Chapter Twenty-Six
Elizabeth padded barefoot through the house a few days later, heading for the kitchen.
Kevin had been staying with her in the mornings, until after she’d been sick and recovered.
Usually until after she’d fed them. But someone had called a few minutes before and he’d left to take care of something, but she had been more concerned with getting her stomach to settle to pay much attention to something that probably wouldn’t matter to her.
The doctor had told her to limit her caffeine intake. She’d tried decaf, but there was something about it that just tasted bad. But she’d found she could handle the half caf, that let her drink a bit more without getting too much.
In the kitchen she went to where her pod coffee maker sat next to Kevin’s full-size pot.
She popped in a pod, put her favorite sea turtle mug under the spout, and hit start.
While it brewed, she went to the fridge and got out what she’d need for breakfast. Kevin would be back eventually, and they would both need food whether he was back before it was done or not.
She turned away from the fridge and stopped, staring into the distance, but not seeing anything as her mind spun. Yes, she wanted eggs and bacon, as she’d already gotten out but she felt like some kind of bread. But what she was trying to decide, was what kind? Pancakes, waffles, or biscuits?
After a moment, and a bit of internal debate, she decided on biscuits. It would take longer to make them, but they were better once they cooled. And the idea of biscuits with apple butter sounded so good, she had a hard time resisting once she thought of it.
She set the eggs and bacon aside and started on the biscuits first. Once she had those ready for the oven she’d go back to the rest.
Elizabeth heard a motorcycle as she washed her hands from the biscuits, but didn’t think anything of it as there were a couple of the Warriors who lived past them and the sound of motorcycles here wasn’t uncommon.
But then it got louder before cutting off.
That told her it was Kevin. She pulled out a couple of skillets and started the bacon while she waited for him to come inside.
“You moving around yet, sugar?” Kevin called.
“In the kitchen,” she called back.
“You decent? We have company.”
Elizabeth glanced at the clock, it was barely past eight, who was here this early?
“I just started the bacon, so I’ve got clothes on, but I’m not dressed to go in public, if that’s what you mean.”
He sounded closer.
Elizabeth looked up as he stepped into the kitchen. She couldn’t help but smile at him.
“Someone came to see you.” Kevin continued into the room.
Elizabeth frowned, wondering what he was talking about, but she had her answer a moment later when Mama followed him into the room.
“Getting a late start this morning, aren’t you?” Mama said as she stepped into the room, her gaze flicking around the place and from her expression, finding the little house Elle loved lacking.
Before Elizabeth had a chance to say anything, Kevin spoke up.
“We were out late last night. Plus, it’s her summer break, why can’t she sleep late if she wants?”
The look Mama shot Kevin said clearly he didn’t understand.
“She’s supposed to be up, make sure you have food and coffee before you leave, like a proper wife. Oh, but she’s not your wife, is she?” The disdain in her tone clear.
“I’m gonna stop you right there, Sandy,” Kevin said as he turned from where he’d been refilling his coffee cup, before Mama could dig herself a deeper hole.
“This is Elle’s home. It’s her safe place and where she gets to be comfortable.
How we choose to live our lives and organize chores is between us.
If the two of us are happy with how we divide things up, then it’s no one’s business but ours.
As for the wife part, I told you, she’s my old lady.
It’s the same thing in the eyes of me and my brothers. ”
Elizabeth’s heart raced. He’d told her that old lady was the same as married to him, but she hadn’t known he would tell Mama that.
“What about legally and to the rest of the world?”
Elizabeth held out a hand toward him, hoping he’d understand.
“Do you remember what I told you the other day, Mama?”
“Told me about what?”
“The three Fs rule.”
Mama’s eyes went wide. “You didn’t really mean that.”
“I did. Now, you have a choice.” Elizabeth put one hand on her hip as she kept her eyes on Mama. “You can accept that this is how I choose to live my life and keep your superior dismissive comments to yourself, or you can miss out on getting to know your grandchild.”
Elizabeth didn’t wait for Mama to respond but went to the stove where she picked up the tongs and flipped the bacon that was starting to sizzle.
Kevin moved up behind her, close enough she felt his body brush against her back.
His arms came around her waist, but he didn’t hold her tight enough to keep her from what she was doing.
He bent and kissed the top of her head. Elizabeth knew this was his way of showing her mother, without saying anything, that he had her back.
“Grandchild?” Mama said after a moment, shock clear on her face. “Are you pregnant?”
“I am.” Elizabeth looked at Mama for a moment. “Would you like a cup of coffee? I’ve also got tea and water if you’d prefer.”
“Coffee would be good.”
Kevin stepped away from behind her, she turned her head to see he was headed for the coffee pot.
“Have a seat, Mama.” Elizabeth motioned to the other side of the bar and the stools where she and Kevin usually sat for breakfast. There were three, so plenty of room for all of them. “Want something to eat?”
