"Looking forward to being a dad some day?" Maggie smiled. Fabian laughed.
"I've been surprised by how much," he told her.
It wasn't evident from the road, but the Mowerys had added on to the schoolhouse in the back. There was a very large kitchen, dining room, laundry with half bath, and a master bedroom with private bath. There was a small room next to the master bedroom that reminded Fabian of the small third bedroom in Lisa's house. This one had a child's bed, converted from a crib, along with other nursery furniture.
"The kids stay here until they can be trusted on the spiral stairs," Maggie told him. "This is Tuesday's room right now, but she'll soon be headed upstairs with her sisters."
Fabian thoroughly enjoyed dinner with the Mowerys. Six children and three adults made for a boisterous meal, and the wilder it got the more Fabian enjoyed himself. For the second time, he imagined Lisa and himself in the place of the parents and felt warm inside. He had always liked kids, but strictly on the terms that he could give them back. Lately his thoughts had turned more and more to having his own.
"Does Lisa have the recipe for this stew?" he asked Maggie. Maggie laughed.
"She does. In fact, every now and then she makes this and puts it in a pie crust. If you've had her chicken pie, I'm sure you can imagine what that would be like."
Fabian could. The biscuits Maggie had served with the meal were excellent, but this stew baked in Lisa's pie crust would be almost sinful.
Lisa hasn't looked at all well lately. I don't think she's sleeping.
Fabian was going to be late -- he had a faculty meeting after school, so he'd called Lisa to please let Bruiser out for a while. He would join them later and bring dinner. Lisa took Buster with her. Bruiser loved to play with his son, so she and Fabian got them together whenever possible. Bruiser was ecstatic to see them both, and he and Buster capered around in the snow in front of the vardo. Lisa went inside and lit some of the gas lanterns, then changed Bruiser's water and put some kibble into his bowl. She checked the stove; Fabian had taught her to use the Aga when the weather started getting cold. She stirred up the embers, added a few sticks of wood and used a bellows until they'd caught. Then she closed the door of the firebox and went to the door to call the dogs. Both of them came running. She dried the snow off of them and both dogs went to the kibble.
The vardo was very warm and quiet. It smelled like Fabian -- clean soap with a musky masculine undertone. She watched the dogs for a little while, then set the table. Fabian was going to bring some sandwiches. Setting the table for two didn't take very long, so she decided she'd read. Fabian was reading a biography of Teddy Roosevelt and she found it interesting, too. She sat on one of the benches and opened the book, but started having trouble keeping her eyes open. She'd never felt so sleepy. She'd never felt so safe as she did right now in the warm quiet of the vardo. She could hear the distant roar of the falls and mill race. It sounded like a very enthusiastic crowd in a faraway stadium. She hadn't felt like this since her grandmother had died. Not even when Dr. Wong had prescribed sleeping pills. She felt more tired than she'd ever been in her life. She kicked off her shoes and boosted herself up onto Fabian's bed. She'd always wondered what it was like and now she found out. He must have bought out the Mowerys -- he had a featherbed and feather pillows that felt new. The bed smelled of him. The featherbed embraced her almost like Fabian himself would. She took one long whiff of the sheets and that was the last thing she remembered.
Bruiser was waiting in the kitchen when Fabian got home. Buster had a chew toy and was gnawing at it in a corner, talking to himself in a growly puppy voice. Fabian smiled and gave Bruiser a scratch.
"Lisa, wait until you ... Lisa?" Fabian looked around. He'd been expecting her to be on one of the benches or setting the table. The bathroom light wasn't on and the door was ajar, so she wasn't in there. She wouldn't have left both dogs alone, and definitely not with the lanterns lit. The table was set, but other than Buster, there was no other sign that Lisa had been there.
"Bruiser. Where's Lisa?" he asked. Bruiser trotted back to the bed and looked up. That was when Fabian noticed the hint of dark blonde hair against one of his pillows. He went over and kissed her cheek gently. She didn't even stir -- she was really out cold. She was breathing -- her experience with her grandmother had taught him to check that. He gave her one more kiss, pulled his blanket over her, and went out to the porch. He pulled out his cell phone. His sister answered on the second ring.
"Hi, Taryn. I have a ... situation."
"What sort of a situation?"
"I had a faculty meeting, so Lisa came down to let Bruiser out. She fell asleep here. She's really out cold and I don't want to wake her. She hasn't slept well since her grandmother died."
"I'm not seeing your problem, Fabian."
"She's in my bed, which leaves me nowhere to go."
"There should be plenty of room. Mom and Dad slept in that bed for years."
"We're not sleeping together, Taryn."
"What!?" Taryn burst out laughing.
"We're waiting. My idea."
"You are so weird." Taryn laughed harder. "What do you want me to do?"
"If you have an extra bed I'd really appreciate it," he said. "I'll stay with her until later this evening, but if she doesn't wake up by bed time ...."
"Fab, just stretch out on one of your benches. You're being entirely too chivalrous."
"Gee, Taryn, for someone who had to explain Dave leaving your trailer at odd hours...."
"All right, all right. Come on over. But do not bring Bruiser. Gertrude is in heat again and I'm not ready for her to have another litter."
"The boys will be fine staying with Lisa. I'll go home early tomorrow to check on her and let them out. Thanks, Taryn."
"You owe me. Big time."
"I know. I usually do."