Undeniably His: Bliss Series, Book Five

by Hall, Deanndra

  “Oh. Okay. Well, good day at work?”

  “Slow day at work. Very slow. But my favorite customer came in, so it was good.”

  “Well, that’s good, I guess.”

  “Did you guys enjoy the zoo?”

  “We did! The tiger had a cub. It was really cute. Baker asked for one. No surprise there,” he says with a snarl.

  “Oh, yeah. You need that.”

  “By the way, I need to tell you that I’m probably going to be kinda distracted this week. The Houston store is opening and I’ve got to pay a little bit of attention to that.”

  “I can find something else to―”

  “No. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m just saying I’ll probably be on the phone a good bit, so don’t be surprised.”

  “Oh. Well, that’s okay, as long as we’re together.”

  “Right. As long as we’re together.” There’s a long pause before he says, “I love you, Angel.”

  “I love you too, Master. Always.”

  “Guess I’d better get some sleep. You should too―you’ve got to be back early tomorrow, right?”

  “Yes. The store opens at ten and I’ve got to be there.”

  “Okay. Get some sleep and dream of me, please?” he says and laughs a little.

  “Nothing else. Night, Master.”

  “Night, Angel. Sleep tight.”

  I’d sleep a lot better if his arms were around me.

  * * *

  We’ve got a crisis. Be prepared.

  That’s what I get thirty minutes before I’m supposed to get off work. What kind of crisis?

  Baker and I have been in tears for the last two and a half hours. I’ll explain when you get here. Love you.

  What? I don’t understand. Okay. See you then. How in the hell am I supposed to prepare for that when I don’t know what it is?

  I step into the house and head straight for the kitchen, where I find a red-eyed Boone mixing up some kind of drink mix. “Babe, what’s going on?”

  “Hang on. I’ll be right back.” I hear him climbing the stairs, so I grab a soft drink from the refrigerator and go to the den, snuggling into my favorite chair out there. In a couple of minutes, he appears in the doorway. “Oh. You’ve already got a drink.”

  “Boone, sit down and tell me what’s going on.”

  When his butt hits the sofa, he sighs loudly, leans back, rakes his hands over his face and up over his hair, then slaps his hands on his thighs. “Honker’s gone.”

  “Honker? Baker’s little friend?” Boone nods. “Where’d he go?”

  “He died, Melina. Last night.”

  This fear comes over me, one I can’t even explain, and it’s hard to breathe. “Oh, god. No. What …? I don’t understand.”

  He leans forward, tears streaming down his face. “He didn’t get a kidney in time. He’d been getting worse and worse and his body finally just shut down.”

  Oh, god, no. I can’t even imagine how Baker must feel. “How’s Baker taking it?”

  “He’s upstairs. I called his doctor on the way home. They’re working on something to help him calm down without doing any damage to his body. He’s a wreck.”

  “Can I go up and see him?” He just nods, so I jump up and run that direction. His bedroom door is closed, so I knock.

  “Who’s out there? Go away!” his little voice yells.

  “Baker? It’s Poopsie. Can I come in?”

  The sound of little feet running gets closer and the door flies open. His arms grip my leg and he cries out, “Oh, Poopsie! Honker is gone!”

  He’s a little heavy, but I pick him up anyway and he clings to me, crying. “I know! Daddy told me. Oh, Baker, I’m so sorry, sweetie. How terrible.”

  “I know! He was just a little boy! Little boys aren’t supposed to go like that, Poopsie! They’re supposed to be around a long, long time! Longer than old people like you!” Normally that would hurt my feelings, but I know what he’s trying to say.

  “But it happens sometimes. Sometimes our bodies just don’t want to stay around like we do.”

  “Poopsie?” He has my full attention when he looks into my eyes and says, “You know that’s going to happen to me, right? I’m going to go too. Because I can’t get a new kidney. Nobody has one for me, and the list is very long, and I’ll go too. And I don’t want to go because Daddy will miss me. You’ll miss me. Grammy and Pappaw will miss me. Everybody will. I can’t go.” His doctor is looking on, her eyes filled with tears, and I know what she’s thinking.

