A/N: Okay, we're really coming up on an ending now, folks. This chapter is the penultimate part (it might've been the last one, except I had too much stuff I wanted to squeeze in to JT's birthday!) so please brace accordingly for the happy ever after ending, coming real soon! In the meantime, thanks to those that continue to leave reviews for me, and rest assured, Wade & Zoe will have that talk about her role in JT's life before this story is done :)
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 36
Zoe kept on expecting something to go wrong. It tended to be the way of things. When everything was on the up-and-up, something had to come along to derail it all, but no. She was having the best run of good luck, as far as she could tell, and taking Wade right along with her on the ride.
It hadn't taken long for him and Wally to come to an arrangement over the Rammer Jammer. George Tucker drew up the paperwork, Wade invested his money, and the deal was struck. Wally was now officially semi-retired and equal partners with one Wade Kinsella, who would run the bar for the most part and pitch ideas to Wally on any changes and such. It wasn't quite like having his own place outright, but it would do for now. Who knew what the future might bring?
After that, every plan Zoe tried to make for JT's birthday party seemed to slot into place without a problem. The little boy continued to grow and flourish, with Wade and Zoe watching over him, loving each other as much as they loved JT himself.
The summer weather was beautifully sunny, but so far nothing like a heatwave, for which Zoe was also very, very grateful. Everything was working out perfectly and yet she was still nervous when she woke up on the morning of JT's birthday, just expecting something awful to have occurred overnight.
"Please, please, please," she said to herself, prising one eyelid open as she rose up from the bed and peered out of the window. "Oh, thank God!" she said with a relieved sigh when she saw a clear blue sky and the sun rising into it.
"Doc?" Wade groaned from beside her. "You okay?"
"I am great," she promised, leaning down after him and startling him with a kiss on the lips. "Good morning."
"Hell, it sure seems that way," he said, grinning as he pulled her down on top of him some more. "Any chance it's early enough we don't have to get up right this second?"
Zoe giggled even as she rolled away from him. "Not today, cowboy," she told him. "Today is July 21st, Wade. That means it is a day that is not about you or me. It is only about John-Thomas Kinsella," she said definitely.
No sooner was his name spoken than the little boy was stood up in his crib, looking around the room and calling for Dada. Though some guys might have been disappointed to have their kid awake so early, interrupting what could've been a chance to get lucky, Zoe knew Wade wasn't that way at all. Many might think he would be, but no, he was out of bed in a second, pulling on his pants and going to grab JT from his crib, tossing the little boy over his head.
"Happy birthday, bubba!" he told him as JT giggled madly. "This is it, big fella. You are one whole year old today. How's it feel?" he asked, bringing him close for a hug and kissing the top of his head.
JT babbled away the way he did sometimes, ending by blowing a raspberry.
"That good, huh?" Wade chuckled as he settled his son on his hip and returned to the bed where Zoe waited for them. "Come on, now. Aunt Zoe wants to see you too."
"Yes, I do," she said, grabbing JT the moment he was close enough. "Happy birthday, JT!" she told him, giving him a hug and making such a huge fuss.
Wade sat beside them on the bed, just this side of overwhelmed by how full his heart was in that moment. It hit him once in a while, just how much his life had changed in the past year, just how much happier he was now than a mere twelve months before. If somebody offered him the chance to go back, he never would. He wouldn't trade his boy or his girlfriend for anything in the world.
"And we have gifts for you, and so does Uncle Lavon and Aunt Lemon, and then later, there's going to be this huge party, all for you!" Zoe was telling JT, poking him gently in the chest as she emphasised 'you', and tickling the little boy until he giggled some more.
"Aunt Zoe's way more into this whole party idea than you are, kid," Wade told his son, smiling anyway, "but I gotta say, watching her get real into this thing, it's not so bad. Means more than she knows, I reckon."
Zoe looked up and met his gaze then and Wade knew she well understood what he meant from the glassy look in her eyes. He leaned across the bed to plant a kiss on her lips and lingered there for a minute as she kissed him back, her hand at his cheek.
