Chapter 5

Randal - Chapter 5

TJ was both glad and depressed that the holiday was over. Christmas had been the best that any of them had ever had. The children, TJ knew, made it the way it was. And soon, not too many months from now, there would be more children, more babies to bounce on his knees. As he waited for his tea to cool enough to sip it, he thought of all the gifts that had come his way, and thought that perhaps his favorite one, though he'd not say so, was the one from all of them, and signed with love that he felt every single day.

The picture of all his sons together had been a surprise. What surprised him even more was that they weren't all dressed in their finery, but in regular clothing, things that they wore every day. Trent had worn a polo shirt, Tanner a suit and tie. Even Randal had on a tie, but without a jacket. A polo for Scott, and Elijah wore a tee shirt. Sterl had on a paint stained apron, with a bit of paint on his face. It was perfect in that it wasn't perfect.

"I was thinking that you and I need to take a long vacation." He looked at his dad and asked him why he'd want to go with him. "Because you're my son. And I'd like to spend some quality time with you."

"I don't know if you realize this or not, but I have grandchildren coming soon. I'd like to be here for them." His dad sat down in the chair across from him and glared, telling him they were his grandchildren as well. "Then you can understand why I'd not want to take a trip right now."

"But you're not ruling it out." He shook his head. For as much as he fussed at his dad, he did love him very much. "I was thinking you and me, we'd drive down to the mountains and see us a show at one of them places in Tennessee. The Grand Ole Opera. Whatcha think?"

"I think you're nuts, but that does sound good." Another glare and TJ laughed. "Why? I mean, really, why do you want to spend time, more time than we do here, together with me? Is it something that I need to know, and you're softening the blow by taking me on a trip? Oh, I get it, you're taking me there to lose me. Won't work… I know my own address."

"Why are you being so dadburned mean for?" TJ said he was in a good mood and was kidding him. "Well, I was too until you started spouting off about leaving you there. I was thinking that we'd take the boys too. Make a manly time of it."

"I don't know, Dad. Seriously, they're all so busy right now. Pack and new mates. Babies coming along. To be honest, you saying that you wanted to spend time with me alone felt sort of good." His dad leaned back in his chair. "What's going on?"

"Your mom, she's upset with me." He asked him what he'd done to her now. "Why do you think I did a dadburned thing wrong?"

"Because Mom only gets upset when you do something. What is it? And how much is it going to cost you to get her on your good side again?" Dad got up to pace, but he didn't speak. TJ sipped his tea and watched him. He'd get around to it sooner or later.

"You remember a few weeks back, when I said I was going to open myself an auction place? I know you thought I was joshing you, but I wasn't. Anyway, I made me some inquiries about it, and there ain't really much in the need for one, so you know. And I'd not be all that good at it anyway. I like to be sociable, and that's not going to make me any money or sell much. But then I got to thinking about them grandbabies that are coming, and how we'd be taking them places, and that our car just ain't big enough to haul them around in." His dad could never tell a straight-line story when one that was as curvy as a beautiful woman would do better. "I got me one."

"Got you one what? A building? An auctioneer license? A new car?" Dad glared harder. "Dad, you mentioned like six things, and then say you got one. What did you get?"

"A motor home." Dad sat down. "I was thinking about them kids, I swear it. But I thought that we, your mom and I, could take a trip too in it. Your mom, she likes to travel and all. And taking them kids places, it'll be easier on us if we're not stopping every ten minutes to go to the bathroom and such. Plus, they can nap and all. I was thinking of all the fun we'd have."

"And you're wondering why Mom is mad at you." He nodded. "Did you think that maybe she might have wanted to go with you to pick this out?"

"She don't know nothing about cars and such. And she wasn't with me when I got the idea. I got us a good deal on it too." TJ just waited for his dad to get the point. "I guess she would be spending time in it, but it's not like I didn't have her in mind. She might not have liked the color or something, is that what you're waiting on me to get?"

"Yes, something like that. Mom will be spending time in it with you, and she does spend a great deal more time with the kids than you do too. Changing their diapers or whatever needs to be done. She might have thought that the one you got wasn't big enough, or didn't have enough beds in it. Her input might be the difference between you having to take a car too to travel with them, and having plenty of space for you all. Additionally, she might have wanted to have a little say so about the kitchen area."

