The Baby Bump

by Tara Wylde

  “Even though she’d never been on a horse before, Sally took to it right away. Loretta found her a nice, quiet mare and has a special saddle. Between the two, Sally was riding completely by herself. It was the coolest thing in the world.”

  “Was?” I ask.

  Cassie’s expression dims. “Sally had a stroke about thirteen months ago. Obviously, she lived, but it took a toll on her. She not only lost some of her fine motor skills, which are slowly returning, but we’ve also seen a decrease in her cognitive function as well.”

  “I’m sorry.” I squeeze her hand. “I can’t even imagine how terrifying that must have been.”

  Cassie takes a deep breath. Based on her expression, she’s pushing her emotions aside. I’m starting to understand that it’s something she does a lot. I can’t help wondering if her need to be in control all the time has to do with her sister’s condition. She can’t control Sally’s health, but she can control every other aspect of her life. I’m not any type of shrink, but the thought process makes sense to me.

  “It’s harder on everyone who knows Sally than it is for her. I don’t think Sally even knew there was something wrong.” Cassie smiles, but it’s bittersweet. “That’s one of the great things about Sally. No matter how bad things are, she just rolls with it. Me, I’ve got to fight everything.”

  Unable to resist, I stop and draw her toward me, engulfing her in a hug. She resists for about two seconds before melting into my body. It’s one of those moments where no words are required.

  I bury my face in Cassie’s silky hair, inhaling the sweet, fruity scent of her shampoo and wish I could freeze the moment.

  Cassie

  “Cassie?”

  The sound of Sally’s voice makes me jump away from Ronan. I spin to face her. She’s about six feet away. A large chestnut and white pinto mare with a kind eye stands beside Sally’s wheelchair. Loretta stands on the right side of the mare’s head, her hand clapped over her mouth and her dark eyes sparkling.

  Sally tips her head to one side and studies me and Ronan. Her small nose wrinkles. “Is Ronan your boyfriend?”

  I close my eyes and groan. Since my relationships never last longer than a night, I’ve never been in the position of having to explain a guy to Sally.

  “No,” I say firmly. “Ronan’s a friend and co-worker.”

  Behind me, I sense Ronan stiffening. I don’t dare look at him.

  “But you were hugging him,” Sally points out.

  “I hug lots of people.”

  Sally shakes her head. “No, you don’t. You hug me. I’ve never seen you hug anyone else before. I’m not lots of people.”

  Loretta’s shoulders shake and her face starts turning red. I angle a glare in her direction.

  Ronan steps forward and crouches in front of Sally’s chair. “The best way to describe your sister and me is complicated.”

  Sally plays with paint mare’s lead rope as she considers Ronan’s words. “Do you like Cassie?” she finally asks.

  Ronan nods solemnly. “Very much, but she’s not sure how much she likes me.”

  Sally’s eyes shift to me and she frowns. “Ronan’s nice, Cassie. You should like him.”

  Ronan glances over his shoulder and flashes me a quick smile before directing his attention back to Sally. “I’m starting to figure your sister out, and one of the things I’m learning is that pushing her or telling her what to do is never a good idea.”

  Sally nods. “No kidding. She hates being told what to do and normally does the exact opposite.” Her customary, infectious grin returns to her face. “Except with me. She usually does exactly what I tell her.”

  Ronan throws back his head and laughs. The sound, combined with the fact that he treats my sister with respect, rather than like a brain-dead doll the way some people do, causes the wall surrounding my heart to crumble a little bit.

  Without thinking, I rub my chest.

  Loretta sees the movement and a knowing spark comes into her eyes. She checks to make sure Sally is still holding onto the paint’s lead rope before sidling up next to me.

  “I’ve seen enough—” Loretta says. She keeps her voice soft, making sure that neither Sally nor Ronan can hear her. “—to know that this guy is not only crazy about you, but also that he’s a keeper.”

