Knit to Be Tied (20 page)

Kelly slowly pushed back her chair. “I'll go phone Burt and ask him if he could stay at the police department and meet you both. He can shepherd you through the process. Burt knows everyone. He'll make sure you have a sympathetic ear, Nancy.”

Nancy looked up at Kelly, her eyes starting to glisten. “Thank you, Kelly. I appreciate that more than you know.”

Three weeks later

Kelly
reached into the pocket of her dress for a tissue. She tried to move inconspicuously so the rest of the guests standing in Mimi and Burt's backyard wouldn't notice. She'd put several tissues in her pocket before she and Steve left their home this afternoon. Kelly knew she'd need them. She was right. Watching Jennifer and Pete standing beneath the flower-bedecked arbor in the shade, Kelly felt the tears form behind her eyes. Out of nowhere.

Jennifer looked beautiful in the ivory silk dress she'd had made for the wedding. The gifted seamstress had met Kelly and Jennifer during one of Kelly's many sleuthing adventures. The dress was a simple and elegant style that could easily be used for other social occasions. Pete was also handsome in his dark blue suit.

Both Jennifer and Pete fairly radiated, Kelly thought to
herself. As if a special light was shining inside them. Jennifer had confided in Kelly that she'd wanted to wear a lovely pastel green but decided on an ivory color so as to be traditional. One of the few times in her life she'd ever been traditional, Jennifer joked.

Of course, that thought brought more tears to Kelly's eyes, which she stealthily wiped away. Steve slipped his arm around her waist. He leaned over and whispered, “Check out Cassie. She can barely stand still.”

Kelly glanced over at Cassie, who was beaming at Jennifer and Pete beneath the arbor. Cassie and Eric had decorated the arbor with flowers from Mimi's backyard and the café patio garden. Cassie held a small bouquet of flowers that matched Jennifer's bouquet of colorful late summer blooms—bright yellow daisies and red roses. Cassie almost danced in place, her happiness was so obvious.

The minister spoke the familiar-sounding words of the marriage ceremony. Both Jennifer and Pete had written their own vows. Kelly looked around at all of the people standing in a semicircle, watching Jennifer and Pete. If Mimi and Burt smiled any wider, their faces would crack. Megan and Marty beamed. Eduardo's huge smile was contagious. Even Greg was grinning beside Lisa. He'd gotten permission from his doctor at the rehab center to come. His broken leg was stretched out on a jumbo-sized scooter chair. Somehow Greg was able to manage over the grassy backyard. He had vowed he wasn't going to miss the wedding cake.

Kelly felt her eyes misting again as she watched Jennifer and Pete pledge their love to one another. Steve drew her
closer to his side, then she felt his warm lips on the side of her cheek.

At that moment Pete and Jennifer kissed and all the guests broke into spontaneous applause. Kelly used that moment to quickly wipe her eyes again. Now it was time to celebrate. Cassie jumped up and down several times and ran into the swarm of friends surrounding Jennifer and Pete, who welcomed her into their embrace. Marty and Megan joined Kelly and Steve as everyone crowded around the newlyweds, waiting to congratulate the happy couple.

“Now it's time to party,” Marty teased. “When do you think they'll cut that yummy-looking cake?”

Megan simply rolled her eyes as Kelly and Steve laughed out loud.

•   •   •

“Oh,
wow, my feet are sore from these shoes,” Megan said, rubbing the sole of one foot. “I don't understand. They've always fit perfectly.”

“Is this the first time you've worn the shoes since you had Molly?” Mimi asked as she held one of the chocolate brownies Cassie had made for the wedding reception.

“Yeah, I think so,” Megan said. “Why?”

“Well, pregnancy often makes our feet get a little bigger.” Mimi grinned at Megan before taking a bite of the brownie. Then Mimi closed her eyes and emitted an “Ummmmmmm” sound of enjoyment.

“Oh, wow, I didn't know that,” Megan said before sipping her Fat Tire ale.

“How's that leg doing?” Steve called to Greg, who was
steering the scooter chair toward the group seated in the shady patio.

“Coming along,” Greg said as he steered his scooter chair to a stop at the edge of the group of friends. “Hey, Marty, have you sampled that lasagna Julie made? It's some of the best I ever tasted.”