"I never thought that far ahead, I guess. And she was saying something about the room in it. It's not giant, like I should have gotten us." TJ said that not too big might be better. "Yeah, I think you might be right on that. I know that I can take it back. I think I will. Right now. Yes, sir, I'm going to do that and take your mom along with me."

After his dad left, talking like he'd been the one that had thought it all the way through, TJ sipped his tea again. It was just now cool enough to drink. When Tanner came into the room with him, he hid his smile behind his cup. This was going to be a doozy, he knew it.

"I'm a single man." TJ told him that he was aware of that. "And you know as well as I do that she's coming here. Probably already here as far as things are going for me."

"Who?" His low growl had TJ laughing. "Son, I don't know if you're aware of this, but your Grandda just left me. He's as clear as a stone bell about things too. So if you got something on your mind, I'm afraid that I'm going to need a bit more information."

"My mate." TJ nodded, still fighting the fact that he was nearly blue with laughing. "She's lurking out there around the corner, and any minute she's going to come here and make demands on me. I know it."

"Lurking? I don't know about that, Tanner. The women in this family don't lurk. Unless they're sneaking up on the bad guys. Then there might be some lurking. And what are you all tied up about? You afraid of your mate?" Tanner said he wasn't afraid of anyone. "Oh, then it's the thought of being happy that's got you all twisted up in knots."

"I'm not going to be happy." TJ just cocked a brow at his tone. "I'm sorry, but I don't want a mate. I don't have time to be all spongey and gooey like the rest of them are."

"Spongey and gooey? Tanner, what makes you...? Never mind. All right then. I'll help you out with that when the time comes. If I find her lurking about, do you want me to bash her in the head or just turn her in the wrong direction?" He asked him to be serious. "I am. I got me a bat around here somewhere. Or I can just be my wolf and tear into her."

"I don't want her dead." TJ nodded and said nothing. "You're not being serious about this, are you? I don't want you to kill anyone."

"I don't want to either, but I also don't want you upset. It hurts me in ways I can't explain to see my kids upset." Tanner got up to pace, something TJ was sure that they'd learned from their grandda, just as he had. "Why are you not wanting to be found by your mate? And if I was you, I'd not mention anything to the rest of them about being gooey or lurking. They might take offense."

"Have you seen the way Trent acts when Joe is around? Like a simpleton." TJ, wisely, said nothing as he sipped more tea. "Then the other day, I asked Sterl to go to the movies with me, and you know what he said? He had to ask Marty if it was all right. She might have plans."

"So you didn't go?" He said that they had, but he was missing the point. "No, I don't think I am. You are, but not me on this one. You think your mom would be happy with me if I just took off on some night of fun with you when she had something planned for us? A nice dinner or a movie or something? She'd have both our heads."

"That's not the same thing." He asked him why not. "Because they're my brothers, not my parents."

"Tanner, that makes no sense whatsoever. I don't know what's got you so all fired up, but that there, that made me think you're just grasping at straws. What is it really?" Tanner sat down, his face full of glum, like he'd been picked last for the big game. "Tell me and I'll help you work it out."

"Dad, I have my life just the way I want it. A mate is going to come in, change things around, and want more of my time. I don't have time for anything anymore. Not even dating." TJ nodded, pushing his empty cup away while his son lambasted having a mate. "She's going to be this macho woman that can shoot better than me, even do my job better than me, and I'm going to look like a sap."

"Yes, you are." Tanner looked shocked. "What did you expect me to say? That you'll be better than her at everything? One thing I've learned about women, and this ain't much, is that they're a might better at a lot of things, but not everything. They'll need you when they need you, and not when they don't. But that don't mean that they won't love you with all that they have. And keep you as safe as you'll want to keep her."

"What if I can't?" He knew this was the real reason for his concern about a mate. "I'm not like the others. I don't have any idea how to shoot a gun, use a knife, or any of those things. I work for a vampire that has more going on in his life than I do. Even before he came along. Dad, she's going to think I'm an idiot."

"No one is going to think you're a sap, son, nor an idiot. They'll see you just as we all do, a moron." Tanner laughed. "See, that's why she'll love you. You know when I'm having fun with you. And any woman that comes along to find you, she won't find you lacking, Tanner, but the best thing since sliced bread. Like we all do."

"I didn't say she'd fine me lacking, Dad. Just not gooey or sappy." They both laughed then; it was better now, he'd bet. "My house, it's almost done. What if she hates it? I mean the fact that she can change it with just a thought. Or something, I don't know."

