Savage Love (3 page)

     Now he had taken a chance that all of his best laid plans, his secrecy and his deal with the small town leaders
, would all be blown to bits by two stranded motorists.
Maybe the chemo has finally damaged my brain.
As soon as he was settled in bed with the bucket by his side, he gave Leal instructions to send Trisha in as soon as she got done with settling his unwanted guest. 
Man he felt old. If I wasn’t such a coward, I’d just take a few more pain pills than prescribed and be done. But what if this wasn’t all there was? What if all that stuff that his parents, Gareth, Bryce and even Trisha and Leal believed was true? You used to believe it too…what happened to that simple faith? But what kind of God would take good people like Gareth and Rebecca from a great kid like Bryce? What kind of God even allowed cancer? No he’d beat this on his own, just like he made himself a star. He didn’t need God, and he sure didn’t need false belief in something better. This is all you get, Bucko.Take it or leave it.

     His pity party was interrupted by Trish
a coming in and fussing over him. He hated to admit it, but he loved it when she fussed. Which was probably why he kept her around, well, maybe her cooking and her great business sense didn’t hurt much either. They may not see eye to eye on all things, but Daffyd, Trisha and Leal made a great team.

     “So…?” said Trish
a as she settled on the side of his bed.

     “So… what?” asked Daffyd.

     “We have guests.”

     “Yes, Trish
, we do.”

     “What do you think about that,” she asked.

     “You sound like my old therapist.”

     “You don’t need a therapist
. You just need God.” She stated.

     “Now
, you’re crossing that line we talked about, Trish…”

     “Ok,
sorry. But really, isn’t this just fun. We’ve never had anyone here but Bryce, and they seem really sweet. It will be nice to just let them relax and have fun until we can get that car fixed. And aren’t they both the cutest. They look more like sisters than mother and daughter.”

     “Leave it to you to think hosting guests, while feeling like crap, would be fun
.”

     “You’d feel like crap with or without guests. So I was thinking we should still have our
‘Post Treatment Comedy Pajama Night’. What do you think?”

     “I think you are crazier than usual,”
Daffyd snorted.

     “Who made the rule?
Quote:‘New House Rule-One hour of treatment equals one hour of everyone else laughing until their guts hurt.’ Did I get that right?” Trisha said poking fun at her boss.

     “Rules changed when your
Good Samaritan husband wanted to pick up those damsels in distress today,” Daffyd said.

     “That’s funny
. I thought he said it was your idea. I should have known better. Your heart is too cold to be a Good Samaritan. That’s why you do not give to charities, or why you never built that children’s wing on the hospital, and never ever would have paid for your orphaned nephew’s college,” countered Trisha.

     “You can shut up now. If I
approve the movie and the pajamas will you leave me alone until then?” he asked wearily.

     “Of course, as soon as I tuck you in and bring you that herbal tea that helps settle your stomach.
”

     “Actually, it wasn’t so bad this time. I didn’t even throw up in the car on the way back. So just tuck me in and forget the tea. You can invite
your
guests to movie night. They’ll probably be too tired to come, but we wouldn’t want to be rude. And you better warn them, I don’t want them to freak out when they see me. But remember, nobody mentions who I am. I am just plain Daffyd Sayvage.”

Chapter 3

A Merry Heart

     Samantha
and Seanna were sitting in the room that Trisha had given to Samantha. Her room was almost as big as their living room at home. It was all done in earth tones, mostly warm browns and cool greens. There was a big four posted bed in dark cherry wood. Matching tables on both side and a large dresser with a round mirror completed the furnishings. The pictures were mostly photographs in black and white. There were two big windows that looked out into the surrounding hills. Both Seanna and Samantha were sitting on the big bed. They were talking about all the weird events in the last few months. They both agreed it was like something out of the movies, the death of Richard, the rushed flight to Washington, the long trip, car trouble, the limo rescue and now this mansion way out in the middle of nowhere. If it hadn’t been happening to them, they wouldn’t have believed it.

     “Who
are
these people?” Seanna asked. “They live in the middle of nowhere and are filthy rich.”

     “They are the people God sent to help us,” Samantha answered
matter of factly.

     “The guy in the back of the limo must be rich. Look at this place. This looks like something off of the Home and Garden channel. Why do you think
‘Mr. Rich’ never introduced himself, or even showed his face? Did you notice he never even got out of the car? Maybe he is old and ugly, or deformed or something.”

     “Somebody has been watching too many movies. Maybe he just wants his privacy. All the more reason for us to get the car fixed right away in the morning and get back on the road. We’ll just stay in our rooms until then, and not be a bother
,” said Samantha.

     “Yeah, you’re probably right. I sure would like to see the rest of the house. Did you check out the bathroom down the hall? And the view out my window is awesome. You can look out over the mountains. I am gonna at least take some pictures of our rooms and the view. Nobody will believe this without proof.”

     Just as Seanna got her camera out of her purse, there was a soft knock on the door.

     “Come in”, said both girls at once.

     Trisha came in and took a seat on the bed right along with Samantha and Seanna.

     “I am here to invite you to a movie and snacks in our video room,” said Trish
a. “But if you are feeling too tired and just want to rest that’s ok too. They are just some old Three Stooges movies. It’s kind of a tradition here.”

     “You show all your guests Three Stooges movies?” asked Seanna with a bemused look on her face.