Marty jerked up in his chair. “Where? I didn't see any lasagna.”

“Julie just brought it out of the kitchen,” Greg said with a wicked grin. “I got the first slice.”

“You dog,” Marty said, jumping from his chair as Lisa walked up. “Here, Lisa, take my chair. I'm hitting that buffet table again.” And he was off.

“Sounds like old times,” Steve joked, then tipped back his Fat Tire ale. “You guys want to get together and watch the Broncos game tomorrow?”

“Not sure they're going to let me jump ship two days in a row. Boss Nurse was staring at me and shaking her head when I left.” Greg frowned.

“Hey, why don't we watch the game over at Greg's rehab center?”

Lisa looked dubious. “I don't know if a whole bunch of us could gather there like that.”

“Yeah, we're a rowdy crew,” Megan said. “Boss Nurse would probably throw us out.”

“Or maybe we could ask if there's a family room at the facility,” Steve suggested. “We could rent it if we had to. That way we wouldn't be disturbing the other patients.”

“I think there are some open areas at the end of a couple
of hallways,” Lisa offered. “There are TVs, too. But we'd have to be quiet.”

“
Quiet?
Our gang?” Kelly asked, incredulous.

“Hey, we can do it,” Megan said. “Consider it a challenge.”

“What's a challenge?” Marty asked as he walked up to the group. A half-eaten slice of lasagna sat on his plate.

“Greg probably won't be able to get away from the facility two days in a row, so we thought we might watch the game from there tomorrow.” Lisa grinned. “If we can manage to be quiet, that is.”

Marty's impish grin lit up his face. “Piece of cake.”

Kelly joined her friends' laughter, leaning back into her chair. She sipped her Fat Tire and listened to Marty and Greg exchange verbal jabs and challenges.

“Just you wait a month,” Greg vowed.

“Excuses, excuses,” Marty replied before downing another delicious-looking bite of lasagna.

Kelly relaxed, watching her friends and listening to their fast-paced repartee. Glancing at the large cottonwood trees above, she saw that the leaves were still green. Now that it was September, there would be a gradual changing of the seasons. Cooler nights would signal the sap in the trees to slow and gradually stop. Leaves would turn from green to bright yellow, orange, and red. Then, in November at the latest, they would crumble and fall. Leaf raking would become a standard weekend activity. Then much as Kelly hated to admit it, winter would arrive. There would be the first snow. And then more. Colder temperatures would force wearing of coats and scarves.
Brrrrrr
.

The passage of the seasons. Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. The eternal passage of time. Kelly sipped her craft brew and watched Cassie roll a ball to little Molly, who was crawling as fast as she could manage across the green grass. Still green for a while.

Then out of the back of Kelly's mind, a tiny thought wiggled.
It's been over a month.
Kelly let it play through her mind. What a strange thought, she mused. And then . . . then Kelly let the entire thought play through her mind. Center stage. She stared out into Mimi and Burt's backyard gardens.

Is that possible? It's been over a month. Can that be? What if it is? Good Lord!

Kelly continued to stare out into the backyard while her friends' repartee and laughter flowed by her. Obviously a quick stop at the drugstore on the way home was in order. She glanced around for Steve and spotted him at the buffet table chatting with Burt. Then she saw Jennifer and Pete walking toward the group and pushed the wayward thought to the back of her mind. Now was the time for celebration.

Kelly held up her Fat Tire. “To the bride and groom,” she saluted.

All of her friends joined in as a beaming Pete and a radiant Jennifer joined the rest of the gang.

•   •   •

Kelly
stared at the test strip in her hand. Positive. Again. She had tested twice, and the results were the same each time. She was pregnant. Definitely pregnant.
Good
Lord
. She
continued to stare at the strip as a jumble of thoughts bounced around her brain.

Pregnant? Her! Good grief! How was that possible? Well, she knew how it was possible, but . . . but her? Good grief!

A loud thumping on the bathroom door broke through Kelly's thoughts. “Hey! You falling asleep in there? I've made coffee. Come and get it,” Steve called from the other side of the door.

Kelly disposed of the test strips, splashed some water on her face, and stared at herself in the mirror.
Her? A mother?

