Between the Lines

“Welcome to Between the Lines. I’ll be right with you,” Rina Roche called from the back of the bookstore.

“It’s just me, Babe.” Jack Roche let the stack of boxes he was juggling drop to the stock room floor. He pulled off the tie that held back his dark hair and sighed. His soulful brown eyes met hers.

Rina put down the box she was unpacking and went to him. “You look lost, Sweetheart.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and he kissed the top of her head, nuzzling into her chestnut curls before he pulled a lavender envelope out of his back pocket. Rina recognized the stationery. “From your mom?”

 “From the grave. I found it in the bottom of my backpack. Come sit with me. I need you to read it.” He ushered her to a leather couch in the reading room and tugged her into his lap. She pulled a note from the envelope.

My Sweet Son: If you are reading this, I have already left this life. It hurts me to add to the burden I have always been, but it has hurt more to keep this from you. I hope it helps to heal you heart. You are not a part of the monster I married. Your biological father, Gianni Guardino, is a sweet soul I knew for a short time and loved for a long time. I see his strength and goodness in you every day. My love for both of you lives on. ~ Mom”

     Rina read the letter, eyes widening with every word. “This is a lot to process. I can’t imagine how you feel.”

He scoffed. “I can’t imagine how I feel either.”

She straddled him and pulled him in for a tight hug, then she sat back and gently massaged his shoulders. “Sometimes fate prevails.”

He pulled back and looked at her. “What does that mean.”

She dropped her hands. “Honey, I know Gianni Guardino.”

Jack scowled. “How does my wife know someone I never heard of?”

     “I’ve never met him face-to-face. When I opened the shop, I called the other booksellers to introduce myself. Gianni owns Readle Me This. He was very helpful, and he also does readings, so we had an instant connection.”

Jack raised his eyebrows. “My father is a psychic?”

     “A gifted psychic from all accounts.”

     He was quiet for a few seconds. “Are you still in touch with him?”

     Rina nodded. “Yep, Well, kind of. We refer clients to each other.”

     Jack put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a little shake. “I have to meet him, Ree.”

      The next morning, Jack and Rina joined a small group of patrons gathered in front of the Readle Me This Café’ and Bookstore. At exactly 9:00, a lanky young man with dark almond shaped eyes and a warm smile pushed the door open. “Good morning. I’m Garrett. Step this way and we’ll get you seated and served.” He held the door until everyone was in, then, with a wave and a smile, he went behind the coffee counter.

Rina smiled. “He’s perky.”

Jack followed her to the counter. “Excuse me, Garrett, we were hoping to talk to Gianni today. Do you know if he will be coming in?”

Garrett smiled at them. “He’s always in. We can’t get rid of him. I’ll go find him for you. He’s about due for a coffee anyway…Uh, shall I tell him who’s looking for him or do you just want to ambush him?”

Rina laughed. “Let’s hold the ambush for another time. Tell him Rina from Between the Lines would like to say hello.”

Garrett laughed. “You’re from another dimension? I always knew someone would climb out of a book to claim him.”

When Garrett left, Jack took Rina’s hand. “Babe, I can feel your anxiety.” Rina started to shake her head, but Jack stopped her with a sweet kiss. “Don’t deny it.” He pointed to his chest. “I feel it.”

She patted his cheek. “I can’t hide a damn thing from you, can I?”

“I wish you could. When you said I had little magics inside me, I thought I would know who was calling before I answered the phone. Instead, I am a freaking an emotional chameleon.”

“Empath,” she corrected. “As it turns out, you have big magic. You just need some traini—”

 “Rina, I finally get to put a face to the name.” Garrett had returned with an older, blue-eyed version of Jack. Before Garrett went back to the counter, he patted Gianni on the back. “Careful. She’s from another dimension. Not sure which book she escaped from.”

Gianni took Rina’s hand in both of his. It’s so good to finally meet you.”

“It’s good to meet you, too, Gianni. This is my husband, Jack.”

When Jack and Gianni shook hands, a wave of energy passed through the café. Garrett looked up from his work and Rina steadied herself against the counter. Gianni didn’t let go of Jack’s hand. “Did you feel that?” Unable to talk past the lump in his throat, Jack nodded.

Gianni put his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “What is it, Son? I feel so much angst from you.”

