“You’ve been very good to my little girl this last year. I appreciate all the coloring pages that come in my letters.”
“She’s been good for me too. I’ll miss her.”
“You can always have a few of your own.”
“I hope too. But I want Cori to myself for a while.”
“Have you proposed?”
“Not yet. I talked to her mother and brother last weekend and they gave me their blessing. Now I am just deciding when to ask and how to make it special.”
“Make it quick. Tish is bugging me to death for details.”
Seth laughed. “Go get your daughter and my girl and let’s eat. We need to leave pretty soon.” Micah slid open the door and exited while Seth went to get his mother.
“Hi Munchkin” Micah greeted “did you forget something?”
“Oops” Mindy stated as she turned to Cori “I was supposed to tell you it was time to eat.”
“Oops, we got distracted. We better go wash up.”
“We have to show daddy the elephant first.” Mindy stated. Cori nodded and flipped back to the page with the elephant and the lion.
“That’s Rory and that’s Micah” Mindy introduced pointing first to the lion and then to the elephant. “I named him after you Daddy.”
“You did? Thank you” he said proudly but in a soft voice to Cori “I think. Does that say something about me?”
“It says that your little girl loves her daddy very much.”
“That I can handle” Micah said gently. He beamed a big smile at his daughter “Come on Munchkin, let’s eat” Cori lifted Mindy up to Micah then gathered up her pencils and her pad to follow them inside. Seth and Millie were walking towards her when she entered. Millie looked like she had been crying.
“Millie, what’s wrong?”
Millie walked up to Cori and hugged her. “It is beautiful, Cori. I loved it and it was such a surprise.”
“What did I do?” Cori asked pretending to be innocent of any acts.
“Oh, you…” Millie grumbled. Cori smiled.
“I’m glad you like it.” Cori finally agreed. It was a drawing of Micah sitting in the chair in the living room with Mindy sitting on his lap holding her stuffed bear. “I’m better at stuffed animals.”
“I disagree” Millie stated.
“Me too” Seth interjected. “But we can argue later, I’m hungry.” He escorted his mom and Cori into the dining room where Mindy and Micah were waiting for them. Micah was holding a frame in his hand and showing it to Mindy and there was another package with Seth’s name on it. “What’s this?”
“I would have no idea.” Cori said trying to keep a straight face. Seth raised his eyebrows at her and moved to open the package.
“Cori!” he exclaimed “it is outstanding. I love it.”
“Me too, Cori” Micah said. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome.” Micah and Seth exchanged pictures and then handed them to Millie who was crying again. Micah’s picture had been almost the same as Millie’s but Seth’s was of him and Mindy sitting together on the couch playing with the stuffed snakes Cori had given them.
Seth hugged her tightly and kissed her gently. “When did you do these?”
“Mostly this week. Faith framed them for me in the shop.”
“They are magnificent. Thank you.” Seth stated. “You are so talented, sweetheart.”
“I enjoy drawing and I drew those and they came out pretty well so…” Cori shrugged. Seth’s family was effervescent with their approvals while they all ate breakfast. After breakfast they all scattered to get ready to go to Beaches’ company picnic. At the picnic, they met up with Faith and Isaac.
“Well?” questioned Faith. “Did they love your pictures?”
The question might have been asked to Cori but Millie, Seth and Micah answered it “Yes, we did. They are fabulous.” Cori blushed.
“I loved mine also, Miss Cori!” Isaac said hugging her. “She won’t give me a picture of her but yours is perfect.” Cori had drawn a picture of Faith and had one of the other employees frame it and wrap it up while Faith was gone. Cori had told Faith it was just like the other pictures when she handed it to Faith to give to Isaac. “She’s stubborn about pictures.”
“I am not” defended Faith. Isaac kissed her before she could protest too much. Seth had to go open the picnic activities so he captured Cori’s hand and took her with him. He welcomed everyone and thanked them for a year of hard work. The day’s events were described and then he stepped away from the stage. They played some easy games until after lunch.
After lunch, Cori found herself looking at Seth across the three foot space. He was standing in the men’s line and Cori was standing in the women’s line. The game was to see who was the final team that could still have a whole egg and be standing the farthest apart. “I am the CEO, I have to do well at this.”
“Then you should pick a different partner.” Cori grumbled. Seth shook his head. The event’s organizer was handing an egg to each of the women. Cori thought I’ll get one clean toss before I’m out of this game. After all the eggs were handed out, the coordinator yelled “First toss” and the women gently tossed the egg to the men in the opposite line. Seth caught theirs and it stayed whole but not all of them did. Those people left the lines and were out of competition.
“One step back, gentlemen.” Cori heard from the coordinator. She grimaced as they stepped back and the space was now about four feet. “Toss” Seth tossed the egg and Cori cupped her hands together and caught the egg. Miraculously it stayed whole.
“Yes!” Seth beamed at her. Again the men took a step back and Cori tossed it when she heard the command. This time though Seth was not so lucky and the egg broke and splashed to the ground. “Yuck” he grumbled. Cori covered her face and peeked at him through the fingers.
