13. Chapter 13
Chapter thirteen
“Surly, sullen, crabby?”
Kai was sitting in a high chair, feeding himself Cheerios and diced apples when Abe and John entered the kitchen. John stopped walking when he saw Kai, turned to look at Abe, then looked back at Kai.
“Well, that’s damn obvious.”
Allie went to him. “Isn’t he precious?”
John kissed her on the cheek, then sat in a chair at the table, putting him next to Kai. “Hello there, young man.”
Kai looked at him. “Papa.”
John smiled. “Grandpa.”
Kai grinned, then banged on the plastic tray. “Papa, Papa, Papa.”
“Okay, little one. You’re messing with your grandpa.” John looked at Allie. “Hand me some more of those apples.”
Allie brought him a bowl with the diced apples, and John held one up to Kai. “Apple.”
Kai grinned. “Papa.”
“I can play this game, too.” John put the piece of apple in his mouth and held up another one. “Apple.”
Kai looked at him for a moment. “Apple.”
John nodded. “There you go.” He laid several pieces on the tray. “Smart boy.”
When the bites were gone, Kai banged the tray again. “Apple, apple, apple.”
Allie laughed. “I believe Kai just played you, John.”
“You could be right.” He set the bowl in front of Kai.
Allie looked at Abe, who was still standing by the door. “Luke is coming for dinner.”
“Does he have to?”
“Abe.”
“Sorry.”
“And after dinner, you need to call Wes, Milo, and Gentry.”
“Can’t we spread it out a little?”
“They have a right to know.”
“Right.”
“Dinner won’t be ready for another thirty minutes or so. Go out to the Quonset hut and bring in the crib. It’s in the back right corner behind some boxes of Levi’s baby toys and clothes.”
“Do you want me to bring it all in?”
“Just the crib for now. I’ll go through those boxes tomorrow and see what we can use.”
“Okay.”
“We’ll need to get some more diapers in the morning, and in a few days we’ll go to White City and get whatever else we need.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Ever since he was old enough to avoid being dragged to White City on shopping trips, Abe had avoided the town.
White City meant Walmart, Costco, and a selection of fast-food restaurants.
None of which he was interested in. He watched Kai eat his apples for a moment, then turned and left the house.
As he crossed the yard toward the Quonset hut, Luke pulled up in his Range Rover. The vehicle was almost thirty years old, but like their father, Luke was a skilled mechanic. He got out of the truck and walked over to Abe.
“I didn’t know you’d be here for dinner.”
“Come help me with something.”
“Sure.”
Luke followed him into the Quonset hut, and Abe went to the back corner. The crib was there, but it was buried behind several boxes. “We need to get to the crib.”
“Why? Who’s pregnant?”
“No one.” He picked up a box with a groan, then set it back down. “My shoulder is messed up. Can you move these boxes out of the way?”
“What happened to your shoulder?”
“An idiot drunk driver ran me and my bike off the road last night.”
“Damn. Are you okay?”
Abe held out his arms. “I’ll live.”
Luke started moving the boxes aside. “Why are you being so grumpy?”
“I’m not grumpy.”
Luke looked at him. “Surly, sullen, crabby?”
“Just move that last box.”
Luke moved the box, and Abe pulled the crib out. It was folded down, but was still unwieldy. “Grab the mattress.”
Luke picked up the mattress, and they left the Quonset hut. When he noticed Abe struggling with the crib, he caught up to him. “Hold on. Switch with me.”
Abe let him take the crib, then leaned on the mattress. “I have a kid.”
Luke laughed and started walking toward the house. “Okay.” When Abe didn’t follow him, he stopped and looked back at him. “Shit. You’re serious.”
“He’s two years old, and I had no idea he existed until this morning.”
Luke leaned the crib against the Range Rover and walked back to Abe. “Damn. A two-year-old? What are you going to do? Like a shared custody thing, or…?”
“His mother passed six months ago. It’s all on me.”
Luke folded his arms across his chest. “Who’s his mother?”
“Lizzie.”
Luke thought for a moment. “The hippy chick?”
“Yeah.”
“Damn. She’s dead?”
“Yep.”
“And you didn’t know anything about this kid?”
“That’s what I just said.” He straightened up and picked up the mattress.
“Wow. You must be freaking out, man.”
“A little bit, yeah.”
Luke cocked his head. “A little bit? You’re in full panic mode.”
Abe gripped the mattress tightly. “Get the crib.”
Luke remained where he was for a moment, then picked up the crib again. “Where are we taking it?”
“To the guest room.”
“The kid is staying here?”
“With me, yeah. My house needs to be baby proofed or some crap like that.”
“Well, yeah. Duh.”
Abe scowled at him. “It’s not that bad.”
“It’s not bad at all for a bachelor. It’s a deathtrap for a baby.”
They arrived at the front door, and John opened it for them. “Take it all the way to the room, boys.”
Luke looked at him. “Abe has a kid.”
“I know, son.”
