By the following Wednesday morning, Paula, had a promotional campaign penciled out that included print, radio, television and direct mail. She’d arranged for Madison to be on “Morning Wave with Gary and Dave,” the number one AM drive-time radio show. She’d set up a face-to-face with Steve Franz from the Chronicle for a B-section lead series on Madison Enright and the critical message he had for families. Channel 4 and 13, the CBS and Fox affiliates, were scheduled to film segments of upcoming services for feature stories on the Chapel and their handsome, charismatic Pastor. It was all coming together, and Paula made it look easy, which, she said, “It is easy when you’ve got something people want.” She had something this time. She knew it, and she ran with it.
Chapter 15
A full-price offer with no contingencies and a 30-day escrow forced Dave to expedite his moving plans. He spent a few days in La Jolla, packing some boxes he would take with him in the CTS-V and arranging for a local moving company to handle the rest. His mind had already made the transition to the Bay Area, so dealing with the actual hassle of moving was a pain and a distraction. He had recently met a little girl that had stolen his heart, and he wanted to get back up to see her as soon as possible. Of course, Franny’s mother wasn’t too bad either. He also had to find a place to live, which normally wouldn’t concern him. He’d bought the La Jolla condo the first day he’d been out looking, but, if the feeling in his gut was real, and he hoped it was, there may be more factors in choosing a place than he’d previously dealt with. That thought made him smile as he tossed the last suitcase into the back seat of the Caddy.
“Hi, Shani, hey, I just wanted to call and say I’m on the road. Uh, I’ll be up there tonight. Got a room at the Marriott again. Anyway, if you get the message and want to keep me company during the drive, give me a call.” He clicked the phone shut and replayed the message in his mind, knowing he probably said something stupid or too forward. He hoped not. “This should be fun,” he said out loud as he pulled onto the freeway, “10 hours on I-5, whoo-hoo.”
At least, though, the drive would allow the thirty seven year old bachelor to play back the events of the past few weeks and try and get some perspective. “This is new territory for old Green, Lord,” he sort of prayed. “I’d appreciate all the help I can get on this one. Uncharted waters and all.” Dave Bean wasn’t the chick magnet that his friend had suggested, but he had enjoyed his share of relationships over the course of running the business. They had all been casual, from both sides, with women who were developing businesses and careers and weren’t interested in anything serious, which had suited him just fine. He’d never met anyone’s daughter before, though, or been invited over to a mother’s homemade Sunday pot roast. These were new experiences, ones in which he felt singularly unqualified, awkward and clumsy. He may have been ten years older than Shani Andrews, but, when it came to relationships, he was like a sixth grade boy with two left feet and no rhythm at the school dance with the cutest girl in school.
He was approaching Los Angeles, crawling through traffic in the middle of the day. The drivers were edgy, as usual down here, and the green leaves and blue sky of spring were already losing ground with the brown, dry, smoggy summer that lie ahead. Houses built right next to the freeway, or vice-versa, kids playing in dirt yards behind chain link fences, the windows on their beige stucco homes barred and curtained with sheets or broken plastic mini-blinds. Miles and miles of old boarded-up storefronts, warehouses, graffiti-ridden fences, railroad tracks, and culverts. People everywhere. “Where do all these people work,” he said to himself, “and why is everybody outside?” Urban Los Angeles was just weird. Prices were so high you couldn’t buy a decent place, yet so many people, who appeared quite poor, lived here. It was a strange and surreal place, one that he was glad to be leaving. “What will I miss about L.A.?” Dave asked his Cadillac, “Mmm. There’s the... No, not that. Oh, there’s the... No, won’t miss that,” he chuckled softly and said, “I talk to myself! How can a guy who entertains himself and actually laughs at his own jokes expect to maintain a serious relationship?!” He was only half joking. His long-time satisfied singleness was a legitimate concern that had kept him from going to the next level of any relationship thus far.
