Something Old, Something New

by Linda Louise Rigsbee

  “The twins are three weeks early,” she said.

  He patted her hand. “Twins are often early and three weeks is nothing.” He leaned forward. “Why are they talking about cesarean? Isn’t she dilating?”

  “I’m not enough. She’s in awful pain.”

  Alex nodded and glanced around. “Let’s go find out what’s happening.”

  By the time Alex found someone to ask, Katie had gone into delivery. She had suddenly dilated enough to deliver the twins and they both arrived within a thirty minute time span.

  Bill couldn’t decide whether to be worried or proud, but he was doing a pretty good job of being proud. Timothy and James had black hair and blue eyes, like Katie.

  Carmen finally got to hold one of the babies before they left that evening. She accepted a tiny bundle eagerly and beamed up at Alex.

  “I’m an aunt,” she said proudly. “And you’re an uncle.”

  Alex was silent, his expression a mixture of awe and anxiety. The awe was understandable. A healthy baby was an indisputable miracle, which made two babies a double miracle. Maybe he was anxious about holding an infant…or the way she was holding it.

  Timothy was making little squeaking sounds, his tiny fists under his chin. His arms flailed around as if he had no control over them. Once he scratched himself and cried as if someone else had done it to him.

  Finally the nurse retrieved him, saying it was feeding time. It was a disappointing moment for Carmen, but there would be other times to hold the babies. Alex said it was time to go anyway.

  For the rest of the evening, the babies were all she could think or talk about. Alex mostly listened, but eventually tired of it and distracted her in a most delightful way.

  The next morning she was up early, fixing breakfast and packing a lunch for Alex. As he ate, his contemplative gaze followed her flurry of activity silently. Later, when she kissed him goodbye at the door, he pulled her close and kissed her ardently. For the first time, she didn’t hunger for him after he left. She didn’t have time. Rushing through the morning chores, she showered and dressed. The last thing she did before she left was make sure her cell phone was charged and turned on. Tucking it in the holster and strapping it down, she headed for the hospital.

  The twins were healthy and acceptable weight, so they released Katie. Carmen followed Katie and Bill home and helped Katie get settled in with the babies. Bill was standing around looking uncomfortable, probably not knowing what to do.

  Carmen left their house in time to get home and fix supper for Alex before he got off work. Once home she washed the roasting hen and put it in a pan. She shoved it in the oven, set the timer for one hour and hurried out to do the chores. Returning later with a basket of eggs, she discovered that in her haste she had not turned the oven on. It was too late to heat up the oven and bake the chicken, so she cut it up and fried it. It was actually too large for a frying chicken, but it worked. She was finishing the gravy when Alex came home.

  “Supper will be ready by the time you get washed up,” she called to him as she dumped the gravy into a bowl.

  She was running water into the skillet to let it soak when Alex came up behind her. His arms surrounded her, pulling her back against him. His antics caused her to drop the skillet, splashing gravy and water on her shirt.

  “Alex!” she cried, brushing the mess from her shirt before it could sink into the fabric.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, dropping his arms and backing away.

  She grabbed a towel and daubed water and gravy from her shirt and the counter top. It wasn’t his fault she was in such a rush tonight.

  “It’s alright,” she said as she turned. Not wanting to get the mess on his shirt, she resisted the urge to hug him. “I should have been more careful with the pan.”

  For a moment he gazed down at her with a wary expression on his face and in his eyes. Finally he shrugged.

  “How was your day?”

  “Katie got to bring the babies home today, so I followed her home and helped her with them for a while.”

  “Where was Bill?”

  “He was there, but he didn’t know what to do.”

  Alex studied her for a few moments. “I see,” he finally said. He turned to the table. “Well, if it’s ready, let’s eat. I’m hungry and it smells good.”

  Surprisingly, the chicken wasn’t tough, though it was a little greasy. If Alex noticed anything, he gave no indication. He simply complemented her on another great meal and went to feed the buffalo before it got dark.

  That evening he received a call in his office. When he came back out of the office he was smiling.

  “A lady in Texas has a Longhorn cow she wants to sell.”

  He folded his arms and ran a hand over his chin reflectively.

  “I need to build another corral, or put the buffalo somewhere else and put the Longhorn where the buffalo are. They’re pretty much acclimated now.”

  “Does that mean I can feed them now?” Carmen asked.

  His smile was lopsided. “Maybe, with specific instructions and precautions.”

  She sighed. “Longhorns – they aren’t actually native American wildlife, are they?”

  His laugh was short. “I suppose not. The Spanish brought them in the 1400’s. That’s native enough for me. I’ve always been fascinated with them.”

  She wrinkled her nose at him and leaned forward. “That’s because you’re a Texan.”

  He tousled her hair with one hand, and the dimple appeared below his eye.

  “Yes Heidi, and you’re an Arkie.”

  His hand slid down the side of her face in a warm caress, his fingers finally cupping her chin and lifting it. He sobered.

  “Do you mind?” He asked.

  “If you’re a Texan?” she continued to tease. “Not at all.”

  His gaze wandered over her face, his expression still sober. “If I bring Longhorns on the place,” he clarified.