  “I’m starting to think you’re right.” The only problem is I don’t trust myself well enough to know if I should keep him. In the past few hours, I’ve started to fall for him, but that doesn’t mean I’m convinced I’m right for him. My gut still tells me that the kindest thing I can do is to throw him back and let him find someone who really deserves him.

  At least some of my thoughts must show on my face because Loretta digs her elbow into my rib. “If he decides he’s not for you, make sure you send him my way. After the string of losers I’ve been dating the past few years, this one will be a nice breath of fresh air.”

  Ronan

  The sun is just starting to slip beneath the horizon, leaving a stunning display of pinks, yellows, reds, and indigo streaks in its wake, when I finally return Cassie and Sally to the battered house trailer.

  I pull up beside a dust covered full size dark green van. It has a lift built into the side of it for Sally’s wheelchair.

  Sally leans forward and studies it. “Mom’s home.” There’s no emotion at all in her voice.

  Cassie unclips her seatbelt. “Looks that way.”

  Without another word, she lets herself out of the truck’s back seat and opens the passenger seat and starts getting Sally ready for the transfer from my truck to the wheelchair.

  I haul the chair out of the truck bed and set it up before wheeling it over to where the two women wait.

  Once the chair is in place, Cassie turns to her sister, but Sally shakes her head.

  “No.” Determination deepens Sally’s voice.

  “No?” Cassie repeats. “No what?”

  “I don’t want you to do it. I want Ronan to help.”

  “Ronan gave up his entire day to drive us out to the farm so you wouldn’t miss your riding lesson, and he stayed there all day when you decided you didn’t want to leave. I think he’s done more than enough for you.”

  I touch Cassie’s shoulder, redirecting her attention to me. “It’s okay,” I tell her. “I’m happy to help Sally.”

  Cassie looks like she wants to protest, but she swallows her words and moves aside, allowing me to move into the space between the side of the truck and the open door.

  I can’t believe Sally asked me to help her from the truck to her chair. I’m touched. I watched both Loretta and Cassie do a few wheelchair transfers and each time I was stunned, not by their ability to shift her, but by Sally’s complete and total trust in them. If I were in Sally’s position, I’d be scared to death.

  The fact that she trusts me with such a delicate procedure is both humbling and beautiful. Now, if only I can figure out a way to inspire the same kind of trust in her sister.

  I take a half step forward and bump my calves on the truck’s running board. My eyes meet Sally’s. She looks a lot more relaxed than me.

  I take a deep, steadying breath. “Okay. I think I’m ready. How ‘bout you?”

  “All set,” Sally says.

  She wiggles around until she’s facing me and her legs are dangling off the side of the seat, her toes pointing down toward mine. Still smiling, she stretches her arms toward me, linking her fingers tightly together behind my neck.

  “Slowly, step backwards until she’s completely out of the truck,” Cassie instructs. Her voice is softer than I’ve ever heard it sound before.

  I do as she says. Sally leans passively against my chest, her toes just brushing the short, dusty grass.

  “Nicely done.” Cassie wheels the chair next to me and sets the brakes. “Carefully turn so her rear is facing the chair. You can use your left foot to nudge her feet along. Just don’t be in a hurry.”

  In what feels like the slowest, strangest dance maneu
ver of all time, Sally and I slowly turn.

  “Great job,” Cassie says. I don’t need to look at her to know she’s beaming. “Now just lower her into the chair. Slowly.”

  By the time I get Sally into the chair, I’m so proud of myself I could crow.

  For the second time today, Cassie grins. It’s an exact copy of Sally’s trademark smile and makes Cassie look about fifteen years old.

  My lips practically itch to taste it.

  “Congratulations,” Cassie says as she releases the wheelchair’s brakes. “If anyone had been watching they’d never know it was your first wheelchair transfer.” She nudges the back of her sister’s head. “What do you say to Ronan?”

  “Thank you, Ronan,” Sally chirps. She grabs onto her wheels and maneuvers the wheelchair towards the house, pausing halfway to bend over and stroke a large, brown hen that’s scratching in the dirt. “Hello, Ladybug. I had a good day, but I’m tired right now so you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to hear about it.”

