Home for the Holiday

by Wendy Stone

  "Consider it my wedding present,” Bekka said. She stopped from where she was fussing with my red curls. “I'm sorry,” she whispered.

  "Oh no, Bekka,” I said quickly, holding my arms out to hug her. “Don't apologize. Please, I understand."

  Her arms went around me and then Mara's arms were there too and we had a group hug before I groaned at the pain.

  "I'd have kicked her ass, Kenna,” Mara said. Bekka narrowed her eyes at Mara and I laughed.

  "Watch that language when Mom gets here, she'll wash your mouth out with soap."

  "Okay, we've got a shawl to wrap around your shoulders,” she said, then gathered my hair up in a twist and used a couple of clips to hold it there. Tiny pearl earrings went into my earlobes and then Mara held up the soft cashmere shawl, also in white. She wrapped it around my shoulders.

  Mom came in as Bekka was finishing my makeup. “Oh, baby, you look so beautiful,” she said, sinking down on the other side of me. “Doesn't she look beautiful?"

  I hugged my mom. Then Daddy was there. “I so wanted you to walk me down the aisle, Daddy, but..."

  "It's not the wedding that should be the concern, sweetheart, but the marriage that comes after. You and Nicky have a bright future, just reach out and grab it with both hands."

  A tear slipped down my cheek and Bekka almost had a heart attack.

  "No crying!” She shook her finger at me.

  "Yes, ma'am,” I said, sending her a jaunty little salute with the third finger behind Mom's back.

  "Kenna,” Mom said. “I didn't teach you manners like that."

  I narrowed my eyes at Bekka and she stuck her tongue out at me, and that was it, we were back like we'd never had the fight over Steven. “Where's my niece?” I asked her.

  "She's practicing with her Daddy about how to be a flower girl,” Bekka said.

  Mr. and Mrs. Grenfield arrived and then Nicky came into the room with the priest. It was getting very crowded by that time and I was glad there wasn't anybody in the other bed. People were talking, introductions were being made and I felt like my head was in the center of a tornado with all the confusion.

  Nicky made it to my side and I took his hand. “Can we get to this?” I asked him quietly.

  Everyone was gathered around my bed and I felt like I was in a coffin, out to be viewed. Then the priest began to speak.

  I repeated my vows, staring into Nick's eyes and blinking back the tears I was told I couldn't have. When he spoke his vows, I could feel them inside me and knew I was doing the right thing. It almost seemed surreal until the gold band that went with my diamond was slid down my finger. Then I was taking his hand and sliding the gold band he'd bought for himself onto his finger.

  "You may kiss the bride,” the priest intoned.

  Nicky leaned down and kissed me. It was our first kiss as husband and wife. That made it special and I think he felt the same way, because his lips clung to mine.

  "I love you, Mrs. Nicholas Evan Grenfield,” he muttered against my mouth.

  "I love you, Nicky."

  Then I was being hugged by everyone. James, Nick's father, hugged me close. “I'm going to the police about Nadia,” he said. “I don't know if it'll do any good, because we don't have any proof of what she did. But I thought we should at least try.

  "Thank you,” I said. “She shouldn't be allowed out after the crap she pulled on Nick."

  "Don't worry about it now, just get better so you and Nick can use these. Consider it a wedding present from me and my wife.” He slipped an envelope into my hands and then gave me a kiss on my forehead before turning back to his wife. “Don't you have something to say, dear?"

  "Welcome to the family, Kenna,” she said, and I could almost sense the sincerity in her tone.

  "Thank you.” I wasn't going to be petty. Now that I was married to their son, we would be seeing a lot of each other, I had no doubt.

  She leaned down and kissed the air about six inches from my cheek and then backed away from the bed. I saw James wrap an arm around her and introduce her to my parents.

  "What's in the envelope?” Mara asked, always the curious one. I opened it and then gasped. They were sending us on a cruise. There was even a check made out for an astronomical amount with incidentals written on the info line. “Nicky,” I said, holding the envelope out to him. He took a look at what was inside and then hurried to his father's side.

  "Dad, this is way too much."

