Curveball Read online

  “Where’s Molly?” she said with more panic than she knew she should feel.

  “I left her with my Mom and Dad,” Wes assured her. “They offered and wanted some time with her, so I took them up on it so I could come down and see you.”

  “I brought you some lunch,” Wes said as he sat. “I didn’t think you had grabbed anything before you left, and I wasn’t sure what you might feel like having so I got a little of everything – wonton soup, a burger from the diner, spaghetti and meatballs, warm chicken salad, and fruit salad and some yogurt.”

  “You’re too much,” Kristin told him. She reached across her desk to take Wes’ hand.

  “Well, you need to eat, and I didn’t want you to have to go out and get anything.”

  “Hmmm, no salad for me. Lately, it gives me heartburn. I’ll take the fruit and yogurt… and did you get fries with the burger?” Kristin said, hopefully.

  “And onion rings,” Wes said proudly, pulling the covered foil pan out of the bag.

  “Ooh, I will take those,” Kristin said as she grabbed the pan and pulled the top off, digging into a crispy onion ring.

  Wes passed the fruit salad bowl and yogurt across the table. He handed some plastic utensils to Kristin, along with a cold bottle of water. Kristin took the plastic off the fruit bowl and popped a grape into her mouth. She watched as Wes went into the other tote bag and pulled out a small, round glass vase with some red and white roses arranged in it.

  “Wes, that’s so sweet, thank you,” Kristin cooed. She held the vase under her nose and took in the aroma of the flowers. “What did I do to deserve this?”

  “What didn’t you do,” Wes told her. “You don’t need to do anything but be you, yet you still do more each day, including taking care of our family and putting up with me. I know I’ve been a bit much the last few weeks, but I’m just excited about us, the baby, and the future, and I want to make sure that you have everything you need.”

  “Wes, I’ve never felt more like I have everything I need than I do now, and I’m excited about the future too. Thank you for taking care of me.”

  Wes rose from his chair and moved over to where Kristin sat. He bent down and kissed her, lightly at first, then with more passion and feeling. They broke their kiss, and Kristin sighed and smiled.

  “Hmmm,” she hummed lightly.

  Kristin swiveled her chair so she sat facing Wes and put her hands on his waist to hold him as they kissed more.

  “I’ve missed that,” Kristin sighed.

  “What?” Wes asked. “I kiss you all the time.”

  “Not like that, you don’t. At least not lately. Sometimes I think you’re afraid you’re going to break me,” Kristin said with a smile.

  “I just didn’t know what you felt up to is all,” Wes answered as he took Kristin’s hands and helped her out of her chair. He slipped his hands around her and pulled her close, kissing her with more fervor.

  “I’m stronger than you think, Mr. Martin,” Kristin replied. “And Dr. Walker said sex is okay since it’s been more than six weeks since the C-section,” she whispered in his ear.

  A glint shone in Wes’s eyes that Kristin hadn’t seen in a while.

  Wes slowly trailed his hands up Kristin’s sides and closer to her breasts before Kristin reached up and pushed his hands back down.

  “I didn’t mean right now,” Kristin scolded playfully.

  “Hmm, that’s too bad,” Wes told her. “But you could come home with me now, while Izzy is at school and Molly is with my parents. We have a couple of hours to ourselves.”

  Kristin raced over to her coat rack and grabbed her jacket while Wes tossed the food back into the bags. Kristin grabbed Wes’s hand and tugged him out the door.

  “I’m done for today, Karen,” Kristin said as she pulled Wes toward the library door.

  “Okay,” Karen answered. “If I need anything, I’ll call.”

  “Or you can just use your best judgment. I trust you,” Kristin yelled, hoping to avoid any interruptions.

  “Race you home,” she told Wes as she got to her car door, keys in hand.

  3

  The accumulated snow turned to gray ice after a few days, only to become a pristine white again thanks to a fresh coat of a few inches that fell just a week later. While the snow morphed on the roadways and in front of the Martin house, the hills in the back glowed with the untouched snow in the moonlight. Just a look out at it made Wes long for the days when he was younger, and he and his friends would take their sleds out to the top of the hill where his indoor batting cage stood now. The trip down the “mountain” as they called it back then, on a sled, made it like an Olympic bobsled run. If the kids hit the curves just right, the sleds became airborne for several feet before slamming back into the ice and snow.

  Wes stood at the back door and looked at the hill as the moonlight lit it with a magical aura perfect for the holiday season. He sipped on a vodka martini on the rocks he had made for himself, a special treat for the evening. Slow footsteps made thuds coming down the main staircase, and it wasn’t long before Kristin appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, beaming at Wes.

  “She’s all ready,” Kristin uttered. “Make sure you let her know how beautiful she looks.”

  “I always do,” Wes stated in self-defense.

  “I know you do, but each event at school this year is the last time Izzy gets to do something like this, so it means more to her. She wants to look her best for the dance tonight.”

