"Good, then you'll be back Monday morning, right?" he asked.
"Of course." She frowned into the phone. What had he expected?
"I was a little harsh on you, and worried whether you'd be back at all." He admitted.
Lacey slumped her shoulders and propped herself in her bed, to sip her coffee, "I had a tremendous vacation, and have a lot to show the girls. I'll be there bright and early."
"Perhaps you could stop by my office and show me too?" he offered.
Now he was interested.
Great, just great. Men, she didn't need them. She answered a few more of his noisy questions and then hung up.
Why wasn't she elated that Howard was finally interested? Wasn't that what she wanted just a few weeks ago? Now he was, and she could care less.
"I'm fickle!"
She shook her head, "No I'm not. I've just matured, as I should have done long ago. But oh the price I'm paying for finally growing up and into my own life."
She wondered if Sam would call her. Did he miss her?
She scolded herself for caring. Sam said his goodbye and it was a summer fling and over. She really didn't need a man. She could live without them. She had before.
The dullness of her life surrounded her here. She didn't like it. It was as though nothing fit her any longer. The house was too big, too silent, and too dull!
Somehow she had changed on this vacation, and not just sexually, either.
Then as she was preparing a tuna salad for supper she began to think more clearly. "I need my own place. That's what I need. I need to get away from here. Mama is in the past and now it's time for me to have a life of my own."
Why hadn't she thought of it before? Yes, she didn't need to live where old memories threw her into depression. She needed a nice new apartment, of her own.
A new place would be just the thing for the new her!
With a plan in mind she padded to the living room to watch TV and finish her supper.
She'd get an animal too. Yes, that was all she needed, an animal running about the place, keeping her company, consoling her. Sure why not, everyone else had animals, didn't they?
***
Sam went straight to Kasie's after talking with the doctor.
"Rosie told me you were going to talk to him. So…how'd it go?" Kasie asked as she fixed them both a cup of coffee and they sat at her kitchen table, late that evening.
"It was a switch, and our grandfather was at fault, I'm afraid."
Kasie nodded slowly, seeming to drink in the information slowly.
"I'm really sorry Sam. Not just for you and your mother, but for us too. So many years we didn't even know each other. But…at least we do now and maybe we can make up for some of that lost time."
"Yeah, and everyone concerned except the doctor I talked to is dead, so that's that, I guess. I don't want to carry things any farther. I found out what I needed to know."
Kasie studied him for a long moment. "And how do you feel about that, Sam?"
"I have mixed emotions right now. Maybe later, I will sort it all out and begin to deal with it. I feel so bad about my mom and my father. How they suffered for no good reason. Then again, it's over and I have my answers. I guess I should be satisfied. I can understand now why my father didn't tell me about it, he was almost as much to blame as anyone. Mr. McKay that is, not my real father. From now on, John Douglas is my father, and despite everything he and my mother were the innocent ones in all of this. In addition, he never knew. I don't know how so many kept quiet so long. But the kind of man our father was, I'm sure he would have made things right, if only he'd known."
"Of course he would. He loved your mother, perhaps more than any of his wives. I knew somehow that he couldn't have known. From what Rosie has told me about it, dad was crazy in love with your mother. It hurt him as badly as her. The worse part is they were cheated. And I too was cheated, Sam, out of my brother." Kasie smiled and put her hand on top of his. "But Sam, I want to thank you for finding out the truth, because we, you, and I both deserved to know."
"Well, we have each other now…" Sam smiled at her.
"Yes we do, and we are never going to be further from a cell phone call away from each other." Kasie promised.
"You know, it's all been worth it though…finding you and your wonderful family. And now I think I can let go of the past and get on with my life too."
Kasie squeezed his hand, "I'm so glad. And you will be here every Christmas, every Thanksgiving, every holiday to celebrate and we are going to be a real family Sam."
Sam almost laughed, "It's a deal."
Kasie made a face and Sam noticed, "Something wrong?"
"Uh…no, just a twinge…" she said as she repositioned herself in the chair.
"A twinge? Say, where is that husband of yours, he's usually right beside you?" Sam chuckled.
"He had to go into the office today, he and Tanka are bidding on another contract, and he just doesn't trust his soft hearted brother to make the deal." Kasie laughed but grabbed her back.
"Hey, are you all right?" Sam asked.
"I'm not sure, maybe we better see exactly where my husband is, Sam, and would you call him for me." She grunted and held her back once more.
"Sure thing," Sam didn't let on how nervous he was. What if she went into labor? He didn't know what to do? However, this was his sister; he had to take care of her. Perhaps if he could help it would make up for all the lost years.
He dialed the number in the contacts on her phone but no one answered.
"Try Tanka's number," she suggested, her face going a little pale.
"The line was busy. I already tried."
Sam heard it before he saw it, Kasie water had broken all over the kitchen floor. He went to steady her as she almost sank to the floor. "Hey, we better get you to the hospital."
"Oh I hate to ask, Sam, but would you?" Kasie caught her back and grimaced with a pain.
"Of course, do you have a bag packed?"
"Oh yes, I'll go get it." She turned to go up stairs but he stayed her.
