“I’m taking a break from playing cards with Madisyn and Ethan. How was Christmas?” Sandy turned from the phone, coughing uncontrollably.
Was she improving? It didn’t sound like it at all. “Still coughing a lot, huh?” She clenched Tristan’s hand, proceeding to tell her mom that Tristan asked her to marry him. Continuing with small talk, she mentioned that he gave Destiny a filly. He nudged her shoulder to get her back on track. “We’re getting married soon.”
Sandy hesitated. “After seeing y’all on Halloween, I didn’t think it’d be long.” Sandy covered the phone, telling Brody’s family. “Come for dinner Friday evening. Ask Tristan. Bring the little girl, of course. Your brother will be on call for border patrol, but we’ll hope he doesn’t have to run out.”
Nora nodded as if her mom could see. She acknowledged Tristan when he agreed. “We can come. What time?” Grabbing her pen, Nora wrote it on the kitchen calendar. She told her mom she hoped she felt better and inquired about her taking her medicine.
“Your brother or Leann make me take it on schedule. The doctor said this is typical.” She coughed hard again. “I have another appointment in two weeks.”
Now Nora worried about her mom having a temperature. No way would she take her family if she did. Neither she nor Destiny needed to be sick. Sandy insisted she didn’t and wasn’t sick like that but still recuperating. She hadn’t meant to offend her. Nora rolled her eyes. Could she ever do anything right where her mother was concerned?
“Years of smoking, I suppose. Thinking about quitting, I am.”
Thinking about quitting? “Mom, you really need to quit.” Nora glanced at Tristan as he got up to get a beer. “We’ll see you at six-thirty on Friday.” She hit END and released a deep breath. “That part is over…thank God.”
“You didn’t tell her the other part.” Standing behind her, Tristan placed his hands on her shoulders. “Stop being afraid of your mother. You have made it this far on your own. You’re a wonderful woman, Nora. I wouldn’t want ya any other way, but…please don’t let her dictate how ya feel.”
She patted his hand. “I know. Thank you for reminding me.” Nora paused. “It didn’t feel right telling her over the phone. I will at Brody’s.” She glanced at Destiny watching a sitcom in the living room. “Will you two stay tonight?”
He headed toward the living room. “Well, I have to get up early.” He pivoted. “You need to move in with me…make this permanent.”
“Of course, I know this. Yes, I’ll work on getting rid of my townhouse. Another thing…you always get up early so that’s no surprise.” She winked. “Destiny can stay here and I’ll bring her with me when I come to work.” Nora removed a bottle of water from the fridge before joining them.
Tristan took a seat beside Destiny who was already falling asleep. “We’re staying with Nora tonight, Des. It’s okay if you doze off.”
“I can stay right here on the couch, Daddy.” Destiny stuck her tongue against her loose tooth. “Will you get my teddy bear out of the truck?”
“Absolutely. I’ll go get it.” He took his keys from the table before venturing outside to get her stuffed animal. When he returned, he took a seat beside her again. “You need to change into your pajamas.”
She stretched out and pushed a pillow against her dad’s thigh. Destiny clutched her teddy bear. “I will. Please leave the TV on.”
“I’ll leave it on this time, sweetheart, but go change.” He picked up the remote when she followed Nora into the bedroom. They kept a change of clothes for each of them at her townhouse for moments such as this. Afterward they came out together. “Did you brush your pearly whites?” he asked. He switched back to the channel she had on.
Destiny got back into the position beside her dad. “Yep, I did. I love you, Daddy. Nora, too.”
He changed the channel when Destiny fell asleep. “I’m almost ready for bed myself,” he whispered. Nora scooted from the chair to sit beside him. Tristan put his arm around her shoulder. Turning to face her, he said, “I can’t wait to begin our life together.”
“We already have begun.” Nora kissed him and snuggled closer. “This is our life.”
Chapter 2
After work on Friday, Nora went home to change her clothes and pack a small bag. They’d be staying the night in a hotel after they left Brody’s house since it would be late when they were to return. Tristan set it up with the ranch hands to take over the following morning’s chores.
