Erin pulled up outside Tyler’s on Friday night and extracted Alyssa from the car, her mind already thinking about picking up the pizza and getting to Brody’s. She handed Alyssa’s backpack to her and then followed her up the small set of stairs to Tyler’s front door.
They didn’t have to knock before he opened it. “Hey, how’s my girl?” he called, bending down to pick Alyssa up for a hug.
His eyes looked over Alyssa’s shoulder and took in Erin and she could see the question in his eyes at her appearance. Usually, by the time she dropped Alyssa off on a Friday evening, she had changed into her weekend clothes which typically consisted of yoga pants or cotton shorts and a t-shirt. Tonight, however, she had on a halter top and a pair of jean shorts. She’d left her earrings in and pulled her hair up. Even though she wasn’t going on a date, she still wanted to look nice. She’d save the other stuff for later.
Tyler put Alyssa down and let her run into the house, then held the door open for Erin. “You look nice. Have plans tonight?” he asked.
Erin thought she detected a hint of jealously in his tone, but she ignored it. He had his chance and blew it. Jealousy wouldn’t get him anywhere.
“Actually, I’m helping some friends prepare for their mother’s funeral tomorrow. Just didn’t want to look like a slob.”
A brief moment of relief passed over Tyler’s features and then he looked at her in concern. “Anyone I know?”
Erin shook her head. “No. Not personally. I’m sure you know of them. It’s the family who owns Marlin’s Delis.”
“Oh, yeah. I heard about the fire.” Tyler nodded, then looked at Erin quizzically. “I didn’t realize you knew them.”
Erin held in a sigh. There were a lot of things Tyler didn’t realize, even when they were married. And it certainly wasn’t his business to know now.
“Well, I do. And I offered to help them get ready for tomorrow’s funeral, so I can’t stick around.” She turned to Alyssa, who was already digging into her father’s toy bin. “Can I have a hug and kiss, sweetie? I’ve gotta go.”
“Okay.” Alyssa agreed, running over to hug Erin. “I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Love you. Behave and have a good time.” Erin told her, watching her dive back in to the toys. Then she turned for the door, calling, “Call me if you need me.”
She escaped back to her car with a sigh of relief. She was sure that the only thing harder than explaining Brody to Alyssa would be telling Tyler. And she planned to put that off as long as possible.
Like never.
Erin pulled from Tyler’s driveway, pushing thoughts of him aside and then headed to pick up the pizza. She pulled up to the Morgan household about thirty minutes later. This would be the first time she had ever been to Brody’s and it felt weird, knowing that she was entering his parent’s home without ever having met them. Hopefully she’d be able to meet Stan soon.
She unfolded herself from her car, grabbing her purse and the pizzas and then headed for the front door. Erin felt a little déjà vu as the door opened before she could knock. Brody greeted her with a grin. “I was keeping an eye out for you.”
“I’m glad to know chivalry isn’t dead.” She teased.
He took the pizzas from her, standing on tiptoe to peer over them at her.
“What are you looking for?” she asked.
“I don’t see any pajamas or fuzzy bunny slippers.” He pouted.
Erin rolled her eyes. “Relax Morgan. They’re in the car.”
He smirked, obviously satisfied that she had chosen to stay. “Couldn’t resist my charms, huh?”
“Get over it.” Erin grumbled. “Are you going to let me in or do I have to stay on the porch all night?”
Brody laughed and stepped back to let her through the front door. The door opened into the living room and she saw Bates and Derek sitting at the coffee table, already sifting through mounds of photos. Bates looked up when she heard Erin come in.
“Hey Erin.” She called.
Derek sniffed the air. “Mmm, I smell pizza. It’s about time you got here.”
“Sorry, guys, I had to drop Alyssa off before I came over.”
“No problem.” Bates assured her, elbowing Derek.
Brody moved past her towards the kitchen. “Come on in.” he invited. “I’ll find some plates and napkins.”
Erin left Bates and Derek to their photos and followed Brody. He sat the pizzas down on the island and then reached to pull Erin into his arms. “You look good Erin.” He complimented, nuzzling her neck.
“I thought we were getting plates and napkins.” She asked with a laugh.
“We are. But you look so good, I couldn’t help myself.” He explained.
Erin grinned. “I see you haven’t run out of one-liners.”
“You keep coming back.” He pointed out.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” She teased.
Brody feigned hurt and she leaned in to kiss the pout off his lips. He pulled away with a grin. “See what I mean?”
