Night Moves (29 page)

He had said he loved her. Was that love real? And did it matter? Love wasn't always enough.

Lee sank into the hospital chair at her side, warmly taking her hand in his.

Bryn accepted his hand. She said nothing, but turned her eyes to the screen and tried to pay attention to Vincent Price.

In a way it was nice.Sitting there quietly alone together. And she was a fan of Vincent Price....

The night passed swiftly. Right before she felt her eyes flickering closed, she spoke at last. "Lee?"

"Yes?"

' 'Iwish I knew how to thankyou and the group. When I saw Andrew in that ridiculous costume...well, it was just so nice. Of both of you to...watch over me so carefully."

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"Go to sleep, Bryn," he said lightly.

In the morning Barbara stopped by with clothes. She seemed anxious, but pleased to see that Bryn looked so well.

"How did things go?" Lee asked her.

Barbara rolled her eyes. "Andrew and I are a disaster at discipline. Lee's house will never be the same, Bryn!"

Bryn bit her lip, wondering how badly the boys had destroyed the place. But Barbara only laughed. "It probably needed a little livening up!"

Dr.Kelten came in and ushered Barbara and Lee out. He examined her,then smiled. "You look fine to me. You probably could have gone home yesterday, but it doesn't pay to take chances with head injuries."

"I guess not," Bryn murmured.

"Well, anyway, the police are here to speak with you. I'll give you a minute to get dressed,then I'll send them in and tell the nurse to prepare your release papers."

Bryn thanked the doctor, then showered and dressed quickly. Was "omitting" as bad as lying in the eyes of the law? She sighed as she waited nervously for the police. She certainly wasn't going to be lying if she said that she hadn't seen a thing....

Lee came in with the young officer who questioned her. She answered truthfully when she said that she hadn't seen a thing at the time of the crash; she had only felt the thud when the car had bashed into hers.

The officer thanked her for her cooperation, and she guiltily assured him that she didn't mind the questioning in the least.

Barbara had already gone on back to Lee's house, so Bryn and Lee drove alone. He glanced her way as he wheeled his car from the hospital's parking lot. "You sure you feel okay?"

"I promise you, I feel great," she told him truthfully.

Lee nodded. He didn't say much else as they continued on to the house.

As soon as they pulled into the driveway the new front door flew open. The kids came running out to engulf her in hugs, and she hugged them all back fervently.

"You should hear me on the drums, Aunt Bryn!" Brian told her. Adam, who had wedged his way into her arms andnow had a death grip about her neck, told her, "Key-tar!"

Lee laughed, plucking Adam away from Bryn despite his howl of protest.' 'Let your aunt get into the house and sit down, Adam. Then you can crawl all over her." He grimaced at Bryn.' 'Maybe we have something profitable going here. How do you like the 'Keller Brothers Band'?"

Bryn chuckled softly. "It has a ring to it." Gayle was waiting for them at the door. Bryn's smile to Lee's sister was a little shy, but Gayle was both effusive and down to earth."Bryn! How are you feeling? Are you sure you're all right? Maybe you should have stayed another day."

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"No, I'm fine, thanks, Gayle. And I'd have gone crazy in bed for another day." She found that Lee was looking at her with a sardonic smile tugging at his lips, and she flushed, casting him a murderous glare in return. He laughed and slipped his free arm around her shoulders.

"Did Andrew and Barbara go on over to theFultonplace?" "Yes, they're going to film some individual footage of the band. Andrew said it had to be done sometime, and it would keep things rolling."

"Good," Lee murmured. "Let's get in," he told Bryn.

The first thing Bryn noticed when she entered the house was that every window in the place had new glass. And shot through the glass were a myriad of hair-fine lines. The windows were pretty; they might have been there for their beauty. But Bryn shivered. She knew that the new windows were there for only one purpose: security.

She put that thought behind her because the kids were tugging at her hands and Gayle was saying that she had to meet Phil.

Gayle's husband was a tall redheaded man with sparkling blue eyes. Bryn felt the warmth of his handshake and the sincerity in his voice when he told her how happy he was to meet her. He and Lee were about the same age, and Bryn could quickly see that Lee shared the same camaraderie with his brother-in-law that he did with the band. She experienced a twinge of envy and nostalgia.God, how she missed her brother at times.

