Chapter 37

Same carload going back up the highway, but a totally different topic of conversation! Kay was squeezing my hand as she rhapsodized about Laurel and Jake's performance, and the two in the back seat were just as excited as she was. I concentrated on following the taillights of the red pickup in front of us. He wasn't speeding by any means, but the fog rolling in off the gulf was limiting visibility, and I didn't want any surprises.

"Rob?" Kay shifted position as she spoke, "Rob? Can we get a truck like Jake's?" I glanced over, and could see that she was looking at me as she asked, "I mean, something without a stupid console in the middle of the front seat? I wanna sit close to you, and put my head on your shoulder."

"We don't need one like Jake's for that, sweetie. Most of the new ones have tip-back consoles, so you can use the full seat. And yes, I've been thinking about a new one. Would be handy with the boat and all, and besides, we need one with the extra back seat for our expanded family, and all. Can't get the kids AND the boat stuff in this little SUV now, can we?"

"Kids?"

I nodded toward the back seat, where Suzy sat grinning, while Richelle leaned up against her, head on her shoulder, eyes closed. "Can't imagine cramming a couple of overnight bags, a cooler, and maybe new deck swabs in there with the two of them, can you?"

Kay smiled and said, "Now that you mention it, I guess not!"

"Soooo," I continued, "we'll let 'em ride in the back, in the pickup bed, and pack the expensive stuff on the back seat, where it'll be secure, and it won't get all wet or dusty."

Richelle wasn't really sleeping, "Or you can get one of them tonneau covers to keep that stuff clean and dry, and the kids'll snuggle in the back seat! This gal done rode in the backa the truck all she gonna do!" She had a strange look on her face, "'Specially if the boss-man's kid is gonna volunteer to ride herd back there too." She looked at Suzy, and her expression looked like a painful memory, "Me and my cousin was the herd that got rode, y'understand."

Kay looked back at them, "That's how you knew the shortcut to Jelly's place? You were from around there?"

"You got it, gal. I don't know if Jelly finally remembered who I am, but his family saved me from some shit, excuse my French, way back then. Not all of it, you understand. I didn't get hurt real bad, but my cousin ended up pregnant and kicked out of the house, and I got sent to live with my great-aunt and her husband until I turned sixteen, and ran away to Galveston. Jelly's family was from there, and I got a job with them for a while, so I didn't get into trouble like some did back then. Finally came back to find everything different. Wanted to get it together. Thought I'd get me some education, take a few classes, found out dicks was trouble, no matter what color they were." She saw me cringe a bit at that, and hurriedly added, "But now I found out they're not all bad." She saw my smile in the mirror and returned it, "But then I got hurt, dropped out, then found Suze, and here we are." It was the most information we'd got yet, about her past.

Kay spoke up, "And here's where you're staying! Right, Rob?"

I looked at Kay, then in the mirror and could just see a vague shadow in the back, but the headlights on a passing car reflected off the wet tracks down a dark face, as I said, "Absolutely! For as long as it takes, as long as you want, you've got a family."

And I heard a whisper from the back, "That would be forever." The car was quiet the rest of the way home.

Kay did remind me that we needed to stop at the convenience store on the corner; we needed a half gallon of milk for breakfast, so I did that. Had to wait a few for the clerk to unjam a register tape, but I could see from the store that the girls were having an animated conversation. Got back in the car and saw that Kay had one of those embarrassed looks on her face, and I asked, "Now what?"

"Oh, nothing," she giggled.

From the back I heard, "You'll find out in a few days," and Kay covered her face with her hands and laughed some more. Sounded a little nervous.

We turned the corner and pulled into the lot and saw Jake and Laurel were already there, and the lights were on in the apartment.

They must have been watching for us, because the door opened as Kay reached for it, and Laurel giggled, "Saw your lights! I started the hot chocolate like Rob showed me, and Jake's gotta get up early in the morning, so he's not staying much longer, but if anybody wants munchies there's some cookies left, chocolate chip, I think, or I could make popcorn, and I'm babbling again, aren't I!"

"Slow down, girl! You're still ridin' high from Jelly's place!" Richelle hugged her, "What was that up on that stage, anyway? You gone from afraid of your own shadow to singin' like Lady Day, just like that!"

Jake just stood there smiling, not saying a word, as the girls hugged on Laurel, then she stepped back, leaned against him, started blushing again, and displayed a little bit of sparkle on her left hand.

Good thing the door was closed again, or the squeals would likely have woke up the whole block!

Jake grinned again, and said, "I know I got the cart before the horse, but Pappa Rob, can I get your blessing to marry your adopted daughter?" I just reached out to shake his hand, and drew him into a man-hug, as we all cracked up! This time I think we did wake up a neighbor or two.

