Chapter Seven – Haley

“Wait, you have a mate and you didn’t bother to tell me?” Sorcha hissed as they went to work in the restaurant. Mr. Monroe was at the bar, polishing glasses, and they didn’t want him to hear.

“I did try to call you,” Haley replied. “Four times.”

Sorcha smiled smugly. “I was in bed. With Karl.”

“I guessed.” Haley tried not to sound jealous. She liked the idea of being in bed with Buck. He excited her in a way no other man had. He was a good man and yet there was an element of the unknown about him.

“What else do you have to do with your free time since you don’t have kids?” Tiana added.

“Is that what you think I do all day, have sex with Karl?” Sorcha giggled. “I do have other things to do.”

“Like what?” Haley asked. “You are young, free and single.”

Sorcha’s expression faded for a moment. “I’m not that young.”

“Young enough,” Haley replied, but Sorcha’s face crumpled, and her usual flirty exterior crumbled away. “What’s up, Sorch?”

“Don’t you ever think I might be envious of you two? You have wonderful children. And I’m going to end up old and alone.” She blotted under her eyes with her finger and sniffed loudly.

“I’m sorry, Sorch,” Haley said humbly. “I didn’t know kids were something you wanted.”

“Well, neither did I.” She smiled feebly. “But then Tiana got that big ole baby bump and I realized I would love to experience motherhood.”

“It’s not too late,” Tiana said. “There’s still time.”

“Is there? I have to find the right man first.” Sorcha composed herself. “I need to go wait on table four.”

“Wait,” Haley put her hand on Sorcha’s. “What about Karl? Don’t tell me you two have broken up again.”

“No, we’re solid. But that doesn’t mean he wants to have a child with me.” Sorcha smiled sadly, her eyes distant.

“Have you asked him?” Tiana asked gently. “Have you discussed it with him at all?”

“He isn’t into that kind of thing.” Sorcha shook her head. “It’s a stupid idea, I should just get over it.”

Haley let Sorcha go, and she walked off to take the order from the young couple at table four. “Life isn’t always fair, is it?”

“Nope,” Tiana answered. “But I think she’s wrong. Maybe Karl wants kids but thinks Sorcha doesn’t.”

“And what gives you that idea?” Haley asked.

“He’s always asking after Rhett, and I’ve seen him with your girls...” Tiana caught Haley’s sideways glance. “Come on, he dressed up as a clown for Marie’s birthday a couple of years ago.”

Haley shook her head. “It was for Halloween.”

“That’s right. He came to the party and scared the hell out of everyone.” Tiana frowned. “Maybe he doesn’t like kids.”

“Are you kidding? He had a ball. Karl conspired with Marie and Alicia for the whole day. They did a dress rehearsal and everything.” Haley sighed. “He told me then he liked kids. He grew up in a large family, his sisters have kids, but they live on the other side of the country and he doesn’t get to see them much. It sounded as if he missed watching them grow up.”

“He told you that?” Sorcha appeared behind Tiana, her face an unreadable cloud of emotions. “Karl never talks about kids.”

“Maybe because your idea of kids is smelly diapers and sleepless nights. While your idea of life is to smell patchouli and enjoy sexy nights.”

“And days…” Tiana cast a quick glance around the restaurant which was still quiet. The evening diners would start filling the place up soon, but they had a few minutes to spare. “What we’re trying to say is…”

Haley linked her arm through Sorcha’s, too. “Is that if we never knew you wanted kids, how do you expect Karl to know?”

Sorcha looked down at the floor, and then took a deep breath. “I’m not good at opening myself up to those kinds of discussions. My childhood was horrible, you both know that, and I don’t want to repeat the mistakes of my mom.”

“But you are not your mom.” Haley stroked Sorcha’s cheek. “You are a strong, loving woman. Embrace what you want out of life.”

“What if I mess up?” Sorcha asked, her eyes misted with tears once more.

“What if you do?” Haley asked.

“We all mess up,” Tiana added. “And we’re all harder on ourselves than we should be.”

Sorcha nodded. “But what if I ask him and he says no?”