  Soft moves down the staircase could be heard, and Kristin walked to Wes and grabbed his left hand so she could tug him out of the kitchen and out toward the living room. As he passed the bedroom door, he took a nervous peek into the bedroom and heard nothing but a soft, small snore from Molly. Wes made sure to grab the baby monitor before leaving the kitchen so he would notice any noise. The lights in the living room were off, except for the colored lights of the Christmas tree. The room was illuminated as colored rainbows glistened off glass ornaments and tinsel. All this created an effect on the small silver snowflakes that adorned the dress Izzy wore. The dress was light blue and sleeveless with a modest scoop neck and a pleated skirt, and it suited the winter theme of the school dance perfectly. She gave a casual spin after descending the staircase, letting the skirt flare out a bit for effect.

  “Well?” Izzy asked. Kristin gave a light nudge with her elbow into Wes’ stomach.

  “You look beautiful honey,” Wes admitted. Izzy smiled even more full than before.

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  “Let me get a picture of the two of you in front of the tree,” Kristin offered as she went off to grab her smartphone.

  Izzy and Wes strode over and stood in front of the tree, both looking at the various ornaments on the tree as they waited. Izzy reached over and took hold of a paper Christmas tree that stood out among the many crystal ornaments on the tree.

  “Dad, you really put this one on there?” Izzy complained.

  “Why not? It’s one of my favorites,” Wes replied, taking the ornament from her. The tree was imperfectly cut and colored green with crayons and then dotted with different colors to create lights. At the top of the tree was a small photo of Izzy from when she was about six, with front teeth missing as she grinned in her green and red plaid Christmas dress.

  “I look horrible in this picture with my teeth like that,” Izzy bemoaned.

  “I think you look beautiful, and it’s special to me because you made it for me for Christmas.”

  “Yeah, Mom made me wear that dress too. I never liked that one, but she insisted on it,” Izzy stated. “I think that was the last Christmas before she left,” she noted quietly.

  Wes flipped the ornament over to check the date on it, and sure enough, it was marked with that final Christmas date. Rachel left Wes and Izzy the following spring without much fanfare to take up life in New York with her hedge fund billionaire boyfriend no one knew about.

  Wes hung the ornament back on the tree and th
en put an arm around Izzy.

  “I think we’ve done pretty well since then,” Wes told her. “And you’ve grown up to be an amazing young woman that I am so proud of.”

  “Dad don’t make me cry and mess up my make up,” Izzy told him as she choked up.

  Kristin reappeared in the living room with her phone, and she had Wes and Izzy pose several times in front of the tree so she could get the best shots. Wes then insisted on taking pictures of Kristin and Izzy together in the same spot before a ring of the doorbell interrupted them.

  “That’s Bradley,” Izzy said excitedly, and she raced to the door.

  “Oh goody,” Wes mumbled before he looked over and saw Kristin scowl at him. He snapped off a picture of her before she could say anything, laughing at the shot he got of her.

  Bradley entered the house wearing a dark suit and tie. Izzy, who was tall all on her own, towered over her boyfriend now with the heels that she wore.

  “You look very nice, Bradley,” Kristin offered.

  “Thank you, Ms. Arthur,” Bradley replied as he straightened his tie. He smiled at Izzy and offered her the corsage he carried in a plastic case. Ever since Wes had bought a corsage for Bradley to provide for his daughter on their first official date to a school dance, Bradley had undertaken the routine and always had one for her, even if none of the other kids seemed to follow this tradition anymore.

  Bradley removed the delicate white corsage from the case and stood before Izzy, who stared at it and smiled. Bradley reached over to attempt to pin the corsage to Izzy’s dress until he heard Wes loudly clear his throat as Wes watched the teenager bring his hands up near Izzy’s chest. Bradley quickly pulled his hands back down and turned to Kristin.

  “Maybe… maybe you can do this, Ms. Arthur,” he uttered nervously as he handed the corsage over. Wes nodded and smiled as Izzy twisted her face in embarrassment. Kristin walked over to Izzy to pin on the corsage and then directed the teens over in front of the tree so she could snap a few pictures of them together.

  The two stood inches apart for the first few pictures before Izzy insisted they get closer, and Bradley put his arm around her waist. He did so dutifully but kept a close eye on Wes to see what his reaction would be. Wes peered at him the entire time until the pictures were done, and then walked over to the teenagers before they could escape quickly out the door.

  “Have a nice time, honey,” Wes said gently as he kissed his daughter in the cheek.

  “Thanks, Dad,” Izzy told him, giving him a hug.

  Wes then turned his attention to Bradley.

  “Home by 11, right, Bradley?” Wes commanded.

  “11?” Izzy yelled. “Dad, it’s already almost 8:30. Come on, can’t we make it at least 12 tonight?”

  “I think 11 is plenty fair, Izzy. Don’t you, Bradley?”

  Bradley just nodded frantically, not wanting to get on the wrong side of Wes.

  “Wes…” Kristin chimed in.

  “Now Kris, I think I am being very reasonable about this,” Wes retorted as he stared at Bradley.

  “Wes!” Kristin yelled emphatically. Her yell had urgency and was quickly followed by a groan as Wes looked over and saw Kristin tumble to the floor.

