Page 17 of Embattled Ever After

Meredith’s wide gaze switched to Alex immediately, excitement washing over her features so similar to Duncan’s. “You brought a woman to Christmas? Oh, you should have told me! Come in, come in!”

Before she knew it Alex was drawn into a cushy hug and set back so Meredith could look her over.

“Oh, my, aren’t you gorgeous? Duncan. She’s a pretty one.”

Alex winced and when she glanced at Duncan he was shaking his head and mouthing ‘sorry’ to her behind Meredith’s back. Alex snickered.

“We’ve long lost hope that Duncan would ever bring home a real girl. His aunt Helen, my sister, always said he was gay because he was so pretty, but I knew in my heart that it would just take the right woman to catch his attention.”

Alex laughed out loud, loving the woman’s irrepressible nature. If Duncan was mid-forties, Meredith had to be mid-sixties to seventies, but she certainly didn’t look it, or act it. Alex looked at Duncan. His cheeks were a little pink and he had a strange expression on his face. “Aunt Helen thinks I’m gay? Seriously?”

Meredith waved a hand at him. “Not really, dear. She was just talking out her ass trying to convince herself your cousin Martin isn’t gay.” Meredith turned back to Alex and stage whispered, “but he is.”

Alex laughed, thoroughly enjoying herself. Then the other people started moving in. She lost track of names and faces but did single out Duncan’s brothers, Sam and Robert. Both were good looking men, and even Duncan’s father Joe still kept his good looks, though he was years older. He welcomed her with a light hug and a calm look. “Don’t let them overwhelm you.”

Nodding, she turned back to try to follow all of the introductions.

Duncan was popular with everyone and it took them a few minutes to make it out of the entryway and into the house. He motioned to one of the young boys, who crossed to Alex and took the gift bags from her. She held onto her bag—Duncan would have to help her with name tags if she could draw him away for a minute.

Their coats disappeared and they kicked their boots off at the front door. It was very apparent that this was a well-lived in home. “Have you lived here long, Meredith?”

The woman glanced over her shoulder and smiled as she led Alex to the kitchen. “We’ve lived here for the better part of fifty years. Joe did his tour in the Army. As soon as he came home, we married and he started working in the print shop. After about ten years, old Mr. Bagly sold the business to us, and we’ve been here ever since. Raised all three boys here. Had a wedding in the back yard and too many birthdays to count with all the grandkids. They love the pool so in the summer time they’re over here all the time.”

Alex smiled because the expression on her face said that she was extremely happy about that.

***

Duncan’s phone rangas he was finishing dinner. Pulling it from his pocket he checked the number. Not one he recognized, but it was a local Denver number. He pushed up from the chair, searching the floor for his cane. Alex handed it to him, her gaze concerned, but he shook his head. Might be nothing.

“Hello,” he answered.

There was a shuddering breath on the other end of the line, and then silence. Duncan’s tension escalated.

“Hello,” he repeated.

“I can’t believe you answered,” a man whispered. “I never thought anyone would answer.”

“Why not?” he asked, stalling for time. Dodging a toddling nephew, he wound through the house, looking for a quiet area. Nobody was allowed in Dad’s library, so that’s where he went. “Who is this?”

“This is uh… you probably won’t remember me. I met you when you came in and talked to my therapy group. You told us about your company.”

“Okay, you’re narrowing it down for me. Was this the group at the hospital? I talk to several every year.”

As he talked, Duncan paged through the notes on his Evernote app. When had he talked to them? June? It had been decent outside, he remembered that much.

“Yes,” the man said softly.

That confirmation told Duncan a lot. The therapy group that met in the hospital had a less serious level of illness. Once he narrowed it down he found the meeting info and went into the file. It had been put together by Susan Rodriguez and she’d wanted him to talk about career choices when dealing with PTSD. There had been a couple of guys who had approached him after the meeting. He’d handed out a stack of business cards. Obviously that was how the guy had his number.

“Did I talk to you at the meeting?”

There was silence on the other end of the line and it put Duncan on edge. That silence could mean the voices in your head were telling you to do evil things. Or it could be telling you that nobody cared. He had no idea what the man on the other end was feeling, but Duncan was prone to imagine the worst. He’d been there and could imagine it himself.

He scanned the notes but didn’t see anything that would ring a bell for who the guy was.

“Yes, we talked. But just for a minute. You won’t remember me. I took your card but I didn’t say much. I couldn’t then.”

“Well, you can talk now,” Duncan told him strongly. “What’s up? Tell me your name first.”

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