Steve reached over and picked up his ringing cell phone seeing Danny's name on the display. "Hey, what's up?" He laid back down on the couch, muting the football game on the television.
"Are you home?" Danny asked him.
"Yes. Why?"
"Turn your TV to channel fifty five."
"Why? I'm watching the Navy game."
"Just do it," Danny badgered him.
Steve sighed heavily and sat up on the couch doing as he asked. "Ok, what am I looking at?" The screen displayed a movie from what he could decipher, but didn't know the name.
"Just hold on," Danny replied.
His patience was not all-together working in Danny's favor. "What am I supposed to be looking at?"
"Right there," Danny blurted out, pointing at his own television. "The brunette in the white shirt."
Steve shook his head. "So."
"So!" Danny said as if it were a given. "Doesn't she look familiar to you?"
"Not particularly." Steve sighed again, barely giving it his attention, tired of this game and wondering if Navy had scored in the other game he was more interested in.
"God," Danny groaned. "For a good detective, you're a horrible neighbor."
"What?"
"Its your next door neighbor! The woman with the kids," he announced.
Steve paused the TV and leaned a little closer, seeing the resemblance past the dark hair and heavy makeup against the blond next door. "Oh yea. I think you're right."
"I know I'm right. I told you she looked familiar."
"Who is she?" Steve asked, a little intrigued now.
"I don't know," Danny replied and then yelled out for his daughter. "Gracie, come here!"
She appeared at the end of the hallway. "What Danno?"
He pointed at the TV, "Whose is that?"
She glanced at the TV and didn't hesitate, "The actor? Liam Hemsworth."
"No," he corrected her, "the girl.
"Alyssa Jordan."
"Alyssa Jordan," he said to Steve and then chuckled. "Hey Partner. You have a full blown movie star living right next door to you."
He could hear Gracie's excitement in the background over that.
"Alyssa Jordan lives next door to Uncle Steve?!"
Steve rolled his eyes. "Yea that's exciting. I'll talk to you later. I'm missing my game." He hung up and switched back to the Navy game, resuming his stretched out position on the couch. "Crap!" he groaned seeing the score had gone up seven points in his favor. He'd missed the touchdown. The channel went to commercial and he switched back to the movie.
He watched the dialogue between the two actors as they sat huddled in the forest, hiding from something or someone, that part was obvious. He watched the actress as she performed her lines, convincing him she really was frightened. He had to admit, she was pretty good, and even with the dirt streaks on her face he couldn't help but notice the beautiful features, not connecting her to the same person that lived next door even though they were one in the same. The name Alyssa Jordan sounded familiar but he really wasn't one for the latest Hollywood movies anyway, not that he didn't enjoy a good movie every now and then; he just hadn't seen a trailer to one that held his interest.
Becky had dragged him to a couple that he was told he would enjoy, but on the contrary he had to pretend not to be bored through it. He'd never seen one of Alyssa Jordan's movies and was already bored with this one as well, switching the channel back to the game.
An hour later and well into the fourth quarter, with eight seconds remaining he heard a soft knock at his front door.
"Damn." He sat up and paused the game as the opposing team readied themselves on the three-yard line, potentially trying to win the game with one last touchdown attempt.
He held the remote and answered the door, looking straight ahead, not seeing anyone at first and then looking down seeing Jenny smiling up at him.
"Hi Steve. Can I go in your back yard?" she asked, wearing a blue poke-a-dotted bathing suit and holding a small hand towel in her hand.
"Hi Jenny." He looked past her toward her own home. "Does anyone know you're here?"
She looked over her shoulder at her house. "Eric is reading and my Aunt is on the phone." She looked back up at him. "You said I could go in your back yard if you were home. I asked first like you told me too," she reminded him.
He looked back down at her, recalling his words that she had remembered perfectly. He glanced back over at the TV that was still on pause.
"Can I?" she asked again.
"Sure" he caved unable to turn her away. "Just hold on one second, ok?"
She jumped excitedly over his answer. "Ok!"
He stepped back and resumed the football game, watching his beloved Navy team hold off the offensive line and the clock run out. He smiled happily and shut the TV off. "Ok," he smiled down at her. "Let's go over and make sure it's ok first. All right?"
"Ok." She reached up and took his hand out of habit as he closed the door to his house. The unexpected gesture caught him off guard but he obliged her anyway, wondering if it was something she often did with her deceased father, feeling that horrible loss for her once again.
Eric sat up on the couch as Steve peeked his head inside the front door, still holding Jenny's hand as she stood just outside. "Hey, Eric. Jenny knocked on my door wanting to go for a swim. I wasn't sure you knew where she was."
