by Judy Kentrus
While Sam and Lincoln discussed their life-changing plans, Susan, Vicky, and Edie were making plans of their own, investigating the hot tub.
“Mommy said maybe we could go in tomorrow, weather permitting,” Vicky said, staring at the octagonal shaped tub. The decorative spotlights in the roof were turned down low, and the cover was in place, but fascination was eating away at their curiosity to take a peek at the water.
“Maybe means no,” Susan said.
“That’s the same as ‘we’ll see.’ Have either of you ever been in a hot tub?” Edie asked.
“No, but our Grandma Florence has a Jacuzzi tub. She let us go in it a couple of times. It was fun, especially when she pressed the button to make the water bubble.”
“We had a machine in school that made bubbles for a show,” Edie said. “Can we just look at the water?”
Susan shrugged a shoulder. “Why not?”
The girls walked up the two redwood steps and stood on the narrow deck surrounding the tub. Since they were only going to take a peek at the water, Edie and Susan turned back half of the lid. The water in the sea green pool was perfectly calm.
Fascination burned in their young bodies.
Edie brushed the surface of the warm water. “It feels so nice, but it’s not moving.”
“These buttons must make the bubbles.” Vicky pointed to the control panel on the side and pushed the first button. A low rumbling sound preceded the powerful jets of water that shot from the sides to the center.
Susan reached into the water and let the surging stream beat against the palm of her hand. “Wow! That’s a lot stronger than Grandma Florence’s tub.”
“Let me feel,” Edie said, and claimed her own rush of pounding water.
“I wanna feel too!”
“This is great!” they all yelled together, until an authoritative voice squelched their merrymaking.
“Girls, what are you doing?” Julie asked, approaching the gazebo.
The unexpected question had a startling effect on their precarious balance, and all three toppled in, head first, forgetting about their bottles of bubbles that they’d set on the rim of the hot tub before feeling the water. They’d inadvertently created the world’s largest bubble machine. Feathery-light air balls ascended from the churning waters, along with the happy squeals of three mischievous girls. Julie rushed over to turn off the controls, but had to fight her way through a blistering swarm of iridescent froth. Their shrieking brought the other adults running to the hot tub.
“Oh, Mommy, this is fun!” Edie laughed, reaching out with both hands to cup mounds of lather.
The laughing adults got in the swing of things and starting swatting at rainbows of tiny balloons. Russell captured a single bubble with the tip of his finger and set it on his wife’s nose. “Take it all in, my love. Something tells me this is what we’ve got to look forward to when our three get older.”
Two hours later, after cleansing showers, the girls were dressed in sweats, safe and sound in their tent. Three battery-operated lanterns were turned down low, and they were half in and half out of their sleeping bags, munching on popcorn. Lincoln and Jessie would be in the neighboring tent if they got scared.
“The hot tub was really fun,” Susan said, just before she yawned. “I’m so glad we didn’t get punished.”
“Me too, we get in enough trouble,” Vicky added.
“I was worried you guys wouldn’t like me.”
“You’re one of us now. Since we’re Trouble and Double Trouble that makes you Triple Trouble. This was really a fun day,” Vicky sighed and snuggled her head against her pillowcase that was decorated with characters from Sofia the First. When Edie stood up and moved toward the opening in the tent, she sat up. “Where are you going?”
“I have to look at the sky. I’m supposed to make a wish on the first star I see, but maybe I’ll see a shooting star. That one is special.”
“What are you wishing for?” Susan asked, also sitting up. She had the same pillow as her sister.
“A husband for my mother and a dad for me.”
“That’s a good idea.” Susan said. “My first daddy died when I was a baby and I got a new daddy that I love very much.”
“I got my wish, too. I was only a baby when my first mommy went to live in heaven with God and I got my new mommy that I love very much.”
So they’d gotten their wishes, Edie determined, a mom and a dad. “I’m going to tell you something that is super, super secret, but you can’t tell anyone. Cross your hearts.” As soon as Susan and Vicky made the sign of a cross on their chests, Edie revealed her secret. “I was only six months old when my first mother went to heaven. My mom doesn’t know that I know.”
