Chapter Twenty

 

Catherine parked behind Josef, who was out of his vehicle and there to open her door. “Thank you. It looks like we weren’t the only ones who decided to visit your folks.”

“I kinda figured Adam and Maureen would be here. She loves the water. You two will have a lot to talk about.” He squeezed her at the waist. “And it looks like John and Tiff are here, too.”

All the dogs relieved themselves and raced for the front door. Even Fritz joined in the frolic. He had healed and adjusted well to his surroundings.

Entering the quiet house, Josef headed for the bar fridge.

“No alcohol. Water only. Remember?”

“You’re gonna be on me like a hound on a scent trail.”

“You got that right.” She howled like a hound dog and followed the noise with a grin.

“Two waters coming up.” He handed her a bottle. “Let’s go tell the family our great news.” Josef’s smile lit up his eyes with happiness, warming her heart.

They walked through the patio door, and the dogs ran for the lake. “No,” Catherine yelled, but it was too late. “I guess I’ll drive home with the windows down.”

“Catherine! Josef!” Barbara yelled, surprised and happy.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hello, Josef. Does this mean what I think it means?” Barbara embraced both.

“Yes,” Cat stepped from the hug and wiggling her fingers to show the engagement ring was back where it belonged.

“Oh goody! Now your mother and I can make plans.”

“Mom, slow down. First Cat and I have more to talk about.”

Maureen came out of the lake wearing a bikini, and Catherine couldn’t help but stare at her large pregnant belly. How quickly would her baby grow, changing the shape of her body?

“It’s good to see you again, Catherine. Did you bring a suit? The lake feels great.” Maureen approached the seating area.

“No suit. This was a last minute trip. You look fantastic.”

She carefully lowered her bulky body into a chair. “Thanks, but I’m ready for this to be over with. I want my body back.”

Catherine chuckled and wondered if she’d feel the same way. Hell, or look half as good as Maureen. She seemed tiny for being nine months along. As cute as Maureen was, no way would she be caught dead in a bikini while nine months pregnant.

“Since everyone’s here, Cat and I wanted to share the exciting news.” Josef glanced her way, and she nodded. “We’re having a baby.”

The men congratulated Josef, and the women squealed, piercing the afternoon air. Barbara embraced Cat while Maureen slowly hefted her pregnant body from the chair.

“I knew it. When you didn’t feel good on the Fourth, I knew it.” Barbara stepped back, eyeing Catherine’s belly. “It will be so nice to have grandbabies only nine months apart. They’re going to be such great friends.”

Maureen hugged her. “Congratulations on all accounts. It will be fun having kids close in age. How are you feeling?”

“So far I’m fine. No complaints. I still need to go to the doctor, but three home tests showing positive is pretty convincing for me.” Catherine was excited and ready to start a new life with Josef, the farm and their baby.

“I should go through my maternity clothes for you. I may have stuff that would work for this season.”

“That would be great. Thank you.”

“So we’re going to have a wedding sooner rather than later. Right?” Barbara stated.

“Mom, enough. Cat and I haven’t had a chance to talk about it. I do have the marriage license though.” He glanced at Cat, warming her cheeks, reminding her of the events from a few short weeks ago.

“I need to take care of things back in the cities before I can focus on a wedding and the baby.”

“Fine. No wedding talk for now. I’m going to get lunch ready. You girls stay right here.” Barbara strolled toward the house.

The women chatted about pregnancy, babies and all the necessities needed for their arrival. Tiffany listened as Maureen and Catherine talked baby talk and asked, “I get to babysit, right?”

Maureen was quick to reply. “Most definitely!”

“I’m sure we’ll be in need, too, but I think you’re going to have stiff competition from Grandma.” Catherine laughed along with Maureen and Tiffany.

“Time for lunch,” Barbara yelled from the deck.

“Ladies first.” Josef waited for Catherine, and they loitered to the deck stairs together. “I thought that went well.”

“I didn’t imagine it would go any other way.” She smiled, happy with how smoothly things were going. She loved this man and their baby. Her smile grew with the thought of Elaine and her ghostly visit. Elaine had told her everything would be all right.

“The dogs shouldn’t smell after their baths, but they may be a little wet still.” Josef held Cat beside her pickup. He didn’t want to let her go but would have the rest of his life with her by his side.

“I’ll take clean wet over stinky lake wet any day. Thank your mom again for lunch. We should start making plans for the wedding. The sooner the better. I have a few thoughts.”

“You do, huh?” Their bodies caressed as he pulled her in closer. “How about a honeymoon? Have ya thought about that?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“I don’t think we’ll be doing a honeymoon anytime soon. I’ll be so busy moving and with the baby—”

“No using the baby as an excuse. We’ll have a honeymoon. Maybe not right away, but we’ll have a honeymoon.”