He scooted off the couch, "I thought she was in her room."
Steve came in the rest of the way as he glanced up the stairs seeing the woman come down. She was talking on her cell phone to someone that had her rattled. He remembered the movie he'd seen her in earlier and could defiantly see the resemblance now. The delicate features were unmistakable. It was her all right. He hated to admit it but she looked better off screen than on.
"I know. I know!" she said into the phone, letting out a deep sigh. "Will you please stop reminding me of that? It's not like you've been a great help in all of this. I know you're busy but I have a life too." She saw him then and stopped on the last step. "I have to go. I'll call you later." She went to hang up and directed her attention back to the phone conversation. "Seriously with that! Then tell Daryl to keep it handy. We need to talk and you can't keep putting me off." She looked back over at Steve. "I have to go." She hung up, taking that last step. "What can I help you with?" she asked him as if he were there for a favor. She regretted the not so friendly greeting, but was still irritated by the phone conversation and only getting a couple of hours sleep the night before. She didn't need any more complications, wondering if the kids had done something that called for his presence in her doorway.
She scanned his attire, seeing him for the first time without his gun strapped to his hip. He looked comfortable in the basketball shorts and blue T-shirt that had a picture of a sunset and the word Hawaii scrolled across the front. His face was void of a morning shave, which also caught her attention. He could have been mistaken for a movie star on Hollywood boulevard, she thought. He would have got a second glance that was for sure.
He put his hand on Jenny's head. "She came over and asked if she could go swimming."
She looked down giving Jenny a playful stink eye. "What did I tell you Jenny?"
She moved closer to Steve until her body was against his leg. "But he's my friend and he said I could."
"Its really no big deal," he defended her. He looked in Eric's direction. "You can come too if you want." He glanced back at the woman. "If its alright with you? I mean, I'm a cop, but if you don't feel comfortable with it then just say so." His next words were strictly for the kid's sake. "You can come too," he paused, the tone of his voice a little too dry, "if that would help the cause." His invitation was put out there, but she quickly caught on the meaning behind it.
Eric looked over at her for permission. "Can we?"
She was irked by his lame invitation, not that she wanted to accept it anyway but it still was rude she thought. She did however want to take advantage of the peace and quiet, but wasn't sure about letting Jenny and Eric go with him alone or not. She wondered what her brother would say if he were there. She knew Steve was a Police Officer and knew she could probably trust him, and if it were anyone else's kids she would have told them 'yes, don't be so paranoid, of course you can trust him. Enjoy the free time.' But they weren't someone else's kids and that first sign of parenthood was nagging her now. "I don't know."
Steve understood her apprehension. She didn't know him and just letting the kids go with him would have been reckless in his eyes, even though he knew there was nothing for her to fear.
"Please!" Jenny begged, jumping up and down. "Pretty please! It's so hot," she whined.
"Come on," Eric joined in, "be fun for once. You never want to do anything."
That statement alone hit her hard. It wasn't that she didn't want to do anything; she was usually just too exhausted to do anything, not realizing just how hard it was to take care of two kids on your own. "Fine," she agreed, looking over at Steve. "I'll come too." She motioned toward the upstairs to Eric. "Go find your swim suit."
"Yes!" Eric tore past her up the stairs as Jenny did a small leap.
"Yippee!"
The woman forced a grin, imitating the child's word but not the enthusiasm. "Yippee."
Steve said nothing, feeling the same way she did. What had started out, as a nice lazy afternoon on his couch had turned into a beach party in his backyard, with one of the attendees not necessarily invited, but he knew it was for the best. He didn't feel comfortable being alone with just Eric and Jenny either. It was a shame, but in the times they lived in you had to be cautious from both sides.
He didn't know anything about this woman except that she was an actress; a smart ass and all together carried an attitude that was a pain in his ass. Like the other previous women in his life he was sure she could cause havoc at a moments notice and didn't need anyone accusing him of something heinous because he wanted to be a nice guy.
Still, the attitude toward him was unfair. He wondered if she was accustomed to a more lavish lifestyle in Hollywood and the accommodations of this house were making her bitter. 'Poor little thing,' he thought sarcastically but held a grin on his face.
"Jenny," she said to the child, seeing the small towel in her hand. "Will you please go in the laundry room and get two big towels out of the dryer for you and Eric?"
"Ok," she said happily, running down the hall.
Once out of earshot she stepped closer to Steve. "I'm sorry if they are inconveniencing you. We won't stay long. Jenny can be a bit of handful. I'll make sure she doesn't bother you anymore."
"What makes you think it's a bother?"
