Chapter 1 by Microsoft Office

Author:Microsoft Office
Language: eng
Format: epub

* * *

Legs stretched out on the floor in front of him, Gray stared through the French doors for

what seemed like hours. He'd tracked air traffic, civilian and military, as it circled the city,

any distraction to keep from thinking about what he'd told Lori.

He listened to the whir of the vaporizer, Magda's slight but steady snore, Lori's even

breathing as she slept beside him.

Gray turned to look at her, the edge of the mattress rubbing along his neck. Lori slumped

asleep, propped in the corner created by the end table and mattress. Her arm draped up to

the bed, her hand on Magda's arm.

Unable to stop himself, he reached to rest his hand on top of Lori's. She didn't wake, but

still laced her fingers with his. He held on to her soft hand and stared out the door again.

He hadn't meant to tell her so much. There was so much more he could have said. Not

that it made any difference except to leave him feeling as if he'd taken a load of shrapnel

internally.

Lori had just listened and held his hand, like now. She gave to others even in her sleep.

Just like his mother.

And he'd pushed her away. Just like his father.

Gray freed his hand if not his thoughts.

God, he was tired. He'd monitored patients through the night before. What was it about

this particular mother and daughter that drained his reserves more than a wardful of

patients? She'd bombarded his defenses until he'd stupidly indulged in morose

psychobabble garbage.

Time to shake it off pal. If he was that tired, then Lori must be past exhaustion. She

needed to be in her own bed.

Gray stood and checked Magda, careful not to wake her, then scooped Lori into his arms.

Just like a few days before, a year ago, she snuggled in for a secure fit. Thank heaven she

slept on though. He wasn't up to resisting any more of her groggy gropings.

Limp with deep sleep, Lori didn't stir during his walk down the hall to her bedroom. He

lowered her to her bed and tucked her under the covers with lingering hands.

Lori's towering four-poster canopy bed enticed him to stay. The door finished its swing

in, the lean of the house and gravity at work until the door clicked shut as if defying him to

leave. A bottle of peach lotion waited on the bedside table like an invitation to remember

things he could never forget, anyway.

Lori's hand trailed down his arm and held fast to his hand. "Stay. Sleep."

Did she know what she was offering? Or was she talking in her sleep again, trapped in

the familiarity of a year ago?

Gray found her eyes open, fairly clear. Her touch was steady and warm. "Stay."

He thought of mentioning Magda as an excuse, but beside Lori's bed the nursery monitor

glowed with a single red light. Magda's gentle snuffling floated through the device. He

would hear her if she called out from down the hall.

Too tired to argue or pull his hand free, Gray lay beside Lori. On top of the fluffy

comforter. No use tempting fate. He would

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.