Chapter 4:
Rae and Spot stood there in shock for a moment. Suddenly, Rae dropped to her knees and threw her arms around them, hugging the both of them tightly, tears streaming down her face.
Spot knelt down and wrapped his arms around the three of them. After a moment he stood. "WHERE IN THE WORLD DID YOU TWO GO?" he demanded.
"A man took us to the orphanage, and it's all Ann's fault!" Andy exclaimed.
"IS NOT! You talked to him! I didn't!" Ann protested.
"YOU were the one who wanted to go with him! And YOU were the one who wanted to leave in the first place!"
"YOU got us lost!"
"Nah uh! YOU did!"
"ENOUGH!" Spot yelled, scaring both of them. They stared at him with wide eyes. "YOU BOTH knew that you weren't supposed to leave the house, without telling one of us. And YOU BOTH left."
Andy pointed to Ann rapidly. "SHE wanted to run away because she was jealous of the baby!"
"And YOU went with her. You are in just as much trouble as she is."
He pouted.
Rae stepped in. "How did you two get out of the orphanage?"
"That nice old man 'dopted us." Ann said. "He said to give you these," Andy said, pulling some papers from the pocket of his coat.
Rae took the papers as Spot asked, "What nice old man?"
"He said his name was Nick." Andy answered. "He brought us all the way out here and said to tell you that he was gonna came back later to talk to you," Ann added/
"How did he know where we lived?"
"I don't know," both Ann and Andy said.
Rae and Spot exchanged bewildered glances. Then Rae handed him the papers, unread, and pulled them back into another hug. "I'm just so glad you two are back safe and sound!"
"Are we still in trouble?" Ann asked. "YES!" Rae and Spot answered.
She pouted. Andy just shrugged. "I knew we'd be in trouble, Ann."
Ann looked up at them, eyes filling with tears, "I'm sorry."
Rae kissed her forehead. "Just don't EVER do that again, got that?"
Ann nodded and wrapped her arms tightly around Rae's neck. "I love you, Momma," she whispered.
She hugged her tightly back. "I love you too, sweetheart."
Rae looked up at Spot who had a confused look on his face, while reading the papers that Andy had given him. "Why don't you two run upstairs and wake up Chris and Julie?"
Spot wrinkled his brow and nodded, handing the papers back to her.
She gasped. "Spot! These papers say that they are officially ours!"
He nodded. "I know... I just don't understand how... or why?"
Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks as she continued to stare at the papers in her hands.
He kissed her cheek. "We're on our way to being one big happy family."
She wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his shoulder. "Family," she sighed.
* * *
Rae was fast asleep and, by the looks of it, would be that way for hours to come, so Spot checked up on Molly frequently, waking the girl when Kendra needed to be fed, and spending the rest of his time with the twins.
They were playing a quiet game of "go fish" in the parlor when a knock on the front door startled him. Who in the world would come out to the house after hearing rumors about him? Andy jumped to his feet and ran over to the door before Spot could stop him. "NICK!" Ann squealed, jumping up and running over to the old man standing in the doorway.
"Oh ho ho! Hello Ann, Andy. Good to see you!"
Ann grabbed his hand, "Come on in, Nick. Come meet my Daddy."
Spot looked up and was greeted by a tall, aged, bearded man with a great big smile and a shock of eccentric, but somehow personable white hair.
He slowly stood to his feet. "I'm Spot Conlon," he said, holding his hand out to the older man.
He slowly stood to his feet. "I'm Spot Conlon," he said, holding his hand out to the older man.
"Saint. Nick Saint."
Ann pulled on Spot's sleeve. "Nick doesn't have a house, so me and Andy told him he could stay with us."
He stared at her. "You- I... what? House? What?! You-" he sputtered.
"Me and Andy said he could live here with us. We have plenty of room. I heard Momma tell you that."
"But- I! You! WE!"
Ann sent him a pitiful pleading look.
Nick laughed. "I told you kids that I was fine sleeping out in the open."
Spot continued to look frazzled. "I... er... RAE?!" he bellowed. He smacked his forehead, "She's sleeping," he muttered, heading for the door. He didn't want to turn this man out at this particular moment because he brought the twins back ... and he would just look mean to do so.... But they couldn't have some strange man living with them! He stormed into their bedroom yelling, "RAE! WAKE UP NOW!"
