Melissa Good - Thicker Than Water

Kerry finally turned and reached for the doorframe to pull herself up. “Dar—”

“No.” Dar touched two fingers to Kerry’s lips. “There was no option, I don’t regret it, there was no choice to be made. Got it?”

She stared seriously at Kerry. “Being here for you was that important for me.”

The snow drifted and flakes settled on Kerry’s upturned face.

Thicker Than Water 89

“Was Alastair mad?”

“Livid.” Dar pulled Kerry the rest of the way out of the car and closed the door. “But he understands.” She wrapped an arm around Kerry as they started towards the hotel. “He knows me.”

Kerry thought about that as they walked. “Does he?” The shock of Dar’s revelation was still ringing inside her, evoking an alternating mixture of dismay and awe.

A smile crossed Dar’s face. “Yes, he does.”

THEY HAD A surprise waiting in the hotel room. Dar entered first and switched the light on, then stopped in mid stride causing Kerry to crash into her back. “Whoa.”

“Wh…Dar, why did…Oh.” Kerry peered out from behind Dar’s back and saw the table covered in baskets. “Good grief.”

“Yeah.” Dar walked to the table and examined the items.

There were four in all—two sedate ones that contained subdued flower arrangements, one stocked with a variety of chocolates, and one with other snacks such as crackers and cheese. “Someone worried there weren’t any restaurants all the way up here?” She picked up the cards and read them. “Ah.”

Kerry peeked. The flowers were from Maria and Mariana, the snacks were from Colleen, and the chocolate… “Your folks certainly know you.”

“Me?” Dar glanced at her wryly. “Oh, does that mean you don’t want any?”

Kerry’s nostrils twitched as Dar removed the cellophane wrap from the chocolate basket, releasing a sweet, delicious scent. “I didn’t say that.” She plucked at the snack basket. “But I’m going to have some crackers and cheese, too, or I’ll be bouncing all over the place.”

“Good.” Dar selected a truffle and popped it into her mouth.

“While you do that, I’m going to put on my damn thermal under-wear.”

Kerry picked up the bottle of pills and handed it to Dar. “And take this, right?”

“Mm.” Dar accepted the bottle, but put it down for a moment as she pulled her sweater off over her head. Or tried to, at any rate, when she unthinkingly used her bad arm. “Shit.” She hissed and paused in mid motion.

“Hey!” Kerry dropped her crackers and jumped to her side.

She eased the fabric off over Dar’s head and carefully lowered her arm. “Oh, damn, Dar!” She was shocked at the new mottled bruising that covered Dar’s shoulder joint and spread across the front of her chest. “Sit down.”

90 Melissa Good

“Why? Is that supposed to take strain off my arm?” Dar did as she was told and sat quietly on the bed as Kerry examined her.

“Just a bruise, Ker.”

“It wasn’t like that when I left Florida yesterday,” Kerry said.

“You did this last night.”

“Yeah, so?” Dar shrugged.

Kerry seriously studied her, then she unclipped her cell phone, opened it, and dialed a number. “Hey, Ang.”

“Kerry, where did you disappear to?” Angie asked. “You were behind us, then you vanished. I thought you got lost.”

“In my own hometown? Not likely,” Kerry replied. “We stopped by the hotel for Dar’s medication.”

The phone juggled. “Hang on.” There was a moment of silence, then Angie’s voice came back, clearer and with less noise in the background. “Maybe it’s for the best. This place is a circus, Ker. The press is here, and all of dad’s staff, and it’s a madhouse.”

“Ugh,” Kerry murmured.

“And,” Angie hesitated, “with everything that’s going on, I think the general feeling is it might be better if you didn’t come over here.” She seemed almost embarrassed. “With all the press here, they don’t want any controversy.”

Kerry felt a burn of anger. “You mean, it’d be okay if I came, but not if I brought Dar with me.”

“Something like that, yeah.” Angie sighed. “That’s not from mom, but there’re so many—”

“Fuck them.” Kerry enunciated the words carefully.

Angie was prudently silent.

“But you know what? I’m glad,” Kerry went on. “Because I was just calling to tell you we weren’t coming over anyway. Dar hurt her arm again last night picking my butt up, and I’m going to spend the evening relaxing, eating very good chocolate, and taking care of her.”

Angie still remained silent. Dar’s eyebrows crawled up into her hairline and lodged there.

Kerry smiled mirthlessly. “So, if the press asks, you can tell them that.”

“Lucky stiff,” Angie finally muttered. “Mom wants you to come by in the morning, is that okay?”

“I’ll think about it,” Kerry answered. “Bye.” She closed the phone with a snap. “Sons of bitches.”

Dar circled the back of Kerry’s thigh with one hand and squeezed gently. “Easy.” She could see the anger flaring along the lines of Kerry’s body. “Everyone’s under a lot of pressure.”

“Bullshit,” Kerry snapped back. “Most of those people couldn’t give a damn about my father. They’re just polishing up Thicker Than Water 91

the old image, so their memoirs will…” She paused, visibly upset.

“Can’t have the family disgrace messing that up, can we?”

Dar pulled her a little closer and nuzzled her side in wordless comfort. Kerry leaned forward and laced her fingers through Dar’s hair, then touched her head to Dar’s and exhaled. “Bastards,” she whispered.

Dar nodded. “Uh huh.”

They stayed like that for a few minutes, rocking gently back and forth, then Kerry released a held breath and straightened a little. “On the other hand,” she pushed Dar’s hair out of her eyes,

“I’m tired, I’m hungry, and spending the night alone with you is sounding more superfantastic by the second.”

Dar issued her a rakish smile. “I was hoping you’d arrive at that conclusion. I kinda liked the idea of being pampered and fed chocolate all night.” She took Kerry’s hand and relaxed back onto the pillow, giving her an inviting little tug. “C’mere.”

Kerry crawled over her and laid down at her side, never taking her eyes from Dar’s. She released Dar’s hand and stroked Dar’s soft bare skin with light, curious fingers. “This is that silver lining thing, isn’t it?”

“Mmhm,” Dar agreed, brushing Kerry’s cheek and watching her fair lashes flutter closed at the touch. “Don’t let them get to you, Kerry. When people are hurting or confused, it’s easy for them to lash out at things they don’t understand.”

Kerry lowered her head to Dar’s shoulder and snuggled close, wrapping an arm around her stomach. “I know that. It just makes me so angry that all they think about is themselves.” A sigh warmed Dar’s skin. “It’s so unfair.”

“Life is, sometimes,” Dar replied. “You just do the best you can with it.” She thoughtfully regarded the ceiling. “Like now, for instance. We could be at your family’s house.”

“Mm,” Kerry murmured.

“With one third of the crowd glaring at us, another third of them making veiled but snarky comments, and the remaining third being sweet and sympathetic.”

“Uh.”

“Having,” Dar thought a moment, “pate canapés and white wine?”

Kerry nodded. “Probably.”

“So, instead, we’re here in this nice hotel room, with a lot of chocolate, a big room service menu, and a heart shaped hot tub.”

Kerry had to smile at that. “You’ve got a good point there.”