Late Arrivals (Special Delivery Book 4)

by J. A. Armstrong

  “I’m sorry,” Tess apologized.

  “Clearly, I missed something,” Brooke replied. “What are you sorry for?”

  “I can’t believe she would take it upon herself to say anything to Davey about our family. My God, Brooke… How could she do that to him?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe she was trying to make it better, to try and explain that every baby has a father biologically. Maybe in her brain that was trying to explain to D. that he and Dani aren’t different from any child we have together,” Brooke offered.

  “You give her an awful lot of credit,” Tess said.

  Brooke groaned. She was grasping at straws, and she knew it. “Tess, I just…”

  “I wish I could even consider that explanation as a possibility,” Tess told Brooke. “I’m not saying she means to be hurtful, but she is. Being hurtful to me is one thing, hurtful to our children is another altogether. It doesn’t matter what she intended, Brooke. I’ve had this discussion with her countless times. Remember our first Thanksgiving?”

  Brooke did remember the first Thanksgiving she and Tess had shared. Dani had suffered a minor injury after an altercation with Davey in the pool. Later that night, Davey had overheard Tess’s mother telling her father that Brooke would eventually leave. Dani had ended up in their room before dawn to ask if it was true; was Brooke leaving?

  “What are you going to do?” Brooke asked.

  Tess let her head fall back onto the seat. “I don’t know. The kids are supposed to go there in three weeks for a long weekend. What can I do? If I stop them, that will disappoint them both, and it will hurt my father. How am I supposed to know what they’ll come home with planted in their heads?”

  “Go with them,” Brooke suggested.

  “What?”

  “Go with them. Instead of your dad coming up to fly down with them and my Mom going down to fly back with them—you go. It’d be good for you. Maybe you can talk to her while you’re there.”

  “And leave you here?”

  Brooke laughed. “Afraid Junior will try and escape?”

  Tess sniggered. “No.”

  “Afraid I will?”

  “No,” Tess laughed.

  “So? Go.”

  “I don’t know if I want to see her right now,” Tess admitted.

  “I get that,” Brooke said. “I do get it,” she repeated, sensing the doubtful gaze that had fallen upon her. “Tess, she is trying.”

  “That’s just it; she is trying. Why does she have to try? What is there that she needs to figure out? I…”

  “Tess, she is who she is. The kids love her. You love her. Somehow we have got to figure out how to help the kids feel secure enough that what she says won’t send them reeling… because I think it’ll be a long time before she stops speaking before thinking.”

  “Yeah like a blizzard in hell kind of day,” Tess muttered.

  Brooke snorted. “Hey, you never know, they might get snow in Florida one of these years. There was that whole thing with Heat Miser and Snow Miser that one time. Mother Nature can be a bitch; you know?”

  Tess laughed. Brooke always managed to find a way to ease her worries. “Mother Nature is not a Claymation cartoon, love.”

  “No? What did you visit her in that invisible jet of yours or something?”

  “Cute,” Tess replied.

  Brooke reached over and squeezed Tess’s hand gently. “Go with the kids,” she said.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah, sure I’m sure. Mom and Dad will keep me in line, either that or drive me into the psych ward.”

  “Brooke, I… You know that…”

  “Stop,” Brooke said. “Just stop. Your mom is who she is, Tess. She’s come a long way; maybe we need to accept that’s as far as she can go.”

  “Or is willing to travel,” Tess commented with disgust.

  “You can’t change her,” Brooke said. “Only she can do that.”

  “I know. I just wish…”

  “It didn’t hurt so much,” Brooke guessed. “I know it does,” Brooke told Tess. “I also know she loves you.”

  “Yeah. When this baby comes, I don’t ever want anyone to make him feel… or for that matter to make you feel less a part of my family than the twins, not ever.”

  “We won’t,” Brooke said. “I promise you that much.”

  Tess let the conversation lie with Brooke’s promise.

  “Brooke?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You are not naming him Junior.”

  “Why not? Brook without the ‘e’ is a good boy’s name; you know? He could be a Junior.”

