by Eva Morian
At checkout Cherish ignored the price the cashier said and simply turned the other way. This man racked up the bills in her mind she’d have to repay. Once they had a quick diaper change and feeding, they were off to Wal-Mart and just when she thought it would be easier. It wasn’t.
Cherish dully pointed to the last car seat, on the shelf which was the most expensive at eighty dollars, “What about this one?” She asked. He already shot down the others passionately. The cushions weren’t comfy enough. The safety rating was properly displayed, the colors were gaudy. She pressed both hands to her lower back and leaned away with a sigh.
The expression on Simon’s face wasn’t pleased at all by the selection they had. He put a great amount of priority into Jr. before he was born and now he had two. He wouldn’t settle for anything less. The safety rating bothered him the most because that was important if an accident occurred. “She won’t be comfortable and the last thing I need is for my baby to fly out of the window.” He argued.
Cherish scratched the back of her ear as she returned her gaze towards the line of six car seats and didn’t bring up the fact that he staked a claim on Jasmine as his own. It touched her a bit because she was always worried Jasmine wouldn’t have anyone to at about her as she did, “She won’t fly out of a window and we can’t keep driving around without her in a seat like Jr. Are you really going to put her at risk and drive back to the other store?” She asked.
Simon stared at her and was about to protest but the words of wisdom that Doctor Cline shared stopped him. He sighed out of his nose, “Alright. We can get this one just, keep the warranty. I will be filling it out and sending it off tonight.” He said with a bit of a smile.
Feeling at ease, Cherish smiled at him, “Thank you. This will be fine. She’ll outgrow it soon.” She said.
Simon snorted as he pulled the box off the shelf and placed it in the cart before he made his way for the clothes. Cherish decided to search for a box of diapers. With two babies in the house, she felt as though the box they had wouldn’t be enough. She looked only at the prices and bypassed the name brand, tried and true, for a box of generic. Walking back to the cart, she placed the box in below and blinked at how Simon’s eye critically judged her selection. Cherish tried not to laugh, but he was funny when serious, “Oh now what?” She questioned exasperatedly.
Simon gave her a look as though he wanted her to explain herself, “What are you trying to strap onto their butts? Those will probably leak after an hour. I’m not going to clean that.” He warned. Though he complained, it was nice to see her smile and enjoy herself; even at his expense. The fact of the matter was, this whole ordeal distracted him enough to forget his grief in the moment.
Cherish blinked dully at Simon before she sighed, grabbed the diapers, and returned them to the shelf. She didn’t understand how spending six dollars more made the diapers better, but she wasn’t going to argue. Compromise, he accepted her choice of seat, she’d accept his expensive diapers. Grabbing a box of Huggies, she returned to the cart, “I thought you would have something to say about the clothes.” She answered truthfully.
Simon picked up tiny newborn dresses. He had ideas about what color Jasmine would look best in, but he wasn’t into fashion, “I don’t hate the clothes. They look cute, but I know, like all other merchandise here, their stuff doesn’t last long. So, you must buy new clothes and shoes more often. Which ends up being more expensive in the long run…” Simon looked at her, “…but, I’m doing this because you insisted.” He said with a smile.
Cherish rolled her eyes upward. He had a point, she just wasn’t going to admit it. To her, kids grew like weeds, so they’d be out of the clothes before they tore. Seeing the boys section, she went straight for the onesies. They were cheap, versatile, and had cute little slogans on them. Exactly up her alley. She held one up with a mustache printed across the front, “What about this one?” She asked with a grin.
Simon grabbed a small purple dress with frills along the bottom. This was the one he wanted to get for Jasmine, “Huh?” He asked in a daze. Looking at what she held, he smiled, “Is that what you want him in? It’s cute.” He answered.