“Then at least you know, and you can make a decision about what you want to do. But if you never ask Karl, you’ll never know.” Haley hugged Sorcha and Tiana joined in, too.

“Hey, ladies,” Mr. Monroe said as he walked past. “Is this a restaurant or a shrink’s office?”

“We all need a shrink working for you,” Sorcha bit back.

“I’m wounded.” Mr. Monroe clutched his heart and the three women dispersed, going about their work until it was the end of their shift.

“Are you going to talk to Karl tonight?” Haley asked as she collected her purse and coat. She was looking forward to going back to Tiana’s house for their campout, even though she was tired, and her feet ached.

“I am. I don’t want to put it off.” Sorcha looked over her shoulder to where Karl was waiting for her in the restaurant.

Haley wrapped her arms around Sorcha. “Call me if you need me.”

“You have your own plans with that man of yours.” Sorcha held onto Haley so tight, as if scared to let go. “Buck sounds like a real keeper.”

“He is. But that doesn’t mean you can’t call me if you need me. I don’t care where I am or what I’m doing. You are not in this alone.” Haley put her hands on Sorcha’s shoulders and took a step back. “Now, go get him. Ask him what he wants and where he sees your life together going.”

Tiana joined them. “We’re here for you.”

Sorcha nodded and forced a smile onto her face. “I love you guys.”

“We love you, too.” Tiana hugged her friend and then pointed to the open door leading from the locker room to the restaurant. “Now, go.”

Sorcha gave a quick nod and then turned on her heel, lifted her chin and walked away.

“What do you think he’ll say?” Haley asked Tiana as they watched Karl kiss Sorcha on the lips. Then he slipped his arm around her shoulders and guided her out of the restaurant.

“I don’t know,” Tiana replied honestly. “I would guess yes. But who knows.”

“I hope he says yes. And I hope Sorch gets the child she wants.” Haley walked into the restaurant and Tiana followed, looking tired. “How are you holding up?”

Tiana sighed. “I’m tired.”

“You need to let go of your pride and give notice.” Haley’s heart was heavy at the prospect of Tiana leaving the restaurant, but it was the right thing to do for her and the baby, and the rest of the family.

“Like you let go of your pride over your ceiling? Let Buck do this for you. After all, you are a couple now,” Tiana said. “Bye, Mr. Monroe, bye, Bobby.”

Haley waved, and the two men waved back. Mr. Monroe stared at them for a moment before he turned his focus back to his accounts, while Bobby cleaned the grill. “Bye.”

Out in the cool night air, Haley took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of the night. Damp earth mixed with pine, it always invigorated her after a long shift. She looked up at the stars, the sky was clear, it was a perfect night.

“So?” Tiana asked.

“So what?” Haley answered as she pulled out her car keys and opened the car door.

“What about you?”

“What about me what?” Haley asked as she started the engine and waited for Tiana to get comfortable.

“What about you and babies?”

Haley jerked her head around to look at her best friend. “What about me and babies?”

“Don’t you want a child with Buck?” Tiana asked, adjusting the seatbelt so it sat comfortably under her bump.

“I’ve only known the guy a day.” Haley drove the car out of the parking lot and headed toward Tiana’s house, where her man was waiting for her.

“Isn’t that enough?” Tiana teased.

“No.” She frowned. “Maybe, yes.”

“Because knowing a man for months or years doesn’t make any difference, does it?” Tiana voiced Haley’s own thoughts.

“No, it does not.” She slowed before turning onto a back road that led to the house. “I’ve never thought about having another child. I love Alicia and Marie so much. I wouldn’t want them to feel left out.”

“Rhett doesn’t feel left out over this baby.” Tiana slid her hand over her swollen belly.

“You don’t think that’s part of the reason he’s come home?”

“No. Not because he’s left out. Not in that way. It’s because he saw himself as the man of the house for so long. After Quentin left, he tried to help as much as he could. Now he thinks he’s abandoning me. Which he isn’t.”

“Do you think this year off will put things in perspective for him?” Haley asked as they reached the house.

