“Yes. Oh, this is going to really upset her and Dad. Who am I kidding? I’m upset.” She dropped her head back on the table. “I want the baby. I just wanted to be married to the man first.”
“Do you want me to get Mom?” Mindi asked, rubbing Lisa’s shoulder, not sure how to comfort her.
Just then Jamie came through the door from the living room. “What do you want me for?” When she heard her mom walk in Lisa’s head came back up again. Jamie took one look at her daughter, and added, “I’m here to help.”
Lisa groaned and dropped her head back down on her arms on the table. She tried to speak, but once again no sound came out. Finally, Mindi got tired of waiting and Lisa heard her say, “She’s pregnant.”
At first, she didn’t hear anything from her mom, and she was starting to wonder what she was thinking. When she finally looked up at her, Jamie just said, “I knew there was something more going on than there was still tension from you having taken him unawares. That day you cut your foot open, I had figured this was what had happened.” Jamie pulled a chair out and sat down. “You’re not normally that clumsy, and I could tell when I found you in the bathroom, your conversation was very serious.”
Lisa was so surprised her mom didn’t even bother to ask whose baby it was, she finally managed to crack a smile. She titled her head sideways, and looked her mother in the eyes. “Wow, you added that up fast.”
“Oh, please, the only ones more obvious than you and James, was Luke and Mindi.”
“He asked me if I had told you yet. When I told him no, he said he thought you had figured it out. I could tell by the look on his face, he thought you were acting strange.”
“Well, you’re always telling us he’s brilliant,” Jamie said, unable to help the laugh that passed her lips. “Your dad and I always wondered why you two never dated for real.”
“It doesn’t matter. He’s still barely talking to me.” Lisa was starting to cry again.
“Have you told him this yet?” Jamie asked, getting up to walk around to wrap her arms around her daughter.
Lisa shook her head. “No. I just took the test thirty minutes ago.”
“Okay. My guess, this is why he’s been avoiding coming to dinner with you. I’ll invite him myself. I know you don’t want him to feel trapped, but you’re going to have to tell him.”
“I know. I’m not looking forward to it though. You know how he feels about children, and a father’s responsibility. He’s going to make a complete one eighty because I’m pregnant.”
“Well, you want to marry him. Why does that bother you?” Mindi asked, not sure she was following right.
“I don’t want him to marry me because I’m pregnant. Would you want that to be the reason Luke was marrying you?” she asked, giving Mindi a knowing look.
Mindi just shook her head and whispered, “No.”
“I’m not doing that.” Lisa turned her head, and looked up at her mother to look her in the eyes. “No offence, Mom, but that’s the only reason I’m upset about being pregnant. I want this baby.”
“I’m not offended. I do wish you had waited till you were married, but we all make mistakes from time to time.” Jamie dropped her arms from around Lisa and turned toward the swinging doors. “I’m going to go to the garage and tell him to come to dinner in person. He’ll be less likely to try and get out of it that way. Do you two think you could start dinner? There’s roasts in the fridge. You probably should go ahead and start them.”
Lisa just nodded her head.
“Baby Girl, everything is going to be fine. This will work out. All of us, except for you, know he’s in love with you.”
*******
When Luke made it to dinner that night, James was with him. Apparently, being summoned by Jamie was what he had needed to get him there. He looked really nervous. It made Lisa think of the phrase, long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. He acted like he wanted to avoid talking to her. That just made her that much more determined to talk to him.
“Hey, James. How are you? I’ve missed you.” She saw pain flash in his eyes just for a second before he managed to control it.
“Yeah, I’ve missed you too.” Despite all the effort he had put into avoiding her, he sounded like he meant it.
“Really? Then, would you please, stop avoiding me?” There was that flash of pain again, but he didn’t answer. She didn’t understand. He knew if they had kept going like they had been he was going to make a complete fool of himself. He still couldn’t believe she loved him like he loved her.
*******
They were halfway done getting everything ready to sit down and eat when Zane walked in. He just walked over and pulled Mindi into his arms. When he looked down at her, he had a strange look on his face.
“How are you doing, Sis? Still having those bad dreams?”
“They’re getting better. What’s going on? You’re acting strange.”
“I’ve been dealing with Tracy Lewis’ case all day. They finally decided to commit her to a mental hospital. I learned a lot of new and interesting facts today. Scary facts.”
“What facts?”
“We knew her obsession was with you, not really Luke. Now I know what was fueling that obsession.”
“We already know that, too. She hated me because I would stand up for the other kids when she would pick on them.”
“Actually, that wasn’t it at all. She’s in love with you. When you stood up to her, she decided you hated her and thought you were better than her.”
“She was in love with me?” she asked, sounding shocked. Zane still had his arms around her, and felt her shudder.
“No. She is in love with you. Or as much as she can be with how sick she really is.”
“I’m confused. I didn’t realize she was a lesbian. She’s always dated men.”
“Apparently, she dated men to keep it a secret. She probably didn’t think she would be accepted here if it got out. As narrow minded as a lot of people can be in this town, they might have tried to run her out on a rail. She was probably right to hide it.”
