Nobody's Perfect

by Pat Ballard

  Jake sat at the kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal. Nick had opened the door, wearing nothing but a pair of jogging shorts that were wrinkled from having been slept in. His hair was in total disarray and it was obvious to the onlookers at the door that he had spent the night.

  Nella knew her appearance wasn’t any better. In her haste to see who was banging her door down, she had barely pulled the robe around herself. Her hair looked ten times worse than Nick’s.

  The first eyes that she looked into were Sam’s.

  Then Sheriff Dansby stepped into the room.

  “Nella, what the hell is going on? These people have filed kidnapping charges against you. I’ve got to arrest you and take you in for questioning.”

  “Questioning be damned! I want her put away for a long time!” The person speaking was a woman, but with different clothing could easily have passed as a man. Nella knew immediately that she was looking at Sam’s former mother-in-law.

  “Now, easy, Hon,” chirped a small man standing slightly behind the woman speaking. It was obvious who called the shots here.

  “Shut up, Josh. I want this bitch punished for all she’s put my grandbaby through,” she said coldly. She went over to Jake and tried to hug him, but he jumped down from his chair and ran to Nella.

  Jake’s eyes were full of fear, and Nella reached down and lifted him in her arms. He wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face in her hair, as if to hide from the ugly scene taking place in front of him.

  “Quiet!” Nella recognized the fury in Sam’s voice. “I want everyone out of this house right now! I need a few words with my wife.”

  Just then a flash from a camera went off. A reporter had managed to squeeze through the door. Sam snatched the camera from the reporter and threw it out the door, pushing the man out with it.

  Finally the room was cleared of everyone except Sam, Nella, and Jake.

  Sam reached for Jake and held him tightly. Nella wanted to feel those strong arms close around her, but Sam made no attempt to draw her to him. Instead he asked, “Who’s the beach bum?”

  “Nick.”

  “The old fiancé?”

  “Yes.”

  “What’s he doing here?” Sam’s voice was full of unasked questions that wanted answers.

  “He came over last night to try to get me to reconcile with him. The storm caught him, so I agreed to let him spend the night. As you can see, he slept on the couch.”

  The couch cushions were mussed and there was a sheet and pillow on the couch.

  “I believe you, Nella,” Sam reassured her, “but you can’t begin to imagine what the press will do with this, and how it’ll hurt our case.” The stress from the past couple of weeks had caused Sam’s face to look drawn and haggard.

  “But we lost. That’s what John McHill said on the phone. And I just wanted to give you a little more time. Didn’t you get my message?”

  “Yes, I got your message. You were set up, Nella. John and Miranda were trying to get you to do exactly what you did.”

  “Set up?” Nella’s voice was weak with disbelief that she had done more harm than good by leaving Kentucky with Jake.

  “When John made that call to you, they had my line tapped. When you called me, they taped it and took it straight to the lawyers.”

  “That’s enough time!” someone yelled from outside the door.

  “You’d better get dressed,” Sam told Nella. “Don’t worry, I’m not finished. We haven’t lost yet.”

  In a stupor, Nella showered and dressed. What lay ahead of her? Would she actually go to jail for kidnapping? Could they do that to her? As if sleepwalking, she went back and joined Sam and Jake in the living room.

  Sam led Nella through the crowd that had gathered in front of her house. Reporters stuck microphones in her face, asking questions she didn’t even hear, as cameras flashed all around them. There were two local TV camera crews already there.

  Sam handed Jake to Nella so she could say good-bye to him. His small arms clamped tightly around her neck, and she held him as close to her as she could. They were both weeping when Sam finally had to pry Jake from her arms.

  Sam leaned over and kissed Nella softly on the lips before she sat down in the front seat with Sheriff Dansby.

  “Thank you for trying to help,” he whispered, before closing the door.

  As the car pulled from the driveway, the only sounds were the crunching of the tires on the gravel and Jake calling, “Don’t take my mommy, don’t take my mommy! I want my mommy!”

