Zack and I appreciate receiving ownership of the house. It's more than we expected from Ranger, who quickly gives me anything I need to build a home for Zack and me. Zack and I plan to renovate Tyler's room and make a nursery for our child in preparation for when we decide to use the embryos frozen in the fertility clinic. I leave the home renovations for Zack to organize. He has friends who own a construction company. They will give us the friends and family discount to complete everything we need to update.
Our trip to Trenton is uneventful. Ranger accompanies us to meet the newest Trenton employees. I meet Mariela and her husband, Marco. Mariela is pregnant again. She enjoys living closer to her family. I couldn't imagine having so many children, not that three kids was unmanageable. However, it could be me in a few years.
Zack and I could have six biological children if all the embryos stick during implantation. I'm not ready to take that step yet, and there's no guarantee that all six surviving embryos will be viable. Besides, I want to adopt Tyler before expanding our family. It's important for Tyler to feel like he belongs.
Our visit with Mom and Dad is free of Valerie and her entourage, so it doesn't overwhelm Tyler, who acts shy around my parents. We'll visit Valerie and the others the following afternoon. Tyler sits at the coffee table, colouring in the book. Mom leaves it there with the crayons for Lisa and Bert whenever they visit.
Dad pats his knee so Tyler can climb into the chair. Tyler shakes his head. Trying to get Tyler to relax, Dad leaves the hockey game playing on the television and goes to the kitchen to get some milk and a plate of chocolate chip cookies, Tyler's favourite, which Mom baked earlier that afternoon. Dad sets them on the coffee table, taking a cookie for himself. I watch in amusement as Tyler glances from the cookies to Dad and back, gauging if he should ask Dad for a cookie or take one without asking.
We wait until Tyler looks at us and asks for permission. "You may have a cookie," I say.
Tyler grins and takes one off the plate. He looks at Dad and says, "Thank you," which sounds more like "fankoo."
"You're welcome," Dad replies. Without biting his cookie, Tyler removes another one from the plate. He carries it to Dad and offers it to him. Dad smiles and accepts the cookie. It surprises everyone when Tyler raises his arms so Dad can pick him up. Tyler sits on Dad, trying to squeeze into the small space between his leg and the armrest. Dad settles him on his left leg and motions for someone to hand him the toddler cup filled with cold milk. Zack hands Dad the cup and the plate with cookies.
"He's letting down his guard," Mom says from behind me. Her sudden appearance startles me, making me jump. Zack chuckles because I'm unaware of my surroundings. I turn to see if Mom needs help preparing dinner. I'm no Jamie Oliver, but I can cook a few things. Mom smiles as she hands Dad the cup of coffee I never noticed in her hand. Tyler turns up his nose. He doesn't like the smell of coffee but doesn't move off Dad's lap. I cover my mouth as Tyler happily drinks his milk.
"I was worried. Tyler's usually friendly with new people. I've never seen this shy side of him before," I reply, following Mom into the kitchen.
"It's a new place with new people. He'll adapt as all children do. Is Tyler a picky eater?" Mom asks. She pulls some dinner plates from the cupboard and hands them to me.
"No, and Tyler doesn't like those plastic plates," I say as Mom reaches for a plate with teddy bears adorning the surface. She smiles and tucks it away. Mom removes another ceramic plate from the cupboard. I accept the plate Mom offers and leave the kitchen to set the dining room table. Mom covered the wooden surface with a cream-coloured table cloth and burgundy placemats, using a plastic one for Tyler's place at the table where the booster seat is secured to the chair by a strap around the back. Mom joins me a few seconds later with the utensils.
"When are you and Zachary getting married?" Mom asks. I'm expecting the question and have an answer ready.
"Soon, since we're adopting Tyler," I reply. "I wanted to wait until everyone comes for Thanksgiving, but we'll have better luck by getting married first."
"When is the adoption hearing?" Mom asks. Zack and I can't get married in Trenton because we're not city residents.
"In two weeks."
Mom is quiet for several minutes. She turns and leaves me wondering what she is thinking. "Do you have a marriage license?" Mom asks when I join her in the kitchen.