Mama looked around the kitchen for a moment, until Kevin set a mug of coffee in front of her.
“I would take a couple of eggs if you don’t mind,” Mama said. “Do you have apple butter for the biscuits?”
“Of course.” The oven beeped as it hit temperature. Elizabeth turned and grabbed the pan and slid it into the oven. She set the timer, so she didn’t forget them then pulled the egg carton closer. “Over easy, medium, sunny side up? What’s your go to these days?”
“Over medium, please.”
“Coming right up.” Elizabeth cracked two eggs into the skillet and pulled her egg spatula from the drawer.
She ignored Mama for a moment as she watched the eggs, sipped at her coffee, and tilted her head back as Kevin moved close and bent to give her a kiss.
“Can I ask questions or will that get me cut out of your lives too?”
“You’re welcome to ask questions and be part of our family.
What you’re not welcome to do is talk down to Elle, belittle her choices, or treat her like she’s something less in any way,” Kevin said, his arms wrapped around her middle, as if he would move her out of the line of fire if Mama started with her usual crap.
Mama nodded slowly, not saying anything at first. Elizabeth flipped the bacon again then checked the eggs and found they weren’t quite ready to flip yet. Kevin moved up behind her, close enough she knew he was trying to protect her.
“Can I ask if you know who the father is?”
She felt Kevin tense behind her. She dropped one hand behind her to touch his leg and let him know she had this. Kevin stepped back, went to the cabinet, and pulled out three plates, setting them beside the stove while Elizabeth spoke.
“You can. And I do. Since I know what your next question will be, there is absolutely no chance it can be Michael’s. I told you that already.” She pulled out the bacon that had finished cooking, and added a few more slices.
Mama narrowed her eyes at Elizabeth, but didn’t say anything more.
She picked up the mug and sipped her coffee.
Elizabeth finished with Mama’s eggs, plated them, and slid them across the bar.
Kevin retrieved forks from the drawer, handed one to Mama and set the others on the stack of plates he’d gotten out a couple of minutes before.
Elizabeth slid the plate of bacon her way, silently offering her some.
“Biscuits still have a few minutes,” Elizabeth said as she cracked eggs into the skillet for Kevin. She’d already figured out how and how many he wanted so she didn’t have to ask.
“These are really good,” Mama said, her eggs half gone.
The alarm for the biscuits went off and before Elizabeth had a chance to turn around, Kevin was in front of the built in oven, opening the door.
“They look done to me,” he said, stepping out of the way. “What do you think?”
Elizabeth reached in and used her thumbnail to flip one up so she could check the bottoms.
“They’re done. Can you pull them out?”
“No problem, sugar.”
She went back to his eggs, flipped them, and pulled more bacon from the pan while he took care of the biscuits, setting them on the counter where Elizabeth and Mama could both reach them, then he pulled the butter bell from the back of the counter where Elizabeth kept it and put it on the counter.
While she plated his eggs, he went to the refrigerator and got the apple butter.
“What else do we need?” Kevin asked as she cracked eggs into the skillet for herself.
Elizabeth scanned the counter, checking for anything missing.
“A knife for the butter and a spoon for the apple butter, I think that’s all,” she said.
“You two act like you’ve been married for years,” Mama said, sounding surprised.
“What do you mean?” Elizabeth glanced at her before checking the eggs. They weren’t quite ready to flip yet.
“You work together and move around the room as if you’ve done it for years.
” She tilted her head to one side and watched them for a moment.
“You communicate with a look or a touch, almost as if you’re reading each other’s minds.
I don’t know how you can do that so quickly with Kevin when you never did it with Michael. ”
Elizabeth bit the inside of her lip as she tried to figure out how much and what to tell Mama.
“That’s partly because Michael never let us be more than acquaintances.”
“That’s not true.” Mama frowned. “That can’t be true. You were engaged.”
“We were. But it wasn’t because we loved each other.
I can’t speak to what he thought or felt.
I can only tell you from my perspective.
I dated him because it was easy. I said yes when he proposed because it was expected.
But no matter how much time we spent together, he rarely touched me.
I can count the number of times he kissed me, really kissed me, not just a peck here or there, on one hand.
And it was at his insistence that there’s no chance this baby is his.
” She was quiet for a couple of seconds debating how much to say.
“I’ve found out since there were probably reasons for that, but it’s not my place to tell his secrets.
” She ignored that she’d already said something about it to Mama, when they’d met at the diner the week before, but if Mama hadn’t caught it or didn’t remember it, Elizabeth wasn’t going to remind her.
“Mama, I thought you would have figured it out by now.” She turned and looked at Kevin.
He met her gaze and lifted one brow. She nodded once, prompting him to say it.
“Sandy,” Kevin stepped in behind Elizabeth, sliding one hand around her waist to rest low on her belly. “The baby is mine.”
Mama stared at them both eyes wide and clearly at a loss for words. Now, if only they could be so lucky when telling his mother.