"I love you," she told him as they parted. "Both of you, so much."
"Well, if we don't know that by now." Wade smiled. "And just for the record, we couldn't love you any more if we tried either."
"Bah!" JT cried happily, diving in between them and making both Zoe and Wade laugh.
"I think somebody wants their presents!" she said, laughing at the little boy's antics.
"I think you're prob'ly right, doc," Wade agreed. "So, let's get to findin' where we hid all this stuff we bought..."
JT got so spoiled for his birthday and not just by those closest to him either. It was as if people just didn't have anyone else to spend their money on, they all seemed to want to shower the child with gifts on gifts, and this was all hours before the party ever started.
"Well, to misquote a very smart man hunting a shark, 'We're gonna need a bigger house,'" said Wade, rubbing the back of his neck. "Seriously, I don't even know what we're gonna do with all this stuff."
"Maybe start thinkin' about building on?" said George, playing two more large stuffed animals on the end of the bed, for lack of knowing where else they should go. "You really could use another room for JT's stuff alone."
"You're not kidding." Wade sighed.
"Well, the carriage house is bigger than this, right?" his friend considered, gazing out of Wade's window to the building on the other side of the pond. "With you and Zoe practically living together already..."
"Woah, now. Slow down, Tucker," Wade advised him, with hand gestures to match his words. "Now, I know you have a habit of diving head first into making these commitments to women and all, but me and Zoe are different."
"Oh, you're so different?" George smirked as he looked back at his friend. "So, tell me this, were you or were you not seen in O'Brien's jewellery store over in Mobile last Saturday, picking out something real special for a certain doctor in your life?"
Wade frowned hard. "Now, how in the hell do you know that?"
"This is Bluebell, Wade," George reminded him, arms spread wide. "News like that travels faster here than grass through a goose."
"That's just great." Wade shook his head. "Probably means Zoe already knows just exactly what I bought."
"I doubt that," his friend confirmed. "I mean, say what you will about this town and it's gossips, they know a secret when they get a hold of one. I'm guessing the one person in the whole area that doesn't know what you're planning is Zoe herself," he said, wandering over and slapping Wade in the shoulder. "Just maybe don't wait too long to actually give her the gift is all."
"Point taken," Wade agreed. "Hey, thanks for giving me a hand with JT's stuff and everything. I'd o' asked Zoe but she's working for now and then she has all the party stuff to do. I mean, I will do my part to help, but it seems almost as if she likes being stressed out over the arrangements."
"Yeah, Lemon used to be just the same when she threw a party." George shuddered at the memory. "Now, Tansy, she is just way more laidback about... everything," he said thoughtfully. "And I don't know how the hell it happened exactly but... well, truth is, I like her all the better for it. I really like her, Wade, for a lot of reasons."
"Well, don't tell me, Tucker, tell her," his friend advised. "You know it's no bother to me if you date Tansy or not, just so long as you treat her how she should be tret."
"Treated," George corrected with a smirk.
"Whatever, Golden Boy." Wade rolled his eyes. "Now, let's get us over to the Rammer Jammer, 'cause if I'm not ready for Hurricane Zoe the Party Planner when she comes blowing on through, there will be some serious trouble!"
"And you're absolutely sure you can cope without me?" asked Zoe as Brick backed her out of his office, hands at her shoulders.
"Yes, Zoe, I am absolutely certain," he confirmed, depositing her in the waiting area with a smile. "Did you forget that I ran this place single-handed between the time your daddy passed and when you got here?"
"Well, not entirely singled-handedly." Zoe rolled her eyes. "You had Mrs H then."
"And he has me now" said Addy from behind the desk. "At least for a little while yet. 'Course I'm not so sure about Annabeth Nass taking over from me this Fall. She has talked my ear off every time she was in here for training this week about her catering this party for little JT. Maybe that ought to be her vocation."
"She is excited." Zoe grinned.
"And she's clearly not the only one," said Brick with a smile of his own. "Now, you go set up your party, Dr Wilkes, and we will be along later to wish the birthday boy many happy returns."
