Unexpected Ride (25 page)

“I should run Gretchen home so they don’t have to get the baby out this late,” Greg offered.

“Can’t I stay one more night?  I could go to Ben’s football game tomorrow and watch it with you, Ms. Carla, so you don’t get bored,” Gretchen offered sweetly.

With Ben and Matt standing behind the tiny girl giving her equally pleading looks it was hard to deny them anything.

“Call your Daddy and ask him,” Carla replied, handing Gretchen the house phone. She watched the little girl call Tommy as though she’d done it a million times.  Gretchen was exceptionally smart, very aware of the world around her and would likely do amazing things one day.

Ben’s first game of the season was an eye opener for Carla.  Her little boy wasn’t just the biggest player on the team but the best.  It was obvious that his skill far surpassed the other kids on his team or even the opposing team.  He almost appeared bored… but not so much that he didn’t want to play. 

Carla could feel Greg watching her from time to time as she looked on in awe of both of her sons.  Matt was on the sideline with his camera in hand catching every play while his brother was the one making them.  Rather than sitting with Carla and keeping her from being bored, Gretchen was on the sidelines standing next to Dickie yelling everything the older man said to the team.

She had been so worried that Dickie and Greg wouldn’t be able to handle a team of kids since neither of them had children of their own… but they were like an oddity to the kids which helped Carla relax.  The team swarmed them and both men talked to the little boys like they were professional athletes… or at least on their way to the pros. 

Each time a kid would mess up she would watch both men laugh and the kids responded to that much better than the opposing coach who looked frustrated at his team.  Greg and Dickie were having as much fun as the boys… and Gretchen.

Moving Chuck and Meredith out was an experience Carla wouldn’t forget anytime soon.  The entire group had shown up except for Dana who had offered to watch the boys so that none of the kids would be under foot.  They had packed Meredith’s belongings into Bobby’s truck, some of the available cars and even a few things into Dickie’s tow truck by mid-morning. 

Carla was amazed by this considering all the clowning around that went on.  Several of the neighbors had even come out to see what all the commotion was about and she’d only smiled and waved at them.

She finally gave up on stopping Greg from helping and joining in on the antics with the other guys.  It was obvious who was in charge though, as Lilly sat on the tailgate of Bobby’s truck instructing them which vehicle to put stuff into while Meredith directed them on what things she was taking and what should stay. 

Becca offered Chuck and Meredith the use of the furniture that was already at the beach house.  This resulted in Chuck cornering Becca for a hug while thanking her for ‘giving up her goodies to him.’  Having been on the receiving end of Chuck’s inappropriate teasing, Carla felt for Becca.

Once they were done getting Meredith’s belongings and the few items that Chuck had at the house, they all loaded up and headed for Chuck’s apartment to pack his things up before heading off to the beach house. 

As a retribution for forcing their friend, who just happened to have a criminal record and tattoos, out of his apartment, the guys made it a point to block the landlord’s truck in his parking spot by pulling in on either side and then sideways directly behind him.  Then they decided to take a lunch break.  By the time they came out with stuff to load from the apartment the man was livid and threatening to call the police.

“Not to worry… it’s moving day and I’m ready to blow this roach motel,” Chuck advised the landlord.  Then noting the couple standing next to the landlord holding an application for his apartment, Chuck continued, “Be careful… some of those things are pretty big… hence why I’m out of here.  You don’t have kids do you?”

Carla couldn’t help but snicker as the couple handed the application back to the landlord and started toward their car.  Whether they were turned off by the idea of bugs or by having neighbors like Chuck, Carla wasn’t sure, but either way it was funny. 

After Dickie moved his tow truck far enough back to allow the landlord to back out of his parking space, the man took off like he was being chased by the hounds of hell.  Soon enough they all loaded up and took off for the beach house.  Carla had offered to stay behind and clean up.

“Might want to take some pictures of the place to show it’s in just as good of shape as it was before he moved in,” Greg suggested to her after they finished cleaning the empty apartment.  “Something tells me Chuck may have to take that prick to small claims court to get his deposit money back.  Pictures and receipts for the rent should help his case.”

