Always Enough

by Kay Edwards

  Chapter Thirteen

  Wendy looked at the people around the game board. She grinned shamelessly. “It appears we have another bankruptcy.”

  Stefan shook his head. He had to admit. This was a side of Wendy he was not aware of. It was rather interesting. “You are a bit competitive. Don’t you think?”

  Wendy glanced at Stefan. Her voice held a fake air of superiority. “I believe you are a bit upset about your impending bankruptcy. I’m not sure you understand the game. The goal is to monopolize. It is called Monopoly for a reason.” She acted like she was thinking as she cocked her head to the side. "Huh... I didn't think I would need to explain that to you."

  Stefan elbowed her playfully. "Be nice."

  Liam looked at his brothers. “She is brutal. She could run the company for us.”

  Sabrina frowned at Wendy. “You need to trade properties.”

  Wendy laughed. “I think, Sabrina, that you need me to trade. As you can see, I have three monopolies. I don’t need to trade anything. I just need to take each of you out of this game one by one as I sit back and relax on my fake yacht.”

  Aaron chuckled. “She has an interesting head for business.”

  Wendy smiled. “Thank you, Papa Aaron.”

  Stefan rolled his eyes. “He spoils you more than he ever did us. Your head for business is to take over everything and trade nothing.”

  Wendy winked at Stefan. "As you can see Sir, it works. And for the record, Papa Aaron does not spoil me overly much."

  Liam had to disagree. “He spoils you rotten. You have gone from the pleasant person we have all come to love to an aggressive takeover machine.”

  Wendy grinned at Crystal who was the first one she eliminated. “I think they are being sore losers.”

  Crystal laughed. “Either that or you are being a bad winner.”

  Wendy leaned over and whispered to Trevor. “I really am a bit of a gloat when I win. I love winning.”

  Trevor elbowed her. “You need to be nice.”

  Wendy looked at Stefan. “Your brother just elbowed me.”

  Stefan laughed. “I know. You are being a brat.”

  It only took Wendy another half hour to finish off the rest of the players. She looked at Stefan. “I did warn you this was my game.”

  Stefan took her hand as they started walking toward the kitchen. “Yes, you did. However, you didn't warn me about the fact you gloat without shame.”

  Wendy giggled before she looked at Sabrina and Crystal. “We should do a lip sync battle next.”

  Sabrina and Crystal looked at each other surprised as all the men yelled ‘no’ at the same time.

  Wendy frowned at them. “I see you are worried about my ability with that too.”

  Stefan pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “I will admit to that for sure. You are the lip sync queen.”

  Liam relayed to the two ladies their first time in their new church. Sabrina looked at Wendy. Her voice held a note of disbelief. “No…”

  Wendy giggled. “It was so much fun. I can rap too.”

  Stefan looked down at her. “Seriously…?”

  Wendy smiled up into his face. “I’m telling you. I can totally rap. Ask Kim.”

  Gretchen chuckled. “I become more attached to her every time she opens her mouth.”

  Wendy looked up at Stefan. “Your mother is a fabulous judge of character.”

  Stefan grinned. “I can’t argue with that. I’m kind of attached to you too.”

  Liam looked at Sabrina. “I’m getting a bit nauseous.”

  Sabrina laughed. “I think they are cute.”

  Crystal chuckled. “I’ve seen how Skyler flirts with you. Of course, you think they are cute.”

  Sabrina giggled. “I wish he didn’t have to work tonight. He would have enjoyed this.”

  Wendy glanced at Sabrina. “Where did you meet him?”

  Sabrina peered at Crystal. “I met him at church. Crystal took me with her after our talk. A month later he asked me out.”

  Crystal smiled at Aaron and Gretchen. “He really is a good man.”

  Wendy looked at Crystal’s hand. “I am sorry about your husband. We have never really talked about him.”

  Crystal glanced down at her finger. “I know most people keep their rings on because they miss the person they were married to. I do it to remind me I’m ok if it is just Jesus and the kids and I. My husband was not very nice. I made a series of stupid mistakes as a kid and married young. I will let Christ pick my husband if He wants me to have one. I did love him, but life with him was very difficult. If I have, to be honest, his death stopped him from hurting me. We were young and didn’t know Christ. He came from a background full of neglect. I didn't even have a voice in my own house. He never laid a hand on me, but his words and actions were brutal. I almost lost myself in the mental abuse he dished out to me. Through all of it, however, I had never envisioned being a widow at twenty-six.”

  Trevor looked at her. “I think we all have things that have taught us lessons. Your story may help someone else think twice. That is a good thing. I am sorry that you were treated like that, though.”

  Wendy nodded. "I am too. Thanks for telling us."

  Crystal smiled as she took a deep breath. "It felt good to let you know. Now off the depressing stuff and onto the sweet stuff."

  Stefan took Crystal's hint and started scooping ice cream into bowls. He put some on the tip of Wendy’s nose. “Would you look at that. You look cute even with ice cream on your nose.”

  Wendy wiped it off and giggled. “You better be careful. I may see if a facial looks good on you.”

  Everyone grabbed their bowls as Stefan dished them out. They added their toppings and then headed to the family room to watch a movie.

  Stefan looked down at Wendy once they left. “It looks like it is just you and me.”

  Wendy smiled up at him. “It does.”

  Stefan very slowly reached around her and dipped his finger in the ice cream. “I think you need to be reprimanded for your lack of grace in winning.”

  Wendy backed away. “I’m thinking I don’t.”

  Stefan held up his finger. “I don’t know. You need to come up with a pretty good reason on why I should not put this on your face.”