"No you don't. Where is it, I'll get it?" he insisted.
"Third door on the left upstairs, in the closet floor." She caught her back.
"Those pains are awfully close together," Sam noted.
"Yeah, they are…maybe we better hurry." She cried out as the next one hit her.
"Where's D.J." Sam asked.
"Over at Gina's. She came got him this morning, she insisted since I haven't been up to par and I'm overdue." Kasie admitted.
"Good, I'll call her later. Let me get the bag and we'll be on our way, then."
In less than five minutes he had the bag and helped her to the car. The hospital was down the mountain and it would be an hour drive or more. Sam didn't want to let on how concerned he was but he kept dialing Chayton's number until he finally got a message machine. He left a message for Chayton and one for Tanka as he couldn't get anyone there either.
Kasie was trying to relax in the car, but Sam held her hand and encouraged her to squeeze it when she had pain. He noted the time and saw that he had to get her there quickly. Her pains had gone from five minutes apart to just a little over two minutes apart. In addition, her water had broken so he knew she could deliver at any moment.
His nerves jangled. And he wouldn't let her know how much. He had to stay calm no matter what. This was his sister and he loved her. He smiled to himself. She twisted her head, "Something funny, Sam?"
"Just thinking how much I love you," he smiled. "And to be part of this family makes me very happy."
Traffic jammed on the road because a tree fell across it during the storm the night before and had to be removed. The option to go around would mean another hour's drive so Sam waited. He didn't feel right about waiting with her in hard labor. He had to get Kasie to the hospital. He got out of the car and talked to some of the workers who noticed his problem. All the men seemed concerned for Kasie and Sam was grateful but even more so when one of them spoke up.
"That would be wonderful, what can I do?" Sam asked.
"Pull over to the side over there, we'll walk her around the tree, and it's just on the other side there."
Sam pulled the car over and then helped Kasie out of the car. Her pains were closer and they were still half an hour from the hospital.
Kasie laid in the backseat of the truck as soon as they got her to it, trying to relax as the man sped down the highway. Sam leaned over the front seat and held her hand, encouraging her to take deep breaths.
"You ever had a baby, Sam?" Kasie chuckled between pains.
"No…just watched a lot of TV." He tried not to let her know how concerned he felt.
Chayton finally called and Sam related that they were on the way to the hospital and the problems they had, but everything seemed under control.
Chayton thanked Sam, but Sam heard the panic in his voice. He told them he'd meet them at the hospital. Tanka would drive him.
Sam smiled, "Chayton said he'd meet us at the hospital."
Kasie nodded but another pain hit and she turned pale again her pains were coming very close together and Sam wondered if they would get there in time.
When Kasie screamed out, Sam asked the man to stop, "I don't think she can wait much longer. You ever done this?" he asked the worker.
"Uh…no…have you?"
"No, but I've watched the discover channel about it and some TV shows. I don't think we have much choice. I hate to mess your truck up, but…"
"Don't worry about that," the man yelled getting out of the truck and shielding the window from anyone trying to watch. A few cars passed staring but moving on.
Sam hurried to Kasie's side. He went into the back seat and helped Kasie prepare. She held his hand and looked into his eyes. "Sam…God must have sent you to me…he knew I was gonna need you."
Sam tried to smile, but worry and concern for the situation outweighed it. "We'll do this, together, you just hang in there."
Kasie nodded as sweat peppered her upper lip. Then a huge pain hit her and she screamed aloud. Sam held her hand. Her fingernails nearly cut him, but he didn't seem to mind. He was almost feeling her pains himself.
Rolling his sleeves up, he took a look and could see the head crowning, he glanced up at her, "We're about to have your baby."
"Oh God…" she cried." I'm so sorry Sam."
"Looks like everything is in the right place, so next time, bear down, real hard." Sam instructed.
"Okay, bro…." she panted and her face turned scarlet. "I'm just so sorry…"
Sam's face became quite serious. "Don't be, honey, we're family, and I'm here to help you. God sent me, remember?"
She smiled and then it hit and she screamed and Sam yelled, "Push…."
She pushed, he nodded, "Keep pushing…honey."
"Oh dear God," she cried.
"Push honey." He yelled softer this time.
She did and in seconds Sam was holding the baby and helping her come into the world. The worker stood outside with his back turned, his shirt open to give privacy and a grin on his face. Someone stopped their car, got out and came up to him, "What's goin' on?"
"We're havin' a baby," the worker chuckled.
"No kidding?" the couple asked and smiled brightly.
Just then a cry from the baby affirmed it and everyone laughed.
Sam held the baby close to him, giving her the shirt off his back as he helped his niece snuggle against him. "My God, Kasie, she's beautiful. Look at that hair, would you?"
Kasie smiled, "A girl? Oh how wonderful. How very perfect, let me see her…." She insisted.
Sam placed the baby into her arms.
Suddenly an ambulance came roaring up and parked on the side of the road in front of them. Chayton and Tanka got out running to the truck. "When you weren't there, we decided to highjack an ambulance and get up here."
"Is she okay?" they yelled.
"They're fine," the worker smiled.
"I'm the father," Chayton explained, and the worker put down his shirt and smiled. "Congratulations."
