DAY OF RECKONING

CHAPTER 6

Lucilla Buck sat at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee as she finished listening to her grandson's description of the man who was now posing a serious threat to Lucas' family. Finally, he asked her, "Mama is it possible that this man is really who he claims to be?"

Lucilla glanced knowingly at her grandson as she shrugged her shoulders. "What does your gut feeling tell you about it, boy?"

Lucas sighed in resignation as he nodded his head, "The same thing your probably does, that he's Gabriel Buck's other son."

Lucas studied her grandson as she asked in concern, "What about Dara and the babies, have you suggested that she pack them up and take herself to her sister, especially now that she's pregnant?"

Lucas nodded, "I have, but you know how stubborn she is, she refuses to leave."

Lucas smiled knowingly at him, "And you don't really want her to go either, do you?"

Lucas smiled ruefully as he asked, "Does it show that much?"

Lucilla shook her head as she stated, "Boy, when are you ever going to realize that where that girl is concerned you're an open book. A blind man couldn't miss seeing how much you love her and how far you would go to protect her."

Lucas ran his hand through his hair in frustration as he stated bitterly, "Yeah, but if I hadn't just happened along today there's no telling what could have happened to her. He actually pushed her backwards into the street with a car coming."

Lucilla nodded in understanding of his exasperation, "There's no sense in dwelling on could haves the fact is that you were there and that she' s fine. This man is definitely cut from Gabriel's mold, he was a vicious man too, but I don't have to remind you of that. He's going to strike where it hurts you the most and that's going to be Dara and the kids."

Lucas shook his head as he ventured, "It's not just that anymore, mama. I think she's keeping something from me, but I cant put my finger on it."

Lucilla looked at him in deep concern as she inquired, "You think she's hiding something from you?"

Lucas nodded as he spoke softly, "I think she is, about her health, yes. I just cant quite put my finger on it though. To tell you the truth I don't think she's sure about it herself, that's why she hasn't said anything."

Lucilla smiled as she patted his hand lovingly, "Well then, I guess it's a good thing mama decided to come and stay for a while to help you two out till the baby comes, isn't it?"

Lucas placed his hand over hers and smiled his appreciation at her, "Thank you, I'm glad you did, but I just wasn't sure how to ask you about staying."

Lucilla shook her head, "No, you were thinking that I'm too old to help take care of this house and these children, but I think we both know better. Don't we?"

Lucas began to smile as he glanced up to see Dara coming into the kitchen, but when he saw how exhausted she still looked and the fact that she was dressed in her night clothes, the smile faded. Looking at the clock he frowned, it was only about seven o'clock or so but she was dressed in a nightgown and robe. She had never dressed like that unless she was getting ready for bed. Getting up he helped her to a chair as he got her a glass of juice.

Dara smiled weakly at Lucilla as she reached over and weakly hugged her. "Mama, I didn't know that you were coming."

Lucilla nodded as she took in her grand daughter in law's appearance. In the almost five years since Lucas had married her, Lucilla had come to think of Dara as her own granddaughter rather than simply related by marriage. More so after Dara had discovered the dark secrets hidden in the Buck family. Instead of running away, she doubled her efforts to raise her extraordinary family as well as gaining in the strength of the love she had for both her husband and children.

Lucilla looked at the dark circles under her eyes, which were more prominent due to her fair complexion, as well as the way she had to brace herself against the table to sit upright, as though it took all of her energy to get from the bed to the table. Lucilla, never being one to mince words, asked bluntly, "Child, are you feeling all right? You look exhausted."

Dara smiled thinly, "I'm fine mama, I'm just tired that's all." With that she looked at her husband and asked, "What would you like for supper? The kids should be back anytime now."

Lucas cast a look of trepidation at his grandmother as he answered his wife's question, "I thought we'd order out, Loris called earlier and said that the kids were having a good time with her and Matt, so they asked could they spend the night and I agreed. Caleb and Trisha will be here, I sent them to pick up the order." Lucas watched his wife's face carefully as she took I the information and was thoroughly shocked when she didn't voice any objections to the idea of their three youngest staying away from home for the first time.

