The Bloodline

Chapter 3, The Bloodline

Chapter 3

Laura was starting to wonder who had called that would have Andy this distracted and walking away from their company. That was not something he did.

"I don't know what's keeping Andy. Let me go see." Laura started to scoot her chair back.

"You know what, Laura? It's fine, stuff comes up," Kim said. "Bruce does it to me all the time, leaves me in the middle of dinner. It's hard to have people over for dinner with a doctor in the house, especially when he's on call. We really do have to go, though. Bruce has an early morning."

"It's our turn next. We'll do this again. Say goodnight to Andy for us," Bruce added as he held the chair out for Kim. "Hey, speak of the devil. There you are. We were just saying goodnight."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Andy said.

He wouldn't look at Laura, and she sensed something had upset him. He was tense, which he hadn't been in a while. The many moods of her husband. She was getting better at reading him.

Now she was distracted, watching as he shook Bruce's hand, kissed Kim on the cheek, and ran his hand through his hair the way he did when he was on edge. She followed behind him in his shadow as they walked Kim and Bruce out, said goodnight again, and then closed the door.

"So are you going to tell me who called?"

He gave her an odd look as he turned around, frowning. "It was nothing. I'll help you clean up. Then let's get the kids to bed." The swing was going back and forth in the dining room, and Sarah was sound asleep. Andy stopped and gazed down at his baby, then over to the twins and Gabriel in a way Laura hadn't seen in a while.

"I'm not a fool, Andy. I can tell something has upset you. You seem off."

"Laura, stop it," he snapped, and she must have pulled a face. It felt as if he'd slapped her. His face showed everything then as if he regretted it. He reached for her, pulled her against him. His hand pressed against the side of her head. "Sorry," he said.

She loved being held by him, but something was different. "Andy, what aren't you telling me?" She pushed away from him, and he didn't fight her. She didn't stop touching him, though, as touching him and his body gave her a better idea of what he was thinking.

"Nothing for you to worry about." His eyes took on that hooded gaze he had when he was holding on to something. He reached for her chin, and this time she stepped away, swatting at his hand.

"No, Andy, not anymore. You're not doing this to me, hiding whatever this is. I can tell you know." She stood her ground with him. At one time, she'd never have been able to. Then she crossed her arms and just waited.

"When did you become so stubborn? I find it rather sexy." He started to reach for her and pulled her to him, and she wanted to go with it. It would be so easy to be distracted.

She did slide her hands up his chest, splaying her fingers, feeling his heartbeat, his breath. "I'm still waiting. I can tell something's going on. You haven't been like this in a long time, not since..." She wanted to shiver, thinking of his mother, his family. Being away from them was a gift, and it felt now like another lifetime that she didn't want touching this one. "Your family."

"My cousins, no." He sighed and walked away as Jeremy raced toward him, latching on to his legs. He flipped him upside down and tossed him a bit. He giggled, and she loved the sound and tried her best not to smile. Maybe he knew, as he sighed. "My dad," he said, looking away and then back at her.

Her heart was hammering, and she felt her throat squeezing shut, so her hand snaked up to her neck.

Andy put Jeremy down and put both his hands to her shoulders, maybe to steady her.

"Why?" Her voice squeaked.

"My mom died."