by Jillian Neal
“I’ll meet you there, son!” Grandpa Haydenshire fired back. His eyes were furious as he glared at Logan.
“Logan,” Adeline pulled Logan back into his seat as Emily, Rainer, and Patrick cleaned up the tea.
“Why do you have to be like this?” Logan stunned furiously.
“I’ll tell you, Logan. Because you all have no idea what kind of shit storm you’re stepping into with your dad running for Crown. Everything you do will be scrutinized, and they’ve had you living in la-la-land you’re whole life. You don’t have a clue what the cold cruel world is like, and it’s high time you learned!”
Logan shook his head defiantly. “You know what, Grandpa, you’re wrong! Just look at Rainer, his parents died for the Realm, so people like dad could even have the opportunity to run for Crown Governor. He knows what it’s like to hurt and to lose everything.”
“And all the rest of us, we all stood there in the pouring rain the day we buried Cal. We all cried so hard we couldn’t see. We know pain like that, and Adeline, my gosh,” he turned to Adeline and gazed at her adoringly. “Her mother’s in prison. She never had a dad. She took care of her mother. Paid the bills, cooked the food, what little they had, since she was tiny. It’s not all great and wonderful and idyllic, Grandpa, but we’re a family, and we fight for what’s right, and for what’s good, in the hopes that we won’t have to lose anyone else. Why can’t you just see the good, for once?” With that, he took Adeline’s hand and pulled her towards the kitchen.
“We’ll start the ice cream, Mom,” he sounded very much at peace as stunned silence echoed very loudly around the table.
Emily gave Rainer a horrified expression. She willed him to go talk to Logan. “Rainer,” she pled.
“Em, he’s right, and I don’t know what I would say to get him back in here.” He was well aware that everyone at the table could hear him.
Emily blinked back tears as she stood and addressed her family. “Rainer’s right. Everything Logan said is true, and I don’t understand why you two continue to put yourselves through this.” She threw her hand out towards her grandfather.
“We’re going out with Logan and Adeline. When everyone’s finished we’ll do the dishes, Mom.”
“Because we are a family, Emily,” Mrs. Haydenshire replied suddenly. Her fervent tone halted Emily in her tracks.
“The very same reason that your father and I choose to see what wonderful children, what wonderful people, you and Rainer are instead of focusing on the times you might not have shown the best judgment. The same reasons that Logan just listed for all of us. We don’t get to just pick the best qualities in one another to love. We have to love each other for who we are, mistakes and all.
“This is your grandfather, Emily.” She made the same gesture towards Grandpa Haydenshire that Emily had just given in her diatribe.
“He helped create and raise your father, the most wonderful man I’ve ever met, and in turn your father created and raised ten phenomenal children with one on the way.” She narrowed her eyes at Grandpa Haydenshire then glanced back to Emily.
“He served this country, and our Realm nobly, and he is certainly entitled to his opinion.”
She turned her determined gaze back to Grandpa Haydenshire. “However, I am also entitled to mine. You’ve always been very willing to let Stephen and me know that you disagree with the way we’ve chosen to live the life that we’ve created together, which is fine.”
“But, we’ve never asked you for help. We’ve never needed you to bail us out of a situation we created. Stephen has always and will always take the very best care of me and of our children.” She placed her hand tenderly on her stomach.
“And I do understand that not everyone accepts the way we’ve chosen to do things, or why we’ve continued to add to our family, but you see, sir, we feel that children are a gift from God and that, though ours certainly have executed their fair share of mistakes,” she winked at Rainer with a wry smile as he let his head drop in shame. “That what they add to our Realm is so much more than what they take from it.”
“So, I do appreciate your part in making Stephen into the wonderful man, wonderful husband, and phenomenal father that he is, but I don’t feel that you’ve ever just stepped back and taken a look at what you’ve created.” She reached and took Governor Haydenshire’s hand as he gazed at her with rapt adoration.
