Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series) (38 page)

Katherine bit her lip a moment before she moved into the room and leaned over him on the bed.

“Derrick,” she said softly.

“What? Kaitlyn? What are you doing in here?” he frowned at her.

“I’m sorry. I just…I miss my grammie so bad and I needed to talk to someone,” she wiped at her tears.

“Katherine,” he sighed, “I am so sorry about your grandmother. It’s hard; I know. You’ll miss her but you need to realize that death as much a part of life as living. The best thing you can do is stay busy. Now that your mom’s schedule is open maybe she can come up more and you two can distract yourselves with planning the wedding. I am beginning to think you are dragging your feet. Ask her about it tomorrow and like I said: staying busy will really help,” he offered. “Now get some sleep sweetheart,” he rolled back over.

Katherine felt her chest tighten and rushed from the room. She didn’t know what she had expected, certainly not to be all but dismissed. She hurried into the garage and sank to the top step as sobs overtook her. The man had gotten up at the crack of dawn to sort out work so he could catch an early flight and be there for the funeral. She imagined he was exhausted. It still stung that she had needed him and he’d not been there. He’d tried, hadn’t he? He couldn’t help that the plane had been late. Except that he could have left the night before and he hadn’t. His client had been more important. Katherine laid her forehead on her knees and tried to tell herself she was being unreasonable.

Once her tears eased, she stood, made her way back inside, and climbed the steps. She still felt lonely and depressed. She wanted someone to talk to but she knew her mom was exhausted and still had a busy several days ahead of her. She couldn’t bring herself to disturb her rest. At the door to her room she hesitated and looked guiltily down the hallway. A moment later she moved to the door of Adam’s room and let herself in. She eased the door closed behind her and moved across the room on a light step. Moonlight glowed softly through the windows flanking the bed and showed her the way as she climbed onto the bed.

“Adam?” she said hesitantly.

“Kaitlyn? What’s wrong baby?” he reached over, turned the lamp on and pulled himself up in the bed as he blinked at her. “Sorry,” he pulled at the blankets when he realized they had slipped to show off the underwear he slept in.

“I’m the one who barged in,” she shrugged.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as he surveyed her.

“I can’t sleep. I miss her so bad and I feel lonely and I…I just need to talk to someone. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he assured her and situated himself against the headboard. “Talk all you want.”

“I just keep thinking about her and all these memories. I remember standing on a stool and cutting biscuits with a floured glass. I remember stealing red hots intended for her baking and learning to sew on a button or hem a skirt at her knee, her thimble too big on my smaller thumbs. I remember the way she told stories and would do all the voices,” Katherine wiped at her tears.

“As I got older I can recall helping her in the kitchen, trying to learn how she perfected her crusts and how her vegetables were always perfectly seasoned. I still can’t figure out how to make biscuits using the well method. I remember walks down the road and now I’ll never do those things with her again.”

“She left a hole, Kaitlyn and it will never be filled but the ache will ease with time,” he assured her.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be such a cry baby,” she wiped at her face.

“You aren’t; you’re grieving and that’s perfectly understandable. That’s healthy. Don’t apologize.”

Katherine rubbed at her chilled arms and felt some of the tension drain from her. She’d needed empathy and understanding.

“Are you cold?” Adam asked her; she nodded.

“I can’t seem to get warm.”

“Climb under the blankets if you want; you’re safe with me.”

“Thanks,” she slid under their warmth.

“Your grandmother was a special person, Kaitlyn. I’m going to miss her myself.”

“I know she was ready, Adam. I know her health was failing. She had good days like the one we visited but then she had days she could barely get out of bed. She’s not hurting now and she’s with grandpa but I miss her and that’s selfish.”

“That’s human,” he countered.

“My kids will never know her,” her tears returned.

“They’ll know her through you and through your mom, Kaitlyn. You’ll both make sure they know what a kind and wonderful lady she was,” he pushed a strand of hair back from her face.

“You’re right; I will make sure they know all about her. I’ll teach them the stories she taught me. I’ll show them how to make a bed and how to turn a pillow case inside out to get it on and all the other things I learned from her. It will be like she’s there,” Katherine smiled at him.

“In a way she will be,” Adam assured her.

“Thank you, Adam. I had no right to come in here and disturbed your sleep like this.”

“You can come to me any time you need me for anything, Kaitlyn, you got that?” his gaze was serious. “At any time.”

“Thank you,” her voice was soft, tears still sliding down her cheeks.

“Welcome. I’ve lost count of the times you’ve been there for me, Kaitlyn. The least I can do is be there when you need me.”

Adam watched her smile as she tugged the blankets closer. He had a feeling her being cold wasn’t so much a physical thing and wondered if there was something she wasn’t telling him. Why had she come to him and not gone to her fiancé?

He couldn’t resist the urge to brush a curl back from her face and watched her eyes close and open. He repeated the action with same result and watched as she drifted off to sleep. Adam sighed as he watched an occasional sob rack her body.

“I love you, Kaitlyn,” he whispered.

Adam forced himself to drop his hand and convinced himself he should move her to her bed. She whimpered at the loss his touch. Adam sighed again and decided to leave her where she was, the consequences be hanged. If her fiancé wanted to ask what she was doing there he’d counter with why she hadn’t felt she could go to him. Adam flipped off the lamp, slid an arm around Kaitlyn and smiled when she wiggled closer; he let sleep claim him.

Julia woke from another fitful dream and lay staring at the ceiling. Knowing her mother was no longer in pain and that she was reunited with her father didn’t ease the ache of her loss. She’d been blessed with wonderful parents and their absence was definitely felt.

