned with neatly evil intent.

Dar liberated an eyeball and turned it on her. “Uh.”

“Heh.”

“Okay. I surrender.” Dar tried to fend off the puppy, who was now lovingly cleaning her nose. “Hey.”

Kerry unbuttoned her lover’s shirt and started her own licking.

182 Melissa Good

“Mmm. Chino, good idea.” Dar jerked as she nibbled her navel. “This beats eggs for breakfast hands down.”

“H-hey.” Dar swallowed, her body’s reaction sending colorful jolts up and down her spine. “I don’t think I…” She paused as the gentle touch traveled up the slope of her belly, with the tiniest nibble on a rib. “Uh, Ker. I’m still a little…um…”

“Um what?” Kerry advanced, treating Dar’s skin like an ear of corn.

“Hmm?” She slid up and braced her arms, peering straight down at the pale blue eyes.

Dar gave her a wry look. “A little knocked out.” She stroked the soft, fine hair on Kerry’s arms. “That tussle did me in.”

Kerry leaned down and kissed her forehead lightly, then rubbed noses. “Okay.” She sat up and helped her lover to do the same, watching in a little concern as Dar leaned against the wall, looking a bit shaky.

“You okay?”

Dar took a breath and ran her fingers through her hair. “Yeah. Combination of that stuff wearing off and not eating for two days, I think.”

She exhaled. “Nothing a biscuit or something won’t cure.”

“Woof.” Chino heard “biscuit” and got excited.

“Let me guess. With butter and honey on it.” Kerry got up and offered Dar a hand. “C’mon. I could use something solid myself.” She pulled and put her other hand on Dar’s chest to steady her as she rose.

“Okay?”

“Fine.” Dar nodded and followed her towards the kitchen, with the sound of two sets of bare feet and a collection of puppy pattering.

“MORNING, MARÍA.” DAR ducked inside her office and closed the door.

The secretary looked up, a little surprised. “Oh, Dar. Buenos días. I did not think you would be here today. Kerrisita said you felt so bad yesterday.”

She grinned. “Nothing a good night sleep couldn’t cure.” Dar’s blue eyes twinkled. “But thanks for being concerned.” She continued on into her inner office and put her briefcase down, then turned on her PC and unlocked her desk drawer. “You guys hungry?”

The two Siamese fighting fish swam guardedly past each other, eyeing her suspiciously. Dar took a pinch of the fish food, opened the acrylic case, and sprinkled it inside. The fish eagerly snapped at it, and she put the cover on. She tucked the box away and folded her hands as she watched her pets eat.

She hadn’t liked them at first. But as the months wore on, she’d gotten used to their colorful presence and now she liked to spend a few minutes in the morning just watching them, as the water collected the sunlight filtering in from behind her.

The door opened and María walked in, carrying several folders.

“You look very nice today, jefa. That is new for you, I think.”

Eye of the Storm 183

Dar glanced down at the embroidered lace shirt and crisply pressed black slacks. “Um…yeah, as a matter of fact. Thanks.” A surprise from Kerry materialized that morning while she showered. She had come out to find the pretty things laid out on the dresser without comment. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that, she reflected, then sat back, oblivious to María’s busy presence by her outbox, distracted by a sudden realization.

She ran through days in her mind, then exhaled. Her relationship with Kerry had just become the longest one she’d ever had.

“Dar?” María’s voice sounded concerned.

“Hmm?” She blinked and drummed her fingers on the desk. “Sorry. I was just thinking of something. What’s up?”

“I was saying you have the lunch meeting on Key Biscayne today and a briefing at two o’clock. Do you want me to try to move that a little?

Traffic will be terrible coming back from that construction.”

“Um, yeah.” Dar collected herself and turned her attention to the business at hand. She’d have time later to figure out a way to mark, at least privately in her own mind, the milestone. “That’d be fine. Tell Mark I need him and his team to get me the projected traffic patterns before lunch, and schedule a conference call with the overseas group after four.”

“Sí.”

“Oh.” Dar pulled open her drawer and tugged out a manila folder with a name printed neatly on the outside in black magic marker. “Give this personally to Maríana, will you? I don’t want it floating around in the interoffice mail.”

“I will do that now.” María took the envelope and smiled. She paused before the door closed. “Oh. Dar? I thought you would like to know this–Mr. Ankow left yesterday. He said you would hear from him later.”

Hot damn. Dar grinned. “What a shame. Sorry I missed him yesterday.” Guess he didn’t find what he was looking for. Shucks. “Thanks, María.”

She went back to her mail, deleting whole strings of it with piratical gusto.

