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turned and climbed into her SUV, still moving with a smooth grace even with the new body that should have been awkward.

  His brain on overload, Tuck went to Mamie’s Diner to grab some dinner for him and Clarice before heading home. He decided to say nothing of the baby unless Clarice did first. It seemed the safest way to go for now.

  Upon reaching home, he found there were still a few cars parked around. His gut clenched at having to try to clean out his own home of a bunch of women trying to help Clarice. But he needed some peace and he needed to be alone with his wife. Carrying the bag of take-out food, he pushed through the door.

  He was greeted by two women standing in the kitchen cooking something that smelled wonderful on the stove. One broke away to take the bag from him, tucking the food away in the fridge. In few short minutes he found himself seated at an old card table and shaky chair set up next to bed in the bedroom. Another woman was fussing around Clarice, tucking pillows around her so that she could sit up better.

  The women served the hot meal and the quietly and quickly disappeared, leaving him and Clarice alone. Tuck sat staring at the food and then at Clarice, slightly confused as to how the women had moved so quickly and efficiently. They ate with little conversation, Clarice only picking at her food.

  As Tuck was clearing up the dishes, she slid into sleep. He took a moment to shift her to a more comfortable position in the bed, tucking the blankets around her and even placing another over her legs to try to help her stay warm. The women had left the kitchen spotless and he felt bad about leaving dirty dishes in around, so Tuck washed up and put everything away.

  He grabbed a beer out of the fridge and took it out on the back porch. He didn’t drink often, but tonight, he needed something to help him relax. Staring up at the darkening sky, Tuck leaned back in an old, wooden rocker he had there and thought back over the day. It had been an interesting one, that was for sure.

  His life with Clarice was going to be over before it ever even got started. It wasn’t fair and it made him angry when he thought about it. He was a man who liked to be in control of his world, his life, and in this area he had absolutely none. It was infuriating to him.

  Bay was going to have his child. That still rocked him to the core. One time, just one time when he didn’t think and the one thing he never wanted to happen, happened. Again, there was nothing he could do to control the situation, not now, not at this point.

  Tuck desperately didn’t want to let go of Clarice. He wanted their life, their home; he wanted everything that was being denied to them. On the other hand, if she ever found out the truth about this baby, it would shatter her even more than the cancer had.

  He sat there, drinking his beer and thinking until late into the night. No answers came to him, only more questions, more worries, more concerns. When he finally dragged himself back in to go to bed, he discovered that he couldn’t bring himself to disturb Clarice, and so grabbing a pillow and blanket, sacked out on the couch instead.

  Over the next couple of weeks, they both managed to find a bit of routine. Women would show up at his door just as he was leaving for work and there’d always be two or three there when he got home. Slowly Clarice relaxed, and let herself be cared for by these women, friends, family and co-workers that she’d grown up with.

  Tuck worked the day shift with Bay. She took the office work and he the streets. He was surprised to find that he really liked the arrangement. The only paperwork he had to deal with was his own reports, and yet he was still out and about in the Community just as he always was. He discovered Bay to be a fair and competent Sheriff, just as he knew she would be, but she was also an intuitive and commanding leader of her employees.

  When he met the new guy, Cory, Tuck immediately felt the man too young and too enthusiastic for a job in such a small department. But Bay was firm yet gentle in her guidance and soon, Tuck realized the man was just what the Department needed: fresh, young blood. Tuck also found out that the young man was more than a little in love with Sheriff Bay and an immediate streak of jealousy shocked the hell out of him.

  His chemical reaction to Bay hadn’t changed at all, not even with her being pregnant. Anytime he was around her, the tingling up and down his entire body set him on edge. They would go to lunch together a couple times a week, and Tuck felt it was a near torture to endure. Deep inside he remembered her heat and fought the desire to taste her once again.

  They were sitting in Mamie’s when an unfamiliar young woman tentatively came over and looked to Bay. “Bay, can I talk to you a minute?”

