Page 29 of Charlotte
The door to the kitchen swings open and my mother busts through the door, casually dressed with her perfectly styled short dark brown hair. She has declared that she will never be grey no matter her age. She has a little extra weight around the middle and her skin is looking thinner than I remember. Even at 69 years old she still gets around as well as women a half of her age. She is carrying a plate of cinnamon rolls for dessert. She knows they are my favorite. She always makes them when I come home.
Dad follows her out the door carrying a bottle of wine and chuckling at something my mother has said. Dad is 6’1” with salt and pepper hair that he still wears in a military cut. Despite his age of 72 he is still fairly muscular and can keep pace with Brian, my brothers, and myself. His shoulders are broad, and his biceps still bulge under his dress shirt. I hope I will age as well as he has. They spy us and my mother hurries to set down the plate she is carrying.
“Jordan, your home at last!” Mom hurries to embrace me, ruffling my hair. Mom is about 5’2” so her head barely reaches the middle of my chest. Dad comes over and claps me on the back.
“It’s good to have you home son.” Dad says.
“It’s good to be home.” I say to Dad as I return their hugs. “Thanks for putting us up on such short notice. Everything smells so wonderful, Mom. You always out do yourself.” I look around to see Charlotte standing off to the side looking a little awkward. I reach for her and pull her to my side. I wrap my arm around her waist and kiss her gently on the temple.
“Mom, Dad this is Charlotte. My soon to be wife.” I inform them. She is nervous. She is standing so stiffly in my embrace. She trembles. “Charlotte this is my Mom, Diane and My Dad, Jordan, Sr.” Mom instantly pulls Charlotte into her arms and places a big kiss on her cheek. Charlotte visibly relaxes at the warm welcome from mom.
“Charlotte, it’s so wonderful to meet you in person at last. I couldn’t wait to meet the woman that has stolen Jordan’s heart. My son doesn’t bring women home to meet the family. I knew you were special when he asked about bringing you here.” My mother rattles on. Dad takes Charlotte’s hand in his and kisses the back of her hand. “It’s wonderful to finally meet you, Charlotte.” My dad tells her. “Jordan has been keeping us updated on your recovery. We are overjoyed about the engagement. It’s past time he found him a good woman to take care of him.” Dad chuckles as he finishes.
“I’m happy to meet you, too.” Charlotte replies quietly. She has talked to both of them on Facetime, but I know it’s different for her meeting my parents for the first time. Brian enters the dining room after having taken our bags upstairs to our room. “Is it time to eat? I’m starving!” Brian declares as he pulls out a chair at the table and plops down.
“Oh yes, it is!” Mom replies. “I was just standing here, talking away. I don’t where my manors are at. I’m sure you must be hungry after traveling so much. Have a seat and let’s eat.”
Dad takes his place at the head of the table, while Mom sits to his right. I take Charlotte around the table and pull out the chair in the middle of the table. Once she is seated, I take the chair to her right which is the seat on Dad’s left. After Dad says grace, we all dig in and enjoy a leisurely meal. Once we have all eaten our fill, Mom suggests we move to the family room to have coffee and cinnamon rolls for dessert.
We head into the family room. I sit in one of two recliners and pull Charlotte into my lap. She sits stiffly and I realize she is uncomfortable with the intimacy in front of my parents. My Dad has taken the other recliner, while Brian has stretched out on the sofa. Mom is last to arrive as she is bringing in the tray with coffee and rolls. After Mom has gotten everyone coffee and rolls, she moves to sit in my Dad’s lap. Charlotte relaxes then. I stifle a chuckle. She looks at me with curiosity. She hadn’t noticed that she was being tense.
“So, Jordan tell me as much as you can about what is going on that has brought you to our remote location.” Dad inquires as Brian turns on the TV and begins to flip through the channels.
“Well like I have told you Charlotte overheard some important information by some seriously bad men.” I begin. “We have kept her on base and out of the press in an effort to prevent them from knowing where she is staying. But it has been several weeks, and the chatter has died down. So, I brought Charlotte to Kentucky to visit with her children. They didn’t fully comprehend the danger that she is in at the hands of this madman. They told some of her co-workers and they showed up at her home. I had a bad feeling that it would be leaked to the press and she would be in danger of being harmed again. I just needed to get her away from there before something happened.”
