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“Jeez kid, where were you?” Rasheem Taylor’s expression was a mixture of humor and suspicion from where he stood in the open office doorway. “I been knocking and calling out to you for nearly half a minute. Your staff’s right. You are actin’ spacey today. What’s up?”
“Nothin’,” Gib half-heartedly acknowledged his cousin in the door. At the risk of ‘spacing out’ again, he forced all images of Nica Sloane from his head. Well...he tried, but those images seemed steadfast. No surprise there. Nica Sloane had been on his mind since he met her.
“This still a good time to head out?” Rasheem looked concerned. “If you’ve got business here at the station, we-”
“Nah, nah it’s all good,” Gib waved. “We can’t put this off any longer, can we?”
Rasheem shrugged. “We still have some shopping days left.”
“How long ‘til we’re down to slim pickins, though?” Gib wondered. He and Rasheem set aside time each year to go shopping for their mothers’ and aunts’ Christmas gifts. Gifts for their grandparents was a joint effort among the cousins as well as for their fathers and uncles. Everyone chipped in on golfing weekends or some other resort getaway the men might enjoy.
“We probably shouldn’t put it off much longer if we plan to have a hope in hell of makin’ good on all those ‘hints’ we got over Thanksgiving at Mema and Big Pop’s,” Rasheem said.
Gib grinned, recalling the lively discussions and other more subtle ones he’d been caught in during the family dinner. The women in his family had no shame when it came to requesting gifts.
“Guess we better get to it, then,” Gib sighed, standing.
“Sit down, G.” Rasheem ordered.
Gib obeyed, partly because he felt too out of it to argue and partly because sitting, to let his thoughts drift back to Nica Sloane, was all he really wanted to do.
“What the hell is up with you?” Rasheem asked.
“Besides work and end of the year headaches?” Gib observed his cousin ruefully. “In your line of work you know what those are all about,” he said.
“Do I...” Rasheem replied and his expression indicated understanding. As president of a community college near Richmond, end of year headaches were a hazard of the job. “For a second, I thought the family’s confirmed bachelor was having woman troubles.”
“Well,” Gib managed a grin. “We can’t all be happily married with ten kids, can we?”
“Four, smart ass,” Rasheem rebutted.
“Can I stand now?” Gib asked, still grinning broadly at his cousin’s expense.
“Hell no,” Rasheem’s dark and perfectly spaced gaze narrowed in a way that highlighted the appeal of his honey-toned face. “How long have we known each other, man?” he asked.
Gib settled back in his chair, his expression a cross of annoyance and amusement. “Are we including my diaper days in this tally?”
“Don’t remind me,” Rasheem shuddered playfully. “I’m still traumatized from my mother making me change you.”
Gib laughed. He and Rasheem were born seven years apart.
“So who is she?” Rasheem asked.
Gib’s amusement gave way to guarded surprise.
“She here in the department?”
“What? No, I-”
“Cut the shit, G.”
“I’m not seeing anybody in my department,” Gib stonily denied. His expression was just as stony.
Rasheem was unfettered. “She’s somewhere, though,” he insisted. “I know you, Gib. I’ve seen you spaced out over a woman before, but...I can’t say I’ve ever seen it happen here in your sanctum,” he spread his hands to indicate the Sheriff’s office.
Gib shrugged. “So why accuse me of it, then?”
“Because as we’ve already established, I know you. The sooner you confide in your old cousin, the sooner we get to play holiday shopping.”
As Rasheem was the closest he’d ever come to having a brother, Gib knew he could trust the man to keep his confidence and share good and much needed advice besides. “She’s a friend of Mand’s. Works for her in Cali.”
Rasheem loosed a low whistle into the room. “She as fine as LuCarolyn, Tee and Bear?” he asked.
“Hell yes,” Gib answered with no hesitation.
Rasheem looked incredulous. “So what’s the problem?”
“She’s a friend of Mand’s,” Gib studied his cousin as though the man were dense. “She works for her. Works for her in California. Take your pick of any of those problems.”
“Problems or excuses, G?”
“Excuses?”
“You know what I mean. I know it’s how you operate, you just don’t usually start with the excuses ‘til you’ve had your fill of the lady in bed and want her gone.”
Gib stood then. “You should know I’m highly offended by that.”
Rasheem chuckled. “Only because I’m right.” Removing his coat, Rasheem got comfortable in one of the deep chairs before his cousin’s desk.
