A Woman In Love: Book Four (The Woman I Love Series 4)

by G S Binkley

  At his mother’s directive, Derek remained in his room most of the day while the rest of the Ballant clan was struggling with the disharmony everyone felt. When Lacy started to read Hayley and Sammy a story that evening, the youngest child complained. “More. I want more.”

  Sitting nearby, Gage waited to see what Lacy would decide as did Stella and Dani. Seeing that her partner was a crossroads as what to do, Gage suggested. “It probably wouldn’t hurt for him to come out of his room. After all, he did say he was sorry.”

  Lacy knew exactly what her daughter was demanding. Hayley was happiest when everyone in the family was together especially at story time. Her mind was made up after Sammy asked. “Can he please, mom?”

  When Lacy nodded, Gage jumped up, as did Sammy. “I’m going with you.” Sammy scrambled right behind.

  Hayley’s bright eyes beamed while clapping her hands together. “More for me.”

  Stella laughed when her daughter-in-law quickly succumbed to her children’s wishes. “You just can’t say no, can you?”

  With a pouting fist propping up her chin, Dani mumbled. “Wanna bet?” She still hadn’t convinced her mom to buy her a new cell phone.

  “Dani?” Lacy shot her daughter a hard glare. “You still want to go to the Mall tomorrow?” Dani nodded quickly. “Then I suggest you drop the attitude.”

  “Okay. I’m sorry.” The fourteen year old was increasingly becoming less patient.

  While waiting for Sammy and Gage to return with Derek, again Lacy mulled over the brewing frustrations inside her. Everything seemed to be out of sorts. She hoped their trip to New York would alleviate some of the tension.

  ***********************

  The next morning while Derek and Sammy were playing nicely in the living room with their racecars, Dani was playing some music for Hayley. The little show off danced by bouncing up and down as she clapped to the beat of the music.

  “Come here, Hayley.” Dani called. “I got your beads.”

  Hayley scampered toward her sister. “Gimme beads.” The blonde named the color of the beads before she strung them around her neck.

  Dani counted them one by one. “That’s enough, Hayley.”

  “No!” The little girl ran away from her oldest sibling, giggling all the way. “Help me. Help me.” She tromped across the boys’ racetrack, bringing their contest to a screeching halt.

  “Hayley, stop it!” Derek sighed before he fell back on the floor in frustration with his sister’s antics.

  Sammy jumped up to join in on the fun. “I wanna play. Catch me if you can.” He said even as he chased after his oldest sister who was hot on the heels of Hayley.

  “Sammy, are you gonna come back and play or not?” Derek repositioned the two racecars. “Mom, said we had to play nice. You want me to tell on you?”

  When Dani finally corralled her little runaway sister, she finally coaxed Hayley back down next to her CD player. Sammy flopped down next to them.

  “You wanna sing a song?” Hayley shook her head. “But it’s your favorite one.”

  Sammy started to sing. “Old McDonald had a farm. Eeee…Ii… Eee… I… oh.”

  Hayley clapped as Dani continued the song. “And on his farm he had a…..” She waited for Hayley to fill in the line.

  “Beads!” Hayley exclaimed.

  From the distance, Derek rolled his eyes and corrected her sharply. “He had a cow.”

  “You’re gonna have a cow if you don’t drop your attitude.” Dani’s words to Derek echoed that of the same ones her mother treated her to the night before.

  “Like I care.” Derek shot back.

  With the song interrupted, Sammy chimed in. “Me, either.” Now bored with his sisters, the five year old returned to play with his brother.

  Ignoring them, Dani continued the song. “Okay, Hayley. Old McDonald had a farm. Eee.. Ii…Eee.. I.. Oh! And on his farm he had a…..”

  Hayley smiled then said. “Jesus.”

  When both Derek and Sammy laughed at her attempt to get Hayley to sing along with the right words, Dani glared at them before she returned her attention to her sister. “Hayley. That’s your other favorite song.”

  That prompted the young girl to sing it. “Jesus loves me….”

  “Yes I know, Hayley. But Jesus isn’t here right now.” It seemed the little blonde girl always broke out in that song whenever she would see of picture of Jesus around the house or in church.

