The Fight Within (74 page)

“Uh, Mom, I can take the rolls in or something if you’d like…place them on the dining room table.”

“Don’t you be silly!” The woman waved her off as she opened up her refrigerator door and removed a pitcher of ice water, slices of lemon swimming atop it. “Just sit there and defrost! Boy, this winter has been bad!”

“It really has…record low temps. You’d think we’d be used to it by now. New York isn’t kind during this time of year.”

“I know. I guess as I get older it’s harder, ya know?” The older woman slid a Christmassy mitt over her hand and peeked into the oven. “My bones can’t seem to take it as well. But I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. This is my home.”

Treasure nodded. “Me too. I went to college in Atlanta, but couldn’t wait to get back here after graduation. Don’t get me wrong, the experience was great, and it was important, but sometimes there is no place like home.”

Mrs. Mahoney nodded and set a large roaster chicken on top of the oven. The smell was divine, filling the kitchen up with delectable aromas all swirling together and mingling in perfect harmony. She stared at the baked chicken hard and heavy, wishing she could bite into it then and there.

I’m starving…

She grinned and looked down at her hands, toiled with a few raggedy cuticles that had escaped her clippers earlier in the day. Caught up in her daydreams, she didn’t even notice Mrs. Mahoney had come to stand before her, offering a glass of the cool water. Taking it gingerly from her hands, she took a hearty sip, then set it down on the table beside her.

“Thank you so much.”

Mrs. Mahoney nodded and sat right beside her.

“We’re dyin’ here!” Mr. Mahoney called out. “What’s the hold up?”

“Hold jah horses!!!” the woman screeched, then returned to her kind demeanor in a second flat.

“Is something wrong, Treasure? You seem a little distracted.” The woman reached up ever so gently and swept her hand across her shoulder, then rubbed it, giving motherly comfort in a way she wasn’t familiar with, but always yearned for.

“Hmmm.” Treasure felt silly. The words wouldn’t come out right, and then she realized there was no need to draw it out, make a fuss over it or cry or laugh.
Just say it…

“Mom.” She took the woman’s hand in her own. “My old butt is going to have a baby.”

The woman gasped, tore her hand away, then burst in a fit of laughter that seemed to echo throughout the place.

“Oh my Gosh! Oh my Gosh!” Popping up from her chair, she leaped in the air over and over like a jack in the box, bumping into her chair along the way. She almost made the damn thing tumble over as she raced from the place and into the living room. Treasure lowered her head and laughed ever so softly, keeping her back turned as she listened to the scene play out.

“Kevin! Keeeevvvvviiinn!” the woman yelled.

“What is it?! You caught the kitchen on fire or something?!”

“No! Sean ’nd Treasure are gonna have uh baby!!! She’s pregnant, Kevin! Oh my Gosh!!!”

“Holy shit!” Colin yelled out, but this time, his father didn’t reprimand him.

“A baby?! We’re gonna have a grandbaby?! Hot damn! Wait a minute… How old is Treasure again?” The older man laughed, causing Treasure to smile and slump in her seat.

“What does it matter?!” Mrs. Mahoney retorted. “My mother had her last child at age forty-nine…forty-nine! Besides, women are into their careers now and havin’ babies later, doesn’t matter. She’ll take her vitamins is all, and take it easy. Treasure!” the woman hollered at the top of her lungs.

“Yes, Mom?” Treasure turned in her seat, still sitting alone but feeling completely surrounded.

“You’re takin’ your prenatal vitamins, right? That’s important, ya know!”

Treasure nodded even though she knew the lady couldn’t see her. “Well, we just found out not too long ago but my doctor prescribed some.”

“Good! Oh…I gotta check on the beans!” Suddenly, a pounding of feet hit the floor and the lady returned. She raced toward the stove and turned the eye off before stirring the big pot of navy beans with a large silver spoon. Treasure got to her feet and gave the woman a kiss on her cheek, smiling from ear to ear. Before she knew it, Sean was in the room, leaning against the entryway with his arms crossed and a silly smirk on his face.

“Ma, are you happy about it? I really couldn’t tell,” he joked.

