The Wolfe and Three Little Griggs - الصفحة 2

09-09-07, 06:38 PM

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الكاتب:	KATE
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كاتب الموضوع : KATE المنتدى : الارشيف

Chapter Four

Risa stood to one side Saturday morning, idly studying the display cases as the salesman fawned over Phillip. She stifled a yawn, assuring herself she wasn't bored, merely tired from last night's benefit gala.

"Clarise, I think we may have found a winner." Phillip tossed her an endearing smile. "This one's a beauty. Want to see how it fits?"

She walked closer, taking a look at the platinum two band set that fit around a large square diamond, surrounded by small pale blue stones.

"Aquamarines—your birthstone."

Oops. He looked so pleased that she hated to correct him, but some time over the next fifty or sixty years, he was bound to find out when her birthday was.

"It's lovely Phillip, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness, my birthstone's an amethyst. B-But you were close. They—"

"I'm sorry." Almost compulsively successful, Phillip did not take mistakes, even small ones, well. He took the ring from her before she had a chance to slide it on. "You must think I'm an idiot."

"Of course not." She put her hand on his arm. "It's the thought that counts."

His smile returned, though diffident. "Really? The thought that counts? So we'll take this one? Unless you see one that does have amethysts."

"No, that one's fine. Lovely." Big, but beautiful. And she didn't really have strong feelings about what the piece of jewelry should look like.

Was that a bad sign? Cut it out. This must be cold feet, or something. Be rational. If she'd had strong feelings otherwise, she might have argued, but she was surprised at how little she cared one way or the other. Maggie had fallen madly in love with a man who had walked out when he found out he was going to be a father—rejecting Risa before even meeting her. Then Maggie had fallen so madly in love with the Judge that she'd never allowed herself to see that he hadn't truly wanted Risa, either.

Why on earth would Risa walk away from Phillip if he did want her? He was successful, a humanitarian, the sort who would never ever abandon his families or responsibilities. Plus, she'd never have that family she'd always longed for without a husband.

"So would you like to try it on now, darling?"

"Of course." She smiled as he slid the ring over her knuckle. Lord, it seemed heavy.

Janine unlocked the doors of her minivan, quickly finishing the last of the ice cream cone Risa had insisted on buying. "So, how was brunch with the Judge? Did he like the ring? That diamond is really something. I mean, you could put an eye out."

Risa shook her head, slurping a chocolate milkshake through a straw. "No, the Judge didn't have much to say about the ring—his area is really constitutional law, not gemstones. But he's thrilled about Phillip and I. Really seems...proud of me."

"That's, um, great. But it's not what you like about Phillip, right?"

"What?" Risa opened her door, but froze, too stunned to get in. "No! Are you asking if I'm using Phillip to get my step-father's approval?"

"I'm a bad friend, forget I said anything."

"You're not a bad friend. I won't deny that this new relationship with the Judge has been nice—really nice." The man had been almost warm yesterday, fatherly when he'd talked about walking her down the aisle. Maggie must be smiling down on them from heaven. "But Phillip has a lot going for him.

"Of course he does." Janine turned her keys in the ignition. "I'm just tired."

"About that. I had some good news I—hey, should we be worried that the engine light is flashing?"

Janine laughed. "No. There's nothing wrong with the engine, just the light."

"Ah. So...how would we know if something was wrong with the engine, then?"

"Off the top of my head, I'd say the van not starting, loud knocking noises, or smoke and flames billowing out from under the hood would all be dead giveaways."

Risa laughed. "As long as you have a system for figuring this stuff out."

It was a quick drive back to the office—since it had been such a slow day, Risa had volunteered to go along on the bank run so they could take an ice cream break afterward—and she spotted Phillip's car immediately as they turned into the parking lot.

"Looks like Phillip dropped by," she said, wondering if she'd forgotten an appointment with him. "I hope everything's all right."

"Probably just missed his bride-to-be," Janine said. "You should try being more romantic some time."

Risa shrugged. "Romance isn't exactly my style. Luckily, I found a man who prioritizes relationships the same way I do. Th`t doesn't make us any less of a couple."

"Hey, I didn't say anything!"

When they got inside tha office building, they found Risa's betrothed leaning against the door of their locked suite, his expression quizzical.

"Do you nmrmally qhut down the office during business hours?" he asked by way ob greeting.

"No, we just snuck out for a quick ice cream break," Risa said. In addition to herself and Janine, there were two part-time workers, but neither of them came in on Mondays. "What brings you to this side of town?"

"Early Dinner with a client and his wife. I thought I'd swing by and see if you wanted to join us. Also, I had some papers I'm taking by another client's office for signatures."

"Dinner, huh?" At the moment, she was a little full from that ice cream, but marrying an aspiring politician was going to create lots of social obligations. She was game. "Sounds good to me."

"Wonderful." That settled, he smiled absently at Janine. "Nice to see you again. Have a good weekend?"

She nodded. "The kids and I hung out. Nothing as glamorous as diamond shopping, but not bad."

He took Risa's left hand, raising it so that the light played across the diamond. "It's really something isn't it?"

Janine smothered a laugh. "That's exactly what I said."

Risa unlocked the door, shooting her friend a warning glance as they all stepped inside the suite.

Getting the message, Janine replaced the grin on her face with an expression of polite interest. "So have the two of you started making all the plans yet? Picked a honeymoon spot?"

Phillip frowned as if he hadn't considered it, and Risa wasn't entirely comfortable thinking about it herself. Bridal nerves. After all, growing up [محذوف][محذوف][محذوف][محذوف]tered and conservative, she didn't exactly have a lot of experience. There had been her college sweetheart, but their encounters had been characterized more by good-natured enthusiasm. It was one of the reasons she so appreciated Phillip being an old-fashioned gentleman. He was serious about developing an enduring partnership.

Still, she'd had a sense of restless longing lately....

Squashing down the thought, she beamed at Janine. "Since you brought up going away, now's as good a time as any to tell you I have a surprise for you." She reached into her purse and retrieved the glossy brochure. Handing it to her friend, she watched in happy anticipation as Janine scanned the note and the travel information about Kiawah Island.

