Chapter 29
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Elisha and Jane prepared lunch for the family while Nick and Bob were out back with the children.
"I really appreciate you staying to help us out, Mom." Elisha said, as she cut some carrots into
the soup they were making. "Oh don't worry about it, you have enough to think about without
worrying about the children too. We are more than happy to help." "I know Nick is happy to have
you here too. He hates being away for too long." They continued to get lunch ready, chattering
about the children, Nick's siblings back home and the rest of the group, Elisha desperately trying
to keep her mind off of her meeting with the lawyer in the afternoon. "Have you heard anything
about Brian and Linda? They were thinking of adopting, I think they had some meetings when we
left." Jane's face looked elated for a moment and then shifted to a more serious look. "I don't
think anything came of it, they did have a few meetings though." Elisha wondered what that had
been all about, maybe some news had been heard but she had been sworn to secrecy. "And baby
Jerald? How is he and his family?" she asked. "Oh they are all wonderful, the baby is growing
like a weed, and Christine is so mad that she can't come and visit you!" Elisha laughed. "I bet
she would have loved to have been here when Mandy died, she always said she wanted to kill her
for us!" She paused and covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh my God, that was an awful thing to
say!" She sank into a chair by the table and shook her head slowly. "What kind of person am I
to say something like that?" Jane came to her and hugged her shoulders gently. "You are a
person who was hounded and abused, a person who had her husband hounded and abused and a person
who had her children ripped away from her before she even had a chance to form a bond with them.
You're a normal person, one that is happy Mandy is gone and can't hurt anyone else." "But I
killed her mom, I killed her!" "Well, I'll tell you this sweetie. Christine wasn't the only one
who wanted to help you get rid of Mandy. None of us are sorry she's dead."
Nick and his father came in at that moment, each carrying a baby and the older children trailing behind them. Jane went over and took Gene from Nick, snuggling him into her shoulder and Nick gave her a hug around the waist. Elisha smiled warmly at the scene, remembering a time when Nick hadn't seen his parents for the longest time and was afraid to talk to them. That bitch had done that to him and she didn't need to feel sorry for her any longer, anything she got in life, she deserved. Jane was right, she had no reason to be upset that Mandy was dead. Just imagine what she would have had in store for them if she had lived. She kissed Nick on her way to the stove and he beamed at her. "What's that for?" "I love you and I'm thinking postitive for a change, no more moping!" Nick hugged her around her waist as she stirred the soup. "I love you too, honey. It's nice to see you smiling again." "I'm gonna try to keep it up too." She leaned her head back and kissed him again, their tongues briefly touching and sending a thrill through her body. "EWW! Mommy and daddy are kissing!" Brian hollered. Rebecca was giggling her head off. "Why did you stick your tongue out at mommy?" she said, still laughing. "Cause mommy likes it, don't you mommy?" He moved away from Elisha and playfully stuck his tongue out at her. Jane and Bob had joined in the laughter, wanting to see how Elisha would get out of this. "Yes, Becca, mommy does like when daddy sticks his tongue out, because then I can tell him how rude he is." At that, Elisha stuck her tongue out at Nick. "Oh, who's rude now?" Nick moved towards her, threatening tickles. Rebecca and Brian were rolling on the floor laughing. They really did have the goofiest parents around. "Just don't KISS anymore!" Brian shouted suddenly. Nick scooped him up and tossed him over his shoulder. "Don't knock it till you try it, little man!" "Ewww!" Brian hollered again as Nick carried him into the bathroom to get washed for lunch. "Well, I'm off." Elisha exclaimed as she finished putting the last of the dishes in the washer. "Are you sure you don't want me to put the babies to sleep first?" "We're fine, honey." Nick encircled her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Get going, there's no point in putting it off." Elisha smiled at Nick's parents. "And you thought I was the older one in this marriage! Your son is wise beyond his years!" "Don't you forget it!" Nick laughed, swatting her on the behind as she made her way to the closet. He waited until his parents had entered the living room and hugged Elisha again. "Don't worry about a thing. David will talk you through everything and get everything straightened out. No worries, alright?" Elisha nodded and kissed him on the lips. "But why doesn't he want to talk to you too?" Nick snapped his fingers. "I forgot to tell you! Yesterday when we delivered the money to the court, he said he wants to talk to me alone as well. He thinks it might be better for me to get another lawyer." Elisha looked confused. "But why?" Nick glanced down at his watch. "C'mon, you've got to get going! David will tell you all the details, okay?" They kissed again and Elisha scurried out the door. Nick leaned against it and sighed. "How can I tell her that David thinks he will have his hands full with her case, little lone mine?" Elisha walked into the lobby of the plush hotel and searched for the conference room. A quick check at the front desk and she found out it was on the third floor, of all places. When she arrived she tapped on the door and stepped back, waiting for it to open. "Elisha!" David shook her hand and helped her into the room. Elisha shook her coat off her shoulders and placed it over the back of a chair. "I wish I could say it was nice to see you again, David." she smiled. "I understand." he assured her. "Shall we get down to business?" Elisha sighed. "No time like the present, I guess." David shuffled some papers and cleared his throat. "I guess we should start where we left off yesterday. You said you took Mandy to the house. Do you mind explaining how that came to be?" |