At Peace

Chapter Twenty-Three Crash

“Momalicious!” Keira shouted. “I’m gonna go to the beach and lay out.”

“Big surprise,” Joe muttered and pressed deeper into me as I looked at the nightstand and saw it was barely nine o’clock.

I lifted up from the pillow as far as I could go with Joe’s weight against my back holding me down and shouted, “You had breakfast, baby?”

“Toast!” Keira shouted back.

“Where’s Kate?” I yelled. “She still sleepin’?”

“Um…” Keira muttered loud enough for me to hear and at her hesitation I felt Joe’s head come up and his body move and I twisted my neck to look at him. “That boy from next door is out on the beach. She’s out there talkin’ to him.”

I wondered when Taylor had become “that boy next door” since I was under the impression, considering the amount of time Keira spent talking about him, that she had a crush on him. Not to mention the amount of time Taylor spent out on the beach which I reckoned meant he had a crush on Keira. Perhaps I was wrong and he had a crush on Kate.

This was not good.

“Bummer for Dane,” Joe murmured and even with my misgivings about the Kate/Keira/Taylor teenaged triangle, I grinned.

It had been months but Dane had not fully made it back into my good books yet, nor Joe’s. Kate had forgiven him and they were as tight as ever so Joe and I should give it up, it was just that we couldn’t. If you hurt someone’s child that forgiveness takes awhile but Dane was determined and I figure he’d get there one day. As long as he didn’t act like an ass.

“All right, honey,” I yelled.

“See you on the beach,” Keira called then we heard the door close.

Joe settled back in and I did too.

It was Christmas break and we were at his beach house in Florida for two weeks. The house was up on stilts and painted a faded blue with white woodwork. It had a deep deck all around and a big locked garage which held Joe’s Land Rover, a beach buggy and a huge barbeque grill which was the first thing Joe (with Keira’s help) rolled out onto the deck. The house had wood floors all through, even the kitchen. It was rustic but cute with two bedrooms; open plan living room and kitchen; a small utility with a deep sink, a washer and dryer and a bunch of hooks for beach towels; and one bath. But the bedrooms and living room were huge and airy and all the furniture was way comfy. There were so many windows that there was barely any wall space and all you could see was ocean or trees. It was fantastic.

Even as fantastic as it was, my first order of business was to make Joe take us to town where we bought a Christmas tree and all the decorations. We also bought bright, braided throw rugs, new linen and bathroom and kitchen towels to perk up the place. Further, I bought a huge windsock which Joe installed on a flagpole out on the corner of the deck. Lastly, I bought some wind chimes because nothing said “Florida” (or “beach” for that matter) better than wind chimes. Joe put those up on the overhang of the deck.

We’d been there three days and the girls were already golden tan from playing Frisbee, laying out and travelling the beach in the buggy Joe taught us all how to drive.

He was mostly right. There wasn’t much to do but fish, cook, eat, sleep, read and, for Joe and I, have sex. He was only mostly right for there was a beach which meant the girls could lay out, Joe had the buggy in which the girls could tool around, the girls bought a Frisbee which provided them with hours of entertainment. The kitchen had been updated with top-of-the line appliances so I was in throes of ecstasy. I’d already finished two books while sitting out on the deck or in the sand and the beach house next door had the aforementioned cute boy-man in it named Taylor. Therefore, the Winters girls were not at any loss for things to do and were nowhere near bored.

I, particularly, was not bored. I was a lot of things but bored was definitely not one of them.

It was the best vacation I’d ever had, bar none, even the ones I had with Tim and that was saying something. And we were only on day four.

There was a reason for this and I lifted my hand to my face and stared at that reason. On my hand was the princess-cut diamond ring Joe slid on my finger last night over shrimp at a shrimp shack in town. He did this without saying a word, just like Joe, letting his face and his actions speak for him. He also did it with the girls looking on, Kate crying silently, Keira giggling excitedly.

Only Joe Callahan would propose in front of his woman’s daughters.

Many would find this unromantic, such an act being a couple’s thing.

I thought it was perfect.

Therefore I’d cried too, all the while giving Joe a kiss that communicated my “Yes!” and tasted of tears.

A tearful kiss might not have been the thing but Joe didn’t seem to mind.

In our Florida bed, Joe’s hand went from my belly to slide up my forearm then his thumb tweaked the ring.

“How much time you think we got?” Joe whispered into the back of my hair.

“Kate’s just havin’ fun. She won’t step out on Dane especially when I think Keirry’s got a thing for Taylor. She could be back anytime,” I told Joe.

“Mm,” Joe murmured.

“Keira’s out for the long haul,” I went on because I knew she was and I also knew she looked cute in her bikini and I reckoned Taylor felt the same. Or at least I hoped so for Keira’s sake.

Joe chuckled and his hand left mine and went back to my belly where he pressed in. He moved slightly away and I fell to my back and looked up at him. His hand started to move from my belly but my hand went there to hold it where it was.

“Joe?” I called even though he was up on an elbow, not but a foot away and looking down at me.

“Yeah, buddy?”

