Curveball Read online

  “Tom Shepherd? Really? His glasses are so thick he can barely see where he is walking, never mind use a snowblower. It will be a mess. I’ll take you.”

  “You need to stay here and watch Molly,” Kristin told him.

  “I can bring her along,” Wes answered. “Let me get her ready.” Wes went off to get everything Molly would need for an outing before Kristin could say anything to stop him.

  Izzy galloped down the stairs as Kristin stood and waited by the door. Izzy tried to stealthily move past to grab her coat and slip out of the house unnoticed.

  “Why don’t you drive Izzy to school?” Kristin remarked as she saw Izzy slide by. “The ride to school is longer than my ride to work.”

  Wes came out of the bedroom with Molly in tow just in time to see Izzy grab her keys off the pegboard Wes had hung up, so keys were always in one place.

  Izzy froze in her tracks.

  “You don’t need to do that, Dad,” Izzy said. “Besides, I was going to pick up Bradley on my way in.”

  “All the more reason for me to drive you,” Wes replied. He walked over and gave Kristin a kiss and then walked back toward Izzy to get his keys. “Meet me in the car,” he told Izzy as he walked out the front door, carrying Molly in her seat.

  Izzy stared as her father went outside and then looked to Kristin.

  “What was that?” Izzy said with her hands on her hips.

  “I’m sorry to throw you under the bus like that, Izzy, I really am,” Kristin apologized. “But it was the only way I could get him to let me do things for myself today. I haven’t been out of the house myself in almost six weeks, and I just wanted some time to go down to the library, see how things are going, and take a breath. He’s stressed about everything – me, Molly, you, baseball. Hopefully, it will be over soon.”

  Izzy sighed as she tugged her wool hat on over her long red hair, stuffing some under the cap.

  “Fine,” Izzy offered. “I’ll take one for the team, but you owe me. You know how he is with Bradley. Bradley always ends up afraid of him after they are together.”

  “Thanks, Izzy,” Kristin said as the two walked out of the house together and towards the cars. Wes had already cleaned off his truck and warmed up Kristin’s Jeep for her and was scraping the windows when they got outside. Izzy helped Kristin maneuver down the steps to the driveway and then over to her Jeep.

  Kristin was off and down the driveway without any trouble before Izzy had even got into the passenger’s seat of her Dad’s truck. She typed a quick text to Bradley before Wes got into the cab of the truck so she could warn her boyfriend that her father and sister were tagging along for the morning ride.

  Wes climbed in as the last of the melting ice trickled down the front of the windshield. His cheeks shone red from the cold as his gloved hands gripped the steering wheel.

  “All set?” Wes asked his daughters. Izzy barely glanced up from her cell phone.

  “I guess so,” Izzy grumbled.

  Wes worked his way down the slushy roads towards Chandler High School with hardly more than two words from Izzy. It wasn’t until they were almost to Bradley’s house, which was just a mile or so from the school, that Izzy remarked anything.

  “Don’t forget about Bradley, Dad,” Izzy reminded.

  “Not even if I tried to,” Wes answered as he slowed down so he wouldn’t speed past the driveway that led to Bradley’s parents’ home.

  “What do you have against Bradley now?” Izzy asked, frustration in her voice. The truck idled at the top of the driveway as they waited for Bradley to come out.

  “What more of a reason do I need than that he’s dating my teenage daughter?”

  “He’s never been anything but nice and polite to you, no matter how much you try to intimidate him.”

  “It’s the nice and polite ones you have to watch out for,” Wes warned as he turned towards his daughter. “And intimidating him is half the fun of being a father.”

  Izzy rolled her eyes as she spied Bradley as he made his way down his driveway. Bradley stumbled briefly on a patch of ice before he regained his balance and reached the truck door.

  “Please, Dad,” Izzy begged, “just be nice to him.”

  Izzy switched open the rear doors of the truck so Bradley could climb in. Bradley beamed at Izzy adoringly as he got in and leaned forward to give her a quick kiss. It was then he noticed Wes glaring at him and pulled back before his lips could meet hers.

  “Good… good morning, Mr. Martin,” Bradley stuttered.

  “Bradley,” Wes stated with a nod before he turned his attention back to the road. Izzy looked back and forth between the two and shook her head when she realized no kiss was forthcoming.

  “Bradley,” Izzy began, “the Christmas dance is in ten days. Abby and Charlie want to know if we are riding over with them.”

  “Sure, I guess we can,” Bradley answered. “I’ll have to clean out my car a bit first, but that will be cool.”

  “A dance, huh?” Wes interrupted. “When is that?”

  “It’s on the 11th,” Izzy replied. “Next Friday. I already checked with Kris, and we have nothing going on.” Izzy was prepared to defend herself against whatever excuse her father could come up with to thwart her plans for the night.

  “I didn’t think we did, don’t worry,” Wes told her as he saw the lights for the school cutting through the light fog. “But you do have to pay attention. We have a lot going on right now, and we may need you for something. You might not be available.”