The kids insisted that she come up to the studio and hear them play the instruments. She instantly started to protest their enthusiastic treatment of the group's equipment, but Lee silenced her with a wave of his hand. She listened to a cacophony of drums, keyboard and guitar, and then insisted that the noise had to die down for a while.

Gayle laughed and said that the pizza man was due any second; hearing that a pizza was on the way, the boys happily raced down the stairs to watch for it at the window. Gayle and Phil followed them, and Lee and Bryn were left alone.

"I think after lunch--if you're up to it--we should get over to your town house and start on the pictures."

Bryn hesitated a moment, then shook her head. She looked at him, smiling hesitantly.

"If the boys are leaving with your sister and her husband in the morning, I'd like to spend the day with them. One day won't make that much difference, will it?"

Lee stared back at her for a long time, smiling slowly. "No, one day won't make that much difference."

He slipped his arm around her waist and led her out of the studio. "You do like pizza, don't you?"

She wrinkled her nose."With absolutely everything but anchovies."

"No anchovies, huh?I'll learn to live without them." Bryn laughed,then quickly sobered. "Lee, I'm just afraid of how the boys are going to take this."

"They'll take it fine! Don't worry. All little boys like Indians."

"I'm not so sure," Bryn said dubiously. "These days, little boys like Star Wars toys.And Gremlins. And
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Pac-Man. And--" "And quit worrying, Bryn. Things will work out; I promise you. Come on now, let's have a pleasant afternoon!"

The afternoon did pass pleasantly, so pleasantly that Bryn didn't want it to end. At five-thirty Andrew and Barbara arrived, with Mick and Perry in tow. Mick wound up at the piano, playing fifties tunes.

Somehow two of the guitars made it downstairs, and Brynwasn't sure if she was surprised or not when she watched Lee accept one from Andrew, who then slid onto the piano bench beside Mick.

"Don't tell me you play that, too?" Bryn asked him. He shrugged, and Bryn sat back in the modular sofa with Adam ensconced in her lap. He could play it. She watched the agility of his fingers with amazement as they seemed to move instinctively over the strings.

Mick made a quick change to Beatles tunes, and when he teased Brian, Brian told him with great indignity that, yes, of course he knew who the Beatles were. He proved it by singing every word of

"Yellow Submarine."

Dinner was a light makeshift meal of sandwiches, but Gayle tossed a huge salad and put out a platter piled high with fresh fruit, so Bryn's health-conscious-for-the-children's-sake mind was pleased. The more she saw of Gayle and Phil, the more she liked them, and the more reassured she felt. It was just going to be difficult to tell the boys.

After they had all eaten, Bryn accompanied the boys upstairs. Gayle and Barbara had handled everything well; in the strange house they had put all three in one room, bringing in a cot to slide next to the double bed. The children'spajamas were all under their pillows, and their toothbrushes were neatly lined up in the bathroom. Bryn started to help them change,then decided it was time to talk.

"How would you guys like to really play Indians?" she asked enthusiastically.

Too much had happened recently. Three pairs of suspicious eyes turned her way. "What do you mean?"

Brian asked, his voice quavering.

Bryn smiled, although the tightness of her face told her how plastic it must look. "Gayle is Lee's sister, you know. She and her husband are going to go up and stay with Lee's grandfather. And he's a real Indian."

"Isn't Lee a real Indian?" Keith asked.

Bad terminology on her part, Bryn decided. Kids learned too fast in the schools these days, she thought ruefully. "Of course he's real.Or half real. Oh, never mind!You're purposely not understanding me! Lee's grandfather lives on a hill by a stream, and he lives just as they did a hundred years ago!" They were still staring at her blankly. "He lives in ateepee ," she tried."A realteepee ."

Adam's lip started quivering. Great big tears splashed to his cheeks.

But it was Brian who spoke again. "You're trying to send us away, aren't you?"

"No!" Bryn protested. "I just wanted to let you have a little vacation, that's all. Adam!"

Balling his little hands into fists, Adam ran past her and into the hall. Bryn took off after him, only to pause in the doorway when she saw that Lee was coming--with the squalling Adam raised high in his arms.

