by A. R. Braun
“Please come.”
Chris nodded. “I’m coming.”
“Just follow the nutty family.” Stacey got out while Chris laughed. She slid open the van’s side door.
“Mom,” Therese said, grabbing Stacey’s arm. “Room service, my ass. Let’s go get some bathing suits and hit the pool at the Inn.”
Devon grabbed her other arm. “Yeah, phony baloney on all the gawkers. Let ‘em eat their hearts out.”
Stacey chuckled. “You kids are my lifeblood, I swear.”
Sam ran in front of Stacey and removed Devon’s and Therese’s arms. “If Mom wants to stay in and have room service, it’s her call, you guys.”
“Oh, hell with it,” Stacey said. “Let’s stop off and get some swimming suits.”
Therese nodded. “And if they bother us, there’s hotel security.”
Devon shook her head and crossed her arms. “Heck with security. We’ll kick their asses.”
Sam grimaced. “You want I should rough them up?” she asked in a gangster voice.
“Lean on da kid,” Therese joked.
“Butta boom,” Bobbi added in a tiny voice.
The family busted out laughing.
Stacey bent to look Bobbi in the eye. “Where in the world did you hear that?”
Bobbi pointed at Devon.
“Oh, thanks, nark,” Devon cried.
Stacey put her hands on her hips. “Tell me you haven’t been letting them watch The Sopranos.”
Devon shook her head. “No movie channels in the hospital, remember?”
“It’s on cable now and you know it.” Stacey shook her head. “Well, that’s enough of the bad influences. I’m getting a V-chip for the TV at the ranch.”
The children groaned.
Sam tugged at Stacey’s arm. “Mom, the sun is getting to me.”
“All right, let’s get in the van.”
Stacey chortled, walked over, opened the side door so the children could climb in, and slammed it shut. Then she climbed into the Honda and fired it up. “To the mall, then the pool.”
“And Monday we conquer the ranch,” Therese cried.
“Tuesday, the whole freakin world!” Devon said.
CHAPTER FORTY
Stacey had calmed considerably as she drove the van back to the hotel. She and the children got out and walked through the whooshing, electronic doors. Stacey stopped, bringing Chris to a halt in front of the payphones. The patrons chatted, and the elevator binged. Everyone stared at Stacey and the kids, and Devon and Therese stuck their tongues out at them.
Stacey said, “Kids, quit.”
Therese and Devon rolled their eyes.
Chris furrowed her brow. “Is something wrong?”
“I’m worried about my driver’s test,” Stacey answered.
Yes, you’ll have to go to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles on Monday and pick up a booklet so you can study—on the bus—then take the written and vision tests, then the driver’s test. You’ll do fine. You should probably get ahold of one of those driver’s schools and brush up on your driving skills, although it looked like you didn’t miss a beat.”
Stacey smiled. “It was touch and go and stomp on the brake for a while there.”
Chris looked deep in thought. “Oh, and thanks for the detour to the mall, by the way. You didn’t mention that.”
“Sorry.”
Chris laughed. “I’ll get over it.”
The sun shone in the Best Inn’s huge front windows and blinded Stacey temporarily. Her kids shielded their eyes from the sun, also. Professional-looking men and women checked people in and out like mad behind a golden desk. Folks trod all over the new-looking carpeting, walking back and forth in front of the family and glancing at them sideways.
“Mom,” Sam whined, “can we go up? I’m starving again and I wanna take a nap.”
Chris looked at Sam out of the corner of her eye. “I’ve got to get back so I can fix your ranch house up.” She glanced at Stacey. “Are you sure there isn’t anywhere else you want me to run you this weekend? I’m feeling generous since you’re buying my house.”
Stacey smiled slyly, looking to the left and to the right. “There is one place I’m dying to go.”
<^^>
Chris took Stacey and the kids to Grandville State Prison, on the outskirts of Wampum, Illinois, a suburb of Mowquakwa. The family jumped out of the van and walked with their hands over their eyes through the glaring hot sun, then went into the building. A burly, brunet lady in a uniform sat behind a desk in a booth with protective glass. The security doors brought Stacey’s mood down a bit.
