Meadowlarks

by Ashley Christine

  “Yeah...” I cock my head to the side, analyzing from not much of a different angle. “It kinda does.”

  She turns on her side, her body only covered by my t-shirt, and lays her head on my outstretched arm. “Have you thought about what song you want to dance to for our first one together?”

  I look at her and smile. I really don't care what song plays. It could be thrash metal for all I care; all that matters is that she's in my arms. My face must show that I don't have a clue, so she giggles.

  “I'm sure we'll come up with something!”

  The sisters-in-law graciously offered their decorating services; they've been very secretive about the details, keeping a giant black binder full of paper, scraps of fabric and who knows what else. Whenever they call Addison, or she calls them, she looks at me, smiles innocently, and then leaves the room. Women.

  “You need to get back to bed, baby.”

  She pouts. “I know.”

  I lift her chin up to kiss me. “I'm going to town to get a few things, but I'll be back to make dinner when you wake up, kay?”

  “Thank you; love you.”

  “Love you.”

  Lander's is usually a bustling place on Saturday's, but today is unusually quiet. There aren’t even any kids outside selling baked goods with their cougar mothers. In the veggie aisle, I pick out a few good sweet potatoes and put them into my basket. One rolls out of my hand, and when I bend down to pick it up, I see a pair of women's shoes standing in front of me. When I stand, I meet green eyes and a stone-cold face with no emotion.

  “Hello, Blaine.”

  “Gwen.” I toss the dropped potato in a nearby plastic trash can and select a new one, placing it carefully in my basket with the rest.

  “How are you?”

  “I'm great; thanks for asking.” I can't even look at her. The girl that I saw almost every day in school as a kid, and then frequently at her brother's bar in the last few years, is now an angry and unpredictable woman. Disparaged. Part of me wants to toss something at her, hoping when she goes to catch it, I can make a run for the exit. The other part of me has no idea what to do.

  “Listen, I—” she quietly starts to speak.

  I put my hand up to stop her. “Gwen, I have no interest in anything you want to say.” Turning my back to walk away, she grabs my arm, and I shiver, giving her a glare.

  “Sorry.” She recoils. “I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for what happened in Cody.” She looks around, either making sure no one is near us within earshot or she can't look me in the eye. “I'm moving to Casper. Jesse got everything started on the new bar there, so I'm leaving in a week.”

  I try to not let my elation spill out of my skin, but I smile kindly anyway. “Good for you, Gwen. Best of luck.”

  “Thanks, Blaine. I guess I'll see ya around.”

  I nod, hoping that I don't see her in a very long time. I can do without the drama, the drugging and the green eyes that try and infiltrate me every time I see them.

  She turns and heads toward the sliding doors. She doesn’t purchase anything, which means she must have followed me into the store just to talk. Or corner me in the frozen foods section. Who knows?

  I make it to the travel agency thirty minutes before it closes.

  Martina Sanford is Jeremiah's aunt and the owner/operator of San Martina's Travel, a big white building which doubles as her business in the bottom and her apartment on the top floor.

  “Blaine Blackstock, I've been wondering when I was going to get a call from you!”

  “Miss Sanford, how are you doing?”

  She leans in and kisses my cheek, holding my shoulders she stands back and looks at me. “Jeremiah tells me you're getting married! I still remember when the pair of you would come in here after school and look at all my brochures, talking about all the places you wanted to visit.”

  “Yeah.” I smile and look at the wooden shelving unit holding the same type of brochures today, just updated and quite a few more than I remember. “Well, it's time I take one of those trips.”

  “Come, sit!” She walks behind her large mahogany desk and turns the screen of her desktop computer on. “Where were you thinking? We have some wonderful promotions right now for a few countries in Europe!”

  I'm not sure where we should go on our honeymoon. Addison has mentioned a few times about wanting to take a trip to somewhere tropical, so I look over at the brochures again, scanning for palm trees and crisp blue water. “I was thinking somewhere warm and tropical.”

  She smiles and pulls out a large catalogue. It thuds on the desk, and she flips through pages, humming to herself.