“Sorry” she muttered. Seth winked at her and started to laugh. Isaac was still holding a whole egg and he and Faith were the winners of the competition.
“Nice job, bud” Seth congratulated as he wiped his hands clean. Isaac took a bow to except his congratulations. Cori and Faith wandered off from the blatant display of male testosterone. “But it is on now, baseball game is next.”
“Just remember the bet” stated Isaac “my team wins and you pay for our honeymoon.”
“And if my team wins, you pay for mine.” Seth said softly. “Did you ask yet?”
“No” Isaac muttered. “I’m going to later. Then we plan to come over, we are still telling them tonight right?”
“Yes, but I’m not proposing tonight.”
“When are you proposing?”
“I haven’t planned it yet.”
“Are you changing you mind?”
“If we could elope tonight, I would.” Seth answered. “I just haven’t planned it yet. Right now, I’m just worried about Mom.”
“I know, me too. I got ya covered this week at work. No problem.”
“Thanks.” Seth said. “Let’s play ball”
Cori sat with Millie and watched Mindy at the playground while the baseball game was going on. Seth and Isaac had kept their bet between just the two of them since the payment was so personal. Faith played on Isaac’s team but Cori was lousy so she begged off and went to watch Mindy.
“Millie” began Cori “I need to ask you something.”
“Anything, sweetie.”
“Do you know about Seth and I from high school?”
“I know about the infamous list. He left it out on his bed the day he received it. I was not pleased with my son for a few days.”
“Do you have any doubts about us now?”
“None whatsoever” Millie answered strongly “you make him so happy.”
“And what about my past marriage?”
“That is just what you said, Cori, it is in the past. You and I haven’t talked in great detail but your
mother shared with me. She wasn’t betraying your confidence but she needed someone to talk too. Roger, or as Seth calls him the slimeball sleeze, was the one with the problem not you.”
“There are two sides to every story. Maybe…”
“Don’t go there, Cori Alyssa Lewis, Roger takes all the blame for the abuse. Maybe without that you might have been partly at fault but I don’t think we would be having this conversation then.”
“I love your son very much. I want to be a good wife and mother.”
“But you are scared?” Millie asked with great insight
“Yeah, that’s one thing. What if he ends up paying for Roger’s mistakes? What if I hurt him?”
“Honey listen to me, there are times in every marriage when there is hurt inflicted by both parties. You don’t mean to do it but on some bad day sometime you will hurt him and he will hurt you. You will learn to apologize and think more carefully the next time. I really don’t see you are the type of person who will make Seth pay for Roger’s mistakes. I think you are too careful for that.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” Cori said absently.
“What does your mother say?”
“She’s always liked Seth. She thinks he is handsome and kind. She thinks we make a nice couple. She’s not concerned about me having another relationship. Unless you told her, she doesn’t know about the infamous list.”
“I never told her. I was not proud of my son.”
“He’s apologized.”
“He should grovel. That was cruel.”
“My putting it together and presenting it to him wasn’t very nice either.”
“That was spectacular actually. Micah saw me reading the list and told me what happened. He was still gloating those many days later.”
“He’s always been on my side.”
“Always. He almost went AWOL when he heard about your last attack from Roger. John must have told him.”
“My father did.” countered Cori. “Micah came over to see John and my father was apparently shaken up. Micah asked what was wrong and my father told him. You and Darren were in Hawaii I think.”
“Yes” answered Millie “and Seth was just becoming the CEO of Beaches.”
“I’m so glad he didn’t know.”
“Why?”
“At the time, it was one more thing he could taunt me about. I couldn’t show him that I was with the popular guy anymore. I was a nobody again.”
“I think he had matured by then.”
“And I wasn’t thinking clearly anyway.”
“You had four cracked ribs, a concussion and your liver had been lacerated. No one would have been thinking clearly.”
“Seth doesn’t know that. I’ll tell him someday if he asks but not until he asks.”
“I think that’s okay.”
“Enough of this yucky subject. I have another question to ask.”
“Okay, what is it?”
“Do you want me to stay with you at the hospital this week?”
“Oh honey, that is so sweet of you but no. I’m going to be so drugged up apparently and Micah and Seth will be there. I imagine Isaac will be there some too. I appreciate the offer but no. You have people who need you more than I do.”
“If you change your mind, have Seth call me and I’ll come as fast as I can.”
“I know you would. You always do. Can I tell you that I am thrilled that you are going to be my daughter-in-law?”
“I guess you never should say never.” Cori chuckled. Mindy came running over to them then and wanted Cori to push her on the swing so Cori went with the little girl and pushed her gently. She thought about her conversation with Seth’s mother and about Seth. She guessed she had sort of jumped the gun by agreeing with Millie that Cori would be her daughter-in-law since Seth hadn’t officially proposed but he kept mentioning their marriage so she was believing in that.
Later that night after dinner, Cori was talking to Millie while Micah, Seth and Mindy played Candyland on the living room floor when Isaac and Faith arrived. Faith had a huge smile on her face and came rushing to see Cori.
“What is up?” Cori said. Faith lifted her left hand and flashed her new engagement ring. “Yes!” Cori yelled “Congratulations!” The two women embraced. “You too, Isaac. I’m so happy for you.” Cori went to hug Isaac.
