Baby Makes Three: Heartwarming Love and Laughter

by Sharon DeVita

  “That’s nice, Mother,” Maggy said, not bothering to look up from the uneaten eggs she’d been pushing around her plate. “Have a good time.” The house was so silent without Cody and Bobby. The sudden stillness was about to drive her crazy.

  Frowning, Elizabeth leaned over and patted Maggy’s arms “Dear, I’m worried about you.”

  “What?” Maggy looked up to find her mother watching her intently. “Why are you worried about me?” Boy, this was a switch. She was usually the one worrying about her mother.

  “I just told you I was going skinny-dipping and you told me to have a good time.” Elizabeth looked at her shrewdly. “Maggy, what happened between you and Cody last night?”

  Cody…

  Maggy glanced down at her plate as her eyes brimmed with tears. Her heart ached and shattered at the thought of Cody. He had to go and she had to stay and that’s the way things were to be. He couldn’t change who he was, and she realized now—too late—she didn’t want him to change. She was the one who had changed, but she realized sadly that was too late, too.

  Maggy closed her eyes as the pain tore through her. She’d never even had the chance to tell him she loved him. Not that it mattered now. Perhaps it was better this way, she reasoned, knowing in her heart that it wasn’t. Perhaps it was better to get it over with, to have him and Bobby walk out of her life now, before she fell any deeper in love with them.

  “Dear?” Elizabeth touched her arm gently and Maggy raised her eyes to her mother’s.

  “Oh, Mother,” she moaned, letting the tears fall. “I’ve made such a mess of things.” Her mother came around the table and cradled Maggy in her arms.

  “Shh, honey, don’t cry.” Her mother was silent for a moment. “You love him, don’t you?” Elizabeth asked, and Maggy nodded her head, wiping away her tears. “Did you tell him, dear?”

  Maggy laughed shortly. “No, I never got a chance. Ever since Cody arrived—well—I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my life, and last night I told Cody I was going to accept the award for him—”

  “Well, good for you, dear, good for you! It’s about time you let your heart rule your head.” Her mother’s words brought on a fresh outbreak of tears, and Maggy shook her head.

  “I wish it were that simple. Cody turned me down.” Maggy sniffled harder. “He said he couldn’t let me give up everything I’d worked for. That I deserved more. Cody said he couldn’t live with himself if I lost my job because of him.” She raised her tear-soaked face to her mother’s. “He already hired someone else.”

  “I see,” her mother said softly, stroking her hair. “That explains a lot, doesn’t it?”

  “It doesn’t explain anything,” Maggy sniffled, and pushed away her untouched plate.

  Elizabeth laughed softly. “Honey, don’t you see? It explains everything. Cody loves you. He’s not about to let you do something you might regret later on. Why, he probably feels that if you did accept the award and then lost your job—a job that’s meant so much to you, why you might come to resent him someday. Cody’s a very special man, dear. While he might not live his life according to anyone else’s rules, he knows you do. He’s not about to have you take such a risk for him. You think you’re willing to do it now, but later you might not feel the same. Cody’s afraid to take that chance. He’s a proud man, dear, and a good one.”

  “But Mother, I told Cody last night that I’ve finally realized that Miss Avalon’s isn’t the only place for me. I love what I do, but there are other positions for me, other avenues to explore. I no longer want the kind of job that requires twenty-four-hour dedication, or one that I have to adapt my whole life to. That’s the whole point, Mother. I want something else in my life. I want the kind of job that allows me to have a life. I know that now.” Maggy looked up at her mother. “What am I going to do?”

  Elizabeth stood up. “Well, dear, that depends on what you want out of life. You’re the only one who can decide that.”

  “I want Cody and Bobby.”

  “Then give him a chance,” Elizabeth said softly. “He loves you, you know. And so does Bobby.”

  Maggy jumped up from the table and kissed her mother’s cheek. “Mother, you’re right.”

  “Wait a minute, dear. Where are you going? You didn’t even eat your breakfast. And what about the award ceremony?”

  “I’m not hungry,” Maggy called, pushing the door open and scooping up her purse. “We’ve got plenty of time. You get ready and I’ll meet you back here. Right now I’ve got to get to school. There’s a little matter at the academy that needs attending to.”