Poor Kevin. They locked my man up like an animal. No jury should’ve convicted him.
Stacey approached the clerk. “We’re here to see Kevin Browning.”
She told them to take a seat. The room had a soda machine and a snack machine, plus back-to-back chairs linked to each other with silver bars, where they had to wait with about twenty other chatty people. Light shone wanly through windows with steel bars, making the fluorescents do most of the work. A lady’s snack got caught in the machine, so a young, thin man with a cap on backward shook it free. People made comments about how handy he was.
Chris said, “I’m about to thrown on a uniform and let you in so you can see your man before the twelfth of never.”
Stacey laughed. “No doubt.”
Therese said, “I can’t wait to see our new dad.”
Stacey pulled her to her right shoulder. “He’s a wonderful man. You’re going to love him.”
Devon sat on Stacey’s lap. “That’s awesome how he shot the perv—”
“Shush around the youngest!”
The triplets ran around, garnering disappointed stares from most of the strangers. A few elderly people smiled and waved at them.
Stacey glared at the little ones. “Kids, don’t run around in here. Come here.”
They walked over slowly, stopping in front of their mother.
“Why do we get a new daddy?” Bobbi asked in that elfin voice.
“Get up,” Stacey told Devon. She did. Stacey held her hands out for Bobbi, who jumped into her lap. “Your new daddy is much nicer than the old one. I told you that, precious.”
Sam leaned on Stacey’s left shoulder. “Mom, can I get a snack and a soda?”
“Me too,” Therese and Devon said. The latter stood in front of Stacey with her arms crossed.
“Meeeeee,” the triplets cried.
Stacey sighed and whipped out a couple of five dollar bills she’d garnered via a cash advance at an ATM. “Here, the machines should take these.”
They ran off, making gleeful remarks.
Quite a bit of red tape transpired before an officer opened the gray steel door and called for Stacey and her family.
“Oh, my god.” Stacey picked up her purse. “Kids, stay with me.”
The children followed her.
“I’ll be here when you get out,” Chris said.
The officer led them through a few buzzing doors before they came to a large room with many tables. Windows at the very top of the gym-like space let the sun in, now shining hard enough to accentuate the fluorescent lights. Snack and candy machines stood in a row in here.
Oh, my god, I’m scared to death! I haven’t seen Kevin in almost fifteen years! Calm down, breathe…
They walked past many dangerous-looking men who talked with their wives and kids, or their girlfriends, for all Stacey knew. Some conversed with other men that Stacey guessed were their buddies. Most of the inmates were huge, with shaven heads. Only a few had regular haircuts, and a couple of them sported long hair and beards.
By the time the officer took them to Kevin’s table, Stacey was all but hyperventilating.
She looked him over as his face brightened.
Kevin showed signs of age—crow’s feet and graying hair—but she still found him handsome, with his full head of short hair and stunning blue eyes. His orange jumpsuit did him no justice, yet Stacey fe
lt he’d look hunky in a potato sack. She saw him as an impersonator of a criminal, longing for her touch, as if he was an actor in a movie. Trembling, she sat down in front of him. The children took the other chairs.
Stacey, about to faint with joy, smiled. “Hello, Kevin.”
His eyes bulged and his mouth opened; he looked as if he didn’t know what to say. “Land sakes alive. Look at you.” He took her hand with his warm, strong one, caressing her. “You’ve got grays.” He chuckled. “We got old.”
Stacey looked away for a few seconds, embarrassed.
Kevin shook his head. “No, don’t be ashamed. You’re just as beautiful as the day I met you.”
“Aw,” the kids said, watching with wide eyes.
Kevin took both of her hands. “The love of my life.”
Stacey exhaled passionately. “My love, my knight in shining armor.”
Kevin looked over the children. “What beautiful kids! I always knew your children would be the most fetching lovelies ever.”
“Aw,” Therese said. “He’s nice, Mom.”
“And hunky,” Devon added, then giggled.
