Doorstep daddy

by Cajio, Linda

  "Don't be mad at me, Richard," she said. "I have to talk to Gerri."

  "I'm not mad," he replied. "I'm disappointed."

  Callie shook her head. She opened the door, closing it behind her as she left. The house felt as if all its vibrancy had left with her.

  "Uncle Richard." Amanda's voice sounded small and faraway.

  Richard sighed and faced his niece, who stood in the doorway to the kitchen. Mark and Jason stood next to her, both wide-eyed.

  "It's okay, kids," he said. "Don't worry about it." They didn't need to. He would.

  Late Thanksgiving afternoon, Callie parked her car in front of her sister's house and sat there, completely exhausted. And completely miserable.

  She hadn't slept well since her fight with Richard. Soothing Gerri after leaving Richard to talk to her had been far more difficult than she'd imagined. It seemed she'd made every excuse in the book to herself for Gerri, and even wound up making a spoken apology, which Gerri ungraciously accepted. Richard's behavior had been proper, while Gerri's hadn't. The whole thing had left ashes in Callie's mouth ever since.

  Worse, Gerri's contriteness vanished immediately afterward, replaced by a slightly righteous attitude. Callie let it go in the interest of peace. In the further interest of peace, she had called Richard and told him she thought she ought to go to her family's dinner as a goodwill gesture. He had been curt and cold.

  That had hurt more than she ever thought anything would, because she felt as if she'd let him down. Mostly she felt wrong. Just plain old done Richard wrong. Every fiber of her being yearned to drive farther down the street to his house, park in his driveway and prostrate herself before him to ask for forgiveness.

  Yet she dragged herself from the car, feeling as though she had to get one problem solved before she dealt with the next. She opened her trunk and cursed heartily when she saw the turkey juice that had dripped onto the once-immaculate rug covering. She'd wrapped the pan containing the now fully-cooked stuffed turkey in about ten layers of foil. But somehow the juice had found a weak spot and leaked out, probably when she'd made that hard stop at a light.

  Her contribution to Thanksgiving was another exhaustion factor. She'd been up since dawn stuffing and cooking the turkey.

  "Contribution, my fanny," she grumbled. She remembered Gerri's words when she said she was coming to dinner, after all. I'm not as adept as you are, Callie, at making a turkey. Besides, you always make it. I just love the smell of it when you come in the door.

  Yeah, she thought, wrestling the still-hot twenty-pound pan out of the trunk with clumsy hot pads. She always made and then smelled like the bird, and this year clearly wasn't going to be different. She always bought the turkey and stuffing materials, too, and that wasn't different this year, either, despite her being out of work. Technically out of work, that is; she wasn't sure where she stood with her old job right now, or with Richard and his import business. The family always insisted on a fresh, not frozen turkey. She'd driven over half of Jersey last night, trying to get one from a local poultry farmer. Didn't anyone know what went into making a turkey like this? Didn't anyone care?

  No one came out to help her, although her brother Tommy opened the door and waved. "Thank God you're here, Callie. It's a mess."

  Callie struggled with the heavy pan. "Here, you idiot. Take this before I drop it."

  "Oh." Tommy leaped to help her at last. He took hold of the turkey pan, then snatched his hand back. "Ooowww! It's hot."

  ' T hope your patients get that right-on-the-money diagnosis." She helped him make a better transfer with the hot pads, then noticed a dark shadow on her best .blazer. "Oh, no! The juice got on my clothes."

  "That's nothing," Tommy said. "All hell's broken loose in here."

  "What do you mean, this is nothing?" she demanded, swiping fruitlessly at the greasy stain. "It's my best .jacket."

  Tommy nudged her with his elbow and called out, "Callie's here!" "Callie!"

  She practically backed outside again when Gerri hurried toward her with a face blotchy from crying. Gerri threw her arms around Callie and burst into an explosion of weeping. "Get in! Get in before anyone sees me! I can't face them. Oh, it's horrible. We're bankrupt! And Joe's left me, just gone."

  Callie's heart thumped, half from her sister's news and half from the slew of little nieces and nephews racing toward her for hugs. And candy. Calhe immediately dug in her pocket for lollipops, although Gerri clung like an octopus. The kids disappeared as soon as they got their treat. Calhe felt as though she'd just handed out bribes for love. Probably the kids didn't want to miss their treats, but didn't want to come too near their aunt Gerri, with her bewildering behavior. At least Calhe hoped so, but it gave her a bad feeling, especially after -having Mark's hugs for nothing.

  Her parents sat at the kitchen table, hangdog looks on their faces. Her sister Helena frowned at her husband, Andy, while her brother Steve sat on the other side of the room from his wife, Bobbi. Her youngest brother, Jamie, a first-year student at Penn State, sat on a stool at the counter flipping cashews in the air and catching them with his mouth.

  Young Joey huddled in the back of the kitchen, his expression stone-faced. Callie's heart went out to him. She disentangled herself from Gerri and gave him a hug. "It'll be okay."

  Joey just nodded and put his arm around her Callie sensed that he needed reassurance. Poor guy. His sister Kristen, one of the horde of kids now watching a movie in the den, had obviously taken her father's disappearance better than Joey had. But then, despite her young age, Kristen had always been independent and self-possessed.

