Sweet and Sassy Baby Love

by Alicia Street

  “I know, Chief, I get what you’re saying. Sara needs to feel she has a part in this too, so she can put an ending on that piece of her life. I’m just scared shitless something will go wrong and she’ll get hurt. I don’t think I could handle that.” Agitation propelled him to the back of the sedan.

  “Believe me, I understand what you’re going through, but if you don’t give her the room to make her own choices, you’re smothering her, and you’ll lose her.”

  Nick heard the regret in Frank’s voice and it made him wonder again about the chief’s history. Frank reminded him of the lonely Mesquite trees standing sentinel on his land in Texas. He hoped to repay the big guy one day. Nick meant to make sure they stayed in touch after this.

  The car, a four-door beige Chevy Impala, was plain as can be, but Nick would bet his bottom dollar under the unassuming hood lurked a monster, probably an LS7 pushing about 505 ponies if he had to guess. Frank popped open the trunk, and Nick had to grin at the mismatched luggage within, kind of like the two men who owned them. One was an old army duffle still meticulously clean though it had obviously seen better days, the small rip in one corner tacked with precise even stitches. The other, as flamboyant as its owner, a rich coffee colored leather satchel, straining the zipper open to overflowing with striped cotton shirts and high-end jeans, Jared’s.

  Hefting the case out—shit, did he have bricks in there or what? —Nick grinned at Jared’s bragging from the doorway, “Careful there, mate, that case is going to net us a whole school of bottom feeding scum.”

  “Humble, isn’t he?” Nick mumbled, and Frank let out a rusty bark of laughter as he lifted his own bag effortlessly before slamming the trunk closed.

  “I can’t rightly say I’ve ever heard that in connection with Jared. Now if you wanted to call him immodest, conceited or egotistical, I’d know who you were talking about.”

  Nick lugged the heavy bag up to the house where Jared stood, shirt undone soaking up the morning rays. He’d missed the camaraderie of these people. He’d made a few good friends over the years, but nothing compared to the connections between those who go through fire together, literally, and come out the other side changed, some for the good, some not.

  “Hey, thanks man, I could’ve grabbed that. Let me change my shirt and then I’ll treat you guys to the best breakfast to be found anywhere on the west coast. Is Grits and Grace still open downtown?”

  “Yeah, it’s there. You’ve been here before?”

  “I grew up here. Left to go to college and never came back. Small world, hey.” A somber look stole over his face, and he grabbed the first clean shirt to jump out when he unzipped the suitcase, heading down the hall to the can.

  Frank shrugged, grabbed his own change of clothing and disappeared into the spare room to change, leaving Nick to ponder the craziness of the last few days. He wanted to see Sara again, talk to her about what happened. He hoped she would be more amendable to listening to him today. He hated the distance that had sprung up between them.

  He should have told her as soon as he’d made the connection, instead of which he’d given her dickhead ex the chance to play a stupid mind game with her. He knew she was hurting, had wanted nothing more than to follow her to her room last night and force her to understand and accept his apologies. Not let one mistake tear them apart this way.

  Who was he kidding? How much could she really care if she was so willing to take her a-hole husband’s word over his anyway? Maybe he should forget it. Help her get her friend back, send dick-wad to jail for the rest of his natural born days, and then blow this place, move on.

  Jared came back into the room tucking a western style charcoal grey dress shirt into the waist of his jeans, the color highlighting his weird eyes glowing behind his glasses in the ambient lighting, a teal blue. He’d wet his hair and slicked it back, and when he noticed Nick watching him he grinned, “Gotta look good for the babes, you never know.” Frank moved up behind him and gave him a cuff across the head. “Hey, don’t mess with the goods. Just because you took a vow of celibacy doesn’t mean we all have to.” He smirked, easily blocking the next shot.

  “Just because I’m a lot more discriminating than some people I know,” Frank threw a pointed look in Jared’s direction, “it’s got nothing to do with being abstinent.”