We all hugged on each other for a bit, then Jake said, "I really do have to get goin' – told the boss I'd go pick up a couple of engines in the morning, and check on another for a possible rebuild. He's put me on my own schedule, as long as I get the work done, and I wanna make sure he's happy with my work." Jake looked at me, "He's Corps, too."

We said our goodbyes, and Jake got a kiss from all the girls, then Laurel walked him out to the end of the sidewalk, while Kay got out the mugs for the hot chocolate. They were all still doing the squeal thing when we heard that red truck fire up, and drive away, and Laurel came back in and looked at us. "What?" She tried to hold a frown. Couldn't. Picked up a pillow from the couch and hugged it, and smiled at us.

"You tryin' to pretend that's Jake, you gotta get a bigger pillow, girl!" Suzy got it started, then Richelle and Kay joined in with a group hug and more squealing.

I thought I'd heard all the ribald humor when it was just Kaitlyn and me getting married! Not even close. We found out that Laurel blushes even more than Kay, especially when sweet, innocent Miss Kaitlyn started dishing it out, too!

We finished our hot cocoa, and drew straws to see who got to use the shower first. I lost, and ended up with Suzy helping me clean up in the kitchen, while the other three got ready for bed. She was quiet for a minute, then hit me with a totally unexpected question. "So, doesn't it bother you at all?"

"Bother me? What?"

"Laurel and Jake. Or for that matter, me and Richelle? You were raised down here, weren't ya? Used to be folks would get real upset over stuff like this."

"Ahh. That they would. I guess some still do. But I don't. My folks don't either, and they raised me to just respect people, and not worry about all that stuff. Folks is folks, as they say."

"Good! Richelle asked me about it. Said that she never thought much of white folks until she got close with you guys and me, and George. She says it's easier to hate on somebody if you don't know them, and you and Kaitlyn are easy to know. 'Course she's been beat on by black and white, so she basically hated everybody, but knowing you two has been a real eye-opener."

"Well, if you like Kaitlyn, just wait until you meet her parents, and her sister!" I told her about the first time I'd met Harland, and then Belinda. "And Krista is everybody's idea of the best little sister ever."

Richelle stuck her head out in the kitchen then, and said, "Miss Kay says to get your pale cheeks into the shower now, Mister Rob!" Then she came closer and looked me right in the face, and said, "But what she mean by 'pale'? You got a pretty good tan there. Or was she talkin' 'bout some other cheeks?"

I must have lit up like a fire engine! My cheeks were definitely not pale after that! Stammered a "Goodnight, ladies," and headed for the shower! Got out of that, and calmed down, and found Kay and Laurel already in bed, leaving me not much room in between them. I know, very strange arrangements, but just go with it. I have to!

Did you ever try to get to sleep while jammed in between a couple of very excited, very beautiful, and very animated young women? Ain't easy! But I must have dropped off eventually, because I woke up in the middle of the night, with one head on my right shoulder, and a tangle of legs cutting off circulation to my legs. But I definitely had circulation to my bladder, and I really had to get rid of at least one of those beers. Tried to get disentangled so I could go pee, felt like a game of human pickup sticks. Got a couple of sighs and moans from both sides, but I finally extricated myself. Then when I came back from the bathroom I ended up on the outside of the stack. Made sure it was Kay's side, though. I spooned up against her, and put my arm over her. Wasn't long before she grabbed my hand in her sleep (I think) and placed it on one of those delightful protrusions on her tee shirt. Then I started wondering if she was really asleep, as she snuggled back and wiggled that sweet butt against a protrusion I'd suddenly developed. Again. I almost had to head back to the bathroom. Only a few more days, Rob, hang in there!

Morning came too soon, but we all rolled out on schedule. Our two cops were up and out already, dunno how they do it, and that left three of us to do the breakfast thing. Something smelled good already. I remembered that Kay had been busy out in the kitchen yesterday, just before we left for Jelly's, and she plugged in my slow cooker before she went to bed. "Krista does this breakfast casserole about once a week at home," she said, "and she showed me how. I just set the timer on the cooker to start up at the right time, and we have a hot breakfast! Hope you like sausage, eggs, and potatoes."

Did I tell you I love this girl? "Sweetie, I'm gonna be bigger than Uncle Jelly before we're married a year!"

"Not a chance," she giggled, "gonna work it off your butt and get you skinny again!"

Laurel just rolled her eyes, and said, "You gotta show me how to make this one for Jake. I bet he'll love it, and I ain't gonna let him get chubby, either!"

Since it was just the three of us, I asked her how her injuries were healing. She looked at Kay, hesitated just for a minute, then pulled her top off, over her head. Caught me by surprise, but Kay never said a word. "Still hurts here," she said, "showing us the lacerated nipple of her right breast, "and here," putting her hand on her ribs just under that. "But I think it's healing all right. But feel right here, Kay, I was gonna ask you what you thought about it. Think it's just scar tissue forming there? It's a little uncomfortable wearing a bra, right in that spot."