❧
Greg wasn't sure where he was. He seemed to be surrounded by a swirling gray mist. He couldn't remember why he was there. The mist seemed lighter in one direction, and he began to move toward the light.
He felt strange. Something was different, but he couldn't quite put a finger on what it was. He felt lighter, somehow, as though his body were buoyant.
Then the cloudy mist seemed to dissipate and he found himself standing in the strangest room he'd ever seen. The entire room—walls, floor and ceiling—appeared to be made up of Plexiglas. He looked down at his feet, and he could see right through the floor. The room appeared to be suspended in air. Everywhere he looked was the vast expanse of stars and the total blackness of space.
Then he saw a large round table in the center of the room. As he continued to look, a group of people appeared around the table. They glowed as though they were individually illuminated. Greg stared, trying to see their faces, but the light they projected was too bright.
"Where am I?" he asked faintly, "And who are you?"
One of the figures beckoned to him and said, "Join us. It is time that you meet with the council. "
"What council? What are you talking about?"
"We are a part of your guidance group, Gregory Duncan. We have worked with you and have been with you since you were born."
"I don't understand.''
"Yes, we know. Your conscious mind is unaware of our existence. It is only at night—through your dreams—that we are able to communicate with you."
"Is that what this is? A dream?"
"If you wish to view it as such. We need to confer with you to see if you are prepared to get on with your mission in life."
"My mission? I don't know what you mean."
"You have a specific lesson that you chose to work on during your lifetime, Gregory Duncan, but you have lost sight of what you wished to learn. You have been busy working in your profession and neglecting other parts of your life."
"I don't understand.''
''It is oftentimes easier to hide behind the duties and responsibilities of one's job rather than face the unpleasantness of growth."
"What do you mean?"
''You have been generous with your time and your money, Gregory Duncan. It is time for you to learn to give of yourself. You talk of commitment, but you have not understood the meaning of the word. You must be willing to open up, to become vulnerable, to allow others access to your innermost feelings. You must learn to share those feelings. There is much to be done in this area."
"I realize that. I never understood that before. Not until I met Brandi."
"This is true. That is why we sent Brandi to you. It was time for each of you to get on with your lives, to join together and establish the family you both have secretly yearned for. It is time."
"You mean meeting Brandi was no accident?"
"There are never any accidents, Gregory Duncan, Not even this latest one, you see. You had already grown accustomed to the idea that Brandi would fit into your life-style and that you would continue living as before. We could not have this. We understand the way your mind works, you see. Once Brandi agreed to stay with you permanently, you were already forgetting the things you had decided in Colorado to change about your life-style. This was a reminder for you to think about these things and never to forget them."
"What are you talking about? What has happened?"
"Don't you remember?"
"Remember what? What am I doing here?"
''You were shot, Gregory Duncan. You were shot while you were in the midst of a trial."
"I was shot..."
❧
Brandi heard the murmured words, the first coherent thing she'd heard from Greg since she'd been there. Quickly coming to her feet, she leaned over and said, "I know, darling. But you're going to be fine. The doctors all say you're recovering beautifully—"
Her voice broke on the last words, and she hastily wiped away the film of moisture that clouded her sight.
Brandi had lost track of time since Greg's shooting. She had stayed at the hospital with him as much as the doctor and nurses would allow, waiting for him to regain consciousness. Tim had gotten an emergency call that demanded his return to Denver, but he had promised to keep in as close touch as possible.
"Brandi?" Greg's voice was so faint that she could scarcely hear him.
"Yes, darling?"
"Don't leave me."
"I would never do that, believe me."
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
"I really need you in my life."
Tears poured down her cheeks, but it didn't matter. Greg had still not opened his eyes. "I need you, too."
Slowly his eyes opened. He seemed to have trouble focusing on her face. He blinked several times.
"I was shot," he repeated in a wondering tone.
''Yes."
"I had no idea they would go to such lengths to get my attention."
"Who are they, darling? Your client's husband was the one who shot you."
"Never mind," he murmured. "It doesn't matter." He gently stroked her hand, which lay beside his on the bed. "It worked," he said with a rueful smile. "It worked."
❧
Two weeks later Brandi arrived at Greg's hospital room, as soon as he was allowed visitors, just as she had done each day since he'd been admitted. This time, however, he was not in bed. Instead, she found him sitting in the chair by the window.
