Chapter 15
Chapter 15
J ane arrived as soon as Maggie and Babs walked away. She took one look at Darren’s ashen face and blasted the air conditioner, despite the fact it was freezing outside.
“Interesting day, huh?” she said.
“I don’t even know where to begin,” he replied.
“Probably with Amelia. She’s been pretty upset,” Jane said.
“Because her husband’s some kind of commando and our sister is a sniper?”
“No, that’s par for the course, actually. I think it has to do with whatever happened between you two,” Jane said.
They finished the ride back to the hotel in silence, something that suited them both for different reasons. Jane was shy and Darren was overwhelmed.
Amelia was waiting on him in the lobby of the hotel. He wondered if she hadn’t picked him up because she was too upset about their earlier fight, but one look at her stricken face told him she was too upset for another reason. “I’m so sorry,” she said, hugging him.
“No, I’m sorry,” he replied hugging her hard in return. She started to cry, and his eyes were suspiciously wet, too.
“To think I said such awful things right before you went and got yourself kidnapped. Way to make me feel like a heel.” She gave him a little shove and reached for a tissue. They flopped onto the couch, exhausted and depleted.
“Amelia, I’m sorry. I haven’t had time to work through all the things you’re mad at me about, but I’ve gained enough perspective to realize I messed up and I’m truly and genuinely sorry. I’m going to try to do better, to be better. But I won’t move here if you really don’t want me to.”
Amelia rolled her eyes. “Of course I want you to, Darren. The one time I actually have an emotional tantrum and say awful things you make me instantly regret it and feel bad about it.”
He opened his mouth to argue it was hardly the first time she’d had such an outburst but shoved the words back down and closed his mouth.
She hooked her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder. “I just want you to be proud of me,” she said tearfully.
“Proud of you? How could I be anything else? You’re so polished and poised and freakishly smart. Do you know you’re the only woman I’ve ever known who scored higher than me on the SATs?”
“Please tell me that’s not actually a question you ask people,” she said.
“How else can I determine who is worthy of me?” he said and smiled when she made a retching sound.
“If you believe that, why are you always so hard on me?” she asked.
“Because you’ve always been part of that group of people who gets by on looks and charm. I didn’t want you to fall into that trap when I know you have so much more to give.”
“First of all, you’re being a huge snob. A stylist is as worthwhile as an actuary, maybe more so because I help people feel good about themselves. You have no idea the change it makes in a person when I’m able to bring out their inner beauty. People have cried, actually cried tears of joy in my chair. And it’s hard work, really, really hard work. I’m on my feet ten to twelve hours a day. It’s exhausting. But it’s rewarding and worthwhile and I love it.”
“I believe you, and I have been a snob. It’s possible that being immersed in academic circles the last eight years has been like living in a bubble. I tend to see higher education as the ultimate path to success. And you’re right, that’s my problem, not yours.”
“About Ethan,” she began.
He interrupted. “I know, okay, I know . Babs made me see I’ve been blind and selfish there, too. He seems like a good guy, the propensity to pick up a gun and shoot people notwithstanding. But you’re my little sister. It’s my job to protect you, and I take my job seriously.”
“I appreciate that, even when it seems like I don’t. But Ethan is not a ship in the night. He’s my husband. I can tell you now our time in Africa wasn’t a vacation. There was a…situation, and Ethan had to rescue me. It was intense and scary and built an unbreakable bond between us. And we were married in a legitimate ceremony by an actual priest.”
“Okay, Amelia, okay,” he said soothingly in response to her defensive tone. “I promise from now on I will only refer to him as your husband, and I will consider him my real and actual brother-in-law. Besides, now that I owe him and my other brother-in-law my life, I can’t actually ever say anything negative about them again.”
“Nah, they wouldn’t want you to mention it again. They see it as the job. Mushiness and gratitude make them squirm.”
“Hmm,” he said, and she could tell he was plotting ways to make them squirm. She squeezed his arm painfully. “Fine, I’ll repay them by being nice to their wives.”
“Believe me when I tell you that’s all they could want or ask for.”
They sat in sleepy silence a moment, staring at the cozy fire. Christmas music lulled softly in the background.
“So about Babs,” Amelia eventually said.
“We were so close to not talking about it,” Darren said.
“That’s what you think. What’s the story?”
“We met two days ago, so obviously we’re in love and getting married.”
She squeezed his arm again and he winced. “Right, I’m supposed to be becoming less obnoxious and big brotherish.”
“Redundant,” she said.
He snorted a laugh and swiped a hand tiredly over his face. “I don’t know. I like her, I really do. I’m crazy attracted to her, and it’s like she’s already passed through a bunch of hurdles by being preapproved by you and Maggie.”
“I sense a but.”
“She seems so afraid and closed off, like she thinks I’m going to turn tail and run at the slightest provocation.”
“Are you? Your track record isn’t great.”
“I have no idea. And she has a kid.”
“Yes, I’ve watched her before when they had last minute stuff and her regular sitter fell through. She’s adorable.” She glanced up at him and smiled. “Look at you, grinning goofily over the thought of your girl’s adorable baby.”
“She’s hardly my girl,” Darren said.
“Isn’t she?” Amelia replied.