Erin rolled her eyes and gave him a shove, moving to the pizza. “Plates and napkins, Morgan. Monkey business later.”
“Promise?”
Erin ignored him and pointed to the pizza. He gave a dramatic sigh and moved to the cupboards to pull out plates. Bates and Derek soon drifted in and the four sat down at the kitchen table to eat. Bates didn’t seem anywhere near as teary as she had the first day Erin had met her, so she figured she must be accepting everything a little better now.
Once they were full Bates pulled Erin back to the living room, instructing Derek and Brody to take care of the kitchen. Erin laughed at the look on Brody’s face but she didn’t hesitate to follow.
“Your brother always take orders so well?” Erin asked.
“No, normally he whines and cries like a little kid. I think he’s just showing off ‘cause you’re here.” Bates quipped.
Erin laughed and sank down onto the carpet next to the coffee table. “So, how far have you gotten?”
Bates groaned. “I never knew Mom had so many pictures. It’s hard to pick just a few to put up on the boards. But I’ve been trying to create a timeline of sorts, going back to some of Mom as a kid or teenager and then up through as she got married and had us.”
She motioned to the separate piles surrounding the table.
“I’m sorting them into piles based on when they were taken and then I figured I’d look back through them and pick a few good ones from each one.”
“Okay. Sounds easy enough.” Erin agreed, reaching for a handful of pictures.
Marie did, indeed, have an enormous amount of photos. But Erin found it touching that she wanted to chronicle as much of their lives as possible. Now that she was gone, it was all they had of her. Brody and Derek soon came in to help and it didn’t take long for the mountain to become semi-organized. Bates then assigned each of them a pile, instructing them to pick out their favorite pictures.
Erin ended up going through one that had photos of Brody and Bates when they were younger. She couldn’t help picking on Brody about some of his fashion choices, especially as a teen.
“Go ahead Erin, whoop it up now. Just wait until I sweet talk your Mom into seeing some of your pictures.” Brody warned her smugly.
“I have fair warning. I can make sure some of them disappear before you ever get to them.”
“Uh-huh. We’ll see about that.”
Erin just grinned and went back to sorting through her pile. She liked studying the photos of Brody’s family, looking back through history to get a better sense of who they were. She’d never get a chance to know Marie personally, only through the memories they had of her. Brody and Bates both looked largely like Marie, same hair color and eyes. Their height came from their father.
When they had a good selection of photos Bates and Erin went to work organizing them into collages on the pinboards. Once they were done, Bates propped them on their easels and stood back to look at them. Erin saw her start to tear up as she studied the memories and she moved to put her arm through Bates’ and lay her head on her shoulder.
“It looks good Bates. I never knew her but after looking at this, I feel like I did.” Erin told her softly.
Bates gave her a watery smile. “Thank you. And I wish you could have. My mom was a great person. I have a hard time accepting that she won’t be here to see me get married.”
“She may not be here physically, but you can still keep her with you. We’ll do something special for your ceremony or reception to remember her, keep her spirit with you even if she can’t be there in person.” Erin offered.
Bates nodded. “I’d like that.” She agreed. Then she reached up to wipe at her tears, trying to compose herself. “Well, I guess we better clean up this mess. Anything else that we need to get done tonight?”
Brody stood watching the two of them, a mix of emotions playing across his own face before he finally cleared his throat and responded. “No, I don’t think so. The church is taking care of the fellowship meal after the service and the funeral home is taking care of all the arrangements for the service itself. We just have to show up tomorrow.”
Bates nodded and then turned to start putting pictures back into the boxes that her mother had used for storage. Erin moved to help her. Derek offered to help her carry them back up to the armoire where Marie had stored them.
Brody watched them go, making sure they were out of earshot, before he turned back to Erin. “You know, you keep accusing me of being a figment of your imagination. But I’m starting to wonder the same thing about you.”
Erin gave a small laugh and stood, sliding her hands into her back pockets. “Why is that?”
“You just fit in so well. Bates has taken to you like a fish to water. And just now, watching the two of you and listening to you offer her a way to include my Mom in her wedding. . . . Well, I just can’t imagine what it would be like around here without you. This would have been a lot harder, I can tell you that.”
Erin shrugged, not really sure how to respond. “I just treat her, all of you, the same way I would want to be treated if it were me.”
