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Wearing comfortable jeans and a bulky red sweater, Audra stood out like a beacon in the butterscotch, tan and yellow room. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He motioned around. “What’s up?”
“I have something for you. Sit.” She waited for him to take the few steps that brought him to the recliner beside hers.
She sat and he reluctantly followed suit.
“Audra, there’s something we need to talk about.”
“This won’t take long. We can talk as soon as we’re through with this.” She clicked the remote activating the television. “I know one of your biggest worries is that you’re taking Peter’s place in Joshua’s life.”
He glanced at her, his gaze catching her blue eyes that were soft with sincerity. Pain shimmered around his heart. He was going to miss her. She was one of the sweetest, kindest people he had ever met. But that was exactly why he was all wrong for her.
“I adored my brother. Joshua would have adored him, too. It’s not right that he never gets to meet his dad.”
The door at the back of the room opened. Mary slipped inside and hustled down the aisle. Handing Joshua to Dominic, she said, “Here you go.”
Audra smiled. “Thanks, Mom.”
As Mary scurried out of the room, Audra clicked the remote again.
Dominic suddenly realized he’d been set up. Especially when the wide screen before him displayed a picture of Marsha and Peter on their wedding day, waving out of the limo door. Peter looked strong, capable and incredibly happy. A beautiful bride in white satin and pearls, Marsha had been the picture-perfect mate for him.
Pain seized Dominic’s heart, but he ignored it. “What’s this?” he asked as he adjusted Joshua on his lap.
“Watch,” Audra said, then reached for his free hand. Peter’s hospital newborn photo flashed on the screen. Audra’s fingers squeezed Dominic’s as pictures of Peter as a baby, then a toddler, and then a grade-school child paraded across the screen. But the snap-shots quickly changed from those of a little boy to a toothless baby girl.
He turned to Audra. “Marsha?”
Audra nodded. “My mother contacted Marsha’s mom and got a boatload of pictures.”
Dominic’s throat tightened. “She was a cute kid.”
“Probably why Joshua is so adorable.”
The chuckle that escaped Dominic was heavy with unshed tears. Joshua screeched with unhappiness. Dominic jostled him on his lap, whispering, “Hush.” Then he pointed at the screen. “That’s your mom and dad.”
The baby glanced at the pictures on screen as he’d been directed, but just as quickly turned away and snuggled into Dominic’s chest.
Dominic’s heart expanded with an amazing thought. Joshua hadn’t stopped fussing because of the two people on the screen. The baby had settled because he trusted Dominic.
He looked up at the screen again, once again seeing Peter and Marsha, and his throat tightened. It was obscene that the lives of two people so happy, so in love, so filled with promise had been cut off. The thought tore at him as their baby nestled against Dominic’s chest, not even slightly interested in them. But for once Dominic wasn’t upset. He was here. To Joshua he was real. His parents weren’t even a memory. And maybe that was another thing Audra was trying to show him. Joshua might not have memories, but Dominic did. He remembered so many things about Marsha and Peter—and he had pictures.
Still shots of Peter and Marsha at picnics and parties, boating and barbecuing, gave way to the video of their wedding, and suddenly the two quiet people from the photos had voices. Their laughter at the toast and happy tears as they said goodbye leaving for their honeymoon.
“Peter was a softie,” Audra said, her words hushed and solemn.
Dominic swallowed hard, unable to speak. He wanted to say so many things. Things Joshua should know. Things that would bridge the gap between the living and the dead. But he couldn’t speak. His grief was still raw, weeping. He recognized that Audra hadn’t merely made these tapes to help Joshua know his parents. She’d made them for Dominic, too. So he could see Peter as a real person, not a god of sorts.
The video had moved on to shots of Peter and Marsha’s first house, followed by several Christmases with the family, then Marsha pregnant. Her reverent, hopeful voice as she massaged her tummy, speaking to unborn Joshua, cut through Dominic like a knife and tears spilled from his eyes.
“You shouldn’t have done this,” he whispered hoarsely.
Audra said nothing, only squeezed his hand.
With every scene the pain cut deeper. Though Dominic wanted to run away from the memories that were overwhelming, he couldn’t. Suddenly Marsha was in labor, cursing at Peter for taping her. Dominic couldn’t help it. He laughed. “God, she hated that he did this.”
