A Long Goodbye (28 page)
Authors: Kelly Mooney
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Genre Fiction, #Coming of Age, #Romance, #Contemporary, #New Adult & College
Lu walked in the backdoor with Charlie, and Cole, her belly round with her second baby. She finally gave in to Charlie at my wedding since I invited him and she really wanted that cashmere sweater I promised her. At first, she fought it, but Charlie must have been real convincing since they’ve been married for almost three years now. She finally relented after getting pregnant the second time.
Lu had gotten pregnant at a low point in her life. Her mama had up and left town without even saying goodbye to Lu or anyone for that matter. One day, she went over to check on her mama and the trailer she lived in was gone—not even in the lot, just a big empty space. Needless to say, Lu was sad and had forgotten all about her birth control pills for a few days while she was on a so-called ‘break’ from Charlie back when they were dating.
Only Charlie had squirmed his way into her arms on one of those nights while we were out having some good old girl fun at a local bar. I should’ve known when Dane came to pick me up with that big grin on his face that it was all planned. After a several shots and a couple round of beers, she wouldn’t stay mad at Charlie. She was fighting with him because he was getting serious, and she was still swearing up and down that she wasn’t the marrying type. Well, it turned out she was and she was a great mother to Cole and a wonderful wife to Charlie.
“Look at you,” I remarked with a smile, rubbing her stomach. “Hey there, kiddo,” I said to her belly. Then I turned to Cole clinging to her hand like a true mama’s boy. “Hey, honey, Annabelle should be down in a minute to play, okay?”
He shook his head, smiling. Cole and Annabelle formed a wonderful friendship since Lu and I hung out all the time. A friendship that Dane insisted I keep in check, constantly telling me, “someday that boy is gonna get his hormones kicking in full gear, Grace, and it will not be with my baby girl.” Lu and I of course thought it would be the best thing in the world, but we didn’t tell him that.
Charlie stepped over and kissed my cheek. “How are you feeling, Ashton?”
I rubbed my own belly. “Never better.”
Dane and I had been married for six years and I was pregnant with my third child. Lu laughed. “What’s so funny?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I just think it’s funny that we pegged Trevor as the one who was going to have you knocked up and cooking in the kitchen all the time. It turns out it was Dane all along who wanted that.”
“I don’t like to hear that man’s name in my house, Lu,” Dane bellowed as he came in grinning. Both girls were wrapped around him like he was a big old tree and they were koala bears. They both squealed loudly when they were placed down. Annabelle ran to Lu. “Aunt, LuLu you’re here.” She jumped into her arms, Lu sweeping her up.
“I am, sugar. Uncle Charlie has something for you.” She placed her back down, and Charlie pulled out a lollipop. Annabelle grinned widely, and then looked back at me for approval. I nodded for her to take it. Then just like that, Cole had one and they both ran out onto the front porch to enjoy their treat.
“What about you, Lily?” Lu asked. “We have something for you too.”
Lily was still clinging to Dane’s leg from when he set her down. She shook her head, and her brown curls bounced all around her little angel face. She lifted up her arms for Dane to pick her up. Of course, he did. He never could resist the demands of his little girls.
“What’s this I hear about Trevor?” Dane asked.
“She was just teasing me,” I told him as I took Lily out of his arms. “Baby, c’mon, Aunt LuLu has a present for you.”
Lily finally let go of me once she saw the little brown pony stuffed animal come from Charlie’s coat pocket.
Dane strolled over to me and did what he always did when he hadn’t seen more for more than half an hour; he’d kissed my belly. “How’s my little guy doing in there?”
I ran my hand through his hair even though he wore it military style these days. “AJ is doing fine,” I assured him.
We had found out last month that we were having a baby boy and from the way that Dane looked at me, I knew what he wanted. I could still remember his eyes glassing over as the doctor walked out to give us a minute. He loved his girls more than anything, but I knew he wanted a little boy so bad to name after AJ. We had spoken about it with the other two pregnancies, but they were both girls.
“I know it’s a lot to ask, baby but I was hoping we could name him after AJ.”
So we already had him named before he would even see his first light. We would have a son name Andrew James Woods in the next five months.
Within the next hour, the whole house was full of our family. All the boys were inside watching football, while the girls, Cole, and I waited outside for their granddaddy.
Lu, Amy, and Catherine were seeing to the turkey and the fixings, while I rocked my babies and Cole on the front porch swing reading them their favorite book.
Daddy was a state Senator now and had remarried. She was lovely. Her name was Bernadette, a widow, and the newest member to our family. We all loved her. The kids more than anyone since Bernie spoiled them rotten, along with Daddy not doing too bad on his own.
Daddy and Bernie pulled up in his big Cadillac truck, honking the whole way up the drive just as we finished the book. The girls leaped off the swing to meet him out front, but Cole hung back with me. He had told them he was bringing an early Christmas present for them and they were itching to see what it was.
