by Grady, D. R.
Treeny cocked a brow. Another woman staring at Ben made her ...hackles rise. “We decided she could be my biological sister.”
“A biological sister,” she repeated and blinked as she tried to comprehend. “Wow. You’ve already got three sisters.”
He laughed. “I know. Like three aren’t enough, but Janine is pretty amazing. She’s tall and thin like me, and KC claims we have the same eyes,” he grimaced, and her heart snagged. “Janine’s eyes are amber while mine are dark brown, so where KC came up with that, I don’t know. Janine is moving here tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yep.”
Treeny stared as bemusement stuttered through her. Ben had a biological sister. “What do your parents think of this?”
He rolled his eyes. She loved when he did that. She loved when he did pretty much anything. So long as he was with her. “What do you think they think of this? They’re so excited, Melanie says it’s hard to visit them.”
She laughed. “I can understand that. And Mel lives next door, right?”
“Yeah.” Treeny liked the affection she heard in Ben’s voice for his sister. Melanie worked in the post office and was the oldest sister. Treeny had always thought of her as the glue that held Ben’s branch of the Morrison family together.
“Is Mel seeing anyone at the moment?”
“Her ex-husband.” His brow rose as he watched her reaction.
“I’m glad,” she said honestly and she was. Melanie and Ray belonged together. “How are Julie and Stephanie?” Treeny liked Ben’s other sister’s too.
“They’re fine. Both are finally finished with school. Steph has her Ph.D. in something, I think its weather related. And Jules is working in a cousin’s law office.”
Stephanie was a meteorologist and Julie had a law degree. “That’s pretty exciting. I’m happy for them. Are they looking forward to meeting Janine?”
Crinkles formed around his eyes as he smiled. “They can’t wait. They’re so happy she’s coming home, there’s a party in the works. Between them and my mom, it had grown out of proportion. KC finally took over all the planning.”
“Poor Janine if they had succeeded. Your family is overwhelming enough to those of us who are used to them.”
“That’s what KC and I decided. KC threw her weight around.”
“Good for her. At least Janine will know you and KC when she arrives.”
“She’s been emailing the rest of the family since Kuwait. Mom found out all kinds of information about her, but couldn’t dig up much about our mother. She also couldn’t tell if Janine and I have the same father or not.”
“Janine doesn’t know either?”
Ben shook his head. “No. She knew my birthday, where I’d been born, to which woman, and she knew I lived in Pennsylvania during my early years. That’s all she could find on me. Then we met face to face in Kuwait and there wasn’t much doubt that we were related. We do look a lot alike.”
“Does she look like Granddad Morrison?”
He thought for a minute. “Yeah, I guess she does.”
“It’s wild how much you and he look alike.” She shook her head.
“That’s what everyone says, but if I hadn’t looked like him, my mom probably wouldn’t have noticed me.”
“Why did you grow up here and Janine grew up in the islands?” Treeny glanced at him, and saw his brows rise.
“You know, that’s a good question. Janine didn’t leave Tolaliel until she finished high school.”
“Your mom hasn’t figured it out yet?”
“I don’t know if she thought to ask that particular question. Janine might know, but she didn’t say anything. We can ask her tomorrow.”
“Is your mom still researching all this?”
“Probably.” He shrugged.
She grinned. “I know your mother.” Treeny paused. “I’m really looking forward to meeting Janine.”
“She’s looking forward to meeting you too.”
Treeny heard the sincerity and something she couldn’t identify in his voice. Almost an intensity, like he longed for Janine to approve of her. She could relate. What if Janine didn’t approve? Then where would she and Ben be? Of course, Janine was the newer female in the equation, but what would happen if Ben’s sister didn’t like his female of choice? Hopefully “female of choice” was how he considered her.