Stacey tried her best to give her a look that almost killed. She turned to Kevin, their sweaty palms still together and caressing. “What you did to Dick, it was beautiful.” She pulled a couple more deep breaths in. “Finally, justice.”
“I did it because I love you,” he said.
Stacey frowned and looked downward, then raised her head. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what he was doing to me.”
Kevin shook his head. “Not your fault, that insane SOB.” He paused for a long space, then chuckled a little. “I’m divorced, got it as soon as I heard what happened to you. I married someone I didn’t love, had ugly kids. Damn it to hell, it should have been you.”
Stacey reached across the table, kissing him. They stayed like that for a few minutes, then she pulled back.
A burly, blond, female guard walked up. “No kissing.”
“Sorry,” Stacey said.
The guard sighed and walked away.
Kevin pinned her with his eyes. “Will you marry me when I get out of here?”
Sam leaned in, sitting at Devon’s right, who sat at Stacey’s right. “Aw, he proposed.”
Hot tears of joy streamed down Stacey’s cheeks. “You know I will,” she said in a broken voice while nodding. “He took you from me in the prime of our lives.” She withdrew her hands and rubbed away tears.
Kevin took her hands again. “Hey, shh. It’s over. All over.”
Stacey drew in three audible, heart-wrenching breaths. “How long? I mean, what’s your sentence?”
“The judge wasn’t hip to putting me away for long. That bastard deserved it, and everyone knew it. Two years if I behave… which I will.” He looked over the children. “Introduce me to your kids.”
Stacey’s heart had completely melted, and she wasn’t herself. “Oh, I apologize. To my left is my oldest, Therese. She’s fourteen, the wild one.”
Therese giggled. “Hi.”
Kevin withdrew his hands from Stacey and shook with her. “Just as beautiful as your mother in high school when we first met.”
Therese grinned and blushed.
“To my right is Devon. She’s twelve and the moody one.”
“Hi sir,” Devon said, shaking with him.
Kevin grinned like crazy now. “Look at that gorgeous red hair.”
“Next to her,” Stacey continued, “is my Sam. She’s eleven, the golden-hearted one.”
Sam shook with him. “Hello sir.”
“She’s got some meat on her.” Kevin still grinned.
The triplets got up and walked around the table, looking up at him with innocent eyes.
“Mommy said you’re our new daddy,” Bobbi said in a munchkin voice.
Kevin’s eyes went wide and he gaped for a few seconds. “Well, then I guess Mommy’s right, sugar.”
“That’s Bobbi,” Stacey continued. “To her left is Kyra, and to her right is Louisa.”
Bobbi went to him, arms outstretched, and Kevin set her in his lap. The other two climbed up, also. Stacey’s heart broke at their acceptance of him.
“New Daddy,” Kyra said in the elfin voice.
Kevin gawked with thrilled eyes at Stacey. “You’ve got yourself a Brady Bunch, don’t ya?”
Her three oldest giggled.
“Triplets,” Kevin continued. “Well, aren’t you three just as cute as kittens.”
“Girls,” Stacey said, looking them over, “I’m going to be with this wonderful man for the rest of my life. This is your father, and I don’t want any arguments about it.”
Devon, Therese, and Sam nodded and looked at her in that way, with crooked smiles and knowing eyes that said you’re a woman after all, Mom!
“Look at these six darlings.” Kevin smiled. “Girls, if anyone ever bothers you, tell them that your dad is in prison for murder, and if they touch you, I’ll kill their asses.”
All the kids giggled.
“I will.” Kevin nodded with serious eyes. “If anyone messes with these angels, I’ll freaking kill them.”
Therese locked eyes with Stacey. “I love him, Mom. He’s down.”
Devon looked her mom over as well. “God, he’s freakin cool.”
The huge, male guard that brought them in walked over, his black shoes clicking on the concrete floor. “You’ve got five minutes.”
Stacey wiped away more tears. “Girls, get out of Daddy’s lap now. Mommy has to say goodbye.”
Kevin put them down. “I wish I could hold them forever.”
“Soon.”
The triplets waved. “Bye Daddy.” They walked away.