  I glance at Cassie. “She actually knows which chicken is which, or are all the chickens called Ladybug?”

  Cassie leans against the side of my truck and watches her sister go. “Each of the chickens has a different name and as far as I can tell, she can tell all of them apart. They were Loretta’s idea. Sally doesn’t have much stimulation here, so Loretta thought the chickens would give her something to do. And they have. We thought she’d just want to watch them, but she’s diligent about making sure they’re fed and watered, and she collects the eggs. The birds are messy and noisy but they’re her best friends, and that makes putting up with them worthwhile.”

  Cassie waits until Sally lets herself into the trailer before looking at me. I can’t read the expression in her dark eyes.

  “Ronan,” she says, her tone softer than normal. “I really can’t thank you enough for today. It meant the world to Sally … and to me.”

  I ache, actually ache, to lean forward and steal a kiss. That’s exactly what I’d do if she was any other girl. I’d kiss her and take her out dancing. But Cassie isn’t any other girl. She’s special and she can’t be pushed.

  So instead of asking her out, I shove my hands in my jeans pockets and address the other bit of business currently binding us together. “By the time I roll back into San Antonio, all the auto parts stores will have closed up, but I’ll pick up a new belt for your alternator and get it installed right away. Once that’s done, I’ll pick you up and you can drive your Buick home.”

  Fixing Cassie’s car would probably earn me more points than taking her dancing anyway, plus it ensures that I’ll see her, at least for a little while, tomorrow morning.

  Cassie stares down at the ground. “Ronan, you keep asking me what I want.”

  My stomach sinks. She’s getting ready to tell me she doesn’t want to ever see me again. Getting dumped by the same girl two days in a row has got to be a new world record. And her timing sucks. Most people would at least wait until after I fixed their car. I mean, even if she does dump me, I’ll still do the work, but most guys would say screw it.

  “I’ve decided that I’m not ready to go in just yet.” Cassie sends a quick glance at the trailer before looking back down at the ground. “So, if you don’t have any other plans for tonight, I was wondering if maybe you were still interested in checking out that barbeque place you were talking about yesterday.”

  Cassie

  The voltage in Ronan’s smile is high enough to power half of San Antonio. I wouldn’t have believed that simply agreeing to go to dinner with a guy would seem like the greatest news in the world to them, but that’s how Ronan looks.

  “Outstanding,” he says. “Let’s get out of here.”

  The oddest sense of déjà vu settles over me as we speed toward San Antonio. When we made this trip in reverse, I was nervous and embarrassed by the way I’d shoved him onto the hood of my car and all but dry humped him. Now that we’re going the other way, I’m nervous about where the night’s going to lead and wondering what I’m going to do about the warm, fuzzy feelings that keep getting stronger the more time I spend with Ronan.

  Unlike the earlier trip, we don’t say a single word. The other difference is that this time, I can’t seem to take my eyes off Ronan.

  He drives beautifully, handling the large truck as if it’s an extension of him instead of a hunk of steel, gears, and belts. The grin that spread across his face when I said I wanted to go out with him hasn’t slipped or dimmed. For the most part, he looks out the windshield, focusing on where he’s going, but every few miles, he slides a glance my way and the light in his hazel eyes causes my heart to pound.

  I feel like I’m being ripped in half.

  Part of me, the rational part, is convinced that Ronan has the ability to turn my world upside down and that I should sever all ties with him.

  The other part of me thinks that Ronan is the most gorgeous and fascinating person to ever come into my life. That part wants me to wrap my legs around him and make an assortment of carnal promises and demands.

  And there’s a third part, a part I didn’t even know existed until I watched him talk to Sally in the barn but that seems to be getting louder with every passing second, that’s whispering sweet words of love and seems to think that Ronan is my one and only.

  The problem is that I don’t.

  Ronan turns the truck into Happy Tummies Bar-B-Que. He slides it into a parking space near the front door and kills the engine.

  I study the cheerful signs plastered all over the windows which talk about the various specials the restaurant’s management team thinks I’ll enjoy.