  “But Margaret, surely you can’t be serious?” Hands clasped tightly together, Miss Barklay was planted in the middle of Maggy’s office, watching in horror as she cleaned out her desk.

  “I’m very serious,” Maggy said with a smile. “I’ve loved working at the academy, Miss Barklay. I really have. But it’s time to move on.”

  “It’s Senator English, isn’t it?” Miss Barklay demanded. “He’s lured you away with his job offer. I knew I shouldn’t have invited that man.”

  Maggy laughed softly. “No, Miss Barklay, it’s not Senator English. No one lured me into anything.” She glanced up and smiled. “As a matter of fact, I don’t even have another job.”

  “Then why are you resigning? I don’t understand.” Miss Barklay narrowed her eyes, looking down her nose at Maggy. “This is hardly a sensible move, Margaret. It’s not like you to do something so irrational. You’re giving up a very safe, secure job with a promising future for absolutely no reason. Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

  Maggy laughed, scooping up the box of her belongings and tucking it under her arm. “I’m feeling fine. In fact I never felt better. Leaving the academy after so many years is difficult.” Maggy glanced around her office. “I’m going to miss this place. And you,” she added softly. Despite Miss Barklay’s rigid ways, Maggy knew the woman was only doing what she thought best for the academy. But now it was time for Maggy to do what she thought best for herself. “But it’s time.”

  “This has something to do with that Wild man, the one that disrupted my faculty tea last night, doesn’t it?” Miss Barklay sighed heavily. “Margaret, how on earth did you ever get involved with someone like him?”

  Maggy smiled dreamily. “It really doesn’t have anything to do with Cody. It has to do with how I want to live my life. I’ve finally realized that there is more to life than just the academy, and now I want to find out what I’ve been missing.” She walked around her desk and stood in front of Miss Barklay. It was going to be hard to leave this place after so many years, but Maggy felt no regrets. She knew in her heart that it was the right thing to do.

  “Margaret.” Miss Barklay looked forlorn. “I guess in a way I do understand. You’re young, and you’ve never really seen or experienced much of life except within the walls of Avalon. I envy you. When I was young, I too had an opportunity to—” Miss Barklay flushed. “There was a young man, and he—I—” Miss Barklay seized Maggy in a tight hug. “I wish you well, Margaret. And I hope you and your young man—I hope your life is happy.”

  Tears filled Maggy’s eyes, and she dropped a kiss on Miss Barklay’s cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered, returning the older woman’s hug. “Thank you.”

  Miss Barklay straightened and dabbed at her eyes. “I guess I’ll say goodbye now. Stay well, Margaret,” Miss Barklay said softly. “Stay well.”

  Nodding, Maggy headed for the door, feeling an inner peace she hadn’t felt in a long, long time.

  “Margaret?” Maggy turned. “Do you think—I mean could you—” Miss Barklay drew herself up, a faint smile on her lips. “Do you think,” she whispered, “you could get me a copy of your book?”

  “My book?” Maggy repeated with a frown.

  “Yes, you know, Wild Bill Cody’s Amazing Adventures of the Amazon?”

  Laughing softly, Maggy nodded. “I’ll be happy to. And I’ll even get it autographed for you.”
After one last glance around, Maggy turned and walked through the doorway, her step light, her spirits soaring. One part of her life was ending. But another was just beginning.

  “Do you see him, Mother?” Following an usher down the center aisle, Maggy craned her neck and looked around the crowded auditorium.

  “Here you are.” The usher pointed to two empty seats in the front row.

  “Mother,” Maggy said softly, taking her seat. “I don’t see Cody or Bobby.” She frowned. “Nor Priscilla for that matter.” She raised her head to look around again.

  Her mother patted her hand. “I’m sure they’re here, dear, don’t worry.”

