And Baby Makes Five

by Debra Clopton

  “Ramona wanted children. What about you?” Lilly asked.

  Lilly believed in shooting straight. “Yes.” Regret knotted his chest. He rubbed the back of his neck and met Lilly’s eyes. She looked so tired, more so with every passing minute, but there was compassion in her gaze. “I wanted kids with all my heart.” What choice would Lilly have made if she’d been in Ramona’s shoes? “We have to take what God lays out there for us. He knows the future, like you said. He has the plan. And obviously children aren’t in my future.”

  “And why not?”

  “I’m not planning on marrying again, for one. For two, what do I have to offer a woman? I can’t give her children.”

  “You could adopt. Or maybe the woman will already have children. Who knows?” The encouraging lilt was back in Lilly’s voice.

  It wasn’t as easy as she thought it was. He needed to change the subject.

  “Okay, what about you? Do you plan on challenging this luck of the Tipps women? Are you going to remarry and give Joshua a daddy?”

  She bit her lip. “I just had a baby. I don’t want to think about anything except Joshua right now. But…I’d have said a flat no if you’d asked me before he was born. Now, looking at him…every baby deserves a daddy.” She paused, studying Joshua. “I chose a real loser last time. Maybe that’s what’s wrong with the Tipps women. We’re terrible judges of character.” She looked at him and gave a halfhearted smile. “Anyway, like I said, I’ve just given birth and that’s all I want to think about right now. God’s going to have to change my mind, if it’s to be.”

  Cort felt better about opening up. There was a comfort in knowing that they both were trying to wait on God. To trust Him. Cort had come a long way in the few weeks he’d been at Mule Hollow. He gave much of that credit to the stubborn woman sitting across from him. She’d kept him busy. He certainly hadn’t envisioned anything like what had happened to him since moving down the road from Lilly. A smile spread across his face. It felt good to smile. It was getting easier. It seemed to be becoming habit around her.

  “Here.” Lilly startled him, popping up from the rocker and crossing to stand before him. “Hold Joshua.”

  “What! No, that’s okay.” His protest went unheard. Lilly placed the baby in his hands, then walked away so he couldn’t just give Joshua back. Despite all his attempts to avoid the infant, Cort found himself holding Joshua. What if he dropped him? He only weighed something like ten pounds. And he was staring up at him with bright eyes. Man, he was a cute little thing. Cort watched, dumbstruck, as Joshua held up a fist and jerked it around a few times.

  “Hey, little buddy, don’t hit yourself with that thing.” The words came out before he could stop them. Joshua smiled and cooed.

  Cort felt stiff and awkward, but Lilly had stepped into the kitchen and was rummaging around where he couldn’t see her. Cort decided he should rock, so he rocked the baby the way he’d seen Lilly doing, but it didn’t feel right. It didn’t look right, either. It had looked natural when she swayed back and forth. Maybe he should move to the rocking chair. But if he tripped walking over there… He’d better stay right where he was on the couch. That way no disaster could strike. He wouldn’t trip over his big feet while crossing the room.

  Lilly was a good mother—at least, he’d thought so before she’d decided he was a safe bet to hold her baby. He tilted Joshua a little closer to his chest so that they were actually touching. Lilly had acted as if he wouldn’t break the boy. He figured she might be right.

  He was getting the hang of this.

  And Joshua acted as if he liked him okay.

  Looking up, he found Lilly watching him from the doorway of the kitchen with a sad little smile. When she met his gaze she blinked, then the smile bloomed.

  “I think he likes you, Cort.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lilly followed Cort outside. She’d finally rescued him from Joshua right after her son had fallen fast asleep snuggled up against Cort’s heart.

  She pushed the tugging of her own heart away and concentrated on being a good neighbor. And a friend. They’d both been through a hard time—it was a bond that made her determined to befriend him.

  He’d looked so cute not knowing how to hold Joshua. His look of bewilderment had sent a jolt of joy and compassion surging through her. And it had started a small idea forming at the back of her mind. It was something she’d have to think about, that she couldn’t make a mistake about. It was something she’d have to spend a lot of time in prayer about. But she had a feeling she already knew what God was going to tell her.

