WG2E All-For-Indies Anthologies: Viva La Valentine Edition

by Scott, D. D.

  “Major Sinclair is in love. Couldn’t you tell? My mother is harder to read.”

  The leisurely stroll around the block ended with them back at the house where Mac left a slow, delicious kiss on her lips before they went back inside.

  “I was just thinking about tomorrow. I hate being on display, you know?”

  “It won’t be like that, baby. Don’t worry. Get some sleep and be prepared to get up early for a huge breakfast. My mother gets off on doing that stuff.”

  He kissed her again in the doorway to the guestroom. His lips lingered on her cheek, and he whispered in her ear, “Are you sure you don’t want some company tonight”

  “In your parent’s house? Are you insane?” She pointed across the narrow hallway. “Go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  • • •

  Just as Mac had predicted, his parents were up at the crack of dawn. Tempting aromas wafted from the kitchen down the hallway and gently nudged Jan to consciousness. She quickly showered and joined them in the kitchen for coffee as the Major gave a rundown of what needed to be done before the guests started arriving.

  “Tell me what I can do to help,” Jan offered.

  Ruth raised her hand. “Don’t be silly. You’re our guest. Pat and Grant should be here in a few minutes. The three of them can help John with anything that needs to be done. Stay in here and keep me company.”

  Just as they sat in the dining room for breakfast, Mac’s brother and sister came through the back door. Their love for each other was evident by the way they embraced their big brother and welcomed him home. After he introduced them to Jan, they filled the two empty chairs at the table and fortified themselves for a morning of toting and lifting.

  It didn’t take Jan long to warm up to Pat. Her friendly, outgoing personality reminded her of Mac. Grant seemed to be somewhat shy and didn’t talk much. When breakfast was done John began barking out orders and the work began. Jan did as Ruth asked and stayed in the kitchen.

  “Please let me help you, Mrs. Sinclair. I don’t feel right just sitting around while everybody works.”

  “All right, if you insist, and please call me Ruth. There’s a bowl of potatoes in the refrigerator that I boiled yesterday. You could peel and cube them for salad while we talk. Here’s an apron.”

  Jan retrieved the huge bowl and positioned herself on a stool at the counter where she watched the Major deftly orchestrating the set-up of the yard through the window. While she skinned the potatoes and chopped onions and celery, Ruth iced numerous cakes lined up on the counter. They talked about Mac’s childhood growing up as an army brat and living in eight different places until Ruth changed the direction of the conversation.

  “Mac is the first of my children to marry. He’s waited a long time to take the plunge and since he’s a grown man, I’m trusting that he’s making the right choice. I just want to know why you think he’s the man for you.”

  Jan had anticipated this moment since Mac first announced the trip. She took a deep breath. “I know Mac told you I’ve been married before, and I imagine that might concern you. Let me tell you about my first marriage.” Ruth’s hands stilled and her gaze rested on Jan’s face. “Robert and I were only twenty-two and twenty-five when we got married, and we were totally naïve when it came to the realities of marriage. Of course we thought we were in love. No one could’ve convinced us otherwise. Unfortunately, as time went on and we got to know each other better, we discovered we wanted drastically different things out of life. Then the babies came, and the pressure to be successful started weighing on him. His career became the most important thing in his life. He needed the kids and me to hold that position. Robert wanted a corporate wife to hostess boring cocktail parties and to join the other wives for golf outings. That just wasn’t me. I went along with the program until I couldn’t stomach it anymore. Naturally, he was disappointed in me, and I was angry with him for trying to turn me into one of the Stepford Wives. We went for counseling, but it was useless. I decided to divorce him, and I’ve never regretted it for a minute.”

  “You said, ‘as time went on and you got to know each other,’ How do you know the same thing won’t happen with you and Mac? You haven’t known each other that long,” Ruth asked without looking up from the cakes.