"Okay," said Zoe, nodding once. "Still so much to do!" she said to herself, consulting her notebook as she hustled towards the door.
"Uh, Zoe?" Addy called behind her, getting her attention back for a second. "You won't go and forget to pick up the guest of honour from the Hattenbarger place, now will you? It is his party after all."
"I would never forget JT," said Zoe firmly, almost crossly, until she realised her friend was only teasing. "Okay, I need to go now," she said, rushing on out.
She really did have a lot to do, or rather a lot to ensure that other people were doing. There had been talk of having the party in the town square as the guest list grew and grew, but given the fact the weather might not have held up, even in Alabama in July, and the fact that Wade needed to be at the bar anyway, it just made more sense to have it at the Rammer Jammer.
Pulling out her cell, Zoe dialled AB's number, worrying just a little when it rang at least five times before she finally got a reply.
"This better be an emergency, or so help me-"
"AB, it's Zoe," she told her fast. "No emergency as such, I'm just checking in."
"Zoe, no offence, but there is going to be an emergency if you do not get off this phone!" said her friend urgently. "I have tartlets in one oven, pie in the other, a cake with the top tier only half iced, and so many other things to get done, I could positively scream."
Zoe hung up fast, wincing at how manic AB seemed to have become and wondered what help she might provide. She had Lavon and Lemon over at the bar already helping Wade with decorations and general set up. Rose was babysitting JT until the party itself, Brick and Addy were both working, and even Tom Long, who could usually be relied upon to jump in and help in a crisis, was tied up assisting Dash with the music.
"Wanda!" Zoe yelled the moment she saw her across the square, so loudly in fact that the poor girl literally screamed in surprise. "I'm so sorry," she apologised, pelting to Wanda's side and checking she was okay. "I just really need some help, or actually, AB does. You can cook, right?"
The moment Wanda confirmed her experience in the kitchen, Zoe had her hustling on over to the Nass place, while Zoe herself headed straight for the Rammer Jammer. She as absolutely certain she would be needed for any number of reasons and yet when she walked in she found that, surprisingly, everything was in order.
"Huh," she said, eyes moving around the perfectly decorated room.
Cups and soft drinks were set up on one table for the kids, the bar was all ready to serve adult beverages, there was a pile of gifts already forming in one corner, the music system ready to go in another, and all kinds of activities for both the little ones and older folks to enjoy. In the centre of it all, Wade was smiling.
"Hey, there she is," he said, leaning over the bar to kiss Zoe hello the moment she arrived in front of him. "The woman who made it all possible."
"Actually, it seems like a lot was possible without me," she said, turning to look around some more. "It's... perfect," she said, shaking her head.
"Only because you planned it so well, doc. This whole thing ran like clockwork only because you made certain that it did. Hell, I don't think Lemon Breeland herself coulda done a better job."
"I heard that!" Lemon herself called out as she dropped daintily down from a step-stool with Lavon holding onto her hand. "Of course, I cannot deny that you did do an excellent job in pulling this all together, Zoe Wilkes," she said with a smile she couldn't seem to help. "I'm sure even JT at his tender age knows how lucky he is to have you for a... well, to have you in his life," she said, clearing her throat.
It was pretty clear what she had been about to say. 'To have you for a mother.' Zoe was never sure how to take those kinds of remarks, more so from strangers who would often mistake her for JT's mommy. It bothered her most when Wade was there, though he never really reacted much. Not that she dared to look at him in moment's like these.
"Um, I have the banner in the car," she said, gesturing towards the exit and turning to hurry away.
"Hey, Zoe!" Wade called after her.
He was perceptive enough to know that this wasn't all about a banner. He gave chase, catching up to her just outside the door, taking a hold of her arm and gently pulling her around to face him. She glanced up, wondering what exactly he was going to say, but quickly realised she already lost his attention.
"Oh, you have got to be kiddin' me," he said, gaze fixed over her shoulder somewhere.
Zoe turned around and gasped when she saw who was heading towards them, a large box in bright gift wrap and a bow under his arm. Jesse Kinsella.
To Be Continued...