Late Arrivals (Special Delivery Book 4)

by J. A. Armstrong

  Brooke nodded to Dani, who made her way to the drum set. She took her place behind a keyboard while the other two young men playing with them picked up their instruments. Dani’s teacher, Ted walked up to the microphone.

  “We have a special treat tonight. It took a little convincing,” he told the audience. “For some reason, parents are always harder to get up here than the students,” he laughed. “Three of our best students are up here tonight to hopefully get your feet moving. They’ve been working for a while on this piece with the help of their band leader here, Dr. Brooke,” he laughed. “And so, without any further ado, I give you Dr. Brooke and The New Groove.”

  Tess’s mouth fell open as Brooke nodded to the group. Tess recognized the song from the first chord. “Oh my, God,” she shook her head in disbelief when Brooke started singing.

  “Mom!” Davey bounced out of his seat and started singing along. “Mom, you love this song,” he said as he moved with the music.

  Tess’s eyes watered in spite of the smile of complete joy that graced her lips.

  Rebecca let her gaze alternate between Brooke and Dani on the stage and Tess and Davey beside her. Tess started singing along, as most of the audience did, and Rebecca nudged Brad.

  “She really is good,” Brad commented.

  “Which one?” Rebecca pointed to the stage. Brad nodded his assent.

  “She’s singing The Cure!” a voice in front of Tess commented.

  Tess watched the display unfolding on stage. Brooke and Dani both looked to be having the time of their lives. She could see Dani concentrating. Every so often Brooke would glance to her left and nod slightly to Dani. The song the group played was the first song that Brooke had heard in Tess’s car. Tess listened to it often when she was driving and had since she had been a teenager. God, I love her.

  As the song finished, and everyone hopped to their feet, Tess whistled loudly, startling the couple in front of her. “Sorry,” she laughed. “That’s my wife and daughter.”

  Brooke couldn’t see Tess from the stage. She accepted Dani’s high five. She was startled by the exuberant hug that followed. “You were awesome,” Brooke told Dani.

  “Not as good as you,” Dani said with a smile.

  “Not true, you put the New in the Groove,” Brooke told her as they took a final bow and left the stage.

  Tess followed slightly behind an excited Davey, who was still singing. Rebecca leaned into her as they made their way to the foyer of the auditorium, Tess carrying flowers for Dani.

  “She got you, huh?” Rebecca said slyly.

  “You knew?” Tess asked her mother-in-law. Rebecca shrugged. Tess smirked. “Ah, paybacks are a bitch,” she teased.

  “You found out today, didn’t you?” Rebecca guessed. Tess shrugged. “Oh, come on!” Rebecca nearly pleaded.

  “Nope. You can wait for the news,” Tess replied. She shook her head at the look of consternation on Rebecca’s face.

  “Brooke!” Davey called across the open space.

  “Hey,” Brooke greeted him.

  “You guys were awesome,” Davey proclaimed enthusiastically.

  “Well, thanks. Dani really carried it from behind us,” Brooke said, putting her arm around Dani. She looked up to find Tess smiling at her from just behind Davey and felt her heart flutter perceptibly. I wonder if that will ever go away? I hope not.

  “Yeah, you were really good, Dani,” Davey told his sister sincerely. Brooke and Tess exchanged a surprised glance at the unsolicited compliment Davey offered his sister.

  “Haven’t lost it,” Rebecca praised Brooke. “Dani,” she said, “that was impressive.”

  Brooke winked at her mother when she noticed Dani starting to blush.

  “So, what do you say to ice cream to celebrate?” Brad suggested.

  “Don’t you want to get home to get ready for your big day?” Brooke teased.

  “Why?” he asked. “We’re tying the knot in your yard. What do I need to do?” he said. Brooke rolled her eyes. “Come on, kids,” he said. “We’ll meet you two at Penny’s Place,” he told Brooke. “And, let Tess drive.”

  “Why?” Brooke said.

  “I’d like you to get there before it closes,” he said.

  “I don’t drive that slow!” Brooke said. Tess laughed and shuttled the twins towards Brooke’s father, praising Dani along the way.

  Rebecca kissed Brooke on the cheek. “He loves that he can get to you,” she laughed. “That was a special thing you did,” she whispered to Brooke.

