It really touches my heart to see Coralee blossom as she has. And it tickles my funny bone to watch Puddin’s expression as the blooming takes place. Everyone in the family, including those who married into it, rarely saw Coralee as anything but dowdy. Now she’s a stunner.
I have to admit, I didn’t see her potential until the first time she came to the shop for an outfit and wound up going home with an entire wardrobe. Heads turned at the last family reunion, and now people have a completely different impression of her.
That seems to be the way with everyone in the family, though. Folks assumed I was a boring corporate executive because I stayed with the same company, kept getting promoted, and acted all buttoned up. Now that I’ve let loose a little and started dating the former town golden boy, people are shocked.
Puddin’s reputation has gone from being a dowdy housewife to a fashion expert. It amazes me that family members turn to her and me for fashion advice—all folks who never gave either of us the time of day.
And then there’s Marybeth. I still have mixed thoughts about her. After she and Bucky struck oil, they both seemed pretty caught up in the materialism, but she’s shown some signs of wanting to bring back a little humility. It must be difficult because she keeps yo-yoing back and forth between her newfound snobbishness and her old humble ways.
I don’t think any of us has changed deep down, but appearances can be everything when it comes to relationships. A prime example of that is what’s happening with Elliot Stevens and me. I always saw him as an untouchable icon who would forever be heads above me in social status, while he was worried about my rejecting him because I was the smart girl. Now that we’re together, we’ve discovered how many more things we have in common than we ever would have imagined.
As if Elliot knows I’m thinking about him, my phone rings, and I see that it’s him. “Hey, gorgeous. Whatcha up to?”
I smile. No one ever called me gorgeous before I started seeing Elliot. Now everyone seems to think I’m something special. “We just sent Coralee home with some beautiful dresses to celebrate her engagement.”
“Engagement? Coralee?”
“Yup.” I’m more than happy to share the great news, so I tell him everything she told Puddin’ and me.
“Sounds pretty romantic.”
I sigh. “I know.”
Silence falls between us, so I clear my throat. He laughs. “You’re not jealous, are you?”
“Jealous? Who would I be jealous of?”
Again he laughs. “No one. Never mind.”
“So what are you up to today?”
“We had an assembly at school this afternoon, which meant sticking around to clean up the auditorium after it was over. I don’t know how those kids manage to sneak so many sodas in with all the teachers watching them like hawks.”
“Are you saying you never brought drinks to the assemblies?” I remember him and his buddies all sitting together on the right side of the auditorium, mostly because at least one of them would be called up to be recognized for something athletic.
“No, I didn’t say that. I just didn’t think anyone would be able to get something past me.” He pauses. “I know all the tricks.”
“Apparently not.”
“So what do you want to do tonight?”
“Are you asking me out?” I inspect my nails.
“I reckon you can say that. We can either go out for an early dinner, or I can cook something here … or at your place.”
“Wow. I have too many choices. The pressure is on.”
He starts humming the Jeopardy! theme song as I try to decide what I want. The more he hums the more amused I become, until I start laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“You’re distracting me. I can’t think with you carrying on.”
“That’s the point.” He clears his throat. “Why don’t we just go over to the Blossom Diner for a quick bite? I have a lot of papers to grade tonight.”
We make concrete plans for him to pick me up at my townhouse later. I love the comfortable feeling of being in a relationship. Don’t get me wrong. It’s comfortable but never boring. Elliot constantly surprises me with things he says, does, and brings me. It’s never anything terribly expensive, since he’s still paying off the bills from his first marriage, but it’s always very thoughtful.
“Earth to Shay.” Puddin’ snaps her fingers, snagging my attention.
I shake myself. “Oh, sorry.”
“Was that your dream boy on the phone?” Puddin’ bats her eyelashes in an exaggerated manner.
“What do you think?”
“Did you hear what I said about Sally and Sara before he called?”
I narrow my eyes and try to remember anything she might have said about the twins. But nothing comes to me.
I grimace. “Sorry.”
“That’s okay. Sally just called and said they’re on their way here. Sara’s been fluffing the nest, waiting for the baby.”
“She’s not due yet, is she?”
