Her brother and father were in jail now, and that took a lot of burden off her mind.She’d been waiting on one of them to make a move towards her and was somewhat disappointed that it had gone down so easily.All she’d done was pull her gun, and he sort of crumbled.Although she was glad that Aaron was there, so that he could record the entire thing.She knew that he wanted to shift and take care of Shawn himself, but this would be so much better.No one would come back on him, wondering where the body was.
Then to have her dad in jail, too, was wonderful.He didn’t put up much of a fuss either, but he was under lock and key, too, so it was one less thing that they had to worry about.And since Benjamin had been sent to prison too to await trial, she had all her family away from her in less than two days.Someone must have been watching over her since she’d gotten what she’d wanted so quickly.
All they’d wanted from her was money.She might well have given it to them if they’d been kinder to her.Even as it was, she’d been the only one who had made a success of her life and had money.Of course, being married to Aaron had helped a great deal.He had all the money, and he’d told her that it was all hers if she wanted it.She didn’t, but it was nice to be trusted so well with his billions of dollars.
“They’ve taken the knives to the lab to see what sort of blood they can find on them.”She asked Aaron when that was going to happen.“John said that he was going to put a rush on it so that they could get some answers.I told Shawn that there would be a lot of unsolved cases closed, and I wasn’t kidding.I think he’s been at it for a long time and is just now getting caught.Did you hear him say he wasn’t going back to prison?He had a plan that if things got to the point where he was going to be taken down, he was going to make sure that he was killed by cops so that he’d not have to go.I wonder what his plan is now.”
“Do you think he has one?”He said that he did, but he didn’t know why.Shawn seemed sort of stupid.“He didn’t do well in school.I doubt very much he could read if he was questioned about something that he had to read to understand.And he’s always had trouble putting together a sentence.Especially if he didn’t have time to practice it.”
“That explains a lot.Like him telling you to allow him to cut you.That was in his mind to make happen, and until he got that part done, he couldn’t move on in his plan.”Mac nodded and told him that she understood that, too.“I’m just glad that the two of them are behind bars.It’ll make me sleep better at night just knowing that I don’t have to worry about you so much with them out of the picture.”
“I’m thrilled.I was always afraid they’d get the jump on me and hurt me before I got the chance to defend myself.I couldn’t believe it when I came out of the school, and he was standing by my car.Did he really expect to get away with taking me, or even hurting me for that matter, right out in the view of every teacher in the lot?More than likely, yes.He seemed to have a one-tracked mind, like you said.He just knew that he needed to take me, and since he wanted me, then that was the best way to get me.He really is a moron.”
“It’s sad, really, that he’s gone through his entire adult life and still thinks that just because he wants something, then it should be given to him.Your dad is like that, too, to some extent.”She agreed with him.“Was he like that as a kid?I mean, I know you said that your dad was in and out of prison all your life, were the other two as well?”
“Yes.Dad did fifteen years to life for killing our mom.He got out in twenty.We stayed with Grandma until she couldn’t take the boys any longer.I was nearly eighteen by then, so I just left homeand didn’t return.They’d find me every once in a while and knock me around a bit, but I never gave them anything other than what I’d have on me at the time.”Aaron said that he wished he’d known her then.“You would have killed them then, where would we be?You’d be in prison, and I’d be pinning away for you.”They both laughed, and it felt good to do that after the stress of the day.
“What have you heard from Zeno?Are things going well for him?”He told her that he didn’t know that Zeno was playing things close to his vest all the time and wasn’t allowing them to get to know them just yet.“I heard that they’re having dinner on Saturday with us.I know it must be hard on the little girl.The six of you together are a lot to take on.I’d think that they’re doing the right thing about not jumping in with both feet around the family.It would give me nightmares for life if I were just four years old and had to suddenly deal with all of you.Frank said that he was going to bring her something to welcome her to the family.I wonder what he has planned for her.”
“He’s been out in his wood shop a lot when I go over there.I’m still working on his list of things that he’s been fussing with to make himself look busy.The bathroom light scared him the most.It was flickering off and on, and he thought for sure that he was going to set fire to the house.All it had been was a loose connection, and I fixed that right away.He’s forever got his tools out for something.I told him I was going to take them from him if he didn’t stop doing it.But I find that I can’t.”She asked what he was doing in the wood shop.“At one time, he made these really beautiful rocking chairs.We all have one around here someplace.We’d have our first Christmas photo taken in them, and then mom would put them up until we were old enough to rock in them.We’ll have to find mine so that we can have our child’s picture taken in mine.”
“What a wonderful tradition to have.”She was excited for their child to come along so that she could be a good mom to it.She didn’t care if they had a girl or a boy so long as it was healthy.They’d been talking about that since they first made love.How much they wanted children and soon.“I’m going to hire a photographer to take holiday pictures when we have kids.That way, we’ll have memories forever.Christmas is still a ways away, but now I’m excited to have it coming around.”
They talked about other holidays that were coming up, and they were both happy to be living in the family home.When they’d been looking for a house to buy, Mac had suggested that his parents stay with them when they decided they didn’t want to be in charge of the home anymore.All the boys’ memories were attached to this house, and she was happy to be able to carry those on with them.Frank and LouCinda were the nicest in-laws she thought that anyone could have.She couldn’t wait to make them grandparents again now that Harri was going to be around.
After dinner, they went to the living room and watched some television.There was an interview with Aaron on the news report that talked about getting two criminals off to jail.They didn’t mention any names yet as they were waiting on the Feds to take over.For as much crime as they’d committed, and in different states, the Feds wanted to make sure that they stayed behind bars for good.She wanted that too.
