Return to Abundance

by Shanna Swenson

  “Honey, go back to sleep. You only have a few hours before you have to get up,” Nat pleaded.

  “I just wish I could help out more,” he responded regretfully.

  “You’re being a great help, but there really isn’t much more you can do, my love.”

  Jack knew that, but it didn’t make him feel better that his wife was so tuckered out.

  “Not much longer little one you’re going to have to share.” He looked down at Natalie’s ample bosom then back up to her eyes. They lit up in unvanquished desire and boom- just like that- he was rock hard. It always amazed him how she could give him just one look and turn him on so fast. He smiled. “I can’t wait until your recovery time is up. I’m gonna love you like it’s our first time all over again.” His eyes were full of promise as he leaned over to kiss her supple lips. A soft, sensual, lingering kiss.

  “Patience, my sexy husband. You may not have to wait quite that long.” Her hand lowered between his thighs, gripping and pulling slowly on his erection. He sucked a breath through his teeth and groaned in bittersweet agony.

  “God, I want you so much.” He pouted. She quickly pulled her hand away.

  “Jack, I’m sorry.” She frowned and kissed his cheek. “I don’t mean to torture you… It’s the hormones. I don’t know what came over me.”

  He smiled slyly. “Don’t worry, my darlin’. I’m a patient man.” He took her lips again, thrusting his tongue in for good measure, raising a moan from her. “But you’ll pay for that one… believe me.” His teeth nipped at her bottom lip.

  “I can’t wait,” she stated, cocking her eyebrow playfully when he pulled back to look at her. He gulped as his sex pulsed with yearning. He couldn’t wait either. “Now, try and get some sleep.” She stroked his arm. “You’re going to be so tired tomorrow.”

  He nodded and kissed her forehead. He started to slide down in the bed, yawning. Suddenly, the door squealed open as Dallie came stumbling in.

  “Mommy. Daddy. Savannah was so loud. She woke me up…” She ambled forward, pouting. Her ever-present border collie followed, bounding in, tail wagging. Jack quickly covered his bulging erection with a swift movement of his wrist on the sheet and looked up as if he had nothing to hide.

  “She was hungry, pumpkin. Babies cry. That’s what they do,” Jack replied. He could feel his arousal waning; he sighed in relief. He knew it was inevitable that Dallie would eventually walk in on the two of them one day. They were so spontaneous, and she was notoriously barging in.

  “I’m sorry, honey.” Natalie took the sleeping baby from her breast, replacing her shirt. She laid Savannah down next to Jack who kissed her tiny cheek and placed his finger in her itty-bitty fist. Natalie grabbed Dallie’s hand and walked with her back to her room. Dash followed, whining.

  About that time, Jack’s cell phone rang and he turned over to grab it from the nightstand. Who the hell is calling me at two in the morning? he thought. He didn’t recognize the number but decided to answer it anyway.

  “Oh, thank God!” Nate’s voice cried into the receiver. “Jack! I need you to come bail me out of jail.”

  Jack just chuckled, “Like Hell, Nathan. It’s two o’clock in the morning!”

  “I know, I know… but it really wasn’t my fault this time, I swear!”

  “You know what? I should let you sit in that damn cell all night long for all the trouble your worth.” He looked down at his angelic little infant daughter and felt his heart soften. “But since I love your sister and her babies so much and I wouldn’t dare cause them a minute of pain, I’m gonna come get your sorry ass.”

  “Whew, I can’t thank you enough, bro.”

  “Yeah, yeah, save it,” Jack said. “Just don’t say that I never did you any favors!”

  Nate looked over at his brother-in-law again. Jack didn’t look as mad as Nate expected he would be; he actually seemed to be a bit amused. At first, Jack told him that he didn’t want to know then he said, “Well, you know what? I do wanna know! I deserve to know why I’m out gallivanting in the middle of the night playing the knight in shining armor…” So, Nate had told him. He’d left out the fact that he and Jordan had slept together, several times, and the fact that he was in love with her and thought she might be in love with him… but the rest was all there.