  “Oh, I don’t know about that, Dani.” Gage had dropped by the living room to check on the children then reminded Dani. “When you were telling me about Jesus, you said He was everywhere.”

  “That was God.” She corrected Gage.

  “You also told me that God and Jesus were one in the same… along with that other fella.” Gage recited from the religion lessons Dani had taught her.

  “You mean the Holy Spirit.” Dani glared at her seemingly smart aleck student.

  “Right….. Him.” Over the last couple of years, Gage tagged along with Lacy and kids to church nearly every Sunday. Turning her attention to Hayley, Gage asked. “Hayley? What kind of animal did old McDonald have on his farm?”

  The tiny blonde was about to respond when Dani interrupted her. “And don’t say Jesus.”

  “Did he have a frog?” Gage prompted Hayley much to Dani’s dismay.

  As soon as she heard that, Hayley immediately got on all fours and lunged forward. “Ribbit…. ribbit.”

  Gage burst out laughing as did Derek and his brother. Even Dani couldn’t help but join in.

  The little girl lunged forward again and again. “Ribbit… ribbit.” She paused only long enough to ensure that she was getting everyone’s attention. “Ribbit… ribbet.”

  Sammy couldn’t resist joining in on the fun. Before long he was on all fours chasing after his little sister as he croaked out the animal’s sound. When Lacy entered, she smiled at seeing her two frog jumping children alongside each other. She gleefully added to the laughter in the room.

  Sammy was the first to see his mother. “Mom.” He jumped up on two feet and ran into her arms.

  “Hey, there. Having a good time, huh?” Sammy eagerly nodded.

  Seeing her mom, Hayley raced toward her on all fours.

  Gage shook her head at her daughter as she came barreling across the floor. “She can walk. Why is she crawling around on all fours?”

  Lacy looked at Gage. “She gets that from you.”

  “I don’t do that.” Gage protested.

  Lacy nudged her lover. “Then what is it you do in the bedroom?”

  Gage playfully slapped her hand over her partner’s mouth. “Hey! The kids are here.”

  “Mom? Are we going to the Mall today?” Dani asked.

  This prompted Derek to stand up and hurry over to his mother. “I’m going to.”

  “Me, too. Me, me.” Sammy bounced in her arms. “I get to go with you.”

  Pulling Hayley up from the floor, Gage was a bit surprised when her daughter kissed her on the cheek and said. “Mimi.”

  Dani busted out laughing. “She called you Mimi.”

  Gage frowned at the laughing young teen.

  “Don’t worry.” Dani touched Gage’s arm. “I’ll teach her how to say your name.”

  For the longest time, both Lacy and Gage figured that every time Hayley wanted the blonde, the little girl would say ‘me, me’ like Sammy did when he wanted to be included in on something. Recently, it had become clear that Hayley had given Gage that as a name. “Mimi! Great.” Again, Gage frowned.

  Lacy knew her partner didn’t mind the nickname because Gage loved everything their young daughter did. No matter what kind of trouble she had gotten into.

  ************************

  After Lacy and Dani headed off to the Mall, Gage left Stella with the three youngest kids while she worked on her screenplay. She wanted to finish it before she met with Mark in New York. Gage heard the doorbell ring just before her telephone did the same.

&nb
sp; “Hello?”

  “Gage? Hi!” Mark greeted his best friend. “Did you get the papers I sent?”

  The writer relaxed back in her wooden swivel chair. “Nope. But I’m glad you called.”

  “Something on your mind?” Mark adjusted the picture of his wife that was sitting on his antique desk.

  Feeling a little pensive, she replied. “Maybe. What’d you send me?”

  “Couple of contracts I want you to look over before we have that conference call with Ryan on Sunday.”

  “Okay.”

  “By the way, he says the movie’s right on schedule and they should be leaving for Africa to finish filming it early July. What’d you say we jump on a plane and head down there? I’m so tired all of these negotiations lately.” Mark shuffled some papers in his briefcase. “Matter of fact, I’ve got another meeting to finalize the deal. Thank God Mitch’s the one who’s really got a handle on it. He hammered out the details and we came out ahead.”