KERRY RELEASED THE phone button and exhaled, her shoulder slumping as she stared at the desktop under her folded hands. It had been a great morning until that last call, too. She’d gotten a lot done, despite having to put up with a tiny, mischievous little gopher that somehow kept popping up on her screen and munching her windows.

She named it Dar and it snickered.

A rap came at her inner door and she looked up as it opened and a dark head poked inside. “Hi there.” Kerry smiled a little, glad to see the relaxed look on Dar’s face. “How are you feeling?”

“Not bad.” Her boss sauntered into the room and perched on the desk. “Not up to Thai food, but I’ve been working on a bottle of juice all morning. Hasn’t come back up.” She cocked her head. “What’s up with you?”

184 Melissa Good

“What makes you think something is?” Kerry asked.

Dar put a fingertip right between Kerry’s eyes, just over her brow.

“You get a little wrinkle right there when something’s bothering you.”

The pale brows twitched. “I do?”

“Yup.”

Kerry tilted her head. “Well, I just got a call from my father’s lawyer.” The words brought a bad taste to her mouth. “Or should I say, one of his stable of lawyers.” She paused. “He um…made it official that I wasn’t to approach any of the family. That I was considered a hostile witness.”

Dar made a face, then patted Kerry’s hand. “Sorry about that.” She took in Kerry’s dejected shoulders and racked her brains, thinking of some kind of treat to perk her up. “Hey. You owe me a trip to the leather store.”

“What?”

“Didn’t you say you’d be my date for my high school reunion?” Dar teased. “Need to get you into some leather for that, remember?”

“Errrw.” Kerry bit her lip, a grin attempting to escape. “Well, yeah, I did say I’d do that, huh?”

“Yeeesss, you did.”

“You…um…have some place in mind?”

“Yeeesss, I do.” Dar chuckled softly, a definite wicked twinkle in her eyes.

“Uuuuhhhh. I am sooo in trouble, aren’t I?” Kerry squeaked.

“Yeess, you are.” The taller woman ran a light touch down her cheek.

“You talked me into this, Ms. Debating Champion, and I’m gonna hold you to it.” She grinned. “Besides, I bet you look great in nice, snug leather.”

Kerry’s mouth went dry for a second and she was suddenly short of air. She cleared her throat. “Okay. Ah, we could go right after work. Get something light for dinner. How’s that?”

“Sounds great.” Dar smiled. “And Ker?”

She tore her thoughts away from Dar and leather and looked up.

“Mmm?”

“I’d kinda like to be there at the hearing with you, if you don’t mind.”

The green eyes widened and fixed on her, as Kerry sat, struck dumb for a very long moment. “But how can you just—” She stopped, as Dar merely sat, watching her. “You can’t…bu—” A long breath escaped her.

“God, I love you.” Her eyes closed. “Of course I don’t mind.”

Dar ruffled her hair. “Good. I’ve got a couple of meetings this afternoon. I’ll catch up with you on the way out, okay?”

Kerry nodded mutely.

“Clear some time on Monday or Tuesday. I’ve got an eval to go over with you.”

Another silent nod.

“You okay?” Dar held back a laugh, at the wistful look on her lover’s Eye of the Storm 185

face.

Kerry hit her intercom button. “Mayte?”

“Yes, Ms. Kerry?” the girl’s voice came back promptly.

“I’m in a confidential meeting, okay?”

A puzzled pause. “Okay. For how long?”

“I’ll call you.” Kerry clicked the button off, then stood up and put her arms around Dar, hugging her fiercely.

Bewildered, but pleased, Dar returned the hug, giving Kerry’s back a gentle pat. She heard a soft sniffle near her ear and felt Kerry bury her face into the soft cotton shirt she was wearing. “Sorry about the lawyer, Ker. That was a lousy thing for them to do.”

“Just hit home, I guess,” her lover whispered. “I did this to them, Dar. I am a hostile witness.”

There was really nothing Dar could refute that with. “You did the right thing, Kerry.”

“Did I?” Kerry responded softly. “No one cares, Dar. You saw the papers. It’s like, ‘Oh, look. Another one who took bribes. Ho hum.’” She sighed. “I guess I want to have my cake and eat it, Dar. I want justice, and I want them to still love me anyway.”

“Mmm.”

“I can’t have both.”

“No.”

Kerry leaned against her, needing the security, glad beyond measure she could look forward to Dar’s presence in what promised to be a very cold place.

Justice was fine, she acknowledged sadly, but it sure gave lousy hugs.