  “Sure Melody what’s up?” Bay sat down her sandwich and gave the girl all her attention.

  The girl gave an embarrassed look towards Tuck but then held out a piece of paper to Bay. “Got a 98% on my history test.” Her face turned a bright pink and she nervously bit her lip, continuing she said, “I did it.”

  Bay surprised Tuck so bad he gave a little jump himself when she let out a loud “whoop” and jumped from her chair, grabbing the girl and giving her a big hug. He noticed that while several other diners looked on with big smiles, no one seemed to find the behavior strange. He watched as the two hugged and Bay leaned back to take the girl’s face in her hands.

  “I’ll make the appointment as soon as I’m back in the office.”

  The girl’s eyes went wide. “Really?” The smile on her face was so huge and beautiful, Tuck could only stare.

  “Really.” Bay gathered the girl’s long hair in her hands and held it up. “It’s gone, as much or as little as you want. This is for you Mel. Your choices all the way and no one else’s.”

  With a quick clap of her hands, and a little jiggling dance, the girl announced, “I gotta’ go tell Cherie! Bye, I’ll see you at home, don’t work too late.” She spun and started for the diner but didn’t get far before others had stopped her and congratulated her so that it took a few minutes before she finally managed to leave.

  Bay had sat back down and watched with pride as the girl spoke to each person in turn. She had a huge grin on her face when she finally looked back at Tuck to see the confusion written all over his face. Jerking her head toward the girl she said, “Melody Moore. No one knew her really except for a few school friends from years ago. Now she’s about to finish up her GED and has plans to start a college class or two. She’s amazing. And after a spa day and haircut in Fayetteville you really won’t recognize her.”

  Frowning, Tuck leaned forward, “Melody Moore? Who’s that?”

  “Vernon Moore’s daughter.” The light dimmed in Bay’s eyes as she remembered the day. Quietly she retold the story she’d had to tell several times over by now. She watched Tuck’s face and saw the range of emotions and found them more interesting than the story she told.

  “Anyway, I told her that if she got better than a 90% on this test I’d treat her to a spa day at that new place in Fayetteville. So, looks like you’ll have to cover for me one day soon.”

  It was quiet for a bit after Bay finished. Tuck leaned forward, a dark frown on his face. “I never knew it was that bad. Had no idea the girl was still out there. Someone said he’d shipped her off to family somewhere else.” Bay read the anger as well as the pain in his face. “If I’d known she’d been out there alone with him...”

  “No one knew for sure. It’s not your fault. And besides, it’s done now. She’s with me, she’s in school and she’s gonna’ care for this one for me when he gets here. Hell she takes care of me like a momma lion with a cub. Can’t hardly do anything at home these days that she’s not fussing at me.” She rubbed her round belly, bringing his attention to it.

  “What do mean? Babysit?”

  “More like a nanny really. With us practically living together, she’s right there. She’s even got two nurseries set up, one on her side and one on mine. Melody’s an incredible girl; she’s going to be just fine.”

  “I hadn’t even thought...” Tuck rubbed his forehead.

  “Well, don’t think.” Bay’s voice
hardened. “This is my kid. My responsibility. I have everything taken care of.” She rose and headed for the register.

  Tuck watched her chat with old Connie behind the counter as she settled her bill. When Connie argued with Bay for a minute before waving a hand in the air, he smiled and watched. With Bay continuing to protest, Connie scooped up a piece of fresh apple cake and plopped it in a to-go container. Completely ignoring Bay, Connie handed it to her and shooed her out the door. With a silent chuckle, he rose to take care of his own bill. Some things in the town would never change, and that made him feel more at home than anything else had so far.

  Clarice’s funeral was ironically scheduled for the last day school for that school year. After repeated requests from people in the community, Tuck set the time for just after school let out for the day. The school administrators worked with the parents and teachers, and so it turned into the largest funeral the County had seen in the history that anyone could remember. It didn’t soften the blow to Tuck’s heart.

  While he had accepted Clarice’s fate, he had no idea that the