In The Shadows (17 page)

 Chapter Thirty-Four

Brandon had asked Katy to be home before dark. He knew she and Claire were hitting the trails again, and he was okay with that. He didn’t want to treat her like a baby, and he understood the need for her to spend as much time as possible with the friends she’d made there. Katy would soon be heading back to Ohio, and he wasn’t sure when she’d be back.

Brandon knew his father would be up early Friday morning to see them and be reintroduced to Katy. Brandon would have to work late every night that week, so he could take part of Thanksgiving Day and have Friday off. If this wasn’t Katy’s first visit with his father, he would surely introduce Tonya to his father.

He knew the introduction would cause problems, and he was okay with that. Accepting the fact that his son had fallen in love with someone of another race had already proven to be unacceptable. Brandon didn’t want to be selfish and possibly ruin Katy’s reunion with her father as he reminded himself that this visit was not about him. Brandon would have plenty of time to introduce Tonya to his father, and he was sure that meeting would either make or break their relationship forever.

As Brandon looked at the clock, he knew it would soon be dark and immediately began to wonder if he’d made the right decision in allowing Katy to ride with Claire after school. He tried to concentrate on his work to push the fear aside. He knew Katy was a big girl, and she knew the area well enough to navigate even at dusk.

He took a walk outside and dialed Tonya from his cell phone. He knew she would tell him immediately if he was overreacting. When she picked up, she’d just finished with practice and was headed to Bible study.

“Hey, Brandon, wow, three times in one day? Is everything okay?” Tonya loved hearing Brandon’s voice, but she knew he had his hands full trying to balance work, school, and caring for Katy. Tonya had a pretty full schedule too and completely understood their inability to connect the way they had before Katy arrived.

Tonya was glad Brandon finally had the opportunity to meet his sister and spend quality time with her. Tonya and Brandon decided to spend this Thanksgiving apart. Tonya knew this would be Brandon’s only chance to have both his family members together, and she wanted him to enjoy that experience without having to worry about whether she and his father would get along. Christmas would be their holiday together, and Brandon promised her that no matter what, it would be.

Tonya had gotten lost in her thoughts before she realized Brandon was speaking. “No, I just wanted to hear your voice. I was taking a break and thought I’d give you a call. I’m really not looking forward to us being apart for Thanksgiving.”

“I know, honey, but we both have family nearby that we haven’t seen in a while, and it’ll do us both some good to spend time with family. I am so looking forward to Christmas and spending it with you.”

“I know, baby, I can’t wait until things are normal again, if that’s possible. I really miss spending time with you too.”

“So what time are you getting off tonight?”

“Well, looks like I’ll have to work until 10:00 p.m. to put in the hours I need to request time off.”

“Oh okay, well. you can always give me a call when you’re done, so I can make sure you made it home safely,” Tonya said, smiling into the phone and longing to be near Brandon.

“Okay, I’ll be sure to do that,” Brandon said flirtatiously. “What time are you planning to get on the road tomorrow?”

Tonya was going home for Thanksgiving, and Tara and Terry were coming up from Florida. Although she would miss being with Brandon, Tonya had to admit she was pretty excited about seeing her sister. “I was thinking of leaving first thing in the morning. When I return Friday, we’ll have a short practice in preparation for the tournament on Saturday. So I think two and a half days will be enough time. The practice on Friday is not mandatory, but I am planning to attend.”

Katy was due to leave Sunday morning, and Brandon promised her they would get to see one of Tonya’s basketball games before she left. They both were looking forward to attending the tournament to support Tonya. Claire wanted to attend the game too, so she and Katy could spend their last night together.

“Hey, that looked like Claire on her bike, and she was dressed in her running clothes. Is Katy home?”

Brandon’s heart raced when he heard that Claire had been spotted. He only wished Katy was on her way home. “Well, she should be home by now since it’s almost dark, but I’ve yet to hear from her.”

“Oh well, I can swing by before I head to church, if you want me to stop and check in on her,” Tonya offered.

Just then Brandon had an incoming call, and it was coming from his house. “Hold on a sec, I think this is her now,” Brandon said with his voice lifting.

“Hey, Brandon, just made it in. I hope you weren’t too worried.”

“No, not too worried. I’m glad you made it home safely. How was your run?”

“It was exhausting but fun. We ran a shorter route but at a faster pace, so hopefully the next run will be the long one. Well, I just wanted you to know that I was home safe.”

“Okay, thanks for calling. I have Tonya on the other line.”

“Tell her I said hello,” Katy said quickly before ending her call with her brother.

“Hey, baby, that was Katy. She just made it home.”

“Okay, good. I’m glad to know she’s safe and sound. Look, since you won’t be home until later, would you like me to stop by after church before I head back to campus?”

After giving her offer some thought, Brandon said, “Sure, I think she’ll like that.”

“Good. That works for me. Besides, I won’t see her before Thanksgiving, so this will be perfect.”