  He’s right. Unless some miracle happens and someone comes forward, someone who’s a match, it will happen to him too. There’s no way to stop it. All I can do is hold this little boy and let him cry into my collarbone. The doctor’s phone rings and she talks softly into it, then works in her bag before approaching us. “Baker, I’ve got something that will make you feel better. Let’s do that, okay?”

  “Will it make Honker come back?”

  She’s so kind to him. Her hand rests lightly on his little back and she says, “No, honey. Nothing will make Honker come back. But let’s make you feel a little better, okay?”

  “Is it a shot?” he asks.

  I counter with, “Are you afraid?”

  “No. I get shots and junk all the time. I just wondered.”

  “Yes. It’s a shot, but it won’t last long. Ready?” He nods. “Okay. Here we go.” I watch as the doctor injects the fluid into his arm. When she’s finished, she smiles. “Let’s put you on the bed.”

  “Stay with me, Poopsie?” he asks me, tears coating his face.

  “Of course. Can I leave if you fall asleep?” He nods. “Good. I need to go talk to your daddy. You get some rest.” I take up a spot in a chair by the side of his bed, and the doctor gives me a knowing nod before she leaves. I can hear voices downstairs, and I’m sure she’s talking to Boone.

  When I can tell from his even breathing that he’s out, I head back downstairs to find Boone sitting there, silent, his elbows resting on his thighs and his face in his hands. Dropping down beside him, I press my arm into his back and stroke his hair. “He’s asleep. I don’t know what she gave him―”

  “I don’t either, but she gave me some pills too. She said it’s all they can give him without making him worse.”

  I have to ask―I have to know. “Boone, how bad is he?”

  “He’s Stage 4.”

  “I take it Stage 5 is the final?” He nods. “What do the doctors say?”

  “It’s just a matter of time, and they can’t predict how long. He’s on the list, but he’s way, way down it. They’re working with the national donor registry, but so far, no luck.” For a few seconds he just stares into space, but then he looks at me. “I can’t lose him, Melina. I just can’t.”

  “We won’t let that happen, babe.” I take his hand, but he shakes his head.

  “Everything in my life I’ve always been able to fix, but I couldn’t fix things with Marie, and I can’t fix this. I feel so …”

  “Helpless?” He nods and dissolves. All I can do is hold him and let him cry. His little boy is doomed to join Honker if something doesn’t happen. There’s no way to make this better, and the pain I feel is indescribable.

  Baker Lawson’s days are numbered. I want to do something to help, but I have no idea what that would be.

  * * *

  Boone calls me on Tuesday at work, panicked. “I’m sorry. I know you’re at work, but I need to talk to somebody. God, we’ve got a mess.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “We’ve got a grand opening Saturday, soft opening on Friday. And the fucking company that makes our display units has shut down. Workers are on strike―have been for two months―and nobody bothered to tell us. I’ve called everywhere and I can’t come up with anything. Nobody has enough stock to do this. I’m so royally fucked.”

  “You called all the malls?”

  “Yeah. Everywhere I can think of. I set Willa on it, but she got nowhere too.” Willa is his
assistant, and a damn fine one too. If Willa can’t find anything, he really is screwed. “As soon as Baker leaves tomorrow, I’m going to have to fly out and see if I can do something. Doing nothing isn’t an option.”

  “What about Brock and Blake? Have you called them?”

  “Yeah. They’re working on it too. God, babe, what the hell is happening to my life?”

  “Maybe I’m a bad luck charm,” I offer.

  “Stop that! You are not! You’re all that’s keeping me sane!”

  “I’m just kidding, babe! Calm down. We’ll think of something.”

  “I don’t know what. Oh, shit. One of the managers in Houston is calling me. See you when you get home from work.” And the phone goes dead.

  But something is tickling my brain, and I decide I need to make a trip to Lawson’s of Alabama when I get off work. When I tell Frieda what’s going on, she tells me to leave at three thirty and get on it.