“Who told you that?” Susan asked.
“Buford Adams, my mom’s friend, had a lot of pictures of me as a baby and I asked who the pretty lady was holding me in her arms. He made me cross my heart because it’s a very special secret. He said her name was Jennie Elizabeth Adams. She was my birth mother, but she died and God needed someone to love me so he sent my mom. I love her so, so much. She is the best mother in the whole world.”
“Isn’t that funny. She had the same last name as the Pirate,” Vicky said.
“Buford gave me Jennie Elizabeth’s piano.”
“I have an idea. Why don’t we all make a wish to help you find a husband for your mother and a daddy for you?” Susan suggested. “First we have to put our pinkies together, you know like a super secret club. That will make us wishing sisters.”
Lincoln and Jessie chose that moment to check on the girls and were surprised when three heads popped out of the opening in the tent.
“Is there a problem?” Lincoln asked.
“Oh, no, Mr. Lincoln. Susan and Vicky are now my wishing sisters. We’re watching for a shooting star, so we can wish for a husband for mommy and a dad for me.”
The adults were stunned by Edie’s announcement. “Strength in numbers,” he said and kissed each girl on the cheek.
Jessie also kissed the girls. “Call if you need us for anything.”
A few minutes later, the lanterns in the tent went dark, and the three girls settled into their sleeping bags. Susan and Vicky were asleep in minutes, but Edith’s thoughts were troubled.
Before settling down for the night, Lincoln and Jessie had changed into sweats to ward off the night chill. Except for the brightness of the moon, the interior of the tent was dark, and a gentle breeze off the water ruffled the nylon sides.
“I wonder if the wishing sisters were successful in finding a shooting a star,” Linc said, adjusting the zipper on his sleeping bag before turning on his side to face Jessie.
“If they had, I’m sure we would have heard three squealing little girls. I like that they’ve given themselves such a cute name.” Jessie pounded a fist in the middle of her pillow before getting comfortable.
“I’m sorry we didn’t have much time alone today. I also didn’t think the first time we spent the night together it would be in separate sleeping bags, chaperoned by three young girls. If it were up to me, we would sneak over to the motor coach and spend the night in the king-sized bed.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. I had a wonderful time today and your friends are great. Julie and Alexis accepted me as one of their own.”
Lincoln edged closer, enough to feel her breath on his face. He brushed a finger along the ridge of her jaw. “I have to ask you something. Yesterday, when we were tossing insults at each other, you accused me of laughing at you when we made love. Did you really believe that?”
Jessie also moved closer, keeping her voice low. “No. We both said nasty things in the heat of the moment.” The pictures she’d seen on Facebook filled her mind and she hoped with all her heart that it was true.
“The last time we were in bed, you said I was thinking too loud.” He threaded his fingers through her silky hair and tucked it in back of her ear. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
Jessie decided to take a leap of faith and gamble with her heart. “Julie showed me the pictures on Facebook. Is the expression I read on your face true?”
This wasn’t the ideal setting to confess his love, but he wasn’t about to lie. He reached for her hand that was resting on the top of the sleeping bag and pressed it against the center of his chest. “Feel my heart, Jessie. It’s beating out of love for you. Yes, I love you. I have never said that to another woman. Do you believe me?”
“I want to so much.” Tears of happiness filled her eyes and her heart ached for this man she yearned to trust with her heart.
“I swear I will never hurt you. What can I do to prove it to you?”
“Let’s start with a hug and one of your wonderful kisses. Then I want your hands on me, not necessarily in that order. Just don’t make me moan.”
“Does that mean I can’t hiss and groan?” Linc chuckled, lowering the zipper on her sleeping bag and then his own.
Jess had barely moved into his waiting arms when his mouth found hers in a loving kiss. She wrapped her arms about his neck and found herself under him. His hand snaked its way under her sweatshirt and captured her warm, silky breast. She moaned from sheer pleasure and hissed a yes when his fingertips gently massaged the hardened tip.
