Chapter 15
Whitney
I can’t believe that Oren asked me about having a baby. Myles has put him up to that I’m sure. The only problem is Oren takes things to heart, and he’ll want that to happen now.
I’ve always wanted children, but with the way Kyle had been I didn’t want to have a child and then he, or she, have to live with only seeing their father on a weekend, which is what would have happened.
Clem’s image comes to mind, and I can imagine having children with him, little Clems running around, or more Orens? Now that is a satisfying thought. I know he’s like the Energizer Bunny, but I love him dearly already.
I think about the kiss I shared with Clem, and it was nothing like the kisses I had with Kyle. I’m not sure it’s healthy to compare, but you cannot help it when your ex-partner keeps coming up short.
When Clem told that woman in the store that I was his girlfriend it made me feel good. I can honestly see us having a great relationship, and I want to see where this goes. It was only a kiss, but it felt like more.
I shake my head and get myself together.
Walk into the office and smile because this is a great place for me to work.
It has everything I need, including a beautiful desk, chair, printer and bookshelves.
I’m more than happy with it, and I’d had the desk placed so I could look up and out of the window to the yard.
I’m going to make a feature of some kind that I can focus on when I need a minute away from work.
It's been a week since we had the singalong at the mall, and looking at the date it’s already the 12th of December.
I have two more days of work, and this Viking book will be finished.
I’ll then have to speak with Gerald regarding the book being two books and not one.
I have found the place it could happen, and it will be my recommendation.
The day passes quickly, and I’m a little surprised when I hear my name called right before Oren rushes into the office.
“What are you doing, Aunt Whitney?”
“Just finishing up for the day. Have you had a good day?”
Oren jumps up and down a little as he excitedly replies. “Yeah. We’ve been getting ready for the holiday concert next week.”
Oren throws himself into the explanation of what he’s been doing. How well he did it. The girl who stands next to him forgot the words. His explanations and descriptions went on and on. But I allow him to continue while packing up my desk.
“Come on, let’s break a leg and get these cookies made for the tree.”
“Aunt Whitney, I don’t want to break a leg.”
I can’t help but giggle at him while I explain it’s another saying, just like the others I’ve been teaching him. He seems happy now that he knows we are not actually going to break a leg.
Cookies are looking good, and I’m pleased I purchased some Christmas cookie cutters because Oren has really enjoyed using them. We have broken a few cookies when we threaded them, but hey, Oren ate them before I could make a batch of broken cookies for later.
“Come on, Oren. Let’s get them hung on the tree. Do you want to take some home for your tree?”
Oren gives me an enormous smile. “Yeah, I’ll take some home. I can do it now.”
We place the cookies on the tree. I pass to Oren, and he hangs them. He does it so carefully that I have to admit I am impressed. “They look good, Oren. Good enough to eat.”
“Yeah, I can eat them,” Oren laughs.
“No, you can’t, or there will be none left on the tree. By the time Christmas is over they will be stale and we’ll crunch them up and take them to the park where we can feed the ducks,” I say it before I realize I’m again making dates with Oren without asking Clem or Myles first.
“I can feed the ducks,” Oren replies seriously.
“We’ll have to ask your daddy if we can go to the park. I don’t want to get into trouble.”
Oren looks at me as though I’m crazy. “Aunt Whitney, if you are going to marry Uncle Clem, then I can go with you anywhere. Daddy won’t care because he knows I’m safe with you.”
My eyes water with the confidence that Oren has in me, and that his father and uncle have in me too. This is why this feels like family, more than neighbors. I already feel a part of them and their lives.
“I don’t know about getting married.” I frown because we’ve only kissed. Maybe we’ll not be compatible in other areas? No, that’s a silly thought because I already know that being with Clem will be phenomenal. But married!
“If you have a baby, it’ll be my cousin. I can’t wait, Aunt Whitney, it’ll be great.” Oren is still hanging cookies, but his face is lit up with excitement.
That evening, Clem walks into the cottage, right to me, and kisses me thoroughly. Leaving me a little dizzy and wanting something more.
“Hey, Whitney. Have you had a good day?” Clem asks while holding me to him.
“Yes, I had a good day. Oren and I made cookies for the tree. But, you know he wants me to get married to you and have a cousin for him.” I give Clem a raised eyebrow, and you know he shows no embarrassment at all.