"Then she does. Not that big of a deal, is it, if you found yourself someplace that you both love? I mean, when you bought that thing, you didn't care much for it, did you? I'm thinking that not much has changed." He shook his head. "See, you might want to sell it, or just rent it out to one of them big wigs that are in town for the business meetings. Or something like that. Don't go looking for trouble, Tanner, until it's slapping you around. And think of this…when she does show up, you'll be better prepared for her."

"How do you figure that?" He told him. "I have been taking notes on things not to do with a mate. The only one I can see that has done a fine job of it right from the start is Randal. He just eased into his relationship without any kind of trouble."

"Yes, but trouble is coming. Today, I heard." Tanner nodded and asked him if they were ready. "As ready as we can be about the unknown. Me? I'm going to enjoy watching that pretty little wife of Randal's give her stepmom and dad the slapping around that they need. It's a shame it has to be right after Christmas, but that'll give us more to be thankful for in the New Year. A new beginning."

"Then Noelle will have her baby soon after, then a few months later, Marty will too. Do you think that Laney or Chloe will be breeding soon too?" TJ said that he hoped so. "Yes, me too. I love being an uncle."

When he stood, so did TJ. He was going to have another cup of tea and some of those biscuits that had been brought over for him. He had a feeling that this son wasn't the last one he'd see today, and he was going to fortify himself for it. Laughing, he was pouring his tea when his own mate came into the kitchen.

"You giving those boys trouble or advice?" He said a little of both. "Good. Tanner wanted to see you. Has he been by?"

"He has and gone now. Did you need him?" She smiled at him. "He's upset that his mate is lurking about."

"Lurking? Good heavens. What does he expect her to do, jump on him or something?" TJ hugged his wife to him after setting down another mug for her too. "You and I, we have our work cut out for us, don't we?"

"Yes, and I'd not have it any other way." She laid her head on his chest and he told her he loved her. "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"And you me. Then we had to go and ruin it all by having six boys." She looked up at him with a smile. "I'd not change that either. Would you?"

"Never."

~*~

Lance was chilled to the bone. He'd forgotten how cold winters could be in Ohio. The one other time he'd been here had been more than enough for him. Damn it all to hell, he wished they'd stayed home until it was warmer. But they had to get there before all the work they'd done so far was for nothing, whatever that was. Rosemarie had a plan, and he hoped it was done soon. He still wondered why Rosemarie's little girl, Sally Anne, had moved here in the first place. He asked Rosemarie.

"She said that she had someone that could help her get on the welfare here. And then she fell in love. I guess love don't care where you go or live so long as it's together. And they were happy, don't you think?" He agreed. "I'm going to miss her so much."

"Me too." He thought of his own daughter again, and how she had cut ties with him long ago. Like she didn't want him to be happy, live his life the way he wanted. She was forever complaining about his lifestyle and his friends. He supposed that she had a lot to be complaining about. He had gone off the road a few times, and it worried him that it would catch up to him soon.

"I guess we'll just have to write Laney off as helping us very much. I only think she sent money to my baby that one time, and then nothing. I don't know what her problem was." Lance said he didn't know.

But he did. Laney had pointed out to him on numerous occasions how he wasn't the man that she knew, and that her mom was more than likely rolling over in her grave on the things that he'd been up to. Rosemarie had pointed out that she was jealous, that Laney couldn't stand for anyone to have any fun if she wasn't involved. Lance had thought that was right, but the more he thought about her, the more he was concerned for his own selfishness. Or that of Rosemarie. How could she want so much from Laney when there was so many things they could get for free if they wanted it? To him, when a family member needed help, it was because they had nothing more they could do for themselves. Rosemarie and Sally Anne wanted everything handed to them. Him too, he supposed. But of late, he'd been thinking that was wrong too.

But there was more to it than that. He'd done a few illegal things, like stealing those little babies. But they'd made sure that they were in better homes, hadn't they? Rosemarie had told him that she'd had each and every one of the people that they sold the kids to investigated, and they were as clean as a whistle. Of course, there weren't many that would see it their way, he knew this. But to him, they'd been doing a service. Not just for the kids, but the welfare department too. They no longer had to worry about having to feed those little guys.

