Fools Rush in(100)

“Shit, Danny was there? Did she have to do that in front of Danny?”

“Watch your mouth, young lady. And yes, apparently she did. It was a big shock, honey.”

We sat in silence for a minute. “Well, thanks for coming, Daddy,” I said.

“Sure, sweetheart. Anything you need? Got enough oil for your lamps? Enough food?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Thanks, Dad. Thanks a lot.”

“All right then. Call me if you need to.”

He kissed me on the cheek and went back out into the storm.

Digger and I had a cold supper, and I played solitaire for a while. Finally, I took the phone into my room so I’d hear it. I wanted to call Sam, but he’d said he’d call me, and I had no doubt his hands were full right now. Digger jumped up next to me, spoiled hound, and I petted his head. Within minutes, much to my surprise, I fell dead asleep.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

THE POWER WAS BACK THE NEXT day, the sky blue and crystal clear. I barely noticed.

I was dying to hear from Sam. I also wanted to call Danny, but to tell the truth, I was a little nervous about that one. I hadn’t really thought about Danny in terms of Sam and me being together. Hell, there hadn’t been time! Was it just yesterday that Sam had told me he loved me? It seemed like an age ago. The hours ticked past with agonizing deliberation.

When the phone finally rang, I leaped to answer it.

“It’s Sam.” His voice was low.

“Hey! How’s it going? Is everything okay?”

“Listen, Millie, I can’t talk right now. I just wanted to give you a quick call and let you know that right now, things are kind of, um, crazy.”

“Is Danny there?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“Is he upset?”

“Yup.”

“Oh, Sam. I’m sorry.”

“Me, too, Millie. I have to take care of a few things, but I’ll call you when I can. Okay?” His voice was tight.

“Can I do anything?”

He sighed. “I don’t think so. I’ve got to run.”

I was hoping that his call would reassure me. It didn’t.

Unwilling to sit and fret anymore, I went down to the cellar and brought back the deck chairs and table, then started picking up the branches that had fallen during the storm. The air was rich with the scent of cedar and salt. Birds celebrated their survival, squawking and chirping loudly in the trees. As I was dragging a particularly large branch across the yard, the Digger alarm went off. Trish’s BMW was pulling into my driveway. My pulse thudded sickly in my ears.

What does one say to one’s sister in a situation like this? Where was Mitch when I needed him? I called my dog to me as Trish got out of her car and stood for a moment. She was wearing jeans and a yellow shirt, and she looked younger and more natural than she had in years.

“Hi,” she said neutrally. “Got a minute?”

“Sure,” I said, dropping the branch. A small blob of sap remained on my palm, and as I looked at it, I saw that my hand was shaking.

“Do you want to come in?” I asked.

“No, let’s just stay out here.” Trish pulled a chair out from the table and sat, folding her hands before her as if in prayer. Hesitantly, I sat across from her. Digger stood beside me like a bodyguard, ears pricked, eyes fixed on Trish. I reached out and patted his head.

“I won’t waste your time, Millie,” my sister began, gazing into the backyard. “I broke up with Avery, and I came back here to get back together with Sam.”

I drew in a sharp breath. “Oh.”

Trish tapped her French-manicured nails on the table. “Look, Millie, I know you have a crush on Sam. He said the thing with you guys was brand new. I want you to back off. It really would be best for everybody if you’d just drop it.”

“Well, golly gee, Trish, if you think so.” My casual tone was belied by the fear that leaped to life at her words.

“Don’t be sarcastic, Millie,” Trish snapped, sitting back in the chair, glaring at me from her dark chocolate eyes. “Think about things. Sam and I have been together for eighteen years now—”

“Except that you divorced him—”

“—and we have a son together. A home. A whole life. There’s a lot of history there. You can’t just dismiss that.”

“No, you’re right, Trish, I can’t. And I won’t try. But, Trish, you left him more than a year ago! You cheated on him, you divorced him, you moved in with someone else! You broke his heart.”

“Yes. I did. It was a mistake.”

Somehow I hadn’t imagined Trish saying that. It was hard to counter.

“Millie, Sam is a wonderful man,” Trish said slowly. “I know you two have been spending a lot of time together, and I don’t blame you for falling for him. But can’t you just see that it’s not real? It doesn’t compare to what he and I have together.”

I clenched my teeth. “Trish, you dragged his heart through the dump. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but he’s over you.”

“Are you sure about that, Millie?” she asked gently. Uncertainty flickered through my heart. I didn’t answer.

“Well. Whatever the case may be, let me just say this,” she continued, pausing to adjust her sandal strap. “I’ve never asked you for anything, Millie. But I’m asking now. I want my husband back. I want my son back. I want you to drop this thing with Sam. It’s so new you won’t even miss him, and things will go back to normal.”