  “Oh, is that what you call it? I thought you were saving yourself, or maybe you’re impotent, I hear that happens as you get older. They make little blue pills to help you out with that you know. Come on, we won’t tell, you can trust us, your bosom pals.” As he went to give Frank a commiserating hug, the pained look on the chief’s face made Nick snicker.

  “Okay, before he kills you and I get no breakfast, let’s hit the road. I want to get back here before Sara does so we can figure out our next move.”

  “Why don’t you give her a call, maybe she’ll come and meet us, help break the ice?”

  “Yeah, that’s a good idea, safety in numbers, right.” Nick grinned doubtfully.

  “There you go, buddy, positive thinking, that’s the way to win the girl.”

  “Okay, Dr. Love, if you’re done handing out advice on that of which you know absolutely diddly-squat, we’ll get out to the car and leave the man in peace to make his call. Come on, let’s go.” Frank bullied Jared out the door squabbling all the way to the car, man he was glad they were here.

  Screwing up his courage, he woke up his cell and speed dialed Sara’s number, hoping she would at least pick up and give him a chance.

  * * *

  The two women were in the back on the floor with the kids. Annie had brought the donut box half full of slightly stale offerings, and a couple of juice boxes, along with an obviously much-loved old wool blanket and they were now all enjoying an impromptu picnic. Amid the laughter and the teasing, there were lots of oohing and ahhing over Chris and Jessica’s art. They had managed a more than credible job of depicting their own ideas of a perfect house down on paper.

  Jessica’s work had the requisite two story pink mansion built like her dollhouse at home, the back open to show each of the rooms cluttered with furniture, and Jake guarding the entry with a big smile on his doggy face. Chris’s picture depicted a tall bushy tree, a ladder attached to the trunk led the way up, and he had actually done a masterful job of hiding the tree-house, with a wall here and a window there peeking out from behind the leafy branches. The kids had painted their families beside their homes. Both featured two adults holding hands with a child in the middle, causing lumps to form in the women’s throats as they looked at each other and silently acknowledged their children’s deepest wishes laid out in watercolor.

  After finishing the snack, the kids jumped up and began running around the cavernous room, pretending to be airplanes dive-bombing the various pieces of pottery equipment and crates of craft supplies, convincing blasts coming from their small throats.

  “It’s none of my business, so please don’t feel you have to answer, but is Chris’s father a part of his life?”

  A cloud fell over Annie’s usual sunny disposition. “Chris never met his father. He left here the night after he got me pregnant, and he’s never been back.” She spoke matter-of-factly but her feelings manifested themselves with the darkening, bruised look of her normally green apple eyes.

  “Oh honey, I’m sorry I opened my big mouth, let’s forget about it, okay?”

  “No, its fine. I learned a long time ago I could only count on myself, so no worries. He and I should never have happened anyway. He was the high school quarterback and I was the geeky girl. Half the time I wore whatever art project Mr. Hammond had going on, and he, he always had his choice of adoring fans. I thought he was nothing more than a pretty face. Art was the only class we shared, thank God, because I couldn’t stand listening to all those simpering girls vying for his attention. Then one day a couple of boys had me pinned by my locker, they liked to tease me a lot because I was kind of chubby back then. No, really,” At the disbelief on Sara’s face.


  “Anyway, they’d grabbed my hair; it was a lot longer back then, and was trying to drag me to the guy’s bathroom, when he came out drying his hands. As soon as he saw what they were up to, he grabbed the one holding my hair and did some kind of trick, because the kid let go, squealing like the pig he was and the both of them took off. He made sure I wasn’t hurt and then went on his way as if nothing had happened. I figured, okay, the guy’s not a complete loser, but then the next time we had art, he made a point of stopping by my table, checking out my work, asking for advice. I didn’t know what to think, I mean me, chunky Campbell, in the same orbit as the hottest male in school? It was beyond weird, but kind of wonderful at the same time, and I fell headlong into my first crush.”

