by C. J. Corbin
"With everyone watching?"
"Yes, with everyone watching. They're not paying attention to us." He wrapped his arms around me and we started slowly to sway together. "You've been very quiet."
"I guess I'm tired."
"It's been a tough week for you, hasn't it?"
"Not really. It's been a wonderful week. I've loved it all. I'm not used to being around so many people all the time."
Michael grinned, "You're right. I come from a large family, so I'm used to this. This feels like home to me."
"I can tell. You revel in this type of event. All the family."
"I do. I wish the girls were here. They always enjoy coming here for a visit." He laughed, "Tammy loves the alligators."
I laughed along with him. "I bet she does."
His faced turned serious. "I'm not looking forward to what is waiting for us at home."
"I know."
"I have no idea what I'm going to say to her," he said.
"I'm sure you'll think of something," I whispered in his ear. "You always do."
Michael twirled me around and pulled me back against him. This felt so right, being wrapped in his arms. I knew being with him was the best thing that ever happened to me. When he looked at me, my stomach still did flip-flops the way it did on our first date. After all these months, that look of his could still take my breath away. His kisses always so inviting, drawing me in, and capturing me.
The song unfortunately ended and we were broken from the spell. A Zydeco song followed and suddenly Tommy was spinning me around.
I laughed and clapped my hands as he took me in an embrace and whirled me around on the grass.
"Ahh Cher, you know I can't resist you and that laugh!"
"What about the barbecue?" I called out to him as we separated and he twirled me around again, making me dizzy and he laughed.
"My family seems to think they know how to do it better than me. So let them try!"
The sun began to set and the temperature dropped, but it was still warm enough around the fire pit. We ate, laughed, ate some more, sang songs, danced, and then ate some more. By the end of the evening, Michael almost had to carry me up the stairs to our bedroom. I was conked out before my head hit the pillows.
We were up early the next morning and, after breakfast, Marie and Tommy took us to the airport in their truck, followed by Marcus and Nancy. We said our heartfelt goodbyes and reminded everyone that we would be back in a couple of months for the wedding.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
We were both quiet on the flight home. Michael was deep in thought about the situation at home - he told me he hated the loss of control. He didn't know what we would face when we arrived home. I tried to reassure him, but I knew that anything I said would be on deaf ears. He had to be able to wrap his arms around the situation. Used to being in command of the ship he was sailing on for so long and being able to solve every crisis that appeared, he disliked the unknown. He was at a loss with this one though.
Telling Michael that pregnancy happened all the time and pointing to my belly didn't seem to help either. He pressed his lips together and told me that it was different with a daughter, a very young daughter. Pointing out that she was over eighteen didn't make any difference to him either. I settled back in my seat and read my book while he gloomily looked out the window.
We arrived in Mintock in the early evening. The sun had already set and it had looked like it had rained most of the day. As we drove down the utility road that lead to the house, he abruptly stopped the jeep in front of the empty house located next door. Or what had been the empty house. The debris that had been the house surrounded two large bulldozers parked in the middle of the lot.
"What the hell?" he said with astonishment.
"Someone must have finally bought the house," I commented, as the house had stood empty for as long as I could remember. I had always thought it was a little spooky.
"Damn," Michael said, his brow wrinkled. "I shouldn't have waited. Damn," he said again. "I was going to buy the land, raze the house, and extend our lot."
"Oh."
He put the Jeep into gear again and continued to our house. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter. We have your house and lot. We can extend that way."
Immediately the thought raced through my head, What? You want to tear down my house. Over my dead body. I decided to tread lightly on the subject, "Were you planning on extending your house?"
Michael patted my hand. "Our house, babe. We may have to, with the baby coming, I'm sure you'd prefer a nursery downstairs. Pushing out and adding a bedroom downstairs may be our only choice. Besides, I hate that you write over in your cabin. I miss you when you're over there."