"In Miami. We have a date set with the Justice of the Peace for next Wednesday," I reply, trying to understand her line of questioning. "Are you upset we can't get married here?" I ask, thinking this is the reason for Mom's interrogation.
"Of course not," Mom snorts, reaching into the oven to remove the roast chicken. I grab a fork to check the potatoes, which break apart easily. I use the pot's lid to drain the water into the sink. Mom watches as I grab the masher from the drawer and add a dash, a tablespoon of butter and a splash of milk to the pot before mashing them. I'm half expecting Mom to tell me I was doing it wrong. She didn't say a word. Mom went about plating the chicken and making the gravy without lumps. I've never mastered that feat. My gravy is always lumpy, even when I use those packages you purchase from the grocery stores that only need meat drippings and water.
I patiently wait for Mom to say more. Where's her "why me" speech and comparisons to the other Burg women? At least she isn't berating me for living with Zack. The scrapes of the whisk against the metal roasting pan are driving me insane. Mom immediately stops as though she is reading my mind. It's much too quiet.
"What are you thinking?" I ask, breaking the deafening silence. Smiling in amusement, Mom replies, "I'm planning your reception for when we visit for Thanksgiving. What were you expecting?"
"Not that," I confess. She laughs when I explain my thoughts and her lack of typical speeches. Mom pours gravy into the gravy boat and motions for me to take it to the living room with the green beans. She follows me, carrying the chicken platter. We return to the kitchen to grab the carving knife and mashed potatoes.
"We've both changed," Mom says. "Stephanie, I only did those things because you didn't trust yourself to make those decisions. I don't need to intervene now that you've made up your mind on what you want."
Squinting my eyes to scrutinize Mom's facial expressions and wonder who traded my mom for this improved version, I ask, "Did you see a shrink?"
"Your father and sister don't know this, but I talk to that charming Milo Santos over the phone," Mom replies, flooring me. She takes advantage of my temporary shock to announce dinner time to the others in the living room.
Zack pulls me from my stupor by asking, "Is everything okay?"
I shake away the cobwebs and reply, "Yes," without betraying Mom's trust.
"Stephanie says you're getting married next Wednesday," Mom announces as Dad carves the chicken with a rapt Tyler, watching the knife as it cuts away pieces. Tyler's fascinated with the length of the blade. Mom smiles when Zack's face brightens. He's happy that I told Mom our plans without it becoming a screaming match.
"We are. I've asked our friend, Hector, to livestream the event," Zack replies, sharing information I didn't know. "I made the arrangements while you were helping your mom in the kitchen. Helen, Hector will send you the link." Mom smiles in appreciation while Dad stops carving the chicken to catch my eye and wink. Did he warn Mom to be on her best behaviour today? It didn't matter. Mom and I have come a long way since I left Trenton. Our relationship couldn't be better.
"Would you like some beans?" I ask Tyler, tilting the bowl for him to see what I'm offering. He nods enthusiastically, and the motion makes him slide to the side of the chair. I'm too far away to stop him from falling. Thankfully, Zack catches him before he slides off the side. Tyler's curls bounce as he tries to sit on the booster seat.
Mom snatches the knife the second Dad finishes carving the chicken. She didn't want Tyler to pick it up. I smile in amusement, knowing Tyler isn't likely to touch a sharp blade. Mom will have a heart attack if she knew Hector is teaching Tyler how to safely handle knives.
Dad helps Tyler select some chicken, warning him that the leg has a bone. Mom giggles when Dad takes the other chicken leg and shows Tyler how to hold it in his hands to eat. I'm growing in pride as Tyler follows Dad's instructions. It makes me sad for Bonnie. Her hard work is paying off, but gives Zack and me the credit.
"He's a lot like you were at that age," Mom says, suddenly nostalgic. I didn't detect malice in her statement. "Always curious and mimicking your father's actions."
"We have his mother to thank for the manners and following instructions. Is being curious a bad thing?" I ask.
"No, but it makes childrearing challenging," Mom says, her tone sad and filled with regret. "I put my foot down when you helped your father fix his motorcycle. Do you still ride?"
"Every chance I get," I answer. "Zack and I own motorcycles. We store them at Rangeman and use them when Marybeth has Tyler."