“Okay. Just don’t make any set plans until after I’m settled. I need to get going. I’ll call you when I get home.”

“I’ll be waiting. I love you.”

He kissed her, and she got in the truck.

“I love you.” A warm feeling came over him. He closed her door and she drove away.

* * * *

“Hello,” Josef answered the ringing phone, surprised to see Margaret’s name on his screen.

“Josef, Catherine’s been in an accident.”

His heart stopped and fell to the pit of his stomach. He swallowed hard. “Is she—” He stood and staggered from where he sat with the family by the lake. They watched him with worry and question.

“She’ll be okay. She has a broken arm, and her knee and face are messed up.”

“Is the baby okay?” Panic raced through every inch of him. Nerves wound tight like a rubber band on a toy airplane propeller. Dinner worked its way up his esophagus.

“I don’t know. They didn’t say anything, and I didn’t even think to ask.”

“You knew about the baby, right?” He walked to the tree line.

“Yes, she told us last night. Let me find out, and I’ll call you back.”

“Wait! Margaret, where is she? What hospital?”

“Hennepin County Medical Center. I’ll call you back as soon as I find out. Josef, she’s okay so drive carefully. There’s no need to rush. Okay?”

“I hear you. I’ll be leaving shortly. I’m at my parent’s in North Branch, so it shouldn’t take too long. I’ll be waiting to hear from you.” Josef hung up, bent over and threw up into the hostas.

His mother stepped to his side and rubbed his back. “We heard and figured out what we didn’t hear. Will you be okay to drive? One of us can take you.”

He spit to clear his mouth and stood. “Sorry about your plants. I’ll be fine, but can I leave Blondie here?”

“Of course. And don’t worry about the plants. Hostas are hearty. So is Catherine.” They approached the family who stood in a worried circle.

“Cat was in an accident and is hurt but okay.” His eyes filled with tears, and he fell into a chair. “I don’t know about the baby.” He cried and let his mother comfort him.

Barbara stroked his back, “Let it out, honey. Let it out.”

“Josef,” Maureen spoke softly and squatted in front of him. “I don’t know the situation, but I do know that at this early on in the stage of pregnancy, chances are really good for the baby. I’ll be praying for them both.”

“Thanks.” He sniffled. “That means a lot.” He allowed himself to cry a few moments then stopped because he had to be there for her. “I’ll keep ya posted.”

After receiving hugs from everyone, he punched the destination into his navigation system and left for Minneapolis. Fifteen minutes on the road, his phone rang.

“Josef, the baby is fine. They had to ask if she could be pregnant prior to taking x-rays.”

“Thank God. Thank you for finding out and letting me know.”

“They ran a blood test and her HCG level was over nine thousand. She’ll need to go to her doctor in about a week to make sure the level is either the same or higher.”

“What if it isn’t?”

“She could be losing the baby. But they did an ultrasound, and everything was good from what they could see. With her only being close to three weeks, they can’t get a heartbeat yet. They don’t foresee any reason why the number shouldn’t go up.”

“Is Cat awake? Can I talk to her?”

“Yes, but I’m not in the room. She’s shaken up and in pain. Listen, I need go. The doctor’s coming. Please try not to worry while you’re driving. Save it for when you get here. She’s okay.”

“How can you be so calm?” He didn’t understand how she could remain sane.

“I’m not as calm as you think. I’ll see you when you get here.”

He hung up and focused on the road he drove on and the road his life traveled. Knowing the baby was okay helped ease some of the tension, but not knowing the details of the accident and Cat’s condition ate at him. He’d be by her side soon enough.

The phone rang ten minutes later, and he answered.

“Hi, Josef.”

“Margaret! Is everything okay?”

“Fine. Everything is fine. They’re releasing Catherine. Why don’t you go straight to our place, and we’ll meet you there.”

“Okay, I’ll see you there.”

Cat and her family hadn’t come home yet when Josef arrived so he waited in his truck at the curb. The sound of every passing car had his heart pounding against his chest, adding to the anxiety. They pulled into the driveway, and he immediately exited the pickup. He swallowed hard. His jaw clenched at the sight of her.

Catherine’s left arm was casted, and her face was bloodied and bruised.

“Josef, she’s going to be fine.” Margaret stepped beside him and paused. “I have the ring. They had to cut it off because of the swelling.”

“I don’t care about the damned ring. What the hell happened?” He spoke in a harsh growl as his hands curled into tight-fisted balls.

“Let’s go inside first. I’m sure she’d like to get into bed.”

“I’ll carry you in.” Josef scooped her into his arms and carefully backed her out of the car. Mike held the front door open, and Josef walked straight up the stairs to her room.