THE HANDS ON her shoulders surprised her, but Ceci recognized the touch before she had a chance to jump. She turned her head from where she’d been gazing out the front window and regarded her husband quietly. “I really enjoyed today,” she commented, unable to stop from leaning back a little against him. They’d gone into town that morning, just walking quietly around the quaint, small shops, then she’d taken him to the countryside, through the rolling hills and dew soaked fields that surrounded the area she lived in.

Just talking, a little.

Or, mostly, she talked, and Andy listened, about what she’d been doing, her art, the shows, being with her family again after so long. How they’d been more than glad to accept her back into their casually sophisticated circle, and she’d let them, returning to a world she had willingly left so many years before. It was the world she lived in now, centered around the art gallery and her small studio, where she sat alone and painted, surrounded by tubes and pallets of dreams she resisted experiencing.

Andy told her a tiny bit about what he’d been doing since his return.

How he’d spent his days doing volunteer work at the VA and his nights 186 Melissa Good in the local library, indulging in a lifelong passion for reading that had always surprised her.

And how he’d been out walking on the beach one night, very late, looking at the stars when he’d come upon a lone figure sitting in the sand, whose profile had shocked him with familiarity.

He hadn’t intended on seeking Dar out, he’d told her. But God had up and decided the matter for him, and once he’d seen his beloved child, it had only been a matter of time before he’d been drawn back into her life.

Which, in a very real sense, had drawn him back into Ceci’s, because, Andy had told her, Dar had nudged him in that direction the whole dang time.

She’d had mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, of course, she was grateful to her daughter. On the other hand, she hurt inside knowing her cold rejection of her child had been repaid with mature compassion.

She suspected, deep in her heart, that the relationship between her and Dar had been fractured beyond repair and there was a part of her that regretted that.

“Yeap,” Andy agreed. “Some pretty trees up here.”

Cecilia turned all the way around and put her hands against his chest. “You know what I miss, though?”

His head inclined a bit in question.

“The sea.”

He laced his fingers behind her head and nodded.

“That beautiful light in the mornings and the sunsets after the storms in summer,” she murmured wistfully, then smiled. “Wild parrots.”

That got a short, unexpected laugh. “Damn things. You never did let me chase their feathered butts outta that mango tree outside.” He paused.

“Not too bad a place here, though. If you’d rather stay by your folks, I kin live with it.”

Ceci exhaled, surprised by the offer. Born and raised in the far South, a beach rat by nature and by inclination, she knew Andy would be totally miserable in Connecticut, away from his beloved hometown and far from his equally beloved daughter. Guilt, she knew, was making him offer, but she wouldn’t have accepted even if she’d had even a tiny inclination to stick around the place. “No way.” She smiled. “Take me a few days to arrange things with the gallery, pack things up here, and we can go find that little beach house of yours.” She flexed her fingers, scratching him gently. “Maybe some place close to Dar’s?”

He liked the idea. She could tell. His eyes brightened perceptibly and a slow, half grin appeared. “See what I can do.” They gazed into each other’s eyes and Andy lifted a hand to brush her cheek, the rough texture of his skin raising goose bumps on hers. “You gonna be able to stand me being ’round all the time?”

“Does that mean you’re really retiring?” Ceci asked, on an uneven breath.

“Yeap. That’s what it does surely mean,” he replied. “They been Eye of the Storm 187

keeping me on the books just for,” he hesitated, “they made sure I had a roof, that kinda thing…least until I met up with Dar again.”

Of course. She exhaled. I had his benefits. “You let her take care of you?” Ceci winced at the perceptible, to her, touch of jealousy in her tone.

But Andy snorted. “Let ’er? Yer joking, aren’t ya? Damn kid’s like a force of nature. Jest rams right over every damn thing like a runaway tank.” He shook his head. “Kept things damn quiet where I was staying by, but the next thing I know, stuffs getting dropped off there, Lord knows how she found the damn address out.”

“She knew you’d never take it otherwise.” Ceci smiled thinly.

“Or…maybe she just didn’t want to risk being turned away.” Her eyes dropped. “Especially by you.”

“Cec…” He tweaked one of her ears, an old habit of his.

“I know.” She sighed. “One step at a time.” She leaned forward and closed her eyes, abandoning the bad memories up to the peace of just being there with him. They’d work things out, she was sure of it.

The phone warbled, surprising her. She picked it up without looking, still keeping her body pressed against Andrew’s. “Hello?”

“Ceci?” Elli’s voice sounded a touch hesitant. “Are you feeling better today, my dear?”

“I feel wonderful,” she mumbled. “Why?”

A definite pause. “Well, you sounded so strange the other day. I wasn’t sure…I thought perhaps you had one of your migraines,” Elli told her. “I was just wondering if you wanted to pick up something for dinner, before the gallery party tonight.”

