Chapter 18 Bailey
BAILEY
“Mama!” I called out, letting the front door swing closed behind me.
After avoiding incessant phone calls for two days, I could no longer put her off. Not if I wanted to avoid her showing up at my job and putting on the show of her life.
“Bailey?” she called out, like she didn’t know it was me. “Is that you?”
“Of course it’s me, Mama.”
Collapsing into my favorite chair, I rubbed my tired eyes, wishing I was anywhere but here. Preferably at Liam’s house where I could snuggle in his big, warm bed.
Her little feet scurried down the hall until all five foot nothing appeared at the mouth of the living room. Dressed in her nightgown and her hair in rollers, you would think she was getting ready for bed. But I knew better.
“Mama, what are you doing?”
Pressing her hand gently against the rollers, she beamed at me. “Oh, this? I’m testing out hairstyles.”
“For what?” I pressed.
“For the wedding, of course. You know, I was thinking, I’ve been wearing the same hairstyle for the past five years. This is the perfect opportunity to shake it up a bit.”
“Mama, who do you think is getting married?”
There was no point in asking. I already knew the answer.
“You, of course,” she grinned, dancing her way over to me to pull me out of the chair.
I was tucked into a waltz in a matter of seconds, dancing with her around the living room. “Mama—”
“I always knew he would be my son-in-law. The whole town saw this coming. You two have been dancing around this flirtation for so long. Honestly, I can’t believe it took so long, but—”
“Mama—
“Love takes time,” she sighed dreamily. “If only your father were here to walk you down the aisle. Of course, your brother is happy to do it. I already talked about it with him.”
“Mama, he hasn’t even proposed yet!” I shouted, yanking my hands out of her tight grip to stop the twirling she was putting me through.
For just a moment, Mama looked shocked by the announcement, but quickly recovered. “Well, of course he hasn’t,” she chuckled. “He has to wait a respectable amount of time, but I would guess that will happen within the month.”
“Mama—”
“And we’ll plan the wedding for Christmas. We don’t want to rush these things. People will think he knocked you up.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “You are being careful, aren’t you?”
“I’m not having this conversation with you,” I muttered.
“Because a young woman your age…Well, I would hardly ask you to abstain. This isn’t the 1920s, and I know all about how much a man as strong and sexy as Liam can tempt even the most virginal woman.”
I clapped my hands over my ears, begging her to stop before my ears bled.
She yanked my hands down, giving me that stern look that said I’d better listen if I didn’t want the belt.
“I’m just saying, we have a reputation to uphold. We don’t want the whole town gossiping about how you let him into your—”
“Mama!” I shouted, going full-out crazy from whatever horrible analogy she was about to use.
“What is all the screaming about?” my brother called out.
I spun around, never so grateful in all my life for my big brother to barge in during a conversation. Rushing over to him, I threw my arms around him, squeezing him tight.
Chuckling, he patted my back. “Okay, there, Piglet?”
“Make it stop, Brody. She’s talking about sex.”
Instead of helping me out, he gripped me by both arms and set me firmly back a step. “Now, hold on a minute here. I think we need to discuss a few things if the gossip mill around town is anything close to the truth. From what I hear, you spent the night at his house twice.”
“Brody—”
“Now, I don’t wanna have to go kick his ass, but I will.”
Rolling my eyes, I swung hard, punching his arm with everything I had.
“Ow! Now, hang on a minute. I’m just trying to do my brotherly duty.”
“You’re supposed to be helping me!” I snapped.
“Well, the way I see it, if you’re already shacking up with him, he’d better put a ring on that finger, and double quick.”
“See?” Mama beamed. “I was right. Brody, darling, do you think my hairstyle is a little too old?”
“Never, Mama,” he sucked up. “You’re beautiful as always.”
“But maybe I should go for something that can give me an edge. You know, something fresh with a little side of spunk. After all, I’m not getting any younger. And your father, bless his heart, has been dead for over five years. Maybe it’s time for me to find someone new to grease the wheels.”
“Mama!” I shouted, choking down the vomit rising in my throat.
“What? I can’t get pregnant, so I’m not in the same boat as you.”
“She’s right,” Brody winked at me. “So, about this fella—”
“You know him!” I shouted. “You grew up with him!”
“Right, but that doesn’t mean I can just pretend he’ll do right by you. I think it’s about time he and I sit down and have a man-to-man talk.”
“You will do no such thing!”
“That’s a lovely idea,” Mama said at the same time.
Glaring at my brother, I thought of all the ways I could bury his body by the weekend. “Don’t you have something better to do?”
