Mollywood (11 page)

We turned the corner and Tamryn and Robbie were milling about by the entrance. Their two daughters were chasing each other around in the grass nearby.

“Hi, y’all!” I called to the girls, as Joe closed the distance and kissed Tamryn on the cheek. He offered his hand to Robbie, who shook it.

“Molly!” Joe’s five year old niece, Jamie, ran at me full force. Joe intercepted her, swinging her into the air with one arm.

“I get a hug first.” He growled, ruffling her hair. Jamie’s older sister, Tressa, approached me for a shy hug.

“You look pretty tonight.” I gushed, noticing the way she tugged at her dress self-consciously. She lit in a sunny smile.

“Thanks, Miss Molly. So do you.” She sounded like she was thirty years old instead of nine. Joe gave Tressa a loud smacking kiss on the cheek and she wiped at it with an eye roll. He was a completely different person when the girls were around. He lightened up palpably, and I breathed a little easier.

“It’s so good to see you. You look great.” Tamryn smiled at me and I gave her a halfhearted grin in response. She looked pulled together as always, as if she was ready for a martini night with the girls. Nothing was out of place on the petite brunette, from her beige Jimmy Cho’s to her model-tall husband and his perfectly groomed sideburns. Here I was in my floor length knit dress and loose, beachy waves. I hadn’t even bothered to cover my tattoos in my spaghetti straps. She was being kind, and I knew it.

“Oh, thanks. It was just too hot for me today…” I laughed, feeling the heat blossom in my cheeks. I should have known better than to underdress. I wanted to go hide in the restroom, but little Jamie grabbed my hand.

“Can I sit by you, Aunt Molly?” She’d never called me that before, and I bit the inside of my lip to contain the hormone rush headed for my tear ducts.

“Of course you can, Sugar.” I cooed, flashing her a wide smile.

Since it was a weekday, we didn’t have to wait for a table. Our server ushered us past the open pit and into the main dining room. I took my seat and Jamie plopped down beside me.

“Good. I’m on the ‘tattoo side’.” She said narrowing her eyes to study my full sleeve. I glanced bashfully at Tamryn, who shrugged. Joe scooted in next to me, and he ran his hand delicately down my back.

We ordered and I answered several questions from Jamie regarding my ink, when I heard Tamryn say to Joe, “I love this place. Thanks for inviting us. What’s the occasion?”

Joe didn’t hesitate. “Molly’s pregnant. She’s due in April.”

Robbie gaped at him and then at me. Tamryn slapped her hands over her mouth and squealed. She jumped to her feet and frolicked around to our side of the table where she threw her arms around me.

“Oh my God! I’m so excited!” She cried, releasing me and wrapping her arms around Joe’s neck from behind. Without turning to face her, Joe patted her arm in a patronizing manner that seemed to imply he was expecting this sort of reaction. People at neighboring tables were eyeing us with bemused smiles. “You sneaky little shit! I knew something was up when you texted me!”

“Mom. Language!” Tressa corrected her, and Tamryn shot her a look of reproach.

“You don’t look like you’re having a baby to me.” Jamie sniffed as she stared at my stomach.

“It’ll be a little while till you can tell.” I replied, though I suspected that was a complete load of bullshit.

Tamryn started back around the table and Joe added. “Tamryn.”

“What?” She smiled, and I braced myself when I saw the roguish grin on Joe’s face.

“It’s twins.”

Round two of her wild, squealing jig began just as the servers appeared at our table. She rushed around and plopped down across from me. She reached over and took my hand.

“Two babies!” She released my hand so that the servers could sit down the heaping platters of mouthwatering meat. “I can’t wait to tell mom. Oh! Unless you want to, Joe.”

Joe shrugged and scooped a forkful of potato salad. “Go for it.”

His reaction didn’t surprise me. Joe had a rocky past with his parents, and though they were now on speaking terms, it still didn’t happen very often.

Tamryn was still beaming as she buttered a roll. “Oh, Molly! I can’t wait to throw you a shower! I’ll take care of everything. You’ll have you hands full with the move.”

