Shadow Of The Past Trilogy ∞ THE DISPLACED

14 ∞ the new arrival

Day Three ∞ Sunday afternoon

DANNY PULLED UP IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE and turned off the engine. He looked at Mickmi beside him and smiled wistfully. She'd rested her head on the blanket roll between them and fallen asleep. You're beautiful. What am I going to do when you leave? He gently brushed the hair from her face with his fingers, but she didn't stir.

What should he do? He didn't have the right to expect anything at the end of all this, once she regained her memory. She was free to leave. She was free to do whatever she wanted. She was free to take his heart with her—wherever she'd decide to go.    

He inhaled sharply and looked away. Free to take my heart!

He leaned his head back, closing his eyes. He used to think he'd been there, done that. But he'd never been in this place before, feeling this way. Nothing even remotely compared to what he'd felt today.

He'd been blindsided. The wall he'd erected to guard his heart against the female persuasion, it hadn't stood a chance. And even though he'd seen the warning signs there all along, he'd been too preoccupied to pay their significance any mind. Instead of protecting himself he'd been protecting her, and—without effort or intent—she'd just slipped right on in, turning his life upside down.

He sighed. So much for trying to avoid another heartbreak. What will Sis say when she finds out? Not to mention Mom? And Ray was going to have a field day with this. He shook his head and chuckled. I'm caught—hook, line, and sinker. And she... she hadn't even been fishing.

Rolling his head sideways, he looked at her again. She was sleeping so peacefully; it was a shame to wake her. He put a hand on her shoulder and shook her gently. "Mickmi. We're home." He shook her again.

She twisted her head to look up at him, then smiled and sat up. "Home... That is a good word." She opened the passenger door and stepped down.

He stared after her, his heart yearning. What he wouldn't give to make her feel like she was home. Then maybe, just maybe...

He shook his head vigorously. Don't get your hopes up, Danny, he reminded himself. There's only the present. You're just a friend.

He exhaled slowly through his teeth. He could do this. He hopped out of the truck and started unloading. He handed a couple of bags to her and carried the rest to the porch. Then he got back into the truck. "You can let Zorro loose if you want," he said to her through the window.

When he returned from the garage, he heard it again.

Her laugh.

He stopped in his tracks as the warmth welled up within him. He watched her as Zorro tried to lick her chin. She turned her head away and laughed again, rubbing the dog on both sides of its shoulders before standing up.

Danny chuckled; the dog was practically wagging its butt off. He was amazed at how quickly the dog had taken to Mickmi.

On second thought, he shouldn't be.... Look how quickly he had. He exhaled with a puff and shook his head.

"Come, Zorro!"

The dog looked to him and barked. Then it looked to her for permission. She dipped her head, smiling. Only then did the dog come trotting over.

Danny was incredulous. Had he now been demoted from master? He bent to rub Zorro between the ears, watching her as she came to him. "How did you do that?"