Cimarron, Denver Cereal Volume 4 (3 page)

“
I called the producers.
They are giving me next week off to be with Delphie and get checked
and stuff. They want me back but are being nice about it. My agent
said they are really happy with my work.”

Mike’s big rough hand cupped her soft cheek.
He smiled into her face.

“
We need to sleep, recover.
We’ll see our doctor on Monday,” Mike said. “I say we celebrate the
short life of our son, our daughter on the way, and your precious
life.”

“
I need to grieve, Mike,”
Valerie said. “And eat some chocolate.”

Mike signaled the waitress.

“
Please bring us every
chocolate dessert you have in the house,” he said. “And some water.
Hot tea for Val. Something herbal. We’re pregnant.”

“
Congratulations sir,
ma’am. I’ll bring that right away.”

Valerie smiled.

“
What?”

“
I love it when you take
charge,” she said.

~~~~~~~~

Saturday evening — 5:45
P.M.

“
Sam.”

Or at least that’s what he thought he heard.
Sam moved from the chair by Delphie’s bed to sit on her hospital
bed.

“
I’m here,” he
said.

Delphie opened and closed her eyes. Hoping
she might wake up, he waited for a moment. The doctors thought
she’d be awake by now. Every passing minute she remained asleep,
her prognosis got worse. He sighed and moved back to his chair. He
must have imagined her voice.

“
Sam?” He heard five
minutes later.

He moved back to the bed. Delphie’s eyes
were open and she seemed alert.

“
Where am I?” she
whispered.

“
St. Joe’s,” he said. “Do
you remember what happened?’

“
I remember Levi.” Delphie
shivered and closed her eyes. “Awful.”

“
He’s dead,” Sam
said.

Delphie looked surprised.

“
I’m sorry. I know how much
he meant to you.”

“
Did Jacob kill him?” she
asked.

“
Jill,” Sam said. “Although
the coroner said he was riddled with cancer. He probably wouldn’t
have survived the week. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. We
still haven’t figured out how the security system
failed.”

“
I doubt it did,” she said.
“He would have been able to get around it. Everything failed but
the dogs. You can’t trick a dog. They would have kept him away. I
should have remembered that. I thought they’d be happier if they
went to the groomers all together than if they went by
themselves.”

“
They’re at home waiting
for you,” Sam said.

“
Home.” Delphie’s voice
echoed with longing. “I’d like to be home.”

“
Tomorrow or the next day,”
Sam said. “You’ve been very ill.”

“
I died,” she
said.

“
Listen,” Sam said. “I’ve
had a lot of time to think and I’d really like to marry you while
we still have time left.”

Delphie laughed.

“
Why is that
funny?”

“
Because you’re Celia’s
husband. What would Celia think?” Delphie asked. “Plus I like the
idea of you being my super hot boyfriend. Gives me a little
thrill.”

“
Celia would want us to get
married. You’ve told me over and over again that she wants us to be
happy.”

“
You are a sweet man,”
Delphie said. “What I can’t figure out is how you can talk to me.
Did you gain some psychic skill?”

“
Me? Psychic skill? Not a
chance,” Sam laughed.

“
You must have gained
some,” she laughed.

“
Why?”

“
Because I’m
dead!”

CHAPTER
NINETY-ONE
Wish we didn’t have to

Sunday mid-morning — 11:16 A.M.

“
Heather!”

Blane yelled as he ran in the house.
Slamming the door, he ran toward where he could hear her voice.

“
Heather?”

“
We’re in here,” she
said.

He jogged toward the den off the kitchen.
Heather was sitting on a rocking chair with Mack on her
shoulder.

“
Hi,” she said. “How are
you?”

“
Missed you guys,” Blane
said. “Can I?”

“
Sure.”

Standing, Heather held Mack out to him.
Impulsively, Blane hugged them both. Heather laughed. He kissed her
cheek and took Mack from her. Mack made a happy sound in
recognition of Blane. He kissed Mack’s face then settled him on his
shoulder.

“
What’s going on?” she
asked.

“
I’ve been at the hospital
with Sam and…. I’m just happy to have you guys.” He smiled at her.
“That’s all.”

She hugged him.

“
Sorry you missed church,”
Blane said.

“
Mack and I went with the
girls. We just got back,” Heather said. “He was an
angel.”

“
You fed him before you
went?”

“
In the car. Like his Mama,
he’s happy with a full belly,” Heather laughed. “Can I get you
something?”

“
No, I’m just home for a
shower. I have to help Jake today. Does that work for
you?”

“
Of course,” Heather
said.

“
Jake has a big mess today.
The sites were closed yesterday and the Castle’s falling down and…
Oh it doesn’t matter.”

Blane kissed Mack’s cheek and held his arm
out for Heather. She tucked herself into him.

“
How’s Delphie?” Heather
asked.

“
She still thinks she’s
dead,” Blane said. “If we weren’t so freaked out for her, it would
be pretty funny. She comes home tomorrow.”

“
Are you working at the
Castle?”

Blane nodded. Shifting away, he gave Mack
back to her.

“
I should keep moving.
Let’s have dinner tonight,” he said. “Just us. I’ll make something
yummy.”

“
It’s a date,” Heather
said.

“
You’re sure you’re all
right? You seem a little blue.”

“
There was a note from
Enrique when I got back,” Heather said.

“
Oh? What did it say?”
Blane asked.

He pointed up the stairs to the shower. She
followed him up.

“
I didn’t open it,” she
said.

“
Go ahead.”

While he got ready to shower, she and Mack
went back downstairs to get Enrique’s note. He was in the shower
when she returned.

“
He says that he’s been
sober for four days. He moved out of his house and Calvin is moving
out at the end of the month. He starts with a therapist
tomorrow.”

“