“Hush, smarty pants!” The woman pulled out the rolls and buttered them fast, quick and in a hurry. Her hands moved expertly and in rapid succession, as if she were being timed. “Of course I’m happy, and surprised, too. This is the best gift ever!” She raced past the two, carrying the big basket of rolls with her.

“How far along is she?” Kevin asked hoarsely.

“I dunno!” Mrs. Mahoney called out. “How many months along are ya, Treasure?”

“Just six or seven weeks, Mom and Dad,” she answered over the noise of the television and the busy mouths making much ado about her situation. When they’d told Brian and Asia earlier in the day, neither seemed particularly surprised, much to both her and Sean’s amazement. Brian continued to play his video game, barely blinking. The boy only offered a lopsided smirk and snide reply of, “Doctors ain’t always right, Mama. They told you one thing, but now look. They aren’t God. Besides, it was probably only a matter of time. This house isn’t soundproof, you know.” Her son kept looking straight ahead, focused on his game as if what he’d shared was nothing more than a passing notion. His busy thumbs continued to move about as he caused some guy dressed in army fatigues to run through slime-covered tunnels and blast his gun at strange, creepy shadows on the television screen. Treasure’s embarrassment seized her from head to toe at such a declaration, while Sean only offered a guffaw, clearly undisturbed by the statement.

After the announcement, Asia rose from her comfy chair she’d been sitting in, reading one of her latest books. She raced into her mother’s arms and lavished her with kisses and a big hug, then rose on her tippy toes and gave Sean a kiss on the cheek. Running a palm over her mother’s stomach, she said with an earnest smile, “I’m so happy! I’m going to be a big sister.” Treasure had been certain her baby girl, if no one else, would have inquiries, concerns, and be downright confused. But she received
none
of that. It was the damndest thing, and it tickled her so. The icing on the cake however was Sean’s reaction when she told him the news…

They were sitting up in bed, watching the news, and she’d finished taking her home pregnancy test. Still in a state of shock, certain the damn thing would be negative, she convinced herself that there must’ve been some mistake. She looked at the man, placed her hand across his arm and said, “Hey, I took a pregnancy test but I think it’s wrong.”

She was met with widened green eyes. Then the man casually grabbed the remote control and turned the television off.

“What do you mean, wrong? Wrong as in you think you’re pregnant but it said you’re not, or the other way around?”

“…The other way around.”

And then, he simply burst out laughing. He leaned back into his pillow, closed his eyes and ran his hands down in his face, still chuckling as if she were the world’s best comedian.

“Uh, I don’t find this funny.”

“It’s not, baby…but, I mean, you know those things are pretty accurate, right?” He looked at her with a serious face, though he still struggled to keep a smile at bay, evident from his twitching upper lip.

“Well, I don’t know…” She shrugged, feeling as if she’d dived in some surreal pool and drowned in a state of utmost confusion.

“I’m laughing honey, but not at you…well, yeah, it is a little at you.” He chuckled, his eyes growing narrow and working her nerves to the bone. “I just didn’t’ expect this but if you are pregnant, you have absolutely no idea how happy I am. Oh, my God…this is amazing!”

“What?!” Her brows dipped. “You’ve told me this entire time you were happy with just having Brian and Asia. I told you that I couldn’t have any more children early on during our relationship, and you said you were fine with that. I was concerned when we first got together that you’d feel like you’d miss out on something due to that, you know—you being at the age where you may want a family of your own.”

“…I have a family of my own, regardless.”

She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean! I’m saying—”

“I know what you’re saying.” He smiled and patted her hand. “Look, I’d be fine with that, too, but sometimes when a new idea is presented and it seems like a viable option because, well, the situation is right there in your face, at least the possibility, you can see it differently. And for the record, if you’re not expecting, I’m fine with it. If you are, I’m happy and grateful.”

“Grateful?”

“It means I’m forgiven.”

She looked at him a long while, and then it clicked…

Ahhhhh yes, the time when he had that situation as a teenager…

Nestling her head into the crook of his neck, she couldn’t help but grin. Had the world gone crazy? Who was this strange man that loved her no matter what? How did her body do such a thing?! She knew in her damn heart that pregnancy test was accurate, but her brain fought her tooth and nail. A few hours later, she took the second test in the pack, and yet another test from a different brand, and the results were all the same…

POSITIVE.

