Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Thanksgiving afternoon found James folding his body into a scuffed brown booth. The Golden Corral wasn’t his favorite restaurant, but it was Chris’s turn to pick and he always went for buffets. James had to admit that did suit their need for calories to sustain their large bodies and there was quite a variety of food available. Chris was already scanning the other tables, hoping for a woman to impress, no doubt, even in this sea of senior citizens. Incorrigible flirt. Just then, James’s attention was caught by a throaty laugh he thought he recognized, and he whirled around in the booth.
There she was – his Laura. She sat a few tables over, facing away from him, but it was her, no doubt about that.
His gaze lingered on her companions. There were two other adults, an older man who must be her father and a woman her age, who must be the sister. She looked familiar, but it was the prospect of meeting Laura’s father that really hooked him. There had always been a shift in Laura's demeanor whenever she talked about him, from animated excitement to a hint of worry, although he looked fine to James.
Should he go over and introduce himself? Was she ready for him to meet her family? Would it be awkward if he invited himself to their table? Would it be less awkward if he didn’t and she noticed him not wanting to come and say hi?
He waited so long that Laura got up and went to the restroom, giving him a moment’s reprieve from the agony of indecision.
But only a moment, because a familiar happy squeal rang through the restaurant: “Ring Mister!”
He turned – everyone turned – to watch an adorable little girl in a turkey sweater running toward him, the same little girl he’d last seen snuggling a prize plush pony with a rainbow tail.
“Abby!” a boy called after her, and it was him, too, the generous and protective older brother from the fundraising festival. And that woman next to the Laura at the table, that was their mother. No wonder she looked so familiar! But did she remember him?
As the little girl hopped up into James’s booth, her brother caught up with her. “Abby, you can’t run up to strangers. It isn’t polite or safe.”
James approved. “Your brother is right, little missy. You can’t trust just anyone.”
The girl, Abby, her brother called her, and Tim – his name was Tim – pouted prettily. “But this is the man with the rings, he’s nice!” In the same breath she turned back to James. “The pony is perfect. I called him ‘Dash,’ because he looks like Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony. He sits on my bed with Fuzzy Wuzzy. ”
“Who’s Fuzzy Wuzzy?” James inquired, taken with the spirited little minx.
“My bear, of course,” Abby said matter-of-factly.
“Of course,” Chris piped in with a look of winking disapproval. “Imagine not knowing who Fuzzy Wuzzy is.”
Abby looked over at him curiously and Tim eyed him with suspicion, not to mention everyone at Laura’s table and quite a few people elsewhere in the restaurant. Time to make some introductions.
“Chris,” he said. “Let me introduce you to my two friends, Abby and Tim. We met at the festival. But they’re also related to —”
Before he could finish his sentence, a woman’s voice sounded, “Abby, Tim! Who are you talking to?” Laura’s sister came over, only to step back in surprise when she got a good look at James’s face. “Oh, it’s you!”
“This is the man who helped me win my pony,” Abby told her mother. “We weren’t bothering them. He was inter-, intro-” She chewed her bottom lip.
Helpfully, Tim supplied, “Introducing.”
She nodded vigorously. “Yes, that!”
“Fancy meeting you here.” She held out her hand. “I’m Suzie Kaspar.”
James took her hand in his. “James Black.” Then he gestured to his friend, “And Chris Smith.”
Suzie offered Chris her hand to shake, but he turned the back of her hand upwards and kissed it instead.
Suzie let out a startled laugh, blushing as she composed herself and gestured to her children. “These are my children, Tim and Abby.”
“Mom, he already knew our names.” Tim turned to James. “How do you know our names, sir? ”
James was impressed the boy had caught that. “That’s because I know your aunt, and she’s told me a lot about you two.”
Both Chris and Suzie made startled noises, looked at each other and then gaped at James. Almost simultaneously, Chris burst out with a triumphant "Laundromat Lady has a sister!" while Suzie playfully slapped her forehead and exclaimed, "Well, of course, James !" Their eyes met once more, exchanging a knowing glance before their faces blossomed into shared smiles.
Suzie recovered from her surprise and asked the men, “Why don’t you join us? Laura has been wanting us to meet you, James, and I bet our father will want to meet you, too.” She gestured to the table where the older man was sitting, oblivious to the encounter.
Abby started bouncing up and down. “Oh yes, will you? Please?” She stretched the word and folded her hands as if in prayer.
“If you’re sure you don’t mind us barging in on a family dinner?” James asked.
“No problem.” Suzie turned and gestured. “Please. Come join us. The more the merrier.”
Chris and James walked with Tim and Suzie. Abby, of course, was already rushing toward her grandfather. She had a lot of force for such a small body.
As Chris pulled over two extra chairs, Laura emerged from the restroom. Suzie caught her attention with a wave, and said, “Look who I found.”
Laura’s puzzled smile of greeting became a perfect O of surprise when James turned around, and his cock immediately hardened at the thought of using that pink wet mouth. She rushed over and he pulled her at once into his embrace, not only shielding his erection, but holding her again in his arms where she belonged. Win-win. He rested his chin on her shoulder and offered his hand to the sitting man. “You must be Laura’s father. I’m James Black.”