Jack looked at Gianni for several seconds before he answered, “Tawny Roche was my mom.”

Gianni went still for a moment, his expression unreadable. “You have her eyes.”

Jack’s heart jumped at his own words. “Looks like the rest of me is all you.”

Gianni’s eyes darted backed forth as memories of his time with Tawny flashed in his mind. His eyes glistened with tears when he refocused on Jack. “I’m so sorry, Jack. I honestly did not know.”

 Jack nodded. “I know you didn’t. We were a secret she took to her grave until yesterday, when I found a letter she left for me. You should read it.” He looked to Rina. She took the letter from her bag and handed it to Gianni. By the time he read it through, his tears were flowing.

“Dad? Is everything OK?” Garrett called as he rushed around the counter and put a comforting hand on Gianni’s back.

Gianni wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “More than OK, Son. Meet your brother, Jack.”

Garrett gave Jack a long, hard stare. “You look more like Dad than I do. Where have you been hiding?”

“I wasn’t smashed in a book, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m from this dimension.” He extended his hand to Garrett. “It’s good to meet you, brother. I’ll tell you the whole story sometime if you want. I mean, if you are OK with all of this.”         

Garrett shook Jack’s hand. “As Dad would say, more than OK. Can I hug you, or would that just be too creepy?” Jack pulled Garrett into a warm man hug, complete with back slaps. When they pulled apart, Gianni took hold of Jack, who felt his father’s love as only an empath can.

Six weeks later, at Between the Lines, Jack sat in the lounge with his newly found family. Gianni and Garrett had worked hard at the bookstore’s Tenth Anniversary Celebration. The book giveaways, candle magic classes, and readings by Rina and Gianni had been a big success. Vendors sold out essential oils, candles, herbs, spices, spell jars, and crystals, crediting the magic of the bookstore with their good fortune.

Jack was overwhelmed with gratitude. “I don’t know how we could have pulled this off without your help.”

Gianni grinned at him. “You would have done it for us, right?”

Jack nodded. “In a heartbeat. Rina and I have always been on our own. We aren’t used to having a family.”

Gianni agreed. “Neither are we. We were meant to be a family, though. It all feels so right.”

Garrett rolled his eyes. “Gah! You guys are going to get sappy, aren’t you?”

“Who’s getting sappy?” Getting no reply, Rina walked into the lounge and looked at the three of them. “You guys look shot. I’m going to put on some coffee.”

Jack stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Sit, Babe, I’ll get it.”

Garrett muttered, “Yeah, serving coffee isn’t princess work.”

Rina felt her face flush as she turned from them and headed for the breakroom.

Gianni and Jack were both glaring at him. Garrett looked back and forth between them. “What?”

Gianni was too angry to answer. Jack closed his eyes, blew out a breath, and broke the deafening silence. “You hurt her feelings, Garrett.”

Garrett’s replayed his comment to her. “God, Jack, I’m sorry.”

Jack shook his head. “You’re talking to the wrong person.”

Garrett nodded. “I’ll apologize to her.”

“Make sure you mean it. She’ll know if you are just going through the moves.”

Garrett scowled. “Have I been that much of an asshole?”

“Yes!” Gianni and Jack answered together. Jack was losing the struggle to keep anger out of his voice. “You dismiss her over and over. You hug me goodbye and walk right past her. You ignore her questions or answer in one word. You won’t let her do anything at all for you. I’m an empath, Garrett. I feel every hit she takes.”

Jack took a breath and lowered his voice. “You need to make this right for all of us. Rina is the kindest, sweetest, most loyal human I have ever known. She cares for you, not because you are my brother. She sees something in you. You are missing out on the best friend, the best sister you could ever have.”

Garrett blew out a breath and looked to Gianni for direction. Gianni shook his head slowly. “I wouldn’t fix this for you even if I could, Son. In case you haven’t noticed, the magic of this space isn’t in the walls of the store. It all comes from Rina.” Gianni knocked on the table twice. “It’s on you to—”

“Gianni, Jack, can you excuse us?” Rina had returned pushing a coffee cart. “I set your coffees up in the breakroom. Garrett and I will find you when we’re done. She was looking directly at Garrett. His eyes were wide, but he didn’t look away from her. Jack and Gianni stood up. They each kissed her cheek as they left the lounge. Garrett never took his eyes off Rina. She waved them off and sat on the ottoman in front of him. She looked up at him and gently grasped his forearm. “Garrett, have I done something to make you angry at me?” Her honey-colored eyes searched his until he answered.