“I don’t want to go to sleep.” Cat stated, groggy in a drugged state.

“You’re more tired than you think.” He sat her on the bed.

“Catherine,” Margaret came into the room. “Let’s get you out of those clothes and into something more comfortable.”

“I’ll be downstairs.” He left the women alone. Her mother would get Cat to stay in bed.

“Would you like something to drink?” Mike asked from the kitchen as he came down the stairs. “Beer, scotch, whiskey?”

“I’ll take a shot of scotch. I promised Cat I wouldn’t drink during the pregnancy, but this warrants a shot of something. Shit. What happened, Mike?” His hands shook so he shoved them into his pockets.

“She was on I-35 W coming through the downtown area and a semi hit a car, starting a chain reaction which sent her spinning,” Mike explained while pouring two shots. “The pickup ended up backwards and slammed into the side wall. One person died at the scene. Another is in critical condition, and several others were hurt. They don’t know what caused the semi driver to lose control, but are investigating. Here you go.” He handed Josef the scotch.

The two men threw back their glasses and swallowed.

“Ah, good shit.”

“Thanks.” Josef set the glass down. “What about the dogs? She had all three with her.” The dogs meant the world to her along with any other living creature.

“Fuzzy didn’t make it. Darby’s two hind legs are broken, and Fritz broke the hind leg she just fixed. They both got cut up but will be fine. They were taken to the Humane Society.”

“Damn!” Josef knew Cat would have a hard time with this news. “I’d like to bring them back to my place when they’re okay to go.”

“That’d help her and us out. Margaret’s going to bring the cats here and will arrange for someone to take care of the horses.”

“I’ll take one of those,” Margaret said, entering the room. “Here’s the engagement ring.”

She placed the ring in Josef’s shaking hand. “Thank you.”

“I’m happy to see you two have worked through your differences,” she said.

“I want to marry her as soon as possible.” He stared at the ring. “I don’t want to wait until after she’s fully recovered or after the baby’s been born. We can do the big thing later if that’s what she wants.”

“What do you want me to do?” She threw back the amber liquid and slowly swallowed.

“Father Tim from St. Michael’s won’t marry us. Can you check with your priest? And could we get married at your house?”

“Of course, on both accounts. If for some reason our priest won’t marry you, would you like me to arrange for a judge to preside over the ceremony?”

“That would be great. I’m going up to see her.”

At her bedside, he held her left hand in his palm, resting the other hand over hers. Knowing she and the baby were both okay, he decided to wait to tell her about her beloved pets. She was so groggy she hadn’t thought to ask. But he knew a body could handle only so much trauma. Cat had had enough for one day.

“I’m sorry,” she croaked between dry lips. Her tongue darted out to moisten them but failed. “The baby?” Her speech came slow, sad pleading eyes watching him.

“The baby’s fine. You’re beat up but will be okay, too.” He gently massaged the fingers in his hands. Tears moistened his eyes and slid down his cheeks. “I want us to get married as soon as you’re able to. I love you.” His head resting on the bed, the tears flowed. He almost lost her.

“I’d like that.” The words were slow and spaced as she worked past the dryness in her mouth and throat. “I love you.”

* * * *

Three weeks after the accident, Catherine slipped the simple white satin, floor length, tank sheath over her head. Her mother pulled the smooth soft fabric over her chest and hips. Today she was going to marry Josef, the man she once loved and let go. The man she found love with again.

This time she wasn’t letting him go.

“You look beautiful,” her mother said. “But I wouldn’t expect anything different.”

A knock at the door and her father asked, “Are you ready?”

Her mother opened the door, and her father’s eyes moistened.

“Dad, don’t start that. I can’t afford to mess up my make-up.”

Her father dabbed his eyes dry. “You look stunning. Let’s get you to the altar.”

Down the short flight of stairs and at the patio door, her mother handed her the small bouquet, kissed her cheek, walked the short distance to the front row chairs and sat.

Soft music played as Catherine and her father slowly approached Josef waiting at the end of the aisle. Close immediate family filled white chairs. Josef wore a pair of khaki pants and a black linen shirt. His eyes, moist with joy, and his face with a broad smile left her reeling with unfettered joy.

The priest from her parent’s church stood before them and performed the short-sweet-just-what-her-body-ordered ceremony.

Father announced, “You may kiss the bride.”

Josef held her by the waist, kissed her passionately and scooped her into his arms. She squealed, and he quieted her with a kiss, receiving cheers from both families. He then carried her to her bedroom. He gently placed her on the bed and delivered a kiss. Joining her on the mattress, he guided her to her back. “I love you, Mrs. Garrison.”