  “My parents went to the British Virgin Islands on their honeymoon...” I trail off, thinking of how happy they must have been. When Martina finds the right page in the big travel book, she turns it around so it faces me. I’m looking at the bluest water I've ever seen; that's where the picture of my mother was taken, just has to be. I trail my fingers over the pictures, thinking of her walking in the ocean, young and beautiful.

  “The BVI are gorgeous! Great choice, Blaine.”

  It's a hard decision, but I manage to choose a resort in Tortola with breathtaking photos of their beaches, palm trees, and big white and red villas. The suites have almost panoramic ocean views. I managed to sneak our passports out of the house just after Addison fell asleep again.

  When Martina opened Addison's up to put the information into her computer, she smiled at me. “She's quite the beauty.”

  “She is.” I smile and almost blush. Sometimes I look at her, while she's sleeping or when we're watching TV and she laughs at something funny, and I can't believe she's mine. That she'll be my wife, and I'll get to look at her every day for the rest of my life.

  “Okay, we're all set!” She hands me the passports back, along with my credit card and all the travel information we'll need. “Is this going to be a surprise?”

  “I hope so! She's good at getting info out of me though.”

  She pulls a large manila envelope out of a drawer. “Here. Put everything in this and hide it somewhere you'll remember and where she won't find it!” She rubs her hands together sneakily.

  “Thank you for everything, Miss Sanford.” I look at the clock on the desk; it's almost six-thirty. “And sorry for keeping you past close.”

  “No need to apologize; anything for you. You know that! Congratulations again; you're going to make a wonderful husband.”

  I smile and take my envelope, praying she's right.

  All the lights are on in the house when I get home, so I leave the travel package under the seat in the truck. I'll bring it in the house after she's left for work.

  “Hey, baby!” She smiles, towel-drying her hair, wearing only the bottom of her scrubs and a bra. Instantly I'm sad that she has to leave. Sleeping alone is something I valued before but now I hate the thought of it.

  “Hi, my love. Sorry I'm late; did you eat?” I kiss her and put the grocery bag down on the island in the kitchen. “I was going to make dinner, but I lost track of time.”

  “I made a sandwich.” She sticks out her bottom lip. “What were you going to make?”

  “Steak, sweet potatoes...” I pull the potatoes out of the bag.

  “Awe. Tomorrow?” She smoothed her damp hair with her fingers and quickly pulled it into a messy bun, securing it with an elastic.

  I smile and nod, not thinking about dinner anymore.

  “I know that look, and it's not gonna happen!” She shakes her finger at me and backs up slowly toward the staircase leading upstairs. “Blaine!” She giggles.

  I don't say anything. I just grin and start unbuttoning my shirt slowly, knowing well what impact it has on her.

  She reaches the stairs, turns and bolts up them. Taking two at a time, laughing so spirited, I run after her, almost tripping on the first step. I make it to the top just after she runs into our bedroom and closes the door behind her.

  She doesn't lock it. When I walk in the room
she's standing beside the bed with one hand wrapped around the post on the end of the bed.

  “You...” She points and smiles. “I have to work in half an hour!”

  “So?”

  “So? You are going to make me late!”

  What does she expect from me? Wearing no shirt and being that beautiful will make anyone late for work.

  She grabs her top from the bed and pulls it on, covering her body, and I pout.

  “Meanie.”

  She rolls her eyes and walks over to kiss me. “Love you.”

  I kiss her deeply, tasting her sweetness and a hint of peppermint from mouthwash. I lift her shirt at the hem and gently touch her waist with the back of my fingers.

  She pulls back from my touch and laughs. “I love you, too. See you in the morning.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Riley and the girls' flight is arriving in three hours, and Addison hasn't stopped moving once this morning. She's cleaned almost every surface in the house, freshening and tidying for our guests. She's even put Jer, Alex and me to work outside, adding to our list of jobs every half hour or so.

  “So, when does the Queen and her posse arrive?” Jer scoffs, tossing chopped wood into the wheelbarrow.

  Alex shoots him a dirty look. “Riley.”

  Jer raises his eyebrows and grins. “Oh, yes, I'm so sorry. Queen Riley.”

