Her Kinsman-Redeemer Page 2

  “What about daycare for the girls? You know I don’t like leaving them,” she protested.

  “They’ve set up an office in the house so you can work from home, darlin’, and whenever you have to meet with Zeke, you can either take them with you or one of the old ladies can keep the girls.”

  “Well, the only way I’ll go is if you take the money you’ve been giving me for Laser’s cut and put it into a trust for the girls. Since I’ll be earning a salary, I can pay my own way,” she finally told him.

  He grinned at her and she knew it was pretty much a done deal. “Do they have a church up there like we’ve got here?” she asked.

  “Yeah, darlin’, they do. We’re accepted up there just like here so you won’t have to worry about that,” he told her.

  “How soon?” she asked, interrupting his thoughts.

  “He needed someone yesterday, but I figured a week,” he replied.

  She looked around the house and he could already see her thinking about what needed to be done. “Darlin’, it’s a fresh start for you and the girls. Maybe you should take it as such and only take your clothes and their toys and the things that are special to you. Leave the furniture and stuff.”

  She looked at him. He knew her so well. “I think I like that idea,” she softly said. “It’s hard to see ‘our stuff’ every day and know that he’s not coming home.”

  “Then it’s settled. I’ll get some of the old ladies over here with some boxes so you can get started, and give Zeke a call letting him know you’ll be up there by next Saturday.”

  Holy smokes! A week? With a small sigh she smiled and asked, “What about your books?”

  “Oh darlin’, not to worry. Since everything is online, we’re still using you. It will give me and Renda a reason to visit you and those sweet girls.”

  She laughed and he marveled at the sound. She hadn’t had a whole lot of joy in the past few years and hearing the almost-musical sound of her laughter gave him the confirmation he needed that this was going to be a good thing for her.

  Chapter Three

  Zeke went through the house one more time to make sure that everything was as ready for its new inhabitants as it could be. One of the bedrooms had been set up for the two little girls, who he had learned were three, and the old ladies had outdone themselves, a pale pink coated the walls and each twin-sized bed had a princess canopy over it. Pictures had been hung and each bed had a Cabbage Patch doll sitting waiting on it, gifts from the members’ kids.

  Striding back down the hall, he entered the master bedroom and looked at it with a clinical eye. Light hardwood flooring, sage green walls, and an antique white wrought iron queen-sized bed took center stage. Off to the right was a small sitting area where they had placed a chaise lounge, a table and lamp, and a television. The left side of the room had two doors; a massive walk-in closet that any woman would drool over, and an en suite bathroom that sported a walk-in shower as well as a Jacuzzi tub. Leaving the master bedroom, he went back down the hall and into the office. Bookshelves lined one wall and they had managed to find an L-shaped desk. Dex had sent him the information for the computers and his IT guy had made sure that the set-up would be compatible with the South Georgia chapter since she would be handling the books for both chapters.

  He still couldn’t remember the woman, but he trusted his VP and he trusted Dex, so he was going to roll with it. Hearing a noise outside, he made his way out to the front porch and saw an SUV pulling in alongside a U-Haul truck. Damn he thought. Dex had indicated she was leaving her furniture so what on earth could she have needed a U-Haul for? Heading down the stairs, he stopped short seeing the petite redhead step out of the SUV and stretch. Something deep inside creaked open and for a minute, he fancied it was the gate he had around his heart. Shaking his head at his nonsensical thoughts, he called out, “Hello! Glad to see you didn’t have any problems finding the place.”

  She looked up and he was hit by the clear green eyes that stared at him. She didn’t say anything at first and he worried that this wasn’t going to be a good idea, until she smiled and replied, “Hi. I think I am running a bit late but Dex insisted he and Renda come along so they could bring some of the girls’ outside toys.”

  Ah, so that’s what was in the U-Haul he thought. Walking over to where Dex had stopped, he man-hugged him and kissed Renda’s cheek before saying, “How much is in the U-Haul?”

  Dex shot Renda a look and started laughing, saying, “Well, my old lady convinced Angel that it would be easier to buy the stuff she needed before she got here, so they shopped for what she needed and then packed it up. Mostly kitchen things, but she also got towels and what-not. The guys and I got the girls a swing set for up here and that’s in there as well.”

  “Well, some of my guys will be here shortly and we should be able to get it unpacked and put up so she can get settled in quickly,” Zeke finally said.

  ***

  Holy shit! He was a mighty fine specimen of a man she thought as she worked to get the girls out of the car. They had been good on the trip but she knew it had taken a lot out of them being cooped up in their seats for hours on end. Even having Renda occasionally switch over as a passenger had gotten old and they were a bit cranky and out of sorts. She was hoping that she could put them down for a nap for a little bit to give them all a break. When she finally got both sleeping girls in her arms, she made her way over to the man who was going to be her new boss.

  “I…I’m Angelina Jones,” she said, trying to hold out her hand.

  He looked down at the tiny woman standing in front of him and catalogued everything he could see without even thinking: petite, strawberry-blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail, green eyes, a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose, and a light floral scent that teased his senses. “I’m Zeke Morgan. C’mon in and I’ll show you around.”