Bernie hopped down first, swooping both of my girls into her arms. “My, babies! Oh, look how much you’ve grown.” Annabelle twirled around to show off her dress that her Uncle Josh had bought her when he took her shopping last week.
I stood on the front porch waiting on him to get out and say hello to Lily and Annabelle first. Dane stepped out a few seconds later, handing me a cup of tea. “Hey, baby what did he bring them this time?” He kissed the side of my head as he pulled me to his side.
“I don’t know. He hasn’t gotten out yet.” We both watched and then jumped when we heard Annabelle scream so loud it pierced straight through my ears. Dane left my side and was down by her side in a flash. “What’s wrong, baby girl?”
And that was when we saw why she screamed. Daddy had come around the side of his truck, a small puppy on a leash walking behind him. Annabelle pointed her little finger. “A doggie, Daddy. Look, Granddaddy got me a doggie.”
I walked down to meet my daddy. “Hey, Sugarplum, how’s that grandson of mine doing?”
I stepped up and kissed his cheek. “He’s good, Daddy. A puppy?” I questioned, trying to figure out why he didn’t run it by us first.
He smiled, but squatted down to scoop up Annabelle. “This little kitten here told me she missed Nash and wanted a new one to sleep with at night to scare the monsters away.”
Sadly, we lost Nash last year to cancer. Lily and Annabelle were so attached to that dog that we were afraid to go out and get a new one, but Daddy went ahead and did it anyway. Seeing the smile on my girl’s faces was the only reassurance I needed to know they were okay with a new puppy.
“What should we name it?”
Lily sat on the ground and the little puppy circled around her until she found her lap a nice place to rest. Dane sat down next to her. “Let me see the puppy for a minute, baby?” He picked it up, turned it over, and looked at Lily and then Annabelle. “It’s a little girl, so you two come up with a pretty name for her.”
They both smiled and started shouting out ideas.
Dane stood up and shook Daddy’s hand. “Happy Thanksgiving, Bill.”
Daddy pulled him into a big hug. “Call me Dad. I’d like that a lot.”
Dane pulled away and I could tell he was taken back a little, but I wasn’t. Dane and Jason’s company was doing so well that they hired Josh and two other employees to help with the caseloads that were coming in.
And once Annabelle was born, Daddy couldn’t stay away. Of course, he was busy a lot, but he always tried to see them at least once a month, if not more.
Catherine came out of the door, wiping her hands on her apron. “Dinner’s ready,” she shouted. We all walked up into the house, a house that I shared with my beautiful family. Annabelle was carrying our brand new puppy in her arms and showing her off to Cole, calling the puppy, Snickers. So, I guess it had a name now.
Dane pulled me back, letting everyone weave through to get inside.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I haven’t had a proper kiss today.” He pulled me into his arms, draping his arms around my back.
“I’m pretty sure I gave you a very proper kiss this morning when we made love.”
He looked over my shoulder and grinned. “I think I left something in the barn; come and help me get it?”
I rubbed my belly feeling little AJ kick. I placed his hands on top as quick as I could. “I swear that’s the greatest, coolest feeling ever,” he murmured into my ear, kissing and biting down on it softly.
He pulled my hand leading me toward the barn. “Dane, we can’t. Everybody is inside waiting on you to carve the turkey.”
He grinned real wide and mischievously. “One quickie that’s all I’m asking for.” He ran his mouth down the side of my neck, raining kisses on every spot. “C’mon, baby, say yes.”
Lu stuck her head out the door. “Dinner is getting cold. You two coming inside or what?”
I looked at Dane who still hadn’t taken his eyes off of me yet. I smiled back at Lu. “We’ll be in five minutes, okay?”
She shook her head, laughing. “Jesus, no wonder you have so many babies.”
I turned to Dane. “You have five minutes.”
He held my hand, pulling me inside the barn, our old room that Dane insisted on keeping. “I might need more than five minutes to show you how much I love you.”
I pecked his lips quickly. “All right, I’ll give you ten.”
And then I gave him twenty since his kisses did something to me.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First and foremost, I would like to thank all the readers that give my books a chance. Without you all it wouldn’t be possible to keep on going. So, from the bottom of my heart-thank you! Be on the look out for Cole and Annabelle’s story next year.
Second, as always I would like to thank my kids and husband for putting up with me saying “hold on a second” a thousand times a day as I jot something down. Not to mention, the countless pizzas and macaroni and cheese dinners I feed them while writing.
To all my Beta’ girls who took the time out their life to read my baby. Big hugs and thanks go out to Shelley Cudnik, Jennifer Noe, Lesley Hoffman, Amy Malin Concepcion, Christina Lynn Webster Bise, and to Julie Deaton. I can’t thank all of you enough. Also, a huge, big, old hug to Kathryn Crane for editing this one for me. It was my first time working with you and it was a pleasure. I know I told you before, but your BETA girl’s rock!!!
Lastly, I’d like to thank Regina Wamba at
www.maeidesign.com
for her fabulous photography. I wouldn’t trust anyone else to do my covers. You are truly a gifted talent.
Table of Contents
