Mayhem and mistletoe, p.8
Mayhem & Mistletoe, page 8
“Ice skating. There’s a rink downtown. We could go tomorrow night. You game?”
A date.
She was asking him out on a date.
Simon hesitated for one second before he smiled at her.
“Sure. But I have to warn you. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on a pair of skates.”
Bronwyn laughed. “Don’t worry. If you fall, I’ll catch you.”
They had just exchanged numbers when Adam bounded back down the stairs sounding like a herd of buffalo. He carried the baby monitor in his hand.
“Okay, Bronwyn, Bree is all ready to go. She’s waiting for you in the kitchen.”
“Okay.” Bronwyn turned back to Simon. “I’ll text you the details about tomorrow night, Simon.”
“Can’t wait.”
“Me either,” she smiled flirtatiously. “See ya.”
“Happy shopping.”
When she was gone Simon looked at Adam, who was looking at him with something like awe.
“What the hell, dude? I’m gone five minutes and you two are dating? That was fast!”
Simon laughed out loud.
“We’re not dating. We’re just… ice skating.”
“Uh… ice skating counts as a date, Simon. And by the way, dating is the best way to get over someone you’re trying to forget. Just saying.”
“Yeah,” Simon sighed. “So they say.”
8
Simon pulled up to the house and parked on the street. He liked the little Victorian cottage his sister and brother-in-law called home, but it wasn’t his taste. Although he could see why Sidney was drawn to it. It had a certain down-home-picket-fence feel to it that he knew would always appeal to her.
He got out of his Cadillac SUV and pulled his bags from the backseat. At the front door he used the key Sidney had given him and let himself in. Christmas music played softly as he stepped inside.
“Hey Simon,” Sidney called from somewhere inside the house.
“Hey.”
He put his bags away in the guest room and then ventured out to the kitchen, where he found Sidney cooking dinner. Chicken. He frowned as he watched her move around the space adding spices and such.
“Do you always cook fancy, elaborate meals like this? Or is this company cooking?”
Sidney looked at him with the oddest expression on her face, looking every bit like their mama.
“This is baked chicken thighs and rice, Simon. It’s a casserole. Casseroles, by definition, are not fancy or elaborate.”
“If you say so.”
It looked elaborate to him. But what did he know?
“So how was your day? What did you do? I’m sorry Ike and I both had to work.”
“Nah, don’t sweat it. I had a full day.” He opened up the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. “Went to the Rock Hall gift shop and got a couple of things, then I drove out and had lunch with Adam and Bree and little Isla.”
“Ohh, isn’t she precious?”
“She is very cute.”
“I want one of those.”
Sidney pouted, and Simon smiled at her. He knew how sad she and Ike had both been several months ago when she’d suffered a miscarriage.
“I’m sure you will have one soon enough.”
She turned away, covering the casserole dish with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
“Um, so then what did you do?”
Simon studied her as he took a swig of his water. He suspected she was changing the subject to keep the sadness from creeping in. He would do his part to help the effort.
“After lunch Adam and I played a little pool. I won fifty bucks in a best two out of three, thank you very much!”
Sidney smiled.
Should he tell her about his date with Bronwyn? Part of him wanted to, but after the way she’d flipped out on him yesterday when she thought he was going on a date gave him pause. Maybe he would keep it to himself for a while.
“And then I left and drove out to the mall and did a little Christmas shopping.”
“But you already put a couple of gifts under the tree when you got here the other night.”
“Yeah, and later tonight after I wrap them, I’ll put a couple more under there too.”
“Meow.”
Alfred Hitchcock, who had been perched on a table just outside the kitchen, leapt off and went trotting happily out to the front door just as Isaac came through it. Simon turned to Sidney.
“Does that cat always do that when he gets home?”
“Every day, just like a dog. They’re buddies. And he knows the difference too. You notice he did not run out there when you came in. He knows when it’s Ike and when it’s not.”
“Wow.”
“It’s actually pretty cute.”
“What’s cute?” Ike said stepping into the kitchen and holding out a fist for Simon to pound.
“You. And your relationship with Alfred Hitchcock.” Sidney smiled up at him, and Ike grinned, leaning in to kiss her.
“I just treat him like a person, that’s all. He likes that.” Ike looked at Simon. “Hey, how was your lunch with my brother?”
“It was fun. I had a good time.”
“Good.”
Sidney turned on them, pointing a finger at Ike’s chest.
“You knew where he was going this morning?”
“Yes, I did.”
“And you didn’t tell me. You just let me squirm.”
“Well, it was so much fun watching the two of you argue about it.”
“Ohh! Way to be on my side, baby.”
Sid’s tone was full of sarcasm, and Ike laughed and kissed her again.
“I’m going to change out of these work clothes.”
Simon stood by watching their easy exchange and it made him smile. Isaac obviously made his sister very happy, and for that he would always love the guy.
Once Ike changed, they all sat down to a dinner of baked chicken thighs in a creamy rice casserole with a side of turnip greens and cornbread.
