His Twin Baby Surprise Page 9

  CHAPTER SIX

  “YOU’RE JUST IN time for dinner,” Maureen called out as soon as Lisa walked in the door.

  “Oh.” Lisa looked around at the preparations. She smiled and sniffed the spicy aroma of the sauce that Maureen had been slowly simmering for the past hour.

  “I can’t wait for you to try this spaghetti sauce. It’s a recipe I developed myself and you had all the ingredients in your cupboards, so it was easy to put together.”

  And best of all, Maureen added silently, there had been no reason for her to go into town.

  Lisa shook her head regretfully. “I already ate. I’m sorry. I should have called. I had no idea you were planning to cook dinner.”

  “Oh!” Maureen glanced away as she struggled to hide her disappointment. “My...my fault. I should have called to tell you. It’s okay. I like to cook, which is a good thing since that’s what I’ve done the most in my life.”

  “Oh, really?” Lisa set her purse and briefcase on the kitchen table. “I didn’t know that. I...never knew what you did for a living.”

  “Mostly any job I could find. Short-order cook in a few greasy spoons, food prep, finally worked my way up to sous chef in a trendy restaurant, though my only training has been hands-on.”

  When she saw the troubled frown Lisa was giving her, she pressed her lips together, regretting her sudden impulse to talk about herself. One thing she had learned over the years was to keep things to herself until she discovered if she could trust someone. It was far easier to focus on someone else.

  She returned to the stove to stir the sauce. She turned the burner down to simmer and asked, “How are you feeling? Is the nausea better?”

  “Um, yes. I had a couple of bouts today, but they weren’t bad.”

  “Well, you have to be careful. You have to take good care of yourself.”

  “I am,” Lisa answered. She picked up her purse and briefcase once again. “I’ll leave you alone to let you enjoy your dinner. I’ve got some work to do.”

  “Work? Didn’t you just get off work?”

  “I’ve got a new job.”

  Maureen listened with consternation and growing concern as Lisa reported what had happened that day.

  “Oh, Lisa, I’m sorry about Mayor Morton, but you can’t do that job. What about the baby?”

  “I received that reaction earlier today and I didn’t like it then, either,” Lisa said. “I know what I’m doing.”

  “You don’t! You’ve got to be careful. You don’t have any idea how hard it is to...to be a mother...to take care of a baby.”

  “And you do?”

  Maureen felt the color drain from her face while Lisa’s flushed with shame.

  “I’m sorry, Maureen. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  Maureen couldn’t meet her eyes. “I’m trying to look out for you, look after you.”

  “I don’t need you to. I’m an adult. I’ve taken care of myself since I was eighteen. Even before that, really, because—”

  “Because what?” Maureen stared at the daughter she didn’t know well enough to understand.

  “It doesn’t matter now. I’ve...I’ve got to study the town budget, so...enjoy your dinner.”

  Clutching her things, Lisa hurried from the room and Maureen heard her bedroom door click shut.

  Sick regret clawed at Maureen’s throat. She had known it would come up. It was like the elephant in the room, the tiger under the table ready to spring out and rip apart this tenuous relationship. No, she thought. Her abandonment of her baby girl was a heavy chain that linked her to the past and connected her with her daughter, but kept her tethered like a buoy, forever bobbing in place, never moving forward.

  * * *

  “FOR THE LAST TIME, Bunky, we’re not going to fund a dance contest on Main Street. If you want to get the Main Street merchants and the other merchants in town to sponsor a contest, we’ll support it, but the city of Reston isn’t going to pay for it. If you want to have one as part of the Founder’s Day celebration, you can, but you’ll have to get sponsors. Again, the city won’t pay for it. It’s simply not in the budget.” Lisa smiled in an attempt to soften her words, but Dalton Bunker gave her a huffy look and stared out the window.

  “I told you that, you crazy old goat,” Roland Hall insisted. “How come you don’t ever listen?”

  “Nothing worth listening to,” Bunky answered in a sulky tone.

  Lisa looked around the conference table. She had been acting mayor for a week and this was the third budget meeting they’d had, since consensus on the budget still eluded them.

  To her surprise, after their initial resistance, Roland and Bunky had been accepting of her role as acting mayor, but during their first meeting, she had realized it was because they wanted to remain on the council as equals. If one of them had more authority, they wouldn’t be equals anymore. She wondered if they thought their ceaseless arguments would be an insult to the dignity of the mayor’s office, but didn’t know why they didn’t see it as an insult to their role as council members.

  Dale Barnal had left town, with great fanfare, for his volunteer project in Guatemala. His departure had left her with two members who squabbled constantly and Trent Sanderson who tried to keep the peace. But even he was at the end of his patience.

  “Bunky, Roland, knock it off,” Trent said. “I’ve got a toddler at home who’s more mature than you are. Now, council members, if you will behave, we can vote to accept these budget changes, which we should have done days ago when Mayor Thomas asked us to.”

  Lisa gave Trent an appreciative smile and called for a vote to accept the budget. Trent raised his hand right away then treated Bunky and Roland to a stern look until they each raised their hands.

  “The ayes have it,” Lisa announced. “Thank you all for your time.”

