Chapter Eight

Johnny

“Where are Mom and Dad?” I ask as I kiss Tara’s cheek in greeting.

“Mom is lying down. She’s been really tired. I sent Dad to check on her a few minutes ago, and he hasn’t come back yet.”

“How are you feeling, little sister? You look amazing.”

“I’m good. Not as tired anymore. Just worried about Mom. We need to talk about a schedule to help Dad. I thought maybe after dinner, we could figure all of that out. I wonder if Mary and Steve are still okay picking up Mariah every day and keeping her until Jill gets home. Where are they by the way? I swear I heard someone come in with you.”

“Jill and the baby are with me. Mariah has been fussy today, so Jill is trying to find something to keep her occupied.”

“Sooooo, what’s going on with you and Jill?”

In this moment, she doesn’t sound like a bitchy little sister. She sounds like my ten-year-old sister teasing me because I like a girl, so I provide her with the requisite squinty-eyed glare.

“Well? Come on big brother! Spill the beans.” She’s smiling at me, and I realize how long it’s been since I’ve seen her smile like this. I’ve missed it.

“We planned on telling everyone today after dinner. We’re seeing each other.”

“Thank God! I thought for sure we’d be stuck with that Mindy chick forever. Jill’s a good choice. She fits in with all of us. She’s got a cute kid. She loves Mom and Dad, and she’s stupid in love with your ass.”

My jaw practically hits the floor.

“What?”

“You heard me. I know you don’t think I like her, but therapy has done wonders for me. I’ve come to realize that she is a good person. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to talk about Matt with her, but I do like her, and I think she’s a good match for you. You complement each other well.”

“Well, damn. I wish Jill had heard all of that. I think she’s most concerned about your reaction, well, me too, if I’m being honest. After what Dad said on Thanksgiving, I think they will be okay.”

“I think you’re right.”

The smile she returns spans the width of her face making it obvious she’s happy for me.

I finish helping Tara prepare dinner right as Jill comes through the kitchen door. I turn, scoop her into my arms, and kiss her like I’m trying to remove her socks through her mouth. When I pull away, she’s wild-eyed and breathless.

“What are you doing?” she whispers.

“Claiming my woman,” I tell her with a shit-eating grin.

Her eyes are huge in her face right now, and I can’t do anything but laugh.

Tara pipes up from behind me, “He already told me. Don’t worry about it. I’m happy for you both, and I know you’ll take care of each other. Once I got over being a bitch, I decided you two would make a great couple if you guys could figure your shit out. Oh yeah, and I didn’t like Mindy. She was nice, but way overboard and a little pushy, too. If she were my sister-in-law, I’d have to slit my wrists or move to Japan. It would depend on my mood that day which choice I’d make.”

Tara is being flippant in her remarks and hasn’t looked up from what she was doing one time to notice Jill’s shiny eyes, a clear indication that she’s about to cry. I pull her into my arms and hold her close until she can reign in her emotions.

When she’s finally calm, she leans around me and says, “Thanks, Tara. It really means a lot to me that you’re okay with this. Oh, and I’m super glad you didn’t like Mindy either. I was ready to have a cat fight with that woman at a family dinner for feeding him from her fingers.”

Tara busts up laughing, and Jill follows suit. I’m standing there watching the two hyenas bark their laughter, trying to figure out how I never noticed that my family didn’t like Mindy.

Mariah went down for an unscheduled nap, and the three of us set the table and got drinks. Once Steve and Mary arrive, we all sit down to dinner together. It turns out that Mom wasn’t resting once Dad went in there. There are some things I hope I never have to see again, and one of them is my parent’s making out like teenagers in their bed, half dressed with the door open. I guess I should be thankful they are still doing that kind of stuff, but if I never see it again, it’ll be too soon.

At the end of dinner, Steve and Mary clean the kitchen while the rest of us sit and talk. I fill Mom and Dad in on things with Jill, and the whole time I’m talking, her hands are shaking and sweating. She’s terrified.

“Well, it’s about time, Son. Your mother and I have been watching this stupid dance you two have been doing since the day we moved her here. I could have saved you a lot of trouble by telling you to just go for it, but I knew you had to figure it out on your own. Let me just say, Mindy was a friendly girl, but if she never shows up here again I’ll die a happy man.” He chuckles as he finishes.

