Those Children Are Ours Read online

  “Deal.”

  Jeff held up his hand and Askins slapped it.

  ***

  “Hi, I’m Emma Coleman.” The goddess stood on Jennie’s front steps, her flawless skin, piercing blue eyes and red-brown hair exactly as she remembered them. Alexis and Christa were behind her. “Thomas had a meeting in New York. When you insisted that the girls visit this weekend, I volunteered to drive them over.”

  Jennie felt her entire body tense. She heard the implied rebuke, when you insisted.

  “Oh, come in.” To Jennie’s surprise, Emma slipped across the threshold, Alexis and Christa right behind her.

  “Your living room is beautiful. Oh, and there’s the music box Christa told me about.” She walked across the room to a drop-leaf table set under the side window. “Christa, it is as lovely as you said.”

  She looked back at Jennie. “I’m sorry. I collect music boxes and I forget everything else when I see one I like. Yours is beautiful. May I open it?”

  “Surely.”

  Emma lifted the lid and a Strauss waltz began. She smiled as the music filled the room. “I love it. One of my favorites.” She gently closed the box.

  Jennie looked on in astonishment. Christa had never mentioned the music box to her.

  “It belonged to my grandmother,” Jennie said. “She died a number of years ago and it’s really the only thing of hers that I have.”

  “It’s absolutely beautiful,” Emma said. “I’m jealous.” She gazed at the box for a moment and brushed her hand gently across it. Then she turned around. “Really nice…Well, what do you three have planned this weekend?”

  “My brother, Si, is a coach at the University. The spring football game is tomorrow, and he invited us over. That’s why I wanted them to visit this weekend.”

  “That’s awesome.”

  Jennie turned in surprise when she heard Alexis’s voice.

  “This is really cool.”

  First time she’d heard her excited. She turned back to Emma. “How about you? Big weekend in Atlanta?”

  “I’ll likely get over there tomorrow afternoon. I’m actually staying near Carrollton. Alexis called me a couple of months ago about a piece of furniture in one of the antique stores. I’ve seen photographs and I’ve talked to the owner. I’m going to see it in the morning. If I like it, I’ll make shipping arrangements. I’ll hit the stores in Atlanta by noon I hope.” She smiled.

  “Anyway, I need to run. Let the three of you visit.” She hugged Alexis and Christa. “Behave. I’ll see you on Sunday at…twelve thirty, right?”

  “That’s right,” Christa said. “Bye. Love you.”

  “I love you, too, Chrissie.”

  “How about me?” Alexis had a pretend pout on her face.

  “You, too, Lexis. Silly girl.” They both laughed, and Emma hugged her.

  As she reached the door, Emma looked back and held out a card. “This is where I’m staying and my cell number. If there are any problems, call me. I have power of attorney to act in Thomas’s place.”

  I don’t have that, Jennie thought, and they’re my children. She shook her head to clear the anger that was building.

  “Good-bye, Emma. It was nice to actually meet you.”

  “It was nice to meet you.”

  They watched through the front window as Emma drove away. The girls turned to Jennie as if awaiting directions.

  “Chrissie? Lexis?” Jennie raised one eyebrow.

  “No one but Emma uses those names,” Christa said firmly.

  Alexis nodded. “No one.”

  “I understand completely,” Jennie said quickly. “I used to call your father Tommy, and…”

  “No way,” Alexis exclaimed.

  “You’re still alive?” Christa’s mouth was open wide.

  Jennie raised her hand. “Truth. And no one else could do it.”

  “Not then or since,” Christa said. “There was a woman once.” She glanced at Alexis. “Remember Ms. Watkins?”

  “Couldn’t forget her.”

  “Remember how she chased Dad a few years back?” They both laughed. “She would call him Tommy and he would act as if he didn’t hear her.”

  “She never did get the message.” Alexis laughed. “Dad and I saw her across Meeting Street last week. ‘Hi, Tommy,’ she called. Dad just rolled his eyes.”

  As the girls went to put their clothes in their room, Jennie headed for the kitchen. She had a warm, tingling feeling and a big smile on her face. It felt so nice to hear a normal conversation from her girls, even if they were talking in front of her rather than to her.

  ***

  Athens was a three-hour drive from Whitesburg. The game began at two and they planned to picnic beforehand. Tailgating, they called it. They pulled out at seven, stopping for breakfast at Waffle House.

  The traffic was heavier than Jennie had expected for the spring game—it was legendary during games in the fall, since Athens had not been designed with football in mind, a gross lack of foresight in the minds of many, but this was not a “real” game, coming at the end of spring practice. The University’s team would be divided into two squads, the Red team and the Black team, and the coaches would get to see the players in action.

  It appeared, however, that the game was more popular than she had thought, and it was eleven o’clock by the time they found a shady place to park across the campus from the stadium, near the coliseum.

  Alexis and Christa had both seemed excited. Christa had sung the UGA fight song over and over for the last fifty miles, “Glory, glory to old Georgia.”

  Jennie felt certain that she would be hearing it in her sleep for a month.

