Pauli and Ben were already at the house when the Parker caravan arrived.  They met Lane, Jamie, Jess and Joey in the driveway, and helped unload and carry everything into the house.  Lane, Jess and Jamie had each cleaned out their closets and dressers, bringing both suitcases and hanging clothes.

Ben had spent a small fortune furnishing his 6000 square foot house.  A lot of single men would have skipped furnishing the unused rooms, like the three or four extra bedrooms.  But Ben had completely furnished each of the guestrooms.  Each had a queen or king size bed, a dresser, night stands, bedside lamps and a comfortable chair.  He still needed to tell Lane about the new house, and he thanked God it was a seven bedroom house.  He had an idea that one or the other or both of his brothers would be at his house any time Jess was in town. And with the baby on the way now that meant they needed at least six bedrooms.

After everything was unloaded and in the house, Ben had everyone come into the great room.  “The charges against Jess have been dropped.  The man who assaulted Uncle Sal apparently committed suicide while in custody last night.  We have a lot to celebrate tonight.  So, in the meantime, lunch is on me.  Shall we go out or call for take-out?”

Lane looked at her family.  Was she the only one who was thinking that there were now three dead bodies somehow connected to them over the last several days?  Lila Crane was dead, Clyde Benson was dead and now this third guy, whose name she didn’t even know.  Seriously, when had they turned into the family who couldn’t go anyplace without tripping over a body?

While everyone was talking about what they wanted for lunch, Lane leaned toward Ben.  “I’d really like some of Aunt Em’s Lemon Meringue pie.  But I don’t think I can go there.  It’s where I fainted the other day.”

Pauli was sitting next to Lane and heard what she’d said to Ben.  “So, the cravings have started?”  He paused and then said, “You fainted?  When?”

Lane smiled.  “A few days ago.  That’s how I found out I’m pregnant.  And it might be cravings, but I’m really fond of Aunt Em’s pies anyway.”

Jess shook her head and stood up.  Pauli was obviously worried when Lane talked about fainting and he still claimed he wasn’t crushing. If she were to comment, he’d no doubt claim he was showing a doctor’s concern.

“I’ll go.  Anyone else want pie?  I can bring back more than one.”

Joey stood up.  “I could go for Aunt Em’s apple pie.”

Jamie stood up.  “How about Jack Stack for lunch?  Jess, one more time before you go back to Cali?”

Cell phones were pulled out and to-go orders were placed.

“Someone should call Jake.”  Ben said as he took out his phone.  There was no reason for him to miss everything.

Lane walked to the kitchen to look through the cupboards.  Ben had stocked Diet Dr. Pepper for her; but since both caffeine and artificial sweeteners were no longer part of her diet, she needed to check for herbal tea. Ben came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.  “What are we missing?  Do I need to go to the store?”

She leaned back so that her back was against his chest.  “Caffeine and artificial sweeteners have been taken off of my diet.  I’m on herbal tea, hot or iced for the duration.  I’m just checking.”

He kissed the top of her head.  “Don’t bother you won’t find any.  I can either go to the store, or go to your house and get your tea kettle, teapot, tea, and whatever you need.  You sit and put your feet up.  I’ll go.”

She patted his hand that he had placed on her abdomen.  “You do know I’m pregnant, not sick or helpless, right?”

“Yes, I know.”  He kissed the back of her neck. “I also know the doctor said the first few weeks could really sap your energy.  You’re used to doing everything for yourself.  You don’t have to do that anymore.  Let me pamper you a little, I think it’s time someone did.”

This man was amazing.  He was handsome, smart, witty, kind, considerate, romantic and loving.  “Fine, go get my tea things.  But I can’t sit down, I have to put my clothes away.”   She smiled at him.  “No one else can do it. I don’t want anyone else in my underwear.”

“Neither do I.”  He said as he laughed and kissed her head again.  “I’ll only be a few minutes.  Is there anything else you want while I’m out?”

“No, just the tea things.”  She patted his hand again, “I have everything else I need.”

Jess and Joey left for Aunt Em’s, Jamie and Pauli went to Jack Stack, Ben left for the Parkers’ house and Lane was alone for the first time in days.  She went into the master bedroom and started putting her clothes away.  Her solitude didn’t last long.  She soon heard the little feet of Abbey Kelly running through the house.

Abbey’s little voice was calling out, “Mizwane, Mizwane” as her little feet pattered through the house.

Lane stepped out of the bedroom and called, “Here I am.”

Abbey ran into her arms, and covered her face with wet, slobbery, kisses that were only tolerable because they were from a two year old. It had cooled outside and Abbey wore a light weight jacket.  Lane helped her remove it.

“We tame fow wunch.”  She told Lane.

“Yes, I know.”  She said as she looked at Meg and Jake.  “Everyone is out getting our lunch now.  I hope you’re very hungry.  We’re having barbecue with pie for desert.”  Lane sat down in the great room and pulled Abbey onto her lap.

“What can I do?”  Meg asked.

“I think we’ll have to eat in the dining room, there are nine of us.  Have Jake help you with plates and silverware.”

After lunch, the men had cleanup duty; so Meg and Jess helped Lane finish organizing her closet, leaving time for Lane to have a much needed nap.  Lane had always loved an afternoon nap.  It was the one thing she remembered about her mother.  Her mother died from cancer when Lane was four, but she remembered having a nap with her mother in the afternoons.  She smiled.  She also remembered waking before her mother.  And then she’d sit quietly in the overstuffed arm chair in her parents’ bedroom and “read”, which meant she’d look at picture books and wait for her mother to wake up.

Lane stripped down to her underwear, crawled between the sheets and closed her eyes.  In no time, she was asleep and dreaming that her family was engaged in fighting a war against tiny men whose only weapons were cameras.

At 4:15, Ben came into the bedroom and gently lay down next to his wife.  He gazed at her as she snuggled into him. He moved her hair away from her face and she stirred. He brushed his lips across hers.

“Hey, sleeping beauty.”  He whispered, “It’s time to wake up.”

She snuggled closer to him.  “You’re warm.  It’s cold out there.  Why are you on top of the covers?”

He laughed.  “Because I’m here to get you out of bed, not to be convinced to get in with you.  We don’t have time for any funny business.  Mass is at 5:00.”

She moaned and whispered, “We have time.” as she reached to unbuckle his belt.

He caught her hand.  “Stop that.”  He kissed her. “Woman, you are insatiable.”

Hadn’t Dr. Sennette told them that her hormones would be raging and that some women experienced heightened sex drive throughout their pregnancies?  Whatever the reason, it seemed to be the case right now.

She smiled at him.  “Yes, so it seems.  Are you complaining?”

“Under ordinary circumstances, it’s the last thing I’d complain about.  But we really don’t have time.  Believe me, 15 minutes is barely a warm up, and that’s all the time we have.”

He kissed her, and she moaned as she unzipped his khakis.  She had her hand around his solid erection and was stroking him.  He wasn’t arguing any more.  She had freed him from all encumbrances; and was urging him inside as she pushed her white lace panties to one side, clearing the path for him to enter her. She wrapped her left leg around him and pulled him close, moaning and catching her breath as her first orgasm claimed her.