She sat up, glaring daggers at him. "I HAD ALMOST FALLEN ASLEEP! This had better be good."
"Ann and Andy told Nick that he could live with us! And he's here now!"
"Well... I don't know what to do about it!"
"I don't either, just get downstairs and help me figure this whole thing out."
She sighed and climbed out of bed.
"We can't have some stranger staying in this house," Spot said. "I hate to break it to you, but Molly is a stranger, and the twins were strangers when we found them in the barn," Rae said.
"Well... yeah, but they are kids."
"Same difference," Rae muttered as they walked down the stairs.
"Well... I..." He reddened, mad and embarrassed that he was caught speechless in such a situation.
Ann saw them coming and ran over to them, "Nick can stay with us, right Momma?" she asked sending Rae them same pitiful pleading look that she had given Spot only a few minutes before.
"Yeah, please?" Andy piped in. "He's really neat and can do magic tricks like pull pennies out of my ears!"
Rae couldn't help but laugh. "Let me meet him, and then Spot and I need to talk to Nick and then we'll decide."
"Maybe if you ask he'll pull pennies out of your ears too!"
"Not today, Andy." Spot said, messing his hair.
He grinned. "It's really neat. I never knew I had pennies in my ears."
Rae smiled, "Why don't you an Ann go play in your playroom while we talk to Nick?"
He nodded and trotted off, calling out to Ann, "Come on, let's go play. Maybe I can pull money from your ears too!"
Spot led Rae into the parlor where Nick was staring out the window. "Mr. Saint, this is my wife, Rae."
"Hello Mrs. Conlon, I'm Nick Saint." He held out a hand to her. "Pleasure to meet you. The twins wouldn't stop talking about the both of you."
Rae smiled and shook his hand. "I understand they told you that you could live here with us," she said.
With a deep chuckle, he nodded. "That they did. But it's quite all right. You don't need to uphold the invitation. I know how excited youngsters get."
"It's not that we don't have room, its just..." Rae said.
Nick nodded and smiled. "I understand."
Spot sighed, not believing what he was about to say, "I think he should stay."
Nick shook his head and stood. "No, no, it's quite all right. You two have your hands full with all these children."
"But there is no reason for you to be sleeping outside when we have all this room. And I have a feeling that you will be more of a help, than a problem."
Rae nodded, arching her brow slightly at Spot. What changed his mind?
"If that's alright with you, darling," Spot said, turning to her.
"Oh yes, quite."
"Are you sure?" he asked, looking her in the eye, knowing that she couldn't hide her true feelings while looking him in the eye.
"Yes. It's perfectly fine."
He smiled at her, "Good." He turned to Nick, "We would love to have you stay with us."
"I don't know.... I hate to impose," Nick replied.
"Nonsense," Rae said.
"We want you to stay," Spot added.
"You are certain?" Nick appeared to be relenting.
"Please stay, Nick," Ann and Andy said from the doorway.
Rae leaned back and glanced towards the doorway. "Ahem... weren't you two supposed to be playing in the playroom?"
Ann hung her head, but Andy looked up at her, "We wanted to make sure that Nick was staying." Nick chuckled heartily.
Spot shook his head. "I'm afraid that the only room we have to offer is one of the tiny rooms on the third floor."
"That is perfectly fine with me," he replied. "I don't require much space."
Spot nodded, "Why don't you two little eavesdroppers show Nick to his room?"
"Yay!" they both shrieked in delight, running in and grabbing Nick's hands.
Rae and Spot laughed as they pulled the older man from the room. As soon as they were gone, she glanced at Spot. "What made you change your mind?"
"I'm not really sure."
"You wouldn't be fibbing, now you would?"
He slipped his arm around her waist. "Nah. I wouldn't fib to you."
"You better not." She grinned and kissed his cheek gently.
"I'm sorry I woke you, but I didn't want to make this decision without you."
She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "Well I'm glad you did.. just next time, find a better way of waking me up."
He grinned, "Let's see...I've tried throwing you in the snow, throwing you in the ocean, yelling...what other ways is there?"
"Something nice!" she exclaimed.
"And what would that be?"
"Mmm, a nice kiss would probably do the trick."
"Oh?" he asked, an impish grin on his face.
She nodded seriously.
"Is that an order?"
"Doctor's order," she replied.
"I guess I have to obey then, huh?"
"Mm, yup."
He kissed her forehead. "Let's go check on those two little imps and Nick."