“Okay, thanks, Tonya, I really appreciate it. I’d better get back inside. I’ll call you when I’m off duty.”

* * *

Tonya thought back to when she was at the hospital with Myron. As Tonya stood just outside Danielle’s hospital room, she was touched by Myron’s softly spoken words to Danielle. Tonya felt in her heart that Myron genuinely cared for Danielle and wanted nothing more than for her to recover.

He had been harshly criticized in the very beginning of her disappearance, which was enough for him to stay away from Northport. Although he loved Danielle, hanging around Northport during the investigation was only making things more difficult. Myron felt as long as he was there and visible, the focus would be on him and not the investigation. The last thing he wanted was to be the center of the investigation, which would surely hinder his attempt at joining the military and also allow the real attacker to remain free.

Tonya wished Danielle and Myron happiness whether it was meant for them to be together or not. She knew they were both good people, and she wanted nothing but good things for them.

Tonya’s thoughts then rested on Janelle. She had recently found out that her boyfriend of nine months had another girlfriend in a neighboring city. Although he was only home during breaks, he somehow managed to split his time between her and Janelle.

Of course, Janelle was heartbroken especially after she’d made arrangements to attend school at GSU where he was a sophomore. Tonya hadn’t seen Janelle lately but heard through Natalie that she was doing better.

Myron calling Tonya’s name caused her eyes to follow him as he began to walk back into the room. “Tonya, can you come inside for a moment?”

Still trying to refocus her thoughts, she quickly nodded and followed him into the room. Myron seemed uncertain of what he wanted to say. “Tonya, I need to ask you something, and I’m not sure quite where to start. Well, let me ask this first. Can you tell me where they put Danielle’s belongings?”

Not sure where he was going with this line of questioning, Tonya thought back to when Danielle first arrived but said nothing. Myron, sensing her hesitation, continued, “You know, her clothing articles and personal belongings?” Finally Tonya seemed to understand as she walked over to the closet that housed what wasn’t taken for evidence.

“Well, Myron, as I’m sure, you can imagine the police took most of her items for evidence. It’s probably still at the station. Are you looking for a particular item?” Tonya asked as she closed the closet door, not finding what she was looking for.

Myron walked over to the window and stared out into space. He was so deep in thought he didn’t hear or see Tonya as she stood next to him.

Gently touching his arm, Tonya said “What should we be looking for, Myron?”

Jumping slightly, as he was startled by Tonya’s hand resting on his arm, Myron said “I gave Danielle a promise ring the weekend before she disappeared. I wanted to know if she still had it, that’s all.”

Tonya could tell Myron was somewhat hurt by not finding the ring.

“Myron, I’m sorry I wasn’t aware you’d given Danielle a ring, not that it surprises me. I simply had no idea.” Seeing her words had no effect on him as he still appeared dazed, Tonya began to think of how she could help with his dilemma. “Well, I guess I could speak to her mom and possibly my boyfriend at the police station.”

As soon as the words escaped her lips, she immediately wondered if she’d said too much. Although she was dating Brandon, she instantly wondered if it was okay to tell people, especially Myron since Brandon had been assigned to Danielle’s case. She also had never labeled Brandon as her boyfriend before and wanted to make sure he was okay with that information being public knowledge.

Myron kept right on talking as nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. “Yeah, that would be a big help. I just want to make sure she has it when she wakes up.”

“Okay, let me check with her mom, and if I run into a dead end there, I’ll certainly speak with Brandon,” Tonya said, this time leaving out the fact that he was her boyfriend. After she left the hospital, she left a message for Mrs. Stocks to call her when she could.

 Chapter Thirty-Five

When Tonya arrived in Brandon’s community, she called Katy to let her know she would be dropping by. Tonya was sure Brandon had already told Katy, but Tonya didn’t like surprises much. It was almost 9:00 p.m. when Tonya pulled into Brandon’s driveway. Katy met her at the door with a big smile covering her thin face.

“Hey, Katy! Katy, how are you?”

“I’m doing great!” Katy said as she hugged Tonya tightly.

Stepping into the house, Tonya looked around and noticed a few new items throughout the living room. Brandon had such good taste that Tonya wasn’t surprised by the changes.

“Come on in. I was just fooling around with Brandon’s toys,” Katy said, laughing and taking Tonya by the hand, leading her downstairs.

Once seated, Katy explained to Tonya that she’d recently discovered Brandon’s keyboard and drum set. Tonya’s confused expression let Katy know that this was the first time she’d heard about Brandon’s music. “So are you telling me you’ve never heard Brandon play?” Katy
asked in disbelief.

“Uh, well, yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. I never knew he was musically inclined,” Tonya said absentmindedly as she tried to rack her brain for any hints that would have led her to believe her boyfriend was a closet musician.

“Well, to be honest, I’ve not heard him play either, but I do plan to ask him to before I leave. My mom has told me we used to sing all the time when we were little. I remember some of it, but I was far too young to truly remember.”