Looking down at the little gray outfit, Cherish nodded, “I think I do.” She said to herself. She peered into his little seat and paused, “I think I’ll get a bigger size.” She whispered. Simon chuckled a bit because he knew Jr. was a lot to love. Nodding to herself, she switched them out before she caught sight of the dress in his hands, “That’s really pretty. She’ll look like a doll.” Though she didn’t want to admit, Cherish loved the dress. Mainly because she wasn’t given the opportunity to give Jasmine the pretty outfits she deserved. When she found out she was pregnant with a girl, Cherish knew with Todd, dressing her up wouldn’t be possible; he made sure of it. She then wet her lips. Her back was hurting, and she was ready get back to the house, “Is that all then?” She asked.
Simon nodded, “It’s perfect. All we need are a pack of onesies for Jasmine and we’re finished.” He said picking up the first pink bunch he found.
Once their items were purchased, they left for the car. Cherish sighed as her back melted against the seat. She kept her arms around Jasmine and they both decided one more ride to the house wouldn’t hurt her. The seat would be set up in the backseat once they’d returned home. Even though they hadn’t done much in the day, Simon felt incredibly exhausted in all aspects of the word. He wanted to go home and lay down for a long time.
Leaning her head back, Cherish scratched along her arm before she glancing out of the window. The trees were a vibrant green and the leaves blew gently in the warm wind. The suburbs seemed so peaceful and perfect compared to where she was raised. Then the world Todd promised to give her wasn’t far from what she was used to. This was a nice change and was easy to get lost in the comfort of it all. She looked at Simon for a long moment before she spoke up, “We have leftovers from last night for lunch.” She said. She then looked down at the kids and a smile touched her features, “We can dress the kids up in their outfits after they wake up. I can’t wait to see them.” The aura in the car was pleasant to say the least. Much easier to swallow than the first time she accompanied him home from the hospital.
Simon glanced back at her through the rearview mirror, “Sounds good.” He replied. With his eyes on the road, he felt good. Cherish’s food was going to hit the spot because he loved the previous night’s dinner. Once the babies were done sleeping, it was play time.
She was quiet and recognized the houses once they turned on his street. Cherish looked across the car, towards the other window, when her eyebrows tucked together. There was a woman and a man standing on the doorstep.
Simon groaned out loud and reality struck him in his core once more, “Oh no…” he muttered.
They watched the car as Simon crept by and she could feel their heated gazes glare at her. She automatically felt on edge as she gripped onto Jasmine on instinct, “S-Simon, who are they?” She asked.
His mood dropped instantly while he parked behind their car and unlocked the doors, “Those are my parents.” He answered in a defeated tone. Cherish’s head snapped in his mother’s direction and her mouth parted slightly. Once again, she felt as though the shaky ground she stood on was ripped out from beneath her.
Chapter 4
The mood within the car was tense. Simon was shaken about how he was going to explain himself now. Emily’s parents were easy, his own on the other hand, weren’t. He couldn’t help but feel guilty from the way his mother stared at him as he exited the car. He didn’t want to cause a scene which could possibly bring the neighbors into their business. In fact, he wasn’t sure they even knew that Cherish existed and he wanted to keep it that way. She didn’t deserve to be gossiped about, and he didn’t want to tarnish he and Emily’s image.
He purposefully left the shopping bags in the car as the door shut. Trying to act civil and normal, Simon pulled Jr.’s car seat from the anchor and brought him up the path towar
ds the front door, “This is an unexpected visit. You should have called so I would’ve made sure to have been home.” He said while trying to gloss over the obvious issue. Wanting to be rid of the awkward atmosphere, he didn’t want to make things worse. At least not until they got inside of the house.
His mother didn’t move in her stance or speak. His father arched an eyebrow at him. Unlocking the door, he held it open and waited for Cherish and his parents, “Come. Come in.” He said.
Neither of them listened.
His mother watched Cherish who took her time and exited the car with Jasmine in her arms. So, Emily’s parents were telling the truth. Not only did her son bring another woman in the house in the wake of her daughter-in-law’s death, but, there was a baby. One that, upon closer inspection, was quite fair in comparison to her mother. Simon’s mother held her breath and rolled her shoulders back as Cherish advanced closer.