Exasperated, I ask, “Why didn’t anyone tell me they didn’t like her?”

My mom says, “Because you have to figure those things out on your own. We can’t do it for you. I’m just glad you finally got smart and went after Jill.”

“He did right before Thanksgiving, and I thought everyone would be upset, so I told him we should just be friends. Now I feel like an idiot.”

“Don’t. The timing wasn’t right for one reason or another, and now it is. I’m just glad you two figured it out,” my mother wisely states.

Jill leans in and gives me a small kiss, one that’s appropriate in front of the family, and I grin at her.

****

Mom’s surgery goes well, and we are all being sent home for the night. Jill left an hour ago to get Mariah and is meeting me at my house. We all took the day off from work, and everyone has to go back tomorrow except Dad and me, so we are going to take shifts with Mom until we can get relief in the evening. Our whole goal is to make sure that there is someone with her during the whole of visiting hours. It’s going to be a long week.

****

Jill

Muddy puddles surround the driveway at Johnny’s house. It rained most of the day while we were at the hospital, and the remnants are damp and dirty. I put Mariah on my hip, shoulder her diaper bag, and then attempt to drag in another bag filled with my stuff. As I juggle the bags and baby while trying to locate the keys, my bag falls to the ground dumping most of the contents on the wet, dirty cement. Yuck! I’m scrambling to gather it all up when Cici approaches.

“Let me help you. I saw you struggling over here, and I just couldn’t get to you fast enough to catch any of it.”

“Oh, it’s okay. Thank you for your help. I didn’t want to leave anything in the car and have to come back out while my daughter was in the house alone. I should have left it till Johnny came home.”

“So are you and Johnny finally done dancing around each other?”

“Um…” I stare at her a little perplexed.

“I told you, our parents are close. They hear it all. Apparently, John and Judy have been waiting for you two to get together since you met. Johnny is a great guy. My Denton is without a doubt the best man around, but Johnny takes a close second.”

“Denton?”

“That’s my husband. We’ve been married for five years. I met him in college and made him come back to Cincy with me. He’s a Texas boy, so he hasn’t quite adjusted, but he will eventually. Let me help you inside with this stuff so your little sweetie doesn’t freeze to death.”

“Okay, I appreciate it.”

“Mariah is a doll. She’s cuter than the kids in the Anne Geddes pictures. I can’t believe she got Matt and Steve’s eyes though. That’s got to sting a bit I bet.”

“Um…yes, sometimes, but that was my favorite feature of Matt’s so mostly no. I try to think of them as John Sr. and Steve’s eyes. That helps.”

Cici plops right down on the couch and makes herself comfortable. I’m not quite sure what to think of her yet. She’s friendly and helpful, but she talks a lot. There is something about her though that makes me want to see what she might say next. It’s kind of entertaining. I set Mariah down, and she army crawls her way over to the couch. She uses Cici’s legs to pull herself to standing and proceeds to yell a bunch of baby babble at her and drool all over her jeans.

“I’m so sorry,” I blurt out as I rush to move Mariah to a new location.

“Don’t worry. I don’t mind the slobbery little beast. I’m an artist and usually covered in all kind of things anyway. Well, I’m a vice detective by day at a precinct downtown and an artist the rest of the time. What do you do?”

“Nothing that exciting or fulfilling. I’m in the janitorial arts.”

Her left eyebrow raises in question.

“It’s a long story. I went to college for two years when I lived at home. I was three credit hours away from getting my AA when I decided to drop out. That is a story for another day, but I was a waitress at a dance club in Indy for several years. When I got too pregnant to do that anymore, I found a job as a janitor at a nursing home. When I moved here, the only job I could find that I was qualified for and didn’t have me working third shift was a janitor position at an elementary school. It’s a couple of blocks from Christ Hospital.”

“That’s a rough neighborhood, not far from my office.”

“Yeah, it is, but it’s a job with benefits and daytime weekday hours. Someday maybe I’ll be able to go back to school. Right now, I’m still trying to survive.”

“I understand. Hey, how’s Judy? My mom told me she was having the surgery today.”