Julie moved to the bathroom to relive herself and then felt the need for a glass of water. She moved into the hallway, flipped on the light, and glanced in the direction of her daughter’s room from habit. She frowned when she realized the door wasn’t closed all the way and went to peek in. Cleo blinked at her in the light that spilled in but the bed was otherwise empty.

Deciding that Katherine had likely gone for a glass of water herself, she moved downstairs. She found an empty glass in the sink but found no sign of her daughter. Julie prepared and drained a glass of water and frowned as she considered her daughter’s absence. She checked the living room, dining room, office and even garage. Where could Katherine be? She had her own bathroom but that door had stood open and the room had been dark.

Julia stood, moved back into the kitchen, and placed her hands on her hips. The basement was dark but the light from the kitchen fell on the doorway to Derrick’s room; the door was barely cracked. Julia frowned and moved down the stairs. She hesitated a moment before she eased the door open and peered in. Derrick lay in the bed alone.

Julia eased the door shut and glanced into the dark basement wreck room; no sign of Katherine. She shook her head as she swept back through the main floor and then climbed the stairs. She was starting to get concerned. Where could her daughter be? She stood in the hallway a moment before she turned the light off. Her daughter was an adult, she reminded herself. Light spilled in from the window at the end of the hall and Julia found herself staring at Adam’s door. Maybe she could ask him if he had seen Katherine. She moved that way and debated knocking before she cracked the door. She blinked to make sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her before she backed from the room and eased the door shut. She’d found her daughter, curled up asleep in Adam’s arms.

Julia moved into her room on autopilot and sat on the edge of the bed as she tried to decide how she felt about that. She’d taught her daughter fidelity and yet Julia was aware without being told that her daughter had gone to Adam not seeking sex but comfort. Katherine was strong but she was tenderhearted and had been close to her grandmother. Julia knew Katherine would feel that loss keenly for a while to come. 

She wondered why Katherine hadn’t gone to Derrick and frowned. Perhaps she had, after all, his door had been open. Had she been turned away? That wouldn’t really surprise her, Julia mused with a grimace. The man wasn’t a warm or affectionate person and she feared Katherine would wither away under his lack of care. Julia decided that she was relieved that she had found her daughter in Adam’s bed and chuckled. That was a first, being relieved that her daughter was in a man’s bed. She knew, however, that whatever his faults, Adam loved Katherine and would be there for her.

“Are you okay?” Walter’s voice was thick with sleep.

“I needed a glass of water and checked on our daughter,” she shared.

“Is she okay? Is she taking it hard?” Walter was immediately concerned.

“I am sure she is,” Julia mused. “She wasn’t in her bed.”

“So where was she?” Walter was frowning at her in the pale moonlight.

“At first I couldn’t find her but I did finally.”

“Where was she? In your mom’s room?”

“No, Adam’s.”

“What?” Walter sat up and turned on the lamp.

“She is sound asleep in his arms but I think… I don’t know that she did, but I think she went to Derrick for comfort first. Walter, I think he turned her away or dismissed her or something. His door wasn’t closed all the way and it was earlier when I checked in on her and her friends. I guess that could be a coincidence but I don’t think so. I think he wasn’t there for her yet again.”

“So she turned to Adam? That’s what you’re saying,” Walter was trying to keep up.

“Yes, I believe that is exactly what happened,” Julia nodded and smiled.

“Why are you smiling?” Walter looked confused.

“This does not bode well for her and Derrick and that makes me insanely happy. She may not ditch him tomorrow but I am confident it is coming.”

“Why would…I’m lost,” Walter sighed.

“If she is turned to Adam when Derrick isn’t there for her, a pattern is being established and sooner or later that will trump whatever snow job Derrick has done on our daughter.”

“So you are happy that you found her in bed with a man?”

Julia chuckled and kissed her husband’s cheek. “They weren’t having sex; he was holding her and I can guarantee she went to him for comfort and in tears.”

“Yes but those two have had sex,” Walter was scowling.

“Yes, they have,” Julia nodded. “For just a moment quit thinking like a dad and consider this, Walter. Derrick is on his way out,” she smiled and sighed happily.

“And our daughter is in a man’s bed,” Walter maintained.

“Never mind, I will gloat alone,” Julia rolled her eyes. “Get some sleep.”

“I’m not sure I can.”

“Walter, get some sleep,” Julia reiterated and leaned across him to turn off his lamp.

Julia, picturing the day her daughter would be free of Derrick, drifted off into an easy sleep.

Walter lay frowning at the ceiling for some time before he fully realized that his daughter had made a choice whether she realized it or not; he smiled and rolled to hold his wife.

***

The next morning, Katherine laid a hand on Adam’s shoulder and could feel the tension in him as he waited for his knock to be answered. They stood on the steps of his former home.

“Relax,” she whispered. The door swung open and older man frowned at them.

“Yes?”

“I was looking for Donna Ellington,” Adam explained.

“I know that name. Talk to the manager, first trailer on the right,” the man instructed and then shut the door in their face. Adam drove back up the drive and stopped in front of the trailer.

“What can I do for you?” the man asked when he answered their knock.

“I’m looking for Donna Ellington,” Adam explained again. The man nodded.

“I have a forwarding address, hold on,” The man disappeared and then reappeared with a scrap of paper.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Say hi to your mom for me,” the man called after they had turned away from him. Adam looked over his shoulder in surprise but the man had already shut the door.

They drove to the address and studied the small, tidy house in front of them.

“This is the address,” Adam commented unnecessarily. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel and his eyes dark with fear.

Katherine knew that if his mother were as nasty with Adam today as she had been in the past, she would not be able to respond graciously.