“I don’t need a steady woman in my life, Sheem. Not in my line of work.”
“Yeah, that’s right,” Rasheem closed his eyes on a pretense of remembering. “Your work as Sheriff of a small, picturesque Virginia town with a zero percent crime rate. And spare me the chatter about moving to Richmond. We both know that’s a crock. Otherwise, you’d have taken that Captain’s position they offered you last year.”
“I was up for re-election here,” Gib put in.
“And they put a gun to your head to make you run, I guess?” Rasheem raised a hand to decline a response. “You haven’t left, because you like it here. I get why, but it also answers the question of why you’d be making excuses not to go after this lady two seconds after meeting her.”
“If you’re right, then why would I need to make excuses?” Gib challenged.
“Because she’s clearly made an impression. One you didn’t anticipate and in a way that hasn’t been done before-a way that might threaten this tidy life you’ve made for yourself. So now you have to talk yourself down before you fall any deeper.”
“I’ve barely known her two days!” Gib laughed out the statement and shook his head. “You need to leave the psychoanalysis to your school counselors, Sheem.”
Rasheem maintained his smug demeanor. “Known her two days and she’s already got you scrambling to find reasons not to get to know her any better.”
“What exactly do you expect me to do here, Sheem? Toss my hat in the ring, profess undying love, ask her to pick up stakes and move across the country for me?”
“Sounds like you’ve given this some thought, G.” Rasheem spread his hands. “All you gotta do now is get the lady to fall in love with you.”
Gib shook his head. “Cousin...the married life has turned your brain to mush,” he turned to the coat rack next to the desk and grabbed his uniform jacket. “Let’s get goin’.”
Just then, a slender brunette with a kind smile and soft olive-colored eyes arrived in the doorway. “Laura’s covering the front desk, Sheriff.”
Gib tossed out a wave to his assistant. “That’s fine, Mona.”
Mona Leah Briggs lingered in the doorway. “You may wanna hold up there, Sheriff. Laura’s sending a call-'' she paused when her boss’s desk phone rang. “It’s Prin. She’s been tryin’ to get you on your cell.”
Mona headed out while Gib reached for his desk phone. “It’s fine, Laura,” he told the file clerk. “Mand?” he greeted once the connection was made. “Everything good?”
“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine. I only want to know if you’re coming to Mama and Daddy’s Christmas dinner tomorrow night.”
Gib’s brow wrinkled. “Didn’t they just have a Christmas dinner?”
“That was a cocktail party to kick things off for everyone staying over for the holidays.”
Gib had to laugh. He couldn’t be happier that his aunt and uncle felt the urge to go overboard with end of year celebrations again. “I’m not sure, Mand. I thought we’d all see each other at Mema and Big Pop’s thing.”
“Yes, but we’re hoping to see you tomorrow night, too.”
“Mand...it’s their first time doin’ all this in years. Shouldn’t it be more...intimate or something? It’s yours and Slayte’s first Christmas and all.”
“True, but with everyone else there...it’s just starting to look like a couple’s thing and...”
Prin intentionally trailed off and Gib sighed. “Don’t do this to me, Mand.”
“Do what?”
“Fix me up.”
“Lucky for me, I don’t have to since you seem to be handling it yourself.”
“Wasn’t it you who said I’d drop her like a hot potato when my job came calling?”
“That was before you drove all the way back here yesterday morning to visit with her for over an hour. I know you well enough to know that’s time you’d otherwise devote to the DCSD.
“Well hell Mand, it was the polite thing to do after what you told me.”
“Oh well,” Prin sighed. “If that’s the case, I’ll just tell Nica you decided not to come-”
“Hold up,” he settled to the corner of his desk. “She asked if I was coming?”
“What difference does it make if-”
“Dammit Mand, did she ask?”
Prin’s laughter flowed through the line. “She may have shown a little extra interest in the guest list. So? Should I tell her you’ll be here or let her move forward with plans for a quiet meal in her room?”
Gib hesitated only a few beats. “Should I bring something?”
“Oh...I think you’ll be enough.”
“You know, the longer you’re pregnant, the more annoying you’re becoming.”
“I take offense to that.”
“Funny how the truth always has that effect.”
She laughed again. “See you tomorrow at six.”