I only nodded because I was sure we would discuss this further. It was great that he was thinking ahead but we were definitely not demolishing my house. Period. No way.
There were two cars parked at the back of our house. Tammy's blue truck and a little champagne-colored Mercedes sports coupe.
"Why is Margaret here?" I almost spit in anger.
"Your guess is as good as mine, babe. Most likely Tammy called her," he said as he stopped the Jeep and grabbed his bag. "Looks like it is going to be an interesting evening."
Michael's statement of the obvious made me grimace as I reached for the car door handle. After spending all day on a plane, the last person I wanted to encounter was Margaret. Even on a good day, she was a handful. He opened the door for me and saw my face as he helped me from the Jeep.
"Com'on babe, it won't be that bad. I promise." He kissed my forehead and we went inside of the house as a united front.
Tammy greeted us at the back door and she threw her arms around Michael already sobbing. "Oh Daddy, you're finally home! Mom just got here, and she's in the living room. I hope you don't mind that I called her, but I didn't know what to do! I've been going crazy all week."
"It will be okay, sweetheart. You don't need to cry," he murmured to her while rubbing her back.
Tammy peeked at me around Michael's shoulder. "Hi Elizabeth," she said with a hiccup.
I smiled and tried to look sympathetic. I was already steeling myself for what was waiting in the living room. "I'll make some tea. Go ahead and I'll bring it in when it's ready."
Michael nodded, "Thanks babe."
The making of the tea was a good excuse to allow me time to think. The last thing Tammy needed was for me to feed into the drama too. There would be too much emotion with Michael and Margaret already with them rehashing her first pregnancy, which trapped him into their marriage. I thought grimly it was what I had done to him too. As I carried the tea tray into the living room, I resolved to try to bring some levelheaded ideas to the situation.
"You certainly did a good job raising Tammy, didn't you, Michael?" Margaret was in his face and pointing at him.
I had read the scene correctly. It was going to be all about Margaret and Michael. "Here's some tea," I said, setting the tea tray down on the coffee table. "Let's all sit down and talk."
Margaret looked at me with and her eyes darkened. "You have nothing to do with this. Tammy is not your daughter."
"I didn't say she was," I replied coolly, "but I care about her just the same. I think we can all discuss this like responsible adults and offer Tammy our suggestions. She is an adult too."
"No she isn't," Michael stated flatly.
I looked at him with surprise - there went our united front. "Yes she is. She is over eighteen."
Tammy didn't say a word; she was huddled into the couch, looking like she wanted to retreat into herself.
"She wouldn't have gotten herself into this position if she were an adult. This was plain stupidity on her part," he said.
"Sometimes these things happen, it's done. Making her feel bad is not helping the situation."
Margaret sat in the large leather chair, looking very pleased that I was arguing with Michael.
"There is only one way out Tammy," he said plainly and she looke
d up at him, clearly scared.
I was afraid to hear about his solution. He couldn't possibly mean ... could he?
He sighed heavily. "You need to continue school and give the baby up for adoption after it is born. It's the only solution that won't screw up your and Jason's life."
Did I hear correctly? Was that his answer? Give the baby away. How could he suggest this? Had he wanted to give our baby up but was too afraid to say it? I stood there speechless. Give up his grandchild?
Margaret quickly spied the expression on my face and read it correctly. "I think that's the only way, Michael. I agree."
He looked at her with surprise that she would agree with him. "Thank you, Margaret."
Both Tammy and I were momentarily struck dumb. Fortunately, she recovered faster than I did. "Daddy, I want to keep my baby. I can do this with a little help. I can go to school and have the baby. I know I can." Her tears started to flow again.
"Really? Is that your solution? Have her give up her baby? She's asking for a little help from us." I sat down next to her and took her hand in mine.
"Elizabeth, it will be hard enough for her to stay in school but taking care of a baby is a full time job, even if we support her financially."
