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After their first night back together Tanner had brought over a bag of his clothes. A few days later she’d cleaned out a drawer for him and given him space in the closet. Their relationship was moving fast but she hadn’t been happier. Still, there was the nagging voice that whispered when she wasn’t busy, Will he ever say he loves you? She pushed it away with, “I haven’t said it either, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”
Friday evening they were eating Chinese takeout when Whitney said, “My grandfather has a birthday party Sunday afternoon. Would you like to come with me?”
“Sure. Why haven’t you said something about it before now?”
She fiddled with her chopsticks. “I wasn’t sure how you would feel about meeting my family so soon.”
Tanner took her hand. “You and I are a team. I’d love to meet your family.”
Team? She wanted him to see them as a couple but she’d settle for team right now. “Mom and Dad will be there. My sister and her family. Some cousins.”
“I’m game,” he said, and went back to eating.
Sunday morning he had to go to the hospital for an emergency. “I’ll meet you at your grandparents’. Text me the address,” Tanner said before he gave her a quick kiss goodbye.
She didn’t like showing up at her grandparents’ without Tanner, but he had said he would make it if he could. Even though they had only been together a week she felt lost without him. Her heart swelled just knowing he came home to her every day.
They were just singing “Happy Birthday” when there was a knock on the door. One of her cousins answered and called her name.
“Yes.”
“Your Tanner is here.”
Her Tanner. Whitney liked the sound of that. She met him at the door. He put his arm around her waist and gave it a squeeze. “Sorry, I’m so late. Case was worse than I thought.”
She smiled. “I understand.”
“That’s one of the many things I like about you, you always do.” He gave her a quick kiss.
Why couldn’t that like have been love? “Come meet my parents and grandparents.”
“Lead the way.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
TANNER WASN’T USED to all the noise and excitement, the laughter, of a big family get-together. He decided he liked it. What he remembered about family parties growing up was that they were elaborate and his mother had often ended up breaking down in tears because his father hadn’t shown up. They had not been happy affairs.
Whitney took his hand and led him into a dining room where everyone was standing around a table. He stood behind her in the crowded space. Sitting at the end was a balding, white-haired man. Next to him was a woman of about the same age who was cutting cake and placing it on plates then handing them to a younger woman who added scoops of ice cream.
“Harold, how much ice cream do you want?” the woman asked.
“Six scoops,” Whitney’s grandfather said.
“Harold! Even on your birthday that is too much,” the woman cutting the cake scolded.
Whitney’s grandfather reached for her hand and kissed the back of it. “It’s my birthday, sweetheart.”
She turned and looked at the woman with the ice-cream scoop. “Make it three.”
“That’s what I wanted anyway.” Whitney’s grandfather grinned.
“They’re my grandparents.” Whitney pointed to the older couple. “That’s my mom helping with the ice cream. I’ll introduce you in a minute.” The love Whitney had for them was evident in her voice.
Didn’t she use that same note when she spoke to him? He would have to think about that later.
“Okay, now that the birthday boy has had his share, pass the cake and ice cream around,” Whitney’s grandmother instructed.
Everyone did as they were told except for a few of the young kids, who grabbed theirs and disappeared into another room or outside. Soon Whitney and he had their share. Most of the others left to sit elsewhere, leaving room at the table for them. Whitney headed toward her grandfather and took a seat near him. Tanner slid into the one beside her.
“Paps and Memaw, I’d like for you to meet Tanner Locke.”
“Hello, sir. It’s nice to meet you. And happy birthday,” Tanner said to her grandfather.
The older man gave him a long look then said in a teasing tone, “You must be the guy who has put the smile on Whitney’s face.”
Tanner glanced at Whitney to find her blushing. “I hope so.”
“And this is my mom, Delores. Where’s Daddy?”
“He’s outside, getting some more chairs,” Delores answered.
As if he knew they were talking about him, a man with the same coloring as Whitney entered the room. “I gave the chairs to those out on the lawn.”
Delores smiled at him. “Thanks, honey. What would I do without you? Have you met Whitney’s friend?”
Tanner had every intention of being more than her friend but he would accept that title for now. He stood and offered his hand. “Hello, Mr. Thomason. Tanner Locke.”
Her father accepted his hand. “Hi, Tanner. Joe Thomason. Nice to meet you.”
“You too, sir.”
“Joe, I saved you some cake and ice cream.” Delores placed a plate in front of an empty chair across from Tanner.
Joe took the chair and smiled at his wife. “Thanks.” He then turned to Tanner again. “Whitney says you’re a heart surgeon. Interesting profession.”
“I am. And most of the time it is.” Tanner took a forkful of cake.
“It would be nice to have a doctor in the family.” Joe grinned at his daughter.
“Daddy!” Whitney’s voice went up an octave.
What would it be like to be a member of this family? Whitney must have really cast a spell over him. There was something rare in the air around these people, in the way they looked at one another and interacted. Rare at least in his experience. It made him want to be included. He couldn’t remember that ever happening before.
When Whitney touched him he knew the feeling. Like on the balloon. Her smile alone made his life better. What was that element? Some would call it a connection. Others compatibility. Knowing Whitney, she would say it was love. Was it something he knew how to give? But if he did it would make him too vulnerable, weak like his mother.
His family, his mother and father’s relationship had been so dysfunctional that he never thought of himself as wanting, or capable of being in, a loving unit. Whitney’s family made him feel a little uncomfortable as well. As if he was looking in on something he had no knowledge of.
Over the next hour he met the rest of her relations, discussed baseball with her brother-in-law and listened to a conversation between her father and uncle about the best way to grill a chicken. When Whitney put her hand on his shoulder and said it was time to go, he had to admit he was ready. He wasn’t sure he really fit in here.
They were inside saying their goodbyes when one of Whitney’s n
ephews came running into the house. “There’s something wrong with Papa Joe.”
Whitney was ahead of Tanner as they rushed out of the house. Family members surrounded her father. She pushed through two of them to where he sat in one of the folding chairs. He was clutching his left arm.
“Michelle, get the baby aspirin.” Whitney glanced at him. “He had some arrhythmia a few years back.”
Tanner said to the man standing beside him, “Go to the convertible down there.” He pointed down the street. “And bring me the black bag behind the seat.” Tanner handed him his keys. “Everyone, please move back a step or two. Whitney, call 911. Even if this is arrhythmia he still needs to be checked out at the hospital.”
Whitney pulled out her phone.
The man returned with the bag and Tanner located his stethoscope. “Mr. Thomason, I’m going to give you a listen. Just remain still. Everything is going to be fine. Whitney, I’m going to give you some information and I want you to tell the operator to relay it to the ambulance EMTs.”
“I’m ready.”
“Give them my name and tell them that I am on-site.” She did as he requested while he listened to Mr. Thomason’s heart. There was no question it was an arrhythmia issue. The man might require a procedure this time. “Tell them to patch you through to the EMTs.”
Whitney relayed the message. Her voice didn’t waver. She was a tough cookie even in an emergency.
Michelle returned with the aspirin in her hand and Mrs. Thomason on her heels.
Whitney said to Michelle, “Give three to Tanner.”
She was even knowledgeable enough about her father’s care to know what he needed in case of an emergency. Whitney took care of those she loved.
Tanner took the tablets from Michelle. “Mr. Thomason, I need you to chew these and swallow them. Make sure they go down.”
“I’ll get some water,” someone said.
“No water. It could cause him to choke.” Or if he required emergency surgery, he shouldn’t have anything in his stomach.
“Joe, Joe, are you all right?” Mrs. Thomason sobbed as she pushed through the group and rushed to Mr. Thomason.