  The lights dimmed and a hush fell over the crowd as a neatly dressed woman walked across the stage and took her place behind the podium. Maggy shifted restlessly in her seat, wondering and worrying about Cody. Surely he wouldn’t miss the award ceremony. So where was he? Fear tripped her heart. Maybe something had happened with Priscilla; maybe she’d backed out at the last minute. Another thought entered Maggy’s mind, and she shuddered. Oh Lord, maybe something happened to Cody and Bobby! She knew how important this was to him, knew there was no way he would miss the ceremony unless something was wrong. Her heart began to beat in double time, and her palms grew moist with fear.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” the woman began. “My name is Alice Spenser, and I’m the editor of Modern Motherhood. I’d like to thank all of you for coming to Modern Motherhood’s tenth annual Mother of the Year Award Ceremony. This year is a bit different than other years; the winner of this year’s Mother of the Year contest isn’t a mother.” A low rumble of laughter rippled through the audience and Maggy sat up straighter. Oh Lord, maybe they’d found out about Priscilla. Maybe the editor knew that Priscilla wasn’t a mother.

  “Well,” Alice went on with a little laugh after the noise had died down. “Perhaps I should say the winner is not a mother in the…traditional sense. I’m sure you’re all a little anxious to find out exactly what I’m talking about. So without further ado I’d like to present Modern Motherhood’s 1988 winner of the Mother of the Year award, Mr. William Cody.”

  There was a moment of stunned silence from the crowd and Maggy gasped as a smiling Cody, holding Bobby by the hand, walked out on stage. The applause was thunderous, and Maggy reached for Elizabeth’s hand.

  “Oh, Mother,” she breathed, watching as Cody swung Bobby up on his hip and took his place behind the podium. “What is he doing?” Maggy knew what he was doing, but didn’t know why. Cody looked wonderful. He was wearing a three-piece gray pinstriped suit, while Bobby was dressed in knee britches and a blue sport coat with matching bow tie. Wide-eyed, Bobby looked around the dark auditorium, clinging tightly to Cody’s neck.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” Cody began, his eyes searching the crowd. Maggy knew the instant he spotted her, for his eyes lit with amusement and he flashed her a grin. “My name is Wild Bill Cody, and I’m honored to accept the 1988 Mother of the Year award. Now, I know I don’t look like a traditional mother.” He grinned. “I’m a bit hairier than most.” He waited for the laughter to die down before he continued. “But nevertheless I am indeed Bobby’s mother. And father. When I first learned I had won this award, I admit I was a little scared. I’m a writer and I write all kinds of things, including a series of action and adventure books that some of you might have heard of.” There was a loud burst of applause, acknowledging Cody’s books, and Maggy’s heart filled with joy. She was so proud of him.

  “Now don’t get me wrong. I’m very, very proud and honored to have won this award. But I was afraid if I accepted the award in person—if my readers learned that Wild Bill Cody had won a mothering award… Well, I was worried that I might lose credibility. In fact, I was so worried about it, I had every intention of hiring a woman to represent me and accept the award.” Cody paused, and his eyes found Maggy’s. He was speaking to the crowd, but Maggy had a feeling he was talking just to her.

  “But something happened to change my mind. Someone very special taught me that sometimes you have to let your heart rule your head, and let the consequences be damned. This wonderful lady was willing to sacrifice everything—her job, her career, everything she’s worked for so that I wouldn’t lose any credibility, and so that my son here wouldn’t lose his scholarship.” Cody looked across the audience. “I guess to me that’s what motherhood is all about. Giving birth doesn’t make you a mother. What makes you a mother is giving unselfishly, putting a child’s needs before your own. How you treat and love a child, well, that’s what motherhood’s all about. It doesn’t matter if you’re the birth mother or the birth father. Anyone can give birth, but it takes a special person to be a real mother. Now, this lady I’m talking about—she’s never had a child, but no one could be more of a mother to my boy here.”

  “Oh, Cody,” Maggy whispered as tears filled her eyes.

  “In fact her offer was so generous, so unselfish that it started me thinking. If she had been willing to risk everything and accept this award to insure my son’s future, then how could I do any less?” Cody shifted his frame, his eyes on Maggy. “That’s why I decided to proudly and happily accept this award myself.”

  Maggy sprang to her feet, leading the thunderous applause as Alice Spenser crossed the stage to present Cody with his plaque.

  The crowd pressed toward Cody, making it impossible for Maggy to get to him. Bulbs flashed as the photographers and reporters vied for his attention.

  Startled by all the attention and noise, Bobby began to cry. Maggy pushed her way through the crowd and climbed the stairs to the stage. Bobby and Cody spotted her at the same time.