  “Okay. Um, I need to lay the girls down for a nap.”

  “Not a problem. Their room is already set up.”

  Already set up? Out loud she said, “Really? I was planning to shop for furniture once we got up here and was just going to use an air mattress until it came.”

  “We took care of the bedrooms and a basic kitchen table, you’ll still have to get living room furniture and that kind of thing, but the old ladies wanted to make sure you and your kids would have someplace to sleep when you got here.”

  “That was very kind of them,” she replied as she tried to juggle both sleeping girls.

  Seeing her struggle, he reached out and said, “May I?” as he took one of the little girls from her.

  “Thank you,” she said, smiling gratefully. “They tend to be dead weight when they’re sleeping!”

  He chuckled. “I remember that from when my son was younger.”

  Damn. He was married. Wait, where did that come from? There was no time for a man, not with two toddlers and a new job!

  “How old is your son?” she asked.

  “He just turned sixteen, but I swear he tries to act older than me sometimes,” he replied as he led her into the house.

  “I’m sure he keeps you and your wife on your toes.”

  “It’s just us. His mom is dead.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry!” Way to stick your foot in your mouth she thought.

  He stopped and turned to look at her and could see the distress written on her face. She wouldn’t make a good poker player as every thought was evident. “Hey, it happened a long time ago. She left us when he was a little older than your girls, and died a year or two after that. He doesn’t remember anything different, but has been blessed with an abundance of aunts thanks to the old ladies up here, as well as a grandmother who dotes on him.”

  “I’m glad you had that for him. The girls have Dex and of course, all the Brothers, so I’ve had to work hard to make sure they don’t turn into little divas. Hasn’t been easy, that’s for sure!”

  Looking down at the little girl who was sleeping against his chest, he could understand
why his southern Brothers spoiled them. They both had strawberry blonde hair like their mother and a smattering of freckles crossed the bridge of this one’s nose. Glancing at Angelina’s bundle, he could see the same on that little one and wondered how she told them apart. “How do you tell them apart?” he finally asked.

  “Well, they’re pretty much identical except for their eye color. You’re holding Melora and her eyes are green like mine. Cailyn has gray eyes. I’m sure they’ll still attempt the typical twin switching because most folks won’t notice that little detail right away, but hopefully not.”

  Reaching the girls’ bedroom, he shifted to allow her to go through the door first and heard her gasp of pleasure at seeing how the room was decorated. “Oh, Zeke, they’re going to be over the moon when they wake up! This is too much, y’all shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble!”

  Carefully laying Melora down and covering her with the throw at the end of the bed, he turned and looked at Angelina. “Angelina, look at me, please.”

  Inwardly she gulped. She recognized the “President” tone in his voice and wondered what she could have done already to earn that tone of voice. “Yes?” she answered shakily.

  “You and your girls are part of the Heaven’s Sinner family. Family takes care of one another and that’s what we are doing for the three of you. It was no trouble and no bother, y’hear? The old ladies truly enjoyed being able to do this and honestly, Preacher’s wife had to be corralled because she was ready to outfit the whole house. Both Preacher and I had to tell her that you would probably like some input.”

  “Thank you. When can I meet the old ladies so I can thank them?”

  Gracious. He could hear it in her tone and see it in the manner she held herself. Most women would have been beside themselves upset because someone else made choices for them. Yet here she was, uprooted from the only family she knew and thrust in the middle of another chapter, and instead of being upset that they had decorated her daughters’ room, she was thankful. “Soon. We generally do a potluck meal every Sunday after church. I know you just got here, but hopefully, with the help of the Brothers who are coming shortly, we can get you mostly settled. And I’m sure those Brothers will bring their old ladies, so you’ll likely meet a lot of them today as well.”

  “I look forward to it. Thank you again for letting me relocate.”

  “You’re welcome. Dex said you know your stuff and I’m hoping you’ll be able to help me figure out where it went. The books are a mess-I know you aren’t actually starting until next week, but maybe tomorrow while we are relaxing after church I can give you the information you need to get started?”

  “That sounds like a plan to me.”

  Hearing the unmistakable noise of a lot of bikes, he headed back outside. Seeing his Brothers and old ladies pulling in made his heart swell. They truly were the hands and feet of Christ, and the fact that they made themselves available to help someone new to their chapter was inspiring. As he reached the group, he saw Dex going around thanking them for helping Angelina get settled. He knew from talking to Dex that he felt almost fatherly toward her even though he was the same age as her old man. The thought ran through his head that fatherly wasn’t exactly how he felt and he mentally shook himself-he was content to be single and raise Thad to be the man God wanted him to be.

  “Angel? Come over here, Zeke and I want to introduce you to some of the Brothers and their old ladies,” Dex called out.

  As she went over to stand by Dex and Zeke, her first thought was wow because every one of the men and their old ladies radiated the love of Jesus. Names passed in a blur and she knew it would take a while for her to put them with the faces. Zeke quickly got the men started bringing in the boxes and the next thing she knew, she had six old ladies in her kitchen helping her unpack, wash and put away the dishes and what-not. Renda directed the men with the other boxes, and she and several of the other old ladies got the bathrooms set up and her clothes put away.