Oh, rats. “I’d forgotten completely about that,” Cecilia admitted.

“What time is it again?”

“Cecilia.” Elli sounded concerned. “What is going on? You’ve been acting so odd since the funeral. I’m quite concerned for you. I mentioned it to Charles just yesterday. He said he was going to stop by to see if something was the matter.”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Ceci answered. “As a matter of fact, everything’s right for a change.” She looked up at Andy looking back down at her, a wry expression on his scarred face. “Andy came home.”

It didn’t really matter that there was now total silence at the other end of the phone. It was much more peaceful that way.

“Wh…Ceci, what did you say?” Elli spluttered. “I’m sure you just said…”

“That Andy came home. I did.” She traced a line up his sweatshirt.

“Andy?”

“Mmhmm. My husband. You remember him, don’t you, Elli? Tall, dark hair, beautiful blue eyes?” She gave up a little impish grin as he blushed visibly.

“He’s there?” Elli sounded completely shocked.

“Right here. You want to talk to him?” She held the phone up. “Say hello to Elli.”

“’Lo, Elli,” Andrew drawled obligingly. Of all his wife’s relatives, 188 Melissa Good he’d liked Elli the best, though that hadn’t been saying much. At least she’d been the least outwardly nasty to him.

“There. Heard that?” It was strange, in a way. Telling other people suddenly made it real, in a way it hadn’t been before. “So. I’ve been a little distracted, El, I’m sorry. I did forget completely about the party tonight.”

“Ceci.” Elli was audibly collecting her wits. “My god. I have no idea what to say.”

“Congratulations is a good start.”

“Well, of course, my dear, of course. That goes without saying, but I mean…I don’t understand…I thought...”

“They made a mistake,” Ceci told her quietly. “What every service-man’s widow in the history of the world wanted to have happen to them, just happened to me.” She looked up and searched Andy’s somber face.

“I’m not sure why I lucked out, but I’m not complaining.”

Elli sighed. “I’m glad for you, Ceci. I truly am. It’s quite remarkable.

I’m sure we’d all love to know what happened. Shall I tell Mark you won’t be at the party tonight, or…I mean, it is in your honor…the new exhibit and all.”

“Hold on.” She pressed the mute button on the phone. “I was supposed to do a party tonight.”

“Mmm?” Andrew looked noncommittal.

“At the gallery. They put up a new exhibit of mine. I’m not really fond of it, but they paid for it, so there you are.”

“Don’t let me stop you. G’wan,” Andy told her.

“I don’t want you to stop me. I want you to go with me,” Ceci replied. “Please?”

Son of a biscuit. Andy was caught between a boat and a dock and he knew it. “Honey, teacup parties and me don’t mix.”

“I know,” Ceci agreed. “But my whole family’ll be there.”

“They will, huh?”

“Mmm.”

Well. Andy felt that little rebel inside him climb out. “Kin I go like this?” He plucked his sweatshirt, a really soft, comfortable one Kerry had sent. “Don’t got much else.”

Ceci smiled and let her held breath out. “I’ve got something else you can wear,” she whispered, then un-muted the phone. “Elli? No. Tell him I’ll be there.”

“You will? Oh, all right. I’ll tell him. Listen, Ceci, maybe we can come over, say tomorrow? I know I’d love to see Andy and hear what happened.”

“We’ll arrange something.”

“All right. I’ll see you later, dear.”

She hung up the phone and put it on the counter, then looked up for those vivid blue eyes. “Thank you.”

“You sure you want me to do this?” Andy asked. “Gonna stir them up like a bear in a honeybee nest.”

Eye of the Storm 189

Cecilia nodded firmly. “They’ve been telling me for seven years I should put my past behind me and move on. I never could. Maybe part of me knew. Certainly, a big part of me never stopped watching that front walk, expecting you to come up it one day.” She stroked his face very gently, then brushed back the soft, salt and pepper locks. “I want them to see what I was waiting for.” She was a little surprised to find her breathing irregular as she traced the faint smile on his face.

“All right,” Andy drawled, returning the touch and sending a definite tingle down her spine. “Glad you waited.” He inclined his head and found her lips, kissing her with an almost bashful gentleness.

Ceci slid her arms around his neck and pulled herself up and closer, craving the contact as though she were thirsting after water. His hands slipped around her waist after a moment of surprise, then she was lifted up into a much more comfortable position and snugged tight in a powerful grip. “Mmm.” She explored delicately, finding an unmistakable response that started a welcome fire deep in her guts.

Ceci let her eyes drift open for a moment, finding darkened, almost periwinkle ones watching her.

They both smiled.