  Wendy looked at Stefan. When he winked at her, she realized something. Her voice was soft. “I think I would like to throw myself on the mercy of the court. Are you willing to hear what I would like?”

  Stefan raised an eyebrow as he kept walking toward her. He saw a change in her face. He was curious. “Ok.”

  Wendy stopped backing away. She looked down at her hands before glancing back up at him. “Stefan… I think I would like to know what it is like to kiss you.”

  Stefan didn’t need to be asked twice. He touched her cheek gently as his lips found hers. When she leaned up, he pulled her close.

  Wendy whispered against his lips. “Definitely not yuck anymore.”

  Stefan looked down into her face. “Definitely not yuck.”

  When Stefan kissed her again, Wendy sighed. The couple jumped apart as Macy’s voice reached their ears. “Daddy is kissing Aunt Wendy.”

  Gretchen and Ms. Shelly looked at each other as Gretchen spoke. “It appears he is.”

  Wendy knew she was blushing again. She didn’t care, though. She glanced up at Stefan. When he looked down at her, she smiled.

  Stefan was relieved that she didn’t appear to regret their kiss. He smiled back at her. “I guess we should get the kids their ice cream.”

  Wendy giggled. “I guess we should. We both know Macy is going to need food in her mouth after this.”

  The two dished out the bowls for all of the children. Crystal came in with her three kids to help them put the toppers on. She chuckled as Macy started speaking. “Daddy was kissing Aunt Wendy. Nanna told me not to tell my Un
cle Liam and Uncle Trevor.”

  Liam walked into the kitchen. “What aren’t you supposed to tell me?”

  Wendy looked up at Stefan. Her voice sounded dreamy even to her. “Macy's daddy was kissing me.”

  Stefan glanced down at her. He touched her cheek as he whispered softly. “Macy's Aunt Wendy was kissing me back.”

  Liam shook his head and frowned. “Well, that takes the fun out of it.”

  They all went into the family room to watch a movie. Stefan and Wendy sat side by side. Wendy glanced up at Stefan as she took a bite of her ice cream. “I think I will be a sore winner all the time. I really like throwing myself on the mercy of the court.”

  Stefan whispered in her ear. “I do enjoy being the court.”

  Wendy finished her ice cream and snuggled into Stefan’s side. When he kissed the top of her head, she smiled up at him. “This is fun.”

  Stefan chuckled. “It certainly is.”

  Cory looked at Stefan. His voice was stern. “I sure hope you didn’t get cuties.”

  Trevor chuckled. “It seems to me that my brother thinks it is well worth the risk.”

  Crystal giggled. “I would have to say you are right.”

  Before the movie ended almost everyone was asleep. Gretchen looked at Aaron. “I am enjoying this.”

  Aaron smiled. “Are you giving what I suggested some thought?”

  Gretchen cuddled into her husband’s chest. “I am.”

  Wendy looked at Stefan. He had all three kids sleeping on him. She smiled at Sabrina. “It is a good look for him.”

  Sabrina giggled. “It surely is. Trevor doesn’t look too bad either.”

  Crystal raised an eyebrow. “I’m thinking you two need to stop.”

  Wendy laughed. “I don’t know. You have to admit. Trevor does look very comfortable with all three of your boys using him as a lazy boy.”

  Sabrina yawned. “I’m going to go get ready for bed and then help you two carry the kids. It is obvious the men here are a bit tired.”

  Wendy looked at Crystal. “If you want to get ready I can stay.”

  Crystal nodded as she stood up. “I will take you up on that.”

  Wendy watched Stefan sleep. She looked at the boys and Macy. “He genuinely does look good with them.”

  Aaron smiled at her. “I have to agree.”

  Wendy started to feel a bit scared. Tears stung her eyes. She looked at Gretchen and Aaron. “I can’t trust that God will let me keep any of them.”

  Gretchen smiled at her in understanding. “Aaron and I have had five children. Our oldest two were twins. We had them for a few hours and then they were gone. We were then blessed with a daughter. God only allowed us a short time with her as well. I know it is hard, but you can’t live in fear of who God will call home next. All you can do is live.”

  Wendy wiped a tear from her eye. She realized that Gretchen was right. She nodded. “I can do that.”

  When Sabrina and Crystal came back out, Wendy went and got her night clothes on. As she came back into the family room, Crystal chuckled. “Those do not look like your clothes.”

  Wendy grinned. “They are Stefan’s. I guess it is our thing.”

  Stefan was awake now. He smiled at Wendy. “I’ll go get ready and then help you with the kids.”

  Wendy nodded as she pulled Macy into her arms. She smelled the little girl’s hair as she snuggled her close. Winking at Gretchen, she said softly. “If she gets to feel my legs I get to smell her strawberry shampoo.”

  The adults started picking up kids. Sabrina, Gretchen, and Crystal picked up Crystal’s boys and headed toward the suite that was prepared for Sabrina and Crystal. Aaron took Macy as Stefan and Wendy picked up Sean and Cory. After the boys had been settled Wendy and Stefan walked toward her suite door. Before they got to it, Stefan tugged Wendy into his arms. He kissed her softly. “Goodnight.”

  Wendy whispered. “Goodnight.”

  Stefan touched her cheek one last time before leaving. Wendy watched him go. A part of her was still afraid to hope for a future with him. A bigger part believed this man and his daughter were already her and the boys’ family. She touched her lips and smiled as she went toward her room. As sleep claimed her, Wendy dreamed of her and Stefan's first kiss.