Chapter 17
KARA SAT IN THE PASSENGER seat of Shane’s car as he rounded the corner outside of the Village of Pittsford, not far from where he used to live. “What are you doing?”
He didn’t answer as he pulled into his childhood neighborhood.
“Oh no,” Kara said. “I’m not going to go spend time with your family.”
“Look,” he said, “we’ve got two hours before the students we want to talk to get out of class. Kevin and Theresa are having dinner here.” He rolled to a stop in front of his parents’ single-story house, which was exactly as she remembered, with its white siding and black shutters. It was situated on a short cul-de-sac, encompassing only five houses on the street all together.
“From the look of all the cars in the driveway, half your family is here.”
“Just Dave and Mike’s families. Anna lives in Albany now, so she’s not here.”
“That’s more than half your family.”
“Well, we have to eat.”
“We ate lunch three hours ago. I’m not hungry.”
“I want to see my son,” Shane said as he shifted into park then shut off the engine, taking the key out of the ignition and dangling it in her face. “If you really don’t want to come in, here, take the key. Meet me back here in an hour and a half.”
She looked out the window. She could see his mother standing in the kitchen window. Kevin right next to her, leaning over the sink. “That would make me look like a bitch.”
“I wouldn’t let that happen.” He rested his hand on her thigh. “I’d tell them you had to chase down a lead and I was taking some time to see Kevin because we’re going to be working late, which is true.”
“Yeah, everything except the fact that there is no lead I’m chasing down currently, and even if I did have one I’d still look like a bitch for not at least coming in to say hello.”
“I want you to come with me, but I respect your decision not to if that’s what you really want.”
“You don’t get it.” She turned to face him. His soft brown eyes were filled with kindness and caring. He’d always been a difficult man to say no to. “I’m completely and utterly aware of what I did… and not just to you, but to your family. Your mother, especially. If I were any of them, I wouldn’t like me much.”
He took her hand, raised it to his mouth, and gently pressed his lips against her skin. A slight shock trickled between them. “I’m the only one who really gets to be upset by what you did, and I’m over it.”
“Not sure they’ll see it that way.”
“You won’t know unless you come in. Either way, I choose to be with you. That has nothing to do with them. The only one who gets a say, besides you and me, is my son. I hope you understand that he will always come first.”
That was actually something she could grasp. “I’d be worried if he didn’t,” she said. “Okay. Let’s do this.” She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. During her first twenty years, she didn’t remember a time when the Rogers family wasn’t part of her daily existence. She’d gone on their family vacations. They came to her field hockey games and cheered her on. Looking at the house, she realized just how much she’d missed all of them.
He nodded and in true Shane fashion, leapt from the car and raced around the front end, practically sliding across the hood just to open the door for her.
“Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to open the door before you got to it?” She took his hand and let him guide her out of the car.
“Why do you think I race to open the door, Miss Independent?”
“Chivalry. Old-fashioned values.”
“Ha!” He placed his hand on her back, rubbing that one spot that made her want to ravish him in any place at any time. “Truth is,” he said. “You always wore V-neck shirts, and I could get a nice view of your cleavage by leaning over and—”
“Tits and ass.” She shook her head.
His hand slid down over her round bottom and he gave it a little pat.
“Don’t do that in front of your family.”
“Okay,” he said.
“I’m not really ready for this. And while I like where things are going, I don’t know what’s going to happen—”
“One day at a time,” he said. “One thing at a time.”
The front door opened and there stood George Rogers, Shane’s father. George had aged some in the last thirteen years. His hair had thinned, and it had turned completely gray. His face was filled with deeper lines, but he was still handsome and distinguished-looking.
“If it isn’t Kara Martin,” George said. “You’re as pretty as ever.” He pulled her in for a tight hug before even saying hello to his son. “Come in.” He pushed open the door. “It’s so good to see you after all these years.”
Shane winked and gave her a big smile, like all was good in the world. That didn’t help her nerves.
“Dad!” Kevin bolted into the foyer, giving him a bear hug. “Hey, Kara.”
“Hey, squirt. How goes tricks?”
“Other than I screwed one up and spilled milk on Grandma’s new carpet, just fine.”
“I think magic shows will remain in the kitchen from now on,” Edna Rogers said as she entered the foyer. She looked exactly the same. Same dark hair cut in a bob. Perfect-looking skin with very few wrinkles. “Hello, Kara. Glad my son finally brought you around.” She, too, pulled Kara in for a hug, giving her a little extra squeeze. “Shane, you know what to do with that.” She pointed to the weapon on his hip.
