Rachel decided to gather the boys from the backyard, since her daughter was content. Pulling the sliding door open, she hollered out to them, who were now in head on tackle mode. “Boys, come get cleaned up. The food’s here.”
A dead stop followed by a stampede of sweaty boys followed her back to the house. Standing to the side of the door so she wouldn’t get run over, she waited for them to make their way around the kitchen. She watched each one, making sure they each washed their hands before grabbing a plate.
“That didn’t take long,” Adam said, clearing an empty box from the counter. “I’m glad I ordered more than our usual two.”
Rachel laughed, reaching for a plate and a couple of slices for her and Ava to share. “I’m thinking you made the right choice.”
She watched as his muscles flexed under his shirt as he laughed. Pulling a chair away from the table, she put Ava’s highchair in its place. Tearing a slice of pizza into small pieces, she placed a few in front of Ava. She had been trying new foods recently, but they hadn’t tried pizza yet. Ava was on a kick of loving mashed potatoes, which was something Rachel hadn’t expected, but her mother had warned her that children love mashed potatoes, and loved making a mess with them too.
Ava’s face lit up as she chewed through her first piece. Rachel couldn’t help but laugh at the expression. “Is that yummy?”
Ava clapped and grabbed another piece from the tray. Rachel took a bite of her own while making sure Ava was able to chew what she had in her mouth, occasionally having to tell her to slow down and take one piece at a time.
It was nearing seven o’clock by the time they had finished supper. The boys were upstairs wrestling around and playing video games for the next hour, while Rachel rocked with Ava in the living room chair. Adam had offered to set the crib up tonight, but Rachel insisted that the playpen would be fine for the night.
A half hour later, Ava was sleeping soundly against Rachel’s chest. As much as Rachel enjoyed moments like this, she needed to put Ava down so she could get some things unpacked before it got too late. There would always be tomorrow for whatever couldn’t get done tonight.
Kissing Ava on the forehead, Rachel tucked her in under a few light and soft blankets that had become her favorites over the course of the last week or so.
Following Rachel to the den, where they had placed all of her totes and boxes, Adam said, “I’m really happy you and Ava are here.”
Sometimes his words caught her off guard, and still being new to this whole mother thing and dealing with emotions and lack of sleep, Rachel’s eyes filled with tears. There was nowhere else she’d rather be, than here with him. It had taken them a while to decide on this together, but the time taken had been well worth the wait.
“I love you, Rachel,” he whispered, his breath against the back of her neck sent chills through her body, leaving goosebumps trailing behind.
“I love you, too,” she said, turning to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed him to distract her from the daunting task of unpacking. “You know I should probably unpack so we can enjoy tomorrow without having this waiting for us after the pancake breakfast.”
“There’s still plenty of time tonight,” he said, guiding her out onto the back porch. “Right now, I want to show you something. No peeking.”
Following close behind him, with his hand covering her eyes so she couldn’t see, she placed one bare foot in front of the other until they walked through the patio doors, and she felt the chilled wood under her feet. “What are you going to show me?”
Ignoring her, the sound of metal scraped against the wood as he slid a chair out, he sat first, and then asked her to sit on his lap. Only when she was relaxed did he remove his hand and allow her to look. Uncertain about what he wanted her to look at; she offered him a puzzled glance.
She should have known, when he pointed up to the sky. Cedar Valley had the biggest sky she had ever seen, and tonight it was full of bright stars that offered the perfect backdrop for the full moon above them.
“It’s so beautiful,” she whispered, still looking up in awe.
“Much like you,” he said, brushing a hand through her hair as he pushed it aside, revealing her neck for his passionate kisses, which trailed their way from her ear and down to her collar bone. “You’re more beautiful than a million stars combined.”
3
Finally being able to hold her at night had been something he’d looked forward to since the day they officially decided she would be moving in with him. Taking things slowly had seemed to drag time along further, torturing themselves with each passing day, but Adam was sure that it was well worth waiting for.