Anything else?” Blane
asked.

“
He loves you,” she
said.

“
Why would a note from
Enrique make you blue?”

“
Oh,” Heather said. “What
am I going to do when you and Enrique get back
together?”

“
You’re my wife,” Blane
said. “He’s my past. I don’t get the conflict.”

“
You wouldn’t,” Heather
said. She was halfway down the stairs when he caught up with
her.

“
Hey! Don’t do that,” he
said. “Please. We don’t do this. We’re honest, say what’s on our
minds. We don’t play these games.”

She nodded. Naked and dripping water, he
took her hand and led her back to the bathroom. He pointed to the
toilet and she sat down. She settled Mack in her arms while he
finished showering. She gave him a towel when he stepped out of the
shower.

“
What’s going on?” Blane
asked.

“
I’m feeling sorry for
myself,” Heather said.

“
The doctor said we should
watch for post-partum depression because you’ve been depressed
before. Is this the same?”

“
I just…”

Blane wrapped the towel around his trim
waist. Heather fussed with Mack to keep from having to admit her
sadness.

“
Delphie told me today that
you and I are soul mates,” Blane said.

Heather’s head jerked up.

“
It sounds crazy,” he said.
“I guess, some types of soul mates aren’t lovers or romantically
involved or whatever we’re doing. She said your soul and my soul
are linked. We’re supposed to be together, to make a family
together. That’s why it took one conversation on a plane and we’ve
been happy ever since. You’re happy, right?”

“
Very happy,” Heather said.
“That’s the problem. I’m terrified it will go away. You’ll get
together with Enrique and I’ll…”

“
I’m not going anywhere. Do
you want to go anywhere?”

Heather shook her head.

“
I’ve never been this
happy,” Blane said. “I’ve been at that hospital all weekend. Before
you and Mack came along, I was completely alone. Even with Sam and
Val and Jake and everyone else,
you
make my family. If I get involved with someone
else, he’ll just have to deal with that. You and I are soul mates.
Does that feel true?”

“
Delphie told me we were
meant to be together on the plane,” Heather said. “She just seemed
so odd that I…”

“
She’s much odder now that
she’s convinced that she’s dead. She won’t speak directly to anyone
but Sam and Jake. She makes commentary to the rest of us. ‘Oh Jake,
you know Blane and Heather are soul mates.’ It’s pretty
odd.”

Heather nodded.

“
Are you
depressed?”

“
I don’t think so,” Heather
said. “I’m tired.”

“
It’s a lot – a newborn and
all this drama. Do we have Molly’s kids again today?”

“
No, Pete and Aden are
moving to Canon City this afternoon. Molly is home with
them.”

“
I can stay home
today…”

“
No, go. Jake wouldn’t ask
for help if he didn’t really need it,” Heather said. “They’ve been
really amazing since Mack was born.”

“
Why don’t I make some
brownies before I go?”

“
On the diet again,”
Heather shook her head. “I still have twenty pounds to
lose.”

“
Tell you what,” he said.
“Tomorrow, we’ll workout together. Running, lifting, only healthy
food. But today I’ll make you…”

“
Chocolate
cake?”

“
Coming right up,” he said.
“Can you take it easy today? Watch movies and hang out with
Mack?”

“
He’s not too much work,”
she nodded.

“
Should I call the
girls?”

“
No, you’re right. I just
need a break.”

He nodded. Sitting on their bed, she
followed him into their bedroom and watched him get dressed.

“
Do you want to move back
into your bedroom?” she asked. “You’re not sick anymore and
Mack…”

“
No,” Blane said. “I’m
happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life. Do you want your own
bedroom?”

She shook her head.

“
Let it rest, Heather,” he
said. “Everything is fine. Come on, let’s make a cake.”

He picked up Mack’s bassinette and carried
it to the kitchen. They settled him on the counter and laughed
their way through making a cake. Blane frosted one layer of cake in
the pan. He gave her the frosted warm cake.

“
I never did this for
Enrique,” he said. “I would only let him have a completed project.
No samples. You get anything you ask for. Ask me and it’s
yours.”

“
Do you love
me?”

“
I do,” he said.

“
Oh, really?” she
blushed.

“
Yes,” he said. “Do you
love me?”

“
Yes, a lot,” she said. Her
eyes welled with tears.

“
And sex?”

“
Not since we tried it that
time,” she gave him a watery smile. “Too weird.”

“
Weird is a word for it,”
he laughed.

“
But…”

“
No buts. Let’s just enjoy
it.”

“
No buts.” She
nodded.

He held her tight, kissed her cheek,
squeezed her hand then went out the door. Heather smiled.

Everything was fine. She was loved. She was
happy. He was happy. She’d just have to get used to it.

~~~~~~~~

Sunday afternoon — 1:35 P.M.

Jill looked across the kitchen table at
Sandy and Honey. Valerie sat down next to her at the table.

“
I asked you
guys…”

There was a crash from the living room where
Jake, Blane and a crew of men worked to clear the wreckage from the
incident with Levi Johansen. The women looked toward the kitchen
door. They were filling a second roll-off dumpster with debris and
furniture.

Honey, MJ and Sam had moved out of their
wing of the Castle. With the Chapel destroyed, a portion of the
Castle was no longer structurally stable. Sam had moved into an
apartment on the second floor while MJ and Honey had moved into an
apartment in the basement. Jacob had installed a stair lift so
Honey could get to the gym. She would be able to get up and down
the stairs to the basement when MJ wasn’t home.

Valerie got up to switch off the screaming
tea kettle.