A Marriage Takes Two Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Janet Lane-Walters
wasn’t much better. She’d questioned his sanity, but then so had he.
He yawned and stretched. Maybe part of the problem was exhaustion. He’d been at the clinic since the nurse midwife had called him at four A.M. Three babies had chosen today as their birthday. Jane handled deliveries one and three, leaving the breech birth for him. It had been a slow birth, a tricky situation, but the baby arrived and the teenage parents had been delighted with their son. Watching them had brought memories of the pride he’d felt the day Chad was born.
With a chuckle, he thought of the look on Jane’s face when she’d asked him how he planned to spend the day.
“Getting married.”
An explosion of questions had followed. “Who is she? How long have you known her? When and where did this affair begin? Why aren’t we invited? That’s rude. We’ve worked together for three years and you don’t want us there. Are you ashamed or what?”
He’d made his excuses. “The decision was sudden. We’ve been friends for years. Her mother’s an invalid. We’re having a quiet home ceremony.”
She’d smiled and asked about a honeymoon.
“No time to arrange coverage.”
He had no desire to talk about the reason for the wedding. Not even his brother knew. He paused in the living room doorway and waved to Hazel’s husband. Ben sat in the recliner. A portable oxygen tank beside the chair.
“You look beat,” Ben said. “Best get a cup of Hazel’s coffee. Charge you right up. She’s been fretting. Afraid you’d be late.”
“There are hours before the ceremony. Plenty of time for me to change.” He headed to the kitchen. Ben was right. One cup of Hazel’s brew and his fatigue would vanish.
Hazel stood at the counter, boxing the layers of the chocolate cake she would assemble at Carrie’s. “About time you showed your face.”
“Cake smells good.” He grabbed a mug.
“Wait ‘til you see the finished product. Be the prettiest wedding cake you ever seen.”
“Aren’t yours always masterpieces? You should open a bakery.”
“When would I have time?”
“Don’t know.” He stuck his fingers in the icing container.
She tapped his hand with the wooden spoon. “You’ll have your taste at the wedding. How many people you expecting?”
He shrugged. “Can’t be too many. It’s at her mother’s house. Where’s Chad?”
“Last time I knew, he was in his room sulking. Sure hope he doesn’t throw one of his conniption fits. Some days I think a firm hand applied to his rear might do him some good. Boy’s been a brat since you told him about the wedding.”
Longer than that, Tony thought. Since the day Marilyn dropped Chad and his suitcase on the porch. “He’ll come around when he gets to know Carrie.”
She cocked her head. “Sure hope so. Boy’s so set on having things his way he don’t stop to think, just acts. You tell him yet he won’t be living with his mama?”
Tony drained the mug. “She said she told him.”
“That one.” Hazel snorted. “Better hope she forgot, like usual. Otherwise, she probably made you out the bad guy. Especially when she learns you’re married. Sure hope this is the right thing.”
“Carrie needs my help.”
“And you want her.” She nodded. “Seen the way you looked at her. Sure hope you’re not making a tempest, what with the way Chad’s been. Could end up with everybody hurt.”
She could be right, but he refused to think about future problems… Not today.
“Let me give Chad a nudge. We’ll leave as soon as I shower and change. I’ve a couple of stops to make and I don’t want to be late.”
He took the stairs two at a time and paused outside his son’s bedroom. “Chad.” Before opening the door, he called a second time.
The room was empty. Chad’s blue suit lay on the bed. Tony spotted a piece of paper on the red bedspread and picked it up.
A groan escaped. His son had run away. Tony dashed downstairs. He found Hazel in the living room
He yawned and stretched. Maybe part of the problem was exhaustion. He’d been at the clinic since the nurse midwife had called him at four A.M. Three babies had chosen today as their birthday. Jane handled deliveries one and three, leaving the breech birth for him. It had been a slow birth, a tricky situation, but the baby arrived and the teenage parents had been delighted with their son. Watching them had brought memories of the pride he’d felt the day Chad was born.
With a chuckle, he thought of the look on Jane’s face when she’d asked him how he planned to spend the day.
“Getting married.”
An explosion of questions had followed. “Who is she? How long have you known her? When and where did this affair begin? Why aren’t we invited? That’s rude. We’ve worked together for three years and you don’t want us there. Are you ashamed or what?”
He’d made his excuses. “The decision was sudden. We’ve been friends for years. Her mother’s an invalid. We’re having a quiet home ceremony.”
She’d smiled and asked about a honeymoon.
“No time to arrange coverage.”
He had no desire to talk about the reason for the wedding. Not even his brother knew. He paused in the living room doorway and waved to Hazel’s husband. Ben sat in the recliner. A portable oxygen tank beside the chair.
“You look beat,” Ben said. “Best get a cup of Hazel’s coffee. Charge you right up. She’s been fretting. Afraid you’d be late.”
“There are hours before the ceremony. Plenty of time for me to change.” He headed to the kitchen. Ben was right. One cup of Hazel’s brew and his fatigue would vanish.
Hazel stood at the counter, boxing the layers of the chocolate cake she would assemble at Carrie’s. “About time you showed your face.”
“Cake smells good.” He grabbed a mug.
“Wait ‘til you see the finished product. Be the prettiest wedding cake you ever seen.”
“Aren’t yours always masterpieces? You should open a bakery.”
“When would I have time?”
“Don’t know.” He stuck his fingers in the icing container.
She tapped his hand with the wooden spoon. “You’ll have your taste at the wedding. How many people you expecting?”
He shrugged. “Can’t be too many. It’s at her mother’s house. Where’s Chad?”
“Last time I knew, he was in his room sulking. Sure hope he doesn’t throw one of his conniption fits. Some days I think a firm hand applied to his rear might do him some good. Boy’s been a brat since you told him about the wedding.”
Longer than that, Tony thought. Since the day Marilyn dropped Chad and his suitcase on the porch. “He’ll come around when he gets to know Carrie.”
She cocked her head. “Sure hope so. Boy’s so set on having things his way he don’t stop to think, just acts. You tell him yet he won’t be living with his mama?”
Tony drained the mug. “She said she told him.”
“That one.” Hazel snorted. “Better hope she forgot, like usual. Otherwise, she probably made you out the bad guy. Especially when she learns you’re married. Sure hope this is the right thing.”
“Carrie needs my help.”
“And you want her.” She nodded. “Seen the way you looked at her. Sure hope you’re not making a tempest, what with the way Chad’s been. Could end up with everybody hurt.”
She could be right, but he refused to think about future problems… Not today.
“Let me give Chad a nudge. We’ll leave as soon as I shower and change. I’ve a couple of stops to make and I don’t want to be late.”
He took the stairs two at a time and paused outside his son’s bedroom. “Chad.” Before opening the door, he called a second time.
The room was empty. Chad’s blue suit lay on the bed. Tony spotted a piece of paper on the red bedspread and picked it up.
A groan escaped. His son had run away. Tony dashed downstairs. He found Hazel in the living room