His dad’s brow furrowed. “You want to buy the land yourself?”
“I’m thinking about it. You know that the apartment building has been good for us so far, but I think that there will come a time when it won’t be enough. If Ethan and Makayla have a baby anytime soon, the apartment will almost be too small for them. The apartment isn’t terribly conducive to a growing family.” Bennett paused. “I was thinking of seeing if any of the other kids would be interested in subdividing the land and building homes.”
His dad nodded. “I see. You know, at one time I had been thinking of something similar. It was around the time we were building the apartment building. I knew it wouldn’t be a long-term solution for you kids, but it seemed enough at the time, and other stuff came up that needed our attention. I never really got back to it. I’m not surprised that you’ve been thinking about it.”
Bennett wondered what exactly his dad meant by that statement but didn’t push for an explanation. Something told him that it was more than he might want to know. “The idea had crossed my mind, but with everything going on at work and the wedding, I hadn’t been thinking much about it until this week. A guy from church—his son was part of my Bible study before moving to Vancouver—approached me to see if I’d be interested in buying the land. He had planned to build on it, but his wife wants to move to be closer to their son and grandchildren.”
His dad looked thoughtful. “Do you think you guys would all want to live that close together? I know it’s working for the apartment building, but do you want that to continue long-term?”
“I think so. I’d talk to the others before buying the land, but I’m pretty sure Makayla would like to be close to family. I mean, having babysitters close would have to be a bonus. And having cousins nearby to play with? Sounds like a good idea to me.”
As they continued to discuss the possibilities, Bennett was glad that he’d come to talk to his dad about it. Not that he didn’t have confidence in his own ability to make decisions about stuff like that, but it was good to get input from someone he respected and who would understand what he was thinking of doing.
“Would you be building your home right away?” Steve asked once they’d gone online and done a little more research on the land. “I’m assuming you’d be taking one of the sections for yourself.”
Bennett nodded. “But I wouldn’t build right away. My apartment is fine for now, and I’d rather wait until I married so my wife could give input to building plans. No sense in me making all the decisions and then have her hate the house.”
As he spoke, Bennett tried not to think about who he would like to be his house-planning partner. Unfortunately, right then, he couldn’t imagine who else he’d ever be interested in making a home with other than Grace. He’d committed to giving Grace time to grieve Franklin, but sometimes it was hard to do that when there was no guarantee that they would end up together.
“Your mother and I will be praying with you about it all.”
For the first time, Bennett wondered if his family was more aware of how he felt about Grace than he’d realized. Unfortunately, he couldn’t exactly ask without giving it away if, in fact, they weren’t aware. So he accepted his father’s comment with a nod.
Then, after saying goodnight to his mom, he headed for home. As he drove, he contemplated calling James. Since the two of them had met at church and become friends, Bennett had found himself confiding in the man over the years. He considered him one of his best friends, along with Ethan, but he wanted to ask specifically for prayer regarding Grace, and he didn’t think Ethan was the one to ask for that.
“Hey, man,” James said by way of greeting, his voice filling the interior of the truck through the Bluetooth. “Didn’t get enough of me at dinner?”
Bennett chuckled. “Well, I didn’t get much of a chance to talk with you.”
“Something come up?” James asked.
“Sort of.” Bennett paused. “I won’t keep you long. Just wanted to ask you to pray about something.”
“Sure thing,” James said then there was a muffled conversation before the line became clear again. “Let me just go to my office.”
“Sorry to interrupt your evening.” Bennett turned the truck out onto the highway.
“It’s not a problem,” James assured him. “Erin’s just headed to bed. Early morning for her tomorrow.”
“Thank you, guys, for coming to the dinner tonight. That cake was so delicious. I’m not sure how you’re not twice the size you are.”
James chuckled. “Well, I never have been a big one for sweets—much to Erin’s dismay when we first met—so she knows to only tempt me with the baking when it’s certain things.”
“I have no willpower when it comes to cake and ice cream.”
“So I’ve seen.” James laughed then said, “So what’s on your mind?”
Bennett let out a long breath. “That would be Grace.”
“Ahhh. And what about Grace in particular? I assume you’re not just wanting me to pray for her in general.”
“No, I guess I should say that I would like prayer for me in regards to Grace.” Over the next few minutes, Bennett gave James the condensed version of their history and what he’d been struggling with more recently.
“I’ll certainly pray about that,” James said. “I can see how that might be a difficult situation for you to be in. You might be in a different place now, but that might not always be the case. Regardless, I’ll pray that God will work it out and that you will be at peace about it all.”
Bennett thanked him, feeling a lot more at peace now that he’d found someone that he could talk freely with. The call ended just as Bennett neared the apartment building. As he walked toward the door, he glanced up at the second-floor apartment where Grace lived. There was a faint glow from around the edges of the curtain that covered the bedroom window.
She’d appeared tired at the end of the evening, so he assumed she’d be going to bed soon. Bennett had a few things to do before he headed there himself, one of which was to do something that he hoped would make Grace smile in the morning.