She tilted her head just slightly, questioning his earlier invitation. "It's not a bother?"
"I like Eric and Jenny."
She put her hands on her hips. "Oh, I see. Its just me you don't like."
"I get the feeling it's mutual."
"Well I apologize if your feelings got hurt neighbor, but I'm in the middle of a life changing crisis right now and doing my best to make two kid's life as normal as possible since theirs too have been turned upside down, so I apologize again if you got your feelings hurt. I can only deal with so many lives at once." 'Damn,' she thought. She'd done it again. What was it about this guy that made her lose her temper? She was starting to sound like her sister. That she didn't like.
She was about to apologize when he started in on her this time.
"Yea," he replied crossing his arms. "I guess this isn't Oz anymore is it? Can't snap your fingers here and expect everyone to kiss your ass or move your furniture because we should feel obliged by the new movie star that moved in next door." He twirled his finger in the air. "Yippee."
She put her hands over her mouth and started to laugh. "Oh my God," she chuckled.
Steve narrowed his eyes, becoming more irritated by her. "Not use to being put in your place, are ya?"
She lowered her hands and glared at him. "I'm not Alyssa Jordan."
It was he who wanted to laugh now. Did she think he was too dumb to notice the resemblance or was she just trying to hide her identity? Either way he didn't give a shit.
"Sure your not." He looked past her up the stairs and down the hall wishing the kids would hurry back.
"You think I look just like her, don't you?"
"Look," he let out a long, bored sigh, "as of two hours ago I had no idea who Alyssa Jordan was until my partner pointed you out on some movie on TV, so if you want to pretend you're not her, then fine by me, but I'm a detective and I work everyday by matching mug shots up with the real person and you can't stand there and tell me you're not the same person I saw on the TV."
They both turned as Jenny came down the hallway holding two large brown towels in her arms.
"Hey Jenny," she said to the child. "Aunt Alyssa said to give you a big hug. She misses you."
"Is she coming soon?" Jenny asked.
"As soon as she can get a break in her movie schedule." She took the towels from Jenny as Eric came scooting down the stairs. She looked at Steve's confused expression, stopping next to him before walking out the door. "Sorry to disappoint you Sherlock Holmes but I'm Anna Jordan, Alyssa is my twin sister."
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Eric and Jenny splashed in the gentle waves that rolled up on the beach as Steve came and sat down in the chair next to Anna. He rested his elbows on his knees and looked over at her, knowing he probably owed her an apology but also knew she owed him one as well, deciding he'd be the bigger of the two and offer his first. "I'm sorry about what I said back there."
She sat with her legs curled up on the chair, surprised over his apology. She wasn't used to men admitting when they were wrong, especially men that looked like him. "It's ok, it happens a lot." She couldn't quite figure him out. He seemed genuinely sorry, but then again he always seemed like he was irritated with her for some reason or another. She got lost in the moment of trying to decipher him not realizing he was waiting for the same apology from her.
He waited and realized it wasn't coming. "I accept your apology too," he stood up to go back down to the water.
"What?"
He turned and looked down at her. "This is generally where you would apologize to me for coming across short tempered and rude over the last couple of days since I met you. I understand what's going on over at your house is difficult, and none of my business, but it's not my fault either and so far I've helped you twice," he paused, "no wait, three times if you count today, and not once have you even attempted to get my name. I'm just the chump that lives next door."
She felt her body flush as she watched him walk back down to the beach. She hated to admit it but he was right. She only knew his name because of Jenny. She suddenly did feel like the bitch next door. She'd been so consumed over feeling sorry for herself over her dilemma and caring for the kids that she hadn't noticed maybe his attitude towards her was well deserved. The kids liked him and he seemed to like them as well. Maybe she had better lighten up. This was a small island and so far she had alienated the one and only person she knew on it, who also happened to be her next-door neighbor. She had to admit that she had judged him at first because he was a Police Officer. Her ex boyfriend, Daryl, was an LA cop until he became Alyssa's bodyguard and... "Bastards!" she thought bitterly. "Both of them."
She looked at Steve as he stood by the water talking to Eric, realizing that she didn't like people judging her on her twin sister's actions, so she thought it unfair to do the same to someone else just because they held the same job.
She pushed herself out of the chair and came down on the beach as he tossed a football into the water to Eric. He dove to the side, catching it as he went under. She stood next to him. "I'm sorry." She reached her hand across her belly to him. "I'm Anna."
He looked over at her and smiled, shaking her hand. "Hi Anna, I'm Sherlock Holmes, but you can call me Steve."
She chuckled over that and squatted down to Jenny who rolled around in the soft sand. "Look at you crazy girl. Let's get in the water and get cleaned off."