"Good idea."
Once on the second floor, Rae made a quick detour to check on Molly and Kendra while Spot continued up to the third floor. Rae paused in the doorway to Molly's room. The girl was kneeling over her daughter's cradle staring down at the baby in awe. Rae stood there, smiling for a second, before Molly looked up, and with a startled noise, stepped back. Rae stood there, smiling for a second, before Molly looked up, and with a startled noise, stepped back.
"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Rae asked.
"I... I guess...." She chewed her bottom lip and plopped into bed.
"Is it that you don't want to keep her? Or that you can't keep her?" Rae asked, picking up the newborn.
"Both..." she muttered.
"Does your father know where you are?" Rae asked.
"He's out fishing... He'll be gone most of the month..."
"Did he know the you were pregnant?"
"Yeah..."
"And he's the reason you can't keep her? "
"Not exactly... I don't wanna talk about it!"
"Molly, I'm just trying to understand." Rae sighed. "You see, my parents abandoned me as a baby. I'm trying to understand what would drive someone to abandon such a perfect little thing."
She folded her arms over her chest, face pinched up to hold back any other expression of emotion that might come, and didn't reply.
Rae sighed in defeat and quietly left the room, not seeing the single tear that slowly made its way down Molly's cheek.
* * *
The next morning, Spot, Rae, the twins, Julie, and Chris awoke to the smell of a very delicious breakfast being cooked. Rae and Spot exchanged glances. "Breakfast?"
They jumped out of bed and rushed down the stairs. Nick was in the kitchen humming an unfamiliar tune as he made breakfast. He began to sing softly, "You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout I'm telling you why...," he turned around and stopped singing when he saw them, "Oh, good morning."
They stared at him for a moment. "Um... good morning," Spot finally managed to say. "Is... Are you cooking breakfast?"
"I hope you don't mind. I woke up early and decided to let you two sleep in a little."
Rae shook her head. "No, no... this is wonderful.... You didn't have to."
"It's the least I could do. You didn't have to let me stay here."
"It smells delicious."
"It's ready if everyone is awake."
"I'm huuunnnngrrrryyyyy," came a little boyish whine as Andy entered the room, followed by a sleepy Ann, Chris, and Julie.
Nick laughed. "Well as soon as we get the table set we can eat, think you can help me do that, little man?" He nodded vigorously. "Come on," Nick said, handing the little boy some silverware.
Ann went after him and took the plates and together they set the table.
Spot smiled and put his arm around Rae, "Will you look at that?"
"I think we should make him the full-time replacement parent."
"I agree." Rae kissed his cheek. "I'm going to check on our other 'children' before I eat."
Rae climbed the stairs and headed into the room Kendra and Molly were staying in. "Rise and shine," she said quietly, shaking the girl's shoulder gently.
"Go away," Molly said, hitting Rae's hand.
"Don't you hit me young lady. When I say get up, it's time to get up, got that?"
"I don't have to do anything you say, so leave me alone so that I can sleep."
Rae rolled her eyes, grabbed Molly's arm, and pulled her to a sitting position. "Get up. Now."
"I'm up, now leave me alone."
Again, she rolled her eyes. "I will make your stay here a nightmare if you don't knock off with your attitude right now."
"I can always leave."
"What would you do when you got sick again? Or Mr. Anderson ran after you and caught you? Spot and I have done a lot for you, considering the circumstances and your behavior, and yet you STILL treat us like we're the enemy!"
"Because you are keeping me here against my will!" Rae glared at her, "We have not been holding you hostage, but if you continue to act like this I just might."
Molly harrumphed loudly and glared back.
Rae picked up a robe draped across a nearby chair. "Put this on and come down and eat breakfast."
Molly frowned and watched Rae for a moment.
She sighed, "Have it your way," she said, walking to the door and pulling a key from her pocket.
Scowling, she crawled out of bed and threw on the robe.
Rae pocketed the key, "You may come back up here as soon as we finish eating."
Silently, the girl followed her downstairs.
"Drop the attitude Molly," Rae ordered sternly.
Molly sighed heavily.
"You wouldn't find us so bad if you only gave us a chance."
"Same goes to you," she replied flatly.
"I'm trying to give you a chance. I'm also trying to help you."
"Well you don't have to order me around to do it!"
"You won't listen any other way."
"Have you TRIED any other way?"
