Home for the Holidays Ch. 11-16

"Who else's baby would it be?" I said, laughing at the expression on his face.

"You've certainly kept me busy enough."

"I didn't mean it like that," he said.

"I know. I just couldn't resist needling a little." I almost shrieked when he suddenly picked me up. "What are you doing?"

"You need to be in bed. You were hurt and it's my fault." Nick's face fell when he saw the two people who were heading their way. "Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?"

"Tell your son, Helen. Tell him what you and Nadia did."

"James," she pleaded, but his face was like granite and the expression definitely said she'd find no mercy there.

"Put me down," I whispered to Nick then stood at his side while he faced his mother.

"Tell me what? Mom?"

"The reason that Kenna left you, it's all my fault. I never once thought when I called her and invited her over for dinner that she would bring with her a date rape drug. I don't even know what it's called or how she got her hands on it. The drink she gave you was spiked with it. I didn't know until after it took affect. You were so out of it. I was scared she'd killed you, so I confronted her."

"You let that woman drug me?" Nick asked, his eyes hard, his expression matching his father's. I gave his hand a squeeze and he looked down at me.

"She didn't know, Nick. Nadia did the drugging, your mom didn't know until afterwards. When she found out..."

"When I found out, I kicked her butt out the door," Helen said. "But the damage had already been done. Kenna had witnessed what Nadia wanted her to."

"She's apologized to me, Nick. She's your mom. Don't let something like this break up your relationship with your family."

"Kenna," he said, staring down at me. "She could have killed you or you could have miscarried our child, and you want me to just forgive her?"

Two short gasps followed his words, but I ignored them for a moment.

"Yes, because I know what she feels. She wanted you to be with Nadia because nothing on God's green earth would have been able to pull her out of New York City. She misses you," I said, looking up into his eyes.

"You're pregnant?" Helen asked.

"Yes," I nodded. "Not very far along, though."

"Kenna wants me to forgive you," Nick said. "I think it's going to take some time, Mom. I never thought you were so petty that you'd treat someone who means as much to me as Kenna does so shabbily."

"I know, Nick, I'm so sorry," Helen looked back at her husband, who was beaming with the knowledge that he was to be a grandfather, though his expression hardened slightly as he looked at his wife. Clearly, his happiness at the news had not erased his irritation with her. "Your father and I are staying at the Fairfield Inn. We'd love to see more of you while we're here."

Nick nodded and they turned to go.

"Wait," I called. "What brought you to Lapeer in the first place?"

"Guilt," Helen said. "I couldn't live with myself, not after what I'd done to my son. I had to apologize to you and to him."

"I followed her out here. She didn't know I was on the same flight as she was," James said. He put his arm around his wife. "I met your parents, Kenna. They seem like wonderful people."

"They are," I said as Nicky wrapped his arm around me. I was quickly growing tired and knew my aches and pains meant I should get off my feet.

We went back to my room and Nick helped me back in bed. He sat at my side, holding on to my hand as if I were the most precious thing in the world.

"I'm so sorry for what my parents put you through, baby. If I could, I would erase these past four days and I'd have it out with her before any of this happened."

"I know, but did you see your father? I have this feeling that life at the Grenfield home will be changing a lot." I giggled. God, it felt good to be with him again. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you. I-I met this man while I was riding the train home. He told me that if I trusted you, really trusted you, I'd listen to what you had to say to me. I just couldn't get past that stupid lipstick smear."

"What was his name?" Nick asked.

"David something or other," I yawned. God, it felt as if all I wanted to do was sleep.

Nick got up and I grabbed his hand. "Where are you going?" I asked, a little panic in my voice. I'd just gotten him back; I didn't want him to leave yet.

"You need to rest, love. I'll be here when you wake up, I just have a few things to take care of and then I'll be here." He bent, kissing me first on the cheek and then a tender kiss on my lips before he left. The nurse came in and asked if I needed anything for pain. I said no, I didn't want anything I took to hurt my baby. Then I curled up and fell asleep.

When I woke up, Nicky was in the chair beside me. He sat up and kissed my cheek. "I've done something that I'm not sure you are going to want, so I'm just going to ask." He took a deep breath. "Kenna McEwen, since both of our families are here, would you marry me today?"

"Today? Like right now?" I said, my voice a little raspy from sleep.