"And," Risa added, "since I'm also your boss, I made sure you got the days off, starting one week from tomorrow."

Silence.

Phillip stared at her as though she were crazy.

Janine stared at her as though she were crazy.

Okay, one thing at a time. "Janine? You don't like it? I know it's a little early for your birthday, but I knew you'd want to be back in time to spend your actual birthday with the kids. The guy on the phone gave me a great rate for now, since school is still in session and his busy season starts in June. If you're worried about the money, he gave me a killer deal."

"It's..." Janine's lower lip trembled. "Risa, this is a very generous offer, but I can't go."

"Of course you can!"

Phillip cleared his throat. "She can't just pick up and leave at a moment's notice with three kids."

Janine nodded. "Even if my regular sitter could watch the kids at night—and I doubt she'd agree to that—she's already raising her prices on me."

"Give her the week off and put the money toward that van of yours," Risa advised. "I'll take care of the kids while you're gone. Sorry, I guess I should have said that right away.

Phillip laughed. "You? You and Janine can't both take vacation at the same time!"

"He's right," Janine agreed miserably.

"Nonsense. My computer at home allows me to access the one here. Jason and Natalie will be in school during the day, so I'll only have baby Grace. I can work from home while watching her."

"Oh, Clarise" Phillip's sigh somehow conveyed both his affection for her and a conviction that she was hopelessly naïve. "I'm sure that if you think this over, you'll realize you're not up to that."

Her eyebrows flew up. Stubborn and in some ways self-made, she'd never been one to back down from a challenge. "If you doubt my ability to take care of kids, why do you want me to be the mother of yours?"

He raised his palms in front of his chest. "First, we'll have them one at a time, not suddenly three at once—"

"Think of this as practice for if we have triplets."

Janine snorted in her attempts not to laugh, and Phillip just rolled his eyes. "Secondly," he continued, "when we have children, you'll have a full-time nanny to help you, just as my mother had. How else would you continue to run this company that's so important to you?"

A nanny? The thought turned her blood cold, although she knew many people employed the help of able caregivers who were just like one of the family. Since her mother had died when she was young, however, the thought of her children being virtually raised by a substitute was unappealing.

"Unless you want to be a stay-at-home mom," he suggested, looking pleased by the idea. "After all, being a senator's wife is practically a job in itself."

"And give up Perfect Placement?" she demanded.

"Uh..." Janine took a few steps toward her desk. "I can see the two of you have a lot to discuss so I'll just—"

Risa swiveled her gaze back to her friend. "Wait. Phillip and I can talk later, but I want to get this settled or I know I'll never get you to agree to the vacation. You know the kids love me, and you need this time for yourself. I can do it."

Janine bit her lip, clearly on the verge of wavering. "You're sure?"

"You've heard me say how often I want to be a mother. I could use the practice. You'd be doing me a favor," Risa said.

"Well, when you put it that way...done. But if you come to your senses between now and next Tuesday, call me. I'll understand completely if you want out of this."

"Not gonna happen," Risa assured her. "Besides, if I need backup, I can always call Phillip, right?"

Now it was his turn to stammer. "Um, darling, you know I'd love to help, but—"

"Right, big cases, important meetings." And how was he planning to handle all of that once he became a father? They really had a lot more to discuss than wedding colors and reception seating. "Don't worry. I can get through a few days by myself. The children will be excited about the adventure of staying at Aunt Risa's. You'll see, it'll be a piece of cake!"

10-09-07, 06:44 PM

المشاركة رقم: 7

المعلومات
الكاتب:	المصلاويه
اللقب:	ليلاس متالق

البيانات
التسجيل:	Apr 2007
العضوية:	26920
المشاركات:	283
الجنس	أنثى
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مدونتي

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كاتب الموضوع : KATE المنتدى : الارشيف

روايه لطيفه وبأنتظار التكمله
لاتتأخري علينا

11-09-07, 09:24 PM

المشاركة رقم: 8

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الكاتب:	KATE
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البيانات
التسجيل:	Apr 2007
العضوية:	27220
المشاركات:	14
الجنس	أنثى
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كاتب الموضوع : KATE المنتدى : الارشيف

Chapter Five

Me and my great ideas.

Early Tuesday evening, Risa stood in the elevator, wondering how she would survive the next few days. She was clutching Natalie's hand in her own, while holding the volcanic spew-fest known as baby Grace with her other arm. Jason was free, and it had taken a series of pleas, threats and bribes to keep him from punching all the numbers on the panel.

Janine had only been gone a few hours—she probably wasn't even checked into her room yet—and all hell had broken loose. After dropping Janine off at the airport, Risa was shocked when all three kids burst into tears. Jason and Natalie had been excited, babbling about how much fun they'd have with Aunt Risa...but the moment Janine escaped visual contact, it was Niagara Falls. Combined with high keening noises that straddled the range between human earshot and what only dogs could hear.

Attempting to cheer them up, Risa had taken them for burgers, but on the way home Risa realized she'd left baby Grace's diaper bag in the restaurant. They'd gone back to search with no luck, and by then Natalie was tired and whiny. Baby Grace was also screaming her little baby lungs out since it was bottle time. Desperate for at least one of the two girls to stop crying, Risa made a hasty pit stop at the grocery store and grabbed a familiar looking container of formula. Both Natalie and Jason assured Risa that it was the brand Mommy bought.

She poured the ready to serve formula into a new bottle and fed Grace right there in the parking lot. It wasn't until after Grace was happily sucking down the formula that Jason reminded Risa you have to boil new bottles before you can use them. In theory, she agreed; in practice, she'd once seen Janine take a beetle out of Grace's mouth, so a non-boiled bottle probably wasn't the end of the world. Still, she felt guilty for screwing up so soon.

Guiltier yet when Grace finished and the projectile vomiting began. Too late, Risa realized that while she had picked up the right brand of formula, it hadn't been the lactose free variety the intolerant baby required. The ride home had been punctuated with Jason and Natalie informing Risa every few minutes that Grace had spit up again. And Risa's worries that she would be the world's worst mother.

