Page 44 of Lone Star Longing
“No, not at this point.” She took a deep breath and moved forward. “It’s due in October. On Halloween. I’ve only had a little morning sickness, but everything is better now.”
“And your dad? What did he say?”
“He’s happy. We’re going to stay here until we can figure out what we’re doing next, but Dad said he’ll help watch the baby while I work.”
“So what happened with you and Jesse?”
“Well, nothing, yet, but I’m waiting until he comes home and we’ll talk about it then. I guess it’s hard for him to focus on it while he’s overseas.”
“I can see that, but what did he say when you told him?”
“He asked what my mother thought about becoming a grandmother again.”
Another beat of silence. “He did not.”
“No, he didn’t. Mom. I’m going to have my first baby. You’re more interested in Jesse and Dad’s reactions?”
“Well, this is a big deal, honey. I don't want you going through this on your own.”
“I’m not.”
“It isn’t easy, you know, having a baby, even when you have someone by your side. Have you really thought this all the way through? Do you want to have this baby?”
Leave it to her mom to go that route. “Yes, I want this baby. Yes, I want to have this baby. That’s not even a question.”
“Because if it is...”
“It’s not, Mom. No matter what Jesse wants, this baby is mine.” Tears burned the back of her throat. How could her mother even think she would want to get rid of this baby? She wasn't afraid of how hard it would be, she wasn't afraid of the sacrifices she’d have to make. This child would never ever doubt that his mother loved him. Never ever.
“I guess I’ll start getting excited, then,” her mother said with an oddly bright tone.
Don’t force yourself, Lacey thought to herself before she disconnected the call.
*****
BECK WASN'T WORKINGas urgently to get his mother’s house finished. He didn't have any place to be, and was no hurry trying to figure it out. He kind of liked the routine he was in, working at his mom’s place during the day, heading into town to shoot the shit with the old guys at the hardware store, on Sundays hanging out at The Wheel House playing washers and watching Lacey move.
Her belly was growing, and she was at once so easy about it and cautious. He loved watching how aware she was of her baby, but at the same time moving with this incredible grace.
“What the hell, man?” Con nudged his shoulder, hard, when he came to sit next to him on the bench of the picnic table in the yard of The Wheel House.
“What?” Beck enjoyed the camaraderie of his old high school classmates, even if he’d never been as close to them as they currently were to each other. They’d accepted him with no question.
Until now.
“What do you mean?”
“She’s got a guy. In the service.”
“Yeah, I know. He’s not great to her. I mean, she hasn’t talked to him since the sonogram.” He hoped Con didn't ask how he knew.
“So, what? You’re going to step in? Be a hero? Take care of another man’s kid? What are you going to do for a living here in town?”
“Whoa, whoa, slow down. I don't know what you’re talking about. It’s not anything like that.”
“Only it is. I see the way you look at her. I see how you always sit next to her. And if it was just her, I’d be cool. But she needs someone who’s going to stand up. This guy she’s with, he’s not standing, but she’s still with him. She deserves better.”
“She does,” Beck agreed.