Dan stood and gave him a firm, friendly shake. “Dan Turner, James. I’ve been wanting to meet you for some time, to thank you for looking after my daughter in the tornado. Mrs. Beatrice told me how dangerous it was that night and how you kept coming back to the laundromat looking for Laura. So,” he drawled, looking the two of them, still embracing, up and down with a broad smile. “Are you two together -together yet?”
Laura blustered, pink to the tips of her ears, then almost desperately changed the subject. “Mrs. Beatrice? You mean Mrs. Shepherd from the laundromat?”
Now it was Dan’s turn to blush. He cleared his throat, fussing with his plate, and said, “Ah yeah, about that … I’ve been meaning to tell you.” He rubbed his hand through his thinning hair. “I, well, I have been seeing Mrs. Beatrice for a couple of months now and, ah…”
The women exchanged glances before their focus returned to Dan Turner.
Laura pulled herself together first, “Well, Dad, that’s wonderful. She seems like a lovely lady to me. How is her ankle, by the way?”
“Much better, thank you,” said a rough, rolling voice behind her. “I would have told you sooner if you’d come around to the laundromat, but I suppose you’ve found another, as you young folks tend to do during your times of inconvenience. There was customer loyalty in my day, but times do change, I suppose. You’re looking quite well, my dear, you and your gentleman friend both.”
Laura turned and Dan leapt up to offer his arm as Mrs. Shepherd joined them, looking much brighter and years younger than the last time Laura had seen her. Dan took her peacoat and hat – a tattered felt cloche with a few perky beaded feathers and a fresh dahlia, as big as a fist, brightening up the headband – and pulled out her chair for her, stealing a kiss when she offered her cheek. It felt strange to see her outside of the laundromat, and there was something else, something about her mouth, with its shiny coating of lipstick in a demure shade of candied plum. Then Laura’s arm dropped to the discrete patch on the older woman’s arm, just peeking from the sleeve of her autumnal dress, and she realized what was missing.
Mrs. Shepherd followed her gaze to the nicotine patch and shrugged. “I wouldn’t want to be indulging my vices around Mr. Dan’s grandchildren. Hello, young sir, young lady!”
“Hello, Mrs. Beatrice,” the kids chorused as Suzie stared at them in astonishment.
“It’s a filthy habit anyhow. Besides, I figured I might just want to stick around a little longer. Been a month. It’s getting easier. I can finally keep up with him on our morning runs, when I stay over. I know he slows down some for me,” she added, leaning toward Laura. “He doesn’t think I know, but I know.”
“When you…” Suzie echoed faintly.
Mrs. Shepherd gave her a long look, then said, “For a young lady with two children, I’m a surprised you haven’t been told, but all right. When a man and a woman love each other very much —”
“Okay,” Suzie said quickly. “Yes, I know that part!”
“I’m so happy for you,” Laura exclaimed, sliding into her chair and forcing James to sit beside her to keep his insistent arousal under the table. “We’re happy for you both, aren’t we, sis?”
“Well, yes,” Suzie stammered, beginning to smile. “I thought… Well, never mind what I thought, I’m so glad I was wrong. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Shepherd!”
“Yes, about that,” Mrs. Shepherd said in a musing tone, looking at Dan.
“It’s not going to be Mrs. Shepherd much longer,” Dan said and took her slender, work-chapped hand in his.
For a moment, there was silence, but then the table erupted with happy noise. Chris and James offered congratulations while the sisters took turns embracing their father and his smirking bride-to-be. Once the kids caught on, even they had things to say.
“Are you really getting married?” Tim asked his grandfather.
“Yes, I am,” Dan replied solemnly. “How do you feel about that?”
Tim studied Mrs. Shepherd, who studied him back with an arched brow. “Can you bake cookies?” he asked at last. “Grandma used to say she was going to teach Abby to bake cookies.”
“I can honor that promise for her,” Mrs. Shepherd replied. “And what can I teach you, young sir?”
“What do you know?” Tim asked dubiously.
“I can shoot a rifle and spit fifteen feet.”
Tim looked impressed.
“So when’s the big day?” Suzie asked loudly.
“Haven’t set it yet, but I’ve always wanted to be a June bride.”
“Are you going to have lots of kids?” Abby wanted to know.
“We’re going to try lots of times,” Mrs. Shepherd replied with a straight face. “We may have to settle for a puppy. What do you think about that?”
So the kids talked about puppies while the grown-ups talked about weddings. Suzie peppered Mrs. Shepherd with questions, mostly to hide from Chris, who flirted with her shamelessly whenever their eyes met. Dan had a surprising store of electrical knowledge from his old job building radios, and he and James talked shop for quite a while. Dan even volunteered to teach some of the apprentices about basic wiring
James watched his sub carefully. She was quiet, but he could read her well enough. She was clearly happy, surrounded by her family and especially the children. How callous of her ex to withhold children from her. They were rather old, but maybe they should discuss the subject of having a child of their own, or possibly adopting a child in need.
His thoughts came to a screeching halt – Damn, I’m in deeper than I thought.
Laura’s father was a lot different than she had described him. This man was happy and engaged, not depressed. Had he just been lonely?
The time flew by as everyone talked, laughed, and ate. Before they went home with full bellies and happy smiles on their faces, Suzie had invited Chris and James for Christmas dinner.
“I wish I could, but I’ll be with my parents that day,” Chris said, eyes twinkling with mischief. “But James doesn’t have any plans. Do you, James?”
Plans to kick your scheming ass!
“I’d love to,” James accepted.