  “Don’t worry, Mr. Martin,” Bradley said as he leaned forward. “I can help Izzy with whatever you might need. It’s not a problem.”

  “I didn’t think it would be Bradley,” Wes said as he stared into the rearview mirror, catching Bradley’s gaze so that he sat back and took his hand off Izzy’s shoulder.

  Wes pulled up in front of the school, coming to an abrupt stop, so Bradley lurched forward against the seats. A sly grin crossed Wes’ lips before he looked at Izzy, who fumed.

  “Thanks for the ride, Mr. Martin,” Bradley said quickly as he gathered his bag and jumped out of the truck.

  “Any time Bradley,” Wes said snidely.

  “Yeah, thanks, Dad,” Izzy said sarcastically. Bradley opened the door for Izzy to climb out and then shut the door behind her. Izzy turned and looked right at her father as she took Bradley’s hand and then moved in and kissed him, making sure her father saw it all. Bradley reciprocated until he realized Wes watched on, and then he abruptly ended the kiss. Izzy looked back at her father and smirked before the two teens headed off towards the front doors of the school.

  Wes stared for a moment, following his daughter and her boyfriend into the school with his gaze. It wasn’t until a car behind him honked twice to get him to move along that he snapped back and drove away from the school.

  “Your sister is going to be the death of me, Molly,” Wes said aloud to the infant in her car seat.

  As Wes pulled back into Martin Way, he stopped the truck in his parent’s driveway. The driveway displayed nothing but black as Wes’ father Wyatt already made sure his area was completely clear of any snow. Wes strode up the front wooden porch carefully as he carried Molly in her seat. The trip to the front door was just like he had done so many times over the years, stomping his boots on the welcome mat before entering the house. He made sure to slip out of his wet boots before getting beyond the front door, something that had always been a strict rule of his mother’s.

  The smell of freshly brewed coffee permeated the air, and Wes walked right to the kitchen to get a cup for himself. He turned the corner into the kitchen and spotted his mother sitting at the kitchen table, humming lightly to the music playing in the background from the radio on the counter. Jenny Martin sat, draped in her favorite green cardigan, as she sipped her coffee.

  “Morning, Mom,” Wes said to her as he bent down to kiss her cheek. He placed Molly, still in her seat, carefully on the table in front of his mother before he moved tow
ards the coffeemaker.

  “Oh, Wes,” Jenny said with a start. “I didn’t even hear you come in. I was in my own little world this morning, I guess. What are you doing up so early? And why did you drag poor Molly out in this weather? Although it’s wonderful to see you, my beautiful granddaughter,” Jenny added as she undid the safety harness on the seat and slid Molly out of her winter coat before pulling the infant closer to her. Molly cooed as she looked at her grandmother, laughing and smiling at her.

  “I was going to drive Kris down to the library this morning. I didn’t want her to trek down on her own, but she talked me out of it. I drove Izzy and Bradley to school instead and figured we would stop by on the way home for a visit.”

  Wes poured coffee into a white porcelain mug before he joined his mother at the table.

  “I’m sure Izzy was thrilled with that,” Jenny said sarcastically.

  “No, she sure wasn’t, and I don’t think Bradley was either,” Wes laughed.

  “Wesley, did you give that boy a hard time again? You really should be nicer,” his mother scolded.

  “Oh, he knows I don’t mean anything by it.”

  “No, I don’t think he does,” Jenny told him. “He’s scared to death of you.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with a little fear,” Wes said proudly. “it keeps him on his toes, so he knows I am watching how he is with my daughter.”

  Jenny gave Wes a sideways glare as she took another sip of her coffee.

  “Where’s Dad?” Wes asked as he reached over to the loaf of banana bread on a platter and cut himself a slice.

  “Oh, he went down to plow out around the stables and the lower road. You know how he is. He could let one of the workers do it, but he has to do it himself. He should be back in a few minutes.”

  Jenny broke off into a steady, throaty cough that shook her body. Molly’s body jostled next to Jenny’s as she coughed. Wes moved over to his mother, put his hand on her shoulder, and offered to take the baby from her.

  “Are you okay? Do you need your oxygen? And why aren’t you wearing your oxygen?” Wes asked with concern. Jenny waved him off and shifted Molly to her other shoulder.

  “I’m fine,” Jenny reassured. “And I hate wearing that thing all the time. It’s a nuisance and dries me out. I don’t need it constantly.”

  “Well, the doctors disagree with you,” Wes told her. “If it helps and makes you more comfortable, you should just wear it. I’ll go get it.”

  Wes went to move toward his parent’s bedroom before Jenny reached over and grabbed Wes’s arm.

  “Wesley, sit down,” Jenny commanded. “I said I’ll be fine, and I will. I cough… a lot… you need to deal with it.”

  “What if Dad comes in and sees you without your oxygen?”

  “Your father won’t say a word. He and I have an understanding. If I don’t want to use the oxygen, I’m not going to, and no one is going to force me to… not you, your father, the doctors, or anyone else. I’m a grown woman. I can make my own decisions. Now, sit down, eat your banana bread, and be pleasant company.”