~*~
Bennett: Astrid: divinely beautiful
Grace stared at the text that had just come through from Bennett, interrupting her social media browsing as she’d laid in bed. Since it was Saturday, there was no rush to get up. The only plan she had was to go out to the mall a little later with Makayla to buy some maternity clothes.
Her hand curved over the slight swelling of her belly. It was only since finding out the gender of the baby and seeing the physical manifestation in her body that she’d really grasped that the pregnancy was real. There were no moments of denial about it anymore. It just could not be ignored.
And now she was expected to find a name for this baby. But it wasn’t going to be Astrid.
Love the meaning, but the name…not sure about that.
She thought he would reply right away, but when he didn’t, she continued to read through her Facebook timeline. It was only in the last week or so that she could read other people’s happy statuses and see their pictures without having a negative reaction. Whether it was sadness, anger or jealousy, those were the emotions that had seemed front and center whenever she’d had glimpses of other people’s happy lives.
It was almost four months since Franklin’s death, and life was moving forward. She was settled into the apartment. Most of Franklin’s things were in storage now, but she did have a few things set out around the apartment. It felt like home. It felt right.
Bennett: Are you sure? Astrid Moore has a nice ring to it.
Oh, I’m sure. That name is going on the “not a chance” list.
Bennett: Does the list have a lot of names on it already?
Nope. Astrid is the first. Maybe I’ll just add names in alphabetical order.
Bennett: Cool. I’ll be on the search for a B name.
Grace laughed. She could only imagine what names he was going to find for her. She knew she need
ed to take the name thing seriously, but since the baby wasn’t due for another five months, she figured she had some time. And it was a decision she’d have to make on her own since she and Franklin hadn’t discussed names.
Though she hadn’t wanted a lot of random input on the baby’s name, she found that she didn’t mind Bennett’s playful attempts to help her out. She considered that as she slid out of bed and headed for the shower. She’d always known that Bennett would make a great father. The way he cared for his younger siblings showed that, so it was no surprise that he was taking an interest in her baby. She just had to make sure that she viewed him as an uncle for her little girl and nothing more.
Makayla held up a pair of pants. “I think these are nice. And they’ve got the panel so they should fit you right up until delivery.”
Grace stared at the pants for a moment before returning her gaze to the blouse she held. It seemed ridiculous to spend so much money on clothes she was only going to wear for one pregnancy. If she and Makayla were the same size, she might not mind so much because at least then she could pass them on.
“I can’t believe how cute some of this stuff is,” Makayla said as she held up a dress. “This is nice, but kind of summery. I guess that’s why it’s on sale. You’re going to need warmer stuff to last through the winter.”
Grace realized that she needed to figure out the basics of what she needed. “Yeah. I guess I need a couple pairs of pants along with three or four blouses or shirts. Maybe a skirt and a dress. I have a few sweaters that are probably bulky enough that I could wear them.”
“Don’t forget underwear,” Makayla said. “How are your bras fitting?”
With a chuckle, Grace gave Makayla an eye roll. “I think I’m going to get one pair of pants today and a couple shirts. One package of underwear and a couple bras. That’s a good start.”
Makayla looked slightly disappointed when it appeared she wasn’t going to get a big shopping trip out of the day. “Okay. Are you going to try stuff on here?”
Grace nodded even though she suddenly felt more tired than when she’d walked into the store. She knew that Makayla wanted to do some shopping for baby stuff that day as well, but it was too much for her. Maternity clothes were going to be her limit for the day. And food. Yes, food was definitely going to be up next on their agenda.
“Here.” Makayla shoved some clothes into her arms. “Try these on.”
Grace trusted Makayla’s taste, so she headed for the dressing rooms. The woman showed her to a room, and she began the process of trying on the stuff Makayla had chosen for her. The clothes felt kind of weird. She wasn’t used to a loose, stretchy fit around her waist and then feeling the tighter fit starting lower on her hips. However, it was kind of nice to not feel the constriction on her swelling belly.
As she stared at herself in the mirror when she’d put the first outfit on, she knew that the outfits would definitely leave no question to anyone who might be wondering if she was or wasn’t pregnant. She smoothed a hand over the loose shirt and the belly beneath.
It was time to embrace it fully.
21
In the end, Grace left the store with two pairs of pants, three shirts, and a dress. She would take some time to sort through the clothes she already had to set aside the ones that would still work for a little while longer.
“Ready to go get something to eat?” Makayla asked as they walked out into the mall. “What’s the baby wanting today?”
Grace took a second to think about it. “Pasta?”
“Sounds excellent to me.”
It wasn’t long until they were seated at a booth in the Olive Garden restaurant across the street from the mall. Grace was quick to eat a bread stick as soon as the waitress brought them, after Makayla said a prayer for the food.
“I think I need to have a baby soon,” Makayla said as they waited for their soup to arrive.
“Really?” Grace looked at her friend, surprised and yet…not. “That would be kind of fun. For us to have kids close in age.”
“I know, right? Now that I’m married, I’m anxious for those around me to get married and have kids. I want us all to be in the same season of life.” Makayla smiled. “All of us having kids, so they grow up together. Best buddies from day one. Or two.”
