Go Baby Grow

Chapter 53 – It's All in How You Say It

Monday, June 15th

Readers – Two quick notes:

This chapter has quite a bit of content about Julie – a friendly warning for those of you hoping for something else.

This book is nearing its end – it will wrap up the day before Ryder and Julie leave for Maryland. What are you hoping to read about before book 7 begins? (Book 7 will include: the baby's birth, Ria's surgery, and Olivia's continuing struggle with addiction)

After a heavy duty round of boxing, Ryder and Julie headed back to the car. Her phone was beeping, indicating that she had a text message waiting.

"Your boyfriend?" Ryder joked when she picked up the phone to read the text.

"Yeah… because you know me, Ry. I jump from one relationship to another constantly. It's how I roll," she grinned. She read the message and then reported, "Actually, it's from my dad, and it's kind of peculiar."

"Boring… stern… direct… those are words I use for your dad. Peculiar? Too non-conformist for him," Ryder commentated.

"Listen. It says, Julie, must talk to you before you return home. No emergencies, everyone is healthy and safe. Call me pronto. What the hell?" Julie wondered.

"You're right… that does sound weird. Call him – I want to know the scoop," Ryder urged.

Julie obliged. Adam's assistant answered the phone and put her through. "Caldwell," the firm, commanding voice declared.

"Dad, it's me," Julie explained.

"Julie… yes…" he stalled. "One second." He put her on hold and took a few deep breaths. Adam seldom found himself uneasy. This time, however, was different. When he came back on the line, Adam sounded softer, "Itsy… I have some big news to share with you. Can we meet for lunch?"

"Of course," Julie readily agreed. "There's a slight problem: Ryder and I went for a long run then spent the rest of the morning boxing. I was going to hit the shower at home."

"I don't mind if you don't," Adam insisted. "We could meet at the pier or even here at the base. I can have lunch brought to my office."

Man, he's being accommodating… and, apparently, he really does not want me to go home. "Either works. The next tricky part is that Ryder drove," Julie explained.

"Why don't you have him bring you over and drop you off. I'm leaving early today and can take you home. You can shower here if you'd like. I'm sure my assistant can find you a t-shirt and shorts to wear," he offered.

"I'll be over in half an hour, then," Julie agreed with curiosity. She turned to Ryder and explained, "He has some big news to share, and he'll move mountains to make sure he has a chance to tell me. Can you drop me off at the base?"

"Is he going to reimburse me for gas?" Ryder joked, not wild about driving to the ferry and into Bremerton.

"Your reimbursement is spending time with me," Julie cooed playfully.

"Yeah… yeah… yeah… get your ass in the car, Princess," Ryder deadpanned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

Around noon, Amelia peeked her head inside the Master Bedroom with a worried expression. She attempted to be quiet since she was not sure whether or not Owen would be awake.

"Hey," he said with a hoarse voice. He was sitting with his back against the headboard, half-asleep.

With a wide smile, Amelia observed with a sigh of relief, "You're awake. Please tell me you're feeling better."

"Quite a bit, actually," he smirked. "I'm drowsy from the meds, but I'll rest up and be on the mend."

Amelia climbed onto the bed and fluffed up her pillow. Facing Owen, she stretched out and ran her hand up and down Owen's lower arm. With softened eyes, she commented, "This one hit hard."

"It really did," he agreed. "No warning signs either. We were sitting with the kids at breakfast, and it came out of nowhere. Usually, I have some sense that a migraine is coming on."

"I know," she affirmed. "From a neurology perspective, that could be worth checking out or it could simply be a sign of being older. In their 40s and 50s, many people experience new warnings or different symptoms."

"Are you saying you want me to have my head examined?" he laughed.

Amelia grasped his hand and kissed it, "Nah… I like you as you are. No need poking around in there and messing up a good thing."

He blinked slowly and inquired, "Anything exciting happen in the last day and a half? What'd I miss?"

"Same old drama. Olivia's been crabby and snapping at the Littles. Ria gazes at her with concern and tries to help ease the tension. Anna and Lucas have been begging to play video games," Amelia detailed.

With a concerned grimace, Owen thought aloud, "Olivia has been particularly crabby lately. Do you suppose it's because she's grounded and pissed about that?"

"My guess is that she's 15, wants freedom, has no door, and was caught in a series of lies. That'd make me pretty miserable, too," Amelia opined. "What were you like at 15?"

With a chuckle, Owen disclosed, "Awkward, shy, a face full of pimples, and scary hair."

"I'd love to see pictures," Amelia giggled as she imagined a young, nerdy Owen. "I'm calling your mom."

"Don't bother, Mia," Owen joked. "I made her burn any and all pictures from that era."

