“He’s a great guy,” Polly said as Lynn shut the door behind Gus. Almost immediately, the door swung open, interrupting them. Kevin Larrabee stepped in as his son, Jasper, flew by, headed for the block corner. “Hi again, guys,” she said, smiling at her husband as her stepson disappeared.
Larrabee laughed. “It’s been a wild one since you left, Poll.”
“Uh-oh.”
“It was one of those ‘I don’t have to wear clothes and you can’t make me’ mornings. You have his lunch, right?”
Polly smiled. “All set.” Still a newlywed, she wanted to jump into his arms and kiss him all better. Instead, she patted his arm, wondering again what he’d say if her suspicions were correct. Her husband was a loving, devoted father, but Jasper was a handful. Now she was two weeks late and feeling a little queasy. Was her sweet, wonderful, long-time bachelor husband ready for a baby and an active, often defiant four-year-old?
Kevin kissed her on the cheek and said, “Gotta run, babe. See you tonight.” With that, he headed out, closing the door behind him.
“You haven’t told him yet?” Lynn asked, watching her colleague.
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“Have you done the test?”
“No.”
“Do you have it?”
“Yes.”
“Then just do it, Poll. Better to know one way or the other.”
“I’m afraid he’s gonna freak. We just got married! This could have happened on the honeymoon for all I know since my cycle is so irregular. I could be four or five months along. That won’t even give him or us time to get adjusted.”
“If Ben and Maggie Morgan can do it, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Ben the third is every bit as rambunctious as Jaspie.”
“But he doesn’t have a baby brother or sister, and Emma is the most incredibly helpful big sister in the world.”
“Speaking of that awesome girl, here she comes,” Lynn said, waving as the door opened and Maggie Morgan swept in with her two. “Mornin’, Em, Bennie.”
“Hi, Lynn, hi, Polly!” Emma said brightly as her brother brushed by to join Jasper, who had already built a four-foot-tall block structure. Like their gorgeous parents, the two Morgan children had luscious brown curls, Emma’s now tamed in two long braids. Maggie and her husband, Ben, the eldest of the Morgan siblings, were often referred to as the beautiful couple, and the name was apt. Maggie was dressed for work where she ran the Morgan’s Run Stables, her curvaceous figure apparent even in jeans and a faded blue ranch T-shirt.
“Morning, ladies,” Maggie said. “I see the gang’s all here. Ben Senior’ll be by soon for Emma. If not him, Leonora. I’ve got an early lesson. Okay if I hand you Bennie’s things?”
“Of course.”
“Emma can put his lunch box in the fridge,” Maggie said, leaning down to kiss the top of her daughter’s head. “Bye, sweetie. Have fun at school.”
Emma threw her arms around her mother. “Bye, Mommy. I love you!”
“Love you too, baby. Say bye to your brother for me, okay? Thanks, Lynn, Poll. Have a great day!”
As the door closed behind her mother, Emma skipped off to the kitchen with the lunch box. She then went to sit with Cal, who was pulling stuffed animals out of baskets on one of the low shelves.
There were seven Cottage regulars, but two-year-old Lily Dillon, daughter of Beth Morgan and Lang Dillon, only came three days, as did one-year-old Charlotte Langdon, Ruthie Morgan and Harley’s daughter. Besides Ben, Jasper, Dulcie, and Cal, three-year-old Christy Perez, daughter of one of the ranch workers, came five days. Most days, Emma, Fara, Christy’s older sister, and Toby Barnes, son of Maggie’s coworker, Jeb, came after school from three to five thirty. Polly and Lynn were the lead teachers, and they had a full-time assistant, Rusty Spalding, a recent University of Arizona early childhood education graduate. At the moment, Rusty sat in the doll corner with Dulcie Casey and Christy. They appeared to be playing Barbie. Capable, down-to-earth, and just plain fun, Rusty had been a welcome addition, as was Willow Goldstein, daughter of Harley Langdon, who would be working with them during her college’s summer break.