“But you do it so well. You always seem to know the right thing to say at the right time. I’m starting to wonder if the two of us finding each other wasn’t so random after all.”
Erin smiled, remembering the conversation she’d had with Kelly and Jamie on the beach just two short weeks ago. “Well, Jamie did encourage me to take you seriously. Said something about you and God’s blessings.”
Brody raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
Erin nodded. “Maybe it’s actually the other way around.”
“Well, whatever it is, I like it.” Brody concluded.
“Me too.” Erin agreed.
Brody glanced at the clock above the couch and Erin followed his gaze. “We rented a couple movies to watch, thought it might keep our minds off tomorrow. You ready for those bunny slippers and some popcorn?”
Erin pretended to contemplate that for a moment. “Got any ice cream instead?”
“If I don’t, are you leaving?”
“Nah. But it would be a nice bonus.”
Brody grinned. “I’ll see what I can come up with. Knowing Mom, she’s got some stashed somewhere.”
Erin returned his grin with one of her own. “I guess that’s acceptable. Just point me in the right direction so I don’t end up in the wrong room.”
“Top of the stairs, take a left, last room at the end of the hall.”
Erin nodded and then headed for her car as Brody went in search of ice cream.
* * * * * * * * * *
Despite staying with Brody, Erin was up the next morning to run just as she always was. She usually took Sundays off but still liked to go on Saturday mornings, give herself a chance to relax and clear her mind for the weekend. This Saturday was no different, especially considering the day she had ahead. First Marie’s funeral, then hopefully to the hospital to officially meet Stan.
Brody had agreed to go with her, saying he needed some stress relief himself. Today was not going to be easy for him or Bates.
Once the run was over she left Brody to return to her house to get showered and dressed. Her parents wanted to accompany her to the memorial service and she agreed to ride with them. The service itself would be held in the church that the couple had attended and the meal afterwards was being served in their fellowship hall.
Her parents didn’t plan on staying for that but Erin knew Brody wanted her there. She wasn’t sure she was ready to be thrown into his family so quickly and under such circumstances, but she didn’t really have a choice. She wanted to be with Brody and she wanted to support him, so she would go.
Her parents were ready and waiting when she made her way downstairs.
“Good morning, sweetie.” Her mother greeted her. She and Tom sat nursing cups of coffee at the kitchen table.
“Morning. Did you guys have a nice night?” Erin asked.
Jane nodded. “We took your advice and went to see a movie.”
“Good for you.” Erin praised, pouring her own cup of coffee. She added a generous serving of cream before sitting down with her parents.
“How are Bates and Brody?” Tom asked.
“They’re doing pretty good. Bates was a little teary last night when we were finishing up the picture boards. I know she’s having a hard time dealing with the idea of her mom not being here for her wedding. From what Brody told me, Marie took care of quite a bit of the details and kept Bates from getting too out of control with her planning.”
Jane gave her a sad smile. “That poor thing. I hope Stan is well enough to attend so she at least has her daddy there.”
Erin nodded. “So far, he’s been recovering very well. I think he’ll be there. He may not be too spry, but I don’t think he’s going to miss this unless he was forbidden to go. We’re going to go see him this evening after the funeral is over. Brody had the idea of letting some of the funeral guests write notes on some blank cards for his father to read since he can’t attend the service.”
“This is so sad.” Jane said with a sigh. “He can’t even be there to bid his wife goodbye.”
“I think he’s already done that on his own, Mom. Brody said they were both Christians and that his Dad seems pretty at peace with the idea that Marie is in heaven and he’ll see her again.”
Jane smiled. “I’m glad to hear that.”
They sat at the table a bit longer, finishing up their coffee, before Erin announced it was time to head out. The drive to the church took only ten minutes but since the small lot had no spaces left, Erin had to drive around the block to find an empty spot. As they were walking back up to the entrance she heard someone calling her name and turned to find Kelly and Tobey waving at her, followed by Brad and Jamie.
“Hey guys.” Erin called, pausing for them to catch up.
Jamie and Kelly gave her a hug and Tobey reached out to give her hand a squeeze.
“I feel like we haven’t talked to you much since we got back from the beach.” Jamie told her. “How are you? How is Brody?”
Erin motioned for them to follow as she trailed her parents through the entrance and into the line that was entering the church.
“Sorry I haven’t been in touch. I’ve spent a lot of time after work sitting with Brody and Bates, helping them understand their Dad’s recovery. And then last night I was at his place, helping them prep for the service today.”
