Page 59 of Danger Close (Mourningkill #3)
It’s Just Life
Cobra
“We’re doing a river cruise,” my daughter said, as she slid an empty coffee mug back and forth in front of her, catching it in her left hand, then her right, then back again. “We start in Paris, then head to Trier. We’ll make our way up the Rhine, then end in Amsterdam.”
“Sounds like a great trip.” Charlotte leaned on the kitchen counter where the coffee maker sputtered a fresh batch.
“Sure does,” I said, taking a sip of my coffee.
I couldn’t taste the damn thing. I was too preoccupied, waiting for the soft snick of an opening door.
The air was tense with anticipation, as we all waited to see what Teri would do now. The idle conversation we were having was just there to fill the space with something but tense silence.
The latch of her door squeaked open. I stared at my coffee.
Her footsteps sounded. Light, quiet. Hesitant.
I pulled out the chair beside me, and again, waited.
I could feel her eyes on me.
I swallowed down the lump in my throat, “How long’s the cruise?”
“It’s…” Trinity’s eyes went from her mother, to me, then back again. “Three weeks. Then Kai has to go back to work.”
Charlotte was pretending nothing was happening, as she turned on the kettle beside her. She’d already heated the water, so it didn’t take long before the thing beeped at the desired temperature.
Teri’s footsteps approached.
She sat down beside me. Her hands on her lap.
I put my arm on the back of her chair, and pulled her seat towards me until she was pressed to my side.
“When do you leave, exactly?” I asked Trinity, pretending that all of this was normal. That the biggest wave of relief had not just swept through me. That I hadn’t been on the verge of falling apart if she hadn’t sat down.
“Tomorrow night.” Trinity wasn’t as good at hiding her emotions.
Her eyes visibly softened as she looked between me and Teri, a radiant, joyous smile on her lips.
Charlotte made a cup of tea. She patted Teri’s shoulder, and said to Trinity, “I hope you have a wonderful time.”
I took the tea, testing the heat on the ceramic. I reached across the table to the sugar, and put Teresa’s desired amount in, and stirred. Then I blew across the top to help cool the liquid.
“Your Ma and I love Paris.” I smirked. “In fact, I still remember the exact apartment your mom lived in. I can give you the address if you like.”
“Yeah?” Trinity smiled, thinking this would be a great part of her own family history.
I wasn’t sure if she could handle holding the cup, or if I’d need to help her. I’d need to follow her lead.
“Yup. That’s where you were conceived,” I deadpanned.
“Ew!” Trinity exclaimed.
Charlotte laughed.
Teresa swatted me with the uninjured back of her hand, and I pretended to rub the spot, while mouthing, “Ouch.”
With just the tips of her fingers Teri was able to drink it with both hands. Until she had two working palms again, I noted that I’d probably have to cut up her food so she didn’t put pressure on the skin grafts underneath.
She could hold a fork, but putting pressure on a knife to cut food was out of the question.
“You should visit the Champs-élysées at night,” Teri said, her voice like a melody I didn’t know I’d missed. “We used to spend a lot of time there, when we first met.”
The look of relief in Charlotte and Trinity’s eyes filled me with so much joy that I couldn’t help the smile on my lips.
This was my life now. Teri. Trinity. A close group of friends.
My heart was full. My life was perfect.
“That’s true,” I said with a somber nod. “Which is also why you might have been conceived on an alcove at the side of the hotel at La Place de Concorde.”
“Dad!” Trinity exclaimed at the same time Teri reprimanded, “Joe!”
“Okay, okay,” I put my hands up in surrender. I looked Trinity dead in the eyes, and amended, “you might have been conceived by a tree near the Theatre du Rond-Pont.”
The series continues in Overkill , Vedder and Melody.