Chapter 13 #2
“You’ve got a lot on your plate. No one is perfect.
That storm came out of nowhere.” Brogan felt as if he was tossing out clichéd statements, but he meant every word.
Seeing how well Gunther kept his property, he knew the young man took pride in what he owned, and he wasn’t a slacker.
“Will you be able to replace the truck?”
“I have my eye on one. The owner had promised to hold it for me a bit longer until I can come up with the rest of the money. Then Cort Easton—he said you know him?”
“I do. I’m renting his lake house.”
Gunther nodded. “He said he had a few odd jobs for me, and if I agreed to do them, he’d front me the rest of the money.”
Nice move on Cort’s part. “Sounds like a deal.”
“Yeah.” His son picked up a rock to throw, and Gunther said, “Not in that direction, Toby. Never where it might hit the house or a person.”
Brogan was pretty sure Toby couldn’t have thrown the rock far enough to do either, but it did seem like a good lesson.
“Pitch it toward the field. Remember how I showed you. That’s right. Overhand.” After Toby let the stone fly, Gunther patted his shoulder. “There you go. Good job.”
Yeah, throwing rocks with a kid. That seemed like a very “dad” thing to do.
It couldn’t be envy Brogan was feeling, especially since he’d rarely bothered to think of his AWOL father.
Besides, there hadn’t been any fields where he’d grown up.
Just other apartment complexes. The only nearby park had been a hangout for the druggies and gangs.
He thought of Andy, though, and knew he’d like to practice throwing rocks with him.
Would he still be around when Andy was old enough? Brogan decided he’d do his best to make that happen.
Brogan stepped forward. “Toby, can you show me how to throw it?” For the next few minutes, while Gunther stood there grinning, Brogan “practiced” tossing the rocks the exact way Toby instructed.
When he wanted a minute alone with Gunther, he said to Toby, “I think Pixie has a gift for you.”
“She does? What is it?”
Brogan laughed. “You’ll need to ask Pixie.”
When Toby turned toward the others, Gunther stopped him. “Nicely, Toby. Don’t go demanding anything.”
“I won’t, Dad.” He took off at a run.
Both men watched him, until Gunther turned to Brogan. “Your wife didn’t need to do that.”
My wife. A bolt of lightning wouldn’t have stunned him more.
First Dee’s not-so-subtle hints, and now that statement from Gunther.
Brogan stared at him while his entire being wished it was true, wished that he could claim Pixie as his own.
Of course, that didn’t make sense. He’d just told Gunther that he was renting the lake house.
Pulling himself together, Brogan gave a wry smile. “Thanks, but I have no claim on Pixie.”
“No?”
“Not that I’d mind.” In fact, he’d love it. “Remember, I’m just here for the summer.” Then he added, “But I’m trying to figure out a way to stay longer. I’m told it’s not easy to move to Bramble.”
“True enough,” Gunther said. “The mayor is real picky about expanding the population. We like keeping the town small. We have our own laws—Home Rule governing, it’s called. State powers can’t tell us how to live.”
Brogan had never heard of such a thing. “Interesting.”
“Some exceptions have been made lately.”
“Oh?”
“Cort married Marlow. Marlow brought in Pixie. They were both outsiders, but when Cort said he’d move away if they couldn’t stay, no one wanted that. He’s our local hero, you know.”
“I’d heard something along those lines.” One morning over coffee, Pixie had told him how the whole town had pulled together behind Marlow. Having met her, Brogan could understand that.
Gunther grinned. “If you want to stay, you could marry a local.”
Automatically, his gaze sought out Pixie. She was busy chatting with Toby. The boy held a toy boat that was usually sold as a souvenir at Marlow’s Whimsy. He certainly seemed pleased with it.
When Brogan realized he was staring, he shifted gears. “I wanted to ask you how you’re doing. That was a nasty hit to your head. I think you were unconscious for a minute or two.”
“Guess it knocked me out when I hit the steering wheel. No concussion, though. Just a nasty bruise.” Gunther lifted aside a hank of hair that covered his forehead.
Brogan whistled at the black-and-purple goose egg. “That had to hurt like hell. Still have a headache?”
“Not too bad.” He finger combed his hair back over it. “I keep it covered because it upsets Lily. She said she keeps thinking that I could have died if you hadn’t stopped.”
“Someone would have called 911.”
“No one else did, though. Everyone was just watching their driving, eyes on the road because of the storm. Not sure they even noticed me and Dee in the gully. If that fire had spread …” He let his words trail off a moment, then forcibly continued.