“As good as can be expected. Surgery went well. We just have to wait to find out when they will start radiation and chemo. I was there with everyone today, but Mariah needed to be picked up, so I headed here before we were allowed to see her. Johnny didn’t want to stay at my place tonight. He’s complaining about his back and my crappy mattress, so I agreed to come here for a few nights. I just hate having to set up the pack ‘n’ play for her every time when she has a crib already up at my place.”

“I don’t think you’re going to need the pack ‘n’ play.”

“Why not?” I lift a brow, wondering what the heck she’s talking about.

“Because I’m a hundred percent certain he has a regular crib in here already.”

“What? Why would he have a crib here? Did Mindy have a kid?”

“No, that crazy bitch didn’t have a kid. She was trying to have his though. She was pushing too hard, too fast, and it was obvious he wasn’t quite as into her. I watched as the crib was delivered last week during the day. He came home from work and met the delivery people to let them in. You didn’t know?”

“No! He didn’t say anything.”

“That’s just how he is, quietly thoughtful. When Denton was out of town a couple of years ago, my air conditioner broke, and I locked myself out of my house. It was a shitty day. Anyway, I came over here to use his phone, and when I told him what happened, he didn’t say a word, just called an AC guy and a locksmith. Both showed up about the same time. He paid the locksmith before I could find my purse and did some kind of trade thing with the AC guy for work on his car. He never said a word, just did what needed to be done. He said if the roles were reversed, Denton would do the same for him. He probably would, but seriously, who does that for people?”

I get up out of the chair and wander back to the bedrooms. I haven’t been anywhere in the house prior to this except the living room for a few minutes one time. The first bedroom has a queen-sized bed, a dresser, and a small desk. The second bedroom I come to is the master bedroom. It has zero in the way of decor, but it’s spacious. A king-sized bed sits in the middle of the far wall; there is a tall dresser and a short wide dresser on opposite walls. There are also two bedside tables with lamps. On one of the bedside tables sits a picture of Mariah that someone took with a phone, I think. It’s framed and dusty, so I know it’s been there for a while. On the other side of the bed, there is another dust-covered frame. The picture is of the Browning clan when the kids were young. Johnny looks to be about eleven or twelve in the picture.

I set the picture back down and leave his room, entering the one across the hall and sure as shit I find a brand new crib with a pretty pink gingham sheet covering the mattress and a couple of brand new stuffed animals in it. There is also a matching dresser and changing table. My jaw hits the floor. He thought of everything.

I’m about to turn around to go back to Cici when she speaks from somewhere right behind me.

“He’s a really good guy. I already knew that, but this just proves it.”

All choked up, I can barely say, “Yeah, he really is.”

I walk back to the living room with her and set Mariah on her feet on the floor. Cici excuses herself saying she’d love to get together sometime. I return the sentiment as she slips out the front door. Then I start the process of getting Mariah fed and bathed. I’m halfway through the bath when Johnny comes home. I look up to find him standing in the doorway watching as I work, with a soft expression on his tired face.

“How’s your mom? Did you see her?”

“Yeah, we got to see her. She was out of it, but she smiled at us and said she felt groggy, and that was about it. It messed my dad up so much that he refused to leave her overnight. They are going to let him stay as long as he isn’t disruptive. I plan to relieve him when visiting hours start tomorrow. The hospital has both of our phone numbers in case something changes during the night, so please keep your ringer on.”

I finish rinsing Mariah, and Johnny shuffles over to the sink to grab the towel for her. Once I lift the wet baby into the air, he wraps the towel around her and pulls her into his arms. Her face lights up with happiness as soon as she touches his goatee, and the pulling begins. Smiling with obvious affection at her, he moves toward the bedroom to get her dressed. I place my hand on the tense muscles of his back following him out of the room and make a mental note to rub his back at bedtime.

“I can’t believe you did all of this, Johnny.” Palms up, I gesture around the room. “It was a very nice surprise today. You didn’t have to.”

“I know, but I wanted to. I wasn’t kidding when I said I want it all with you, and until you’ll let me give that to you, I want you both to be comfortable no matter where we spend our days or nights. You both deserve the best, and its time you started getting it.”

I pass him the baby lotion and observe as he rubs her arms, legs, tummy, and then attempts her back, but gets a squirming, irritated baby instead of the cooperative one he’s used to. He wrestles the diaper on her and picks her up, inhaling as he does. A soft happy groan escapes his throat as he holds her, and I watch as his body starts to shake. My man has hit his breaking point for the day.