  “No.”

  “You have a better idea?” Brooke asked.

  “Of course, I do.”

  “Let’s hear it, Diana,” Brooke challenged her wife. Tess didn’t answer immediately. Brooke felt their banter shift suddenly, and wondered what Tess was thinking. “Tess?”

  Tess sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She loved teasing Brooke. Something told her the time had come for her to offer an honest suggestion. She had been seriously pondering names for both boys and girls since she and Brooke had begun talking about having a baby. She had seen a list that Brooke had made months before. One name had popped out at her. Brooke had written the name of her high school best friend in capital letters on the page.

  Rebecca had told Tess that Brooke had been a mischievous teenager. She and her best friend had seemed to always be on some adventure. Rebecca had also confided in Tess that she was certain some of those adventures had included parties in the woods and the occasional stolen street sign. Tess could always detect the hint of sadness that laced Brooke’s smile when Brooke would recount tales of her adventures with Ethan Gantz. As life often happened, the pair had somehow lost touch after Brooke left for college. But, Brooke was always clear about how she viewed Ethan’s role in her life. Moving across the country at thirteen had been challenging for Brooke. The new kid on the block, she had felt awkward and unwelcome at first. Ethan had been the first person to reach out to her. He had been the bridge that helped her cross from loneliness into companionship. No matter how much time passed, no matter the distance that separated two people, nothing ever changed the place a best friend held in your heart. Tess understood that better than anyone.

  “Tess?” Brooke repeated, beginning to worry.

  Tess sighed again. She looked across the car at Brooke, who was pulling into their driveway. She waited for the car to stop. “How about Ethan?”

  Brooke’s hands gripped the steering wheel. She met Tess’s expectant gaze and nodded. “I don’t expect you to want to name our son after my best friend.”

  “Why not? I named our older son after mine?” Tess replied.

  Brooke swallowed hard. “Tess… This should be something that we both agree on.”

  “Unless you have some aversion to that name, I think we already do,” Tess told her.

  “You’re serious.”

  “Completely.”

  “Ethan Sinclair,” Brooke spoke the name. “Sounds classy, just like us.”

  Tess watched as Brooke’s eyes closed. “Brooke? If you don’t like it… or if…”

  “It’s not that,” Brooke said. “I’ve been thinking about something for a while. I just wasn’t sure when to bring it up.”

  “Go on.”

  “Somehow, having this conversation in our car, feels wrong,” Brooke chuckled.

  “Why do I not like the sound of that?”

  Brooke laughed. “It’s nothing bad, at least I don’t think it is.”

  “Okay?”

  “Well, you know how we’ve talked about everyone having the same name?”

  “Yes…”

  “And, we talked a while back about the twins and me, and the idea that maybe I could… or… well…”

  “Brooke,” Tess laughed.

  Brooke let out a nervous breath. “Tess… Here it is… I want to adopt them,” she said. Tess stared blankly at Brooke. “Say so
mething,” Brooke said. “I thought that you would want that. I mean, it sounded that way when we have talked about it. If you…”

  “Of course, I want that,” Tess answered. “I just thought maybe now that you had guardianship, maybe that wasn’t something you were in a rush to put into motion.”

  “Lately, I’ve been thinking that we should have made sure we started that, I should have made sure I brought this up again before we decided to have Ethan,” Brooke said.

  Tess smiled. She loved hearing the name. Somehow, it made everything feel real. “I don’t feel that way, Brooke. As far as the kids are concerned, you are their parent.”

  “Maybe. But, Tess… I stood with you and made a commitment when we got married. That was meant to be to all of you, but maybe they need that too; know what I'm saying?”

  “I do,” Tess replied.

  “So? Can we look to get the ball rolling in that direction?” Brooke asked. Tess leaned across the seat and kissed Brooke lovingly. “That’s a yes, then?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good, one last thing, though,” Brooke began. Tess raised her brow. “I’m going to change my name officially.”

  “Then I should too,” Tess said. “I hope they have a form big enough to fit Campbell-Sinclair,” she giggled.

