Page 53 of Hitched

“Laney and I have decided to let her choose.”

Mama rolls her eyes. “She’s a bairn, Caleb. If you’re the da, you’ve got to make that choice. She’s far too young. Now, she can get a dual citizenship, just like you, Caleb. But I don’t see how trucking her around from country to country is going to benefit her.”

“I wasn’t planning on doing that, mama.”

“Good. And your house is closest to that nice private school. And you’re not far from Laney’s, either.”

“Laney’s going to move in with me. We just haven’t decided where to, or if we’re going to buy a whole new place, for all of us to live in.”

“The bairn has already moved once, Caleb. You pick one or the other. It’s bad enough you’re already having her stay with Laney’s mama.”

“But she loves it there. I’m surprised you’re not pissed I haven’t brought her here yet.”

“Caleb, you can bring the child whenever you want to, son. I just think that you trucking her all over hell’s half acre is going to traumatize her.” She sighs, exacerbated, so I quiet down. This is the way that mama shows she cares, by fussing. So, I let her. “Now, are you going to marry Laney?”

I nod once. “The thought had crossed my mind. I’m just not sure when. Declan seems to think I ought to do it now, but I’m not sure. I think it’ll be too much of a shock to Laney. She even said herself that everything is happening so fast.”

Mama walks over to the oil painting hanging on the wall. She pushes it over and starts turning the combination lock to the safe behind the photograph. When she opens it, she pulls out a wooden box the size of a tissue box. I watch her open the lid and pull something out. She places it in her pocket and returns the box to the safe, and closes it, turning the dial so it locks safely. As she walks to me, she pulls something out of her pocket, and hands it to me. “This belonged to your grandma. My mama, not your da’s. It was her engagement ring, and she wanted me to give it to my first child to be married. If you think Laney will like it, it’s yours to give to her.” She lifts a hand as I study it. “I’m not going to tell you how to run your life, Caleb, but if Laney is carrying your bairn, and you love each other, proposing to her would be the honorable thing.”

I swallow, looking at the gorgeous, antique ring. It has heart filigree on the setting, with a round, clear diamond, about half a carat, and a small heart cutout on either side of the diamond, with a tiny, crushed diamond at the center of each heart. It’s beautiful. Laney would love it. But I can feel myself tremble just thinking about how this is going to look. “Mama, she knows about da’s plan to marry us. What if she thinks that this is all a game? That I’m not asking her to marry me because I genuinely love her?”

Mama tilts her head and blinks. “Do you love her, son?”

I shake my head, adding conviction to my words. “More than anything, mama. I’d die before hurting her.”

She nods, levelling with me. “Then if she knows that, it won’t be a game to her, Caleb.”

Chapter 16

Laney

When I arrive at mama and da’s house, they’re all in the kitchen, eating breakfast. It’s pancakes and syrup with freshly squeezed orange juice. Mama gives me a big hug and Peg is at my legs, hugging them, and I feel like my heart could burst. “Did you sleep well?” I ask Peg, kneeling to her level.

“Aye. Your mama gave me one of your old teddy bears.” Peg nods.

“Well, you can have him, sweetheart. If he helped you sleep through the night.” I smile at her.

“Peg just loves Mrs. Quinn, Laney.” Da says. “Why don’t you leave Peg here with her when you and Caleb go to work?”

Mrs. Quinn is mama and da’s maid and cook. She’s been with them for over ten years, since their other maid went back to Scotland, to retire.

“That’s a great idea, mama. I’ll talk to Caleb and see what he thinks.”

We hear the beep for the security panel. “Oh, that must be Caleb.”

“We’re going to buy me a new bed!” Peg informs excitedly.

“That’s right, sweetheart!” I smile, as we both walk to the front door.

Caleb kisses me on the mouth quickly, and then he lifts Peg into his arms, exchanging a look with me. I answer his questioning glance with a secret nod, so he knows that I didn’t tell my parents yet that I’m pregnant. “Well, are you ready to go, lass?” He asks Peg.

“She’s just got to finish her breakfast.” I tell him.

“I’m finished.” Peg says. “I want to go now.”

“Okay, lass. Let’s just go say goodbye to Laney’s parents and say thank you for the sleepover. We must mind our manners.” He directs me to take her hand as he walks into the house, and shakes my da’s hand respectfully, and then he kisses mama on both cheeks in a gesture of equal respect.

“How are you, Caleb?” Da asks. “Have you got your house ready for the bairn?”

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