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Steve came out the back door carrying four pops in his hands, as Anna was drying Jenny's hair off and Eric sat on the edge of the grass staring out at the water.
"Eric!" he called out and then tossed him a can of Coke as he turned.
"Thanks," he smiled, catching it and popping the top open.
Steve came up to Jenny and Anna and opened a can of Root Beer for Jenny.
She had the large towel wrapped around her shoulders and took the can happily with both hands that were tucked around the towel and thanked him before taking a drink.
He handed the next can of Coke to Anna. "Is regular OK? I don't have any diet."
She took the can. "Yes, thanks. I'm not like my sister. I don't have a strict diet rule. Thank God," she declared taking a drink.
"Chasing around two kids would be enough of a workout and calorie burner anyway," he said, taking a drink of his own Root Beer.
"If that's the case then I should be in the best shape of my life," Anna huffed.
He didn't reply but just smiled, not wanting to pry into her personal life that seemed on the brink of chaos just about every time he'd had an encounter with her. She had on the same pair of running shorts the day they'd met and a pink T-shirt with a black sports bra underneath that was apparent after she made her way out of the water. She was stunning even with the dripping wet hair and sparkles of sand that were stuck to her face. The red-blooded male in him couldn't help but notice that, but it was his head that kept in him in tact. She was complicated and so was her situation and he didn't need any more complications in his life right now, especially so close to home. The breakup with Becky was on the downside of the hill he had to get over, but he still had no intentions of getting involved with anyone for a while.
But still, she had his libido going; there was no denying that.
She took another drink of her pop and looked at him over the rim of the can as he made his way down to Eric who was still sitting on the edge of the grass. Her eyes roamed over his backside as his wet shorts clung to him, admiring the shape of it. His broad shoulders were also visible under the dry shirt he had on. He'd only gone waist deep in the water and she recalled annoyingly how she had watched with anticipation of him removing the object to get a look at the abs which she knew where tight, but to her avail they never made an appearance. Still, what she did get a peek at was quite pleasing to the eye. It had been months since she'd had the attention of a man and even then Daryl wasn't much of a man. Their love making always seemed to be over just as she was getting started.
She glanced up toward the house and for the first time wondered what Steve's situation even was. She couldn't imagine him being single. Someone like him back in Hollywood would have girls crawling out of his room left and right. But she didn't notice other cars in his driveway either, except for that other guy whom she presumed was his partner. She bit her bottom lip, wondering if they were gay. She quickly put that out of her head. In California sometimes it was hard to make that assumption, but she somehow knew that wasn't their lifestyle.
He looked like the type of man that her sister would have on her arm; he certainly could compete physically with anyone in Hollywood she could think of off the top of her head, yet he was nothing like the men she had encountered back home. 'Home,' she thought sadly, glancing at her surroundings. This was her home now. The kids were having a hard enough time as it was that she didn't have the heart to move them to LA. This was their home, even if they lived on Oahu now instead of Maui.
Her attention was diverted back to Steve as Jenny went up with the towel still wrapped around her shoulders and stood next to him. Anna was surprised at his attentiveness as he reached down and put a hand on her head even though his attention was on Eric. It was as if he wanted the child to know he knew she was there.
'No,' she thought, 'he was nothing like the men she knew back home.' She closed her eyes and shook her head, reliving her bitterness towards him once again, feeling the guilt rise up. The real painful part was realizing she was acting just like her sister. She had made the conscious choice to stay behind and take care of Eric and Jenny, it was no ones fault and she had better start owning up to that. She opened her eyes and looked at him again as he threw another perfect spiral into Eric's arms, encouraging him with applause on a good catch. 'He certainly didn't deserve her backlash,' she thought.
She went to get up and be social with them when she felt a tug on the bottom of her shirt, "What Jenny?"
"I'm hungry."
"Ok," she stroked her damp hair and glanced over at the two boys as Steve showed Eric how to properly hold a football. "Eric," she called out, "we should take off and let Steve salvage the rest of his afternoon."
Steve put a hand on Eric's back and pressed the football against his chest. "You can take it home and practice with it if you want."
He looked up at him with a bright smile. "Ok. Thanks! I won't lose it."
He patted his shoulder. "I know."
"Can we have scabetti for dinner," Jenny asked, wiping her nose on the towel after a drip of root beer had got on it.
"Spaghetti," Anna corrected her. "We'll see."
The little girl turned to Steve. "Do you like scabetti?"
He had an idea she was going to offer up a dinner invitation and wanted to quickly shut it down, but before he could, Anna did it for him.