“Yeah. We’ll take care of them.” Shane held out his hand.
Kara carefully handed him her weapon, watching as he secured them in a box on the top shelf in the hall closet.
“Thanks,” Edna said. “Everyone is in the family room.”
Kara followed Kevin and his grandparents through the kitchen, noting they’d recently updated the appliances and replaced the Formica countertop with granite. His mother had always had impeccable taste.
“Are you both going to be able to stay for dinner?” Edna asked.
“Depends on when it’s served,” Shane said. “We can only stay about an hour or so.”
“Then I’ll have to make you something to go. Even if I put it in the oven now, it won’t be ready in time.” Edna paused at the entranceway to the family room. It was an older house, so the kitchen was closed off from all the other rooms. “Look who’s here.”
Kara glanced around the room. They had put an addition on, doubling the size of the family room. Off the back they’d added a sunroom next to the deck that overlooked the pool.
Kara recognized Dave and his wife Shari, along with Shane’s other brother, Mike. But the woman sitting next to Mike, Kara didn’t know. Nor did she recognize any of the four other children sitting in the sunroom playing video games.
“Heard you were back in town.” Mike got up and extended his hand to Kara. “I don’t think you were around when I met my wife. This is Mary Jo.”
Mary Jo looked younger than Shane, so she was maybe ten years younger than Mike. She rubbed her very round, large belly, waving. “I’d get up, but it takes two people to pull me off this sofa. I’m a week overdue.”
“Nice to meet you. Congratulations,” Kara said.
“Number three,” Mike said. “Alison. Tyler. Get in here and say hello to your Uncle Shane and meet his friend.”
The two younger children jumped up from their beanbag chairs and raced through the open double doors into the family room. “I’m Alison.” She waved. She looked to be about six or so.
“I’m Tyler.” He was maybe a year or two younger.
They looked at each other and giggled. “Can we go back to watching the twins play video games?”
“It’s ‘may we’,” Mary Jo said. “And, yes, you may.”
“She’s an English teacher,” Shane said. “Corrects everybody.”
“Sometimes we use bad grammar just to get a rise out of her,” Dave said.
“With you,” Mary Jo said, pointing to Dave, “I doubt it’s on purpose.”
Shane’s family had always been a bit on the sarcastic side, and it felt good to be back in that environment, but it didn’t settle her upset stomach, or make her feel any less uncomfortable. They were also a very close-knit family and she was sure there had been a few choice words tossed around about her and the way she’d left Shane.
Shane guided her to the sofa, where she got a warm embrace from Dave and Shari. The couch was large, but not really meant for four adults, but Shane pretty much didn’t give her a say as he squished her between him and Shari.
Without thinking, Kara grabbed Shane’s hand, lacing her fingers between his.
Edna and George sat on the loveseat against the other wall, and Theresa settled in a recliner next to that.
She waved to Kara. “Wish my mom was here. She’s been dying to see you.”
“Tell her I said hello,” Kara said. It was all so familiar, but awkward at the same time.
“Last time we saw each other I only had two kids,” Shari said. “You did a fair amount of babysitting for those two.”
“I did,” Kara said. “Jeff and Haley. I remember Jeff was quite the handful and Haley, as a baby, liked to scream a lot.”
“She’s still very dramatic. Just like my sister,” Dave said. “Everything is such a big deal.”
Kara smiled. These were good memories, but it still didn’t stop the ticking time bomb of her pulse. “Jeff has to be eighteen by now.”
“He is,” Dave said. “And he goes to THE Ohio State and he’s playing D1 football.”
“That’s awesome.” Kara’s voice sounded unsteady to her own ears, her fingers still clutching at Shane’s hand, though she’d wedged them between their thighs hoping no one would notice. Everyone acted as though this was just any other day, but she could tell there was some stiffness in the air.
“Haley’s at her boyfriend’s,” Shari said. “She’ll be by later. The twins over there, being RUDE while they play a video game, are Jake and Cameron. They’re thirteen.”
“Put down the controllers and come in here and say hello to Uncle Shane and Kara.”
“As soon as we finish—”
Dave cut his son off. “Now, Jake.”
“Fine.”
Both boys dropped their controllers and scuffed into the family room. They weren’t identical; both favored their father with their dark hair, and were well on their way to puberty. They were both at least five foot eight or so, and muscular.
“Hey, Uncle Shane and his friend Kara,” Jake said.
“Nice to meet you,” Cameron said, then turned to his brother. “Theresa was right, she’s hot.”
