Palmer: A 2nd Generation Marked Heart Novel

by M. Sembera

  Shaking her head at me, Joie replied, “Nope. Everyone’s tried.”

  “I haven’t.”

  Joie moved her hands that were resting on her stomach and held them out at her sides.

  “You’re wasting your time, she only likes me,” Wren insisted with an all too sure of herself smile.

  I placed my hand on her stomach, spreading my finger wide while mentally begging her baby to move.

  Don’t judge me. I need this, okay?

  Joie took a deep breath, sitting up a little straighter, at the same time I felt Dalilah under the palm of my hand.

  “That’s the hardest she’s kicked so far,” she shared with a wide smile.

  It was difficult for me to comprehend how feeling her move affected me. It was an amazingly beautiful moment and as I looked into Joie’s eyes I wanted to lean all the way in and kiss her.

  Instead, I leaned over to Wren and blurted, “Ha!” right in her face.

  “Whatever, she’s just trying to kick your hand away because she doesn’t like you,” Wren snapped as she hopped up and walked off in a huff.

  Tansy laughed before getting up and following Wren into the kitchen.

  Since the cake was on hold until First returned, Wren, Aunt Charlotte, mom, Aunt Penny and Tansy stood in the kitchen diagnosing First’s symptoms of pre-proposal nerves into actual illnesses. Dad, Roe, and my uncles decided to walk out back to dad’s shop to wait, leaving Joie and I in the living room by ourselves.

  “You don’t like her name do you?” Joie asked as I moved to sit next to her on the couch.

  “I like it. Kind of a mouthful but it’s pretty,” I assured, nudging her arm with my elbow.

  She smiled at me, saying, “I think she likes you.”

  Smiling back at her, I was enjoying having her sit there and smile at me until she decided to get up.

  All I intended to do was give her a little push from behind since she seemed to be struggling but my hand ended up right on her butt.

  Don’t do it. Don’t squeeze. I pleaded with my hand but it acted on its own accord.

  Joie let out a yelp, jerking her head in my direction.

  “I was just tryin’ to help you up, I swear.”

  Her eyes were wide and her cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink as I heard my mom shout, “Palmer Hagan Caffrey!”

  Because yea, I still have a handful of her ass in my hand.

  Slowly pulling my hand away, I noticed everyone in the kitchen staring at us.

  “It was a reflex,” I insisted as Joie shook her head at me and walked to the kitchen.

  I’m pretty sure if First hadn’t walked in right then, I would have caught a serious beat down from my mom.

  Everyone gathered in the kitchen waiting to sing happy birthday to me.

  Just as mom was about to light the candles, I blurted, “Wait! First has something he wants to say.”

  He gave me one of the dirtiest looks I’ve ever seen as the focus turned to him.

  After a moment of complete and total silence, mom glared at me, questioning, “Anything else?”

  “What? He looked like he had something to say.”

  I glanced over at Roe and then back to First while shaking my head in disappointment.

  And pushing that last button one more time, for good measure, ya know.

  “I do,” First confirmed before sharing, “I was going to do this tomorrow but since we’re all here.”

  Turning to Tansy, he went down on one knee and pulled the ring out of his pocket.

  Holding it up to her, he proposed, “Will you marry me?”

  “Oh my gosh! I thought you got me earrings,” she replied, staring down at him in disbelief.

  With a blank expression on his face, he stared up at her. “Umm… No, just this ring. That I’m proposing to you with…”

  It must have finally clicked that he was proposing because she jerked a bit and then shouted, “Yes!”

  I don’t think I have ever seen someone so relieved in all my life as when he stood, picked her up and kissed her.

  After the engagement congratulations were over we had cake. Keeping with tradition, everyone stayed until it was officially my birthday before heading home.

  Stopping Joie before she made it off of the porch, I asked, “We’re good, right?”

  “You’re lucky I didn’t hit you, again.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  “Yea, consider it your birthday present.”