Steve doesn't want to have spaghetti with us," she declared slightly annoyed with her, putting a hand on Jenny's back and scooting her toward the side of the house and the exit to the backyard. "Let's go. Eric," she said to the boy, motioning for him to come along. She did it thinking she was helping Steve out but truly she was mortified that he might say yes and to her dismay she had no idea how to cook spaghetti, or pretty much anything for that matter. She could boil the water and open a can of sauce, but the last time she had made it, which was also her first time, Eric and Jenny both criticized the uncooked noodles and sauce that wasn't like their Mother's. Anna was pretty sure that her brother's wife Kim was an exceptional cook compared to her.
She glanced over her shoulder as she hustled the children out. "Bye, thanks for the pop."
He stood watching them as they turned the corner of the yard, hearing Eric in the distance acknowledge with annoyance that he was coming and for her not to push him. Steve infuriatingly raised his hand and as if saying goodbye but they were already gone. "Yea! See ya later." He shook his head at her once again rude behavior that seemed to be a norm for her. He bent down and angrily scooped up his own towel and pulled the chairs back from the water.
He didn't want to have dinner with them anyway but was riled that he wasn't given the opportunity to decline if it was thrown at him, or maybe it was the fact that she was so adamant about not wanting an invitation to be given that made him so angry. He liked Jenny and Eric immensely, never experiencing any kind of the same rudeness or improper behavior that Anna displayed, except for that first day when they moved in. He understood now Eric's frustration that day with her. He only hoped that none of it rubbed of on either of the two kids.
Eric pulled his arm away from her grip, still holding the football. "Let go! Why were you in such a hurry to leave?"
"I want Steve to have dinner with us," Jenny blurted out, trying to keep up with her Aunt's long legs.
"Not tonight," Anna said, feeling foolish now for making such a quick get away.
"Why don't you like him?" Eric asked annoyed.
She stopped abruptly, "I never said I didn't like him." She looked down at the two children who stared up at her questioning the accuracy of that statement; even Jenny noticed the odd behavior.
Anna felt like she had taken a step forward by going with them today and playing in the water, they had had a good time together, but her actions just then had sent them hurdling back to where she felt like the enemy again. She couldn't win for trying she thought bitterly. "I like him. I think he's a nice guy, but seriously Eric, you ate my spaghetti, do you really think I want to invite someone over to eat that?"
"I like your scapetti," Jenny voiced up. "Its chewy."
"It's not the spaghetti," Eric told his sister. "She doesn't like anyone! She doesn't even like us!" He took the football and hurled it at the front door. It missed completely and went through the front window instead, crashing glass all over the floor on the other side. He bypassed the door and ran around to the side yard.
"Eric!" Anna yelled out, not so much about the window but over his words. She let go of Jenny and followed him around to the back of the house and watched him climb up a tree that was situated in the far end of the backyard. He sat on a branch with his arms crossed.
She watched him, not sure what to say. She decided to let him sit and calm down for a while and then talk to him. She felt Jenny next to her as she looked down at the little girl's sad expression.
"Don't you like me Aunt Anna?"
She knelt down in front of her and cupped her face with her hands. "Of course I like you. I love you. I love you very much." She was pleased that got a smile so she did one extra and hugged her tightly too. "I love you and Eric both very much."
"Is he going to get a spanking for breaking the window?"
Anna pulled back and shook her head at the look on Jenny's face, fearing for her brother. "No," she answered passively. "Sometimes we do things out of anger by mistake. I think that was an accident." She looked over at him as he continued to stare out toward the water that was high enough to see from the tree. At the moment she was at a loss as what to say to him, or how she would convince him as she did the little girl that she did love him. They were all going through a change, but more so them, she had to keep that in perspective.
"You know what?" Anna said.
"What?" Jenny replied.
"Forget spaghetti for dinner. I need some ice cream. What do you say?"
Her smile got even brighter. "Ok! Eric," she yelled out when Anna stopped her.
"Let's just let him be for a while."
"Can he still have some when he comes down?"
"Yes," Anna smiled. The love she had for her older brother was touching, wishing her sister had that same kind for her. Eric and Jenny displayed kindness towards each other on a daily basis. She wasn't sure if it came about because of losing their parents or if they had been like that all the time; it didn't matter either way, it was nice to watch. She and Alyssa had never been that close, even though they were twins. She had always felt like the awkward one and was more comfortable standing in the shadow of her much more glamorous and out spoken sister. The only thing she hated more than being mistaken as Alyssa Jordan was her sister constantly reminding her that she wasn't either.