As he idled past downtown, beyond the shadows of skyscrapers that appeared grimly out of the smog and then disappeared from view as he moved along, his thoughts shifted from himself, his formerly favorite subject, to the new object of his affection, one Shani Andrews. Her hair was cut short. He didn’t know what the style was called, but it reminded him, in color and cut, of an actress he enjoyed - Meg Ryan - kind of blondish with brown streaks that complimented her light skin and brown eyes. She had high round cheeks like a baby, and, when she laughed, they seemed to squish her eyes up into little happy slits of brown. Her laugh was easy and often, it was honest and happy. She was a girl without pretense, which surprised Dave, since she was a single mother and all. He would have thought that women that had been through the trauma she had would be suspicious and bitter, surrounded by emotionally impenetrable walls. But that wasn’t the case with Shani Andrews, at least not as far as he could tell. She was petite with little hands that would have had to jump all over the place to play piano, and her fingernails were clipped short and round and perfect. She was direct and playful, intelligent and witty, she was responsible and understanding - a great mother.
Dave’s mom used to say that you could see a mother’s love in a child’s eyes, and he’d never really understood that truth till he met little Franny Andrews, the three-year-old blond that fell asleep in his arms last Sunday afternoon during “Little Mermaid.” It was the first time a little kid had actually sat still long enough for Dave to feel what it was really like. She had climbed up in his lap when Ursula appeared on the screen and held her stuffed bear tightly till the scary part was over. She ascended and descended his lap several times, depending on the drama on screen. Finally, Shani tossed her a worn yellow blanket that Franny quickly gathered around herself, and, with one eye on the screen and the other pressed against Dave’s chest, her thumb went to her mouth and she was asleep within minutes. Her calm, deep breathing and warm, heavy body cuddling safely was just about the best feeling Dave had ever known. He looked over at Shani as she watched her little one snuggle and mouthed, “Is she asleep?” She smiled and nodded. “You can lay her down on the couch if you want.”
“Are you kidding? This is the greatest. But she’s making me sleepy. Is that weird?” he whispered.
“Comes with the territory,” Shani smiled, “I get my best naps when she is laying on me just like that.”
“It’s amazing,” he yawned, “I’ve got to get me one of these.” But he didn’t doze off, even though he felt as if he could, and it would have been okay. What kept him awake was the thought that, if he happened to snore, it might scare the water out of the child and traumatize her for life - that and the fact that, at some point during “Little Mermaid,” he reached across the little span between the couch and easy chair and took Shani’s hand, which she willingly offered. He held it in his, and they looked at each other, silently, for a long time.
He was jarred back into the present by the Stevie Wonder ring tone on his cell phone. The caller ID number was a welcome sight. “Hi!” he said, “I was just thinking about you. Both of you, actually.”
“Hi, yourself. And hello from the Munchkin, she wants to marry you, by the way.”
“Tell her the feeling’s mutual. But... there’s that age thing.”
“Yeah, I tried to explain that to her, but she just smiled and grunted and finished her poopy.” They shared a laugh at the image. “So how’s the drive going?” she asked.
“It’s okay, alone with my thoughts. Normally not a safe place to be, but it’s actually good this time. Leaving Southern California is good, too. Never thought I’d say that, but it is.”
“Solving all the world’s problems?”
“Not hardly... Although, I still have ple
nty of time, I’m just coming to Magic Mountain.”
“Going to stop and ride a few coasters?”
“Not me. Hey, your not a coaster-head are you?” he asked, baiting her.
“Are you kidding? I fooled around some with diving at Sac. State. The first time you attempt a triple back flip with a full twist off a 30 foot high concrete platform, you realize that roller coasters are child’s play - the ten meter platform - now that’s scary... So yeah, I like coasters.”
“Well you’ll have to introduce me to some of them one of these days, I haven’t been on one since college.”
“It’s a date,” she said. “What time you think you’ll be pulling in up here?”
“Mmm, it’ll be pretty close to 10:00 pm I guess, 10:30 pm maybe.”
“Going straight to the Marriott?” she asked.
“That was the plan. Why?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I get off at eleven. Franny is sleeping over at my mom’s.”
“You thinking of a late dinner or something?”