"You ready to figure this shit out?" He asked her what she meant. "I gotta go to the funeral home that is mentioned in the paper and see about making sure she got the best of care. Her and Clay. It's gonna be hard on me, I know that, but I have to do it. You wanna go with me?"

"I do. You might need me to hold you should it prove too much for you. I can't imagine how painful this might be for you to lose a daughter. I know that even though I never see Laney, it would kill me to have her die so young." Rosemarie nodded. "You think they did anything to make sure that we were coming to see her off? You did tell them we were coming, didn't you?"

"They didn't. I don't know why just yet, but I aim to find out why. I mean, she's my little girl, ain't she?" He agreed as he pulled on his coat. The hotel they were staying in was cheap, but it mattered little. They had no intentions of paying up anyway, Rosemarie told him. They'd get compensated for it when the funeral arrangements were sorted out. He had no idea what that meant, but he believed her. Sort of.

While that bothered him at times, the way they stole and skipped out on things, he didn't let himself lose any sleep over it. As far as he was concerned, the state would reimburse the hotel for it. And it wasn't like they took the towels or anything when they left. They might have to make up a bed or two, and that would be the end of it. Neither he nor Rosemarie smoked anything in the room, nor did they mess up. It was a no brainer for the hotel to just write it off, Rosemarie told him. That brought up something else that he'd been thinking on.

She knew a lot of things like that. He didn't of course, being that he'd lived a life free of crime, or getting into trouble for anything. Rosemarie not only knew what the consequences would be if they were caught, but how to jump through loopholes so that they didn't. That bothered him more than just a little bit.

They walked to the funeral home. He was amazed at how beautiful the snow looked for being so fucking cold. He looked at the Christmas sales going on too, and had forgotten that yesterday was the big holiday. Not that he had the funds for anything special. They just enjoyed life, and that was enough for Rosemarie, she'd told him. But he did miss Christmas mornings with his wife and daughter. When she'd been tiny, he'd light up when she sat at the tree and opened her gifts.

"How about when we talk to Laney, we see if we can meet her at a restaurant that might serve up some steaks? We might as well get as much as we can out of her while she's around." Rosemarie thought that was a brilliant idea. He just wanted to see her. Maybe get a hug or two from her. "Maybe she'll have her old man a gift or two. Something that we can take back for the cash, of course. Or some gift cards. I'd like that too."

He didn't have anything for her, but he thought under the circumstances she'd understand. They'd not been on the best of terms of late, and he'd not had the funds to spend on her. He had himself a habit. He was not a drunk, but had a habit of having a drink or two a day, and that took up a lot of their cash. Lance supposed he could have gotten her something, but why? She had a job and he didn't. But that wasn't it either, and he knew it in his heart. He didn't know her well enough to buy her even stationary should she want any.

The funeral home was the nice kind, where the carpet was only in a few places and hardwood floors were in the rest of the building. He and Rosemarie were shown to a lovely room, but there was free coffee but no donuts, and that sort of depressed him. He was hungry, as they didn't have any way to eat in the big room without money. Lance thought of pancakes and sausage links, and his belly growled in protest of the meal not there for him.

The man in a dark suit joined them just as he was trying to figure out a way to take the creamers with them. The ones at the hotel were those powdery kind, and this was milk. Well, milk-like stuff.

"Hello. I'm sorry that I wasn't here to greet you, but we didn't know you were planning to come in." Rosemarie explained to him that they'd only just gotten in. "The funeral was a few days ago, as I'm sure you're aware. The two of them had a great many visitors, and the flowers filled a van up when we took them out to the cemetery."

"Only one van load? As well liked as they both were, I thought there would be a lot more. We'll take them when we go." He looked confused. "The flowers. We'll take them when we go back to the hotel with us. I mean, we walked here, so it would be nice if you could have the van just bring them out to the hotel for us. And if there are any planters, we'll have to have those too. Just as a memory of her and the funeral that no one waited on us to be here for."

