House of Shadows Read online

  “My goodness, I had no idea that was going on,” Mom declared.

  “I’m honored that Polly thinks I’m good enough for her grandson, but I didn’t feel comfortable with her trying to set us up. If we were living in the dark ages, she would have talked to you and Dad about arranging a marriage.”

  Mom laughed.

  “When I did meet him, we clicked right away. We started getting to know each other, and it’s like… I was missing something without realizing it, and he’s it. Now… we’re dating. I really like him, Mom.”

  I love him more than anyone else in the world, actually, but let’s not overwhelm Mom any more than she already is.

  “Wow,” said Mom. “I had no idea any of that was going on.”

  “Yeah… I didn’t think it was worth telling you about, until we started dating. But now we are, and Miles wanted to meet you right away.”

  Mom turned to the kitchen island, then pushed the wooden salad bowl towards me as she got back to cutting vegetables.

  “Here, you can tear the lettuce into smaller pieces, and mix as we go.”

  I washed and dried my hands, then turned back to the salad bowl, tucking my hair behind my ear. Mom dropped the knife, and grabbed my wrist.

  “What?” I asked, completely startled.

  Mom looked at—oh, my earrings—and then at me. I don’t know why, but I blushed.

  Mom let go of my wrist, and started chopping. Her mouth was tight, and the way the knife was slicing through those innocent carrots, I could tell she was deciding whether or not to be concerned.

  “Miles gave them to me,” I said.

  Mom thought about that, as she scraped the mutilated carrot bits into the salad bowl. She was mulling hard over something, there was a deep crease in her forehead. She set the cutting board down.

  “That’s an awfully expensive gift,” she finally said, and looked over at me, eyeing my new clothes as well.

  “I went shopping, and I paid for my clothes,” I said, knowing exactly what she was thinking, and feeling very defensive.

  Mom turned away and began to chop celery, then sighed.

  “Honey… you deserve the very best. Maybe this guy’s the real deal. Be careful, though. Be smart. Don’t get swept away by good looks and wealth, and forget who you are, what’s important to you, and the promises you’ve made to yourself.”

  “I won’t, Mom,” I said seriously. “Miles gave me the earrings because he cares about me, not because he expects anything in return. If I’m wrong, then I won’t date him anymore. I’m not wrong though, and when you get to know Miles, you’ll know that he’s just as honorable as Dad.”

  “Well honey, for that matter—how can you possibly know him well enough to know that yourself? The last I heard, and that wasn’t long ago, he was still in the hospital. Do you really think you’ve known him long enough to be sure what kind of man he is?”

  “Well he wanted to meet you and Dad right away, that should tell you something! Believe me, this was not my idea. He wants me to go to church with him, too. It’s really important to him, and I said I would.”

  Mom looked as if she was weighing that against her concerns. She remained unconvinced, though. I stopped her before she had a chance to tell me a guy could do those things to make it look like he was sincere, when he really wasn’t.

  “Okay then, Mom,” I said, trying to keep my feathers from ruffling more than they already were. “You don’t know him, fine. You don’t think I know him, either. Well you do know me! Trust me. I’m not going to do anything I’d be ashamed for you to know.”

  Mom looked at me steadily, as if reading me.

  “Alright, honey,” she finally said, patting my arm as she passed by to put the cutting board and knife in the dishwasher.

  Whew. I breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. Maybe she’s satisfied.

  Mom turned, and led me over to the kitchen table.

  Nope. She’s just getting warmed up.

  I sat down, and Mom sat across from me.

  “It seems like your relationship is moving awfully fast. And these new clothes, it seems out of character for you, you’ve been saving for so long... all of that concerns me.”

  “You’re concerned because he gave me earrings, and I went clothes shopping for the first time in two years?” I could not believe the big deal she was making out of this!

  We stared each other down for several long seconds. I had absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

  “Alright,” Mom said. “Alright, honey. Maybe everything is completely innocent, and there’s nothing to be concerned about. But—someday, when you have a daughter, you’ll understand why these things raise red flags for a mom.”

  I tried to see it from her perspective. She didn’t know Miles and I knew each other for nine months already, and that we were best friends during that time… my experiences proved that he’s a man of character, and that I can trust him without hesitation. I couldn’t expect her to know any of that though, or to believe I have a reason to know it, with so many important facts missing.

  Mom was talking again.

  “I wouldn’t even think of having this conversation… this has taken me by surprise… but I think we need to. You may be almost twenty years old, but you’ve never seriously dated, and with this relationship you’re in, which is moving awfully fast… it’s about time we talked.”

  Oh no. Please—no. Like every other girl in junior high, I was forced to endure the section on reproduction in Health class. I cannot even begin to express how much I did not want a re-cap here in the kitchen with Mom! I covered my face with my hands. This was so embarrassing.

  “A girl can have the best of intentions, and then… end up making choices she never thought she would.”

  “I know that,” I said, my voice muffled through my hands. I did. I’d seen it before with girls in my youth group, when I was in high school. Some of them gave in because of pressure from the guy they were with, they were afraid they’d lose him if they didn’t. Others let things go so far, they no longer wanted to stop. One of my friends was raising a two-year-old on her own, as a result.

