Chapter Ten
Monica took a deep breath when she parked her SUV in the front yard of her folks’ place in Hatch. “Are we ready for this?” she asked Fiona, who had been wringing her hands ever since they crossed the border from Texas to New Mexico.
“I’m scared out of my mind,” Fiona whispered. “How can you be so calm and collected?”
“I’m not, but nothing we can say or do is going to change anything. We are both pregnant, and that can’t be undone. We’ll just be honest. Do we still want to tell them before we have dinner?”
Fiona shook her head. “I love Mama’s dressing and cranberry salad. If I don’t tell them until after we eat, I’ll be a nervous wreck and won’t be able to enjoy the meal.”
“I always thought you would face off with the devil without batting an eye,” Monica said.
Another shake of her head. “All bluff. Every bit of it.”
“Were you bluffing when you said you slept with three guys in one week?”
“No, that was an outright lie, and the cowboy was a fabrication,” Fiona admitted.
“You are evil,” Monica snapped. “When were you lying? Now or then?”
Fiona turned around and focused on Monica. “Then. This baby belongs to a guy I’ve been dating exclusively for two years. When I told him I was pregnant, he said that I did it just to trap him. We had a big fight, and he said if I didn’t terminate, he would end my career.”
“Can he do that?”
“He already did. He was my agent. He resigned, and he will never find another job for me anywhere.”
“Can’t you get another agent?”
Fiona shrugged. “I’m blackballed in the industry, but I really don’t care. I have enough money in the bank to last a lifetime. I didn’t squander it all as soon as I made it. And believe it or not, I’ve been happier since I moved in with you than I ever was before.”
“But you left a fancy apartment and all that glittery life,” Monica protested.
“Yes, I did, and now I’m moving on to the next stage of my life—motherhood.”
Monica laid a hand on her sister’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’m so sorry that the man you loved treated you like that, sister.”
“I’m sorry you fell in love and don’t even know his last name.” Fiona’s tone was serious.
But Monica laughed out loud. “That sounds like one of the old country songs that Granny and Grandpa listen to on their vinyl records.”
A tap on her window startled her, and she turned to see her father, Jimmy, motioning for her to roll down the window. Monica’s heart was still thumping when she hit the button to roll the window down.
“Glad y’all made it before the storm hits tonight. But why are you still sitting in the car, and why did you come in one vehicle?” he asked. “Get out so I can hug you both.”
Fiona got out first, and Jimmy hurried around the front of the car to give her a hug. They were about the same height, had blond hair and blue eyes, but his was a little darker, more like the winter sky.
Linda came out of the house, stood on the porch, and waved. “When did you get a car like Monica’s?” she yelled.
Before Fiona could answer, Monica opened the driver’s door and stepped out. “We came together, Mama.”
“I can’t believe y’all have traveled together for two hours and the car is still intact,” Jimmy teased as he wrapped his arms around Monica and gave her a huge hug.
“It was tough because she drives too fast,” Fiona teased.
“Well, she”—Monica pointed at her sister—“gave me dirty looks the whole way here.”
Linda opened her arms. “Stop your arguing and come give me hugs. I’ve got cookies and a crock pot of hot chocolate brewing.”
“If they didn’t argue, we would think they were sick,” Jimmy told his wife.
Folks around Hatch always said that Fiona was the image of her father, and Monica got her mama’s looks.
She took a long look at her mother before she started walking up the sidewalk to the house.
Before too many years passed, Monica would have crow’s-feet around her blue eyes and silver streaks in her hair just like her mother.
Even if Spencer was in her life, would he still love her when she was an older woman?
Stop it! the voice in her head screamed. He didn’t love you only for your looks.
With her long legs, Fiona beat Monica across the lawn and bent to wrap her mother up in a fierce hug. “It’s been too long, Mama, but I promise I won’t stay away like that again.”
“I’m holding you to that.” Linda held out an arm and brought Monica in for a three-way hug.
“I’ve missed you girls so much.” Linda’s voice cracked.
Monica patted her on the back. “Don’t cry, Mama. You know I can’t let anyone shed tears alone. If you start, then I will.”