Margaret quickly took up his cause. "Yes Elizabeth, you have no idea how difficult it is to care for a child, and Tammy will not be able to look to Jason for assistance like I had Michael."
I threw her a withering look, secretly glad she apparently did not know about my pregnancy.
Tammy sat up, "Elizabeth is pregnant, too!"
Inwardly I rolled my eyes. There went my privacy.
Margaret looked shocked and for a moment, it appeared she didn't know what to say. "Well Elizabeth, I have to give you credit for being smarter than you look. You figured out a way to trap him, didn't you? I thought you couldn't get pregnant, or was that a lie to get him not to use protection? I see there is an engagement ring on your finger. Good old gullible, Michael. Oh dear," she looked up at Michael who was still standing, "You fell for it, didn't you?"
"Enough Margaret. If you can't be civil, you can leave."
She was about to say something and then must have thought through it. It was apparent she was not about to leave yet. A knock on the back door interrupted us.
"Who could that be?" Michael said with an air of frustration.
The door squeaked open and we heard Debi's voice. "Hey, is anyone home? Don and I thought we would stop by for a talk."
This time I physically rolled my eyes. Having them in the conversation was going to push me over the edge and probably Tammy with me. They came into the living room and I was surprised Jason was not with them. After all, Jason had as much responsibility for this as Tammy did. How typical though, somehow it always fell on the woman's shoulders.
I sat up, "Would you like some tea? I just brewed it."
Debi shook her head, "No. We won't stay long."
Michael pulled some chairs in from the dining room. We all looked at each other after everyone was seated, the tension thick in the room. I looked over at him as if to say, "Well?"
He cleared his throat. "I think we're all in agreement here that the baby should be given up for adoption."
My brain had a difficult time processing his sentence. Who did he think was in agreement with him? Certainly not Tammy or me.
Don blew out a breath. "That's good news. I think it would be for the best, for both of them."
I couldn't listen anymore. "What? You are willing to give up your grandchild? Has anyone listened to Tammy? And where is Jason? Shouldn't he have some say in this? Do we even know what his opinion is?"
Michael looked at me with annoyance. "Elizabeth, I think you're overreacting. We're trying to do the best for both of them."
"No. I don't think you are," I flung back. "Kids get pregnant every day, and with the support of their families, somehow they manage. Tammy has said that she wants to keep the baby."
"Elizabeth, you're being over emotional and not thinking straight. You haven't had to live through having a baby and not having money or education," Debi added.
I couldn't believe my ears. "They do not come from impoverished families. We can both afford to support them, and, yes, somehow keep them in school. This isn't the fifties. There is no shame any longer in having a baby and not being married."
Margaret tossed me a look, "You would know about that wouldn't you, Elizabeth?"
"Oh shut up, Margaret. No one wants to hear your opinion about me, least of all me," I retorted angrily.
"Michael, are you going to let her talk to me like that?" She fired over to him.
He frowned, "I warned you, Margaret."
Before we could continue, there was another knock on the door. I expected Jason to make an appearance, but was surprised when a feminine voice called out, "Yoo-hoo. Anybody home?" Christina poked her head around the corner from the kitchen.
It was Michael's turn to roll his eyes. "What is she doing here?" he asked quietly.
"Oh my," she said as she walked into the living room. "Why is everyone looking so glum? Michael, you could never throw a fun party." She laughed at her own joke as she gave him a peck on the cheek. "Oh, Margaret. You're here. Who died? Hey Elizabeth! So. What's up?"
Michael stood up and offered Christina his chair. "These are our neighbors Debi and Don. Tammy is dating their son Jason. Tammy has just told us that she's pregnant."
Christina clapped her hands together, a large smile across her face. "Oh! That's fantastic. Congratulations Tammy! Wow Michael, you're going to be a father and a grandfather. Isn't this great!"
Tammy burst into tears again and I wrapped my arm around her. "It's a little more complicated, Christina."
"What?"