“Huh?” I asked, reaching greedily for some ribs. Now that I’d laid eyes on the spiced pork and burnt ends, I was ravenous.

“Well, you’ll need a bigger place. And obviously one at ground level.”

Joe cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Tamryn.”

“Joe…you can’t seriously think it’s gonna be easy for Molly to go up and down those stairs in a few months. And how’s she supposed to carry two newborns up and down the stairs all the time.” She was using what Joe called her ‘arbitrator voice’. Tamryn was no longer practicing trial law, but arguing with her about even the most trivial topic could be brutal. “
One
of those infant carriers was heavy enough to kill my poor back. Is she going to leave one in the car and come back for it later? Seriously…”

I forced myself to swallow the large bite of meat without tasting it at all. I got a mental picture of her hypothetical scenario and felt my pulse accelerate. I looked over at Joe and his uncomfortable glance in my direction made it obvious he’d already considered this.

“So does this mean you’ll be making an honest woman of her?” Robbie chimed in. His friendly smile seemed to imply he was trying to shift the conversation back to a happy topic. The look Joe shot him wiped that smile right off the poor man’s face.

“We just found out on Friday, y’all. Joe and I have a lot of things to figure out.” I put a comforting hand on Joe’s shoulder, and he held my eyes. I refused to look away, and his expression softened.

“Well, we’re here to help. You just say the word.” Robbie offered, and I wanted to hug him for keeping things simple. I mouthed the word ‘thanks’ and Robbie winked. Tamryn and Joe were in the midst of some private silent exchange, so I turned to the little girl on my left.

“Two babies. One for you and one for me.” Jamie said to her older sister. Her serious expression was hysterical. She turned and looked past me at Joe. “Do I get to name one?”

“Nope.” He responded without a moment’s pause.

“Why not?” She looked genuinely annoyed.

Tamryn burst into a surprised chortle. “They’re not kittens, Jamie.”

After the fairly painless dinner ended, we said our goodbyes, promising to come out to their ranch for brunch soon. Joe fell silent on the way back to the car. I had an ominous feeling of foreboding, but pushed it aside as emotional shrapnel from all we’d been through in the past few days. I decided I’d steel myself and break the ice. As we pulled out onto the highway, I sucked in a breath.

“I’m sorry if you’re still upset with me, but we need to talk about—” My phone rang and it was Elaine’s ringtone. Joe huffed. Impulsively, I hit the green button.

“Elaine?” My curt greeting was met with a long pause. I could feel Joe staring but didn’t look in his direction.

“Molly. Hi.” She sounded breathy and her voice was pitched high which I knew meant she was nervous.

“I got your messages. I’ve been swamped. What is it you want me to do, exactly?”

“Umm…Molly. I’m really sorry.”

“Really?” My sarcasm was blatant, and Joe whipped his head in my direction. “For which part? Fucking my husband behind my back or stealing my restaurant for a song?”

“All of it. I thought we were in love. I believed everything he said about you. I’m such an idiot.” She choked on a sob and I rubbed my temple.

I understood all too well how easily Drae could cast a spell on a girl. Even an intelligent girl, and Elaine was a whole lot smarter than me. She was kind of a plain Jane. The unassuming, mousy type who’d be warming the bench at the prom. I imagine she thought she’d won the lottery when Draven turned his attention on her. At least, I always
thought
those things about her and had never considered her any sort of threat. It took balls; I’d never have guessed she’d had for her to start an affair with my husband, and the cutthroat way she’d bought me out of my business was downright Machiavellian.

Elaine let out a deep breath and pressed on. “I hate to bother you with this, but my lawyer has concerns that Draven will get visitation rights. He thinks a statement from you might help my case. I don’t think he’d hurt Marco, but…”

Marco
.

Drae had told me that they’d had a boy, but hearing that they’d named him after Draven’s father somehow jarred me. I was more disturbed a moment later when I heard little Marco jabber in the background. It was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard, and when Elaine murmured softly back to him, any lingering doubts I had about helping her dissipated.