“My door was jammed. No way would I have gotten it open, and after the smack to my head, I’m not sure I had it in me to climb out the window on my own. ”
“I’m glad I could help,” Brogan said, and he meant it. “No other injuries?”
Gunther flexed his arm. “I guess I pulled a muscle, but it’s not bad, either.”
“You have to keep icing the injuries, okay? That lump on your head, and your arm.”
“Sure, Doc.” He grinned again; then his gaze moved to Brogan’s shoulder. “It’s true you’re a SEAL?”
Brogan nodded, but added, “Retired.” In very few words, he explained about Connie’s death and how he was Shayna’s guardian now. He did not mention his injuries or time in the hospital.
They talked a bit more, and Toby showed them his boat. Andy wanted to see the pond, so Brogan carried him there and kept a close eye on him while Toby showed him a big frog. Wildflowers were blooming around the shoreline, adding color. Silvery minnows swam by.
The sun was high, and they’d been there over an hour when Brogan decided it was time to go.
“I’m sure Pixie put sunscreen on Andy, but Shayna will need a bottle soon, and then it’ll be time for her nap.
” He put Andy on his shoulders and carried him back to the house, with Gunther, Toby, and the dog at his side.
As they approached the women, he saw Shayna laughing on Pixie’s lap.
Whatever silliness Pixie was saying to the baby, she liked it.
Just as Dee had done, Gunther insisted that he and Pixie come back again.
Lily said, “I’d love to cook you dinner, once I’m over this cold.” She put a hand to her stomach. “I never get sick—except for when I’m pregnant.”
Gunther grinned. “I think we’re having another boy. She got sick a lot with Toby, too.”
Thrilled for her, Pixie said, “How wonderful! Congratulations.”
“Thank you. We’re pretty happy about it.” She turned to Brogan. “I don’t know what I’d do without Gunther. I can’t thank you enough for helping him.”
“I’m glad I was there.” He shifted Andy around to his chest and picked up the diaper bag. “You want to tell them bye-bye, Andy?”
In reply, Andy pointed to Shayna and announced, “My baby,” ending the visit with a nice laugh.
Brogan felt that he was learning the town, not just visiting it. He felt … included. This could be home in a way nowhere else had been, except the military.
Before Shayna had been given into his care, he’d only been half living. He realized that now. Thank you, Connie. For not giving up on me. For trusting me.
It was too late to tell her he was sorry, that he loved her and was proud she was his sister. He’d blown that chance.
With a glance at Pixie, he vowed he wouldn’t blow another.
The next day, during a visit with Cort and Marlow, Pixie suggested that Brogan call his father to see whether Ruthie had returned to him.
Marlow said it couldn’t hurt, but then Brogan waffled. He hadn’t talked to Brian in a long time—and he wasn’t sure he wanted to now.
As long as Ruth didn’t show up, she was a problem he’d prefer to ignore. Except it wasn’t just him anymore. It was Pixie, Andy, and Shayna, too. He couldn’t protect them around the clock. Eventually, he knew Ruth would cause another scene.
No one expected him to call Brian on the spot, and thankfully, everyone was distracted when Pixie showed them the silhouette she’d drawn of the kids looking out at Firefly Lake.
While Marlow and Pixie made plans for utilizing the design on new apparel, totes, and bags, Cort invited him down to the lake to fish for a few minutes.
Andy wanted to go, too, and Brogan was happy to take him, so Pixie hurriedly applied more sunscreen, got him a hat, and put on his old sneakers.
Brogan had to grin at the sight of him. “What? No sunglasses?”
“Oh, wait! Yes, he has some.” She darted off again and returned with a cute pair that had an attached strap to keep them in place.
“There you go,” Cort said. “You look the part.”
Marlow had insisted on holding Shayna and was currently talking nonsense to her, making silly faces, and trying to get her to grin.
He was still getting used to that, to having other people in Shayna’s life. Like creating a friendship with Dee and Gunther, it felt nice.
Cort got a golf cart out of Pixie’s attached storage space—like a miniature garage—and they slowly rode up to his house. Andy loved it, and Brogan appreciated the special seat that kept Andy safe and secure.
At Cort’s house, they got out fishing rods, including one for Andy.
Brogan asked, “Do you have a life vest for him?”
“What do you think?”
“It worries me after Benny got hurt.” He watched Cort get out a vest that was shaped like a fish fin. It took him a second to get Andy in it, because the kid was excited and really wanted to look at the rubber worms in his own little tackle box.
It struck Brogan that Cort and Marlow really were family for Andy. They treated him like a nephew. Before watching Cort with the little boy, that hadn’t truly sunk in.