Hold (Gentry Boys, #5)(43)
“We were always a family,” I told her. “You and me, from the beginning.” I shifted Jacob’s position so that he was on my knee. “It’s just that we gained an important member today.”
“She’ll never come back,” Truly whispered. “I know she won’t.” She lowered her head and I kissed her softly because it was all I could do.
I understood that mixed in with Truly’s joy was a deep and impenetrable pain. She and her sisters had been incredibly close throughout their childhood, although due to terrible and tumultuous circumstances they had drifted apart long ago. These days she frequently talked to Augusta and Carolina but they no longer had the special bonds of youth and shared hardships. Despite the fact that she’d barely heard from Meridian these past few years, her permanent defection had now left a gaping hole. The Lee sisters were officially disbanded. I never worried that would happen to me and my brothers. We wouldn’t let it. We were stuck with each other forever.
It occurred to me that I should pick up the phone and enlighten the boys that through a twist of fate they now had a nephew. But that could wait until tomorrow. This day was all about the three of us.
When Truly served her legendary gumbo for dinner she placed Jacob in a bouncer atop the table so he could be there with us. He eagerly sucked on a bottle and kicked his bare feet around with a giggle when I tickled them.
“Can I give him some?” I asked, scooping a small bite onto a spoon.
“Creedence!” Truly hissed. “Absolutely not. You cannot give such a young baby solid food and you certainly cannot give him gumbo. Jakie is happy just with his bottle, aren’t you, little darling’?”
“Jakie,” I muttered, making a face. “Don’t do that to the poor kid. He’s got a good, strong name.”
“He’s a baby. I think Jakie sounds cute.”
“I guess, if he was an animated cat or something.”
“Stop,” Truly laughed.
I winked at Jacob and returned to my meal. Afterwards I cleaned up all the dishes while Truly cleaned up the baby. I could hear her in the bathroom, cooing sweetly as she bathed him in a portable little tub thing she’d picked up the other day. I smiled as I scrubbed the bowls clean and listened to the two of them. Most men had at least a few months to get used to the idea of looming fatherhood. But Jacob was here and I was ready to be whatever he needed.
As I wiped down the dining table, Truly returned, carrying a newly scrubbed Jacob. He hiccupped in his clean blue onesie and Truly nuzzled his cheek. I followed them to the living room where we spread out a soft cotton blanket and laid Jacob down on his belly. Watching a baby at play was a hell of a trip. He was fascinated by everything from his own fingers to a stuffed dog that had a plastic mirror on its back. I’d heard about a study once where some scientist tried to imitate an infant’s every move. He passed out or something after about twenty minutes.
By the time Jacob started looking somewhat sleepy the sky had darkened. I picked up his warm little body and let Truly lead the way to the bedroom he’d been sharing with his mother.
Already there was no trace of Mia around. She must have taken everything with her. Jacob was the only evidence that she’d ever been here at all.
I caught Truly casting a sad glance at the neatly made bed where her sister had slept. Briefly she ran her hand over the dark pink coverlet like it was a final farewell.
We settled Jacob into the crib together and Truly turned on a little box that played soft lullabies. The baby breathed deep and even, the gentle sleep of the innocent.
“Tomorrow we’ll get him a better crib,” I promised her as we left the room. The crib he’d been sleeping in was small and portable. It wasn’t meant to be permanent. Jacob deserved something that was permanent.
Truly slipped her arms around my waist and laid her cheek on my chest.
“What a day,” she sighed.
“One for the books,” I agreed, stroking her hair and becoming acutely aware of the fact that her body was pressed up against mine.
She felt it. She cupped a hand down low. “I did promise you a parole hearing, didn’t I?”
That was it. She was getting f*cked. Sweet and tender time was done. I dropped my pants.
“Hearing is over.”
We used each other backwards, forwards and sideways, with Truly warning me several times to keep the noise factor down. When we’d both been satisfied I shut off the lights and gathered her into my arms where she fell asleep in minutes. Happily exhausted, I was glad to close my eyes and let the bliss of sleep claim me too.
The next thing I knew a confusing noise had jarred me awake.
“What’s that? The baby crying?”
Truly groaned and rolled over. “Creed, the baby doesn’t ring when he cries. It’s your phone.”
I fumbled around on the nightstand until I found the stupid thing. If it was some dickhead telemarketer trying to sell me a cruise to the Bahamas I was going to rip him a new *. But one glance at the caller’s identity chilled me. It was far too late into the night to be calling for anything pleasant. By the time I got it up to my ear I was wide awake.
“Cord. What’s wrong?”
As I listened to my brother’s voice I was aware that other things were happening. The baby really did begin crying in the next room. Truly rose from bed, pulling on a robe as she went to him. The wall clock above the closet, which I’d barely noticed before, starting ticking so crazy loud it sounded like a bomb.