“So Ike, how do you really feel about all the soul food my sister has been introducing you to since you’ve been together?”
Isaac looked at him with laughter in his weird grey eyes.
“Introducing me to? Come on now. I was born in Tennessee. My mama raised us on fried catfish, country ham, collard greens, black-eyed peas, corn bread and fried pies. Soul food is southern food, man. That’s the food of my childhood. And it’s the food you’ll likely get at my mama’s house on Christmas Eve too.”
“All right now. My bad. I’ll step off.”
They all laughed and the conversation moved on to other things. As they ate and talked, Simon watched the two of them closely. Their interactions and the cute little inside jokes. It was like they had their own special rhythm. They had this habit of moving in unison, and Simon didn’t even think they were aware of it.
It was like watching a ballet. And the longer he watched it, the more he began to feel the smallest of pangs.
What was that?
“The point is, I’m okay being alone right now, Sidney. I know that you’re in love and still a newlywed, and you want the whole world to couple up and be happy. And I want that for myself too. But when the time is right. When the woman is right.”
His conversation with Sidney from that morning came floating back to him, and Simon suddenly wondered when that time would be.
He’d told Sidney that he wasn’t ready for a relationship again, and at the time he said those words, he’d meant them. But now, watching her and Ike, seeing them so happy and settled, it made him feel… something.
Lonely?
Alone?
A stirring he hadn’t felt since he’d left Japan months ago under a cloud of heartache and humiliation and shame and remorse.
And guilt.
He couldn’t forget the guilt.
It was always with him because what he’d done was so horrible, and so completely out of character, he couldn’t let it go.
Falling in love with your best friend’s wife was one thing. It was quite another to act on those feelings. Especially when that best friend just happened to be the general over the entire Air Force base at Okinawa. A man who literally held Simon’s career in the palm of his hand.
General John Hinton could have ended things for Simon so easily. The career he loved so much and was so proud of could have gone up in spectacular flames.
But instead, the man had taken the high ground and chosen to simply issue Simon new orders, sending him out of the country and as far away from his wife as he could get him.
Simon hadn’t blamed him.
If their roles had been reversed, Simon would have done the same thing. And the truth was, he’d been grateful. He had been happy for the change. Happy to finally get away from Cassandra. Not because he hadn’t truly loved her, but because he did.
Cassie had been like a drug to him, one he couldn’t break away from. Not on his own.
So when the new orders came in, Simon had seen it as a sign. He’d embraced it. He had come to Ohio willingly and gratefully. Not only was his baby sister here, but it was an opportunity to finally break free from the hold Cassie had over his head.
He figured he would worry about his heart later.
So here he was.
It had taken months of drowning his sorrows in work to get over her. But he’d done it. He had moved on. And now he was in a good place again. A place of peace within himself.
A place he never thought he would reach.
But was he ready to find love again?
Was that even possible?
Simon didn’t know the answer to that question. But there was one thing he did know for certain. He was happy that his sister was so happy, and he wanted some of what she had.
Sidney took a bite of her dinner and then frowned at her brother.
“What, Simon?”
“Hmm?”
“You were staring at us.”
“Was I?”
“Yes.”
“Sorry. I was just thinking about…”
He paused, and Sidney got the feeling he was preoccupied with something.
“Nothing important.”
“You sure?”
“Yep. What were you saying about tomorrow?”
Sidney wondered what was really on her brother’s mind, but he obviously didn’t want to talk about it, so she let it drop.
“Um, I was just saying that I have a very busy day tomorrow and I’d like to get an early start.”
Simon took a sip of water. “I thought you were off for the holiday starting tomorrow.”
“No, technically I am. But we have six kids at the shelter right now, and we’ve been trying to do our best to make the holiday a happy one for them, you know? Like yesterday we brought in a live tree, and we spent today doing arts and crafts to make ornaments and decorations for the tree and the house. We baked cookies. Zoe and I, and the other three employees, have all pitched in a little money to get the kids a few gifts. Nothing big, just small fun things so that they’ll have presents under the tree to open.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. So I thought tomorrow morning I’d go to the Dollar Store or someplace like that and find a few stocking stuffer gifts and candy to go in the stockings I found for them.”
“You are such a softie.” Simon shook his head.
“That she is,” Ike looked at her and smiled. “But it’s why I love her.”
Sidney smiled and blew a kiss Ike’s way. Then she turned back to Simon.
“Anyway, after that, I need to go the grocery store because Zoe and I decided that we would put together an actual Christmas dinner for the residents. So I’ll be cooking a small turkey and some trimmings. Zoe will make a ham and more trimmings.”
“You two really go above and beyond at that place, don’t you?” Simon sounded surprised.
“Well, yeah, maybe we do.” Sidney tried to keep the defensiveness out of her voice. “But these women deserve it. They deserve a break, you know? Some compassion. Some help. Just someone to say ‘I got you. You’re not in this alone anymore.’ I mean, if I had thought to look for a place like this back when I was going through it with Damien, it could’ve changed everything.”
