I'll Stand By You

by Sharon Sala

  “I’ll call her later,” Dori said. “Let’s go home. You need to eat some lunch before you go back to work, and I have cookies to bake before I go pick up the boys.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Johnny said. “And you know what else sounds good? The fact that you think of that old house as home.”

  Dori heard the apology in his use of “old” to refer to his house and didn’t want him to feel like it was necessary.

  “Don’t say that. It’s a wonderful house. I found out at an early age that it isn’t where you live that matters as much as who you’re living with, and I consider myself very blessed that you came to our rescue. You will forever be my white knight.”

  Johnny blinked away tears, and as soon as he braked for a red light, he reached across the seat and took her hand.

  “I’m no hero, honey, but I will make you the same promise I made the boys. We aren’t going to live on that side of town forever.”

  Dori shook her head. “But you are a hero to me. You took on so much when you chose to raise your brothers, and now you have taken on even more by adding Luther and me to the mix.”

  “We’ll make it work,” he said. “You’ll see.”

  Dori smiled. She wanted to tell him about her inheritance so badly but decided that would be her gift to him after the ceremony was over.

  * * *

  Dori took the last pan of cookies out of the oven five minutes before she had to leave to pick up the boys from school.

  Luther was sitting in the high chair, banging his teething ring against the tray and talking to the red rooster clock hanging on the wall.

  Dori laughed as she dried her hands and went to wash Luther’s face and hands before they left.

  “I swear, Luther Joe. Ceiling fans and rooster clocks are all the same to you, aren’t they?” she said and kept digging the wet cloth beneath his little fat chin, wiping away the drool and cracker crumbs.

  Then she made a face at him, and he promptly made one back. She was still laughing when she put him on her hip, slung the diaper bag and her purse on her other arm, and headed out the door to get the boys.

  She pulled into the pick-up area at school and parked, then left the car running and the air conditioner on as she settled in to wait. Her head was still spinning from the events of the day, going from abject horror and fear to relief and anticipation. She wasn’t sure if she knew what love felt like, but she certainly cared for Johnny Pine in a very special way. Five days and counting. Tomorrow would be the sixth day since the Pines had taken them in, and when she woke up on the seventh day, she would be one of them.

  Luther thought about fussing, then poked his thumb in his mouth and was still sucking when Dori heard the last bell ring across the school yard. She sat up to watch for the boys, and when she saw them coming across the grass looking for her car, she got out and waved. As soon as they saw her, they started running.

  Dori circled the car and opened the door for them to get in. When Luther heard the sound of kids squealing and talking, his thumb sucking quickly ended, and he began kicking his feet and waving his arms.

  Dori laughed. “You’re glad to see them too, aren’t you, little man?”

  Marshall reached the car first.

  “Hi, Dori! Hi, baby!” he said and climbed past the car seat and buckled in, then poked Luther in the belly just enough to make him laugh.

  Beep was lagging, and Dori frowned when she saw his face.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked as he dumped his backpack in the seat and crawled in the car.

  He shrugged and ducked his head.

  Dori got in the car and then looked in the rearview mirror at Marshall.

  “What’s wrong with Beep?”

  “He wanted to buy a book at the book fair after school, but we forgot to ask Johnny for money.”

  “Is it still open? Can you still buy the books?” she asked.

  Beep looked up. Had hope sprung anew?

  “Yes, in the library,” Marshall said.

  “Well, we can fix that,” Dori said. “Hang on while I get out of this line and go find a place to park. We’ll all go to the book fair and see what’s what, okay?”

  “Okay!” Beep cried.

  Marshall looked relieved that Beep’s sadness was gone as Dori headed for the school parking lot. A couple of minutes later, she found a space and killed the engine.

  “Here’s the deal, guys. We’ll go in, and you can pick out one apiece, okay?”

  Marshall looked surprised and then happy, but felt obligated to bow out.

  “I don’t have to have one,” he said.

  “I know, but I want you to if you want it,” Dori said.

  “Can ole Joe come inside too?” Beep asked.

  Dori chuckled. “Yes, he’s coming too.”

  They got out of the car, and by the time Dori had Luther out of the car seat and her purse and diaper bag on her arm, the boys were doing a two-step, anxious to get back inside before the “good” books were gone.

  She had a moment of déjà vu as they walked into the building, remembering only a few short years ago when she’d been in this same elementary school. Now, here she was with a baby on her hip and Johnny’s little brothers bouncing along beside her. This morning she thought her world was ending and now she felt like a million bucks—maybe even more.

  She laughed to herself as she followed the boys down the hall to the library. As she had expected, it was full of kids shopping and parents standing in line to pay.

  “Go pick out the book you want, guys. I’ll wait here near the checkout line, okay?”

  “Okay!” they cried and headed for the racks where the books were displayed.

  Luther was fascinated by the room full of kids and started wiggling in Dori’s arms.

  “No, you can’t get down,” she said softly. “They’d squash you in a minute and never know you were there.”

  She watched the boys, their heads together as they talked, trying to make their choices, and thought how great it must be to grow up with a sibling. She was still watching them when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

  She turned and recognized Gigi Potts, a woman who had been one of Grandy’s best friends.