  Alex doesn't say anything back, instead he wields the axe, ripping a piece of wood apart, straight through the middle. I point my thumb in his direction and mouth the words “What's up with him?” to Jeremiah.

  He shrugs his shoulders and has a look like he doesn't have a clue on his face.

  “Babe!” Addison calls from the porch. “I'm going to the airport now.”

  “Okay.” I walk over from the garage and take her hands. She leans down to kiss me. “Drive carefully.”

  She climbs into her car and honks the horn as she pulls out on the road, driving slowly so she doesn't create a big dust cloud behind her.

  “I'm not feeling so good, bro.” Alex rubs his stomach. “Mind if I go home?”

  He's been acting weird lately, and I want to know what's up. “Everything okay?” I ask.

  “Yeah, just must have ate something bad.” He kicks the dirt with his boot and puts his hands on his hips. “I'll work later tomorrow to make up the time.”

  “Don't worry about it. Go home and feel better.” I pat his shoulder and call Jer over so he can take Alex home.

  “What's going on with him?” I ask Jeremiah when he comes back after dropping Alex off. “He's been weird.”

  “He hasn't said anything to me. Though we don't talk about feelings and stuff when we're at home knitting,” he jokes and throws more wood into the wheelbarrow.

  I have a feeling it has something to do with Riley, judging by the way he said her name earlier, but I don't know why it could be. They got along well in Maine, obviously, so I don’t know. “Are you knitting my wedding gift?” I laugh and throw the axe down, splitting a log.

  He chuckles and wipes his brow. “So, these girls...”

  I know what he's going to ask before he gets a chance. “Gorgeous.” I grin, and he smirks.

  “You know I've been working on this.” He slaps his stomach, which now that he mentions it, has shrunk, probably since Gwen told him he should start hitting the gym.

  “Light beer?” I joke. “I'll be over before dinner, so I'll pick up something on the way.”

  Since Addison hasn't seen her friends since our trip to Maine, I thought I should give them time to visit. I'll hang out with the boys, in the peace and quiet with beer and wings.

  We finish with the firewood and all the other little things on our Honey-Do list just as Addison's Taurus pull in the driveway and parks. I can't make out much through the tint, but when all four doors open, I know the gang's all here.

  Zoe, Camille and Leah get out of the back, all in heels with big sunglasses and even bigger purses. The trunk pops and Leah opens it. It looks like it was ready to burst at the seams with bags, suitcases and more bags. Jer and I start walking over to help them carry the four wardrobes they've packed for their four-day vacation.

  Addison gets out of her seat, and when she looks at me, she's got an expression on her face that I can't read. She smiles softly and swings her purse over her shoulder, grabbing a bag from the trunk. The passenger door opens, and Riley gets out.

  I smile when I see her, and she waves and walks to the back of the car where the others are standing, obviously waiting for us to get their luggage.

  Addison closes the trunk, and I can see now what the look on her face was about. Riley is standing there, stunning, in a pink summer dress, her long hair spilling over her shoulders, and her hands holding the basketball in her stomach. She's pregnant.

  “Blaine! We're so glad to see you!” Zoe beams, and Camille hugs me. They quickly turn to Jeremiah, who needs to get it together and pick his jaw up from the dirt.

  “Hey, ladies.” I grin. “Hi, baby.” I kiss Addison on the cheek and grab four large bags to take in the house.

  “Hi, Blaine; how are you?” Riley smiles sweetly.

  “I'm good, thanks. You're obviously doing well; I had no idea you were expecting…”

  “Neither did I!” Addison shoots her a blazing glare and narrowed her eyes.

  “Well!” She smiles and holds her hands up. “I wanted to surprise everyone.”

  “Congratulations, Riley.” I smile nervously, as I'm not sure why Addison seems angry about it.

  “Okay, Auntie Addy, let's go see your farmhouse!” She giggles, and it takes everything in me not to drop the bags I'm overloaded with.

  Auntie Addy...Auntie. Alex. Shit.

  As soon as I drop the bags in the hallway at the top of the stairs, Jeremiah pushes me into my bedroom and shuts the door.

