Free Solid Foundation by J. A. Armstrong

Mills asked Melanie.
    “Something
about rings and theories. Don’t ask me,” Melanie shrugged.
    “You’re
awfully chipper. What gives?” he asked.
    “You
know…When the boss is away, the architects play,” Melanie said as she skipped
off.
    “This
place has gone crazy,” he laughed as Melanie skipped off in one direction and
J.D.’s arms flailed in protest of something as she walked out the door with
Michelle. “Completely insane.”

Chapter Seven
    Marianne walked into the
kitchen and found her mother staring out the back door. “Mom?”
    Candace
turned to her daughter and smiled. “When did you get here? I didn’t even hear
the door.”
    “Just
now. Rick is taking the bags upstairs.”
    “Where’s
Spencer?” Candace asked.
    “J.D.
commandeered him the minute we pulled in,” Marianne said. “Actually, I was kind
of hoping that Rick and I could talk to the two of you before everyone gets
here.”
    Candace
frowned slightly. Marianne had traveled miles in her acceptance of Jameson.
Candace had thought that she was actually happy to have Jameson in their
family. She couldn’t imagine what Marianne would want to discuss with them. She
took a deep breath and held it for a moment.
    “It’s
not what you are thinking,” Marianne said.
    “What’s
not what you’re thinking?” Jameson asked as she entered the room carrying
Spencer.
    Candace’s
face immediately lit up at the sight of her grandson sleeping on Jameson’s
shoulder. “Marianne and Rick have something they
want to talk to us about,” Candace said.
    Jameson
looked at Marianne hesitantly. Marianne sighed. “It’s not what you two are
thinking. Honestly. Can we just go sit in the other room and wait for Rick?”
    “You
sure don’t waste time,” Jameson said with a nervous chuckle.
    “I
just want to talk to you before Shell or Jonah get here later,” Marianne
explained.
    “Okay.
Should I be opening wine or pouring coffee?” Candace asked.
    “Neither,”
Marianne responded. She grabbed her mother’s hand and led her toward the living
room.
    Jameson
whispered in Spencer’s ear. “What is your momma up to, buddy?” she asked the
sleeping toddler. He nestled into her neck. “Yeah. I’m with you there, bud. Hold
me. I’m afraid,” she giggled as she made her way into the living room. Rick
followed her in and took a seat next to his wife. Jameson sat beside Candace.
    “You
have our full attention,” Candace said. “What’s on your minds?”
    Rick
smiled and Marianne took his hand. “You know that Rick lost his mom when he was
only eleven,” Marianne said. Candace and Jameson acknowledged the statement
silently. “Well, it’s something we’ve both talked a lot about. When we had
Spencer, we talked about it. What each of us would do if one of us passed
unexpectedly or got sick.”
    Candace
felt the breath leave her body. “Marianne?”
    Marianne
saw the fear that washed over her mother’s features. “It’s okay Mom, no one is
sick.” Candace let out her breath and felt Jameson squeeze her hand. “In fact,
we are all well. All of us,” Marianne grinned.
    “Marianne?”
Candace asked again.
    “I’m
pregnant.”
    Candace
smiled widely. “That’s what this was about?”
    “Partly,”
Rick said. “We wanted to tell you both first. That’s because we also wanted to
ask you something,” he said.
    “What?”
Candace asked.
    Marianne
looked at Jameson, then at her mother, and then back to Jameson. “J.D., we’ve
talked about this a lot. I know you and Mom don’t want to have children,” she
said. Jameson looked at her curiously. “We both think it’s important that we
have a plan. God forbid anything happened to us. I hope that never happens, but
if it ever did…”
    Jameson
nodded. “What are you asking?”
    “We
would like you two to raise them. It won’t happen, but it would give us peace
of mind if we knew you would agree,” Marianne said.
    Candace
looked at Marianne in disbelief and then at Jameson.