With that, Katy let her hands fall upon the keys on the familiar keyboard, and for the next fifteen minutes, Tonya was taken aback by her talent. Tonya was never really interested in playing a musical instrument until now. She was blown away by Katy’s ability to play flawlessly and beautifully, just like she’d never taken a break from music. While the girls played around on the keyboard, they laughed and joked as Katy taught Tonya a song. When they heard the door close, both girls were startled and immediately stopped playing.

“Oh my goodness, it’s 11:00 p.m.!” Tonya whispered.

As the two sat there in disbelief, they exhaled when they heard Brandon’s footsteps then his voice.

“Katy, Tonya, you down there?”

Now bursting out in laughter, Katy said, “Brandon’s going to kill me!”

Tonya looked on curiously. “What? Why?”

“This is his secret hideout, and I think I just invaded it.”

As Brandon stepped off the last step, he no longer heard the music and laughter. “Hey, ladies, what are you guys up to?” he asked smiling as he approached Tonya for a hug.

Standing to meet him, Tonya enjoyed the embrace as she stepped away from the keyboard as if inviting him to sit. Playfully punching Katy in the arm, Brandon stood beside his sister.

“So you play?” Brandon asked his baby sister.

“Just a little,” she said, smiling. “I used to take lessons when I was smaller, but that didn’t last long. I had to choose between running track or taking music lessons because Mom was being stretched pretty thin. I can still read music though.”

“So I guess it’s safe to say running takes priority over a lot of things.” They all laughed while Tonya watched Brandon interact with Katy.

Brandon nodded as he took a seat beside his baby sister and allowed his long and skillful fingers to find a comfortable place on the keys. Tonya looked on in amazement at the man she’d fallen in love with as he now seemed more mysterious than ever. As she took in the room, she wondered how she’d missed this corner before. Her tour of the room quickly ended as Brandon’s music found its way to her ears. He played so well it sounded professional.

Katy smiled with pleasure as she found a way to join in with her brother and played alongside him. The song was one that was very familiar to Katy because it was her mother’s favorite, “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.”

As Tonya continued to watch in amazement, she was shocked to hear Katy’s fine voice chime out the powerful lyrics to the song. While Brandon seemed shocked as well, he continued to play as he stared at the beautiful sound coming from his little sister.

Brandon, almost getting emotional, began to block out everything as he did at church when he performed and put his heart and soul into the beautiful music he and Katy created. Before the next verse was started, Brandon was singing with Katy; and as the two voices met in harmony, neither could control the Spirit moving in the room.

Tonya suddenly became weak in the knees as she found herself speechless and searching for a seat. She was literally blown away by the powerful performance that was unfolding right before her eyes. Everything that took place before her that night stunned her beyond belief. Watching the talented duo create magic right there in the very same room was indescribable. Just when Tonya thought she knew everything that was important to know about Brandon, she realized there was so much more to explore.

Now dealing with the feelings she had moving around inside, she became emotional. Luckily Brandon and Katy were so focused on each other and what they were doing at the moment, they never saw her; or if they did, they didn’t seem shocked by what they might have seen.

As the song ended, Brandon leaned over and kissed his baby sister on the forehead and pulled her in for a long hug. “You sound like an angel. Where’d you learn to sing like that?” He knew the answer before she spoke it. He thought back to when his mother used to sing to him as a child when Katy was a baby. Brandon knew exactly from whom they received their God-given talent.

Katy made her way to the stairs and looked back at Tonya to say good night. Brandon opened his eyes upon hearing Katy acknowledging Tonya, who was quietly positioned across the room. Brandon had gotten so lost in his music he’d nearly forgotten he had an audience. He rose from his seat to meet Tonya, and she moved toward him. Tonya took his face in her hands and kissed his lips.

“Brandon, that was amazing. I mean it was incredible! Why didn’t you tell me you were a musician?”

Accepting the compliment as humbly as he could, Brandon smiled before he kissed her back. The room was so quiet, and all that could be heard by either of them was the beating of their hearts. It had been quite a while since they’d had any alone time together, and this moment felt so right.

“Well, first of all, I don’t consider myself a serious musician because I only play when I can find the time. I didn’t think it was a big deal, but I would’ve shared it with you eventually. You know I believe things are revealed in their own time, and I’m glad you were here tonight.”

Everything was right with the world; life was good, work was calm, school was manageable, Katy was safe, his mother’s health was improving and his father was coming around. And most importantly, he was blessed enough to know that he was holding his future wife in his arms.

As they held their embrace, the two seemed to melt in each other’s arms. Tonya was floating above cloud nine, if that was even possible. She’d been waiting all her life for the perfect man, and although Brandon was her total opposite, she knew she loved him and wanted him around forever. When the two parted, Brandon took Tonya’s warm face in his big but gentle hands as he tried to contain the flurry of feelings running through his body.