“And you’ve certainly never taken a real look at what he’s created and what he’s giving to the Realm,” she concluded with a peaceful, adoring smile at her husband.
“Here’s to Dad,” Will raised his tea glass.
“The next Crown Governor,” Rainer vowed as Governor Haydenshire swallowed back tears.
“Here, here!” Logan, who no one had noticed had returned to the kitchen in time to hear his mother’s diatribe, joined in the toast.
“Yeah, he’s pretty much the greatest dad, ever,” Emily beamed at her father.
Soon Connor, Levi, and Patrick had joined in and, after noticing everyone’s raised glasses, the twins dropped their sippy cups from off of their high chair trays with delighted laughs.
“I think the sentiment is the same,” Rainer chuckled as Adeline picked up the juice cups.
With that, everyone, save his own father, toasted Governor Haydenshire. He shook his head and fought the sentimental emotion that had settled thickly around his throat.
“I know I was never good enough for you, Dad,” the Governor finally spoke. His voice was rough in his vow. “But, let me tell every child in this room, I may not always like everything you choose to do, but I couldn’t be more proud of the people you’re becoming.”
“You know, growing up, I don’t think I ever really knew if I was loved, but I don’t ever want anyone of you, whether we gave birth to you or not, to doubt how much we love each and every one of you.”
“Daddy,” tears poured down Emily’s face as she moved to her father. Rainer watched him stand and embrace her. Tears of his own fell into her hair.
Mrs. Haydenshire smiled as she wiped her eyes. “I know, growing up, that Stephen worried that if he did something you might disagree with that you would throw him out.”
“There’s nothing certain in this world. I tried to teach him that,” Grandpa Haydenshire combatted.
Mrs. Haydenshire turned to her children. She shook her head at Emily, who was still tucked safely in her father’s tight embrace.
“I want all of you to know that your father isn’t giving up his position as Governor for the election. It seems Governor Peterson has decided to give up his seat as a show of certainty that he’s going to win. However, your father and I don’t need to show the Realm certainty. We want to show all of you that, whether he wins or loses, this farm will be here. You will always have a home here. We will be here, and there is nothing you could do that would make us decide that we didn’t love you anymore or that would make us deny you your home.”
Governor Haydenshire chuckled as he wiped away Emily’s tears. “I can’t give up my job. I have a few more mouths to feed than Peterson, and a daughter who’s engaged to be married that has extremely expensive taste.”
Emily squeezed her father tighter as she giggled.
“Let’s go have some ice cream, baby girl.” He took Emily’s hand, just as he had when she was four years old, to lead her out onto the deck. “Dad, we’d love for you to join us.”
Bitter Taste
Connor and Logan were supervising the five ice cream churns. They were summoning and pushing them to full tilt, so the ice cream would be ready faster.
Emily and Rainer helped the twins slowly turn the hand crank on the ice cream maker that was many decades older than either of them. Rainer harnessed the potential energy in the crank and casted it forward whenever the twins wanted to turn.
“Keaton, no sir.” Rainer shook his head as Keaton stuck his hand in the ice just as Emily helped Henry turn the crank.
Emily beamed at him. “I think you’re gonna make a
really good dad, yourself,” she leaned her head on Rainer’s shoulder.
They laughed as Keaton narrowed his eyes determinedly and pulled his hand away with a round piece of ice. He kept his eyes locked on Rainer’s in a show of fiery defiance. He brought the ice to his mouth.
Rainer waited patiently. He matched Keaton’s gaze and continued to chuckle. Suddenly Keaton’s entire little body shuddered as his face scrunched up as he tasted the ice mixed with salt.
“I told you.”
Keaton dragged his tongue under his teeth and scowled just before he burst into tears. Rainer shook his head and lifted him into his arms. He fell onto his back and hoisted Keaton up in the air and let him pretend to fly as he quickly dropped the ice. Henry immediately wanted a turn, so Levi joined in, and everyone laughed as the twins made airplane noises.
When the ice cream was ready, everyone was served a large bowl and scattered out on the large deck and across the Haydenshires’ backyard.
