Page 26 of A New Year Baby

CHAPTER 16

When Eve pulls her Jeep into the driveway of our family home, my heart is soaring with joy at the familiar sights. I’ve been away too long, and I just want to hug and kiss everyone. Even the people I don’t know, like Mary’s fiancé, and Eve’s new boyfriend that she told me all about while we drove up here. But I definitely want to give Mary a great big hug, and I am hoping that my father will remember who I am.

“Jack,” Eve is saying hesitantly, as she looks at the cars parked outside of the house. “Uh, before you go in, maybe I should warn you…”

“Warn me later!” I tell her cheerfully, hopping out and shutting the door. I run toward the front door, and throw it open, eager to see my family.

When I was kidnapped, I thought I would never see this beautiful home again. I literally want to drop to my knees and kiss the hardwood floors, like someone who has been lost at sea for too long, who finally puts his feet on a sandy beach.

Land is life. This is my land. My home. I survived.

And I’m really happy to be alive.

Smiling at the family portraits covering the walls, I follow the sound of voices. It sounds like everyone is gathered in the dining room. When I walk in, I find the family seated at the table, with the table set before them, and Mom’s fine porcelain dishes. There’s a steaming pot of hot coffee on the dining table, too.

“Guess who’s back!” I shout out throwing up my arms. All their heads swivel to look at me.

At the same time, the server doors to the kitchen open, and a woman walks out wearing an apron and balancing about six small plates of chocolate cake on her arms.

Her blonde hair is knotted up in a messy bun atop her head, and there’s a familiar smear of flour across her face. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

When she notices me she freezes, and her arms seem to stop working, because all the plates she is holding clatter to the floor with a loudsmash. She stares at me with wide eyes, horrified, like she is seeing a ghost.

“Mama, I got the spoons!” says an adorable little girl, rushing out behind Stella and crashing into her leg.

“Mama?” I ask with surprise, studying the girl. She looks just like a miniature version of her mother. My heart sinks. So, it’s true then—everything I feared. She’s found someone else and gotten married, and started a family.

It’s too late for us. I waited too long to come home and find my balls, just like the kidnappers said. The pain in my heart is so great that I would almost prefer if I had been shot with an AK-47.

I am too busy staring at the little girl to notice that Stella’s eyes have filled with tears. She turns away from me and puts her hands under the little girl’s arms, and lifts her up onto her hip. She then runs back into the kitchen.

“Wait,” my father says sadly, almost brokenheartedly. “What about my chocolate cake?”

“Honey,” my mother says, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Jack’s come home.”

She rises to her feet and walks over to give me a hug.

“Hey, Mom,” I say softly, giving her a good squeeze.

She touches my hair, happily. “You look good, sweetie. I’m so glad you’re back.”

I stare at the kitchen doors in confusion, a bit unsettled. “What just happened?”

Eve walks in behind me then, sighing deeply. “Why did no one tell me that the cake tasting was happening now? We probably could have coordinated that a little better.”

Mary gets up slowly and carefully from her chair, holding the back of it for support. Her belly is huge. She waddles over to me and gives me a hug. “Hey, Jack.”

“Hey kiddo! Whoa, look at you.” I can’t believe the size of Mary as I hug her. How amazing.

“So, are you going to go after her, or what?” Mary asks bluntly.

“Go after her?” I ask. “But isn’t she—like—married?”

“Married towho?”Eve asks.

“Lord, help him,” my mother says, rolling her eyes to the sky. “He’s totally clueless.”

“So, am I getting a slice of cake, or not?” my father demands. “I was promised several different types of cake, and I’m still waiting.”

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