The morning had come too soon, with the boys hooting and hollering and Ava screaming for breakfast, Adam and Rachel both climbed out of bed, resisting the urge to stay under the covers.
“Breakfast will be in an hour,” Adam told Ava, knowing she wouldn’t understand a dang word about time. Lifting her up, he put her in the high chair. With Ava screaming and babbling behind him, he reached into the cupboard for the box of Cheerios.
He dumped a handful or two on the tray in front of Ava, who, in exchange for his cereal, offered him a heart-melting smile. There was no doubt he could get used to this.
“Boys!” he hollered from the kitchen doorway at the boys who were now jumping around the living room like a bunch of wild banshees. “Hey! If you have that much energy, take your butts upstairs and get ready. We’re leaving in less than thirty minutes.”
The annual pancake breakfast began years ago, way before he was born. His father, then a rookie firefighter at the ripe age of twenty-one, had set up the first breakfast event to the public in an attempt to bring in funds for equipment for the department. More than thirty years later it was still going strong.
“There’s my little girl,” Rachel sang as she walked into the kitchen. Ava extended her arm toward Rachel, pinching a cheerio between her tiny finger and thumb. “For me?” Rachel asked, and Ava giggled as Rachel ate what she had been offered. “Thank you, Miss Ava.”
Adam watched the interaction between mother and daughter. Rachel combed a hand through Ava’s blonde curls and landed a kiss against the girl’s forehead. Ava screeched with excitement, bouncing her arms and legs in unison until Rachel freed her from the highchair.
“Is there time for little miss to get a bath?”
Adam glanced at the clock on the stove. “There’s plenty of time.”
Ava waved and blew him a kiss as Rachel carried her out of the kitchen in the direction of the downstairs bathroom. Since Rachel was going to be busy giving Ava a bath, he decided to go upstairs to get to work in the spare bedroom.
They had brought the majority of Ava’s things last weekend, but he had been swamped with fire calls and hadn’t had time to put the crib together. Now was a good time, since the rest of the house was getting ready.
Lining the pieces up in order of their assumed placement, Adam realized it had been more than ten years since he had put a crib together. Without an instruction manual, he hoped this was an easy feat, and they’d end up with something that looked like a crib once he was done.
The pitter patter of tiny feet coming from the hallway told him that Ava was done with her bath. Ava entered her new room first, Rachel coming in close second.
Adam hadn’t noticed that time had gotten away from him. The boys had taken off outside for another round of football while he finished putting the last railing up. “I figured I’d get this done while waiting,” he said, rubbing a stiff kink out of his neck. “I didn’t have instructions, and the last time I put a crib together was before Tyler was even born, so it took me a lot longer than I had imagined it would.”
He had placed it in the corner of the room, opposite side of the window. He wasn’t Martha Stewart or any other homemaker or designer, but he wanted Ava to have the best room a little girl could dream of. He had positioned her things strategically around the room, leaving enough room
for play. He also wanted Ava to be able to wake up to the beautiful view of the mountains, so he had left her window clutter-free.
“It’s beautiful,” Rachel said, in awe of the room and what he had done with it. “What do you think Ava? Do you like your new room?”
Ava clapped and the few teeth she did have made an appearance in her goofy cheeky grin, which he enjoyed seeing. Ava squirmed, wanting down from her mother’s hold, and after Rachel complied with her wishes, she walked over to her wooden toy box and pulled toys out, tossing them next to her feet.
Adam watched as Rachel squatted next to her and asked her to pick only one toy so they could get going. As though Ava understand every word her mother had said, she picked up a baby and held it out for her mother to grab. “Are you sure this is the one you want to take? Ok, then,” Rachel said, turning back to Adam, “I think we’re ready to go.”
Clapping his hands, he turned toward the hallway and led them down the stairs. He would gather the boys from the backyard, and they would be on their way.
