Page 34 of Wandering Souls

“You’re all alive?” The wonder in her whispered voice struck Ray deep in his soul.

With a nod, Damien reached for her. She hesitated for a moment before all the tears fell and she allowed him to embrace her. The sweet sight warmed Ray’s heart as he left them in privacy and entered the house. Bruce took a little convincing but came too, allowing him to shut the door and leave father and daughter to reunite.

“I think he’s actually lost for words.”

Hollywood met him with a glass of water. He looked shell-shocked. “You, too, I think.”

“What are the odds, man? She shows up here and finds her family. It’s like a million to one.”

Ray sipped the water as Mia appeared with a small medical kit. He wanted to wave her away, sure the scratch was nothing. “I’m fine.”

One of her eyebrows arched upward. “You have blood running down the side of your face. You need first aid.”

He let her lead him into the sitting room and took a seat on the sofa. Mia sat opposite and cleaned him up. The antiseptic she dabbed against him stung, pulling a curse from him.

“Wuss,” Mia whispered.

Hollywood peered out through the curtains to the veranda, while Bruce sat at his feet, his gaze riveted to the pair outside.

“Leave them,” Mia insisted. “They have enough to deal with.”

“I didn’t mean to scare her.”

The redhead smiled gently at her fiancé. “Of course you didn’t, honey. She’ll understand.”

Guilt flashed in Ray’s gut. The calamity of events leading up to this moment were so glaringly outrageous that no one thing could have stopped it. He was certain. Mia taped a bandage to his cheek.

“Are Stevie and Penny here?”

Hollywood left the window and came to the sofa, shaking his head. “Damien thought it best if he came alone. It’s a wise move, but I’m sure they’re keen to meet her.”

“They need to be careful not to overwhelm her, Hollywood.”

“I don’t know if they’ll be able to help themselves. They’ll want to bring her into the McCafferty fold.”

“Except, she doesn’t see herself as a McCafferty. At least, not yet.”

Hollywood smiled knowingly. “Don’t worry. It’ll only be a matter of time. Mark my words, Ray. Say, why’d she call you?”

He shrugged, though deep down, the fact that she’d chosen him filled him with joy. “We’ve hit it off, I suppose.”

Bruce made a sound.

“And those two?” Ray smiled at the dog, who sat ramrod straight and looked like he’d won a gold medal. “They’ve become inseparable.”

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