  "No, it's not,” James said. “This is the trip that I had planned to take your mother on, but this whole debacle was her fault. I know she didn't tell Nadia to bring those drugs, but she never should have been scheming with another woman to take you away from Kenna.” He moved closer to the bed so I could be part of the discussion. I was grateful because my lip reading skills were rather poor.

  "I don't remember much of anything from that night. I remember waking in the morning on the couch and wondering why I was there. When I found Mom, she told me that Kenna was gone and I didn't believe her. Then I saw your ring on the desk and I knew it was true. Mom told me what Kenna had witnessed and I couldn't figure out how unless I had passed out. I'd never enjoyed Nadia's company. She was like a female shark, always ready to take a bite out of anything that had enough money to pay her way."

  "It's done,” I said softly. “Nick and I are fine. I just want it to be done. I want to go on from here and build on our marriage and have our child,” I said, my hand running over my stomach.

  Finally the room cleared out. Mom and Nick were the last ones left. “Mom, Kenna and I haven't talked about it much yet, but we both loved it at the farm. With a baby on the way, we don't want to raise our children here. What would you think if we wanted to help you guys out with the farm?"

  Mom's eyes shot to my face and than back to Nick's. “Are you two sure this is what you want to do?"

  I nodded and Nick took my hand, holding it tightly. “We want our children to have the kind of raising that we did. We'll let Mara head off to the big city and make a go of it. I want to come home,” I said tiredly. By home, I didn't mean my apartment, though that didn't hold bad memories anymore now that Nick was all mine. I wanted to go to the farm.

  "Dad once told me that I could take a couple of acres and make it my own if I ever wanted to build a house. I know the couple of acres I want, Mom, if that's okay with you and Daddy."

  "You want the clearing where the stream goes through that feeds the pond, don't you?” she said, and all I could do was nod. “You were always there whenever we had to go looking for you."

  "It's been tested, it's not too far to get the electrical lines to the new house and we'd be neighbors, Momma."

  "You're going to make your father very happy, both of you ... and take a world of worry off my shoulders,” she said, wiping her eyes.

  "Then it's a yes?"

  "Let me talk to your father, but if I know him—and after thirty years of marriage I think I do—he'll jump for joy. It's just, Nicky, do you know what the life of a farmer is like? Its twenty-four hours, seven days a week. You've got to get up no matter how bad you want to stay in bed. You've got stock to feed and fields to tend. It's no glamour job."

  "It sounds perfect,” he said, bringing my hand to his lips. “That is if you don't mind us staying with you until we get our own house built."

  "Well, the marriage sure as hell will save Kenna the trouble of sneaking into your room in the middle of the night."

  I felt my face turning red as my Mom turned her eyes on me. I shrugged. “You're getting another grandchild out of the deal, so be happy."

  "I know, but I just sure wish that one of you girls had put the wedding first and then the baby-making. Let's just hope Mara doesn't follow in yours and Bekka's footsteps."

  "With that red hair,” I said, “you're lucky she hasn't already.” I chuckled as Mom gave me the dirty look again.

  "Well, let me go and find your father and we'll get his stamp of approval on this whole thing.” She turned to
leave the room.

  Nick sat down next to me. “Tired?"

  "Exhausted. I didn't know that a wedding could take so much out of a girl."

  "I thought it was the wedding night that you got tired out by.” He leaned forward and kissed me, before heaving a sigh. “So when are we signing you out of this joint?"

  "I hope tomorrow. There's nothing seriously wrong with me, they just wanted to keep me here to keep an eye on the baby and to make sure my head injury wasn't serious. You can have me all to yourself tomorrow night and there won't be anyone to tell you different."

  "I cannot wait,” he sighed, leaning down and giving me another kiss. “I hope your dad is going to like the idea. I'm looking forward to going out and buying a pair of overalls."

  I couldn't help but laugh. “You want to look like Jethro, that's fine but I'm not dressing up like Ellie Mae, got me?"

  "Aw, you'd look cute with your hair up in pig tails."

  "Yeah, keep wishing."

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  Epilogue

  A little less than nine months later, Nick picked me up in his arms and carried me across the threshold of our new home. It was built like my parents’ home, though a bit smaller.

  "You're going to hurt yourself, toting me around like this, Nicky.” I glanced down at my stomach, feeling huge and fat. “I'm surprised you could squeeze me through the door."