  After lunch, they strolled toward the stadium. Alexis looked at the buildings as they passed. “This one’s a dorm,” she announced. “Maybe I’ll live here if I come to school.”

  Jennie nodded. “Soule Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus. I lived here one year.”

  “Robbie may come here to play football. Your brother is recruiting him.”

  “Major crush,” Christa said.

  Alexis swatted her bottom and they both laughed.

  “I thought so.” Jennie smiled. The day was turning out better than she had dared to hope.

  “Actually, Robbie is supposed to be here today. Maybe I’ll see him.”

  A large parking lot lay beside the west gates of the stadium, although most of it had been blocked off this afternoon. Long steps to the campus student union building led out of the parking lot on the north, and the campus police office was on the other side.

  Again, the crowds surprised Jennie. It was almost a capital offense in this part of the country, where football almost enjoyed the status of a religion, but she had never paid much attention to the game. She had first attended them to watch her brother play, then, later, in high school, she went to flirt with the guys.

  Her father expected her to report on the game when she arrived at home, though, and he became irate when she could tell him little more than the final score. Once, he had threatened to take a stick to her if she could not pay more attention to the game than to the guys, but she had decided that cuddling with Tim Willis behind the grandstand was worth anything her father might do.

  The parking lot teemed with people waiting for the gates to open. A particularly large group had congregated to one side and they gave a rousing cheer as a bright red SUV threaded its way through the crowd, coming to a stop near the steps.

  “Jennie. Jennie.”

  She turned as she heard Si calling her name, but suddenly Christa screamed, “Jennie, look. It’s Uga.” Christa pointed to a massive English bulldog, the school’s mascot, as he stepped slowly from the SUV.

  “Isn’t he adorable?” Christa said to Alexis.

  Si joined the group. “Hey, Sis, you made it.” He hugged her, then he held out tickets to Alexis and Christa. “Here. These are for you.”

  “But I thought admission was free…” Jennie began.

  “Tickets fo
r photographs with Uga.” Si smiled as both girls whooped. “Better go on and get in line.”

  “Totally awesome. Thank you.” Alexis snatched the tickets.

  “Unbelievable,” Christa added. “Thank you.”

  Si and Jennie laughed as the two girls dashed toward the line that had started to form.

  “Let’s watch.” Si put his arm around her waist and maneuvered Jennie though the crowd, stopping at the foot of the steps.

  “Don’t you have to get back to the team?”

  “In a minute…How have you been?”

  ***

  Across the lot, Askins sat behind the wheel of a rented minivan with the engine idling. Jeff was riding shotgun. Kenny Watson and Billy Waters were in the second seat.

  “Which one is mine?” Billy asked as he pushed Kenny away from the window.

  “Right there.” Askins pointed. “Christa. Wearing a red t-shirt, next in line for a photograph.”

  “She’s a baby.”

  “She’s fourteen, boy. You’re only sixteen.”

  “She’s a child. I want someone…bigger.”

  “I’m not paying you to marry her. I’m paying you to get her away from her mom, into the van, and away to the cabin. That’s it. After that, if you’re interested in someone bigger, as you say, you’ll be welcome to be on your way.”

  “Look at Alexis.” Kenny giggled. “In that tight shirt, those cut-offs, she is hotter than fire.” He turned to Askins. “Now you said that, once we had them, I could…”

  “Get better acquainted, yes.”

  A smile spread across Kenny’s face. “Let’s get going then.”

  Askins sighed. “Let’s review the plan one last time. You boys,” he pointed to Kenny and Billy, “get close to the girls. Talk with them, flirt with them, get them to like you. When the game ends, as they leave the stadium, Jeff will distract their mother and get her away from the girls. You will offer to walk them to their car to wait for their mom.”

  “Where is their car?”

  “How would I know that?” Askins shook his head in disbelief. “It doesn’t matter. You walk back the way I just showed you. Tell them it’s a shortcut even if they are parked in the other direction. They won’t know.”

  “Where will we meet you?” Billy’s face showed he was trying to concentrate.

  “Dumber than dirt,” Askins muttered. “By the cafeteria, where I showed you. I’ll drive by slowly, with the door open. Push Christa in, jump in behind her. Kenny will do the same thing with Alexis and will close the door. We’ll be on our way.”

  “What if she struggles?”

  “Billy, you’ve got three inches and thirty pounds on the girl you just called a baby. If she gives you trouble, pick her up and toss her in. Once inside, put your hand over her mouth and pin her on the seat. Okay? Questions?”

  A hand pounded on the door and Askins looked out to see a man in uniform beside the car. “Yes, Officer?”

  “You’ll have to move on, sir.”

  “Of course. Right away.” He turned around. “Okay, let’s go. Everybody out.”

  Askins smiled as he drove away. He’d park the minivan and go to the game himself. It was going to be a good day.”

  ***

  Emma handed the waiter her Visa, and leaned back in her chair, sipping iced tea. The little café was one of her favorites and she made it a point to eat there at least once whenever she was in town.

  She had reached Atlanta about one o’clock. The sideboard had perfectly matched her other furniture and it had seemed to be in even better condition than it had in the photographs. The store had not opened until ten o’clock, and making her purchase and arranging for delivery had taken longer than she had expected, so it was rather late when she pulled into the parking lot behind the restaurant and walked the half block to the front door.

