Unexpected Ride (20 page)

Carla could only hope what she was seeing in the cup was formula and not regular milk, since the canister of formula set next to the cup along with a spoon that very possibly was used to stir the formula.  He was making a complete mess and was obviously clueless about what he was doing but his improvising skills were commendable.

“Before you ask… there was only one bottle in the bag and after that was empty I realized you don’t have a brush thingy to clean it with so I just mixed up some more in this.  Besides… shouldn’t she be drinking from a regular cup by now anyways?” he asked.

At only eight months old… some babies might be ready for a Sippy cup but this baby was not nearly ready for that, let alone a regular cup.  Realizing he was looking for reassurance she simply smiled and said, “You’re doing fine.”

“I sent the other kids outside to play.  That’s what my grandpa always did with Becca and me when he needed to make dinner,” he volunteered as though needing to explain his actions when all she really wanted to know was why he’d been left alone with all four children.

“They were playing just fine when I came inside,” she offered.

“Good… I
told
Dana I could handle it.  She didn’t look convinced but now I have a witness.  None of them were harmed while in my care,” he said finally, looking away from Melody and over to her.

“Dana dropped them off here?” she asked incredulously.  Dana was the most responsible person she’d ever met.  So for her to just drop her children off meant something must be terribly wrong.

“Lilly Jackson went into labor.  Chuck and Meredith are somewhere tasting cake or some such.  Tommy took a bike to drop off to a customer and Dickie and Becca took the girls to Tampa for the weekend since they don’t have school tomorrow.  Dana said she needed to get Edna Jackson to the hospital to be with Bobby and Lilly, plus Dana’s a labor coach… whatever that means.  So anyways, she stopped by with the girls and when she found out you weren’t here… I offered to watch em’ instead and yea… I’m making a big mess.  This is harder than I thought it would be,” he finished, throwing his hands up as though in defeat.

Seeing that he was definitely in over his head and had obviously taken on more than he could chew in an effort to help out a friend, she stepped forward and put her hand on his arm.

“I’m pretty sure that’s the most I’ve ever seen this baby eat.  Why don’t I take her and get her cleaned up and situated while you call the kids in and feed them some pizza and chips.  There are juice boxes for them in the fridge,” she offered.

Melody fussed when Carla finally managed to get her out of the carrier and actually reached for Greg.  Seeing it as opportunity to re-emphasize that he was doing a good job with them she said, “Well I guess maybe we should trade jobs?”

Greg removed the empty carrier from his chest and then took Melody back from her.  The baby unabashedly smiled at him and squealed.  She could relate to that feeling.  It was hard to look at the man and not giggle… he was just so good looking.  Finding the wet wipes in the diaper bag, she opened them and set them on the counter near Greg before heading back outside to call the kids in.

Seeing that life at her house had carried on just fine while she’d been at class made her smile… especially since instead of Meredith or even her father who’d taken charge it had been
Detective Sanders
.  Stepping into the backyard she was shocked to find Gretchen McMurray straddling Ben who lay on his back on the ground still holding the football.

“I said it was my turn now, Bennie… now give me that damn football!” Gretchen yelled a mere inch from Ben’s face.

Instead of crying or being angry, her youngest lay there laughing only to stop long enough to say, “Make me you scrawny shrimp!”

Seeing the look of pure anger that passed the little girl’s face, she hurried over to them and gently pulled Gretchen off of Ben just as Matt said, “I told them to stop it, Mom.”

After making the two youngest kids apologize to each other Carla herded them all inside.  Tommy McMurray arrived to pick up the girls just as she’d managed to change Melody’s diaper and re-pack things into the diaper bag.  Where twenty minutes earlier her boys and Gretchen had been fighting like siblings… now they all three looked annoyed that Gretchen had to leave to go home.

“I’m so sorry about this… I should have known from personal experience that babies often decide to make their grand appearance at the most inconvenient times.  I got here as soon as I could,” Tommy said.

“No worries… any news on the baby yet?” she asked him.

“No.  Dana says Lilly’s taking it like a champ but Bobby… not so much,” he laughed.