  “Mags,” Cody whispered, his eyes filled with love. She walked right into his arms. “Oh, Mags,” he murmured softly, pressing his lips to her neck. “I was so afraid you wouldn’t come. I love you, Mags. I love you.”

  “Oh, Cody.” Maggy held him tight, her eyes brimming with tears. “I love you, too.”

  Squashed between the two of them, Bobby started to wail. “Down! Now, down!”

  Cody slid his lips from Maggy’s, and smiled at her. “I have to tend to a few things here, but will you wait for me?”

  “Forever,” she whispered, knowing she’d been waiting for him her whole life. Cody was her dream, her love, her everything.

  “Ma-ma,” Bobby cried, as another flashbulb went off in his face.

  “Come here, Sport,” Maggy said, taking the weeping child out of Cody’s arms and snuggling him close. She had missed these two so. “I love you, Cody,” she breathed, leaning forward to kiss him again. “You finish here. We’ll wait for you behind the stage.”

  “Promise you’ll wait?” Cody said, reaching out to touch her face. “Promise? There’s something I’ve got to ask you.”

  Nodding, Maggy turned and walked off the stage with Bobby in her arms. She pressed her face close to Bobby’s. “I love you, too, Sport,” she whispered softly.

  “Love Ma-ma,” Bobby repeated, winding his chubby arms around her neck and clinging tightly.

  It was at least half an hour before Cody was free. He had abandoned his suit jacket, and his tie was hanging loose around his neck. Maggy was certain she’d never seen him look more wonderful.

  He didn’t say a word. He just walked up to her and hauled them both into his arms.

  “Oh, Mags,” he whispered softly, his voice filled with emotion. “I planned to come back after the ceremony. But I wanted you to have some time to think. I didn’t want you to make any hasty decisions about your job. I didn’t want you to do anything you might regret. That’s where I was all day yesterday. I came in and talked to Alice Spenser, the editor of Modern Motherhood. I told her the whole story.”

  “But what about Priscilla?”

  “Priscilla who?” he murmured, nuzzling her neck.

  “Priscilla the prissy blonde. You know, the one you hired to accept the award for you.”

  Cody leaned back and grinned wickedly. “I lied.”

 
“You what!”

  “Lied,” he said, covering her mouth with a quick kiss. “I knew I had to tell you something, didn’t I?” Cody looked deep into her eyes. “I just didn’t want you to do anything you’d regret, honey.”

  “The only thing I regret,” she said tenderly, sliding her hand across his cheek, “is that it took me so long to realize just what was important to me.” Maggy pulled out of his arms. “There’s something else we have to discuss. Bobby and I had a long talk, and he’s agreed to marry me.” She grinned as Cody’s brows rose.

  “He did, did he?” Cody said in amusement.

  “But the problem is, he’s a little worried. Bobby says you and he come as a package deal, and that if I marry him, you’ve got to come along too. So—what do you think?”

  Cody grinned mischievously. “Seems to me you’re getting a deal. Two men for the price of one.”

  “Does that mean yes?” she asked breathlessly, her eyes on his.

  “What about your job?” Cody inquired hesitantly, a dark shadow filling his eyes. Maggy wound her arms around his neck. “I don’t want you to do anything that—”

  “What job?” she murmured, pressing her lips to his.

  “You didn’t, did you?” Cody drew back to look at her, a stunned look of surprise on his face.

  “I sure did. I resigned. Cody, I told you last night, I can always get another job.”

  Cody threw back his head and laughed. “Do you realize that between the two of us—” he glanced at Bobby “—well, the three of us, we don’t have one job between us. Once my editors at Adventure find out I went ahead and accepted this award, I doubt if I’ll be writing for them anymore.”

  “So?” Maggy queried saucily. “I’m not worried. I’m sure something will work out.”

  Cody nuzzled her neck. “You do realize that quitting your job wasn’t sensible, reasonable or—”

  “Rational,” she supplied huskily, leaning closer to Cody. “And you never answered my question. Are you going to marry me, or not?”

  “I am,” he assured her, bending to cover her lips with his. “I certainly am, especially since you beat me to the punch with that question by almost ten seconds.” He flashed her a wink as he hauled her into his arms once more.