  “Sometimes I hate my job,” Harmon Dansby muttered as the sheriff’s car sped toward town and Nella sat crying into her hands, awaiting an uncertain future.

  The metal clanking of the cell doors closing was the most horrifying sound Nella had ever heard.

  “Nella, girl, I’m so sorry to have to do this. But I know you won’t be in here long. I know you aren’t a kidnapper.” Sheriff Dansby was trying to console her, but Nella was in a state of shock he couldn’t penetrate. Finally he said, “Now you remember what you told me about being a survivor! You’ve got to survive, Nella. You’ve got to do it for your dad’s sake, and for your own.”

  Getting no response from her, the sheriff shrugged tiredly and left the room.

  All day, lawyers from both sides questioned Nella. By evening she was so weary and exhausted she could barely move. But she didn’t sleep at all that night. She didn’t even lie down. She just sat on the hard bunk and stared into the darkness, reliving each moment of her life since she’d met and married Sam and become a mother to Jake.

  Even when breakfast was brought in the next morning, she made no attempt to eat, but continued to sit and reminisce. She didn’t regret becoming a part of Sam and Jake’s life. Her life had been complete for a few months. Totally and fully complete. That’s more than some people ever had. She would take those few months and revel in them for the rest of her life.

  Sam would surely want a divorce now. He’d be brokenhearted at losing Jake, and would probably hate her for the part she’d played in his loss.

  It tore Nella apart to know she’d played a major role in causing Sam and Jake to be separated. If she’d only stayed in Kentucky. If she’d just told Nick he couldn’t spend the night at her house. So many ifs. Sam and Jake would have been better off if they’d never met her!

  “Nella?” Sheriff Dansby’s voice preceded him. “You can go now. The kidnapping charges have been dropped. I knew you couldn’t be guilty of such a thing.”

  Nella glanced at her watch. Eleven a.m. “What do you mean, Harmon? Why have the charges been dropped?” Too numb from her ordeal to think, reality didn’t sink in for a few moments.

  “After the lawyers questioned you yesterday, and after the press covered yours and Jake’s tearful parting, the lawyers decided they didn’t have a case that would stand up. That little boy obviously adores you. It was really heartbreaking to watch him on TV last night. The whole county is in a turmoil about it. The public wants to put the boy’s grandparents in jail for putting him through this kind of ordeal.”

  By now Nella was at the desk collecting her personal items. She was afraid to ask the next question.“Have you heard from Sam?”

  “No, honey. I haven’t heard a thing. But come on, I’ll take you home. I have to go out that way on a domestic call.”

  Nella knew he was just using that as an excuse to take her home. Everyone in her community had been married for years with no problems at all, as far as Nella had ever heard.

  When he dropped her off at her house, Nella thanked him, and watched as he drove away. There was no sign of Sam’s car. She wondered where he was.

  She didn’t go into the house. She headed down the steps to the beach, hoping the lapping waves would lull her frayed senses and make her feel better. Although at this point, she wondered if that would ever be possible again.

  She didn’t know how far she walked, but weariness from everything she’d been through eventually overtook her, s
o she headed back toward her house. Maybe if she ate some hot soup, she’d be able to lie down and sleep a little. If she could just sleep and relax she’d be in a better state of mind to try to figure out what she was going to do next.

  She was approaching the steps that led up to her house when the writing in the sand caught her eyes.

  “Jake” was written in huge letters. An arrow pointed toward the steps.

  Excitement shot through her, expunging all the weariness. She bounded up the steps, and there in her lounge chair lay Sam with Jake lying on his stomach. It was an exact replay of their first meeting, except Sam and Jake were not asleep.

  “Surprise!” they called in unison.

  Nella slumped into the closest chair. Tears rolled freely down her face.

  “Don’t cry, Mommy.” Jake ran to her and took her face in his hands. “I missed you last night. Where were you? Daddy and I were here, but you never came home.”