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Steve came down the stairs to the knocking on his front door. He opened it to see Anna standing there in a pair of tight black yoga pants and a blue T-shirt; her blond hair up in a high ponytail. She shooed away a bug that hovered around the porch light.
"Hi," she smiled uneasily.
He leaned against the doorframe and forced a neighborly smile back. "I haven't had this many visitors in three days since Kristy Yun told the school I had backstage passes to the U2 concert."
Anna looked at him quizzically, " What?"
He shook his head, "Nothing. What can I do for you, Anna?" he ended it with a sigh.
She looked down uncomfortably, wishing she didn't have to do this but she felt helpless and knew he could probably help. He was her last hope. "I was wondering if…" she shifted her weight and rubbed her hand over the back of her neck. "I'm having a little trouble, um."
Steve sighed again, getting impatient with her. "Spit it out please."
She looked up at him, wanting to turn around and leave, but knew she had to ask for the sake of Eric. "Eric climbed up a tree about four hours ago and he won't come down and he won't talk to me." Her expression softened. "Do you think maybe you could talk to him? I know he likes you. He respects you, and you're a guy." She looked over her shoulder in the direction of the house and then back at him as he went past her, closing the door behind him. She watched with surprise as he strolled across the yard toward the problem not even giving it a second thought.
She ran up beside him, "He's in the backyard tree."
"I figured that," he pointed up in that direction, "It's the only tree tall enough in the neighborhood to climb high enough to get away from things."
She looked around, just noticing that herself. "Oh right." She trailed slightly behind him as they approached the backyard. "Don't you even want to know why he climbed up there?"
Steve glanced toward the front window that still had shards of glass in the pane. "Did he do that?"
Anna stopped, "Yes. He threw the football. I think he meant to hit the door, but he was mad at me."
Steve kept walking as she talked, disappearing around the side of the house. "Give me a few minutes with him."
Anna heard the tone of his voice that wasn't a request, but a demand for her to stay away.
Eric looked down hearing the branches creek and was about to yell to Anna to stay away when he saw who it was. His body stiffened as Steve made his way up to him and then planted himself on a branch a couple feet away.
He didn't say anything at first but looked around from what was visible in the three-quarter moon at the view that hadn't changed all that much since he was a kid. "I used to climb up here when I was your age."
"You did?" Eric asked astounded over that. "In this tree?"
"Yep. There was an older couple that lived here. They didn't mind." He looked over at him then. "I spent a lot of time up here after my mom died."
That astounded him even more. The two boys stared at each over that. Steve could see tears forming in Eric's eyes.
"I miss my mom and dad," he whimpered.
"I know you do," Steve replied sadly, knowing all too well what he was feeling. "It's a hard and crappy thing that you and Jenny have to go through. No one expects you to over come that anytime soon. Jenny is young and doesn't fully understand, but you," he reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm a big brother too."
"Sometimes she wakes up crying for my mom and dad," he confessed. "Anna doesn't hear her so I go in and tell her it's ok." His face turned angry, "Anna doesn't know how to take care of us! She can't even cook spaghetti. That's why she didn't want you to come over. She's so dumb!" he spat.
"Hey!" Steve scolded him. "She's here. She's trying. As far as I can see she doesn't have any kids of her own, so this is all new to her too. How would you feel after playing football for the first time to be thrown into the Super Bowl as quarterback and be expected to win?"
Eric caught his analogy and shrugged. "I don't know, not good I guess."
"Do you think she's trying, or do you think she's doing a horrible job?" He wasn't sure of the emotional or physical conditions of what went on in that house and needed to get an idea from him. He was in this now. Anna had invited him into their problems and he wasn't about to walk away if there were serious issues that needed public assistance from either Child Services or the law.
Eric shrugged again. "I don't know. I guess she's doing ok. She doesn't do things like my mom did."
"Like what?"
"She can't cook anything. Even my Mac and Cheese is runny like soup and she washed my shirt I got in Disneyland and it has bleach spots on it now."
Steve smiled, relived it was simple things that had him the most rattled. Anna could be difficult but he was beginning to see her side of it as well, wanting to show Eric that he was lucky to have someone. "Is she here every night when you go to bed?"
He looked over at him, "Yes."
"Is she here when you wake up in the morning?"
"Yes," he wasn't sure what that had to do with anything.
"Does she spend the day here taking care of you and Jenny?"
"Yes, but sometimes she gets grumpy and goes in her room. I can hear her talking to herself, but I can't hear what she's saying."
Steve chuckled over that, knowing all too well she was probably letting off some steam, impressed that she chose to do it behind closed doors. "Does she ever say she wants to leave?"