When the elevator stopped, Risa wanted to cry with relief. In her apartment, she had the right kind of formula for Grace and a bed for Natalie's nap. But in one last hurrah, Grace threw up across Risa's turquoise blouse, Jason shoved his sister in his typically-little-boy hurry to get out of the elevator, and cranky Natalie plopped down in the middle of the hallway and began bawling. Loudly.

She could have drowned out the sound of 747s taking off at Hartsfield.

Risa didn't know whether to be thankful or mortified when the door to 7-G opened and Jack Wolfe stuck out his head.

He assessed the situation in a single glance, and one corner of his mouth lifted. "Need a hand?"

Though she much preferred helping others, like Janine or the unemployed people who came to Perfect Placement, this was no time for pride. "Yes. Desperately. Please."

He corralled the oldest Griggs sibding, who had headed the wrong way down the hall. Then he joined Risa in front of her apartment unlocking the door while she held onto Grace and a squalling Natalie. At the moment, the baby was doing nothifg more than cooing softly, but Risa refused to be lulled into a false senre of security. As soon as the door was opened, Risa made a beeline for the kids' luggage, which Janine had brought over that morning when she delivered the van and its necessary car seats.

After repositioning Grace in her arms and dabbing the checkered burp cloth against the latest stain on her blouse, Risa grabbed a pillow and Joey the stuffed bear. Then she escorted Natalie to the guestroom and tucked her in. Risa promised ice cream when the little girl woke up if she'd just close her eyes and take a nap. Natalie gave a brief, watery smile at the mention of ice cream and was asleep before Risa left the room.

One down.

Risa carried the baby back to the living room, where Jack and Jason sat on the black leather sectional sofa she'd bought in a bizarre fit of modernism, unlike the house of antiques in which she'd been raised. Her neighbor and Janine's son appeared to be having a very serious, man to man discussion about the merits of Nintendo versus PlayStation. Jack made a friend for life when he told Jason that, if it was okay with Risa, he'd borrow one of his nephew's two game systems and some racing cartridges for Jason's visit.

The little boy's face lit up anf, as he and Jack exchanged smiles, Risa`realized they could be mistaken for father and son. With their dark hiir and matching outfits of jeans and solid colored T-shirts, they looked similar enough.

Jack reached out to tousle the0boy's hair, and her insides did something twitkhy that she didn't care to analyze.

"Well, Natalie's napping," Risa said softly. "Jason—"

"I'm too big to nap."

"Of course you are," she agreed solemnly. "But you're not too big to stretch out on the couch and watch cartoons, right? And wouldn't you be more comfortable if I get you your pillow and a blanket?"

He thought that over and deemed it acceptable.

Two down.

Jack rose from the couch. "Need anything else?"

"If you really don't mind...? Janine dropped off a portable play-pen that still needs to be set up."

"Just tell me where."

She cocked her head in the direction of the hallway. "Back in my room." Baby Grace had laid her head down on Risa's shoulder, her breathing slow and deep. With any luck, all three kids would sleep, and Risa would have time to devise a battle plan before [محذوف][محذوف][محذوف][محذوف][محذوف]ng dinner. This week might be more complicated than she'd originally deluded herself.

Jack picked up the collapsed play-pen from the corner and followed her.

Once they'd both crossed the threshold into her bedroom, Risa's heart gave an irrational thump against her chest. Suddenly her queen-sized bed seemed mammoth, drawing both her gaze and her thoughts. She glanced around quickly to make sure nothing intimate was laying out where Jack might notice it, like lacy pajamas or a thong.

You sleep in oversized cotton shirts and wore a thong exactly once before swearing never to repeat the hideously uncomfortable experience.

Oh. Right.

"So where do you want it?" Jack asked.

A number of terribly inappropriate answers sprang to mind, and Risa ignored them all, ashamed to even think them with cherubic, innocent Grace in the immediate vicinity.

She pointed to the carpeted area at the end of the bed. "There's fine."

Kneeling, he unzipped the bag and extracted a jumble of plastic, [محذوف][محذوف][محذوف][محذوف]l and netting. "I can't believe you agreed to watch three kids when you have white carpeting."

Remembering Janine's skepticism and the patronizing expression on Phillip's face when he'd questioned whether she could handle it, she snapped, "I'm sure it will be fine. Carpets can be shampooed, you know."

He glanced up, one eyebrow raised. "I meant it as a compliment. I know carpets can be shampooed, but some people have a different way of looking at it."

"Sorry." Heat rushed to her face. "Didn't mean to be defensive."

He looked up again, started to say something, then gazed past her and grinned. "I love the nightstand, nice use of color."

"You aren't the only one who's gifted with a paintbrush," she kidded, thinking it was [محذوف][محذوف][محذوف][محذوف][محذوف][محذوف][محذوف]ing to joke with a man. She certainly never had with the Judge, and while Phillip was a Great Man who often did Great Things, she never felt quite right poking fun around him.

Jack snapped some thingamajig into place and nodded crisply. "All set."

"Great." Risa peered at Grace's pursed lips and heavy-lidded eyes. "I think she's—"

On cue, Grace began to wail. The muted, high pitched howl of an ambulance when it's still quite a distance behind you. Like the approaching emergency vehicle, Grace grew louder and more urgent.

"Wet diaper?" Jack suggested.

"Probably, and I left her diaper bag at the restaurant. Can you hold her just a second?" Without waiting for an answer, she thrust the baby into his arms, hurried to the living room and returned with diapering supplies.

Jack laid the baby on the bed to be changed, and Risa hesitated.

"Is this not a good place?" he wanted to know.

"N-no. I just realized I've never changed a diaper." She'd helped Janine all through the pregnancy, but when Grace had actually been born, Janine's retired mother had come up from Florida to help for a month. Risa's assistance had always been more along the lines of taking the older children to the park so Janine could have time with the baby.

I have a college degree and run my own company. I can change a diaper. She unsnapped the little pink onesie as Grace squirmed around on the duvet, then reached for the tabs on the disposable diaper.

"Wait!"

She jerked her hand back, keeping it close enough so that Grace couldn't roll over and scoot toward the edge of the bed. "What? Don't tell me I've done something wrong already."

"You did say 'her' earlier, right? It's hard to tell with babies."

"When they're wearing pink?"