  “You’re welcome, Mayor,” Trent answered, giving the other two men another pointed look as he picked up his cowboy hat and settled it on his head. “Let’s go,” he said. “The mayor is a busy woman, lots to do, and I have a ranch to run. You two can take your disagreements outside.”

  Lisa knew Roland and Bunky would have preferred to stay in her office and continue sniping at each other, but she was sure that Trent could, and would, hustle them out if need be.

  When they were gone, she sat for a moment and tried to recall why she’d ever thought she would like to be mayor. Accomplishing tasks that benefited the town was enjoyable. Dealing with the council was not.

  So far, she had helped approve the purchase of new equipment for the volunteer fire department and delegated several tasks to city employees that Harley had always handled. That freed up a little of her time to take care of other business.

  Meanwhile, Sandy Borden was keeping Reston Realty running smoothly and Lisa was deeply grateful for that since she had hardly seen the inside of her office all week. She never thought she’d be glad to see a day when the real-estate business was slow.

  She hadn’t seen Ben, either, although he had called a couple of times to check on her. They hadn’t talked for very long and she assumed he was working with the mustangs he’d bought, or was out of town at some charity event, but at least he had given up trying to convince her not to be the acting mayor.

  They had never settled the matter of financial arrangements for the baby. He had her cost projections, though, and she was sure they could come to some kind of equitable agreement. In the meantime her pregnancy had begun to show. It was as if everything fit fine one day but wouldn’t even get close to buttoning the next.

  Lisa stood and smoothed her loose-fitting top over her belly, stretching the fabric so that the slight mound was obvious. She wouldn’t be able to hide it much longer, but she didn’t plan to make a general announcement, either.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by a kno
ck and she hastily arranged her shirt as the door opened and Carly stuck her head in.

  “Hi,” her friend said, coming inside and shutting the door. “I haven’t seen you all week. I stopped by your office and Sandy said this is where you are.”

  “Almost all the time,” Lisa said, motioning for Carly to have a seat.

  “I still can’t believe you’re doing this,” Carly murmured.

  Lisa gave her a steady look.

  “On second thought, yes, I can believe it. I just hoped you were kidding about someday running for mayor.”

  “Well, I didn’t run for it. It ran to me. The only good thing about it is that Brenda says Harley is able to relax and he’s already improving.”

  “Good.” Carly paused. “How is all of this going so far?”

  Lisa told her about the budget battle. “They were simple adjustments to the outgoing funds, but every item was a reason for Roland and Bunky to fight. And this building...” She looked around. “I had no idea it was in such bad shape.”

  “It’s almost a hundred years old.” Carly wrinkled her nose. “And it has a funky smell. I think most old buildings do if they don’t have constant upkeep, and I doubt Reston has had the money for it.”

  “No, and Harley wouldn’t have spent the money on upkeep if he’d had it. His focus has been on sowing money back into the city.”

  “Sounds like you.” Carly smiled. “So since we were talking about upkeep and renovating—”

  “We were?” Lisa smiled at her friend. Carly’s livelihood came from her organic gardens, and from the furniture and accessories she unearthed at secondhand shops, yard sales and thrift stores. She was passionate about refurbishing these pieces whenever possible and about preserving the crafts of the past.

  “We were about to.”

  “I should have known. I’ve discovered that having this job means my best friends show up with things for me to do. What have you got in mind?”

  “At least we’re not asking for handouts or favors.” Carly sat forward, her expression eager. “You’ve heard of the world’s longest yard sale that starts every year in Gadsden, Alabama, and goes all the way to Michigan?”

  “Um, no, but I get the feeling I’m about to.”

  “Well, I think we could do that. Yard sales all the way through every town, only on a smaller scale, clear across Reston County. Every community on the highway, even off the highway, would benefit. We would have tourists from all over. We could have food trucks—selling food made with my produce if at all possible—ice cream, snow cones, souvenirs, crafts. You name it.”

  Lisa tilted her head as she listened carefully. “You’re thinking this could happen this summer?”

  “Fall, actually, and anyone who was too far off the highway could rent a space in town. Main Street Park would be the perfect place to set up booths of all kinds.”

  “And exactly who do you think would organize all of this? Although I think I know the answer,” Lisa said, pointing to herself.

  “No. Not you. You don’t have time. Neither do I. I was thinking of Luke’s aunt.”

  “Frances Sanderson?”

  “Yes, she’s a genius at organizing things like this, and now that the hospital is up and running again, she doesn’t have to focus on fund-raising for it so much. She can charm anyone, knows how to delegate and make volunteers feel appreciated, and I think she’d enjoy the challenge.”

  Lisa thought it over then nodded. “I like the idea. I think it would be fun. Exhausting, but fun. I suspect you’ve got an ulterior motive, though.”

  “Nothing gets past you,” Carly said with a grin. “Can you just imagine the treasures people have tucked away in their houses, sheds, barns and garages, that haven’t seen the light of day in years? Decades? Things that could be recycled and rescued.”

  “By you.”

