Blindsided (Indigo Love Spectrum) (15 page)

“This is a surprise.” Nona kissed Dahlia’s cheek. “You
can sit with us. Your daddy is helping Mama out of the
car.”

“Actually, Mama, I was in early services, and was on
my way home.”

“Nonsense,” Nona said, fanning her hand at Dahlia’s
words. “You’ll join us for services and we’ll have dinner
together. It’s been so long since we’ve shared Sunday
dinner.”

“Mama, I don’t . . .”

“Dee, baby,” said seventy-eight-year-old Flora Best,
strutting down the blacktop parking lot with open arms
and a black pillbox hat topping her snow white hair.
“Come give me some sugar.”

D
ahlia moved around Nona to give Flora the
requested hug and kiss. Her father, Wilson, approached
from Flora’s rear. “Hi, Daddy,” she said, as she released her grandmother.

“Dahlia,” said Wilson, his baritone voice, like rolling
thunder, somewhat out of place in his average-size body,
but perfect for the principal of the middle school.
“Considering you’re at church, I guess you must know.”

“Know what?” she asked, looking from her father to
her mother. “Okay, what’s going on? Grandma?”

“I don’t think she knows, Wilson,” said Nona.

“Know what?”

“It’s your sister,” Flora said, taking Dahlia’s hand into her wrinkled ones. “She’s having some problems.”

Dahlia laughed, loud and overly obnoxious laughter.
“Are you surprised?” she said. “She hooked up with
Jonah. What did she expect?”

“What she’s expecting is a baby,” her father said.
“She’s in her fifth month and she’s having some medical
problems.”

Dahlia’s head swam and her knees buckled, but
somehow she managed to keep herself from kissing the
pavement. She backed up to her car, leaning on it for
support.

Children had been a dream of hers for a long time,
and when things ended with Jonah, she’d convinced her
self not having them had been for the best. But learning
her sister was having the family she wanted with the hus
band she’d lost . . . It hurt more than she cared to admit.

“How long have you known?” Dahlia asked.

“
A few weeks,” Wilson said. “Leslie wanted to tell you
on her own. In her own way.”

Tears burned the backs of Dahlia’s eyes, but she willed
herself not to cry. Now she knew why Leslie had called.
“So, uh, what’s wrong?”

“Stress,” her father said. “Her blood pressure has been
erratic and she’s been placed on bed rest.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, but what do you want me to
do?”

“Be her sister.”

“Dahlia, I know you and Leslie have your problems,”
Nona added, “but . . . ”

“Problems? Problems, Mama? I caught her in bed
with my husband, in my house. The house I invited her to live in while she went to school. A house, I suspect, she’s still living in. Now she’s pregnant with said hus
band’s baby and having problems. How is that my business? If you ask me, I think her chickens have come home to roost.”

“Dahlia!” her mother shrieked.

“No, it’s the truth. I could come up with dozens of
clichés that would fit this situation, but I’m not going to
be ugly. I have somehow found a way to move past this,
and I’m not going to get sucked back into it. Leslie has made her choices, now she has to live with them.”

Certain she’d recovered her balance, Dahlia walked
over to Flora and kissed her cheek. “It’s good to see you,
Grandma. I’ll be sure to visit more often.”

“I look forward to seeing you.” Flora pressed her
hand to Dahlia’s cheek, forcing their eyes to meet. “I
u
nderstand, baby,” Flora whispered, the intensity in her
gaze reaching straight into Dahlia’s soul, reading and
feeling all the hurt and anger she tried so desperately to keep to herself. “I understand.”

The emotions Dahlia thought she’d bottled up threat
ened to explode. Grandma Flora could break through her
defenses like no one else, a big reason she’d opted for
phone calls and not face-to-face visits since hooking up
with Norris. Her grandma would call her on her emo
tions and dare her to lie. She didn’t have to say a word,
and her grandma knew how she felt. And she didn’t judge
or have expectations. She just cared.

“Thank you, Grandma,” Dahlia choked out, before
racing to her car and speeding out of the parking lot.

“So, am I an only child?”

Norris almost choked on the coconut cake Gail had
served for dessert. After a drink of water, he looked over at
Reese, who stared unflinchingly at him. “I’m sorry?” he said.

“Do I have any siblings?” Reese clarified. “A little
brother or sister?”

“As far as I know, you don’t.”

“You’re not married?”

“No.”

“Divorced?”

“I’ve never been married,” he answered, suddenly
wondering if he could rescind his ‘ask anything’ offer.
He’d learned Reese had an interest in business, but with
her ability to ask the tough questions, journalism seemed
more appropriate. He’d also learned they both liked
sports, specifically basketball and baseball, and shared a
dislike of liver.

“Thirty-seven and never married. Do you have a fear of commitment? Hmm?”

Norris scratched his neck. “Actually, . . . .”

Gail held up her hand, halting his words. “Norris,
please.” She turned to Reese. “Honey, give it a rest.”

“Mom, he said I could ask him whatever,” Reese
explained.

“Perhaps, but I don’t think he expected you’d ask
everything in one day.”

