Chapter 18
Searcy, Arkansas
Once they finished up at the Sassy Stitch, Poppy and Ella returned to the house.
They found Ben out back with Bennett and the girls.
Taylor and the reporter who had come to do the interviews were encased in Bennett’s office.
Ella could tell that it made Poppy nervous when she realized that her sister, Taylor, was still there.
Ella had yet to fully understand the whole dynamic between the two women, but it must be pretty weird to have been married to the same man.
Ella did not think she would be able to be in the same room with Sophie if she and Ben suddenly were together.
Of course, such an idea was so absurd, it almost made Ella laugh.
Sophie was completely over the moon for Paulo.
She did not even flirt with other guys. But if something like that did happen, Ella would never be able to be around them again.
Just the thought of being in the same house would be too much.
After the eruption at dinner the night before, Ella knew it was an ongoing struggle for all of the adults, no matter how much they pretended otherwise.
Bennett must have realized how Poppy was feeling because he suggested that the two of them run over to Des Arc to Guess and Company and pick up some decorations, then head to Dale’s to hit their Black Friday sales.
Poppy nearly raced to the door, grabbing her coat as she all but ran out of the house.
Ella would have fallen over dead if she had had to spend one more minute shopping.
She knew Poppy was tired too, but the way she bolted out of the house spoke to just how much she wanted out of there.
That was how Ella and Ben soon found themselves babysitting Lizzy and Lola as they swung on the swings and raced around the yard. Sitting in the Adirondack chair facing Ben as they watched the girls play, Ella gave him a look and asked sarcastically, “Do you have something you want to tell me?”
Shrugging and giving Ella a blank look Ben replied, “I love you?” At the blank look Ella gave him, he tried again. “I am sorry?”
Giving him another look and gesturing to her stomach, Ella said, “You should be. Why did you not tell me that you told your dad about the baby.”
Grimacing, Ben gave Ella a sheepish look, then said, “Oh, yeah, that. I should have told you about that.”
“Holy crap,” she replied, using Ben’s most favored phrase to convey her displeasure.
“But, honestly,” Ben said, “I totally forgot about it. Why? Did my mom say something? I made my dad swear not to tell anyone.”
“Just like you swore not to tell anyone?” Giving him a look, she added, “It must be a family trait.”
Ben immediately became very contrite, and apologies poured out of him.
“I am so sorry. It just came out. He was going on and on about how we were too young to be so serious and how we should slow down and not rush into anything. I needed him to understand how important you and,” gesturing to her middle, “the baby are to me. Please don’t be mad.
Mom was cool, right? I can’t see her being ugly about it. ”
Reaching over and wrapping Ella in a big hug, he snuggled into her neck and breathed in the essence that was Ella. He knew that kissing Ella’s neck would make her giggle, and once she began laughing, her anger would subside.
Giggling, Ella responded, “You are forgiven. And yes, your mom was great. In fact, we bought the baby his or her first outfit—even had a giant C monogrammed on it. Evidently, having your name or initials on all your kid’s clothes is a real thing here.
I thought your mom was going to have a fit she was so excited.
I have never seen anyone so hyped about shopping, and I spent all day in Aspen with Fran and Mia. ”
“Yeah, I know shopping isn’t really your thing. I hope it wasn’t too terrible,” Ben said as he scooped her up and repositioned her in his lap.
“No, it was fine. I got a little overheated at one of the stores, but I am okay now. And your mom insisted on buying me several new outfits. She said they were early Christmas presents, but given that she already knew about the baby, I think she realized I would be needing some bigger things. Everything we got was oversized and baggy. So maybe I won’t have to buy any maternity clothes. ”
Saying that out loud almost sent Ella’s anxiety through the roof.
Until that moment, she had not really thought about how her body was about to change right along with her entire life.
Everything she knew and believed about herself and her life was being turned upside-down.
It took all she had not to let it all be her undoing.
As if Ben intuited Ella’s thoughts, he wrapped her more securely in his arms and said, “I can feel that big brain of yours going into overdrive. Talk to me. How can I help?”
Shaking her head and then relaxing back into him, Ella said, “I’m fine. It is just a lot. Your family has been great. Much better than mine. I knew my folks were going to be upset, but I never saw it going the way it has.”
Hugging her close, he said softly, “You always have me. I am your family now, and for the bargain price of loving me, you get all of my family and,” gesturing to his younger sisters, who at that moment were turning flips and doing cartwheels across the yard, “two baby turds who think you hung the moon. I must say I agree with them. You are pretty terrific.”
In that moment, Ella could almost believe everything was going to be okay—that somehow, this was all going to work out.
Then Ben’s aunt, Taylor, joined them. Smiling, she said, “I have finished my interview and am about to take off. Is your mom or dad around?”
