Page 35 of Tom's Chance
“That’s good, right?”
“Yes, but about an hour later, I got a call from him, Mrs. Bickers went into cardiac arrest, and she didn’t make it.”
“Are you freaking kidding me?”
“No, I thought I’d tell you. I don’t know if the hospital will let anyone know. This isn’t any of my business, but won’t it be murder charges against Mr. Bickers now?”
“Yes, or I’m assuming so because she died from the injuries he inflicted on her. Thank you for letting me know, I’ll call the DA and let him know.” The sheriff walked away, and Tom nodded to Lorissa to continue to her home.
As they headed toward her place she explained whyshe was going there, that the food was in a box and she didn’t want to open it and get it any colder than it might be, and she wanted to get home to Rose and Baby.
“That’s fine,” he said, and watched out the window at the setting sun. “You know, I’ve never really looked at the scenery when I come out this way. I drive by mote, and I zone out on other things while I drive. I know it’s not normal, this is nice.” They both remained silent for the rest of the drive, and this time, Tom came around and helped her from the driver’s seat. After she gave him his keys back, he went back around and picked up the box with their food in it.
“Did we really order this much food?”
“I don’t think so. I told the waitress that we had just received bad news and had to get home. She said she’d take care of it.” They went into the house, and she laughed when Rose and Baby were right there wanting to go out.
“You let the cat out?”
“Yes, she goes to the bathroom the same time Rose does. Since bringing them into the house, I haven’t had to change her litter.”
“Wow, I did not know this.”
“Yeah, I need to teach the kittens to use the litter box later, and I need to put in a doggie door, but it works for now.” She opened the door when there was scratching and the animals came back in and went totheir litters. Lorissa laughed when she saw that they were all in the same area.
“Could you set up the food while I run up and change. As much as I love this dress, I don’t really want to wear it much longer.”
“Go, get comfortable, I’ll unpack this.” He set the box on the table and watched as she walked away. Five minutes later she returned and saw he was lighting the candles.
“Where did the candles come from? I have some, but they are in my emergency kit upstairs.”
“They were in the box, along with this,” he said as he held up an entire unopened bottle of wine. The same kind they had ordered glasses of.
“Wow, I can honestly say that I did not pay for the candles, nor that wine.” She dug in the box for the receipt and handed it to him.
“Wow, you didn’t. I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, but we will definitely have to have our second date at this steakhouse.”
“I agree.” She laughed as she took the seat he held out for her, and the two of them started eating. It was a quiet, relaxed meal where they talked to get to know one another better, and by the time they were done, Lorissa felt like she’d known him for a long time. She liked what she was getting to know about him. Sure, he was an ass when they’d first met, but he was growing on her. An hour after they finished the meal, Tom said he should go home, and Lorissadidn’t stop him. It wasn’t like she didn’t want him to leave, but she knew he probably wanted to be alone after learning of Mrs. Bickers passing. She knew that was the issue when he paid extra attention to Rose and Baby before leaving.
He gathered her in a hug, held her for a good five minutes, then kissed the side of her mouth. “Thank you,” he whispered, then turned and left her house. Lorissa waited until she saw the taillights of his truck, then settled down to continue reading the book she’d started a couple of days before. It wasn’t long before she had two heaters join her. One snuggled in her lap, while the other snuggled up against her feet.
A week later,Tom sat in the lawyer’s office and stared at him in shock. “Excuse me?”
“I’m sorry for dumping this on you, but according to Mrs. Bickers’ will, she left you, Dr. Thomas Stolls, sole custody of her Yorkie, Rose, and her Himalayan cat, Baby.” The lawyer waited until Tom seemed okay, then dropped the rest of the bombshell. “There’s a condition though.”
“Which is?”
“If you take them, then a five hundred-thousand-dollar donation will be made to your clinic in Rose and Baby’s name.”
“I’m not saying I won’t, but if I don’t take them?”
“Then you still get them, but you don’t get the money.”
“Ah, so no matter what, I get them.” Tom laughed. “I only have one more question.”
“What’s that?”
“It might be complicated.”