“I don’t know, I’d just like to see you... I’m being silly, I can wait till tomorrow,” she whined. Shani hadn’t planned on falling for anyone. Ever. She was too busy just getting by to think about including someone else in their lives. She had her parents, the church, her job and the apartment. Other things would come in time if they were meant to be. She hadn’t planned
on meeting a stranger having lunch with her Pastor, and she hadn’t planned on him coming back to see her at the restaurant. And she certainly didn’t expect to be asked out during a shift, or, for it to turn out so enjoyable. She absolutely wouldn’t have guessed that her mother would instantly like him, or, especially, that Franny would have taken to him so quickly. This was all new and completely out of the blue. But she really liked it. So far, it had been like a fairy tale where the handsome prince comes along and looks past all the beautiful young women of the kingdom and into the eyes of a regular, normal, simple peasant girl, and they fall in love, and... “Hmmm,” she thought to herself. “Little too early to be thinking like that girl friend. Slow it down a bit.”
“Shani? You there?”
“Oh, sorry.”
“Thought I lost you. So I was saying, how about I swing by Olive Garden about 11:00 pm, and we take it from there,” he said.
“If you’re sure,” she said.
“Can’t wait. Hey I’m starting up the grapevine. Might lose you up here, so I’ll let you go for now, okay?”
“See you tonight then. Drive safe.”
“See you later,” he said and clicked the phone shut. “I think I love you,” he said into the closed phone, hoping the feeling was mutual.
He got fuel outside of Bakersfield at some wide spot in the road and spent a few minutes cleaning splattered bugs off the windshield. He bought a Diet Pepsi and some two-for-a-dollar peanuts in the mini-mart and headed north. Things were going to get interesting, of that he was certain.
Chapter 16
The last day of school was on a Thursday, and Billy Enright had been revving up for it since the weekend. He wasn’t sure what “graju-ate” was, but it was something he wanted badly, along with the class party and all the candy his mind could envision. In fact, as long as cootie-ridden Jenny Marshall stayed away from him, the last day of school would probably be the perfect day. Actually, if she stayed away from him, he would probably find a reason to chase her around the playground anyway. But it would be her fault.
Jill woke up Thursday morning feeling like eight miles of bad road. Her stomach ached and cramped, the nausea had propelled her to the master bathroom three times before her early-bird husband woke up. At 5:03 a.m., when it seemed like he might be stirring awake, she jostled his shoulder and whispered, “Madison.”
He rolled over to face her, squinting in the brightness of her bedside lamp, “Morning,” he groaned.
“Mad,” her lips quivering, “I feel horrible. I’ve been throwing up for two hours,” she mumbled.
More awake now, he propped himself up on one shoulder while his eyes adjusted, “Mmm, you don’t look so good. What can I do? What can I get you?”
“Nothing, honey, I just need to lay here.”
He felt her head, she was warm, but not feverish, her skin was clammy. “You need to go to the ER?” “No, no. I’m sure it’s just a bug of some kind. I’ll try to get to the doctor later and get some antibiotics or something so Billy doesn’t get sick. After I get some strength up.”
By 7:00 a.m., Billy was up, racing trucks and watching Spiderman, eating cocoa puffs without milk, and a glass of juice. Madison had left a message at the office telling Mrs. Thompson he’d be late. Jill came straggling in about 7:15 a.m. “You boy’s okay?”
“Mommy, if I graju-ate today, do I have to go to school tomorrow?” Billy asked, still trying to grasp the concept.
“No. No more school.”
“Ever? Cool!” he said. His mother didn’t have the strength to clarify.
“Mad, I’m sorry,” Jill said as she ran some cool water into a cup and took a small sip.
“Are you kidding? You just get better. Me’n Leroy will go to the school party and chase Jenny Marshall till she gives up and admits to having cooties,” he said. The very mention of her name caused the youngest Enright to burst from his chair and run for cover in the other room.
“You’re a great dad... I should nominate you for something,” she said as she staggered back toward the bedroom touching his shoulder with a weak, loving hand.
The pride and joy of Madison and Jill Enright did the family proud at his graduation ceremony, standing tall in the back row, towering three or four inches above the other kids, his daddy-combed blond hair shooting up in spots where the thick hair had overpowered the hair gel. “Gel? Gross!” Billy had screamed. Madison took a dozen pictures, one even captured cootie-girl and her parents congratulating young Billy. Billy was looking goo-goo eyed at Jenny in the frame as the shutter clicked just before she stuck out her tongue and ran.