  While she waited for the server to return, she thought about Jennie. The reports she had received about her from Alexis and Christa varied, depending on the situation they were discussing, but she had found the woman to be rather nice. Even though they had talked for just a few minutes, she had the feeling that they could be friends—if Jennie had not been trying to steal her children.

  Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was almost time for the game to begin, She supposed that the girls had been at the stadium for a couple of hours already. Emma was not as devoted to football as were her friends—although she would never admit it in public—and she failed to understand the attraction of sitting in the stadium, in the hot sun, for an hour or more before game time.

  Tailgating she understood. She had always loved picnics, but a friend of hers would arrive so early to tailgate for a late afternoon game that she would carry in a box of morning coffee to drink as they set up the tables and fired up the grill. She chuckled as she thought about it.

  The server returned, Emma signed the check, then she reached into her purse and withdrew a shopping list. Her next stop was Lenox Square.

  ***

  As Alexis and Christa waited their turn, a woman held a baby next to Uga for a photograph.

  “Ready…” the photographer called. “One…two…three…”As the shutter clicked, the dog turned his head and licked the child from his chin to his forehead. The mother squealed and the crowd cheered.

  “Baptized as a Bulldog,” someone shouted.

  Alexis and Christa were still laughing as they knelt beside the dog.

  Alexis popped Christa on the arm. “Watch your face.”

  Christa rubbed Uga’s head. “You can lick my face anytime,” she told him.

  The photographer snapped their picture and the girls ran over to the steps where Si and Jennie were talking.

  “Thank you, Si.”

  “Yes, thank you, so much.”

  “You are very welcome…Well, I’ve got to get back. Enjoy the game.”

  Admission was free, with no reserved seats, so after entering the stadium, they turned for the north stands, knowing that those seats would eventually be in the afternoon shade.

  Jennie voted for one of the first rows. “Closer to the field,” she said.

  Alexis wanted to sit about halfway up. “Best view,” she maintained.

  Two boys approached them as they started up the steps.

  “Christa, Alexis,” the older boy called. “Hey. It’s good to see you.”

  The girls didn’t recognize him and kept walking.

  “How does he know our names?” Christa whispered to Alexis.

  “No clue…He does look familiar though.”

  “Remember me? I’m Kenny. I work for Mr. Smyth, at his stable. I helped you find a horse for last month’s trail ride, Alexis.”

  “Oh, that’s right.” Alexis smiled in recognition.

  “I remember you now.” Christa nodded.

  “This is Billy, Billy Waters.”

  “Hello, boys, I’m Jennie. We’re looking for seats, so you’ll have to excuse us.”

  She turned and continued the climb. Finally, she faced Alexis. “High enough? My legs are killing me.”

  “Perfect. Now, can we move that way?” She motioned toward the center of the stand. “In the middle.”

  They scooted down and found seats on the forty-yard line.

  The boys followed and sat behind the girls.

  “Which team should we pull for?” Jennie shaded her eyes as she peered across the field. Si was talking to a group of players who were huddled around him. “Red or Black?”

  “Si is coaching the Red team, isn’t he?” Alexis asked.

  “That’s what he said.”

  “Then we ought to pull for them.” Alexis looked around. “I wonder if Robbie is here. He would be really surprised to see me.” She scanned the crowd, but did not see him.

  Kenny leaned over her shoulder. “Saw you having your picture taken with Uga.”

  Alexis turned and stared at him. “Really.”

  “I did. Billy and I were across the parking lot and I saw you. I told him I k
new you. I can tell you don’t really remember me.”

  Alexis paused before responding. “Of course I do.”

  “Alexis is a beautiful name. I said it to myself over and over that afternoon after helping you mount your horse. I’ve never known anyone named Alexis before, but it’s so appropriate.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”

  Alexis rolled her eyes at the corny line, but felt pleased, nevertheless. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. What’s your major?”

  “My major?” Alexis’s face felt flushed. “I…I’m in high school.”

  “No way. You look a lot older than that.” His eyes moved down her body and her face felt as though it had turned a deeper shade of red. “Much more…mature…than a high school student.”

  “Sorry…”

  “I’m not.” Kenny stepped over the seat and squeezed between Alexis and a white-haired man who glared at him as he moved to give him room to sit. As Alexis turned to talk with Kenny, the other boy seemed to catch Christa’s eye.

  “My name is Billy. What’s yours?”

  “Christa.” She looked down and smiled.

  “I’m a junior,” he said. “What grade are you?”

  “Ninth…”

  “At Clark Central?”

  “No…uh…” She looked around.

  “Billy, why don’t you move down to our row so you can talk to Christa?” Jennie and Christa slipped over to give Billy space. Alexis saw Christa glance at Jennie. “Thanks,” she whispered.

  They talked until the game began. Alexis had expected Jennie to resent the boys’ intrusion, but she had asked questions and she seemed to enjoy talking to them. Alexis relaxed. Maybe it was just too intense when they were alone. The guys seemed to diffuse things.