Since the concept of Janine’s disapproval was too scary to contemplate, Treeny pushed the thought aside. Same as the idea of what she meant to him. She wanted Ben. And anything that stood in their way would have to be dealt with. Because he said he wanted her. Certainly, everything he’d shown since then indicated he spoke the truth. So long as she kept her insecurities at bay, they should be fine.
They had both waited long enough for this relationship. Treeny had loved him since she was seventeen. At least. Maybe she’d loved him even longer than that. And he admitted to similar feelings for her. That must to be good. Right?
Leaning back in her chair, she decided to enjoy the evening. She refused to think about whether this might be her first and last date with Ben.
Chapter 4
Janine’s insides quivered as she turned onto the street she’d call home. As the rental car rolled smoothly down the street, she searched the mailbox numbers for her house. The first time in her adult life she would live in an actual house. Hands down a house beat the tent she lived in while in Kuwait – twice.
She saw the garage immediately and was heartened by the discovery. A garage. Now she’d have to buy a car. A prospect she looked forward to. The house was a colonial, one of her favorite architectural styles. The structure appeared to have three floors above ground, and looked enormous. Wondering how her meager possessions would fit inside she slowed the vehicle.
People stood everywhere, many of them waving at her. Swallowing, she waved back, and wondered how on earth she would manage to mingle with so many. Please let them accept her. Ben assured her repeatedly that they were all family, and they all considered her so. KC had added her reassurances, and that helped to calm her now. But what if she messed up?
She looked again at the place she would call home now and the people who would make the place so. Once she turned the car off and climbed out arms enfolded her from nearly every side. Janine felt KC and knew Ben was somewhere in the mix.
“You all back off, the poor girl doesn’t need you lot to overwhelm her.” The masculine voice that spoke sounded very firm and authoritative. Janine turned. She encountered a tall, lean man with white hair, an erect carriage, and dark brown eyes much like Ben’s. Staring a bit, she noticed that except for the man’s white skin and more advanced age he looked astonishingly like Ben.
“I’m your grandfather,” he said in the way of introduction, and then she was enfolded into a tight embrace. Warmth swelled within her. She had longed for grandparents, but never known the privilege. Now this tall, ex-military man had just informed her he was her grandfather.
“For goodness sakes, Hiram, let me at her.” A feminine voice objected, and the man’s arms slackened. A gentle hand grasped her arm and tugged.
Janine turned and stared into blue eyes. The woman hailed from the same generation as her new grandparent. She smiled and tugged Janine into her arms after announcing, “I’m your grandmother, lovey.”
Ben interrupted that embrace. “Let’s share here, folks,” her brother said unequivocally, and KC, Janine noticed, also worked her way to the front again. KC was as blonde and beautiful as ever, only she looked far happier now than when they shared a tent in Kuwait. [The Corpsman and the Nerd – Book 2]Probably due to the fact that nearly the moment she returned from Kuwait she had married Max Morrison.
Ben swept her into his arms for a rib cracking hug, but before she could fully enjoy the embrace, KC tugged them apart. And Janine received another hug from her friend, before KC dumped Macy into her arms.
The baby gurgled up at her and Janine grinned at the little face. Someone took the
baby from her, despite her protests, and she received more hugs. This one from a small, dark haired dynamo who didn’t need to introduce herself. Janine had enough time to squeak, “Mom!” before the woman squeezed her in a maternal embrace. She swallowed the tears itching her throat. She wanted to belong to this family so much.
The tall, salt and pepper haired man standing behind her mom separated them, and she recognized him as Dad, before he, too squeezed the stuffing out of her. Janine, while feeling very overwhelmed, enjoyed every moment. Maybe she would just enjoy the time she had with these people and worry about her fears later.
Ben took a moment to introduce her to his other three sisters, and Janine saw in their eyes nothing but warmth and welcome. Melanie was of average height with medium brown hair and brown eyes. Stephanie was a little taller with light brown hair, and storm colored eyes. The last sister, Julie, was petite, extra curvy up top, and blonde. Each one squeezed her like she was, well – a long lost family member. They really did want her and accepted her with no reservations. She swallowed the huge lump in her throat as peace washed over her.