“Are they doing okay?” Kelly asked.
Erin nodded. “Yeah, they’re holding up rather well. Bates is a bit of an emotional roller coaster, but she’s coping better each day.”
“I just couldn’t believe it when I read the papers. Do they know what happened?” Jamie asked.
“Best we can tell is that Marie went to the kitchen and turned the gas stove on to prepare something. Unfortunately the gas never lit and before she could do anything about it she had a heart attack. His Dad went in to check on her when he smelled the gas and tried to remove her from the kitchen but something ignited the gas and caused an explosion. From what the M.E. told us, she was gone from the heart attack before the fire ever started.”
Tobey and Brad both shook their heads. “That’s just crappy all around.” Tobey announced.
Kelly snorted. “That’s putting it mildly.”
They quieted as their group moved closer to the doors of the sanctuary and Erin could see Bates, Brody and Derek standing just inside, greeting people as they made their way inside. She could tell Bates was having a hard time as her eyes were puffy and red, as was her nose. She had obviously been crying. To his credit, Derek seemed to be under control, comforting Bates as best he could.
Brody, on the other hand, seemed to be struggling too. She could tell in the redness of his eyes and the tightness in his jaw that he too was fighting tears. When he saw her approach he visibly relaxed and gave her a smile.
He greeted her parents first and they both offered hugs and whispered words of condolences. Her mother held Bates an extra beat or two and Erin saw more tears slide down the girl’s face. Then Brody was reaching for Erin, pulling her to him for a hug.
“Stay here with me?” he asked quietly as he pressed his lips to her ear.
Erin pulled back, her expression uncertain. “Are you sure? I’m not exactly family. . .”
Brody nodded. “Derek’s doing his best, but holding his hand just isn’t the same as holding yours.” He told her seriously.
Erin rolled her eyes and bit back a grin. At least he still had a sense of humor, even now. “Okay.”
She whispered to her parents that she was staying with Brody and they nodded, moving on to find a seat. Erin slipped behind Brody so she was out of the way, but reached up to squeeze Bates’ hand. Bates gave her a small smile and a return squeeze.
Brody greeted Kelly and Jamie with a hug and even Tobey turned the offered handshake into a “man hug”. Brad was his usual restrained self, but no one expected less. Erin thought that it would be nice for the six of them to go out again once Brody’s life settled down.
Erin tried to stay out of the receiving line as much as possible but a few people couldn’t help but notice her and ask who she was, wondering if she held fiancé status like Derek. Bates and Brody explained that she was a close friend and they had asked her to be with them for support. Thankfully the explanation was accepted without question.
Once the line had dwindled to just a few stragglers the pastor came back and ushered them up to the front pew of the church. Brody took her hand in his and held it firmly, leaving no doubt that he wanted Erin there with him.
The service started with a greeting from the pastor and a small prayer asking for peace as those gathered shared in the memory of Marie. They then sang one of her favorite hymns and afterwards the pastor spoke to them about Marie’s faith and his belief that she had moved on to a better place where she was healed and healthy again. After that, the floor was opened up to anyone who wanted to share their memories of Marie.
Bates went first, with Derek by her side, and Erin was impressed that she managed to maintain her composure as she spoke of some of her favorite memories. She asked everyone to take a peek at the picture boards that would be on display in the fellowship hall.
After that Brody got up to sing a song with his guitar, one that had been one of his Mom’s favorites. Again, Erin was impressed with his composure and ability to play in front of so many people at such a difficult time.
Once he slid back into the pew and took her hand, she realized how hard it had been for him. His hands were shaking. He looked down at her when she gave his hand a squeeze.
“You did good.” She whispered with a smile.
They listened as other friends and family members got up to talk about Marie and as Erin listened, she really wished she would’ve had the chance to know her. She sounded like a woman with spunk and a good sense of humor who loved her family fiercely. The kind of woman who would’ve made a great mother-in-law.
When she realized what she had been thinking, she stopped cold. Had she really just thought that? Her relationship with Brody was barely off the ground. Why in the world would she even entertain such thoughts?
She shrugged it off, chalking it up to the emotions of the moment and pulled her attention back to the service.
Once the last person had sat down they sang another hymn before the pastor closed the service. Bates and Brody sat still in their pew, listening as the rest of the people filed from their seats and drifted toward the social hall. A picture of Marie sat on a table in front of the altar and they both studied it, lost in their own thoughts.