  She shrugged, gazing into his eyes. “A buffalo here, a Longhorn there, what difference does it make?”

  His warm fingers left her chin, caressing their way down her neck. The closer they got to her heart, the harder it pumped. With that sudden rush of excitement came the realization that she had gone an entire day without longing for him. Had anyone asked if she was lonely, she would have said no. Of course she missed him when he was gone. That was to be expected - but it was more than that. Lately, her life was slowly being digested with desire to be with him every minute. That wasn’t normal.

  “I love you,” he said, taking a step closer and pulling her into his arms.

  Love and desire…was there actually a difference between the two when the first existed? She moved into his embrace in a non-verbal response that pushed all but one thought from her mind. What had been so forgettable earlier was now irresistible. Go figure.

  In the morning there were dirty dishes from the night before for the first time in their marriage. She quickly put the plates in the dishwasher and dumped the stale water from the frying pan. By the time Alex arrived for breakfast, she had it on the table and was washing the frying pan in the sink. When he realized what she was doing, his eyes twinkled with humor.

  “Come eat breakfast with me, sweetheart. That pan waited this long. It can wait a little longer.”

  Carmen poured them both a cup of coffee and sat down with a couple pieces of toast.

  “So when are we going to get the Longhorn?”

  He sipped his coffee before responding. “I don’t know. I’ll have to go down there and look at it.” His gaze drifted over her face. “Would you like to go with me? I’ll only be gone a day or so.”

  The idea of spending a day without him was unpleasant, but maybe that was what she needed to do. This preoccupation with him was becoming an obsession that was beginning to affect her ability to take care of the house. Surely she could get along without him for one day.

  “No, I’d better stay here. Katie needs me right now.”

  He ate in
silence for a few minutes. “Well, sooner or later she’ll have to take care of the babies by herself.”

  His attention was focused on the food in his plate. Maybe he felt neglected. If he only knew how much she wanted to go with him.

  “Maybe we could go another time,” she offered.

  “Maybe.” His tone was doubtful and he let the subject drop.

  Nothing more was said about the trip for several days. Those days were filled with the fun of taking care of the twins. It was amazing how much they could change in less than a week. They were already beginning to develop different personalities. Tim was the quiet one and when Jim cried, everyone on the block knew he was unhappy. Much as she loved them both, she was beginning to form a special attachment to Tim. Was it normal to prefer one child over another? But then, she wasn’t their mother, so maybe it didn’t matter.

  That night Alex was quiet during supper. Finally, when he sat down to read the paper, he revealed what had been on his mind all evening.

  “I’m leaving tomorrow morning to see the longhorn. Would you like to go with me?” He talked from behind the paper.

  Carmen hesitated. Katie was feeling well enough to take care of the twins without help. A few days traveling with Alex sounded heavenly.

  When she didn’t respond immediately, he lowered the paper, his expression hopeful. “I can get another ticket.”

  “Ticket? I thought you were driving.”

  He shrugged. “I can get there a lot faster by plane.”

  Airplane. The idea of getting on an airplane squelched any plans for traveling with him.

  “No, I’d better stay here. Besides, you probably want to visit with friends. I’d just be in the way.”

  His brows drew together. “You wouldn’t be in the way, and I’d be proud to introduce you to any of my friends.” His gaze softened. “At any rate, I have no intention of visiting anyone. I plan to look the longhorn cow over and come home.”

  On an airplane. She sighed. “I’d better stay here.”

  His gaze traveled over her face again, his expression unreadable. Finally he lifted his brows.

  “Well, if you don’t want to go …” He disappeared behind the paper.

  It was disturbing to think that he believed she didn’t want to be with him. Unfortunately, she couldn’t think of an explanation that would be true and make him feel better. Not knowing what to say, she said nothing.

  “I won’t be gone long. I plan on leaving tomorrow morning and coming back on Sunday…just two days.”

  She reached over and pulled the paper down. “Do you want me to drive you to the airport tomorrow and pick you up Sunday?”

  He shook his head. “No, I’ll drive my truck and leave it there.”

  “Are you angry with me?”

  He lowered the paper and stood, gazing down at her.

  “No. I’m just tired.”

  “What a way to start a trip. Why don’t you put it off for a while? The weather is supposed to be changing this weekend anyway.”

  “I know. But I want to get it over with. She’s been hounding me for an answer.”

  Tired or not, Alex was up early the next morning. Carmen sent him off with only a hug and a kiss. He said he’d get something to eat later because with the weather front coming through, there might be a lot of turbulence. It was a good thing she decided not to go.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Taking care of the twins didn’t keep Carmen’s mind off Alex this time. Maybe it was because he wasn’t a few miles away, happy at work. He was hundreds of miles away, maybe sick from a rough flight. He called late in the evening and said the cow was in poor condition and too old for what he wanted. He sounded tired and disappointed. Tomorrow when he got home, she’d have a nice meal ready for him.

  Things didn’t work out that way, though. The cold front turned into a winter storm that started with freezing rain and ended with snow. His flight was delayed and the power went off at the house. Carmen kept a fire burning in the fireplace and slept in the living room. The rest of the house was warm enough that the pipes wouldn’t freeze. The worst part was the fact that the cell phone tower in their area was out. That might not be fixed for a while. Their land phone was dependent on electricity. As soon as she could, she’d buy one that wasn’t.