She paused and took a sip of her water, and thought about all she had been through. Then Jamie and the other current residents of Hope House ran through her mind.
“For some of these women, and their children, Hope House is the difference between life and death. Like just this morning…”
She looked at Isaac and placed a hand on his arm.
“I knew there was something I meant to tell you, Ike. The alarms went off today and someone pounded on the door at Hope House. Lynn Driscoll was there working, so she went to the door, and you will never guess who it was.”
“Who?” Ike asked, right on cue.
“Jamie. From the gym?”
“Oh really?”
“Yep.”
“Was she in trouble?”
“You bet she was. That asshole boyfriend of hers had beat her because she told him she wanted to go home to see her family for the holidays. Can you believe that? And the bruises on her torso are just horrendous. She said when she picked herself up off the floor, she hit him in the head with a vase and ran out of the house without a coat or shoes.”
“What?” Simon looked astounded.
“In this weather?” Ike asked.
“Yes. And I don’t know where she lives exactly, but Lynn told me it was like almost four miles away. Jamie was practically frozen by the time she reached Hope House. Dr. Tobey said a few more minutes of exposure and she would have been looking at a serious case of frostbite. He said she has something called frostnip, which I guess is a less severe case?”
“Jesus.” Ike sounded disgusted.
“Wait.” Simon held up a hand. “She ran out of the house into the foot of snow out there? Temperatures barely in the double digits? With no coat and no shoes?”
He sounded like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and Sidney nodded.
“Yep. And she probably saved her own life by doing it.”
Simon looked over at Isaac.
“What the hell gets into some men, Ike?”
“Oh, you don’t know how many times I used to ask myself that very question back when I was still in uniform and working the domestic violence unit. Some of these men, I just wanted to take ’em out and give them a taste of their own medicine.”
“God, I don’t know how you stopped yourself. I mean… didn’t they grow up with mamas that taught them how to treat a woman? Or a sister that they wanted to protect?”
“Or fathers, for that matter. My dad and I have our issues, but I’ll tell you what. That was one thing he always drilled into me and my brothers. Never manhandle a woman. Never put your hands on a woman in anger.”
Simon sighed and kept shaking his head.
“I just don’t get it. How can you tell a woman you love her and then punch her in the face like you would some dude in a bar fight? How the hell is that love? And I really don’t get why the women stay!”
All the air left Sidney’s lungs.
Her belly burned like she had just done a few shots of acid.
Silence reigned for a long moment.
“The women stay for all sorts of reasons, Simon.”
Her voice was soft but strong, and she lifted her chin.
“Reasons you, as a man, have never even had to think about. But I wouldn’t expect you to understand it.”
“Oh, shit.”
He dropped his head and his fork. Then he reached out and placed a hand on Sidney’s arm.
“No, Sid. I didn’t mean that as some sort of judgement of you or your choices. I would never do that. I just—”
“No, I know what you meant.” She looked him in the eyes. “It’s okay. Really. I simply want you to know that there are multiple reasons why women stay in abusive relationships. A lot of women are financially dependent on their abusers. For others there are children to provide for. Maybe they have an ill child and they need the health insurance. I could go on and on; the reasons are as varied as the women themselves. But I hope that you would never ask that question to a woman who you know has been abused.”
“No, of course I wouldn’t. I’m sorry, Sidney. Truly.”
She smiled at him and nodded. “I know.”
Isaac took her hand.
“I’m proud of you, darlin’.”
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, and they all resumed their dinner.
“I’m glad you found your calling, Sid.” Simon speared a forkful of greens. “The work you’re doing seems to agree with you.”
“Thanks. I enjoy it. I find it very rewarding.” She took a sip of her water. “So do you want to come with me tomorrow for all of my errands? We can stop and have breakfast somewhere.”
“Hey, I’m in. And who knows. Maybe I’ll decide to buy something for the kids myself.”
When they finished their dinner, Simon closed himself off in the heated sunroom to watch TV while Isaac helped Sidney clean up. She pressed the button to start the dishwasher and was about to go wipe down the table when Isaac took her by the hand and led her away.
“What are you doing, sir?”
He glanced toward the sunroom.
“Well, since Simon is currently occupied by football, I thought I would use this time to lock us away in our bedroom where I can strip you down and worship your body.”
Sidney grinned, and followed him down the hallway.
“Ooh. That sounds interesting.”
“Mmm.”
“And potentially dangerous. What does this body worshiping entail, Detective?”
“Oh, it’s a very complex and multi-leveled undertaking.”
“I see. Will it hurt?”
“No, no. It won’t hurt. But…”
He paused and made a face, as though the situation were grave.
“But?”
They stood outside the bedroom door and she looked up into his eyes.
“But it is a rather intense procedure. It’ll require your full cooperation, Mrs. Taylor.”
“I’m fully prepared to do whatever it takes, Detective. Anything in fact.”
“Anything?”