  “Or some other community-focused, recycling-minded—”

  “Nut,” Lisa provided with a laugh. “I’ll put it on the agenda for the next city council meeting. I think if we can fit in a dance contest, Bunky will go for it and probably Roland, too.”

  “Good.” Happily, Carly settled into her chair. “Now, tell me, how are you feeling?”

  “My morning sickness is almost gone, and I feel good most of the time.” She propped her elbow on the desk and her chin on her palm. “If only I could convince Maureen.” She told Carly about the conversation she’d had with her mother.

  Carly winced. “That must have been hard.”

  “It was. I didn’t mean to sound harsh. I’d like to know why she’d left me behind when she took off, but I don’t want to ask when she’s still recovering. The problem is that, since then, she hovers over me, encouraging me to eat more, rest more, take my vitamins, wants to know when my next doctor’s appointment is. It’s as if she wants to prove she’s a good mother but...”

  “She’s suffocating you.”

  “Yes.”

  “She doesn’t have anything else to focus on. What does she do all day?”

  “As far as I can tell, Maureen never leaves the place. She walks the property, like Grandma did, but without that dreamy wandering gait of Grandma’s.” Lisa lifted her hand and twisted it in a slow, figure eight. “Maureen...basically she stomps around the property like she’s mad. At the same time she seems to be actively building up her strength and stamina, but also looking for something.”

  “You mean searching the ground?”

  “No, she walks around and looks the ground over, sometimes stops to kick over rocks or move aside some plants or low-hanging branches, but it’s not like she’s looking for a specific thing.” Lisa stopped and shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  “Family eccentricity showing, maybe?” Carly suggested. “Besides, there’s nothing to find. You had the place practically scoured of all your grandpa’s collections, and let me tell you, his assortment of barbed wire was downright terrifying.”

  “I know. I’m just glad nobody ended up with tetanus from dealing with all that junk.”

  “We’d all had our shots. So what else does Maureen do?”

  “When she isn’t outside, she’s cooking. I have to stop at the supermarket almost every day for ingredients. She always offers to pay for everything, but I know she hasn’t got much money and, really, I don’t mind. The only problem is, the refrigerator and freezer are jam-packed with leftovers.” Lisa sighed. “She’s a wonderful cook.”

  Carly grinned at her. “I can send Dustin and Luke over to take care of those leftovers for you. Even though I grew up with a brother, I thought it was a joke about how much boys eat. It’s not. I’ve never seen anyone pack it away like my son and husband can. So it’s not too much of a hardship. Do you know how long she’s planning to stay? Or if she’s going to get a job?”

  “No idea. And I don’t want to ask her to leave—”

  “At least not until you get some answers.”

  Lisa shrugged. “Well, yes, but I don’t need someone to take care of me. Any minute, I expect her to start recording my pulse and blood pressure.”

  Carly laughed. “Come on, I’ll buy you some lunch.”

  “I can’t take a lunch break. I’ve got too much to do.” Lisa reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a paper sack. “Maureen sent me with two sandwiches, both high-calorie, an apple and two of her chocolate cookies.”

  Carly stood and came around the desk to haul Lisa to her feet. “You certainly can and will take a break. We’ll eat lunch outside in the fresh air. Breathing this hundred-year-old air isn’t doing you or the baby any good.”

  “Now who’s hovering?”

  “Not me. I just want one of those cookies.”

  * * *

  “IT’S TIME,” MAUREEN murmured to herself as she started her car and pulled onto the road heading for Reston.
She had been at Lisa’s for several weeks. Her initial shock at the way her daughter had cleaned up the family place and her daily rambles over the property had told her things were very different, and so much better than she could have imagined.

  She felt immense pride in Lisa and all she’d accomplished, although she hadn’t been brave enough to tell her that yet.

  Because she had been alone for most of her life, she found it hard to share what she was feeling and, strangely, it was even harder when she was in the same house with Lisa. The depth of her shame was too great for her to express, so instead, she took care of her. Looking after Lisa now was an honor and a privilege. She had abandoned the responsibility so long ago.

  She also hoped that she would soon be able to meet Lisa’s two best friends, Carly and Gemma. Maureen had known their families in her youth, but since she had been at Lisa’s, recovering from her illness, Lisa’s friends hadn’t been around. She preferred to think of that as the reason she hadn’t met her daughter’s friends and not to consider that Lisa might be ashamed of her.

  Maureen was feeling so much better and stronger after weeks of convalescing; she was sure she was ready to go into town and buy some toiletries for herself. It was one thing to depend on Lisa for her food, which she justified by doing all the cooking and taking care of all Lisa’s other needs, but she couldn’t expect her daughter to buy shampoo and toothpaste for her.

  She dreaded running into anyone she used to know, but she drove through town, taking the time to really examine the changes made since she had left so long ago. Her memories were those of a self-involved teenage girl, who hadn’t really noticed very much outside her own interests. Now she could see that the town that had depended on logging, cattle ranching and farming now had other industries going on.

  Along with three busy supermarkets, there were several shops that sold items of interest to tourists, hunters and fishermen who wanted to take advantage of Reston Lake. Two motels, which had been seedy and unappealing in her youth, had been spruced up and made more inviting.