"You used to love riding with your father," Mom says. "I was afraid you'd fall off the bike whenever he turned a corner." Mom's words flood my mind with memories of riding on the back of Dad's motorcycle, hanging onto his jacket for my dear life, but enjoying every thrilling second.
"The commercial child seats for motorcycles don't meet Rangeman's safety standards," Zack announces. "Ram and Hector took designs to a manufacturer. We should receive the seat within a month." Mom inhales a sharp breath, likely imagining someone crashing the bike.
"He'll be safe, Mom. We have a proper helmet for him," I calmly say.
"And the seat will protect him more," Zack adds. "Would you like to see the design?"
The ice in Mom's glass clinks against the sides as she shakily raises it to her mouth while nodding. Mom takes a long drink, nearly emptying the glass. She places the glass on the table and accepts the phone Zack is offering her. "Oh," Mom gasps. I lean over to enlarge the image by touching the screen with a finger and thumb and spreading them.
"See?" I point to the sides of the seat. "It's high on the sides, and the padding will protect his head if it hits the sides or back. The helmet's visor is made from shatter-resistant plexiglass." I touch the screen and flick my finger to the left, bringing up the helmet.
"It's more protection than your father had for you," Mom says.
"Times were different back then, Helen," Dad replies. "Safety standards improved over the years. You need to trust Zachary and Stephanie to keep our grandson safe."
Mom returns the phone to Zack. He tucks it in his pocket and helps Tyler cut the remaining meat from the chicken leg. Tyler grins happily and eats. He eats everything on his plate and points to the chicken for more food. Dad gives him a small piece of the breast meat. "He has a healthy appetite like you, Stephanie. If I didn't know better, I would think he's your biological child," Mom says, smiling.
"Tyler loves food. He'll eat anything you give him," Zack proudly says. "I bet he eats us out of house and home when he's a teen."
I help Mom collect the dinner plates and leftover food. We load the dishwasher after storing the food in containers for lunch the following day. "Does Tyler want cake?" Mom asks. I step to the doorway to ask but find Tyler asleep in Zack's arms.
"He's asleep. I'll take some for later," I reply.
"Tyler's an adorable child," Mom says. "He's so much like you."
"It's a coincidence, Mom. He's curious, and the guys help Zack and me keep him occupied. We're showing him how to handle that curiosity. So far, it's working," I say.
"A village?" Mom teases.
I have to laugh. "Yes, Mom. It's taking a village to raise Tyler. Those same inhabitants will help with any children Zack, and I decide to have. I'm content adding Tyler to our family for now," I reply.
"Are you happy?" Mom asks.
"Yes. I love my job, and my fiancé understands I must work at Rangeman, where I have the flexibility and support of my boss. Zack trusts me and gives me the room to fly. I hate to say this, but leaving Trenton is my best decision," I reply. "I have never been happier."
"I finally understand," Mom suddenly says. "You can be a wife and mother, but not in the Burg, where everything you say or do gets discussed with the neighbours. I miss having you here. However, I don't miss hearing the rumours and gossip they spread about you with the men working at Rangeman."
"Are they still calling them thugs and criminals?" I ask.
"Some of them are, but I disagree with those women. Zachary and Carlos are good men. There haven't been as many rumours since you moved to Miami. It seems Bella and Lula were starting them," Mom sadly replies. She touches my cheek to get my attention. I see her eyes are filled with love and pride, something I craved as a child, and she's offering it to me now. "I'm happy to see your light shining through. I always knew it was inside you."
I set the dessert dishes on the counter and hug Mom. It takes her by surprise, but she returns the embrace. We're interrupted when Dad enters the kitchen, looking for the pineapple upside-down cake Mom made for dessert. He wraps his arms around me. "Seeing you two embrace makes me happy," Dad says. "I'm proud of you, Pumpkin. You're an amazing mother to Tyler."
"Thanks, Daddy," I whisper.
Mom and I drop our arms when Dad releases us. He chuckles and grabs dessert for him and Zack. Mom and I follow him, carrying our plates.
When I return, Zack raises a brow. I promise to tell him everything during our drive to Rangeman, where Ranger has an apartment for us to use for our visit.