  "Gerri's such a wreck she hasn't even started dinner," Helena said. "I'll do some, but I'm not doing it all. You'll have to do more, Callie."

  Gerri gasped. "I have a right to be upset!"

  "I'm upset, too, but you don't see me acting like a screaming meamie." Helena sniffed a few tears of her own. "Andy's company restructured and he's had to take a pay cut. I'll have to go back to work. Callie, I'm going to need your help with some baby-sitting."

  Callie gaped at Helena, who seemed oblivious to what she'd asked of her oldest sister.

  "She can't," Gerri said. "I need her help here. Everything's gone, don't you understand? Joe said spent every penny we have! This morning I got up and he was gone, just walked out on me. What am I supposed to do? We've got no money in the bank. Nothing. How am I going to pay the bills? Poor Joey and Kristen will have to go to public school this semester."span>

  Joey's head came up. He grinned. "I gotta call Amanda."

  Calhe smiled as her nephew sped out of the room. Someone was happy at least. She couldn't find a whole lot of sympathy for her sister. Gerri had needed to curb her spending for years. But although she understood her brother-in-law's disgust, it wasn't fair of Joe to skip out on his family like that. She knew now why Gerri had been acting the way she had. She'd been under enormous stress, and so anything that seemed untoward made her frantic to control, including Callie's relationship with Richard.

  Tommy broke into Gerri's tears. "Get a grip. You'll just have to live like the rest of us - on Poor Street. It won't kill you. What's Callie supposed to do for you, anyway?"

  Callie smiled at her brother coming to her defense. She hadn't been overjoyed to hear her sisters blithely demand her services. Usually Helena was more sensible, but Callie realized she'd set both sisters up to expect her to bail them out because she always had before.

  "Besides, I've got a wallpaper project I want Callie's help with," Tommy added. "If she's helping you, she can't help me."

  Calhe glared at him while her sisters protested strongly. And here she thought he was on her side.

  "Knock it off," her middle brother, Steve, said. "You aren't the only ones with problems. I might as well tell them, Rose." He glanced at his wife. "Rose and I are getting a divorce after Christmas. If anyone needs Calhe's baby-sitting services, it's me."

  The squabbling rose higher and higher, yet Callie didn't care. It felt as i
f she were looking at herself from the outside, a stranger in this household of people making demands of her. She realized they expected her just to drop everything and make their life better. But what about her own needs? Never was it clearer to her that she was the family drudge. Yet she felt less like a family member than ever.

  Suddenly she knew that her family, the family she needed, lived down the street. The man she loved was only a few hundred feet away, and she'd nearly walked out on him. On them all.

  "What an idiot I am," she said out loud.

  Everyone stopped bickering and stared at her. She looked at each one, then said to her mother and father, "Why don't you two say something? Tell them what they should do. It's not my job."

  "You always thought it was," her mother said. "You were such a good little mother that even if I tried to do it, you just took it out of my hands. I guess we all got used to it."

  "Well, I don't want it anymore. Everyone," she announced, "I'm sorry for all your troubles, but it's time you take responsibility for your lives. I have my own life to live, so Gerri, Helena, Steve, Tommy, Jamie., .good luck and God bless. I hope you get your lives back together, but I can't help you any longer. Go see Mom and Dad."

  "Yeah!" Jamie said, clapping his hands. "About time, Callie. I'm the youngest, and I could see you wearing yourself out with these clowns, including me."

  Tommy burst out laughing. "My God, but Jamie's right. Go for it, girl, and leave us dopes to ourselves. I'll happily paper my own house. Happy typical Thanksgiving. Everyone's miserable."

  "I'm not. You guys have your turkey, and it's the last one from me," Callie said. "I'm going to Richard's. By the way, I'll be there quite a lot because I love him. If anyone's got a problem with that, too bad."

  She strode from the kitchen and out of the house,, leaving a bunch of gaping mouths and two applauding brothers behind her. The sun shone brightly, warming her skin. The breeze, though brisk, lifted her hair and gave her hope. She left her car parked where it was and walked down the street to Richard's. With each step she felt more confident and yet apprehensive. She was confident in her love for Richard, in her belief that she would reach all her goals and have a family, too, with his help. She was apprehensive about whether Richard would accept her. He had been very angry with her after their fight about family.

  "Dope," she said, meaning herself.

  She took a deep breath, a steadying breath, then knocked on Richard's door. Jason opened it.

  "Callie!" he shouted happily, hugging her.

  "Thank God I left my hearing aids at home," she said wryly, hugging him back. "I'd have no eardrums left."

  "Do you still like my uncle Richard?" he asked hopefully.

  "I love him. You, too. Okay?" Jay grinned. "Okay."

  She walked in behind Jason, who launched himself into the house to shout that she'd shown up. She noticed the dining-room table through the doorway on the right. It was beautifully set for four people. She prayed it had room for five.

  Amanda came to the top of the stairs, her portable telephone in her hand. Grinning, she waved at Callie and said, "I'm on with Joey. Is it really true? He's going to my: school soon?"

