Small town brides, p.7
Small-Town Brides, page 7
“But just getting married isn’t enough,” Rene protested. She moved so she could sit sideways and look at him directly. “Shouldn’t he—”
“Make her eyes sparkle and her head spin?” Clay finished for her, so caught up in watching her blue eyes flash and her cheeks grow pink that he forgot he should be careful with his words.
When he remembered how unpopular his opinions on love were with Rene, he swallowed. He was feeling a little warm. He wondered if the temperature was set right in this room.
“Well, yes,” Rene admitted. “A woman needs to have that special feeling in her heart telling her that she’s loved. That’s how she knows it’s true.”
Clay looked at her. If Trace could see Rene now, he would come running. What man wouldn’t? She was so filled with compassion for some young woman she’d just met that it made her eyes glow. She was beautiful. Absolutely, breath-stoppingly gorgeous.
And Clay wanted her all for himself. He swallowed. This wasn’t good. The room that had been too hot was suddenly too cold. He felt like he was wearing a tight necktie, but when he put his hand up all he felt were his chin whiskers. He needed to shave. Then he needed to get his head examined. He had nothing to offer a woman like her.
“Maybe he doesn’t know how to go about it,” Clay finally said. His tongue was thick and his words were slow. “This love stuff.”
“He knew how to get her pregnant,” Rene snapped right back. “He should know about the rest.”
Okay, Clay told himself. He took a breath.
“Some men just aren’t much good at talking about their emotions,” Clay managed to say. “Maybe they don’t know the words to tell a woman how they feel about her even when they do—you know—feel those things. A lot.”
Rene was silent for so long that he thought she must know he was talking about himself. He resisted the urge to pull his hat farther down on his face to hide his eyes. He didn’t want to make anyone feel awkward here.
Finally Rene shook her head and said, “No, I think Davy is just scared.”
“Well, he should be scared.” Clay told himself he was relieved Rene hadn’t read anything into his words. It was for the best. It had been a crazy impulsive hope on his part anyway. “The poor kid’s clueless about being a husband and a father. I don’t think he’s even old enough to vote.”
Clay wondered if the reason his emotions were flipping around like this was because he hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday. That must be it. Or maybe it was because he hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours and this room was too warm.
“It’s not that bad,” Rene said with a smile. “Mandy told me they both turned eighteen last winter.”
Clay looked around. There had to be a vending machine somewhere. The place didn’t look big enough to have a caféteria, but he’d settle for a candy bar. After he ate something, he’d rest his eyes. Until then, he focused on Rene. He was getting his footing back.
“Maybe Davy doesn’t want to make her feel like she’s loved until he can take care of her,” Clay told Rene. “There’s more to love than just the way someone feels. A man has a lot of responsibilities.”
“And you think a young mother doesn’t?”
Clay really needed to find a vending machine. He was getting a headache.
“I think a young mother is a pillar of civilization. Her job is more important than anyone’s,” he said. He thought he saw a large silver machine at the end of the hall to his right. “Could I get you a candy bar?”
“I don’t have any change.”
“It’s my treat,” he said.
“Oh, I couldn’t—”
Clay stood up. He didn’t have all day. “I’ll put it on your tab.”
Rene smiled. “Well, then, maybe something with nuts in it.”
Clay nodded. They’d both feel better if they had something to eat.
Rene listened to Clay’s footsteps as he walked down the hall. She liked just listening to his strong, confident steps on the linoleum. She’d never noticed the sound a man made with his boots before.
She shook her head. If she gave any weight to her feelings right now, she’d be making a mistake. Lately, when Clay tipped back his hat so he could look at her long and steady, she found her heart pounding a little faster and her hands trembling. Those, not to mention the footstep issue, were classic signs of true smitten love. He could twirl his finger and she’d be enthralled. That’s how it happened.
But Clay didn’t see her as anything more than a customer. Her problem with Trace had been that she had let her feelings guide her instead of waiting for other signs of love. She wasn’t going to make the same mistake with Clay. She was going to finish that list of what she needed in a husband and she was going to abide by it.
Still, when Clay walked back into the waiting room, her heart felt a little happier at the sight of him. He’d taken off his coat and he was wearing one of those cowboy shirts with all of the snaps. She’d never noticed how really fine those shirts looked on a man, especially when he had on well-worn jeans and leather cowboy boots. She didn’t suppose she could add “must wear boots” to her list.
“I got you a caramel nut thing,” Clay said as he sat back down next to her and held out the wrapped candy bar. “I looked for some coffee, too, but they didn’t have any.”
Rene nodded as she took the candy. “They probably figure worry keeps people awake in a place like this.”
Clay nodded as he took the wrapping off the plain chocolate bar he held. “I stopped and asked the receptionist. She said things were going okay with Mandy, but we wouldn’t hear anything for a while.”
“Well, I suppose that’s good news,” Rene said.
Clay nodded. “She said we should try to get some sleep.”
“I don’t think anyone could sleep on these things.” Rene took a bite of her candy bar as she shifted on the hard plastic bench beneath her.
“Well, I aim to find out,” Clay said.