Eric thought about that for a second before he answered. "No. She has to be here. She can't leave," he declared as if it was the law.
"Ok," Steve said agreeably. "Let's just think about this for a second. She was probably living in LA before this right?"
"Yes. She worked with my Aunt Alyssa."
"Ok, so she probably had a pretty exciting life living in Hollywood, you think?"
He shrugged.
"Is she your mom's sister or your dad's?"
"My dads."
"So when her brother dies, she selfishly drops her life in LA and flies across the ocean leaving everything behind to take care of you and Jenny. I know this is hard for you and Jenny Eric, but having to jump in and fill the shoes of both a mom and a dad is hard too, especially when you've never had kids of your own. Her life is just as confusing as yours is right now. Do you get that?"
He toyed with a piece of bark on the tree, "I guess."
"Maybe you should cut her some slack. Do you know what that means?"
He nodded, "Be nicer to her?"
"Yes, and maybe help her out some too. Don't be so judgmental. She's not going to do things like your mom did, she's not your mom, but she's trying the best she can. Do you agree with that?"
He sighed and then reluctantly agreed. "I guess. She was fun today in the water."
"See," he smiled. "She has her moments."
"She broke the oven, "Eric chuckled.
"She broke the oven?" he laughed with him.
"She was making some kind of food and smoke started coming out." he started to laugh harder, "The alarms in the house were going off and she was running around with the broom, knocking them off the wall. It was so funny. Jenny and me were laughing so hard. It won't open now. The stuff is still in there. Maybe the oven didn't want us to have to eat it."
They both busted up over that.
"I'll take a look at it," Steve chuckled. "What are you going to do about the window?"
Eric bit his bottom lip, having forgotten about that. "It was an accident," he confessed quickly. "I didn't mean to do it."
"I know. So does Anna."
"Is she mad?"
"No. She was more concerned about you not coming down from here. She was pretty worried."
He looked toward the house, not seeing her as she stood at the kitchen window watching them. "I guess she's not so bad."
"So, what are you going to do about the window?"
"I can't pay for it. I don't have any money."
"What do you think your dad would have said about this?"
He thought that over for a minute before answering. He could have lied and said 'nothing', but he didn't want to lie to Steve. It would have felt really wrong, as if he were actually lying to his father. "I think he would have made me do extra stuff to pay for it," he sighed.
"Maybe you can work it off by doing extra chores that Anna does. You think that would be fair?"
He shrugged.
"Hey, look at me," he said sternly. "Do you think that would be a fair deal? Yes or no?"
Eric heard the adamant tone and looked him right in the eye, remembering how his father would demand the same action. "Yes, I think that's fair."
"Ok then. Are you ready to get down," he shifted uneasily on the branch, "because my butt is killing me and I'm not sure how long this branch is going to hold out?"
Eric laughed, "Ok."
Steve was down before Eric had barely begun to make the climb. He stood at the bottom watching him just incase, knowing he had to be stiff too, he'd been up there a long time.
"You don't have to fix the oven right away you if you don't want too," Eric said.
"Why not?"
He sat on the bottom branch just above Steve's head. "The cooking will be back! I'd be willing to do chores at your house too if you don't fix it."
They both started laughing as Steve reached up and pulled on his leg, catching him as he fell and then set him down. "Don't be a wise guy," he chuckled, playfully smacking him in the head.
Anna smiled as she saw them come down from the tree, wondering what it was that Steve had said to him that not only got him down but had changed his mood altogether as she heard him laugh. Whatever it was she was grateful and relieved she had asked for his help. She came out the backdoor as they approached the house. She looked sheepishly at Eric not sure if the same mood was going to extend to her.
"I'm sorry I broke the window," he said apologetically.
"That's ok," Anna smiled. "I think it was an accident anyway."
"I can't pay for it, but I can do other stuff."
Anna shook her head; the apology alone was worth the money to her. "Let's just forget about it."
Eric looked up at Steve pleased that he'd got out of having to do extra chores, but the look he got from the man standing over him told him he needed to pay up anyway. "I should still do the chores, huh?" he asked him guiltily.
"What do you think?"
He thought about their talk in the tree and what his father would have said, knowing his dad wouldn't have let him off so easy. He looked back up at Anna. "I'll do extra chores to pay for it."
She was startled by that and looked over at Steve as he raised an eyebrow and stared at her as if telling her to except and not let him off. She got the quaint gesture and nodded. "Ok, I think that would be fair. Thank you Eric." She motioned toward the house. "I made some Mac and Cheese. Why don't you heat it up in the microwave and then get ready for bed."
