felt so bad about,” her eyes cut to Bethy and back, “things. You need to know that.”
I nodded and looked away. I couldn’t take her gaze nor her certainty it wasn’t my fault. Would she think differently if she knew what had happened since I’d discovered Tom had been cheating on me? Would she blame me then for his death?
Bill and Liam were on the couch, not talking but I saw Bill was patting him on the shoulder. Ann walked in with a tray full of iced tea and milk and she passed out the drinks. As she handed me mine, she gave me the look.
“ Your room,” I mouthed. She looked like a kid on Christmas morning. I couldn’t imagine she was after his body no matter how hot he was considering she was gay but hell, what did I know? She certainly looked excited enough when she said, “I just need to go upstairs for a moment. Won’t be long!”
I sighed.
“Did Tom have a will?” This from Bill, who wouldn’t know discretion if it swooped in and crapped on his lap.
“ Oh Bill, really? In front of the children?”
He looked at Liam, his trim brows wrinkling. “What? They know he’s dead, don’t they? Pretending it didn’t happen won’t do them any good.”
Alice opened her mouth to say something else, something in the four-letter range, I imagined. I put my hand on her arm and told Bill, “Yes. He did. We both had everything arranged. His idea. Always better to be prepared.” I smiled at Alice whose eyes were shimmering. She nodded and turned away toward Bethy.
“ Let’s go make some cookies, shall we?” Her eyes settled on Liam. “You want to help?”
“ Nah. I’ll sit here with Grampa.”
“ All right.”
I didn’t particularly want to sit with Bill but wasn’t too sure about leaving Liam alone with him. Then again, Liam had a knack for talking to Bill so perhaps all would be well. When the TV went on and they began talking sports, I left them. In the kitchen, grandmother and granddaughter were bent over the recipe book though it didn’t sound like their conversation had anything to do with baking. I had a fierce longing for my mother that I tamped down. If I was lucky, my brother would be able to make it in time for Tom’s funeral. If not, I’d take comfort in my kids, Ann, and Alice.
I went upstairs to find Ann sitting by the bed staring at Jasper. He was asleep―either that or he was faking so he didn’t have to lay around while a strange woman stared at him. “What are you doing?”
“ He’s beautiful.” She must have spotted something in my face because she flapped her hand at me. “Not that way. His aura. It’s pure gold. I’ve never seen one so beautiful. It sparkles and glitters like gold fire.” She sighed. “Beautiful.”
“ Okay, well, you should let him sleep. Figure out something to do with him besides stash him here. I mean, eventually the kids are going to notice him. How would I explain him to Alice or Bill?”
“ You need him.”
I pressed my fingers to my forehead. Could people get instantaneous migraines? “Why?”
“Destiny. Fate. I don’t know. But when you came in, your aura mingled with his.”
I curled my lip. “Would you stop?” I had a feeling I knew why my aura was mingling … though I didn’t particularly like the notion of any part of me frolicking with a stranger, no matter how handsome he was. If I knew how to yank it back, I would.
She smiled at him and rose, her bracelets jingling. “I know fate when I see it.”
I grabbed her by the shoulders and eased her out of the room, shutting the door with what I hoped was quiet finality. “I know he’s in your room and I know you’re wowed by his aura but I’d rather no one know about him. Not right now.”
“Do you take me for an idiot?” She held up her hand before I could say anything. “No. Don’t answer that. I know most people take me for a flighty fool and that’s okay. Just know I do have a gift.” Her voice, normally light and airy, was solemn as she said, “And
I nodded and looked away. I couldn’t take her gaze nor her certainty it wasn’t my fault. Would she think differently if she knew what had happened since I’d discovered Tom had been cheating on me? Would she blame me then for his death?
Bill and Liam were on the couch, not talking but I saw Bill was patting him on the shoulder. Ann walked in with a tray full of iced tea and milk and she passed out the drinks. As she handed me mine, she gave me the look.
“ Your room,” I mouthed. She looked like a kid on Christmas morning. I couldn’t imagine she was after his body no matter how hot he was considering she was gay but hell, what did I know? She certainly looked excited enough when she said, “I just need to go upstairs for a moment. Won’t be long!”
I sighed.
“Did Tom have a will?” This from Bill, who wouldn’t know discretion if it swooped in and crapped on his lap.
“ Oh Bill, really? In front of the children?”
He looked at Liam, his trim brows wrinkling. “What? They know he’s dead, don’t they? Pretending it didn’t happen won’t do them any good.”
Alice opened her mouth to say something else, something in the four-letter range, I imagined. I put my hand on her arm and told Bill, “Yes. He did. We both had everything arranged. His idea. Always better to be prepared.” I smiled at Alice whose eyes were shimmering. She nodded and turned away toward Bethy.
“ Let’s go make some cookies, shall we?” Her eyes settled on Liam. “You want to help?”
“ Nah. I’ll sit here with Grampa.”
“ All right.”
I didn’t particularly want to sit with Bill but wasn’t too sure about leaving Liam alone with him. Then again, Liam had a knack for talking to Bill so perhaps all would be well. When the TV went on and they began talking sports, I left them. In the kitchen, grandmother and granddaughter were bent over the recipe book though it didn’t sound like their conversation had anything to do with baking. I had a fierce longing for my mother that I tamped down. If I was lucky, my brother would be able to make it in time for Tom’s funeral. If not, I’d take comfort in my kids, Ann, and Alice.
I went upstairs to find Ann sitting by the bed staring at Jasper. He was asleep―either that or he was faking so he didn’t have to lay around while a strange woman stared at him. “What are you doing?”
“ He’s beautiful.” She must have spotted something in my face because she flapped her hand at me. “Not that way. His aura. It’s pure gold. I’ve never seen one so beautiful. It sparkles and glitters like gold fire.” She sighed. “Beautiful.”
“ Okay, well, you should let him sleep. Figure out something to do with him besides stash him here. I mean, eventually the kids are going to notice him. How would I explain him to Alice or Bill?”
“ You need him.”
I pressed my fingers to my forehead. Could people get instantaneous migraines? “Why?”
“Destiny. Fate. I don’t know. But when you came in, your aura mingled with his.”
I curled my lip. “Would you stop?” I had a feeling I knew why my aura was mingling … though I didn’t particularly like the notion of any part of me frolicking with a stranger, no matter how handsome he was. If I knew how to yank it back, I would.
She smiled at him and rose, her bracelets jingling. “I know fate when I see it.”
I grabbed her by the shoulders and eased her out of the room, shutting the door with what I hoped was quiet finality. “I know he’s in your room and I know you’re wowed by his aura but I’d rather no one know about him. Not right now.”
“Do you take me for an idiot?” She held up her hand before I could say anything. “No. Don’t answer that. I know most people take me for a flighty fool and that’s okay. Just know I do have a gift.” Her voice, normally light and airy, was solemn as she said, “And
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