Jane nodded that she understood. So many things were different. She thought that the colored strings were a form of jewelry. “Aye, Benji told me about movies and watching them on a screen, but he forgot to tell me about music.”
Ж
Bibb thanked the clerk for her help, and accepted the receipt and oversized bag full of clothing. “Are you ready to go home?”
“Um, yes,” Jane replied hesitantly. “But how did you pay for the clothes? Or do they just give them to you here?”
“No, they’re not free, and we don’t trade or barter much here now. You see, money doesn’t change hands as much as it used to. See this,” Bibb held up the embossed blue plastic rectangle, “this is kind of like a bank…”
Bibb saw ‘the look’ and realized that bank was an unknown word or concept for her. “This is like a money bag or purse.” Jane nodded that she understood, but the frown of disbelief stayed. “See this little brown stripe.” Bibb pointed to the magnetic strip on the back of the debit card. “This is like a ledger, a book of accounts that keeps information about how much money I have and how much I’m spending.”
Jane’s eyes widened. She understood, mostly, but the technology was almost too fantastic for her to accept. She breathed deeply, smiled, and said, “I don’t have to understand it or know how it’s done. You see, even though I don’t know how the sun shines or the wind blows, I can accept that it does. So that’s called a money card?” she asked, hoping that she had the right word.
“Debit card or you can say credit card. I’ll get you and Benji one tomorrow or whenever you’re up to it after your honeymoon.”
“Honeymoon?”
“That’s your private, special time alone with your husband after you’re married.”
“Oh…” Jane blushed as she realized that was the time when she could share all of her body parts. A smile of pride quickly took the place of her bashfulness. “When I’m a wife: Benji’s wife.”
Ж
Later, back at the house…
“It looks like Mac is ready to get up from his nap. Would you go bring him in? He’s down the hall on the right; just follow the noise. Oh, and feel free to change his diaper before you bring him out,” Bibb said, then added a short chortle and a discreet grin. She’d give Benji a little one on one time with his godson, even if it was just to change a wet diaper. She was sure he wouldn’t mind, and he’d probably appreciate the opportunity. He had to be curious about the boy, even if he was being very respectful of the awkward parental situation.
“Aye, I think I can manage,” Benji replied with the same sly grin. He knew that Bibb was giving him the chance to be alone with Mac. He opened the door and saw his little charge smiling and reaching up for him. His eyes suddenly and unexpectedly filled with tears when he heard the boy’s babbles turn into words, “Da Da, Da Da.”
“No, I’m not yer Da.” He wept as he picked up the boy and held him close. “Billy’s yer Da, but I’m still close, and I love ye verra much. I’m yer godfather and we’ll jest have to find a special name fer me.”
“Da’s okay with me if it’s okay with Billy,” Peter said. Benji hadn’t heard him walk in, and Peter knew it. “I mean, we already decided that I was going to be Papa and he was going to be Daddy, so Da is okay with me. Welcome back, Benji. Are you going to stay a little longer this time?” Peter asked sincerely. He really liked the man who he had adored as both a superstar wrestler idol and a brother/cousin figure.
“Aye, it looks like I’m back as yer contractor and maintenance man,” Benji answered, then leaned in and hugged Peter to him with his non-baby laden arm. “Oh, and I dinna come back alone. I have a fiancée. Billy’s in there dollin’ her up right now,” he said with pride, then bent down and quickly changed the baby’s wet diaper. “These sure are convenient,” he said, as he pulled the little Velcro closures shut.
“Really? A fiancée and she’s going to stay here, too? I mean,” Peter babbled, as he realized his faux pas, “of course, she’s going to stay here if you are and she’s going to be your wife. When are you getting married?”
Benji looked down at the non-existent watch on his wrist. “In about four or five hours, dependin’ on how long Billy takes with gettin’ everythin’ set up.” Mac reached out and grabbed a fistful of Benji’s nose, “and after this wee little fiend gets fed. Come on, I’ll introduce ye to the most beautiful, kindest woman in the world…weel, at least as far as I’m concerned. Yer mother-in-law is pretty special, too.”