Rene barely finished her candy bar before her eyes started to feel tired. She told herself it would do her good to close them for a few minutes. Maybe it’d even get her emotions back on an even level. Clay had pulled his hat down past his eyes and was leaning back on the bench. He’d been so quiet she thought he might actually be dozing. She would just put her head back and relax a little, too.
The sun woke Rene much later. At first, she thought she was home in her bed in Mule Hollow. But her pillow was firm and her neck was at an odd angle. Then her eyes flew open and she sat up straight.
“I’m sorry, I—” Rene stammered. She’d been leaning against Clay’s shoulder while she was sleeping.
“No problem. I thought it was kind of nice,” Clay said with his slow smile. His hat was sitting beside him on the bench and his dark hair was tousled. She could see where she’d wrinkled his shirt a little by laying against it.
“Yes, well, I—” Rene stopped herself. What could she say? “These benches really are not made for sleeping.”
“I don’t know.” Clay’s eyes were filled with warmth. “I slept fine.”
If she didn’t know better, Rene would have said Clay was flirting with her. Well, maybe not flirting, but beaming at her with affection in his eyes. She’d blame it on poor lighting, but sunshine was streaming in through the window.
“They haven’t told us any more about Mandy, have they?” Rene said. She needed to remember why they were here. Maybe Clay had just heard some good news and that’s why he was so happy.
Clay shook his head.
“Well, at least there’s no bad news. They’d tell us if something was wrong,” Rene said as she stood up. “I think I’ll go ask the nurse how things are going.”
“They won’t tell you much,” Clay said. “Patient confidentiality.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll ask anyway.”
Clay watched Rene run away. She was embarrassed, and she didn’t even know the half of it. She had snuggled against his arm when she was asleep like she was born to it. He’d never had a sweeter moment’s rest than with her lying against his shoulder.
Sometime while she slept, he had realized he was at a crossroads. He wasn’t sure he could keep to the same path he’d always walked. Uncle Prudy had warned him that he might want to have a fuller life someday. He hadn’t believed him, but here it was. He was like the proverbial kid with his nose pressed against a store window and nothing in his pocket to buy what he desired with all of his heart.
The truth was, Clay realized, that he had no idea how to make this new life he wanted. He was used to motel rooms and solitary meals. What did he know about being part of a family? But having Rene pressed so close to him for these past few hours made him want to try.
Just then he saw a flash of movement out the window. The sun had continued to shine all morning. Puddles were forming and snow was dripping off the cars in the parking lot.
Clay stood up to look closer and saw the minister out there helping his wife walk to the hospital entrance. They both wore long coats and Rene’s aunt was using her crutches. Clay was worried she might slip until he noticed that her husband was walking just enough ahead of her so he could catch her if she did.
Those were two people who knew what it meant to love each other, Clay thought. He had known that from seeing them earlier that night. No wonder Rene had fallen for Trace so easily. Her whole family seemed to accept love as the natural way to live.
His life had taught him the opposite. He could still remember his mother’s bitter complaints about her life and husband, even after the man was dead. Clay wondered what kind of a person his father had been, but all he knew is that the man treasured a gold tie tack shaped like a cross. That did not tell Clay much. He needed more. He had no more of an idea about how to be a husband and father than young Davy did.
But that minister outside the window knew all about it.
Clay stood watching Rene’s aunt and uncle until they reached the cement pad outside the hospital entrance. Then he walked out of the waiting room so he could greet them.
Rene looked up from the receptionist’s desk when the door opened to the hospital. Rene smiled when she saw her aunt step through the door, followed by her uncle.
“How did you get here?” Rene asked as she walked over to hug them. “I thought everything was still blocked.”
“The snowplow cleared the roads to Dry Creek,” her aunt said as she reached out her arm to Rene. “And we wanted to know how Mandy is doing.”
Rene turned back to look at the receptionist. “She said things are going well. And Davy is going to come out and see us in a minute.”
“There’s room in here to sit, Mrs. Curtis,” Clay said as he walked out of the waiting room and looked at Rene’s aunt. “We need to be sure the snow is all off the bottom of your cane, too. You can lean on me if you need.”
“Why, that would be lovely. But call me Glory. Aunt Glory, if you want.”
Clay nodded.
Rene wanted to crawl under one of those cold hard benches in the other room. She needed to talk to her aunt. In private. Rene knew her family was filled with hopeless romantics, but it was embarrassing to have her aunt assume Clay even wanted to be that close to them. He had made his position on romantic love pretty clear on the drive up here.
“Maybe you could come with me to get a can of soda,” Rene said to her aunt. “The machine’s just down the hall.”
“I could—” her uncle started to offer.
Rene’s aunt shook her head and turned to her husband. “I’ll go. It’ll give you a chance to have a nice chat with Clay.”
With that, the two women started down the hallway.
Clay had a bad feeling. The couple had obviously discussed having a chat with him, and the minister had been assigned the task. Well, he supposed he couldn’t blame them. It wouldn’t have taken them long to figure out that he wasn’t good enough for their niece. They probably thought they were doing him a kindness to warn him off. Although that didn’t make any sense, with her aunt inviting him to call her by her first name. Of course, that could be guilt. Some people were like that.