Grace smiled. “That would be super fun for them.”
“Guess I’m going to have to try to find Bennett and Mitch some girlfriends. Tristan can wait a couple of years.”
Grace didn’t try to analyze why her stomach clenched when she thought about Bennett having a girlfriend. “Did you know about Sammi’s boyfriend?”
Makayla shook her head. “I get the feeling it’s a new relationship, so she’s being smart and keeping him away from the family for a little while.”
“Yeah. You guys can be overwhelming,” Grace said with a smile. “But whoever your siblings date, they have to mesh with the family.”
“Ellie didn’t mesh at all. I can’t say I shed any tears when I heard that she and Bennett had broken up. Now I just need to find him a girlfriend that does mesh with us.”
Grace didn’t really want another discussion about a girlfriend for Bennett. “Mitch seems to be friendly with Maya.”
Makayla sat back in the booth, a thoughtful look on her face. “She is a sweet girl, that’s for sure. And so respectful of everyone. She might be a good option for a girlfriend for one of them. After all, we have no issues with workplace romances.”
“Not all will work out as well as you and Ethan have,” Grace pointed out.
The waitress returned with their bowls of soup and grabbed the now empty bread basket. The smell of the soup made Grace’s stomach rumble, and she eagerly dipped her spoon into the bowl.
“What about you?” Makayla asked.
Grace paused in lifting the spoon then lowered it back into the bowl. “What about me?”
“Would you consider dating and remarrying?”
“No.” The answer was automatic, and yet, it didn’t sit completely right as she said it. “I think it’s too soon, and right now, I just can’t…I don’t know.”
Makayla tore a breadstick in half. “You know, at one time I thought that maybe there might be something between you and Bennett.”
Grace’s breath caught as her chest tightened. “Really?”
“Yeah, but then you married Franklin, so I guess I was wrong.”
Grace didn’t know what to say to that. “Bennett needs someone better than me.”
“Better than you? There’s no one better than you.” Makayla sounded so certain of that fact that Grace wanted to laugh.
“I’m sure that there are women better suited to him than me. Especially given that I’m not in a place to be anything but a friend to him.”
Makayla nodded as if she understood, but her expression said otherwise. “What do you think about Tami and Keenan?”
As they worked through two bowls of soup and countless breadsticks, they talked more about their friends and their relationship statuses. Grace tried not to think about how that topic of conversation wouldn’t apply to her again. Unfortunately, at some point, she’d still have to listen to Makayla talk about how Bennett and some woman—who wasn’t her—were together.
Once they finished eating, Makayla broached the idea of going to Babies R Us, but Grace managed to put her off. For some reason, she seemed to be operating on an “as needed” basis when it came to buying stuff for the pregnancy and the baby. She’d needed the maternity clothes, so she bought them, but baby furniture and baby clothes and other stuff…that could still wait for a bit. Makayla looked disappointed, but Grace wouldn’t be swayed. There was still lots of time to buy what else she would need.
Sunday night, as the weekend drew to an end, Grace went into the kitchen and opened the freezer. She grabbed the lone container of ice cream, frowning at how light it felt. When she saw how little ice cream was left, she let out a sigh. Why hadn’t she just finished it off the last time she ate some? The
one spoonful left was not enough to satisfy her current craving.
She left the container on the counter and walked out the door. After climbing the stairs, she knocked on Makayla’s door. There was no answer which only served to increase her craving. It seemed like the more she was denied what she wanted, the more she wanted it.
Frustrated, she went back down to her floor and was heading for her apartment when she realized that there was probably someone else who had ice cream. She knew that Bennett always had ice cream. Her hesitation was only momentary before she marched over to Bennett’s door and knocked on it.
It didn’t take long for Bennett to open the door. His eyes widened when he saw her there. “Hey, Grace. What’s up?”
Grace sighed. “Baby wants ice cream, and I don’t have any.”
Bennett smiled, the skin at his eyes crinkling as his smile lines deepened. “Really? Baby wants ice cream, eh?”
Grace rested her hands on her stomach. “Yeah. Could’ve used a head’s up so I could have bought some more.”
“So you think I have some?”
She laughed. “Uh yeah. If anyone is guaranteed to have ice cream, it would be you.”
Bennett stepped back to let her into his apartment. “Is Baby asking for any flavor in particular?”
“Nope. She’s willing to take anything you have.”
“Hey, Grace.” Tristan greeted her as she walked into the kitchen. He was seated at the island, a bowl in front of him.
“Do you have ice cream?” Grace said as she rounded the counter so she could give the man a hug. “Good to see you.”
Tristan returned her hug, a small smile on his usually serious face. “I do have ice cream.”
“I hope you left some for me because Baby is craving it badly.”
Bennett joined them with three tubs of ice cream. “I think you’ll find something to help with that here.” He set the containers in front of her then opened a cupboard and got a bowl. “Here you go.” After he handed her the bowl, he opened a drawer to get her a scoop and a spoon. “Help yourself.”
For the Love of Grace: A Christian Romance (The Callaghans & McFaddens Book 2) Page 19