He glanced out the window at the girls again. They were playing on the slide and chasing each other like puppies gone wild.
When they were born, he’d thought it the greatest tragedy that his girls would not have a mother, but what he’d come to realize was that they had each other. What they’d never had, they could not miss. They’d never been lonely. They’d never missed having someone to play with. And they’d always had him.
He was still watching them play when his doorbell rang. He opened the door to find Katie on the doorstep with a shopping bag in her hand.
“Hey, honey! You were reading my mind. I’m missing my girl,” Sam said, and hugged her when she came in.
Katie let the love surround her, soaking up his presence.
“Where are the munchkins?” she asked.
“I clipped their fairy wings, so they’re outside playing. Do you need help with something?” Sam asked.
“I need you, hot and hard inside me. But I’ll settle for a cold bottle of pop and the chance to sit with you out on the porch.”
Heat swept through Sam like wildfire. “Jesus, Katie. Don’t hold back. Now how am I supposed to function for the rest of the day with that thought in my head?”
She ran her finger down the front of his shirt. “You could have a cold drink, too.”
He cupped his hands on her backside and pulled her close, letting her feel what she’d done to him.
“I don’t think a cold drink is enough to shift my focus, but we’ll give it a try.”
Katie sighed. “I know. That was a low blow, but—”
“Enough!” Sam said, laughing, and swept her up into his arms.
Katie threw back her head and laughed, and when she did, he nipped the hollow at the base of her throat, then ran his tongue along the spot to soothe the pain.
Then the kitchen door banged against the wall.
“And…here comes the horde,” Sam said, and burst out laughing.
“They live here,” Katie said. “I’m the one out of place.”
“Not for much longer,” Sam said. “And I for one cannot wait.”
Then the girls came running, tackled Katie around the legs, and they all wound up on the floor, laughing and giggling and wrapped in Miss Katie’s arms.
***
The following Tuesday, Sam was on edge all morning. He so did not want to be disappointed by what the old house looked like inside. He was up to some remodeling, but not a gut job. Either it worked or it would not. And when noon finally rolled around, Sam was on his way to Rawls Street.
The Realtor was already there, sitting on the verandah steps. He stood when Sam arrived.
“Hello, Chief. Nice to finally meet you,” Merle said. “Are you ready to do this?”
“Yes, sir,” Sam said, and followed the man into the house.
From the moment he saw the grand staircase curving upward to the second floor, the white marble floors and the cherrywood crown molding and the elegant carvings within the mantels above the fireplaces, the house felt right, even familiar. What had Katie called it…soul memory.
They kept moving from the grand dining room to a large eat-in kitchen. He would replace appliances, but the woodwork and flooring were stunning, and the library, office, and a downstairs bathroom made it hard to resist.
The four bedrooms upstairs were huge, and part of the space had been made into walk-in closets in three of the four. The master bedroom had its own en suite bath, with a deep, old-fashioned claw-foot tub and a shower to die for. A bedroom that would be for the girls had its own bathroom and large closet, and by the time they started back downstairs, if the house wasn’t eaten up with termites and the foundation and wiring and plumbing were up to date and they didn’t want an outrageous price for it, he wanted it.
“What are they asking for it?” Sam asked.
“Two hundred thousand,” Merle said.
Sam had been expecting three or more and was trying to keep a straight face. “Okay. Call the inspector and get me a report. If it’s sound, I want it.”
“Excellent!” Merle said. “Like I said, they don’t want to mess with it. They know the real estate in Borden’s Gap is not going for big-city prices. They chose that number. It was their decision.”
Then Sam’s radio squawked.
“Duty calls,” he said. “I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”
“Yes, sir,” Merle said, and as Sam left the house, he began turning off lights and locking back up.
Sam’s hopes were high as he drove away. He wanted to live there with Katie and the girls, and make love and make more babies, and fill that house from roof to basement with so much love that there wouldn’t be room for ghosts. Not his. Not hers.
***
Unaware of Sam’s intent, Katie was getting ready for Halloween at school. Her students’ parents planned the party and brought refreshments, and Katie would be responsible for crowd control.
Because they weren’t allowed to wear their costumes to school, Katie had ordered face paint and headbands with animal ears. She’d done it in years past, and by the time parents arrived for the party, all of the kids would have their appearances altered in some way.
And to get into the spirit of the day, she’d painted the tip of her nose in the shape of a cat nose and painted whiskers on her cheeks and had a headband with cat ears. When she showed up at school, Susan walked out of her office, clapping.
“You are such a fun, amazing teacher. I want to be little again and in your class.”
“What can I say? I love my job,” Katie said, and hurried to her room.
Marcy saw her coming and threw her hands up in the air and groaned.
“I give up! You’re the fun teacher. I am a dud.”
Katie laughed. “You are not a dud. And here…I brought some extra stuff. You can have it.”
“Oh my gosh! Thank you!” Marcy said. “What all is in here?” she asked as she opened the bag.
“Metallic peel-off stars in multiple colors, and fake eyebrows and mustaches. You just peel off the backing and they stick on…for a while.”
Marcy threw her arms around Katie’s neck.
“I owe you, kitty kat.”
“You could be a bridesmaid at my wedding,” Katie said.
Marcy’s eyes suddenly welled.
“For real?”
“For real,” Katie said.
“Oh my God, I am so honored,” Marcy said. “I would love to.”