by Rikki Dyson
“Yes, I was having a cup of coffee when he joined me.”
“Did you see Doctor Shaw?” Shane asked. Stacey nodded her head. “Are you okay, sweetheart? If there was something wrong you would tell me, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, of course,” Stacey said. “There is nothing for you to worry about. Doctor Shaw told me I was young and healthy.”
Shane knew something was bothering Stacey, but he also new he would never get it out of her until she was ready to talk about it. She had tossed and turned when she had first come to bed but was sleeping peacefully now. Shane lay thinking what a wonderful wife and mother she was. He felt secure in her love for him and their children. He smiled as he remembered her youthful enthusiasm when playing with the children and her tender love when she rocked and sang to them. As the children grew older, they still enjoyed their rocking sessions with the lullabies and the delightful silly songs they enjoyed so much. Shane could not imagine life without Stacey and the children. He laughed lightly, as he remembered how easily he had been enticed into the nightly routine of reading bedtime stories. It was now an established fact that he and Stacey take turns reading the nightly bedtime stories. Nicky now had his own room, so many nights the stories were read twice.
Shane couldn’t hold back a chuckle as he thought about Nicky tonight as he took his bath and proudly told his dad that they were boys and Jessie, Jackie and his mommy were girls.
Shane thought he heard a noise, so he slipped out of bed and walked across the hall to the twins room and then to Nicky’s room. All was quiet and the children were sound asleep. When Shane returned to bed, Stacey woke and asked, “What’s wrong, Shane?”
“Not a thing sweetheart, I was merely checking on the children.” Stacey lay awake in Shane’s arms. He could sense her inner turmoil, but he waited for her to tell him what was on her mind. She finally took a deep breath and asked, “Shane, how would you feel about us having another baby?”
This caught Shane off guard. He was quiet and thoughtful for a minute and then said, “Is this what has been worrying you? What did Doctor Shaw say to you that has you thinking of having another baby?”
Stacey sat up in bed and said, “Don’t answer my question with a question. Tell me how you would feel about us having another baby.”
“Stacey, sweetheart, I think that would depend more on you than me. We have three wee ones now, don’t you think it would be better to wait until they are older.”
“Yes, I’m sure it would be better to wait, but I’ve done something really stupid Shane.”
“I doubt that, sweetheart, but tell me, what you think you have done.”
“I missed my December appointment for my Depo-Provera injection and now I’m six weeks pregnant. This is all my fault for not paying more attention.”
“This is not your fault sweetheart. As I recall, there was a fair amount of chaos in our lives at that time. Some things are just meant to be. Remember what Miss Leona said about seeing many children around you. You wouldn’t want to break a prophecy, now would you?”
Stacey snuggled in Shane’s arms and said with a smile, “You are the most wonderful man and I love you. I should have known you would make this okay without condemnation.”
“I’ve told you before sweetheart, I love you and we are in this marriage and parenthood together.”
Safe in Shane’s arms, Stacey slept the night away. She felt alleviated of her overwhelming guilt.
On May second, at four-twenty-six a.m., Stephanie Ann Grant was born. Stacey was there waiting when Hugh exited the delivery room. He was so relieved it was over and the baby was safe and sound. Hugh hugged Stacey and said, “So good to see you Stacey, they’ll be taking Annie to her room in a second or two. God, she’s beautiful Stacey. Diane will be taking her to the nursery in a few minutes.”
Stacey smiled and asked, “How’s Annie? Has she seen the baby?”
“Yes, to both questions. Annie’s grand and such a brave lass. Her labor was long and difficult, but she’s resting now. Thanks for being here Stacey.”
“No thanks necessary, Hugh, where else would I be other than with my friend.”
Annie was sound asleep, so Stacey and Hugh walked to the nursery to view this doll like baby. As Stacey admired this tiny baby girl, she put her hands on her own stomach and was happy that soon she would hold her own baby in her arms in a few months.