  "Aww, you're beautiful, baby.” He set me down carefully and then rested his hand on my stomach, feeling his son kicking.

  "Ow, you're going to have to teach the baby some manners. He's been beating me up for the last couple of nights."

  "Okay. Son, this is Dad,” he said, speaking to my belly. “You need to learn some manners. You can't keep on making Mama lose sleep the way you have."

  "So what do you think of Douglas Nicholas Grenfield?” I said, we were still hunting for the perfect name.

  "After your dad?” he asked, as we moved into the living room so I could put my feet up.

  I nodded.

  "Well, I think we should pick either Douglas or Nicholas because both are just too much of a mouthful to yell at the poor kid when he does something wrong."

  I couldn't help but laugh. He was right. I'd get to Grenfield and probably forget what he was in trouble for. “Okay, your turn."

  "Douglas James Grenfield?” he asked. He turned to look at me because I hadn't said anything. “What's wrong, baby?” he asked.

  "I think my water just broke.” I looked at the stain that was spreading down the legs of my pants.

  "You still have two weeks, isn't that what the doctor said?"

  "I don't think little Douglas James was listening when the doctor said that.” I stood and headed for the stairs.

  "Where are you going?” he asked, his eyes wide and a little panicky.

  "I can't go to the hospital like this. I need to at least change."

  "But the baby's coming,” he said, hurrying after me. “I don't think he'll much care what you're wearing."

  "But I do,” I said, and grabbed the railing as another pain hit. “So if you don't want your child born here, you'll quit bothering me and let me change."

  He quickly scooped me in his arms, carrying me up the stairs and into the master bedroom. “There, now hurry and change Kenna. Please, for my peace of mind, hurry?"

  I pulled out clean underwear and another pair of the stretchy pants that I wore instead of maternity clothes. His pacing was beginning to make me nervous, so I hurried. “Okay,” I said, after dumping my soiled clothes in the hamper.

  Before the last part of okay was out of my mouth, he'd scooped me up in his arms again. I managed to snag my purse as he practically ran by it and then I was in our car and he was putting it into reverse.

  "Did you remember to lock the door?” I asked.

  "Kenna,” he growled but he pulled back into the driveway and sprang out, locking the front door.

  "What about Mom and Dad, they're going to want to know."

  "You've got your cell phone, call them,” he said as he threw the car into reverse again.

  Four hours later and I was ready to call it quits. Mom was holding my hand and Nick was behind me, holding me. “I can't do this."

  "Yes, you can,” Nick said.

  "No, it's too hard,” I said, moaning as another contraction ripped through my belly.

  "Okay, one good push here,” my doctor said. “I can see hair."

  I took a deep breath, holding it while I pushed. I felt a burning pain and then a small squeaky cry came from between my thighs.

  "Okay,” the doctor said. “One more push and we'll get to meet this young man.” I pushed, wanting the pain to stop and then it did and I felt a huge relief, bigger than I'd ever felt before. The doctor rose up, placing my son on my belly and I automatically put my arms around him, holding him gently against me.

  "Oh, he's beautiful,” I said. He was, no matter that he was streaked with blood and his head was shaped like an egg, his face squished up and red from crying. I held my son and he was the most beautiful child on earth.

  "Do you have a name for him?” the nurse asked while the doctor still worked between my legs. I looked up at Nick and nodded.

  "Douglas James Grenfield,” he said.

  My mom's eyes widened and she gazed down at her grandson. “Your father is going to love that,” she said simply.

  I sighed, happy and tired. Who would have thought that all the events that had led up to these wonderful days started with one single phone call and a trip home for the holidays?

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  About the Author

  A small town girl with a master's degree from the School of Hard Knocks, Wendy started writing as a way to combat boredom and keep from gaining dress sizes after an injury to her back kept her from working. No one was more surprised than she when people actually enjoyed what she wrote.

  Writing as Daniellekitten, Wendy has won many awards for her writing, including Most Influential Writer in 2005 at Literotica.com, as well as Most Literary—Genre Transcending. She's been nominated for many of the Reader's Choice awards, as well as the monthly awards at the same website.

  Wendy Stone resides in a small Michigan town, spending most of her time writing and enjoying time with her animals and the company of her family.

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  Visit www.phaze.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.