Gib set the phone to its cradle and studied the handle for several seconds. The sound of another cousin’s laughter drew his grimace.
“So,” Rasheem drawled as he stood. “Now where were we? Oh yeah, something about getting the lady to fall in love with you.”
***
“You’re getting really good at that.”
“Don’t even try it.”
Surprise and devilry widened LuCarolyn’s honey-toned eyes in reaction to her husband’s words. “What’d I say?” she retorted.
“Oh Rutger, you’re so good at changing diapers, I think you should do it all the time...” he tried poorly to raise his voice a few octaves.
LuCarolyn’s laughter rang out from where she stood in the nursery doorway. “Now would I do something like that?”
“Absolutely.”
“Sounds to me like you’re not finding the joy in your task. Hey Rain?” Lu called to her baby girl. “I don’t know much, but it sounds to me like you’re being insulted. I’d start withholding some of those kisses if I were you,” she said while strolling into the nursery.
“Not a chance,” Rutger made fast work of tidying the changing area. To confirm his response, he put a kiss to his daughter’s cheek and sent a wink to his wife when Reina cooed adoringly.
Lu stopped at the changing table and leaned close to favor the baby with a few cheek kisses and a tummy tickle. Once again, Reina cooed delightedly.
“See?” She said to Rutger. “You’re not special. Our daughter is just ticklish and a sucker for kisses. Isn’t that right, my lovely?” Lu dropped a delicate kiss to Reina’s mouth and laughed softly when the child cooed more excitedly.
“Say whatever makes you feel better,” Rutger told his wife as he scooped their daughter from the changing table. He sat with her on one of the wide rocking chairs near the crib.
Lu took the other chair and watched her husband with the baby. They relished the moment, each comforted by the sound of their child’s delighted babbling and cooing.
“Did you ever once imagine yourself in a rocking chair with a baby?” she asked.
“Never once,” he said, “and I’ve imagined some outrageous things.”
“Slayte with a baby?” Lu guessed.
Rutger’s laughter rumbled easily. “I don’t think that was even in my capacity to imagine. Of the four of us, I would’ve only imagined Merc as the father.”
“What do you think’s going on with him and Tee?” Lu asked.
“Don’t know,” Rutger pressed a kiss to the top of Reina’s head. “Slay didn’t pick up on anything other than some seriously tense vibes at breakfast.”
“Tense vibes...” Lu’s thoughts churned.
“What?” Rutger probed.
Lu slowly rocked her chair. “Just thinking back to a talk I had with Mercuri just before Reina was born. When we stayed over for dinner that time I had studio business in L.A.?” She jogged her husband’s memory.
Recalling, Rutger nodded.
“He was very curious about what I was going through-he could see the pregnancy had worn me out.”
“Worn out.”
“Well it wasn’t easy, Rutger.”
“I’m sorry for that,” again he pressed his face to Reina’s hair, then inhaled. “I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve given me but I’m sorry it took so much out of you to do it.”
“Please don’t apologize. Just know I’d do it all again in a heartbeat to get her.” Lu leaned in again to toy with Reina’s dark hair.
“But it wasn’t easy,” concern refused to let go of Rutger’s gaze.
“It’s not easy for most women, you know? And don’t get me started on the birth,” Lu rolled her eyes. “Our little bundle of joy there wasn’t an easy human to push out into the world-all ten pounds of her.”
Reina giggled from her spot resting back against her father’s chest.
“That’s right. You were not easy, girlfriend,” LuCarolyn cooed.
Reina reached out to her mother and Lu laughed while taking her from Rutger.
Rutger watched his wife smothering kisses to their baby’s cheeks and chin. “Tee’s so little,” he observed.
Lu shrugged. “So?”
Rutger reciprocated the gesture. “Maybe it’s baby stuff then, and Merc’s concerned over the toll Rain took on you. Maybe he’s thinkin’ about Tee going through that and feelin’ some kind of way about it.”
“Well look at Prin’s parents,” Lu noted. “Miss Sama is about the same height as Tee. Mr Jamus is 6’2, 6’3? She did alright with Prin.”
“Yeah well,” Rutger didn’t look convinced. “Merc is 6’7 and close to 300 pounds and he’s the shortest of us. Besides, we still don’t know much about what to expect when any of us has kids. The GAN powers that be weren’t big on sharing those kinds of details.”