He sighed. “I don’t know. Everything is so crazy and confused right now. And I’m supposed to be moving in a few days. And how have we not talked about the fact that our sweetest, clumsiest sibling is a sniper?”
“You think Maggie’s sweeter than Johnny?” she asked.
“Have you ever seen Johnny when you try to talk to him during the middle of one of his afternoon programs?” Darren countered.
“You have a point there. But I know, it came as a shock to me, too. I’ve always wanted to see her in action, but Ethan has apoplexy every time I mention bringing me along to watch.”
“Yeah, I’m guessing shooting people isn’t a good spectator sport,” Darren said, shuddering. He remembered the scream of pain the man emitted before he dropped to the ground beside him and Babs. Babs. He missed her. How was that possible when he’d only known her two days? “I wonder if there’s some kind of research to back up how much trauma experiences bond people on the precipice of a relationship.”
“Darren.”
“Hmm.”
“Don’t be an egghead. For once in your life, go with your gut.”
“What if my gut’s telling me things with Babs are no good?” he said.
“Then I’ll shank you until you get it right,” she said.
“How did my sisters get so violent?” he said.
Amelia snickered. He followed suit. Soon they were laughing until tears ran down their cheeks about nothing and everything all at once.
M eanwhile Babs was powering through an endless supply of exhaustion. She’d only slept three hours the night before, been kidnapped, rescued, and was now working the scene.
“I’m sorry about this,” Ridge said, a big concession from him. He was the type of person for whom work always came first. Only since getting together with Maggie had he started to soften and realize there was more to life than the job. “Skeleton crew at Christmas, you know?”
“It’s fine,” Babs said and meant it. Her daughter was spending the week with her father, leaving Babs nothing to do besides work. What had she done before she had a child? It was hard to remember what free time had consisted of back then. And working right now kept her mind on anything other than the one thing she was trying not to think of, namely Maggie’s brother. How did he feel about her bombshell announcement? Was it a deal breaker? How long would she have to wait to find out?
“Maggie, Maggie, Maggie,” Ethan said, interrupting her thoughts as he came out beside them. “Still no kill shot. What is your problem, kid? It’s like you’re ethically against killing people or something.” It was a longstanding debate between them, Maggie’s refusal to take the kill shot and Ethan’s desire for her to do so. She assumed he was joking, but who knew? Maybe he wanted to know how far she would have to be pushed in order to take it.
“It’s Christmas, Ethan,” Maggie replied. “Everyone gets a reprieve.”
“I’ll be sure to tell your boy that when he wakes up tomorrow after having his bowel repaired,” Ethan said.
“Don’t forget I shot through his arm, too. Pretty sure that’s going to require some pins,” Maggie said and Ethan high fived her before wandering away.
Babs was busy taking pictures and making notes on the scene. Later, she would have to do her full report. It was going to be a long night, but then she knew Ridge would let her go. The false weekend was over. She could go home and…what? The house always felt so empty and lonely without her daughter. At least now she’d have time to catch up on some reading and television. And sleep, sweet, blessed sleep. All she had to do was power through the next few hours without thinking of Darren, and she’d be golden.
“What’s up with you and Darren?” Maggie asked, tucking her hair behind her ear as she balanced her laptop on her knees and started to type.
“I told him about McKenna,” Babs said.
“What was his reaction?” Maggie asked.
“I don’t know. That was when the shooting started.”
“Oh. Wow. I’d like to say I hope he gets it right, but who knows? Sometimes it’s hard to believe we’re from the same family,” Maggie said.
“I believe it. You guys are so much alike.”
“You think so?” Maggie paused and looked at her.
“Definitely. You just have different ways of going about things. You’re both so other-oriented, such caring people. If he comes off a little overbearing, it’s because he’s trying so hard to get it right.”
“I never thought of it that way before,” Maggie said.
“See, like that. Even though you’re both strong and strong-willed people, you’re not smug in your opinions. You’re willing to see things from a different perspective and even change your mind when called for.”
“Wow,” Maggie mused. “Honestly, Babs, no matter what happens between you, you’ve given me a whole different view on Darren this weekend. I’ve never actually seen my brother with a woman the way he’s been with you, so sweet and gentle and kind. It makes me believe I’ve probably misjudged him. Pretty sure I owe him an apology.”
“Well, he did out your baby news,” Babs said, lightly bumping her shoulder. “Congratulations, by the way. Prepare to be more in love and more exhausted than you ever thought possible.”
“Thank you,” Maggie said, her cheeks flushing rosily with excitement. “It’s terrifying, you know?”
“Apparently you’ve forgotten how hard I cried when I found out I was pregnant. Remember when Blue thought I’d been assaulted because I couldn’t get the words out and started hacking all my exes?”
“If I handle motherhood half as well as you do, I’ll be doing great,” Maggie said.
“Of course you will, and you’ll have Ridge. He’ll be a good dad.”
“I wish my parents lived closer.”
“I know, it’s hard. But you have Amelia, and now Darren. Maybe your parents will come, now that three quarters of their children are here.”
“Maybe so,” Maggie said, sounding cheerful. “I think having Darren here is going to be a win on multiple levels.” She nudged Babs with her elbow. “Don’t you?”
“We’ll see,” Babs said, trying not to sound as nervous and uncertain as she felt.