With a playful voice, Amelia inquired, "Did you have a girlfriend?"

Scoffing, Owen displayed a half-smile. "No. Are you kidding me? No girlfriend. I was too afraid of girls at that point. I want to hear about you at fifteen."

"You really don't," Amelia warned. "That was about the time Hurricane Amelia appeared. Mom was working, everyone else was out of the house. Derek came home from school occasionally, usually with the goal of bitching me out and trying to help Ma reign me in. I had far too much time on my hands and far too little supervision."

"Livs has neither of those," Owen decided.

"As it should be," Amelia confirmed.

Owen pondered a moment before adding, "Agreed. She's solid, right? We've raised her with a great foundation? With good judgment?"

"Look at Nolan and Ryder. We did pretty well with them. We survived Lissa's late teens and she survived us to become an almost-college graduate and dedicated wife and mother. I think our track record is pretty reliable. Again, I think Livie is simply pissed at the world, rather than at herself, for the mess she's created for herself. She'll come back around," Amelia said, unconsciously attempting to convince herself.

"You're right. I can't help but shake the feeling that something more is going on, but I've always doted on her. I'm probably over-thinking it. Anyway…any other exciting events while I've been drugged and down?" he inquired.

"Lissa insisted on coming over with the nanny and the girls. She didn't want me taking care of you when I'm supposed to be on bedrest. In fact, she sent me up here to lie down," Amelia informed her husband.

"She and the girls are here?" Owen asked with a touch of enthusiasm.

"Downstairs. I can have her bring the babies upstairs," Amelia offered.

"Maybe one at a time," he corrected. "I'm still drowsy. Having all three at once… I'm not ready for that."

Amelia typed out a text rather than hollering downstairs. Within a few minutes, Anna led Molly up to the Master Bedroom. Highly attentive, Anna coached her niece's every step and praised her progress down the hall.

"Last big step on the stairs, Molly," Anna pointed out. Holding Anna's hand, Molly climbed the last step and clapped. "That's right, Mol. Yay! Now let's go down the hall to see Papa."

"Papa, Papa, Papa," Molly whispered repeatedly with anticipation.

"And Gamma too," Anna reminded her niece.

"Yay," Molly cheered.

Before the two entered the room, Owen and Amelia heard Anna instruct, "Remember that Papa is tired, Molly. Don't be too wild, ok?"

"K," Molly agreed unconvincingly. When Anna opened the door, Molly ran toward Owen at full speed and yelled, "Papa!"

"Shhhhh," Anna corrected. "Papa's head hurts, remember? Whisper, Molly."

"Papa!" Molly whispered as loudly as possible.

"Molly!" Owen whispered back with an ear-to-ear smile. He reached down and pulled her onto the bed. Thrilled to be with her grandparents, Molly kissed Owen and then leaned over to kiss Amelia.

"Do you want to kiss the baby in Gamma's tummy?" Amelia questioned. Leaning further down, Molly kissed Amelia's baby bump and patted it gently. Then she rolled her head backward to see Owen. He put his arms around her and tickled her gently, and Molly's giggles filled the room.

Glancing at Amelia, Owen shared, "Imagine how crazy life will be in a year – Molly will be the ring leader with Emmy, Lizzy, and the baby toddling behind."

"Imagine Christmas," Amelia mused. "Ryder will be home, and the babies will be nine months old, Molly will be twenty-one months and this little critter will be two months." She patted her tummy as she recited the ages.

With a soft laugh, Owen continued, "I can't wait."

"Me either," Anna piped up. "How old do I have to be to babysit?"

"Hmm… you already help a bunch when we're home. Fourteen is usually a good age to begin babysitting by yourself," Amelia pointed out.

"That's too long to wait," Anna whined lightly. "Can't you make me fourteen as my Christmas present?" she kidded.

"I like the ten-year-old you, Annabelle," Amelia emphasized.

"I really wish I was already fourteen," she grinned.

"No… no, you don't," Owen grumbled playfully. Scrunching up his face, he reached out for Anna and reeled her toward him with a hug, pointing out, "Teenagers get snarly and crabby."

"When I'm a teenager, I'm not going to be that way," Anna informed her parents. As she snuggled in with the others on the bed, she mentioned, "I want to be happy instead."

"Good for you, Anna," Amelia encouraged. "Sometimes, those hormones get rolling and it's hard to be happy. But, give it a try. If anyone can set their mind to something and succeed, it's you, Babygirl."

"You inherited my red-headed stubbornness and your mom's determination," Owen smirked as he ran his hand over her head.

Anna giggled and reflected, "Those are both awesome. I like that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

After standing together on the deck of the ferry and chatting about the upcoming move to the Academy, Ryder and Julie returned to the car. As Ryder drove to the base, the two were fairly quiet. Both were tired from the heavy workout and hungry for lunch.