“Actually, Dana is the one who would have to take him to court since the apartment was in her name.  Besides Chuck wouldn’t take him to court anyway… even if he did have a case against him.  He’ll just walk away having done nothing more than give the man a hard time and his middle finger,” she replied.

“I’ve met a lot of people in my life… in my line of work.  They all look like a big pack of trouble but really they are as down to earth and fun as anyone I’ve ever met aside from my buddy Rusty, the guy that helped find all the money.  They’re good people,” Greg said.  She could only smile and nod her agreement.

The morning of her wedding day, Carla woke with a start at the phone ringing.  Answering the one next to her bed she was surprised to see Tommy and Dana’s number on the display.

“I’m so sorry to bother you today of all days…” Dana started.

“No… no… its fine… just a formality really,” Carla insisted.

“I was wondering if you thought possibly your father would consider marrying Tommy and I today as well?  Casey Lawrence just gave birth a few hours ago and since the baby is in another county… The case worker, Carmen, says it would really help our chances if we were married rather than just living together,” Dana said in an excited rush.  “We’ll have a real wedding later on but if your dad could marry us and maybe even sign this paper Carmen gave us, I… we would be so grateful.”

“I’ll call him but I don’t think he would have a problem with it,” she replied.

A few hours later at precisely eleven thirty Carla stood side by side with Greg in her father’s office while a couple of feet away Tommy and Dana also stood hand in hand.  This wasn’t the big extravagant wedding that Doug had given her but as she reached down and grasped Greg’s hand it felt more like a partnership this time around. 

Greg had been right when he said she should support his goals and dreams as well… he was definitely supportive of hers… and the boys.  A partnership was a good start in any marriage and a killer smile that made her think of the amazing chemistry they shared was just a bonus.

“What are they about?” he whispered to her, referring to Tommy and Dana.

“Tommy’s ex-girlfriend had her baby last evening and they stand a good chance of it being placed with them since the mother’s incarcerated.  They are just solidifying that possibility along with their commitment to each other,” she replied.  An odd expression crossed Greg’s face when Tommy explained to Carla’s father about the little girl listed on the document her father held.

“Virginia Mae McMurray… or at least we hope someday she’ll be a McMurray,” Tommy said smiling at Dana who smiled right back at him.

“Ginny?” Greg asked his face showing even more confusion before it turned to a look of frustration.

“Yea… how’d you know that?” Dana laughed.

“Oh God…  Sherri Simons!  She has yet again pulled a fast one on me,” Greg replied in defeat.

“What are you talking about?” Carla asked.

Greg glanced at Judge Patterson and then said, “Sherri called me yesterday on my way home from the shop and asked me to stop by the bar.  When I got there she asked me if it was illegal to pay someone to give up the rights to their child.  I told her that it wasn’t that easy unless the parent was giving the child up for adoption but that sometimes an adoptive couple would pay for the biological parent’s ‘expenses’ and she…” he paused as though unable to accept how well Sherri had played him.  “Then she thanked me and said she was going to borrow money from her rich ass sister to go see about getting a little Ginny.  I thought she meant… liquor.”

It was bad but a giggle escaped her before she could stop it.  After these last few months of hell that Jarrod had put her through… put them all through, Carla finally saw a point to it all.  She had wondered what the point of hiding the truth about Jarrod from Meredith for all those years was when Meredith had found out anyways. 

If Carla hadn’t kept it a secret then none of her skeletons would have fallen out of her closet at just the right time… in front of the right people… and Sherri Simons would never have known to even try something like that.  Though Sherri hadn’t been at the premiere in New York, this group of people didn’t keep secrets and Carla’s secrets had actually served a purpose after all.

The more she thought about it the more she couldn’t contain her laughter.  Glancing first at Chuck and Meredith who stood at the back of the room and then at Greg she knew the minute Greg’s mind picked up on the humor of the situation and he grinned too.  Soon enough they were all laughing.

“Perhaps we should move things along a little in case there is more to this adventure for the two of you today,” Judge Patterson said to Tommy and Dana. 