“So?” Lynn asked, gazing over at Polly as they set out paper plates, popsicle sticks, and glue for the morning’s craft project. “I can finish setting up. Why don’t you pop in the bathroom now and do the test?”
Polly flushed bright red. “Absolutely not!”
Lynn stared at her. “Okay, partner, what’s wrong?”
Tears filling her green eyes, Polly turned away and headed to the kitchen. Lynn gazed over her shoulder. “Rusty? You got this for five?” He gave her a thumbs-up as she stepped into the kitchen and partially closed the door. Her colleague and former roommate was now slumped in a chair, elbows on the table, head in hands. “Hey, Poll, what is it? You okay?”
“No… Yes… I don’t know.” She shook her head, sitting up, wiping her eyes. “This is me these days. One minute gloriously happy, the next minute a basket case.”
“They say that happens with hormones and all,” Lynn said, patting her back as she came round to sit beside her. “Are you worried about Kevin?”
“No, he’ll be thrilled. Overwhelmed, but thrilled.”
“Then?”
“Can you imagine what my parents will say, especially my mom? And, even if she didn’t say anything, I’m not sure I can do it, with my heart and all. The doctors weren’t encouraging.” Polly had been born with ventricular septal defect (VSD), which involved a small hole in her heart. Several surgeries over the years had corrected the condition and closed the hole, but a vulnerability still existed, particularly, she had been told, when women get pregnant.
Lynn took her friend’s hand. “All the more reason to find out now, talk to Kev, and then see the doctor. The sooner the better, sweetie.”
“I know, I know… I guess I just wanted to hold on to the dream for a little while before they take him or her away.”
“You don’t know that,” Lynn said, aware of a ruckus coming from the front room. “You stay here and pull yourself together, and I’ll see what’s happening out there. Take all the time you need.”
Lynn emerged to find Jasper and Bennie wrestling on the living room carpet, Ben’s grandfather kneeling beside them, endeavoring to break it up. Lynn came to his side and grabbed Jasper while Ben Senior took hold of his red-faced grandson. Emma stood at the side, Cal in her arms. “Ben, stop it! Gramma won’t like that at all! I’m gonna tell Daddy if you don’t stop right now!”
Ben Senior grinned, still clutching the now sulking four-year-old. “My savior,” he said, winking at Lynn. “No worries, baby girl. This ole cowboy can still wrestle a runaway calf.” He gazed down at his grandson. “Now listen here, partner. If I let you go, are you gonna behave yourself?”
No response, lip stuck out, scowl on his round cherubic face.
“Okay, then. I guess yer sister and I’ll have to stay all day to watch out for you. Can’t have you and your little cowpoke friend botherin’ all the other kids.”
Jasper sat on Lynn’s lap, a similar scowl on his face. This standoff lasted for several minutes until Bennie looked up at his grandfather. “I sorry.”
Ben Senior grinned, winking at Emma. “How ’bout yer buddy?”
Jasper gazed at the floor. “Sorry.”
“What d’ya think, Lynn? Safe to let these hombres out of jail now?” Ben asked.
Lynn smiled at him, then turned her attention on the boys. “Ben, Jasper, you know the rule about wrestling, right?”
Small nods.
“Well, this is your last chance today. If it happens again, you guys will have to have a time out, then not play together for a while. Is that clear?”
More nodding.
“Okay, then,” she said, releasing Jasper as Ben Senior let Bennie down.
“Come on, Em. You’ll be late for school if we don’t hurry,” the Morgan patriarch said, grinning at Lynn. “If you have any more trouble, give me a call. Spark and I can come back and corral the little varmints for you.”
Lynn laughed. “Much as I’d like to hire you guys full-time, I’m sure we can handle things from here. Thanks. Have a great day. You too, Em! We’re doing Hula-Hooping this afternoon when you guys get off the bus. See ya!”