Melting the Ice

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWOTalia

Talia Kidd had a secret: her marriage was over. She’d been living on her own for over a year. The split had been amicable, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Talia had already changed back to her maiden name. Why wait? She had never needed a man to take care of her, why would she need to hang onto his last name? She and her ex co-owned a steak house in Banff, and Talia did quite well for herself. No man necessary.

The lawyers were working to finalize everything. She should be a single woman any day now. What better time to find out who Talia Kidd really was?

The air was bitterly cold outside, and the edges of her rental car windshield were frosted over. The wind whipped and whirled around the dusting of snow. Talia had come to Pittsburgh prepared. She was familiar with the weather here, and anyway, she was used to the cold—Banff had its fair share of freezing cold days.

Talia was the oldest of the three Kidd siblings. Sadly, their mother had succumbed to cancer when they were very young, and that event had helped to mold the person Talia was today. Even at the tender age of ten, being the oldest, Talia had instinctively taken over the mother role and played caretaker and sister to her siblings. She was used to taking care of others and not needing anyone to take care of her, and she’d always been self-sufficient.

That was why Talia had flown to Pittsburgh without notifying her brother or sister. She wasn’t looking for a shoulder to cry on. She didn’t need anyone’s sympathy. She just needed to be around family, to feel that comfortable sense of belonging that she only got from her siblings.

But Talia knew that wouldn’t keep anyone from asking questions. She was almost forty, thirty-eight to be exact, and she didn’t owe anyone any explanations, but that never stopped her sister from prying.

Taking a deep breath, she looked out the window of her rental car at her little sister’s house. Trina was all grown up and had a family of her own. And after all those years of Talia’s brother and sister relying on her, she knew that she could count on them to help get her through this.

No use putting this off any longer. Talia adjusted her scarf and began walking up the sidewalk.

Trina had no idea that she was in town, much less getting ready to knock on her door. This was the first time since stepping onto the airplane in Banff that this all felt so real. She was here in Pittsburgh, in search of her new life.

Her ex had found happiness with someone, and he was finally getting the baby he had always wanted—something she hadn’t been able to give to him. She was happy for him, but regret filled her.

Leaving Canada had been harder than she’d expected. Or maybe her heart ached because she was leaving behind Michael and everything she knew. Her next trip home would only be to finalize her move and tie up any loose ends.

Back home in Banff, her place was almost all boxed up and ready to move. She just had to figure out where she was going first. Staying in Banff was not an option; she had to get out on her own and out from under her failed marriage. Michael agreed to continue to manage the restaurant, and she would still be part owner. However, seeing as how his new love was one of their waitresses, it was too awkward for her to continue to work there.

Starting over somewhere new was the obvious answer. Still, the question lingered: where would she go? This little detour to Pittsburgh would hopefully clear her head enough to come up with a plan for her new life, and she could visit with her brother, sister, and their families.

Talia reached the front door and paused for a second before she knocked and waited. The warm glow from inside the house seemed to wrap around her, and the joyful sounds of laughter reached her. Trina and Sam had raised a family full of love and respect. Trina and her husband were truly a match made in heaven.

Why hadn’t she told her sister and brother that she was coming into town? Simple. She didn’t want their pity. Not that showing up alone on Trina’s doorstep wouldn’t get her that same look. But in telling her story in person, she’d be able to convince them that she was okay and that they didn’t need to feel sorry for her.

Sam answered the door, still holding a tiny plastic pink tea cup in his enormous hockey-player hand. His smiling face twisted with question, and his blue eyes grew large with surprise. “Talia?” He looked back into the house, then tried to not be rude. “Hey. Hi! I wasn’t expecting to see you…at our door. Please, come in.” He moved aside and lovingly ushered her into the house.

“Talia?” Trina exclaimed happily, as she jumped up off the couch and ran to her.

Talia awkwardly smiled, held her arms out for a hug, and said, “Surprise!”

Trina, the middle Kidd sibling, wrapped her arms tightly around Talia. “Oh my god! What are you doing here?”

Before Talia could answer, the high-pitched squeals of her five-year-old niece, Willow, filled her ears.