Stacey waited until she was three months along before she shared her news with family and friends. In June, Shane accompanied Stacey to her appointment for her ultra sound. As Doctor Shaw was moving the transducer over Stacey’s abdomen, she remarked, “I don’t believe this, can’t you two do anything by the halves?”
“Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?” Shane asked.
“What?” Stacey asked. “I can’t make heads or tails of these photos.”
Doctor Shaw smiled and said, “My professional opinion is you two are going to be the parents of another set of twins. Paternal twins this time, how do you like that.”
Stacey was flabbergasted. Once again, she had wrapped her mind around one and now there were two. Unexpectedly, she remembered Miss Leona’s prophesy of seeing her surrounded by many children. Stacey was rather quiet on the way home. Shane felt she was processing this unexpected news. He had to admit it was a bit of a shock. He silently observed Stacey as they rode along. She was looking out the car window deep in thought. He wondered what she was really thinking. Was two more going to be too much for her to handle. They could hire help of course, but what about her schooling. It seemed it was always Stacey who had to forfeit her time and her education.
Stacey had been paying attention, and when Shane turned toward home she said, “Where are you going Shane, we need to pick up the kids.”
Shane reached over, took her hand and said, “Let Richard and Aunt Lora bring them home later. I want to spend some time with you.”
“You think I can’t handle this news, don’t you.”
“Well, sweetheart, it is a lot to absorb at one time.”
Stacey didn’t say more until they reached home, put the coffee pot on, changed into her jeans, put her hair in a ponytail and served their coffee. “Shane, I don’t know your feelings about our new additions, but I’m going to tell you mine. These two little angles inside me were conceived in love and in love, they will be welcomed into our family, the same as their brother and sisters were. Yes, it will be difficult, but by the time they are born I will have it all worked out in my mind. With your love and help, we’ll make it work.”
Shane took Stacey in his arms and said, “My love you will always have my love, my perpetual admiration and my help too. If the truth were known, I think I have loved you from the moment you woke up, threw your arms around me and kissed me. Even if you did think I was another man.”
Stacey laughed and said, “You are the man of my dreams in my real world. The other was a dream world in order for me to meet you.”
Chapter-75
Vacation
Time sped by for the McLeod family. Shane was busy and deeply involved in his work and Stacey with the children and her education. Annie and Stacey’s lives were tightly entwined. Annie, Stacey and their children spent as much time together as time would allow. The first week in June, Shane had a few days off so they drove to Scotland to visit with the grandparents.
Grandmother McLeod was now in her eighties and hampered by arthritis. She, along with Shane’s mother and dad had flown down to London to see the new place a couple of months back. Now, the trip north for Shane and family was very pleasant. They had stopped by Aunt Leddy and Uncle John’s for a short visit on their way to Scotland. Andrea, Philip and Ryan came over and Ryan played with the children in the lake.
In Edinburgh, after brunch, they were all sitting in the garden watching the children play. Grandmother McLeod was sitting beside Stacey holding her hand when she asked, “Have you two selected names for the children yet?”
Shane glanced at Stacey and said,
“Yes, Grandmother, we have. We thought Adam Andrew Patrick for the lad and Cassandra Alexandria for the wee lass. What do you think?”
Grandmother McLeod squeezed Stacey’s hand and said, “I think they are wonderful names. Thank you my darlings. It’s comforting to know that my great-grandchildren will carry the names of those loved ones who have gone on and will not be forgotten.”
The day before they left, everyone was at the supper table when Jackie dropped her napkin and Shane reached to retrieve it. As he came up, he hit his head on the corner of the table. He uttered a mild expletive.
Jackie said, “Mommy, Daddy got a boo-boo, kiss it, make it better.” Everyone at the table laughed. Then Shane’s mother said, “From the looks of your mommy she has been kissing too many of daddy’s boo-boo’s now.”
The quiet was deafening. Stacey was tying Nicky’s bib when Elizabeth made the remark. She sat down laughing so hard that tears came to her eyes. Seeing their mommy laughing started the children laughing too. Shane’s father leaned over, kissed his wife and said, “Now that’s my Elizabeth, that’s the girl I married.”