  “Because I’m older and wiser now. I know what I need from a man, and Mac is everything I need. He’s a man who expresses himself. We talk a lot, and he values my opinion. That’s very important to me, because I need to feel that I’m important to my man. He’s successful in his career, but his life is balanced. He doesn’t allow work to rule his life, knows how to relax and have fun. The fact that he’s drop dead gorgeous doesn’t hurt at all.” Jan smiled.

  Ruth returned her smile then lay the icing-covered spatula down on a plate and inclined her head with a sympathetic look. “How did the divorce affect your children?”

  “Roberta, we call her Bobbi, is the oldest, and she handled it very well. Valerie had a much harder time. Until recently she was still secretly hoping her father and I would get back together.

  “Poor baby. Divorce is so hard on the little ones.”

  Oh, brother. I guess I’d better get this out in the open. It wouldn’t be right to let her show up at the wedding expecting to see two little flower girls preceding me down the aisle. “Ruth, my girls aren’t babies. Bobbi is twenty-two and Val is nineteen.”

  Mac’s mother kept her face composed but slapped a generous dollop of icing onto the last bare cake and furiously spread it in a circular motion. Jan wanted to warn her to be gentle or she might destroy the layers, but she reconsidered and addressed Ruth’s unspoken question.

  “I’ll be forty-seven this year, eleven years older than Mac.”

  Ruth took a few seconds to compose herself before she lay the spatula down and revealed her true feelings. “I’m sorry if I seem shocked, Jan, but Mac didn’t mention your age difference and, to tell you the truth, I never would’ve guessed. You look much younger. My son is obviously in love with you. It’s just that –,” she stopped and seemed to weigh her words carefully. “It’s just that John and I were looking forward to having grandchildren. That’s not part of the plan, is it?”

  “Honestly, Ruth? No it isn’t. I’ve been there, done that and don’t want to go back. Mac understands how I feel.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. He’d be a wonderful father.” The sadness in the older woman’s voice was palpable. A painful silence lingered between them for a few minutes then Jan excused herself.

  She found Mac and Grant busily hooking up the stereo as Pat finished taping colorful plastic tablecloths under the corners of the long tables arranged around the yard. John attended to a variety of meats on the grill.

  “Can you take a break for a minute?” she asked taking Mac by the elbow.

  “I’ve got this,” Grant volunteered. “Go ahead, man.”

  Jan steered Mac toward the covered swing on the side of the house, sat and patted the seat for him to sit beside her.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Your mother and I just had the talk.”

  “What talk?”

  “The oh my God, you’re eleven years older than my baby talk.

  “How’d that come up?”

  “She asked me how old my girls are, and one thing led to another. Now the cat’s out of the bag.”

  “Stop it, Jan. You’re talking like your age is a CIA secret or something.”

  “Her knowing my age doesn’t bother me. It’s just that she seemed so disappointed.”

  “Disappointed?” Mac’s face crinkled into an offended frown. “What could she possibly be disappointed about?”

  “Grandchildren.” Jan let the word hang in the air.

  “Oh,” Mac groaned. “I should have known this was coming.” He put his arm around her and drew her into his chest. “Don’t let it upset you. She’ll get used to the idea eventually.”

  “It’s not her I’m worried about, Mac. It’s
you. Your mother is right. You would make a wonderful father. I don’t want to be responsible for cheating you out of that chance.”

  “Baby, how many times have we gone over this? I meant it when I said I want you more than I want kids. What more can I say to convince you?” Mac rubbed slow circles on her back. “Don’t let her upset you. She’ll get used to the idea and sooner or later get over it.”

  “Maybe.” Jan glanced up at the kitchen window where Ruth was watching them. “Maybe not.”

  The guests began streaming onto the Sinclair’s property right around Noon. Each one carried a pan or bowl of something and gradually the food tables groaned under their weight. Grant served disk jockey and cranked up the sound system as loud as he could without getting the evil eye from his father. Several of the younger guests ordained the patio as the official dance floor. Most of the older men watched the girls dance and congregated around a makeshift bar where one of Mac’s uncles served as bartender. The older women found seats in the shade of the cottonwood trees dotting the property eyeing their husbands pretending they weren’t eyeing the girls. Mac introduced Jan to a myriad of boisterous, friendly aunts, uncles, cousins and neighbors, none of whose names she’d remember once the day was over. Jan felt at ease even when one of Mac’s cousins made a big fuss over her engagement ring.

