Mollywood (33 page)

“Little girl, you need to listen to me now. Really listen. Since the day you came back into my life, it’s been upside down. I’ve changed everything to make room for you. Not because I felt obligated, but because I love you and can’t imagine going back to a life without you.”

“I don’t want you to.” She said without hesitation, and I leaned over, kissing her delicately.

“Good.” I replied, and held up the book clasped in my hand. “I think I found a name for our daughter.”

“CAN YOU NOT scratch up my walls, please?” I snapped at Mac.

My brothers were in the process of removing miscellaneous painting tools from the previous weekend’s preparatory extravaganza.

The chaos in our new cottage inspired me to pop two Tylenol and it wasn’t even noon. It was going to be a long day. The kids were outside digging up the garden and Joe and Graham had cluttered up my kitchen counters, while discussing which woodwork to mount in what room.

I heard another unfortunate noise from just around the corner where my brothers were barreling to and fro like bulls in a glass menagerie. “Be careful, dammit!”

“Bite me.” Mac replied, brushing past me his arms full of paint brushes and rollers. Mason shrugged as he followed Mac out of the dining room with a small ladder and an oversized can of paint. Now that it had completely dried, the melon color looked even more gorgeous. Joe and I had spent an hour arguing at The Home Depot about my paint choices, but in the end, I think he was pleased with the results. Besides, he got to pick the color for our master bedroom and the living room. I smirked when I thought about how sexy those arms of his looked hoisting those cans of paint into the back of his little old man truck. He seemed to enjoy letting me feel like I was getting my way.

“Molly, where do you want the baby swings?” My mother called, shuffling in the front door. I had to take a deep cleansing breath.

“How about in the nursery, ma?” I called, trying to curb my sarcasm. The sound of my brothers clattering around in the very next room set my teeth on edge.

“Do you think we should go ahead and assemble them? That way Joe doesn’t have to later?” She hobbled in my direction, already holding one of the instruction manuals, “Think they’ll both fit in that little room?’

“Mom! Let the movers unload everything before you set anything up, alright?” I heard the front door open and spotted Kelly and Francis who’d just wandered inside. Francis held four pizza boxes and Kelly had two cases of Coke.

“Over here, y’all!” I called, forcing a smile as I waved them in my direction. “Go on out onto the back patio. Joe has heaters set up and there are plenty of tables and seating.

I watched as Mac and Kelly practically ran face first into one another. Kelly leapt back as if Mac were a leper and practically bolted from the room. Francis frowned and looked from Mac to Kelly’s retreating form before following her out of the room.

“Damn. It’s a tad bit nippy in here, isn’t it?” Mason commented. “I knew there was a cold front coming thru, but I thought that was supposed to be tonight.”

“Shut up.” Mac replied.

“Go after her, Mac. Or are you too chicken shit?” I chided. I brought my hand to my lips, as if my pointed pun hadn’t been intentional. “Too soon?”

Mason nearly pissed himself laughing, but I felt bad when I saw the truly crestfallen expression on Mac’s face.

“Molly.” My mother’s authoritative voice snapped my head in her direction. Old habits die hard, I suppose.

“What?”

“Should we unpack your bathroom?” I saw Granny appear over her shoulder.

“Fine, do whatever. Christ!” I blurted.

Mom threw up her hands and retreated toward the nursery. Two strong hands touched my shoulders and slid down to encircle me from behind.

“Havin’ fun, baby?” Joe’s low voice helped pull my irritation needle out of the red and I wiggled around to face him.

“I’m not sure I can take much more of this.” I murmured into his ear as he held me close. Graham had led Francis and Kelly out to the back patio where they were plating up pizza. Thankfully, we were alone. Even so, I didn’t want to take the chance of starting any drama so I kept my voice down.

“Then let me deal with it and you can go back to our place with Robin. She is about ready to kill Mason anyway. He got paint in her hair somehow. He said it was an accident, but she still wants blood.” It was an attractive offer and I almost took him up on it. Then I had a mental image of my mother trying to decorate my house and I groaned.

The front door slammed and Robbie and Tamryn appeared brandishing beer, napkins, and paper plates. The loaded look that Joe and Tamryn exchanged was nothing short of acrid.

“The moving truck is here.” Tamryn announced, striding past her brother into the kitchen to put the beer in my fantastic new fridge. “They need you to move your car.”

I allowed myself another ten full seconds nuzzled up against Joe’s stubble covered cheek. In a hushed tone, I whispered. “Be nice.”

“Really, babe. You should go rest.” He tilted my chin so that I had to look him in the eye.