I wrap my arms around the two of them the best that I can and wait for either the baby to lose patience or him to settle down. Baby patience wins, and I take her from him, tug a pair of fuzzy pink footie pajamas on her body, and lead them both out of the room to the couch. I place Mariah on the floor next to a basket of toys and drag Johnny down to the couch with me. He wipes his eyes and pulls me into his lap.

“I wish I could put you in my lap. Your lap is almost my favorite place in the world. I know it would help you.”

His body shakes with a deep chuckle, and he squeezes tighter.

“This is good enough for me. It was so much easier for me to leave tonight, knowing you would be here when I got here.”

“I’m glad we came then. By the way, Cici came in and chatted with me for a bit. She’s interesting and very nice. She saw me dump all of my junk on the sidewalk trying to carry it all in at one time and came to help me. Then she stuck around for a bit and asked a hundred questions, before she told me she’d like to get together sometime. She said she’s known your family most of her life. I actually met her when I came by to see you Thanksgiving Day. I just never got a chance to tell you.”

“You came by before going to Mom’s house?”

“Yes, I wanted to try to fix things with you. When you weren’t here, I headed to your mom’s house, and you know what happened after that. Anyway, that was the day I met her. She invited me out with her group of girlfriends, but she never called and things got so bad with you and me that I never asked you for her number.”

“You’d probably like her friends. That girl is crazy, but she’s sweet. Our families have been friends for years. Her brother is the same age as Steve and played little league with him, I think. She was always around. She and Steve were close during college. She moved in next door to me after she married Denton. She’s always on question patrol and is fiercely protective of the people she cares about, but she’d give you the shirt off her back, if she thought it would help. Her husband’s the same way. You’ll like him. She just takes a little getting used to.”

“She wasn’t a fan of Mindy.”

“I’m finding that no one was. I wish someone would have told me this at the time.”

“I would have if I wasn’t going to come off like a jealous shrew, but that would have been impossible. I was so jealous, I couldn’t see straight.” I give him a little grin.

The whole time we’re talking, Mariah is holding onto the coffee table as she makes laps around it pulling off every magazine and coaster as she goes.

He leans in and whispers into my ear, “This is how things are supposed to be. I’ve got both of my girls in my house. One is in my arms while the other destroys the place. I love you, Jill. There is no place I’d rather be, and no one I’d rather be with.”

“Me, too. I love you so much, and I really like your house. If your bed is as awesome as you say, I may not ever leave it.”

“Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep.” He punctuates the sentence with a kiss on top of my head.

“Are you hungry? I can make you something before I put her to sleep.”

“No, Dad and I got something to eat while Mom was still in recovery. Let’s get Mariah to sleep and head to bed. I’m tired.”

With all the lights out and the baby quiet, I give my man his back rub and take my time appreciating every last inch of his body. When I’m done, we fall asleep with me tucked in the crook of his arm, head on his chest, my arm stretched across his stomach.

****

The rest of the week passes in a blur of hospital visits, work, and trying to help Johnny keep it all together. Judy was expected out of the hospital on Thursday but got an infection in one of the drain sites, so she’s in there until they can get that under control. She’s been sore and grouchy, so we’ve been taking turns hanging out trying to keep her spirits up.

It’s Saturday afternoon, and I’m sitting with Judy. I made everyone else take a few hours off. I hadn’t been at the hospital all week except for a half hour every day on my lunch break because I had to work and pick up Mariah. I wanted to stay with her and I wanted to help, so Mary is watching the baby, and the guys took their dad to get lunch and kill time somewhere.

Judy’s been asleep off and on all day, a side effect of the pain medication I’m sure. Flipping through the pages of a magazine one of the girls left behind, I’m too preoccupied to notice when someone steps into her room. A throat clears near the doorway, and I lift my head up to see who it is.

My breath catches in my throat as my eyes make contact with Lisa. I had no idea she was coming, and it’s clear she had no idea I’d be here. I scramble out of my chair sending the magazine to the floor. Subtlety is not my strong suit.