  “What the...” He's buzzing.

  “I had no idea either.” I sweep my hands through my hair. “Do you think Alex even knows?” I wonder if maybe that was why he has been moody lately.

  “If he doesn't, he's going to real soon.”

  I'm surprised Riley didn't even tell Addison before she came, or that one of the other three hadn't let the cat out of the bag.

  Addison comes in the room, and starts to close the door behind her. I can see the other girls laughing and talking to themselves as they turn the other bedrooms into their temporary suites for the weekend.

  “Jer, my brother didn't say anything to you?” She asks, her face flushed.

  “Nothing! We're as surprised as you.”

  She walks over and sits on a chair by the window, running her hands on her jeans. “I'm standing there waiting for them at baggage claim, and Riley walks out, all smiles. I almost fell over.”

  Jer leans against the door, the girls still on the other side loudly clicking their heels on the wooden floor.

  “The girls were getting their bags, and she just came out and told me the baby is Alex's. She wanted to surprise me, but he already knows.” She half smiles. “He's going to be a dad.”

  “Well! What am I missing in here?” The door flies open, and Riley walks in, beaming from ear to ear. “I'm sorry,” she says to Jeremiah. “I didn't introduce myself outside. I'm Riley.”

  Jeremiah shakes her hand, loosely, like he's afraid if he gets to close he'll impregnate her, too. “Jeremiah, ma'am.”

  “Oh, you're too cute!” She looks at me. “Blaine, your house is lovely. Thank you for having us here.”

  “You're all welcome anytime, Riley.” I smile, trying not to stare at her Baby Cole-bump. “Did you get everything in the rooms okay?”

  “We did, thank you.” She reaches her arm out to Addison. “Cole! Let's go look at the animals!”

  Addison smiles and takes her hand, as they walk out of the room she turns her head and sticks out her tongue at me. I smile and shake my head. City girls.

  Addison took Riley, Zoe, Leah and Camille on their first farm tour. The four of them took a few s
teps on the grass in their heels and quickly traded them for flip flops.

  They are now all seated around the dining room table, drinking wine, laughing and talking so loudly that they didn't even notice me standing in the doorway.

  “Blaine!” Leah pouted. “You're not leaving us, are you? And where did your friend go?” She blushes.

  “I am,” I say, smiling. “Jeremiah and I are going to his house. You ladies have a good night.” To give them some country hospitality, I even tip my hat before leaving the room and grin to Jeremiah, who's standing in the kitchen. Suddenly, we hear them all giggle and whisper something.

  “You better be careful those charms don't get us some permanent house guests!” Addison whispers while she follows me out to the door.

  I kiss her. “Have a good night, baby.” I wink and bite my bottom lip, trailing my finger down her chest. She looks to see if Jer is witnessing this; he isn't. He's outside on the porch, and so she runs her hand down my chest.

  “You drive me crazy,” she says, and she teases me by leaning in slowly like she's going to kiss me but backs up at the last minute and winks before turning around and sauntering into the dining room.

  In town, we pick up beer, a few cases since we're not sure what kind of night we're going to have with Baby Daddy, and a whole mess of wings.

  At Jer's house, we're both surprised to see Alex sitting outside at the picnic table by himself, staring off into the field. He turns when he hears the diesel engine and waves at the truck. “Hey, guys!”

  I look at Jeremiah with a raised brow and then back to Alex, unsure of how to start the “So. Holy shit, you're going to be a dad…” conversation. I open the back door and lift out two cases of beer, bumping it shut behind me with my hip.

  “So, guess you got the news, huh!” He's strangely happy, which is nice surprise. “And you came prepared to fuckin’ party.” He eyes the beer cases, probably doing an intellectual calculation of how many it'll take to get him drunk.

  “Alex, are you okay?”

  He scoffs, waving his hand in the air and my question away. “I'm fine.”

  “Why didn't you say anything about Riley?”

  “Well...” He pauses, taps his finger on his chin. “I was in a little bit of this thing they call denial. Then I was angry for a while, didn't really wanna talk about it.”