Pausing, the two women stared at each other without moving a muscle. Simon’s father could feel the stress radiating from his wife. He then placed both hands on her shoulders and kept an eye on Cherish as he spoke, “Let’s take this inside.” He whispered. With a pull against his wife, she finally relented and turned her back to Cherish silently.
Cherish looked nervously from side to side and debated on if she should enter the house. Following them, Simon’s father allowed his wife to pass and, like a gentleman, waited for her as well. Waiting, Simon stayed by her side once she entered. With the door shut, Cherish kept her head down. His mother stared between the two of them before shutting her eyes, “Explain yourself Simon Gabot IV before I lose my composure.” She stated through gritted teeth.
Cherish could feel the tension in the air. Wait, Simon was a fourth? Did that mean that Jr. was a fifth? Looking at Simon’s father, she naturally deduced that his name was Simon as well.
Simon took a measured breath. She used his number which told him he’d fair better to get on with his explanation sooner than later, “This is Cherish Montgomery. She’s a friend of Emily and I. We met again at the hospital. She and Emily gave birth back to back. She was stranded so…” He felt a sudden bout of heaviness. Clearing his throat, he pushed his emotion away and continued, “…knowing Emily would do this without question, she and her daughter have been staying with us.” He answered.
Cherish shifted uncomfortably. Just when she was about to greet them herself, his mother’s face stopped her. Her eyebrows were in the air, her arms were crossed tightly at her chest, and she licked across her teeth. Slowly, her hazel gaze glanced over to Cherish before it returned to her son, “A friend? That’s funny, I’ve never heard of Emily or you speak of a friend. Especially with a name as unique as Cherish.” His mother then flicked her gaze to Cherish who in turn clenched her teeth together, “Are you sure this is a friend that Emily knew about, Simon? A cheater in our family. Choose your next answer wisely son, or you will be responsible for your mother’s demise.”
“I’ve never cheated on anyone.” He said clearly. His mom was jumping ahead, and he was aware, “She was a recent friend. We met Cherish and Todd on a hospital visit. Emily was very taken to her.” He said. Hesitating for a moment, he decided to be truthful, “Todd didn’t give the best impression, so we worried about her. Especially Emily. When I saw her at the hospital and heard the doctor’s saying she couldn’t take Jasmine home, I jumped in and pretended that she lived with us.” He said.
Feeling a bit of relief in the stress she was enduring, Simon’s mother blew out softly and stared at Cherish. Her demeanor loosened a bit and her arms uncrossed. Still, she had her reserves within the struggle that silently burdened their family, “I see. Cherish, I apologize for not speaking to you sooner. I needed to have a word with my boy.” She stated.
Cherish gave her a soft, withheld smile all while she shifted Jasmine in her arms, “N-no. I understand, really. I wouldn’t want to speak to a potential mistress either. I know what this looks like but I just…want to assure you that Emily’s husband has been a perfect gentleman.” She replied.
Simon’s mother inhaled a deep breath and returned a tight smile, “Yes. I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions. I am out of sorts. Why weren’t you allowed to take your daughter home?” She asked.
Cherish felt a bit of shame bear down on her shoulders, “B-because I…I don’t have one ma’am.” She answered.
His mother blinked a few times and could see the blatant pain resonating between both her son and Cherish’s face. Each person in that room was suffering and dealing with their own stress, “Oh. I’m so sorry, where are my manners? My name is Margaret, and this is my husband, Simon.” She introduced. Both men felt relief once Margaret eased up and let her guard down. Simon Sr. had the same suspicions as his wife but wasn’t as forthright to push it in the young lady’s face. She clasped her hands awkwardly together before she cleared her throat and held her hand out, “You’re a new mother so please, have a seat with your little girl.” She offered stretching her neck to catch a glimpse of Jasmine.
Nodding, Cherish waddled into the living room and took a seat. She huffed out a winded breath before she looked to the crib, sighed, and pushed herself to her feet. She didn’t want to be a bother or show that she was an ingrate. Seeing her struggles, Margaret hurried over and stood in front of Cherish with her arms held out, “Here. I’ll put her down for you.” She offered.
