This Time (12 page)

Mike nodded and said, “Yes, I have green eyes. But yours are prettier.” They were prettier than his, even though they were the exact same shade. His were in a battered, worn-out face while hers were the epitome of innocence and wonder.

Tara watched their conversation warily, and he smiled at her, hoping he could reassure her in some way that he would be a good father if it killed him.

“Let’s get the chairs around the table so we can play.” Mike said, getting up to rearrange the room. His jaw tightened as he put weight on his prosthesis again, and streaks of pain shot through his knee and thigh. Tara moved to help him get the desk—which was really just a small table—moved to make room for the chairs.

“Are we keeping you from anything?” she asked quietly.

Mike shook his head as he pulled the chair she’d been sitting in away from the window and positioned it on one side of the table. “Reality TV shows, that’s about it.”

Tara laughed. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen into watching that.” She teased, “I hope you don’t miss anything important.”

Mike looked up at her and grinned. “I can always catch up on
America’s Next Top Model
later. It’s not every day I get to play Candyland.”

His breath caught in his throat at her smile. Madelynn may have gotten his facial features and eye color, but she’d gotten her mother’s killer smile. His stomach knotted. She used to smile all the time when they were together. Hardly a minute would go by without her smile making his world a little better. Would she ever smile like that again for him?

His musings were interrupted when a nurse—Mandy, he thought was her name—walked in with a box in her hands. “Did someone want to play Candyland?” The nurse leaned down to Madelynn and handed her the game box. “I bet you’re Madelynn, aren’t you? Chief Davis showed us your picture. You’re even prettier in person.”

Madelynn screwed her face up, confused, and said, “Chief Davis? Who’s that?”

“That’s me, kiddo,” Mike responded. “Chief Davis is what they call me in the Navy. But I’m just Mike now.”

“Oh,” Madelynn replied. “My grandpa was in the Navy.” She paused, and then asked, “You have my picture?”

Mike moved the third chair over to the desk and sat down gingerly. “I sure do,” he said in a strained voice. “Your mom sent it to me.”

The nurse walked to Mike’s side, concerned. “Chief Davis, do you need something for pain?” He vaguely noted that her nametag read Mindy, not Mandy.

“No.” he replied shortly. He didn’t want them fussing over him like hens while Tara was here.

Mindy put her hands on her hips and scolded, “Have you been overdoing it?” She made a disgusted sound. “Don’t answer that. I know you have, I can tell by looking at you.”

Mike frowned up at her and said, “Are you going to rat me out to Dr. Walters?”

Mindy stared at him for a long moment before finally responding, “I won’t tell Dr. Walters as long as you promise to take it easy for a couple of days.”

“Sure,” he said, “I can do that.” Mike had no intention whatsoever of taking it easy, and he knew all of the nurses were probably aware of that.

Mindy watched him suspiciously. “I mean it.” She gentled her tone and said softly, “You will never heal if you push too far. It’s good to push yourself, but you’ve also got to let yourself heal. Okay?”

Mike nodded. “All right.”

Mindy patted him on the shoulder and turned to Tara. “You make sure this old man takes care of himself.” She leaned down to whisper in Tara’s ear, loud enough that Mike could barely make out the words. “There’s a childcare on the first floor if you’d like some alone time. They’re open until nine, and it’s free. Or we can play a round of Candyland at the nurses’ station if you need a couple of minutes.” She winked at Mike and then turned and walked out of the room.

Mike frowned, stunned for a few seconds. Alone time? They actually
allowed
that? Then again, some soldiers were here for months, and it made sense they would want time with their significant other. What he wouldn’t give for some alone time with Tara. As soon as he was willing to let Madelynn out of his sight, which might be never.

Madelynn jumped into the chair beside him and started setting the board up impatiently.

“Come on, Mommy! Let’s play!” Madelynn called from the table.

Tara jumped a little before saying, “Right on, sweetheart,” and sitting in a chair of her own.

Mike grinned. This almost felt like a family.

Chapter 11

It was two and a half hours and no less than seven games later when Tara called a halt to the gameplay on account of her stomach. She checked her watch and saw that it was five o’clock.