  “He went right to sleep, didn’t he?” Cort’s voice broke into her thoughts.

  There was wonder in his words. She smiled up at him as they walked down her driveway toward his truck. The crazy guy had parked it near the road so that he wouldn’t wake them up if they’d been napping. He was so sweet.

  “Yes, he did go right to sleep,” she agreed. “You got really good at cradling him next to you. That is after you stopped holding him out like he was going to kick you or upchuck on you.” She laughed again, remembering the scene…and the ache that it had caused in her heart.

  They reached the truck, and Lilly stuck her hands into her back pockets and rolled a rock with the toe of her boot. The wind had picked up and the temperature was dropping quickly. The smell of moisture rode on the cold air, of damp earth and cedar. But it was Cort’s scent, spicy and masculine, that lingered in her senses, and the sweet memory of him holding her son.

  “Lilly, I’d like to help you with anything I can around here. I’ll come back tomorrow and finish bringing up firewood and take care of anything else you need to have done.”

  “I can take care of it. There’s no reason for you to take time away from your horses. Really, you’ve done way too much for me already.”

  “Lilly, we’re neighbors, and we’ve been through a lot together. I’d like to do this for you.”

  Lilly’s first inclination was to say no again. But they had been through so much together. And really, she could use a little help. She just wasn’t used to asking for it. “Okay, but only if you have time.”

  “I’ve come a long way since our first meeting. I’m not the nasty old ogre anymore. I hope.”

  “Yes. Yes, you have come a long way. I don’t even recognize you.” She took a step backward, yanking a thumb in the direction of the house. “I have to go inside and check on Joshua. But I’ll see you tomorrow. Neighbor.”

  Cort watched Lilly trek up the driveway. Her hair was bouncing loose just above her collar as she tugged her coat tighter about her. “See you later,” he said softly to himself. Regret settled over him. He’d come there intending to get in and out without seeing her. Now that he’d seen her he didn’t want to leave. There was such a beauty that flowed from her. There was far more to Lilly than a pretty face. She had an inner beauty that glowed. That worried him.

  Watching her stride away, purpose in her steps, he realized his heart was telling him, despite his efforts to convince himself otherwise, that Lilly was more than a neighbor.

  Pushing the thought into the shadows, he was getting into his truck when Lilly whirled around.

  “Thank you again, Cort,” she called.

  Cort shut down feelings tugging at his heart. “Anytime.”

  Her smile broadened, then she turned on her heel and hurried toward the house. She could actually move pretty fast when she wasn’t waddling. He frowned. Waddling or not, Lilly made him want things. But she was too young to be saddled with a man who could never give her a family.

  Joshua was going to need siblings.

  A picture of Lilly and all those children he’d envisioned her with on their first meeting popped into his head.

  Scowling, he turned back toward his truck and climbed in.

  Who was he kidding? This attraction had him scared to death.

  Lilly sat in the booth at Sam’s Diner and smiled at the chaos going on around her. The jukebox, which s
eemed to have a mind of its own, was blasting out the strains of its latest choice, “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth.” It had been stuck for months on Jerry Lee Lewis burning up the piano with “Great Balls of Fire,” with everyone exclaiming Goodness gracious! every time the jukebox played. But now even the mention of wanting two front teeth for Christmas got a bad reaction.

  Norma Sue had been able to at least change out the forty-five so that Sam could get some relief from the same song playing 24/7, but then she hadn’t been able to get the silly Christmas tune unstuck from the holding mechanism. It never failed that someone coming into the diner stuck a nickel in the slot just to ruffle everyone’s feathers.

  Today Sherri and Lacy had invited her to bring Joshua to town for a hamburger. She hadn’t realized they were actually throwing her a surprise baby shower. The little country diner and pharmacy was packed.

  Why, there were more frilly packages stacked on the counter than Lilly had ever seen before. Birthdays at the Tipps household had always been fun, but because there had never been an abundance of people at the gatherings, or money, the gifts had been slim, but always filled with love. From the look of things here, Joshua might not need a change of clothes for years.

