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“I haven’t thought that far ahead,” I replied, kissing the baby's neck. He giggled and blew spit bubbles; surprisingly, I found myself loving those little bubbles. I seated myself on the sofa, cradling the other baby in my arms. “They’re beautiful.”
“Thank you. I always call them beautiful, but my dad insists I say they’re handsome because they’re boys.”
“I think they’re perfect. I’ve decided I’m going to have a baby.”
“What? Are you expecting?” Jaz asked, a stern look directed at Cole.
“No, I’m not pregnant, but I’ve made up my mind to have a baby. Cole won’t be the father. I’ll find someone else for that role. I haven’t figured out the details yet, but I don’t want anyone who would want to be involved in their lives.”
“You are so lucky to have two babies that love you so much. They trust that you’ll take care of them and put them above everything else,” I said, scanning the room and spotting Uncle Joe. “You’re right. My dad would never have left Jackie and me. He loved us just like Jaz loves her babies.”
“He must have died that day he went to the store, but why wouldn’t my mom have been notified? I don’t understand how it could have happened without the police coming to tell us they found him dead somewhere.”
“Don’t worry; the Delta Force is now on the case. They’ll find out what happened to your father. However, you should give a lot of thought before having a child on your own. Raising a child as a single parent is challenging enough. So think about this before jumping into something important, such as having a child.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything until I kill Donnie Turner.”
“Who’s Donnie Turner?” Jaz asked.
Before I could respond, Cole told them who he was. I got up and went hunting for Levi. “Do you mind if I go through your pantry and see what we will need, and your fridge as well? What are we having for Saturday?”
“We’ll prepare the main course and a couple of desserts. You can decide on the desserts. I think we should have a rib roast, hot dogs and hamburgers. There will be a lot of cooking that day. We always send the leftovers to family members who need them most.”
“That’s a wonderful idea. Is there a meat locker around here where you can get fresh meat? I have a secret rub for rib roast. Did you know I’m writing a cookbook?
“Let me know when it’s out I’ll buy it. Yes, we have a meat locker right out of town. I can go shopping in the morning. Would you like to go with me?”
“We’ll both go with you,” Cole said, walking outside to the backyard where Levi was cleaning his barbecue. “Are we finished cleaning?” I asked.
“Yes, thank you for all your help. Why don’t we all go for pizza?”
“I would love to go for pizza. What about you, Cole?”
“Well, you’re not going without me. So, I’ll be going also.”
“I’ll call a few others, and we’ll meet you at the Pizza Rama in thirty minutes for lunch.”
I couldn’t help but notice how Cole watched me for the rest of the day. We were returning to my cabin, and he looked over at me. “I don’t want to meddle in your affairs, but I will. You must seriously consider this baby idea for at least six months. That’s a major decision. Babies demand all of your time and change every aspect of your life. You can’t decide whether you want to run on the mountain or do anything spontaneously. Your entire life will be transformed.”
“That’s okay; I want my life to change. I won’t rush into anything. I never do that. I said I had a lot of planning to do. Donnie Turner needs to be out of my life first. I wish to hell he would show up already. I have this big family now, and I don’t want any of them to get killed like my sister.”
“Everyone is safe; you don’t need to worry about them.”
“What about Jaz and the babies? Is her husband capable of protecting her?”
“Jaz’s husband died when she was three months pregnant with the twins. He had a wreck on the way home from work.”
“Oh, my God, poor Jaz. That must have been so tough for her. She has her boys, which must help, but her husband was probably her life. Now, she has to raise them by herself. Life can be harsh at times, but you must keep moving forward. I have to always remind myself of that constantly. I get so down when I think of Jackie’s death. I’m sure when she died, she was worried about me.”
At the Pizza Rama, numerous family members gathered from all over the mountain. I spotted Jaz cradling one of the babies while another woman held the other beautiful baby. Although I was determined to have my baby, I decided not to mention it again when Cole was around. I greeted and was introduced to family members and passed around for hugs and kisses on the cheek.
“So, does all the family live on the mountain?”
“No, the ones you bought the property from, the woman married Uncle Sam; he listened to her and moved to California. They had two kids, who you met; they are snobs for some reason. We never could figure it out. Uncle Sam lives here he came back ten years ago, and sometimes the kids visit him. Most of the time he goes there to visit them.”
There were more Delta Force men there. Some were my cousins, and some were not. I wondered if I would remember all of their names. I felt like someone was watching me, but I couldn’t see anyone.
“Why do you keep looking around?” Cole asked.