“I never said that,” Theresa protested.
Cameron smiled. “You also said you caught them on the sofa maki—”
“That’s enough!” Dave barked. “Not the way to behave in front of Uncle Shane’s friend.”
“You mean girlfriend,” one twin muttered.
“Seriously,” Dave said in a much louder voice. “Stop it or we’ll go a week without electronics.”
“Sorry,” the boys said in unison and then went back to their game, Kevin joining them on the floor.
Kara felt the heat rise in her face. The back of her neck was clammy. Her hairline damp.
“Sorry about that,” Dave said. “As you can see, not much has changed around here, except it’s no longer us razzing Shane, but his own nieces and nephews.”
“I’m sorry,” Theresa said. “They totally took what I said out of context and twisted it.”
“Perhaps,” Edna said, “you shouldn’t be saying anything at all, young lady.”
“Yes, Grandma.”
“So, tell us, Kara,” George said. “How long have you been an FBI agent?”
“Seven years,” Kara said. “When I graduated from college I worked for the D.C. Police Department in their violent crimes division, then applied to Quantico and landed back in Violent Crimes Division with the FBI.”
“Just sounds so gruesome and depressing,” Mary Jo said. “I don’t know how you and Shane do it. And all these murders lately, totally freaks me out.”
“We’ve got a couple of tough cases,” Shane said. His thumb gently rubbed her trembling forefinger, as if to tell her to relax. “But I can’t remember a time when I ever wanted to be anything else.”
“You wanted to be Evil Knievel,” Kara blurted out, forgetting about everyone in the room as she turned and smiled at Shane. “You set up that ramp and totaled your brother’s dirt bike—”
“You little liar,” Mike said.
“That was you?” George said. “We thought the bike had been stolen…”
“Oh,” Kara said. “Sorry… I forgot I was supposed to take that to my grave.”
Shane stared at her with a playful smile. She held his gaze for a long moment, getting lost in his eyes.
“That’s two bikes you totaled,” Dave said.
“So, what did happen to my dirt bike?” Mike asked.
“Since Kara opened this can of worms, I think she should tell the story.” He winked.
She let out a nervous chuckle. “We were ten, I think. That would have made Mike sixteen, right?”
Mike nodded. “That bike cost me an entire summer’s salary and that little brat,” he pointed to Shane, “was told to keep his hands off.”
“Maybe if you’d let me ride it just once, I wouldn’t have felt the need to take it,” Shane said. “I watched you, day in and day out, ride it up down those fields behind the house. I figured if Mike, the least coordinated person in the family, could do it, I could do it. So, I took it out to the field, set up a small ramp. I floored it, lost control, and bailed. The bike hit a tree.”
“I know,” Mike said. “It was found mangled next to that tree.”
“Shane and I then went back to the house,” Kara said, “and collected a few other items from the garage and ditched them in a dumpster in the village. Left the garage door open and went to get ice cream.”
“We collected insurance money on that,” Edna said. “I think that would be considered a crime.”
“Statute of limitations,” Kara started, “has run out on that, so nobody will be getting arrested today.”
“Except maybe you,” Mike said. “You’re the one who flooded the bathroom.”
Kara turned bright red. “That’s not funny,” she whispered to Shane.
“Actually,” Shane said, “it’s hysterical, but she wasn’t alone. Probably more my fault than hers.”
“We did know that Kara and Shane flooded the guest bathroom,” Edna said, waving her hand dismissively. “But no point in embarrassing the girl, letting her know we knew she had stayed the night.”
“The girl is embarrassed now,” Kara said softly.
“Don’t be,” Edna said. “We had way too much fun torturing Shane.”
“You grounded me for a week, made me do all the repairs,” Shane said. “And now it makes sense why I was grounded from seeing Kara.”
“Like that worked,” Mike interjected. “You snuck out more than we did.”
“No, I didn’t,” Shane said.
“He’s right,” Dave added. “He just snuck Kara in. Hence the flooding of the bathroom.”
Her cheeks flushed again. She looked to Shane for some moral support, but all he did was wink at her and then said, “I learned how to sneak her in from Dave. He was the master at getting away with stuff in this house. Of course, I made a small fortune threatening to blab if big bro didn’t pay me to keep my trap shut.”
“Money well spent,” Dave said. “Though I’m still a bit shocked that Mom and Dad had no idea.”
Edna scowled. “We tried to catch all of you, but we just weren’t very successful, except for the bathroom incident, but then, Shane’s ski team had just won states. We let it slide, sort of. But just you wait.” She wagged her finger. “Your kids are going to do things someday that will shock you, and you will have no idea they were doing it.”