Mac thought about her job at the school and decided that she might like to go full-time.Her days were boring to her since Aaron worked all day, and she was enjoying the job a great deal more than she thought that she would.It was the kids mostly, and they were so eager to learn that she found herself eager to teach them.They were going to be the future world leaders someday, and she was going to give them the best education she could while they were in her care.
As they were locking up the house, she thought of Anna.She wanted to be friends with the other woman and wondered how she could do that.Just introducing herself felt like the best move, but if she was honest with herself, she was slightly backward when it came to making friends.She’d have to work harder on that so that the two of them could go shopping together.She did wonder if women did that anymore and decided that she was going to do some research on finding friends.It couldn’t hurt, but she knew that she was going to have to make the first move.
“I just heard from Mom.She said that they were going to have steaks on the grill on Saturday night, so that it will be easy to fix.She wants to know if you’re all right with that.”Mac said that she loved a good steak on the grill.“I think she’s hoping that someday you take over the Saturday nightdinners so that she can play with the babies she’s expecting to have around.She didn’t say that, but she hinted at it very hard.”She said she’d love to do that, but would like her to do it a bit longer.
“I understand.Mom’s been doing it so long that I think she’s ready to turn it over to you.You would be good at it.You’re so organized.And there’s nothing much to do for you.The cook will be able to put together anything you want, so long as they have enough notice on what to have on hand.”She pointed out that she’d only been to a handful of them and didn’t have a feel for what sort of food they have.“I can help you with that.She’ll usually ask one of us what we want, and that’s what we have.Like, next week we’re having pasta because that’s Reagan’s favorite thing to have.It doesn’t matter to him if it’s red or white sauce on it; he just loves everything that has to do with pasta.”
“That’s a good idea.I thought that she just came up with things off the top of her head.I wouldn’t have thought that she catered to her sons still.”She laughed.“What would you like for dinner one night?Let me guess.You’d like pork chops with stuffing.”
“Nah, I would love to have roasted chickens.I can about eat a whole one all by myself.It’s difficult to make for all of us, so I usually get that when I’m there alone with them.You did notice that we had it twice in the last month when my parents were in charge of the kitchen.”She said that was why they had chocolate pie too.“Yes, while I don’t care for sweets all that much, I can eat just about anything with chocolate in it.I got that from my grandma.She could eat an entire ten-pound box of the things in a week.And not feel the least bit guilty about it.”
“She told me that half of loving chocolate was getting to share it with Frank.I guess they pace themselves by having two of the pieces a night until it’s all gone.Frank also buys her flowers when he’s in trouble.Sometimes, when he’s just feeling like she needs them, but she never knows what he’s buying them for so is happy that he’s gone out of his way to get them for her.I think that your family is about the sweetest people in the world.”
“I think that you are just as sweet.”He kissed her on the mouth and looked down at her.“How about we practice making a baby tonight, then get up early tomorrow and go to the farmers’ market?I’ve been meaning to take you there since it started.I guess that it’s pretty full up this time of year.”
She loved it when he’d surprise her with something to do on their Saturdays off.She knew that they’d spend the day together holding hands, too, and commenting on the way things were going for the two of them.And of course, he would make sure that she felt well-loved too.That was the most special part of them being together.It was just being friends, too.
Chapter 9
He’d been picking up Harri for a month now.And other than the one thing, he’d been doing well.There had been no more meltdowns, and he wasn’t even going to take the blame for that one.It had been totally on the school, and that’s the way he was going to tell people if asked.They shouldn’t mess with a four-year-old’s schedule like they had.
The school signups for soccer had been set up for Tuesday.That didn’t do anything to their schedule as Harri was deemed to be too young to play for the teams.All her grades had been thought to be too young, and it was offered to all the five-year-olds and up.That suited everyone just fine, as it wouldn’t be something that they’d have to make special arrangements for.
Then on Tuesday morning, not only did they open it to four-year-olds, but they made the announcement over the loudspeaker to just add to the chaos.Every kid now old enough was supposed to just suddenly have the money for the games, but also have their parents—of which he was not—to sign them up during lunch time at the school.He sort of had a little meltdown himself when Anna called him to tell him what was going on.
It took him several calls and all of his lunch break to go to the school and convince them to allow Harri to play with the other kids, even though he wasn’t her relative.He finally had to call his own dad to have him make a few calls to make sure they understood that even though he was only her stepfather, in name only, he was allowed to sign her up and pay the fees.He thought for sure they were going to have him arrested when he started talking to them about ruining a perfectly good day for the kids by announcing it over the loudspeaker that they could now play.Not to mention only giving them that single day to sign up.How were parents supposed to get to the school by lunch, pay the fees, and head back to their jobs in less time than he had for his lunch?But he was Harri and Annas hero for the day, and he couldn’t have felt better himself if he’d been on a white horse with a blade in his hand.
Now, here it was about a month later, and he was still riding high on his good deed.Then he found out that Harri was spending the night at his mom’s house.Talk about a meltdown, he thought.Anna was about as close to tears as he’d been when Harri had asked him if he was going to be her dad.Kids really could get you in the feels at the worst possible time.
When he picked up Harri after school, he’d been going to his mom’s house.Dad and Mom seemed to enjoy having her over, and it afforded him time to see them interacting together.His mom had such a good time when Harri was over that he wanted to go out and adopt twenty children just so she could spread her love out to all of them.And dad acted like he had invented grandkids; he was having so much fun.The four of them had been doing things around the house, and Mom had allowed Harri to pick out her own room in the house so that when she did come to stay with her, she could have some of her own things around.He thought in the future, not right away, like it was happening.
