“I am happy.Happier than I thought I’d ever be.”She snuggled around him, and he held her.“I’m exhausted again.I think I’m going to go and see the doctor soon to see if he can give me something to keep me going.It might be something so simple as being stressed all the time, but I’m going to make an appointment in the morning.It can’t hurt.”
“I’ve been worried about you, too.You seem to doze off at the drop of a hat.While I love watching you rest, you do it a lot.And stress isn’t anything to mess with.I want you to be happy and awake.”She didn’t say anything, and he realized that she was asleep.He was all right with it now, as it was bedtime, but he did worry about her.Perhaps when she quit her job, she’d be more rested, but he didn’t know for sure.He hoped it was nothing too serious.He worried about her.
Wylie didn’t fall asleep right away.He had too many things on his mind and was worried about Rosie.Getting up after he was sure that she’d not wake up, he left the room in favor of going to his office and looking at things on the internet.He didn’t use his phone for fear of waking Rosie.He would just read for a little while and then go back to bed.He’d done it before, and it usually gave him a good night’s sleep to be able to read for a little while.
Going back up to bed at around two, he was less stressed and feeling good about going to bed.He slipped into the bed and was happy when Rosie wrapped herself around him.It was the best part of sleeping with her.She knew how to give the best hugs in the middle of the night.He knew when he woke in the morning, he’d be refreshed and ready to go.Mornings were his favorite part of the day.
His first interview didn’t go so well.The man was sort of pissed at him that he wanted to work.He said that there were people out there who needed a hand up, and he was just taking it from them.Then why did he have a help-wanted sign in his window if there were so many people who needed a job?He didn’t understand people at all.As he was making his way to the other interview, he hoped that it would go better.He’d not told anyone that he was related to Meggie by marriage and hoped that it wouldn’t make a difference.
The second interviewer was running behind, and Meggie found him in the waiting room, waiting for the man to get his shit together.She asked him why he hadn’t said anything, and he told her that he wanted to get the job because he was qualified and not part of the family.
“I would have hired you right away.Even for all your experience in working on the farm, you’d be a good asset for us.Just as a consultation on farms that we might buy up to resell would be something that I could use you for.”He told her that he didn’t want her to make up a job for him.“I’m not, I promise.I really do need someone who’s an expert on farms and what they might need in the way of loans.However, I’m beginning to think that all of them need a little help now and again.”
“You’re right on that.We could have used more help than we asked for when I think about it.If not for Howard at the bank, there are times when I think we would have lost everything.Especially when it came to the little things like a hot water heater.I think that Kinsey nursed ours along for more than a year so that we’d be able to take a halfway hot shower.Still, that left us washing our clothing in ice-cold water, and they’d not get all that clean.”She said that he’d told her about the loan that he’d gotten.“We have a lot of terrible memories of the place, but a lot of good ones too.We were all together, and that was important to us.We didn’t have much, but we did have each other to lean on,and I think that’s the only way that we were able to hold onto the farm.”
“You’re going to be perfect for the job I have in mind.”He said that he had an interview with someone twenty minutes ago.“I know.Lucky for us, I was able to see you first.He might have hired you, but your talent would have been wasted on what he was going to hire you for.My way, I get the best of both worlds.You working for us and your knowledge about farms.”
She took him to Human Resources for him to get his paperwork finished up to work.Since she’d done background checks on all of them when she’d helped them with the sale of the farm, it was much quicker than he thought it would have been.She was all right with him only working part-time, and she said she’d have it no other way.He had a wife to attend to, too, and she didn’t want a job to interfere with that.
“I know what it’s like to have someone around you that you love.I can’t stand to be away from Kinsey more than a few hours, and he always makes me feel special when he’s with me.Even going to a burger place after some appointment, he makes it feel like it’s a five-star restaurant, no matter what we’re having.”He told her that he was happy for her and also said that Kinsey had been the best big brother all his life.“I love how you six hug all the time.It makes me feel like there is some goodness in the world yet.I’m hoping that the rest of your brothers find someone to love them, too.We’ll be one big happy family when we’re all wed and happy.”
After HR, he was shown to an office he would be using.He didn’t know if he needed an office, but she said that it would be good for him to have one so that he could spread out there.Also, she hinted that Rosie could come by and see him, and they’d have the privacy that they needed.He could feel his face heat up at that and loved that she was so open with it.He really did love this woman like a sister and was glad that she’d made Kinsey so happy.
“I’m going to hire you a full-time secretary so that you have someone to field calls when you’re not in.I have that now, and I love it.It makes it so much easier to keep up with things and not have to be here all the time.I know that’s important to you.I know that it is for me as well.”He got around to asking her how she was feeling.“Much better than I was before.The doctor put me on some vitamins, and that’s helped a great deal.I’m still kind of touchy, but nothing like I was before.And I’ve been walking on the treadmill once a day so that I can stay in shape.Nothing too hard, about three miles a day, but it’s enough so that when I go to bed at night, I’m sleeping better, too.How is Rosie?I heard that she was going to quit her job soon.”
“She’ll be working part-time if she wants to find a job.I’m leaving that up to her.”He didn’t mention that she’d been going to the doctor about sleeping all the time.They would when they had an answer; they didn’t have any right now.“She and I had a wonderful vacation in the Smokies.I’d recommend that to anyone who needs to get away.The phone service is terrible.”