  No babies, no Alex. No television, no light for reading…the only thing she could do was cook. Alex had the foresight to have the builders install a gas range. Too bad he didn’t have the foresight to stay home when a December cold front moved through. She had been looking forward to their first winter storm, snuggled together. Well, it wasn’t going to happen this time, so she might as well stop whining and get the chores done.

  All the upgrades Alex had installed were for naught. She filled a plastic bowl with water for the chickens and hauled buckets of water to the horses and buffalo. By the time she finished that, she was exhausted. She heated some water and carried a towel back to the bathroom to bathe before bed. She still had her jeans on and was washing her upper torso when the front door opened and shut. She froze for a second. Who would be coming in without knocking? Her heart skipped a beat. She could have sworn she locked the door. Even so, who would simply walk in…Josh? She grabbed a towel and clutched it to her chest. Surely he would say something.

  Quick steps came down the hallway behind a bobbing flashlight. A deep voice called, “Carmen?”

  The breath escaped her lungs in a quick sigh of relief.

  “Alex?”

  He stepped through the doorway and turned the beam of light on her. His teeth were white in the reflection of the flashlight.

  “Hey, Heidi.”

  She ran to him, still clutching the towel to her chest. He fumbled with the flashlight, nearly dropping it when his arms embraced her. For a long moment they kissed passionately.

  “I’m so glad you’re home…safe. Were the roads bad?”

  He released her. “Not as bad as they will be tomorrow. It’s snowing again.”

  “Oh my gosh,” she said, turning to look out the window.

  “You’d better get some clothes on before you freeze,” he said.

  She turned back and smiled up at him. “I can’t believe you’re actually telling me to put my clothes on.”

  He chuckled as he reached for her again. “Cancel that request.”

  He jerked on the towel, but she had a tight hold. She giggled as he used it to drag her back into his arms. Swooping her up, he deposited her on the bed.

  “Aren’t you hungry?” she asked as he began unbuttoning his shirt.

  He winked. “Yeah, but let’s take care of the electricity first.”

  That night she slept in the warmth of his arms, and the next morning the electricity came on. Still, they were blissfully marooned on their little island of snow for another day until the snow melted enough that Alex could get to work. The sun came out and melted the snow enough that she felt it was safe to get out.

  Katie and Bill had weathered the storm well with their new family. Bill was at work by the time Carmen arrived at their house. Katie said that Bill was a little lost at first, but eventually got the hang of taking care of the babies. Carmen watched the babies while Katie got some much needed rest. By the time she finished cooking supper for them, it was later than she had planned. Giving Katie last minute instructions, she left. The temperature was going back down and the places that had melted were beginning to refreeze. She took her time getting home, ignoring her cell phone when it rang. That would be Alex, and he would be worried.

  When she opened the garage door, his truck was parked inside. He was in the living room when she arrived, sitting in his chair reading the newspaper.

  “Sorry I’m late,” she said as she hurried to the kitchen. “I’ll get supper started.”

  He didn’t respond. He was probably upset that she didn’t answer her cell phone, but he had given her strict orders not to use it when she was driving. As Mom used to say, he’d get glad the same way he got mad.


  A few minutes later he sauntered into the kitchen and leaned against the door jam.

  “Were you at Katie’s again?”

  She glanced up, nodding slowly. Was that what he was upset about?

  His expression was clearly displeased.

  “You spend more time there than you do at home.”

  She shrugged. “I didn’t think you minded.”

  He watched her silently for a few moments.

  “Why, Carmen? Why would you think I wouldn’t mind if my wife was never home?”

  A cold feeling started in the pit of her stomach.

  “You never said anything.”

  A sardonic smile twisted his mouth.

  “At first I was glad you were happy.” He moved away from the wall and started toward her. “Then I thought you’d realize you were intruding in their lives. But you didn’t.” He stopped in front of her, his expression exasperated as he gazed down at her. “Apparently you’ll do anything to hold a baby in your arms…even risk your life driving on ice.”

  Her face felt stiff, as if all the blood had drained from it. Of course. Why hadn’t she realized that she was neglecting Alex, and outstaying her welcome with Katie and Bill? How could she have been so blind? She stared up at him, unable to find any words in her defense.

  The pupils in his eyes were dilated so large that his eyes looked black in a face that had gone strangely pale. Feeding on emotion, his tone became harsh.

  “Do you have any idea how I felt…feel, knowing that you’d rather be with them than traveling with me? The minute I leave, you hop in the car and run over there. Sometimes I think you can hardly wait for me to get out of your hair.”

  Carmen caught her breath and took a step back. At the moment, putting distance between them seemed prudent. He had every right to be upset with her, but this emotional explosion was as frightening as it was uncharacteristic.

  His tirade ended as abruptly as it began and he blinked, staring down at her. He ran a hand over his mouth and for a moment she thought he was going to be sick. He turned and stalked out of the room, throwing a parting growl over his shoulder.

  “I’m going out to do the chores.”