“Center the baby toward the top of the blanket’s diamond.” Seth’s intent look of concentration said he was putting his all into the swaddling lesson. “Then draw the left side of the diamond across.”
“How precious is he?” Carmen whispered from the old oak rocker, where she held a tiny pink bundle against her chest.
“Adorable,” Gianna whispered back.
“Then pull up the bottom and tuck it to the right and underneath. Kid, there is nothing in the instruction manual about how to do this if you’re kicking, so could you please stop? Cut me some slack here.”
Tori giggled out loud.
Jenny Campbell came into the living room of Seth’s house and rolled her eyes. “It’s going to be eighty-five degrees today. He doesn’t need a blanket, Seth.”
“Newborns and old people chill more easily. I read it last night.”
The newborn kicked and squirmed, turned red in the face, then gave a lopsided look that almost passed for a smile. Seth stared down at him, bemused. “You had to wait until now to do that? Didn’t I just change you?”
Jenny laughed as she folded laundry. “That’s how it goes at this stage. I think he’s getting even with you for the whole blanket thing. Leave him in his little outfit and lose the blanket.”
“But I’ve been practicing.” Seth made a funny face down at the baby boy and began the process of changing him all over again. “At this rate, I suppose I’ll get plenty of practice.”
“You can say that again.” Gianna started to stand and three voices scolded her to sit and relax. She laughed but did as she was told. “I could get used to this. Tell me again how perfect they are.”
“Absolutely, marvelously perfect. And as different as night and day.”
“May I come in?”
Marie’s voice interrupted the conversation. Five pairs of eyes turned toward the screened door. Gianna recovered first. “Marie, of course! Come and meet your grandchildren.”
She came through the door, her motions timid, as if testing uncharted water. As she moved into the living room, her eyes swept the scene, lighting first on one baby, then the other.
She paused, midstep, uncertain, but then Seth lifted the baby boy and turned, depositing him into his surprised grandmother’s arms. “Marie, meet Michael Joseph Campbell. Your grandson.”
Her eyes rounded as she studied the newborn baby in her arms. Her mouth pressed tight, and her jaw quivered. And when little Mikey opened his eyes, looked up at her and clasped her finger, she sank into the nearest chair and wept.
Gianna crossed the room and sat down beside her, silent. Waiting. When Marie finally lifted her gaze, Gianna touched the baby boy’s face with one hand. “He looks like his daddy. He looks like Michael.”
“So much.” Marie’s voice caught on the words. “So very much.”
“I knew it the minute they showed him to me. Those eyes. That strong chin. The big head.”
Marie laughed and sighed. “Yes. And he is fine. They are both fine?”
“Perfect.”
“And his name.” She pressed a gentle kiss to the newborn’s cheek and held him up, cheek to cheek, breathing in his scent. “You named him for Michael.”
“And my father. It was the right thing to do. The best tribute I could offer.”
“And my granddaughter?” Marie turned her attention across the room to Carmen. “What is her name?”
Carmen rose and brought the smaller twin over. She tucked her into Marie’s other arm. “Isabella Sofia Bianchi Campbell. A ridiculous number of names for something so small.”
“But lovely, yes?” Sofia and Rose came in from outside, a tray of coffees and sweets from Tina Marie’s Café in their hands. “Marie, you’re here. Isn’t this amazing? My Gianna, she has done this, brought these babies to us! I’ll stop, I promise. I know I’m being loud—it’s just when I think of all she’s gone through, all the hours of sadness...and now this joy! This wonderful joy.” Sofia set the coffees down and began hugging everyone in sight. “Two gifts from God. Heavenly Father’s name be praised! I am beyond delighted, even though I have to drive across the state. Which is not a convenience.”
Marie cleared her throat. She looked trapped, then awkward. With a deep breath she held tight to both babies but shifted her attention to Gianna. “I have come to see these babies, but also to apologize.”
Gianna tried to wave her off, but Marie shook her head firmly.
“Let me finish.” She dropped her eyes to the two quiet babies in her arms. Her face showed the wonder of life. Of birth. “I was becoming a bitter old woman. I pretended I had gone on with my life after losing my son, but in my heart I held such anger.”
Gianna understood completely. She’d walked a similar path for far too long.
“When I realized you’d done this, that you’d decided to attempt a pregnancy, all that anger came surging up like a roll of thunder. I was so mad, so angry that if you were successful, Michael would never see his son. Never hold his daughter. Never feed them, rock them. They would never see what a good, solid man he was because he wasn’t here. You called me on it.” She turned toward Carmen. “And I hated you right then, Carmen, because you hold life with such tender, loving care. I envied you. But now—”
The entire audience shifted forward, attentive.
