Winds of Heaven (31 page)

Casey pulled back and looked down into the lustful blue eyes.

“We’d…we better stop,” Liz whispered.

Though Casey wanted nothing else but to continue, she understood. “It’s me, isn’t it?”

“What?”

“I know what you’re thinking, and it’s okay. I hope in time, my past won’t—”

Liz put her fingertips against Casey’s lips. “This is not about you. It’s me, Casey. I want you badly, but being pregnant and fat and swollen and—”

It was Casey’s turn to quiet Liz with her fingertips. She looked at Liz’s lips and lightly ran her finger across them. “I understand how you feel. But you need to know I find you so desirable right now. Just the way you are. I’m not waiting for your body or any part of you to change. So when you feel it’s right, it’ll be right. Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”

She then kissed Liz and cuddled her close. “I’ll wait.”

“Thank you.”

“Now go to sleep. Before you know it, it’ll be the witching hour and baby will be sleeping on your bladder again.”

Liz laughed sleepily and nestled into her shoulder. “You’re a good kisser, Ms. Bennett.”

Casey tightened her embrace and laughed. “You’re not so bad yourself. Go to sleep.”

They lay in silence for a few moments until Liz said, “Guess what I’m doing right now.”

“I haven’t a clue.”

“Doing my
Kegels
.”

Casey started chuckling, and soon Liz followed her until both women were laughing uncontrollably.

Chapter 19

With each day that flew by, Casey tried to predict the time of arrival of the new Kennedy.

“Okay. I’ve got it figured out.” She sat at the kitchen table.

Skye was eating a banana and Liz was smiling and obediently listening.

“Now your due date is December 3. That gives us two weeks. Next Thursday is Thanksgiving. Don’t worry about dinner, I’ll make it.”

“Honey, have you ever made a turkey before?” Liz asked.

Casey blinked stupidly. “Well...”

“I can make it.”

“No. You’re not supposed to. Wait, I’ve got an idea.”

Skye let out a baby groan and put her head down. Casey frowned and gaped at her. “Hey, this will work. Now you tell me what to do and I will make the dinner.
Shortround
and I will go to the store and get everything.”

“I help,” Skye said happily.

Casey beamed and pointed to her. “See, this is good!”

Liz groaned. “All right. I’ll make a list.” She then handed the phone to Casey, who gave her a curious look. “You want to invite Meredith and Niles and Brian, don’t you?”

“Of course, but remember, you’re not doing a thing,” Casey said firmly, and Liz just nodded.

Casey wheeled the cart through the grocery store. “Your mother and her lists,” Casey said and looked at Skye, who sat in the seat, her arms folded across her chest in a defiant pose. Casey glanced down at her, trying to avoid the feisty humanoid.

“
Cafey
, I walk...”

“No. You’ll run all over the place and we need to concentrate.” Casey looked at the list. “Well, I need to concentrate.” She stopped in the produce section and walked away from the cart. “Okay, onions, celery. I can do this,” she said and picked up the items. “Potatoes...” She checked off the list.

As she took the items back to the cart, she saw Skye reach over, pick up a tomato, and bite into it.

“
Shortround
…” she grumbled and Skye pulled the tomato out of Casey’s reach. Each time Casey grabbed for it, Skye whisked it out of her way.

“
Golldarnit
, ya octopus…” Casey mumbled. She was getting better at not swearing.

Skye then dropped the half-eaten tomato on the floor. “Sorry,
Cafey
,” she said with a precocious grin.

Casey glared at her, and to her embarrassment, a woman picked up the tomato and grinned. “Did you lose this?” the redhead asked.

Casey smiled sheepishly. “
Th
-thanks. I shouldn’t have left the little darling alone,” she said and glared at Skye, who was still grinning.

“Well, you seem to have your hands full. Is this your daughter? Or are you single?” the redhead asked and looked into Casey’s eyes.

She swallowed and grinned helplessly. “Yes to the first question, and no.” She smiled and the redhead shrugged.

“Well, have a nice holiday,” she said and walked away.

Casey looked down at Skye, who seemed like she knew what the redhead wanted. Is that possible? Casey thought. There was too much she did not know about children.

An hour later, Casey was exhausted and Skye was so cranky her face was flushed.
 

“Well, that went well,” Casey said sarcastically as she wheeled the cart to the car.

Skye folded her arms in a huff. “
Cafey
, I help,” she said and her bottom lip quivered.

Casey stopped the cart by the car and looked down at the sad face. All at once, she felt like a heel. “Skye, I needed to get this done. Did you see how many people there were in that store? Geez, if I’d have let you go, I’d have been chasing you.”

“I help,” she said in a small voice.

Casey groaned and felt horrible. “Okay. When we get home, you can help me put everything away and help make Thanksgiving dinner. Then we have to send a letter to Santa.”