They both laughed, and she left him to go home.He was excited about having a job that paid well and that he was going to be working on something that he knew a little about.His other interview had been for working in a pizza shop, and he was glad that the man had turned him down.
~*~
Rosie couldn’t believe that she was pregnant.She had asked the doctor about having her period, and he told her that sometimes that happened.After giving her a thorough checkup, he said that both she and the baby were fine, other than she needed to eat more regularly.Their meal times hadn’t been set in stone yet, and she was glad that she was being made to do something about it.He told her that she just needed to nap when she was tired; it was just her body getting used to creating a life.She couldn’t wait to tell Wylie about it and was glad that he was home when she got there.
“I have a job.”She was so happy for him that she nearly forgot her own news.“I start when she has a farm that she’s looking at.But I can go in and meet the person who works for me.Also, I need to set up my office the way that I want it.She said she’d make sure that I have a computer there when I do come in.”
“That’s wonderful news.I have some of my own.We’re going to have a baby.”He seemed to not understand at first as he went on about his job.Then he looked at her and asked her what she’d said.“I said you’re going to be a daddy in about eight months.”
She went on to explain to him about her period as well as why she was so exhausted all the time.After telling him about their meal times and needing them to be better scheduled, he picked her up and swung her around.She was so happy that she burst into tears.
“I’d been worried you’d not think it was a good idea right now.”He said that he was thrilled beyond words.“I can tell.I’m so happy.My parents are going to be happy as well.I’m not telling them right away, but I’m going to soon.It’s time we got the nursery set up for us and find us a nanny.With both of us working part-time, it’ll be nice to have someone for the middle of the night, don’t you think?My parents had someone when they had me.”
“I think that whatever you want, I’m going to be fine with it.I can’t believe that we’re going to be having a baby, too.And you’re right, I don’t want to tell anyone right away.It’ll be our secret.”He put his hand on her still flat belly.“I noticed when I saw Meggie today that she’s starting to show a little.I didn’t say anything to her.I didn’t want her to cry, but she’s looking like she’s glowing, too.She said that she was feeling better.”
“The doctor said that I should be feeling better in a few weeks.It’s just my body adjusting to having a child.I was so worried it might be something bad.”He admitted to her that he’d been worried too.“I’m betting that you looked it up when you were on the internet.I try my best not to do that, but I looked too.There are all kinds of things that could be causing this, and I’m glad it’s just a baby.Our baby.Just knowing that it’s a baby will make me sleep better, too.And I’m supposed to take a nap when I want one.I’m glad for that too.I hated that I was missing time with you because I was so tired all the time.”
“He said in a few weeks you’d feel better.I’m glad for that.”He kissed her gently and told her how much he loved her.“You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I couldn’t be happier about anything going on right now.”
“Me either.”They talked about the baby for a while and decided they needed to go out and celebrate.It was still early enough that their cook hadn’t started anything tonight, and they were going to go to Columbus again for seafood.It was fast becoming their favorite place to eat, and he loved that they both would have such a good time, too.He couldn’t wait to tell everyone as he’d been so worried, but he’d keep it to himself for as long as Rosie wanted.He couldn’t believe that he was going to be a daddy soon and squeezed Rosie’s hand when he got up off the floor.“I’m not a delicate flower, you know.I’ve been a cop for well over five years.But this makes me want to quit even more.I know this is a small town, but I’m worried about having to carry a gun all the time.I carry it for a reason, and I hate to think that something might come up that I’d have to pull it.I’m going to be more careful about wearing my vest, too.”
“I’m glad to hear that.I don’t want you to take any chances either.You have to be there for us, or I don’t know what I’d do without you around.I’m glad that you’re quitting now.I’ll feel so much better when your notice is up.”She said she might have to work until they found someone to replace her.“So long as they’re looking and not treating you the way that they were Bodi about finding a replacement.I will worry about you until you get home every night more than ever before.You’re my everything.”
“I love you too.”They were going to have a baby; his mind kept rolling that around in his head.He was going to be the best father that he knew how to be and was looking forward to getting advice from David.He didn’t have any kids, but he’d been a great dad to them, and he was sure he’d have some good advice.
Wylie got dressed up to go into town.He’d even been able to convince Rosie not to wear heels.They hurt her feet, and there was no point in being uncomfortable at this point in her life.Plus, her feet were a little swollen from walking around all day in dress shoes.He even brought her slippers with them so that she could put them on after they ate.He was going to go overboard in pampering his little momma until she had enough.Wylie didn’t think that would take all that long for her to be thumping him on the back of the head because she’d had enough.
Dinner was spectacular.He’d gotten the crab legs again, and Rosie had gotten herself some crabcakes.He loved them too and was glad that she was willing to share with him.He did the same with his legs.After dinner, they both got dessert of ice cream and pie, and were headed home when she took another nap.He thought that she was adorable in her nice dress and fuzzy slippers.
Getting her home, she said she was ready for bed.He expected no less than that from her.As soon as she was in bed, she fell asleep with a smile on her face.Getting in bed with her, suddenly tired himself, he held her tightly to his body and marveled that she was carrying his child, and he could hardly contain himself.