“I went back to church. I talked to God. I told Him what a sinner I was, how angry I was, at Him, at you, at everyone. And He reminded me of something I did long ago, before my marriage fell apart, before Michael was in school, even.” She motioned to the floral tote bag she’d carried in. Seth crossed the room, reached down and opened the tote. With Marie’s nod of permission, he withdrew a simple hand-embroidered wall hanging that read, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
“From the book of Joshua,” Carmen remarked. “Marie, that is beautiful work.”
“When I was young, I took time for such things. Then I got angry and forgot to take that time. Now?” She smiled down at the two babies. “Now so much is different.”
“It is.”
Marie drew a breath, then turned toward Gianna more fully. “I want to move here. To be close to these babies. And before you say no, let me again apologize for my anger. My mean-spiritedness. I believe I’ve conquered that, I believe I have what it takes to be a good, gentle nonnie. The kind of nonnie these babies would want me to be.”
“To err is human. To forgive, divine.”
Gianna didn’t hesitate. She’d love to have the soft side of Marie Costanza in her corner. “I’d love that, Marie.”
Marie’s face relaxed. “Really?”
“Absolutely.”
Seth moved closer and reached down for Isabella as she started to squirm. “I think it’s an excellent idea. Babies should be surrounded by family. In fact, the middle-of-the-night shift is open for the taking.”
Marie laughed.
Carmen jutted her chin toward the lakefront. “Why don’t you stay in the apartment with me while you look for a house?”
Gianna almost choked.
Sofia raised her brows but said nothing, a good choice for all concerned.
Marie went straight to the point. “You don’t think we’d kill each other?”
Carmen laughed out loud. “Not now,” she told Marie. “I like seeing the Marie I knew for so long back home. And if you’d like to keep busy, we could use someone helping people in the shop. Gianna will be working to care for the babies, and Tori has finished school, but I can’t steal her all the time. Seth and Gianna will need her help over here, too.”
“I’ve never held a job.” Marie offered the words like a confession.
“Then no time like the present to learn.” Carmen reached out and put a hand on Marie’s arm. “You can consider it an act of service if that’s easier. You’ll meet people. And you’ll still have plenty of time to house shop.”
Marie’s gaze swept the room. Disbelief made her hesitate, but then she admitted, “I wasn’t sure what kind of reception I’d receive today. You’ve humbled me, and we all know that’s a big step forward.”
“We’re family, Marie.” Gianna reached out and hugged her former mother-in-law. “All of us here. Famiglia. And that’s what families do.”
Marie’s eyes filled again, but these were joyful tears. She turned toward Carmen and offered a firm nod. “Then I will take you up on your generous offer. I’d love to stay with you, Carmen Bianchi. Do you still play a mean game of Scrabble?”
Carmen grinned. “I do. But I don’t want to make you mad all over again.”
Marie lifted little Michael and kissed his soft, rounded cheek. “I don’t believe anger is even possible anymore. And why would I get angry about beating you?”
Carmen laughed.
Seth slipped an arm around Gianna’s shoulders and helped her up. “You need to rest. We have plenty of help here—”
“Maybe too much,” Sofia offered. She winked at Rose, but it was Carmen who took the hint and moved toward the door. “I’m going to take Marie across the road to get settled. If you two take the daytime shift, maybe Marie and I can help overnight?”
Seth’s look of relief said he’d be grateful. “I go back to work tomorrow, so a few hours of straight sleep would be appreciated. And knowing the babies are in such good hands?” He smiled at both women. “Better yet.”
Marie handed little Michael to Jenny. She turned to accompany Carmen, but before she left she stopped in front of Seth. She reached up and laid her hand against his cheek. “Despite what I have lost, I have gained so much.” She patted his cheek and smiled. “Welcome to the family, Seth Campbell.”
Seth pulled her into his arms for a big old-fashioned Campbell hug. Gianna watched, her eyes smarting with emotion.
“It’s nice to be here, Marie.”
It was more than nice, thought Gianna as she and Seth moved up the stairs to their room. A new business, a husband, a stepdaughter who had won her heart instantly, a new home, two babies...
And the combination of multiple families that made it all possible. The sacrifice and love of so many mothers trying to go the distance for their children.
“I love you, Seth.”
He smiled down at her, tucked in the covers and grazed her cheek with his hand. “I know. Me, too. Thanks for rushing into marriage with me. It gave me extended baby-bragging rights at work.”
She laughed and sighed because the softness of the pillow felt so good. “I do what I can, Deputy.”
His soft kiss said he appreciated that and more. So much more. She fell asleep, knowing she’d found more than a new start in Kirkwood. She’d found a new life.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from THE FIREMAN FINDS A WIFE by Felicia Mason.