  She watched the kids for a few minutes, a faraway look in her eyes. “I think he knew, but he never needled me about it. We hung out at lunch whenever he wasn’t flirting with the co-ed’s, and we started going to each other’s houses a couple times a week studying, when he wasn’t at a game or out on a date that is. Then high school was over and he was heading to college while I was staying here, getting a job. Mrs. Hammond owned the craft store back then and took me on as an apprentice, so I was happy.

  “Whenever he came to town during his breaks, he’d call and we would meet up; catch up on all the news. Then one day he phoned from college, and I could hear by the excitement in his voice something big was up. I’m pretty sure I died a little, thinking he was about to say he’d found someone he was serious about, but it was even worse than that. He planned to join the freaking Navy. I, and I’m sure his mother too, tried to talk him out of it, I mean it’s noble and brave and everything, but not for him, you know. All we did is succeed in pushing him away, he quit calling, never came home on his leaves, and I thought that was it, I’d never see him again.”

  As the whooping and hollering continued on the far side of the room, Annie looked at Sara with melancholy eyes. “I never heard a word for four long years, not a word. I lost some weight, had my hair styled, and even started dating, but I still missed him every single day. Then one night, I came home from work and there he was, sitting on my doorstep, looking the same and yet so different. His gorgeous hair was gone, replaced by a buzz cut that only accentuated those killer eyes. He seemed both taller and broader to me. And when he looked up, there was an instant when everything narrowed down to him and me. It felt as if the whole world held its breath. Silly, huh.”

  Sara’s throat clogged with emotion. “No, not silly at all, pretty much perfect actually.” She shared a goofy grin with her friend.

  Annie sighed, filled with memories, and then continued on, “We hugged, I tried not to cling, and then we went out for dinner, and came back to my place where he filled me in on the last couple of years. Seemed he’d become a Navy SEAL, he always was an overachiever, and was only in town for a couple of days to try to mend fences with his Mom. It was so great to see him, I felt like my heart was going to burst right out of my chest. He asked me…me, Sara… if I would like to go to a party the next night his old school friends were hosting. Said he really wanted me there, that I was his best friend. Yeah,” At Sara’s commiserating look, “so anyway I went, and actually had a pretty good time. Most of them didn’t even remember me, ouch, but at least it solved any awkwardness, well except for when they asked if I was his girl and he hurried to correct them.”

  “He would have been lucky to have you, you’re gorgeous.” Sara grabbed onto Annie’s tensed hands and squeezed.

  “Where were you when my confidence needed a boost?” Annie smiled and gave her a quick hug before checking again on the children who were now working on Chris’s Litebrite machine.

  “So then what happened? Did you meet some guy at the party and have wild monkey sex with him?” Sara teased, and then seeing the look on Annie’s expressive face, “oh, you did meet someone. Was he hot? Was it bad, what?”

  “He was hotter than sin and it was the most enchanting night of my life. Everything I always knew it would be.”

  “Oh, my God. You nailed him, your friend. That’s who you ended up with?” Sara half-laughed in amazement.

  “I’m still not sure how it happened. One minute we were talking and laughing about the evening and the next minute he had me pinned up against the back door of this very store. Both of us drank too much, but no, we weren’t drunk by then, that wasn’t why. I know, because I’ve gone over it at least a thousand times since then. He, of course knew I was still working here, and asked if I had a key, so we could rest a bit before finishing the trip, even though it’s only five blocks, but hey, I was more than willing.” She stopped for a moment, lost to nostalgia.

  “It was perfect. He was perfect, and even though he was gone the next day, without a word, I can’t be sorry because he left me with a very precious gift.” They both swiped a few tears, as they watched their bundles of joy arguing about whose go it was to turn on the colored picture from their game.

  Shaking her head, Sara had to smile at the paths that had led them to this moment, so different, yet so much the same. Her cell began to sing “Sweet Home Alabama” from the front pocket of her pants and she pulled it out to see Nick’s name lighting up the screen, a beacon calling her to him, as sure as if he were standing right there in front of her.

  Determined to keep her personal feelings hidden, she answered with a calmness she was far from feeling. “Nick, I’m kind of busy at the moment, what do you need?”