  “Him and his wife still together?”

  “Yes. He even mentioned that his stepson and him are actually getting along fairly well. By the way, I’ve planned a small get together when you and Lacy get here. Julie can’t wait to see all of you again.” Clicking his briefcase shut, Mark finished. “Listen, I’ve got to get going. Look over the contracts when they get there and we’ll talk Sunday.”

  “Bye.” Gage wasn’t too anxious about the trip to New York but it would be good to see Mark and Julie along with her children. She was somewhat ambivalent about seeing Mitch again. They had talked a few times over the last two years but Gage never did think Lacy was very comfortable with it. “Oh, well, back to my story.”

  ***********************

  After Stella left the living room to answer the doorbell, Derek marched his younger siblings off to the kitchen. He was thirsty and their grandmother left him in charge. “Want something to eat?” He asked the two nodding heads.

  “Cook!” Hayley announced her choice.

  “Me. I want one.” Sammy ran over to the stool when his brother stopped him. “I can get it.”

  “No.” Instead, Derek used the step stool to check on their supply. When he only found one oatmeal cookie left, Derek informed the hungry party of two. “No cookies. How bout some crackers?”

  “Want cook.” Hayley insisted.

  “Me, too.” Sammy echoed, propping his fist under his chin.

  “I said there’s no more cookies.” Derek retrieved the graham crackers, giving them each one. “Here. Now go back in the living room.” After they left, Derek hastily climbed the step stool again and grabbed the last cookie. He quickly ate it before rejoining his siblings in the living room. Since Stella had not returned, Derek announced that they were going to play tag. “You’re it.”

  Sammy immediately didn’t like the game since Derek punched his arm and ran off. He turned to Hayley. “You’re it.”

  “Okay.” Hayley was happy with the attention.

  Derek whined to his brother. “She doesn’t know how to play. You have to chase me.”

  Dutifully, Sammy whizzed past his sister in hopes of catching Derek.

  **********************

  “Gage?” Stella slipped her head through her daughter’s study.

  Looking up, Gage acknowledged the older woman. “Hi, mom. Come on in. I need a break.”

  Holding out the package, Stella said. “This is for you.”

  Gage shot up from her chair. “Oh, that must be from Mark.” The writer took it then tore it open. “Yep. Contracts. Maybe I’ll wait till Lacy gets home. She can cipher through all that legal mumbo jumbo.”

  “Alright then. I didn’t want to disturb you.” Before Stella could retreat, Gage stopped her.

  “Wait a minute.” Gage motioned toward the couch. “We haven’t really talked since you got back from LA. You like it?”

  Stella made herself comfortable on the couch. “I just enjoy being with the kids but I must admit I missed Hayley.” The older woman smiled when her thoughts turned to her granddaughter and how much she reminded Stella of Gage when she was around that age. Stella hadn’t actually seen Gage at age two but the blonde’s caseworker, Grace Davidson, had some pictures of her small daughter.

  “And I missed the other three. Lacy and I both did.” Gage sat down next to her mother. “And you know what?”

  “Mmmm?”

  “We missed you, too.”

  When her heart skipped a beat, Stella also felt a lump form in her throat. She treasured moments like this especially since Stella never thought she would ever see her daughter again. Placing a hand on Gage’s knee, Stella smiled then kissed her daughter cheek. “Thank you. I missed you and Lacy as well.”

  It surprised Gage, not the kiss, but the fact that she so easily revealed her feelings to her mother. Guess Lacy is rubbing off on me.

  When a loud thud echoed into Gage’s study, she sighed. “Uh, oh!”

  With Gage in the lead, Stella followed her daughter to the living room where they found three innocent faces staring up at them.

  “I didn’t do it.” Derek declared.

  When his older brother nudged him, Sammy chimed in. “Me, either.”

  Hayley felt no pressure under her brother’s two sets of eyes, accusing her of the misdeed. She innocently smiled at Gage. “Uh, oh.”

