Chapter 11

The meal over, we were led into the living room. Dad and I sat down. Pat sat me in the big chair and got on my lap. That would leave Dad sitting on the sofa with Heather. He sat down at one end. She asked if any of us wanted anything to drink. Dad wanted a bourbon on the rocks. She poured it for him and brought it back. She sat down next to him with their hips touching. He looked uncomfortable and fidgeted for a moment. She said softly, "Don't you like me, Dan?"

"No, err yes! It's just..."

She put her finger to his lips to stop him from talking. She said, "You need to figure it out. While you're thinking, put your arm around me. I need comforting." Dad put his arm around her and she snuggled in close. Dad looked happy though stunned. Heather continued, "You are a handsome man, Dan. I like you and feel safe with your arm around me. I haven't felt this way in years."

She teared up. "Angie didn't tell the truth about my marriage. Jeff didn't die of the virus. He was shot about a year before the Day by a jealous husband. The poor man then killed his wife and committed suicide. Angie blamed me for Jeff's straying. After the Day, she and Jack came to my place to hide from the Blasters. I'm not sure what he did but they didn't like him. Their house was shot up pretty badly. I felt almost like a captive until you three took over. I'm glad you did. I could stand being captured by you." She looked directly at Dad when she said that last bit.

Dad looked as shocked as I could ever imagine and I realized that I wasn't far behind. Pat was holding me and had possession of my lap I wanted to say something but didn't know what. Finally, Dad cleared his throat after drinking a big slug of his bourbon. "Heather, you are a very attractive young lady. I think I'm a bit old for you."

Heather responded. "No, Dan. You're forty-six, barely. I'm thirty-eight and almost thirty-nine. Mark is only twenty-four so I'm closer to your age than his. Besides, Pat looks pretty possessive." She snuggled closer if that was possible. "Now, I'm not going to jump into your bed. I just want a chance to find out if things can work out between us. Will I be the helpmate and friend to you that Pat is to Mark? If that's true, then we can make a decision about me warming your bed." She looked at him with a steely glint in her eyes. "Right now, you have to decide if you will give an 'us' a chance. Beyond that, you have no commitment of time or energy."

Dad looked a little overwhelmed. He finally said, "I can do that. I will give an 'us' an honest chance. Pat has been like a daughter to me since Mark and I found her after a gun battle. They had high school crushes that they found had later legs. I'm happy for them but haven't been anxious to imitate them. We will have to see how this plays out."

Heather pulled his head down fractionally and kissed his cheek. She smiled and snuggled some more. Pat was grinning. Pat said, "Dad, you might take her to the range and start shooting lessons." She smiled fiendishly and innocently at the same time.

I wondered what they talked about while we were delivering Angie and Jack to Gainesville. They had two hours to talk. I had the sudden feeling that Dad didn't have a chance. I thought about it and decided that there could be many worse fates in life. Dad is smart. He will figure it out.

After putting on their coats, they left with rifles and ammo. I said, "Pat, what did you two plan while we were gone?"

"We just talked about Dad and she talked about her past. Heather doesn't want to be your step-mother but she is drawn to a Dillard man. She doesn't know if there is enough there for them to be a couple but she wanted a fair chance to find out. I did give her some hints about Dillard men." She grinned savagely. "After all, I am the resident expert."

She moved her face to mine and said seductively, "I want you to kiss me for an hour so we will know why we're married and why we'll be sleeping together tonight." I did the best I could and we managed to ruffle our clothes spending a delightful hour preparing our bodies and our hearts for the night.

When Dad and Heather returned laughing, I had to pull my hands from under Pat's sweater. I did it quickly but reluctantly. Pat said, "How did the shooting go?"

Dad said, "She is a natural like you, Pat. The recoil almost got her though. She used to target shoot twenty-two's in high school but hadn't shot anything since.

"It was too cold to stay out there long. I think we may get some weather."

I looked up. Pat and I went to the back porch followed by both of them. I stepped outside to look up as well as around. Pat joined me with her arm around my waist. I put my arm around her shoulder. I could see the black clouds building in from the north and west. "Dad, I think you're right. It's late but I think we're going to get our first winter snow late tonight or tomorrow." Pat shivered next to me. I tightened my arm around her. I looked down from the sky and saw that Heather was leaning against Dad with her arms at his shoulder and his arm around her waist. Dad seemed to like her body against his.

Pat looked and I could hear her almost inaudible chuckle. She whispered, "So far, so good." I went back to looking at the sky.

We went back inside to the warm house. This house, unlike the first house Dad and I chose, didn't have Franklin stoves in the rooms. However there was a see-through fireplace connecting the kitchen and the living room. We could and had made a fire in that fireplace and found it warmed much of the house. We had a fire laid and only had to open the flue and light the wood for it to be used. We had plenty of wood in dry storage and could weather a storm and power outage.

During the fall, Dad and I had worked on our power lines to make them safe from trees. There was still one area almost one hundred feet long that still needed work. I guessed we would find out how much work it needed now. Hopefully, this would be a snow storm and not an ice storm.

I woke in the morning to Pat opening the curtains and saying, "It's beautiful! So white and pristine! Get up sleepyhead! Heather made coffee. We're going to start breakfast now so move it!" She set my cup on my nightstand and leaned down to give me a breath-taking kiss good morning. With that she swirled out leaving me to get moving.

A bit later, I met Dad coming into the living room. He said, "Did your wife, the Tornado, wake you this morning?" I nodded. "I received a similar though not as passionate a treatment from her, too. Son, you're a fortunate man." I nodded again. We went into the kitchen together. I gave Pat a hug and Heather plastered her body against Dad and gave him a kiss that left him breathless! He sort of stumbled into a chair and sat down hard. The girls were cooking the breakfast together while they talked and chuckled ... Dad and I drank our coffee. Breakfast was delicious and I recognized some dishes that were not in Pat's rather considerable repertoire.