My Cousin Wendy (18 page)

"So, do you want to come in?"

"I'd like that. Would you make me a cup of your famous coffee?"

"I'd be happy to."

"Can I use your restroom?"

"Sure. First door on the right." I went into the kitchen to make coffee while she went into the bathroom.

I met her out on the couch. She snuggled up to me and I wrapped an arm around her.

"Uhm. That fells good." We both said it at the same time. I lifted her chin and kissed her. We held the kiss for a while, ending off when the coffee maker sent out its five beeps, signaling that it was done.

"What do you take in your coffee?"

"I like it black."

"OK. Be right back."

I went in and got two of my Marlboro mugs and poured coffee in them. I put some milk in mine and went back to the living room.

"Wow. That's some coffee mug."

"Oh. Wendy and I drink several of these when we have coffee. You don't have to finish it if you don't want to."

"No, I can finish it. A mug like this is pretty hard to find. They're usually so small you have to get up and fill them every couple of minutes."

"I got extras while I had the chance. There was a limit of 8 but I had my daughter order another set of 4 for me. I also got 8 bowls to match. Perfect for soup, stew, Spaghetti 0s, whatever."

"How did you enjoy your day, Pete?"

"I had two completely different days. I was feeling all alone and sorry for myself until Wendy came by at noon to take me over to Beth's. The party at Beth's was fantastic. All of you are like my family now. I just wish we didn't all live in different places."

"Yeah, I had fun, too. It's good to get away from work. That's pretty much been my life since I left my husband 16 years ago. When I bought the shop it took every hour I was awake to make it happen. There's no reason I couldn't back off and let my people run the business for me, checking up on them occasionally. But it's all I've known for years. You don't know what a thrill it was to take off a weekend and go ballooning and see the air show and go out to Ruth's. Or go to a pool party and eat like a pig and be with people I like and not talk about work. You're opening up a whole new world for me, Pete."

"I'm glad." I kissed her on the top of her head.

"And I'm hopelessly in love with you. I know you and Wendy come first but I've come to realize that I need you in my life."

"June, I..."

"Don't say anything. I know you feel the same way I always have and there's no future for us. I'm willing to take whatever I can get. I used to look down on women who would fall in love with married men and get by with seeing them once or twice a week. Now I know why they do it. I'm willing to take whatever scraps you throw my way, Pete."

"JUNE. Let me say something. I love you too. Yes, I love Wendy and I love our baby. And till I met you I thought she was the one. But the love I feel for you is different. Wendy's my cousin. She was always the one I had the special feelings for. When she came back into my life after so many years we took that love and let it grow. When she got pregnant it just added to it. We're comfortable together. Almost like an old married couple.

"When I walked in your store to thank you that first day I felt something I've never felt before. It was like electricity. It was like I found the person I've been searching for my whole life. When we drove out to Palm Desert we talked as if we had known each other for years. I'm more comfortable with you than I've ever been with anyone. And you're good for me. When I step out of line you put me right back in my place. And I enjoy being corrected. That has never happened with anyone, ever. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's being corrected."

"How do you mean, Pete?"

"Like today when I made that comment about Wendy's clothes. You pointed out that I was putting down her clothes and that it wasn't OK. I hadn't even realized it till you pointed it out. You were totally right. I don't think I would have even listened if someone else had done the same thing. I would have just gone into defense mode."

"So, what are we going to do? I don't want you to just drop Wendy."

"I don't know what we'll do. I just know I don't want to lose you now that I've found you. Don't forget, Wendy's the one who practically forced us together when she saw how you felt about me. After I'd fallen in love with you and was trying to suppress my feelings because Wendy was there first. We'll get with Wendy and tell her how we feel. We should be able to come up with some kind of solution between the three of us."

"Speaking of love, you know Beth's got it bad for you, don't you?"

"Wendy said so. I don't know. She's so much younger. Don't you think it's an infatuation for an older man?"

"I know if I hadn't forced you to let me drive you home that she and you would be in that bedroom right now."

"That may be true but I don't know that it's more than fun to her."

"Oh, it's more than fun. You don't know how you affect women, do you?"

"I know that there seem to be a lot more who are interested in me since I met Wendy."

"That's because of the way you treat Wendy. There aren't many men who give unconditional love. Most men would have walked when she got pissed off about Mother's Day. Or when she got mad on our trip to the desert. Shit, half the men I know would have been out the door when they found she was pregnant or they'd try to force an abortion on her. But you just love and love and love. I know how hurt you are that she insists on living by herself. Yet you never give up hope and just love her that much more. And I know that baby is going to know she's totally loved by you from the day she's born whether you two are together or not."

"That's my child. It's like God is giving me another chance to raise a child. All the things I missed out on before. It's a miracle to me."

"So, how would you like to raise another?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm pregnant, Pete. I'm going to have a baby and you're the father."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I feel wonderful about that. It's what I was made for. It's a part of my life that I've been missing, even though I wasn't aware of it."

"Then I feel great about it, too." I pulled her closer to me and kissed her. And I knew that whatever it took, however it worked out, this woman and our baby were going to be part of my life forever.