Erin could only imagine what it must be like to see that photo and have to accept that this was a final goodbye, that they would never see her again in person. It made Erin’s heart ache as she thought about it in terms of her own mother and how devastated she would be to let her go.
Finally, Brody pulled in a ragged breath and turned to the look at them. “Well, guys, I guess we should go join the party. They won’t eat without us.”
Bates nodded and silently stood. She gave her mother’s picture one last glance before turning to follow Derek back up the aisle.
Brody reached for Erin’s hand and pulled her up, pausing to wrap his arms around her waist. “Thank you for sticking close today, even though I’m sure it was a little awkward for you.”
Erin smiled. “You’re welcome. And so far, it hasn’t been awkward at all. You and Bates have included me without question, so it seems like everyone else has too. I’m just sad that I’ll never get to know your Mom the way everyone else did.”
“Me too.” Brody agreed. “But you’ll have your hands full with my Dad, so you won’t have time to worry about it.”
Erin groaned. “I thought I already had my hands full with you. Then I met your sister. And now your Dad. I’m not sure I’m up for this.” She teased.
Brody grinned. “Too late. You’re all in now. Better pull up those boot straps and hang on for the ride.”
“If it’s anything like the ride we’ve been on, it’ll prove to be wild.”
“But you know what?”
“What?”
“There isn’t anyone else I’d rather do it with.”
He leaned down to kiss her and Erin was certain that as many times as he made her knees go weak, one of these days she was going to fall at his feet.
* * * * * * * * * *
It was well into the late afternoon when the final mourners left the church and allowed the Morgan’s to gather their stuff and head home. Brody stopped long enough to change his clothes before giving Erin a ride back to her apartment so she could change too. They would meet Bates and Derek at the hospital later.
When they finally stepped through her door she hastily kicked off her heels with a sigh of relief. “These shoes were definitely invented by a man.” She complained.
Brody grinned. “Well, of course they were. Nothing makes a woman’s legs look sexier.”
“Give me another thirty years in those things and then tell me how sexy I look with varicose veins and crooked toes.” Erin retorted.
“Thirty years, huh? Think I’ll still be around then?” Brody asked, ignoring the rest of her comment.
Erin rolled her eyes as she scooped her shoes from the floor and then headed back to her bedroom. “I might keep you around that long, if you’re lucky.” She called.
She dumped the heels into her closet, expecting to hear a reply from Brody but none came right away. She reached behind her neck to start unzipping her dress but jumped when she felt his hands close around hers. He leaned down to kiss her neck, sending shivers down her spine.
“Is that all I get? Thirty years? So, when you turn sixty you’ll trade me in for a different model?” he teased softly.
Erin smiled but couldn’t come up with a reply as he continued to trail kisses across the nape of her neck. Soon he released her hands and reached up with his own to unzip her dress, letting it fall in a heap on the floor. Then he turned her to face him, pulling her body against his and leaning in to kiss her.
Not wanting to be the only near naked one standing in her room, her hands found the hem of his shirt and tugged. Brody obeyed, releasing her long enough to shrug out of his shirt.
Erin loved the feel of his skin on hers and the way his fingertips snaked through her hair as he cradled her head. She was never so aware of her body or the way it felt to be touched as when she was with him. His kisses made her feel drunk – her head fuzzy, her body heavy - and put a delicious tingling in her belly.
She took his lower lip in her teeth and tugged, much the same as she’d done that night on Ocracoke, and smiled when he groaned. “You’re so easy Morgan.” She whispered against his lips.
He opened his eyes to look at her, a lazy grin lighting up his face. “Around you, it’s hard not to be.”
“So it’s all my fault? Has nothing to do with you?”
Brody shook his head. “Nope.”
“Well, in that case, I better live up to my reputation.” She teased, reaching for the button on his shorts.
Brody didn’t resist, just let her strip him before picking her up and carrying her to the bed. And from there he took over, proving to Erin that he wasn’t the only easy one.
Erin lay next to him, her eyes closed, feeling her heartbeat slowing against her fingertips where they lay on her chest. Brody’s hand rested on her belly, rising and falling with each breath.
She opened her eyes to look at him when she felt him shift closer to her.
“You never answered my question.”
“What question?”
Brody grinned. “And you call me easy? You can’t even remember simple conversation when you’re around me.”
“Well, maybe you should concentrate on conversing instead of kissing if you expect a coherent answer.” She retorted.