"Yes, today...as in right now," he said, smiling at me.

"But what about rings? And don't we have to have a license?"

"Done and done, I've got a priest on speed dial and our families are waiting for you to wake up before they come in. So what do you say?"

"It'll be legal and binding?" I asked.

"Yes. Are you trying to weasel out?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at me.

"I just never thought about getting married in a hospital bed." I sat up, groaning a bit since I hadn't taken the nurse up on the painkillers.

"I don't care where we get married, baby, as long as you belong to me. I'm going to love you and keep you safe for the rest of our lives."

I could feel the tears welling in my eyes from the sweet things he said. It decided the question right then and there. "Let's do it."

"Are you sure? I don't want you upset that we didn't get you the cupcake dress or any of the froufrou from your first wedding."

"I don't need any of that as long as the right man is beside me."

"Okay, hang on. Your mom and sisters want to mob you and I need to go buzz the priest."

"Bekka's here?"

"Yes, and Steven and the baby."

"Baby Rose is here?"

"Yes, Auntie Kenna," he sighed. "Here I ask her to marry me and she gets all excited about her baby niece. Is there something wrong with this picture?"

I smiled, and the smile seemed destined to stay there as well. He made my world complete. When our child was born, it would only be more complete. I trusted him; after everything that had happened, I trusted him. I allowed my issues over my last horrific relationship color me towards Nick, and I had to put Steven and his promiscuity in the past where they belonged.

Bekka and Mara came in first. My beautiful older sister was a little heavier than she'd been pre-pregnancy, but it looked good on her. She also looked happy and because of that, I was able, finally, to put everything behind us.

They both rushed my hospital bed, Mara sinking down next to my hip and Bekka in the chair. "I never thought he'd leave," she said. "Now, we need to do something with your hair. Mara and I have makeup, we should be able to hide some of those bruises."

"Whoa," I said quickly, what are you doing?"

"You don't want to look like death warmed over on your wedding day, do you?" Bekka asked. "Did you grab the bag?" she asked Mara.

"Do I look stupid?" Mara threw back at Bekka. "You've told me twenty times in the last half hour to remember the bag and I have it, right here."

She held up a pink striped bag that was vaguely familiar. "Uh, what are you two planning on doing to me?"

"We're going to make you beautiful and as bride-like as we can in this situation. So come on, Ken, off with the hospital gown."

"What?!"

Bekka sighed and then rolled her eyes. "Do I have to do all of this myself? Mara, help me here."

My gown was taken off and then something white and silky was slipped over my head. The straps tied at the shoulder to make way for the IV bag. I stared down, seeing soft lace with sequins along the top of the neckline. "This is beautiful," I said, my fingers caressing it.

"Consider it my wedding present," Bekka said. She stopped from where she was fussing with my red curls. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Oh no, Bekka," I said quickly, holding my arms out to hug her. "Don't apologize. Please, I understand."

Her arms went around me and then Mara's arms were there too and we had a group hug before I groaned at the pain.

"I'd have kicked her ass, Kenna," Mara said. Bekka narrowed her eyes at Mara and I laughed.

"Watch that language when Mom gets here, she'll wash your mouth out with soap."

"Okay, we've got a shawl to wrap around your shoulders," she said, then gathered my hair up in a twist and used a couple of clips to hold it there. Tiny pearl earrings went into my earlobes and then Mara held up the soft cashmere shawl, also in white. She wrapped it around my shoulders.

Mom came in as Bekka was finishing my makeup. "Oh, baby, you look so beautiful," she said, sinking down on the other side of me. "Doesn't she look beautiful?"

I hugged my mom. Then Daddy was there. "I so wanted you to walk me down the aisle, Daddy, but..."

"It's not the wedding that should be the concern, sweetheart, but the marriage that comes after. You and Nicky have a bright future, just reach out and grab it with both hands."

A tear slipped down my cheek and Bekka almost had a heart attack.

"No crying!" She shook her finger at me.

"Yes, ma'am," I said, sending her a jaunty little salute with the third finger behind Mom's back.

"Kenna," Mom said. "I didn't teach you manners like that."

I narrowed my eyes at Bekka and she stuck her tongue out at me, and that was it, we were back like we'd never had the fight over Steven. "Where's my niece?" I asked her.

