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“Pixie, then.” Everlee smiled. “Just to let you know, Doug is being suspended, not fired,” she explained. “We all realize he saved the day, but going about it the way he did, there has to be some consequences. Our officers can’t go off on their own without interfacing with their team. Giving Doug a few weeks off to reflect, we’re all hoping he learns from this.” Ever narrowed her eyes at the man, and he ducked his head, looking sheepish. Another first for him as far as Talia knew.
“I’ll work on it,” he promised, and sounded like he meant it.
Holy crap. Was this change of attitude something to do with Pixie, who was looking at the man with near stars in her eyes? Even Cisco, when Talia glanced at him, looked confused as hell over what was happening.
And Pixie…
When was the last time Talia’s older sister had perused a man with any kind of warmth in her gaze? Uh,duh.That was a no-brainer. It had been sixteen years ago. Pix had been seventeen, and Talia sixteen. And what had happened at that juncture was the reason Talia felt like pinching herself right now. Everything had changed that year, and had never gone back to the way things had been before. This behavior of Pixie’s was just plain weird. But maybe it was good?
Talia walked forward and took her sister’s right hand away from Mason’s sleeve where she’d left it, and it seemed to snap Pixie out of her small trance.
“Oh,” she emoted, a familiar blush moving up into her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to overstep.”
“You didn’t,” Mason returned gruffly, having been elbowed none-to covertly in the ribs by his wife in order to answer. “We’ll, uh, take into consideration your concerns.”
Talia almost giggled.Almost.She was still too stunned, herself, at the turn of events, to come up with anything more than a lopsided grin.
Lightly, she drew Pixie away from the group, wanting to see exactly how her sister’s mental health fared. If her championing of Doug was any indication, it didn’t look like the day’s cluster-fuck had set her sister back at all.
“Hey, hon. You want me to take you to Mom and Dad?” Talia asked her sister. She’d seen their parents in the crowd. Like everyone else, however, they’d been relegated to a spot behind the police lines. If Talia knew them at all, she’d understand they were frantic at this juncture.
“Yeah. We should go see them,” Pixie told her. “But Talia, I’m fine. Really.”
“Are you sure?” Talia’s brows drew together. “I know this probably brings back some pretty horrific memories for you.”
Pixie shrugged. “It does and it doesn’t. Back then, it was the person I trusted most who changed my life. Today,” she actually smiled, “it was a handsome, take-charge officer who kept me feeling safe. I can’t equate the two circumstances, because this one was…by and large, quite positive in the end.”
Talia was confused.Positive? But if that was the way Pixie was viewing it, Talia didn’t want to disabuse her of the idea.
“That’s great, Pix. But let’s go give some of those reassurances to our ‘rents. They’re probably freaking out right about now.”
Pixie chuckled. “Agreed.”
Marty and Helena Spires were indeed looking unglued by the time Talia and her sister found them. There was much ado at their coming together; a lot of embracing and waterfalls of tears. But oddly, it was Pixie who ended up doing most of the comforting.
“I’m fine, you guys. Really. Between keeping my kids calm, and following Doug’s lead, I didn’t have time to overthink.”
Her mother huffed, clearly not fully convinced. “Well, if you have a delayed reaction and wake up in the middle of the night, panicking, please wake us up, sweetheart. We don’t want you starting up with your nightmares again.”
Talia sighed. Too much coddling?
Pixie still lived with their parents at the ripe old age of thirty-three, which Talia had always thought of as wrong. If this incident could prove to Pix that she still had some spunk, maybe it would help her find the courage to get a place of her own.
Talia hoped so. Her sweet sister deserved a life outside of teaching, and currently had none. It would also be cathartic for her parents, who’d inadvertently smothered and overindulged Pix for too many years. On another note, they also needed to find themselves, post-retirement, doing something other than hovering over their daughter.
“I have an idea, Pix,” Talia suggested. “I overheard the superintendent say the school will be closed for a few days. Why don’t you come back to Old Town with me and hang out? I have a friend staying with me who’s recuperating from surgery, and he’s a sweetie. I bet he’d love your company while I’m at work.”
She wouldn’t say that there were also officers guarding her home twenty-four seven. There was no need to bring that up. And maybe, if Pixie spent a little time with Kyle and Spencer Sothard hanging around, her mind would be diverted from the anomaly that was Doug.
“A malefriend?” Her mother’s brows rose extensively as she honed in on what Talia had said.
Ah, shit.
She’d never introduced any of her one-nighters to her family. There’d been no point. But now, in this sudden exchange, Talia found herself wanting to tell her family about Fleet. “Yup. I met him during an op where our friend Everlee was in danger, then again at Ever and Mason’s wedding.” She’d certainly chatted to them extensively about her friendandher boss. “His name is Fleet, and he runs his own recording studio in Orono. He’s quite talented, has cred with a lot of bands, and has even produced several award-winning movie scores.”
“You didn’t tell me what I really want to know, honey,” her mother chastised. “Is he a friend, or afriend?”
Now Talia did an uncustomary blush. “Well, we haven’t exactly taken things to an intimate level yet because of his health issues, but we plan on it when the surgeon gives her approval.”
