“Makayla, how many times have we told you to stop looking for bad things to happen. The world is not against you. Yeah, you’ve had more than your share of tragedy. I’d say you’re due for something good to happen.”
“Whatever. I’ve told you, now you have to tell me.”
Lisa cringed, not sure how to start. “Obviously, we had sex,” she said with a blush. “Great, now I sound like Mindi.”
“I’ve never heard Mindi sound like that.”
“Luke’s rubbing off on her.”
“Luke doesn’t sound like that either.”
“Mindi’s version of Luke’s plain spoken-ness sounds like that.”
“Oh, now I’m starting to catch on,” Makayla said with a nod. “Continue, please.”
“It’s only happened once, so far. But if he doesn’t stop, there’s a big chance it’ll happen again before we get this worked out.”
“Really?” Makayla asked with a mischievous grin. “What’s he need to stop?”
“He kisses me all the time.”
“How is that bad?”
Lisa just gave her a slightly annoyed look, and continued without answering. “He just hasn’t told me he loves me, and I won’t marry him until he does.”
“Hey, no worries. Surely, he’ll figure it out now. You’ll me married in no time.”
“I sure hope so.”
“That’s why I wanted to see you. To congratulate you on the baby, and ask why I hadn’t been invited to the wedding. Since there hasn’t been a wedding yet, maybe I can help plan it.”
“Sounds great. Hey, Dad’s going to barbecue tonight.”
“Tonight? It’s October. It’ like forty degrees out there now.”
“Yeah, we’re going to have to eat in the kitchen. Do you want to come back?”
“No. I’m not ready to deal with all the questions yet. No offence, but you know Zane won’t be able to keep himself from asking, even if everybody else can.”
“Yeah, I know. Maybe next time?”
“Yeah, that sounds good.”
*******
Since Lisa was finally over getting sick at the smell of meat, their dad was out back, getting ready to grill steaks for everyone like he had promised. He had been babying Lisa almost as much as James had since they had found out she was pregnant. He had jumped at the chance to make her happy. He wanted grandchildren. A lot. However, the concern for his daughter was really starting to wear on him. He would be almost as happy as Lisa when James finally accepted the truth that she loved him as much as he did her. It was like he wanted it so bad, he couldn’t believe it was really possible.
That was what was really going on. He didn’t need to figure anything out. The man’s head had to accept what his heart already knew. James’ biggest hurdle was always the way he over thought everything.
Carl had seen it on his face several times over the last few days. Lisa would say something to try and lead him in the right direction, and he’d almost tell her he loved her. Then the fear would kick in and he’d start thinking again. There was a couple of times he got so scared, Carl thought he was going to puke.
There was one thing that was for sure, though. This baby was going to be the world’s most loved baby. It was about the only thing anyone talked about. Between Luke and Mindi’s wedding and the baby, they barely found time to talk about anything else. And that included most of the smaller children. They were all just as excited about the baby as the adults. Except for maybe Nathan. That was only because he was angry at James, and his mom wouldn’t let him kick him in the shins.
Mindi was so excited, she had been trying to talk Luke into trying to get pregnant as soon as they were married. She was starting to wear him down. He wanted children just as much as she did. He just wanted to wait a couple of years before they started having them. He wanted them to have some time to themselves. And he was also worried about her trying to finish college. Carl was starting to suspect it was a lost cause though. It was almost as hard for Luke to tell Mindi no, as it was for Zane to stop ribbing his brothers and sisters. Nearly impossible.
Carl was lighting the second grill when Mindi came outside to see him. “Hi Daddy.”
“Hey, Baby Girl. How are you doing today?”
“I’m great, actually,” Mindi said with that grin of hers. She’d obviously got her way on something else.
“Oh, really? What has Luke consented to this time?” Carl would feel sorry for the guy, if it wasn’t for the fact that he knew the only thing that made Luke happy, was making Mindi happy.
“He said we could have as many children as I want. It’s totally up to me,” she said, leaning over to give her dad a kiss on the cheek. “He just wants at least two. He didn’t like being an only child, and he doesn’t want to put a child through that.”
“Oh, boy. Does he know what he’s letting himself in for? I’m wondering if he knows that’s how your mom and I ended up with sixteen of you,” her dad said with mock pain, as he grabbed his chest.
“I don’t know,” Mindi said, laughing. “I think so. But it’s a moot point. I don’t want sixteen kids. Three or four will be a full enough house for me.” After a second thought, Mindi added, “Aren’t you the one that is always saying, you can never have too many babies around?”
“Okay. You’ve caught me. I wanted as many as she was willing to have. But just so you know, she would still be having them if her doctor hadn’t told her he thought we needed to quit.”
“At the most, we may have six. I’m not sure yet. It’s kind of a we’ll see as we go kind of thing.”
When he looked at her, he seen that grin cross her face again. “Whatever makes you happy, Baby Girl.”
“Yeah. I still have to talk him into starting immediately.”
“Oh, Baby Girl, you are something else,” he said, shaking his head.
“Mom was wondering if there was anything special you wanted to go with the steaks.”
