Mandy’s eyes widened in surprise. Clarisse witnessed the nurse’s mistrust immediately transform to pity. “Oh, honey! He’s gonna be so glad to see you! Go on back, guys. I think he’s in his apartment.”
“Thanks.” Sully led her from the desk and down a hallway. The light and airy facility faintly smelled like oranges. “Tad’s got a small efficiency apartment. He cooks some meals still, when he’s not busy flirting with his nurses.”
Clarisse couldn’t help but laugh. That sounded like Uncle Tad.
They wound through the facility and stopped in front of a door numbered 125. This wing resembled an apartment building more than a hospital. A nursing station sat at the entrance, but other than that, nothing overtly identified it as a medical facility. Sully knocked.
“Goddammit, I told you I don’t feel like playing bingo! They’re running a Dukes of Hazzard marathon on TV this afternoon!”
The door opened. Clarisse didn’t know who was more shocked, her or Uncle Tad. He looked thin, drawn, one side of his face frozen in a lopsided droop.
After a stunned moment, he whispered, “Son of a bitch!” and then engulfed her in a weak hug she was afraid to return too strongly for fear of hurting him.
“Hi, Uncle Tad,” she lamely said.
He held her at arm’s length, frowning for a moment, then smiling.
“Please tell me you left the son of a bitch.”
She sniffled. “Yep.”
He hugged her again, then gripped her hand and led them inside to a small sitting area. He slowly lowered himself to the sofa, pulling her down with him. Mac and Sully settled into two chairs. The apartment was small but tidy. A four-person dinette sat near a window, and an open doorway led to a small bedroom. Another revealed the bathroom.
“Reecie, you scared the heck outta me, little girl.” He raised his hand to her face as if to stroke her cheek, then lowered it. “It doesn’t matter anymore. You’d better be telling me you’re moving here.”
Sully spoke up. “She’s living with us.”
Clarisse noticed he said “living” and not “staying.”
Tad nodded. “Good.” He grinned. “These boys are the best, but you’ve probably already seen that.”
They sat and talked with him all afternoon. Near dinner time, he handed Mac a wad of bills. “Why don’t you take Reecie to Plaka’s and get us some dinner? I bet she missed their gyros.”
Mac tried to refuse the money, but Sully shot him a look. “Go on.
I’ll stay here with Tad.”
Clarisse suspected her uncle wanted a few uninterrupted minutes to talk with Sully about the circumstances of her arrival. She didn’t resist when Mac laced his fingers through hers and helped her up from the couch. “You want the usual, Tad?” he asked.
“Yep. Go by Hellas, too. Get us something for dessert from their bakery.”
After they left, Tad turned to Sully, his face hard. Sully suspected the older man wanted to talk with him alone.
“Promise me, boy,” Tad said. “Promise me you’ll make the bastard pay.”
“I will.”
Tad leaned back and closed his eyes. “She never wears makeup.
Your idea?”
“I didn’t want to shock you.”
He snorted. “Takes a lot more than that to shock me. I’m just glad she got out alive. I always worried that asshole would kill her.
Fucking mean son of a bitch. Damn bully. She really gonna live with you?”
“As long as she wants. You have my word.”
Tad arched an eyebrow at Sully. “She already know about you two?”
Sully laughed. “Yeah. We told her the basics. Needed to, don’t you think?” They hadn’t told Tad all the details of their pastimes, but he knew Sully and Mac had more than just an average relationship.
Tad slowly pulled himself up from the couch. “I suppose.” He started for the kitchenette to get plates. Sully stood to help him. “You know,” Tad said, “you two could be good for her, long term. Security.
Safety. Someone to rely on.”
Sully took several plates from him and laid them on the table.
“What are you getting at?”
He turned. “I’m just saying there’s something to be said for a girl having a couple of strong guys in her life.” His eyes twinkled. “If you get my drift.”
Sully was afraid he did, but he let the subject drop. Tad apparently felt content to leave his piece said at that.
Clarisse stared out the window as Mac drove them to Dodecanese Boulevard and found a parking spot. It’d been years since she’d last visited the Sponge Docks. Much to her surprise, many of the restaurants and shops still bore the same names and signs and even merchandise, in some cases. He led her to Plaka’s where they placed their food order. Then, while they waited, they walked a few doors down to Hellas and bought several items for dessert from the Greek bakery there. He sat her in a booth and bought her a Coke. After he sat, he handed her two Tylenol.
“Take these, sweetie. You need them. You look like you’re hurting.”
She didn’t fight him, gratefully took them, and washed them down. “Thanks.”
He gently squeezed her hand. “Let us take care of you, okay?”
“I don’t think I can get used to having a slave, Mac.”
He grinned. “Well, don’t think of it that way, honey. Think of it as having a guy Friday.”
Clarisse glanced over at him, loving his friendly, easy smile and twinkling brown eyes.
Safe.
She glanced around before studying the table again. Her hair hung in curtains beside her face, which helped her feel a little more secure about her appearance in public. “I promise I’ll pull my weight. Please tell Sully I mean that.”
“Hey, honey, we don’t care. We told you we’ll figure something out.”
“I can get a job, at least part-time somewhere, to pay rent.”
“Clarisse.”
Her head snapped up at his firm tone, fear tensing her body.
He squeezed her hand again, his voice gentling. “Stop it. Don’t worry. It’s okay.”
She’d glimpsed a hint of Mac on the boat, the way he’d handled Sully.
In charge.
After she finished her Coke, they picked up their order from Plaka’s. Mac insisted on carrying everything, juggling the food to open the Jag’s door for her.
“Listen,” he said when she protested, “Sully’d kick my ass in a bad way, he catches me slacking. Unless I can’t do it, you don’t open your own doors, girlie.”
She blushed. “I’m not an invalid.”
“Despite rumors to the contrary, I am a gentleman.” He grabbed her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it. “And I take care of my lady.”
Another pleasant flood of heat raced to her face and down her body at the possessive tone in his voice. If only he wasn’t gay, she’d gladly be his lady. Meanwhile, she would be happily content to have him in this way, at least.
It didn’t matter. She had no intention of getting into another relationship for a long, long time. If ever.
A blue VW bug had parked next to them. Mac caught her looking at it. “What?”
“I’ve always loved those little cars. I’m going to save my money and buy me one in a few years. I wanted one, but Bryan hated them.
He bought me a Chevy, said it was practical.”
Mac studied the car. “Practical, huh?”
“Yeah. He despises foreign cars. His dad owned a Chevy dealership before he retired.” She stared at the car until he started the Jag. “Now I can get whatever the hell I want.” She laughed. “Well, I have to get whatever I can afford. But when I can afford one, I’m getting one.”
When they reached the nursing home, Clarisse checked and refreshed her makeup in the car before they returned to Uncle Tad’s room. They had a great dinner and a nice visit. By the time they left, Clarisse felt exhausted and close to collapse. At home, she bid the men good night, went straight to her room, and closed the door behind her.