  I walk into the brightly lit interior of the store and I’m struck by how neat and orderly everything is. That’s one of their mandates―nothing out of place, nothing jumbled up, nothing a mess. So I wander. I wander for twenty minutes, maybe thirty, until I hear a voice. “Hey! What are you doing here?”

  When I turn to greet him, he just lays a big kiss on me right there in front of customers and employees. “Just looking around.”

  “I thought you were at work.”

  “I was, but I told Frieda what was going on and she said to go ahead and leave. I just came over, thinking maybe I could help.”

  “I don’t know how, but thanks for thinking that way.”

  “What are you missing?”

  “Floor units.” He walks over to one where tee shirts are folded neatly. “These. Oh, and our sunglass racks aren’t coming either. Plus some other things.”

  “What other things?”

  “Well, like the minnow buckets. There’s supposed to be a big rack to put them on, but it’s not coming either.”

  “Okay. Take me around and let me look.” We walk the store, looking at everything, and he points out all the fixtures that aren’t going to be showing up at the Houston store.

  His walkie talkie squawks. “Mr. Lawson? There’s a call for you on line two. It’s your brother, Blake.”

  “Thanks, Willa. Be right there. I’ve gotta go, babe,” he says and kisses me again. “Maybe Blake came up with something.”

  “I hope so. See you at home?”

  “Absolutely. See you in a bit.” He hurries off toward the office and I’m left there, surveying my surroundings. I’m no merchandiser, but there’s one thing I am.

  I’m a woman who’s used to doing whatever she needs to do with whatever she has. I’ll figure this out. I’m determined to.

  * * *

  When I get there, Baker is a little better. He’s not crying his eyes out. Matter of fact, I’m a little concerned. He seems to have no emotions at all, just a little empty shell. I’m not sure that’s really better for him, but at least he’s functioning.

  Boone blows in twenty minutes later, scattered and harried. Millie’s got dinner ready so we can sit down and eat. “May I be excused? I want to go talk to Doodle,” Baker asks, even though most of his food is still on his plate.

  “Yes, you may.”

  When he’s out of earshot, I ask, “Are you sure that’s a good idea? He didn’t eat much.”

  “He’s not going to eat. He doesn’t have any appetite. No point in trying to force-feed him, I suppose,” Boone says and takes another swig of beer. “Everything’s a fucking mess, Melina.”

  “Well, I had some ideas,” I offer.

  “Yeah? Blow up the building and get the insurance money?” he says dryly, an edge in his voice with which I’m unfamiliar.

  “No. About merchandising.”

  He’s not being ugly when he asks, “What do you know about merchandising?”

  “I shop. And I buy. And I know what catches my eye. And I had a few ideas, if you’re interested.”

  “Sure. Can’t hurt.”

  “Okay. Let’s go to the office and I’ll show you.”

  Once we’re in there, I walk up to the desk and stand there. “Okay, so you said you’re missing the display fixtures that sit on the floor.” He nods. “What about this?” There’s a set of old encyclopedias in the bookcase, so I grab four or five of them, then two more, then three more. “So you do this.” I set the five of them on the desk. Then I turn two of them going the other direction, their ends meeting on top of the five. “Pick up those three and put them on top of these,” I tell him. “Like the first ones.” When he does, the two sticking out are secure. “Now two more like those two, and then three more.” He does it again and I look at them. “So now you’ve got four good-sized shelves.”

  “No. I’ve got encyclopedias.”

  “But what if you did that with pallets?”

  He stands there for a minute, staring at them, then walks slowly around the desk, still staring at the stack. “I see what you’re saying. Oh, shit, that’s fucking genius. And pallets. Cheap. We can get them and get rid of them when the new units finally show up. And they’ll add to the rustic look of the store. That’s genius, baby!”

  “You’ll have to get brand new ones. You don’t want splintery, old ones. And you said you didn’t have sunglasses racks, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Then we do this. Get a fishing net from over in the fishing department. String it around one of those huge posts in the front of the store, and then just slip one earpiece through it. You can hang hundreds of pairs of sunglasses on that. Use cable ties to tie the ends together, and to anchor it to the top of the post.”