“I don’t care. Have her ask Lisa. This is for her. She should get to pick.”
“Okay.” Mindi turned, and headed back to the house. Luke was coming out the back door by the time she reached the steps. He stopped her long enough to give her a kiss to make her toes curl.
“Hmmm. I’ll be glad when January gets here.” Luke just chuckled and walked out to where her dad still stood at the grill.
When Mindi got back in the house, she found Lisa and Zane at the kitchen counter wrapping potatoes to bake.
“Come on, Lisa. The man is going nuts trying to figure it out. Why is it so important that we don’t tell him? Why is it necessary for him to figure it out on his own?”
“I need to hear him say the words. And he can’t be prompted. I will not trap him with marriage.”
“He loves you, Lisa. We all know this. He wants to be trapped by you,” Zane said, raising his voice.
“There’s the one part of me that knows this, but there’s a more fragile part that has to hear it.”
“Well, why don’t you try telling him how you feel?” Zane asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
“Don’t do the eyebrow thing at me. His doubts are larger than mine,” Lisa said, her frustration causing her voice to rise. “I’m afraid, if I tell him, it won’t be enough. He has to realize it on his own. Like an epiphany or something. You know how he is. He over thinks everything.”
“If you tell him how you feel, it might open his eyes.”
“But what if it doesn’t?”
“You keep trying,” Zane said, leaning over, and getting in her face.
“I’m not going to marry him without knowing for certain that he wants to marry me as much as I want to marry him. That’s the end of it Zane. No more.”
“Lisa...”
“No. Drop it.”
“You’re being stubborn,” Zane said, dropping his fist down on the counter, and causing the whole thing to shake. “This could have been settled already. Mindi, tell her.”
“Sorry, Zane. I just don’t know what th
e best answer is. I think that’s part of Lisa’s problem, too. She’s kind of feeling around in the dark.” Just then Phillip walked in through the batwing doors, and Zane immediately turned to their oldest brother, believing he would surely get help from him.
“No, Zane. Lisa’s right. If it were you or I, it would help for us to be told. But James is different. He has spent too much time convincing himself that she would never love him that way. He’ll just tell himself she’s telling him what he wants to hear.”
“You could be wrong.”
“Maybe, but ask yourself this. Who has spent the most time with him in the last few years, and would be in the best position to know him the best?” Phillip asked with that rational tone of his.
Zane had finally got tired of arguing and turned and walked out to the backyard with Luke and Carl.
Phillip watched Zane walk through the door with a serious look on his handsome face. “Lisa, I don’t think this is the end of this. You might need to keep an eye on him. You know how he can be when he gets it in his head he’s right about something.”
“Yeah, I know. He walked out of here too easy for my peace of mind too,” Lisa said, still staring at the door.
*******
“Hey Mark, I’m glad you came tonight. I like it when you buy the steaks.” Zane had that mischievous glint in his eye, letting everyone know he was up to his usual.
Mark told Jamie, since he wasn’t present when Carl had promised to grill steaks for everybody, he would be happy to supply them. He really didn’t want to miss out on a good grilled steak, and it gave him another chance to kiss Jenny.
“Yeah, everybody needs a good T-bone now and again, but I’ve got to wonder what you’re leading up to,” he said, a cautious look in his dark blue eyes.
“This has to be the most expensive date you’ve ever had.” Zane couldn’t do innocent, no matter how hard he tried.
Mark rolled his eyes, and just barely stopped the laugh that wanted to burst out. “Zane, you’re going to have her going for blood”
Jenny nearly choked, but resisted the temptation to smack Zane in the back of the head. Her dad must have read the look on her face, because he warned Zane, “You’re sitting a little too close to her right now. And she has a steak knife.”
Ever since Mark had started trying to kiss her silly, the whole family had started talking about her feelings for him much more openly. She still wasn’t completely sure how she felt about that fact. In some ways, it had helped her deal with her fears, and in others, it had made them more pronounced. Zane’s constant ribbing didn’t help.
Zane seemed determined to get her to commit some kind of violence on his person, because even after his dad’s warning, he tried again. While talking to Mark, Zane turned to look at Jenny. “Have you kissed her yet tonight? You need to make sure you get your money’s worth. That should take at least thirty minutes.”
Mark just shook his head, and looked over at Zane. “That was really low man. Do you have enough money in the bank to pay for your funeral expenses when she kills you? If not, we might need to start taking up a collection now. Because when she’s had enough of your word play, my money is on her.”
Jenny couldn’t help it. She ended up laughing so hard, she snorted. That just caused her to laugh harder and snort more. By then everybody else at the table had started laughing too.
“Oh? He’s funny and I’m not?” Zane said, teasing her. “I wonder if that’s more to do with your feelings for him, then to do with you really thinking he’s funny.”
“Actually, I just appreciate his aim better,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes.
Zane decided to give up on Jenny for a while, and turned his attention toward James, and ended up proving Lisa and Phillip right.
“So, James, have you been thinking about what it is Lisa wants from you?” Zane was trying to sound like he was just making conversation, but Lisa wasn’t fooled. When she looked at Phillip, she could tell he was thinking the same thing.