Pausing, Cherish nodded and trusted her enough to do the right thing. In her eyes, Margaret didn’t seem like a bad person, just a mother who wanted to protect her family and a woman who struggled internally; just like her, “Oh, thank you.” Cherish whispered handing Jasmine over.
Margaret took the time to stare at Jasmine’s little face as she made her way to the crib, “Oh, she’s a doll.” She whispered.
“Thank you. She’s my little blessing. I don’t have many to count so, she’s precious.” Cherish replied quietly.
As Margaret and Cherish spoke, Simon Sr. gave his son an appraising look. He saw how attractive this particular woman was and knew his son’s type. In fact, when Simon brought Emily home the first time, they were very surprised. He had to ask to make sure without the pressure of his wife near them, “So, nothing between you? At all?” He questioned in a whisper.
Simon knew from experience that his dad would ask him one on one after being grilled by his mother. That’s how it worked in his household when he grew up for many years. Though, this time, he answered the same as before, “Nothing at all.”
Simon Sr. still seemed a bit skeptical. He turned his glance towards the girls further in the home before he nodded, “Hmmm. If you say so.” He muttered to himself.
Margaret once again clasped her hands together and tucked her straight, black hair behind her ears, “It’s quite hot out there, isn’t it?” She asked.
Cherish rubbed her pinky finger beneath her eyes and nodded, “Very. But, at least I don’t have to go through the rest of the summer pregnant.” She said with an awkward smile.
Margaret pressed a palm to her cheek, “That’s true. I got pregnant in the Spring. That was a god-awful experience.” She replied giving Cherish a smile. Stepping away, she advanced closer to the kitchen, “Are you thirsty, Cherish? Would you like something to drink?” She asked.
“Uh, yes please.” She answered.
Margaret nodded before she went to make a glass of lemonade before she paused, “Boys, do you want something to drink?” She called waving a hand, “Son, come here for a moment and help me with these drinks please.” She said.
Knowing she wanted to speak to him privately, Simon crossed the room and nodded to Cherish. He set Jr. down in the crib beside Jasmine and, with one last look, turned away.
Things were going to be okay.
Simon sat on a barstool across from his mother, “It’s been a trying time, but you’re welcome here.” He stated while leaning on the counter and clasping his hands together.
Margaret cut her gaze to her son, “Of course, I am welcome here. I’m yo
ur mother. We shared bodies for nine and a half months.” She retorted. Pausing, she lowered her voice as she poured the lemonade, “I take that you know why we came so early.” She asked rhetorically.
Simon smirked as his mother’s sarcasm chewed into him. In a sense, it was refreshing. At least she wasn’t truly angry. Though the situation was odd, she didn't think that she'd leave her son alone one day and the next have a whole half a family under his roof. But, she had to respect him and trust his judgement. At first glance Cherish seemed like a girl who was simply down on her luck. But, was she always this way?
“Emily’s parents I’m guessing.” He answered. Sighing, he pulled his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose, “I wonder what they’re thinking.” He whispered to himself. Looking downward, they had been on good terms, but the thought had crossed his mind they wouldn’t have the same relationship now that Emily was gone. Now, with what happened the day before with Cherish, he was even more uncertain.
Simon Sr. went around the sofa and peered into the crib. Jasmine opened her eyes and stared off at the blue bumper lining the bars. He smiled because she was incredibly precious beside his grandson. Turning to look at Cherish, the way he was dressed with his glasses, he looked like a time capsule of his son in twenty years, “She has beautiful eyes. You’re really blessed.” He said.
Cherish glanced over at Simon Sr. and gave him a weary smile, “Thank you. Jr. is a very handsome boy. You all have very strong genes in your family.” She replied.
Simon Sr. was surprised. Cherish was humble and charming. He took her compliment as a way for her to say she found both him and his son to be handsome. He wasn’t entirely convinced that Simon wasn’t Jasmine’s father so, he had to ask, “And what about you? Who does Jasmine take after? You or her father?”