Brody laughed.
“And my answer is no. I guess if you want to stick around for more after thirty years with me, I won’t kick you to the curb. But you’ll have to get there first.”
Brody studied her for a moment, his smile softening. “Is that a challenge? Or an invitation?”
“An invitation for a challenge?” she suggested.
“Doesn’t sound like much of a challenge to me.”
“You just haven’t known me long enough.” Erin joked, though the comment brought back the conversation she’d had with Brody about feeling like she was at fault for Tyler’s betrayal.
Whether in her expression or the catch in her voice, Brody sensed that her comment went deeper than it was meant to.
“Erin,” he said softly, his hand moving to grasp hers, “I am not, nor will I ever be, Tyler. If you kept me around for thirty years, I would love you in a way that you’d forget he ever existed.”
Erin just looked at him, her eyebrows rising in amusement. “And you don’t find that challenging?”
“Compared to the way he treated you? Definitely not.” Brody scoffed. “I told you, Bates and I were raised with Christian values. And even though I don’t exactly go to church every Sunday, that doesn’t mean some of it didn’t stick. They taught us how to treat people right and they definitely taught us to honor our mates and uphold a marriage. My parents weren’t perfect and they didn’t always see eye to eye. But their marriage came first above all else and they made sacrifices to keep it that way. No matter how lousy things might get, I could never stoop as low as Tyler did. I could never think so much of myself or so little of my spouse to let that happen.”
He spoke with such certainty, such conviction, that Erin had no doubts about believing him. She felt her chest grow tight with emotion and tears sting her eyes. She closed them, willing herself not to cry. She still found it hard to believe that someone like Brody had made his way into her life and she was beginning to believe Jamie when she said that God had good stuff in store for her. Brody being part of it.
She knew it was crazy, that a month was too short a time, but she was falling in love with him. Not that she was anywhere near ready to tell him she loved him. But in her heart, she knew it was coming.
She opened her eyes then to look at him, the tears gone. She reached up to cup his cheek with her hand and gave him a smile. “Remind me to thank your Dad when we see him.”
Brody looked confused. “Thank him for what?”
“Raising you to be such a good person.” She said simply. Then her smile turned teasing. “You’re pretty good looking too, but I think I’ll leave that part out.”
Brody snorted. “Yeah, somehow I don’t think my Dad really wants to know how ‘insanely attractive’ you find me.”
Erin laughed. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
Brody grinned. “Nope.”
Erin gave a dramatic sigh and then rolled from the bed, reaching for her clothes. “Well, then, on to other subjects. How about we make an appearance at the hospital before Bates calls to check on us? I am SO not explaining your irresistible attractiveness to your sister either.”
She disappeared into the bathroom, hearing Brody call after her, “So I’m irresistibly and insanely attractive? This keeps getting better!”
Erin just rolled her eyes and ignored him. But when she looked in the mirror, her reflection was grinning back at her.
* * * * * * * * * *
Bates and Derek were in the waiting room again when they arrived at the hospital, explaining that the therapists were in with Stan.
Bates had a pile of notecards in her lap and she was going through them, reading them.
“Are those the cards for your Dad?” Erin asked, sinking onto the chair beside her.
Bates nodded. “I couldn’t resist reading them. I wanted to know what everyone had to say.”
“Think your Dad will like them?”
Bates nodded. “There’re some good memories here from people they knew at our age. Stories I don’t remember hearing. Some of it is just general condolences but most people wrote about memories they shared with Mom and Dad. I think he’s going to love it.”
“Awesome.” Erin responded. Then she turned to give Brody a smile. “This sounds like it was a great idea Brody.”
“Well, you know, every now and then I do have one of those.”
Bates snorted a laugh but mostly ignored him. She shuffled the cards into a neat pile and then looked up at Erin. “Thanks for being with us today Erin. You handled our family like a pro.”
Erin shrugged. “I was glad to be there for you guys. And most of your family seems pretty cool. Although I did notice the stink eye a few times from a certain someone.”
Bates laughed. “You mean Courtney?”
Erin nodded. Both she and her mother had attended Marie’s memorial service. Erin felt that it was totally within their rights to do so, seeing as how Courtney had known her for years while she was dating Brody. However, her dislike of Erin was evident.
“Yeah, well, she can stuff her jealousy where the sun doesn’t shine.” Bates announced, much to Erin’s amusement. “If she had treated my brother right, she’d still be around.”
