Lexi nodded. "You really want me to stay here."
"As long as you need to stay, you are part of our family."
For the last fifteen minutes, Polly's four youngest had torn up and down the hallway. There had been a few tentative peeks into the room, but a quick scowl had sent the boys on their way.
"I know some little boys who would really like to meet you," Polly said. "They've been hovering outside the door, wondering when you'll be ready."
"I heard them," Lexi said with a smile. "It's okay. If I'm going to stay here, I should meet everyone."
"Caleb? JaRon?" Polly called out. "Would you like to come in and meet Lexi?"
The door slowly pushed all the way open and the two little boys stood in the doorway.
"Come in," Polly said. "The littlest boy is JaRon. He's in Kindergarten." She winked at her son.
"I'm in second grade," JaRon corrected her with disgust.
Polly chuckled. "I'm trying to keep them young so they don't grow up so fast. Caleb is in fourth grade. Where are your brothers?"
"They're helping Dad with Cat’s presents."
"I see. You decided to stay up here instead?"
The two boys looked down.
"That's okay," Lexi interrupted. "It's very nice to meet you boys. Which room is yours?"
"The one right next to you," Caleb said. "We tried to be quiet last night so you wouldn't wake up."
"I didn't hear a thing. Thank you."
"Are you very sick?" JaRon asked.
"I'm getting better."
"You look sad."
Lexi shot Polly a look.
"They are observant."
"I am sad."
"Because someone stoled your baby?"
Lexi's eyes filled with tears. "Yes."
JaRon walked over to the bed and put his hand on her knee. "I'm not a baby, but I'll love you. You're pretty."
Polly reached down and pulled her son onto her lap. "I love you, JaRon. You say the sweetest things."
"I don't want her to be sad."
CHAPTER TWENTY
Instead of cringing at the need to be up on a Sunday morning, Polly was awake and moving before her alarm chimed. Once this day started, it was going to be nonstop until she managed to land at home for the evening. Not that the last few days had been any different.
Rebecca had come home in time to keep an eye on the five youngest while Polly and Henry went out. With everything that was going on, Polly wasn't thrilled about leaving Rebecca alone to take care of the littles as well as keep an eye on Lexi. Heath and Ella had offered to be there, and Hayden and Cat had no plans, so Polly felt like she could leave. They ordered pizza for the kids, which Andrew picked up on his way.
When Cat brought Cassidy home from Agnes Hill's house, Polly had taken the little girl up so her curiosity about who was behind that closed door was satisfied. Lexi held the doll named Lulu out to Cassidy when she went in, telling her that Lulu had been a wonderful companion while she was in the hospital. When Lexi asked Cassidy if she’d like Lulu to return to her own home in Cassidy’s room, the little girl rushed forward to take the doll. She held Lulu for a few moments and then handed her back, telling Lexi that Lulu wanted to stay with her so she wouldn’t be alone. Both Polly and Lexi got emotional over that one.
It was hard to imagine spending months locked in a room with only one or two others for companionship. The only problem with the boys learning about Lexi was they wanted to spend time getting to know her. JaRon was smitten and Elijah couldn't help himself. If there was someone new and interesting, he wanted to spend time with them. Polly had tried to talk them out of bothering her, but Lexi herself invited them in during the day. She thought that maybe she'd be ready to meet Henry another day.
Henry let Polly know in no uncertain terms that she could afford to spend an hour or two with her friends. Dinner at Davey's was fun with Sal, Mark, the Renaldi brothers, and Chloe. Sal was always the life of the party and she entertained them with stories about college life with Polly. After years of having those same stories told about her, Polly was no longer embarrassed. They were just fun stories to share.
After dinner, she and Henry took a quick ride out to the bed and breakfast. She'd called Adam to make sure he knew they were coming. Judy and Mary had spent the last week preparing the house, but Judy was on the phone all day with Adam, worrying over one thing or another. Polly wanted to see the list and make sure nothing critical needed to be dealt with before the open house.