  “Scottie, huh?” Jack exhaled. “I’m surprised… Actually, no. I’m not, not really! Scottie got me good and riled up once when Nat and I went to the Rusty Spur together. He has a real hard time keeping his hands to himself. You know? Come to think of it, that place is just bad news.”

  “I think you’re right. It seems that nothing has really changed over the years. Buck and Rick and Scottie… They’re always there.”

  “And there’s always seems to be trouble where those three are.”

  “Well, and me too, but I’ve changed Jack. I really have. I don’t want that anymore… Hell, I didn’t wanna fight Scottie, but he just kept at me.”

  “I know something’s changed, Nate and yes, we have noticed. My wife is happy, really and truly happy, despite that she’s exhausted right now, for the first time since I’ve known her.”

  “That’s what I want too, believe it or not. I didn’t always want that…” Jack looked over at him, frowning. Despite that Nate was a few years older, Jack was much bigger than him, and deep down, he was kind of afraid of the man. “I resented my sister for the longest time. It was stupid, I know. I hated that she’d let Troy Cameron get her pregnant, that she’d moved so far away from our family… then I envied her life. I envied that she had such ambition and was practically a celebrity and there I was, with no life to speak of, living in a streamline and on the road all the time. Of course, my pride was too great to reach out to her and admit that I’d been wrong and that I was sorry. So, there I was… all alone. It wasn’t living even when I thought it was better than being home.”

  “I understand that!” And Nate knew that he did. They’d both been sucked into the revolving doors of the bull-riding circuit after tough pasts. At first, it was a dream come true, especially being young: the lights, the girls, the roaring crowds- the distinction, the prestige, the little taste of stardom… but with the unstable lifestyle and the danger of it all, the enjoyment of it had soon started to burn out. “So, Scottie hit Jordan?” Jack asked.

  “It was an accident. I know that now.” Nate’s head dropped. “But all I saw was her hit the ground and I wanted to taste his blood. I couldn’t think of anything else…”

  They pulled into the driveway, and Jack put his truck in park, glanced over at Nate, a knowing look in his eye. “Even though I completely understand, Scottie’s probably gonna press charges, especially since this is strike two against you, you know?” Nate responded with a nod, indicating that he knew. “I know you don’t want to, but you’re gonna have to tell your folks…” Again, Nate only nodded. “I’m gonna tell Nat… assuming Buck hasn’t already called her,” Jack grumbled, “but I will go myself and personally speak to Scottie about this.”

  “Jack, you don’t have to do that!”

  “I know,” his brother-in-law scowled, “I’m not doing it for you.”

  Jordan had tried to speak to Scottie that morning while they were both still in the ER, but it was no use. Scottie refused to drop the charges against Nathan, despite that he’d been the one who’d been hammered drunk, not Nate. Of course she might not even have to worry about it since Scottie was dealing with charges of his own; public intoxication, disorderly conduct, assault and battery to name a few. Abundance PD had booked him and Nate last night; they were sick of their shit. The only reason Scottie was still in the ER was because they suspected he might have a concussion and had him under observation. He was being completely unreasonable. His stupidity was the reason they’d both spent the night in the ER in the first place- him much worse off than her but still.

  “Damn you, Scottie. I’m not pressing charges on you, you fuckin’ asshole. You could have broken my damn jaw. You know what?
Now that I think about it…maybe I will! I hope you have a shitty recovery.” She’d kicked his gurney as she held the ice pack to her cheek and yelled. “To Hell with you, you piece of—” She was hauled out the emergency department and dumped outside by the hospital security officer as a litany of vulgarities spewed from her. All the pent-up anger and shame and regret she’d felt last night came crashing down on her, and she fell to the ground in tears. This was all her fault. If only she hadn’t wanted the attention. Well, she’d gotten it alright, hadn’t she? Her jaw wasn’t fractured, but it was bruised enough to cause a big purple swollen cheekbone and it hurt to open her mouth. As if that wasn’t enough, her pride had been wounded as well. She felt wholly alone as she walked to the curb wondering who to call as she dug her phone out of her purse. Natalie couldn’t drive yet and Jack was busy working; he’d come picked Nate up from jail last night she’d heard. She would have to call Eric to come get her as she just couldn’t bring herself to call Nate. She wasn’t ready to even face him. She wished she could just go somewhere else. Maybe she should call her mom…

  She was afraid that Nate wasn’t going to get out of this one as easily as last time. The police had gotten involved thanks to Louise, and there were many witnesses to last night’s shenanigans. Nate had been charged with disorderly conduct and assault. Corrine and David were going to be mighty disappointed, she knew, and Jordan was sure Natalie would be heartbroken; she’d been so happy with Nate’s turn around.