“You should’ve stopped off and checked on him before you worried about the girls, they’re fine here,” she replied.

“I know but Dana wasn’t sure since you weren’t home,” Tommy replied, looking skeptically at Greg.

“Just like learning how to control a motorcycle… I pick things up quick… you didn’t need to worry,” Greg laughed.

“The girls are just fine if you want to run to the hospital and see how Bobby’s holding up.  Besides, Edna might tire out and need to go home before the baby actually arrives,” she suggested.

“Can’t Gretchen just stay overnight with us, Mom?  It’s basically the weekend since there isn’t school tomorrow,” Matt asked.

“I’m sorry for what I said, Ms. Carla and I’ll be real good from now on,” Gretchen chimed in her agreement with Matt.

“Four kids is a lot for anyone to handle, Carla.  Are you sure?” Tommy asked skeptically.

“I’ll be here to help.  I did get the baby to eat a pretty good amount this evening,” Greg offered, obviously proud of his accomplishment.

“That’s good to hear… she’s been eating like a bird for days now,” Tommy smiled.

“Instant mashed potatoes… she liked those a
whole
lot better than the carrots.  That stuff smelled like it might be bad,” Greg explained, making a face as though disgusted at the mere mention of the baby food.

Tommy laughed and then said, “I slip Melody real food too from time to time.  I kind of feel bad for her but she’s Dana’s first baby.  So I go along with it and slip her what I can, when Dana’s not looking.  My mom did it with me and I turned out okay and Gretchen
refused
to eat any of the baby food from the store from day one, but Dana’s trying to do things by the book… so what can you do?”

“You go on and one of you can just come by in the morning and pick the girls up then.  I have your numbers if we need anything.  Go… be with your friends… they need you right now,” Carla insisted.

“Yes!” she heard Ben whisper under his breath.

Once Tommy left for the hospital and the kids had finished eating, Greg sent them back outside with juice boxes and strict instructions not to go near the gate that led to the pool and to share the much sought after football.  Matt was placed in charge as he was the oldest and the three of them took off for the side yard where they had been earlier. 

Greg cleaned up the table while she situated the baby on the floor with some toys and then went to find blankets and pillows as well as pajamas for Gretchen to wear.

Soon enough she heard Chuck and Meredith downstairs talking to Greg in the kitchen.  After Greg explained to them that Lilly was in labor and that he would be around to help out with the kids, the young couple took off back out the door in a rush to get to the hospital. 

It was hard not to be excited about the new baby.  The whole group was like one large extended family and a new member was always welcome.

After getting Matt’s room set up for both of the boys so that Gretchen could use Ben’s room, Carla went back downstairs to the kitchen where she found Greg holding Melody again while pointing out the other kids through the window.  Upon seeing her enter the room he turned and grinned at her. 

He had cleaned up the entire kitchen and looked content to watch Melody and the kids.  She wasn’t sure if she should feel guilty or what but she couldn’t help but be impressed.  The household had always been her domain. 

She took care of the family and Doug had taken care of the bills.  It was a little old fashioned but she wouldn’t have changed a thing.  It had worked well for them for more than twenty years.

Everything in her life had changed when Doug had died.  Watching Greg talking softly to Melody who looked absolutely awestruck by him cleared the cobwebs from her mind.  There had been a time when she had thought her own life was over… everything she knew and loved had died that night. 

In its place was left heartache, grief and an overwhelming sense that she might grow old alone without Doug there.  She could remember hitting her knees in church one Sunday praying that God would see her through the pain.

The storm clouds had since cleared and left behind an amazing young man with tattoos and a heart of gold that had stepped in and pulled her family back from the brink in more ways than one.  Through Chuck she had then met a group of people who were
real
friends… not the kind of friends who had shown up at Doug’s funeral and offered awkward words of condolence… but rather the kind who felt more like family and held you when you cried. 

Then as an added bonus a blonde haired, hazel eyed man with the most kissable mouth had awakened her heart, body and soul that had been slowly slipping away. 
If only he were a safe bet.
  She’d thought Doug was a sure thing… he had
never
been a risk taker and yet he’d been stolen away from her in the blink of an eye. 

