Page 19 of Embrace Me

I look at Frank, who is obviously working very hard to keep his expression bland. I know that he feels the same as Damien. He doesn’t trust my mother either. And although I know he believes that he once stood in the same position as my mother, that’s not actually the truth.

Frank left my mother, not me and my sister. He loved us. But by leaving us behind with Mother, he believes he failed us. In a way, he did, but it wasn’t because of lack of love; it was because of his own insecurities and incompetence. Things that he’s now acknowledged and is trying to make amends for.

Is my mother trying to make amends?

The truth is, I don’t believe it. As much as I want to, I didn’t hear sincerity in her voice. At the same time, though, I don’t want to be wrong, and I so desperately want my children to have grandparents.

But then I look at Frank. I think about Evelyn. I think about Jackson and Sylvia and their kids, and all our friends.

My children have love—so much love—and that’s something that I never had. Why would I open the door to a woman like my mother, and expect her to love her grandkids when she never even loved her own daughter?

I take Damien’s hand. “No,” I say, firmly, certain the decision is the right one. “Elizabeth Fairchild isn’t welcome here.”

Chapter Ten

“What if we put a tower right here?” Damien said, taking a green LEGO Duplo block and stacking it on top of a red one.

They were in the first floor playroom, him on the floor with the girls, Nikki parked in a chair at the little table scattered with children’s books and toys. He grinned up at her. “You know, if the girls and I make this big enough, it could fill the whole room. We wouldn’t have to buy a playhouse.”

She laughed. “I think you’re delving into your brother’s territory.” She cocked her head, frowning as she studied the building or castle or fort or whatever it was that he and his girls were putting together. “I think Frank Lloyd Wright is probably turning over in his grave right now.”

“Honestly? I wouldn’t doubt it.”

Anne called for him, and he started to turn toward his youngest, but he paused when he heard Nikki wince. He started to rise, but she lifted a hand and waved him back down.

“I’m just uncomfortable. Only time will fix that,” she added, patting her belly. “Just a few more weeks. That’s what I keep reminding myself. Are you listening in there?” she said, bending her head to talk to their son. “Don’t make Mommy wait, okay?”

“You know,” Damien said, “I’ve read that S-E-X sometimes gets labor started. We could give it a shot. I’m all about being helpful.”

“Yeah, I bet you are.” Laughter colored her voice. “But if that’s really true, then this baby should have been born one month after conception.” She batted her eyes at him. “And I don’t think my math is off at all.”

“Well, you might have a point there.” He pushed himself up to his feet, went to her, then very soundly kissed his wife. “Fortunately we didn’t induce premature labor, despite our very best efforts….”

She rolled her eyes, then pointed across the room. “Go. Build a city with your children. I’m going to sit here and rub this goo on my tummy.” She had a tube of coconut scented moisturizing cream that she’d been rubbing on her belly, and now she leaned back, lifting her shirt a bit and sighing as she started to rub it in.

Damien had just dropped down to the floor next to Lara, who was very carefully stacking blocks, when Nikki’s phone rang. He glanced over out of habit as she pressed the button for the speaker, mouthing Jamie. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Am I on speaker? Are the girls there?”

“Auntie Jamie, Auntie Jamie!” Both Lara and Anne stood and jumped and ran towards the phone. “Are you coming over? Hi, Auntie Jamie.”

“Hey, girls! I’ll see you guys soon, okay? I just called to talk to your mom for a minute. Okay? I love you.”

“Love you too! Love you!” both girls shouted at their aunt, then hurried back to Damien and the business of building.

“So what’s going on?” Nikki asked. “My hands are gooey, so you’re still on speaker.”

“I was calling to see how you were doing after the whole situation with your M-O-M.”

Nikki laughed. “You Know Who knows how to spell that word, you know,” she said, referring to Lara who was reading far above her age level. “But she’s also busy doing something else at the moment.”

She met Damien’s eyes as she glanced towards their eldest. Sure enough, the little girl was busy drawing on a pad of paper, apparently designing the next wing of their building. Or possibly drawing a horse. He wasn’t entirely sure.

“Right,” Jamie said. “Damn they grow up fast. Oh, shit, I’m on speaker aren’t I? I shouldn’t have said damn. Or shit. Oh, shit.”

Now Nikki really was about to laugh, and Damien didn’t blame her.

“Okay,” Jamie said. “Trying again. I just wanted to ask you what you were going to do. Did you decide?”