“I like that you proposed in front of the girls,” I whispered and his face got that tender look and started to dip closer but I kept talking. “It was sweet you included them.” His face kept coming at me so I said quickly, “Joe.”

His head stopped its descent and he said, “Right here, Vi.”

“I liked that but what I have to say right now needs to be between us.”

That tender look left his face and his eyes locked with mine.

“What?”

“Not that the girls can’t know…”

“What?”

“Soon… ish,” I went on.

“Buddy, what?”

“We just gotta figure out... um –”

“Vi…” he was getting impatient, I could tell. He always was when he had to repeat himself which, unfortunately for Joe who lived in a house with three women, was often.

“I’m pregnant.” I blurted and Joe’s entire frame went solid.

Then he whispered, “What?”

“I know it’s soon. It seems my body’s incapable of waiting to get pregnant until after I’ve said any marriage vows but I missed a couple of pills and I thought I caught up but –”

“Vi –”

“I guess I didn’t.”

“Buddy –”

“And this is a lot. I know. The whole mess and then the next mess and then more mess and now this vacation and then you asking me to marry you and now this. The girls, I don’t know –”

“Baby –”

“I’m worried. Only so much they can take. Keira’s been the baby since –”

“Vi. Shut it.”

I shut it and stared at him.

“How pregnant are you?” Joe asked.

“How pregnant can you be?” I answered nervously, not certain about his question and I saw his mouth get tight.

“How many months, Vi?” he continued.

“Eleven weeks,” I answered and his sky blue eyes went unfocused.

“Nearly passed it,” he muttered and I stared.

“Passed what?” I whispered as the three month mark was the mark you couldn’t cross for an abortion and I thought he might be thinking about that. If he was, I would be shocked and it would hurt a lot, too much and furthermore, I couldn’t do that. I thought he wanted a baby and I thought he’d be happy and I wanted a baby if it was our baby and it was. I figured maybe he wouldn’t want it this soon but I thought he’d still be happy.

Though it was too soon. We still hadn’t settled. He’d just proposed the night before.

Well, thinking about it, he seemed pretty settled and the girls seemed okay with everything but it was all still relatively new, living life as us without the cloud of Daniel Hart and the heaviness of mourning shrouding our lives.

“Passed the three month mark,” Joe answered. I thought his answer followed my train of thought and bit my lip.

“Yeah,” I said and his hand pressed gently into my belly as his eyes went there.

“We’ll wait.” His voice was soft and his eyes were still at my stomach.

“For what?” I asked and his gaze came back to my face.

“You two. To get passed the three month mark. We’ll wait until we know it’s all good with you and the baby then we’ll tell the girls.”

I felt a shimmer of electricity against my skin and I whispered, “Joe.”

If I meant to say more I couldn’t have. Something shifted into his eyes and stayed there. Something peaceful and warm and so beautiful, looking at it, I couldn’t breathe.

“Crash,” Joe whispered back and I blinked.

“What?”

“That’s the sound of my side of the scales, buddy,” Joe said and my hand left his at my stomach and went to his scarred cheek.

“Joe,” I whispered again.

“Kid’ll be beautiful,” Joe whispered back.

“Joe,” I repeated.

His hand pressed in at my belly again, a slight movement, a sweet one. “Gorgeous,” he murmured.

“Aren’t you gonna kiss me?” I asked.

“Yep,” Joe answered but didn’t move.

“Well?” I prompted and Joe grinned.

Then he moved but he didn’t move toward my mouth. His hand slid up the tee I was wearing and his head moved to my belly. His arm wrapped around my hip and I watched his dark head bend and felt his nose slide along my skin and then his lips rested there.

That’s when I felt the tears slide out the sides of my eyes.

“You happy, baby?” I whispered my question and his arm at my hip convulsed but his head came up and he looked at me.

“Yeah,” he replied, the word was heavy and it was thick.

Both my hands went to his face and I smiled through my tears.

“Good.”

His head bent again and with my hands still at his cheeks he kissed my belly once more. Then he moved up and rolled, his arm at my hip taking me with him so I was on top. One of his hands slid into my hair and the other one slid into my panties and over my ass.

“Mawdy! Joe!” Kate shouted, Joe’s hands stilled and my head came up but Joe’s eyes went over my shoulder to point in the direction of the door he couldn’t see. “Taylor’s got boogie boards but the water’s cold and he says we need wetsuits. He says there’s a surf place in town where we can get them. He’s gonna take us there. Is that cool?”

“How much do wetsuits cost?” I shouted back and Joe’s hand tensed on my ass and I knew he didn’t care how much wetsuits cost firstly because he tended to get the girls anything they wanted even after we’d had several conversations about him not doing this (conversations he totally ignored) and secondly because them going to town, which was a twenty minute drive away, meant we’d have some serious alone time.

“Don’t know!” Kate shouted back.

“Ask Taylor,” Joe ordered, “my wallet’s on the kitchen counter. Grab the cash you’ll need.”

“Cool!” Kate shouted.

“Joe!” I hissed, looking down at him.

“Baby,” Joe grinned, smiling up at me.