Running to Talia, Willow cried, “Aunt Tally! Aunt Tally!” The girl’s sweet little arms wrapped around her legs.

Their two dogs, Toby and Belle, came running after the little blonde, their tongues hanging out the sides of their mouths, as though they also appeared happy to see Talia.

“Toby! Belle! No! I get to see Aunt Tally first! You wait your turn!” Willow wagged her little finger at the dogs as she scolded them. But still they sat at Talia’s feet, begging for her attention.

“Hey, sweetheart.” Talia patted Willow’s back and then gently squeezed her chubby little cheek. “Let me say hi to your mommy first, then I’ll give you the biggest hug ever, okay?”

“Okay.” Willow loosened the hold she had on Talia’s legs, grabbed Sam’s hand, and before he could greet Talia properly, pulled him back to their tea party. “Daddy, let’s have some more tea while I wait for my hug from Aunt Tally.”

Talia gave each dog a scratch on their heads, and satisfied, they followed Willow back to the tea party.

When Talia pulled out of Trina’s embrace, she managed a strained grin. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“Not at all. But I am shocked to see you here.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. It’s just… I don’t know where to start. It’s a long story.” It was rude of her not to call first, but she had her reasons. “Maybe we can discuss it later over alcohol? Preferably lots of alcohol… or not. But, anyway… I thought if you were free for dinner, maybe we could grab a pizza or something?” Talia asked, hopeful. Her situation was too much to discuss while standing in the doorway with Willow mere feet away, drinking pretend tea with her hockey-player dad.

Trina folded her arms over her chest, tilted her head, and sighed. “Pizza? Yeah, we can do that. But I’m inviting Tyler and Paige over.” She paused, as if she were waiting for Talia to protest. “Once the kids go to bed, we’ll get out some wine, and you can tell us the whole story.”

“Sure,” Talia said. She knew better than to argue with Trina. Out of the three Kidd siblings, Trina was the most stubborn. Talia was the mother hen, Trina was the free spirit with control issues, and Tyler, he was the wild child, the bad boy.

Trina gawked. “Wow. I thought for sure you’d fight me on that.”

Talia pushed her thick, dark blonde hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. She smiled a half-grin, but she knew it looked as tense as she felt. Her voice shook, and she tried to cover it up with a small laugh. “Pizza, wine, and family sounds perfect.”

“Aunt Tally,” Willow called from her little plastic table. “It’s my turn!”

“It sure is, sweetie.” Talia called to Willow, then motioned back to her sister. “I’ll tell you everything later. I promise.”

Willow was right, she had promised the little girl hugs after she’d greeted Trina.

Sam got up from the little table and grinned. “Again, it is nice to see you, Talia. You’re always welcome here for as long as you need.” He wrapped his big hockey-player arms around her and gave her a hug.

“Daddy,” Willow’s impatient little voice interrupted them.

When Talia turned to look at her niece, she had to hold in a chuckle, because the little sweetie had her hand on her hip, and her head was tilted to the side. She looked just like her mama, from her attitude right down to the white-blonde hair.

“I was next,” Willow said with sass, as her dad gave her all his attention.

“Don’t worry, sunshine, I just wanted a quick hug,” Sam replied with a shake of his head.

“That one is going to give you guys a run for your money. She’s just like her mama,” Talia warned, her eyes dancing with humor.

“I know,” Sam commented, a smirk pulling at his mouth while he looked adoringly at his little girl. Nodding towards Talia, he said, “She’s all yours now, sunshine.”

“Ready for your super special Auntie hug?” Talia knelt and held out her arms, waiting until Willow ran to her before she closed her arms around the little girl and gave her a squeeze.

“I missed you so much, Aunt Tally.”

“I missed you too, sweetie-pie!”

Willow squeezed back tightly. It was clear to Talia that she’d made the right decision to come to Pittsburgh. As much as she dreaded explaining everything to her siblings, this was exactly where she needed to be.

The pizza had been devoured, the kids were in bed, and the wine had been poured. Tyler had been watching her closely all evening, but had never said a word about why she was here. His wife, Paige, must be better for her brother than she thought. Paige had settled his a*s down and brought out the responsible leader that she always knew he was. Even though he was the youngest of the Kidd siblings, he was always there to protect his sisters.