Jeff and Adam were staying in one of the smaller upstairs bedrooms, where they'd make the least impact. Adam spent most of the day taking care of little things, while Jeff spent the afternoon and early part of the evening at Sycamore House with wedding receptions.
Jeff hadn't bothered to tell Polly that Marie Sturtz and Betty Mercer had also been on the phone with Judy most of Saturday.
When Polly and Henry arrived, she was surprised to see cars in the front driveway. She was even more surprised to find Bill Sturtz, Dick Mercer, Reuben Greene, and Adam all taking orders from Betty and Marie. They'd filled vases with fresh cuttings from the greenhouse and rearranged the tables in the dining room. Food would be delivered tomorrow for an easy dessert buffet. The place was spotless.
Polly asked Jeff why he hadn't said anything to her and he'd just grinned, telling her that he'd been under orders to let her come see for herself so she wouldn't be up all night worrying.
Judy walked in about that time and was stunned at what her friends had accomplished. Mary Francis was still at the hospital with Libby. Her children were staying with Judy's sister, Sandy Morrison, until tomorrow night when Mary would pick them up so they'd sleep at home before school on Monday morning. Libby had gone through another surgery to fix broken bones in her arm. Though she was a mess right now and it would take time, she would recover.
Her father had stopped in to visit, throwing everyone into turmoil. Libby hated him for what he'd done to the family. In her drug-induced haze, she called him horrible names and ordered him out of her room.
Mary was terrified at how she would face everyone, especially Jeff and Adam. Jeff was her employer and she'd never been in a situation this disastrous. Judy tried to assure Mary that Jeff wasn't the type of person who would hold her daughter's actions against her, but Mary couldn't imagine why not. There would be a lot to sort out this next week. Polly was grateful to not be part of that mess.
This morning, though, she needed to focus on getting the kids out of the house in time for church and Sunday school. Polly wracked her brain as she thought through the morning. The kid’s choir wasn't singing as far as she could remember. Hopefully, it was just a normal Sunday at church.
Ray, Jon, and Chloe were leaving early today. It had been nice to have them here for a couple of days, but she was just as glad to no longer be responsible for them. One of these days, she needed to have a conversation with those boys about coming to Bellingwood when everything was topsy-turvy. They needed to visit when she had time to enjoy them.
She chuckled to herself as she went into the bathroom. She enjoyed them just fine, even when things were nuts. "Hey, you about done in there?" Polly snagged a towel and walked over to the shower.
"What are you doing awake?" Henry asked.
"My brain turned on and wouldn't be quiet. I might as well move. Lying in bed while I fret is doing nothing for me."
"Are you rushing my shower?"
"Maybe. Aren't you nearly finished?"
He stuck his head under the water and shook it at her. "Now I am. You coming in?"
"Here's your towel. Trade me places?"
"Wanna play first?"
Polly reached up and kissed him, then said, "I'd love to, but I hear the boys. The morning has already started."
"What is it with this family? Most mornings we can't pry them out of their beds. Why is it that on the weekends they can't stay where they belong?"
"They hate us," she said. "It's our lot in life. Maybe we'll send them
to bed early tonight."
"Now, that's an idea I like." He took the towel from her as they passed.
When he was halfway across the room, she said, "Hey, not even a fondle?"
Henry laughed out loud. "You let me get far, far away before you asked for it, though, didn't you?"
~~~
The open house had been a huge success. Everyone in Bellingwood wanted to see the latest great idea that Sycamore Enterprises brought to town. People wandered through the grounds and the rooms from the beginning until the very last minute. Polly and Jeff spent the afternoon in the basement level, showing off the conference room, and extolling the features of the bar, party rooms, and media center.
Elva Johnson, along with her kids, Jason Donovan, and Noah, claimed a spot in the front room, her girls dressed in riding gear. There had been a great deal of interest in the stables.
Sweet Beans and Sycamore House Catering provided food for the afternoon. Rachel and Lyndi, along with Camille and Sylvie received many questions about their offerings. It astounded them that they'd been in business for so long, and still people had no idea what they did. Skylar and Stephanie were there to talk about the hotel as part of Sycamore Enterprises' hospitality arm. The literature they’d brought was gone by the end of the day.