* * *
The Fire Department sat angled on a corner lot, centered perfectly with a flag pole and a painted rock next to it. Cars lined the curbs bumper to bumper as they pulled up. Adam hadn’t been joking when he said it was one of the most anticipated events of the year here in Cedar Valley—something that everyone looked forward to, which was evident by the number of cars.
Unbuckling Ava from her car seat, Rachel was more than excited to get inside. It was almost like a family reunion. Being able to see people she hadn’t seen for a while. Tyler and his buddies jumped out of the back of the truck and ran toward the building.
“Hey, make sure you remember your manners!” Adam hollered after them, smiling at Rachel as he made his way around the front of the truck. Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her close as they walked toward the entrance. Adam held the door open as she and Ava walked in.
The place was packed, and several familiar faces turned in the direction of the door as it opened. Excitement thrummed the area as smiles and friendly waves were offered as they walked in. Adam had told her they were all family here, and he hadn’t been kidding.
“Rachel, I’m so glad you could make it,” Adam’s mother said, above the noise of the crowd as she closed the distance between them. She reached for Ava, and without hesitation, Ava went into her arms. “Come to gramma. How about we get Ava a pancake?”
Rachel smiled, allowing Adam’s mother to take Ava toward the kitchen. Rachel had loved his parents since the day she had met them. She had actually met them at Leah’s wedding, before Adam and she were an official couple.
“Rachel!”
Turning in the direction of the voice that had called out to her, she saw Leah running up to her, or at least doing her best to run—it was more of a waddled attempt than anything. She had informed Rachel of the good news after several pregnancy tests read positive. And when she said several, she meant several, more than ten. She remembered Leah telling her that she had taken so many because she wanted to be sure—leaving no room for error.
Stretching out her arms to prepare for Leah’s hug, Rachel waited, hiding a laugh because she remembered all too well the days of being too pregnant to hurry. “It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever.”
It had only been a month. They hadn’t seen each other, but their nightly phone calls had become a routine that both Liam and Adam had grown accustomed to—like they really had a choice in the matter.
“Leah, you look amazing,” Rachel said. She wasn’t lying either. Leah pulled off the pregnancy look. She was cuter than heck with a baby bump. “I’m so jealous because I looked like a hot air balloon with Ava.”
“Not at all,” Leah argued. “I look like a Goodyear blimp.”
Laughing, Leah nearly peed her pants. No matter what Leah truly thought of herself, Rachel would be there to defend her against harsh thoughts. They were the best of friends, always there for each other, and they always would be, no matter what.
“Have you two decided on a name yet?”
“Hold that thought,” Leah said, holding a finger up before darting off toward the restrooms.
Flagging Rachel over, Adam stood in line next to Liam and Conner. Conner had joined the Jacobsen family tradition of joining the fire department in his early twenties. The first time she had met Conner, she hadn’t needed anyone to tell her he and Adam were brothers. With the Jacobsen resemblance, there was no mistaking any of them for relation.
Adam reached for her hand and squeezed her in next to him in line. Making their way into the kitchen, following the line that led them around the u-shaped counter, Rosie called out to her from behind the mixer. “Rachel! It’s good to see you!”
“You too, Rosie!”
Rosie was looking better and better every day. After having her stroke and scaring everyone, Rosie had pulled through and made a full recovery. Leah had told her all about the love story between Wes and Rosie, which only made her think of her own grandparents who’d passed away years ago. She had always looked up to her grandparents, and other elderly couples who represented what true love really was.
Wes and Rosie were definitely the prime example of such love. They had been through a lot together and still, they were by each other, never once faltering or leaving the other one’s side.
“You’ll have to come visit sometime soon,” Rosie said, offering Rachel a hot pancake right off the griddle. “I help out at the coffee shop during the week and sometimes on Saturday mornings, if you’re ever in the area early in the morning.”
Rachel would have to take her up on the offer, because starting next week, she had her first day at the local elementary. “Sounds good. I’ll see you soon.”