  Several hours later, she smelled burgers cooking and looked outside to see Dex manning a grill. Wait a minute, I don’t have a grill she thought. Heading out the back door she stopped up short. The backyard was already fenced and there was a new swing set and playhouse set off to the side for the girls, there was a patio set on the deck and one of the biggest grills she had ever seen. “Uh, Dex? I don’t remember owning any of this stuff,” she said after looking around for a few minutes.

  “Angel, it’s a housewarming gift from the Brothers,” he told her as he expertly flipped the burgers. “Renda and Preacher’s old lady went to pick up the sides for the burgers. Gotta feed everyone sweetheart.”

  Overwhelmed. That word ran through her mind as she looked around again and then looked back into the house. Very few boxes remained to be unpacked and they were mostly knick-knacks, pictures and books, which she could handle on her own. She was pretty much settled other than going to the grocery store to stock up. Going over to Dex, she gave him a quick hug in thanks and headed back into the house so she could see if the girls were up yet and jot down a list. She would need to ask one of the old ladies where the closest store was so she could take care of that tomorrow after church and the potluck at the clubhouse.

  ***

  “Hey sweet girls! Did you sleep okay?” she asked as she entered their bedroom. Thankfully, despite the noise of so many people in and out of the house, they had slept without disruption. Trying to keep them on a schedule these past two days hadn’t been easy, but she had done it.

  “Momma?” Melora called.

  “Yes, honey-girl.”

  “Our room?”

  “Yes, it’s your room, do you like it? Some very nice people made sure that you would know you are princesses,” she told them both. “Now, who has to potty?” Both girls jumped out of their beds with their new babies in their arms and came to her for hugs.

  Cailyn, the quieter of the two, motioned to be picked up. New places sometimes scared her and Angelina made a mental note to keep her with either Dex, Renda or herself until she got used to this new group of people. Walking into their bathroom-she was thrilled that each bedroom had its own bathroom, it would make life easier-she saw that they had apparently modified it. There was a double sink vanity, two toilets, and a huge bathtub along with a shower. She helped both girls wash up once they were finished, and smiled at the fact that there were two little stepstools in front of the sink for them to reach it. Someone had taken a lot of care to make sure they would be comfortable and she was grateful for that fact.

  Taking each girl by the hand, she walked back out onto the deck. Seeing Dex, they dropped her hands and ran over to him calling out, “Unka Dex, Unca Dex!” He stepped back from the grill and crouched down so he could pick both girls up and give them kisses, something they loved judging by their giggles.

  “You girls want to see what your uncles got you?” he asked.

  “Yes please,” they said.

  He walked down the back stairs and on over to the playhouse. If the squeals of delight at the miniature house were any indication, she was going to be outside. A lot. Oh well, they made pretty strong sunblock these days she thought. She reached the playhouse and stopped, amazement written over her face. It looked like they had bought one of those mini-buildings and then decorated it inside for two little girls to play house and dolls. Already, Melora was at the ‘kitchen’ cooking something like her ‘Unka Dex’ which was a sight to behold.

  “Dex…I don’t know what to say! What…how did you get this here?”

  “It was delivered a little while ago while you and the old ladies were working in the house.”

  “Dex, it’s too much!”

  “Angel, you know we look out for family. This is your time to shine with those babies and we wanted to make sure you were set up to do that,” he responded.

  Realizing that she wasn’t going to get through to him, she left him in charge of the girls and carried the burgers into the house. Once she hunted down her purse, she grabb
ed her grocery list pad and started writing things down. She had brought some of the non-perishable items, but would have to get the basics: eggs, milk, bread, lunch meat. Opening the refrigerator to see if there was an egg container, she gasped. It was full of all the condiments and basics that she had on her list, along with a bottle of wine and a note that said “Welcome to Heaven’s Sinners – North Georgia” and it was signed “Heaven’s Sinners Old Ladies” with a list of names and phone numbers and instructions to add them to her phone! Holy shit she thought. Checking the pantry, she was again blown away because there were cereals that the girls liked, as well as soups and even stuff for spaghetti. Hearing voices, she turned and saw Renda and the woman she presumed was Preacher’s old lady walking in the door with several bags, with a prospect coming in behind them loaded down.

  “Renda! Did you buy out the store?” she asked.

  Renda started laughing. “No, sweetheart. I picked up some things I know you and the girls like, and the rest is for everyone who helped today. Did Dex get the burgers done?”

  “Yeah, I just brought them in,” she replied as she started putting the items away. Looking at Renda, she softly said, “I’m kind of speechless right now. This is far more than I ever expected.”

  The other woman said, “Hi, I’m Preacher’s old lady, Eva. We wanted to welcome you and your girls North Georgia style so you would know how happy we are that you’re here.”

  “Thank you, Eva. I’m positively blown away by all of this and don’t even know what to say!”

  “You just said it, Angelina. You’re family and we take care of our family, especially when they’re making a new start. Since we know that Zeke is eager to turn the books over to you, we knew it would be a challenge to set up house and start a new job and we wanted to make it easier on you.”

  “Y’all definitely did that,” she replied softly.

  “Where are the girls?” Renda asked.