Revelation of Hearts (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #3) (54 page)

Hugh loved sparring with Stacey, but today he sensed her mind was elsewhere. “Well, my girl, you’ve lucked out today, but my wife is a jealous woman.”

Stacey laughed and said, “Oh, my good man, you are such a liar and I love you. Tell Annie I’ll see her soon and kiss Matthew for me.” Hugh watched her walk away; he knew something was bothering her.

On the drive home, Stacey’s mind was racing in a dozen different directions. She was stunned when Doctor Shaw told her she was pregnant. Life was so good right now. They were a happy family with the twins and Nicky. Why wasn’t she happy they were going to have a new baby? How will we manage, we have three toddlers now.

What will Shane say? He said he loves our life the way it is. This is all my fault for not paying more attention.

When she arrived home, Aunt Lora asked, “Are you alright Stacey? You seem a little distracted.”

“No, I’m fine,” Stacey said. “When are you and Richard leaving for Tuscany?”

“Day after tomorrow, unless you need us. We can always postpone and go later.”

“No, Aunt Lora, go and have a good time. We are fine. You worry too much,” Stacey said, as she hugged her bye. The kids came running in and kissed her bye too.

When Shane came home, Stacey noticed him glancing at her every so often. After supper and the kids were in bed asleep, Shane asked, “How was your day, sweetheart? Hugh mentioned he saw you at hospital.”

“Yes, I was having a cup of coffee when he joined me.”

“Did you see Doctor Shaw?” Shane asked. Stacey nodded her head. “Are you okay, sweetheart? If there was something wrong you would tell me, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes, of course,” Stacey said. “There is nothing for you to worry about. Doctor Shaw told me I was young and healthy.”

Shane knew something was bothering Stacey, but he also new he would never get it out of her until she was ready to talk about it. She had tossed and turned when she had first come to bed but was sleeping peacefully now. Shane lay thinking what a wonderful wife and mother she was. He felt secure in her love for him and their children. He smiled as he remembered her youthful enthusiasm when playing with the children and her tender love when she rocked and sang to them. As the children grew older, they still enjoyed their rocking sessions with the lullabies and the delightful silly songs they enjoyed so much. Shane could not imagine life without Stacey and the children. He laughed lightly, as he remembered how easily he had been enticed into the nightly routine of reading bedtime stories. It was now an established fact that he and Stacey take turns reading the nightly bedtime stories. Nicky now had his own room, so many nights the stories were read twice.

Shane couldn’t hold back a chuckle as he thought about Nicky tonight as he took his bath and proudly told his dad that they were boys and Jessie, Jackie and his mommy were girls.

Shane thought he heard a noise, so he slipped out of bed and walked across the hall to the twins room and then to Nicky’s room. All was quiet and the children were sound asleep. When Shane returned to bed, Stacey woke and asked, “What’s wrong, Shane?”

“Not a thing sweetheart, I was merely checking on the children.” Stacey lay awake in Shane’s arms. He could sense her inner turmoil, but he waited for her to tell him what was on her mind. She finally took a deep breath and asked, “Shane, how would you feel about us having another baby?”

This caught Shane off guard. He was quiet and thoughtful for a minute and then said, “Is this what has been worrying you? What did Doctor Shaw say to you that has you thinking of having another baby?”

Stacey sat up in bed and said, “Don’t answer my question with a question. Tell me how you would feel about us having another baby.”

“Stacey, sweetheart, I think that would depend more on you than me. We have three wee ones now, don’t you think it would be better to wait until they are older.”

“Yes, I’m sure it would be better to wait, but I’ve done something really stupid Shane.”

“I doubt that, sweetheart, but tell me, what you think you have done.”

“I missed my December appointment for my Depo-Provera injection and now I’m six weeks pregnant. This is all my fault for not paying more attention.”

“This is not your fault sweetheart. As I recall, there was a fair amount of chaos in our lives at that time. Some things are just meant to be. Remember what Miss Leona said about seeing many children around you. You wouldn’t want to break a prophecy, now would you?”

Stacey snuggled in Shane’s arms and said with a smile, “You are the most wonderful man and I love you. I should have known you would make this okay without condemnation.”