Skye’s eyes lit up. “Letter? Mine own letter to Santa?”

“Yep. So
whatta
ya say, help me?”

Skye patted Casey’s hand. “Sure, I help
Cafey
.”

Casey looked down into those blue eyes. “Thanks,
Shortround
. You saved me again,” she said and kissed Skye’s nose as she giggled.

“Bottom shelf,” Casey instructed and Skye struggled with the bag of flour.

“
Cafey
, too heavy,” Skye said with a groan.

Liz narrowed her eyes at Casey, who tried not to laugh. “What’s the point of having a dwarf around...?” She started to joke and Liz continued to glare at her. Casey laughed and picked up the flour and put it away.

“Okay,
Shortround
, let’s try this.” Casey handed her the tomatoes.

“Like lady in store,” Skye said.

Casey closed her eyes and prayed—no such luck. Women on a whole have radar. Pregnant women seemed wired purposefully.

“What woman, sweet pea?” Liz asked absently.

“Red hair. She like
Cafey
,” Skye said.

Casey shoved Skye into the refrigerator and tried to close the door. Skye screamed and laughed as Casey released her.

“Really? What happened, Skye?” Liz asked as she sat at the table.

“Okay, okay, don’t grill the kid,” Casey said, holding up her hands in defeat. “Your
daughter picked up a tomato and took a healthy bite, then dropped it on the ground. A woman picked it up. Pleasantries exchanged and that was that. Happy holidays, bye-bye.”

Skye giggled as she extricated herself from the refrigerator. Casey looked down at the little traitor. “Hold on, you’re not frozen yet,” she said wickedly and Skye shrieked with laughter and ran to her mother.

On her way to the studio the next morning, Casey had breakfast with her grandmother. Meredith lavishly spread the jam on her toast and took a healthy bite.

“This was a wonderful idea,” she said.

Casey drank her coffee and nodded.

“Now tell me how you are going to make a turkey dinner.” Meredith sipped her tea.

“I went shopping for everything.”

“Another list?”

“Yes,” Casey said with a grin. “So Liz will play drill sergeant for me and Skye. She’ll boss us around and we’ll make dinner.”

Meredith sat back and looked at Casey, who munched on a piece of bacon. “You are so in love with this woman.”

Casey stopped chewing and looked up. “I-I guess so.”

“So have you had sex yet?”

Casey nearly choked on her eggs. “Damn it,” she said and wiped her chin. “Gram, what the hell
kinda
question is that?”

“I think it’s a perfectly normal question to ask a woman who is in love.”

Casey hid her face in her hands.

“Well?”

“Not yet,” Casey said and avoided the curious look.

“I see. In Liz’s condition, I’m sure sex is the last thing on her mind. Are you at least sleeping in the same bed?”

“Yes,” Casey answered obediently. “Now, you nosy old woman, can we change the topic?”

“One more question. Is Liz practicing her
Kegels
?”

Casey hung her head but answered obediently. “Yes, Gram.”

Thanksgiving morning came with a clang. Casey winced when she dropped the pot on the floor. “Okay. I’m very good with instructions,” Casey said and placed the pot back on the stove; she then rubbed her hands together.

For the next three hours, Liz ordered and Casey followed. Only once, when the stuffing needed to be stuffed did Casey grimace, as did Skye, who wore an apron because Casey wore one.

“This is gross,” Casey grimaced.

Skye, elbows on the table as she watched, agreed. “Yucky,
Cafey
.” Skye pulled a face and stuck out her tongue.

Other than that, the turkey was in the oven. The local bakery handled the pumpkin and apple pies. Casey was not ready for baking yet.

“Mama, put feet up,” Skye said and Liz laughed.

Casey agreed and got the ottoman. Liz eased into the couch and put her feet up; she let out a contented sigh when Casey caressed her calves.

“Don’t argue,” she said, kissing her deeply.

“Yes, ma’am.” Liz closed her eyes.

“Well, I think Santa Claus is about to make an appearance,” Casey called out to Skye and turned on the Thanksgiving Day parade.

Skye ran out of her bedroom and sat in front of the television. Casey sat on the couch next to Liz and watched the parade.

“Where Santa?” Skye asked.

“Soon, sweet pea.” Liz sighed tiredly and Casey glanced at her.

“You okay, turtle woman?”
 

Liz grinned and nodded as Casey reached over and caressed her stomach.

Liz laughed. “God, I’m huge! Why does everyone want to touch my stomach? Yesterday, Skye and I were at the store and two people asked to rub my belly. What is that?”

Casey laughed at the mental picture. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because you have a little human growing in there.”

Skye turned and looked at them. “They love baby, Mama.”

Both women looked at Skye and said nothing for a moment.