  Ronan takes a second to check his phone for messages before sliding the keys out of the ignition. “From what I’ve been told, I hope you’re hungry. At least half of my friends seem to be going on and on about this place.”

  I sit tight, not reaching for my seatbelt or doing anything else to prepare to go inside the restaurant.

  Some of the light fades from Ronan’s expression.

  “You’ve changed your mind,” he says softly. “You want me to take you home and never bother you again.”

  “I have changed my mind,” I tell him.

  He nods and starts to insert the key into the ignition.

  “But I don’t want to go home,” I add.

  Ronan lets out a short, exasperated bark of laughter and collapses back against the seat. “Cassie, don’t ever start thinking you’re predictable. I’ve never known a woman who did a better job of keeping me on my toes, not even my own sister. Okay, what do you have in mind?”

  I love the fact that he doesn’t put any pressure on me, that he doesn’t try to make me do anything. It gives me the courage to lean as close to him as the seatbelt allows.

  “You know how you keep asking me about what I want?”

  Ronan nods. “Yeah.”

  I lay a hand on his denim clad thigh and slowly run it upwards, stopping just short of home base. Ronan draws in a sharp breath. A muscle jumps in the side of his jaw but he doesn’t make any effort to reach for me. He was serious about letting me be in control.

  “Right now, what I want is for you to go inside and get us something to eat.” I slide my hand back toward his knee.

  “I can do that.”

  “Good.” I let my hand slowly glide back up his thigh. Ronan’s leg trembles. “After that, I want to go someplace quiet and secluded.”

  “I’m okay with that.”

  I remove my hand and sit up straight. “Then get your butt moving. I’m hungry.”

  Ronan

  I drain the last of my sweet iced tea and toss the empty paper cup into the large plastic bag Cassie and I are using as a trash bag.

  “How’d you find this place?”

  After I got an order of baby back ribs, jalapeno corn bread, and sweet tea, Cassie directed me to a quiet lake in the middle of a state park. She directed me to drive the truck under a massive weeping willow tree that hides it from anyone who happens to
use the access road, but still lets us catch glimpses of the lake through the long swaying strands.

  We set up a makeshift picnic in the bed of my truck. Most of my dates have taken place at some of the finest five-star establishments in the world, but I’ve never enjoyed sitting in those places as much as I do sitting here beside Cassie with our feet dangling off the end of the tailgate.

  The park isn’t all that far from my family’s compound, though I haven’t ever spent much time exploring it.

  “My dad used to bring me here when I was a kid. We’d either go hiking or fishing.” Cassie spreads a pat of butter onto a thick slice of yellow bread. “It’s always been one of my favorite places, but I haven’t been here in a long time.”

  I pop open one of the to-go boxes and look down at the pile of ribs laying on a piece of tin foil. The spicy aroma of the BBQ sauce they’re coated in tickles my nose. “What about Sally, didn’t she come with you?”

  Cassie laughs. The sound kind of erupts from somewhere deep within her and colors the air. It’s a good sound, one that she should make more often.

  “Sally was a girly girl. Once in a great while she’d come out here, but she usually spent the time reading. Fishing for blue gills and looking for salamanders wasn’t her thing. I was my dad’s tomboy daughter, and she was my mom’s beauty queen. Considering how miserable my mother can be, I got the good end of the deal.”

  I use my teeth and rip a hunk of meat from one of the short, flat bones. It tastes every bit as good as it looks. I finish chewing and swallow before asking the question that’s been burning in my mind for the better part of the day.

  “What happened to her?”

  “A guy. She was twenty-one at the time, and I think I was sixteen, almost seventeen at the time. He was a stunt pilot for some traveling daredevil act. Both of my parents hated him, but I thought he was cute and funny. I think dating him was Sally’s one form of rebellion. Up until that point, she’d been the perfect daughter. A straight A student, a beauty queen, she was a pre-med student.” Cassie shoots me a sideways glance. “I was the exact opposite. At the time I hated her, and I’ll probably feel guilty about that until the day I die.”