"Both of them are in college. Jason is studying to be a doctor and you know Tammy wants to be a veterinarian. They have a long rough road ahead of them. We all think that it's better if Tammy gives the baby up for adoption," Michael interjected. Christina looked up at him and made a face.
"That's nonsense, Michael. What are you saying? You have more than enough money to support them both while they're in school."
"Who is going to take care of the baby while they are in school and trying to pursue their dreams?" Michael said.
Christina paused for a moment, "Well," she said, "I will!"
The four parents said in unison, "What?"
"Yes, me," she said again. "I can take care of a baby. Tammy can live with me."
Michael wrinkled his forehead, "What, in New York?"
Christina shook her head. "No, silly. Next door to you. I bought that old house next door and had it torn down this past week while you and Elizabeth were gone. My contractor will have the new house up before the summer begins."
"You bought the property next door?" Michael sputtered. "Without discussing it with me?"
Christina frowned, "I didn't think I needed to discuss my property purchases with you. I'm a big girl and quite capable of making decisions like this for myself."
Tammy seemed to brighten, "You'd let me live with you, Aunt Christina?
"Of course. You can stay in school until you're ready to have the baby and then you can live with me for a while. We can figure it out from there."
I knew there was a reason I liked Christina so much. Michael looked at a loss for words and control.
"And if Jason needs a place to stay, he can stay with us too," she added, raising her eyebrow while looking at Debi and Don.
"No," Debi said. "Jason needs to stay in school. He can't be sidetracked by a baby."
"Debi, he should have thought about that before having sex with Tammy." Everyone looked shocked at my statement. "Yes, that's right. This is not all for her to carry. Jason bears some responsibility, too." I stood up from the couch. "And, quite frankly, I don't want to listen to anymore of this talk. Michael, how can you even suggest that she give up her child? Honestly, for all your talk about not having abortions and manning up, I would think you wo
uld want your grandchild. It is evident that you don't." With this, I could see an evil grin appear on Margaret's face. "Wipe that smug look off your face, Margaret. I've had enough of your meddling too. Tammy wouldn't have stopped taking the pill without your encouragement. You can sit here all night and discuss this but I think Tammy has made her decision and you should all stop bullying her to change it. I'm tired and I'm going to bed."
I walked past everyone and toward the kitchen.
"Where are you going?" Michael asked.
I turned, "I'm getting my luggage from the car so I can go to bed. Christina, you're welcome to stay over at my cabin."
"Let me get your bags, babe. I'm sorry. I should have realized you were tired," he said.
Christina smiled at me, reached out for my hand and squeezed it. "Thanks Elizabeth. I'm staying at the local motel, but if you don't mind I think I'd like to stay at your cabin." She laughed, "I'm afraid the coffee is terrible there."
"Where am I going to stay?" Margaret asked. "I guess, I could stay up in Katy's room."
"No," I said. "You can stay at the motel. I don't want you here."
"That really isn't for you to decide, this is Michael's house," she said quickly and Michael gave her a bland look.
"No, this is Elizabeth's house, too. If she doesn't want you here, then out you go."
"Good night everyone." I walked into our bedroom and shut the door.
Through the door, I could hear the quiet conversation of people leaving. I didn't care any longer. I certainly hadn't expected the discussion that had ensued when we arrived home. More so, I didn't expect Michael's reaction. I was appalled he would consider giving the baby up. There was a lot I needed to think about, and I wasn't sure I would like the answers. I was afraid of the storm that was beginning to brew.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Michael came to bed after I fell asleep and, when I awoke, he was already up. I found a note in the kitchen after my usual nausea session. He had gone up to the eagle's nest on Mt. Mintock. It was still too early for the eggs to hatch, but I knew he would want to check on them. I was disappointed because I would have liked to go along, but understood he needed some time away from me. We had been in such close quarters all week long, and it didn't surprise me that he would seek a solitary activity.
