Just a Positive Pregnancy Test - London Casey Page 0,101
seat. I heard Mila laughing at me while she made the bottle.
I finally got him out and cradled him in my arms.
He had a set of lungs on him though.
He screamed the entire walk up the stairs to the nursery.
Mila sat down in the rocking chair and I handed her the baby.
Baby Hank latched to the bottle and I crouched down and kissed his soft head.
I looked at Mila.
She had tears in her eyes.
I knew deep inside she wanted to have a normal birth. She wanted to breastfeed. But this path and plan worked out pretty damn well too.
Life wasn’t so much about taking what you could get but appreciating what you had.
The road to understanding that had been so long, dark, and windy for me.
But now it was so fucking bright, I needed sunglasses.
Or maybe the sunglasses were to hide my tears of happiness.
“This is our first adventure as a family?” I asked.
“Do you not want to see this?” Mila asked.
“Oh, I want to see this. I’m just saying, this is our first adventure. And if this goes the wrong way, this could be baby Hank’s first memory.”
“No, his first memory is everyone in his family busting through the front door of the house to kiss him,” Mila said. “That was crazy.”
“Did you expect anything less?” I asked, laughing.
“No,” Mila said.
“For the record, what we’re about to witness… that’s going to be crazy.”
I made the last turn onto the dirt road to Crosby’s ranch.
Apparently today was the day Edith was going to ride a horse.
I parked the SUV and Theresa came hurrying over, rubbing her hands together.
“Where’s my grandson?” she yelled.
“Oh, damn, we forgot him at home,” I said.
Theresa smacked my arm. “Don’t joke about that, Silas.”
“Sorry, Ma,” I said with a wink.
Theresa opened the backdoor and let out a happy cry. Then came the baby talk.
She took baby Hank from his seat and he was hers now.
I put an arm around Mila and we walked toward Crosby’s house.
Crosby stood, holding the reins to a horse.
“She’s the best one,” Crosby said. “Between Cliff and I, it’ll be okay.”
Cliff stood near the barn, keeping his distance from Thomas.
Which was smart.
Thomas frowned. “This isn’t happening.”
“Stick it up your backside,” Edith growled at him. “If you don’t want to watch, then leave.”
“I’m trying to talk some sense into you, woman.”
“Woman?” Edith asked.
“We all can walk with her,” Tyler offered. “Just to be safe.”
“This isn’t a funeral!” Edith yelled.
“It will be if you fall off that damn beast!” Thomas yelled back.
I heard Lucy gasp.
Then I saw Olivia slip Lucy a dollar bill.
Everything about this family made me feel… like I was part of a family.
“I’m going to turn my back and calm down,” Thomas said. “When I turn around, we’re going to leave here. Okay, Edith? You can pet the horses. Feed them. Play with the goats. But you are not getting on that horse.”
Thomas turned.
He started to count out loud.
Without hesitation, Edith grabbed Crosby’s shoulder and nodded.
I saw the look on Crosby’s face.
He was in a tough spot.
In a way, he had no choice.
Next thing we all knew, Edith was on the horse.
Crosby silently pointing at what to do.
Edith had confidence on her face.
“Thomas, turn around,” Edith said.
“I am,” he said. “Now we can go-” He let out a yell. “Get off that thing!”
Tyler stepped toward Thomas. “Listen. If you get too excited, you’re going to scare the horse. Okay? I’ve let Lucy on this horse. Edith is going to be fine. Just watch.”
Crosby clicked his tongue and the horse turned.
Crosby showed Thomas he had the reins tight.
They walked to the wooden gate and into the area where the horses could run.
It was just the horse Edith was on.
And it was walking very slow.
After just a few steps in, Thomas shook his head. “The thing is going to hurt her. I can’t lose the love of my life. Edith! Come back!”
And just like that, Thomas began to run after the horse.
He ran like Edith had been kidnapped in a wild west movie.
Arms flailing out. Calling Edith’s name. Telling her he loved her and he was sorry.
They weren’t that far away, but Thomas’s age dictated him to move slow.
He ran like he had twenty-pound weights taped to his knees.
“He’s going to-”
Tyler didn’t finish the sentence before Thomas went face down onto the ground.
I held my breath.
The old man began to move, pushing himself to his hands and knees. Then climbing to his feet.