Page 15 of Harbor Lights

She pushed open the hotel door and plastered on her friendliest smile.

“Hi there.” Kasia looked up from the reception desk with a return smile. “Have you come to take us up on our offer?”

“Huh? I came to say thanks for the food and wine, and to pick up my packages.”

“That’s fine.” Kasia came from behind the counter. “Did Doc not mention we invited you to have a meal on the house?”

Whoa. The generosity was getting too much. “She didn’t. But I don’t need that, thanks. I’ve got plenty of food at the cottage.”

Kasia screwed up her nose. “It’s not like her to forget.”

It probably slipped her mind in her rush to get away from my hostility.

“But you’re welcome, anyway. Why not have some lunch before I get your packages?”

“No, thank you. I need to get back.” To an unheated shell of a house, but Kasia didn’t need to know that.

Their conversation was interrupted by voices overlaid by the chattering of a small child. Shiv turned to see Tierney and the fisher, Joey, descending a staircase set back from the main foyer. Tierney was carrying a toddler, the source of the chattering. As they emerged from the staircase, Shiv noticed Joey also had a small, curly-haired child in tow.

“Hey, cuz.” Tierney approached with a broad smile.

Shiv had never been called cousin before. “Hi.”

She put on her best social skills. “Who’s this?” She reached out and a tiny hand grabbed her finger. It was kind of cute.

“Shiv, meet your—not too sure how many times removed—cousin, Peggy, or Pegeen as she’s ended up being called, little Peggy.”

“Ah, after my great-grandmother?” Shiv wiggled her finger, and the little girl grabbed it with the other hand and giggled.

“Yeah. You never met her, did you?” Tierney’s brown eyes shone.

Shiv gave a short laugh. “I never met a single member of my family until a couple weeks ago. It was just me and my mom.”

Tierney cleared her throat. “That’s a crappy deal to be given. And I thought I was an outcast.”

Pegeen twisted in her grip. “Mamamamama,” she shrieked in Kasia’s vague direction.

Tierney rolled her eyes. “Her first word, and boy, she’s getting some use out of it.” She carried the child toward the reception desk, but then stopped and turned. “We should talk more when it’s just the two of us.”

Kasia took the squirming child. “I was trying to convince Shiv to stay for lunch.”

“Oh, yeah, please do.” Tierney turned again with a wide smile.

“Uh, I can’t. I’ve got to get all this stuff back to the house and set up before dark. It’s still a couple more days before I get the power connected.” She threw a glance at the brightly lit restaurant, which was busier than the deserted parking lot would lead one to believe. The chatter and clattering of plates brought her back for a moment to mealtimes in the correctional center. She shivered.

“We could get a sandwich upstairs.” Joey’s low voice reminded Shiv they’d been standing quietly aside during the whole conversation, along with their equally silent child.

She turned. “Hi, Joey. Good to see you again.” She squatted on her haunches. “Hi, I’m Siobhán, but you can call me Shiv. What’s your name?”

Enormous brown eyes stared back at her. “Denny,” the child announced in a tiny voice.

“Well, hi, Denny. Good to meet you.”

He smiled shyly and ducked behind Joey’s legs.

“Sorry.” Joey grinned. “You did better than most people, first time.”

Shiv straightened. “He’s a cutie.”

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