“Am I being intrusive, Norris?” Reese asked, her
bright eyes as sincere now as they were intense moments
before.

“No. I don’t want you to have any questions about
me. It’s just a little strange being asked so many in rapid
succession.”

“The lights getting a little hot, huh?” Reese laughed.
“Don’t worry, this can be a stopping point. I actually have
other plans for today.”

Though happy to be freed from the hot seat, Norris
couldn’t deny his disappointment at the thought of her
leaving. They had made some progress, if that was the
right word, and he wanted to spend more time with her. “You’re going somewhere?” he said.

“Yeah. . . . .”

The doorbell rang in the middle of her words. “That’s
my ride now.”

Gail stood. “You didn’t tell me you had plans, Reese.”

“When I got home yesterday, we got into some deep
stuff, and I just forgot to mention it. Diana and I are
going to catch a matinee.” Reese opened the door.
“Come on in, Diana. I just have to run to my room to
get my purse.”

“Okay,” said Diana, entering the living room. She
smiled at Gail. “Hello, Dr. Elders. I noticed the car out
side and wondered . . .” She looked to the side. “Mr.
Converse. Hi. I knew that car was familiar.”

Norris waved. “Hello, Diana.”

T
he oldest of the Monroe children, the pretty seven
teen-year-old had her mother’s tall, slim frame, her
father’s honey brown complexion, and their shared love for the practice of law. Norris couldn’t be happier his
daughter had such a good friend in Diana.

Reese halted her trek to her room, and turned
around, wide-eyed. “You two know each other?” she
asked, wagging a finger between Norris and Diana.

“Yeah,” Diana said, smiling. “Mr. Converse is a
family friend. He’s Ryan’s best friend, and practically an
adopted cousin.” She laughed.

“Ryan?” said Reese. “Mr. Andrews?”

“Yeah.” Diana moved to the couch and sat next to
Norris. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to see Reese,” he answered, clasping his
hands and turning his attention to Reese, waiting for her
to say more.

“Norris, uh, he’s my father,” Reese explained.

“What?” Diana shrieked, gazing from Reese to Norris
and back again. “Mr. Converse is your long-lost father?” She turned back to Norris. “You?”

Norris smiled. “Surprise,” he said.

“Reese, when you told me your father was in
Denburg, I never thought for a second he was someone I
knew.”

“It gave you a leg up on me. At least you knew him.
I only met him today,” Reese said, shooting a stinging
glare at her mother. “I’m going to get my purse, and then
we can go.” Without another word, she disappeared
down the hall.

T
he room grew instantly quiet. Norris looked over at
Gail. She tried to put on a stoic face, but her shiny eyes and quivering lip gave her hurt away. His heart went out
to her. He understood Reese’s anger, as he had some of
his own, but . . .

He moved over to Gail and placed a comforting hand
on her shoulder. “She’s upset.”

Gail nodded. “I know. Upset and angry. I’ve been
with her for sixteen years. I know her temperament. She gets things off her chest, feels bad for lacking tact when
she’s doing it, and then apologizes. Reese is the most pas
sionate and emotional person I know. She’s also quick to
apologize when she’s wrong.”

“Reminds me of myself.”

“You two are a lot alike. And when it comes to this situation, I suspect you’re both feeling a lot of the same
things. I know you’re still angry.”

“I am, but I’m working through it. I know, and I
know Reese knows, you did what you thought was best.
It’s hard to deal with, but being angry won’t help.”

“You are so grown up, Norris. But our daughter is six
teen, and as mature as she is, she’s still young, and she has
to work through her issues her way. Are my feelings hurt?
Sure. But I think I hurt more because I know I deserve it, and in two weeks, I won’t be here to take this anger she
needs to get off her chest. I’ll be in Africa with my new
husband.” Gail clicked her tongue. “I told you this
wouldn’t be easy.”

He nodded. “Yes, you did.”

R
eese returned to the living room and walked over to
Gail and Norris. Regret filled her sad gray eyes. “Mom,
I’m . . .”

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Gail said.

“No, it’s not. I was out of line, and I’m sorry. This is
all so much to take in at once, but I’m trying, I really
am.” She turned to Norris. “It was good meeting you.
Maybe we could catch up again soon. Finish our Q&A.”
She smiled.

Norris returned her smile. “I would really like that. I
enjoyed our time today.”

“Me, too.” Reese took her mother’s hand. “I should
be home around six or so.”

“Okay. Do you have your phone?”

Reese touched her purse. “It’s in here. And, yes, it’s
charged.” She kissed Gail’s cheek. “See ya later.”

Norris found himself holding his breath when Reese
turned to him and their eyes locked for an extended
moment. For an instant he thought she would kiss his
cheek, too. He wanted that, but instead she waved and
said goodbye. He released the breath, feeling a bit foolish
for wanting something he knew was too soon to hope for.

“You girls have a good time,” he said.

“And be safe,” Gail added.

“Will do,” the girls chimed in unison.

Norris stared at the door after it closed behind Reese
and Diana. “I wonder if I can do it,” he said.

“Do what?”

“Get to know Reese as well as you. Earn her love.”