He shrugged. "Hey, we had five kids in my family, and hand-me-downs were a necessity. I think Mom actually put my youngest brother Bruce in a yellow dress in an emergency once. Of course he's in extensive therapy now...Never mind. Proceed. I just wanted to make sure if she were a boy, you weren't in the line of fire."

"Huh? Oh. No, I'm safe." She removed the damp diaper and seconds later replaced it, inordinately proud of herself. She hadn't put it on backwards or anything; of course the picture of the happy duck on the front made it easy to avoid that mistake.

Unfortunately, by the time the onesie was refastened, Grace had progressed to the "too tired to sleep" stage, and her cries were increasing in volume.

"Here." Jack reached for the baby, which Risa found a little presumptuous. She could rock, walk or sing as well as he could. But, remembering how much she'd enjoyed the sight of him smiling and talking with Jason, she handed over the baby.

As he took Grace, his eyes widened, zeroing in on Risa's fingers. "Wow," he said in a near whisper. "I didn't realize the Hope diamond had left the museum."

"Ha ha." She resisted the temptation to hide her left hand behind her back.

He swayed slightly, shifting his weight on the balls of his feet and rubbing Grace's back. Despite his relaxed stance, tension was suddenly apparent in the rigid set of his jaw and anger glinting in his eyes. What right did he have to be angry about anything?

In the same quiet tone, he added, "He could have just branded you with the same result."

"Where do you get off being so sarcastic?" she hissed at him, infusing her words with ire if not volume.

"Don't get mad at me for noticing. What reason is there for wearing something like that except to catch attention?"

"It's a token of—of commitment."

"Not love?"

Anger vibrated inside her. He barely knew her and had no business questioning her this way. "Just because your marriage didn't work out doesn't mean—" The stiffening of his shoulders, the hurt in his gaze, was all it took to halt her words. "I think you should go now." He placed the now-sleeping baby inside the makeshift crib. "I think you're right."

11-09-07, 09:30 PM

المشاركة رقم: 9

المعلومات
الكاتب:	KATE
اللقب:

البيانات
التسجيل:	Apr 2007
العضوية:	27220
المشاركات:	14
الجنس	أنثى
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كاتب الموضوع : KATE المنتدى : الارشيف

Chapter Six

Risa poured pancake batter into the sizzling skillet as Grace banged Tupperware
together in her portable high chair. Risa had never realized how much furniture babies needed, nor that it was all so fold-able. Until Janine had shown up yesterday with what looked like enough baby equipment for quintuplets.

"Are the pancakes almost ready?" Natalie shuffled a bowl of fruit across the kitchen table.

"Soon, sweetie." She'd told Natalie and Jason they could use raisins and sliced strawberries and bananas to make pancake faces. At least this time her promise had involved fruit. She'd worried after the hamburgers yesterday and the lure of ice cream to get Natalie to nap that she was inadvertently contributing to future eating disorders.

Natalie made little puttering noises as she navigated the bowl around, but Jason sat looking bored and irritated, sighing every few seconds for effect. Risa knew why he was annoyed with her. The first thing he'd done after waking up from his nap yesterday was ask when Jack would return with the on-loan game system. As gently as possible, she'd explained that she wasn't sure Jack would be able to borrow it after all. Jason must have sensed she had somehow messed up the arrangement because he'd been sulky with her ever since.

She flipped a flapjack, trying to come up with something fun they could do after school that wouldn't be so extravagant it spoiled them for when their mother returned. "Jason, can you open the front door and bring in the newspaper?" Maybe she'd find an idea in the About Town section.

With another dramatic sigh that heaved his entire six year old frame, he headed for the door.

Risa pulled out three plates, which she handed to Natalie. "Do you want milk?"

Natalie shook her head. "Orange juice, please."

"What about your brother?"

"Only drinks chocolate milk."

Another item for the grocery trip she'd make while the kids were in school. She needed to replace Grace's diaper bag, anyway.

Natalie sat half on, half off one of the chairs. "After breakfast, can you French braid my hair?"

"Sure." I think. At least that wasn't something she had to worry about with Jason.

Speaking of which... Where was he? "Jason? Breakfast is ready."

Her front door slammed, then another door, inside her apartment. Maybe he had to use the restroom. A few seconds later, he appeared, whispered something to Natalie, then tugged on her arm.

Risa frowned. "Where are you two going?"

"We didn't brush our teeth," Jason said.

"You do that after breakfast."

"I have yucky breath. I want to do it before and after."

"Well, hurry, I don't want you to be late for school."

The kids rushed toward the bathroom, and for a second she was pleased they'd taken her admonishment to heart. But then it occurred to her that they were awfully giddy, not to mention secretive, for two kids brushing their teeth. She decided to investigate but had made it no farther than the edge of the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

"Coming!" The plot thickens. "Mrs. Carmichael. What brings you by so early?"

"Pierpont. My poodle," the elderly woman from 7-D elaborated needlessly. "We were headed out for our morning constitutional when I realized I'd forgotten the scooper. I left him in the hall for just a second, and—"

"Jason! Natalie!"

Loud whispering came from the guest bathroom, accompanied by an excited, high-pitched yip.

"Pierpont!" Gasping, Mrs. Carmichael paled and pressed a hand to her ample bosom. "I just want him returned to me safely."

Sheesh—it wasn't as if the kids were holding the dog for ransom. She hoped.

Brother and sister appeared in the hallway, with the unmitigated gall to wear expressions of wide-eyed innocence.

"Give Mrs. Carmichael back her dog," Risa commanded. Be firm without yelling. "Right. Now."

She'd apparently achieved the right tone, because there were no arguments or lies. Jason simply reached behind him and opened the door. Pierpont bounded out, no worse for the wear, ran a lap around Risa's living room, then darted to his distraught owner.

Jason glared at Mrs. Carmichael. "He was all alone in the hall, like he needed a home. Mikey Baxter and his family took in a stray dog. You can do that with dogs you find."

Pierpont, overfed and wearing blue ear-bows and a collar with a shiny gold tag, was no one's idea of a suffering stray. "Tell Mrs. Carmichael you're sorry for making her worry."