“I’ve told you before sweetheart, I love you and we are in this marriage and parenthood together.”

Safe in Shane’s arms, Stacey slept the night away. She felt alleviated of her overwhelming guilt.  

On May second, at four-twenty-six a.m., Stephanie Ann Grant was born.  Stacey was there waiting when Hugh exited the delivery room. He was so relieved it was over and the baby was safe and sound. Hugh hugged Stacey and said, “So good to see you Stacey, they’ll be taking Annie to her room in a second or two. God, she’s beautiful Stacey. Diane will be taking her to the nursery in a few minutes.”

Stacey smiled and asked, “How’s Annie? Has she seen the baby?”

“Yes, to both questions. Annie’s grand and such a brave lass. Her labor was long and difficult, but she’s resting now. Thanks for being here Stacey.”

“No thanks necessary, Hugh, where else would I be other than with my friend.”

Annie was sound asleep, so Stacey and Hugh walked to the nursery to view this doll like baby. As Stacey admired this tiny baby girl, she put her hands on her own stomach and was happy that soon she would hold her own baby in her arms in a few months.

Stacey waited until she was three months along before she shared her news with family and friends. In June, Shane accompanied Stacey to her appointment for her ultra sound. As Doctor Shaw was moving the transducer over Stacey’s abdomen, she remarked, “I don’t believe this, can’t you two do anything by the halves?”

“Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?” Shane asked.

“What?” Stacey asked. “I can’t make heads or tails of these photos.”

Doctor Shaw smiled and said, “My professional opinion is you two are going to be the parents of another set of twins. Paternal twins this time, how do you like that.”

Stacey was flabbergasted. Once again, she had wrapped her mind around one and now there were two. Unexpectedly, she remembered Miss Leona’s prophesy of seeing her surrounded by many children. Stacey was rather quiet on the way home. Shane felt she was processing this unexpected news. He had to admit it was a bit of a shock. He silently observed Stacey as they rode along. She was looking out the car window deep in thought. He wondered what she was really thinking. Was two more going to be too much for her to handle. They could hire help of course, but what about her schooling. It seemed it was always Stacey who had to forfeit her time and her education.

Stacey had been paying attention, and when Shane turned toward home she said, “Where are you going Shane, we need to pick up the kids.”

Shane reached over, took her hand and said, “Let Richard and Aunt Lora bring them home later. I want to spend some time with you.”

“You think I can’t handle this news, don’t you.”

“Well, sweetheart, it is a lot to absorb at one time.”

Stacey didn’t say more until they reached home, put the coffee pot on, changed into her jeans, put her hair in a ponytail and served their coffee. “Shane, I don’t know your feelings about our new additions, but I’m going to tell you mine. These two little angles inside me were conceived in love and in love, they will be welcomed into our family, the same as their brother and sisters were. Yes, it will be difficult, but by the time they are born I will have it all worked out in my mind. With your love and help, we’ll make it work.”

Shane took Stacey in his arms and said, “My love you will always have my love, my perpetual admiration and my help too. If the truth were known, I think I have loved you from the moment you woke up, threw your arms around me and kissed me. Even if you did think I was another man.”

Stacey laughed and said, “You are the man of my dreams in my real world. The other was a dream world in order for me to meet you.”

Chapter-75

Vacation

Time sped by for the McLeod family. Shane was busy and deeply involved in his work and Stacey with the children and her education.  Annie and Stacey’s lives were tightly entwined. Annie, Stacey and their children spent as much time together as time would allow. The first week in June, Shane had a few days off so they drove to Scotland to visit with the grandparents.

Grandmother McLeod was now in her eighties and hampered by arthritis. She, along with Shane’s mother and dad had flown down to London to see the new place a couple of months back. Now, the trip north for Shane and family was very pleasant. They had stopped by Aunt Leddy and Uncle John’s for a short visit on their way to Scotland. Andrea, Philip and Ryan came over and Ryan played with the children in the lake.

In Edinburgh, after brunch, they were all sitting in the garden watching the children play. Grandmother McLeod was sitting beside Stacey holding her hand when she asked, “Have you two selected names for the children yet?”

