Free Together always by Dallas Schulze Page A

white Christmas. Mike was in the living room with a fire in the fireplace, the lights from the tree glowing. He walked down the stairs slowly, as if pulled half against his will.
    "Trace. Glad you came back down. I was just about to have some more eggnog. You want some?"
    *'Sure." Trace put his hands in his pockets and then pulled them out again, nervous without knowing why. He took the chilled mug from Mike and sipped, tasting the subtle bite of rum.
    'Tily asleep?"
    "Yeah. Out hke a light." Trace sat down at the opposite end of the sofa from Mike, a half smile flickering across his lips. "I think all the waiting has really worn her out."
    "My son was like that when he was Httle. Christmas just about killed him every year."
    Trace looked at Mike, surprised. "I didn't know you had a son."
    Mike's smile was tinged with regret. "Still do, as far as I know."
    "You've never mentioned him."
    "Michael and I parted company a few years back. He left home and I haven't seen him since."
    "He ran away?"
    Mike shrugged. "More or less. He was older than you are. Almost nineteen. I guess it's not really running away at that age but he's gone just the same."
    "Why did he go?" The question was jerked out of him before he could control it, his need to know stronger than his need to keep his distance. Mike didn't seem offended.

    His wide shoulders lifted in a shrug and he stared into the fire, his eyes full of memories.
    *'We fought a lot. Always had, even when he was a boy. He was stubborn and so was I and we clashed head-on more times than I can remember. Then his mother was killed when he was fifteen and it seemed as if we just couldn't get along after that. It was my fault, probably. I thought keeping him on a tight rein would keep him from making mistakes. I guess I forgot that part of growing up is learning from your mistakes.
    "Anyway, we quarreled about everything. A lot of it seems pretty stupid now but it seemed worth fighting over then. I don't even remember what the last fight was about. But Michael stormed out, saying he'd never be back. I didn't believe him so I let him go. A week later I got a letter from him saying he'd joined the marines. It was the last time I heard from him."
    "How do you know he's alive?"
    Mike's smile deepened. "Oh, I got some evidence not long ago that he's all right."
    The room was silent for a long time, only the sound of the rain and soft hiss of the fire filling the quiet. It was Mike who spoke first.
    "You know, you've never told me just why you felt you had to take Lily and run away from home, Trace. You don't have to tell me, of course, but sometimes it helps to talk about things. That's a lesson I learned a little late."
    Trace's fingers tightened over the mug until the knuckles showed white. He wasn't going to say anything. He'd sworn to take the truth to the grave with him. It was too shameful to tell anyone.
    "It was because of Lily," he said jerkily without looking at Mike. "I had to keep her safe."
    "Safe from what?"

    **!...she's not really my cousin, you know. At least we're not blood related. My stepfather was her uncle. When her folks were killed in a plane crash, she came to live with us. I'd never seen anything so beautiful in all my life. She didn't even look real. She didn't belong there. The house was just a shack.
    "My mother tried," he added fiercely, as if Mike might have been thinking she hadn't. He looked at Mike but saw nothing but interest. There was no judgment in his eyes. After a long moment he continued. Now that he'd started, it was impossible to stop the flow of words.
    "She tried but she just didn't have any strength left, and then there was Jed." The name was full of hatred.
    "Your stepfather?" Mike asked the question gently, not wanting to do anything to discourage him.
    Trace nodded, staring into the fire. "He was a pig. He drank and he used to beat my mother. Till I got big enough to stop him. But then there was Lily, and I couldn't let him hurt her. I just