Tristan and Destiny knocked on her door at four o’clock. “Ready?” Tristan asked when she opened it.
Nora wore her best jeans with an orange top her mom said looked good on her. Apparently Tristan thought so too by the quick glance over her. Even though now it was a little snug, he didn’t seem to mind.
“I’m ready.” She bent forward in front of Destiny. “Did you bring your jammies?”
“Yes, I did. My teddy bear, too. It’s buckled in my daddy’s back seat.” Destiny ran off down the hall. “I have to use the bathroom because my daddy said it’s a long ride.”
Nora twisted the ring around her finger and glanced at the clock on the wall. “We should have done this on the weekend. I don’t know why my mom chose Friday since she knows we work late.” Sometimes she got so mad at herself for not standing up to her mother. It would’ve been easy to say they had plans for Friday, making it Saturday instead.
“We’ll deal with it.” Taking a step in, he whispered, “Besides, I’ll be getting you into a hot tub tonight.” Giving a silly little grin, he asked, “How about that?”
Hmm, what was he up to now? Lately, he seemed to always be up to ideas. His good mood caused her to smile though. “With Destiny in our room? I’ll dip my feet in but that’s all.”
“She’ll go in with us at first.” Tristan eased closer. “But later it’ll be just us, girl.” He kissed her, but his sexy wink gave him away.
Nora slipped into her flats. “I’m not that daring. You didn’t listen to me about not getting in. Get your mind back in the right place. A five-year-old will be with us.”
“Yes, you are that daring, but I did hear you.” He took her hand, yanking her against him. Tristan peered into her eyes before giving her another kiss. “Don’t worry about where my mind is.”
Destiny came running back down the hall. “I’m ready.”
Nora got a whiff of her perfume. Destiny liked it too. She didn’t mind that her soon-to-be-daughter sprayed a shot sometimes, since she showed her how to do a quick spray.
***
The trip was long with the traffic congestion. When they arrived at Brody’s in Tubac, Nora hugged her mom but rushed off to the bathroom right away. Brody then Leann hugged her when she returned to the kitchen. Sandy was at the stove. “Dinner smells great, Mom. What are you making?”
Sandy wiped her hands on a towel. “I know you used to love when I made tilapia wrapped in banana leaves with pomegranates and cilantro.” She took a seat at the table.
“Aw, you didn’t have to go to so much trouble.” Nora sat beside her while Tristan joined Brody in front of the TV. Destiny ran off with Brody’s kids.
Leann said, “I hope y’all are hungry. I’m making one of Brody’s favorites—Mexican rice casserole to go with it. You must remember having it before, Nora.”
“I do. Yummy! I’m glad you’re making it.” She turned to her mother. “I wish you would’ve let me bring a dish.” Nora peered into the living room. “Excuse me a second.” She went to Tristan, asking to see him outside for a moment.
He followed her out the door. “What’s up? Ya feeling okay?”
“I’m fine, but I thought if Destiny ran off with the kids, she might mention the baby. I’d rather she didn’t until I tell the family.” She wrung her hands. “Can you ask her not to?”
“Of course.” Tristan reached out and subdued her hands. “You’re nervous. Everything is cool.” He held the door to go back inside. Tristan went off to find the kids.
Nora strode into
the kitchen. “Can I help, Mom?”
“No need to keep secrets around here.” Sandy tossed the dishtowel to the counter. “No reason to be secretive.”
Leann stopped what she was doing; her eyes widened when she looked at Sandy.
“It wasn’t a secret.” Nora detected her mom’s rigid body posture and the lowering of her eyebrows. She placed her hand on her mom’s arm. “Nothing like that.” Okay, it was a secret.
She eyed Nora. “Well, if you have something to say about me, spit it out because I know I look like hell.”
Sandy’s words got Tristan’s attention when he returned from the kids’ room. His lifted brow questioned Nora, but she did a quick shake of her head to dissuade him from asking. Not here fifteen minutes and tension settled into her bones.
Nora stood beside her mom at the sink. “I don’t think you look like hell. You look nice today as matter of fact. Pretty.” She put her arm around Sandy’s shoulder, but her mom shrugged away. What’s up with her tonight? This wasn’t the time Nora wanted to tell her about a baby. No. She’d put it off until another day.