  Frogs seemed to be the theme. Frogs and cowboys. Joshua was going to be a frog-loving cowboy. He had shirts with frogs and sleepers with frogs. He had diapers with frogs. He had red bandannas, plaid shirts and little tiny blue jeans with cowboy hats and lassos appliquéd all over them. He even had a tiny Stetson for his little head. He was going to be a lassoing cowboy who Fully Relied On God. Thus the F.R.O.G. theme. Lacy had come up with the idea. Lilly loved it.

  “Lilly,” Lacy called as she grabbed the next package in line for Lilly to open. “We tried to invite Cort to this party, but he wasn’t home when I stopped by.”

  Lilly looked around the room full of women and wondered why they would want to invite Cort to her baby shower. Not that she wouldn’t like seeing him. She would. As promised, he’d come and brought plenty of wood up to the house for easy access for her, but he hadn’t stayed to talk. Instead he’d insisted he had work to do at home. Lilly tried not to let it bother her. But it did.

  She’d decided the man could just stay home, for all she cared. She didn’t want him coming over just because he thought she couldn’t take care of her own stuff. She could. She’d agreed to let him help only because he’d acted as if he really wanted to.

  Keeping her feelings to herself, Lilly offered Lacy a bright smile. “I’m sure he has things to do. Anyway, there aren’t any other guys here.”

  “Beggin’ your pardon, but I’m here,” said Sam, the owner, coming out of the back carrying a cake. Samantha had been named after Sam back when he and Leroy were best friends growing up. “I ain’t decided if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Thar’s a lot of you gals in here. Then again, that’s a good thing.”

  Lacy set a couple of presents on the table in front of Lilly. “You’re right about that, Sam. I just thought since Cort helped get Joshua delivered, he might like to come. That’s all. Oh Sam, that cake looks yummy. What kind is it?”

  “It’s an Italian cream cake,” he said, carefully placing it on the table, where a bowl of punch and cookies were already waiting.

  “My favorite,” Sherri crooned, scooting out of the booth and going over to get a better look. When she reached a finger out and scooped a dab of icing off the plate Sam swatted her hand.

  “Not yet, young lady.”

  “Sam, you know how I like to eat.”

  “Yep, that I do. But for this you have to wait till Lilly gets them presents opened, and by the looks of it, that won’t be for another hour or two.”

  Lilly laughed. “I’d better hurry,” she said, scanning the room. Molly snapped a picture of her, startling Joshua from sleep. He started to scream, immediately triggering maternal feelings from a host of ladies.

  “Oh, now,” Adela cooed. Being closest to him, she beat the others and competently scooped him out of his carrier.

  Adela was such an elegant woman with her stylish white hair and her lean carriage. Her incisive blue eyes lit up as she cradled Joshua.

  “You are such a sweet dear,” she crooned, and to Lilly’s surprise Joshua stopped crying, instead opting for watching her beaming face as she talked gently to him.

  “Times a-wastin’, Lilly,” Norma Sue said. “Better get goin’ on the presents or by the looks of things we might be here tomorrow.”

  To make them happy Lilly ripped open the brightly colored present. “I think I need some help. My arms are getting tired.” They were all grinning at her and it made her heart swell with warmth. It felt good to be out. To be in this circle of friends. “It’s a good thing I live alone, or else there might not be any place to put all this wonderful stuff.”

  Sherri slid into the seat, grabbed a present and started tearing it open. “I bet you could squeeze a man into the house even with all of this. Oh, and I’m helping ’cause I want a piece of that cake. Tonight! I’ve got to wait too long for Lacy’s wedding cake.”

  Lacy set a few more presents on the table, then tapped her hot pink fingernails on the surface. “February fourteenth can’t get here soon enough for me either, Sherri. But it has nothing whatsoever to do with cake.”

  Lilly fought off a twinge of sadness. That wedding was going to be something. The whole town was getting excited. She was so happy for Lacy. It was good Lacy had found such a wonderful man to love—not that there weren’t some other great guys in Mule Hollow, because she’d learned that there were.

  Despite what her grannies had taught her.