She pushed the thought away of what her childhood would have been like if she’d been adopted into this family in her youth. It was enough that they wanted her now.
Max, KC’s husband sauntered up for a hug, and whispered, “Welcome, Janine.” She blinked back tears, before Ryan, Max and KC’s son ran up and grabbed her. Next came Ben’s cousin, Lainy, and her husband Mitch, who owned the house. Mitch and Lainy were both dark haired, but Mitch’s hair was lighter and his eyes were brown while Lainy wore dark framed glasses. She looked a lot like Max.
Staring into Lainy’s warm eyes, Janine knew a moment of recognition. She’d seen those blue eyes before. Lainy laughed, and Janine figured her new cousin must have correctly read her bemusement. “I share our Grandmother’s eyes, so yes, you have seen them recently.”
“I can see the resemblance now,” Janine agreed. And she did. While her brother was a near perfect replica of the older man, so Lainy resembled the older woman.
Ben fought his way through the crowd again, tugging behind him a woman with a heavy fall of strawberry blonde hair and gray-blue eyes. She was quite lovely.
“Janine, this is Treeny,” Ben said in way of introduction and Janine smiled. So this was Treeny. For some reason she’d been expecting a different sort of woman, until she looked into Treeny’s eyes. There she saw compassion, zeal, love, and acceptance, and Janine relaxed. She remembered then that Treeny was a proud member of the medical profession.
“I’m Janine,” she said with a smile as they hugged. Janine had to stoop a bit as Treeny was of average height and small boned.
“I could have guessed that,” Treeny responded with a laugh, as she offered a sincere hug in return. “You and Ben look nearly like twins, although your eyes are gorgeous.”
“Thank you. I was thinking the same thought about yours.”
Treeny colored slightly, and offered a humble smile. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Janine thought they would become good friends.
Soon after she hugged numerous other relatives, Mitch finally handed her the key to the house. “It’s all yours, Madame Doctor,” he intoned.
She laughed. “I’m looking forward to this. But I don’t have nearly enough furniture to fill this house. I can already tell that.”
“We may be able to help with that problem.” Lainy’s laugh echoed around the crowd.
“Oh?” Janine clambered up the stairs to the front door and inserted the key.
“Yes,” one of the relatives said from the back of the crowd. “When we saw how little you have, we added pieces.”
She blinked when she entered the living room. Someone had definitely added to her meager furniture collection. While her scant bits filled some of the space, her new family had added other things to make the room bright, comfortable, and exactly what most appealed to her.
“It’s beautiful. Exactly what I would have chosen.” How had they known? She could barely breathe for all the emotions squeezing through her.
A hoot went round the room. “Yep, she’s definitely a Morrison,” one of her new sisters, Julie, said triumphantly. Her chuckle was deep and throaty.
“Of course she is. Look how much like Granddad and Ben she looks,” Stephanie, another of her new sisters said.
Most of the Morrison clan parked in the living room, sprawling on the sofa and chairs there. But Ben and Treeny, Lainy, and KC wondered through the new space with her. She caught a glimpse of Max and some of the other men outside, keeping an eye on the children. Max, who had retrieved his daughter after he hugged Janine, rocked Macy. Beside him, Mitch swayed with his little girl, Alexis.
Janine stared when she saw her table and chairs paired with a perfectly matched hutch in the dining room. “Where...?” she managed to squeak.
“That’s my sister and Will’s old one. The table and chairs were toast after six kids, but the hutch lived. They bought a new dining room set, so this hutch needed a new home.”
“Your sister and brother-in-law had the matching piece to my table and chairs?” Janine stared at Treeny, knowing her disbelief must be evident.
“Yep. They were very happy to send the hutch to you. The Morrisons believe in recycling.” Treeny grinned at her, and Janine noticed she and Ben were holding hands. Almost as though they couldn’t bear to be parted from each other and Janine smiled at the picture they made.