"You been so argumentative that I haven't had a chance." By that time, they had returned to the dining room, and everyone was staring at them. "Sorry," Rae muttered, sitting next to Spot.
"Surprised to see you up and about, Molly," Spot said, attempting to be friendly. "Feeling better?"
"A little," she said, glaring at Rae.
He arched a brow and handed her a plate. "Eat up. I imagine you're pretty hungry."
She smiled at him as she took the plate, "Yes I am actually, thank you," she said politely.
Rae pursed her lips and nodded politely as Nick handed her a plate. That girl WAS a brat... Molly sent Rae a smug look as Julie passed her a bowl of scrambled eggs. Rae barely managed to hold her anger in check, wishing to slap the girl then and there, but realizing that slapping her would only give Rae a moment's satisfaction, followed by a load of guilt.
Rae sighed. Maybe she hadn't given Molly much of a chance. She would just have to try harder. She smiled down at Ann as she placed a biscuit on the little girl's plate and spread some butter on it.
"Thank you," Ann said politely, munching on the biscuit happily. "This is very yummy, Mr. Nick!"
"Much better than Mr. Spot and Miss Rae's," Andy added
Spot tried to keep his laughter in check, but was unsuccessful. Rae was soon laughing along with him, remembering the night that he had attempted to teach her to make biscuits. Eventually, the whole table was laughing, except Molly, who really had no clue what was going on. Chris saw the confused look on her face and took pity on her. "Miss Rae can't cook," he explained.
"I can so!... A little bit," Rae argued with a laugh.
"It's always yucky," Andy said, making a face.
"Hey, is this all 'gang up on Rae' day?"
"Yes," Chris and Julie answered.
She poked out her tongue and grinned.
"May I go back to my room now?" Molly asked, interrupting the fun and laughter of the family.
"You haven't touched much of your breakfast," Nick remarked. "Would you like some fruit?" He held out a bowl with a couple bananas and apples in it.
"I'm not really hungry," Molly said, ducking her head to hide the pain in her eyes.
Rae popped the last of her biscuit in her mouth. "Need help getting back to bed?"
Molly shook her head as she stood. "No, I'll be fine," she whispered, as she left the room.
"I think something's wrong," Rae said to Spot, studying him worriedly, wondering if he had any ideas.
"I'll go talk to her," Chris offered.
She stared at him. "You? You certain?"
He nodded, "Yeah, I think I may know what's wrong."
"Okay then... don't get into any sort of fights... goodness knows we've had enough of those as it is."
Chris nodded as he left the room. He found Molly sitting on the steps, her head buried in her hands, her shoulders shaking. Quietly, much like he had seen Spot do when Rae was upset, he sat next to her and placed his hand on her back- that was as close as he'd come to putting his arm around her. Molly jumped, startled, and moved away from him, quickly drying her tears.
"You okay?"
She started to nod her head, but ended up shaking it.
"Wanna talk about it?" he asked after a moment.
"I don't know."
"All right then." He continued to sit beside her.
"My family used to be like that," she whispered after a moment of silence.
"Like what?" He knew well like what, but he knew it would help for her to explain.
"Meals used to be a fun time. We would laugh and carry on, just like you and the rest were."
"What happened then?"
"My older brother ran away after our mother and baby sister died."
He stared at her. "Wow... And I thought Julie and I had it rough."
"What happened to your family?"
"Our mother died... and our father is somewhere in London... we think."
"You don't know? At least I know where my father is."
He shook his head. "But I have Julie. Sometimes you don't even have your pop... when he's gone, that is."
"I don't have him much when he's home. He hates being in our house. Too many memories, he says."
"Ever thought of going out with him?"
"He won't let me. He likes to go to the tavern."
"Oh... Well... you should tell him you don't like always being on your own... that you want him to take you sometimes... he doesn't have to always go to the tavern, does he?"
"No, it's just where he always goes. I usually follow him." She sighed and hugged herself. "I really don't mind being left alone. I'm rather used to it now."
"I'm sure that's not true. Otherwise, you wouldn't have gotten upset about us being us at dinner."
She sighed, "How old are you Chris?"
"I'll be fourteen next week," he answered. "Why?"
She shrugged, "Just wondering."
He gave her a puzzled look. "No... Why??"
"I just wanted to know if you were older or younger than me."
"Well?"
"You are older than me, by a couple of weeks," she sighed as she stood and with a sudden burst of energy ran up the stairs, slamming the door to her room.
