Chapter 12
ECHO
The day after their therapy session they browsed the Internet for houses. It was proving to be a difficult journey as Stacy kept picking tiny little houses, only because of the price tag.
Guess he had forgotten to mention a few things.
“What about this one?” He suggested a two story on half an acre just east of the train tracks. If he looked at the map, he would bet it was close to Bear's house.
“It's too expensive. Yes, it looks nice and has several bedrooms. What would we do with all of them?”
“Fill them with kids.”
Her laughter was loud and mocking. “I'm already thirty years old. I'm too old.”
“You are not old, woman,” he growled at her. “There are families just starting out at thirty. Besides,” he pulled her closer with an arm around her back. “I may have forgotten to mention that I have a sizable savings account.”
“Okay,” she elongated the word. “So you can do a down payment. What about mortgage? I'm still not working yet.”
Guess he'd have to write it out for her. “Stacy, baby, listen,” he turned until they were nearly nose to nose. “My accident, I won a lot of money from the lawsuit settlement. It's been sitting and building. And I make a lot of money working construction. This is our money, baby. We do need to get you put on my accounts, but it's still ours. ”
“It doesn't feel right taking your money while I'm not working.”
Echo wanted to groan in frustration. “Stacy,” he started a little sharper than he intended, then inhaled to calm his words. “Why do you keep fighting me on this?”
Stacy leaned back, twisting her hands in her lap. Her words were so quiet he almost missed them. “Because if I'm left alone to take care of the kids, then I'll be left with nothing. I've always had to work. Since I was fourteen. It's all I've ever known. To provide for myself and the twins.”
Fuck. It made perfect sense. And he once again wanted to kick his own ass.
“What can I do to help you see that we are a team?”
Her shoulders lifted in a shrug. She looked so small and defeated hunched over.
Echo lifted her and placed her straddling his lap. “Stacy Dickson, you are my wife, and as such you own everything of mine. My money, my time, and most importantly my heart. I will do whatever it takes to get you to trust me. We are in this together.”
The pads of his thumbs caught her tears as they trailed down her cheeks.
“I'm sorry I'm so difficult,” she cracked through her clogged throat.
“No, baby, I'm sorry. Had I not been a stupid idiot dumb ass, then we would not be in this position. I do want to resolve our issues and move forward. But I'm at a loss on how to do that.”
“And I think I'm the one holding us back on that.”
“How so, baby? We have too many years of us being apart, that it's no wonder this is hard on you. I showed up out of the blue during a very trying time and just expected you to come back with open arms. This will take time for us. But baby, I have faith. I love you so much. I want us to work. Maybe tonight after the kids go to sleep we can work on one of those pages Josephine gave us. What have you got to lose?”
“Okay,” she agreed. Echo could sense a wariness from her, yet chalked it up to the entire ordeal. “I love you, too, Travis. Now, how do we go about getting a house?”
Echo chuckled and tucked Stacy against his side. “We call Josephine's partner James.”
“Partner?” She made a confused face and then bobbed her head. “Okay, sounds good.”
Echo sent a text to James letting him know they were ready to start the process. Not only could he technically buy the house outright, he could buy a vehicle for Stacy as well. Big numbers earned big interest. And Data had helped him invest.
“Now, can we watch Miss Congeniality 2? I've missed me some showgirls.” He teased and she laughed. He'd never tire of hearing one of his favorite sounds.
STACY
In the back of Stacy's mind the niggling feeling of dèjá vu tried to surface with anxiety thrown in as Travis convinced her he had faith in them. Yet Stacy couldn't figure out why. Maybe it was just the idea of a house that jittered her nerves. Which still rattled her nerves considering how quickly the entire task flowed.
When the club set their mind on something, it got done. Echo had them in the process of closing on a house within two weeks. Stacy still couldn't believe it.
Yet she needed to. This was her life now. She had a partner in it. They were a team. And the club was an extension of that.
Like now, how Stacy was meeting with the homeschooling families at the club's lodge – in a new van no less. Was Echo really planning on filling up the house with kids?
They had talked about birth control, but he was adamant he wanted more. Not that she didn't. She'd like another one or two. She just couldn't seem to wrap her brain around it while Harry still battled.
Yet as Harry and Helen ran to the group of kids, she needn't worry. Take life by the horns, that was the saying, right?
“Nice to see you, Stacy!” A woman cheered, with a free hug as well. “Annie. I can tell by the look you're trying to remember my name.”
“Sorry. Names should be easy, but it's been a bit chaotic.”
“No worries. Here we have, Katy, her husband is Gear, he's a mechanic,” Annie went around the room introducing everyone. So many new faces. And kids of all ages. Socializing would not be an issue with this group.
“How does this all work?” Stacy asked as they moved as a group into a larger area. Seats and tables were scattered around, and groups of kids seemed to pair off: to play games, color, or read.
“The lodge or homeschooling?” Annie asked next to her.
“Both. I'll admit it's completely overwhelming. My brain still seems like I'm in a fog or a haze.”
“I can't even begin to imagine,” the one introduced as Sam said. She was one that had visited them in the hospital. Yet most of the others she briefly met weren't there.
“Are you looking for faces?”
Stacy sighed and ducked her head. “Yeah. Still trying to place everyone.”
“Well, we all get together Friday's, if we can. All the club women. It started out small at first, now we take up the entire special dining area. So we got together when Sue, the club president's Old Lady, told us what was going on. I've got issues of my own, but I can't even wrap my head around what all you must be going through.”
“But that said, most of the ladies will be here later in the afternoon.”
“Hi, sorry I'm late,” another voice entered the fray and several conversations took off at once. Stacy wasn't sure what to do with herself. With always being alone or at work, having adult friends was new and different.
Stacy hadn't realized how secluded she had made herself, cut off from the world.
Keeping that thought in mind, Stacy wanted a better life. She had the bare bones, she just needed to make it happen. Inhaling a fresh sense of determination, Stacy let herself engage and create friendly bonds. She was the only person standing in her way of a better future. As scary as it seemed, Stacy knew she wanted a future with Travis, the twins, and maybe more.