Now, here she stood in her in-laws’ home only days after Christmas, realizing that she’d be purchasing diapers, bottles and tiny clothing after so long! She’d be starting all over, and it terrified but thrilled her all at once. She’d have a little baby, a tiny innocent soul depending on her and her husband for everything. Best of all, she’d have a dedicated partner. A spouse who wanted this child, had been grinning non-stop ever since he’d been told. He
wanted
her. He
wanted
her children. He
wanted
the little one growing within her…

A child being actually desired—what a novel idea! A surprise child who was already surrounded by love, and it wasn’t even fully developed…

I hope I’m healthy enough to sustain the pregnancy… I hope nothing goes wrong.

She kept her worries to herself, tried not to dull her own enthusiasm with such toxic ideas.

She turned her back toward everyone as Sean left back out the kitchen, carrying the roast chicken to the table. Smiling wide, she placed her hand over her stomach, still flat, not yet showing signs of the entire world growing within it.

I love you already, baby… I’m going to be a good mother to you. You’ve got all these people that adore you, and you’ve yet to make your grand entrance.
I am going to do everything I can to keep you safe, make sure you get everything you need to grow healthy and strong. What a blessing…what a wonderful way to start the New Year!

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw her father in law standing there, the warmest smile in the entire world plastered on his face.

“We’re real happy for ya…for Sean, and I’m over the moon!” he yelled out as he pointed to the sky, causing Treasure to burst out laughing. The man kissed her cheek and disappeared, going back into the lovely ruckus waiting in the living room.

“Baby!” Sean called out. “It’s time to eat. Come on in here.”

As she made her way back inside, she spotted Colin on the phone. He made no secret about his discussion from his elevated voice—he’d called Lydia and told her the news…

“I’m gonna be an uncle!”

“You’re eating for two, now!” Mrs. Mahoney said in a shrill tone, as if it were breaking news. “I want you to eat everything I put on your plate, Treasure. Do ya understand me?” the sweet woman bossed.

“Yes ma’am.” Treasure chuckled as she joined her clan in the traditionally decorated family room. Sean pulled out her chair, and she sat beside him while Colin sat on her left and her children assembled across from them, digging their grubby hands into the roll bowl as if they’d never eaten a day in their life. She couldn’t wipe the grin off her face as she delicately placed the napkin across her lap, smoothing it out just so.

“Sean’s got good dental insurance,” Mr. Mahoney blurted around a mouthful of bread, then dipped it unceremoniously into a puddle of gravy he’d spooned on his plate. “He’s got good medical insurance, too.” The man nodded, as if that was the question of the day and he’d dutifully addressed it.

“Yes, it is good insurance,” Treasure stated matter-of-factly, lifting her fork and pushing it into a few string beans.

“Don’t humor him!” Sean complained as he abruptly tore off a chicken leg like some Neanderthal and placed it on his plate, then licked his thumb and forefinger lest a bit of the flavor escape him.

“So you’re just gonna take that chicken leg, huh? Didn’t even ask if anyone else wanted it, you selfish, greedy bastard!” Colin chastised, throwing his hands up in the air in a ‘what gives’ sort way. It was obvious from his big smile he was teasing, at least partially.

“It has two legs, ya know?! And besides, there’s two more whole damn chickens in the oven!” Sean pointed in the kitchen’s direction, getting all amped up as he gave his newfound poultry prize a dedicated bite. Treasure shot a look across the table at Asia, who was smiling politely but obviously rather amused at the brotherly antics. Brian ignored them all, scrolling through his phone with one hand and shoving large spoonfuls of mashed potatoes into his mouth with the other.

“You’ll probably eat those, too. Why did the chicken cross the road? To get away from Sean’s greedy ass!”

“Awww, stop your whining, orphan Annie! Always worried about where your next rations are coming from…more porridge, please! It’s a hard knocks life, right? Jesus Christ.” Sean grabbed his third roll and chased it around his plate, grabbing all the sauce and juices he could.

“Don’t use the Lord’s name in vain!” Mr. Mahoney barked. “I’m goin’ in the kitchen.”