Clay squared his shoulders. He knew how to take his falls.
“How’s your cold?” Clay asked as he turned to lead into the waiting room.
“Better. Thanks,” the minister said as he followed Clay.
Both men sat down on the hard benches.
The minister turned to Clay. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”
Clay nodded. “I have the highest respect for your niece.”
“Oh,” the minister said as he looked at Clay in slight surprise.
“Of course, nothing happened between us on the road up here,” Clay added. If he didn’t know better, he thought he might be blushing. He never blushed. Not that anyone could see it through all of the whiskers on his face if he did.
“Really,” the minister said with even more interest.
Clay didn’t know how much more of this he could take. “So, you see, there’s no need for us to have a talk.”
“Really,” the minister repeated, only this time he was grinning. “Rene’s aunt and I wanted to offer to pay her towing bill. I wanted to know how much it is.”
“I see,” Clay said. He’d done it this time. “That’s very nice of you.”
“Rene means a lot to us,” the minister said. His smile slowed down some, but not much. “She’s an easy woman to love.”
Clay looked at the floor. He could see where they had tracked mud and snow in. It needed a good washing. He could look at the floor all day, but he had never been a coward, so he lifted his eyes again.
“I’m not good enough for her,” he said to the minister. “I want to be, but I don’t know how.”
The smile on the minister’s face slowed down until it became a look of compassion. “I’ve noticed the cross you wear. Tell me about it.”
“It’s an old tie tack. Belonged to my father. I never knew him, but he left it to me when he died. My mother didn’t think much of it. Said it was a poor man who didn’t have anything else to give to his only son.”
The minister put a hand on Clay’s shoulder. “I’m not so sure I agree with her. It seems like a fine legacy.”
Just then the two women walked back into the room.
“We’ll talk later,” the minister said to Clay as he stood up to help his wife sit down.
“I saw Davy coming down the hall,” Rene said as she kept standing. “He’s got news and he’s coming this way.”
Chapter Eight
“It’s okay,” Davy said as he walked into the waiting room. “They’ve stopped the contractions. Mandy has to keep still for the next month, but the baby’s okay and she’s okay and it’s all just okay.”
Davy collapsed onto the bench closest to him. “I never want to go through this again.”
Rene didn’t have the heart to tell him that the actual birth of his child wasn’t going to be any easier. The poor boy looked exhausted.
“Can Mandy have visitors?” Rene asked.
“They’re getting her ready to go home,” Davy said.
There was silence in the room.
Finally Clay spoke. “Your car’s stuck in a snowdrift. I guess I could go dig it out for you.”
Davy sat straight up. “I forgot. We don’t have any place to go.” His eyes grew panicked. “Where will I take her? She’s supposed to be lying down for the next month.”
Rene’s aunt and uncle exchanged a glance. Rene knew what they were thinking.
“We’ve got an extra bedroom. You can bring her to our place until we find somewhere for you to stay until the baby’s born,” her uncle said as he leaned forward toward Davy. “Now’s not the time to worry. You need to stay calm for Mandy. We have twin boys that can be a little loud, but they’re visiting their grandmother in Havre right now.”
Davy slumped in relief. “I’ll make it up to you. Odd jobs. Anything.”
“We’ll talk about that later.” Rene’s uncle said.
Rene was proud of him. Mandy and Davy would be in good hands while they waited for their baby. Just then a nurse wheeled Mandy into the room.
“Well, hello,” Rene said as she stood up and walked to the young woman before bending down to give her a hug. Mandy’s face was pale, but she didn’t look like she was in any pain.
Davy was there, too, whispering in her ear, “We’re going to stay in Dry Creek for a while. With these kind people.”
Mandy gave a long relieved sigh and then sat up straighter and looked at her boyfriend. “But what about your job in Idaho?”
“I’ll call them,” Davy said. “The most important thing is the baby.”
“You won’t go ahead without me, will you?” Mandy’s eyes were anxious.
Rene drew in a gasp. Mandy shouldn’t even have to ask that question. Rene was going to say something, but she felt a comforting hand on her back. She stood up and Clay was there.
“I’m not going anywhere without you,” Davy declared emphatically. He stood tall when he said it, too, like he was making a pledge.
Rene was glad Clay had stopped her from spoiling this moment. Mandy’s eyes were flowing over with tears and her face was beaming.
The nurse standing behind Mandy cleared her voice. “Someone needs to bring their car up to the front so we can put Mandy inside.”
“Our car is probably the easiest for her to get into,” Rene’s uncle said. “I’ll go get it.”
Clay nodded. “There’s nothing easy about climbing into a truck.”
The nurse turned to wheel Mandy toward the door and everyone else followed.
Rene and Clay were walking past the receptionist’s desk when the woman called out to them.
“Don’t forget—” the receptionist said as she held up Clay’s belt.
Clay turned back. “I thought you needed it for your payment.”
The receptionist nodded to Mandy and Davy as they went out of the hospital. “She had the phone number for her parents in her purse and he called them to get her insurance information. So, it’s all squared away.”