Lu recalled Rutger not having an answer when she’d asked if there were any girls born through the GAN’s super-soldier program. With effort, she put on a happier face. “You know, we aren’t the first GAN parents. So far everyone we’ve heard of has done alright. If baby worries are what’s got Mercuri and Tee in a twist, they’ll sort it out.”
“Maybe,” Rutger’s doubt remained steadfast. “But it’s different when the woman you love is going through something painful and she’s going through it because of you.”
***
San Francisco, CA~
“If you want a chair made, pal, you’ll have to wait ‘til next year!” Morton Geist grinned merrily toward the younger man who stood ringing the doorbell to P. Holland Designs.
Benjamin Haahs took the friendly advice to mean he’d stood at the office entrance long enough to garner attention. That was the last thing he needed there of all places. “Closed for the holidays, huh?” he asked the grizzled white-haired man who’d spoken to him.
“That’s right, and not a bit too soon if you ask me.”
Haahs hadn’t asked, but it didn’t take a genius to know the old man; standing before the double doors bearing the sign: Wenchell Playhouse, was eager to share.
“Bunch of hard workers, huh?” Haahs probed.
“They are at that,” Geist nodded reverently.
Haahs took note of the man’s solemn countenance. He waited, sensing there was more the man wanted to divulge.
“It was nothing to see them working well into the night- early morning, even. Maaaany a night,” Geist drawled, hiking up worn dark green trousers as he did so. “I’d close up after the last show and see the lights still on up there. Miss Joseph put in more late hours than any of them.”
“Miss Joseph?”
Geist’s ruddy, pock-marked face reflected understanding and every one of his 68 years. “You haven’t heard, I see.” He hung his head low and shook it. “Grizzly, I tell ya. Grizzly stuff. Not long before last Thanksgiving.”
Instead of opening the theater doors, Geist stood observing his keyring. “The old Wen here-heck, all the theaters on this end were closed by then. We usually shut down a week or so before the holiday- give folks time to enjoy with their families. Miss Joseph could’ve been on her own here if she was pulling one of her late nighters.”
“None of her other co-workers were in town?” Haahs queried, feigning mild interest in the detail he was most interested in.
“There’s only four of them on staff now-including Miss Holland, but she was away. Just got married, you know?” Fondness gleamed for an instant in Geist’s eyes. “Anyway, the others were already off with their families.” Geist snapped his fingers suddenly. “All but Miss Sloane, poor thing-that poor girl,” the fondness in Geist’s eyes turned toward sorrow.
“Miss Sloane, you say?” Haahs’ eyes, the color of weak tea, narrowed behind his sunglasses.
“That’s right. Nica Sloane-poor thing...”
“Was she hurt too?” Haahs asked.
“Oh no, no thank The Maker. She wasn’t hurt physically, but she was the poor soul who found Miss Joseph. Can you imagine anything so awful?”
“Guess something like that would make someone quit their job and run for the hills, huh?”
Haahs’ comment encouraged a grunt of laughter from Geist. “You’d think so, but Miss Sloane’s got nerves of steel-that one. She’s been a godsend to Miss Holland and the others. Miss Holland even put her in Miss Joseph’s position. They’re still hurting, but I think they’re healing now too.”
Haahs’ expression tightened as he worked to mask his displeasure at the hopeful news. He bowed his head, sending windblown strands of dirty blonde hair into his face. “Guess Miss Sloane’s with her family too for the holidays?” he asked when he was sure he could do so without grimacing too much.
“Oh no,” Geist replied with a wave, still in the mood to share. “She’s got no family of her own- poor girl, but that Miss Holland-hmph! I tell you she’s one of God’s true angels. Insisted Miss Sloane spend the holidays with her and her family-did I mention she’s married now?”
The unneeded reminder sent an expletive screaming inside Haahs’ head. Taking on Slayte Miltiades to get within reach of Nica was a death sentence. Worse, if the man had the rest of his friends at his back. Regardless, Haahs knew he’d have to risk it if only to see Nica-see with his own eyes...
“Thanks for your time, Sir,” he said. “I’ll be sure to send flowers to the office. Any idea when they’ll be back?”
“I wouldn’t worry about it, Son. They’d just sit on the stoop or in one of the playhouse offices if someone’s nice enough to take ‘em in. Miss Holland and her family are all back east til the new year I think.”
“Back east,” Haahs’ smile spread slowly. “In Virginia, right?”