  Nella looked at Sam with a question in her eyes.

  “After Dansby hauled you away, I persuaded the lawyers that Jake needed the comfort of being in a familiar surrounding after all he’d just been through. So they decided to wait until today to turn him over to his grandparents.”

  “Oh, no, don’t tell me I’m going to have to go through losing him all over again!” Nella was distraught at the thought of having Jake pulled from her arms again.

  “No. After the lawyers finished questioning you, and after the story made such a splash on the news last night, the judge decided this morning that Jake should remain with his parents.”

  “His parents?” Nella felt warmth slowly engulfing her.

  “Yes, Mommy, my parents,” Jake explained, as if talking to a child much younger than himself. “You know, you and Daddy.”

  “So you have full custody now?” Nella asked, still not quite able to believe their ordeal was over.

  “Total,” he assured her. “Jake’s grandparents can see him if and when I allow it, but I must always be present when they’re with him. That’s their punishment for trying to run a scam on the courts. So Jake is in my custody now and forever.”

  “No matter what happens?” she asked, almost afraid of the answer.

  “No matter what happens.” Sam’s eyes were beginning to crinkle around the edges as he subdued a smile. He knew where Nella was going with this line of questioning.

  But Nella was serious, needing, but afraid of hearing, the answer to her next question. “Then that means you don’t have to have me in the picture as a stabilizing part of Jake’s life anymore. Where does that leave me? Where does that leave us?” She literally held her breath, waiting for Sam’s answer.

  “Well,” his voice was calm. How could he be so calm at a time like this? “I’m not sure, but if you love me half as much as I love you, it seems to leave us with a future packed full of love for each other and our children.”

  Nella couldn’t move. She could only look into those beloved golden brown eyes and try to make herself believe what she’d just heard.

  “And if you keep looking at me like that, we might just have to start adding those other children right now.” Sam got up from his chair and pulled Nella to her feet.

  She was still in a daze as Sam lowered his lips to claim hers.

  After a long, gentle kiss, he raised his head. His voice was husky with emotion as he said, “I love you, Nella. I love everything about you. The biggest mistake I ever made was thinking I would never be attracted to you. I think even then, I was trying to convince myself. Please say you love me, and that you’ll stay married to me.”

  “I do love you, Sam. I think I’ve loved you from the beginning. I tried to not like you at all because of your rotten attitude, but the harder I tried not to like you, the more I loved you. There’s nothing I want more than to stay married to you—if that’s what you really want. But,” she warned, “make sure its what you want, because once you make that commitment, you’re never going to get rid of me.”

  “I’m getting hungry, people.”

  The small voice reminded them that Jake was still there. They broke into laughter at his indignant declaration.

  “Daddy, you said we could go get a hambooger as soon as Nella got finished with her walk.”

  “So you were here all along?” Nella asked Sam. “Where’s the car? I didn’t see anyone when Harmon dropped me off.”

  “I parked it down the beach behind a sand dune. In fact, I parked it in the same place I hid it from you the day you found Jake alone on the beach.” He knew he had to tell her the truth about their first meeting. He couldn’t let her keep thinking he’d actually lost Jake that day.

  “You did what?” Nella didn’t believe what she’d just heard.

  “Now, Nella, don’t get angry. I didn’t really lose Jake that day. I kind of set you up to find him. I wanted to see how you’d respond to an emergency. I know it probably wasn’t the best way to do things, but it was the first thing I thought about, and I was kind of in a hurry to get acquainted with you. I already knew you were the woman I wanted to take care of my son.”

  “How did you know that? Had you been watching me?” Nella was feeling real anger at Sam for the first time since she’d known him. She knew her eyes reflected that anger.

