Naomi's Wish

by Rachael Herron

  “Naomi, are we still on for barbecuing at Jake’s tonight?”

  Naomi’s mouth dropped open as her mother stepped forward with a hundred-watt smile. “Maybelle Maubert, Naomi’s mother. My husband, Buzz. And you are?”

  “Dr. Rig Keller, newest staff member.” He gave Maybelle a knee-numbingly smoldering grin. “You should both come to dinner, too. I know my brother Jake would be glad to meet you, and Anna will be there.”

  “You know Anna?” Maybelle brightened ten more watts. “Are you dating her? Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” She looked over her shoulder at Buzz. “If she was dating a doctor?”

  “Mom, they’re not dating.” Naomi felt like she was losing any small hold she’d had on the conversation.

  “No. I’m not dating Anna. I’m dating Naomi,” said Rig.

  “Oh, holy Helen,” said Naomi. She moved past her mother into the back office where three chairs sat next to the lab work area. “I have to sit down.”

  “You’re dating him?” Maybelle sounded thrilled. In a stage whisper, she said to Buzz, “She’s dating a doctor.”

  “Mom!” Naomi rubbed her face. “I am a doctor.”

  Maybelle blinked. “I know, darling. Of course.”

  Had Rig really just told her mother they were dating? When in reality all they’d done was … Well, okay. They’d done a lot. Dating. Huh.

  And God help her, she wanted so much more. She kept her hands on her cheeks, cooling them, not daring to look the only place she wanted to: at Rig.

  Smoothly placing himself in the conversation again, Rig said, “So, seven o’clock? At Jake’s?”

  Maybelle snapped to attention. “What does your brother do?”

  “He’s a captain with the local fire department. Very important to the town. Anna and he are close,” said Rig.

  “A fire captain,” said Maybelle. “Oh, yes. We’d love to meet him.”

  Rig nodded. “I’ll go print out driving directions. Where are you staying?”

  A small part of Naomi withered in despair as her mother turned to look at her.

  “At Naomi’s, of course,” Maybelle said. “Where else?”

  Chapter Forty-two

  The click of a knitter’s needles is the metronome of her life.

  —E.C.

  In Jake’s backyard, Rig pulled all the chairs Milo had used to make a fort back to the picnic table, and he realized that the tingling he was feeling in the tips of his fingers wasn’t the first indication of poor circulation. It was just good old-fashioned excitement. Maybe—no, probably—she’d seen what he’d done with her health center while she was sick.

  God, if she didn’t like it …

  But what wasn’t to like? He’d worked his ass off in there for the last two days, and while he wished he’d been around to see her open the door and discover what he’d done, he couldn’t wait to hear what she thought.

  And maybe tonight they’d get to talk about Jake and Anna. Sure, Anna had been sleeping in the spare room, and Jake said he was in his own. And Rig didn’t have any reason not to believe Jake, but there was something in his eyes when he looked at Anna that made Rig hold his breath.

  He wanted Jake to be happy. To date. To have a good time. He wanted those things for both his brother and his father.

  But Jake was stressed out just trying to take care of himself and Milo. If a baby was thrown into the mix? Rig couldn’t imagine Jake changing diapers while trying to keep Milo from climbing to the top of anything tall nearby, while trying to balance being in love with a real woman and a dead woman at the same time.

  And Dad, sneaking around with Shirley? Why hadn’t he told them? Shirley was awesome. She was great. Strong. Vibrant. A good landlord.

  Why did Rig feel worried, then? How had Naomi handled it when her mother remarried Buzz? Had she been resentful? Her father had still been alive, though. Maybe it made it somewhat easier, although he wasn’t sure.

  Rig’s frown turned into a half grin thinking of how nonplussed Naomi had been when he’d said they were dating. It had made him want to grab her hand, kiss her right there in front of her mother. He hadn’t—he’d restrained himself. But it had been difficult.

  Milo raced past his legs. Did he ever just walk? He seemed to have wings on his heels.

  “Uncle Rig, watch!”

  But Milo had pulled open the screen door and was inside the house before Rig could figure out what he was supposed to be looking at.

  Jake brought out a store-bought potato salad and put it on the picnic table. “I still can’t believe you invited a whole party here without asking me.”