In the kitchen sat a little side table – another Morrison family attic treasure she assumed – that was perfect for in-kitchen dining. She figured she’d do so frequently, but with such a large new family, maybe she could invite people over. A thrill zipped through her as she thought of being able to entertain. Especially this precious family who showed her how much they wanted her. Oh please make them want to keep me, she prayed silently.
She trailed a hand across the table. Lainy caught her action and smiled. “Mitch thinks this table should always remain in this kitchen. It was the Fandrich’s and one of their favorite pieces.”
Janine fought back the threatening tears.
KC reached out and took her hand. “Mitch and Lainy heard about your imminent arrival and they immediately contacted Ben and me about your moving here.”
“Seemed like such a natural fit. Janine and this house,” Lainy added. She winked. “And judging by her reaction, I think she’ll love this house as much as Russ and Wendy did.”
Janine nodded, but couldn’t push words past her tight throat.
“I think it’s perfect,” KC said and Janine nodded vigorously. If she kept this up, her head might bounce off.
Lainy reached out and touched her other arm. “We’ve been awaiting you with much expectation.”
They moved into a small room where Janine found her desk and other wooden office furniture that complimented her own. Lainy pointed to the credenza. “That’s Great Grandmother Hubert’s. It’s an antique, but it didn’t match anyone else’s furniture. Until we saw your desk, we figured the credenza would remain in my aunt’s attic.”
An antique credenza. They had trusted her with a family heirloom. And Janine suspected the little table in the kitchen was of a similar age and worth. Not able to voice her opinion, she instead smiled as she looked the room over, enjoying the perfect space.
Here she could work from home in the evenings and catch up on paperwork. Several of the walls were lined with her books, and she saw her medical journals already gracing the surfaces. Other small treasures she had collected through the years also lined the shelves.
They strolled back through the kitchen and Lainy pointed out a laundry room and pantry. Janine could barely take all the magnificence in. They also showed her the back stairs, and she tromped up those with her small parade.
Four bedrooms on this floor, with her bed already set up in the master suite. She identified her dressers and nightstands and noticed they’d been placed exactly where she would have set them. Boxes of
her clothes and necessities were all stacked neatly against the walls in the closet. Her spacious bathroom sparkled in cleanliness and she couldn’t wait to try out the whirlpool bath.
“This will be my room when I come to visit,” Ben informed her when they moved down the hall.
Lainy and KC laughed. “He’s chosen a room in each of our houses, too,” KC said dryly.
“I have so many places to stay now, maybe I should buy my own place.”
Treeny smiled. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. Rachel and Will keep the attic for me alone, but really, some of their kids are old enough now to move in there. Destiny is graduating this year and is all set to go to college.”
“Their third floor is a separate apartment, isn’t it?” Lainy asked.
“It is. And it’s perfect for me, but I’ve been itching for my own place. Only that’s not quite viable yet.”
“Student loans are pulling you down,” KC said calmly.
Treeny rolled her eyes. “Like you wouldn’t believe.”
Janine and KC looked at each other and laughed. Janine reached out and curled an arm around Treeny. “We’ve been there so we understand.”
Treeny gaped at them before she gasped. “You’re right. All three of us are doctors.”
“Ugh, I’m feeling the nerdiness, aren’t you Ben?” Lainy quipped and Ben solemnly nodded.
Janine laughed as KC and Treeny pounced on Ben and Lainy, but soon they became distracted with the rest of the house. Peeking into the other two bedrooms, she was pleased with the rooms and furniture. Without the largesse of her newfound family, Janine would never have been able to furnish all the rooms. Certainly not as to her tastes as these rooms were. As an added bonus the borrowed items all held memories for her family members and made each piece that much more precious.
“Now that I don’t have to buy furniture I can definitely buy a car,” she announced. They clattered down the stairs to join the rest of the family.