“Oh!” Kate kept shouting. “I sussed it this morning! Taylor’s got the hots for Keirry. Just so you know. I’m Little Miss Matchmaker!” she declared proudly.

At these words Joe got tense and then he knifed to sitting, me astride him. His eyes were pointed at the door and they were narrowed. One look at him and I knew that he hadn’t quite cottoned onto the beach frolicking and teenaged flirting likely because Keira was Joe’s little helper and even though logically he knew she was a teenage girl with a gorgeous face, fantastic hair and a body built for a bikini, illogically he couldn’t conceive of these same things and couldn’t abide a boy-man named Taylor who lived next door acting on liking them.

“Joe,” I murmured as we heard the door slam.

Suddenly Joe shouted, “Kate!”

I jumped at his shout but he set me aside and knifed out of bed at the same time he grabbed his jeans from the floor.

“Joe, Keira’s fifteen,” I reminded him as he pulled up his jeans.

Joe ignored me, stalked to the door buttoning his jeans and repeated, “Kate!”

“Joe!” I yelled but he was gone.

That’s when I realized, even with a new baby, Keira wouldn’t stop being one, fifteen years old, thirty or a hundred and five.

And that’s when I fell to my side, curled my knees into my belly and burst out laughing.

I stopped laughing and smelled Joe’s hair on the pillow, his scent all around me and the bright sun shone down on our bed through the many windows. Then I heard Joe’s indistinct deep voice and Kate and Keira’s not indistinct giggles.

I put my hand to my belly and tilted my chin down to look at it.

“Crash,” I whispered to Joe and my unborn child.

Our baby didn’t reply but that was okay. I figured, in our family, she’d one day learn the way to make her opinion known.

Five minutes later Joe came back and he told me the girls were gone with his cash, his ATM card and his PIN number.

Before I could protest this, he also told me that Taylor had been given the Joe Talk and knew if he fucked around in his Jeep or did anything else to piss Joe off, there would be badass-alpha-male-father-figure retribution (this was not Joe’s description, it was mine).

Before I could protest this, he took off his jeans and rejoined me in bed.

Then I found that being pregnant had the added bonus of me getting the top with my favorite part of Joe underneath me between my legs. Then I found that being pregnant had the further bonus of inspiring Joe to break his record of giving me as many orgasms in as many positions as he could perform.

Which was to say a lot.

A lot later, after I had a nap and the girls had come back. After they boogie boarded while Joe alternately walked into the kitchen to feel me up and walked onto the deck to scowl at Taylor and I putzed around in the kitchen making Christmas cookies that felt weird to make with the sun shining and me wearing shorts (but I didn’t mind). After all of us eating Joe’s delicious grilled halibut while sitting out on the somewhat windy deck. After Kate retired to her and Keira’s room to text Dane and listen to her MP3 player and Keira retired to a moonlit stroll on the beach with her Christmas Vacation new boyfriend, I walked out on the deck in a cardigan and jeans and stared at the dark sea.

Joe walked up behind me and one of his arms closed around my chest, the other one around my belly and I felt his lips touch my neck.

“Baby,” I whispered.

“Yeah,” he said in my ear.

“Are we lucky?” I asked and his arms tightened.

“Nope,” he answered.

“Nope?” I asked, surprised.

“We earned this, Vi.”

“Yeah,” I whispered and settled back into my man.

Like always, Joe was right.

It was morning, the restaurant quiet, Theresa Bianchi the only one there.

She roamed the floor, moving through the hostess station, by the bar then winding her way through the tables, passing the booths, all the while her eyes on the walls.

Even though she scanned the walls just in case a different inspiration struck, she knew before she even got there where it was going to go.

She went to the booth Cal, Vi and the girls sat at that first night they came to the Pizzeria.

Theresa slid in and set down on the table the hammer and nail she was holding as well as the tape measure, level, pencil and frame. Carefully, she lifted the photo of thirteen year old Vinnie Junior and Cal off the wall and then pulled out its nail. She measured, she deduced, she used the level, she used the pencil, she hammered in the nails then she hung the frames.

Vinnie Junior and Cal back over the booth they always sat at when Vinnie was alive, their favorite since forever.

And the booth that Bella always led Cal and Vi to when they were up with the girls – if it was free.

Next to the old picture was the new. Another eight by ten. Another black and white. Katy and Keirry standing front and center by the bar, both wearing tomato sauce stained white aprons, both holding forth a big pizza pie that Benny had taught them to make. To their back right Benny and Vinnie Senior stood. Vinnie’s eyes were on Keira and his mouth was open, saying something that made both girls laugh. Benny was looking to his right where Cal and Vi stood.

Vi had her head to Cal’s shoulder and her arm around his waist but she was laughing into the camera or, more accurately, at Theresa behind the camera. Cal had one arm around her shoulders and the other arm was curled around Angie, holding his baby daughter to his chest. But his eyes were pointed at Benny.

Benny and Cal were smiling at each other, men’s smiles, secret smiles.

Theresa stared at the picture thinking her boys looked handsome.

And everyone looked happy.

She picked up the hammer, level and tape measure and, grinning, she walked away.