“What kind of question is that, Zane? You know darn well I have.” James was sounding frustrated, and he gave Zane a dirty look. “It’s all I’ve been thinking about.”
“Have you stopped to think, that’s your problem? You’re thinking too hard?”
So far Zane hadn’t said anything too alarming. She had said nearly the same thing several times. But she knew Zane. Like Mark had said, this was leading up to something.
“Yeah, Zane. People keep telling me that.” James looked at Zane with a puzzled look. “I’m starting to think my brain is put in backwards.”
“No. It’s not. Well, maybe. You do tend to think differently than the rest of us. But it’s because your IQ is on average fifteen to twenty points higher than everybody else’s. But that’s not your problem. Maybe, this will help.”
Zane jumped when Lisa kicked him right in the shin, but he was too determined to be easily deterred. “What is it most women are looking for when they’re aiming to get married? The good ones, anyway.” Zane just looked at his sister with an unrepentant expression.
There was that expression Carl had noticed several times before. He was thinking about telling her. “What’s going through your head right now, James?”
Carl was hoping he would just answer without thinking, but his fears had kicked back in already. He just shook his head and mumbled, “Nothing.”
If he didn’t stop thinking like that, he was going to make himself crazy. The more he thought about the possibility of her wanting him to say he loved her, the closer he came to it slipping out. He’d tell her in a second, if he could be sure that was what she wanted. He just had no way of knowing for sure. When she was in his arms, it felt like there was no way she could need anything else. But the second he let her go, the fears came racing back at him. If he had hair on his head, he’d probably be pulling it out right now.
Carl was starting to believe the only way he was going to get it, was to be pushed hard enough he went off on a rant like he was known to do when he got stressed. Carl now found himself thankful the situation was definitely stressful. Of all the things to be thankful for. He suspected the two of them would never have made it this far if Lisa hadn’t gotten pregnant.
“Hey, Zane, Makayla Johnson came by to see me today,” Lisa spoke up, wanting to change the subject.
“Really? Was Ryan with her? Are they moving back?” he asked before shoving a bite of steak in his mouth.
“No, Ryan wasn’t with her. He’s still in Texas. He may or may not know where she is already,” Lisa said a little cryptically.
Zane dropped his chin an inch, raised an eyebrow at her, and asked very slowly, “Why wouldn’t he know where his wife was at?”
“She left him. She seems to think he was cheating on her.”
“No way. Not possible,” he said, shaking his head.
“I know that. She never told me what her proof was, but she didn’t confront him either. You know Ryan better than I do. You know he’ll be up here as soon as he gets the divorce papers.”
“Divorce papers?”
“Yeah, she filed with Sanders when she got to Sapphire Springs yesterday.”
“Matt will probably call him before he gets the papers, but I’m going to call him as soon as dinner is over.”
“I thought you might feel that way,” she said with a look proclaiming her work here was done.
*******
When Lisa noticed she was the only one in the kitchen except for Mark and Jenny, she decided to leave the two to finish up.
She waited till Jenny had her back to her and the doors to the living room. The second she got her chance, she walked past Mark and squeezed his hand. She never looked up at him, or she would have seen the grin that crossed his face. He knew what she was doing. She was giving him some time alone with Jenny. He would have to thank her later.
Lisa wandered down the hall to the game room. When she walked into the room, she found James and Zane playing ping pong, and Mindi and Luke watchi
ng an old black and white movie that she was vaguely familiar with, but couldn’t think of the title of right then.
When Luke heard her come in the door, he looked up at her. “Did you leave Mark and Jenny alone in the kitchen?”
“Yes. I figure he can use a little help from us.” Lisa just grinned. “You know. The kind where we just get out of his way.”
Luke just chuckled. “You’re so thoughtful.”
Lisa sat down beside him and snuggled into his side. “Hey, she wants to kiss him. She wants to marry him. She’s just terrified. I don’t think Zane’s ribbing helps though. Do you think if we all held him down and sat on him, we could get him to stop doing it?”
She heard Zane chuckle. “Yeah right. Go ahead and try. We haven’t had a good family scuffle in a few years. Sounds like fun.”
“I don’t know. I think we need to wait till she gains a few more pounds. She’s still so light, a good stiff wind could blow her away,” Luke said, poking Lisa in the ribs, and causing her to jump.
“Very funny, Luke,” she said, giving him a dirty look. “I’m not skinny.”
“No, you’re healthy. You’re just built smaller. You still don’t weigh enough to hold that ornery thing down.”
“I’d be willing to let her try,” Zane said with a smirk.
“Sorry to put a damper on your plans, but Lisa won’t be scuffling with anyone.” James sounded so serious, you would have thought they were talking about her joining professional wrestling.
Luke just laughed. “There’s the over protective daddy coming out.”
“Just wait till Mindi’s pregnant, and see how you react. You don’t just have one person to worry about and protect. You have two. It’s twice as stressful.”
Oh, Baby! (The Townsends Book 2) Page 11