On their way home, Stacey and Shane were still chuckling over his mother’s remark when they stopped at a family restaurant for lunch. Shane took Nicky to the loo with him and Stacey took the girls. Shane and Nicky had to wait their turn, so when they were finished Stacey and the girls were seated at a table. Nicky spied them and went running to the table. Just before he reached them, he said rather loudly, “Mommy, Daddy pee-peed, he’s a good boy too.”
Stacey and Shane smiled at each other as he lifted Nicky into his booster seat. Stacey said, “Yes, sweetheart, Daddy’s a good boy too.”
Jessie in her booster seat leaned across the table and said, “Nicky, you not ppose ‘a say that.”
In Nicky’s defense, Jackie said, “Jessie, Nicky little, he don’t know manners yet.”
There were older couples as well as other young families in the restaurant. Many were smiling at the young handsome couple with the three beautiful children. It was obvious there was another on the way. When the waitress came to take there order, Nicky told her, “I vant sghetti.”
When Stacey started to translate for her, she said, “Yes, ma’am. I know what he wants. I have a little one just about his age.”
While waiting to be served, Nicky was looking around and talking loud about all the new and different things he was seeing. Stacey put her finger to her lips and said, “Shush, not so loud sweetheart. You will disturb our neighbors.”
Nicky looked all around, and then whispered to the older couple at the next table, “Is ou my nabor. I soy.”
The older man at the table smiled and said, “That’s perfectly alright young man. We men must sometime speak loudly to get our deserved attention.”
Nicky ducked his head and smiled. The waitress brought his spaghetti and served him first and winked at him when she had finished serving the table.
The elderly lady, at the next table asked Stacey when her baby was due. “Around the first of November,” Stacey replied.
“Do you know if it is a boy or girl yet?”
“Yes, we do,” Stacey said. “We’re having twins, one of each. A boy and a girl.”
A large gathering at another table near the older couple overheard the conversation and started applauding. Soon many of the customers were applauding and laughing too. This soon had the McLeod children laughing and clapping their little hands too. When they were leaving the restaurant, Nicky and the girls were telling everyone, goodbye.
A few days later, the McLeod’s were invited to Doctor and Molly Fein’s house for lunch and a leisurely afternoon. They were sitting out back watching the children play when Miles, Daphne and the children arrived. Daphne was six months pregnant and Miles was in seventh heaven as well as were Dominic, Christine and Diana. The young people sat with the older group for a while, but before long, they joined the little kids on the merry-go-round. Christine and Diana kept playing with the younger children, but Dominic produced a football and before long, Miles and Shane were kicking it about with him.
Daphne came and sat beside Stacey. They were discussing America when Molly said, “Donald said you all will be going to Texas for a month. If Deborah and the children weren’t coming here, we could make another trip together. This time without detouring to Mexico.”
Daphne asked, “When are you planning on making your trip?”
“The fifteenth of this month,” Stacey said.
When Shane and Miles came back on the patio to sit in the shade and drink something cool, Daphne said, “Miles, Stacey, Shane and the children are going to Texas in a week or so. Why don’t we travel at the same time and they can ride with us.”
“Yes, absolutely,” Miles agreed.
“That’s awfully decent of you Miles, but I’ve already made reservations,” Shane said.
“Cancel them mate. I can assure you it will be more comfortable on my plane than on a crowded airliner, even if you’re flying first class, plus it will cut your flight hours in half,” Miles insisted.
Shane, thought it over, and then asked Stacey, “How do you feel about us traveling with Miles and his newly acquired family?”
“I feel very good about it. I like Daphne and the children very much,” Stacey said.
On the plane, Daphne’s children entertained the younger children. Daphne and Stacey were able to become better acquainted. It had been a most enjoyable flight but Stacey was looking forward to getting home. They left on the morning of the fifteenth and arrived in Texas around six p.m. of the same day. Captain Neumann had called for a flight plan to land at the ranch. Stacey’s mom with her SUV and her dad with his truck met them at the tarmac and invited everyone to breakfast at the ranch. With the SUV full, Shane, Miles, Dominic and Captain Neumann rode the short way to the ranch in the back of the truck with the luggage.
