'Tis the Season: A Collection of Mimi's Christmas Books (50 page)

While being coached by the tiny pro-pizza fan, Jesse placed the order for their meal. Yaya, glowing from his unexpected attention, ran to get the dolls she’d coerced Jesse into showing some interest in meeting. While he waited for her to return, he came to perch on the chair kitty-corner to the sofa where Belle spent far too much time.

He spoke low as if afraid that Yaya would hear. “Have you eaten
anything
at all today? You look kinda frail.”

“You mean skinny.”

“You said it, not me.” Again his hands shot up.

She laughed surprised at how much better the levity made her feel. “I had some crackers earlier. When I get like this, it’s all I can eat. But then the pains get bad and my stomach revolts.”

Belle had no idea what made her tell him the truth about her condition. Usually, she made up some fib about the flu and changed the subject. After all, no one liked to hear doom and gloom and health bitches, especially from a twenty-five-year-old.

Before he could answer, Layla re-appeared dragging her chest of baby dolls and the clothes Belle had made for them. While Jesse exclaimed over all the tiny crocheted outfits that Yaya held up for his inspection, Belle reached for the plate of biscuits and started to nibble.

Jesse hand moved like greased lightning as he stopped her from taking the next bite.

“Are these made with wheat?”

“I think so. They’re soda crackers.”

“You say that’s all you’ve eaten today?”

“I guess so. Everything else I try seems to upset me. I had toast yesterday and fruit but it didn’t sit well. It’s crazy. When I eat very little, it’s not so bad. Then, when I get so hungry I’m forced to try something, I choose the blandest stuff I can. No spicy foods, no grease. My stomach is so tender, even fruit and vegetables go right through. It’s horrible.” Belle’s voice broke and she had to stop. His sympathy had undone her like no one else’s, and she had the insane notion that if she crawled over on his lap and just snuggled into his arms, she’d be better. Tears sprung, emotions attacked and she had to hide her face. Without thinking, she lifted the cracker to take another bite.

He tackled her hand before it reached her mouth and stopped her. “Don’t.” His tone caught her attention and she stopped.

“Why not? I certainly can’t eat the pizza.”

He held her hand gently and his thumb rubbed at the skin. “I have a young fellow who works with me sometimes; he’s an apprentice studying for his carpenter’s ticket. The guy natters on constantly and most times I shut him off but I remember him telling me about his mom being sick like you. Her symptoms were also food related. Seems she had a problem with eating things with wheat. Once they put her on a gluten-free diet, she started getting better. He called it Celiac.”

“I’ve heard of it, just never thought it had anything to do with me.” Her hand opened and the cracker fell to the floor. Then she entwined her fingers with his. “Oh my God! Could… could it be so simple?”

At her tone, Yaya hopped up from the floor, stopped dressing her baby doll with the little sweater-set she’d promised to show Jesse and ran to her mom. “What’s wrong, mommy?”

Belle lifted the little doll into her arms and hugged. With all the emotions flooding her system, joy mixed with trepidation and a good healthy fear that it might not be so; she had to hide her excitement.

Could it really be that simple?

Chapter Four

Jesse watched as Belle processed his information. He saw the anxiety that stayed after all the other feelings filtered through her thoughts. A strange urge possessed him that he had to fight against. The urge to take her on his knee, rock her against his body and whisper encouragement to believe. Sometimes things in life really were that uncomplicated.

The doorbell broke into the moment and Layla struggled out of her mother’s clinging arms and ran to his side. She reached for his hand to pull him to his feet. “The pizza man’s here, Jesse. We have to pay him and then we can eat. I’m so hungwy! Are you hungwy?”

Jesse grinned with delight. No wonder Kim wanted him to meet this darling. She knew he had a soft spot for angels with golden hair, big green eyes and a lisp.

After all, she’d been about Layla’s age and with the same precocious nature when she’d discovered that Jesse, five years older than her, couldn’t say no to her childish demands. He’d tried, many times, but her talent in using her eyes and her voice in just the perfect way was his downfall.

“Okay, sunshine. Let’s go pay the man and we’ll have dinner.”

A short time later, Layla had her pizza on a plate and was hunkered down on the floor beside her mom with her food on the coffee table.

“Do you want a bite, Mama? It’s de-licious! Jesse says I can eat it with my hands. So you
can’t
get mad at me. Right?”

Jesse knew he looked sheepish, tried to wipe the telltale sign off his face and failed dismally. “Pizza tastes better when you pick it up in your hands. I told her not to touch anything until she wipes away any mess she makes with her napkin.”

“It’s okay. I used to eat my pizza the same way.” Belle smiled at her little girl and ruffled her hair. Then she made as if to rise.

He stopped her. “You need to have something too. We can’t sit in front of you and gorge ourselves if you have no food. Look, do you have any eggs? I can make you a fairly plain omelet.”

“I do.” She swallowed before continuing. “Jesse I can’t thank you enough for being here in this emergency. For giving me hope when I… I had almost given up. You can’t know how much I want Celiac to be the answer.” Belle continued to sift her fingers through Yaya’s hair as her little girl enjoyed her special treat. “Tell the truth, I can’t stop thinking of the possibilities, and how it will improve our life.”