Her father simply smiled at her and out of the corner of Carla’s eye she could swear she saw her mother smiling in the painting behind her father’s chair.  Looking in Greg’s eyes when he promised to love her for the rest of his life, she believed him because to be apart from him after all he’d done for her and the kids was the worst thing she could imagine at this point.  He was a friend, a lover and now a husband.

When they left her father’s office, Carla wished Tommy and Dana good luck with getting the new baby and then she left with Greg.  It was decided that with school and everything else it would be best to postpone their honeymoon until the summer when whomever watched the boys wouldn’t have to contend with homework and football.

The next couple of weeks were spent getting everything finalized for the dinner auction.  By the time the morning of the event rolled around there wasn’t much left to do.  Carla hated that Chuck was so nervous about telling the guests about what had happened to their money.  Meredith mentioned that she’d helped him write a speech and that he practiced it in front of a mirror every day. 

When the house phone rang she picked it up without looking.

“Hi, Carla… we’ve got a little situation here,” Dana said.

“What’s wrong and what can I do?” she offered.

“Chuck says he can’t go tonight… that he can’t do this.  He’s afraid that if those people figure out he’s not the eccentric person those New York news articles made him out to be that they’ll be mad,” Dana said.  “I tried to talk to him and he just says he can’t do it.”

“Where is he now?” she asked.

“Upstairs lying on Gretchen’s bed talking about how he feels sick to his stomach,” Dana replied with a sigh.

“I’m on my way,” she replied.

After hanging up the phone she turned around to find Greg leaning against the bar grinning at her.

“Go…” he said.  “I can handle the boys… it’s not like I have to feed them baby food or change their diapers.  Take them to your father’s house… check.  Got it.  Now go!”

Twenty minutes later she was welcomed into Tommy and Dana’s home to find a tiny little infant girl in the swing.  This little girl looked… healthy…
normal
… compared to Melody who was lying on her stomach on the floor.

“Your husband has ruined her,” Dana laughed pointing at Melody.  “Aside from the fruit she refuses to eat any baby food at all and insists on having whatever we are having.  Funny thing is she has gained a pound and a half.  The pediatrician said to keep doing whatever it is we are doing so Greg is safe for now.”

Carla laughed and said, “I’ll let him know.”

When Melody fussed Dana picked her up and handed her to Carla saying, “I swear I think all three of them can
smell
him or something.  She wants Chuck.”

Inspiration took that opportunity to strike and Carla said, “I know your parents were going to watch the two little ones this evening but why don’t they just come to the dinner this evening and help out with them instead?”

Understanding lit in Dana’s eyes as Carla turned and headed up the stairs with Melody in her arms.  Pushing the door to Gretchen’s room open, Carla could only grin at Gretchen who was carefully placing what looked like a wet washcloth on Chuck’s forehead.

“Ms. Carla, my Chuckie’s too sick to go tonight,” Gretchen said shaking her head.

“Well that’s too bad.  See I messed up big time and invited your Grandma and Grandpa Atkinson to the dinner tonight so it looks like Melody and Ginny will be going along as well.  Since you three are going, I’m not sure I can tell Ben and Matt that they
can’t
go… that wouldn’t be very fair.  What in the world are we going to do with all you kids running around with all those people and their fancy clothes…” she gushed.

“I’ll be singing with Daddy so you don’t gots to worry about me,” Gretchen supplied.  “Ben and Matt will just have to find someone else to play with or sit still and just watch me.”

“Well with your daddy singing with you, and your mama filling in for Chuck since he’s sick… I will need to keep an eye on the boys so we’re going to have to find some more help with your sisters,” she replied to Gretchen.

Peeling the wet washcloth off his forehead and flinging it at Gretchen who punched him in the leg in return, Chuck said, “Fine!  You guys are killing me here and potentially ruining a career that hasn’t even really started yet but I’ll go!”

“You’re a big fat faker, Charlie!” Gretchen yelled at him.  “I’m telling Ms. Meredith and you’ll be grounded forever!”

“I don’t know at what point you got the impression that Meredith is in charge at
my
house but it’s me… I’m the boss there… not her!” Chuck said to Gretchen who only put her hands on her tiny hips as though she didn’t believe him.