She had expected him to immediately jump on her about what was going on and who he needed to beat up to fix it. But this newly acquired patience was a good look on him.

Talia looked around the living room. Not surprisingly, everyone’s face showed unasked questions and concern. Trina had been buzzing around the house like a bee, keeping herself busy all afternoon. Now she sat, uncharacteristically reserved, with her husband. Sam’s hand stayed on Trina’s knee, as if he were keeping her calm until Talia felt like talking. Tyler apprehensively bounced his knee while he nursed a beer. Paige was curled into Tyler’s side, with her arm looped around his back. Everyone was quiet.

Even Belle and Toby were curled up, sound asleep in front of the fire place.

If it weren’t for the ominous mood accompanying her visit, this would’ve been the perfect family get-together.

“I appreciate you guys being so patient about this. I didn’t want to get into it while the kids were awake, and I wanted everyone here,” Talia said, before she took a long drink of wine.

“Good call on that. Willow is at that age where she hears everything and asks a million questions,” Trina commented.

“So? I think I speak for everyone when I ask, what’s going on?” Tyler said, his voice calm.

“It’s not that we aren’t happy to see you, Talia,” Paige added. “We don’t see you and Michael nearly enough. And I think what Tyler is trying to ask is what brought you so unexpectedly to Pittsburgh? And where’s Michael?”

“Paige is right. I’m glad you’re here. But…” Trina said with a shrug.

“Why am I here? Right. Well, life hasn’t been so perfect lately.” Talia paused, cleared her throat, and stared at her ring-less left hand. She wondered if anyone had noticed that yet. “It hasn’t been for a while now.”

“How long is a while?” Tyler asked. His eyes narrowed, and his knuckles started to turn white as he held tighter to his beer.

“Babe, let her talk,” Paige sweetly urged and patted her husband’s arm.

“Paige, it’s fine.” Talia chuckled nervously. “I know my brother, and I know Ty just wants me to fast forward to the part of whose a*s he has to kick. Isn’t that right, baby brother?”

Tyler nodded with a heavy look in his eyes that told her she was dead on.

“How about I start at the end, then fill in the blanks? Sound good?” Everyone nodded, so Talia continued. “Michael isn’t here because we are no longer a couple. I moved out a little over two months ago. I have a pretty nice loft in Calgary. It has a gorgeous view of the Canadian Rockies.”

“Wait…what?” Trina asked.

“We’re getting divorced.”

Trina gasped, and a tear ran down her cheek.

“Tri, please understand. We just stopped working. I don’t even really know when. We’re still co-running the restaurant. I’m not sure if that was what ultimately hurt us, or if we just weren’t meant to be.”

Tyler breathed in heavily through his nose, as if he were trying to remain calm. Paige really had changed him. Five years ago, he’d already be grabbing his jacket and keys and chartering a flight to Calgary.

Talia could see her brother fuming quietly. “And before you go jumping on the next flight out to Calgary, Ty, it wasn’t all Michael’s fault. We just stopped working as a couple. I don’t know how else to explain it.”

Trina shook her head. Her face was scrunched up in confusion. “First of all, if you’re so happy on your own, why did you show up on my doorstep? And secondly—no, wait. First, if you were having problems, why you didn’t tell us this summer when we came to visit? We stayed in your and Michael’s house with both of you!” Trina was shaking her head and twisting her face up as though she was trying to figure this all out.

“Yes, you stayed with us, but if you recall, Michael was hardly there. He was ‘busy at the restaurant’, remember? And yes, I played happy so as not to ruin your visit. I see you guys once a year, twice if I’m lucky.”

“Ruin our visit? Talia, I would’ve been there for you. Or you could’ve come home with us. Wait.” Trina looked around as if something just occurred to her. “Where’s all your luggage? Is it in the car?” Trina looked to Sam. “Babe, go bring in Talia’s luggage, please.”

“No need, Sam. My luggage isn’t in the car, it’s at my hotel.” Talia knew those words would send her sister into a tizzy, and it did, right on cue.

