His Plan for the Quintuplets

by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  * * *

  Susannah looked out the window at the two men standing in front of her house. She groaned. “Tell me Mike is not having a man-to-man talk with Gabe.”

  Millie spread her hands wide. “I have no control over what that man does. You know that. I do have a question for you, though. Did you see the UPS man come this morning?”

  Susannah nodded. “He was here around nine. I saw him put the package in the milk box beside the front door.”

  “Good.” Millie sagged with relief. “I was almost out of our special blend of sassafras tea, and I need it more than ever if I’m going to lose those extra ten pounds to get in the dress.”

  Susannah gave up on watching Mike and Gabe in the driveway. She turned back to Millie. “How is the plan going for the reenactment of your first date with Mike?”

  Millie assisted Susannah into the living room. “Aside from the fact that the restaurant we ate at and the movie theater where we saw our first show fifty years ago both no longer exist?”

  Susannah half maneuvered, half fell onto the comfortable L-shaped sofa in the living room. She propped her injured ankle on the coffee table. “How are you going to manage it, then?”

  Millie disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a bag of frozen peas. She looped it over Susannah’s now-aching ankle. “I asked the Laramie Country Inn to reserve a private dining room, and they’re going to recreate the menu for us. And then I asked the theater in town to have a special Tuesday-night showing of the Western we saw that night. They think McLintock! will bring in a lot of viewers. And I’m borrowing a restored ’69 Mustang from a friend for him to drive. So that part is all set. I just have to fit into the little black dress I wore that night. And, uh, I still have at least ten pounds to go.”

  “You’ll make it.”

  “I hope so.” Millie smoothed a hand over her hip. “The last five pounds can be very stubborn. Now, enough about me. Why were you kissing Gabe Lockhart just now?” she asked in concern. “And not just kissing! I mean, really kissing! Are you two having a long-distance romance that you haven’t mentioned? Because I know you don’t normally indulge in that kind of thing.”

  “That’s the problem. I haven’t kissed anyone since before the quintuplets were born, and sad to say, I hadn’t really even missed it. I’ve been so busy, and then he shows up so hot and sexy and I don’t know quite what happened...”

  Millie nodded in understanding.

  “But—” Susannah lifted a hand “—I know he’s bad news for me, because he’s not sticking around for long. So I promise you, Millie, you don’t have to worry. I’m not going to get hurt, because,” she swore solemnly, “it will not happen again.”

  * * *

  Figuring Susannah had been right to break off their clinch and send him on his way, boxes of inherited stuff in tow...Gabe parked in the alley of the Laramie County storage center. He typed in the code to the cipher lock, lifted the garage-style overhead door, then began carrying all five of the boxes inside the unit.

  The futon that had been with him all through college and med school was still there, as were the rest of the physical contents of his life that he could not take with him when he was working around the world. Memorabilia. Old clothes. The ten-speed bike he had used to get across campus in a hurry. And now these five boxes that Brett had left for him, too.

  He sat down to go through them, the sadness he’d felt since they lost Brett and Belinda returning. The CDs and albums brought back bittersweet memories of some of the parties they had thrown. But it was the med school yearbook, with the program from the funeral and a postcard from Hawaii stuck inside, that conjured up the most grief.

  There was a big, beautiful picture of Maui on front, a handwritten note from Belinda on the back. “Thanks for watching out for Susannah while we’re away,” she had written. Brett had scrawled, “Couldn’t have taken this trip without you, man. Thanks...”

  They’d been worried that Susannah had been sinking into a depression, because her sister was married and, thanks to the creation of the five healthy frozen embryos, about to be implanted via IVF upon her return. While Susannah was still very much alone. Wishing for that perfect man.

  Gabe had arranged to go to Houston and unexpectedly drop in on Susannah for the weekend in the middle of Brett and Belinda’s ten-day second honeymoon. He had never had the chance, because they’d gotten the call about the tourist helicopter going down. So he’d gone to Houston, and then Laramie, Texas, to help with the final arrangements, instead. And the promise he’d made to check in on her had been realized there. And again, six months later, when he’d dropped by to see how she was faring in response to the will making it through probate court.

  Funny, when he’d found Susannah moving in, he’d thought she was making a huge mistake, planning to step right into the remains of their life and bear her sister and brother-in-law’s children. It turned out she had been right to take the comfort where she found it. She was now happy, with a lively brood of her own, a cozy home, lots of good friends and a life that seemed brimming with possibility, despite its many challenges.

  Whereas he...he was on a forced leave from five years of constant, grueling travel and third-world living conditions, secure in the medical care he brought to those who might not otherwise have it. But lonely as hell and emotionally wrung out, just the same. And still feeling guilty because he’d never really looked after Susannah or her biological kids—not the way Brett and Belinda would have wished, anyway.

  Not that Susannah would ever know about the request. Or his barely realized efforts to honor them.

  Until now...

  Whether she knew it or not, Gabe decided resolutely, she needed all the help she could get bringing up those children. In her case, as a single mom, it really was going to take a village. And right now, he really did not have anywhere near enough to do. So as long as he was here, and could help out, even in seemingly small or insignificant ways, he would continue to do what he could to make her life a little easier...

