Chapter 7 #2
“No, babe. I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at the notion that anyone knows what they’re doing when they bring a child into this world.
Look at Joe since P.J. arrived. He hasn’t got the first clue of what to do with a baby, yet he’s figuring it out.
And he lost his dad when he was seven. Sure, he had my dad to show him how fatherhood is done, but he probably felt no more prepared to be a father than you do to be a mother.
And what about Laura? Her mother died when she was nine.
No one is showing her how to do it, but would anyone deny that she’s a wonderful mother to Holden? ”
“No,” Stephanie said in a small voice.
“Look at what she’s going through to bring the twins into the world. She got pregnant again knowing that pregnancy doesn’t agree with her, and she did it anyway.”
“I think that might’ve been an accident,” Stephanie said, desperately seeking some levity in the midst of her emotional firestorm.
“At their age, there’re no accidents.” He drew back from her, but only enough so he could see her face.
“I believe in my heart that you would be an amazing mother. I believe that you would take one look at a child of ours and decide you’d do anything for that baby.
I believe you’d give your own life to keep a child of ours safe.
I believe all these things because I know you, Stephanie.
I know you, the real you. I know your heart, and I know what it’s like to be loved by you.
Nothing you can say would ever convince me that you won’t love our child the same way you love me—with all you’ve got to give. ”
Sobs hiccupped through her as he held her close and rubbed her back. “It’s not fair.”
“What isn’t?”
“Someone ought to warn a girl that when she gets involved with a writer, she’s going to be powerless when he unleashes his words on her.”
“You’re not powerless, babe. You’ve got all the power here. You’ve ruined me for all other women, so if you don’t marry me, you’re dooming me to living like a monk for the rest of my life, a lonely, worthless shell of the guy I might’ve been with you as my wife.”
She laughed despite the tears that continued to flow freely. “See what I mean? What am I supposed to say to that?”
“You could say, ‘Why, yes, Grant, as usual, you’re right about everything. And it’s all going to be okay.
As long as the two of us are together, we can get through anything, including parenthood.
’ You could say, ‘I love you and only you, and I want to marry you as much as you want to marry me.’ You could also say—”
She reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on to him for dear life. “What you said,” she whispered against his lips. “All of it.”
“Really? You mean it?”
Nodding, she kissed him again. “I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about this sooner. I should’ve known you’d know just what to say to talk me down off the ledge.”
“I never want you out on that ledge by yourself. You’re not alone anymore, Steph. There’s no need to do this to yourself.”
“I’m still getting used to that. I was alone for so long that sometimes I forget everything is different now, and I don’t have to keep it all inside anymore.”
He held her for a long time, giving her exactly what she needed the way he always did. “You know what the best thing about growing up here was?”
Surprised by the change in topic, she said, “No, what?”
“I know every path and where it leads. That one there,” he said, nodding to a spot on her right, “leads around the neighbor’s house and back to the road where we parked.”
Stephanie smiled up at him as his plan filled her with joy and excitement and relief to have finally shared her deepest fears with him. When he held out his hand to her, she happily gave him hers and let him lead her down the path that would take them home.
Standing with her dad and Betsy, Laura kept an eye on Stephanie and Grant, who seemed to be working things out if the hugging and kissing were any indication.
That was a relief. She loved the two of them and loved them together.
Her cousin had never been as mellow and happy as he’d been since he met and fell for Stephanie.
Laura admired Steph tremendously for the battle she’d waged to free Charlie from jail while working multiple jobs to support herself and pay for lawyers.
Until Grant introduced her to his friend Dan Torrington, none of those lawyers had succeeded in doing what Dan had accomplished with a couple of well-placed phone calls. Speaking of Dan, he walked over to them with his fiancée, Kara Ballard.
“I think you’re the last ones we need to invite,” Dan said.
“To what?” Laura asked.
“My parents are coming to the island tonight,” Kara said, “and they’re hosting a dinner for us tomorrow night at the Summer House. I know it’s short notice, but they wanted to do an engagement party. Personally, I think engagement parties are stupid, but you can’t tell my mother that.”
“I have to check with Owen to make sure he doesn’t have plans or a gig, but we should be able to come,” Laura said.
“Please feel free to bring the baby,” Kara said.
“Your Honor,” Dan said, “hope you can make it, too.”
“I’m Frank, Dan, and yes, we’d love to,” he said with a glance at Betsy, who nodded in agreement.
“You’ll have to give me some time to get used to calling you by your first name,” Dan said. “I’m not conditioned to be so casual with judges.”
“I’m retired now.”
“Once a judge, always a judge.”
Laura could tell that Dan’s comments pleased her dad, who was making a smooth transition to retirement. She loved having him living close enough to see him every day. He’d been a huge help to her with Holden, too.
Evan came over and asked to speak to her.
“Excuse me,” she said to the others. “What’s up?” she asked her cousin, who was Owen’s closest friend.
“Is he okay?” Evan asked.
She didn’t have to ask whom he was talking about.
“I don’t know,” she said with a sigh. “He says he’s fine, but the closer we get to leaving, the more withdrawn he gets.
I think he’s terrified of seeing his father again after all this time and of having to testify.
But more than that, he’s terrified that no matter what he says or does, it won’t be enough to put the guy away for a good long time. ”
“I really wish he and Sarah didn’t have to go through this. Especially now, right before your wedding.”
“Believe me, I wish the same thing.”
“I was worried because we got asked to play a couple of gigs in the last week or so, and he declined, which is unusual.”
“Especially when he gets to play with you. Those are his favorite gigs.”
Evan smiled at that. “I’m going to Virginia with you.”
“Evan… You don’t have to. I’ll be there, and so will Blaine, David, Slim, my dad, Sarah. He’ll be well protected.”
“He’s my best friend, Laura. I can’t let him go through this without me there with him.”
She curled her hands around his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. “I feel the same way, so I can’t blame you for wanting to come. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”
“I’m worried about him,” Evan said, his gaze fixed on Owen across the yard.
He was with his mom and Charlie as well as Shane, who was holding Holden, although anyone who knew Owen well could see he was smiling and nodding, but the smile wasn’t his real smile.
It wasn’t the one that lit up his face and made his eyes crinkle at the corners.
“I am, too,” she said.