  “Ooh, will y’all look at this rock! What are you trying to do Mac, give Jay-Z a run for his money?” she shouted. The entire female contingency of guests crowded around Jan and offered compliments. Mac gave them a few minutes then came to Jan’s rescue by whisking her over to the swing where the two of them could eat in peace. Later on in the afternoon John gave a toast and the crowd joined him in officially congratulating them.

  Chapter Five

  Mac loved Texas evenings when the shadows descended and the temperature cooled. The crowd thinned and he said goodbye to old friends and family. Two of his uncles and their families relocated inside the house for coffee and dessert. Pat and Jan exiled themselves to a corner in the living room. His mother saw this as an opportune time to call him and his father into one of the bedrooms.

  “I think I know what this is about,” Mac said, as she closed the door behind them.

  “Mom says she has some concerns about your marriage plans.”

  His mother sat on the bed and spoke in a soft but determined tone. “With all that’s been going on today, I haven’t had a chance to tell your father about the conversation I had with Jan a little while ago.” She turned to his father with a grim expression. “She and I were talking about her first marriage, and the way she referred to her daughters made me curious. So I asked how old they were. Her answer shocked me.”

  “All right, Ruthie. Just spit it out, will you?”

  “They are nineteen and twenty-two, only a few years younger than Grant.”

  “You don’t say?” John’s face broke into a grin. “So how old is she, son?”

  “Forty-six.”

  “I never thought I’d see you in a May-December romance. Always imagined you bringing home some young thing, but you’re clearly in love with her.”

  “I am, Dad. Her age is irrelevant to me. Mom seems to think I’m making a mistake because Jan’s been down the motherhood road twice before and doesn’t want to do it again.”

  “Is that what this is all about Ruth, grandchildren?”

  She glared at him. “It’s a legitimate concern.”

  “For who? You or me?” Mac challenged her defiantly. “Do you want grandchildren more than you want me to be happy with the woman I love? Come on, Mom. How can you be so selfish?”

  “MacArthur Sinclair, how dare you accuse me of being selfish?” She rose from the bed and pointed a finger in his face. “All I want is your happiness, and I’m afraid once you commit to her, you may find yourself desperately wanting the family you can’t have.”

  Mac came back at her yet kept his composure. “Why is it I’m the one who has to be responsible for carrying on the family name? You do have two other children, you know.”

  John jumped in and shifted to his commanding officer voice. “Hold it you two! This isn’t accomplishing anything. Sweetheart, can’t you see the decision’s already been made? Mac was good enough to bring Jan here to meet us. He didn’t have to, you know.”

  “Why did you have to pick a woman who’s only ten years younger than your own mother?” she whined.

  “Because that’s the way it happened. I’m not about to throw her back and tell God I don’t want her. I’m very happy with what He gave me.”

  “I have to agree with him,” John interrupted. “She’s a smart, good-looking woman. Any man would be proud to have her as his wife.”

  “Oh shut up, John! You’re not helping this one bit.”

  Mac took her hand. “Mom, I don’t want to ruin our visit here, so I’m not discussing this anymore.” He opened the door, walked back to the living room blowing out a frustrated breath. Jan and Pat abruptly stopped their animated conversation as he approached, and he straightened his shoulders.

  “What was going on in there?” Pat asked.

  “Nothing worth talking about.” His cell phone rang and he went out on the patio to take the call. A few minutes later he returned wearing a grin.

  “It must’ve been good news in order for your mood to change so quickly,” Jan said. “Who was that?”

  “Ken. The Will Call window is holding tickets for us for tomorrow’s game. The best part is we’ll be in one of the Crown Suites, courtesy of Antonio Morris. We have a busy day tomorrow. Let’s go for a drive and talk about it,” He said raising Jan from the sofa by the hand.