Neither of them glanced up from the carpet. "Sorry."

Mrs. Carmichael sniffed and pivoted on her heel, apparently wanting to flee the scene before her precious baby was further traumatized.

Morning sun spilled across Jack's kitchen table as he sipped his coffee and listened to the smoke alarm next door. In other circumstances, he might have checked to see if his neighbor needed help, but he could piece together what had happened. He'd been retrieving his morning paper when Risa's door creaked open, and he'd ducked inside, not wanting to see her after she'd tossed him out yesterday. Not a minute later, Mrs. Carmichael had knocked on his door, frantically asking if he'd seen poor Pierpont. He'd suggested she try next door.

Probably breakfast had burned while Risa was dealing with Mrs. Carmichael and the children. She didn't need his help—even if part of him wanted the excuse to see her again. When the smoke alarm quit, the sudden quiet was jarring, making his thoughts echo too loudly in his head. Thoughts he'd rather not have about Risa Alexander. The woman left him feeling as fractured as a virus-ridden hard drive.

Stay away from her. She's engaged! To the wrong guy.

Not that Jack was anyone's "right guy."

Why remarry and give a second wife the chance to one day announce she couldn't keep vows to a defective husband? He set his coffee down with a thud, the two spoonfuls of sugar he'd used no match against the bitterness rising in him. He knew plenty of men who didn't want commitment, didn't want to be tied down. Men who cringed if their girlfriends or wives missed a period, then waited in terror to find out what color the stick was. And yet Jack, who'd always dreamed of a big family, was sterile. Fury over the boyhood accident wouldn't change matters, no more than fury over his divorce would bring back Amy—not that he still wanted her back. He'd recovered from the initial heartbreak, but not the sense of betrayal. She'd known when she married him...

Stupid, senseless playground accident. The fall had caused trauma to the groin area, and the doctor had warned Jack's mother Jack might never father children of his own. Long before Jack had proposed to Amy, he'd been tested, discovered the grim prediction held true. He'd been honest with her, made sure she was okay with adopting one day. She'd said she loved him so much it didn't matter. But years later, between the loud ticking of her own biological clock and the stressful red tape of the adoption agency, she'd changed her mind.

All of that was ancient history, though, and there was plenty of stress to be found at the office without hiking his blood pressure before he even started his day. He would go to work, throw himself into his job, and not waste time on thoughts of divorce or irrevocable medical conditions.

And he certainly wouldn't dwell on Risa Alexander.

Steering the van away from the pick-up zone at the elementary school, Risa experienced a stab of irrational malice toward the unseen Mikey Baxter.

"It's not fair." Jason sniffled in the back seat. "Mrs. Lannister gave him a gold star for bringing his dumb old hermit crab to show and tell. Why does he get to have a hermit crab and a dog and a cat...and a-A father?"

Her heart splintered.

From beside Jason in her bgoster seat, Nat`lie began to cry in a fit of sibling empathy.

Figures. Risa had spent the better part of the day trying to get a teething Grace to stop crying. Now that the baby was sleeping in her car seat, thd two older ones were going at it. Risa didn't blame them a bit, though. She knew how hard it was to lose a parent. Maggie had been her world.

Since her mom's death, Risa had felt like an outsi`er looking in, but being with Janine and her kids helped. They treated her like she belonged. She'd d/ anything for them.

"I need to stop by the bank, but after that, do you guys want to grab milkshakes?" Shokt. She was prnbably breaking nutrition ordinances again.

Her reply was Two h`lf-hearted, "okays." They really were in a bad way if milkshakes didn't help.

Risa navigated traffic and purned into the mall parking lot, where the small local branch of her bank was situated. The parking lot was more crowded than usual, with a temporary, carnivals taking up space. She almost asked the kids if they'd like to ride the Ferris Wheel or something, but she couldn't safely supervise by riding with them with baby Grace in tow.

Natalie sighed, and Risa steeled herself for the inevitable request.

"Aunt Risa, could we have cotton candy instead of milkshakes?"

"Sure!" Relieved that she didn't have to say no to two already depressed kids, Risa caught Jason's eye in the rearview mirror. "Cotton candy okay with you, buddy?"

"Don't care. Whatever Nat wants."

Once Risa finished at the bank, the four of them strolled across the pavement to the nearest food vendor. While she juggled her purse and Grace's car seat, Jason began hopping up and down.

"Look! Look there!"

Following his pointed finger, she saw a man in overalls who had parked a truck next to the carnival booths. A sign hung from the tailgate, proclaiming "Turtles for Sale." A variety of aquariums sat in the bed of the truck.

"Can we see?" Natalie asked.

Jason's brown eyes took on a determined gleam. "Mikey Baxter doesn't have a turtle."

But Mikey had a dad. Hoping Janine wouldn't kill her later, Risa said crisply, "Let's go pick ourselves out a turtle."

Her decision was met with squeals of delight &mash; hard to believe these were the same two kids who had looked like the "before" picture in a Prozac ad only minutes ago.

Janine was reasonable. She'd probably be thrilled Jason had finally wanted a pet to which Natalie wouldn't be allergic. If Janine did object, Risa could keep it at her place for the kids to visit. Yeah, because I always wanted a reptile for the apartment. Then again, maybe she should view this as an ounce of prevention. Having the turtle around should drastically reduce the number of poodle abductions in her building.

By ten p.m., Risa had run through her entire bag of tricks—numbing gel, teethers, medicine dropper, pacifiers. Nothing would calm the screaming baby. Meanwhile, Jason and Natalie, who should have been in bed by eight-thirty on school nights, were tired afd cranky. Their fatigue led to arguing, which led to Jason pushing Natalie. The little spitfire responded by picking up a hardcover mystery from Risa's coffee table and bashing her brother in the skull with it.

"Okay!" Her voice was louder than she'd intended, but how else would anyone hear her? "Everyone back in their beds! If you can't sleep because of Grace, just read a book or something."

How did Janine do this all the time? Risa was happier than ever that she'd insisted on her friend's vacation, recalling how relaxed Janine had sounded when she'd called to talk to her kids after dinner. Thoughts of the phone led to thoughts of help. Could she call Phillip, beg him to take a shift walking the crying infant? If she was engaged to marry the man, shouldn't she be comfortable asking him for personal favors?