  ***********************

  Lacy and Dani walked through the mall checking out numerous outfits in the windows. The dark haired woman astutely observed the surrounding area, noticing that there weren’t as many unescorted teens running about. Well, it is the middle of the week.

  Dani tugged on her mom’s arm. “In here, mom.” The young girl bounced across the floor toward her uncle. “Nate!”

  Hugging his niece, Nate asked. “Where have you been?”

  Dani jerked her thumb over her shoulder at her mom. “She’s had her mind on other things. Where are the cell phones?”

  Nate directed his niece to the colorful display before turning his attention to his oldest sister.

  “Wow!” Dani’s blue eyes widened at the array of styles and colors. She rushed over to the counter and grabbed a cell phone.

  Lacy brushed a quick kiss on her brother’s cheek. “Dani informed me you’d give us a good deal since you work here.”

  “Really? She only called me and asked if we sold them.” Nate sensed his sister’s frustration with something. “You know, you don’t have to get them everything they want.”

  “Spoken from someone who doesn’t have kids.” Lacy smiled at him.

  “But I was one.” Nate chuckled before he added. “Mom still says I act like one sometimes. Lacy?” The tall man wrapped a loving arm around his sister. “Mom and dad didn’t get us everything we wanted and we turned out pretty good. If I do say so myself.”

  “True.” Lacy mused over the differences between her years growing up and that of her children. “It’s just that there are some things I’m reluctant… when I was younger, it wasn’t a big deal staying overnights with my friends or hanging out with them but…”

  “Being the child of a famous movie star puts them in danger.” Nate understood his sister’s dilemma. “But you can’t shield them forever, Lacy.”

  “I know. I know.” Lacy glanced at her excited daughter who was checking out the phones. “She wants to hang out with her friends here.”

  “I see.” The very astute young man squeezed Lacy. “I work this Friday and Saturday night. Why don’t you give it a trial run? I promise I’ll keep an eye out on her even if it means tailing her around the mall for a while.”

  “But what about your work here?”

  Nate shrugged. “If they fire me, they fire me. Besides, I have a very rich sister I could bum off of for a while.”

  Reluctant to even consider the idea of her daughter alone on a Friday night out with her friends scraped hard against her parental protectiveness but she realized Nate was right. Sooner or later Dani would demand her independence. I wish it would be lat
er. Maybe we can ease into it. With a forced smile, Lacy looked at her salesman brother. “All right, just how much of a commission are you going to get off of the incredible savings you’re giving my daughter?”

  Rubbing his hands together mischievously, Nate wiggled his eyebrows. “For you my dear sister, I have a special deal.”

  “Uh huh.” Lacy walked with him over to where Dani had a phone to each ear pretending to talk on them. “Just remember who your rich sister is and that she could cut you off like that.”

  When Lacy snapped her fingers together, Nate pretended to come to full military attention. “Why Lacy I would never take advantage of you.”

  ************************

  “Yeah, that’s right … ‘uh oh’.” Gage stared at the broken lamp then to her daughter. “Do I have to ask who did this?”

  When Derek pointed at Hayley, Sammy hesitated to point the finger at her until his brother nudged him then the older brother claimed. “She did it.”

  Dropping down on her knee, Gage took Hayley’s small hands. “Hayley. Did you break the lamp? Mmmmm?”

  “Hi.” The innocence little girl agreed that the lamp was broken as she pointed at it. “It fall down.”

  “Well, okay. I guess we’ll just clean it up before your mom gets home.” Gage announced.

  “Momma?” The bright eyed little girl beamed.

  “Yeah, momma.” Gage agreed then suddenly laughed when she saw a frown form on Sammy’s face. “Don’t worry, she won’t be mad.”

  Surprised, Derek perked up. “She won’t?”

  Stella stepped around the two boys. “Of course not. It was an accident, right?”

  Derek nodded.

  “Come here you two. Take Hayley and sit over there while I clean it up.” Gage turned her daughter over to her brothers. Gage started picking up the broken shards while Stella retrieved a small broom and dustpan. Dusting off her hands after the last piece was disposed of, Gage glanced at the quiet trio. “Guess we’ll need to go shopping and get your mom a new one. That is if we can find one that matches.”