Madison and Billy then headed to Dairy Queen for an ice cream cone to celebrate completing the second grade, and from there headed to the church office, arriving right at 3:30 p.m. Wasting a full day was not exactly part of Madison Enright’s vocabulary, but Jill was sick enough to necessitate a doctor, so what could he do. He sat down at his desk and thumbed through phone message slips while Billy regaled Mrs. Thompson with graju-ate stories. Madison was just beginning to scan his email inbox when his cell rang.
“Hey, J. How you feeling?”
“I’ve been better. Can you come home?”
“Uh... Yeah... Absolutely. Everything okay?” he asked.
“Mhmm. Just come soon, okay.”
The phone clicked and Madison became concerned. That didn’t sound like everything was all right. He wondered what the doctor had said, or, even, what he had found. You never knew what a routine visit might uncover these days. He packed up his iBook, thinking maybe he’d make up for the lost day by working into the night while the family slept. “Gotta go, Leroy, mommy’s home.” He looked at Mrs. Thompson, “Jill just called, needs me there. She didn’t sound right.”
“I’ll send the staff a prayer bulletin,” Mrs. Thompson assured.
“See you tomorrow then,” he said and exited, hand in hand with his second grade graduate, back through his office and down the back steps.
Jill was sitting in one of the Queen Anne chairs in the living room when they entered through the door from the garage. Her hair pulled back into a ponytail, she was wearing jeans and a pink cotton shirt with lace around the v-neck and sleeves. She had twisted open the plantation shutters so light from the afternoon sun was casting parallel lines across the living room furniture and walls. Jill was sipping a cup of tea, still not looking her best, but 100% better than when the boys left the house eight hours ago.
“Feeling any better?” Madison asked, giving her a kiss on the forehead and then sitting opposite her on the sofa.
> “Much. Thanks,” she said softly. “How’s my big second grade graduate doing?” she spoke up as Billy stormed through the room.
“Hi mom!” he said as he charged past them and up the stairs. “I’m graju-ated, and I never have to go to school again!” he declared as he took the last steps two at a time and disappeared into his room.
“Fun day?” she asked.
He smiled, “It’s good to do that once in a while. He’s great. But really, I don’t see how you keep up with him. He never stops,” Madison said.
“That’s why they invented elementary school,” Jill confirmed with a knowing grin.
“So,” he said. “You didn’t sound like yourself on the phone. What’d the doctor say - everything all right?” He didn’t try to hide his concern. Madison had his problems, not that anyone else would ever know it, but he loved Jill Boyles with his life and would just die if she were sick.
Jill took another sip of tea, setting it carefully back on the coaster, adjusting the direction of the handle as if its position held some great importance. “I’m okay honey...” She took a deep breath and looked across the room at her wonderful husband, searching for the right words as she looked into his eyes. “It’s just...” It all seemed so surreal. She looked around the room, ran her hands along the arm rests of the chair as if confirming that she was really here and this was really happening. With one last deep inhale, Jill raised her head slightly, swallowed, and announced, “I’m pregnant.”
Chapter 17
“Madison?” Jill said, leaning forward over her crossed legs, hands on her knees, “Madison... Are you all right?” She grinned hesitantly, watching the same stunned look on her husband’s face that she must have had in Doctor Penquay’s office an hour ago.
By force of will, Madison slipped off the couch and silently walked the three steps across the room, a smile slowly forming across his glazed face. Without a word, he knelt down in front of his wife, his face even with hers and reached out to draw her close, her head to his chest, his face buried in her hair. Not one known for a lack of words, Madison Enright was unable to find any that adequately expressed his heart right now. He felt love, fear, pride, oneness, so many jumbled up emotions that he struggled to express himself. He heard a soft sniffle and a quiet sob as the reality of bringing a new life into the world began to dawn on his wife now that she was safely in his arms. “Oh Jill... I’m so... happy... I love you so much,” he whispered into her hair - all his plans and dreams temporarily pushed away by love as she nodded her head against his chest in quiet agreement.