“Bye cuties.” Kevin took a couple deep breaths and started crying himself. He wiped the tears away with stealth. “This is… the best day of my life.” He snuffled and looked them over as the triplets mounted Therese, Devon, and Sam’s laps. “My family.”
Stacey took his hands again. “We’ve got a ranch house, and you’re coming to live with us.”
He shook his head like he couldn’t believe how wonderful she was. “A ranch house, by god!”
“The bastard left me money. I would’ve been broke when I got out of the hospital if you hadn’t… you know.”
“It’s a good thing you killed him, Daddy!” Bobbi piped in.
Everyone fell out laughing, especially Kevin. Stacey ruffled Bobbi’s hair.
“They were upset at first.” Stacey stroked Bobbi’s hair as she sat in Therese’s lap. “But I guess they’re over it.” What Kevin had said earlier about his own children nagged at her. “I don’t want you to neglect your kids, though. In fact, I want to meet them.”
He nodded. “You’re probably right.”
Stacey joined hands with Kevin again. She tried her best to get squinty-eyed, endeavoring to prevent more tears. “I love you,” she sobbed.
He did the same with his eyes. “I love you, too. You’re the only woman for me. I loved you from the moment I met you in high school, and I love you just as much now, if not more. I’ll be the most faithful, loving husband you could ever have. I’ll never do you or the kids wrong like that scumbag foster father.”
“Aw,” the kids repeated.
A thought came to Stacey. “Whatever happened to Jenna?”
Kevin sighed through his nose and looked downward, then met her eyes. “I hate to tell you this, but she believed the note and was glad you dumped me like—and this is her talking, not me—you dumped her.”
Stacey shook her head, then had to dab her eyes with more tissues. “I didn’t… dump…”
“Hey, shh now. At least she was at the trial. I think she was glad Dick got nailed.”
Stacey snuffled and nodded. “Good.”
“Maybe you and Jenna can be friends again.”
Therese said, “Who’s Jenna?”
“Yeah, who’s Jenna?” Devon asked.
Sam echoed the question.
“My be
st friend in high school. Well, second best friend.”
More aws abounded.
“I don’t think it would be the same after the hell I’ve been through,” Stacey said. “Jenna would probably think of me as a funny-bunny in an adult way.”
Kevin chortled. “That’s classic Jenna.”
A moment of silence ensued.
Stacey smiled. “You’re all I want, you wonderful man.”
Kevin grinned and had the glassy eyes of a man in love.
The male guard came over again. “Time to go.”
Stacey said, “I’ll write you every day and come to visit you every week.” She sobbed, blew him a kiss, and rose, along with the children.
Kevin caught the imaginary kiss and brought it to his lips. He smiled, but his eyes were sad. He obviously hated to see her leave. “I’ll answer every one.” Then he pointed at her. “Don’t say goodbye. I’ll be out before you know it.”
“We love you, Daddy,” the kids said.
“Love you more, angels,” he answered.
Stacey breathed heavily as she walked away, looking over her shoulder. Kevin had his face in his hands. She could tell he was bawling.
They left the room, and the kids looked Stacey over, who was also bawling.
“Are you okay, Mom?” Sam asked, as they all did.
She sobbed, wiped away more tears, and nodded.
Devon and Sam held her around her waist as they walked out.
Therese looked at her with wild eyes. “God, he’s the coolest, Mom. He’s way bad-ass and a handsome hunk.”
Stacey chuckled.
Love is the best, the ultimate achievement in life. God, I pine for him. I can’t wait till he gets out. I just can’t wait! I’m going to sex him so passionately it’s pitiful, the first time I’ll ever make love.
The ultimate honeymoon!
<^^>
Stacey stood in front of the payphones in the Best Inn lobby. Chris stood next to her. Stacey was trying to block out the conversations the other guests were having. It was suppertime and her stomach rumbled.
“I’ve got to go fix up your ranch house now, but I’ll be here Monday morning at ten, like I said.” Chris smiled. “Have a great weekend.”
Sam tugged on Stacey’s arm. “Mom, I’m starving!”
Therese walked between them. “Mom, can we go up to the friggin room? I’ve got perverts checking me out.”