"I think that's a good idea, the kids love playing over at Loris' anyway, I'm sure they'll have a good time."

Lucilla turned and looked at her grandson in utter shock. One thing she knew for certain was that Dara loved her children with all of her heart. Whenever anyone suggested the idea of the children staying away from her for an extended period of time, she had always shot the idea down without question. For her to agree without argument for them to now stay away from home overnight was a definite sign of some sort of problem.

Dara looked at her husband and asked, not certain that she had heard him correctly, "Did you say Caleb and Trisha would be here?"

Lucas nodded, "Yeah, they went to rent some movies and pick up our orders, we got Chinese. I hope that's okay."

Dara nodded, "That's fine, I guess I better go and change my clothes I didn't realize that they would be here, let me get dressed."

Lucas watched her struggling to rise and felt tightness in his chest as he watched his wife battling against the weakness that seemed to be beating her down these days. Deciding to save her pride he reached over and covered her hand with his own as he gently suggested, "Honey, you obviously don't feel well so dot worry about your clothes. Besides, Caleb has seen you in your nightgown before and Trisha understands that you don't feel well these days."

Dara nodded weakly trying to hold back her tears at his attempt to act as though everything were fine and nothing was out of the ordinary. Just then Caleb and Trisha came though the back door, laughing at some earlier joke, carrying bags full of containers of Chinese food and videos.

Seeing his mother sitting at the table Caleb came around and hugged her tightly, "Are you feeling any better mama?"

Dara reached up and patted the arm he had wrapped around her shoulders. "I'm fine baby. Hello Trisha, how are you sweetie?"

Trisha smiled as she began taking plates and glasses from the cabinets to set the table. "Fine Dara, how are you feeling, any better?"

Dara thought of the girl who was now as familiar with this house as she herself was. In the month and a half since Caleb had openly admitted to dating her seriously she had become like another child to their family.

Dara attempted to rise and help the girl with the table but when Trisha saw how much effort it was requiring she stayed her efforts. "It's all right Dara, let me and Caleb do this, you just rest. How about if we all eat in front of the TV while we watch the movies, we got some good ones."

Lucas glanced over and cast the girl a grateful glance at her suggestion, "That's a good idea Trisha, we'll let you guys fix everything and we'll go se the VCR up." Getting up and pulling his wife's chair out he extended his hand to help her rise, disguising it as an action of gallantry to save her pride. "Come on darlin, let's leave these guys alone." With that he placed his arm around her for support and half guided, half carried her for the living room.

Lucilla had stayed to help them; she had met Trisha earlier and had been charmed by the girl and thrilled by her obvious affection for Caleb.

Trisha checked to make certain Caleb's parents were out of earshot, "Caleb, I hate to say it but your mom is worse, she couldn't even get up from the table without your dad's help. When is he going to make her go to the doctors and see what's going on?"

Caleb cast Trisha an agitated glare, "You weren't around the last two times she was pregnant, and it's probably something to do with that."

Trisha shook her head at his stubbornness, "I'm telling you, I saw my mom and aunts whey they were all pregnant, this is more than just a complication from pregnancy. When we went shopping last week she couldn't walk a few feet without having to rest, she's trying to hide it but your mom is really sick."

Caleb was about to argue when his great grandmother touched his arm, "She's right Caleb, your mama is sick, she's just been trying to hide it from all of you to keep you from worrying."

Caleb sighed in resignation, he knew there was a problem with his mother but he hadn't wanted to acknowledge it. The way she always seemed so exhausted in the evenings, the way she always seemed unable to finish simple tasks without wearing herself out. He had noticed her taking a lot of pain relievers for the constant pain in her back and persistent headaches that never seemed to go away.