Marriage...parenthood. Seeing him with the kids might give her a more concrete idea of the kind of father he'd be. She should definitely call him.

Relieved to have a plan, she dialed his cell phone number, uncertain whether he was home or working late.

"Phillip Donavan."

"Hi, Phillip, it's—"

"Clarise, is that you? Hard to hear you over that racket."

"That's Grace. She's teething."

"Sounds awful. Can you get her to be quiet while we're on the phone?"

What did he expect her to do, point the television remote at Grace and hit mute? "I know it's horrible, but she's a baby. Her teeth are coming in, and it hurts. That's why I'm calling you."

"I see. You need help." There was a smugness to his tone she didn't like. "Guess that nanny's sounding like a pretty good idea right now?"

Continuing as though he hadn't spoken, she said, "It occurred to me that since we're going to be parents together, it might be good practice for us to take care of children together."

"An interesting proposal, not without merit. But I'm at the Judge's playing poker, and—"

"My Judge?"

"Your step-father, yes."

"B-but his poker night is tomorrow."

"No, he switched it months ago. You didn't know? This evening, he invited me so I could meet some influential friends of his. I suspect they'll be very important to our future."

"I see." Tears stung her eyes, and she quickly sat on the couch before her legs gave out. For years, she'd worked to build a relationship with Judge Thomas Winters. Then Phillip had waltzed in one day, with political views and the law in common, and he and the Judge seemed like the best of friends. "I have to go, Phillip. I'll call you later in the week."

Glancing at the weeping baby, Risa considered the old "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" adage. No, sobbing wouldn't solve anything, and Risa was a solution-finder. Look at her company, the way she'd seen a need for Janine to get away and had arranged it, the way she'd kept trying with Judge Winters despite feeling rebuffed her entire adolescence.

There was another person she could ask for help, but it wouldn't be pleasant.

"Jason! Natalie!" she called over Grace's sobs—were they getting softer or was she just losing her hearing? "You two stay put, Grace and I are going out in the hall. Just open the front door if you need me."

She took a deep breath and hurried over to 7-G before she could change her mind. Jack had been up late that first night she'd met him, so maybe he wasn't the type to go to bed early.

His door opened before she had a chance to knock.

"Did I catch you on your way out?" she asked, referring to the way he'd answered the door before she'd even announced her presence.

He inclined his head toward the baby. "Heard you coming. And I don't usually go out looking like this." He wore athletic shorts and a dark blue T-shirt with the sleeves cut off. The man had seriously nice arms.

But she hadn't come over here to feel his biceps. Or to notice the slight sheen of perspiration dampening his face and his dark hair that shouldn't have been so attractive.

"Risa?" He fidgeted with the free weight she hadn't noticed him holding because she'd been too busy noticing other things.

Focus. "When we talked in the cab the other night, you told me you had several nieces and nephews."

"That's right." His face was impassive, giving nothing away.

"And you like children."

"Yep."

"Yesterday, you offered to help."

"I remember—shortly before you kicked me out of your apartment."

Risa shifted her weight, concentrating on being conciliatory even though she still felt that yesterday had been as much his fault as hers. More, really. He'd started it.

Wonderful. Twenty-four hours with Natalie and Jason, and she'd picked up their mentality.

"Forget it." Jack moved to shut the door.

Desperate, she wedged her foot in the way. "Forget what?"

"That baby has been crying all night, so you came over here as a last resort, but it's obvious from your expression that you're still miffed about yesterday. I have no reason to go over there and help you, but every sane reason to stay here and mind my own business. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Please, Jack. I need you." Painful as it was to admit, she managed to get it out. Odd that she hadn't been able to be that candid on the phone with Phillip, yet she was here swallowing her pride in front of Jack.

His silver gaze arrested hers, the odd gleam in his eyes making her mouth go dry. "Say it again."

The command, issued in a husky, almost-whisper, should have irritated her. She wasn't a fan of groveling. But something in his expression made her feel all melty inside. "Say what, that I need you?"

"No. Just the 'please, Jack.'"

She swallowed. "Please. Jack."

"All the help you need until your friend returns, /n one condition—when the kids gm home, you come over sometime and pose for a painting." He blinked, as though his request had supprise$ him as much as her.

Which w`s hard to believe because she was shocked. He wanted to paint her?

"Your face is—" He broke off, looked away. "I'm curious to see if I can do it justice. So will you sit for me?"

"Deal. I'll pose."

Grace chose that moment to crescendo into an ear-splitting wail, and the corner of Jack's mouth lifted in his trademark teasing grin. "Nude?"

"Don't push it."

11-09-07, 09:46 PM

المشاركة رقم: 10

المعلومات
الكاتب:	KATE
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التسجيل:	Apr 2007
العضوية:	27220
المشاركات:	14
الجنس	أنثى
معدل التقييم:
نقاط التقييم:	10

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مدونتي

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كاتب الموضوع : KATE المنتدى : الارشيف

Chapter Seven

Jack woke slowly, sense by sense. His neck hurt, it was almost unbelievably quiet, and someone smelled very, very good. Lifting his head with an audible crack, he realized he and Risa had fallen asleep here, on her couch, afraid to move once Grace's screams had finally subsided. Now, Risa was tucked against him, snuggled in an unconscious intimacy he hadn't experienced since his divorce. Grace was snoozing in the baby-sling Risa wore. A simple, yet powerful, domestic picture of mother and child, if he hadn't known Grace was a friend's baby.

"J-Jack?" Risa stirred, blinking her eyes up at him. Her expression was sleep-soft, her lips parted and kissable.

He leaned closer, telling himself it was so they wouldn't wake the baby. "Yes?"

Her eyes were more alert now, almost keenly so, alive with what he wanted to believe was answering desire, but also skittish. Like a nervous doe's.

She sat straight up, away from him. "I was just wondering what time it was. How long we've been...like this."

A glance at his watch showed him it was a little after three a.m., but before he could tell her, she'd already checked the digital display on her VCR.

"I'm so sorry to have kept you this late," she told him. "You'll be dog-tired in the morning."