“Look, I’ll make a statement if you need me to, but this isn’t the best time.”

“You will?” She sounded on the verge of tears again.

“Yes. But my schedule is pretty booked. When do you need it?”

“If you could have it for me by the end of next October that would be great. Believe it or not, that asshole is up for early parole.” The ice in her voice was unmistakable, and my palm came up to my forehead. I wasn’t surprised to hear this news, but I was disappointed.

“I believe it. Consider it done.” I cleared my throat anxiously as I heard the familiar beep of another call coming in. “I have another call, but I’ll text you when it’s done.”

“Thanks, Molly. I—” I disconnected the call and answered the other line. Hanging up on her like that was a bit cavalier, but I figured I was entitled to be a little bitchy with her.

“Hello, Ma.” Still distracted by the thought of Draven walking around a free man, I closed my eyes and willed myself not to throw up.

“Molly. Where are you?”

“Driving back from Driftwood…why?”

“When are you going to be home?” She sounded giddy.

“Why?” I asked again, turning to Joe. He cocked a curious eyebrow at me and I mouthed the word ‘mom’.

“We’re sitting outside your apartment…we have something for you.”

“Tell Joe to get that fine behind of his home.” I heard Granny chime in, and I laid my forearm over my eyes and fell back against the head rest.

“Ma, you know Granny can’t climb the stairs.” I chided.

“Just hurry up. There’s an NCIS Marathon on tonight. You know how I feel about missing Mark Harmon.” She hung up and I blinked blankly at the screen of my phone. I turned to Joe an explained the conversation.

“Well, it sounds like your brother let it slip somewhere.” He replied.

“Yep. Good news travels fast.” My sarcasm was blatant. Joe’s eyes slid sideways at me.

“We may as well get this all over with in one night.” He picked up his phone and hit one button. “Hey, Mason. Look, I wanted to tell you this in person…”

He trailed off and I could hear my brother murmuring through the phone.

“Yeah. Mac’s a shitty little Chatty Cathy, isn’t he? Remind me to count his strokes at the golf tournament next weekend.” Joe replied, and it confirmed that Mac had already opened his big mouth.

“Thanks, man. Yeah…yeah we’re kinda freaking out. But we’re excited.” Joe sounded sincere as he smoothly lied to my brother. I was impressed, considering he’d made it through so many years of his life without developing the skill. I figured it was his survival instinct kicking in, since Mason had nearly broken Joe’s jaw when he found out we were dating.

“Yeah, I know. Yep, I’m working on it.” He continued, sounding serious. “I don’t have to tell you what a pain in the ass she is.”

I glared over at him suspiciously, but he completely ignored me and kept on chatting. I picked up my phone and pulled up Facebook. Ignoring the rest of their conversation, I quickly typed the status “Joe and I are expecting twins in April, y’all!” I figured my friends would be pissed at this type of reveal, but they’d be more pissed if I waited another 4 weeks to tell them. It was better to roll the dice and make it public.

“Yeah. We’ll be there. Ok, hold on.” He handed me the phone. “Robin.”

I took the phone and endured the happy hysteria of my favorite sister-in-law with all the patience I could muster. Once she’d spun down a bit, she shifted in nurse-mode. “I need info. Identical or fraternal?”

“Fraternal.”

“Figures. Fertile Hildebrandts. How far along are you? Mac sucks with details.”

“Eight weeks.”

“Have you had morning sickness?”

“I’ve had every time of the
damn
day sickness.” I replied, and then decided to make the most of the conversation by asking her a few questions about the drinking and medications I’d taken before I knew about the babies. She told me the same things Joe had, and promised to look up each of the questionable substances and text info on them to me. After agreeing to go to my nephew’s soccer game the following weekend, I hung up. I handed Joe his phone.

“Mason asked us to do dinner with them after the soccer game. He thinks we should get married, too.” He said levelly, as he slipped his phone in his front shirt pocket.

“It’s a good thing I wasn’t born in the middle east.” I snorted, spotting Mom’s car as we passed by the front of our building. “They’d have given you three chickens and a goat to take me off their hands months ago.”