“Hotel? Nonsense! We have plenty of room here,” Trina protested eagerly.

“No. I’m fine in the hotel.” Talia looked from Trina to Tyler, taking note of the unconvinced looks on their faces. “You guys, it’s like ten minutes from here, so I’m crazy close to both of you. I refuse to impose on either of you. You have lives, and I need my own space. But I’ll never turn down invites to dinner, just in case you were wondering.”

“There’s always a place setting with your name on it,” Trina said.

It was evident that Tyler couldn’t hold his displeasure any longer. He jumped off the couch and began to pace. His face was twisted, and he wrung his hands as he stalked. Talia knew there was nothing she could say to appease him. Even as a child, Tyler had a temper. He mumbled and cracked his knuckles.

Talia shook her head at her brother. She was surprised it had taken him so long to react. “I just needed to be around family. And it being the middle of the season, I didn’t want you guys flying out to Calgary—and spare me the lies, because I know you would’ve.”

Trina nodded unapologetically.

“Talia, is there anything you need? Is there anything we can help you with?” Sam asked.

“You’re sweet, Sam, but no. I’m fine. I swear.” Talia wished her words were enough to convince her family, but she feared it wasn’t enough.

“Did he cheat on you, Tal?” Tyler asked. He was still pacing and now flexing his fingers. “Just say the word, and I’ll kick his ass.”

“No, Ty. No one cheated.” Not that she knew of, and not that she cared, because it wouldn’t make a difference. Michael was happy in his new life; she couldn’t find any fault with that. “Tyler, you can hate him all you want, but we simply fell out of love.”

“But you guys were together forever.” Trina pouted.

Sam put his arm around his wife and pulled her close. That’s the kind of love Talia wished she’d had with Michael. Trina and Sam were soul mates. They had a perfect kind of love that only a few ever achieved.

“How long are you in town for, Talia?” Paige asked.

“I don’t know. I guess you could say indefinitely. I needed a change of scenery.” She directed her attention to Tyler, who was still pacing. “Tyler, come sit back down. You’ve paced long enough. I know you’re angry and you think you want to go after Michael, but there’s no reason to. We tried everything, I swear.”

Trina eyed her suspiciously. “But you’ve only been moved out for two months. Maybe you guys just needed some time?”

Moving her attention to Trina, Talia sighed. She was already tired of explaining, and the inquisition had only just begun. “Look, sis, it is what it is. I didn’t want this to happen, but it did.”

“But…” Trina moved closer to her and covered Talia’s hands in her own. She had that look in her eyes, the one where she wanted to fix what was wrong. But this was something that her sister couldn’t fix. No one could. “Maybe if you went back to Banff, and I could totally come back with you if you want the support, maybe you guys could figure things out? Being here, in Pittsburgh, I’m sure the distance isn’t good.”

“Yes, I’ve been moved out for two months, but our marriage has been over for a lot longer than that. We shared the house for financial reasons, but the reality is that we haven’t been together for over a year. I’d say that’s plenty of time to realize we were over, don’t you?” Her sister was always a dreamer, a lover, not a fighter. She saw rainbows where other people only saw rain clouds. But this was one thing that Talia couldn’t sugarcoat. There was no easy fix for this. “Trina, I love you, I do. But I’m exhausted. Maybe we can finish this conversation tomorrow.” There was more to her story, but nothing she felt like talking about right now. Talia hadn’t expected this to be simple, but it was more difficult than she had predicted.

Sam interrupted, lightening the mood. “Well, while you’re in town, our next home game is in two days. There’ll be a ticket with your name on it. And every home game going forward.”

Tyler finally stopped pacing, and without a word, sat down beside Talia and wrapped his arms around her. He sat hugging her for a few minutes without saying anything. She knew he was here for her, and he’d do anything to protect her. The reality was, he just couldn’t fix this.

“I’m glad you’re here, sis,” Tyler finally said.

Talia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Me too.”

“You just say the word, and I’ll kick his a*s. No one hurts my sister and gets away with it,” he mumbled.

Talia hugged her brother tighter. She expected nothing less from him, and she loved him for it. “I know, Ty. I know.”