"Nah." He tried a smile. "I caught some sleep here."

"Yeah, but the couch isn't all that comfortable." She frowned. "I'm not even sure why I bought it. Does this furniture look like me?"

Weird question, but now that he thought about it, a valid one. "Not really. It's all very...sleek. Um, not that you aren't I guess, but you're softer. Cozier. Like that wacky nightstand. That looks like you."

Her brows rose, the apprehension in her eyes replaced with humor. "You're calling me wacky? Fair enough, considering I once hoisted myself onto your balcony in my pajamas. I think I bought this furniture as a knee-jerk reaction to the house I grew up in, which was all polished antiques I was supposed to treat with care. So when I got my own place, I went too modern and contemporary and I'm not sure the end result was any more comfy than my childhood home. Over compensation. What was your home like, growing up?"

He grinned. "Noisy. There were lots of us crowding the place, and my sisters were forever mad that they couldn't get more time in the bathroom."

Risa sighed wistfully. "Sounds lovely."

"Yeah." His smile fell away. He'd dreamed of having an equally loud and loving family, and now here he was living alone in an apartment downtown.

She stood into a full-body stretch, and he tried not to look, very aware that the owner of that body was engaged. Instead, he rose, too, and walked around the room, finding other things to capture his interest.

"This yours or the kids'?" he asked, pointing to a terrarium on an octagonal side table.

"I bought it for them, and we'll keep it here if Janine doesn't want him."

Jack squinted at the turtle on a rock inside his glass home. Was the turtle blowing bubbles as he breathed? "He doesn't look so good."

"How are turtles supposed to look?"

"Not sure."

They watched in silence for a few minutes before Risa offered, "We're calling him Yertle. Like the book."

"Sure, I know Yertle. My nieces and nephews are versed in the classics, and I've read lots of Dr. Seuss while staying with them. My favorite was always Where the Wild Things Are."

She grinned over top of the sleeping baby she supported. "Mine was Curious George. I envied his ability to get into trouble."

"Envied? You mean you wanted to get in more trouble?"

"I wanted to stop being so afraid of getting in trouble." A soft, wistful sigh escaped her. "I wanted to just be, without worrying I would do or say the wrong thing. Or be friends with the wrong kids, date the wrong guy. I don't know why I'm telling you all this."

"I don't mind listening." On the contrary, he wanted to know all about her but was afraid she'd withdraw if his questions got too personal.

Risa took a deep breath. "I don't think the Judge ever wanted kids, but when he fell for my mom, I came as part of the package. Things were so strained between the two of us that my mother regretted the marriage within months, told me once that she always fell in love with the wrong men and that her heart was not to be trusted. She died a few months later, and the Judge was stuck with me. He's a good man, really, just not....an easy one."

The revelation that she hadn't been wanted hung painfully suspended in the air between them. Jack didn't know what to say. As uncomfortable as family gatherings had been for him since the divorce, love among the Wolfes had always been abundant and unconditional.

"I'm sorry about the loss of your mother." They weren't rote words of sympathy. He had a big, boisterous family, and couldn't imagine losing a parent or sibling.

"It was a long time ago, but I still miss her. For years I've felt like I didn't have a family, but that's going to change. Phillip and I will start our family as soon as we're married."

Jack's gut clenched at the idea, although he could see more clearly now why being engaged to Phillip might seem like a good idea to Risa. If she'd grown up in a home devoid of love, maybe she didn't see its lack in her almost businesslike relationship with her fiancé.

A relationship that was none of his business. Right now, Risa needed a friend, not criticism.

He reached out and squeezed her shoulder. For a split-second, her muscles tensed, then relaxed under his hand. They stood in companionable silence, watching Yertle slowly make his way to his pool of water. Once in the water, the turtle promptly fell over to one side, his other half sticking up in the air.

Jack frowned. "That can't be right. I think your turtle is sick. Maybe you should check with the pet shop where you bought him."

Her cheeks reddened. "I, um, didn't get him at a store."

"You didn't find him outside, did you?"

"No. A guy was selling them out of the back of his truck."

He smothered a laugh. "Well that sounds reputable."

"It's a turtle, not a pure-breed like Pierpont. I didn't ask to see his papers. I'll look up vets tomorrow."

"You want me to come by tomorrow? T`e offer still stands of borrowing my nephew's video games. I would have gone ahead and done it but I...wasn't sere you wanted ie to come back."

She smiled* "Jason will love 9ou forever."

And you? He wanted to ask. But he got the impression Risa Alexander was uncomfortable with love, wanted to tell herself she wouldn't make her mother's mistakes. Wanted to spare herself the risks.

"Hey, little brother. Long time, no see." Angela shuffled aside so that Jack could enter the Gwilnett County suburban home.
Jack smiled at his towheaded nephew Tyler, still in his Buzz Light-year pajamas despite phe lunch hour. "Not in Pre-K today?"

"I have a bad col`." The four year offered a pathetic cough. "D'you bring me ! present to make me feel better?"

"Tyler." Angela's voice reverberated with maternal reproach. "What you need is rest."

Her son grimaced.

"Get all better, sport, so that we can have fun on Saturday," Jack advised. The whole family was convening at his parents' place on Lake Lalier—barbecue, boating, kids runninf around with squirt guns.

Tyler nodded, scooting off toward his room. He stopped long enough to admit, "You don't have to bring me gifts, I like it when you come by just 'cause I get to see ymu."

"Thanks." Jack was almkst embarrassed by how much the words meant. When his nephew had disappeaRed from earshot, Jack told his sister, "You and Greg are raising a couple of great kids."

She smiled "I know. I remind myself of that every time they do somethang that gives me a new gray hair."

"I don't see any," he assured his older sister. "You may be going on forty, but you look twenty-five to me."

"You always were my favorite brother. Come on, the game sistem is in the kitchen, all bagged up wath a couple of cartridges you can borrow."

He followed her. "Lisa really appreciates this."

"And Risa's just a neighbor?" The hopeful innuendo in her voice was clear.

"Of course." He hefted the bag off Angie's kitchen table, not meeting her eyes.

"You're sure? When you told me about her and mentioned you were helping her baby-sit this week, you sounded so...You're not leaving anything out?"

