Page 91 of Sugar and Skulls

He pulls back to search my eyes, then he slowly drags them away and glances over his shoulder. His arms drop to his side. “Rachel?”

She nods, tears streaming down her face. They stare at each other in a daze. Both lost in the memory of the day they were separated. Then it hits Dirk, he rushes to her and crushes her against his body. “Where have you been?” Dirk asks with pleading eyes. He pushes her back, looking at her from head to toe.

“I’m, I’m fine.” She pushes against his chest, uncomfortable with his scrutiny. “It’s, it isn’t what you think.”

He releases her, taking a step back to give her space.

Her eyes wander over his ink before dropping to her feet. “I’m sorry I don’t remember much. I…I remember a few things. The park…” her words trail off.

He runs his hands through his hair. “Do you want to go get a cup of coffee or something, so we can talk.” He glances over his shoulder. I smile at him encouragingly. His sister is here. Actually here. This is so unbelievable.

She nods. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to intrude on your business,” she tells Dan.

Dan’s eyes soften. “You’re not intruding. We are all family here, you included.”

“I’ll see you back at the warehouse later today,” Dirk says, his eyes glassy with unshed tears.

“Yeah, of course. Maybe your sister could join us tonight for dinner?”

He takes my hands in his and squeezes, a smile forming on his face. He nods. “Things are finally looking up, huh?”

I nod, unable to speak. Things are most definitely looking up.

He holds the door open and follows Rachel out.

The rest of us stand around shell shocked for a minute. Dan heads back to his client and I sit down pushing my chair close to Raffe. I fire up the gun, bowing my head over his leg.

“Her eyes. Did you see her eyes?” Raffe asks, a hint of awe in his voice.

I glance up quick to catch the look on his face. “Yeah, mood ring eyes.”

He smiles and runs his thumb over my ring. “Kind of hard to ignore aren’t they.”

“They do demand attention.” I laugh.

His eyes trail back to the door. “I hope wherever she was it wasn’t too painful. It will kill Dirk if someone hurt her.”

We work for a few hours, finally putting the finishing touches on his piece.

“I forgot. Candice caught me on her way to take the girls to school. She told me to let you know she is dropping Katie by after school. She needs you to give her a ride home. She has to run Ally to her dads for the weekend.”

“Cool, I’ll make sure I wait for her.”

He kisses me on the forehead before leaving. Dan leaves shortly after telling me he will see me later tonight. He is going back to Trap to finish packing. He’s moving into the warehouse now that the shop in Trap has sold.

I doodle in my notebook until Katie comes bouncing in the door with Teddy on her heals. He comes over right away, tail wagging, for pets. Katie rattles on about her day as she walks around the shop, taking everything in. “I’m so happy Candice brought Teddy with her when she picked us up from school,” she says, sticking her face in a jar of suckers that Dan keeps on the counter.

“Were you worried about him?” I ask, busying myself shutting everything down for the day.

She nods pushing a pink lollypop in her mouth. “It’s a new home and I didn’t want him to be scared without me.”

“I’m glad that you and Teddy are friends.”

She pulls the sucker out of her mouth and is about to pop it in the dog’s mouth when I stop her. “You can’t give him sugar, sweetie. It will make him sick.”

She frowns. “That’s sad he can’t have candy.”

“He doesn’t know what he’s missing since he’s never had it.” I tell her, waving my hand for her to follow me out the door.

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