Page 84 of Bad Seed

“I had a canopy bed when I was little. I called it the princess bed because it looked like something out of a Disney movie. But the canopy aspect of it always freaked me out a little. Felt like something was hovering above me, just waiting to fall.”

He winked. “The trials of childhood. Our beds were too short and yours was intimidating.”

She laughed, then groaned. “Crap, it hurts to laugh.”

He frowned. “Sorry. No more talking. Lie back on the pillows. I’ll hurry.”

He pulled a suitcase out of the closet and opened it up on the bed, then grabbed underwear and socks from a dresser drawer, then T-shirts and sweatshirts from another.

“Don’t pack much,” she said. “I shouldn’t be at the hotel more than two days, counting this one.”

“Noted,” he said, and took a couple of pairs of jeans off their hangers and a couple of shirts, and added them to the mix. He was in the bathroom gathering up toiletries when his cell phone began to ring. He ran back to the bed, picked it up, and answered.

Sean and Amalie’s faces popped up on video call. He sat down beside Harley, showed her their faces. They waved at her, and then Brendan moved it back to him.

“Hey, you two. What’s up?” he asked.

“We have news we’re going to share with everyone at dinner today, but we didn’t want you left out of theloop, so you’re the first brother to find out. Amalie’s pregnant…with twins.”

Brendan let out a whoop, and Harley laughed at his delight.

“This is awesome news! Congratulations to the both of you!” he said, and glanced at Harley. “Harley is sending you two thumbs up.”

“Thanks, little brother. We’re both really happy and excited.”

“You should be, and Mom’s going to brag all over the mountain about the babies being twins, so prepare yourselves,” Brendan said.

“Yes, we know. The only other person who knows is Wolf. And we had to tell him via Zoom, too. Gotta go. I hear cars driving up. The onslaught has begun.”

The call ended, and Brendan was still smiling. “This is the kind of news that reminds you good still happens, isn’t it?”

She nodded, watching the delight spreading over his face. She’d never had siblings, but seeing that relationship through him made her envy that bond.

“You’re very blessed by the family you have,” she said. “I can’t imagine how it would feel to know there were people who always had your back.”

“You have me,” he said.

She sighed. “I do now…to a degree. But we can’t start being us until we get rid of the me I was before.”

He shook his head, frowning. “I fell in love with that person. I don’t want her gone.”

“But I brought the ghosts of my past with me, and that hinders everything, including your safety. That’s something I can’t forget.”

He dumped the rest of the stuff into his bag and closed it, then leaned over. “My lady,” he whispered, and brushed a kiss across her lips. “I’m going to take this suitcase to the car and then come back for you. Bathroom’s there if you need it. Don’t go wandering about. You still wobble when you walk.”

She poked him in the arm for the comment.

He grinned, then started singing at the top of his voice as he walked out of the room with the luggage.

“AIN’T NO SUNSHINE WHEN SHE’S GONE…”

Harley started to laugh, and then winced again. “That still hurts,” she muttered, and got up and wobbled her way to the bathroom.

***

Up on the mountain, Shirley Pope was busy in the kitchen. She was skipping church today because her family was coming to dinner—everybody but Brendan, but that was okay. Right now, he was right where he needed to be, and she’d sent him a text this morning, giving him her love and sending best wishes to Harley for healing.

The year was moving them closer into spring, but they’d have to get through the irascible month of March before she could count on better weather. It was stillcold, but the sun was shining and the sky was clear. A day for gathering to her those she loved.

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