“Why would he tell her he couldn’t make babies? You know Lucas has always said he was going to outdo me when it came to kids.” She adjusted the robe, belted it, and then set the halo on her head.
“It’s complicated.” Sonia’s laugh was brittle.
Cold chill bumps played hopscotch down Natalie’s backbone.
“Well, I ain’t got time to listen to a long-winded story right now. I’ve got to go take care of Tommy. His daddy won’t ever get him lookin’ right. That’s my oldest son who is playing the little drummer boy today. I’ve got four boys,” she explained to Natalie as she slipped out the door.
“Bad as I hate to do it, I’ll give this pretty boy back to you. I’ve got to go get ready for my place.” Mary Alice handed Joshua off and left Sonia and Natalie alone in the room.
“I kind of lied to him one time.” Sonia did another turn and looked at Natalie. “Can you see my underwear now?”
“No, you look like an angel, but then looks can be deceiving. What did you lie to him about? I can’t believe you are an angel, but that doesn’t have anything to do with you lying, does it?”
Sonia shrugged and then had to adjust one of her wings. “I didn’t want kids. My brother has this mental issue and I told Lucas that I didn’t want to take a chance on bringing a baby into the world like that. We went to have tests run and when they came back, I lied to him about the results. He didn’t ask to see them, so it…” Sonia waved her hands in the air as she talked.
“What did you tell him?” Natalie asked.
“I hated the idea of my waist getting all fat like Melody’s and my boobs sagging and those horrible marks on my stomach,” Sonia said.
Angels weren’t supposed to lie. But then a woman who had a child without a marriage license and who had had sex the night before with a man who wasn’t the baby’s father didn’t have much room to judge wayward angels.
“I might as well come clean about it all since you already know,” Sonia said.
“Know what?”
“That he can make babies. I told him that the test said his swimmers were weak and that the doctor said it would take a miracle for him to ever produce a child. I was afraid he’d ask to see the report or want to go to the doctor with me, but I lucked out on that,” she said.
“My God,” Natalie whispered. She was as fertile as a bunny rabbit if she got pregnant from that one time with Drew. And the night before was right in the middle of her cycle when ovulation would be at the highest.
Was it a mortal sin to kill an angel in the Sunday school room? Maybe God would even give her a medal for strangling a lying angel so that He wouldn’t have to kick the bitch out of heaven.
“Guess you done figured that out, right?” Sonia looked at Joshua.
Natalie couldn’t even nod.
“I hear the music. That’s the cue for the choir to take your places and for me to get into my place too.” Sonia disappeared out of the room in a whirlwind of white.
Complicated just shot up to a whole new level. Surely she wouldn’t get pregnant a second time as the result of a one-night stand. She held Joshua tightly to her chest and looked up to see Lucas standing in the doorway.
“I told Sonia that I was sitting beside you so I can help with Joshua. Here, I’ll carry him. Just think, this is his first time to sing in the church choir,” Lucas said.
He carried the baby with one arm and held Natalie’s hand. They filed into the choir loft and sat down together on the far end of the first row. Joshua’s bright eyes took in everything and he smiled at two live white lambs tied to the wooden manger.
There was a tense moment when Sonia picked up the microphone and led the choir in “Silent Night.” The loud music made him jump and for a second Natalie thought he was going to set up a howl, but the music quieted and he went back to staring at the lights.
Would Sonia’s horns pop out of that blond hair if Natalie choked her skinny neck until she turned blue? Knowing that Lucas could produce his own children changed everything. Jack, Grady, and Henry would not be so hell-bent on pushing them together if they were aware that he could populate Cedar Hill with little dark-haired real Allen boys or even girls.
When the song ended, Noah stepped up to the pulpit and read a scripture verse about the wise men coming from afar. He was dressed in a robe just like the rest of the choir. Evidently at the church in Savoy, Texas, all real angels were female and there were only three of them.
His voice was deep and booming and commanded attention. He and Sonia would make pretty babies. Both of them were blond and had gorgeous eyes, but Natalie was glad that Sonia didn’t want kids. It would just be her luck that Joshua would grow up and fall in love with their daughter.
She felt a movement and glanced up to see Henry wink at her from beneath a tinsel crown. His cape was scarlet and no matter how he tried to keep it pulled together, his boots and jeans still showed. Jack wore a brilliant blue robe and Grady’s was gold. They bowed to the baby doll and laid their brightly wrapped presents beside the manger.
Noah led the men in the choir in “We Three Kings.” All during the song, Joshua cooed and smiled at the wise men and from the expressions on their faces, they were not only wise but very happy.
The two live lambs moved as far as their ropes would allow and kept their heads turned toward Joshua. If they’d thought to put some lamb feed in the manger, maybe the congregation would have seen more than their little short wiggling tails during the whole production.
Natalie wondered how Mary and Joseph handled the issue of Jesus not really belonging to Joseph when they had other children. They should’ve let a woman write at least one book in the New Testament so that important details would have been recorded.
Another man from the choir read more scripture and then Sonia and Melody sang “What Child Is This?” with no background music and with only a few choir members humming along. It was a breathtakingly beautiful sound, but Natalie still wanted to snatch the woman bald headed and then slap her for not having hair.