“Like what, Piglet?”
“Like, find a woman of your own? I hear Josie is still single.”
His cheeks flushed red at the mention of his high school crush. “Well, I’d have to check my schedule. I’m very busy.”
“Not many people get stranded on a mountain in the middle of summer.”
“Oh, you’d be surprised how many hikers get lost and need a strong, sexy man to rescue them.”
“Better hurry. She won’t wait around forever,” I winked. “And who knows, if you’re lucky, we could plan a double wedding.”
He narrowed his eyes at me as Mama gasped excitedly, followed by a squeal that killed my eardrums.
“Oh, just think of that. A double wedding! Of course, it would save on the cost, but that doesn’t matter. Not when two kids would be married and making babies!”
“Babies?” I startled, the color draining from my face.
“Why, yes! You’re not going to get married and just live alone for the rest of your life. You need kids so that when you’re older, you can blame all of life’s problems on them. It’s a tradition,” she chuckled.
“No babies,” Brody said, slashing his hand through the air as the clear state of panic filling his features took over. “There will never be any babies.”
“Oh, you know you want them,” I teased. “Little, sticky fingers touching your face and all those cute baby farts that turn out to be tiny turds in a diaper.”
His pallor turned a shade of putrid green at the thought. My brother never did come around to the idea of having kids. I never understood it with our happy childhoods, but some men just didn’t like the idea, I guess.
“I think I need to sit down.”
“Well, don’t sit down for long,” Mama scolded. “You came over here to help me.”
“You came to help her do her hair?” I questioned.
Mama waved off my confused tone. “Don’t be silly. He came to help me move some things out of the guest bedroom. Billie’s coming home tomorrow.”
“She is? When did this happen?”
“Since she graduated college, dear. She won’t have any money to get an apartment until she starts teaching.”
“Did you run this past her?”
“Why would I? Where else would she stay? Besides, after being gone for four years, she needs her mother and some home-cooked meals. That child is way too thin.”
“But she’s been gone all summer.”
“She was working at her summer job. An internship, I believe, at a college or something. Apparently, the professor thought she would be very good and wanted to give her some extra help.”
My eyes slid to my brother’s concerned face. Nothing about that sounded right, but I wasn’t about to stick Billie in it. Not until I heard what really happened.
“Maybe she can stay with me.”
“With you?” Mama laughed. “You’re staying with Liam.”
“I’m not—”
“And she’d be so lonely. Who would keep her company?”
“Cheyenne—”
“No, what that child needs is a few good meals and her mother. Then she can get ready for her job and start the school year off the right way.”
I didn’t want to break it to my mother, but no one came home from college and longed to spend hours upon hours with their mother.
“Well, I’m off.”
“Yes,” Mama beamed. “Now, just remember what I told you. Plenty of protection. You know, they have all sorts nowadays. I even heard about this one that’s like a ring. Oh, but you don’t slide it on your finger. You stick it up—”
“Lalalala!” Brody called out, plugging his ears.
“Mama, don’t worry about me. I’ve got this under control.”
“Well, as long as you’re sure.”
“I’m positive,” I grimaced, hoping I could run out before she gave me any more tips on contraception.
Brody grabbed my arm as I sprinted for the door. “Take me with you,” he pleaded.
“You know, that’s the perfect idea. I was going to swing by the apothecary shop on the way home. It would give you a chance to talk to Josie.”
The tight grip he had on my arm suddenly vanished, and his pale features turned pink. “You know, Mama really needs my help.”
“I thought so,” I grinned. “Are you sure you don’t want me to give her a message?”
He shook his head wildly before racing out of the room.
“Bye, Mama.”
Rushing over, her face crinkled as she fought back tears as she wrapped me in a hug. “My sweet girl. Our time is finally coming.” Pulling back, she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Oh, look at me. I’ll ruin my makeup.”
“You’re not wearing any.”
Smiling sweetly, it was hard to tell my Mama yet again that I wasn’t getting married. “You know, I always knew Liam was perfect for you. The whole town will be talking about this wedding.”
“Well, they will be if you don’t stop telling them I’m getting married.”
She pinched my cheeks, then shook out her tears. “Well, I’d better get moving. These rollers will burn my hair.”
“Say hi to Billie for me.”
“Come tomorrow night for dinner. And bring your fiancée with you!”
I slid my key into my apartment door, but as I turned it, there was no pressure from the lock.
“Cheyenne?” I called out as I walked inside.
Silence greeted me.
Taking my keys out of the door, I tossed them on the table. “Cheyenne?”