Читать книгу Slow Talkin' Texan - Mary Baxter Lynn - Страница 7

One

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

“For Pete’s sake, it won’t kill you. Not one time, anyway.”

Ellen Saxton flashed her sister, Megan Drysdale, a put-out look. “It’s easy for you to say. After all, you have a child.”

“So?” Megan responded with a grin, which called marked attention to a dimple embedded in her left cheek.

Ellen gave her another look, followed by an unladylike snort. “So you know how to take care of one.”

Meg was a part-time worker in the nursery in the small Baptist church she’d been active in for several years. According to her, the nursery was always shorthanded and in need of substitute helpers.

“Think of this as just another adventure in your life,” Meg said, her lips twitching.

“Oh, brother.” Ellen rolled her eyes and watched her sister shift a precious two-year-old girl in her arms, then rock her. For sure, Meg had a knack with children.

Ellen felt a pang of envy for something she had missed in life and would more than likely never experience. By choice, she reminded herself quickly:

“Honestly, sis,” Meg said, “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to change a baby’s diaper.”

“Well, it ought to,” Ellen muttered more to herself than to Meg, while she turned her attention to the twenty-month-old baby boy in her charge.

His name was Matthew, and though he was a beautiful baby, even to her novice eyes, she hoped he wouldn’t dirty his diaper while in her care. However, she feared that was wishful thinking. Besides, Meg wasn’t about to let her get by without experiencing that side of motherhood.

Her next words confirmed that thought. “Just poke a finger inside his diaper and see if he’s wet.” Meg paused, then smiled a mischievous smile. “Or otherwise.”

“It’s the otherwise that has me concerned”

Meg laughed outright. “You really ought to loosen up a bit, you know.”

“I wish I could.”

“You can. Now that you’re no longer married to that jerk, you have no reason to be strung out. Just pick up Matthew and cuddle him. You’ll feel yourself mellow out.”

Ellen shook her head. “Why bother him when he’s content to sit on the floor and play with the toys?”

“Suit yourself,” Meg said with a grin, “but if you’re thinking what I think you are, you can think again.”

“Now what would that be?” Ellen’s tone was sugar-coated with innocence.

“Don’t play the dumb-blonde with me. It won’t work. We may only have two babies, but you’re not cutting out.”

Ellen gave her a sheepish look followed by a resigned sigh. “Give it a rest, okay? I gave my word, and though I wish I were home drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper, I’m not going to leave you in the lurch.”

“Praise the Lord.”

“Having said that, you know you could handle them both. You’re punishing me for something. I just haven’t figured out what yet.”

“Think of it as calling in a favor,” Meg responded with a wink.

“Now that I can buy.”

Meg shifted the suddenly squirming child to the other arm before narrowing her gaze back on Ellen. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. When it’s all said and done, I owe you much more than you owe me.”

“Hey, we’re not keeping score here.” Ellen reached over and wiped the slobber off of Matthew’s chin.

Meg chuckled. “See, you do know what you’re doing.”

“I wouldn’t take that to the bank.”

“Well, maybe your expertise does lie more in the workplace than in the homeplace, but—”

“But still, I’m not getting off the hook. Right?”

Meg grinned down at Matthew. “Right. But I’ll concede that choosing a career over motherhood was the right thing for you. However, it’s not too late for you to change your mind.”

“I’m happy with my life as it is, thank you.”

“I’m glad, now that I’ve lured you closer to me and my family.”

Ellen gave a vigorous nod, agreeing with her sister wholeheartedly on that account. But the move from the booming town of Tyler, Texas, to this small, historic town of Nacogdoches hadn’t been an easy one. Still, Ellen wasn’t complaining. She’d found a prime location and opened her second coffee/gift shop, called Coffee, Anyone?

She was excited about that latest venture, despite the warnings that such a business might not take hold in a town of this size. She had merely ignored the naysayers and gone forward with enthusiasm.

To date, that positive attitude had paid off. According to the gossip hounds, her shop was now the place to go. Ellen was thrilled, of course, and hoped the excitement would last.

Opening a new business and getting it operational in just six months had been taxing, and she was exhausted. That was why she’d been reluctant to help Megan on Sunday, her only day off. While she’d done her best to finagle a way out, Meg wouldn’t take no for an answer. Then again, the feeling that she owed Meg more than she could ever repay had been a huge motivator.

Thank goodness there were only two babies in their care. Meg had chosen the little girl, because she was the most hyper. Matthew, on the other hand, had so far been content to remain on the floor and play with the toys that surrounded him.

Ellen glanced at her watch and breathed a sigh of relief. If all went according to plan, in thirty more minutes church would be over and her obligation ended. Her thoughts were interrupted by her sister’s voice.

“I know this is probably a no-no, but have you heard from your ex?”

Ellen avoided looking at her sister, and when she spoke, her answer was succinct. “No.”