Still slightly dazed, she left the bathroom and walked toward the kitchen. September sunshine was streaming through the windows. Steve was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the Sunday Fort Connor newspaper.

“I've already poured you a cup. We've got doughnuts. That should hold us until we get to the hotel for the wedding brunch.” He grinned at her over his mug before taking a sip.

“Thanks,” Kelly said as she zeroed in on her coffee. Taking a large sip, she closed her eyes and let the caffeine rush start. She'd need some caffeine for the conversation she was about to have. A tiny thought in the back of her head wiggled forward.
Caffeine
.
Caffeine
. Good Lord. She needed to go online and research. Right now, she needed the coffee.

“I've already put the wedding gifts in the car,” Steve said as he returned to the newspaper.

Kelly looked over at Steve, innocently reading the Sunday newspaper, clueless.

Of course he's clueless. How could he know?
Kelly's inner voice jabbed. She gulped down more coffee.

Steve glanced back at her. “What's the matter? You have a funny expression on your face.”

Kelly opened her mouth to say something, but she didn't know what to say. Should she try to work into it? Or lead up to it? Or . . . or . . .

“What?” Steve started to laugh as she stood there with her mouth open.

Finally, Kelly's natural instincts took over.
Just go for it.

“Steve . . . I'm pregnant.”

Steve just stared at her for a few seconds as his grin disappeared. “Are you serious?” he asked, his brown eyes wide with surprise.

“Yeah,” Kelly said, nodding her head. Dazed and confused, that was her.

Steve let his mug drop on the table as he leaped from his chair. “
Fantastic!
” he yelled as he raced over and grabbed Kelly in his arms, lifting her up as he spun her around the kitchen. “I can't believe it! Are you sure?”

Kelly laughed as he set her back on the floor. “Yes! I tested twice, and it was positive twice.”

Steve stared into her face. “How do you feel? I mean, are you happy, or . . .”

Kelly didn't have to think. She could feel a warmth inside her chest. A good feeling. “I'm happy, I guess. I'm just . . . I don't know . . . shocked. I mean . . . whoa . . .”

Steve grinned as he pulled her close. “Whoa. Oh, yeah.” And he lowered his lips to hers. Kelly encircled her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
Oh, yeah
.

•   •   •

“Marty,
if you take any more bacon, I swear, you're going to grow a snout,” Megan teased as she watched her husband deposit yet another full plate of breakfast food on the dining table.

Marty just grinned and made a snorting sound before he gobbled another slice of bacon.

“The hotel staff are staring at you, too, Marty,” Lisa said as she returned to her chair beside Greg. “They're incredulous.”

“We ought to come back here for breakfast when I'm in fighting shape,” Greg said. “Then we can really horrify them.” He poured some cream into his coffee.

Kelly looked around the hotel dining room Jennifer and Pete reserved for their wedding brunch. It was packed with people. Everyone who had attended the wedding showed up this morning for the wedding brunch. Friends and family all surrounding Jennifer and Pete with their love and affection. It made Kelly feel good inside, and somewhat eased that nervous feeling of excitement she had. She felt weird. Kind of excited and a little confused. And definitely dazed. Dazed and confused. Still.

Steve leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I'm dying to tell everyone. How about now?”

Kelly turned to the most important man in her life and smiled into his dark brown eyes. “Go for it. This will be fun to watch.”

Steve gave her a quick kiss. Then turned to Pete, who was seated beside him. “Watch this.” Then he glanced down the table and called, “Hey, Burt, why don't you turn on your video camera. I'm going to say a few words.”

“Sure,” Burt said with a smile and grabbed his cell phone from the table.

Steve rose and clanged his fork against the water glass beside his plate. “Everyone!” he called out.

Kelly watched all her friends and acquaintances turn their attention to Steve.

Steve held up his newly filled champagne glass. “Another toast to the newlyweds. To Jennifer and Pete! Happiness always!” He raised his glass and drank to accompanying cheers and calls of agreement.

Kelly sipped from her champagne. She'd never really liked champagne. She watched Steve hold up his glass again, then he glanced to her with a big grin.

“I don't have another toast, but I do have an announcement. Kelly and I both. We're going to have a baby.” Steve tossed down the rest of the champagne in his glass as the dining room went from silence to raucous uproar in a matter of seconds.

“
Oh my God!
”