Then she gave Erin a smile. “And I’m glad she isn’t, ‘cause I like you a whole lot better.”
“Wow, doesn’t get much better than that. Remind me to call you when I need a job reference.” Erin teased.
Bates had the decency to look a bit contrite, but not for long. “I just never bonded with Courtney. She never seemed all that interested in me. She certainly wouldn’t have been anywhere near as nice to me over the past week as you’ve been Erin. I think it just bothers her that Brody has moved on so quickly after breaking things off with her.”
Erin glanced back at Brody, realizing they had never talked much about his relationship with Courtney. It had mostly been about her. “I take it you’re the one who ended it, not her? Just how long were you single before you started hitting on me?”
Erin caught the smirk that Derek tried to hide.
“Eh-hem, I was not hitting on you.” He began.
“Uh-huh.”
“But, yes, I’m the one who called it quits, not her. I’m sure she’d like nothing more than for me to come back, groveling at her feet. That’s how much she likes herself and how little she notices anyone else. And I broke things off with her right after Christmas. I finished my Exercise Phys degree and then moved back here in May. So, five months. That long enough for you?”
Erin grinned. “Well, it’s not four years but it’ll do.” She teased.
“Doesn’t matter if it was four days or four decades, I have no interest in going back to her. Especially now.” Brody assured her.
“I wasn’t worried.” Erin told him.
Their conversation was interrupted when a nurse appeared in the door to let them know they could go back to see Stan. Erin helped Bates gather her things and then followed her and Derek from the room.
She was glad that Brody’s sister seemed to think so highly of her after such a short period of time. Things sure happened fast with the Morgan family.
A nurse was administering some meds through Stan’s IV when they stepped into his room. She greeted them with a smile.
“Just giving him some pain killers, take the edge off. The therapists have been working him pretty good.” She told them.
Stan was sitting up now and looking much better than the last time that Erin had seen him. The burns on his face were healing well, though he’d have permanent scars from the trauma. His arms and torso were still loosely bandaged but the weeping had slowed dramatically as the wounds began to heal. He was still on antibiotics and IV fluids to fight dehydration and infection but he was now able to eat real food instead of being tube fed.
“Hey Daddy.” Bates greeted him softly.
“Hi sweetie. How was the service?”
Bates nodded. “As good as a memorial service can be, I guess. We brought something back for you. Brody thought it would be nice if the people who attended could share some of their memories with you, so we had them jot it all down on some note cards.”
She showed him the stack she held in her hands before laying them on his tray.
Stan nodded, then looked past Bates to greet Derek and Brody. His eyes finally fell on Erin and lingered there, his curiosity evident.
“And am I to guess that this is the Erin I’ve heard so much about? Or is someone actually going to introduce her?” he teased.
Erin grinned, seeing right away why Brody said she’d have her hands full. She stepped forward, not waiting for Brody. “Yes, Mr. Morgan, I’m Erin Mitchell. I don’t know what Brody’s told you but I can assure you that none of it’s true.”
Stan chuckled. “Rest easy Erin, Bates has been here to tell me the truth, and it’s all been good. I know better than to trust that boy.”
Brody finally stepped in to defend myself. “Hey, now, take it easy on me. I can hear you, after all.”
Erin grinned.
“Please, Erin, call me Stan. It’s nice to finally meet you. These two have been singing your praises all week. I understand you’re a nurse here too?”
Erin nodded. “Up in the NICU, so it’s just a tad bit different. But I do speak the lingo, so I’ve been offering my services.”
“For a fee, I hope.” Stan teased.
“Now that you mention it. . .” Erin drawled, turning to eye Brody.
Brody just rolled his eyes. “Why do I get the feeling I should never have introduced you two?”
Erin laughed. “I’m glad to see you’re in good spirits, Stan. It’s been a rough week but you’ve been recovering rather well.”
Stan nodded, then looked down at his arms. “Still can’t believe what happened. But I’m determined to get out of here and back on my feet again.” He looked back at Brody then, a bit of anxiety creeping into his tone. “Everything going okay with the other delis?”
Brody nodded. “It’s all under control Dad, I promise. I meet with the insurance agency on Monday to talk about cleaning up and rebuilding. In the meantime the other delis have been holding their own.”
Stan looked relieved and relaxed back against his pillows. “I’ve never been away from the business for so long. It feels so strange.”