In all, everyone felt like the afternoon had been a success. Mostly, they were glad it was finally over. It was time to focus on Halloween. Tomorrow, Lydia and her crew would begin decorating the inside of Sycamore House for the big event Thursday evening. It had been a couple of years since Polly was around for that. She could hardly wait.
The house was all lit up when they pulled into the driveway. Polly looked around. Everyone was with her. Cat and Hayden, Heath and Ella had worked the open house as hosts, the boys had spent the afternoon playing with Elva's kids, and she’d sent Rebecca to pick Cassidy up from Agnes Hill's house.
"Did we leave all those lights on?" she asked Henry.
"I don't think so."
Polly was out of the Suburban and headed for the side door when it opened, and the dogs ran out to greet her. Lexi stood in the doorway, fully dressed and a shy smile on her face.
"It's okay that I let them out, isn't it?"
"You bet," Polly said. "Thank you. Are you ready to meet the rest of the family?"
Lexi smiled. "This afternoon I felt more normal than I have in weeks." She stepped back as Polly went inside. "I thought I needed to work harder at being normal, so here I am."
Polly walked into the kitchen and took a deep breath. "What did you do?"
"Not much. I just cleaned. It took most of the afternoon because I had to keep sitting down. Is it okay?"
"Okay? This is amazing," Polly said. Without thinking, she gave Lexi a hug, then stepped back. "I'm sorry." She went the rest of the way into the kitchen and stood at the corner of the island. Since Henry was the next person in, she said, "Lexi, this is my husband, Henry. Henry, this is the amazing Lexi."
He stood still, his eyes darting left to right as he took it all in. "This is the cleanest this kitchen has been in a long time."
"Hey," Polly said with a laugh. "He's right, though."
"I clean when I'm nervous or uncomfortable."
The rest of the family had come into the room, each of them making an effort not to crowd Lexi or get too close.
Polly realized that Lexi had moved against her and she backed up, taking the girl with her. "Are you ready to meet everyone?"
Lexi gulped and nodded, breathing faster with each person that came in. At least the dogs were still outside.
"You know the boys. Noah and Elijah, would you take Caleb and JaRon upstairs for a little while?"
"Aw, come on," Elijah whined. "We want to see Lexi, too."
Henry took his son's arm and gathered the other three with him as he moved them toward the stairway. Lexi took a deep breath.
"I've told you about Hayden and Cat," Polly said. "Guys, this is Lexi."
Cat stepped forward, a warm smile on her face. "It's nice to meet you, Lexi. We're in the apartment right up there. If you need anything, just knock."
Lexi hitched in a breath and stepped back into Polly again.
"What's wrong, honey?" Polly asked.
"She's pregnant," Lexi had turned into Polly and whispered the words.
Cat overheard and concern filled her face. "I'm so sorry, Lexi. I didn't even think. Hayden, let's go upstairs and get out of her way."
She and Hayden were already moving toward the back steps when Lexi said quietly, "It's okay."
Polly kept her hand on Lexi. "I'm sorry. I should have said more to you about this. I really didn't think tonight was when you'd meet everyone. Do you want them to leave?"
"No. Stay." Lexi tried to turn back to face them, but couldn't. She whispered again to Polly. "You have to keep her safe."
"We will," Polly said. She nodded at Hayden and Cat. "We will all keep Cat safe. Now, the others are Hayden's brother, Heath, and his girlfriend, Ella. Are you two headed for the family room?"
Heath nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Lexi. We'll get out of your space. We both have a ton of work to do before classes this week."
Lexi gave them another shy smile. Polly felt her steel herself before she turned back to Cat and Hayden. "I'm sorry I reacted. I hope you are feeling good. I was sick all the time."
"I've been sick a lot," Cat said.
Hayden moved toward the refrigerator. "Are we making dinner tonight?"
"In this clean kitchen?" Polly asked. "Disgraceful."
He laughed. "We brought pizza in last night."