As Belle’s savior strode from the room, the sexy, manly sway of his hips caught her attention. Being able to read a person’s character, one of her better skills, let her know that he had no idea just how amazingly suggestive his movements were. Or that they might dazzle any red-blooded woman into shuddering reactions and erotic fantasies.

Belle stretched her cramped limbs and knew she should be in the kitchen helping, trying to do something for herself. However, the weakness that had flooded her system and brought on her faint hadn’t let up at all. She didn’t trust herself not to drop to the floor again. Guess a person can’t survive on a few crackers and milk for days on end.

Also, the thought of pulling the same stunt in front of Yaya kept her in a prone position with her legs up. No way she wanted to terrify her child twice in a few hours.

As it was, her Yaya, who had always been a happy child, showed signs of becoming withdrawn and sad. Belle had even noticed the telltale trace of dried tears on her face when she’d caught her sneaking in from the hallway.

She questioned her and Yaya admitted to waiting for Kim who hadn’t been to visit for a number of days. For a three-year-old, explanations of her neighbor’s need to transfer to the other store, didn’t stick. In her mind, because she wanted Kim to appear like she’d always done, it should just happen. No doubt, the poor little doll felt safer with the other woman around and Belle didn’t blame her.

The doorbell rang once again and Yaya looked to her for permission to answer the summons. Before she could, Jesse reappeared with a questioning look. Belle nodded and he went to open the door to her caller.

A man in the uniform of the American armed forces waited impatiently. He had a cane in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. As soon as he spied her, he burst into the room, limping past Jesse to stop in front of her.

“Belle. Baby. I found you. Warned you I would, didn’t I?”

Belle almost slid off the sofa in her anxiety to back away from the man. Unfortunately, his delight at seeing her had dismantled some brain cells because he didn’t pick up on her dismay or her immediate withdrawal.

However, Jesse must have. Without hesitation, he grabbed the man from behind to yard him away from the sofa where Belle lay. But things obviously didn’t work out the way he’d planned. Belle saw Jesse’s surprise when he found himself held up against the wall with Jack’s arm across his throat and searing anger staring at him from cold, black eyes. “Back off, asshole.”

Belle screamed and fought her way off the couch to grab a frightened Layla in her arms. “Let him go, Jack. I mean it.”

Jack looked in her direction and his momentary lack of pressure was enough for Jesse to turn the tables. This time Jesse held the upper hand while Jack’s arm was twisted behind his back so high that any movement brought pain. No doubt, Jesse, being the tallest and strongest of the two, wouldn’t be caught out again.

He put his face close to Jack’s and talked low. “What’s your problem, pal? And who the hell are you to bust in here like you own the place?”

“I’m Belle’s fiancé, that’s who I am. Now let me go. And then leave.”

Chapter Five

Belle was horrified that her husband’s brother, Jack, had found them. Besides a lack of funds, he’d been the other reason she’d given up their old apartment.

Now here he was again making trouble for her. Trouble she didn’t need in her life at this point. Feeling the way she did was enough burden for anyone to face. Losing a job she loved and worked at so hard because sickness prevented her from carrying out her duties already had her downhearted and depressed.

It seems as if she couldn’t run far enough. She’d have to deal with this unruly man whose personal trauma from the conflict in Iraq had dismantled some brain cells.

Her husband, Terry, would be horrified if he knew his well-loved baby brother had sunk to this kind of behavior, manhandling a guest in Belle’s home.

Once the tables had turned and Jesse had Jack up against the wall, Belle felt her spirits lift. She had the insane impulse to pump her fist and roll her arm a few times while yelling. “Yesss!”

Yaya sniffled and pressed her head against Belle’s stomach, which reminded her that they had to calm the situation not encourage more violence. Jack needed to leave, quietly.

“Let him go, Jesse, please.”

He did as she asked, but reluctantly. With eyes watchful, Jesse strode over to where she and Yaya huddled on the sofa. He stood nearby with his arms crossed and a ‘don’t mess with me’ sneer on his face.

Jack straightened his uniform, ran his fingers through the overly-long hair not normally seen on a GI and reached for his cane that had fallen when he’d jumped to the attack. His back stiffened and like magic, he took on the respectful appearance of a soldier, a man of honor. He strode toward Belle and stopped when Jesse moved forward also.

“Belle, honey, is this any way to treat family? I missed you and Layla. It wasn’t right for you to take off without letting me know you were moving. No forwarding address or even a good-bye note saying it’s been nice to know you.”

“I’m sorry, Jack, but you wouldn’t stay away from the apartment or my place of work. And your behavior annoyed my boss and was scaring Layla. I couldn’t let you ruin our lives that way.”

The soldier crumpled, and the traumatized individual appeared. “What about
my
life?” he whined. “Losing Terry almost killed me. Being kept stateside with no deployment in sight has made my life a living hell. Then to top that off, my fiancée leaves me.”