Lifting Ella off his lap and helping her to stand, Ben also stood and replied, “No, they had some shopping to do.”
Reaching over to give Ben a hug, Taylor said, “Okay, well, tell them goodbye for me. It was a nice visit, sort of.” Then she gave Ben a look and added, “I hope your dad knows what he is doing.”
Ben nodded knowingly. “I hope so too. He will make a great governor.”
Sighing, Taylor nodded. “Yes, he will.” Giving Ella a hug goodbye as well, Taylor added, “Ella, it was so nice to meet you. Safe travels home, and best of luck at Michigan next year.”
Ben gave Ella a strange look at his aunt’s words.
They had agreed to wait until after the holidays to make any future plans.
All that had been decided was they were getting married and having a baby.
Evidently she had already decided on Michigan without him.
He planned to ask her about it after Taylor left, but that did not happen.
Instead, after giving Taylor lots of hugs and kisses goodbye, Lizzy and Lola came running up and begged Ben to push them on their swing set.
Ben knew when it came to his little sisters, they would not stop badgering him to swing them until he agreed.
He spent the next few minutes sending his little sisters flying into the air, accompanied by their shrieks of laughter.
Ella watched from her perch nearby. He could see that she was enjoying watching them.
His aunt had been gone for about ten minutes when Harvey Cox, the magazine writer who was writing the marketing piece on his father, joined them in the backyard. Walking up to Ben, he stuck out his hand and said, “You must be Ben. I am Harvey Cox. I am writing an article on your family.”
Ben shook the reporter’s hand and said, “Nice to meet you. Dad said you were here talking with Taylor. She just left if you are looking for her.”
“No, I think I have everything I need from her now. I would like to speak with your mom. Do you know where she is?” asked the reporter.
“She and Dad had to run to Des Arc to Guess and Company. I think they plan to run by Dale’s and hit the Black Friday deals after that.
Ella and I offered to stay with the girls while they were gone.
I don’t think they thought you would finish with Taylor so quickly.
I can call them if you need me to. They should be back shortly. ”
Shaking his head no, the reporter said, “That is not necessary. I can wait. Any chance you and I could visit for a few minutes until they get back?”
Ben knew that was coming. His dad had prepared him that he would need to answer a few questions.
Ben did not like talking to reporters. He sometimes thought he had PTSD from having to deal with them as a child.
But he promised his dad he would speak with Harvey, and now seemed as good a time as any.
Looking over at Ella, Ben asked, “Are you good to watch the girls while Mr. Cox and I talk?”
“Please call me Harvey. I know that calling me Mr. Cox means your parents raised you right, but it makes me feel old.”
Nodding, Ben amended, “While Harvey and I talk.”
Standing up and hugging Ben, Ella said, “Of course.”
By that point, Lizzy and Lola had abandoned the swings and were currently racing each other around the yard, laughing, screeching, and being very loud.
Yelling, “Girls, chill!” Ben gave Ella a look. “You sure? They can be a handful.”
Giving Ben a smirk, Ella replied, “Six younger siblings remember? I got this. We will be fine.”
Giving Ella a quick peck on the lips, Ben said, “Okay, well, if you’re sure. Let’s give it a go, sir,” Ben said, looking back at Ella as he and the reporter headed back into the house. Calling over his shoulder, he said, “We won’t be long. Have one of the girls come and get me if you need me.”
“We’ll be fine. No worries,” Ella yelled back.
For the next hour, Ella and the girls played games and had a great time while Ben was interviewed by Harvey. It took about an hour for his interview. When Ben finished, he found Ella and his sisters watching a movie upstairs in the movie room. His parents were still not home, so he joined them.
Later that night in bed with Ella sleeping soundly next to him, Ben struggled to find his own slumber.
He could not stop the movie reel of the day that kept running through his head.
Memories of his father, the first one, Tommy Thompson, the one he later found out was not his father, along with many of the events that led to his life being turned upside-down when he was eleven, played on a loop in his head.
Ben’s interview with Harvey Cox had dragged back up all of those memories and emotions.
If nothing else good came out of his family telling their story, he realized that it had cemented his decision to be there for his son.
Of course, they did not yet know the gender of the baby, but when he thought about it, it was always a boy in his head.
If it turned out to be a girl, that would be fine too.
Reliving all that happened to him the first twelve years of his life today had convinced him that he and Ella were doing the right thing.
Between watching movies and then later eating way too much pizza and playing cards with his parents after they got back home, Ben and Ella had not had time to discuss Taylor’s comment about Ella going to Michigan in the fall.
One of Ben’s last thoughts before finally drifting off to sleep was a promise to himself to discuss that with Ella sooner rather than later.