"I didn't plan well at all, did I?" Polly said with a laugh. "We all snacked so much today, I don't even know if the kids will eat anything."
"The boys will eat," Cat said. "They always eat."
The back door opened and the dogs came running in. Cassidy was next, followed by Rebecca and Andrew.
Rebecca stopped just inside the kitchen door, taking everything in. "Okay, who cleaned," she said with a grin.
Polly laughed out loud. "See, Lexi. It’s such a major difference that everyone notices."
"I didn't do that much," Lexi said. "I just put things where it looked like they belonged. I took toys upstairs. I hope that's okay. There are some things on the sofas back there that I didn't know what to do with."
"She cleaned," Rebecca stated. "Our kitchen. Can we keep her?"
Lexi chuckled. "If I'm staying for a while, I have to earn my way."
Andrew shoved Rebecca's arm and she glanced at him, frowning. Then, she said, "Oh, this is my boyfriend, Andrew Donovan. Polly, can we have the office tonight? We've got homework out the …" She stopped herself. "We have a lot of homework."
"Sure. Are you interested in dinner?"
Andrew shrugged. "I could eat."
"You could always eat," Rebecca said, teasing him. "Are you really planning to cook, Polly? You have to be exhausted."
"We'll see what I come up with." She looked down and smiled at Cassidy, who had come over to hold Lexi's hand.
"Your kids are so affectionate," Lexi said. "After everything you and Sal and Rebecca told me about their backgrounds, I'm surprised."
"It's easier with some," Polly said. "Caleb still has trouble showing love, but you can tell he wants affection. If I initiate it, he always accepts it."
"He's better than he was," Cat said. She'd taken a seat at the island. "What if we made breakfast for dinner tonight?"
Polly nodded. "I have a few pounds of bacon in the freezer."
"You have plenty of eggs," Hayden said, looking in the refrigerator. "We'll need to buy more this week, though."
"That's fine. I can put together an order and pick it up."
When Lexi looked at her, Polly smiled. "I do my grocery shopping online. They bring carts and carts filled with groceries out to my Suburban and I don't have to wander the aisles. It's very nice."
"I can help cook," Lexi said.
Cat patted the stool next to her. "Sit. You'
ve been busy. You must be worn out. Hayden is a wonderful cook and breakfast is his specialty. Come on, Cassidy, climb on up. You can help me do nothing."
Cassidy giggled and clambered up onto the stool next to Cat, then turned and pointed at the empty stool beside her. "Sit by me."
"Can I get you something to drink?" Hayden asked, sending the question to all three girls in front of him.
Henry came back into the kitchen. He stopped and looked at Lexi. "Did you carry all those toys upstairs?"
"I didn't know which rooms they belonged in, but I thought maybe the boys could take it from there."
"They're busy cleaning their rooms and putting things away," he said. "Thank you."
"We usually make piles and insist the boys carry their own things up the steps," Polly said.
"How do you keep up with so many people?" Lexi asked.
Cat leaned across Cassidy. "It used to be my job to help her. I can't seem to find extra energy these days, though. I feel terrible."
"Don't," Henry said, patting her back. "You are surrounded by active third graders all day long, you grade papers in the evening, and you're hauling a baby around." He swallowed and looked at Lexi, then taking a breath, pushed on. "We are just thankful that you help when you do. No guilt."
"See," Hayden said, smiling at his wife. "She worries about it all the time."
"Rebecca and Andrew are in the office. Ella and Heath are in the family room. Apparently, it's homework night in the Sturtz household," Polly said. "What about you, Hayden? And Cat, I know you probably have a busy week. Henry and I can handle this."
Hayden scowled at her. "We have time. Now, get on that bacon, Ms. Giller."
Polly dropped three packages of bacon on the countertop and bent down to pull out her cookie sheets and racks. After setting everything up, she dug out the kitchen shears and opened the packages.
"I can help," Lexi said. "Just lay it out?"
"Perfect. Hayden what are we making?"
"I'm making omelets. Lexi, do you like peppers and onions?"
"Love them," Lexi said.
"Mushrooms?"
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