“I’m not sure I want to know,” Dave said. “I’m all too aware of what I was doing at their ages, and it wasn’t pretty. I’m sure Haley has snuck out. I set the alarm to catch her, but half the time I sleep right through it…and those twins are going to be the death of me.”
“At least with boys,” Mike said. “you only have one penis to worry about. Girls? Lots of penises to worry about.”
“I can’t believe you just said that.” Edna scowled at her son. “And in front of your niece.”
“She’s a grown up,” Mike said. “And it’s true. We boys got away with a lot, but Anna, she got caught once sneaking out and you grounded her for a month; not just from going out, but from practically everything and everyone.”
“He’s got a point, Ma,” Dave said. “And I know we treat our daughter differently than we treat the boys.”
“It’s not the point I take offense to. It’s the verbiage.”
The room burst out in laughter, Kara included.
“Oh honey,” George said. “If I had a dollar for every time you corrected the boys when they used any other word to describe a penis, then demand they only called it a penis, I’d be rich.”
“I can’t listen to this,” Theresa said getting up. “This family is crazy.”
“Welcome to the nut house,” Shane said.
Theresa just shook her head, but with a smile, as she left the room. “I have studying to do.”
“I have some food to prepare,” Edna said. “Kara, will you help me, so I can pack something for you and Shane to take with you? I know you have to leave soon.”
“Sure,” Kara said. It’s not like she could say no, even though she wanted to. She wasn’t sure what was worse: staying in this room with Shane, his brothers, and their wives or being alone with his mother. Both presented the possibility of more equally embarrassing moments. She tried to unlace her fingers from Shane’s, but he wouldn’t let go. He just sat there and smiled at her like a stupid kid. She leaned forward, trying to pry her hand from his, but he held it tighter.
“Don’t make my mother wait,” he said.
She cocked her head, scooting to the very edge of the couch, but he still wouldn’t let go.
She stood quickly, hoping that the sheer force of her movement would pry his hand from hers before anyone saw, but all it did was pull her back down on the sofa. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You’d better go.”
“Let go,” she whispered as she stood again, but this time slowly, knowing he wasn’t going to release her until she started to walk away. Of course, she had to step over him, and as she did he released her hand, then he gave her one small pat on the ass. She shouldn’t have been surprised. Thirteen years ago, she’d been used to his unique display of affection. Today? Well, she was still used to it. The only thing that bothered her was how she believed his family had to perceive her based on how she’d left him. “What can I help you with?” Kara asked Shane’s mother as she stepped into the kitchen.
“I wish you could stay for dinner, or that it was ready to be put in a container. I made my famous eggplant lasagna, only they still have no idea there’s eggplant in it.” Edna opened the fridge and started pulling out what looked like fixings for sandwiches.
Kara laughed. “Shane knows. I accidentally told him one night.”
“That means everyone knows,” Edna said.
“I’m sorry.” Kara’s chest tightened. The last thing she wanted to do was upset Shane’s mother.
“Don’t be.” Edna reached out and touched Kara’s arm. “It’s impossible to keep a secret in this family anyway. I don’t think most of the grandkids know yet, so let’s not tell them, okay?”
“You bet.”
“You still like turkey, provolone, lettuce, tomato, bacon, and mayo sandwiches?”
Kara swallowed the lump in her throat. “Toasted?” The sandwich itself wasn’t anything special. Didn’t have any unique ingredients. But after all this time it warmed Kara’s heart that Shane’s mother remembered it was her go-to sandwich.
“I think we can handle that.” Edna handed Kara the bread. “Toaster is over there.”
For the next few minutes, Kara quietly worked on toasting and putting together two sandwiches while Edna rummaged through the pantry. It was weird, but then again it wasn’t., to be back in this house, making sandwiches like she used to do when she and Shane would go skiing, or down to the lake, or just hanging out at the house. As nervous as she was to be around Shane’s family, she felt a sense of belonging she hadn’t felt since she’d left.
“Here.” Edna set a couple of plastic bags on the counter next to the sandwiches. “I packed some chips, homemade cookies, and a couple of waters.”
“Thanks.” Kara stuffed the sandwiches into the bags and then placed them into a small tote bag Edna handed her. “This is great.”
“Kara?” Edna questioned softly, holding her shoulders in a death-grip. “I know things are different. A lot has changed. But one thing that hasn’t changed is that we have always thought of you as family. You’re welcome here anytime. I just wanted you to know that.”