  “It was fun,” she admitted. “And, it meant a lot to Dani, I think,” Brooke told her mother.

  “Not just to Dani,” Rebecca commented, directing her gaze toward Tess, who was headed back their way. “We’ll see you in a few minutes.”

  Brooke nodded just as Tess stepped up to her. “Holding out on me, huh?” Tess asked playfully.

  “I can keep a secret when I need to,” Brooke said.

  “Um-hum.” Tess kissed Brooke on the cheek. “I love you.”

  “Well, it is Friday, you must be in love,” Brooke joked.

  Tess laughed. “I guess you have me there,” she confessed. “You are full of surprises, love. Come on, let’s go meet the kids and the folks.”

  “You know they are going to ask us about Ethan.”

  Tess nodded. “Your mom kept a secret from me—my turn.”

  “OOO… that’s almost mean,” Brooke laughed.

  “Nah, we will tell them after they tie the knot tomorrow. Let them sweat it for the night,” Tess laughed. “It’ll give them something else to concentrate on. Your father is nervous; I can tell.”

  “Why? He’s already living in sin.”

  Tess grabbed Brooke’s hand and opened the door that led to the parking lot. “I’m not sure it qualifies as living in sin when they were already married once.”

  “It that a rule in the book or something?” Brooke asked.

  “Depends on the book,” Tess replied.

  Brooke stopped abruptly when Tess opened her car door. “What are you doing?”

  “Driving,” Tess replied. “You heard your father. You don’t want to miss that mint chocolate chip ice cream.”

  Brooke huffed and sat down in the passenger’s seat. “Doesn’t matter to me. I saw a great big tub of it in our freezer tonight.”

  “Did you?” Tess asked, turning on the engine.

  “I did. Someone was trying to appease her guilt for taking away my Gatorade.”

  “Or maybe someone just loves you.”

  Brooke looked over at Tess. “I was kidding,” Brooke said.

  “I know. I wasn’t,” Tess said. “Thanks… For tonight,” she told Brooke. “You don’t know what that was like—seeing you and Dani up there together playing that song.”

  “Bet you thought I fell in the toilet, huh?”

  Tess sighed. “You are off the hook—this time, Dr. Banner. I was starting to worry.”

  “I’m sorry,” Brooke said. “Still love me?”

  “Like you said, it is Friday. Saturday?”

  “Cute, just drive Diana.”

  ***

  Brooke tried not to laugh at her parents, but she lost all hope when she saw her father trying to pick her mother up to carry her through the front door. Tess poked her in the side. “Leave them alone. He was so nervous earlier; he tripped going up the stairs,” Tess told Brooke. That did it. They both started laughing.

  “It’s not even their threshold,” Brooke laughed harder.

  Brad looked over at Brooke and frowned. “Something funny? You didn’t carry Tess over the threshold?” he asked.

  “More than once,” Brooke muttered. Tess smacked her gently in the arm. “Well, I did,” Brooke whispered.

  “So? Are the kids ready?” Rebecca asked.

  “Mom, are you sure you want to take the kids? I mean, technically this trip is your honeymoon,” Brooke observed.

  “True. But, we’ve had this trip planned all year. Neither your father or I
want to change that.”

  “Hi, Grandma!” Davey said, dragging his suitcase behind him.

  “What does he have in there?” Brooke asked Tess. Tess shrugged. Brooke looked at her mother again. “Mom, really… Tess and I can…”

  “Brooke! It’s fine,” Rebecca repeated. “Your father and I are looking forward to this trip with the kids. But, if it is really bothering you that much, you can make it up to me easily,” Rebecca said.

  Tess leaned against Brooke. “Dani’s on her way in,” she whispered.

  “Okay,” Brooke agreed. “Now that everyone is here, you can have part of your wedding present now,” she told her parents. Rebecca’s eyes widened in anticipation. “Last chance to guess,” she said.

  “Girl,” Dani put in her two cents.

  “No way,” Davey said. “Boy.”

  “Anyone else?” Brooke looked at her parents.

  “The guess doesn’t matter,” Rebecca said.

  “It’s killing you, isn’t it?” Brooke teased her mother.

  “Brooke!” both Tess and Rebecca scolded Brooke.

