Page 37 of Where It All Began
She flinched reflexively when Billy opened his mouth and then relaxed when words, not screams, came out.
“How about that one?” He pointed in the direction of the oak tree.
“Where did you get a baby?” John demanded when she returned, two children in tow.
“The kid was sitting unattended in a playpen under a tree. Maybe this will teach the parents to keep a closer eye on their children,” Phoebe snapped. She shoved the baby into John’s arms.
“Have you lost your damn mind?” John asked, bouncing the baby when she… or he started to fuss.
“Maybe. I’m not sure. My parents just showed up on your lawn. They think I’m staying on a family farm with a family, not living in sin with a sexy bachelor.”
“Sexy bachelor?” John asked.
“Don’t you actually have to be ‘doing it’ for it to be considered living in sin?” Elvira asked.
Phoebe covered the baby’s ears. “Not in front of… John Jr.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s Millie Karlinski,” Elvira corrected her.
“Fine. Look, please do this for me. My parents are old-fashioned. They would not approve of me staying here and I need this. They need this,” she pleaded.
“You owe me big time, you little liar,” John said, pointing his finger in her direction. The baby grabbed it and shoved it in her mouth.
“Watch out there. Some of those Karlinski kids are biters,” Elvira warned him.
“Huddle up, everyone. You are John and Elvira Pierce, and these are your kids Billy and Millie Pierce. One big happy family.”
Elvira ruffled Billy’s hair. “How’s it going, son?”
Billy let out a bellow and then grinned. “Fine, Mommy!”
“Maybe we should get this one something to eat so he can’t say anything,” Elvira suggested.
Michael Cardona sauntered up, enjoying a piece of chocolate cake. “Hey Blue Jeans,” he said with a long, slow wink at Phoebe.
“Perfect!” She yanked the plate out of his grip and handed it over to Billy. “Stuff your face, don’t scream. Got it?”
Billy shoveled a forkful into his mouth and nodded in delight.
“Hey, that’s my cake,” Michael argued.
“I’ll get you another piece, but for now, I need you to go someplace else.” She shoved him toward the barn.
“Hazel’s over by the horseshoe pits,” John said with a cocky grin.
Phoebe grabbed him by the wrist and wrangled the newly formed family in the direction of her parents.
“Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet the Pierces,” she said, breathlessly. John squeezed her hand hard, and it reminded her that she was still holding it. She dropped it like it was on fire. “This is John, his wife Elvira, and their son Billy and daughter Millie.”Shit. She should have renamed the baby.
Chapter Fifteen
Besides her father insinuating that perhaps the Pierces were working his little girl too hard and the blood-chilling fear that John would sell her out just to get rid of her, the introductions went reasonably well.
Word must have spread like wildfire because she suddenly had an entire town weaving a backstory for her.
Farmer Carson loudly told her father he had officiated John and Elvira’s wedding back in 1975, which would have made Elvira right around thirteen. However, no one except for Phoebe seemed to be doing the math.
Rainbow, who had finally dislodged Gordon’s tongue from her throat called out a cheery “Hi Mr. and Mrs. Pierce,” on her way to the food tables.
