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“Sarah, really. When did you become a snob? Chad and I have talked about all of this, and it is a nonstarter. It is long in the past, and I will not have that be a matter of concern. He is a good man and has a sterling reputation, with that tiny ridiculous speck being the only thing on his otherwise spotless record,” Beth defended.
All eyes turned to Tom for confirmation, “I agree. I did a deep dive into Dr. Chadwick Spencer Fox when Momtu informed me of the trip she was taking. I only found one scandal, and once I dug a little deeper, it was obviously a smear campaign put together by highly motivated but not overly skilled fixers and spinners. The parties involved have all shown their true colors and the only one still wearing white is, in fact, Dr. Fox. The others would look very bad if this scandal were to reappear and bring their current situations to light. I would say that he is as he appears. If he loves Momtu as much as she obviously loves him, then we would be blessed to have him become a part of our family.”
“Thank you, Tom,” Beth whispered softly, hugging him close as she wiped a tear from her cheek.
“I have another idea,” Tom added. “Natalie and I took that little honeymoon trip to my friend Enrique’s resort in the Keys back in July. It was a lovely little resort and would be a wonderful place for a wedding and reception. It would be simple to hold the ceremony on the private beach and then simply walk into the ballroom for the dinner and dancing. They have an entire wall of windows that could be opened to the ocean view as the sun sets. That would provide us all with a place to stay and relax as long as we like. Just a thought. Think it over, and if it sounds like a good idea, I can confirm the availability and get you on the books.”
“That sounds lovely. I will add that to the list of things to talk over with Chad later.”
The family spent the next couple of hours catching up, enjoying a delicious lunch of Sarah and Eric’s signature pasta dish, then playing a competitive game of scrabble until evening.
“It’s a good thing Eric isn’t playing,” Tom quipped randomly as he placed his letters on the board.
“Why? Because he is so big, and this table feels very small with all of us huddled around it?” Beth asked.
Chuckling, Tom replied, “No, although you would think that. He is actually pretty good at squeezing into tight spaces. Actually, I was saying that because even though he appears to have a big head full of rocks, he has a surprisingly good vocabulary and is very difficult to beat. I don’t think I have ever gotten closer than fifty points to his score, with him always in the lead. He can be quite annoying to play with.”
Footsteps could be heard on the stairs as Eric said, “I heard that.” He held Saraphina tenderly in his arms as she looked up at him and tugged on his beard.
“When did she wake up? I didn’t hear a thing.” Sarah reached over to the kitchen counter and lifted the baby monitor to inspect it.
“I turned that one off before I went to work in the shop and turned the one I have out there all the way up. I wasn’t using power tools today, so I knew I wouldn’t miss her, “I’m awake. Come get me,” babble.”
“I didn’t even hear you come in, and I am facing the door. For such a large man, you sure are light on your feet.” Beth accepted her granddaughter when Eric offered for her to hold her.
“This big guy may look like a bear, but he is definitely a big black panther. My guess is all those years in the Rangers taught him how to sneak around incognito. You will never know he is there if he doesn’t want to be heard. Isn’t that right, Honey?”
“Pretty sure this is where I am supposed to say, ‘Yes, dear.’” He was grinning as he bent to kiss her tenderly on the lips. “I’m heading back to my shop. One more layer of clear coat and that tabletop should be ready for delivery. Need anything before I go?”
“No, we are all good here. Thank you for taking care of Phi for us.” Her smile radiated gratitude and the deep love she held for this man. It warmed Beth’s heart to see their love play out so openly. Sarah had been so blessed with Eric.
“Steak for dinner at my place in an hour,” Tom called out.
“You know I never turn down meat. I’ll be there and bring the fixings for Dutch oven cobbler,” Eric called back as he closed the door between the cabin and his woodshop.
The evening progressed in a relaxed manner, with everyone chipping in to prepare dinner, then settling on Tom’s patio with propane heaters scattered about for those insufficiently warmed by the fire.
Beth’s conversation with Annette that afternoon went much as Tom had expected, with her best friend and soul sister whoopingwith excitement and promising to be there on the big day. The call to Chad later that night was one of pure joy as she explained how the conversation went with the children and their ideas for the wedding. Everything was falling into place, and she felt blessed beyond measure.
Chapter 23
The weeks passed by in a blur for Beth. Between work, dates and dance classes, wedding preparations, and packing her home, there never seemed to be enough time in the day.
She was trying to enjoy the journey, but she was feeling stressed, which was not a usual state for her. A small part of her wanted things to return to normal, but she knew that wasn’t going to happen, and a larger part of her knew she would be even more upset if they did. She could definitely do without some of the challenges facing them, though.
When she returned to Florida, Chad informed her that the Hospital CEO, Larry, had been fired while they cruised the Caribbean. Chad had taken this change hard for several reasons. One, Larry had been his best male friend for many years. Two, they worked hard over the years to turn the hospital into a profitable institution with an excellent reputation for quality patient care and high employee satisfaction. Lastly, he was a good man who loved his job and the people he worked with. It was a loss to everyone when he packed his small box ofbelongings and was escorted out of the building by the security guards he had hired.
The staff were in an uproar over the treatment of Larry but also feared for their own jobs. Some of the nurses had already started looking for other employment, which meant that on top of everything else, they were experiencing staffing shortages, and everyone was having to pick up extra shifts.
As Christmas approached, Beth was certain that they would miss spending Christmas with her family, and the disappointment weighed on her heart. At the last minute, Chad surprised her at the nurses’ station and said, “Beth grab your coat. We have a plane to catch.”
She didn’t even have time to protest or ask questions; she just grabbed her coat and ran down the hall behind him. He drove like a crazy man all the way to the private terminal at the airport, and a man on a golf cart drove them to a private jet waiting on the tarmac.
“What is going on?” she shouted in his ear as the wind whipped hair across her face.
“I will explain everything on the plane,” Chad assured her.
As soon as they boarded the plane, the stewardess shut the cabin door, and the jet began to taxi down the runway.