  “Oh, geez… Fine,” Brooke said. “Tess, you tell them.”

  “Me? Why me?” Tess wondered.

  “Why not you?”

  “It’s your parents. Don’t you want to be the one…”

  “Umm, and it’s our kids… so…”

  “Would someone please just tell us already!” Rebecca interrupted the couple.

  Brooke waved her hand to Tess. Tess almost started to laugh at the expectant expressions facing her. She smiled. “Hopefully, sometime around November fourth you will all get to meet Ethan Christopher for the first time,” she said.

  Davey pumped his fist. “Told you!”

  Rebecca moved to take Brooke into a hug. “Ethan, huh?”

  “Tess’s idea,” Brooke said.

  “Congratulations,” Brad hugged Tess and then Brooke. “Another grandson.”

  “Looks like it,” Brooke replied.

  “Aww, Bee,” he said. “I’m happy for you.”

  “Thanks, Dad. I’m happy for me too,” she joked. “And, I’m happy for you and Mom,” she told him. “Are you sure that we can’t convince you to leave the kids here instead of…”

  “No,” he said. “Consider it a wedding present to us.”

  “Taking the kids on your wedding night?” Brooke asked.

  Brad smiled. “Someday you will understand,” he said.

  Brooke shook her head doubtfully. “Hey, I love my kids. I’m not taking their kids on my honeymoon,” she said flatly.

  “You can’t,” Dani said. “You and Mom are already married.”

  Tess hid her face in her hands.

  “I’ll deal with you later, Diana,” Brooke whispered in Tess’s ear.

  “I certainly hope so,” Tess whispered back.

  “Okay, let’s get this show on the road,” Brad said.

  “Can we have a fire at the cabin?” Davey asked.

  “If we get moving now,” Rebecca answered. “I’m sure Grandpa will make a fire tonight.”

  Brooke and Tess said their goodbyes and watched the twins pile into Brooke’s mother’s car. “I never thought I would see it,” Brooke said.

  “Your parents back together?” Tess asked.

  Brooke had turned emotional. “That either.”

  “What, love?” Tess asked, placing an arm around Brooke.

  “All of it, I guess. My kids getting in a car with my parents.”

  “On your parents’ wedding night,” Tess added.

  “Yeah… I love our kids. I know I’ll love our grandkids but…”

  Tess coughed. “Planning on leaving me so you can remarry me,” she asked.

  “No…”

  “Good. Now that we have that settled, let’s not go there, love. I’d like to meet Ethan before we start thinking about grandbabies,” Tess said with a shudder.

  “Mmm.”

  “What?” Tess asked.

  “Do you think D. is starting to like girls?”

  “What?”

  Brooke put up her hands in defense. “Just asking. I got checked out by a ten-year-old last night at Dani’s concert.”

  “What are you talking about?” Tess asked.

  “One of Dani friends… I started to think; they are about to hit that horrible phase called puberty,” Brooke said.

  “Stop talking,” Tess held up a hand.

  “I’m just,” Brooke tried to speak.

  Tess held the same hand out further. “If you hope to do any dealing at all with me this evening, you will drop the subject of parents, puberty, and possible grandchildren.”

  Brooke laughed. “Okay, Diana I’ll surrender.”

  Tess stepped into Brooke’s arms. “Yes, I think you will.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  NOVEMBER 10th

  “How is she?” Rebecca asked Tess.

  “Nervous,” Tess replied with a worried sigh.

  “It will be okay, Tess. Babies are ready when they are ready.”

  “I know that. I’m not worried… Well, I am worried about her. She barely spoke when we left the doctor’s office,” Tess said.

  “Smart move, dropping her off at Rachel’s,” Rebecca said.

  “I didn’t know what else to do,” Tess explained. “She’s miserable, Mom. I mean, she can’t sleep, her feet are swollen. I wouldn’t dare tell her that I am relieved Dr. Kowalski wants to induce her labor Thursday if she doesn’t go before that. Her blood pressure is up. Ethan is fine. I think that the concern is more for Brooke, to be honest. When we left? I have never seen Brooke so upset. Nothing I seem to say or do helps the last few days. My breathing seems to piss her off.”

  “Tess, you are the person closest to her,” Rebecca said. “You know Brooke; she doesn’t do scared well.”

