Tomorrow's Promises (Bellingwood Book 7) (29 page)

"Where in the world did he go?"

"Another buddy took him in. He lived in their basement until he was done with school and then he got a job and found his own place."

"No support from his parents?"

"As I recall, they paid for his car insurance for the rest of the year and his dad kept him on his health insurance for a while, but that was it."

"That's just so strange," Polly said. "I always knew I was welcome at home."

"Me too," Henry said. Everyone else laughed at him. "What?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"Puh-lease," Polly drew it out. "Your parents moved to Arizona so you could have the business and the house. Of course you knew you were welcome."

"Well, that's not a bad thing, is it?"

"No, it's wonderful, but not very many people get to experience that."

"The only reason my mother wanted me around was so she could control my life," Sal said. "I knew it was going to be safer to never let her have any control."

"And so you move to Iowa, just to make her crazy." Polly was teasing, but she knew there was some truth to it.

"No, I'm moving to Iowa because I couldn't stand living without my very best friend."

Polly and Mark looked across the table at each other. "Which one of us is it?" Polly asked. "You or me?"

"He's my hot lover." Sal leaned into him and ran her fingers up his chest. Then she sat up straight and wrinkled her nose. "Who comes home some nights smelling like horrible things." She waggled her well-manicured fingers and said. "These poor hands have done more laundry these last two weeks. I'm going to keep Nanette at the salon very busy."

"What are you looking at?" Polly asked, about to turn around. Both Mark and Sal had been watching the front door.

"Nothing," Sal said. "Oh, by the way. Maybe Jessie should go up to the salon and ask for an application. I saw on the door that they were hiring. I don't know what the job is, but it might be something."

"I'll tell her. Thanks. I wish I had something for her to do, but the only job I have available right now is running Sycamore Inn and I don't think she's ready for that. And besides, it isn't even really open yet."

"Just remember she's not a little girl," Sal said. "She's trying to live as an adult and you have to make sure you treat her that way."

Polly dropped her head. "I know you're right. It's hard not to see her as broken after all she's been through. I just wanted to give her this week to be anything she wanted to be with no pressure."

"I know you'll figure it out. I didn't mean to imply you would do something wrong."

"No, you're right."

There was some scuffling behind them and Polly turned around. Then she gasped and pushed her chair back.

"You're here!
With the baby! Where's Nate?"

Joss was carrying a car seat and Henry jumped up to let her sit in his chair.

"He's right behind me."

"Let me see the baby," Polly said.

Before Joss pulled the blanket back, Polly saw Nate walk in carrying another car seat.

"What?" Tears began to spurt from her eyes. "Is this why you wouldn't tell me anything? You got twins?" Polly grabbed her friend into her arms and started to sob as she hugged her. "You have two babies? How did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?"

Nate had joined them and everyone shifted around the table to make room. Polly had wondered why there were extra chairs, but didn't think more of it after the initial thought flitted through her brain.

"Did you know about this?" she asked Sal.

"Maybe," Sal replied.

"We got home this morning and called Sal so that we could surprise you tonight," Joss said.

"I couldn't figure out why you were taking so long to come home. It's been five days! And I really couldn't figure out why you wouldn't tell me anything about the baby. The babies! Show me!"

Joss unbuckled one baby while Nate took the other out of her seat. Then he proudly said, "We'd like you to meet Cooper Oliver and Sophia Harper Mikkels."

"I'm not going to squeal," Polly said. "But I want to. They're beautiful!"

She reached over to touch the milk-chocolate cheek of the little boy in his mother's arms. She stroked his dark, black hair and couldn't help herself. Before she knew what had happened, a small coo had come out of her mouth. "Dear heavens, they're beautiful!"

Little Sophia opened her eyes and Polly was struck by the deep set beauty of them and the sharp lines of her little face.

"Do you want to hold her?" Nate asked.

"No, not yet. I just want to look at her. When did you know that you were getting twins?"

"I knew when I called you on Monday," Joss said. "But I couldn't say anything. At least not until we knew for sure that they were ours. And then I couldn't tell you on the phone because I wanted to surprise you with them. Are you mad at me?"

"How could I possibly be mad?"

Polly had lost her index finger to Sophia Harper's tiny little hand. "Look what she's done!" Polly exclaimed. "Her fingers are so tiny and they're wrapped around mine."

"Sal? Would you like to hold Cooper?" Joss asked.

Sal backed her chair up, stopping before she ran into the wall. "No, that's okay. I'll admire from afar. Babies and I have never been real friendly."

Mark looked at her. "I come from a big family. I hope you're not telling me it ends here."

"No, I'm not saying anything like that. But until I absolutely have to, I'm not ready to hold babies."

"This really is the wrong crowd, isn't it," Joss said, laughing.

"No. This is just perfect," Polly replied. She took her finger back and said, "Okay. If you stay really close and put the baby in my arms very carefully, I want to hold her."

Nate waited until Polly had settled herself in the chair and then placed his daughter in her arms. Polly looked down at the sweet face staring back at her.

"You know Sophia is Greek for wisdom, right?" she asked, looking up at Joss.