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"What's all this about?" he queried. Adam kept squalling. Brian faced Lee defiantly."Us going away!"

Bryn stared at Lee reproachfully. Things would work out fine, huh?her eyes asked him.

"Are you going to marry my aunt? Is that why you're trying to get rid of us?''

"What?" Lee demanded sharply. But then he laughed, setting Adam down on the cot beside him and reaching out a hand to Brian. "Come here, Brian," he said quietly. "We need to talk."

Bryn, wishing she could sink into the floor, watched as Brian stared at Lee's hand for a long while. But then he took it and walked over to stand before Lee.

"Brian, you know that some strange things have been happening lately, don't you?"

"Yes, sir," Brian murmured.

"I swear to you, Brian, I just want you to be safe. Can you understand that?"

Brian shuffled his feet and stared down at them. Keith suddenly walked over to the pair and asserted himself, placing his hand on Lee's shoulder. "I understand," he said with remarkable maturity.

Brian grudgingly looked up. "How long?" he asked miserably.

"Not long at all!" Lee said, tousling his hair. "Your aunt and I will be up to meet you in...say...two weeks, tops."

"Does your grandfather really live in ateepee ?" Brianasked, a note of excitement in his voice.

"Sure does. He can show you all kinds of neat things.How to build a sweat lodge. Carve figures. I'll bet he'll even make you a jacket out of skins if you ask him." "Wow," Keith murmured.

Lee glanced at Bryn triumphantly. She could see the taunt in his eyes and knew exactly what he was thinking: "Star Wars, huh?"

But just as she started to assume that things were going well, Adam started howling again. Bryn scooped him into her arms. "Adam! You'll just be away for two weeks without me, Adam. I swear it, Adam...I promise..."

I can't do this, Bryn thought. I can't make him go away.

But could she take a risk with him--or with Brian or Keith--again? He had been taken from her once, now she had him back. But would she get him back a second time.

"Adam!" Bryn soothed. She walked over to the bed with him, set him down and lay beside him. Lee followedher, sitting on Adam's other side. The tears continued to slide down the little boy's cheeks, and Bryn thought her heart would surely break.

"Adam! Don't you know how much I love you? I would never, never in a thousand years let you stay away long. I promise, Adam, I'll be there for you, all of my life!"

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His tears subsided to soft sobs; she wiped them from his cheeks. He drew a long, shaky breath as she smoothed back his hair.

"I'll always love you, Adam," she repeated softly. "I'll always be there for you."

As usual, when he was upset, his r slurred.' 'Pwomise ?'' "I promise, Adam!"

"Pwomise?" he repeated, and Bryn realized that he was staring at Lee.

Lee solemnly returned his stare. "I promise, Adam." Keith decided to cut in on the action. He came plunging onto the bed, right in front of Adam.

"We're going to stay with real Indians, Adam!" Keith turned to Lee. "Can we paint our faces and wear feathers?"

Lee grimaced,then shrugged."Why not? But you'd better get some sleep, because you'll have to take a plane out early in the morning."

"A jet?"Keith asked."Umm."

"My father was a pilot," Keith said proudly. "Was he now? That's wonderful. One day you're going to have to tell me all about him. But for now...well...Indians do rise at dawn, you know."

Lee stood up, allowing Keith to crawl into the double bed. Brian rose and padded over to the cot. Lee walked to the door and placed his finger over the light switch, then paused with a frown as he realized Bryn was still lying next to Adam.

"I...I'm going to stay in here with them for a while," she said. She was, in a way, lying. She was going to stay there all night. She knew it, and Lee knew it.

Don't hate me! Bryn pleaded. Please don't hate me because I need to be with them tonight instead of you.

She couldn't tell what he was thinking. His golden gaze was unfathomable. "Good night," he told her softly.

He switched the light off, but Bryn noticed that, just as at home, the bathroom light had been left on.

She hugged Adam closer to her,then stretched her arm out to touch Keith's shoulder.

Sometime during the night, Brian had left the cot and climbed in beside her. She dimly remembered waking and hugging him, too. It was crowded in the bed, but it was crowded with love.