  “I think Grant and I are heading out,” Pat said, seeming to understand that he was trying to get Jan out of the house.

  “We’ll stop by and see you before you leave on Monday. Okay?”

  Mac nodded and kissed her cheek then led Jan out the back door to the car.

  Neither of them brought up his mother’s concerns during the twenty-plus mile drive into downtown Dallas to the Hyatt Regency’s Reunion Tower. “I want to show you a view you can only get in Dallas,” he said as they took the elevator up to the restaurant.

  “I thought you might enjoy a nightcap with a view.” He waved his arm toward a breathtaking panoramic view of Dallas-Fort Worth when the doors opened onto the glass-walled eatery. “I also thought you might need a break from my family.”

  “Your family is great, Mac, and so is this view.”

  “I wanted to give you some breathing room and apologize for my mother. She can be overpowering at times.”

  Jan lowered her gaze. “Suppose she’s right.” She said softly. “There’s a saying that goes something like, ‘your mama knows you better than you know yourself.’”

  “Well, in this case it doesn’t apply. She likes you, Jan. I can tell. She’s just desperate to be a grandmother. That’s all. Put it out of your mind and focus your thoughts on me for a little while. Okay?’

  “Okay,” Jan gazed out over the twinkling skyline. “Thanks for bringing me here. This view is fabulous.”

  “I thought you’d appreciate it. Now, let’s talk about tomorrow. Do your parent’s know we won’t be spending the day with them?”

  “They will in the morning.”

  • • •

  Jan smelled fresh coffee brewing before she even got out of the shower. When she finished dressing, she heard Mac’s voice coming from the kitchen. When she walked in to join them, he grabbed her around the waist and greeted her with a slow, drugging kiss Jan was a little too passionate for his parents to witness. An unwelcome blush heated her cheeks. When he released her, John added to her embarrassment.

  “Aww, look at that girl blush. Don’t worry about it, Jan. Sinclair men can be very demonstrative when we want to. Isn’t that right, Ruthie?” He gave Jan a wink and palmed his wife’s behind.

  Ruth flushed miserably then cleared her throat. “I was just asking Mac if they were coming to church with us this morning. Ther
e are lots of people who’d love to see him.”

  “And I was just telling her that we made plans to go to the game,” he answered quickly.

  “You’d have plenty of time to get to the stadium after church lets out,” Ruth implored.

  “I know, Mom, but we have to get our tickets from Will Call, and I don’t want to cut it too close,” Mac explained.

  “Well, you two are supposed to be here to have a good time,” his father jumped in. “So get in everything you can. What time is your flight tomorrow?”

  “Not until six-twenty-five tomorrow evening. I promise we’ll spend the afternoon with you guys after I take Jan downtown shopping first thing in the morning. Right now we’ve got to run. The service starts at seven thirty, and I hear it’s always packed.”

  “You’re not going to eat breakfast?” Ruth protested, her voice filled with disappointment.

  “We’ll get something before the game, Mom.” He gave her a peck on the cheek, took Jan by the hand and led her out the door to the carport.

  He and Jan ate breakfast at a restaurant not far from Cowboys Stadium and went to pick up their VIP passes at the will call window. Once they found their way to the Crown Suites, the luxury and the bird’s eye view of the field wowed Jan, much to Mac’s pleasure. Antonio left instructions with the staff to serve them whatever suited their fancy. The Cowboys were going up against the Washington Redskins and it was supposed to be a fierce competition. Right before the kick-off three other couples joined them in the suite. Mac started a conversation and soon discovered they were relatives of one of the Cowboys’ defensive linemen in town for the weekend. Jan and one of the women, who admitted she wasn’t a fan of the game either, hit it off right away and kept each other occupied once the game began and Mac and the others went into an instant hypnotic trance.

  The Cowboys won, which put Mac into a good mood for the rest of the evening. So when they returned to his parents’ house, and Ruth asked them to spend the rest of the evening with her and John, he didn’t mind.