“Okay. I’m done.” Linda took a step back and studied Fiona from head to toe and back again. “Fiona, you are glowing. You always look like that when you land a new gig.”
“No, Mama, I’m not. I’m really thinking of settling down in Alvera, so I can spend more time with Monica and y’all,” Fiona answered.
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Jimmy chuckled.
“I like that news,” Linda said, and turned to Monica.
“You look a little bewildered. What has happened since I saw you last? You haven’t mentioned anything that would make your eyes so sad.
” She took them by the hand and led them into the house.
“Jimmy, leave the chores for later and come join us. We all need to have a visit before we start making the pies for tomorrow.”
“I’m going to bring their things in out of the car before the rain starts. Talk is that it will freeze into an ice storm by morning,” he said. “I just had six cookies while they were warm, and if I eat another one, I’ll explode.”
“Just set everything in the hallway, Daddy,” Monica said. “We’ll sort it out later and take it to our rooms. There’s only a suitcase and a tote bag for each of us.”
“That won’t take long, and I might manage to drink a cup of coffee while y’all gossip.” Jimmy grinned.
Linda filled three mugs with hot chocolate and added a handful of miniature marshmallows on top of each. Chocolate chip, peanut butter, and sugar cookies filled a platter in the middle of the table. “Do you know what waiting is?” she asked as she brought the mugs to the table.
“It’s misery in a teacup.” Monica remembered having to wait for the time to pass when she took the pregnancy test.
“That’s right, and I’ve been so excited that y’all were coming that I’ve been waiting since dawn, and here it is almost time for supper. What took you so long?”
“I had to work until noon, and then Fiona”—Monica cut her eyes around to her sister—“hadn’t even begun to pack.”
“I didn’t know whether to bring clothes for warm or cold weather,” she said, defending herself. “So I packed both.”
Jimmy came into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee.
“I hope you brought warm coats. If not, Fiona can wear one of mine, and Mama has an extra one or two that Monica can borrow. We’ve got two heifers who are going to deliver any day now.
I could use some help if we have to pull either one of them. ”
“I can do that, Daddy,” Monica said. “Fiona needs to learn to cook, so she can stay inside and help Mama. Sister”—she turned to focus on Fiona, who was sitting right beside her—“I put a notebook in your tote. Use it to write down instructions when Mama teaches you how to boil water.”
Fiona narrowed her eyes. “I can boil water.”
Linda and Jimmy were both chuckling when Fiona winked at Monica and then took a deep breath and blurted out, “I am pregnant.”
“What’s that got to do with boiling water?” Linda asked, and then gasped. “Did I hear you right?”
“When is the wedding?” Jimmy asked.
To Monica, his voice sounded like it was coming up from a deep well.
“There won’t be a wedding. I’ll be raising this baby on my own,” Fiona answered.
Linda seemed to be speechless, but finally it must have sunk in. “I’m going to be a grandmother.”
“Yes, you are.” Jimmy reached over, took her hand in his, and then turned toward Fiona. “Why is there no wedding?”
“Because he didn’t want me to keep the baby and …” She raised a shoulder. “When I found out what kind of man he really is, I decided I don’t want him involved.”
“Fair enough,” Linda said, but her tone seemed to be still in shock. “When?”
“The first of March,” Fiona answered, and gave Monica the look that she used to when they were kids and she was about to tattle on her. “While y’all are still in shock, Monica has something to say, too.”
Monica froze and was totally speechless for several seconds. “That’s just like you to pass the buck to me when Mama is still trying to digest what you just said,” she snapped. “Give her a few minutes. How do you feel, Mama. Are you all right?”
“I would have rather this would be done the proper way, but …” Linda started.
“But we admire you for not staying with a man that has those kinds of morals,” Jimmy finished for her.
“Yes, that’s right,” Linda agreed. “The world is different than it was years ago. You can be a single mother now without all the ugly gossip. And …” Her eyes finally lit up.
“I’m going to be a grandmother. I prayed for this moment.
I just forgot to ask God for a man who would stand by you.