“Yes, Bibb is one in a million, but I’ll bet your wife-to-be is a bit younger than she is.”
Benji coughed back a laugh: Jane was nearly 200 years older than Bibb by the calendar. “Aye, Janie’s only twenty,” he managed to say after his minor coughing fit and laugh swallowing. “Now,” he said, as he tipped his head toward the door, “get ready to be dazzled!”
Benji tapped on the office door and asked, “Can we come in fer jest a bit? Mac is ready fer his nanny, and I have someone else fer Janie to meet.”
“There’s my little boy; come to Daddy.” Billy’s eyes were only for his son.
He looked up and saw him. “Peter! When did you get here? Hey, Mac,” he said, his nose nearly pasted to his son’s, “why didn’t you tell me that Papa was coming home today? Were you trying to keep it a secret? You know you’re not supposed to keep secrets in this family,” he said in a teasing manner, then blushed. Peter still didn’t know about the time traveling that was rampant with his family and best friends. Well, it was more than a secret; it was a special legacy only to be shared when it was pertinent or absolutely necessary.
“Oh, and by the way,” Peter said. He came in close to give Billy a quick kiss on the cheek, then hugged him and Mac at the same time, “Mac named Benji. He calls him Da.”
Billy looked over at Benji, then back to Peter. Both of the men made identical shoulder shrugs of acknowledgement. “Okay,” Billy agreed, then looked over at Jane to see her reaction.
Jane grinned and nodded. “He looks like a Da to me,” she agreed. “Now, why don’t you come over here to Nanny Janie and we’ll sit a while.” Jane took the very eager and hungry boy and sat in the rocking chair, her back turned away from the rest of the family.
“Where’s the bottle?” Peter asked, confused at how this new person whom he hadn’t even been introduced to yet could feed his son without formula.
“I’m sorry I dinna introduce ye. Peter, this is Jane, my fiancée. Janie, this is Peter Anthony, Mac’s papa and Billy’s partner or husband or, weel, they’re marrit,” Benji said, more than slightly embarrassed about not knowing the politically correct word to use. “Oh,” Benji added, glad to have the opportunity to change the subject, “Janie’s his nanny. She has super powers, and doesna need a bottle to feed him. Or rather, she has the most beautiful set of bionic bottles in the world, but ye’ll jest have to take my word fer it. At least, Mac sure likes them.”
Peter looked at Billy, then Bibb, then Benji for an answer, finally craning his neck to try and see what was going on with his son and the very tall and beautiful black woman who Benji claimed was his fiancée. Billy came up close to Peter and put his arms around him, distracting him from his staring, and giving him a more adequate welcome home hug. “Hey, we’re all gifted in different ways. Besides mother’s milk is better for Mac, and like Benji said, it sure comes in beautiful containers. Have you ever seen such an attractive smile on a bottle of formula?” Billy teased.
“No, you sure got that right. Welcome to the family, Jane. Is there anything I can do to help?” Peter asked Billy, discretely avoiding the topic of the real aspects of Jane’s anatomy his partner was referring to.
Billy’s answer was interrupted by the doorbell. He didn’t know who it could be, but did know it had to be one of the people he had called to help with the wedding. “Yes, dear,” Billy said in answer to Peter’s offer of assistance, “Benji got a late start and hasn’t had a chance to go shopping for his wedding outfit yet. Would you take h
im? I was going to do it, but I have my hands full here. You have a great sense of style and he, um, well, I think he got short changed in that department.” Billy looked down at Benji’s work overalls and hand me down tee shirt, then up at how tall he was. “Even if he did get the lion’s share of a lot more.” He nudged Benji and smiled at him. “Go, go, go, you two. I have lots to do and you, big boy, will just be in the way until the heavy lifting and moving tasks come up. You can set up the tent later.”
Peter saw and heeded Billy’s eye movements to take Benji out the back door. Evidently, his partner didn’t want him to see who was arriving at the front entrance. He didn’t want to admit it, but he still had a bit of a crush on the ‘The Flying Scotsman,’ the wrestler persona Benji had portrayed in his younger years. “Come on, Benji,” he said as he hooked his hand into his hero’s elbow, “why don’t you tell me where you’ve been in the last, gee, it hasn’t even been a year yet, but it seems like you’ve been gone a century, at least!”