  Brooke shook her head. “No.”

  “No?” Tess was confused.

  “I’m dropping the Campbell part.”

  “Brooke…”

  “Tess, let me ask you something—if it had been just you and me, would you have changed your name to mine?”

  “Probably,” Tess replied.

  “That’s what I thought. I don’t want questions for our kids.”

  “No matter what, love, they are going to have questions—all of them.”

  “I know,” Brooke admitted. “But we can try to send them all the right messages. It’s just a name.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Tess disagreed. “Brooke,” she said gently. “Listen to yourself. If it was just a name, you wouldn’t feel compelled to change your name for them.”

  “That’s not the point…”

  “It is the point.”

  “You don’t think I should,” Brooke surmised, sounding disappointed.

  “I think we should talk to Dani and Davey,” Tess said.

  “And ask them if I should change my name?”

  “No,” Tess laughed. “I think we should tell them that you and I want to move ahead with this adoption. We both know they will be thrilled. And, maybe they would like to have some part of you, Brooke.”

  “You want them to be Campbells? They are Sinclairs!”

  Tess laughed. “Well, why don’t we let them decide what they want. They can be Campbell-Sinclair’s too; you know?”

  “Would you want to write that on your homework?”

  Tess laughed. “They can still use Sinclair as the last name in school, Brooke. Plus, you’re the one who said it added class as I recall.”

  Brooke rolled her eyes. “Are you sure about all of this?”

  “If I wasn’t, there wouldn’t be an Ethan, love.”

  “Ethan, huh?” Brooke looked at her stomach and then back at Tess, whose lips curled into an amused smile. “Ethan Christopher Campbell-Sinclair. Jesus, that is long.”

  “Ethan Christopher?”

  “Well, he is your dad. I think that it’s fitting. My first best friend and your dad.”

  “It is long,” Tess laughed. “I was thinking something more like Ethan Dale.”

  Brooke opened her door. “No way.”

  “Why not?”

  “No Ds.”

  “It’s shorter, and it’s a middle name,” Tess argued.

  “Nope.”

  “Next one,” Tess chuckled.

  Brooke spun on her heels in the driveway. “Next one?” she asked. Tess shrugged, enjoying the immediate rise her comment had received. “Uh-huh. I am not a human incubator,” Brooke deadpanned.

  Tess laughed as she made her way to Brooke. “You are too much,” Tess commented with a kiss.

  Brooke held Tess close for a moment. “Tess?”

  “Hum?”

  “Were you really late as a kid a lot?” Brooke asked.

  Tess giggled. “Come on, one thing we can’t be is late tonight. And, why do you have to be there so early anyway? I thought we’d all go together?” Tess asked.

  Why can’t she just make things easy? “We are not all going to fit in the SUV,” Brooke pointed out. “You go with Mom and Dad and Davey. I promised Dani I would be there for support when she rehearses her big number on the stage.”

  Tess shrugged. “We need a bigger car,” she muttered.

  Brooke snickered. “What do you want me to get, a bus?” she teased. Tess swatted her. At least, she doesn’t suspect anything.

  “I have no idea what you are up to,” Tess said as they entered the house.

  “Me?” Brooke feigned innocence. She reached into the refrigerator to grab a drink. “Hey! Where is all my Gatorade?” she asked. Tess smirked. “Tess?”

  “I didn’t buy any.”

  “How come?”

  Tess shrugged. “Just because you aren’t glowing in the dark yet, doesn’t mean you won’t infect Ethan. As much as I appreciate a little light to find my way, I’d prefer it not be radiating from our son,” she teased Brooke. Brooke frowned. “That stuff has way too much sodium, and you know it,” Tess said.

  Brooke huffed her defeat. “Four months,” Brooke complained. “Ethan, Ethan, Ethan… You are killing me here. Oh well, I guess its water for you and me, kid,” she mused as she left the kitchen.

  Tess laughed as she watched Brooke go. Too much, love. You are too much.

  ***

  “I have to get up,” Brooke whispered to Tess.