Gramps and Grandy, along with Uncle Rusty, Ramona, Jason, Chris and Brandon, plus Harlan were all there waiting for them when they arrived. Stacey was so happy to see her grandparents again. She had spoken with them many times over the phone, but she had been worried about the health of Gramps. Her dad had assured her, although her gramps had arthritis, he was doing well, but she was still concerned.
After introductions, breakfast was ready and everyone gathered around the table. Stacey, her mom and Daphne ate in the kitchen with the young people and her children. The ranch was such a pleasant place that Miles and his family spent the day there before flying on to Virginia.
The twins could hardly wait for breakfast to be over so they could ride their ponies. It was no surprise when Harlan produced a pony for Nicky too.
“Come, little buck-a-roo,” Harlan said, as he picked Nicky up and sat him on his pony. Harlan walked him around a few times, then said, “Yes sir, Nicky, you’re gonna’ be a real fine horseman, you are.”
Stacey stood and watched as Harlan sat Nicky in the saddle and walked him around the corral a few times. Stacey could see the emotion on Harlan’s face. She too could see Eric in Nicky in so many ways. She had tried to prepare herself for this, but a deep agonizing emptiness hit her when she was least expecting it. Harlan came to her, put his arms around her, and said, “I know how you feel Stacey girl, but there ain’t no bringing him back. We gotta’ be grateful for the piece of him we got. He’s a mighty fine little man Stacey. If Eric had of had a say in this he wouldn’t have had it any other way. Jennifer knew what she was doing when she came to you and Shane. Now buck up girl before these young’uns take a notice.”
Brandon had been riding in the paddock with the twins, now he was walking Nicky’s pony around the corral. About that time, the older kids came out of the barn. Jason and Chris had saddled up horses for Dominic, Christine and Diana. They rode through the paddock for a while then across the pasture to the lake. After a late lunch, they spent the afternoon in the swimming pool.
Stacey sat thinking how contented she felt just to be home again. Jason, Christ and Brandon we
re growing up so fast. They were now eighteen, sixteen and seven. Stacey was so proud of the way the boys took Dominic, Christine and Diana into their world and shared it with them. Everyone was out by the pool watching the children play and swim. When Dominic dove in for the umpteenth time, as he came up and shook the water from his face he said, “Man, I love this place. If I lived here, I’d never leave.”
Shane was in the pool with the twins and Nicky. He looked up at Stacey when Dominic made his declaration. She smiled and winked at him. Doctor Scott told Dominic, “Young man, you are welcome here anytime. That goes for your sisters and your mom and dad too.”
“Not my dad,” Dominic said “but, Miles can come; he’s a lot more fun.”
After a while, Nicky climbed upon his mother’s lap and fell asleep. Jessie came and took him from Stacey and said, “I’ll take him to the house, Stacey. I need to get out of this heat anyway.”
Miles looked at his watch and said, “Sorry kids, but we have to break this up.” When they dallied longer than necessary, Miles chapped his hands and said, “Chop, chop, juveniles, I have new in-laws waiting, and I don’t want to get on their bad side.”
Daphne laughing turn to Stacey and said, “I can’t recall ever being this happy. Sometimes I think I should pinch myself to see if I’m dreaming.”
Late in the afternoon, the Gulf Stream jet cleared the tarmac and winded its way east with Miles and his family on their way to Virginia.
After being at the ranch for a week, Stacey, Shane, the children and the grandparents flew to Florida to spend a few days at Disney World. On the third day, in the afternoon Nicky came to Stacey and said, “Mommy, I vanna’ do home.”
“Okay sweetheart. Are you tired? Mommy will take you back to the hotel.”
“Do you want me to take him back to the hotel sweetheart?” Jessie asked.
“No, Mom, you and Dad stay here with Shane and the girls. Nicky and I’ll go back to the hotel.”
“No, Mommy, not hotel. I vanna’ go home,” Nicky said and started crying. “I vanna’ see Lady.”