They continued to the room, and Luke unfolded the crib and set it in the corner. Abe dropped the mattress into it, then they stepped back and looked at it.
Luke sighed. “It probably needs blankets and stuff.”
“I’m sure Mom has that all figured out.”
“Right.”
“So, do you want to meet him?”
“Hell yeah.”
They went to the kitchen, where Kai was sitting under the table with a mixing bowl and a wooden spoon. When he saw Luke and Abe come in, he got up and toddled over to them, then hugged Luke’s leg.
“Um…okay.”
Kai looked up at him, then let go and backed up. His face clouded over, and he went to Abe and hid his face in Abe’s leg as he started crying.
Abe picked him up and looked at Luke. “Scaring my kid, huh?”
“Me? I didn’t do anything.”
Abe rubbed Kai’s back. “Uncle Luke isn’t so bad once you get to know him.”
After a few moments, Kai stopped crying and looked at Luke. Luke made a funny face at him, and Kai giggled, then hid his face on Abe’s shoulder.
Luke nodded. “See, he likes me. He was just confused for a moment.”
Allie came up to them. “Dinner is ready. Put Kai back in his chair.”
Abe looked at the highchair for a moment. “So, just set him in there?”
“Set him down, strap him in, then attach the tray.”
Luke nudged him. “Yeah, dummy.”
Allie handed Luke a plate with a roast on it. “Put this on the table, then sit down and be nice to your brother.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Abe successfully put Kai in the chair, then sat down next to him. Allie and John sat down, then Allie smiled at John.
“I think a prayer is in order tonight, John. We’ve got a lot to be thankful for.”
Abe glanced at Kai, who smiled and reached for his arm. His little hand felt warm on Abe’s skin, and he reached down and put his hand over Kai’s as John began the prayer.
After dinner, Abe realized he’d left his phone at his house.
He knew exactly where it was. It was charging on the kitchen counter.
When his mother had told him to pack a bag, he’d gone to his room.
Getting the phone never occurred to him.
He borrowed Luke’s phone, then spent thirty minutes on a conference call with Wes, Milo, and Gentry.
His brothers took the news pretty well, given how shocking it was, and they all offered their support and help if needed.
Gentry told him to take tomorrow off to give him time to adjust and let everything sink in. Abe promised he’d think about it.
When he returned to the living room, Luke was down on the floor with Kai, playing with some old Hot Wheels cars. Luke glanced up at him with a smile.
“I won him over with cars.”
“I guess that proves he’s a Buchanan.”
Luke lost his smile. “What if he’s not?”
“What do you mean?”
“What if the paternity test comes back negative or whatever?”
“If I thought that was going to happen, I wouldn’t have told everyone about him.”
“So, you’re sure?”
Abe sat on the couch. “Pretty damn sure, yeah.”
“But what if…?”
“Dammit, Luke.”
“Sorry.”
Allie came into the room. “Well, this brings back memories. Gentry’s boys aren’t really into Hot Wheels.”
Abe nodded. “Right. They’re Lego men.”
When Kai ran a car over Abe’s injured leg, he hissed and moved it out of Kai’s reach.
Allie shook her head. “I want to take a look at that, honey.”
“It’s fine, Mom. I took care of it last night.”
“Have you changed the bandage today?”
“No.”
“Come to the kitchen. Luke, you’re on Kai duty.”
“I have him.”
Abe followed Allie to the kitchen, then sat down in a chair. She moved another one in front of him, and he pulled up his pant leg, then rested his foot on the chair.
Allie scowled at the fluid that had seeped through the bandage. “You’ve got to keep on top of this, honey.”
“I’ve been a little distracted today, Mom.”
“Of course. I know.” She unwrapped the gauze, then carefully removed the pad. “Oh my goodness! Abraham, this looks bad.”
Abe looked at it. “I’ve had worse.”
“I doubt that. Let me see what I have in the bathroom.”
She left the kitchen, and Abe checked out the wound. It was bad, but he’d hardly thought about it today. The shoulder had given him more trouble, what with carrying a baby around and such.
Allie returned with a clean bandage and more gauze. She also had a tube of antiseptic cream and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. The sight brought back painful memories from his childhood, and Abe dropped his foot to the floor.
“You’re not putting that on it.”
“It doesn’t hurt, honey.”
“It’ll hurt, Mom. Water hurts. That stuff certainly will.”
She sighed. “Fine. I’ll put the antiseptic on the bandage. You shouldn’t feel it.”
“Shouldn’t?”
She lifted his foot back onto the chair, then dabbed at the abrasions, which hurt quite a bit. She covered them with the new bandage, then said, “See, that wasn’t so bad.”
“Which of us kids had the most injuries growing up?”
She looked up at him. “You really need to ask that question?”
“No. I guess not. But I remember Luke getting hurt an awful lot, too.”
Luke came into the kitchen holding Kai. “Yeah. Mostly at the hands of my five older brothers.”
Abe grinned. “What a great childhood we had.”