  In the meantime, though, with Father’s Day looming and no big group gift decided upon, he had a family meeting to attend.

  Thursday evening, they had all eight of the siblings on conference call. Cade and Gabe were at Cade’s house; their other six sibs had joined them via video chat.

  No one was happy about Susannah’s refusal.

  “I’m telling you, there is no way she could get the painting done in time,” Gabe reiterated.

  “Doesn’t matter,” his brother Griff, a Fort Worth attorney, said. “It was the best idea, by far.”

  “Griff’s right,” their sister Jillian, a botanist who specialized in saving antique roses, said. “All our other ideas were nothing compared to that.”

  “Just take her some flowers and sweet-talk her into doing the multi-pet portrait,” Cade suggested.

  “Spoken like a man with way too many groupies hanging around,” murmured their sister Faith, who’d recently lost her Navy SEAL husband after he’d resigned from the military, and was now a new foster mom to a precious baby boy.

  “You have to make a business case,” their sister Emma said from Italy, where she was studying shoe design.

  “Offer a lot more money,” Noah, their recently widowed CEO brother—and father to three daughters—said. “And compensate her well for whatever time she thinks it will take to do the job right.”

  “I agree,” their single brother Travis, the only cowboy in the bunch, added. “If she doesn’t think she can do the job right, there’s no way she will accept the commission, and Dad will happily wait if he knows he is getting the perfect gift from us.”

  “It’s the love that counts,” Faith said gently as she cuddled her son close, “and Dad knows we love him dearly, same as Mom does.”

  No one could disagree with that.

  Their foster parents had saved their lives and given th
em much brighter futures when they had adopted them.

  “But if we’re going to do this,” Emma added, “we have to do the portrait right, and that means adding to the general idea, and making it even better...”

  * * *

  “Trust me, when it comes to ladies, flowers are always welcome,” Cade said the next afternoon. He slapped Gabe on the back. “I already called the florist in town and told them you were in the market for something really spectacular, so remember, since we’re all splitting the cost eight ways, money is no object. Make sure it’s a statement. The kind that will have Susannah Alexander changing her mind.” Cade winked. “About a lot of things.”

  “Why do I ever tell you anything?”

  His brother gently flexed his sore shoulder. “’Cause you know when it comes to women, I know it all.”

  Gabe rolled his eyes. “You think you know it all.”

  Cade gestured at the many gift baskets. “The number of well wishes around this place confirm that I do.”

  Gabe shook his head and left. The florist was indeed waiting for him, and she had an arrangement that was so big and elaborate it was almost ridiculous. But if his siblings were right, if that plus the new terms they were going to propose did the trick, his dad was going to be one happy man.

  He parked in front of Susannah’s home, grabbed the flowers and went to ring the bell.

  Two of the quintuplets answered. “You can’t come in,” Abigail reported sagely.

  Connor nodded. “Mommy’s upset.”

  Had their mom asked them to say that, or were they doing this on their own? Or was something else going on? Like...she’d reinjured her ankle? “Is everything okay?” he asked in concern.

  “No,” Connor said, frowning. “Mr. Bing made her cry.”

  Abigail nodded. “He was mad she didn’t go to the bank this morning.”

  What the...! “She has a sprained ankle!” Gabe said hotly.

  Abigail looked equally peeved. “She called and left a message for him.”

  Which, Gabe thought, should have been enough.

  “But he said she couldn’t dodge him anymore.” Connor frowned. “What does dodge mean?”

  Gabe held on to the ridiculously big arrangement of flowers. “I really think I should see your mom,” he told the kids seriously.

  “But you can’t!” Connor said. “She’s crying in the laundry room.”

  Gabe was beginning to panic a little. “Are you sure she didn’t fall down and hurt her ankle again?”

  Abigail shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “We got her the frozen peas,” Connor said, “but she said it won’t help this time.”

  That was it. Gabe knelt down to eye level. “Kids. Please let your mom know I’m coming in just to make sure everything is okay.”

  Abigail sighed. “She’s not going to like it. She told us to make whoever it was go away.”

  “Well, she’s going to have to tell me herself,” Gabe vowed stubbornly.

  The kids looked relieved to have another grown-up on the premises.

  “Follow us,” Connor said.

  They went through the living and kitchen area, down a short hall, toward the back door that led to the art studio. Past that was the combination mud and laundry room. And Susannah was indeed sitting on the floor, in front of the washer and dryer, a bag of peas over her ankle. The other three quints were sitting beside her. Gretchen was patting her shoulder, Levi was cuddled up beneath her other arm and Rebecca sat in front of her, sucking her thumb, a box of tissues held in front of her.

  Susannah looked up and sighed. She was indeed crying.

  “What happened?” he asked, thrusting the flowers aside.

  “Nothing. I just forgot for a moment and got up too quickly and sort of stomped my foot, and it was stupid.” She sniffed.

  Gabe knelt in front of her. He might not know a lot about young mothers in the midst of an emotional storm, but he could patch up a sprain. “Do you mind if I examine your ankle?”

  She lifted a hand and bit her lip as more tears flowed.