"I'm sorry, miss, but they've been delivered to the Calhoun household. Like I mentioned before, we had no way of knowing that you'd be coming. Along with the flowers, the book was taken, as well as any well-wishers that were sent here as well." Rosemarie asked why they'd have them. "Well, it was my understanding that your daughter made all the arrangements and that she'd be getting her flowers and such. So, we took—"

"Not my daughter. You buried mine. That would be his. What is she doing with these Calhoun people anyway? I didn't think she lived around here." Lance said that she was living in Vegas and as far as he knew, didn't know anyone here. "Where are these people? And what do we have to do to get my things from them?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Calhoun paid for the services. As well as the burial plots and flower arrangements. There was a reception back at Randal's mother's home, but that was paid for by them as well. I'm sorry." Lance was so confused about this that he looked at Rosemarie and asked her if she knew them. She, of course, was on a roll now, and too pissed off to question her about anything. But the director seemed to understand what they wanted to know. "They're the town leaders. A very wealthy and well-respected family. I think they might have been the first family that was settled here. I know that Tanner is a fine attorney, and that—"

"Who cares? That does not explain to me why they got my daughter and her dearly departed husband's things. And where is my granddaughter? I'd very much like to see her too, so that I can make arrangements to take her back with us." The man had that look again, like he was mad but not letting his temper get the better of him. Pinched too, like he was holding in a fart that he wasn't sure he could make quiet. "Well? What the fuck are you doing just sitting there? I want my things, and my granddaughter. I'd hate to call the police on you for giving things away that you had absolutely no rights to."

"All right. Let me make a couple of phone calls, and I'll see about getting someone down here to talk to you about what you are claiming has been taken from you." She told him it had been. "I'll return shortly."

Just as the man was leaving, he reached over and took the creamers. All of them, so that Lance would not even have any for his own cup. Damn it all to hell and back. If the pot hadn't been so hot the man would probably see about taking it from the place too, he'd bet. There was no call for him to be like that. It was only creamers. It was not like he didn't get a tax break for having it around.

"Sometimes you just have to get a little loud to get what you want. The nerve of these people taking shit that don't belong to them. I don't care if they did pay for everything. There wasn't any need for them to take the flowers and shit. We could sell off the vases if they're nice ones, you know. And maybe even a few of the flowers it they're still in good shape. Without those cards we had to pay for gas and shit, so we're going to need a little extra for the trip home. Laney must have found out about them and canceled them again." She snapped her fingers. "I forgot to ask him where Laney was staying. I thought she'd be at that hotel, but that guy wouldn't tell me. I'll ask him when he gets back in here."

"Did you see that he took the creamers? How childish is that? I wasn't going to take the cup they were in, just the little things. The coffee is so much better when it's milk and not that powder stuff." She said she'd make sure he had some after this meeting. "You're so good to me. I think that's why I like you so much."

He couldn't say it. Not for the last few days could he make himself say those three little words to her. He didn't love her…Lance was sure of that. There might have been a time when he had, but no longer. And he wasn't even sure what had brought this thought process to him.

"And I love you."

The man returned and said that he'd put out a call, and that Mr. and Mrs. Calhoun would be in shortly. She asked about where Laney was staying.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know who that might be. There have been a lot of people in and out of here lately, and she might have been in and I didn't notice her." He said if they'd wait here, they couple would be in shortly.

"You can bring back the creamers that you took from here too. When you offer coffee to someone, then you got to expect them to have cream." He said that he thought those were spoiled. "Then you make good on them. I'd like a tea too, with a shot of bourbon if you have it."

"I do not." He sounded so indignant that Lance laughed. "I don't know what sort of establishment you think this is, but we do not have a bar that you can lean up to."

When he left them, they both had a good laugh about it. The creamers were brought back, but there were only three this time and not a whole bowl of them. He took them anyway. And the girl, this time, said that there wasn't any tea to brew for anyone, but that she could being some hot water in if Rosemarie had a tea bag. That didn't go over well either.

"Do I look like I have a grocery store on my back? Where the hell would I carry around tea bags at? Mother fuck. Just go on down to the store and get some. What's the big deal? I want a cup of tea." The younger woman just left them without saying whether or not she was coming back. Lance didn't care. It had been fun, for a few minutes anyway.

They were sitting there about twenty minutes when the door opened behind them. Lance just glanced at the door, having too much fun looking around the office. It was a really nice one, and made him miss his own way back when he had a house. But then he looked back, really hard. He knew her, the woman that was next to the big man, but couldn't place her. It wasn't until she spoke that he felt his world sort of shift around. All in the wrong directions.

"Hello, Dad. Rosemarie. They said you have some issues about Sally Anne's funeral arrangements." Rosemarie stood up and walked to his daughter. When she drew back her hand, to no doubt hit her, Laney spoke again. "Do it, and I swear to you that you're going to be walking away with one less appendage."