  “This from the man who knows everyone? You love a party.”

  Jake groaned. “Do not. I don’t even like people. You’re the one with the dang people-loving gene.”

  Rig laughed. “You’re the firefighter. You’re the one who goes in and saves people every day.”

  “Yeah, well, you’re the doctor. You—”

  “Just give them bad news or good news.” He thought of news he’d delivered today—a possible diagnosis of multiple myeloma for a mother of three girls, very bad news. And an hour later, he’d been able to tell Pete Wegman the news that his biopsy had come back benign. “And I can’t really do anything about the results. They’re just the way they are. At least you sometimes get to do CPR.”

  “Well, thanks, Dr. Feelgood.”

  “Anyway, you ready to be introduced to your girlfriend’s parents?” Rig was pushing, but he wanted to.

  “I’m a little nervous, I guess.”

  Even though it confirmed that his guess was right, Rig felt surprise. “She’s been here how many nights now? Five? And you’ve been hanging out with her for what, two weeks? Maybe?”

  Jake turned, clutching a bouquet of forks. “Yeah?”

  “You’re way into her.”

  Jake shrugged in acknowledgment. “So what if I am?”

  “So, just be careful.” Rig felt the lid of the grill. It was heating up fast.

  “Whatever, dude. I’m fine.” Jake stalked back into the kitchen. A scream from Milo came floating out the living room window, followed by hysterical laughter.

  A second later, Milo flew out of the house, raced around Rig’s legs three times, and then ran back in the house, screaming something about Superman and frosting that Rig didn’t quite catch.

  The screen door banged again, and Rig looked up. Anna wobbled her way carefully down the two steps to the porch, smiling.

  “Hey,” he said.

  “Hey yourself.”

  “You did okay today?”

  She lowered herself into a wicker chair. “Yeah. I like the papers. It’s quiet over there.” This morning Bruno had sent her over to the storage place to start dealing with Pederson’s unarchived papers. It was safer there, anyway—they hadn’t had to worry about the sisters running into each other at work.

  Now they’d run into each other here. In front of their mother. Rig hoped this wasn’t the worst idea he’d ever had.

  Anna laughed. “I probably shouldn’t tell you, but instead of lunch I had a nap in one of the aisles. Nice and cool. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open.”

  “And we’re paying you for that?” But Rig smiled back at her. He didn’t mind. She deserved a break, and damn if she hadn’t done a shitload over the weekend, unpaid, helping him with the center. “I hope you ate lunch, too.”

  “Of course I did. I’m not into missing meals right now.” She rubbed her belly. “This little gal won’t let me.”

  “You know it’s a girl, huh?”

  “Yep.”

  “We could tell you for sure, you know. Anytime. Your sister could do it, give you the ultrasound. We have the technology.” He smiled to soften his words.

  But Anna shook her head firmly. “No. I got the only ultrasound I needed in the city already. I didn’t want them to tell me, and I don’t want to know now.”

  “Okay. Fine by me.”

  “Hey, who’s coming to this shindig, anyw
ay? Jake wouldn’t tell me, just said there would be more people coming.”

  Oh, crap.

  Anna caught his look. “Naomi. I knew it. Look, we’ll work it out when we feel like we’re ready to work it out. I still don’t want to see her.”

  “Um,” started Rig. “Well …”

  The screen door opened again. First came Naomi. She was dressed simply, as usual, in a white linen blouse and jeans that fit her better than jeans should be allowed to fit. That curve of her hip just begged for his hand to … Oh, that way lay madness. He couldn’t think about that right now.

  Just behind her, looking ecstatic, came Naomi’s mother, Maybelle, followed by Buzz and Frank. Maybelle didn’t look anything like Naomi, although he could see the resemblance between the blond Anna and Maybelle’s strawberry-tinted hair.

  Anna’s eyes widened as she saw her mother, in exactly the same way Naomi’s did when she was surprised. “Oh, help,” she whispered weakly.

  “Gang’s all here!” shouted Frank, who probably had no idea who the company was. “Isn’t this great?”