My words are rushed, panicky as they leave my mouth, “I made everyone else take a break. They’ve been here all week. She’s been in and out all day, but she’ll be glad to see you. Just pat her hand, and she’ll wake right up. I’ll give you some time with her.”

Even in my hurry to scurry past her, I notice the barely present baby bulge. I don’t say a word. I don’t want to upset her or Judy, so I scurry out the door. I’m met head on by a very attractive man. In fact, I smack right into him and he steadies me with his hands.

“Um. Hi. I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“Hi. Were you here with Mrs. Browning?”

“Yes.”

“I’m here with Lisa. I’m Garrett.” He puts his hand between us to shake.

“I’m Jill. I’m not family. I’m just trying to give them a break, they’ve been here all week around the clock.”

“You’re Jill?” His forehead wrinkles in confusion and then he wipes his face clean of expression.

“Yes.”

I stare at the floor, ashamed. I know he knows who I am, and I’d love to have the floor swallow me up right now so I don’t have to see the accusing eyes I’m certain are boring into me. I don’t look up. I just start to shuffle past when he catches my arm. Startled, my eyes shoot up to his.

“It’s okay. I’m not judging you, Jill. You’re just not what I expected.”

“After meeting Lisa, I bet not.” I give an uncomfortable laugh.

“I didn’t mean anything by that. You don’t have to feel weird. She’s moved on. We’re together. She’s having my baby.” A huge smile spreads across his face. “She’s due in June, and we’re getting married in a few weeks, too.”

I smile at him. “I’m happy for you both. Congratulations. She deserves to be happy.”

“Yeah, she does.”

“I’ll let you go in there. I’m sure Judy is excited to meet you, but she’s going to be mad that her hair isn’t done.”

He laughs a little and pauses to comment as he walks past. “You deserve to be happy, too. Sounds like life hasn’t been easy on you, either. Try to let go of the past. She has.”

“Thank you, I’m trying.”

I share a small smile, and then I turn and walk away before things get awkward again.

I return half an hour later and sit on a chair outside of the room. I don’t want to rush their time together, but I want to be near when they leave so Judy won’t be alone. Twenty minutes later, Lisa and Garrett step out of the room. Lisa wipes her eyes, and I can tell she’s been crying. Garrett places his arm around her shoulder and pulls her into a hug. She gives me a small wave behind his back, and they turn to leave.

I swallow down my nervousness, and then I leap up and ask, “Lisa, can I talk to you for a second before you go? It won’t take a minute.”

Garrett glances between us waiting to see what she says. She nods and places a hand on his arm.

“I’ll be right there, just go on to the elevator.”

We watch as he strides away.

“I have a million things to say to you, Lisa, but I don’t want to take up too much of your time, so I’ll make this short.”

Her eyes watch me warily.

“I’m sorry for everything; for my relationship with Matt, for showing up on your doorstep, and for asking for money. I’ve never been sorrier in my life for anything. I’d say I’d take it back if I could, but to be quite honest I’d never give up Mariah. She’s the best part of me. If I could, I would take away the hurt I caused you and what I’ve taken from you.”

I point to the room where Judy is resting and inform her, “They all talk about you so much, I feel like I know you, and I’m not sure there is a better person out there.

“You shared Matt’s estate with Mariah and got us in touch with his family. My daughter wouldn’t have a family at all if it weren’t for that. Thank God you helped again with money when I needed it the most. I was seeing Mariah so little I felt like she didn’t know I was her mom before you upped the monthly allotment. You’ve given me time with my daughter I can never get back once it’s gone. I know those things weren’t easy for you, but they made a world of difference to me. I’ve wanted to send a letter to you a hundred times in the months since I’ve been here, but knew it wouldn’t be appropriate. I just couldn’t let you walk away today without saying thank you for saving our lives.”

Tears are sliding down my face as I speak, and I try to wipe them away.

Her eyes are shiny, too, and she gives me a small smile. “I thought I would die when you showed up at my house. I had no idea anything was going on. If it weren’t for you, I’d still be mourning a man who doesn’t deserve it. Instead, I’m pregnant and getting married to a man who cherishes me and is excited for our baby. Judy told me you’re seeing Johnny.” She glances down at her feet and back up to me. “He’s a great guy, and he will take care of you two. I know it’s not easy trusting someone after Matt, but trust Johnny and be good to him.