Joss nodded. "As soon as we saw her, we knew that would be her name. And do you know where we got her middle name?"

"No." Polly shook her head.

"In your favorite series, the Harper is the one who sings the stories that brings all of the clans together."

"McCaffrey's
Dragonriders of Pern
stories?" Polly asked.

"Yes. It seemed like the perfect middle name. She's wise and will have plenty of stories to tell."

"And Cooper Oliver?" Henry asked.

"That was my choice," Nate said. "I'm raising someone who loves food and wine. A cooper builds barrels ... like wine barrels. And Oliver comes from those who deal in olives. I thought that those two names would give him a strong foundation
for feeding the world."

"That's great," Mark said. "Did any of our parents spend that much time on our names?"

Henry laughed. "No. My name came from one of my father's relatives. They couldn't have chosen a more boring name."

"Mine too," Mark replied, laughing. "What about you, Polly?"

"Mom loved the Pollyanna books. Dad wouldn't let her use the full name. Thank goodness." She looked down at the bundle in her arms. "Oh, Joss. How can you help but fall in love with this child?"

"We did the minute we met them. I'm glad to finally be home, though. I couldn't wait to have them in our own house and quit worrying about whether or not some nurse was hanging over my shoulder checking my technique when I changed a diaper or fed them."

Polly grinned. "That's funny. Were you a good student?"

"Not nearly as good as Nate. He's a natural at this. I'm going to be lost when he has to go to work."

"So, everything has changed because you have two babies. I didn't even think about that. Do you need another crib?" Polly asked.

"No. They sleep together. It's the cutest thing. Sometimes they reach out and touch each other while they sleep."

"Oh, you're killing me," Sal said. "That's almost cuter than even I know what to do with."

Mark took her hand. "I need to get you around more babies so you can find out how wonderful they really are. Maybe I'll take you with me when the cows are calving."

A snort burst out of Sal's mouth. "No, I'll figure it out on my own. I'm not ready for that either.

"Lydia and Andy are going to flip out when they discover you have twins," Polly said.

Joss looked over at her. "Please tell me that can wait until tomorrow."

"It can definitely wait, but you're going to have all the babysitters you need."

Polly held the baby back up to her daddy, who took Sophia and cradled her in an arm. "I think we should make a toast," she said. "To the newest and youngest residents of Bellingwood.

Mark and Henry poured wine into the glasses and Sal chuckled. "Not too many new moms get to drink. It looks like adoption is a great way to do this baby thing."

Joss smiled at her. "It's been wonderful. I wanted a houseful of children and starting with two right off the bat is perfect."

They passed around the glasses and Polly held hers up. "Welcome home Cooper and Sophia. Your family has been waiting for you and there are so many people who can't wait to meet you. We're glad you're here."

Glasses clinked together around the table and little Cooper Oliver gave a big yawn, settling back into his mother's arms.

"Your family keeps growing, Polly," Henry said, his eyes twinkling.

"It really does." She smiled down at Cooper. "I hope it never stops."

"Hear, hear," Henry replied, his words echoed by their friends.

For a book that was never intended to be, this story brought changes to Bellingwood that were a little unexpected … at least they were before I wrote them. Then, it was if they had always been part of the story. A new (and she's gonna be fun) character, a semi-regular character who gains more of a foothold, and two wonderful little babies.

The readers who keep Bellingwood vibrant helped choose the names of Joss and Nate Mikkels' babies and I couldn't be happier with the choices.

Cooper Oliver's name came from suggestions by Sandy M. Gardiner, Marci Abel and Robin Miller. Sophia Harper's names were proposed by Bonnie Roupe-Lazuka, Sue Wigand, Ruth Slaughbaugh and Jeanne Baenen Benck.

~~~

I could never stay on track without trusted friends who read my manuscript and remind me that life isn't lived in a bubble. There are so many different perspectives through which we read books. As these wonderful people edit, fix and comment through the process, I learn about writing, Bellingwood, myself … and what friendship is truly about. They are extraordinarily unique individuals who offer themselves to me for a period of time to make my writing better.

Thank you to Rebecca Bauman, Tracy Kesterson Simpson, Linda Watson, Carol Greenwood, Alice Stewart, Fran Neff, Max Muir, Edna Fleming and Nancy Quist for all they do to make these books happen.

~~~

This book had one – almost – blooper. I caught it one night and when I did, I sweat and panicked and then laughed and laughed. I wrote it, proofread it, my readers read it, I edited through several times and none of us noticed it: a boy with a broken arm can't (shouldn't) play Twister. But, I tossed a fun scene up in the air and hoped it came back down without breaking apart. Whew. But I had to tell you – what fun would it be if I kept it to myself?

I’m so glad you enjoy these stories about Polly Giller and her
friends. There are many ways to stay in touch with Diane and the Bellingwood community.

You can find more details about Sycamore House and Bellingwood at the website:
http://nammynools.com/

Join the Bellingwood Facebook page:

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for news about upcoming books, conversations while I’m writing and you’re reading, and a continued look at life in a small town.

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