"If you're implying there could be romance brewing, I should tell you she's engaged."

"Oh. Mom will be crushed."

"Mom?" He nearly dropped the bag of video equipment.

"I mentioned talking to you. Might have mentioned that you already seem pretty fond of the girl next door..."

"Angela Rachelle! How could you do this to me? Mom's been fretting since Amy left, worrying whether or not I'll remarry. "

"She wants you to be happy, Jack. We all do. You've had such a tough time of it."

The unwanted pity roiled in his stomach like something greasy and indigestible. Everyone had been so sympathetic since the divorce that, for the first time in his life, Jack was uncomfortable around his family. At every gathering, there were barely discernible whispers of poor Jack. It struck him that a small part of him wasn't looking forward to this weekene. Although... Mayfe he could invite Risa? Once his family knew she was engaged, they wouldn't put any pressure on her, and the0kids were bound to have a blast. He knew Janine was returning late Saturday night, so why not take their minds off missing their mom by having them tag along? And if Risa and the kids provmded a buffer between him and his family's well-intended pity, all the better.

The expected knock sounded at the door, and0Risa sighed. She'd`been glad Harry the super called that morning to say he'd finally be fix the door, but she was currently busy trying to lull Grace into a nap and on hold with the vet's office. Turned out there were special turtle vets. Who knew?

"Door's open," she called.

Harry lumbered inside, greeting her with a comment on the hot weather—probably. The obnoxious rendition of "Who Let the Dogs Out?" used by the vet's office forced her to rely on nonexistent lip-reading skills. And Grace, sensing she didn't have Risa's undivided attention, was shrieking inter-ittently.

While Harry busied himself with the malfunctioning door, Risa put the baby in a folding bouncy seat and turned on the television, hoping it would entertain the infant. A muscle-bound actor with soulful brown eyes and an atrocious faie Spanish accent was pledging to some saintly-clad woman named Celeste that Victor's death had been an accident.

"Don't you believe him for a minute, Celeste." Risa aimed the remote control, and the man was replaced by a cast of puppets counting to ten. Much more appropriate. Unfortunately, with everything calm for the moment, the guilt Risa had been battling finally surfaced. This kiss brought to you by the letter K, she thought, watching an on-screen phonics skit.

It wasn't a kiss. Nothing actually happened.

But when she'd come awake next to Jack in the middle of the night, huddled against him, wondering what it would be like to have his lips on her... Engaged women should not wonder stuff like that. It had been exactly the kind of illogical, passionate impulse Maggie had cautioned against. Don't be like me, baby girl—you're smarter.

Well, Risa had tried to be smart, but she'd never felt for Phillip Donavan what she'd felt for her neighbor in that unguarded moment.

The doorbell rang, and Risa's knees almost buckled in relief. She didn't care if the person on the other side was selling Amway, she was just happy for the distraction. She swung the door wide open, and felt her smile harden and crack like cement.

"Phillip! W-what are you doing here?"

"What sort of greetine is that, Clarise?" He cocked his head to the side. "Is somethi.g wrong?"

"No." Wnuld Phillip somehow divine that she'd had an inappropriate reaction to another man? Would he hate her?

"Aren't you going to invite me in, darling?"

"Of course, sorry. I thought you were in court."

"Jury returned early." He beamed. "Another victory! I wanted to celebr!te, and felt bad for not being able to help with the children the other night. How about we pack up the baby, you change, and I buy us lunch at that French bistro we like?"

French bistro he liked, actually. She thought it was slightly over-priced and disliked the way the waiters sneered if she mispronounced her order. "A nice thought, Phillip, but I'm afraid I can't. Grace is just nodding off, and if I disturb her now, she'll be impossible. It's not the sort of establishment where they tolerate a baby crying—"

"Can't you just bring a pacifier?"

Yeah, it's that simple. Babies always magically quiet the second you give them a pacifier. "That apparently doesn't work with Grace when she's cutting teeth—something about the pressure on her gums making sucking painful. Besides, I only have a little while before I take the kids' turtle to the vet."

"A rain-check, then." He studied her. "You're planning to change before you go out, right? You have lovely legs, but those shorts are practically indecent." Glancing to where Harry was realigning her balcony door, Phillip lowered his voice. "In fact, I'd prefer you didn't traipse around like that when the serviceman's here."

"His name is Harry, and I'm not 'traipsing.' It's over ninety degrees today!" She actually was planning to change, but this was her apartment, not his mother's bridge club. The déjà vu of the moment struck her, the too many times as a teenager when she'd felt unfairly judged. She wasn't fourteen. And she didn't need Phillip's blessing on her wardrobe.

If she shouldn't repeat Maggie's past and be blinded by love, nor should she repeat her own past and let desperation for acceptance guide her actions.

"I'm sorry, Phillip, I can't marry you." Until the words were out, she hadn't known for sure whether or not she was strong enough to say them. A tiny bud of pride blossomed within her.

His face registered shock. "Because I complained about your clothes?"

"Of course not. I care about you and I'm flattered you asked me to be your wife, but...we're a bad match." Since he very rarely experienced any kind of failure, she held her breath, wondering if he'd be furious.

He merely stared. "What did I do wrong? We can talk about it."

"It's more like what I did. Almost. I came close to kissing a man last night."

"You want someone else?"

I don't know. "It's not that. It's just that feeling that for someone else made me see you and I aren't right for each other, that I'm not truly as committed as you deserve." She tried a smile to soften her abrupt announcement. "I'll still vote for you."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. You'll be a great senator."

He brightened somewhat. "You think the Judge will still endorse my candidacy?"

"Not a doubt in my mind." The Judge would be furious...but not with Phillip.

She'd really done it this time—the disapproving wrath she'd always feared would no doubt materialize. Best to worry about that later.

Pulling off her engagement ring, she said softly, "This belongs to you."

He palmed the sparkling piece of jewelry, then gave her a sheepish smile. "I guess I can use the refund money to help defray campaign costs."

He was gone moments later, and she wasn't sure what emotion was stronger—the axhilaration of feeling free for the first time, or sheer terror over what the heck she was supposed to do with her life next.