  I would never do that, though. Miles would never pressure me, and I was stronger than that on my own, anyway.

  “Okay, good, because if you think you’re strong enough to flee every temptation, you’re in for a shock.”

  What? Was she reading my mind? Good heavens, I hope not. But exactly—what did she mean? I uncovered my eyes, and looked back at her.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Let’s say you draw a line, and decide—I’ll go here, but no further. Make no mistake, if you go right up to that line, then at some point you’re going to end up on the other side. Do not try walking the line, stay away from it, the way you do when you’re driving a car. If you do that, you’ll do okay. When you’re all alone with this guy, which you probably will be at times, then stay even further from that line.”

  “Okay, Mom… that makes sense.” It does, it was good advice. The way I felt when Miles looked at me… and kissed me… yeah, it was very good advice.

  Good advice offered, and accepted. Can we be done with this topic now?

  “Maybe this guy isn’t trying to buy your affection and throw you off balance, so you begin to make choices you never thought you would.”

  Apparently, no. This topic is not done. And, Mom was still talking.

  “Even if he isn’t, you probably don’t realize, since you haven’t dated seriously before, that when you’re with someone you care about and you start to—have more physical contact—then the desire to—”

  “Mother, STOP!” I was ready to cry, this woman was killing me here! “Whatever grilling Dad is putting Miles through, it can’t even compare to how embarrassed this little talk is making me right now! I’m ready to promise not to have sex after I’m married, if it’ll get you to quit talking about this!”

  Okay, I wasn’t going to promise that, but—I was ready to run out of here screaming, if this
didn’t end!

  Mom started to laugh, and then I did too.

  “Now don’t go that far. I would like grandkids someday,” Mom patted my arm. “I think I’ve horrified you enough for one afternoon, so… I’m done.”

  “Okay, good,” I breathed a sigh of relief.

  We chatted a little bit after that, about less horrifying subjects, as we finished dinner preparations. Finally we were done, and I looked towards the door.

  “I wonder if they’re finished talking,” I said. I hope Miles had it easier than I just did!

  “I wonder too,” said Mom, drying her hands on the dishcloth. She looked at me. “Let’s go find out.”

  I don’t know what Miles said, but when Mom and I walked back in the room, he and Dad were laughing and talking like long lost friends. When Dad saw us come in, he walked over and hugged me for a long time.

  “You’ve got a great guy there, Anika,” Dad whispered. I couldn’t believe it, there were tears in his eyes.

  Mom stared, confusion washing over her face in waves, as she tried to figure out what was going on. Finally Dad held me back and smiled, then motioned for Mom to follow him into the kitchen.

  I stared at Miles, and he just smiled. It looked like he had it a lot easier than I did.

  In spite of how awesome I know Miles is, I couldn’t understand how in the world he won Dad over that hard, that fast! I thought he would be suffering the third degree for months. After all, as far as they know, Miles and I just met.

  I sat next to Miles on the couch, then turned and looked at him speculatively.

  “So when you lost your other superpowers, did you gain Jedi mind-control?”

  He laughed, as he held my hand.

  “No, but I had to answer a lot of very personal questions about my past, and my intentions towards you.”

  I thought about that.

  “How did you answer questions about your past?”

  “I have no memory of the last four years of Second-Miles’ life. Partial memory loss, remember? But the past four years were spent either at an all-male prep academy half-way across the country, or in a coma, so I doubt anything from Second-Miles’ past will come back to haunt me.”

  “Okay, that’s good… you don’t remember those years anyway, so if it did—you’re not responsible. That’s convenient.”

  “It is,” Miles agreed.

  “So… what about your past?” I wanted to know.

  “Dating didn’t exist when I was solid before, and I never met a girl I wanted to court. So… there’s just you.”

  “I like that,” I smiled. “You know, I never dated seriously. No guy could pass my standards long enough for me to want to go on a second date. Except for you.”

  “Good,” Miles smiled softly. “So I guess that means you’ll go out with me again?”

  I laughed, and rolled my eyes a little.

  “Yes! As if you had to ask.”

  Miles just smiled, that happy light in his gorgeous hazel eyes.

  “Well, you are an amazing guy,” I said, settling back into the couch, against his shoulder. “Somehow you won Dad over, big-time.”

  Mom and Dad came back in the room. Mom’s eyes were huge, and she walked over and hugged Miles, then me.

  Wow, I’m second. They like him, more than they like me!

  As we sat at the table together, enjoying the excellent meal Mom prepared, I looked around at everyone chatting and having a good time. Doreen, my ten-year-old sister, looked better than she did the last time I saw her. The treatment for chronic Lyme must be working. Tryon, my three-year-old brother, was thrilled when Miles agreed to play catch with him after dinner. He saw him as a big brother already. It was amazing, watching Miles and my family together. He belonged here, I always knew it in my heart. I just never in my wildest dreams imagined he could ever be here. By the time the evening was over, it felt as though Miles was part of our family for years. Forever, really. Mom and Dad got tears in their eyes again, when we hugged everyone goodbye.