“Well, we should get married. When you are ready, that is. But I already know, Whitney, that you are made for me. I feel it in every bone in my body. As for kids, yeah, we can have as many as you want.” Before I can respond, Clem kisses me again, and all thoughts and sense fly out of my mind.
I don’t know how we ended up having a heavy make-out session, but that’s exactly what happened. It has confirmed that we would be and are compatible. My heart is beating hard, and I look at Clem with something I’ve never felt before, and that is a fresh love that is fierce and yet solid.
“You feel it, don’t you, Whitney?” Clem asks, and he doesn’t have to elaborate because I understand exactly what he’s asking me.
“Yes, I feel it, Clem.”
Kissing me some more before he carries me through to my bedroom, and spends the night showing me exactly what we have, what I’ve been missing, and what I have to look forward to.
The holiday concert has come around, and Oren is so excited that I’m worried he’s going to tire himself out. He is taking the lead role in the concert and will be center stage.
Myles is showing how proud he is, and that is having the effect that Oren juts out his chin and puffs out his chest. Strutting around in the classroom ready to go into the main hall.
“Okay, we’ll see you after the concert. You’ll be great.
” Myles gives Oren a hug, a kiss and a flick on his forehead, all done with such love that it has my ovaries screaming for a child of my own.
We take a seat and luckily we are in the second row, so we’ll be able to see everything easily. The woman in front is bragging about her daughter being next to the lead kid. I flick my eyes at Myles as he’s listening to the woman, but he has a frown on his face.
Clem is also looking at the woman frostily. I’ll tell you it is cold outside, but not anywhere near as cold as the ice Clem and Myles are throwing at the woman through their looks.
I lean over to Clem and whisper, “What’s wrong? Who is she?”
Clem replies under his breath after leaning closer to me. “She’s Greta’s cousin.”
My eyes widen, and I look at the woman more closely. So, if she is Greta’s cousin, that makes her a relation to Oren, although not a close relative. “Why are you both looking at her as you are?” I whisper again.
“She’s a menace. We’ve kept her away from Oren because she’d spit something nasty at him and then I’d have to stop her. I’ve never hit a woman, and never want to, but she would have me on the verge of doing so.” Clem is grating his back teeth right before his jaw clenches.
Turning forward again, I see the woman looking at us. Well, sneering more like. I am a woman however, and I have no problem slapping a bitch if needed. She is showing she is a bitch, so I give her a vicious look, which has her eyes round in shock, right before she turns and faces forward once more.
Myles leans toward me and whispers in my ear. “Thanks, Whitney.”
I turn and give him a bright smile as I shrug my shoulders. Turning forward I stick my tongue out at the back of the woman’s head, which has Clem and Myles laughing, which was my desired effect.
The principal stands on the small stage and announces the start of the concert, and I have to tell you it was good. The little boy who played Ebenezer Scrooge did well, and I see he keeps waving at his mom, who waves back all while she’s smiling broadly.
Another kid keeps sitting down and folding his arms as though he’s bored and wants to go home much to the teacher’s irritation. I keep grinning because all of this is highly amusing and better than anything we could watch on the TV.
“Stupid child.”
Now, that annoyed me so I leaned forward to tap the woman on her shoulder.
When she turns to look, I’m right in her face.
“Shut your mouth. You know the saying, if you have nothing nice to say?” I pause for effect, and change the saying a little, “Say fuck all.
Now shut it and let everyone enjoy the concert.
Oh, and let's see if your kid can remember her lines this time shall we?”
The blush runs up her cheeks. She obviously thought her little darling’s error was already forgotten or unseen. What she’s doing is belittling the other kids, and it's not going to happen. Not on my watch.
Clem starts to clap loudly, along with Myles and looking at the stage I give a huge smile to Oren who is looking right at me. He gives Myles and Clem a smile before looking at me again.
He sings his heart out, and when the girl next to him forgets the words to the song again, he grabs her hand and continues as though that is perfectly natural.
I’m singing loud enough for him to hear, and we are singing to each other, just as we do in the kitchen at the cottage.
I stand and clap my hands to the beat all while singing along. Taylor Swift - eat your heart out!
Other mothers stand and join in the song, and before long the song ‘Christmas Tree Farm’ is raising the roof with the sheer number of voices singing. It really is glorious.