Greg was the opposite of that… he was…
had been
… a cop that bad guys shot at and had now begun riding around on motorcycles.  He was a bit of an adrenaline junky and Carla just couldn’t allow herself to love like that again… especially a risk taker.  Losing another man she loved would surely kill her… and Greg was a far cry from a safe bet.

“Your dad called… I told him what was going on and he said he would just call you tomorrow when things were a little more calm,” Greg smiled.

Walking over to join Greg at the window, she watched as Gretchen threw the football as hard as her little muscles would allow while Ben caught it with hardly any effort at all. 

“He’s quite good, isn’t he?” she finally admitted as she watched her youngest son.

“Yes… he is.  I don’t profess to know how well other kids his age play but he does seem to be a natural at it,” Greg replied.  “Maybe you should take Gretchen’s advice and ask Dana about helping the boy with his school work.”

“Did you ever want kids of your own?” she asked Greg.

“No… never did.  I find I’m content helping other people with theirs,” he said and winked at her.

It was nearly eleven thirty before the kids settled down upstairs and the baby fell asleep in a mobile bassinet that Chuck had brought back from Tommy and Dana’s house before going back over to the hospital.  Without a word…
or a kiss
… Greg had wished her a good night and then just left. 

He had been such a huge help this evening that she felt a softness toward him in addition to her normal physical attraction.  Perhaps along with not wanting kids of his own he wasn’t cut out for dating a woman with kids either. 
Better to know that now.

She woke in the early morning hours to Melody humming contentedly in her bassinet.  After changing her and feeding her a bottle, Melody fell back asleep but Carla was wide awake by then.  Laying Melody back down in the bassinet, Carla went in search of her cell phone and found a text message from Chuck.

Robert Jackson III born at 3:33AM weighs eight pounds and three ounces.  Mom and baby are healthy and happy.  Dad passed out like a big pussy lol.  Bobby might be a wuss but Lilly is bad ass.  Edith and I will be at the apartment since its closer.  We will be home first thing in the morning.

Another Bobby Jackson.
  Edna Jackson would be thrilled and Carla looked forward to joining the group to celebrate the arrival of the little guy.  She put some coffee on and when it was done, she checked on Melody then took her coffee cup out to the front porch to sit and say thanks.  For all that had been taken from her, equal amounts had also been given.  A little while later when she came back out with her second cup she was surprised to see Greg pulling into the driveway.

As Greg approached where she sat he smiled and then said, “Edna Jackson just called me and said that she cannot wait another single minute to see her new grandbaby.  She went on to say she had called every last one of the ‘boys’ and no one was answering their phone and that she would make me a pie if I’d come give her a ride over to the hospital.  I told her that I would send you over to get her since you’re better at the baby thing than I am.  Might want to hurry… I think she was a little serious about not waiting another minute.  I’m here to feed the kids cereal and generally mess up your house.”

An hour later Carla had Edna Jackson packed up in the car and as they drove toward the hospital the older woman patted her hand and said, “That Greg Sanders is a good man, Carla.”

She only nodded her acknowledgment that he was, but then said, “Yea he is… he’s just a little bit more perilous than I am cut out to handle.  Being shot apparently wasn’t enough for him… now he’s going to ride a motorcycle with the rest of them too. 
Dangerous
.”

Edna smiled and said, “It’s too bad we don’t know, going in, how something will work out in the end.”  Then after a brief pause she continued, “But then again… wouldn’t that take the fun and life out of the journey anyways?  To know the ending before the beginning?  I kind of feel like it’s best to just enjoy the time you get with a person rather than worrying about how
long
you get with them.  One breath at a time… or something like that.”

Chapter Twelve

Greg checked in on the baby who was sleeping peacefully.  Then in preparation of the three kids waking up he got out cereal, bowls, spoons and milk and set them on the counter.  After climbing the stairs and finding Ben’s room empty he headed down the hallway to Matt’s room.