  “So exactly what did you want to talk to my Dad about?” I wanted to know, as soon as I started the vehicle, and gave one last wave to my family.

  Miles smiled mysteriously and kissed the back of my hand.

  “You’ll find out—eventually.”

  I made a face at him, and he laughed.

  “I’d say it went well though, wouldn’t you?” asked Miles.

  “It certainly did! They love you. I’m really glad, although confused.”

  Miles smiled.

  “And I didn’t even have to dust.”

  I laughed.

  Chapter 3

  Until the physical therapy equipment Miles ordered arrived at the estate, he would have PT sessions twice a week in Glen Haven. On Monday, I drove him to his first appointment, and while Miles was being tortured—which is how he described it—I dropped by for a quick visit with Mom.

  “It’s so good to see you, honey!” said Mom, as she gave me a hug. “But it’s a little far just to drop in, what’s going on?”

  “Nothing,” I assured her. “Miles had a physical therapy appointment, so I drove in with him. I’ll need to pick him up in a little bit.”

  “Too bad the fall caused partial memory loss,” Mom said sympathetically.

  “Yeah, too bad,” I said. “But he’s doing great, there are just gaps in his memory. Such as not remembering how to drive.”

  “Well,” she said firmly, “he is a wonderful guy, and I’m so glad you’ll both be at college here in Glen Haven, soon. Your Dad and I are looking forward to getting to know him better. He and Polly both, are just wonderful.”

  Mom suddenly got a little teary-eyed.

  “What do you mean?” I asked, confused. “I mean, I agree, but what are you talking about?”

  Mom stopped and stared at me for a second.

  “You don’t know?”

  What?

  “What, Mom? What do I not know?”

  “Miles and Polly are philanthropists, you know about The Bannerman Foundation. They do a great deal of good with what they’ve been blessed with. Such as your scholarship. They also seek out families of children with high medical expenses, and shoulder that burden themselves. We’re not the first family they’ve helped.

  “Miles and Polly are paying for all of Doreen’s medical expenses, past, present, and future, until Doreen is completely cured. Even with insurance, the expense is tremendous, and insurance doesn’t pay for everything she needs. You know what a financial burden that’s been. It’s hard to accept help from others, but Miles offered assistance in such a way, that your Father didn’t lose respect for himself by accepting.”

  “Wow—I had no idea,” I said. I was floored.

  “Miles spoke to your Father about you—” Mom caught herself, “before telling your Father about the grant, so as not to influence him in any way. And then he didn’t tell you about the grant at all… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done so myself, but I didn’t realize.”

  I just stood there, kind of stunned. What a difference this was going to make for my family! My eyes started to well up like Mom’s did, just a second ago. Now I knew why they were so emotional after Dad and Miles talked!

  “When I saw your earrings, I couldn’t help being concerned that he was trying to sweep you off your feet and buy your affection, but if he was, he would have told you all about the grant.”

  “Miles is the greatest guy in the world,” I said. “I’m so glad you see that now.”

  Mom nodded, and hugged me.

  We sat in the kitchen and had coffee then, and it was nice getting to hang out with Mom during Tryon’s nap. Doreen was sleeping also. I felt pretty distracted by this news though, and what it meant for my family. It meant they were back on their feet again.

  Mom remembered what I said about going to church with Miles, and wanted to hear more about that. It was a long time since I’d been. I worked as much as I possibly could the year Dad lost his job, which meant Saturdays and Sunday
s, since I was in high school at the time. Once we moved to Cedar Oaks, we only saw Dad on weekends, and Doreen was too sick to go… Jenny tried to get me to go with her, but I never did. So it had been a long time.

  But it was important to Miles, and really, I wanted to go, too. I was so thankful to have him back, all the way back, and I knew that wasn’t even the greatest gift God ever gave to me, and the rest of humankind. So we went yesterday, Miles’ first Sunday since coming back to Cedar Oaks. I told Mom about it, what it was like, and she said she and Dad were starting to go back to church too, they alternated Sundays so that one of them could stay with Doreen. She’d get better eventually, and then they could all go together again.

  I watched the clock, and when it was time, I said bye to Mom and headed back to pick up Miles. It would be really hard not to say anything about the amazing thing he was doing for my family, but since he didn’t tell me himself… I decided not to mention it. Miles likes to help people, but he doesn’t seek out credit for it. Maybe that was why he didn’t tell me. Or maybe Mom was right, although it was hard to imagine why he’d be afraid it would influence me. As if it was even possible to adore him more than I already did!

  I parked in front of the building that housed the physical therapy department Miles had been referred to. It was tall, and the walls were all reflective glass. It was part of a medical complex, with identical buildings spread throughout the large block. Many doctors and specialists had offices there.

  I hurried in through the front door, and into a waiting elevator. When it reached the sixth floor, I stepped out into the hallway and through the door of the physical therapy department.

  Just as I walked into the waiting room, so did Miles, from a door at the back of the office.

  “Hi, you ready to go?” I asked.

  “Hi back, and definitely,” Miles said, with a grimace.

  “Tough session?” I sympathized, as I put my arm around him.