Puddin’ lets out a sigh of exasperation. “Okay, you clearly didn’t hear anything I just told you.”
“I’m sorry. Would you mind telling me again?”
“Okay, but pay attention this time. Sara’s starting to get antsy and driving both Sally and Justin crazy, so Sally’s bringing her here.” She shrugs. “I reckon it’s our turn to help calm her nerves.”
“I never thought Sara would be this way. The whole time I lived with them, Sally was the one who seemed more high strung.”
“Something changes when a woman is pregnant. She wants to make the world a perfect place for the little one, and since that’s impossible, she does stuff that annoys everyone around her.”
I smile. “Is that what you did to Digger?”
Puddin’ gives me a teasing smile and shakes her head. “No, I would never do anything like that.” Then she belts out a loud laugh. “What do you think, Shay? I’m the mother of all mamas. Poor Digger. I’m fortunate he stuck around for all four young’uns.”
I place my hand on her shoulder. “He stuck around because you’re so lovable, and he made a promise to stick with you through thick and thin.”
“Well, I was definitely thick back then.” She rubs her hips. “Still am.” She leans around and nods her head toward the door. “Here come the twins.”
Sally pushes open the door and holds it for Sara who waddles in. Both of them smile at us. “What are y’all up to?”
Puddin’ speaks up. “We were just talking about how lovable and thick I am.”
“Huh?” Sally crinkles her nose, and she looks at me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Inside joke.” Shay takes Sara and leads her to a chair. “You might want to have a seat. You look like you’re ready to fall over.”
Sara pulls her head back far enough to create a double chin. “I never dreamed it would be so difficult to be pregnant. I feel like a whale.”
“And you’re not even full-term yet—” I clamp my mouth shut when Puddin’ gives me one of her looks.
“Well, you don’t look like a whale,” Puddin’ says as she steps closer. “If you want to see a pregnant whale, take a look at my pictures when I was carrying Trey. That was rough.”
An odd guttural sound comes out of Sara’s mouth, as she grips her abdomen. We all turn to face her.
“Something just happened.” She groans. “I—I think—”
Puddin’ doesn’t waste a second. She grabs her phone with one hand and Sara’s arm with the other. “Sara honey, we need to get you to the hospital. Your water just broke.”
As Puddin’ calls the hospital, I get Sara’s phone out of her handbag and call Justin. He doesn’t say more than a grunt before he says, “I’ll meet y’all at the hospital.”
Sally stands there with her chin hanging and her mouth open. She’s normally the calm one, but it appears to me that she’s in a state of shock.
Puddin’ grabs a box of plastic from the back room and helps Sara to her car out back. I jot a note, tape it to the door, and drag Sally to my car.
All the way to the hospital, Sally stares straight ahead, saying nothing. I place my hand on her arm and give her what I hope is a reassuring squeeze. “Everything’s going to be just fine.” As I pull up to a traffic light, I turn to her. “You’re about to be an aunt.”
“But what if I’m not ready for that yet? We had plans for tonight. Can’t we do something to stop this?”
“I clearly don’t have experience giving birth, but I’m pretty sure it’s all up to the baby now.”
Sally nods. “Her name is Leah.”
“Whose name is Leah?”
“The baby.”
“Oh. When did they decide on Leah?”
“Last night. I won the baby naming contest, and that’s what I picked.”
I smile. Most people wouldn’t trust a sibling to name their children, let alone let them win a contest.
As soon as we pull up to the hospital entrance, Sally gets out. “Where am I supposed to go?”
“Just tell the volunteer at the front desk that your sister is here having a baby. She’ll know where you’re supposed to go.”
“Do you want me to wait for you?”
“No, Sally. Just go on in. I’ll have to find a parking place and call Elliot.”
She gives me another blank stare before turning toward the door and walking into the hospital. My heart goes out to her. No doubt she feels like she’s losing her sister, one piece at a time.
The hospital’s visitor parking lot is packed, so I have to take a spot that’s quite a hike from the entrance. But it’s okay. I haven’t gotten out much, and I can use the exercise.
As soon as I turn off the engine, I pull out my phone and call Elliot to let him know what’s going on. He sounds ecstatic.
“Do you think she’d mind if I show up?”
