When the subject of grandchildren came up, Chloe could easily watch her mother's body grow tense. She'd begin to slightly stutter and change the subject.
"You don't have to be afraid of being a grandmother. This is your opportunity to bond with a baby you'll have a lifelong relationship with."
"It's not so much that I'm afraid of the same things I used to be fearful of. I just have no idea how to care for an infant."
"I'll teach you, and if I'm out some place and you're babysitting, call Becky. She's great with kids."
"Perhaps you should just ask Becky—"
"No. No more running, Mom."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
They found the land they'd like to live on, and plans to start building would begin in spring the following year. Before winter hit and the roads could get bad, they moved Conner to a nice condominium that'd be near their new home, and only seven miles away from the Burlington's. He loved the many windows and all the brightness, not to mention the yard to stroll around in. He had a neighbor named Bill, a sixty-two year old widower. Bill had four grandkids, which made Conner push the subject at Matthew and Chloe whenever he saw them. They were happy to see Conner get out of the house some with his neighbor, who happened to have a car.
Chloe scheduled regular appointments for her father-in-law with a respiratory specialist, and even though his original diagnosis was correct, he was responding very well to the new medications, and his healthy lifestyle was adding to his ability to breathe easier. He no longer needed oxygen or his wheelchair, and he only coughed a little in the mornings, but the episodes didn't leave him feeling breathless.
Matthew and Chloe cracked up the first time they stopped by unannounced to visit Conner and he wasn't there. They waited for a while, and finally he showed up getting out of Bill's car. He casually mentioned to Matthew how nice it was to get out, but he always had to wait until his neighbor was free. The following week they took him to a dealership to test drive some cars. Matthew sat in the front while Chloe rode in the back, and Conner drove nicely until he ran up a curb, taking out some woman's mailbox. They gave her a hundred dollar bill and returned the car with a damaged fender to the lot, along with their insurance information. The next day, not wanting him to feel discouraged, they went looking for cars again. Conner hit an SUV on the way out of the parking lot. Chloe made an appointment to have his vision checked and found out he was in desperate need of glasses. After that, he drove without problems in his new little Ford Focus he picked out himself.
John decided to rent a nice apartment near Burlington Enterprises until he could find a house he wanted to buy. He had no desire in going through all the headaches of building, and after watching Matthew and Chloe squabble over what room would go where, he was sure he made the right decision. He loved his new job and all the responsibility that came with it. The men and women who worked directly underneath him offered nothing less than respect. One thing he learned from watching Matthew run the roofing business was that you're treated by others how you treat them. His office was on the floor below his friend, and he never hesitated to take the elevator up just to rob his candy dish. As a joke, Matthew started leaving a dog bowl full of candy on the floor outside his office door. He threatened anyone who even thought about removing it. The playfulness and liveliness the staff was exposed to with their two new bosses really raised the office morale.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
On a cold day in January, Chloe poured Matthew a bowl of cereal and sat it in front of him. He got up a little late and still had to pick up John before heading to the office.
"Baby, you forgot to give me a spoon."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Here it is." Chloe reached in her pocket and pulled out the positive pregnancy test and sat it down next to his cereal.
"Have you seen my briefcase? I remember bringing it inside last night but—"
Chloe gave him a shy smile and wink.
"Really?!"
"Really!"
Matthew picked up his wife and sat her on the kitchen counter. The whooping and hollering caused Sylvia and Earl to jump out of bed and come running.
"Is everything okay?"
"As long as you want a grandbaby, then yes, yes it is…" said Chloe playfully.
By the time all the hugs and kisses went around, Matthew was going to be an hour late at least. He picked up his phone.
"John, you have to hold down the fort for me, man. Chloe just told me that we're pregnant!"
"Damn, does that mean you're not going to leave her for me? I don't have a hope in hell now, do I?" John began congratulating him left and right, promising to take care of everything at the office.
"Thanks, John. I'll wait for about an hour to wake up my dad and tell him. He's going to be in heaven."
"Matthew, since you met Chloe, I think we're all in heaven." John smiled just thinking about the little blonde that walked into their lives, and regardless of what she saw, she decided to stay.
"I'll see you later, John. Be good."
Conner was combing his hair and splashing on a little aftershave when the phone rang. He whistled on his way to pick it up.
"Dad, you're gonna be a grandpa."
"Are you serious? Man, I can't wait to tell Bill!"
"Sweetie, who's on the phone?"
"One sec, Sheila, it's my son."
"Dad, who is that?"
"Never you mind, Matthew. I'm old but I ain't dead. I expect to see the both of you soon!"
Matthew listened as Conner said he loved him and then quickly got off the phone.
"Chloe, I think dad has a girlfriend."
"Margaret? I've met her, she's really nice and pretty."
"Margaret…no this one's name is Sheila."
"Oh, I haven't met her. I've met Margaret and Nancy, but not Sheila."
"Okay, we need to talk."
"He's an attractive man, Matthew. Let him have some fun."
"What if they take him for everything he's got?"
"We'll give him more, in the meantime, stop trying to be your dad's dad. Besides, you've already got that job." Chloe took Matthew's hand and held it to her flat stomach.
Chapter 19
On their first wedding anniversary, Chloe stood in her new home looking at the rough walls and wood floor. She had a small, rounded belly, and sometimes got sad that she wasn't showing very much yet. She worried that the house wouldn't be finished by the time the baby was born, but Matthew promised her it would be, even if he had to do all the work himself. Chloe put color swatches on the walls and stood back to study them.