  Maybelle looked at Anna. Her mouth formed a perfect O. Whoops. Looked like Mama didn’t know her baby was knocked up. Maybelle coughed, a strangled, choking sound, and looked at Naomi.

  Then she clutched Buzz, said something inaudible to him, and fainted dead away.

  Chapter Forty-three

  Excitement has its place in knitting, too. Does anything really compare to cutting your first steek? Downhill skiing, perhaps, if one does it during an avalanche.

  —E.C.

  Mother down!” yelled Anna. “Alert, alert!”

  Naomi raced to help Maybelle, and she and Rig reached her at the same time. Buzz had caught her as she fainted and was lowering her to the ground.

  “Easy there,” said Rig, reaching to roll Maybelle onto her back on the wooden deck. “Go slow.”

  Naomi pushed his hands away. “I’ve got it,” she said. “Thanks.”

  Maybelle’s closed eyes twitched underneath her eyelids as Naomi tilted her mother’s head back to make sure her breathing was even. She wouldn’t automatically assume her mother was faking.

  “She’s fine,” said Anna in a bored voice. “She just didn’t know I was pregnant and now she’s trying to make it all about her.”

  Maybelle’s eyes twitched again. Naomi, now suspicious, raised her mother’s hand so that it hovered above her face, an old ER trick. She released it, and instead of whacking herself in the face, which she’d do if she were unconscious, her hand fell to the side, slowly.

  “You’re awake, Mom. We know it.”

  Maybelle’s eyes flew open and she glared at Naomi.

  “I can’t believe you just faked fainting. In front of a doctor and all.” Naomi pointed at Rig, who knelt on the other side of Maybelle.

  “I did not fake fainting. It was just a very fast, very sudden spell. Thank goodness it’s over now.” Maybelle sat up and fanned herself as Buzz leaned over her, still looking concerned.

  “Alert, alert!” Milo screamed the words as he raced between the oak tree and the old unused clothesline.

  Naomi stood, her legs feeling rubbery. “I’d better sit …”

  “Here.” Rig ushered her to a chair next to her sister. “Just sit here and rest. You want a soda? Something stronger?”

  Naomi thought about her stomach. It felt better than it had in days, but she didn’t want to test her system. “Water, please.”

  “Me, too,” said Anna. “If you don’t mind.”

  “Me, too,” said Maybelle weakly.

  “Three waters,” said Rig. He went inside the house.

  “Mom,” hissed Anna. “Seriously?”

  Maybelle pointed a finger at Anna. “Who did that to you?”

  Jake and Frank shot a look at each other. “We’ll help Rig,” they said, and the two men nearly tripped over themselves going through the screen door. Buzz looked up in the treetops, and then back slowly. “Yeah, maybe they need …” He, too, was gone.

  Anna sat up, her back remarkably straight for a woman in her ninth month. “He doesn’t matter.”

  “Was it that firefighter? Jake? Is that little hellion his, too? Because if he’s going to let you bring a bastard—”

  “No!” Anna said the word loudly. Good. Naomi wanted to let them have it out. She didn’t want to be part of this unless she had to be. Although Naomi had to admit that knowing Anna had kept the pregnancy from her mother made her feel a little bit better. She was the only one Anna had trusted. She was the one Anna had come to.

  And then she’d chased her away.

  “It’s not Jake. Jake’s just a nice guy.” Anna smiled. “A really nice guy.”

  “How could you not tell me?” Maybelle pressed her hand against her chest. “Oh, Naomi, I think I’m having palpitations.”

  “You are not,” said Anna. “And this is exactly why I didn’t tell you. I’m doing this my way. On my terms. Neither you nor Naomi have any say in this.”

  “Hey,” said Naomi. “I’m not like her.”

  Anna’s eyes were fierce. “Well, you kept acting like her, even when you were sick. Especially when you were sick. That’s why I left.”

  Naomi closed her eyes for a minute. The pain was intense, as bad as being sick had been. She was not like their mother.

  Maybelle shook her head sharply. “What do you mean? How I act? I’m your mother. I get to act any way I want.”

  “That’s the problem, Mom,” said Anna. She held out her hand in a pleading gesture, then let it drop on top of her belly. “You don’t get to. You have to be nice.”