“No.” Remembering Jack’s comment about one-word answers, he added, “I don’t know what else to say.

She released his arm and stood up. “You don’t have to say anything. How about you enjoy a coffee while I pack up these decorations and tell you a story. What do you think?”

“I think I’m in trouble. That’s what I think.” Garrett kneaded his arm where Rina had touched him.

Rina poured the coffee and handed him a cup. “No, Baby, you’re not in trouble.”

    “I think I am.” He looked up at her. “No one kissed me on their way out.”

Rina laughed, charmed by his humor. “Finding a family that you never knew you had is a major life event. You have been great with all of it, so you, nope, not aren’t in trouble.” She tilted her head. “A story, then?”

Garrett gave her a nod. “I’m listening.”

Rina packed decorations as she spoke. “I never knew my dad. My mom didn’t like me much. When I was five, her boyfriend, Jamie, moved in with us. He was great and I adored him. Two years later, he left.” She looked up at Garrett. “Jamie was the first of many men I tried to bond with. I guess I was looking for a dad. As they came and went, I attached myself less and less. By the time I was 16, I was ignoring them completely. When I was 18, I left. I haven’t seen my mother since.”

Garrett furrowed his brow. “You have been on your own since then?”

She nodded. “Until Jack, yes. I had no interest in allowing another man to abandon me. That’s my story.”

Rina topped off his off his coffee and poured one for herself. Garrett blew out a lip fluttering breath. “You just told me my own story. My mom went back to the Philippines when I was seven and never looked back.” Garrett angled himself into the corner of the couch.

Rina’s chest ached at how young and vulnerable he looked. “Jack and your dad are trying to make up for lost time. I want to support them in that, and I think you do, too.”

Garrett nodded. “I do.” Rina allowed silence to do its work until Garrett continued. “It’s so sad, what we all missed. Jack is an awesome brother.” He picked at a thread on his jeans.

“You are both awesome. It hurt my heart to hear Jack get so angry with you. He loves us both, Garrett. I don’t want to be a wedge between the two of you.”

Garrett looked up at her. “You aren’t the wedge. Dad and I have been nothing but dumped by women, so we keep our distance.” He sighed and confessed, “I’ve never even had a girlfriend.”

Rina nodded. “I understand that all too well.” She paused. “But…”

Garrett reached for his coffee, then urged her on. “But?”

Rina finally blurted, “but I’m not going pick up the tab for those women.” Rina felt Garrett shudder and regretted her abrupt start. She looked at him and softened her voice. “I’m not them, Garrett. If I had a sweetheart like you in my care, your days would have been filled with laugher, and adventures, and hugs. You would never have doubted my love for a second.” Her throat tightened with emotion. She stood up to leave the room, but the words kept flowing. “I don’t deserve to be kept at a distance.” Garrett looked off for several seconds.

“No, you don’t.” He swiped away a tear, stood up and faced her. “I’m so sorry, Rina. I never even gave you a chance.” His voice broke. “I don’t why I’m falling apart here.”

“Let me hold you together for a minute.” Rina pulled him into a hug, prepared for him to push away. Instead, he held on to her. When his few quiet sobs subsided, he pulled back with a sigh and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his t-shirt. “Don’t tell my dad I was crying, OK?”

“Not my story to tell, but he’s going to know. Stay back here for a while if you want.”

“OK, but he’s going to ask where I am.”

Rina shrugged. “I’ll tell him I sold you to the circus.”

He answered through a chuckle. “That works.”

A few minutes later, Jack found Garrett alone in the lounge. “You good?”

    Garrett pointed back and forth between himself and Jack. “Are we good?”

    Jack put his fist up for a bump. “Always.”

    “Then, yeah, I’m good.” Garrett took a deep breath. “Where’s Dad? Is he pissed?”

     Jack shrugged. “Nah. More worried. He thought Rina was going to kick your ass.”

     “She kind of did, but we’re all sorted now.”

 Jack smiled. “I’m glad you talked to her ”

“Me, too. I can see how you fell in love with her, Jack. She really is the magic."