  But it was Jordan who felt the shame fall upon her. She was the reason for all this. If she hadn’t run off to the bar to Scottie and Buck-well and even to Rick- to stroke her bruised ego this never would have happened. She’d have been better off with Zack and other ranch hands than she’d been going back to the Rusty Spur; that place was just damn cursed. Nat had told her about the night that she and Jack had gone there after their date- how Natalie had made a fool of herself and how Jack had come close to kickin’ someone’s ass then. Jordan had been recovering from her last surgery at the time. She was glad now that she’d missed the drama. Scottie appeared to bring it on himself, it would seem.

  Eric arrived within about 10 minutes to pick her up and she’d cried and cried into his chest. He soothed her as best he could and put her into the passenger side of Nate’s 57 Chevy that he’d borrowed.

  “Don’t worry! I didn’t tell him I was picking you up,” Eric soothed once he’d sensed her hesitation at seeing Nate’s vehicle. “I just said I had to run into town. He’s so busy and distracted right now that he won’t even notice.” His words did little to calm her as they rode down the old two-lane road out of Abundance. “Man, Jor! That is one hell of a bruise, sweetie. You may have to have milkshakes for meals for a little while.” Jordan grimaced and sighed. “Don’t worry. I don’t mind being Emeril for a few days while you heal up.” He winked. “Nate’s not going to say a word to you about any of this.”

  That’s what she was worried about. She and Nate hadn’t spoken in days, not really. He was upset with her, and she was avoiding him like the plague because he’d told her that he loved her. She wanted to tell Eric this and get his input, but she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted him to know.

  Once they arrived back at the ranch, he helped Jordan in. All the while, she prayed she didn’t run into Nate. Rest assured, he was down at the barn as Eric had said and didn’t see her come in. Eric helped her upstairs and ran down to make her some hot tea as she changed into lounge clothes. Just as she was settling into her bed, he came back up with a steaming mug, another ice pack and a bottle in his hand.

  “Here you go,” he handed the mug over delicately being sure not to spill it in the process. “I got you a new ice pack and some pain meds. Believe me when I say these will be your best friends for a couple of days…” She didn’t feel the need to enlighten him that pain killers had been her best friends for years now along with her heating pad; she just smiled and thanked him as she settled into the covers, and he headed out the door. “Now you just call me if you need anything, alright?” She just nodded. “Get some rest and don’t worry about you know who.” He smiled as he closed the door behind him.

  “Yes, Momma, I know.” Natalie was trying to finish dinner, help Dallie with homework, and deal with Savannah all the while listening to her mother rant and rave about Nathan’s behavior last night. “But I’m telling you that he’s changed. Nathan told Jack that it wasn’t his fault—”

  “And you believe that?” Corrine cried into the receiver.

  “Yes! I believe my brother. Scottie Warden had it coming, trust me when I tell you!” Her mother continued her tirade until Nat’s patience got the best of her. “Ok, Momma, I really don’t have time for this… I need to go. I need to burp Vanna and finish dinner, ok?”

  “Honey, I’m sorry! I should be there helping you.”

  “It’s ok, really. Enjoy your time with your friends. We’ll make out for a few days on our own.”

  “Ok, sweetie. I will. I love you!”

  “I love you too. This will sort itself out, I promise you. Nate’s charges are misdemeanors and he was acting in self-defense against a drunk; the judge may just dismiss the charges.” Her assurances seemed to make her mother content as she hung the phone up even though deep down Nat knew that it probably wasn’t going to be quite as cut and dry as that. Nate might avoid jail time, but he was probably going to pay some fines and maybe even have to do some community service.