“It’s almost dinner time.” She looked at Michael and said, “I can go pick something up if you want. I’m not sure what’s open on Christmas Eve, but I’m sure I can find something.”

Michael practically drooled. “Do you think you could find a pizza place that’s open? I haven’t had real pizza in almost a year. Lt. Paulson promised me some, but he won’t be here until January sometime.”

“I’m sure I can find something. I’ll stop by the nurses’ desk on the way out and ask.” She stood up and moved to get her purse. “Come on Maddie, let’s go pick up dinner.”

Madelynn stuck her bottom lip out and said, “Can’t I stay with Michael and color?”

Michael quickly spoke up. “It’s okay with me if she stays.”

Tara looked at him skeptically. Maddie had only met Michael a few hours earlier. “I don’t know…” she trailed off.

“The nurses will be here if I need anything or if anything happens. We’ll be fine. We’ll just color for a while.” He looked like a little boy in a candy shop, and Tara just couldn’t say no.

“All right.” Realizing this may be her only chance to pick up a small Christmas tree as well, Tara said, “Can you come show me the way out, Michael? Maddie, stay right there, honey; Michael will be right back.” Tara hated asking him to walk and see the pain line his face again, but she
had
to talk to him without Maddie hearing.

Michael obviously sensed there was more to her request, and he stood to walk her to the door.

Tara whispered as they got to the door, “I was thinking I could get a two or three-foot tall pre-decorated tree to put in here. I can get one while I’m out. Would that be all right?”

Michael beamed down at her. “I think that would be perfect.”

Tara got the phone number and address for the closest pizza place from the nurses at the desk and also got directions to the nearest Wal-Mart. She decided to go and get the tree first and call in the order for pizza as she was leaving the store. All in all, the entire trip took only an hour, and by the time she got back, Michael’s wall was plastered with pictures of princesses and fairies. When Tara turned the corner into his room, Michael and Madelynn were both bent over the table, coloring as though it was the most important thing in the world. And, she thought, to him it was possible that it was.

“I’m back!” she called from the doorway.

Madelynn jumped up and ran to her. “Mommy, Michael colored a Snow White, but he made her dress purple and pink instead of red and blue, and I told him it was s’posed to be red and blue, but he said we could color it whatever color we wanted, so I said I want purple and pink!” She ran over to a picture taped to the wall and pointed happily at it.

Michael laughed and said, “I’m sure Disney won’t mind if we take certain creative liberties with their design. I think we improved it.”

Madelynn nodded and said seriously, “We improved their liberties, isn’t that right, Michael?”

He replied, deadpan, “Absolutely, kiddo.” Noticing that Tara was balancing two pizzas and a two-liter soda in one hand and a small Christmas tree in the other, he stood and took the pizzas and drink from her. “Here, let me get that.” He put the pizzas on the table and neatly stacked the coloring books and began putting the crayons back into the box. “Put the tree wherever you think would be best.” He smiled grimly at her. “I don’t have a lot of furniture to move for it.”

Finally noticing the tree, Madelynn bounced around Tara as she crouched down to put it in the corner by the window.

“A white tree!” Madelynn exclaimed, kneeling down to count the bows and finger the snowy white needles.

Tara nodded. “Yes, a white tree with gold bows.” She turned to Michael as she straightened. He was standing as still as a statue, staring at her rear end. Tara blushed as she realized she’d probably flashed him a little when she crouched down to adjust the tree, giving him a view of her underwear. Tara suddenly remembered he wasn’t a leg man or a breast man. He’d always been fascinated by her behind. She’d keep that in mind when she was dressing tomorrow and make sure not to wear tight jeans.

She cleared her throat and said uncomfortably, “This was their display, and it was all they had left. I had a devil of a time getting the manager to agree to sell it to me. I gave him a sob story, though, that he couldn’t say no to.”
A sob story that was 100 percent true.
Tara wrung her hands together nervously.

Michael quickly jerked his eyes up to hers and nodded. He closed his eyes, cleared his throat, and nodded again. “Well, you got one, and that’s what’s important.” Nodding to the pizza, he said, “Are you ready?” His eyes were intent, boring into hers, unnerving her.

