The Fourth Child

by C. J. Carmichael

  "Yay! Frozen waffles!" Jenna and Daisy scooted out of bed.

  Andie hung back at the door. "Okay, you guys. You can go ahead and sleep now." She smiled at them, then shut the door firmly behind her.

  Claire looked at Kirk. "You don't think she suspects…"

  "Of course she does." Kirk slid his hand inside her robe and pulled her to him tightly. "We're the ones who explained it to her, remember?"

  "Yes, but…" She closed her eyes in pleasure as he began massaging her shoulder.

  "Have I told you yet this morning how much I love you?" he asked. "I missed you and the girls so much this summer. But it did give me time to think things over. I'll do whatever it takes to earn your trust again. Claire, it may help you to know that Janice has left the firm."

  "Oh?" His wife went still. "Because of you?"

  He nodded. "I didn't ask her to leave, but I was glad when she came to the decision herself."

  Claire remained stiff, and for a moment he felt a hint of panic. He shouldn't have mentioned the name of the woman who'd almost come between them.

  "Is it because you still care…?"

  "God, no." He covered her mouth with a kiss. "I just thought it would make it easier for you if she wasn't around. Not to have to wonder…"

  "Yes. It probably will. But I do trust you, Kirk."

  "Claire, those words mean so much to me. I'm not going to let you down again."

  "I know." She ran her hand lovingly down me side of his face. "And for the record, there's something you need to be sure of."

  "Yeah?" He caught her hand and pressed her fingers to his lips.

  "You're the man I love, the only man I'd ever "choose to marry."

  Kirk believed her. There was a light in her eyes as she looked at him that he couldn't remember seeing before. Or maybe it had been there once, in -the beginning…

  "Kirk, I know I've held back too much for too long. I'm not going to do that anymore."

  Inside her robe, his hand followed the curve of her back, down over her bottom, then up the front of her thigh.

  The small moan she gave was encouraging. He continued the caress, up to the mound of her belly.

  "I'm so excited about this baby, Claire." He ignored a twinge of anxiety about the amnio test results, due any day. "Can you believe we're going to have a fourth child?"

  "Well, that's what happens, you know." She slipped her hand down the elastic waistband of his sweatpants, drawing in her breath at finding him hard and ready.

  "Show me again how we did it," he urged.

  And she did.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Cottage Cooking, by Claire Ridgeway The important thing about cooking for the holidays is making it fun. If you have to spend the day in the kitchen—and you do— arrange for everyone else to be in there with you. Crank up your favorite music. Pour yourself a glass of something bubbly and light. Get the kids shelling the nuts while your hubby chops veggies. You're the boss. Let them get their hands dirty. You've got a manicure to protect.

  Sound like a pipe dream? Well, it probably is, unless you've got cable TV hooked up where hubby can see it from the sink, and you're prepared to bribe your children with lots of treats that will spoil their appetite for dinner.

  If not, fall on the backup plan, which is to make this dressing a few days ahead of time. Serve it with fresh roasted turkey and I guarantee it will be a hit. Every year my friends beg me for the recipe. This year they're getting it "Claire's Hazelnut Dressing with Cranberries and Brandy''…

  "I can't believe the secret is finally out." Mallory held up the clipping from the previous week's issue of the Gazette. "Are you sure you didn't leave something out? Some crucial ingredient so no matter how many people try the recipe it'll never be as good as yours?"

  "You are a suspicious person, do you know that?" Claire walked out from behind the kitchen sink, only it felt more like waddling. At over seven months she was bigger than she'd been for any of her other children at this stage. Kirk pulled out her chair, then jogged to the other end of their massive pine table.

  There were twenty-one of them for Thanksgiving this year, and she still couldn't believe they'd managed to fit around one table. One very long table, thanks to a little quick construction work on Grady's part.

  Claire lifted her glass of nonalcoholic wine and looked around at everyone. "Toasts?" She knew what she would drink to, later when just she and Kirk were on their own. To reconciliations and families and making the word commitment really mean something.