Rainer couldn’t find Emily. He knew she’d made a bowl of vanilla ice cream just moments before.
Patrick hit him on the arm and gestured towards the barn. “She looked upset.”
Rainer thanked him and tried to make his way to the barn without anyone but Patrick noticing his disappearance.
He climbed up into the loft to find Emily tucked in the back corner. She was eating her ice cream in miniscule bites that barely covered the tip of her spoon.
“Hey there.” He studied her as he tried to determine what might be wrong. She smiled at his customary greeting.
“You ok, baby?” He seated himself beside her. She nodded her lie. “Em?” He set his Styrofoam bowl down and put his arm around her. “Come on. Why are you up here?”
She shrugged and began biting her lip nervously.
“Did I do something wrong?” He tried to think of something he might’ve said or done in the past five minutes that could have upset her. She shook her head and suddenly tears pricked her eyes.
He wrapped her up in his arms. “What? Just tell me.”
She shook her head defiantly but then buried it in the crook of Rainer’s neck and began to sob. “Em, baby, I’m usually pretty good at figuring you out but you’ve lost me on this one. Did one of your brothers upset you?”
She shook her head again and let him wipe the tears from her cheeks. “Come on Em, no secrets. Remember?” He cradled her face in his hand. “I don’t want you to cry, baby. It breaks my heart. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“He’s right,” she shuddered in Rainer’s arms. He caressed her back and face.
“Who’s right?”
“Grandpa is right! Governor Peterson is going to say terrible things about them because of us, and now Mom’s pregnant again!”
Rainer felt his heart fracture. He knew she was correct.
“If Peterson attacks your family, that only shows what kind of man he is, and it says nothing about what kind of people your parents are, and the Realm will see that.”
She was still sobbing, and Rainer knew there was more. “Come on, Em. What else is bothering you?”
“I can’t tell you.” Her entire body trembled in her emotion.
“Baby, you can tell me anything.”
“I’m a terrible person for even thinking it. It’s just so selfish.”
“Okay, how about this?” He noted how her rhythms calmed slightly when he spoke. “Because you are one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met, I give you a pass to be really selfish for a few minutes, and whatever it is, I’ll do my best to make it better, okay?”
Her shame wouldn’t allow her to speak.
After her clue that whatever had upset her she deemed as selfish, Rainer at least had a decent assumption. “Can I take a guess?” Her eyes held his, and he saw the plea in them as she nodded hopefully.
“I think maybe you’re a little bit upset about the new baby. And I know that you’re really scared about everything that happened to Serena, and now your dad’s running for Crown. But, Em, I don’t think either of those things is selfish.” He refused to break her gaze.
“What if something happens to one of them? What if something happens to Mom? He took Serena and now he’s going to be even angrier because Daddy’s going to run. He already killed Cal. I can’t…” she broke down completely.
Rainer let her cry. He had no reassurances for her. He didn’t know what was going to happen and so much had already been taken away.
“And then there’s going to be the campaign, and the twins, and then the new baby, and I’m getting married. And the press, and now it won’t just be ‘Rainer Lawson’s getting married’; it will be ‘the New Crown and the Former Crown’s kids are getting married’, and it’s going to be horrible.”
After several long minutes, her sobs eased slightly. He kissed her head.
“Feel a little better now?” She gave a reluctant nod. “Look at me, Emily.”
She lifted her head.
“Baby, Vindico and Iodex, and all of us are aware of what we’re up against. Governor Peterson is an ass, but he’s not in the Interfeci so, either way, I think we’ll be able to handle Wretchkinsides.”
They were actually waiting to see who Wretchkinsides was planning on running on an independent ticket.
“And, I know you wanted your mom to help you plan the whole wedding. I really think she wants that too, Em. So, why don’t we give it a little time? The campaign is only two months. We can delay the wedding a little more if you want. It doesn’t matter to me.”