Making her way through the kitchen, she found Adam’s mother and Ava chatting at a table nearby. Rachel sat down across from them, leaving a seat for Adam to sit next to her. She offered to take Ava, but his mother insisted she was just fine.
Conner sat across from them, next to his mother and Ava. It didn’t take him long to scarf down his food and hold his arms out for Ava to come see him. She hesitated for a minute, but soon enough, she was reaching past Nana for him to grab her. “Come see Uncle Conner.”
The love this family had for her and Ava had been felt since the day Adam welcomed them into his life. His family had become her family, and she loved them all the same. She was more than blessed to have them in her and Ava’s life.
4
Like every year before, the pancake breakfast was a hit. People from surrounding towns, including many of their local supporters, crowded the fire department with their families. The pancakes tasted excellent, a huge thanks, once again, to Rosie and her cooking.
It had been a great turn out, raising more than a thousand dollars for the department. Cedar Valley loved their firefighters, and were willing to donate more money and time if needed—more than half the town had said so, and today proved it.
“I’m going to finish cleaning up here, if you want to take the kids home?” Saying the word kids and home in the same sentence had a good feel to it. Handing Rachel the keys to his truck, she accepted and smiled. He’d do whatever it took to keep her smiling like that. “Hey, actually, Ty, why don’t you stay here and help out?”
He and Ty had a great relationship—stronger than any other ordinary father and son bond—stronger than his with his own father. Some of that was because of everything they had been through, but most of it was because he had vowed to be the best father he could be, and at the same time, he’d promised to instill good values and bring his son up right, just like his grandfather and father had done with him and his brother. Cedar Valley made it easy, because in this town, there was a sense of knowing what is right, and there wasn’t one person who was afraid to set someone on the straight and narrow path.
With not much fuss, Ty agreed to stay behind as he waved to Rachel and Ava. Rachel had offered to stay and help, but Ava needed a nap and he was sure she would become fussy
if she didn’t get one.
“Are you going to need us to come back and pick you up?” Rachel asked, holding tight to a squirming Ava.
“Nope, I’m sure we’ll be able to find someone to give us a ride back to the farm.”
Rachel smiled, switched Ava to her other hip, leaned in to him for a quick kiss. “I love you.”
He kissed Ava. The girl had his heart. It hadn’t taken long for that to happen, a few weeks after Rachel and he had started dating, the baby had him wrapped around her tiny finger.
A group hug happened between Tyler, Rachel and Ava, and if Adam hadn’t already known he was in love with this little family of his, he’d be sure of it now.
“We’ll see you after a while, be careful driving home,” he called out, as Rachel and Ava walked away. Turning around, he jogged up behind Tyler. “Hey, you’re not upset that I asked you to stay and help, are you?”
Tyler shrugged. “Not really.”
The nonchalant way Tyler responded, with his slumped shoulders, flagged Adam’s attention. It hadn’t been like Tyler to act down and out. He was always upbeat and cheerful—like an average ten year old boy was supposed to be.
“Hey bud, is there something you need to talk about?” Adam asked, reaching out to grab hold of his son’s arm. Standing by the big, old oak tree, he offered a listening ear to his son. “Whatever is bothering you, you can tell me.”
It was written all over his son’s face. There was something that was bothering him, something had come over him within the last few minutes and he wanted to make sure he was okay. Whatever it was, he would try his best to understand.
“Dad, do you think Rachel and Ava will stay with us forever?”
Confusion hit him like a flat hand across the face. For a ten year old to have to wonder this... it broke his heart. How was he to explain that Rachel and Ava would be with them forever when the boy had lost his mother? There was no forever, there was only today, because tomorrow was never promised. He hated the fact that life wasn’t all about forevers and sweet things. Life was real, and in real life, unexpected things happened every day. Things that a ten year old shouldn’t have to worry about, but here was his son, matured by the death of his mother, but still a boy with a heavy heart.
Everything She Needed (Cedar Valley Novel Book 2) Page 2