I laugh. “I don’t think she’ll even know you’re here.”
“I’ll be there in a few minutes. Where do I go?”
I tell him the same thing I told Sally before I hang up and get out of my car. It’s a nice day, but there’s a hint of a late spring chill in the air. So I pull my sweater around my shoulders and make the hike to the entrance.
By the time I arrive on the floor of the birthing area, there are several of my family members in the waiting room, some pacing and others chatting about the upcoming reunion. The twins’ mama, Sheila, is wringing her hands and looking like a lost lamb. So I walk up to her and gesture to the seat next to her.
“Mind if I sit here?”
She shakes her head. “Have a seat.”
“Are you excited?” I ask.
She looks at me with red-rimmed eyes. “I don’t know. What I do know is that I’m scared for Sara. She’s always been my sensitive child.” Her chin quivers. “I can’t believe my baby is having a baby.” She grimaces. “And the baby is so early. I hope everything’s okay.”
I reach for her hands and squeeze. “She’s going to be just fine. She’s in good hands. And just think. She has Sally, you, and me to help out and give her the support she needs.”
She continues looking at me with a fearful expression. “Do you think she and Justin are ready to be parents?”
“I think they’re about as ready as anyone is at this point. I’m sure it’s not easy to have that first baby.”
“Or any baby, for that matter.” She gives me a hint of a smile. “Can you imagine having two at the same time?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know how you did it.”
Now she laughs. “I don’t know either. Looking back, I only vaguely remember the first couple of years of the girls’ lives.”
“That’s probably God’s way of helping you look ahead rather than dwell on the past.”
Sheila gives me a long look without saying a word. Finally, she offers a smile. “You have always been the voice of reason in this family. I don’t know how you became so wise, but you’ve been like this ever since I can remember.”
“I don’t know that I’m all that wise. It’s probably more of being able to see things in other people they can’t see. I’m sure that when you look at me, you’re able to spot—”
I stop talking as soon as I notice Elliot entering the waiting area. Sheila glances over her shoulder to see what I’m looking at before turning back to me and widening her smile.
“Yes, you’re absolutely right. When I look at you, I see a lot of love for that man who just arrived. I’ll give the two of you some space.” She starts to get up, but I gently hold her back.
“You don’t need to do that. We have plenty of time to have—” I clear my throat. “Space.”
Elliot walks straight over to us, places his hands on his hips, and looks back and forth between Sheila and me. “Has the little girl made her grand entrance yet?”
Sheila shakes her head. “No, little Leah hasn’t arrived … at least as far as I know.”
“Why aren’t you in the room with her?” Elliot gives Sheila a curious look. “Seems like she’d want her mama by her side during a time like this.”
“I didn’t want to interfere.”
Elliot holds up a finger as if asking us to hold that thought, then walks over to the nursing station. He whispers a few things to the person behind the desk before joining us.
“She says it’s okay to go in as long as the mama and daddy-to-be don’t mind. One of the nurses will check with them and be right out.”
I put my arm around Sheila and hold on until Sally appears. She skims the room with her gaze and then looks right at her mother. “Mama, why are you out here? You should be in the room with us.”
Sheila looks nervous as she fidgets with the handle of her handbag. “Are you sure?”
Sally appears annoyed as she gestures. “C’mon, hurry up. I don’t want to miss anything.”
After they leave the waiting room, Elliot sits down, leans back in the chair, stretches out his legs, and folds his hands in his lap. “This has been one crazy day.”
“Did something besides the assembly happen at school?”
“Nothing major. Just a lot of little things.”
“Want to talk about it?”
Before he has a chance to respond, one of the nurses comes out to the lobby and looks directly at our side of the room. “The Peterson baby has arrived, and I want to let y’all know he and his parents are doing just fine, considering the fact that he came early. He’s in NICU for preemies. Why don’t y’all give us a few more minutes and then come on back and see the happy parents?”
“He?” Elliot gives her a curious look. “You mean she?”
“No, Sara and Justin have a brand new baby boy.” The nurse clearly loves her job, if her smile is any indication.
“Well, I’ll be.” Elliot stands and shakes his head. “All the technology in the world can’t tell us everything.”