  “I know. I’m not sure what has her so rattled. Everything looks fine. It’s precautionary. And, honestly? I would think she would be ready and relieved.”

  “She’s afraid it will lead to a C-section,” Rebecca told Tess.

  “What? I mean, Dr. Kowalski mentioned that, but she’s always been clear that she never goes that route unless she feels it’s necessary.”

  Rebecca nodded. “I’m sure. Brooke is spinning every scenario and every patient she’s had in her mind. Sometimes, being a doctor is a curse.”

  Tess let her head fall back against the couch and closed her eyes. “I just wish I could help somehow.”

  “You are.”

  “How am I helping? All I do is irritate her.”

  “I’ll bet you haven’t snapped at her once,” Rebecca guessed.

  “Of course, not.”

  “And, I will bet you would have loved to more than once,” Rebecca chuckled.

  “Maybe,” Tess smirked.

  “That’s how you are helping.”

  Tess sighed heavily. “I hate feeling so helpless.”

  “Just think, one way or another you’ll be seeing Ethan this week,” Rebecca reminded Tess. That earned her a small smile. “Keep reminding her of that.”

  ***

  “Brooke,” Rachel put her newborn son on her shoulder to burp him. “Relax.”

  “Easy for you to say, you are done and already home.”

  Rachel laughed. “What can I say? Devon wanted out. Ethan seems content to hang out for a while. Relax, you know better than anyone that babies have their own mind about these things,” she said. Brooke groaned. “Brooke,” Rachel softened her voice. “You have been under so much stress the last month. Of course, Liz wants to be cautious. How high was your blood pressure?”

  “High enough,” Brooke replied.

  “What does Tess say?”

  “You know her,” Brooke smiled. “I don’t know how she hasn’t killed me yet,” Brooke admitted with a chuckle.

  “Been Super Bitch, huh?”

  “Pretty much,” Brooke said regretfully. “Thing is; I don’t even know why. I just see her, and I want to punch her some days.�
��

  Rachel laughed. “Sounds about right to me.”

  “You wanted to punch Mike?”

  “Yep.”

  Brooke laughed. “She’s trying so hard. I just… I know she’s worried about me.”

  “I’m worried about you,” Rachel said. She saw a wave of fear sweep over Brooke’s face. “Not about the baby,” Rachel clarified. “Brooke, the last two months have been hard on all of us, you most of all.”

  Brooke nodded. The decision to release Jason Bennet from their practice had become tenuous at best. He had attempted to mount a civil suit naming both Brooke and Rachel, claiming wrongful termination and harassment. Rachel had ultimately made the decision to settle with his attorney. The stress and upheaval that he had already caused had seemed enough to her. Brooke disagreed, wanting to fight it to the end. Rachel put her foot down, saying that sanity was worth far more than money, and she believed they were both about to lose their sanity completely. Brooke had felt responsible. Rachel understood Brooke’s feelings, but she stood firm in her decision.

  “I’m sorry about that whole mess,” Brooke said.

  “Why? You didn’t do anything wrong,” Rachel reaffirmed the truth. “He’s an asshole.”

  “Who got what he wanted.”

  “Maybe for the moment,” Rachel said. “Karma is a bitch, Brooke. It will catch up to him, trust me. Forget about him and why don’t you just tell me why you are so upset about going in on Thursday?” she asked. Brooke remained silent.

  “Brooke,” Rachel sighed. She kissed her son’s head and handed him to Brooke. “Go sleep on Auntie Brooke,” she whispered.

  Brooke accepted the small package with a smile. “Hey, buddy,” she cooed to him as he stretched.

  Rachel watched silently for a moment. “You’ll be doing that in a couple of days with Ethan,” she said. Brooke nodded, but Rachel could see Brooke beginning to cry. “Brooke,” Rachel put her hand on Brooke’s leg. “Stop doing this to yourself,” she ordered. “I know what you are thinking. Even if for some reason you have to have a C-section, it’s…”

  “Don’t say the word routine,” Brooke cautioned.

  Rachel shook her head. “Liz is one of the best doctors either of us knows. Stop this. You are only making it more likely by concentrating on all the could bes instead of focusing on the ultimate will be.”