  “I’m always nice. Daddy calls me his spun sugar.” Maybelle’s hand fluttered up to make sure her perfectly coiffed hair was still in place.

  Anna spoke as if Maybelle hadn’t. “I mean nice as in genuine. If you’re not, I won’t be around you. Naomi, that goes for you, too.”

  Naomi turned in her seat so that she was facing Anna and pulled a curl forward so she couldn’t see her mother at all. This was important. This mattered so much that her heart physically ached.

  “Anna. I’m so sorry. I was completely wrong in what I said, and in the judgmental way I acted toward you. I want to be there for you in any way that you’ll have me. I want you in the house, and in the office, and I can’t wait to meet the person you’re bringing us. As your sister, and as your friend, I’m so sorry.”

  Anna dropped her eyes to her stomach and looked back up at Naomi. “If you ever tell me what to do again, like that, I’ll—”

  “You’ll sock me in the arm and tell me to jump off a bridge. And move all my furniture and lose my gas and electric bill. And sock me again.”

  “Will you listen?”

  “If you hit me hard enough.” The words were light, the tone wasn’t. Naomi held out a hand, and Anna squeezed it, hard.

  “Okay, then,” said Anna.

  Okay? Did Anna need more? She’d apologize all night if she had to.

  Anna smiled.

  Okay was all she needed. Naomi felt lighter as happiness swelled inside her throat, pushing tears to her eyes. She blinked fast, and then jumped as Milo hurtled himself into her lap.

  “Hey, buddy.”

  “That’s your sister?” Milo demanded.

  “Yep. And that’s my mom.” Naomi pointed at Maybelle, who was squirming in her seat, obviously trying to look penitent.

  “Where’s your mom?” Milo asked Anna.

  She gestured to Maybelle. “Right there. We have the same mom. Because we’re sisters.”

  Milo said, “You’re luckier than me, I guess. With a mom and a sister and everything. But I have Spiderman!” With an accidental sharp elbowing to her ribs, Milo leaped off Naomi’s lap and ran inside, with the rest of the men.

  Maybelle wriggled forward and said, “Anna, honey, I’m sorry, too. It’s just that you being pregnant means that …”

  “You’re old enough to be a grandmother?” Anna said.

  Naomi couldn’t help
smiling at the way her mother’s face crinkled in dismay.

  “Maybe the baby can call me something else. Not Grandma.”

  “How about Granny?” asked Naomi, keeping her voice neutral.

  “Oh! Stop it, both of you. Anna, sugar, when we’re at Naomi’s tonight, I want to have a private talk with you. Just me and you, cozied up. I want to make sure you know—”

  Anna sighed. “I’m not staying with Naomi anymore.”

  Naomi felt her hopes fall. Dammit. Well, she’d work on a bigger, louder apology. She’d do just about anything so that her sister would know how sorry she was.

  “It’s not that.” Anna knew what she was thinking. “I’m just better here. And Jake likes having me here. I’m helping with Milo, so Frank can take it easier on Jake’s workdays, and Jake worries less about them both when I’m here and he’s at work. Maybe I’ll come back and stay with you when he gets sick of me. But for now I’m good.”

  The look on Anna’s face was soft. Oh, God. This was worse than Naomi had thought.

  “But come on, your room is all set up there. I’d love to have you back.”

  Anna shook her head. “No, you wouldn’t. You could barely stand having me there.”

  “That wasn’t the way it was … I was just confused. I’m not anymore. I want you with me. What about when the baby comes?”

  Anna raised her gaze to the screen door. Jake stepped through, Rig, Frank, and Buzz behind him.

  “I want her to stay. The baby, too,” said Jake. “For as long as she’ll have us.” And something in his voice made chills run down Naomi’s back. He looked at Anna as if she was something he couldn’t believe, something he didn’t deserve. Anna looked back, and a whole conversation flowed between them, in front of Naomi’s eyes.

  They were in love.

  Oh, whoa.

  “So,” Naomi said, as quickly as she could. “Enough about where people are staying. We can talk more about that later. So is it burgers or steak tonight?” She’d talk to Rig afterward about their siblings—neither of them could possibly know what they were getting into. It was way too fast, for either of them. Right? But the time for that wasn’t now.