Tara nervously gestured to the door and said, “Yeah, let me just get some cups and ice.” She slowly turned and practically ran out the door. She could feel Michael’s eyes on her as she fled the sudden tension in the room.

* * * *

Mike watched her go, the memories flashing through his mind far different from the usual ones. When she’d bent down to arrange the tree, he’d gotten a brief glimpse of pale blue panties and been swept back in time to another pair of blue panties she used to wear. They hadn’t been elastic; they’d tied into little bows on the side instead. They’d also been bright blue and lacy, unlike the pale, simple ones she had on now. In fact, the only thing the two pairs of underwear had in common was they were both a shade of blue.

Mike vividly remembered untying those little bows with his teeth. He’d fantasized about those panties for years but had never seen another woman wearing a pair similar to them. He wasn’t sure why the images of her in the little blue panties came back now, but he’d found himself unable to move or speak for long moments. Once she was well out of the room, he sat down, realizing his thoughts would be obvious to anyone who looked below his waist.

Madelynn bounded over to the table and peered over the top at the large and small pizza boxes resting there. “Did Mommy get me a pepperoni?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Mike responded, opening the top box to check. “Yep, pepperoni.” He set the small box to the side and opened the bigger box. It looked like a supreme, and he nearly melted with anticipation. Mike noticed Madelynn was opening her small box and reaching in to grab a piece. He gently reached out and stopped her. “Wait for Mommy, okay, kiddo?”

Just then Tara reentered the room with three cups full of ice. She carried them over to the table and set them down. Opening the soda, she began pouring some into each cup and said, “Sorry, guys. No plates. We’ll have to eat out of the box.”

Mike leaned over and whispered to Madelynn, “Isn’t that how you’re supposed to eat pizza?”

Madelynn giggled and said, “Just when you don’t have plates.”

Tara smiled and bent down to pour Michael’s soda. He leaned in closer to her so her hair almost, but not quite, brushed his cheek. He inhaled deeply and struggled not to moan. She smelled so good! Like vanilla and cinnamon and warmth. She pulled away quickly, giving him a frustrated glare. He gave her his most innocent look, but Tara eyed him as though he was a cat and she was the canary. She moved behind him, out of his line of sight for a moment, and filled the other cups. She finally sat down and gave a bright smile to them both and said, “Let’s eat!”

Mike opened the large box and got a slice for himself while Tara got Madelynn a slice out of the smaller box. He bit into it and closed his eyes in ecstasy. She’d remembered he liked everything on his pizza and had gotten a large combination, even though she had to pick off the black olives. He inhaled the first slice in record time and reached in for a second. Halfway through the second slice, he remembered his manners.

“Uh, thanks for going and getting this. I haven’t eaten anything but hospital food since I got here. Their pizza leaves something to be desired.”

Tara nodded. “No problem.”

A few moments of silence passed as they ate before Tara spoke up again. “By the way, there are a couple of things I’d like to talk to you about. When we’re done eating, I’m going to take Madelynn down to the childcare and come back up before we leave for the night.”

He’d forgotten they would have to leave, and Mike looked down quickly to hide the stricken look on his face. His heart sank.

He nodded, brushing his hands off, and said, “Sure.” He looked over at Madelynn, busily chewing and swinging her legs back and forth under the table. Mike smiled to himself, and his eyes crinkled in amusement. He met Tara’s eyes for a split second before she lowered her gaze back to her pizza.

By the time they were done eating, Madelynn had eaten half of her pepperoni pizza, and there was only one slice of the supreme left. Mike combined the boxes, telling her he would offer it to the night shift nurses when she took Madelynn downstairs. Once the table was clean, Mike realized how tired Madelynn was. She was yawning almost nonstop, and her eyes were only half open. With a softly spoken “I’ll be right back,” Tara left the room with Madelynn trudging slowly behind her.

Chapter 12

By the time Tara returned, the nurses had finished the rest of the pizza, and Mike was waiting on his bed, his hands clenching his knees. He stood painfully as she walked in. He’d worn the prosthesis too long, put too much weight on it, and passed his breaking point hours ago. But there was something he wanted to do now that they were alone. He walked over to the door and closed it behind her.

She turned to look at him and began, “I…”