“If you don’t want the press involved, then I’ll do my best to make it as private as we can. All I want is to be married to you, so,” he brushed an errant hair behind her ear. “If you want to leave right now and fly to Vegas and have Elvis marry us, then I’m game, or if you want to wait until after the baby is born, then I’ll be ok with that, too.”
He was pleased when a slight giggle escaped her. He studied her beautiful emerald eyes, and he saw hope start to swirl in their depths.
“Whatever you want, Em. Elvis or the whole Senate affair, or anything in between, I’m fine with. I promise you, baby, I will do my best to give you whatever you want, but all I want is to watch you walk down an aisle, in a white dress, on your father’s arm, and then I’ll vow to love you and cherish you for the rest of my life, okay?”
“I’m sorry,” she lamented.
“For what, baby?”
“For being stupid and selfish and,” she tried to come up with another name for herself in that moment, but Rainer halted her progress.
He kissed her tenderly and then continued to soothe her with long, languid, sensuous kisses. He let his mind whirl with images of her in a wedding gown and then him getting her out of it.
She gave a heady groan. It spilled into his mouth, and he increased the intensity of his hungry kisses. They broke apart when they heard one of the twins squeal as he ran by the barn. They panted for breath.
“Are we gonna go on a honeymoon?” Emily wondered.
Rainer gave her an incredulous stare. “Are you kidding me?”
“I’m serious! I mean, we haven’t really talked much about the wedding, and you haven’t said anything about the honeymoon. We just joked about it a few weeks ago.”
“Believe me, baby, we’re going on a honeymoon. A nice long honeymoon where I can spend weeks doing nothing but worshipping your gorgeous body from sun up ‘til sun down.”
Emily’s tears had dried, and she looked extremely pleased with his answer. “And where might you be doing this?” She sounded much more like herself.
“You plan the wedding, baby. I’ll take care of the honeymoon.” He knew exactly what he was looking for in a honeymoon locale; he just hadn’t really begun to search.
There were a few places that intrigued him. If it were up to him, they would go to some private island where they saw no one but each other for an extended vacation.
“But you’re going to need my help.” She refused to relax.
“Nope, I
will take care of everything, and if you need any help with the wedding, I can do that, too.” Since she seemed to have decided that with her mother expecting her eleventh child that she was going to have to plan the wedding on her own, this seemed to bring her a great deal of peace.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I guess we’d better get back.”
“Whenever you’re ready, baby.” He knew that the world had just been a little too much on this particular day. He wanted her to stay wherever she felt safest. He was just thankful that he got to stay with her.
“But if, at some point over the next few months, I decide that I do want to do the Elvis-Vegas thing, will that still be okay?”
“You call me. I’ll book one of the jets.”
“But what if I want to know where we’re going on our honeymoon?” She began her decent down the ladder.
Rainer waggled his eyebrows. “Then you’ll just have to be patient Miss Haydenshire.”
She raised her eyebrow in intrigue as she sassed, “Once you’ve planned it, I’ll be able to get it out of you, if I want.”
“Doubt it.” He took her hand and led her back towards her family on the deck. “But you’re more than welcome to try,” he baited her flirtatiously.
When they returned, Mrs. Haydenshire was on the phone with Tad, sharing the family news.
“Well, there they are. Hang on, Taddy.” She stood and handed Emily the phone.
Governor Haydenshire had seen Emily’s red, swollen eyes and gave Rainer a quizzical gaze.
Rainer shook his head and tried to indicate that she was fine, and her father needn’t worry.
With a wistful gaze, the Governor gave Rainer a nod. Rainer understood that he was letting go just a little at a time, and letting Rainer take care of his baby girl.
Emily hung up the phone and sported a broad grin. “Uncle Tad and Nathan are going to be here Friday, because they’re planning Governor Carrington’s wedding. He says that they’ll have most everything done Friday, and that they want to take me wedding dress shopping Saturday morning.”
“Well, can I come?” Mrs. Haydenshire, it seemed, knew at least part of why Emily had been crying.