Nodding his acceptance, he spoke softly, "All right, I know you're right, but until she says something we don't, she's trying to keep dad from worrying and she's never betrayed any of out trusts and we're not going to betray hers. We just have to make sure we're here when she needs us." With that he grabbed a tray and went into the living room to join his parents.

Trisha and Lucilla looked at each other and silently nodded their agreement of his statement as they too took a tray and followed Caleb's example.



Dara had enjoyed the evening with her family, despite her exhaustion. She had wanted to venture upstairs earlier and go to sleep but she knew that wouldn't make it up from the sofa let alone up the stairs so she had stayed downstairs well after Caleb left to take Trisha home and mama had gone to bed. She had been channel surfing in the hopes that her husband would decided that he was tired and ready for bed. She had decided to use the excuse of wanting to watch a movie if Lucas asked her reasons for wanting to stay downstairs. He had informed her earlier that mama Lucy would be staying to once again help out until the new baby arrived, although she dearly loved the older woman she knew that would pose a severe hitch in hiding her medical problems from her husband, but she also knew she couldn't give him a reasonable argument for her not to stay so she simply said nothing.

Lucas glanced at her every once in a while as he read his book, wondering how soon she would give up this waiting game. Finally, becoming tired himself and knowing that if he was weary she must be exhausted he decided to end the game of waiting for her.

Marking his place in the book he placed it on the table next to his chair and leaned forward crossing his arms and bracing them across his knees, he stared at her knowingly.

Dara caught his actions from the corner of her eye and turned at the intensity of his look waiting for him to speak, when he didn't she finally asked, annoyed, "What?"

Lucas shook his head as he inquired, "Would you care to tell me how stubborn you can possibly be and how much longer you would like to carry on this charade?"

Dara looked at him in apprehension, and asked unsteadily, "What are you talking about honey?"

Lucas narrowed his gaze and spoke softly, yet seriously, "I think you know darlin. You're exhausted, but you wont admit it. You've been waiting for me to go upstairs so that you can sleep down here because you cant make it up those stairs and my guess is that you cant even make it up from that sofa."

Dara knew he had definitely hit the mark, but being stubborn she glared at him as she answered his challenge, speaking vehemently, "Oh really love, I beg to differ. We'll just see who can't make it up those stairs." With that she pushed herself up from the couch as she stalked to the staircase and began climbing them. Half way up she knew that she had made a bad mistake but she also knew that she had to make it the rest of the way to keep her husband from becoming suspicious. Pushing herself she exerted the last bit of energy she had and made it to the top and into her bedroom. Collapsing on the bed in exhaustion she tried to catch her breath as she heard his footsteps on the staircase, sitting up she took her robe off and climbed into bed, trying to allay Lucas' suspicions.

Lucas entered the bedroom and looked down at his wife, he knew as he watched her climb the stairs that she was spending the last bit of energy she probably had, but he had to make her realize that there was a problem. Knowing he couldn't bring himself to strip her of her pride any further he began undressing and climbed into bed next to her, taking her in his arms he kissed her on her cheek as he whispered, "You're right, I apologize I just thought you over exerted yourself today, I'm sorry for baiting you like that."

Dara felt like a knife had been twisted in her stomach at his words. He was right, yet he was apologizing to her when she had more of less lied to him. She knew what was coming next when she felt him push her hair away from her neck and felt the neckline of her gown being pushed down her shoulder. He moved his mouth along the back of her neck and side of her throat down to her shoulder. Dara wanted more than anything to make love with him, but she knew she was too physically exhausted to even attempt it. Turning towards him she placed her hand along his cheek and pleaded softly, "Lucas, please honey, don't. It isn't that I don't want to make love with you, but I don't feel well and I'm very tired, I think you're right I over did it today."

Lucas stopped and looked at her in concern, noting the pleading look in her eyes he took her hand and gently kissed it. "It's all right, darlin. I understand maybe in the morning you'll feel better. Let's get some sleep." With that he pulled her close to him and settled down to sleep.