They drove up to the gate and drove over to Adam's office. Just before he parked, Ryder inquired, "What do you suppose he wants to tell you?"

"I dunno," Julie shrugged. "I've been pondering that all the way here. Maybe he's going to deploy once I'm at school, or, God forbid, maybe he's considering a post in or near DC."

Ryder shuddered and commented, "That'd be a little too much Captain."

Julie laughed as she opened the car door. "Thanks for bringing me over, Ry. I really appreciate it."

"Come by and see Mom this afternoon. I told her I'd try to bring you by after our workout," he suggested.

"I'd love that. I'm not sure how long I'll be here, but I'll let you know," she promised.

"And let me know the big news," Ryder smiled.

"You know it. I'll text you," she told him as she closed the car door.

The thought of running into Nate hadn't even crossed Julie's mind. As soon as she stepped into the building, the possibility hit her and she groaned to herself. She was sweaty and her hair was a complete mess. She wasn't one to fuss over her appearance, but her current look was pretty bad. Before she opened the door to the Captain's office area, she paused and steeled herself.

The administrative assistant spotted her immediately and greeted her, "The Captain said to send you back as soon as you arrived, Miss Caldwell. Lunch should arrive any minute."

"Thanks," Julie grinned as she walked pass the reception desk. She happened to be gazing down at the same time Nate was coming from the other direction. As he walked, he was glancing at a memo he'd just retrieved from the mail room. The two bumped into each other, both profusely apologizing before realizing who they'd encountered.

Noticing Julie, Nate backed up a step and gazed at her awkwardly. "Again, I apologize. I shouldn't have been reading and walking."

"No… I should have been paying attention," Julie claimed, dismissing his apology. She motioned her forehead toward Adam's office and sputtered, "I… uh…"

"Right," Nate nodded. On conversational auto-pilot, he offered a compliment before continuing to walk to his office. "Hey… great to see you. You look fantastic."

"Uh… yeah. Same," Julie grinned before proceeding in the opposite direction.

She made her way to Adam's office. When he saw her coming through the doorway, he proclaimed happily, "Itsy! What a treat to eat lunch together." He walked toward her and embraced her, causing his sweaty daughter to feel even more awkward than she had moments ago in the hallway. "Have a seat, Its," Adam encouraged as he motioned to the couch in his office. He sat beside her and rested his forearms on his knees, smirking at her.

"So…" Julie began slowly. "What's the big news?"

"The big news," Adam repeated slowly and thoughtfully. "Right." The strange smirk remained as he summoned the courage to say more. After a fifteen second pregnant pause, he announced, "Tessa… Captain Rice is going to move in with us."

"Oh. When?" Julie responded with calm surprise.

"Today actually. The movers are unloading her boxes as we speak," Adam admitted. He inhaled slowly and continued, "There's more." He drew in his lips and gazed at his knees before shifting his gaze back to Julie and stating, "She and I have been friends a very long time. We went to school together."

"Right," Julie replied. She already knew that information.

With a chuckle, Adam added, "Actually, I was one of her detailers her plebe year. We had to wait to start dating until her second year."

"Dad… you sly dog. Picking up on the young female plebes," Julie teased.

"Anyway," Adam disclosed with a slight uncharacteristic blush, "We're… well… we're getting married."

Julie's eyes widened and her head drew back slightly. "Wow, Dad. That's a surprise. But, congratulations, huh?"

"I know it seems sudden, Itsy," he affirmed. "Tessa and I… Our lives haven't lent themselves to rekindling our relationship. She's about to retire. For the first time in years, we won't be posted thousands of miles apart."

How many years? Julie thought. "She seems nice enough," Julie said, attempting to fill the silence.

"She makes me happy, Itsy Bit, and she's crazy enough to think I'm husband material," Adam smiled as he grasped Julie's hand and squeezed.

Julie leaned over and hugged her dad, "Congratulations, Dad. When's the big date?"

"We're going to be married here at the chapel in a very small ceremony. A friend of Tessa's is flying in on Thursday and we'll have the ceremony Friday night. Besides the two of us, there will be three others: you, Tessa's friend, and the chaplain," Adam explained.

"What about Sam? He's not coming home?" Julie asked with dashed hope.

Adam looked down at the ground and shook his head, "No, he's not. I spoke to him yesterday."

"What's the problem? He can't get leave? Maybe the wedding could be postponed until he can be here," Julie suggested, desperate to reunite the loosely connected people that made up her family.

Pursing his lips and glancing at Julie out of the corner of his eye, Adam offered nebulously, "Life doesn't always work out the way we hope it will, Its. Hopefully we'll see Sam at I-Day or Parents' Weekend. We can celebrate together then."

