Knock Me Off My Feet

There were basically three categories of people at Little Pat's sixth birthday party, and as soon as Audie broke it down that way, the fog began to clear.

There were cops and their families, people of direct or roundabout family co

Audie was sitting at a tablecloth-covered card table with Qui

"And that's Belinda Egan from two houses up-her claim to fame is coming back from a vacation in Mexico last winter with some kind of worm lodged in her brain, from the pork, they think." Sheila's deep blue eyes sparkled in her pretty pixie face. "Six hours of surgery-awake the whole time. Can you believe it?"

"Wow," Audie said.

"That's Ricky and Cindy Panutto-Ricky is Michael's best friend from Loyola Law School." Sheila craned her neck a bit to the right. "That's Esther O'Fallon, Jamie's older sister-her husband Jim died a few years ago. That's Bill and Tava Reingold-Bill was Jamie's partner for close to thirty years. And that's-oomph!"

The little girl who'd clung to Audie's leg had just hurled herself into her mother's lap.

"Mommy! Little Pat and Joey are peeing on the side of the house!"

"What?" Sheila stood up and shot Audie a smile, then started laughing. "I know I shouldn't laugh, but I can't help it. Excuse me-be right back."

Audie watched Sheila run off across the yard in her shorts and sneakers, weaving through the crowd, her nearly black curls flying behind her.

"What are you looking at?" Kiley's fiercely intelligent violet eyes sca

"I was looking at your mother. I think she's very nice and very pretty, and you look just like her, do you know that?"

Kiley's smile overwhelmed her face as she nodded. "My mommy is nice and pretty. So are you. Do you love Uncle Stacey?"

"Wha…?"Audie wasn't used to young children. Were they all this blunt, or was it just Kiley's Qui

"Well, we're friends. I like him very much and I think he likes me. Do you have friends like that?"

Kiley scrunched up her face. "Heather Morrelli was my friend, but she called me a double butt face the other day."

"I see."Audie took a sip of iced tea, realizing that this was one of those times when grown-ups shouldn't laugh. "And what did you say to that?"

Kiley scrunched up her face and thought about it. "I told her I deserved to be treated with respick."

"Respick?"

"Yes. Respick. Do you want to watch me get my treatment, Audie?"

Audie inclined her head and frowned "Wha…?"

"Sorry. Pissing contest." Sheila scooped up Kiley from her chair and set her back on the grass. "Why don't you go play with the McCo

"Bye, Audie," the little girl said, and Audie watched her skip away.

Sheila sighed, settling her petite body into the lawn chair and crossing her legs. "Actually, it was not only a pissing contest, but they were comparing size. I fear for Little Pat's future. I really do. All the Qui

"Testosterone poisoning," Audie said.

Sheila's bright eyes landed right on Audie's and she nodded appreciatively. "You're familiar with the disorder?"

"I noticed Stacey has a fatal case of it."

"That he does," Sheila said with a giggle. "Well, I've got to say, Audie, you're doing quite well for your first Qui

"What was she like? Thanks." Audie took a refreshing sip of tea and sca

Qui

She felt herself blush. She smiled at him quickly and looked away before she embarrassed him-or herself.

"Trish was a good person," Sheila was saying. "I'm sure Stacey told you all about her Homey Helen fixation."

"He did," Audie said with a nod. "And he seems to have inherited it."

Sheila let loose with a big laugh. "Yes, he did, and my God, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish Michael had some of that in him! I love him to death, but the man is a pig."

Audie giggled until she saw Sheila's expression sour.

"Trish was one tough cookie, let me tell you. She loved her sons very much, and she put me through the wringer before Michael and I got married." She shook her head at the memory. "We lived together in sin, you know, careening down the fast lane to purgatory."

Audie nodded, her eyes wide.

"I think I broke her in for any woman who might be lucky enough to end up with Stacey, but she died before that happened."

"Was she ill a long time?"

"About six months." Sheila let her eyes scan the crowd for a moment before she looked at Audie. "It was skin cancer and it had spread to her lungs. When she got sick, she got real sick and stayed that way."

"I'm sorry."

Sheila nodded quietly. "Jamie was lost at first. He seems to be doing better lately." She sighed and put on a smile. "So tell me. What do you think of Stacey?"

Audie shrugged and laughed a little. "I like him."

"I can see that." Sheila appraised Audie openly. "He's talked to Michael about you. Michael thinks Stacey's in love with you."

"Oh, please," Audie said, waving her hand in the air. "We've known each other less than a month, and he's spent most of it either avoiding me, pissing me off, or interrogating me."

Sheila guffawed. "Sounds familiar. That's the method of seduction Michael used, and look where it got me."

Audie saw Jamie Qui

But he got waylaid by one of the clusters of cops and Audie heard herself exhale.

"Now Jamie is even more intense than Trish was." Sheila nodded toward the big man with a heavy cap of salt-and-pepper hair, and Audie followed her gaze.

Jamie Qui

"Tell me about him," Audie said.

Sheila smiled. "Well, Michael has referred to Jamie's parenting style as 'knock heads first; ask questions later.' Things got pretty wild around here with a house full of boys."

Audie nodded. "A house full of Qui

"Exactly." Sheila reached over and patted Audie's forearm where it rested on the tablecloth. Sheila had a very soft hand. "But he's a great guy. Opinionated as hell. Very proud of his family and the life he and Trish made here. As long as you don't cross his family or Ireland, the Church, or the White Sox, Jamie is a big old softy. If you're stupid enough to go back on your word or hurt one of his boys, God help you."

"Yikes." Audie took a big gulp of her iced tea. "Qui