Shelter

Ave Maria

A few weeks later Grace stood at the kitchen island, making her specialty. Spaghetti and Meatballs. Ave Maria playing in the background as she methodically rolled the mixture of ground pork and beef with her family's secret spice recipe into perfect golf ball sized balls. She hummed along to the beautiful song as she laid the last meatball on the sheet pan. She smiled as she looked over her work. She had volunteered to cook dinner for the whole ranch and it was go big or go home. She washed her hands as he thanked God that all two hundred meatballs were rolled and majority of them baked. She dried off her hands as she heard Randy rolling his wheelchair into the kitchen. She turned around and smiled his way as he said,"Anything I can do for ya? You've done nothing but cook since early this morning." Grace waved him off as she put the last tray of meatballs in the oven. She smiled and said," Oh but I live for this, Randy. I went to culinary school and worked for a restaurant kitchen for years. But restaurant life is no life for a family so I started cooking for my father and his business partners for many parties and such when I got pregnant." Randy smiled as he watched her dance across the kitchen as she moved to the stove and stirred the marinara sauce. She grabbed a nearby bowl and and spooned some sauce and a cooked meatball in. She turned and handed Randy the bowl with a spoon and said," Could you please be a good sous and taste that and tell me what it needs?" Randy quickly took the bowl and took a huge bite of the meatball with the sauce. Her smile got bigger as she watched his grow wide and loud moan escape his mouth. She knew her job was done. She laid a hand on her thirty five week baby bump as Randy gave her thumbs up of before scraping the bowl getting the last bit of sauce he could. Wes came through the back door, inhaling the maddening scent of Grace's spaghetti and meatballs. He smiled as he watched her interact with his son in the kitchen, letting him sample dinner. Wes took off his jacket and hung it up on the nearby coat rack, along with his cowboy hat. He came into the kitchen with a smile as he said," It's not even close to dinner time yet and you're already killing me." Grace giggled before putting another meatball in a bowl and a little bit of sauce before handing it to Wes. Wes gladly took the bowl, quickly eating the meatball. He moaned in approval before putting his bowl in the sink. Wes leaned against the counter and said," God gave you a gift. I ain't tasted anything better than your cooking." Grace's blush as she placed both her hands on the top of her belly. She smiled as she felt the baby kick below her belly button. Randy set his bowl on the island and said," Dad, do you care if I go to Tyler's tonight after dinner? He's just got that new video game I told you about." Wes just nodded as Randy looked to Grace. He wheeled closer to her and said," Are they kicking?" Grace nodded as her smile grew bigger. She walked towards him and held out her hand. He gave her weird look as he lifted his hand for her to take. She gently placed his hand right over her belly button, just as her baby gently kicked again. Randy's eyes grew as a huge smile spread across his face. Randy smirked and said," That's so weird." Grace giggled making Wes' smile grew. He loved her laugh and that smile that seemed to light up a room.

Grace watched the snow fall from the kitchen window. She always loved the snow, it always calmed him. Wes came up behind her and said," There you are. Everyone was wondering where you ran off to." Grace just shrugged and kept her eyes trained on the the goose feather sized flecks fall to the ground. We leaned against the counter as she said,"Christmas is next week. I miss my family. My dad every Christmas would buy me and my brother a new set of pajamas and we'd stay up on Christmas eve and watch Christmas movies. He's a bad guy but a softie at the holidays." Wes smiled as he thought about his his own mother. How much she loved baking Christmas cookies and his dad's favorite, rum cake. Wes smirked and said," Well we'll make our own traditions. I'm not not gonna lie, I make some delicious hot chocolate." Grace laughed as she turned towards him. She couldn't help but admire how handsome he looked in a plain t-shirt and old jeans. Wes took her hand in his and said," I know this is hard for you but know that all those ranch hands and my family are yours now too. We're a little crazy and kinda broken but happy." Grace smiled and brought him for a hug. He chuckled slightly at how her belly seemed to get in the way. He didn't want to squeeze her too hard, afraid she'd pop. Grace pulled away some and looked into his espresso eyes. He ran his hand up her back and into her hair. He looked into eyes begging for permission to kiss the daylights out of her. She gave him a slight nod before he smashed their lips together. He felt her fist his shirt in her hands as she moaned into the kiss. She deepened the kiss, nipping on his lips begging him for entrance. Wes almost complied but was stopped by a throat clearing. They pulled away to find about three ranch hands and his brother, Dean, with smirks on their face. One of the younger ranch hands, Jake, began laughing. Wes gave him a dirty look before Jake said,"Dude, I knew it. Dean, you owe me forty bucks."

Grace woke up the next morning, bacon wafting through the house. Her stomach growled, as she struggled to get out of bed. Her round stomach making it harder, every time. She slipped on her house coat before waddling down the hall, to find Wes and Randy in the kitchen. Wes was at the stove in a old hoodie and flannel pajamas pants, she couldn't believe he looked just delicious after just falling out of bed. Randy noticed her and said," Awe, good. You're awake. We're making you breakfast, have a seat." Grace giggled and sat at the table as Randy brought her a glass of orange juice and her prenatal vitamins. She smiled as he said," An appetizer before your meal, madam." His fake English accent making her giggle. Randy smiled and said," Me and Dad had a talk and your officially fired till you have that baby and at least couple days after pushing the dude out." Grace raised her eyebrows in surprise as Wes turned around. He through a towel over his shoulder and said," The boy speaks the truth. You are officially on maternity leave. Randy's done with school till January third and I'll spending less time in the field cause the weather. We'll all be kinda restricted cause the snow, till then your stuck with us." Grace couldn't help but feel relieved that he'd be home more. What if she'd go into labor while he was gone. Grace smiled as she rubbed her belly. She shrugged and said," Good that means you men are helping get the Christmas decorations and decorate this place. I was thinking tinsel, lights, and the whole nine yards." Both Randy and Wes' eyes grew huge as they both slowly nodded knowing there was no way out of this.

Wes sat in the couch with Grace her feet in lap, as she happily napped. Randy smirked and hopped into the loveseat. He looked to his dad and said," Dad, you like her don't you?" Wes just nodded, afraid to say how he really felt. He wasn't much use to let his feelings run free. Randy smiled and nodded. Wes looked to Randy and said," How do you feel about her? Especially if she became family?" Randy smiled as looked to Grace. He loved the way she made his father happy with the simple things. Randy shrugged and leaned back, he smirked and said," I wouldn't mind a little brother running around." Wes chuckled as he watched Grace wrap her arm around her belly. She let out a small groan in her sleep before light snore escaped her lips. Wes knew the baby would come soon. He'd noticed how her belly had dropped in the last few days. He knew it was only a matter of time and he was praying the snow storm would let up before morning.