Beginnings of the Heart (5 page)

I looked at her and shook my head. “No, Dad will be disappointed, and he will want to kill me and Cole. It's going to be a long two weeks.”

“I'll bet you Dad will be more understanding than Mom. Just wait and see. Have you guys talked about stuff yet? You know, what you're going to do?” Samantha asked.

“Not really, other than Cole said he needs to get a job.” I said.

“Do you want a boy or a girl?”

“I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. We were so focused on what to do and how to do it I…” I stopped and thought for a minute and then smiled. “I think a little girl with Cole's eyes and hair would be beautiful. Maybe she'd get your hair.” I said.

“Well, if you need anything just ask. Would you do me one favor please? Let me know when you're going to tell them so I can be somewhere else.”

I smiled at Samantha. “I'll be sure to let you know. I better do my homework. I don't want to give Mom any more ammunition than she needs. She's going to have enough as it is in a couple of weeks.”

The only answer I got from her was a little nod of her head.

The rest of the afternoon and evening passed quickly. My mom checked on me. She was her usual self. When she suggested I stay home from school the next day I convinced her it wasn't necessary.

Cole called later to see how everything was, and I told him my sister had figured everything out and relayed the conversation we had to him. He, like me, was oddly relieved someone knew. If the rest of the announcements could go as smoothly then I would have nothing to worry about. But I already had enough proof my luck was seriously lacking.

The next two weeks flew by in typical pre-holiday frenzy. I helped finish decorating the house for Christmas, and Cole and I still spent as much time together as possible. Everything on the surface appeared normal, for which I was grateful.

I was sick almost every morning, but hopefully it wouldn't last much longer. The only person who noticed before I recovered enough to get ready for school was Samantha, and she wasn't telling anyone.

When it came time for the annual trek through the Christmas tree lot to find the perfect tree, Cole joined us. My mother was not very welcoming, but my father thought it was nice. I figured he was just happy he wouldn't have to pull the tree to the car by himself this year.

I rode with Cole in his truck, and my sister jumped in with us. I thought it was strange, but didn't think much about it.

“So, how come you decided to come over early? I thought you weren't coming over until after we got back?” I asked.

“Well, I got to thinking about it and didn't want you to do anything stupid again, like you did in PE the other day.” He gave me a very frustrated look. “I still don't see why you didn't say you didn't feel good or your ankle hurt or something.” Cole said, referring to my playing soccer in PE a few days before.

“We've already been over this, Cole. I didn't know what we were doing, and you know I can't come up with lies really fast. Before I knew it I was on the floor playing.” I defended myself.

“Honest to goodness. I almost stormed into the gym to drag you off the floor when I saw you playing. You scared me. So, I'm here to ensure you don't do anything else stupid.” Cole said.

I laid my head on his shoulder and curled my arm through his. “I know I scared you and you're still angry, but I already promised to be more careful in the future. I can't do anything more.” I finished by turning to look up at him. Then something else occurred to me.

“How did you know what time we were going today? I know I didn't tell you. So how…”My voice trailed off as he gave me a sheepish look.

The answer came from Samantha.

“You were in the shower when he called. He asked, and I told him. Besides, you were pretty stupid playing in PE.” She leaned forward so she could see Cole and said, “Don't worry I'm watching her at home so she isn't stupid there either.”

“Oh my goodness, I don't need a babysitter. You two, I can see, are going to drive me crazy.”

They turned identical smiles on me, saying clearer than any words I was absolutely right.
At least they can't be too overly protective with Mom and Dad right there, I thought as I glared at both of them.

I was wrong. The only thing keeping them both alive was the fact I knew their hearts were in the right place and there would be witnesses to their deaths if I did anything to them here.

We arrived at the tree lot and parked behind my parents' car. Because we lived in a small town, the tree lot was out on a back road and someone in town owned it. You had to park on the side of the road and then walk out through the lot, find a tree, cut it down, and drag it back to your car.