  Now Grady had something to say. He was standing, holding his glass in one hand and Terese's hand in the other. "I'm feeling pretty good today, and not just because we're all together for another year. She finally said yes, guys. Terese has agreed to marry me!" Grady raised his glass high, and a cheer broke out around the table.

  Claire smiled, feeling true happiness for her friend and his future bride. She wasn't so conceited as to think her talk with Terese had precipitated the young woman's change of heart, but she did hope it had helped just a little. From the way Terese had smiled at her when she'd walked into the cottage with Grady, Claire was inclined to think that it had.

  At the other end of the table, she saw that Kirk shared her pleasure at Grady's announcement and, more important, that no trace of the old jealousy was left between them.

  Next Patricia Conroy got up to toast Buddy's first year of semiretirement, then Drew made a toast to old friends. Finally, Kirk rose, his eyes on Claire as he lifted his glass.

  "Claire and I got the results from the amnio-centesis a few weeks ago. We waited until we were all together to let you know that the baby is fine—" he paused for cheers, then continued "—and to announce that we're expecting a boy." He blinked rapidly, then shrugged. "And just as we were getting kind of good at girls, too."

  Poor Kirk had been in such shock when they'd first heard the news. He'd kept asking if there could be some mistake. Somehow they'd both expected another girl. But it seemed fitting they were stepping out of the groove, since they'd changed so many things in their life together. Small things—like the two of them going out every Friday night, and Kirk reserving Sundays for family time—but important things. Their renewed love and commitment, Claire was certain, would see them through the challenges that lay ahead.

  After dinner, and a slice of Mallory's pumpkin pie for dessert, each of Claire's girls came up to their mother with questions about the baby.

  "Does this mean I'm going to have a brother?" Jenna asked.

  "Yes, it does."

  "Will I have to share my room with a boy?" Daisy asked.

  "Would you rather share with Jenna?"

  "Oh, yes."

  "Then that's what we'll do."

  Andie wondered if you could cuddle a boy baby as much as a girl.

  "Definitely. Little boys need lots of loving, just like little girls."

  As Grady's sons cleared the table and Terese filled the sink with water to do the dishes, Kirk pulled Claire onto his lap. "No cleanup duties for you, chef. You need to take a break."

  Claire wasn't about to argue. Her feet were killing her. She slipped off her shoes, and Kirk reached down to give her a quick massage.

  Claire closed her eyes and purred. "Have I told you lately how wonderful you are?" All around she heard the sounds of her family and friends. The girls were playing Twister on the old pine floor, and most of the adults were helping in the kitchen, laughing and joking as usual.

  "Excuse me, you lovebirds," Grady said, walking past them. "I'm going to light a fire. It's getting a little chilly."

  "Speak for yourself," Kirk said, nuzzling his face against Claire's neck.

  Once the fire was going, Kirk whispered into her ear, "You know, I think we could slip out for half an hour and not even be missed."

  Claire propped herself up on her elbows. "What are you thinking?"

  Kirk nodded out the window. Dusk had settled; it was almost dark. "Could be a nice evening for a canoe ride."


  "A canoe ride?" Claire laughed, knowing where this was leading. She glanced around the room. It was true; everyone was busy. No one was even looking their way. "Okay."

  "Grab a coat on the way out," Kirk said. "I'll get a blanket. Meet you at the pier."

  Feeling deliciously naughty, Claire nonchalantly headed for the door, grabbing at her fleece jacket, which hung from the wall. Making love in a canoe had been a challenge at the age of twenty-four. Now she was twelve years older and almost seven and a half months pregnant. The two of them had to be crazy.

  Just as she was about to slip out the door, she noticed Mallory standing at the counter, watching her every move.

  "Sh." Claire put her finger to her mouth.

  Mallory gave a sly smile. "Watch out for owls."

  Claire shut the door, trying not to laugh. Sometimes your friends could know you too well.