Chris rolled his eyes a bit. He didn't get girls. With a sigh he stood and went to rejoin the rest of the family Breakfast was just ending and everyone had started cleaning up.
Rae cast a glance at him. "How'd it go?"
"Alright I guess. She just misses her family. And she told me how old she was."
She gave him an almost hungry look and grabbed his shirtsleeve. "How old?" she demanded.
"She's almost fourteen."
She and Spot exchanged glances and then looked at Chris.
"Did she say anything else?" Spot asked.
He shrugged. "Her father's still around... just at sea at the moment.... I guess she's the only other person in her family left... But other than that, no."
He thought a moment, "Oh, her older brother ran away a couple years ago."
"Hmm..." Rae tapped her chin. "Maybe we could help her find him... if she wants to find him.. if she wants HELP."
Spot sent her a look, "We aren't going to push her to find her brother. If she wants to find him, she needs to be the one to bring it up."
"Well, that's what I mean. I'm just saying we could help if she wants it."
He shook his head and kissed her on the forehead.
Chris wrinkled his nose and walked off.
Nick turned to them, "When was the last time you two had a whole day just for the two of you?"
Rae and Spot glanced at one another. "Never," they replied simultaneously.
"Go pack yourselves a change of clothes while I pack you some food. There is an old cabin out in the woods and you two are going to go out there and spend some time by yourselves."
They exchanged glances again. "Are... are you sure, sir?" Rae inquired uncertainly.
"Positive! I don't want to see either of you back up here until after breakfast tomorrow."
Rae still looked uncertain. "Well... all these children... they're a lot to handle, you know..."
"We'll be fine. I love children!"
She glanced at Spot. "You want to?" He nodded, unable to say anything. Slowly she stood and took his hand, leading him up the stairs to their room. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," he said, slipping his arm around her waist. "It will be nice to be alone for a while."
She nodded, resting her head on his shoulder. "I just hope everything will be fine ... I mean, we're only going to be gone a day... but still..."
He kissed the side of her head, "I'm sure they will be fine. Nick seems like he can handle whatever they throw at him."
"He hasn't had to deal with Molly yet," she pointed out.
"I think he can handle even that brat."
She smiled. "I wonder if we'll ever figure her out and actually get along with her... And I'm a little worried that she and Chris are near the same age..."
"I don't think we will have to worry about that. Chris has already shown a great disgust for girls. And she should be long gone by the time he gets over that."
"I hope so... No offense to her or anything... I don't think I would trust either of them if they liked one another..."
"I agree, but hey, let's forget about them for a while. We've been given the day off."
With a smile, she nodded. "Well... Let's pack."
They quickly threw the clothes that they would need in a knapsack and Spot slung it over his shoulder as they headed back downstairs.
Ann and Andy were at their heels the moment they stepped off the stairs. "Where are you going?" Andy demanded curiously.
"Can we come?" Ann added.
Spot turned and crouched down to their level. "Rae and I are going to go spend sometime by ourselves."
"But why can't we come?"
"Because it's ALOOONNNE, dummy," Andy replied, rolling his eyes.
Rae kissed Ann's forehead. "We'll be back tomorrow morning."
She sniffled. "You promise?"
"We promise, sweetheart," Rae said.
She hugged them both tightly.
"Behave for Nick."
"I will.... and I'll make sure Andy does too."
"I will too!" he protested.
"Are you two ready yet?" Nick asked from the bottom of the stairs.
They laughed and replied, "Yes!"
He held a picnic basket of food out to them. "Then get out of here."
Spot glanced at Rae with a smile. "I do believe we are being kicked out."
"I believe we are, Mr. Conlon."
"Shall we go then, Mrs. Conlon?"
"Yes," she said, turning to plant one last kiss on the foreheads of the twins.
"Enjoy yourselves," Nick called merrily as they walked out the door.
They walked hand in hand through the woods to the small cabin that Nick had told them about. It sat on the edge of a small lake. On the porch, that faced west, sat a rocking chair, made to seat two people side by side.
Rae gasped with a look of wonder on her face. "It's so pretty.... I wonder how he knew it was here."
"I say we don't question it, just enjoy it."
She smiled. "I agree." And linking hands, they walked up to the cabin.
Dropping the knapsack and basket on the porch, he scooped her in his arms and bent down to kiss her.
With a smile, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.