“Erin says you’ve been doing great Dad. You’ll be out of here in no time. I still need you to walk me down the aisle.”
Stan smiled. “I’ll be there, Bates, with bells on.” He declared. “Now, how about you read me some of these cards? I want to hear what everyone had to say.”
Bates reached for the stack and settled into a chair by his bed. Brody moved to stand behind her, reading over her shoulder. Erin hung back, leaning against the window, listening as Bates read.
Stan laughed quite often at some of the memories his friends and family had shared but after a while she saw him start to get teary eyed as the reality of Marie’s death sank in. Bates finally stopped reading when she looked up and realized her father was crying.
“Oh Daddy.” She breathed, her own tears spilling at the sight of her father’s pain. She sat down the stack of cards and stood, gingerly resting her hand against his.
Stan wiped awkwardly at his tears with his bandaged hands and Erin moved to pass a tissue to Bates.
“It’s okay, Bates. I’m okay. It’s just going to take some time for me to get used to your mother not being here. Such good memories and now it’s over. There won’t be any new ones.”
Erin glanced over at Brody and saw the tightness in his jaw as he blinked away tears. She moved to slip her hand into his, offering what comfort she could.
Stan allowed Bates to dab at his tears with the tissue before continuing. “But I know that this isn’t the end. Your Mom has simply passed on into the life we were made for. She’s in heaven and when my time comes, I’ll see her again. Knowing that it’s her body that’s gone, not her, makes it easier to wake up each day.”
Bates studied her father, her face a conflict of emotions. “How do you know that Daddy? How can you be so sure?”
Stan gestured to his head. “I don’t know it Bates. Not up here, anyway. God is not something that you know.” He moved his hand to rest it against his chest. “But in my heart, I know. I feel it. There is a peace that comes in having confidence in my belief of an afterlife, of a Savior. That peace wouldn’t happen if it wasn’t real.”
He looked up at Bates and then at Brody, his eyes serious and intense. “I hope the two of you will take the time to find it on your own. Don’t chalk me up to being an old man who sees what he wants to see. Figure it out for yourself. Your Mom expects to see all of us again, not just me.”
Erin could tell that Bates wanted to believe her father, but she wasn’t convinced. Brody was unreadable, and Erin wasn’t sure what affect his father’s words had upon him.
Erin knew it stirred something inside her. The beliefs that Stan wanted his kids to pursue were the same ones that Brad and Jamie had introduced to her after her divorce. They walked with the same confidence that no matter what this life threw at them, no matter when their time came, it would all be made better in heaven.
Bates nor Brody replied and Stan didn’t push it. He just asked Bates to finish reading the cards.
Conversation moved on then and Stan asked how Brody had met Erin. They explained their first meeting as employees of the hospital years ago and then again when Brody returned to Two Rivers. He seemed to enjoy hearing about Alyssa and Erin figured he was looking forward to grandchildren of his own.
They stayed until the intercom announced the end of visiting hours. Erin was just about to follow the other three out the door when she heard Stan call her name. She turned and he motioned her over to the bed.
“I just wanted to say thank you, Erin, for taking such good care of my kids this past week. From all that I’ve heard and seen, you’re the type of woman that Marie and I always prayed Brody would find. I hope he turns out to be the same for you.”
Erin felt a bit tongue-tied, not sure how to respond. She felt her cheeks grow warm under his gaze. “You’re welcome. But I don’t feel I did anything extraordinary. I care about Brody and because of that, I care about his family. I only did what I would expect people to do for me.”
“Not everyone has that conviction Erin. I’m glad you do. You really helped them through one of the worst times in their lives and I’m grateful for that. I hope you stick around.”
Erin smiled. “Yeah, me too.” She agreed softly. “And just so you know, it goes both ways. Brody has helped me deal with some of my own demons. I’m not the only good guy here.”
Stan smiled and gave her a nod of acknowledgement. “Goodnight Erin.”
“Night.”
Erin left the room to find Brody waiting outside the door. He gave her a questioning glance, motioning to his father with his head. “What was that about?”
“Nothing. But I think he likes me.”
Brody raised an eyebrow. “Nothing, huh? I don’t buy it, but whatever. And how could he not like you? You’re good stuff.”
“That’s what I’ve been hearing.” She quipped, reaching for his hand. “You Morgans sure are good for the ego.”
“Glad to know we’re good for something.” Brody responded, tugging on her hand as she followed him from the ICU.
Erin knew he was good for a whole lot more.