  I flashed her a wide smile before I questioned, “Wait, which one was my present? You not hitting me or me getting to touch your butt?”

  A smile broke through her serious expression as she replied, “It’s your present, you pick.”

  “Hell, if that’s the type of gifts you’re offering. I’m gonna start on my list for next year, tonight.”

  Rolling her eyes at me, she laughed. “Happy Birthday, Palmer.”

  “Merry Christmas, Joie,” I shouted out after her as she headed toward Wren’s truck.

  I stood there watching her walk away then glanced down at the palm of my hand and smiled. Best birthday present, ever.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Shortly after the new year, Joie’s mom came home. Joie seemed fine with it, so it didn’t bother me much but Aunt Penny was pissed.

  “I guess now she thinks she just going to step in and get grandma privileges,” Aunt Penny fussed.

  Mom gave a heavy sigh as she reminded, “Josephine is going to be her grandmother too.

  “No. Just no. She didn’t raise her kid she doesn’t get to be the grandma.”

  “It’s one doctor’s appointment. You’ll live,” mom insisted.

  “I don’t think I will and when this kills me I hope Josephine feels bad.”

  I walked up next to my aunt and put my arm around her. “We all know you’re the grandma.”

  Drawing in a deep breath, she hugged me, saying, “Thank you, Palmer.”

  “Besides she’ll be back on ‘vacation’ before Dalilah gets here.”

  Mom nodded in confirmation as Joie and her mom walked into the shop.

  Josephine was a tall thin woman with boney features. I personally didn’t find her attractive. She had piercings all the way up both sides of her ears, one in her nose and two at the end of her left eyebrow. I have nothing against piercings. I like them. A little hardware is sexy on a woman but on her, they seemed to add an extra layer of harshness to her already cold features.

  She walked up to the counter behind Joie with a stale expression. I watched Joie close her eyes and take a deep breath before turning back to face her mom.

  “Thanks for taking me. I’ll see you at home,” she said with a noticeably forced smile.

  Flicking the side of her blonde messy bob away from her pointy face, Josephine glanced around the shop.

  “Looks exactly the same as when I worked here.”

  Mom stood up from her seat behind the counter and stated, “We like consistency around here.”

  “I remember. The only thing that changes around here is the color of your hair.”

  Taking a step forward, mom replied, “Then I’m sure you recall, the door you walked in easily works the other way.”

  She shot mom a sarcastic smile before focusing on my aunt.

  “Your boy seems to have grown up quite nicely. He was very polite today.”

  Aunt Penny glared at her as she replied, “That’s the way I raised him.”

  “I suppose politeness is a fair trade for not taking responsibility for his mistakes.”

  A livid expression took over my aunt’s face as she shouted, “Get the hell out of my shop!”

  She looked like she wanted to say more but then glanced at Joie and took off towards the back of the shop.

  When we heard the office door slam shut, mom walked around the counter.

  “You’re not welcome here, Josephine,” mom stated before heading to the back after my aunt.

  Keeping an eye on Joie, I leaned against the s
ide of the counter as she made her way behind it.

  After setting her purse down on the chair, she stepped closer to the inside of the counter, saying, “Mom, you heard them. You need to leave.”

  Josephine seemed shocked as she replied, “That’s incredibly rude.”

  “No mom, you were being rude.”

  “Why because I expect her son to be responsible for my daughter?”

  Slapping her hand down on the counter, Joie stressed, “I’m responsible for me, not Roe. The only thing he’s responsible for is our daughter.”

  “We will continue this conversation at home.”

  “Okay, bye!”

  Joie growled under her breath as her mom turned and walked out.

  She stood there looking up and shaking her head with an irritated expression.

  “You okay?”

  Rubbing the front of her belly, she griped, “Have you ever just wanted to just choke the hell out of someone?”

  “A time or two,” I laughed.