“Oops. Did I hit a sore spot? I have a habit of putting my big foot in my mouth.”

Ellen forced a smile. “That you do, sis dear. But in this case, you didn’t. Besides, he doesn’t want to talk to me any more than I want to talk to him. We’re history.”

“God, I hope so. You deserve to be happy, something that would never have happened if you’d stayed with him.”

“Speaking of husbands, how’s Ralph?”

“The same. Gone all the time,” Meg admitted with brutal frankness.

Ralph was a truck driver who Ellen thought preferred being on the road rather than tending to responsibilities at home. Apparently Meg agreed, though she’d never voiced her displeasure before.

“How’s his health?” Ellen asked, her concern growing.

“The doctor can’t seem to get his diabetes under control. And his driving that truck all over the country doesn’t help the situation.”

“Maybe the doctor can get through to him.”

“He won’t listen. Besides, I don’t know what we’d do if he did get off the road, though he’s not getting the good hauls like he used to.”

“Meggy, I sense something’s going on that I need to know about.”

“No more than usual. It’s just that Kyle’s seventeen and needs his dad around. It’s all I can do to keep the bit in his mouth. I love him, but sometimes I could strangle him. And Ralph, too.”

Ellen almost flinched visibly on hearing the pain and frustration in her sister’s voice. Cutting another glance at Meg, she saw those emotions on her face, as well.

While Meg had never lost the weight after Kyle was born, at thirty-five she was still an attractive, brown-eyed brunette. But Ellen sensed that her sister was under more stress than she let on, suspecting the family was not only short on unity but funds, as well.

However, Ellen was reluctant to voice those thoughts. Meg was both proud and private, but when and if she needed help, hopefully she would ask for it.

Though they were as different in looks and personality as two sisters could be, they were close, having lost their parents within a year of each other—one to cancer and the other to a stroke. That tragedy had created a bond that would never be broken.

Suddenly Matthew let out a wail, jerking her back to the moment at hand. Shoving a strand of strawberry blond hair out of her face, Ellen got out of the chair, leaned over and hauled him into her arms.

Meg grinned. “He’s quite a chunk, isn’t he?”

“You can say that again. If I had to carry him around for any length of time, I think he’d break my arms.”

“You’d get used to it.”

“I doubt that.” Then, to Matt, she said, “Hey, kid, mind your manners and stop wiggling.”

“You might as well ask for a million dollars,” Meg said. “Him being still ain’t gonna happen.”

“I guess I’d best check his diaper.” Ellen’s tone was resigned. “Maybe that’s what’s wrong with him.”

“Probably.”

Ellen gave Meg a pleading look. “I’ll hold Miss Prissy if you’ll change him for me.”

“Not on your life. He’s yours for the duration.”

“I’ll remember this.”

Meg laughed. “I’m sure you will—for more reasons than one.”

“Oh, all right, have your fun. I’m a big girl. I can take it.”

“Go for it, sis.”

Ellen made a face at Meg before she carried Matthew across the room to the changing station and laid him down. Immediately he started crying and flinging his arms and legs about.

“Hey, sweetie, hold your horses, okay? This won’t take long, I promise.”

Somehow Ellen managed to get his diaper, which was indeed wet, off. In fact, it was soaked. Much to her relief, that was all he’d done.

From behind, Ellen heard her sister chuckling. Without turning, she said, “Behave yourself and get your butt over here and help me.”

“You don’t need me. You’re doing just fine.”

“How can you say that when he’s squirming so hard I can’t get the clean diaper under him?” Ellen asked.

“You’ll manage.”

“Megan,” Ellen said through clenched teeth, “I swear if this kid pees on me, I’ll—” Suddenly she broke off with a loud cry as a stream of liquid shot up and landed first on her chin and then on her yellow silk blouse.

For a moment Ellen froze. Then she let out a loud cry of her own. “Yuk!”

“Uh-oh, looks like he had an accident.” Meg’s voice quivered with laughter. “I can’t believe the little fellow did that.”

“Yes, you can,” Ellen spat, fighting to get the diaper under Matt and the tabs in place. Once that was done, she whipped around to face her sister, only to stop and stare at the doorway.

A man with a wide grin splayed across his face filled the space. That grin turned lazy as his eyes toured her body. Ellen flushed, conscious of the ugly stain front and center on her blouse.

Flustered and unnerved by this stranger’s stare, which seemed to make fun of her ineptness, she snapped her eyes off him and back onto the still-squirming baby.

“Need any help?” he asked.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” Ellen responded in a scoffing tone, thinking it unlikely that this rangy cowboy was any more adept at changing a diaper than she was. “Everything’s under control.”

“Are you sure about that?” he drawled

“Yes, I’m sure,” Ellen said coldly.

Megan stood and cleared her throat. “Uh, Ellen, this is Porter Wyman, Matthew’s daddy.”