“I just don’t understand why people have to be so evil.” Mom states, “Why would anyone want to hurt such a beautiful, sweet woman? I’ve only been around you for an hour and I already can tell you are a kind, caring person. It just boggles my mind.”
“Mom it isn’t because Charlotte is or isn’t a kind person. It’s because she helped to thwart the kidnapping of members of border patrol agents’ family members. The drug lord had planned to use the kidnap victims to force the agents to allow drugs, weapons, and sex slaves across the border.” I tell Mom. She always sees the best in people. It’s hard for her to accept that some people are just evil.
“Son, you know you and Charlotte are welcome here anytime and for as long as you need.” Dad declares.
“Thanks, Dad and Mom. I appreciate it.” I say quietly as I contemplate how to approach the subject of the twins.
“Brian did you put their things in your Dad’s old room?” Mom asks.
“Yes, I did.” Brain announces. He is still running through the channels on the TV.
Charlotte yawns quietly. She tries to hide it behind her hand, but I know she is tired despite us have had a nap earlier in the day on the way here. I should get her to bed. She has been so tired in recent weeks. I had been worried about her fatigue. I didn’t know if something was medically wrong or if she was sinking into depression. Of course, now I know it’s because of the babies growing inside her. I want to tell my family even though I am not sure how they will react.
“Jordan, have you and Charlotte set a date for the wedding yet?” Mom asks. She has her right eyebrow raised in question with anticipation on her face.
“No, we haven’t, but it will be soon. I don’t want to wait. I never know when I am going to be called up to leave on a mission. Also, we have some news that will inevitably move up the date.” I announce. I feel Charlotte tense straightening her spine. She sits up in my lap. I miss her warmth. She was snuggled in so nicely against my chest with her head on my left shoulder.
“News? What news?” Mom asks with a look of joy on her face. I know Mom will be happy about the babies. She has often scolded me for not finding a good woman and giving her more grandbabies.
“Well, we recently discovered that Charlotte is pregnant, and she is carrying twins.” I let the news sink in, waiting for whatever the response will be.
“Twins!?” Echoes through the room as Mom, Dad, and Brian all register what I have said at the same time. Mom is suddenly on her feet and at our side. She embraces Charlotte and I in a giant hug. Dad comes over to shake my hand. I look to see what Brian’s reaction will be. I don’t think he will be upset, but you never know how teenagers will react.
Brian has sat up on the couch and is looking at us with an unreadable expression on his face. Once Mom and Dad have congratulated us, Charlotte gets to her feet and walks over to sit by Brian on the couch. She takes his left hand in her right one. She stares at him until he meets her gaze.
“Brian, I know this is all happening rather fast, but I hope you can be happy to be a brother. They will not be taking your place. We are just making this family a bit bigger. Your dad and I are going to need all the help we can get with these two. You know that he travels a lot because of his job. I am going to need a man around to help me when he is gone. I hope that will be you. Also, I have 2 grown children that I look forward to you meeting, soon. I hope you can come to think of them as your big brother and sister.” Charlotte tells him all the while holding his hand and looking intently into his eyes.
“I never thought I would have siblings, even though I wanted them. Dad never dated and my Mom is never around.” Brian says quietly. “It’s a little overwhelming to be getting 4 at one time, but I am happy to be getting them. I am glad that you and Dad are together. He seems so happy now. I didn’t realize how unhappy he had been until he met you and changed so much.”
I move over to sit on Brian’s other side and place an arm across his shoulders to give him a tight one arm hug. “I am happy, son. I didn’t realize that I was unhappy either until I met this wonderful woman in an airport café. She turned my world upside down and walked away. I was kicking myself for not asking her name and phone number. Fortunately for me and unfortunately for her, she got caught up in a mess of trouble and I was able to be there to bring her out of it.”
We all chuckle at that statement. After saying our goodnights, I take Charlotte by the hand and lead her up the stairs to our room for the night. She slips into the in-suite bathroom to get ready for bed. She emerges 15 minutes later dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. I enter the bathroom and quickly get ready for bed. I can’t wait to get naked with her. I am so happy that our family knows about the twins and seem to be happy for us. It’s time to celebrate. Once we are both settled in bed, Charlotte giggles. Soon her giggling has become a full-on belly laugh.