Then the preacher took the pulpit and reminded everyone that there was a potluck dinner in the reception hall. Other than the angels removing their wings, everyone who’d played a part should stay in costume.
“Yes, you choir members can hang your robes back up.” He smiled.
He made a few more announcements. Two different families had added a baby to their families during the past week. One elderly lady from the nursing home had passed and her funeral would be held Tuesday.
The Hanging of the Green ceremony would take place on the next Sunday morning. “And I’m reminding everyone again that Sonia and Noah will be married right here in this church on Christmas Day at eight o’clock in the evening. Most of the festivities surrounding your family affairs will be over by then, so plan to wind up the day by attending their wedding. Now if Henry will dismiss us in a word of prayer, we’ll all go on to the fellowship hall.”
Natalie decided that the place to tell Lucas about the big fat lie Sonia had told him was not in church.
Lucas talked to Joshua when the prayer ended. “You were a good boy for a whole hour, but I see that your fist is about to be chewed plumb off. You think we’d best hurry on to the Sunday school room and get a bottle made up for you?”
People stopped them every two steps to get a glimpse of the baby. They didn’t fool Natalie one bit. Silverton wasn’t much bigger than Savoy and the reason they were flocking to their sides was more than just welcoming Lucas home. They wanted to see if Joshua looked like Lucas.
One elderly man poked Lucas in the ribs. “You kinda snuck that little fellow in on us, didn’t you?”
Lucas smiled down at the old guy. “Guess I did. And now I’m going to have to sneak him on out of here or you’re going to see him throw a real Allen fit.”
He laced his fingers in Natalie’
s. She hadn’t been blessed with tiny, little delicate hands. Not at her height. But they felt small in his as they left the sanctuary.
“The truth will come out,” she whispered.
“Maybe I don’t want it to come out,” he said from the side of his mouth.
Henry came up behind them and laid a hand on Natalie’s shoulder. “Mighty fine job y’all did.”
“All we did was sing. It was y’all who did a fantastic job,” she said.
“Well, that’s all we did too, but Joshua made it worthwhile. He grinned right at me. Did you see it?” Henry asked.
“Joshua thought the gold you gave baby Jesus was shiny and pretty,” Natalie teased.
“Gold-covered chocolates.” Henry chuckled. “I got so hungry standin’ up there like a statue while Noah sang that song. Lord, it went on forever, didn’t it? Anyway, I started to sneak a couple of them chocolates out and eat them right there. But I didn’t want to go temptin’ God.”
Henry took a breath and went on, “Now we can go eat brisket and ribs. If I’d had your big breakfast instead of one of them cardboard things that pop up out of the toaster, my stomach wouldn’t have thought my throat had been cut.”
“Well, don’t be goin’ without a good breakfast again,” Natalie said.
“I won’t. Believe me, after wonderin’ if I’d pass plumb out from hunger up there when I was a wise man, you can bet I won’t. I’ll be there every morning from now on, darlin’. Now y’all get whatever you need for Josh, and we’ll meet you in there.” He left them in the hall and disappeared inside the door where all the good smells were coming from.
Natalie changed Joshua’s diaper while Lucas added scoops of dry powder to the water already in the bottle. He put the cap on and shook it well then grimaced.
“What?” Natalie asked.
“Poor little fellow. All he gets is old dried milk shook up in water and we’re about to dine on the best beef brisket and ribs that Cedar Hill can produce.”
“He thinks he’s getting steak and potatoes. Don’t tell him any different,” she whispered.
She redressed him in a navy blue knit outfit with feet built into it, put a bib around his neck, and held him close to her face. “You did so good on your choir singing, sweet boy. Someday you can be the little drummer boy. I feel bad, Lucas. I didn’t know there was going to be a potluck or I would’ve brought something. Hey, I didn’t think boys and girls could be in the same choir room?”
He shook his head slowly. “No, ma’am. You can’t feel bad. We supply all the meat for this shindig every year. The ranch hands smoke it a few days before and freeze it, then all the ladies heat it up in the oven. I could smell it while we were out there in the sanctuary. And about being in the same choir room, I’ll just leave my robe hangin’ on the outside of the door. They’ll all know I wanted to help with the baby.”
Natalie had caught a whiff of the smoke too, but she’d figured it was the devil scorching Sonia’s wings. Natalie would gladly fan the blazes if he had.
Noah was the first person they passed when they opened the doors into the long dining room. He stuck out a hand toward Lucas and said, “The little fellow did good in the choir. I remember when Melody used to hold her babies while she sang. It does them good to grow up in church. Y’all will come to the wedding, right?”
Lucas shook his hand. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Thank you, Lucas. That means a lot to me, comin’ from you,” he said.
Sonia joined him from across the room. “And the girls are so excited about a Christmas wedding.”
Noah threw his arm around her shoulders, but she looked right at Lucas when she talked. “All his brothers are coming home for Christmas, so his whole big family will be here. And my sister and brother will be at Granny’s, so they’ll be here. It’s going to be the prettiest wedding this town has ever seen.”
