Part 11 (1/2)
”And you're a tough lady, too.”
She swallowed hard. ”Sometimes I have to be.” She placed a hand on top of the open car door, ready to escape inside.
He held her gaze as if willing her not to go. ”When can you play?” she asked although they'd discussed it already.
His expression tightened, his jaw clenched. ”Another nine or ten days.”
”Don't push it and try to be a hero,” she warned him. ”Ten days isn't so bad.”
He leaned closer. ”Between us?”
She nodded.
”It's that bad.”
Micki understood he wasn't just talking about the ten more days on the DL. His career was near the end and he was trusting her with that information. She'd never felt more connected to another human being but there was little she could offer that he'd accept.
”If you ever need me--you know, to help you spin a situation or just to vent--you know where to find me.” It was the best she could do.
A sad smile took hold of his lips. ”You're special, Micki.”
”Oh please.”
”Stop doing that” He'd reached out and placed a finger over her lips. ”Stop questioning yourself and how people look at you.”
She shook her head. ”That's not what I'm doing.”
”That's exactly what you're doing.”
”I am,” she agreed, laughing. Why was it this man, who wanted to give and receive nothing, was the one who understood her so well?
”Well, next time you get the urge to fight a compliment, remember our weekend together, will you?”
She had a hunch she'd be remembering him a lot sooner and more often than that.
He reached out and hooked his hand around the back of her neck, pulled her close and sealed their lips in a kiss. One that was too fast and too brief--all too reminiscent of their time together.
'I'll do that.” Micki forced a nod. She turned away before he could read the emotion on her face and slipped into the back of the car.
He shut the door for her and waved. ”Take care.” She was able to read his parting words on his lips.
Once again, she couldn't help but smile.
AN HOUR AFTER LEAVING DAMIAN, Micki reached her apartment. She showered, changed and, since Sophie wasn't in her place across the hall, Micki took a cab over to Uncle Yank's. The doorman let her in and the elevator carried her to his penthouse apartment.
She rang the bell and a set of chimes went off that were so loud they scared her to death and had her heart racing like mad. His dog, Noodle, a Labradoodle he'd purchased because of the breed's intelligence and training in helping the blind, began a high-pitched bark that would wake the dead. A normal person would have bought a trained Lab, but not her uncle.
Without warning, the door from the apartment across the hall swung open wide and an old woman in a brightly colored, decades-old sweatsuit strode outside, hands on her frail hips. ”You tell that old man to muzzle the mutt and put a normal doorbell back on or I'm reporting him to the condo board, and don't think I won't.” She patted her set hair and slammed the door shut behind her.
”And a good evening to you, Mrs. Murdoch,” Micki called to her uncle's neighbor who'd lived there for years and was as likely to report her uncle as Micki was.
The same door swung open wide again. ”He was much more reasonable when Lola came around,” Mrs. Murdoch said.
”We all agree with you.” Micki smiled at the older woman and eyed her uncle's closed door. He knew she was coming, so where was he?
”Well either he gets laid or he moves out. I'm not sure I can take much more of his obnoxious behavior. You tell him I said so, you hear?”
Micki wondered if the older woman was actually offering her services and bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. ”Oh, I'll tell him all right.”
”Got to go. Jeopardy!'s on.” Mrs.Murdoch slammed the door shut again.
Micki raised her hand to knock this time, when her uncle opened the door. ”Sorry. I was in the John”
She rolled her eyes. ”Too much information,” she said, greeting him with a kiss.
”I can't believe you're back already. Is Damian that much of a dud?”
She raised an eyebrow, staring at her uncle. ”You sent me off with him hoping we'd hook up?”
”d.a.m.n straight. So did you?”
Micki stepped around Yank and into his large apartment. They'd always been close and she didn't see any point in hiding the truth from him now. ”Whatever we had was temporary and now it's over. So how did your doctor's appointment go?” ”Nothing's changed, nothing will. Are you telling me Fuller screwed you and took off ?” Her uncle squared his shoulders, ready to fight on her behalf.
She shook her head. ”Damian's a lot better than that and you know it or you wouldn't have sent me off to be alone with him ”
”I-”.
”You're caught red handed. Now I'm going to forgive you for disregarding my feelings because I love you. And I'll tell you what you need to know about Damian. He's not capable of putting anyone or anything above the game, at least not at this point in his life, and he was honest about that. Okay? And now that I've bared my soul, I need you to do the same.” She hugged him tight. ”Are you saying the specialist couldn't help you?”
”It's a degenerative disease. My stage isn't early enough to change things and don't go yelling at me that I should've gone to him sooner because your sister already yelled enough for all three of you.”
Micki swallowed hard. Twice in two days. Twice she had to face men she cared about and not show any pity no matter how much she wanted to. d.a.m.n men and their pride, she thought, taking a minute to compose herself before stepping back and facing her uncle.
”Well, you'll just have to carry on as you taught us to once we realized Mom and Dad weren't coming back, won't you?”
As if she understood, Noodle barked in agreement.
”You see? With Noodle by your side, you won't have any problems.” Micki would see to it.
Her uncle grabbed her in a bear hug that expressed everything he couldn't say.
When they finally broke apart, she smiled at him. ”So what can I make you for dinner?”
ALL THREE JORDAN SISTERS and Lola met at Annabelle's home in Greenlawn. They all sat surrounding Annie,who remained with her feet up on the couch, surrounded by her pets and plants. Some things never changed, Micki thought and a warm feeling filled her chest.
They'd chosen the location because it gave them privacy from Yank's prying and allowed Annabelle to remain off her feet as per doctor's orders. It had been a while since they'd all been together this way and they talked to each other, over each other and across one another. A true girls' meeting. Getting together with them reminded Micki of how much she'd missed their bonding time.
Annie clapped her hands, demanding their attention. ”As much as we need to catch up, we're here for a reason.” They all nodded.
”I've tried to keep everyone up to date on Uncle Yank's condition. Does everyone understand the details?” Sophie, the sister who'd taken charge of the doctors and of the gruff man himself, asked.