“I hope so. Although I’m not going to pressure him. I want him to be happy and make his own decisions. He’s not a child anymore. He knows his own mind.”

“Really?” Haley asked. “Because even at my age, I don’t know my own mind.”

“I still feel like a kid,” Tiana confessed as she undid her seatbelt and groaned. “I don’t think I have the energy to get out of the car. Maybe I should just sleep here.”

“You are not doing a good job of encouraging me to have a child,” Haley told her.

“I’m beginning to think it’s not such a good idea,” she confessed.

Haley giggled. “Too late now. That baby has to come out. One way or another.” Haley opened her car door and then went around to the passenger side. “And so do you.”

Haley held out her hand and Tiana took it. “I feel like a beached whale.”

“And you are encouraging me to have another baby!” Haley said as she pulled Tiana gently out of the car.

Tiana stood for a moment, her eyes misted with tears as she tried to compose her thoughts. “I suppose I don’t want to do this alone. I’m an older mother. It would be just amazing to be surrounded by my best friends, to go through motherhood with you and Sorcha.”

Tears pricked Haley’s eyes and she wrapped her arms around Tiana and held her close. “If you put it like that.” The two friends stood together as the moon shone down on them from the clear night sky. They had both reached a new phase in their lives and Haley had to admit the thought of being a mother again did have some appeal.

“No pressure,” Tiana said. “But think about it. I know Buck will be happy either way.”

“But procreation is a thing for shifters, isn’t it?” Haley asked, remembering when shifters were all so new to Tiana. She would share all the snippets of information she’d gleaned about them from Mason, until Haley and Sorcha knew about as much as everyone else.

At that time, Haley had no idea that her own life would become entangled with shifters in such a way. However, she only had to watch the way Mason treated Tiana to understand how much his mate and now their unborn child meant to him. No doubt Buck would feel the same. But Haley didn’t want to have a baby just to make everyone else happy or to feel loved and cherished.

A baby was for life. It was one of, if not the biggest decision of your life.

“Buck will be happy either way,” Tiana told Haley. “You know that.”

“Do I?” Haley asked. “I don’t want to let him down.”

Tiana gave a short laugh. “The only way that will ever happen is if you don’t let him into your life or your heart. You are his world now. Kids are just the icing on the cake.”

A ripple of laughter reached them as they walked around the side of the house. On the back lawn, by the light of a campfire, two bears wrestled on the ground. “I think I already have another child,” Haley said drily.

Buck looked up, his eyes fixed on her. At least she presumed it was Buck. Both bears were approximately the same size, and both had dark brown hair, with sliver tips. As the light from the fire washed over them they seemed to glow, ethereal and unreal.

“What are you two doing?” Tiana chastised and went to Mason and knelt on the grass, stroking his face.

Buck came closer to Haley but stopped a few feet away, as if unsure. Haley took a step toward him, wanting to reassure him she wasn’t afraid. Even if her stomach gurgled with nerves. This was a bear. A real live bear. There was nothing soft and cuddly about his massive jaws, or his sharp claws.

“Hi.” She waved her hand at him, feeling pathetic.

Buck sat down on his haunches and tilted his head to look at her. She took another step closer and then another until she was by his side and then she dropped to her knees and plunged her hands into his fur.

“He’s amazing, isn’t he?” Marie came to sit next to her mom on the grass.

“I guess he is,” Haley agreed.

“I rode him.” Marie stroked his head, her trust in Buck’s bear complete.

“Hey there, Mom,” Alicia came over to join them. “I saved you some food. We cooked jacket potatoes on the fire, there’s salad, too.”

“Thanks, honey, I am starving.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips to the hard-bony part of the bear’s skull before she stood up. “Are you going to finish your fight?”

The bear shook his head and stood up, shaking himself before the air filled with static electricity and the bear disappeared from her vision, to be replaced by Buck.

Haley stood with her mouth open, staring at the man before her. It was as if someone had done a magic trick before her eyes. But this wasn’t magic, this was real.

Buck was real. His love was real. And she hoped she would be able to return the look of love that was in his eyes.