Nora quietly helped Leann set the table. Her stomach churned. Zesty spice smells became nauseating. She gripped the chair-back, concentrating on slowing her breathing. Please not now.
“Come on, everybody. Brody, go get the kids.” Sandy nudged Nora’s shoulder, pointing at the side of the table. “You sit there with your family. I’ll sit beside Leann, Brody, and my grandkids.” She went back to the stove.
Nora’s shoulders rolled in, as if she were a little girl being told what to do. Why did her mom invite her if she had this kind of attitude? She backtracked. It had to be when she talked to Tristan in private. Her mother acted…paranoid? Medication?
Sandy caught Nora staring at her. She huffed out a loud sigh. Nora diverted her eyes to the doorway as Tristan and Brody came into the room. She wanted to escape. Like old times. Dammit, has nothing changed? She hurried into the bathroom.
Inside, she peered into the mirror hoping to see her adult face because she sure tumbled back into childhood. A deep breath didn’t help the nausea. “How can I eat the spicy food right now?” She about gagged thinking of it. Aromas from cooking lingered in the bathroom. How can I eat anything? She was about to be sick. The thought no sooner entered her mind and she broke out in a cold sweat, vomiting into the toilet. “My God.” She inhaled deeply before blowing it out. Inhaled. Blew it out again.
“Nora, dinner’s ready.” Tristan tapped on the door. “Nora?”
“I’ll be out.” She trembled while speaking. Had he detected it?
“Can I come in? Do you need anything?”
I need my bed. “No…” Deep breath. “I’ll be there…give me a minute.” He walked away. Nora patted her face with cold water, dried it, and straightened her clothes. She glanced upward. Help me get through this.
In the kitchen she slid in the back beside Destiny. Tristan dropped into the seat beside her. Brody asked everyone to bow their head. Her stomach still churned in a bad way. She couldn’t eat. The smells alone nearly did her in.
When the dishes were passed, she politely placed a little of everything onto her plate, gulping as she took in air. Not to seem rude, she attempted to take a bite but couldn’t. Nora set her fork back down and took a sip of water.
When her mother dropped her fork onto her plate, Nora glanced at her. Sandy had a tightness to her face. Her mouth stretched into a snarl. She wanted to sink into her chair.
“You could have said you didn’t like the food instead of lying about it.” Sandy pointed at her, blurting it out in a scathing tone.
“Excuse me? I…I like this meal. You know I do. I’m not feeling well right now.” Her mouth went dry and she wished for nothing other than to be home.
Tristan slipped his arm around the back of the chair. “Can I do anything?” His voice was soft, caring. “You’re a little pale.”
Sandy took a drink of water, her hand shaking while holding the glass. “She did this when she was a child not wanting what was for dinner.”
Brody rose from his chair, asking if he could get her a soda. “I’ll get you one out of the fridge.”
“No, Brody, but thank you.” Nora attempted to remain calm. She held her hands on her lap to hide the trembling. “I’ll be fine in a minute.”
“I can always fix what you like.” Sandy threw her napkin on top of her plate. Standing, she shoved her chair against the table.
“No, Mom, enjoy your meal.” None of this added frustration helped her plight. Her heartbeat grew loud in her ears. Did they hear it, too?
Destiny peeked up at her with sad eyes. In a low voice, she asked, “Nora-Mom, are you okay?” She put her hand on Nora’s shoulder.
It choked up Nora. The only thing she could do was force out a few words for her little girl. “I’m fine.”
Sandy went to the refrigerator for a jar of jelly and peanut butter from the cupboard. “Here you can have a sandwich.” Sandy faced the others. “Y’all eat. I’ll be right there.”
Brody exchanged glances with his wife. Leann got up, putting her hand on Sandy’s. “Go sit, Ma, while I take of care this.”
Nora squeezed behind Tristan’s chair. “No. No one take care of anything. Please, take a seat. Have your dinner. I just needed a minute for my stomach to settle. Come sit down.” She escorted Leann to the table. Turning, she reached out to her mom, praying this would stop and end right here.