Do we know what it is? Boy or girl, and did I hear you say the baby is due the first of March?
Maybe it will come on March sixth and be my birthday present. ”
“I’d like that.” Fiona’s voice quivered a little.
Jimmy laid an arm on Monica’s shoulder. “Now what was your good news? Is there an opening at a library closer to us?”
“No, but …” She couldn’t just blurt it out like Fiona had done, but where should she begin?
“You remember when I went to Florida?” Monica picked up a cookie and bit off a piece. She chewed slowly to get her thoughts together. Then she took a sip of her hot chocolate to wash it down.
“Of course,” Jimmy answered. “You couldn’t decide between the beach and the mountains.”
“Well, I met this guy. His name is Spencer, and I don’t know if that’s his first or last name.”
“You have always started everything with ‘and on the third day, God made dirt.’ You can get to the meat of the news without going through the details,” Linda said with half a giggle.
Evidently, the idea of having a baby in the house had sunk in, and her mother was giddy now. Would it be fair to take the moment of excitement from her and shock her a second time?
“Okay, down to the meat of the story,” she said, “Spencer and I spent the whole week together and it was wonderful. The type of week that fairy tales are made of, and then we went our separate ways. My pills failed, and I’m pregnant.
I am due at the end of May. So you are having two grandbabies next spring. ”
“But you’ve always had such good sense,” Jimmy whispered.
“I can’t say I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t trade anything for the memories I have,” Monica said. “What do y’all think of that?”
“We will help both of you any way we can,” Linda answered. “You can move in here, and we’ll help raise the babies.”
She considered the offer, but that would be the easy way out of a difficult situation.
She had no doubts that she and Fiona could handle things on their own.
“No, Mama, I have a job, and even though I have not told my supervisors yet, I know I will have maternity leave. Fiona and I will raise these babies together, and we’ll bring them to see you often, I promise. ”
“Like I said, it’s not the way I would have wanted my prayers answered, but everything happens for a reason.
Jimmy, we need to bring the baby things in from the garage.
There’s a crib, a cradle, and two bassinets because your grandmothers each had one to give us.
I kept one in the bedroom and one in the living room.
” She rambled on for a few minutes before tears began to flow down her cheeks.
Jimmy rushed over to hug her. “Darlin’, don’t cry.”
“They are happy tears. We’ve got babies coming. I need to go to the yarn store in El Paso and start knitting blankets,” she said.
“Thank goodness,” Fiona finally spoke up. “We were afraid you would toss us out of the house.”
“Never,” Jimmy assured them.
Spencer got his first call from Walt Givens the day before Thanksgiving.
It wasn’t good news, but it wasn’t bad, either.
Evidently, Monica had not used a credit card for anything, but there was an M.
Smith listed as the passenger in seat number 4A.
Trouble was, there were two others that used M.
Smith on the same flight. When they sorted everything out, Walt would get back to him.
“Why couldn’t you have a unique name that was hard to pronounce?” he groaned.
“What was that?” his mother asked.
“Just talking to myself,” Spencer said as he slipped an apron over his head and took his place in the serving line at the food kitchen.
His job since he’d been a teenager was to serve the turkey and help the elderly and homeless folks take their trays to the tables on Thanksgiving.
His father was on his left, scooping up green beans and his mother was down the line working with cranberry sauce.
At the end of the day, they would sit down with the rest of the staff and have their meal from the leftovers.
His folks wanted their son to be grounded and give back to the community instead of being an entitled child.
When he was a child, he resented their insistence, but now that he was grown, he came to see the importance of community, and now he enjoyed doing it every year.
Looking back, he wondered if Monica was sitting down with family at a traditional dinner.
“So.” Polly elbowed him from the right where she made sure the trays were clean and stacked. “Have you heard from the PI yet?”
Spencer told her what he knew. “I just hope that Monica Smith is her real name.”
“Have you told your parents?” she asked.
“Not yet, but I will if I find her,” he answered.
Polly crossed her fingers. “Not if … when. Maybe in time for Christmas.”
“That would be a wonderful gift to find under the tree,” he said.