     “No,” laughed Trisha. “You’re actually our first visitors we’ve had, except Daffyd’s nephew Bryce. I guess I should tell you about Daffyd, my boss, then you’ll understand. He has stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma which is a fancy name for a real bad form of cancer. He has been fighting it for two years. He gets a little better, has even been in a full remission, only to have it crop back up. He was actually on his way home from a chemo session today when they picked you up. So the tradition is that every treatment day we all put on our pajamas, so Daffyd doesn’t feel left out, he lives in his now days, and watch his old Three Stooges movies. He says it’s so that we will all ‘laugh until our guts hurt’, he doesn’t want us ‘to feel left out’. It cheers him up and we do whatever we can to keep him happy.”

     “So is that why he didn’t let us see him in the limo?” asked Samantha.

     “He does look pretty rough and he doesn’t like people to see him this way. His privacy is very important to him, so I am not at liberty to say much more. He is a real nice guy who is in a real hard spot. But between you and me, Leal and I think it is right where God wants him.”

     “I think we should join them
. What do you think, Mom?” asked Seanna.

     “If he would be uncomfortable, maybe we shouldn’t,”
hedged Samantha.

     “Sometimes being uncomfortable is what makes us change. I think it would be good for him. God knows
, Leal and I would love the company. It’s pretty quiet when Bryce isn’t here,” said Trisha.

     “That’s the nephew you were talking about?” asked Seanna.

     “Yep, since his parents died he’s here during breaks from law school. He’s a great kid. You just missed him by a few days. He stops to visit Daffyd’s parents for a couple of weeks before he comes here,” Trisha replied. “So what do you say? Snacks and some corny movies?”

     Samantha looked at her daughter, who look
ed back with her ‘please, Mom’ look.

     “Sure, we’ll come. But what was that about pajamas?” asked Samantha.

     “Well I guess you would be forgiven if you didn’t, but Leal and I wear ours and when Bryce is here he always wears some crazy ones to make his uncle laugh. It’s totally up to you. Just come down to the kitchen in about an hour. I’ll be putting together some eats and will show you to the media room.” Trisha popped up off the bed and said as she left, “its nice having you here, even if it is just one night.”

     “Well
, I for one, do not have pajamas fit for company. All my flannels are at home. I have been sleeping in my summer stuff that is way too skimpy for public,” stated Samantha.

     “I’ll just wear one of my tank tops and shorts, that’s my summer sleepwear,” Seanna said.

     “I guess I do have a few tanks…do you think its ok for me to be in public in my pajamas?”

     “First off, you’re talking like you’re an old lady. Secondly, we’re not in public
. We are in a private home. Thirdly, our host requests pajamas. Come on, Mom. Live on the edge!” Seanna joked.

     An hour later they were helping Trish
a put butter on some popcorn and various junk food articles on a tray. Samantha couldn’t help a twinge of guilt and she hadn’t even touched the food yet.
It’s not going to hurt you to eat a little junk food now and then. It’s not like you’ll change a lifetime of good eating in one night.
She had gotten past the whole pajama thing when she saw Trisha in a pair of silky pants and a tank top that said ‘sleep is over rated’. Soon Trisha was leading them downstairs to a big room with a huge sectional that pretty much filled two walls. There was a screen almost as big as a real theater where you could see from any part of the room. A big heavy table was in the center of the room and there was a bar area on another wall.

     The lights were already dimmed and Samantha could just make out Leal and another man sitting on one side of the big couch. The other was recli
ned and on the end next to Leal with a hooded sweatshirt on. All she could see was a pale outline of a face. Their host pushed a button on the remote and before anyone could say a word, the movie started. Trisha motioned towards the couch. Seanna and Samantha sat while Trisha set the tray and the popcorn on the table. Leal hopped up and grabbed some sodas and juice out of the fridge in the bar. He kept one, handed one to his boss and put the rest on the table. Soon the movie was rolling and there was no chance for conversation.

     Samantha had never really liked the Stooges much, not that she had seen much of their stuff. She didn’t think Seanna even knew who they were. She had resigned herself to sit through at least a half hour before begging of
f with the excuse of being tired. But before she knew, she was laughing right along with the rest of them. Leal had a big laugh, Trisha had one long giggle, Seanna was laughing so hard she was leaning on her mom. Samantha’s face hurt from laughing so much, a few times even having some issues catching her breath. The only one not laughing out loud was their host. He did have a huge smile on his face and occasionally chuckled. Mostly he was enjoying watching the others, especially the two guests who snuggled and whispered and fell into each other as they laughed. Samantha forgot all about her thirty minutes, ate junk food and drank a whole soda, skipping the water all together.
What did Seanna say about living on the edge? I think I have jumped right off.
Then she laughed even harder at her own joke.

 
When the movie was over Trisha got up and turned on the light with the pretext of finding something she dropped under the couch. Daffyd saw right through her poor acting and tried to pull the hoody over his face a little more. Samantha and Seanna were trying to catch their breath and drying their eyes and smiling at each other.

     “Refills anyone?” asked Leal.

     “Sure, I’d take a water. I think I’ve had enough caffeine before bed,” said Seanna.

     “Well then maybe we should watch another one.
Anyone up for round two?” Daffyd surprised everyone by asking.

     “I think my stomach and my face hurt from laughing so much, they need a break. I haven’t laughed that hard in years. Thanks! I think it did me good,” answered Samantha.

     “A merry heart is like taking medicine,” said Seanna.