THANKSGIVING DAY ROLLED AROUND, BRINGING in cooler Fall weather, colorful leaves, and a huge family gathering at Leslie Spaulding’s estate. To make the day look festive, Leslie had placed a huge inflatable turkey in her front yard, and the children kept poking it with their fingers. Well, not all the children; just mainly Isabelle and that darn CJ.
As Kayla stood in Leslie’s front yard watching Isabelle and CJ run in circles around the huge inflatable turkey that was way taller than them, heavenly scents of pine swirled in the air. Richmond exited the house through the front door and came to stand next to her. Curling an arm around her shoulder, he asked, “Dinner will be starting as soon as Suade arrives. Come take a walk with me.”
“Okay.”
Holding Kayla’s hand, Richmond rounded the corner of his mother’s house and entered her beautiful back yard, overlooking a wide river. If Kayla’s memory served her correct, Sandella’s in-laws—Willa and Drake—lived in this same neighborhood down the street. Walking along the edge of the grass by the river, leaves crunched under their shoes as the salty water streamed inside her nose.
Stopping in their tracks, she glanced up at Richmond. A twinkle of sunlight caught his eyes. “Do you know how thankful I am for you?” His voice had depth.
“I think so.”
“You think so? All the time we’ve been spending together lately, you should know by now. I don’t want you to think how I feel anymore, Kay. I want you to know that I’m very thankful for you, and for CJ as well. To make sure you’ll never forget it, I have something I want to give you.”
When Richmond dug inside his front jean pocket and pulled out a small grey box, Kayla’s heart leapt into her throat. Ohmygod, he’s going to ask me to marry him. Her breathing heightening, light tremors shook her inwardly. Her eyes was starting to moisten.
Richmond’s eyes probed to her very soul as he popped back the lid of the box. Her insides immediately calmed. Inside the box lay a beautiful diamond necklace. She mentally slapped herself for thinking he was about to ask her to marry him. “Oh, Richmond, it’s so beautiful.”
“I think it’s going to look beautiful around your neck, Kay. Every time you look at the diamond, I want you to remember how special you are to me. And how thankful I am for you.”
“I’m thankful for you, too, Richmond. I’m thankful for the way you spend time with me. I’m thankful for the way you treat CJ. And I’m thankful that you’d think enough of me to invite CJ and I over to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with your family. It all means so much to me.”
“It’s means a lot to me, too. Glad you could come. Turn around so I can put it on.” She heard genuine care in his voice.
Lifting her hair from her neck, Kayla turned her back to him. This is so thoughtful. Richmond draped the beautiful diamond necklace around her neck, then tightened the clasp. Letting her hair fall gracefully to her shoulders, Kayla slowly turned around to reface the man she’d fallen in love with. Not that she’d ever tell him until after he told her.
Richmond’s trailed a finger down her chest to the sparkling diamond. “It looks beautiful on you.”
Smiling, Kayla looked down at the sparkling diamond lying on her chest. “It looks so expensive.”
“That’s because it is. I want nothing but the best for you, Kay. You and your son.”
“I appreciate everything you do for CJ and me.” Wishing there was some way she could repay him for all his kindness, Kayla wrapped her arms around Richmond’s waist and gave him a great big hug. Children giggling assailed her ears as she pried herself from him. A few seconds later, Isabelle and CJ came running from around the side of the house into the back yard. Isabelle ran inside the house through the back door, and CJ ran up to Richmond and hugged his leg.
Richmond patted CJ’s back. “Would you like to play some baseball, CJ?”
“Yes!” CJ ran and got the baseball and bat lying on the ground and handed them to Richmond.
Richmond pointed toward the tree. “Stand over there,” he told CJ.
Watching Richmond play baseball with CJ, Kayla’s fingers played with the diamond sitting at her throat. Standing several feet away from CJ, Richmond showed him how to position the bat to his shoulder. Richmond tossed the ball to CJ, who swung so hard, he fell.
Kayla burst into laughter.
CJ’s head snapped back to look at Kayla. “That’s not funny, Mommy.”
Biting back her laughter, Kayla forced her lips to set in a straight line. “I’m sorry for laughing. Mommy won’t laugh anymore.”
He tapped the bat on the ground. “You better not.” Alrighty, then. Guess he told me.
Admiring how Richmond always found time to squeeze CJ into his busy schedule, Kayla’s heart warmed. Just yesterday, he’d taken CJ fishing. On Tuesday, he’d taken him to play basketball. He’d even offered to give him free horseback riding lessons along with Isabelle.
Richmond is too good to be true. I hope this relationship lasts. Forever. Always.
Isabelle burst through the back door. She put her tiny hands to the sides of her mouth and yelled, “Dinner is ready!”