  Tilting her head in my direction, she asked, “Is it wrong that I spent the whole afternoon wishing she was still in Cozumel?”

  “Nah, I think that’s a pretty popular opinion right now.”

  Joie sat down with a heavy sigh, sharing, “I love my mom, I do but I don’t understand her thought process at all.”

  Shrugging my shoulders at her, I shook my head, knowing her statement didn’t require a response.

  I changed the subject instead by asking, “How’s the kid?”

  A bright smile formed on her face as she replied, “Good and growing.”

  Eyeing her belly, I teased, “Yea, I noticed.”

  “Thanks, ass,” she laughed, wrapping her arms around herself.

  I leaned farther over the counter, assuring, “I like your big pregnant belly. It’s cute.”

  Did I just say that? It’s true but seriously, I need help.

  “That’s the strangest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

  I tilted my head to the side and gave her a slow blink. “It’s a compliment.”

  With a curious expression taking over, she questioned, “Are you trying to flirt with me?”

  Whatever, I’m in it now.

  “Ain’t no tryin’ to it,” I replied, raising my eyebrows and biting down on my bottom lip to keep my smile in check.

  “Are you messing with me?” she asked with a half-smile like she was waiting on the punch line to a joke.

  “Every time you walk in here it makes my day. You’re all I think about.”

  “Palmer…”

  “Joie.”

  She swallowed hard as pink traveled up the sides of her neck then flushed across her cheeks.

  My heart was hammering inside my chest. I was about to ask her to dinner when Aunt Penny walked in from the back with my mom right behind her.

  Gah damn it!

  Pushing off from the top of the counter, where I was leaning on it, I stood up straight. Joie was still staring at me as mom and Aunt Penny walked up beside her.

  Aunt Penny placed her hand on Joie’s shoulder, saying, “I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t upset you.”

  “Oh, no, it’s okay,” she stammered, still looking at me from the corner of her eye.

  “I’m not, your mother’s unpleasant,” mom shared as she pulled her chair out and sat down. “And I’m being as nice as I can when I say that.”

  Nodding, Joie replied, “Yea, she was out of line.”

  Sucking in a defeated breath, I walked back to my station.

  The shop was busy for the rest of the day making it impossible to catch a minute alone with Joie. When our last appointment for the day left, I hurried to the back after seeing her head that way.

  Leaning into the office from the doorway, I asked, “Hey, you wanna go get something to eat?”

  “I can’t,” she answered with no explanation as to why not.

  Her body language told me that she was uneasy as I stepped into the office with her.

  “Nothing serious, just food,” I shared, hoping I could get her to go out with me.

  Shaking her head at me, she questioned, “Why did you say what you said earlier?”

  I ran my hand down the front of my beard before taking a step closer to her. “’Cause it’s true.”

  Her eyes seemed conflicted as her eyebrows pinched together.

  “That’s not an answer.”

  “But it’s the truth.”

  “I’m asking you why you said it, not if it’s true.”

  “Because you hit me in the eye when I tired kissing you,” I shared in an effort to figure out the answer she was looking for to make her say yes.

  She opened her mouth to say something then closed it with a frown.

  “It’s just food.” I repeated in a pleading tone because this moment was actually hurting me inside.

  She stood there staring up at me for a full minute before insisting, “I can’t.”

  Giving up, I nodded then turned and walked out of the office.

  Chapter Sixteen

  A few weeks later, I was surprised to get a call from Joie. I saw her at the shop almost every day but my moment of sincerity with her had caused a serious setback in our friendship.

  I barely had a chance to get the word hello out of my mouth when she started hollering at me.

  “Can you come get me? I need you to come get me!”

  Jumping to my feet from where I was sitting on my bed, I answered, “Sure.”

  She sounded like she was in the middle of running a marathon. “Roe has the flu so I can’t go there and Wren said she could come get me after work but that’s not until two in the morning.”

  “Where are you?”