  “Now?” Tess whispered back. Brooke shrugged. “Brooke, the finale is next. Dani’s been going on about it for weeks.”

  “I have to pee,” Brooke said. “Talk to your son. It’s not my fault,” Brooke defended herself. Tess narrowed her gaze. “Well?” Brooke urged. “Let me go so I can go and get back.”

  Tess stepped into the aisle and allowed Brooke to step out. She moved into Brooke’s seat, leaving the seat closest to the aisle empty for Brooke’s return.

  “Where did Brooke go?” Davey asked his mother.

  “To the bathroom,” Tess replied, keeping her eyes on the stage.

  ***

  “Who is that?” Dani’s friend, Luke asked.

  Dani smiled when she caught sight of Brooke walking into the room. Luke took guitar lessons on a different day than Dani had her percussion lesson. He had been in her class at school two years earlier. He had met Tess, but he had never met Brooke. “That’s my mom,” Dani said proudly.

  “That’s not your mom,” Luke laughed. “Your mom is not that tall,” he recalled.

  Dani laughed. “Not that mom, my other mom,” she explained.

  “Like your stepmom?” he asked.

  Dani shrugged. “I don’t know. She’s Brooke,” she tried to explain.

  “Hey,” Brooke finally made her way to Dani. “You ready?” Brooke asked.

  Dani nodded excitedly. “Brooke?” she whispered.

  “Yeah?”

  “My stomach feels all wonky,” Dani said.

  “Just jitters,” Brooke tried to calm Dani. “You know it cold,” she said. “Plus, you don’t have to sing and play,” Brooke reminded her. “Besides Patrick and Jamie will be up there with us. And, Ted will be on the other drum set behind the curtain, just in case. You won’t need him, though.”

  “What if I blow it?” Dani asked.

  Brooke smiled and shook her head. “No one will know, but you won’t.”

  “Hi,” a voice said from behind Dani.

  Brooke smiled at Dani’s friend. “Hi.”

  “Oh,” Dani said. “Brooke, this is my friend, Luke. He goes to school with me and Davey.”

  “Nice to meet you, Luke. What do you play?” she inquired.
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  Luke tried to be cool. “Guitar,” he told her in the most mature voice he could muster. Dani watched him curiously.

  “I’m going to go find Ted, and see where we are at; okay?” Brooke told Dani. Dani nodded. “No worrying. We’re gonna have a blast,” she said with a wink. “Good luck, Luke,” she said as she walked away.

  “Thanks,” he said.

  Dani studied Luke as he watched Brooke walking across the room. “What are you doing?” she asked him. Luke shrugged. “No way, you have a crush on Brooke?”

  “She’s hot,” he said.

  “She’s not hot! She’s my mom!” Dani nearly shouted.

  Brooke heard the conversation as it unfolded behind her and snorted. Hot? A ten-year-old thinks I’m hot? How do they even know that word? Oh, my God… Is Davey looking at girls already? Oh, God. Rock song first, Brooke—puberty later. Oh, God help me.

  ***

  Tess was growing nervous. Brooke had still not returned, and the lights were off on the stage. The finale was about to start any minute. If Tess went to check on Brooke, they might both miss Dani’s performance as part of DB and The New Groove. Tess had no idea what that was. She did know that the finale usually consisted of a group of students. Dani had been practicing for over a month every day for hours, many times with Brooke at her side coaching her. Dani would be heartbroken if they both missed seeing the finale. At the same time, Tess was beginning to worry about Brooke. To Tess’s knowledge, Brooke had not been sick in more than a month. Brooke’s lengthy absence was becoming unnerving.

  “Where is she?” Tess muttered.

  Rebecca leaned in front of Davey to grab Tess’s attention. “Look,” she whispered across Davey’s lap.

  Tess was confused and looked at Rebecca.

  “Mom, look!” Davey pointed to the stage.

  “What on earth?” Tess gasped. “Why is Brooke on stage?” she asked, not expecting an answer.

  Brad started laughing. “She really didn’t see that coming did she?” he asked Rebecca.

  “Guess not,” Rebecca snickered.