  “I’d spent a couple of weeks making inquiries about you. The first time I saw you was in a grocery store talking to a lady and her baby. I liked the way you responded to the baby, so I started asking questions. Lady, you sure have a fine reputation in these here parts.” Sam tried to lighten the mood. He could tell Nella was angry at having been deceived about their first meeting. “And, let me add, your eyes are even more beautiful when you’re angry than they usually are.”

  “Don’t try to joke your way out of this, Sam du Cannon!” But even as Nella scolded him, she could feel her anger slipping away. “I shouldn’t be surprised. You are the most persistent man I’ve ever known. I’ll try to forgive you, but it’s going to take a long, long time.” Now she was the one teasing.

  Sam pulled her to him once again, and held her close. “I’ve missed you so much. I can’t wait to make love to you again.”

  “I really need a hambooger!” Jake was beginning to grow impatient.

  “I’ll get the car,” Sam suggested, “and we’ll go somewhere and feed this hungry kid. It’s been a while since he had breakfast.”

  “But Sam, I’m so grimy from spending the night in—”

  Sam’s hand was clamped lightly over her mouth before she said the word “jail.”

  “Jake doesn’t know,” Sam whispered. “Besides, we’ll just go to some small place where there aren’t a lot of people. Come on, you look wonderful to me, just like you are.”

  While Sam went for the car, Nella freshened her makeup and combed her hair. Soon they were heading into town. Sam parked the car in front of the small restaurant where he’d first asked her to marry him.

  When they went in he whispered something to the hostess who seated them, and she hurried away.

  “Sam, what are you up to?”

  “Just asking for ‘our’ table,” he reassured her.

  After a short wait, the hostess came back and escorted them to the booth where they had sat on that first day. Sam made sure Nella was seated, then unexpectedly dropped to one knee. He took both of Nella’s hands in his, and then nodded to the hostess.

  “Okay, Sally.”

  Sally gave a signal, and suddenly people surrounded them. A couple of people held TV cameras.

  Once everyone had settled down, Sam looked into Nella’s astonished eyes and said, “Nella, the first time we came here, I asked you to marry me because I needed a mother for Jake. This time, I’m asking you to stay married to me because I love you totally, and want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want you to be the mother of my child, Jake, and I want you to be the mother of any other children we may be blessed with. Will you spend your life with me, Nella?”

  “Yes,” was the only word Nella could get her
voice to produce.

  Sam rose and kissed Nella long and hard, until the congratulations and backslapping began.

  The story made the Charleston news that night, and the society section of the paper the next day. The story concluded by saying the family would spend winters at their Kentucky home, and summers at their South Carolina beach home.

  About the Author

  Pat Ballard lives in Nashville, TN. She writes motivational romance novels with Big Beautiful Heroines to show that plus-size women can be just as sexy, romantic, and exciting as their slim sisters.

  Visit Pat at www.patballard.com.

  For as long as I can remember, I loved “making up” my own stories. Being the oldest of six children, and next-to-the-oldest of 25 grandchildren, I had a lot of practice spinning my yarns “on request.”

  I learned to love romance novels after discovering author Emilie Loring. I collected and read every book I could find by her. I knew that this was the type of book I wanted to write.

  My wonderful sisters, Ellen and Jerri, became weary of hearing me say I was going to “write a book,” so one day they approached me with a pen and spiral notebook and said, “do it.” So, thanks to them, I wrote my first novella. And in doing so, I proved to myself that I could.

  After I decided to stop the self-destructive fad diets that I had lived on since the age of 11, and accept myself as who I was born to be, I set about to write romance novels with Big Beautiful Heroines.

  But the books aren't just for plus-size women. The message is for all women to love ourselves as we are and stop trying to be something we were never meant to be.

  Read on for a bonus article from Pat, and information on her romance novels available from Pearlsong Press.

  My Woman Within

  For years the so-called "experts" of this society told me that there was a skinny woman inside of me, just waiting to come out. And for years, I made myself believe this lie. Occasionally that skinny woman would peek out, only to run back inside and not be seen again for some time.