Sensing there was more to the story but fairly certain Adam wouldn't say more, Julie leaned against her father's arm and announced, "Looks like I'll be your best man, then."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

After leaving the base that afternoon, Adam and Julie arrived at home. Without thinking about Tessa's presence, Julie began running up the stairs to change clothes.

"Julie? Aren't you going to greet Tess?" Adam pressed.

Blinking and attempting to soak in the new reality, Julie froze on the eighth stair. Forcing a smile, she explained, "I thought I'd change out of these base cast-offs and into my own outfit first." Without a word of response, Adam held his glance and then walked toward the kitchen calling for Tessa.

Does that mean he's pissed? Ok with my choice? Considering his reaction? What's up with the silent stare? Julie wondered. She continued climbing the staircase and pulled out her phone to text Ryder.

She wrote, Big news… he wasn't lying.

I've been waiting, Caldwell. What took you so long? He responded promptly.

Sorry. Was stuck at the base. Took a shower then Dad found busy work for me to do before we left. Just came home, she explained.

Spill the beans. What's the big news? Ryder urged.

He and Tessa. Wedding on Friday, she blurted in writing.

WTF? Seriously? Ryder reacted.

That's what he told me, Julie stated, still someone stunned by the news and the timing.

Think of it this way, JJ, Ryder teased and encouraged at the same time. She'll probably be more likely to send care packages than the Captain.

Food, hmm? That's how you're comforting me? She laughed as she typed.

Did it work? He questioned.

Julie laughed aloud as she buttoned her top and read his message. A little maybe. Gotta head downstairs. Will be over soon.

Assuming she'd offer a brief hello and then head to the Lake House, Julie bounded down the back stairs to find the happy couple. Through the back door, she saw them standing on the deck. They were kissing and whispering as they looked into one another's eyes. Their arms wrapped around one another, and their hips were pressed together.

This is going to take a while to figure out, Julie thought, unsure if she should proceed to the deck or leave the lovebirds alone. She stepped backward a few steps so the wall would hide her presence. From there, she called out, "Dad? You down here?"

"Out back, Itsy Bit," he responded. Julie rounded the corner and headed toward the couple, observing that they'd taken a seat next to the other.

"Hi, Ma'am," Julie greeted.

Tessa stood up and smiled. She gently placed her hands on either of Julie's arms, "Julie… how many times do I have to tell you – no 'Ma'am,' got it?"

Awkwardly, Julie caught Tessa's eye then glanced at her dad. She hoped he'd provide a moniker she could use for Tessa.

Solving the dilemma, or so she thought, Tessa leaned so she and Julie were facing one another and instructed, "Tessa is fine, Julie. Call me Tessa."

"How about something else?" Adam weighed in, hesitant to suggest 'Mom' or 'Captain Rice.'

"Like what, Adam?" Tessa inquired.

Lowering his brow, Adam pointed out, "I'm not comfortable with her calling you by your first name. That's too informal."

"And running into one another in the kitchen in the morning as I'm wearing your robe is a formal event? Loosen up, Calds," Tessa scoffed. For the second time that day, Julie was surprised. She had never seen anyone stand up to Adam so directly, let alone do so with a hint of eye rolling. "She's calling me Tessa."

"Tess…" Adam inhaled and exhaled audibly. He wanted to work out the issue, but didn't appreciate discussing it in front of Julie.

"It's really ok, Ma'am. I'm fine with something else," Julie interjected, wanting to point out that she was standing there as they discussed her.

"Why not 'Mom'? Tess will technically be your step-mother, Jules," Adam ventured.

With an obvious swallow, Julie paused. She licked her lips and inhaled slowly. Before she mustered up the courage to respond, Tessa interjected.

"Adam, that's ridiculous. Julie has a mom, one who adores her deeply and, hell, looks just like her. I'm not 'Mom.'"

Julie was intrigued that Tessa chose to use the present tense in reference to Claire. Even though Claire was dead, Tessa honored the connection Julie and her mother had. "I came down to say hello and goodbye," Julie shared with discomfort. "I was planning to head over to Ryder's."

"You already spent the morning with him, Its," Adam reasoned, implying that she didn't need to see him the rest of the day.

"I was going to visit his mom. She's on bedrest. RB mentioned she's pretty bored. I thought I'd keep her company for a bit and see if I could help out somehow," Julie detailed.

Frowning, Adam sighed, "Fall out."

"She's not one of your men, Adam," Tessa chuckled. Angrily, Adam cleared his throat. Sensing the growing tension, Julie made her way to the car quickly, hoping to escape the Twilight Zone life she was encountering.