“It sounds like, if she had gone ahead and moved to Kansas City like she told her parents she said she was going to, she might have been happier there,” Luke said, giving Mindi a look of concern. “People would most likely be a lot more accepting in an area like that.”
“Maybe. We’ll probably never know. She’s most likely going to be locked up for a very long time. Just not in a prison.”
“Is fear of not being accepted what made her so mean?”
“Maybe part of it. The doctor said she really does have a chemical imbalance, but she really is racist. Well, he used the term white supremacist. Now that they have her medicated, she doesn’t understand why she had a thing for Luke. She called him a dirty Indian and said you need to realize you’re better than he is.”
“Wow, that’s a complete turnaround,” she said, finally pulling out of Zane’s arms to walk over to Luke. She just wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his neck.
“She decided back in high school you needed to pay for thinking you were better than her. She realized you were in love with him then. He was never more than a means to an end for her. To get back at you.”
“Oh, God,” Mindi groaned, hugging Luke tighter.
“We’re actually lucky she hadn’t tried anything before now. Like when he was on a date with her.”
When Luke felt Mindi start to shake, he tightened his arms around her. “Zane, I think that’s enough. It’s over now, and were both still here and in one piece. I don’t want her over thinking it.”
“I know. This is going to get out though, and I thought it would be better if she heard it from me.”
“He’s right, Luke. I needed to know.”
“I know. Just don’t start thinking it’s your fault somehow. It’s not.”
“I know it’s not. It’s just now, I’m kind of feeling sorry for her. Well, except for the white supremacist vi
ews she has. That part is still inexcusable.”
*******
The table was finally set, and everyone was taking their seats. When Mindi came across the kitchen with the pot roast, Lisa was hit with a wave of nausea, and she had to jump back up and make a run for the bathroom. She had been in the bathroom for a couple of minutes when her mom followed her. “Sweetie, are you okay?”
She still had her head bent over the toilet when she mumbled, “I’ve been better.”
She could hear her mom running water in the sink. She wasn’t surprised when her mom walked over to her and sat down on the edge of the bathtub to hand her a wash cloth. “Her sweetheart. Wipe your face. It will help a little bit.”
She sat back and took the wash cloth and held it over her face. “I’ve not been able to take the smell of meat lately. Cooked or raw either one. I’ve been running back and forth to the bathroom all afternoon. I don’t know how I’m supposed to eat dinner with everyone.”
“Then don’t try.”
“I’ve really missed eating bacon cheeseburgers the last few weeks, but beef and pork are the worst.”
“I’ll make you a plate with the other stuff, and you can go out and sit on the back porch.”
“Okay. Will you give me some peanut butter too, please?”
“Sure. Is that your choice of protein?” She couldn’t help but grin down at her daughters bent head.
“Well, I can at least hold it down, and it tastes really good right now. I’ve ate a lot of it lately. That and boiled eggs. I had been suspecting I was pregnant for a couple of weeks. I just couldn’t bring myself to take a test until today. It was part fear I was, and part fear I wasn’t.”
“Okay. I’ll go fix you a plate. Take your time.” Jamie got back up and headed for the door, still grinning. It wasn’t the way she wanted a grand baby, but she knew they’d get this worked out. She knew they both loved each other enough to work through the tough parts.
“Thanks,” Lisa said, sounding weak to her own ears.
A few minutes later when she made it back to the kitchen, her mom was over at the counter, spooning out peanut butter on her plate. She took the plate and a glass of milk her mom had poured her and walked out the back door without looking back at the table. She didn’t have to look at James to know he was staring at her. His eyes had been following her from the moment she walked back into the kitchen. She knew he had figured out what was going on and he would follow her outside.
She went over and sat down on the swing and placed her glass of milk on the rail. It only took James about a minute to follow her.
At first, he didn’t say anything. He just stood there staring at her. When he finally spoke, he sounded a mix between hurt and angry. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She gave him a dirty look. She didn’t have to ask him what he meant. “I just took a test this afternoon. That’s why Mom came to issue an invitation. You were avoiding me. I didn’t say anything the minute you walked in the door, because I wanted to tell you in private.”
“I’m sorry. I never even thought about it. I was too busy beating myself up.”
He knelt down in front of her. His mind was having trouble fully wrapping around it. She was really pregnant with his baby. He knew he should be more upset, but right now, he was just so excited there were no words to accurately express how he felt. He had dreamed of them having children together more times than he could count. That was the only excuse he could offer for why he asked what he did, the way he asked it.
“When do you want to get married?”
“I knew this was going to happen,” she said giving him a dirty look. “I’m not going to marry you just because I’m pregnant. That’s no reason to get married.”
“This is my baby, too.” He stood up with an angry huff. “I will take care of our baby.”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t let you be involved with the baby. I said I wouldn’t marry you because of the baby.” She stood up, glaring up at him. She had gotten so close she was almost looking straight up at the roof of the porch. At only five-foot six-inches in her bare feet, she was nine inches shorter than his six three. “If you want me to marry you, you’re going to have to come up with a better reason.”
