All Fixed Up by Linda Grimes

Author:Linda Grimes
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781466851276
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

Chapter 16

I bummed a ride to my parents’ house with one of the security guys (young, dark, hunky-homely, and, I was sure, very well armed). When I apologized for putting him out, he told me he was the one assigned to follow me anyway, and giving me a ride actually made his job easier.

As Brian had promised, I’d made it through my incredible-edible trip. A sneak check of the Internet on my phone while Brian was absorbed in Ralphie shooting his eye out with the Red Ryder BB gun had assured me I probably hadn’t irreparably damaged the bun in my oven. Somewhere in the middle of the Home Alone marathon that followed A Christmas Story, I was finally able to sleep.

Brian woke me at noon, handed me a jug of orange juice (which, following his instructions, I guzzled, feeling better almost at once), and told me Mom had called, and wanted to know when I was coming over. I wasn’t sure who told her I was in town. I suspected Thomas. He must not have told Mom about my condo, though, or she would have been pounding on Brian’s door instead of calling him.

Now I’d have to tell my parents myself, without freaking Mom out. I took a deep breath and reached out to knock on the door, adding “new key” to the shopping list I had going in my head. Before I could lay knuckle to wood, the door swung open and I was pulled inside, into my mother’s arms. Dad’s arms followed, encircling us both, pulling us into the house and shutting the door behind us without letting go. Apparently they did know about my condo.

I held on tight, inhaling security along with the familiar scents of Mom’s light floral cologne and Dad’s spicy aftershave, flashing back to all the times I used to insert myself into one of their hugs when I was a kid.

“Ciel sandwich,” I said, same as I always had. They squeezed tighter, same as they always had. Aurora and Patrick Halligan, the best parents on Earth. Or, as Billy used to tease when he saw this maneuver, the bread to my bologna.

I finally pulled myself away when a congregation of cats started slaloming between our legs. Mom shooed them away. “Sweetie, are you okay?” she said.

Dad waited expectantly for my answer. Seeing the love overshadowed by concern on both their faces squashed me harder than the group hug. “Guess you heard, huh?”

“Thomas told us everything this morning,” Dad said. “He said you were absolutely fine, and since you got in so late you decided to stay with Brian, because you knew he’d still be up. He suggested we not wake you up too early, as he was sure you could use the sleep.”

Mark must have let Thomas know my whereabouts. Trust Thomas to know the right thing to say to soothe the parents.

“You know you can always come here no matter how late, sweetie. We want you to disturb us,” Mom said, picking up and petting the calico cat who’d returned and was rubbing itself against her legs.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.