Eric looked over his shoulder at Steve rolling his eyes at the words Mac and Cheese. They both chuckled as Steve gently pushed him toward the door. "Go eat your soup."
Anna put her hands on her hips, "So that's what you talked about up there, my cooking?" She tilted her head and huffed. "I didn't put very much milk in it so it's not runny." She looked up at Steve as Eric went by her into the house. "I admit I'm not the best cook. As a matter of fact I can't really cook much of anything that kids would like."
"You'd be surprised at what kids would eat. It's all in the presentation."
"And you know this how?" She wondered then if he had kids, divorced perhaps. "Do you have kids?"
"No, my little sister was a picky eater. My mom and dad found ways around that."
"Hmm," she couldn't get a fix on him. The mystery that surrounded this man made her curious more than anyone she'd ever met.
Steve pointed into the kitchen. "Eric said the oven broke?"
"Oh," Anna smiled uneasily. "Kind of. I can't get the door open. I had to unplug it."
"Let me take a look," he went to go past her and she stopped him.
"You don't have to do that, really it's ok."
"It'll only take a second." He had a good idea of what the problem was.
"I was going to call someone."
"Why call someone when I'm right here?"
"I don't want to impose anymore, you've already done enough." It wasn't that she didn't want the oven fixed but she was feeling the humility that would go along with what the problem was, knowing it was going to be something silly that she had done. She wasn't good with humiliation lately; having left LA with it nipping at her heals, all having to do with her sister and ex-boyfriend.
He looked at her oddly; it was as if she didn't want him in her home at all. For the second time that day she had dismissed him. "What is it about me that you find so distasteful that you don't want me around, yet you come running over at the first sign of trouble?"
She'd done it again, trying to backtrack and explain herself. "You're a police officer," she said as if reminding him, "that's why I went to you. But…" she began when he cut her off.
"Oh," he took a step back, putting a hand on his chest, "I get it now. You're one of those people that like cops around when it's convenient, but us as everyday neighbors," his voice becoming bitter, "we're just second class citizens that should be seen and not heard." He walked toward the side of the house. "Thanks for clarifying that."
She stood there in shock over his words that weren't true by a long shot, but it was undeniable that she had treated him that way. "Wait!" she called out, going in that direction when she heard the side gate slam shut. She turned and ran through the house to the front door. "Steve wait," she pleaded. "Please," she said again as he finally stopped in the middle of the yard.
"You know what?" he started to laugh in a sarcastic way. "I know some people find cops repulsive and for the most part unpleasant to be around, that's just a fact of life, but I've never quite experienced it so blatantly as I have since meeting you."
She took a step toward him, "Please, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound that way." The look on his face was unmoved to her plea as if he had rolled his eyes at her. "I don't see you that way. I did in the beginning but I don't now. I just…" she contradicted herself, feeling flustered.
He said nothing but stood there giving her about five seconds and asking himself in that timeframe why he was even giving her that. "Look, I'll make this easy for you. I don't like you either," he pointed toward the house, "but I like those kids and I don't want to see them get lost in the turbulence that they're living in now. So if you…"
That set her off, "What turbulence are you speaking of?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You have no idea what you're doing. Just admit it. It would be more admirable of you if you did that than try to pretend that you're Mother of the Year. I know you're not, and fore sure those two kids up there know you're not."
She pointed angrily toward his house. "Why don't you just go home and leave us alone then."
He took two long strides over to her so as not to have to raise his voice and mistakenly have Jenny or worse yet Eric overhear them. "Le's get something straight right here right now! I didn't invite myself into your problem tonight, you did, and now that I'm here don't think for a second that I'm just going to walk away and go in my house and pretend that there's nothing going on next door. Those kids need a second set of eyes on them and that's going to be me."
She felt the words of her sister and everyone else that had tried to convince her that she shouldn't take this on through his vicious words. "You have no right to say that!"
Steve leaned in glaring at her through his anger and frustration, "Not only do I have the right, Lady, I have the authority. You've got a cop living next door whether you like it not."
If she could have slapped him she would have. She was wrong about him, he was just like Daryl, ready to stab her in the back the first chance he got. "You go ahead and watch all you want!" she spat. "If you try to take those kids away from me…" she stopped there, overcome with anger and the fear that he might actually do that. She walked backward away from him. "I may not know how to cook, do laundry or clean a house the way it should be but I know how to love, and I love those kids. So look all you want. You won't be able to accuse me of that." She turned around and went in the house, closing the door.
He could hear the locks being bolted and then the light shut off, leaving him standing there in the dark, growling under his breath, convinced that that house was possessed, because for some odd reason or another every person that occupied it had some sort vendetta against him.