“I can go move it for you.” Robbie offered, clearly picking up what Joe was throwing down.

“I’ll go move it. I need a little air” I replied, seeing the tension in Tamryn’s shoulders from across the room. I pulled Joe closer for a moment and whispered in his ear. “I think you should talk to your sister.”

His eyes shifted momentarily to Tamryn and he gave me an apprehensive nod. Heading outside, I trundled down the stairs and waved to the hulking moving men. “Sorry, I’m moving it now!”

I parked the Cooper down the street and as I climbed out, I looked up at the overcast sky. So far it hadn’t rained, but I suspected we were on borrowed time. Hurrying back toward the house, I figured I’d have a slice of pizza with the nieces and nephews before I started supervising the movers.

“Hey, there!” A high pitched, nasal voice penetrated my thoughts. I stopped at the bottom of the steps, turning to look behind me. A svelte blonde with fairy tale princess hair waved cheerfully from the porch next door. I glanced down at my navy blue sweats and placed a hand on my messy ponytail. I tried very hard not to care that I looked a mess. I saw that she’d turned back to her door and gestured franticly to someone inside her house.

The man who stepped out after her had the weathered look of someone who spent a lot of time outside. His salt and pepper hair spoke of age that wasn’t reflected in his muscled frame.

“Welcome to the neighborhood!” She called as they drew near. I realized that she was older than I first thought, probably in her late thirties at least, maybe older. “I’m Penny Madsen. This is my husband, Frank

“Hi, I’m Molly.” I replied, smiling uncomfortably as I shook her hand. As I took her husband’s hand the babies chose the moment to do some sort of acrobatic maneuver inside me. I gripped my mid-section, practically falling off my feet in surprise. Frank steadied me, his tanned forehead wrinkling with concern.

“Are you alright? Should I get your husband?” Penny cawed, in a voice that could shatter glass.

“I’m fine.” I chuckled, trying to lighten the moment. I stood tall to show that I was stable and hopefully move the conversation along.

I heard a door smack shut behind me and saw Joe hurrying in our direction. Internally, I groaned, suspecting they’d talk at us twice as long if we were both here.

“What’s wrong?” He demanded, wrapping a concerned arm around me and ignoring the couple from next door.

I gave him a reassuring grin. “The twins were having a fight and it got a little violent.”

“Twins! Bless your heart!” Penny shrilly jumped head first into our conversation. She gave me an unsolicited hug, and turned her appraising eyes expectantly on Joe.

“This is Joe.” I said as if it was an afterthought. “Joe…these are the Madsen’s from next door.”

Joe and Frank nodded at each other and shook hands, and I noticed Penny adding a flirty hair toss when she shook Joe’s hand. We suffered through a few minutes of polite conversation. We quickly learned the couple had lived in the neighborhood for fifteen years and had two high school age daughters that were very active in extracurricular activities. Penny was a stay at home mom and Frank was some important guy in the oils business who traveled three weeks a month.

Ready for this grating cougar to stop undressing Joe with her eyes, I explained that we had a house full of family and movers who no doubt needed guidance. Frank smiled empathetically, and before I knew it, we’d accepted an invitation to dinner after the insanity of the move had died down. With a silent wave, they headed back toward their house. As I took the stairs, I watched Frank give Penny a kiss and cross to the street. He climbed into a large, newer pickup truck with an oil company logo on the side and drove away.

“They seem friendly.” Joe remarked, waiting for me at the top of the stairs.

“That’s an understatement.” I whispered. “She kept staring at my nose ring.”

I noticed a backward glance from Penny. For a fleeting moment I wondered if she’d heard me, and realized the idea was ludicrous.

As we came in the front door, I heard Francis’ voice coming from the room we planned to use as an office.

“…now I don’t know what happened, All I know is, she
seemed
very excited that you were taking her out and she’d been awfully quiet ever since.”

“Francis, listen—”

“No, you listen.” I’d heard Francis raise his voice before, but this was different. Yes, he sounded angry, but with a desperate undertone that stopped me cold. “I let her down, Mac. I set this precedent, and I can’t take it back. If you don’t really have serious intentions, you ought to do the right thing and stay away.”

Joe turned to me, his mossy eyes flashing with concern and apprehension. I held a finger up in front of my lips. I didn’t really know where Francis planned to go with his little talk with my brother, but it sounded like it was heartfelt. I didn’t want to intrude on something that was none of my business. Joe seemed to understand this and we tiptoed through the house and out the back door to join the pizza party already in progress.