  “We’ve got two of those posts very close together in the front of the store. Hell, we could even string one around both of them together and have even more space for glasses!”

  “Yeah. And you’ve got a bunch of kayaks, right?” He nods. “You can put one on top of some pallets and fill it with bait buckets. Or a jon boat! Flat bottom!”

  His eyes light up. “We could turn a jon boat upside down over some drums and make a big, long display table with it!”

  “Yeah. It’s not fancy, but it’ll get you through the grand opening until you can get the fixtures. Did you find another company?”

  “Blake did, but it’s going to take them three weeks to get what we need to Houston.”

  “Well, there ya go. It’s not a permanent answer, but it’ll get you through.”

  He stares at me, then grabs me by my upper arms and kisses me―hard. He’s grinning when he pulls back. “My god, Melina, you’re a genius. I’m calling Blake and Brock right now! I think you saved the day, baby.” He turns to run from the room, then stops and wheels back to face me. “You’re coming to Houston with me.”

  “Oh, no, I―”

  “Yes! We’ll leave Wednesday night after you get off work. I’ll charter a plane. You can help me. We’ll get this all worked out. And I’ll make sure you’re back in time for work on Saturday. I can’t believe this. I just can’t. Oh, god, this’ll work,” he’s murmuring as he heads out of the room in search of his phone.

  “You’re welcome!” I yell in his direction.

  “Thank you, baby!” I hear him yell back toward me, and he’s laughing too.

  * * *

  I’m not there on Wednesday when Marie comes to pick him up. Boone says he told her what happened, gave her the pills the doctor prescribed, and away she went. Baker’s been like a little zombie. As we’re headed to the airport that evening, he says, “And when I told him I’d see him Sunday, I could’ve sworn she snorted.”

  “What was that about?”

  “I have no idea.”

  We get to Houston late, and I’m surprised to find Brock and Blake already there. I wasn’t expecting that, even though I know Blake is in charge of company expansion. Boone and Blake want to go pick up dinner, so Brock and I sit down in the suite and talk. “And he’s all strung out over this and Baker. His li
ttle friend’s death has really torn both of them up.”

  “Yeah. Boone’s barely able to function when Baker’s really bad. Blake and I try to pick up the slack, but some things only he can do.”

  “He said everybody in the family had been tested?”

  He nods. “Everybody in our family, everybody in Marie’s family, everybody in Kara and Misti’s families, and nobody is a decent match. So he’s on the list. God only knows if he’ll get a kidney in time.”

  “How’s Kara?”

  “Good, as always. The kids are good too.”

  “And my next question …”

  “Yeah. I’m still hopeful we’ll have another little Lawson in the next year or so.”

  “That would be great.”

  We spend the rest of the time chatting about silly things, dancing around the elephant in the room, Baker’s health. When the guys get back, we eat our dinner and then everybody’s off to bed. What I get is pure lovemaking. Boone needs the comfort I can provide, and I need to feel connected to him. We meet each other’s needs, and it’s a sweet thing.

  The next morning at seven we hit the ground running. He told me to bring my athletic shoes, and that was wise on his part. We’re all over the store, everywhere. Two trucks show up with pallets so we have plenty, and they’re nice ones too, smooth and stain-free. Because those displays will be bigger than the usual ones, we have to make decisions about placement, shopping flow, all of that. I didn’t know he has a whole merchandising team that goes from store to store doing setup, but all eight of them are here, and we’re all working as hard and fast as we can. I’ve got leather gloves on, helping them move pallets, and I’m exhausted by noon. He orders food and has it delivered, so we eat and keep going.

  By six it’s really starting to shape up. Brock and I hang the net and secure it, and the boxes of sunglasses are sitting at the bases of the posts, ready to be hung up. They’ve used four jon boats as displays, with several items on top and extra stock underneath. At nine, I step to the front of the store and look toward the back, sweeping my gaze across it to see how it looks.