Shane glanced at Stacey and said, “Yes, Grandmother, we have. We thought Adam Andrew Patrick for the lad and Cassandra Alexandria for the wee lass. What do you think?”

Grandmother McLeod squeezed Stacey’s hand and said, “I think they are wonderful names. Thank you my darlings. It’s comforting to know that my great-grandchildren will carry the names of those loved ones who have gone on and will not be forgotten.”

The day before they left, everyone was at the supper table when Jackie dropped her napkin and Shane reached to retrieve it. As he came up, he hit his head on the corner of the table. He uttered a mild expletive.

Jackie said, “Mommy, Daddy got a boo-boo, kiss it, make it better.” Everyone at the table laughed. Then Shane’s mother said, “From the looks of your mommy she has been kissing too many of daddy’s boo-boo’s now.”

The quiet was deafening. Stacey was tying Nicky’s bib when Elizabeth made the remark. She sat down laughing so hard that tears came to her eyes. Seeing their mommy laughing started the children laughing too. Shane’s father leaned over, kissed his wife and said, “Now that’s my Elizabeth, that’s the girl I married.”

On their way home, Stacey and Shane were still chuckling over his mother’s remark when they stopped at a family restaurant for lunch. Shane took Nicky to the loo with him and Stacey took the girls. Shane and Nicky had to wait their turn, so when they were finished Stacey and the girls were seated at a table. Nicky spied them and went running to the table. Just before he reached them, he said rather loudly, “Mommy, Daddy pee-peed, he’s a good boy too.”

Stacey and Shane smiled at each other as he lifted Nicky into his booster seat. Stacey said, “Yes, sweetheart, Daddy’s a good boy too.”

Jessie in her booster seat leaned across the table and said, “Nicky, you not ppose ‘a say that.”

In Nicky’s defense, Jackie said, “Jessie, Nicky little, he don’t know manners yet.”

There were older couples as well as other young families in the restaurant. Many were smiling at the young handsome couple with the three beautiful children. It was obvious there was another on the way. When the waitress came to take there order, Nicky told her, “I vant sghetti.”

When Stacey started to translate for her, she said, “Yes, ma’am. I know what he wants. I have a little one just about his age.”

While waiting to be served, Nicky was looking around and talking loud about all the new and different things he was seeing. Stacey put her finger to her lips and said, “Shush, not so loud sweetheart. You will disturb our neighbors.”

Nicky looked all around, and then whispered to the older couple at the next table, “Is ou my nabor. I soy.”

The older man at the table smiled and said, “That’s perfectly alright young man. We men must sometime speak loudly to get our deserved attention.”

Nicky ducked his head and smiled. The waitress brought his spaghetti and served him first and winked at him when she had finished serving the table.

The elderly lady, at the next table asked Stacey when her baby was due. “Around the first of November,” Stacey replied.

“Do you know if it is a boy or girl yet?”

“Yes, we do,” Stacey said. “We’re having twins, one of each. A boy and a girl.”

A large gathering at another table near the older couple overheard the conversation and started applauding. Soon many of the customers were applauding and laughing too. This soon had the McLeod children laughing and clapping their little hands too. When they were leaving the restaurant, Nicky and the girls were telling everyone, goodbye.

A few days later, the McLeod’s were invited to Doctor and Molly Fein’s house for lunch and a leisurely afternoon. They were sitting out back watching the children play when Miles, Daphne and the children arrived.  Daphne was six months pregnant and Miles was in seventh heaven as well as were Dominic, Christine and Diana. The young people sat with the older group for a while, but before long, they joined the little kids on the merry-go-round. Christine and Diana kept playing with the younger children, but Dominic produced a football and before long, Miles and Shane were kicking it about with him.

Daphne came and sat beside Stacey. They were discussing America when Molly said, “Donald said you all will be going to Texas for a month. If Deborah and the children weren’t coming here, we could make another trip together. This time without detouring to Mexico.”

Daphne asked, “When are you planning on making your trip?”

“The fifteenth of this month,” Stacey said.

When Shane and Miles came back on the patio to sit in the shade and drink something cool, Daphne said, “Miles, Stacey, Shane and the children are going to Texas in a week or so. Why don’t we travel at the same time and they can ride with us.”

“Yes, absolutely,” Miles agreed.