  Instead of answering me, she continued, “I wouldn’t have called you but I swear, if I have to put up with this woman for…”

  “Joie!” I shouted, stopping her mid rant.

  “What?”

  “I’m on my way.”

  I ended the call and shoved my phone in my back pocket. After a quick stop in the living room to let my parents’ know what was going on I headed to Joie’s.

  Brooks answered the door when I got to Joie’s house. He appeared somewhat relieved that he wasn’t there with his wife and daughter by himself anymore. I stood next to him between the living room and the kitchen as Joie walked in from her bedroom and shoved an armful of clothes and other essentials into her bag that set on the kitchen table.

  Josephine stood at the other end of the table, shouting, “All I was saying was that I was sorry you were repeating my mistake.”

  Joie hollered, “I’m not!” at her before marching back to her room.

  When she came out with her hands full of more clothes from her room, Josephine remarked, “Oh, so you’re not eight months pregnant?”

  “Yes mother, I am but you have your blessing and your mistakes seriously mixed up!” Joie snapped, forcing her belongings into her overstuffed bag as she zipped it up.

  Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have disrespected someone in their own home, especially someone’s parent but when Josephine screamed, “Your baby is a mistake just like you were,” at Joie, I couldn’t stand there silent anymore.

  I turned to Brooks and gave him a slight shove. Nothing hard, it was more like a nudge, just enough to get his attention and snap him out of whatever was keeping him from speaking up on his daughter’s behalf.

  When he jerked his head up at me, I barked, “You need to check your woman. This isn’t good for Joie or her baby.”

  For the first time since I got there Josephine acknowledged me. “Who do you think you are? Get out of my house!”

  “This isn’t your house. You don’t even live here. You just a visitor,” Joie shouted at her mom as she grabbed the strap of her bag and yanked it off of the table.

  I lunged forward and caught her bag before the weight of it pulled on her arms.

  “I’ve got it,” I assured, giving her a comforting smile.

  Joie paused and looked u
p at me before slowly letting go. I threw the strap of her bag over my shoulder as she glanced at her dad and shook her head at him.

  In my car being away from her mom and on the way to my house didn’t seem to offer her any relief. She sat in the passenger seat, mumbling to herself and rubbing her belly.

  “You okay?”

  Keeping her eyes focused on the road ahead, she stated, “I’m fine.”

  I decided to flip through the radio stations in order to find something more soothing to listen to. Something that would hopefully help her calm down.

  “I don’t want to listen to the radio,” she snapped and slapped my hand out of the way.

  Jerking my hand back, I replied, “Okay, snappy. Damn.”

  Whipping her head in my direction, she fussed, “Do you believe her?”

  “No.”

  “I mean, really, do you believe her?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  Joie settled back in the passenger seat. I could tell by her breathing that she was trying not to cry as she rubbed her hands against her sides.

  I reached over and placed my hand right on top of her belly.

  “Everyone makes their share of mistakes but Dalilah sure as hell ain’t one of ‘em and neither are you.”

  Dalilah rolled under the palm of my hand as Joie slid her hands over the top of mine.

  Mom had two batches of cookies baked and waiting for Joie when we walked in. I dropped her bag by the door as dad stopped me while Joie headed into the kitchen with mom.

  “Everything okay?”

  Shaking my head, I replied, “Maybe. I don’t know. Her mom is somethin’ else.”

  “Does she need to stay here for a few days?”

  Yes, and I want her here but I already know she won’t.

  “Wren’s going to pick her up when she gets off. I guess she’ll stay with Uncle Auggie and Aunt Charlotte until Roe’s not contagious anymore.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” he replied as he patted me on the back.

  I walked to the edge of the kitchen and saw mom with Joie’s face in her hands. It was clear she was purposely speaking quietly. I kept my distance until mom kissed her on the forehead and then let go.

  As mom walked out of the kitchen, she let us know that both her and dad were going to bed.