"Thanks, the baby?"
Sam came out of the backseat and carried the baby with him, "You have a beautiful daughter, Chayton." He announced proudly, as the paramedics surrounded them and began to bring Kasie out of the truck. Chayton took his daughter into his arms and pushed back the shirt that Sam had wrapped her in. His eyes were big and round and a tear escaped him. "My God, she's so beautiful." He cried when Kasie looked up into his face.
"Behold your daughter, Chayton, look at all that beautiful black hair, she's lovely."
Chayton gave the baby to Tanka, who instantly cradled her and started making faces at her, cooing as he went, as Chayton leaned down to kiss Kasie on the lips. "And how's my other girl?" he asked in a low voice.
"I'm fine, thanks to my brother there," Kasie nodded toward Sam.
The paramedics took the baby from Tanka and assured them all they would take good care of her. Loading Kasie into the ambulance, Sam and Tanka followed in the worker's truck.
Even the worker wanted to go to the hospital.
At the hospital, Chayton was waiting in the waiting room until they could clean Kasie up and get the baby all-snug in clean clothes.
Chayton stood up and looked at Sam, then in an instant he hugged him close, "Thanks for being there for her…."
"You bet," Sam laughed. "That's what family is for, right?"
"What are we gonna call her?" Tanka asked as they gathered in a circle.
"How about Samantha?"
Sam nodded, "Perfect."
Chapter Fifteen
"So, have you decided what you're going to do about Lacey?" Kasie asked Sam from the hospital bed that same evening as she cradled her daughter in her arms.
Sam moved about the room restlessly. "Kasie, I'm sure of my feelings for her. I know I want her, I want her for life, but we haven't known each other that long. That's what is throwing me. It was sort of a whirlwind romance and I don't want to act foolishly. Can you know someone a week and know you're in love?" Sam asked looking straight at Kasie for the answer.
"To tell the truth, I don't know, Sam. I mean I've heard of some making a wonderful marriage and knowing them a very short time, but I guess it sort of depends on how committed you are to loving her. And she you."
"I didn't want her to leave. The fact that she did, kind of threw me." Sam admitted.
Kasie nodded, "But Sam, she has a job, you have yours. Life can't stand still while you figure out what to do. If you want her, you should go to her."
"Yeah, you are right. I didn't tell her in so many words that I loved her. It all hit so fast, I found myself backtracking. So I guess she had no reason to stick around."
"Maybe you should have."
"Do you think it's too late?" Sam asked.
"Love is never too late. That much I know for sure. Chayton and I were separated for eight years, knowing we loved each other and we still got together. It's never too late, if you love her. I have to tell you, I think she's crazy about you, but a girl has to hear the words, Sam." Kasie admitted with a sigh.
Sam glanced at her, "I shouldn't even be worrying you with this, and you just had a baby, for crying out loud."
"I'm glad you did. We might not have had the best starts in life, but we are making up for lost time now." Kasie said reaching for his hand. "Tell her you love her, Sam."
Sam stood close and kissed Kasie on the forehead. "Thanks, sis."
Kasie squeezed his hand. "And hurry up and bring her back…."
Sam laughed, "What would I do without you? All the women in my life seem to rush in, and then I'm lost without them."
"You'll never know now, you done got yourself anointed into this family and we won't let you go." Kasie chuckled.
"Little Samantha sure is pretty," Sam added looking around the room
at all the faces. He'd come to care about all these people in a short time, was Lacey any different?
Chayton walked up to the bed, and took his daughter in his arms... "I've got to get more pictures."
Everyone groaned, "Again?"
He leaned and kissed his wife on the lips, then rose up to look at Sam. "If this doesn't make you want to go grab that little gal of yours nothing will, Sam."
Sam laughed, "Well, looks like I got the family approval, I guess I better hustle."
"See ya Sam," they all called to him as he rushed out the door.
***
Lacey moved into her new apartment with high hopes of improving her emotional state. She'd bought many new things so she could change her décor and start anew. She didn't want reminders of her losses. Her mother was gone and Sam was no longer a part of her life, so she had to get a fresh start.
She unpacked her dishes and began putting them away when a knock came at her door.
Not expecting anyone, she had put her hair up in a ponytail and stood there in shorts and t-shirt when she opened the door to Howard Newcomb.
"My goodness, what are you doing here?" she asked surprised to see him and flustered that he came unannounced.
"Not exactly the greeting I was looking for, but it's a start. I heard you were moving, wanted to see if you needed any help." He smiled into her eyes.
Lacey felt as though she should go and change, Howard had never seen her in anything but dresses and heels.
"Oh, I'm fine. I got a couple of the girls' boyfriends to help me move, and now I’m just putting things up where they belong. Come on in." she motioned.
He moved inside, unbuttoning his suit and laying the jacket on the top of her sofa.
"I can help if there's anything you need?" he insisted. "I'm sure you want to get squared away before you start back to school."
"Oh, well, if you could move that box closer so I can go ahead and put those away." She motioned for a big box that held pots and pans.
"Sure," he smiled and lifted the box with no trouble. He set it down and watched her as he leaned against the counter. "Nice place you have here."
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