His color was so much better. He looked more like the man she had first met. She could barely speak past the lump in her throat at the sight of him.
"Greetings, counselor," she managed to say. "You look like you're ready to practice law. All you need is a desk in front of you." She leaned over and gave him a loving, lingering kiss.
When she drew away, he grinned and said, "It's a good thing I'm no longer hooked up to those machines that monitor my heartbeat. After a kiss like that the nurses would be racing in here to see what had created such a change in my pulse."
Brandi sat down in a nearby chair and smiled at him. "Has the doctor mentioned when you might be able to leave?"
"Not exactly. He suggested we see how I do for a couple of days of limited exercise. I can now walk up and down the hallway in addition to sitting here."
Brandi shook her head. "I can't believe how differently you have reacted to your hospital stay than either Tim or I predicted."
"What do you mean?"
"We were taking bets on how long it would be before you had your secretary bringing you files and taking your dictation. Tim said he knew you'd be giving the doctor fits, demanding to be allowed to return to work."
"And you said?"
"I wouldn't take his bet. Yet here you sit without a file in sight. I'm truly amazed."
"Well, to be honest, I have been doing some business this morning. My three partners came in at my request for a short meeting."
"Oh?"
"Yes. I wanted to tell them all that I'm resigning from the firm."
Brandi stared at him in astonishment. He sat there, looking relaxed and at ease, as though he hadn't just dropped a bombshell into the conversation.
"I don't understand. Is there something about your health you haven't told me?"
"Nope. The doctor assures me there should be no lingering aftereffects of my injury and surgery. I was really very lucky."
"Then why would you resign?"
"Well, an interesting thing happened to me while I was laid up here. I discovered that I wasn't indispensable. The world is perfectly capable of running along on its own without my help."
He took her hand and cradled it between his. "When I first moved to Payton I fully intended to relinquish my practice here in St. Louis and enjoy the laid-back life-style of a small-town lawyer." He looked out the window for a moment, then returned his gaze to her. "I suppose I enjoyed being in demand, having clients insist that I handle their cases, and I allowed my work load to continue, even though I was building a practice in Payton, as well."
Studying her hand as though searching for a message, he went on. "Tve had time to ask myself, 'What is the point of all of this?' and I wasn't really sure of the answer. I have all the money I need, but somehow, in the making of it, I found it easy to always want more than I had, no matter what amount that was."
Brandi knelt beside him, but she didn't say anything.
"I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I want some things in my life that money can't buy—the sound of a small child's delighted giggle, an opportunity to walk along a sandy beach with you and watch the sunset. I've had time to do a great deal of uninterrupted thinking during these past few weeks. I've been reflecting back on my childhood and teen years."
Brandi could see the shadows in his eyes when he mentioned that time in his past, but she didn't interrupt him. She knew how painful that area of his life was, even though she had never discussed it with him. Perhaps it was time for him to face that pain.
"I was thinking about what a vulnerable time in a person's life his early years are, when the need for healthy regard for yourself and your talents can make a real difference in how you turn out as an adult." His gaze met hers. "I've decided that I'd like to do something, maybe spend some time with young teenagers who might need someone to talk to once in a while, someone who remembers what it feels like to be that age. Someone who understands."
"I think that sounds wonderful, Greg. I'm sure you'll find a way to get in touch with boys in that age group once you're spending all of your time in Pay-ton."
"I hope so." He brushed his palm across her cheek. "I also want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want us to establish a family, a warm, loving family that will provide the strong foundation for any children we might someday have."
Tears sprang to Brandi's eyes. ''I can think of nothing that would please me more.''
"Then you want to have children?"
"Very much, as long as they're yours."
He smiled. "Almost losing my life gave me the opportunity to see how precious and largely unappreciated my life is. Each of us is given equal amounts of time to do with as we wish. I want to enjoy my time— with you, with my family, with others that I feel an affinity for." He smiled. ''Does all of this sound as though I've lost touch with my sanity?"
She shook her head. "On the contrary. It sounds extremely sane and sensible to me. And wonderful. I'm so glad you want me to be a part of it."
"A part? You are the whole of it. I would never have understood any of this if you hadn't appeared in my life. I love you so much, Brandi. It scares me to think that we might have missed meeting each other."
