Noah dropped his head on her breast and closed his eyes. Maverick returned with a banana and a baby cup of juice she had put in the fridge last night. “We should get back to the house. I need to get ready for the brunch today. Plus, I have to call a driver.”
“A driver?” he asked.
“We ladies of social standing in Colorado always arrive by driver to the Women’s League Brunch,” she said, mocking Mother Abigail’s tone.
“So soon?” Maverick asked.
“You come over when you’re dressed,” she smiled. “It’s your day to watch Noah all by yourself. You passed the test. Congrats.”
“Thank you,” he said.
“About that morning kiss?” Delilah said and glanced back at the headboard. “I mean, I know what it was, but I wasn’t ready. How do you... do that? Without suffocating,” she giggled.
“You tasted ready to me,” he leaned in and kissed her on the mouth. “And I’ve had practice. I know what I’m doing.” She pushed his face away and laughed. She couldn’t help herself; laughing was something that they did a lot of lately.
“Can you take him so I can put on something appropriate?” she asked.
“Will he let me?” Maverick tried to get Noah to look at him, but her son refused.
“He likes you.” She lifted Noah from her lap. He protested at first until Maverick offered him some banana. Noah looked at the fruit and then him as if insulted. Delilah did her best to dress as they worked it out. She was out of bed and pulling on her shirt. Delilah followed Maverick and Noah out, ready to start the day. Realizing that she preferred the nights.
Chapter Thirteen
THE TIES THAT BIND
The driver was half an hour early. It was hard enough getting dressed and doing her hair with her hands shaking so much. Now she had to deal with a driver who didn’t know how to tell time. Delilah closed her eyes and exhaled. Today was liberation day. Today she’d show them all. When the doorbell rang for the third time, Delilah opened her eyes and let go of another deep exhale. She grabbed her robe and pulled it on. “Maverick! Maverick! It’s my driver! Tell him I need twenty minutes. He’s early!”
“I got it. I was trying to catch Noah. He opened the back door and ran out into the snow,” Maverick yelled up at her. “Didn’t know he could do that,” Maverick said.
“Yeah, he can do it,” she rolled her eyes.
Maverick paused. “Wow?”
“What?” Delilah tightened her robe.
“You look beautiful. That’s what,” Maverick replied.
Delilah blinked, surprised. She had pin curled her hair and wore nothing but makeup and her robe. Delilah wasn’t in her dress yet. Wait until he sees me in my dress, she thought.
“I need to hurry,” she rushed back to the bedroom. She pulled out the pin curlers. There were two options for dresses, and she needed to find the right one. The color of her dress would send a statement and rule the event. Maverick’s compliment filled her with confidence. Delilah walked over to the mirror and held the dress up to the front of her. She was ready.
“We’re coming,” Maverick mumbled. “Mommy’s going to a party,” he said and lifted Noah above his head. “And we’re going to spend the day together. You like the snow, huh? We’re going to do snow angels, and eat cookies, and drink Kool-Aid. I got some Cheetos stashed at the cottage too. Ever had a Cheeto?” Noah blinked at his father and repeated the question. “We’ll make snowballs. Just you and me, my little marathon runner.”
He brought him back down into his arms and carried him to the door.
“Say, Daddy,” he tickled him. Noah grinned and grabbed Maverick by the face. He put his little forehead against Mavericks. “Say daddy, Noah!”
“Daddy Noah,” Noah said. The doorbell rang for the third time. The driver seem a bit too persistent to be on a service call. He walked over to the door with Noah in his arms. He opened the door to a gathering of three. The only person he recognized was Queen. She entered as if she owned the place. There was an older lady who looked to be in her late fifties. She was the exact carbon copy of Delilah and behind her was an older gentleman whose hair was silver-grey. He looked to be at least ten or fifteen years older than the woman. He followed his wife, dutifully bringing inside the luggage. Noah bucked in Maverick’s arms in celebration. He reached for the woman, anxious to be in her embrace.
“Ma-Ma!” Noah said.
“Hi, my baby, come here,” she took Noah from Maverick. She hugged and loved on him with kisses. Noah immediately put his head on the woman’s shoulder and relaxed into a blissful smile.
“Maverick, I want you to meet Delores Fletcher and Henry Fletcher. Delilah’s parents. Delores and Henry, please meet Maverick Lennon; this is Noah’s biological father.”
“Hello,” he said to them both.
Delilah’s father extended his hand, which he shook. Delilah’s mother rocked Noah in her arms and stared at him without speaking. Maverick was unsure what else to say in greeting them. He imagined Queen had already given them his biography. The surprising thing wasn’t their arrival. What surprised him was the fact that they came with luggage. Were they moving in?
“Where is my daughter?” Delores asked.
“Ma? Dad? What are you doing here?” Delilah said from the top of the stairs. Maverick saw her at the top of the stairs. He felt like a groom seeing his bride for the very first time. The soft, melting allure of her beauty was like an aura of perfection. It covered her. The dress, its color, and how it outlined her curves in a graceful elegance provoked deep, thoughtful memories of worship. Delilah walked down the steps staring at her parents only. He wished she looked at him instead. She took his breath away. Her hair was in a conservative tight curl style that made it appear shorter than its straightened length. The curly locs fell across the right side of her brow, covering her right eye, and the side part had her tucking the loc’s to the left side of her hair into a curl behind her ear. The style reminded him of those 50s style pin-up girls. She had a Marilyn Monroe or Dorothy Dandridge look to her. He was stunned to silence by how effortless it was for her to captivate a room. The same way he imagined Charles Montgomery felt when he first saw her.
“Hi sweetheart, we came here to quarantine,” Delores said. “Don’t you look nice.”
Delilah walked over to her mother and air-kissed her left and then her right cheek. “Wait, what? Quarantine? What are you talking about?” Delilah asked. “Hi, daddy.”
“Hi, baby girl. Aren’t you so pretty,” her father said with pride.
“Thank you, daddy,” Delilah smiled at his praise but not her mother’s.
“Welp, we’re here. Your mama won. I need something to drink,” the elder Fletcher said. “Excuse me.” Maverick walked out of the foyer toward the kitchen, and Delilah turned on her friend Queen. “Did you bring them here? Why?”
“Let’s all go and talk,” Queen suggested. Delilah and everyone followed Queen into the parlor. Maverick took a seat in the chair. Delores held on to her grandson, smothering him while she sat on the sofa. Noah had regressed to full infant mode and was cradled in his grandmother’s arms. He sucked his two fingers, acknowledging no one. Not even his mother could capture his attention. Delilah and Queen were the only ones that remained standing.