“She did what?” Cheney yelled, springing up in bed. The news interrupted her Saturday afternoon nap. Despite being somewhat drained from her pregnancy, she was fully alert. “What did you say?”
Parke sat on the bed and massaged her arms in a subtle way to keep her calm. This was not the way he wanted to wake his wife. Usually, he would massage her stomach until Cheney slowly woke refreshed. He swallowed before repeating, “Baby, I said Grandma BB shot your dad.”
“When?”
Parke cringed. “Last night.”
Cheney’s lips moved before any words came out. “And I’m just now finding out?”
Please help my wife, Lord. She’s going to need it, and there’s good reason, Parke thought. Months before he married Cheney, Roland Reynolds approached Parke with a startling confession. The strained relationship with his daughter had less to do with her long-ago decision to have an abortion, but more to do with the sins of his own past.
Parke sat on the bed and massaged her arms in a subtle way to keep her calm. This was not the way he wanted to wake his wife. Usually, he would massage her stomach until Cheney slowly woke refreshed. He swallowed before repeating, “Baby, I said Grandma BB shot your dad.”
“When?”
Parke cringed. “Last night.”
Cheney’s lips moved before any words came out. “And I’m just now finding out?”
Please help my wife, Lord. She’s going to need it, and there’s good reason, Parke thought. Months before he married Cheney, Roland Reynolds approached Parke with a startling confession. The strained relationship with his daughter had less to do with her long-ago decision to have an abortion, but more to do with the sins of his own past.
“Cheney, I don’t want you to upset yourself. He’s alive. He’s alert and talking. It was a small wound to his shoulder.”
“Well, that should make me feel better,” she bit out. “I don’t care if it was his shoulder! It could’ve been his head or heart. Grandma BB is out of control.” Cheney sighed to compose herself, rubbing her stomach to ease the baby’s kicking. “Missouri should’ve never passed that conceal-and-carry ordinance and granted Grandma BB a gun permit… I can’t believe this.” Tears streamed down her face. “Wait a minute. Daddy was over this way? He lives in the city. He didn’t tell me he was stopping by for the baby shower…”
He had no choice but to go in for the kill. “It wasn’t an accident, honey. I believe she was purposely trying to take him out.”
Tilting her head, she squinted. “What do you mean?”
Parke sighed, knowing he was about to ignite a firecracker. “Grandma BB thinks Roland is guilty of something…”
“What?” Cheney grimaced as she wrestled with the covers, finally throwing them back. She didn’t wait for Parke to finish explaining, nor did she welcome his daily pampering that had begun the day they learned she was pregnant. She was becoming hysterical. Despite her protruding stomach, she rushed into the bathroom.
With a little more than three months to go, Cheney had cut back her hours at work as a building manager for Missouri Telephone and worked afternoons from their home, which was less than ten minutes away. The purpose was to get rest, not be stressed.
“Going somewhere?” He attempted to remain composed as he stood. He suspected her dash to the bathroom wasn’t a nature call.
“Yep, to get dress. First, I’m going to see my dad.” She paused. “Nope, scratch that. Let’s do a drive-by Grandma BB’s.” She balled her fist. “Then I’m going to the hospital to see my dad. Now, who’s driving, you or me?”“I guess I am,” Parke resigned, grimacing.
“Well, that should make me feel better,” she bit out. “I don’t care if it was his shoulder! It could’ve been his head or heart. Grandma BB is out of control.” Cheney sighed to compose herself, rubbing her stomach to ease the baby’s kicking. “Missouri should’ve never passed that conceal-and-carry ordinance and granted Grandma BB a gun permit… I can’t believe this.” Tears streamed down her face. “Wait a minute. Daddy was over this way? He lives in the city. He didn’t tell me he was stopping by for the baby shower…”
He had no choice but to go in for the kill. “It wasn’t an accident, honey. I believe she was purposely trying to take him out.”
Tilting her head, she squinted. “What do you mean?”
Parke sighed, knowing he was about to ignite a firecracker. “Grandma BB thinks Roland is guilty of something…”
“What?” Cheney grimaced as she wrestled with the covers, finally throwing them back. She didn’t wait for Parke to finish explaining, nor did she welcome his daily pampering that had begun the day they learned she was pregnant. She was becoming hysterical. Despite her protruding stomach, she rushed into the bathroom.
With a little more than three months to go, Cheney had cut back her hours at work as a building manager for Missouri Telephone and worked afternoons from their home, which was less than ten minutes away. The purpose was to get rest, not be stressed.
“Going somewhere?” He attempted to remain composed as he stood. He suspected her dash to the bathroom wasn’t a nature call.
“Yep, to get dress. First, I’m going to see my dad.” She paused. “Nope, scratch that. Let’s do a drive-by Grandma BB’s.” She balled her fist. “Then I’m going to the hospital to see my dad. Now, who’s driving, you or me?”“I guess I am,” Parke resigned, grimacing.