Benji laughed heartily, then looked back to see if Billy, Bibb, and Janie had heard the sharply dressed man’s remark. They had, and were all smirking back belly laughs. “Weel, Peter, it seems like I’ve been gone at least two hundred years,” he said with a wink back at Bibb and Billy. “I’ll tell ye a bit about it on the way into town. Now, jest dinna tell me that we’re goin’ be ridin’ in that bitty purple car of yours…”
Peter held up his key ring. “Nope, I think we’ll take the family rig. I doubt I could fit all of the new clothes I plan on buying you into the Prius with or without you along.”
42 Pre-nuptial Preparations
B illy answered the door and saw two people he had never met before. “Hi, I’m Michael Callahan and this is my wife, Alisha, but you’d probably know me as Wee Michael,” the youthful-looking man said with a grin.
“Oh, so you are,” Billy said. “Welcome to my home. Oh, and this is now Benji’s home, too, and the home of his fiancée. They just got in from, um, out of town. They’re starting from scratch, so my partner Peter just took Benji shopping to get his trousseau. I know you want to see him, but you’re his surprise present or guest or whatever. I knew he’d want to see you, but he told me not to invite anyone. He did agree to having the immediate family members and of course, caterers, photographers, and…” Billy looked over at the tall, caramel-colored woman who Wee Michael had introduced as his wife, “I’m throwing in the hair-stylist and his family. Are these lovely little girls yours?” he asked, although by the look of the two clinging to Daddy’s legs, they had to be.
“Yes, this is Beatrice and this is Chandra. They’re five and three. And this is,” Wee Michael patted his wife’s bulging belly, “is baby ‘D.’ We don’t know yet if we’re having a son or another daughter, but we’re working our way down the alphabet.” Wee Michael tiptoed up and gave his tall, very pregnant wife a kiss on the cheek. “At least until we reach the letter ‘L’ and catch up to ‘M’ for Michael.”
Alisha rubbed her lower back in obvious discomfort. “I’m not too sure about that anymore. Lately I’ve been thinking about adopting a few cats and puppies to fill in some of the letters. I don’t think I can handle eight more pregnancies. Now, where is the queen for the day?”
“I’ll bring her in, in just a moment. Let me show you to the beauty salon,” Billy said, “and there’s a bathroom just across the hall from it,” he added with a wink. “You see, we know all about pregnant ladies here. This is a home for pregnant mothers. If they can’t be with their own families during their pregnancies, we bring them here and give them care, comfort, and career training. Beats the heh, heck,” Billy caught himself before he finished the word ‘hell,’ “beats the heck out of the alternatives.” He grimaced. He could tell by the shared look and nods that Alisha and Wee Michael knew he was speaking of abortions, and felt the same way he did.
“So, this must be part of your career training, then,” Wee Michael said as he pointed to the salon chair, rollaway cart with hairstyling accruements, and adaptive sink. “Just a moment, please, before we get started. Girls, do you need to use the restroom? It looks like it’s time for another potty stop for Mommy.” Both girls buried their faces into their father’s thighs, then turned aside in tandem, curious about the new man Daddy was talking to.
“I’ll be right back,” Billy said, allowing Alisha a few minutes for her break, “I’ll bring Janie, or Jane, in here. She’s taking care of my son, right now. Make yourself comfortable. There’s yogurt, juice, and milk in the little frig, and fresh fruit and granola bars in the cabinet. We have to keep these girls and their babies healthy!”
“Thanks,” Wee Michael said, then turned his attention to his daughters. “Remember I told you about my good friend, the red-haired giant?” he cajoled. “Well, we’re going to meet him later, but first Mr. Billy is bringing in the woman he’s going to marry. Your mommy and I get to fix her hair for her wedding. You do remember what weddings are, don’t you?”
Beatrice pulled away from her daddy’s thigh and bragged, “That’s when two people who love each other make it a law that means they can be together forever and ever, and nobody can break them apart. Just like you and Mommy, huh?”