  “I thought that was you,” Gigi said. “I’m here with my youngest grandson, Nate. Remember him? He’s the one with the green stripe in his hair. Fetching, isn’t it?”

  Dori laughed. “Hi, Gigi. Last time I knew anything about him, he was a toddler. Time sure passes quickly.”

  “Well, your little guy is a charmer. Look at all that curly hair. He has your eyes and smile, doesn’t he?” And then her smile slipped. “I was so sorry to hear about the fire and about Meeker. My husband and I were in San Diego. We just got back into town late last night or I would have been at the funeral.”

  “The last five days have been long and hard,” she said.

  Gigi gave her a hug. “I can only imagine,” she said and then rolled her eyes when she realized she could no longer see her grandson. “I better run that boy down and get him home. I’m still jet-lagged and in no shape to be babysitting. It was good to see you.”

  After Gigi left, it didn’t take long for other people to recognize her and come up to talk. Some came to offer their condolences, while others came to make a fuss over the baby.

  She was still talking to a lady she knew from church when the boys came running up.

  “We’re ready!” Beep cried and then threw his arms around Dori’s waist. “Thank you, Dori. Thank you for my book.”

  “Yeah, Dori, thanks a lot. I have been wanting to read this,” Marshall said.

  “You’re welcome, and we better get in line.” She waved good-bye to the lady from church. “It appears we are done here. It was nice to see you.”

  She ushered the boys toward the checkout line while Luther tap-danced against
her belly, kicking in excitement. They paid and left the library, talking in tandem, and then when they got in the car, they clammed up, both intrigued by their books.

  The ride home was quiet. Luther had fallen asleep, and Dori was hoping she could get him in the house and down for a nap without waking him up.

  “We’re here,” she said as she pulled up into the driveway and parked. “Give me a second to get Luther out. If we’re quiet, maybe he’ll stay asleep.”

  The boys stayed quiet. They’d heard him cry before and didn’t want to precipitate a new crying spell.

  Marshall got out so Dori could reach the baby carrier, and Beep crawled out on that side after she’d gotten her stuff and the baby. She locked the car and handed the keys to Marshall.

  “Will you unlock the front door for me, please?”

  They ran ahead, and by the time she got inside, the boys had moved from the living room to the doorway of the kitchen. She removed the keys and locked the door, then walked up behind them. It was obvious what had their attention.

  “Two cookies apiece before supper,” she said.

  They bolted toward the cookies cooling on the racks as she headed down the hall with the baby, then put him down for his nap. When she came back into the kitchen, the boys were at the table, nibbling on their cookies with their noses in their new books.

  “Wanna split a root beer?” she asked.

  Their eyes widened. “We get cookies and pop?”

  “You do today,” she said.

  “You’re the best,” Beep said.

  Marshall glanced up and then smiled shyly. “Yeah, you’re awesome.”

  Dori smiled, a little surprised her capacity for joy was still intact. “Does anyone have homework?” she asked.

  “I have a little,” Marshall said and put his new book aside and got it out of his backpack and went to work.

  Dori got the roast out of the refrigerator, seasoned it up, and put it in the oven, then began preparing the vegetables she’d cook with it later.

  By the time Johnny came home, the scents of his surprise supper drew him all the way into the kitchen, where he found Dori setting the table and Luther banging on the high chair with a teething biscuit.

  Johnny paused in the doorway, absorbing the homey atmosphere and the girl who’d soon be his wife.

  Dori looked up and smiled. “You’re home!”

  Johnny swallowed past a lump in his throat. He hadn’t had anyone to come home to in so long, he couldn’t remember when the last time had been.

  He set his lunch box on the counter and then hesitated.

  “I would sincerely love to give you a hug, but I’m too dirty.”

  “There’s no such thing as being too dirty for a hug.”

  He laughed, scooped her up in his arms, and swung her off her feet, then stole a quick kiss before putting her down.

  Dori felt like she’d taken flight, and when his laugh sent a chill up her back, she hung on for dear life.

  “Where are the boys?” he asked as he put her down.

  “In their room, reading their new books. I hope you don’t mind but the—”

  “Oh man, the book fair!” Johnny said and slapped the side of his head. “I completely forgot. You took them?”

  She nodded. “You don’t care, do you?”

  “No, no, of course not! I’ll pay you back as—”

  “No more yours and mine, Johnny Pine. After tomorrow, everything we have is ours. Okay?”

  He hesitated and then agreed. “Yes, okay. I’m just not used to having anyone to depend on but myself.”

  “There will be lots of things changing after tomorrow,” she said.

  He frowned. “Like what?”

  She shook her head. “You’ll see but not until after the wedding.”

  He grinned. “You have a secret?”

  She nodded. “Yes, but trust me, it’s all good.”

  “Yeah, I trust you,” he said softly.

  “Go wash up, and while you’re back there, tell the boys that supper is ready. We have much to discuss with them. I sure hope they won’t care.”

  “They won’t care,” he said. “I promise you.”

  Chapter 19

  They were all the way to dessert, which consisted of more chocolate chip cookies, when Johnny told the boys they needed to have a talk.