Brandi leaned over and hugged him. "It was only a question of time, love. I don't know how we managed not to meet before now, but we would have found each other somehow, someway. You are the other half of me. Didn't you know?"
Greg kissed her and reluctantly pulled away. "I'll be glad when I can get out of here. I seemed to have been laid up during my honeymoon. When I thought about spending the time in bed, I didn't plan on being alone!"
"We might have a slight problem, love. Tim feels that we should have another ceremony."
"Why?"
"Well, it seems that Tim was incensed that we went through a ceremony without him. He said this was the only occasion he'd ever have the opportunity in some wedding not only to give the bride away but to be the best man, as well." She grinned. "He also said that you owed the town of Pay ton a splashy wedding, and he for one was going to insist that you pay up."
"And how do you feel about it?"
"I don't care, so long as I'm with you. I'd repeat my vows every day of my life if necessary."
"It would be nice to have a church wedding, don't you think?"
She smiled. "I'd like that."
"So once again, Tim gets his own way." Greg shook his head and began to laugh. A less likely-looking guardian angel he'd never seen, but he had a hunch that Tim had recently earned his wings.
"
D
addy, Daddy, he's here!" Becky cried, racing into the house and letting the screen door slam behind her. "Uncle Tim's here!"
Greg had just walked into the kitchen to see if Brandi needed any help with the lemonade and cookies she was preparing for the boys who had been helping Greg in the woodworking shop.
They turned around and looked at their five-year-old daughter, whose flyaway hair was the same color as her father's.
Greg knelt beside his oldest daughter and drew her into his arms. "Well, honey, did you invite him in, or is he still standing out on the porch?"
Becky giggled. "No. I saw his car coming, so I came to tell you."
Greg stood and took Becky's hand. "How very wise of you. Why don't we go meet him?" He glanced over his shoulder at Brandi. "He made good time, didn't he?"
Brandi grinned. "I'm not surprised. He loves my chocolate-chip cookies. I bet he locked in on them from a hundred miles out of town." She finished removing the last batch of cookies from the oven and turned. "Come on, let's go say hello, okay?"
So when Tim stepped out of his late-model sports car, he saw Greg, Brandi and Becky waiting for him at the top of the steps.
"Uncle Tim!" Becky cried, and hurled herself into his arms.
"I can't believe it," he said, catching her and hugging her to his chest. "I think you must grow an inch a week and add a pound a month! Where's the baby girl I used to bounce on my knee?"
Becky chuckled. "I'm almost ready for school now, Uncle Tim. But you can bounce Cindy if you want. She likes it, too. And she isn't so heavy."
Tim grinned at Greg and Brandi, who waited patiently for him to join them on the porch.
"I see. How heavy is she?"
Becky shrugged. "I dunno. She's still little," she said, and she held out her hands to show him.
He put her down on the porch and took Brandi in his arms. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, Mouse. But it sounds like you handled everything just fine without me."
Brandi hugged him back. "I'm just glad you made it to see us, Tim. You're looking good."
Greg threw his arm around Tim's shoulders as soon as Tim released Brandi» "Whatever you've been doing certainly seems to agree with you. I've never seen you look so rested."
They all walked into the house and, by unspoken agreement, headed for the warm, country-style kitchen.
"I decided to learn from your example, counselor. After my last assignment I decided to take some time off and just rest." He slanted a glance at Brandi. "Of course, I didn't know that Mrs. Duncan was going to get in a hurry and have the latest edition early. I wanted to be around in case you needed help with the other two." Sinking onto one of the kitchen chairs, he asked, "By the way, where are the other two members of the family?"
"Derek's taking his nap," Becky told him. "He has to take a nap because he's only three. When he's big like me he won't have to."
"I see," Tim replied with a solemn nod.
"Cindy's asleep, too. She sleeps all of the time," Becky added.
"Don't we wish," Greg said with a laughing glance at Brandi. "I'm afraid that Miss Cindy has her days and nights turned around. After her two-o'clock feeding each morning she thinks it's her place to entertain her very sleepy parents."
Tim studied Greg for a moment, then grinned. "I don't know. Fatherhood certainly does something for you. You look ten years younger than you did ten years ago."
Greg laughed. "If anyone would have told me ten years ago that I'd have three preschoolers to keep me occupied at home I would have laughed in his face."