“As for the estate, Mariah deserves it. I think Matt would have done the right thing eventually with her, but since he’s not here to do that, I did it for him. Your daughter deserves your time and attention. The whole family told me what a good person you are, what a hard worker you are, and what a good mother you are, even Tara. All I ask is that you share yourself and your daughter with them. They love you both. Be happy, Jill. You deserve it, too.”

“I met Garrett. He’s really nice. He told me you’re due in June. Congratulations. I hope you’ll be happy.”

“I already am.”

“The rest of the Brownings are going to want to see you and meet your fiancé. If you call Steve or Johnny now, they are all together hanging out, I think. Well, minus Mary, she has my little girl so I can be here. Please stay in touch with them. It may be a little awkward for us, but it means so much to them.”

“I will.”

“Goodbye, Lisa.”

“Goodbye, Jill.”

I swipe at the remnants of tears on my face and tiptoe back into the hospital room hoping not to disturb Judy. I plop down in the chair and exhale thinking about the conversation I just had.

It’s about that time when Judy says, “Well, that was awkward.”

I bust up laughing. “Yeah, you can say that again, but it was okay, too. I was able to thank her for everything. She didn’t know it, but she saved my life by having you call me. I’ve never been more thankful for anything.”

Judy reaches her hand out to me and says, “Me either. She’s a good person, and so are you. I love you, Jill. Not just because of Mariah, but because of who you are. You’ve made Johnny so happy. I thought he’d never find anyone. I’m glad it’s you. You belong with us.”

“Thank you. I love you, too; all of you. I’ll do my best to make Johnny happy. He’s a good man, and I love him.”

“I know, dear. It’s written all over your face and has been since almost the first moment you saw each other. I’ve never seen anything like it. I felt it with John Sr. but I’d never seen it before with anyone else. I’m happy I was there to see the beginning of it.”

We hold hands in silence after that, until hers goes limp with sleep. I tuck it under the covers and reflect on everything that’s happened today.

****

Johnny

I need to call Jill and check on her, but her cell doesn’t get good reception in the hospital. Who am I kidding? That piece of shit doesn’t get good reception anywhere. She doesn’t even get texts. Lisa and Garrett just left Dad’s house, and I’m worried about how that encounter went for her. I heard Lisa’s version, and it sounded all right, but who knows what’s been going through Jill’s head. It was great to see Lisa and meet her new man. He’s a good guy from what I can tell, and he takes good care of her.

She floored me right before she left when she hugged me and said, “Take good care of your girls. I think they were always meant to be yours, and this was the only way for you to get them. You deserve each other. You’re a good man. You always have been, and I think she’s a good woman. Treat her like that always. Don’t ever take for granted what a gift they are. I love you, Johnny.”

Before I could respond, she strode down the walkway to where Garrett was holding the car door open for her, wiggled her fingers at all of us, and was gone.

I leave my family and go to the Verizon store. I buy a new iPhone, pay for a plan for a year, and put it in her name. Then I drive to the hospital and go to Mom’s room. As I enter, I notice that Mom is talking with Jill. When Jill sees me, her face splits into a huge grin. I can’t help but return it. She jumps up and runs for me. That’s my kind of hello.

“You okay?” I whisper in her ear.

“Yeah, I’m good. I’ve had some quality time with your mom, and I saw Lisa.”

I search her eyes as I ask, “How did that go?”

She seems far more relaxed than she ever has been when she answers. “It was actually good. I was able to thank her for everything and apologize. I needed to do both of those things and thought I’d never get the chance. She was really sweet and seemed happy. Did she call you?”

“Yes, we saw her for a couple of hours. It was nice. It’s also why I showed up here. I couldn’t get you on that ancient piece of crap phone to check on you, so I bought you a new one. No arguing. Service is paid in full for a year. I’ll show you how to use it, but you have to dump the other one. How can I sext you when you don’t get texts?”

She slaps my chest playfully as her cheeks burn red with embarrassment. “Johnny! Your mother is in the room.”

Mom pipes up from behind her, “Oh, honey, please. If he’s anything like his father, you’ll get at least ten of those sext things a day.”

Jill doubles over laughing as I groan, “Moooom. That’s something I never want to know about you two.”