It was something we always did together, and I really liked it. There was the inevitable debating when there was more than one “perfect” tree found. Of course none of them were ever perfect, but you didn't know how crooked they were until you tried to put them in a tree stand at home.

The three of us were all smiles and chatting as we climbed out of the truck, the babysitting discussion forgotten and the spirit of the season grabbing hold. The snow overnight helped to create the right atmosphere. A million crystals caught in the sunlight and nearly blinded us.

My parents were a different story. You could see from their faces the ride had been spent discussing something, and I doubted it was the coming holiday. I saw Cole and Samantha exchange a look I couldn't interpret. It was really annoying to have two very perceptive people around you all the time.

“Alright, what did they talk about?” I asked them both as we stood next to the truck.

Cole put his arm around my shoulders as we all started to move towards my parents. “I think they had a tense discussion about you and me and probably about my involvement here today.”

“Yep. Mom's always really protective of what she considers to be
our traditions. She needs to lighten up or she's going to have a coronary soon.” Samantha added.

“I'll probably give her one in a few weeks then.” I added.

They both started laughing, and I joined in. It helped to laugh at the situation even if it wasn't a laughing matter. Mom shot us a look over her shoulder as we all entered the lot to find a tree, but we couldn't.

We split up to look for our own version of the perfect tree. Cole stayed with me the whole time and after half an hour of looking we found it. Of course, now we had to convince everyone else ours was the best choice.

“We found it.” I yelled.

I could hear everyone trudging through the snow to take a look at the tree. My sister was the first one there.

“Wow, it's a nice one.” she said after looking over the six-and-a-half foot tall Blue Spruce. “Is the trunk actually straight?”

“I think so. At least it looks straight out here.” I answered her.

My parents came up to us and looked at the tree. I looked at their faces through the smoky breath escaping all of our mouths into the frosty air.

“It is a nice tree.” my Dad said rubbing his chin, “but we found one over there a little ways. I think it's better than this one.”

He turned a smile on all of us. The gauntlet had been thrown down, and now it was our job to pick it up and argue him into accepting our tree.

It was a lively discussion, and everyone was talking on top of everyone else. I even saw my mother smile, and Cole fit right in with the rest of us arguing the benefits of the tree we found.

The day went to the tree my parents had found, however. It was decided it was a better height for the living room. Cole took the saw from my father and crawled under the tree to cut it down. Then he and my dad dragged it back to the vehicles, talking as they went.

Samantha, Mom, and I slogged through the snow behind them. There was an air of civility surrounding all of us. Maybe if Cole spent some more time with my family, the whole family, my parents would see what a great guy he is. Maybe they would see we really did love each other and this wasn't just some passing teenage crush.

Until they shoot him, of course.

We all got back to the cars, and Cole lifted the tree and put it into the bed of his truck while my Dad returned the saw we had been given and paid for the tree.

Everyone got back in the vehicles and I, for one, was glad for the heater. My toes were cold, and I held my fingers out to the vent to warm them up.

“I can't believe Mom didn't glare at the two of you today. Well, after we got here anyway. Do you realize the whole time we were arguing over the tree Cole had his arm wrapped around you?” Samantha asked me.

I frowned at her. “I didn't. Huh, and she didn't give us a look or anything. Do you think she's mellowing?”

“Nope.” Cole said. “I think the discussion she and your Dad had was a very interesting one though. I would bet he's starting to see our relationship the same way we do.” He replied, taking a quick look at both of us.

“Makes sense. She and Dad have been going back and forth about the two of you for a while. Mom thinks you're too young, and Dad keeps reminding her they were the same age as you when they started dating. He probably reminded her again on the way here. She'll be better today, but we'll have to wait and see if she changes.” Samantha said.

“And she'll be back to normal after we tell them about the baby.” I said with a huge yawn.

Cole chuckled at me. “I said you were going to need more rest, but you haven't been getting it, have you?”

“I've been trying, but I've also been struggling to keep everything normal. I think it's all catching up to me.” I said as I lay my head on Cole's shoulder and closed my eyes.