CJ dropped the bat and took off running toward the house. Richmond grabbed Kayla’s hand, and the two of them made their way inside Leslie’s mansion.
Sweet potato pie streamed up Kayla’s nostrils as she and Richmond took their places at the long rectangular table. As usual, Russell sat at one end of the table while Leslie sat at the head. Richmond’s entire family, except for his brother Dirk, was there.
Too bad her sister, Alana, couldn’t be there. Thinking of how she missed her sister Alana, Kayla’s heart balled. This year, Alana had decided to go to Virginia so she could have Thanksgiving with her best friend’s family. Although Kayla understood, she hated having to share her sister.
Feeling wistful, Kayla glanced at all the many foods on the table. Leslie had cooked enough food to feed an entire army. In the center of the table sat a big, fat, Butterball turkey. Surrounding it was a ham, roast, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, green beans, dressing, chick peas, sweet potato casserole, creamed corn, cornbread, rolls, and rice pilaf.
After Leslie said a beautiful Thanksgiving Day blessing, Russell hefted the sharp blade from the silver platter and started carving the turkey. Juices oozed from the juicy meat.
“Good job at cutting the turkey, Russell,” Richmond said, smiling.
Russell looked at Richmond, then at Kayla. “So tell me, when are the two of y’all getting married?”
Richmond almost spit out the tea inside his mouth. Ignoring Russell’s question, Richmond said to Kayla, “Pass me the rolls, please.”
We’ve never talked about marriage, Kayla thought, passing Richmond the bread.
Leslie sighed. “Didn’t I tell you about getting in everybody’s business the last time they were here?”
“Be quiet, Leslie. Nobody was talking to you.”
Leslie rolled her neck. “Well, I’m talking to you.”
Russell dropped the knife beside the turkey, then sat in his seat. “Well, I ain’t listening!” Slapping his hands over his ears, he playfully stuck out his tongue at Leslie.
Isabelle and CJ looked at each other and burst into laughter. And so did everybody else.
Deep love filled Kayla’s heart as her eyes roved around the table. Being with Richmond and his family like this, she felt like their relationship was headed in the right direction. Finally, she had friends in town that cared about her and her son.
Several minutes later, Kayla became full to the max, and she couldn’t eat another thing. Watching everyone finish off their supper, she slouched in her chair and was tempted to unbutton the button on her jeans. She breathed outwardly, and the darn button popped loose, all on its own. That’s a darn shame. One day, I’m going to lose my stomach.
Richmond’s cell buzzed. He dropped the phone to his ear. Listening to the caller on the other line, his mouth smiled. Hanging up, he said out loud, “Thanks for dinner, Mom.
Everything was delicious. I hate to cut our visit short, but Gypsy Rose is about to deliver.” Richmond jumped to his feet as Kayla’s hands flew over her mouth. Richmond tugged on her elbow, gesturing her to come with him. “Let’s go, Kay.”
Minutes later, Richmond sped his Range Rover up the gravel of the Equestrian. Ecstatic, Kayla hopped out of the car and met Richmond at the front. Running hand in hand, Richmond and Kayla chortled all the way to the stables like two college kids.
Hurrying up to Gypsy Rose’s stall, Kayla’s heart beat like drums inside her chest. Jason stood over Gypsy Rose as she lay on her side inside the stall, trying to give birth. “She’s doing well,” Jason said. “I’ll let you take over from here,” he told Richmond, then began heading out of the barn.
“Thanks, Jason.”
Richmond and Kayla entered the stall. Wanting to get a close-up look, Kayla stood to Gypsy Rose’s rear. Bouts of air poofed from the horse’s opening, kicking up the dirt beneath its long, hairy tail and behind. Whoa!
Richmond stooped down by the horse’s side and started rubbing her back. “You’re doing good, Gypsy.”
Just as Kayla stooped closer to Gypsy, a set of foal’s feet plunged from her opening. Richmond rounded to the back of Gypsy, grabbed the foal’s feet, and gently pulled. The brown foal slipped from Gypsy’s womb and slid onto the ground.
Kayla felt her eyes stretching as she stood. Amazed, she covered her heart. “That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. Is it a girl or a boy?”
Still crouching down beside Kayla, Richmond confirmed, “It’s a girl.”
“She’s beautiful. What are you going to name her?”
“Gypsy is very special to me, and so is her newborn. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to name her Kay Diamond. Kay after you, and Diamond after the piece of jewelry I gave you on this special Thanksgiving Day.”
Kayla crouched down in front of Richmond, circled her arms around his neck, and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I think Kay Diamond is the perfect name for her.” Mmm, I love him so much. If only he was in love with me, too.