  "He's not going to his for long, that's for sure," Calhe replied.

  "Can he come over for dinner here?" Amanda asked. Calhe was touched that Amanda thought that she, Calhe, was the one with the answers. "If it's all right with

  his mother and with your uncle Richard, it's okay with i me.

  What the heck, she thought. Might as well make two kids happy today.

  "Great!'' Amanda whooped. "Uncle Richard will be glad to see you - "

  "Turkey for me, Callie!" Mark called out as he toddled into sight. He wrapped his arms around her legs. "Turkey for me!"

  "Yeah, but who's the turkey, pal?" she asked, rub-1 bing his back.

  Suddenly Richard was at the doorway between the I kitchen and the foyer. He looked wonderful in a sweat- j shirt and jeans. His hair fell across his forehead, and a little flour streaked his jaw, but that only added to his | charm. His expression, however, was shuttered, giving! nothing away.

  Callie straightened, feeling more apprehensive than! confident. "Is there room for one more at the table? I'd J like to have Thanksgiving dinner with my family."

  Richard slowly grinned. He moved toward her.

  "You are my family," she whispered when he tookl her in his arms. "I hope you'll forgive me for being an I idiot the other day."

  "Honey, I was one, too. I should have hog-tied youl to the sofa."

  "I like your diplomacy," she said, smiling. "Andl you're a little kinky, too."

  "I'm a lot kinky, given the chance." He sobered. "Are you here to stay?"

  "For as long as you want me. And I'll work and Fill finish college and I'll be happy as a clam changing Mark's diapers."

  "No need. He's in major training now."

  "Joy of joys."

  Richard kissed her, a mind-boggling kiss that melded her to him and left her dizzy with love. Never had she been happier. Never had she known such joy of joys as she had with him.

  "I'll help you in the kitchen," she murmured against his lips.

  "It's all done."

  She leaned her head back, her eyes wide with surprise. "All of it?"

  "Yes. Let's go have Thanksgiving dinner with our family," he said when he finally raised his head.

  Richard set the beautifully browned turkey on the dinner table. Its fragrant aroma combined with the yeasty odor of rolls and the sweet smell of candied yams. He'd done it all himself, with a little help from Jason, and even Mark. Amanda had set a beautiful table and taken care of all the cleaning and other sundry jobs that added to the pleasure of eye, nose and eventually mouth.

  Callie sat at the other end of the table, looking serene and absolutely perfect. Her nephew Joey sat next to Amanda. Richard decided not to worry about young love for the time being. His love was having its well-deserved day.

  "Before we eat," he said, "let's each of us tell what we're thankful for. Jay, you go first."

  "I'm thankful to eat turkey and stuffing," Jay said promptly.

  Everyone chuckled.

  "I'm thankful to be here" Joey said next. Callie giggled while Joey grinned lopsidedly. Richard had heard the story of what had happened over at

  Gerri's. He felt badly for the boy and his mother - and proud of Callie for putting herself first.

  "I'm thankful to be here, too," Amanda said. "With you, Uncle Richard, and everyone..."

  Her voice trailed away, but not her sentiment. Jason nodded in agreement. "I'm very glad you're here, too," he said.

  "And I'm thankful to have opened Gerri's door on Halloween," Callie said. "Finding Hercules, a goddess, Robin and Batman was the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm thankful that here I'm needed for me, and not to make a dinner or wash clothes or anything else. I'm thankful I have a job somewhere and a formal protest pending over another." She grinned. "And I'm glad I have dreams and you understand them."

  "How about a Christmas wedding?" Richard asked.

  Amanda gasped and both Jason and Joey looked on, round-eyed. Mark played with his roll, unconcerned.

  "You're ten giant steps ahead again," Calhe said, her face flushed.

  "I'll wait for however long it takes for you to catch up," he replied, undaunted.

  "I don't think it will be too long. Christmas might be nice."

  "Remind me to kiss you later."

  She smiled at him, her eyes shining with love. "Good. Now carve that turkey. I'm starved."

  He laughed and began to carve. He stopped. The table groaned - and not because it was laden with food. Everyone was hungry.

  "I forgot to say what I'm thankful for." He looked around the table. ' I'm very thankful for each one of you, that you have come to me and we have made a family together. I'm thankful for you, Calhe, because you came into my life and in a few short weeks made it complete. And I'm thankful that you love me. That's the greatest gift of all."


  Everyone smiled. Callie wiped at tears. Richard felt a few well up in his eyes.

  'Turkey now, Unca 'shard!" Mark shouted, then added, "Peas."

  "Okay, okay," he said, putting actions to words.

  The two little Pilgrim figurines on the table nearly touched hands. They had been listening and were pleased. Although the special request of the Holidays had been fulfilled with the four cousins, there was always room for one more, whenever he needed help.

  She's the cutest, most precocious, darling little girl, but Christy is also

  The Little

  And this Christmas, Christy knows exactly what she wants: a mom and a dad. Santa had better deliver! Watch for:

  SMOOCHIN' SANTA (December 1998) SANTA SLEPT OVER (January 1999)

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