  It was late in the afternoon when they loaded her truck with all the gifts and she headed the vehicle toward home. Joshua was awake as she pulled away from the diner. Every time she looked at the transformation the town had made in the months since Lacy Brown had come to town, she was amazed. The buildings that had once been just dead, weathered wood were now bright as a box of crayons with paint. The hot pink two-story building that belonged to Lacy always made her smile, remembering the day Lacy had started rolling on the vibrant paint. Boy, it had put the men in such a dither. Especially Clint Matlock. That was the day the townsfolk believe he fell in love with Lacy. Right in the middle of fighting with her over what she was doing to the town.

  “Joshua, you see that building right there?” Lilly nodded toward Heavenly Inspirations. “Well, that building can be seen from all the way back at the crossroads. One day you’re going to point your little finger and ask, ‘What’s that, Momma?’” Lilly reached over and wiggled his toe. “You are…yes, you are—that is, unless you’re color-blind.”

  He smiled at her as she turned and headed out of town. Well, at least she was going to call what he did a smile. Everyone said three-week-old babies didn’t smile, but until she got home and found proof in his diaper that he’d been up to something else, she was going to say that little Joshua smiled at the thought of seeing a bright pink building out in the middle of nowhere.

  Lilly was dreaming of sleep by the time she arrived home. It had been a long day. She was now trying to heed Norma Sue’s advice and sleep as much as she could when Joshua slept. But bills had to be paid, and uploading pictures and information for the catalog didn’t get done while she slept.

  The sun had lingered for a few days, but ice was in the forecast again. She didn’t care. She and Joshua would hole up in their house and spend time together. She would work fast, get some sleep and, who knew, she might even cook. Other people had babies and took care of things at the same time. She could, too. She wasn’t a superhero or anything, but she could do this.

  She’d bought a small turkey before the cold weather crept in, and hadn’t felt like cooking it. She might just give it a try. Yes, get the Sunday dinner tradition started again. She needed practice, because the last time she’d attempted cooking turkey and dressing had been with Granny Bunches, and that had been years ago. Sadly, with all her grannies gone, Lilly ha
d let all traditions falter.

  Things were different now. She had Joshua to think about. She had memories to make for him. That settled, she started singing a lullaby to Joshua, just as Granny Bunches had sung to her. When she finally turned her old truck onto her dirt road, she was feeling positive that she would cook that turkey. She’d practice up for next year. If she started now, by the time Thanksgiving and Christmas came around, she’d be a pro. She might even be good enough to invite people from town.

  Maybe Cort would like to come? The idea struck her as she was passing his place. Yes, dinner would be a gesture of appreciation for all he’d done for her. Maybe that would help get them back to where they’d been the day he’d held Joshua.

  It still bugged her. What had happened to make him seem so distant?

  Though his place sat off the road a good way, she could see the entrance of his barn. She was looking that direction when a huge black horse charged out of the barn. He was flying like the wind when he actually jumped the fence and galloped out into the pasture.

  Lilly didn’t have to wonder but a moment about what had happened to the big horse. Samantha trotted out of the barn and stopped beside the cedar swing, threw her head back and let out a loud Eee-haw.

  “Oh, no! I should have known you’d be up to no good,” Lilly groaned, swinging her truck into the drive and heading toward her impossible ward before she let the entire stable loose. Sometimes she wished Leroy had taken the donkey with him.

  Then again, what would she do if she couldn’t see Samantha? She did love the little minx.

  Cort knew the moment he saw Lilly’s old truck that something was amiss. It took only one guess what Miss that might be when he opened the door of his truck and Loser bounded off the seat and scurried off around the far corner of the barn, barking. Loser barked at only one thing. Samantha.

  What had the donkey done now?

  He found Lilly standing with one hand on her hip, the other wrapped around a rake, and by the look on her face, he could tell she was ready for him to jump down her throat. And he might have a few weeks earlier. Sucking in a breath, he surveyed the damage and willed his temper down. Lilly obviously thought this was her fault, and she looked so contrite and cute at the same time he wanted to take her in his arms and soothe her feelings.