“Thanks, Miss Cori” Isaac laughed. “I’m pretty happy myself.”
Millie, Seth and Micah congratulated them also. Every one settled down to talk and Mindy crawled into Micah’s lap. Seth stood up and headed to sit by Cori then changed his mind and decided to stand. “We have some business to discuss with you all.”
Cori interjected teasingly “I’m not moving my animals to Beaches.”
“Yet, anyway” Seth teased. “I’m kidding.” He laughed when Cori glared at him. “Anyway, Isaac and I have been talking and plotting. We happened to fall in love with two women who don’t live that close to us. So we started making some new plans. Beaches’ is in escrow to purchase some land on the west side of Catesville. Right now we will just build a small office building and Isaac, Abigail my assistant and I will move the executive offices of Beaches Toy Company to Catesville when it is completed. In the meantime, Isaac and Faith can begin to plan where they want to live in or around Catesville. If their marriage and house plans are solidified before the office is built, Isaac will have the capability of working from home. When my fabulous mother is well enough to go home to Catesville, I will begin to work from there also. Abigail is deciding if she wants a house or an apartment and will move when I move.”
“Tish and Micah are deciding if they want to move into this house or if they too want to live in Catesville when their commitments to the Marines is complete in a few months. Tish will be my computer operations specialist and run all my information technology. Again, she can do that from anywhere. Micah has, well you tell them…”
“I’m going to be a writer. My first book is at the printers and I have a contract for the second one already.”
“Oh my” exclaimed Millie “You sneak, you never said a word.”
“I wanted to wait until it was at the printers. Then Seth told me this plan. So we decided to announce the two things at once.”
Seth continued “Anyway, that’s why it won’t matter where he and Tish choose to live. Their work will be flexible. So any questions?” Seth asked looking to Cori. In fact everyone was looking at Cori.
“No” she answered quietly. “No questions.” Seth was about to ask her what was wrong when her cell phone rang. She saw it was her mother and excused herself to go upstairs to talk to her.
In the living room, Seth looked to Isaac. “That didn’t go over as well as I thought it would.”
“Yeah, do you have any idea why she isn’t thrilled about this Faith?”
“No I don’t. But I am thrilled.”
“Well, that’s good anyway.” Seth answered “I’m going to go see if I can find out anything.” He left the living room and went upstairs to his guest room. Cori had left the door open but he could still hear her talking so he waited outside. When he heard her say goodbye, he stepped into the doorway. Cori sat looking forlorn on the bed.
“Is something wrong at Hannah’s, Cori?”
“One of my residents broke the rules and told someone where she was. Her husband tried to get inside the compound and hurt one of my guards. The husband was arrested but now the woman must leave also. I don’t make exceptions for rule breakers. I just know she’ll have a tough time.”
“Do you need to go back tonight?”
Cori shook her head no. “John and my mother are handling it.”
“Cori, I’m guessing you didn’t like my surprise tonight.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Why? I really thought that you would. Was it because it was a surprise? And I didn’t talk to you before making these plans.”
br /> “Beaches is your company, not mine. You don’t need to consult me about the plans for it.”
“Then I’m really lost. Talk to me.”
“Isaac, Abigail, you are changing your whole lives because I need Faith to keep me organized and functioning. I can’t keep my schedule working without her so thousands of people are going to be affected. I’m just an idiot. Not worth all this trouble.”
“Hold it” Seth said very sternly “You are not an idiot and I never want to hear that again. Faith doesn’t want to stop working for you anymore than you want her to stop working for you. I do not need to run Beaches from Houston but you do need to run Hannah’s and Warm Comforts from Catesville. I knew that from the beginning, Isaac knew that because he and Faith talked about it. Faith did not know of this either until tonight. We had already started some inquiries before New York when you mentioned it to me about Faith helping you so much. After New York though our plans did change a bit when we changed our location to a bigger area so that you and I can go into business together that will be the factory for that line.”
“But the cost to Beaches? And if we are in a partnership, I should put up some of the money.”
“The cost to Beaches was going to be approximately the same because I need a second factory somewhere. For right now, the Houston plant can handle things but only for another year maybe. I either build my new plant here or in Catesville. We won’t start on the Catesville factory until Beaches and you have some plans made for that line. As for the cost, we will deal with that in the partnership agreement.”
“Are you telling me the truth?”
“I am. I need a second factory and someday maybe a third. Land is much cheaper and easier to come by around Catesville than Houston. It is a win win situation for Beaches. Isaac and Faith are happy about it. My mom seems pleased. You, however, do not, so I’m confused.”
“Oh Seth, I just feel like you’ve rearranged your life for me and I haven’t done the same.”
“You’ll have to do some. We probably shouldn’t continue to live at Hannah’s. When we have a family, we will need more room.”
“I only live at Hannah’s now because I built two apartments for the house mothers. I never planned to be one of the house mothers. I make the rules and I’m the boss, I can’t be the person who loves and tends to them too. Each one of my residents I evaluate to see if they would be a good choice as a house mother for the future. Mom loves it but she can’t do it all day every day.”