“I can’t let you sit there while the rest of us eat what’s prepared. Why’d you come if you didn’t feel well?” Sandy took a seat but bounced right back up to the sink. She grabbed a loaf of bread. “Here, make it yourself.” She shoved the loaf into Nora’s hands.
Nora didn’t know what to do. She dropped the loaf of bread onto the counter, and took her mother’s arm. “Mom, please, take a seat, so we can finish dinner. Leann said she made apple crisp for dessert. I’m looking forward—”
“No!” Sandy shook herself free. “You should’ve stayed home if you were sick.”
Nora hugged her body, tucking her hands in. “You shouldn’t have invited me if you didn’t want me here…”
Tristan scooted out, taking hold of Nora’s arm, standing between her and Sandy. First, he made eye contact with those around the table. She couldn’t look at him when he glanced at her because she was ready to break. Tristan gave a supportive hug.
“I don’t mean to be rude in your house, Brody, but I can’t watch this.” He said to his daughter, “Go find your shoes, honey.”
She scurried out of her chair, going toward the playroom.
Sandy sat sideways in her chair, glaring at Nora. “I suppose you have to get married just like I always knew you would—”
“You two go into your bedroom until I come get you,” Brody said to his kids. They dashed away.
“Is that what’s wrong with your stomach?” Sandy asked. “Why are you sick?”
Nora placed her hands on her hips. “Mama? What’s the matter with you? I…I thought we were past all this old crap.”
Sandy stood, pointing at her with a shaky finger. “I thought you were smarter than you are.”
Tristan stared Sandy down. “Nora is pregnant with my child. We’re happy about it, but that’s not why I’m marrying her. I won’t stand here while you browbeat her.” He took a step forward. “She’s a grown woman now. You can’t talk to her like that anymore, and you especially won’t be doing it around me. You’ve done enough damage.” He took Nora’s hand, nodding Destiny toward the door. They walked out.
“Daddy, why are we leaving?” Destiny asked on the way to his truck.
When outside, he lifted her into the back seat. “Can I explain a little later? Things didn’t go the way we thought they would, that’s all.”
“I don’t like that fish anyway,” she whispered. “Why’s Nora sad?”
“Because her mama hurt her feelings in a bad way.” He closed the door, and before Nora got inside, he took her into his arms
. “I’m sorry, babe. I couldn’t let you take that anymore. I apologize for doing this to your family.”
“I’m not mad at you. I love you for being on my side.” Her eyes watered. “What got into her? She was fine at first.”
The door squeaked open and Brody came outside. Stuffing his hands into his jeans pocket, he hesitated on the top step. He stepped down, taking his time on the way to the driveway.
Tristan’s posture stiffened as he made eye contact with Brody.
Brody wrapped his fingers around the back of his neck. His jaw clenched. “I don’t know what the hell happened in there. She’s been acting weird lately.” He spoke to Nora. “Dammit, sis, I’m so sorry. God, that was awful.”
Nora swiped her fingers across her face to remove tears rolling down her cheeks. “She changed with the snap of a finger.”
“Hey, by the way,” Brody said. “A baby?”
“Yes, but he didn’t ask me to marry him because of it.” She covered her face and burst into tears.
“I know this man’s in love with you. I’m walking you down the aisle to marry him.” Brody hugged her. “Man, I need to check with her doctor. She’s not right. You two had it worked out… I thought.”
“Don’t try to understand her, Brody, or you’ll be taken down with her. I tried for many years. She’s a roller coaster.”
Tristan opened the passenger side door. “Well, we’re heading out. I’m sorry to drag your sister outta there, but no…no way could it continue.”
“I get it, dude. I’d have done the same if it was Leann.” Brody placed his hand on Nora’s shoulder. “I don’t know what to say, Nora.”
She hugged her brother. “You don’t have to say anything. Please tell your family I said farewell. That I love them.” She got into the truck. Tristan patted Brody on the back and went to his side to get in. He squeezed Nora’s hand in her lap, holding it for a moment. “I love you, Nora.”
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