  Wes sat back across from his mother. He picked up his slice of banana bread and took a bite, chewing it slowly and savoring the rich banana flavor and the bits of walnut his mother always put in her recipe.

  “What is it with the women in my life?” Wes asked, picking up his coffee.

  “You have wonderful women in your life, Wes… beautiful, strong, intelligent, willful women. Isn’t that right, Molly?” Jenny told the baby as she lifted her up. “Be grateful for that,” Jenny said proudly. “And wipe the crumbs off your shirt.”

  ****

  Kristin’s Jeep pulled to her usual spot in the library parking lot without any trouble. Chandler was used to dealing with snowstorms large and small and had no problem making sure all its roads, sidewalks, and parking areas stayed passable and clean. The long-time residents of the town were evident by how well their paths were kept, with not even the slightest traces of precipitation remaining visible as soon as they were able to get out and start shoveling, snow-blowing, or sweeping.

  Kristin gingerly moved from her vehicle towards the library doors, even though everything looked good to her. The last thing she wanted to do was take a fall right now, and being overly cautious was undoubtedly prudent. She had her bag slung over her right shoulder as she moved along the sidewalk, and Kristin felt the rock salt crunch beneath her boots as she walked.

  Kristin arrived at the front door and tugged it open. She wedged her right foot against the door to hold it open so that she could slide in while she maneuvered the foyer. She huffed a bit as she walked into the library and spotted Karen sitting behind the counter, unzipping her sheepskin boots.

  “Hey, what are you doing here so early, or even at all?” Karen asked. “You didn’t have to come down with the weather like this. And where’s little Miss Molly?”

  “I was going stir crazy in the house, Karen. I needed to get out and do something different. Wes has Molly this morning.”

  Kristin walked to her office and took her hat off, shaking the stray snowflakes that had fallen out before she hung it on the coat rack. She unzipped her jacket but had difficulty getting her left arm out of the sleeve. She still felt twinges of pain now and then from the surgery. Kristin struggled for a bit before Karen came over to assist her and pulled one sleeve so Kristin could get the jacket off. Karen hung up the coat as Kristin moved over to her desk and sat down, pushing herself a bit away from her desk so she could adjust the chair and sit comfortably.

  “I can’t imagine there is going to be much going on down here today,” Karen told her. “Even with the streets clean, you know how it is right after a snowstorm. Everyone stays home for a bit before getting back to normal. Add in that people are going to be Christmas shopping, I expect a quiet day.”

  “I’m okay with a quiet day,” Kristin admitted. “I just want to feel like I am out doing something. It will help take my mind off things for a bit.”

  “Everything going okay? You’re feeling alright?” Karen sat down across from Kristin.

  “I feel fine,” Kristin told her. “And everything is going great, but I think Wes… well, he’s a bit anxious about the whole thing. I know he never got to experience much of it when Izzy was born, but his anxiety and his hovering and asking questions, well…”

  “It makes you want to punch him?” Karen said with a smile.

  “It does!” Kristin admitted. “I love him dearly, but he’s making me nuts. It’s sweet, and I know he’s just trying to help, but it’s too much lately. I just needed a little break today, even if I don’t really do much of anything here.”

  “No problem, Kris,” Karen told her as she stood up. “Do whatever you feel up to today. Stay in here and kick back or sit out at the counter. Either way is fine with me. Just let me know if you need anything.”

  Kristin spent most of the morning working on tying up some loose ends with vendors, suppliers, and others so that they knew they could get in touch with Karen or herself over the next few weeks if they needed anything before Kristin returned to the office. Kristin also checked in with a few of the part-timers to ensure that they paid attention to schedules, so all the hours were covered, and Karen had help when she needed it.

  As she sent off the messages, Kristin considered more about work and what would happen in the coming weeks. Before Molly was born, she hadn’t thought much about the prospect of not returning to work. Kristin loved the library and her job, but the weeks home with Molly made her understand why many women changed their minds and stayed away longer. Wes had told her many times that she did not need to return to work if she didn’t want to. They were financially secure, no matter what her decision would be. The thought made Kristin nervous about the future. Her plate would be fuller than ever before, with the baby, work, planning the wedding for the fall, Izzy finishing her last year of school, Wes and baseball, and who knows what else might come along. The last few months had allowed Wes, Izzy,
and Kristin to slip into a routine, making sure everyone’s needs got met along the way. Once Molly arrived, they realized there was no planning for everything, and finding time was not always so easy. Would there even be enough hours in the day to do everything?

  Kristin lapsed into a daydream about it all and snapped out only when there was a loud knock on her office door. She sat up quickly in her chair, trying to make herself as comfortable as she could before yelling out, “come in!”

  The office door creaked open and there stood Wes with a grin on his face.

  “Hey there,” Kristin said with a smile.

  Wes entered the office and closed the door behind him. He carried two tote bags with him. It was then Kristin realized he didn’t have the baby with him.