Lucas kept his eyes on Joshua who slurped down his dinner. “Want me to burp him… Natalie?”
She caught the hesitation before he said her name. She owed him one for not calling her sweet cheeks right there in front of Noah and Sonia.
“You hold the bottle and I’ll do it. So how many kids are you two plannin’ on?” Natalie smiled at Sonia.
Sonia looked like a cornered rabbit with her eyes darting from one side of the room to the other and back at Noah. It was good enough for her after the stunt she’d pulled on Lucas.
“What do you think, Noah?” Sonia finally asked.
“I grew up in a big family and loved it,” he said. “But I sure don’t want that many. Maybe some ornery boys like Melody and Jake have.”
Natalie smiled at Sonia. “Well, four is a good round number. I always thought I’d like to have four like my momma had.”
“Sounds good to me,” Sonia said.
Did the woman ever tell the truth? She’d lied to Lucas and now poor old Noah thought he was getting a family out of the marriage.
“I must go help get the spoons put in the food. We sure can’t eat it with our fingers.” Sonia giggled nervously. “Why don’t you guys take the baby so Natalie can help me? I’ll introduce her to the church ladies.”
Natalie shifted Joshua into Lucas’s arms before he could even reach for him. The catfight had barely begun and she was more than willing to take it to the next level. Hell, she’d even take it outside in the street. She would borrow two butcher knives from the kitchen. Whoever came back inside after the fight could have a second helping of that chocolate layer cake on the table.
“That was hateful and mean,” Sonia hissed on the way across the room.
“And what you did to Lucas wasn’t bitchy?” Natalie asked.
“I was protecting my waistline, and besides, no man stays in love with a woman when she’s puking up her guts every morning and her ankles are swollen like she’s got the gout,” Sonia said.
“Do you love Noah?” Natalie asked.
“Of course I love him or I wouldn’t be marrying him. But just for your information, I will always have feelings for Lucas. We were together for a long time, but I guess I screwed myself out of that, didn’t I? If he’d known he could make babies, he would have used protection and you wouldn’t be here today, so I wouldn’t have a chance at him again even if I did want it, which I don’t. But, darlin’, you can be damn sure every time he’s in bed with you, he’s thinking about me.”
Natalie stopped so fast that Sonia had taken two more steps before she realized she was alone. She turned so quickly that her halo fell to the floor and she stumbled on the tail of her angel robe. Natalie reached out and grabbed her shoulder to keep her from falling.
“Whoa! Can’t have you all bruised up for your wedding,” she said.
“You tripped me,” Sonia said.
“You were five feet ahead of me, girl. I did not trip you. Noah is a good man. Why would you marry him if you still have a thing in your heart for another man?”
“I’m almost thirty. It’s time for me to be married.” Sonia stomped off toward the tables where the ladies were putting out casserole after casserole and too many desserts to count.
Lucas was suddenly at Natalie’s side. “What was that all about?”
“Just a little friendly catfight.”
“But you’re going to tell me before nightfall, aren’t you?”
She looped her arm in his. “Ladies do not catfight and then tell.”
Sonia cornered Melody and they were whispering and shooting looks toward Natalie that would get a real angel kicked off her cloud. A vision of Sonia hitting earth with a thump so hard that it would knock her halo sideways put a smile on Natalie’s face.
“If I wasn’t so hungry, we’d leave right now,” he said.
“But the little ladies wouldn’t get to fuss over Joshua,” Natalie teased.
Sh
e wasn’t ready for the long talk she and Lucas needed to have. First of all, they had to address the sex. No more unprotected sex.
She needed some time to process the last twenty-four hours. A week would be wonderful, but even two hours would help. Her Aunt Leah had always said that she was too nice for her own good. Trusting came easy, but she’d just found out that there were people that couldn’t be trusted.
“And right in church,” she mumbled.
“What was that?” Lucas asked.
“Nothing. I’m hungry. Do we have to wait much longer?”
Jack waved from the other side of the room and motioned them over. “Willie here wants to take a look at Joshua. He says that we should’ve let Josh be baby Jesus. I told him that Josh wanted to sing in the choir, not lay there with nothing to do.”
Lucas steered Natalie in that direction with his hand on her lower back. A simple touch of a gentleman’s hand shouldn’t have a woman thinking about sex on the front pew of the sanctuary.
But it did!
Chapter 12
“This little Angus went to market. This little Angus stayed home. This little Angus had smoked ham. This little Angus had none. And this little Angus, this little Angus, this one right here cried moo, moo, moo all the way home.” Henry chuckled when he got a grin from the baby.
“I thought it was piggies,” Natalie said.
“Not in a beef rancher’s house,” Jack said. “It’s my turn to hold him, Henry. All them people at the church this afternoon come damn nigh to stealin’ him away from us.”
“You’ll have to wait until later, Dad. I’m going to give Natalie and Josh a tour of the ranch before it gets dark,” Lucas said.
“You can’t take Josh to the cabin without me being there. I want to see his face when he sees it the first time. You and Natalie go on and look but Josh has to stay with us. Get my keys from my coat pocket so you can get into the church while you are driving around,” Henry said.
The Cowboy’s Christmas Baby Page 16