"She's practicing with her Daddy about how to be a flower girl," Bekka said.

Mr. and Mrs. Grenfield arrived and then Nicky came into the room with the priest. It was getting very crowded by that time and I was glad there wasn't anybody in the other bed. People were talking, introductions were being made and I felt like my head was in the center of a tornado with all the confusion.

Nicky made it to my side and I took his hand. "Can we get to this?" I asked him quietly.

Everyone was gathered around my bed and I felt like I was in a coffin, out to be viewed. Then the priest began to speak.

I repeated my vows, staring into Nick's eyes and blinking back the tears I was told I couldn't have. When he spoke his vows, I could feel them inside me and knew I was doing the right thing. It almost seemed surreal until the gold band that went with my diamond was slid down my finger. Then I was taking his hand and sliding the gold band he'd bought for himself onto his finger.

"You may kiss the bride," the priest intoned.

Nicky leaned down and kissed me. It was our first kiss as husband and wife.

That made it special and I think he felt the same way, because his lips clung to mine.

"I love you, Mrs. Nicholas Evan Grenfield," he muttered against my mouth.

"I love you, Nicky."

Then I was being hugged by everyone. James, Nick's father, hugged me close. "I'm going to the police about Nadia," he said. "I don't know if it'll do any good, because we don't have any proof of what she did. But I thought we should at least try.

"Thank you," I said. "She shouldn't be allowed out after the crap she pulled on Nick."

"Don't worry about it now, just get better so you and Nick can use these. Consider it a wedding present from me and my wife." He slipped an envelope into my hands and then gave me a kiss on my forehead before turning back to his wife. "Don't you have something to say, dear?"

"Welcome to the family, Kenna," she said, and I could almost sense the sincerity in her tone.

"Thank you." I wasn't going to be petty. Now that I was married to their son, we would be seeing a lot of each other, I had no doubt.

She leaned down and kissed the air about six inches from my cheek and then backed away from the bed. I saw James wrap an arm around her and introduce her to my parents.

"What's in the envelope?" Mara asked, always the curious one. I opened it and then gasped. They were sending us on a cruise. There was even a check made out for an astronomical amount with incidentals written on the info line. "Nicky," I said, holding the envelope out to him. He took a look at what was inside and then hurried to his father's side.

"Dad, this is way too much."

"No, it's not," James said. "This is the trip that I had planned to take your mother on, but this whole debacle was her fault. I know she didn't tell Nadia to bring those drugs, but she never should have been scheming with another woman to take you away from Kenna." He moved closer to the bed so I could be part of the discussion. I was grateful because my lip reading skills were rather poor.

"I don't remember much of anything from that night. I remember waking in the morning on the couch and wondering why I was there. When I found Mom, she told me that Kenna was gone and I didn't believe her. Then I saw your ring on the desk and I knew it was true. Mom told me what Kenna had witnessed and I couldn't figure out how unless I had passed out. I'd never enjoyed Nadia's company. She was like a female shark, always ready to take a bite out of anything that had enough money to pay her way."

"It's done," I said softly. "Nick and I are fine. I just want it to be done. I want to go on from here and build on our marriage and have our child," I said, my hand running over my stomach.

Finally the room cleared out. Mom and Nick were the last ones left. "Mom,

Kenna and I haven't talked about it much yet, but we both loved it at the farm. With a baby on the way, we don't want to raise our children here. What would you think if we wanted to help you guys out with the farm?"

Mom's eyes shot to my face and than back to Nick's. "Are you two sure this is what you want to do?"

I nodded and Nick took my hand, holding it tightly. "We want our children to have the kind of raising that we did. We'll let Mara head off to the big city and make a go of it. I want to come home," I said tiredly. By home, I didn't mean my apartment, though that didn't hold bad memories anymore now that Nick was all mine. I wanted to go to the farm.

"Dad once told me that I could take a couple of acres and make it my own if I ever wanted to build a house. I know the couple of acres I want, Mom, if that's okay with you and Daddy."

"You want the clearing where the stream goes through that feeds the pond, don't you?" she said, and all I could do was nod. "You were always there whenever we had to go looking for you."

"It's been tested, it's not too far to get the electrical lines to the new house and we'd be neighbors, Momma."