“Yeah, huh?” echoed Chandra, eager to emulate her big sister.
“Right!” chorused Michael, and Alisha, who had just come in.
“When was the last time you saw Benji?” Alisha asked, as she settled herself gingerly into the oversized salon chair.
“The last time you saw him, too; when he was on his way to Alaska. Beatrice was only about three or four months old. If he’s been back very long, he never called. But you know Benji: he was probably busy helping somebody or chasing down some bad guys. I don’t think that man has a mean bone in his body.”
Ж
Billy walked in and saw Jane with Mac over her shoulder, gently rubbing his back to get a burp out of him. “Are you and my son ready to meet one of Benji’s old friends?”
“Blarp!” Mac let loose a giant burp.
“I think so. He’s fine, and so am I, but can I ask you a question? I know I’m ignorant, but, but…”
Billy interrupted to save Jane from stumbling over more words. “Janie, ask me about anything and everything. You may not believe this, but I’m fascinated by what I think you’ll ask me. I take so much of everyday life for granted. If we were swapped around, and I was back in your old time, I’d be confused to be sure, but I’d manage. I can’t imagine, though, what it would be like if I was thrust two hundred and thirty years into the future. You’re a mighty brave woman to trust us like this.”
“I was just going to ask about Mac’s clout. I don’t know how to change it or where the clean ones are. I really appreciate how nice you and your mother are to me, and Peter, too. He seems like a very nice man. When I saw you hug and kiss him, it didn’t seem wrong like I thought it would.”
Jane hung her head down in embarrassment, suddenly aware of how blunt she had just been. She had grown up guarded with her thoughts and miserly with the few words she uttered to those who knew she could speak English. Now she was a regular magpie with her chattering.
Billy neared her and put one arm around her waist. “You’re not used to talking very much, are you?” he asked softly, looking up into her face. Jane shook her head, not wanting to speak any more less she say the wrong words. Again.
“I told you how it was with Peter and me, and I’m glad you said what you did. I don’t think you can ever say anything wrong to me. I want to know you better, and if you can’t, or won’t, speak your mind, how will I know who you are, and why Benji fell in love with you? Now, we’ll have lots of time to talk about that later, but right now, I have an old friend of Benji’s and his family in the other room. They’re a surprise for him. He doesn’t know they’re here, so don’t say anything to him, please. They’re actually here in a professional capacity, that is, they’re doing their job. I thought I’d have them come over and give you a makeover before the wedding. I’ll bet
you’ve never had a facial or manicure, have you?”
Jane shook her head, still leery of speaking. She didn’t know what makeovers, manicures, or facials were.
Billy looked up at the tangle of torn calico cloth binding Jane’s hair. He started to make a comment about getting a new hairstyle, too, but bit off his words. This time he was the one wary of saying too much. He knew she and Benji had just showered, but her hair and the headband looked the same as when she arrived. He’d let the professionals deal with that issue.
“Come on; I want you to meet someone who’s known Benji much longer than I have.”
Billy held Jane’s arm close to him as he escorted her to the beauty salon room, patting her hand as they neared the open door. “Janie, this is Wee Michael and his wife, Alisha, and their two daughters, Beatrice, and Chandra. Everybody, this is Janie, soon to be Mrs. Benjamin MacKay.”
Jane turned her head in horror at hearing the last two names.
“Benji, Mrs. Benji,” Billy amended, then nodded to Jane that it was okay; don’t worry about the names. Evidently, she didn’t know his real name.
“Wow!” Alisha and Wee Michael said softly at the same time then looked at each other in amazement at their common reaction.
“He won’t get out of line with you around,” Wee Michael said, then winked at his wife.
Jane didn’t know what that remark meant, so just smiled. That seemed to be the best reaction to have when she didn’t know what she was supposed to say or do. At least she didn’t appear stupid when she did that.
“You don’t mind if the girls stay in here while we work, do you?” Alisha asked. “They’ve been with us whenever and wherever we’ve worked since before they were born.”
“They’re yours?” Jane asked. She shook her head in embarrassment. Of course, they were—they were just introduced as such.
The Great Big Fairy Page 35