She never saw it coming. He picked her up, and brought her face level with his. He held her against his body with one arm, and used his other hand to hold her head still.
When his mouth claimed hers, she went limp, and started to shake. She managed to snake her arms up around his neck, and grab the back of his head with her hands. She was afraid he was going to stop and put her back down. She hadn’t gotten nearly enough of this before he started avoiding her.
He pulled back on her ponytail and ran a line of kisses over her chin and down her neck. She groaned and tried to bring his mouth back up to her lips. He wouldn’t let her. He seemed determined to stay on his set path. By the time he made it to the top button of her top, she was panting, and her world was spinning out of control.
“How about the fire that erupts between us whenever we touch? Is that a good enough reason? That’s why I was avoiding you. I knew I’d have no hope of keeping my hands off you. Not after that one glorious night you spent in my bed. In my arms. You like to cuddle in your sleep. I’m guessing you didn’t know that. When I got up to leave for work, you tried to pull me back in bed with you. The memories have been making me crazy. You don’t know how many times I’ve almost given in and came over to your apartment in the middle of the night to crawl in bed with you.”
“James, please.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“Marry me.”
“Not until you get it right.” She was still struggling to breath, and it came out as a whisper.
“How right does it have to get? This feels pretty right to me,” he said, nearly growling out of frustration.
“Please, put me down. There is only one reason I will marry you.” She was about to cry, and he could hear it in her voice.
“Okay. I’ll back off for now. But don’t think this is over.”
Chapter 9 – Thursday, September 6
“Lisa, if you’re going to be stubborn about not marrying James until he tells you he loves you, without being prompted, you need to move back in with your dad and I. I don’t like you living alone right now.”
“Well, Mom, do you think I’m wrong? Should I just marry him, without knowing for sure he truly loves me and wants to marry me?” She burst into tears and sat down, too shaky to hold herself up. “Jenny’s just across the hall. I’ll be fine.”
“Please, humor me. Listen to yourself. This is not fine. I know Jenny would help you in an instant, but she’s not home all the time.” Jamie sat down and took her daughter’s hands in hers. “And no, I don’t think you should marry him without knowing he truly loves you. It’s just that we all know he does love you.”
Lisa just looked at her mom, tears still shining in her eyes. “Please, Lisa. I’m worried about you, and I think James would sleep better at night if he knew you were over here with your dad and I. You have no idea how worried he is about you right now. He’s afraid you’re going to get too weak, as well.”
“I’ll think about it.” Lisa knew she was beat, but she was still trying to hold out. She was afraid she was going need the apartment after the baby was born.
“Lisa, you’re an emotional wreck, and you spend more time throwing up than you do holding food down. If you say no, I’ll just have Luke and James move your stuff anyway.”
“Okay, Mom. I don’t have the energy to argue with you. I knew I was going to lose this one the second it started.”
“Good. I’ll talk to Luke and James tonight about moving your stuff this weekend. You need to get some stuff for tonight and tomorrow night. You and Mindi can go here in a little bit.”
“Mom, I can go by myself. Mindi doesn’t have to go with me. She’s got enough to do without having to babysit me on top of all of it.”
“No. Either she goes with you
, or I go with you.”
“It’s okay, Lisa. I don’t mind going with you,” Mindi said, fighting to hold back a grin. Lisa looked like she’d just ate a sour lemon.
“I guess I don’t have a say in this.”
“No. I’m afraid you’re going to get too weak. You can’t hold enough down.”
“Mom, I’m not the first woman to go through morning sickness.”
“This isn’t all morning sickness, and you know it.”
“Okay, but they don’t need to move everything. I’m going to keep the apartment.”
“No, you’re not. By the time this baby is born, you’ll be married. At the very least, you’ll be engaged.”
“I wish I felt as certain about that,” she said, starting to cry again, only re-enforcing her mom’s point.
“Lisa, he’s going to get it. Everything’s going to work out.”
“I know you’re normally right about these things. I’m just going to have to have faith you’re right this time, too. It’s just really scary. He’s the only one I’m ever going to love that way. I want to raise this baby with him as a family.”
That evening at dinner, when Jamie asked Luke and James to move Lisa’s stuff they both agreed to start moving things the next evening after work. Lisa noticed James look up at her mother and mouth the words thank you. It made her suspicious. “What was that about?” she asked, looking up at him.
“What was what about?” He tried to look innocent, but didn’t even come close.
Lisa rolled her eyes. “Don’t play dumb with me. You know full well what I’m talking about.”
“No, I don’t,” he said, still not looking all that innocent.
“James,” she growled, “you’re not a very good liar. Oh, forget it. I’ll just ask Mom.” She turned to see Jamie staring at James as if to ask, now what.
“Mom, tell me,” she said, her voice rising with irritation.
“Okay. It was his idea at first,” she said, throwing James an apologetic look. “But I do agree with him. You don’t need to be alone right now.”
Oh, Baby! (The Townsends Book 2) Page 7