"You're going to make your father very happy, both of you...and take a world of worry off my shoulders," she said, wiping her eyes.

"Then it's a yes?"

"Let me talk to your father, but if I know him—and after thirty years of marriage I think I do—he'll jump for joy. It's just, Nicky, do you know what the life of a farmer is like? Its twenty-four hours, seven days a week. You've got to get up no matter how bad you want to stay in bed. You've got stock to feed and fields to tend. It's no glamour job."

"It sounds perfect," he said, bringing my hand to his lips. "That is if you don't mind us staying with you until we get our own house built."

"Well, the marriage sure as hell will save Kenna the trouble of sneaking into your room in the middle of the night."

I felt my face turning red as my Mom turned her eyes on me. I shrugged.

"You're getting another grandchild out of the deal, so be happy."

"I know, but I just sure wish that one of you girls had put the wedding first and then the baby-making. Let's just hope Mara doesn't follow in yours and Bekka's footsteps."

"With that red hair," I said, "you're lucky she hasn't already." I chuckled as Mom gave me the dirty look again.

"Well, let me go and find your father and we'll get his stamp of approval on this whole thing." She turned to leave the room.

Nick sat down next to me. "Tired?"

"Exhausted. I didn't know that a wedding could take so much out of a girl."

"I thought it was the wedding night that you got tired out by." He leaned forward and kissed me, before heaving a sigh. "So when are we signing you out of this joint?"

"I hope tomorrow. There's nothing seriously wrong with me, they just wanted to keep me here to keep an eye on the baby and to make sure my head injury wasn't serious. You can have me all to yourself tomorrow night and there won't be anyone to tell you different."

"I cannot wait," he sighed, leaning down and giving me another kiss. "I hope your dad is going to like the idea. I'm looking forward to going out and buying a pair of overalls."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You want to look like Jethro, that's fine but I'm not dressing up like Ellie Mae, got me?"

"Aw, you'd look cute with your hair up in pig tails."

"Yeah, keep wishing."

Epilogue

A little less than nine months later, Nick picked me up in his arms and carried me across the threshold of our new home. It was built like my parents' home, though a bit smaller.

"You're going to hurt yourself, toting me around like this, Nicky." I glanced down at my stomach, feeling huge and fat. "I'm surprised you could squeeze me through the door."

"Aww, you're beautiful, baby." He set me down carefully and then rested his hand on my stomach, feeling his son kicking.

"Ow, you're going to have to teach the baby some manners. He's been beating me up for the last couple of nights."

"Okay. Son, this is Dad," he said, speaking to my belly. "You need to learn some manners. You can't keep on making Mama lose sleep the way you have."

"So what do you think of Douglas Nicholas Grenfield?" I said, we were still hunting for the perfect name.

"After your dad?" he asked, as we moved into the living room so I could put my feet up.

I nodded.

"Well, I think we should pick either Douglas or Nicholas because both are just too much of a mouthful to yell at the poor kid when he does something wrong."

I couldn't help but laugh. He was right. I'd get to Grenfield and probably forget what he was in trouble for. "Okay, your turn."

"Douglas James Grenfield?" he asked. He turned to look at me because I hadn't said anything. "What's wrong, baby?" he asked.

"I think my water just broke." I looked at the stain that was spreading down the legs of my pants.

"You still have two weeks, isn't that what the doctor said?"

"I don't think little Douglas James was listening when the doctor said that." I stood and headed for the stairs.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his eyes wide and a little panicky.

"I can't go to the hospital like this. I need to at least change."

"But the baby's coming," he said, hurrying after me. "I don't think he'll much care what you're wearing."

"But I do," I said, and grabbed the railing as another pain hit. "So if you don't want your child born here, you'll quit bothering me and let me change."

He quickly scooped me in his arms, carrying me up the stairs and into the master bedroom. "There, now hurry and change Kenna. Please, for my peace of mind, hurry?"

I pulled out clean underwear and another pair of the stretchy pants that I wore instead of maternity clothes. His pacing was beginning to make me nervous, so I hurried. "Okay," I said, after dumping my soiled clothes in the hamper.

Before the last part of okay was out of my mouth, he'd scooped me up in his arms again. I managed to snag my purse as he practically ran by it and then I was in our car and he was putting it into reverse.

"Did you remember to lock the door?" I asked.