I looked toward Duke. He pressed his lips together and nodded his head.
My gaze returned to Mace. “Because Caitlin would have wanted it.”
The air in the room went so thick it was like we were breathing soup. Chunky soup, with bits of carrot and celery in it, enough to make you choke.
It took everything I had but I ignored the chunky air.
“You did what you had to do for her,” I said quickly. “Now I’m doing what she’d do if she was here. She wouldn’t want you tortured by those demons in your head. She’d want to chase them away. She’s not around to do that so I figure, since you said she’d like me with you then she’d give that job to me. I took it. I’m going to chase them away.” I let go of Lana and moved toward Mace. He stood frozen, scary frozen. Not like he was in shock, like he was holding his body stil so he wouldn’t hurt someone.
I didn’t let that faze me as I moved toward him until we were toe-to-toe.
I tilted my head back to look at him and rested my hands lightly on his chest. I felt his heart beating hard and fast under my hand.
This frightened me but I pushed on. “And don’t tel me I don’t know what I’m talking about. I know you didn’t want me to but I’ve seen the papers, Mace. I saw the photos of her. I saw the photo of her with you. She loved her brother.
She’d want you to be happy. You need your family.
Everyone in this room is your family. Everyone’s here because they care about you.” I hesitated, smiled and then said, “Wel , except maybe Pong and Hugo. They’re here because there’s usual y free beer in The Rose’s dressing room.”
I was trying to be funny, cut the tension.
It didn’t work.
Mace stared at me. I stared back.
Mace’s stare got scarier. So much scarier it scared me but I took it and stared back.
There was movement at our side. Mace and my heads turned and Chloe was there.
She lifted her hand as if she was going to touch Mace.
His eyes moved to her hand and they narrowed so she dropped it.
She took in a breath and held it, on the exhale she said,
“She’s right, honey. Tiny would want that.” Mace’s body jerked when he heard his sister’s nickname but he didn’t say a word. He just stared at her.
This isn’t going very well, my brain informed me.
Shut up! I returned.
Chloe lifted her hand and touched my arm. She put pressure there so I moved to the side. Now Lana was there, standing next to Mace, across from me. But my eyes were on Chloe. She had her hand in her jeans pocket and when she pul ed it out, a chain was dangling from her fingers.
I watched in stunned, frightened silence as Chloe pul ed in a breath so deep her chest visibly expanded with it. She let the breath go and leaned into Mace. She got up on tiptoe, put her arms around his neck, the chain between her hands, a tiny ring dangling from it. She clasped the chain around Mace’s stil frozen neck.
Then Chloe settled back on her feet but lifted a hand to touch one finger to the ring that was now resting at his throat.
“She loved that ring. Never took it off. I’ve been wanting to give it to you since…” She stopped and shook her head slowly then went on, “You gave her that, remember? On her fourteenth –”
She didn’t finish. Mace’s arms shot out and he yanked her to his body so hard her head jerked back and she let out a smal cry. His back arched as he buried his face in her neck.
My throat closed and I felt the tears immediately fil my eyes and spil over.
She hesitated, likely stil recovering from al of a sudden being in his arms. Then Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.
“Out, now,” I heard Lee say and there was movement al around us.
Lana threw her arms around the two of them and I took a step back. The others were leaving and I was going too.
This family needed space.
I didn’t get a second step. Mace’s hand darted out and closed around my wrist. His head came up, his eyes locked on mine and pinned me to the spot.
He didn’t have to say a word.
I settled in.
He let me go and turned to his mother.
She slid into his arms as if she’d been there only yesterday.
As Mace hugged his Mom, I looked to the door.
Floyd was there.
So was Lee.
Floyd winked at me.
So did Lee.
Floyd went out first.
Lee closed the door behind him.
* * * * *
“And it’s your turn girl to cry, ” I sang into the mic. I started the “na-na’s” of Journey’s “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’”, the band kicked in the second set and the entire crowd shouted them back at us, hands up in the air, jacking out the beat. The crowd included Lana and Chloe who were front and center with the Rock Chicks.