“More,” she begged and captured his other hand and put it to the waistband of her sweats. He got the silent message.
“Are you sure?” he rasped, licking the bud of her other breast.
“Yes,” she hissed again. “I know we can’t go all the way, but I’ve missed your wonderful magic touch.” Jessie shoved a hand inside of his sweats and searched for the hardened length of him. Silky smooth fire filled her hand. She mimicked the seductive moves she’d done with the banana.
“You tease,” he groaned and thrust harder into her vise-like grip.
When he found her aching center, she brought her hips against his flickering fingers. “Oh, oh, yes,” she hissed, remembering at the last minute to lower her voice.
“Shush,” the wishing sisters have big ears,” he warned, realizing the longer they played, the harder it would be to come down from their seductive high. He reluctantly lowered her sweatshirt and captured her lips in a slow, unhurried kiss.
“Talk about frustration,” she moaned, and went to return to her sleeping bag.
Linc tightened his arms. “I’m not going to sleep alone, my love.”
“Afraid of the boogeyman? I’ll protect you.” Jess wrapped her body about him, absorbing his full body warmth and wiggled her hips against the hard bough of strength between his thighs. “This is the first time I’ve ever slept in the arms of someone who loved me.”
Lincoln moaned and pressed a hand to her swaying hips. “Stop now, or we’ll embarrass ourselves. I love you,” he whispered, and kissed her cheek. He gritted his teeth and determined it was going to be a long, pain-filled night.
Everyone agreed to meet for breakfast at nine. Billy had left the house much earlier, wanting to get in a few more hours of fishing.
“How was it sleeping in the tent?” Russell asked, when the girls walked into the house. Jessie and Lincoln were right behind.
“Oh, it was great, Uncle Russell,” Vicky said. “We heard an owl, but it sounded funny.”
“What do you mean?” Scott frowned, sipping on his cup of coffee.
“A hoot howl is supposed to go ‘who who,’ but this one kept saying ‘oh, oh.’”
“That’s not all. It must have had a bellyache because it started to moan, real loud,” Susan added.
“I heard a hissing snake, but it sounded funny too,” Edie cut in. “It was saying, ‘yes, yes’.”
Jessie’s cheeks flamed and her eyes darted to Lincoln, but he purposely turned away and moved to the counter to get a cup of coffee.
“Did you hear any interesting creature noises?” Alexis was already sitting at the table and directed the question to Lincoln, trying to keep a straight face.
“No, but I did enjoy the beauty of the night,” he confessed with a Cheshire cat grin.
Edie frowned and leaned in close to Susan’s ear. “Why does your uncle have a red feather on the back of his head?”
“Uncle Russell, Edie wants to know why you have a red feather on the back of your head. Were you playing cowboys and Indians?”
Russell turned all shades of red to match the feather he yanked out of the back of his hair. He glowered at Susan and then the rest of the adults, who had the good sense not to burst out laughing. Edie couldn’t have been the only one to see the evidence of the fantastic night he’d spent with his darling Alexis.
“Let’s sit down before everything gets cold,” Julie suggested, still unable to face Russell. Alexis had mentioned that she’d gotten a new boa for the weekend and to ignore any strange sounds coming from the other end of the house.
“Before we eat, can I say the prayer?” Edie asked, folding her hands atop the table.
“That would be very nice,” Jessie said.
“Dear God, I want to thank you for this food and for our new friends, especially my wishing sisters. Amen.”
A chorus of Amen followed, and everyone picked up their forks to enjoy baked French toast, fluffy scrambled eggs, golden home fries, crisp bacon and country sausage and cranberry orange scones.
“I forgot something.” Edie pushed out her chair and faced Lincoln. “I will no longer be calling you Mr. Lincoln. From now on, I’m going to call you Uncle Lincoln.” She threw her arms around his neck.
Everyone dropped their forks.
Jessie clamped a hand over her mouth, and her eyes darted from Lincoln to her daughter. “You know?” She could barely get the words past the tightness in her throat.