  Beep gave Marshall a frantic look. “You said you wouldn’t tell.”

  Marshall rolled his eyes. “I didn’t.”

  Johnny frowned. “Beep, what did you do?”

  “It was an accident,” he mumbled.

  Johnny kept waiting.

  Beep sighed. “I axaldentally broke the night-light.”

  “Well, accidents happen,” Johnny said. “Besides, it was already half-broken, wasn’t it?”

  Beep’s eyes widened. “Oh wow, Johnny! I thought I was gonna get the wax for sure.”

  Dori stifled a laugh. Beep’s expressions were priceless.

  “No, buddy. You’re good. I’m the one who broke the first half of it when I was little. You’re the one who finished it off.”

  Beep sighed. “But now we won’t have no light to sleep by.”

  “Any light,” Johnny said. “I’ll leave a light on in the bathroom tonight and get a new night-light tomorrow.”

  Dori arched her eyebrows, as if to remind him there were other things on the agenda for tomorrow too.

  “Right,” Johnny said. “And we still need to have a talk. How would you two feel about Dori staying with us?”

  “But she’s already with us,” Marshall said.

  “No, I mean for always.”

  Beep looked at Dori and then at the baby in her lap.

  “Would ole Joe stay too?”

  Dori nodded. “Yes, where I go, Joe goes.”

  Marshall gave Johnny a long look and then glanced at Dori the same way.

  “Are you guys gonna get married or somethin’?”

  “Yes, we’re going to get married tomorrow,” Johnny said.

  Marshall smiled. “I told Beep you guys were in love, but he didn’t believe me. I think it’s a good idea.”

  Dori glanced at Johnny, but he was staring intently at the boys.

  “Why did you think we were in love?” he asked.

  “’Cause you guys watch each other when you think no one’s looking. I know how that stuff goes down.”

  Johnny rolled his eyes. “Let me guess. You were watching romantic movies at Miss Jane’s too?”

  “No, just the afternoon soaps. There’s lots of love stuff going on in those shows.”

  Dori saw the look on Johnny’s face and burst out laughing, which made Luther laugh.

  Beep wasn’t sure what was funny, but he was still so relieved that he wasn’t in trouble for breaking the night-light that he went ahead and laughed too.

  “What? What did I say?” Marshall said.

  Johnny grinned. “So, Beep, how do you feel about me and Dori getting married?”

  “I like it. She likes us, and she makes good stuff to eat, and she’s really, really nice. And when ole Joe gets a little older, me and him can play together.”

  Marshall frowned. “What about me?”

  Beep shrugged. “You’re gonna grow up and get a girlfriend just like Johnny did. I’m gonna need someone to play with, aren’t I?”

  This time it was Johnny who laughed. “So how do you feel about staying home from school tomorrow and being my two best men at the wedding?”

  “Yes! We feel like that’s a good deal,” Marshall said. “Don’t we, Beep?”

  Beep nodded. Anything that had to do with missing school was fine with him. “Can we go watch TV?” he asked.

  “Yeah, sure,” Johnny said and then grinned at Dori as they ran out of the kitchen. “I told you th
ey would be fine with this.”

  Luther squawked because the boys left, then poked his thumb in his mouth and leaned against Dori’s chest.

  “Even ole Joe doesn’t seem to mind,” Johnny said.

  Dori glanced down at the baby and then back up at Johnny. They’d do whatever they had to do to keep their boys where they belonged.

  “Do you have something clean to wear tomorrow?” Dori asked.

  “All I have is what I wore to the funeral.”

  Dori smiled wryly. “I find myself in the same position. I don’t think Granddaddy would find that so strange. He and Grandy were big on recycling.”

  Johnny circled the table, then got down on one knee and put his arms around the both of them.

  “I know you don’t love me, but maybe one day, if I’m lucky, you’ll look up and realize you can’t live without me. In the meantime, I can love you enough for both of us.”

  The declaration was so moving to Dori that, for a moment, she was speechless. And then she cupped his face with one hand and leaned forward until their lips were only inches apart.

  He could feel the warmth of her breath against his face, and when he suddenly saw his reflection in her eyes, it felt like she’d captured his soul.

  “I already see you, Johnny Pine, and if it’s just the same with you, I’d rather live my life beside you, not without you.”

  He kissed her because he could no longer talk, and when the baby grabbed his ear and then his hair, he laughed.

  “Hey, little guy, we don’t intend to leave you out. You’re coming too. Okay?”

  Dori leaned forward until their foreheads were touching.

  “We are going to have a most wonderful life,” she said softly.

  Johnny put his hand on the back of Luther’s head and ruffled the soft baby curls.

  “Yes…yes we will.”

  * * *

  Ethel Carter had put in a request for a copy of the school incident involving Brooks Pine and the police, and had filed her report at the office before leaving on visitations with some of the other cases she was working. When she finished for the day, she went straight home. She had a bone to pick with Pansy Jones and intended to call her up as soon as she got off her feet.

  After changing into something comfortable and slipping into her old house shoes, she poured herself a glass of sweet tea and sat down with her phone and her notebook.