“It's true, she has been trying. She takes a nap after school, and I wake her up before Mom gets home.” I heard Samantha say through an ever encroaching blackness.

I heard Cole say something back, but I couldn't make out the words. I let sleep take me, knowing they would wake me up when we got back to the house. Besides, I needed a nap, especially since I knew what the rest of the day was going to be like.

I felt someone shake my shoulder and tried to shy away from the movement. I was warm and cozy where I was and didn't want to leave. The shaking persisted and this time it was a little rougher.

“Morgan, it's time to wake up. Come on baby, we're pulling up outside of your house.”

I tried to ignore Cole's voice.

“Do you want Mom to ask why you were napping?” Samantha asked.

The question got my attention, and my eyes flew open and I bolted upright on the seat. I blinked several times to clear the sleep from my eyes.

We parked at the curb in front of my house and then all climbed out. Cole got in the back of the truck and lowered the tree out onto the sidewalk. I reached out to steady it so it wouldn't fall over when he jumped out of the truck, landing on his feet beside me, and grabbed it out of my hands.

“I was only steadying it so it wouldn't fall over.” I said to him with a glare for good measure.

“Oh, I thought you were going to pick it up or something. Sorry.” Cole said.

“The only thing saving you is knowing your heart's in the right place.” I said from between clenched teeth.

Our conversation ended abruptly as my parents walked over to where Cole's truck was.

“Where would you like it, Mrs. Taylor?” Cole asked.

“If you could take it around to the back porch, I would… appreciate it. We'll put it in the stand before we bring it inside.”

Cole picked the tree up and started around the side of the house and I started to follow but was stopped by my mom's voice.

“Morgan, you and Samantha go up to the attic and find the boxes with the Christmas tree ornaments. I need to go hunt up the stand so we can get this tree inside.”

She walked in the front door with Samantha and me following. Before Cole had disappeared around the corner of the house, he had sent me a look saying, “Don't do anything stupid.” I had no intention of doing anything stupid. Besides, my other watchdog was right behind me.

We dutifully pulled the attic stairs down and climbed up into the attic.

Finding the boxes we were looking for was not as easy. They were not with the other empty boxes we had already gotten the other decorations from.

As we continued to hunt for the boxes I heard my dad and Cole bring the tree inside and my mom instruct them where it should be placed so it was centered just so in the front window. I shook my head and giggled a little.

“What's so funny?” Samantha asked.

I turned around to look at her. “I was just laughing at the way Mom always has to have everything so precise. I know what look Dad has on his face.”

I heard a squeak on the ladder leading to the attic and turned toward the opening. I saw Cole's head pop into view with his smile still intact.

“I thought I'd give you a hand.” he said, climbing the rest of the way up. “Now what are we looking for?”

“Here they are.” my sister called. “They were buried under these other boxes. What are in these anyway?” She said as she opened one up.

I crawled over to her to have a look.

“Pictures, old pictures. Look, this is you with Mom and Dad when they brought you home from the hospital. They look really happy.”

“You were so… wrinkled. At least you got cuter.” said Cole.

“Shut up.” I said.

“Look. Here's one of Mom with her parents. She was so cute. Gran looks really happy.” Samantha said.

“It must have been taken right before her dad died.” I said.

“I guess so.” Samantha said.

“Did you find them yet?” my mom's voice came up from below.

“Yes we did.” I answered automatically. “We're coming down with them now.” I slid the pictures into my back pocket.

Samantha closed the box back up and we pushed the ornament boxes to the opening. Cole went halfway down the ladder, Samantha handed the boxes to him, and he put them on the floor. I followed Samantha down the ladder.

My sister picked up a few boxes and headed for the living room, and Cole pulled me into his arms. I rested my head on his chest and enjoyed the steady rise and fall of his breathing. I felt him kiss the top of my head and then pull away.

We both grabbed a box, but he didn't move toward the living room so I looked up into his eyes. There was some emotion swirling around in their blue depths I couldn't identify.

“I love you, Morgan.”

“I love you more.”