“Who told you?”
“Buford Adams showed me pictures from when I was a baby with my first mother. I figured it out last night since she has the same last name as Mr. Lincoln, I mean Uncle Lincoln. I’m not going to tell anyone about my other mother, because in my heart, you are my mommy. I love you so much.” Jessie was rewarded by the same love-filled hug.
A jovial atmosphere continued around the table and it was a mixture of smiles and tears at the end of the day when the party had to end. When Jessie mentioned the bed race in two weeks, the others said it sounded great and entertained the idea of entering the race.
By the time they got home, Edie was sound asleep on the back seat.
“It’s a good thing she has off Monday. They always close the schools the first day of trout season.”
“Are you off?”
“Yes, I took a personal day. Why?”
“I mentioned that I want you to see what my life is like outside of Laurel Heights. Are you or Edie afraid to fly in a helicopter?”
“I’m not, but Edie has never flown in a plane or helicopter.”
“Knowing my niece, she’ll be thrilled. Tomorrow morning, we are flying to Teterboro Airport and a limo will take us into Manhattan. You’ll see my office, we can show Edie the sights, have an early dinner, and then fly home.”
“It sounds like a wonderful day, but can you make all those arrangement before tomorrow morning?”
“In my business you have to be able to make things happen at a moment’s notice.” Linc went to put his arm around Jessie and share a few kisses, but it never happened.
Edie sat up and rubbed her tired eyes. “Mommy, I want to fly in a helicopter with Uncle Lincoln.”
Jessie gave a smile of understanding. “Even sleeping ears don’t miss a thing.”
Linc went to get out of the truck when his cell indicated an incoming text from Sam Morlock. “Found a box of liquor in bread loaves in warehouse closest to train tracks. Won’t be available tomorrow. In Philadelphia with my father’s BOD. Let’s meet at the old train depot at nine Tuesday morning. Have an idea. Don’t think you’re going to be happy. Bring Sergeant Taylor.”
He showed the message to Jessie. “That doesn’t sound good, but it just might be the break we need to solve this
case.”
Linc pursed his lips. “In my case, when it rains it pours. Wear your shit kicking boots.”
Chapter 22
“How did you like your first helicopter ride?” Linc asked. Since the traffic was crawling into the city, they let Edie stand up in the limo. Her eyes were glued to the sky window, watching the tall buildings as they made their way toward Fifth Avenue and Forty-Second Street.
“It was fantastic! Susan and Vicky are so lucky their father owns a helicopter.” These buildings are ginormous!”
Jessie tugged on the hem of Edie’s light blue dress. Getting her to dress like a girl and wear her black Mary Jane’s had been a challenge. Her daughter’s clothes of choice had been her tie-dye shirt, jeans, and high tops. “When we start to move a little more, you will have to sit down.” Jessie glanced at the perfect knot in Linc’s silver and black patterned tie. It was something else she’d have to get used to, seeing him dressed as a successful, business executive. She captured his hand that was resting on his knee and locked their fingers together. “It was very nice of them to let you borrow the copter.”
“We couldn’t be any closer than if we were blood brothers. The new building will have a helicopter pad, and I plan to purchase my own so that I can travel back and forth to the city that much faster.”
Jess glanced up at her daughter before whispering, “Don’t tell your niece or she’ll want to give free rides.”
Linc brushed the hair off of Jessie’s shoulder and deliberately leaned close to whisper, “Mum’s the word. I have to say you look very sexy in red.” The skirt skimmed the edge of her knees, drawing attention to her slender legs that were encased in sheer black silk. A lace inset in the shape of a butterfly, flirted with her ankle. He shifted slightly in the seat.
“I wanted to look nice when we meet your staff.” Jessie straightened the sporty waist-length jacket. She’d purposely worn the Donna Karan outfit because of the side slit in the skirt. It was apparent Linc’s eye had found a happy place. Nothing like a little harmless flirting.
“I’ll have to beat the guys off with a stick,” he winked and squeezed her hand.