  “May I get in here?” he asked the kids.

  They rose and moved back to allow him entry into the small space. Not easy given how big he was and how many of them there now were.

  He palpated her ankle, checking to make sure she still had normal range of motion and no additional swelling. “I don’t think you did any damage,” he said, replacing the bag of peas.

  “Good.” She glared at the bouquet. It appeared to be as unwelcome as he had initially feared it might be. “What is that?” she demanded unhappily.

  So he’d been right. She wasn’t an extravagant-flowers kind of woman. To impress her, you’d have to do something that touched her heart. Although what that would be he had no idea right now. He carried the flowers into the kitchen and set them on a counter, out of sight and out of harm’s way. Then returned to her side.

  “Well?” she said, still awaiting an explanation.

  He gestured, closing the subject—for now, anyway. “Long story. I’d rather hear yours. Was Bing here?”

  “Yes.”

  Jealousy arrowed through his gut. He didn’t like the idea of Susannah with the guy. Period.

  Gabe handed her a tissue from the box the quintuplets had brought into the room. “I take it you weren’t expecting him?”

  Her temper rose. “I wasn’t expecting you, and you showed up.”

  “Yeah.” He flashed her a charming grin. “But I haven’t made you cry.”

  “The day is young, Doc.” Susannah sighed wearily.

  A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Did he upset you this much? Because if he did, I’m going to find him and have a little talk with him.”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake.” A hand on the floor on either side of her, Susannah unsuccessfully attempted to get to her feet.

  When she started to sink back down, Gabe intervened, easing her to a standing position. She then leaned against the washer, her weight on her uninjured leg.

  “Don’t you dare speak to him about this,” she continued grimly.

  Aware she couldn’t be comfortable like that, Gabe wrapped his arm about her waist, putting her weight up against him, and helped her hobble the twelve feet or so to a chair at the kitchen table. “Then I’ll get Mike and let Mike talk to him.”

  “Aha!” Susannah’s index finger stabbed the air. “So Mike did talk to you!”

  Gabe pulled out a second chair and positioned it so Susannah could prop her sprained ankle up on that. “Yes.”

  Susannah fumed. “What did he say?”

  “Nothing that made me cry.” Gabe shrugged off the fatherly third degree and the warning to stay away if he wasn’t going to stick around. Mike Smith might not realize it yet, but he was not going to hurt Susannah. Help her, yes. “Although—” Gabe accepted the frozen peas the kids had brought to him and replaced them on Susannah’s ankle. “When it comes to Bing...if he were to see the state that man just left you in...”

  Susannah lifted a halting hand. “Okay, okay, no need to bring the neighbors into this.”

  The quintuplets seemed to realize their mother was on the mend. “Mommy,” Abigail asked, “can we go in the backyard and play?”

  “Yeah,” Levi chimed in. “Can we have Popsicles, too?”

  Susannah smiled in relief. “That sounds like a really good idea. But remember what to do with the sticks and the papers?”

  “In the trash can on the back porch?” Gretchen said.

  “And your hands?” Susannah prodded.

  “Use the sanitizer so they won’t be all sticky!” Rebecca exclaimed.

  “Great.”

  Susannah turned to Gabe. “Can you please help them get the Popsicles out of the freezer?”

  Gabe nodded. “You want one, too?” She looked like she needed it.


  Susannah flashed a wan smile. “Sure. Why not? And while you’re at it, you might as well join us.”

  The quintuplets showed him where they were. Once the frozen treats were dispensed, he let the kids out into the backyard, instructing them to let him know if they needed anything. Then he walked back inside. Susannah was just where he’d left her, enjoying a pineapple Popsicle and looking at the flowers. She aimed her stick at the bouquet. “Are these an apology?”

  Gabe unwrapped his tangerine-flavored treat. “More like an inducement.”

  She peered at him in stunned amazement. “For sex?”

  Nice to know that she had considered that as an eventual possibility, too. He pulled up a chair opposite her and sat down in a way that eased the sudden pressure at the front of his jeans. “Whoa! Really getting ahead of ourselves there, princess.”

  She didn’t think so. “The way you kissed me...”

  “The way you promptly kicked me out.”

  She grinned. “Touché...” Then slanted him a glance. “So. Picking up where we left off...what did Mike say to you yesterday?”

  “He doesn’t want to see you hurt. Neither do I.”

  Susannah rubbed the hem of her walking shorts. “That makes three of us, then.”

  “So.” Gabe echoed her curious tone. Instinct told him she was holding a lot back. “What did Bing do? Was he pressuring you?”

  “No.” A faraway look came into her eyes. “More like telling the ugly truth that I did not want to hear,” she said sadly.

  * * *

  Susannah could see Gabe was shocked. Protective. Looking as if he needed to rescue her. And while she had thought that was not what she wanted, she was surprised to find that the vulnerable part of her wanted that very much. Because he would be a great man to lean on. Solid, strong, principled. Incredibly giving. And while he might not be able to be there for her in the long haul, he could be there for her in this moment.

  Which she very much needed.

  “Truth about what?” Gabe prodded gently as they continued to eat their Popsicles.