Brandi set glasses of lemonade in front of each of them and looked at Greg. "Why don't you have Tom and Larry join us?"
Tim's brow lifted. "Tom and Larry? How did you manage to produce two more that I didn't know about?"
"They aren't ours," Brandi explained. "Well, not full-time, anyway." She looked over at Greg.
"Tom and Larry belong to my gang here in town," Greg said with a smile.
"Your gang? Like in motorcycle?"
"We're not quite that mobile, but we have a clubhouse and a charter, sweatshirts and jackets with our emblem emblazoned on the back."
"Aren't you a little old for that sort of thing, Greg?" Tim asked quizzically.
"I guess not. You see, it was my idea, and I found some young teenagers who wanted to become a part of a group. They allow me to participate because I keep the adults off their backs. In other words, I'm their token adult." He rumpled Becky's already-tousled hair and said, "And Becky's our mascot."
Greg stood and added, "I don't think the guys will want to take the time to come in right now. They've got a woodworking project they're trying to finish before the craft show next week." He picked up the second pitcher of lemonade and a plate of cookies. "I'll deliver this and be back in a minute. I'm eager to catch up on all your news, Tim."
Becky followed her father out the door, carefully carrying two glasses to hold the lemonade for Tom and Larry. Tim looked around the kitchen with a sense of satisfaction, then smiled at Brandi.
"The place feels like home, doesn't it, Mouse?"
"It should, Tim. There's so much love in this place, I'm surprised the walls haven't burst their seams."
"I wasn't kidding earlier. Greg looks so much younger, I'm amazed."
"I know. Do you know how wonderful it is to see him so happy, so content with his life?"
"How's his law practice?"
"Busy, but he's hired two associates to help with the work load. He keeps very set hours. He has the other men do the legwork, the depositions and any investigative research that's necessary. Greg is doing more consultation work, outlining the areas that need to be dealt with and allowing the others to handle the time-consuming details."
"I don't have to ask if you're happy. You're positively glowing. I can't believe you had your third child just a few weeks ago."
She grinned. "I'm afraid I'm not glowing much in the middle of the night. I don't know what I'd do without Greg. He's so good about getting up and checking on Cindy. Once I've fed her and she's in the mood to visit, he lets me go back to sleep. He's such a loving father, Tim. It's beautiful to watch him."
"I know. There's very little resemblance to the cold and aloof man I met overseas all those years ago. Whatever the demons he was fighting, he's successfully overcome them."
Brandi heard a sound at the doorway and looked around to see Derek staring at her out of his wide silver-gray eyes.
"Where's Daddy?"
"He's out in the shop with Tom and Larry, darling. Would you like a cookie and some lemonade?"
Derek nodded and wandered into the room.
"Do you remember Uncle Tim?"
Derek's smile reminded Tim so much of Brandi's that a lump suddenly formed in his throat. He was looking at the same hair color and shape of eyes. Only the color of the eyes was different.
"Come here, sport," Tim offered, holding out his arms. Derek immediately clambered into his lap and settled there contentedly.
"You look rather natural with a child in your arms yourself, you know," Brandi pointed out with a mischievous grin.
Greg walked back into the house and paused in the doorway. Tim and Brandi had not seen him, so he had a chance to observe the scene without being noticed.
The love and affection between Tim and Brandi was apparent. Tim looked contented sitting there with Brandi's son on his lap. For a flickering of time, Greg was reminded of his fears from the past. He'd learned something very important: he didn't need to be concerned about the long-term relationship these two shared.
They had each come into his life and touched it in a very special, meaningful way. They had shown him what love was all about—how to share and become even more than who he had thought he was.
Greg remembered the years he had spent watching Brandi with their children, watching as her loving patience had spilled over to include him. They had both been so afraid at first, trying to create a marriage that would be long-lasting.
Tim had encouraged them every step of the way. And Brandi's belief in Greg when he had doubted himself at tunes had kept him going, even through the uncharted areas of sharing with her all that he was feeling—about himself as a man, as a father, as a guide to the young boys with whom he came into contact, as a person worthy of being loved.
Brandi had steadfastly reflected to him that he was indeed worthy.
She glanced up and saw him standing there. "Come on in, darling. We were just talking about you.''
Greg forgot about the years he'd spent alone and allowed himself to rejom their circle of love.