Kara swallowed her breath. She’d never expected any of his family to be mean. Cold maybe. A little standoffish, perhaps. But certainly not nice and welcoming, which is exactly how they all had been. Shane had told her a long time ago, and she’d seen it first-hand, that his family didn’t hold grudges. Life was too short to stay mad. She fought the tears welling in her eyes. “That means a lot, considering everything.”
Edna pulled her in for a long hug. “Shane and Kevin have been through a lot. All I want for everyone in my family is to be happy. I want that for you, too, and I can tell coming back here hasn’t been easy.”
“Easier than I thought it would be.” But it was going to be even more difficult to leave again.
* * *
Shane watched Kara’s hips sway as she stepped from the family room to the kitchen, knowing his father was going to say something the moment she disappeared.
“Sometimes you act like a child,” his father said. “Some of that teasing was uncalled for and not very gentlemanly.”
“If that were Mike,” Mary Jo said, “I would have turned around and smacked him for embarrassing me like that in front of his family.”
“Mike’s the one who brought up the bathroom,” Shane protested.
“You didn’t shut him down,” Shane’s father said.
“My husband shouldn’t have said anything to begin with,” Mary Jo countered back.
“You weren’t around thirteen years ago,” Mike said. “Those two couldn’t keep their hands off each other.”
“I think it was a little different back then,” Shari said. “We all constantly walked in on them making out. Just now he was—”
“He,” Shane pointed to himself, “is sitting right here, so let’s not talk about me as if I’m not in the room. And, yeah, I know. I was being childish. But I still care about her and she still cares about me. I was trying to show her that you all were fine with her being around.”
“I think we could have managed to do that on our own,” his father said. “Now imagine if you witnessed that behavior coming from Kevin.”
“He’s ten,” Shane said.
“The point that Dad is trying to make is that—”
Shane interrupted Dave, “I get his point. But that doesn’t change three very important things.”
“And what’s that?” his father asked.
“First, I’m still in love with her. Second, she lives in D.C. And third, I’m trying to figure out how the hell I’m going to make a long-distance relationship work with her until she figures out that we do still belong together, because I’m not letting her go this time.” Shane looked around the room, gauging each person’s expression. Mike had a smirk on his face. His wife, however, looked thoroughly shocked. His father’s expression was solemn and concerned, but he nodded. Kara had hurt his father, leaving more than anyone else in the family. He’d taken a real shine to her ever since she was little. Dave and Shari, however, were doing their best to suppress a couple of large smiles and perhaps laughter.
“Shane?” Kara’s voice rang out.
“Yeah?” He hoped she hadn’t heard any of his rant.
She held up her phone. “We’ve got a situation…” She mouthed the word ‘Cleary.’ “We need to go.”
“Kevin!” Shane called for his son. “I’ve got to go back to work.”
Kevin appeared in the family room through the door to the sunroom. “Okay,” he said. “Will you be home before bedtime?”
“I’m hoping I will be.” He gave his son a hug with a kiss on the top of his head. “I’ll text you in a little while when I know more about what’s going on.”
“Where’s Kara?” Kevin looked up at him.
“Kitchen. Or maybe already heading to the car.”
“Kara!” Kevin bolted from the family room.
Shane followed him, watching as Kara turned right before she stepped into the foyer.
“Kara,” Kevin said again as he wrapped his arms around her. “Be safe.”
“I will.” She hugged him, glancing over the top of his head. Her eyes narrowed, showing concern.
“Are you going to come back to the house tonight?” Kevin asked. “I want you to.”
“I don’t know,” she said. “Depends on how late we have to work.”
Shane had stopped in the middle of the kitchen, gripping the counter, his heart pounding painfully in his chest. He felt a strong hand squeeze his shoulder. His father stood behind him. “It will work out,” he whispered. “Trust that.”
“If I don’t see you tonight, then will you come by tomorrow?” Kevin asked Kara.
Shane let out a long breath. He really hoped his father was right and that things would work out. Not only was he attached to Kara again, but now his son had developed his own special bond with her.
“I’ll make it happen,” Kara said.
Shane made his way into the foyer, took his weapon from Kara, and clipped it to his belt. “Love you, little man.”
“Please stop calling me that,” Kevin said. “Love you, too.”
Shane stepped out onto the walkway after Kara. He followed her in silence, his hand gently on her back, knowing his entire family was watching.
“What was that all about?” she asked as he opened the door. “Kevin was really upset.”
“He’s worried,” Shane said. “Worried something will happen to you.”