  Wes turned to see Kristin down, holding herself. He rushed to her side.

  “Everything okay?” Wes said with concern.

  “I don’t know. I moved towards you and felt this sharp pain, and then my legs gave out,” she said through gritted teeth.

  “Izzy, you need to stay here with Molly. I have to get Kris to the emergency room.” Wes said with urgency. Wes deftly bent down and scooped Kristin into his arms and moved toward the door. Bradley sprinted over and opened the door, so Wes jumped right out and down the steps towards his truck.

  Izzy followed the couple outside and looked at Kristin as Wes placed her gently into the passenger seat of the truck. She looked at Kristin and could see a mixture of fear and pain on her face. Kristin tried to reassure Izzy she was okay, but she didn’t know for sure that she was. Kristin began the breathing techniques she had learned while pregnant, hoping it would help her ease the pain she felt now and keep her calm.

  Wes ran around to the driver’s side and opened his door before turning to his daughter.

  “Izzy, you need to get back inside and watch your sister. Call your grandparents and let them know what’s going on,” Wes told her.

  “Okay, Dad, I will. Call me as soon as you know something,” Izzy answered.

  “I will, I promise. Make sure to leave your phone on and pay attention to it,” Wes said firmly.

  “Dad now is not the time,” Izzy said with frustration.

  Wes got in the truck, started the engine, and tore down the driveway. He left the two teenagers standing in the driveway and saw them in the rearview mirror as they both walked towards the house. The truck was out onto Route 5 in no time, speeding towards the hospital.

  Wes glanced over at Kristin and saw the worried look she had on her face, making Wes drive faster.

  “You doing okay?” Wes said with concern as he darted into the left lane to move past a slow-driving Buick LeSabre.

  “I don’t know. I’m scared, Wes,” Kristin said with a wince as she gripped her sides.

  Wes drove rapidly and tried not to be reckless as the truck swerved in and out of traffic before reaching the hospital. Wes stopped the truck in front of the emergency room entrance, threw it into park, and jumped out. He pulled Kristin out like a rag doll and took her into his arms as he moved through the sliding glass doors of the hospital and up to the emergency room counter.

  “We need help here!” Wes yelled as 2 nurses jumped up and wheeled a gurney over that Wes placed Kristin on. The nurses whisked Kristin into the emergency room while Wes followed closely behind.

  Everything has to be okay, Wes told himself as he looked up at the ceiling and found himself with clasped hands and saying a private prayer while nurses and a doctor quickly tended to his fiancée.

  4

  Izzy crept in her stockinged feet into her Dad’s bedroom to peek in on Molly as she slept. The infant breathed softly, nestled under her blanket, as peaceful as could be. Izzy smiled down at her sister and tiptoed back out of the bedroom, closing the door but leaving it ajar slightly. She went back into the kitchen and picked up the baby monitor and placed it on the table where she and Bradley had been sitting. Bradley watched her as she sat down across from him at the table.

  “How’s Molly?” Bradley asked

  “She’s sound asleep. She might sleep for a while now. You know, you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” Izzy told him. “I don’t know how long they will be gone or when I’ll hear from my Dad. If you want to go on to the dance, it’s fine.”

  Bradley reached his hand across the table and mingled his fingers with Izzy’s.

  “No, I can stay here with you. The dance wouldn’t be much fun without you,” Bradley told her.

  The two stared at each other for a moment in the silence.

  “Maybe we can watch a movie,” Izzy suggested.

  “Can we go down to your Dad’s man cave to watch it?” Bradley asked excitedly. “I’ve never had the chance to hang out down there. All the guys will be so jealous.”

  “Sure, I guess so,” Izzy said, grabbing the baby monitor as she rose.

  Bradley followed Izzy over to the doorway and then down the stairs to Wes’ room, as all in the house called it. She flipped the light switch, and the room illuminated quickly, bringing life to the place and a look of awe on Bradley’s face.

  “This space is phenomenal,” Bradley gushed as he walked over to the pool table. His left hand glided across the green felt of the table before he turned his eyes to the large projection screen on the wall.

  Izzy walked over to the couch nearest to the front of the screen and picked up the remote sitting there. In a flash, the screen came to life, listing a choice of channels.

  “What do you want to watch?” Izzy asked as she looked a
t the movie choices on the screen.

  “Hey, let’s watch Live PD,” Bradley exclaimed with excitement as he saw the choice scroll by.

  Izzy turned and gave him an incredulous look.

  “Seriously? A cop show? I thought you wanted to watch a movie.”

  “Come on,” Bradley whined as he plopped on the sofa. “This show is awesome. It will be fun.”

  Izzy sighed and sat down next to Bradley, positioning the baby monitor on the coffee table in front of them. Bradley draped his right arm over Izzy’s shoulder as he pulled her close. Bradley got caught up in the action of the show every time something looked like it might happen while Izzy just stared at the screen.

  “Does anything ever happen on this show? All I see are traffic stops,” Izzy remarked as she bent down to grab the remote.