  Her heart went skittering when he sighed softly in her ear. “I miss you, Sara. Is it so wrong to want to talk to you? Don’t shut me out, okay? Anyway, that’s not why I’m calling, I’ll save that conversation for face to face. The guys and I were heading to Grace’s for breakfast and thought you might like to join us. Come on, Jared’s buying, and that only happens once in a millennium, so we should make it count, right?”

  She smiled at the boyish delight lighting his voice. Maybe they could at least come out of this as friends. The thought of losing him completely made a hard fist twist in her stomach. “I am kind of hungry this morning, and Grace’s does sound good.” Sara watched as Annie turned away to begin the cleanup process from their spur-of-the-moment party. “I need to finish up here and then I’ll meet you, say fifteen minutes?”

  The relief was evident in Nick’s warm tenor, “Okay good, I’ll see you then, and Sara—”

  Her hand tightened its grip on the cell held to her ear, “Nick—” she breathed.

  “Don’t forget to order big.” He clicked off, leaving her smiling. She was coming to the realization that the heart wanted what it wanted and her head was only along as mediator.

  “So, that was Nick on the phone,” and at Annie’s knowing smirk, “he wants me to join him and his friends for breakfast at Grace’s. Why don’t we bundle up the rug-rats and all go?”

  “Oh no you don’t, missy, you are not going to put me in the middle of your lovers spat, no, no, no. You go, show him that you’re no pushover and the kids and I will stay right here doing what we do best, making a mess.” Annie looked amused at Sara’s obvious discomfort. “You’ll be fine, honey. Give yourself a little time to process, and then put it behind you. Life is too damn short to stay mad or hurt, ask someone who knows. If you get a second chance then for God’s sake, take it. He’s a good man, Sara. Maybe he did screw up, but then, don’t we all? None of us are perfect, my friend, well except for those two.” She waved her slim hand at the kids as they went zooming by on scooters, one blue, one red, laughing like banshees.

  Sara’s heart swelled as she watched the uncomplicated joy the children exhibited. She’d never had that as a child and it had hurt unbearably to see the light dying in Jessica’s eyes the longer Tom forced them to stay. She was fiercely glad they had found this town full of kind, caring people and she vowed to do whatever necessary to ensure her daughter continued to thrive and grow here.

  She agreed with Annie, life was too short to waste, and as soon as this situation with Tom was over,
she would sit down with herself and figure out exactly what she wanted to do about Nick. For right now though, she had a date with a trio of gorgeous, sexy men for breakfast. A girl had to do what a girl had to do.

  “Okay I’m going. If you need me for anything, I’ll have my cell on me at all times, and Annie, thanks for everything.” She leaned in and gave her friend a long hug, soaking up the scents of citrus, sunshine and the faint sugary sweetness from the donuts, which were as much a part of Annie as her smile.

  “Jessica,” Sara called, trying to be heard above the whirr of the scooter wheels, and the ooga-ooga of the attached horns as the kids raced towards them, looks of determination lighting their cherubic faces. “Jess, stop for a minute, I need to talk to you.”

  With a satisfying squeal of rubber, Jessica came to a sudden halt right in front of her Mom. “Did you see us? We were flying like the wind, right Mom?”

  “You sure were, honey. Listen, I’m going to leave now,” at her daughter’s moan of sadness, “not you, you can stay for a few days and keep Chris company, how does that sound?”

  “Wow, really? But who’s going to take care of Jake?” She had a good point, in all the upheaval of the last forty-eight hours Sara had forgotten all about the poor dog.

  “Listen, we have plenty of room at our house for Jake. Why don’t you run home, grab him and bring him back here? The kids will love it. It’ll give Fitzroy some company too.”

  “Fitzroy’s our cat; he’s old now so all he does is sleep.” Chris informed her in his solemn little voice. “I bet Jake and him will be friends, like me and you.” He said as he looked to Jessica.

  “I’ll see what Nick says, it’s his dog after all. Annie, I don’t know what to say, except thank-you so much, I owe you.”