  Natalie had become a guru on all things legal after Troy’s initial arrest. She’d read law books and had long, detailed discussions with her lawyer so that she understood the law and how she could keep Troy from her daughter if his lawyer succeeded in getting the case thrown out- even though Jerry had reassured her that wouldn’t happen- she wasn’t taking any chances. Now, she didn’t ever have to worry about that again.

  She placed the phone on the kitchen counter as she pulled Savannah from her breast, pulled up her shirt and laid the babe on her shoulder to burp her, running her hand up and down the infant’s small back while also stirring a pot of spaghetti noodles. Savannah made a little grunting sound as air and spittle swooshed out of her tiny mouth spewing onto Natalie’s black shirt and the burp cloth she had there.

  “Oh goodness, I saw that one coming… should have pulled you off a little sooner. Sorry, boo, that was Mommy’s fault.” Nat swiped at her baby’s little open mouth then cleaned her own shirt off the best she could and held her baby girl up, talking to her as Savannah’s violet eyes opened to look at her Mommy. Vanna gave her a crooked “smile” and Natalie laughed.

  This was what made it all worth it. The sleepless nights, the sore breasts, the stretch marks, the pain, the sheer exhaustion; this tiny, sweet precious baby with a full life ahead of her made it all worth it.

  “To think- your gorgeous Daddy and I made something so beautiful.” She blotted her eyes as tears welled up in them. She thought of the infant she’d lost after Dallas and before Savannah, then the one she’d lost prior to Dallie. Life had come after loss, two beautiful lives, and Natalie considered herself lucky; there were so many women out there who couldn’t have children. Some tried and tried and miscarried baby after baby and here she’d been lucky enough to have felt life growing inside her 4 times now. Existence was truly a miracle! “One day I’m gonna tell you and your sister all about the story of how your father and I fell in love.”

  That was how Jack and Dallie found her- cooing to her infant, tears in her eyes, in the kitchen. Her loving husband came to her side. There was such concern on his face as he pulled her to him that it made Nat wince.

  “My love, what’s wrong?” he asked.

  She smiled into his handsome face even as she tilted hers up to him. He kissed her gently but passionately, a big protective arm coming around her as his opposite hand cupped her jawline.

  “Everything’s perfect,” she stated when he pulled back, gazing at her, his eyes reflecting her love, and he smiled as Dallie hugged their legs.

&nbs
p; That’s when all hell broke loose! Savannah started screaming, the kitchen timer went off, the doorbell started ringing which started the dog barking and Dallie squealing as she ran to the door. Dallie loved visitors and usually it was always someone she knew, so she’d gotten to where she wanted to be the one answering it, much to Nat and Jack’s dismay. Natalie almost laughed at the sudden storm of chaos as she quickly turned the timer and stove eye off and began searching for Savannah’s pacifier as Dallie opened the door and Jack grabbed for the dog taking him to the back room. Suddenly all was quiet, the calm before the storm. The baby had hushed, the dog had stopped barking and Dallie came to her then a confused look on her face.

  “Mommy, she says she’s my grandmother…”

  Natalie’s face must have shown the abject horror she felt as she looked from Dallie to Jack to the woman at the door.

  Camille Cameron stood in their door frame dolled up in her usual fur coat and pearls, looking every bit the millionaire that she was. Natalie stumbled and righted herself and Jack came to her side, steadying her as they approached Camille. Natalie turned to Jack, passing him the baby as she tried to hide her shock.

  “Camille?” Her eyes took in the beautiful older woman’s features, so similar to her ex-husband’s. Camille’s hair was light blonde and her eyes blue as the sky; her lips were painted red and she wore a matching dress beneath the fur coat, decked out in pearls and diamonds.

  Natalie knew that she must look a mess with her spit-up covered black shirt, sweat pants and messy bun with not a stitch of makeup on. God how she wished she would have known she’d be having her for company; she would have changed and at least put on some mascara and lip gloss. “It’s been years,” Natalie continued, but looked down at Dallie, who stirred curiously, looking up at them. She wasn’t sure if she wanted her present for this. Jack must have sensed her reluctance.