Forever RiverCreek

Chapter 31 - Two for One

As the dust settles over RiverCreek, everyone's attention turns quickly from Rick and Olivia to the upcoming wedding. Tara's belly is slightly bigger, but no one says anything to keep her from becoming too self-conscious about her appearance. All the ladies gather at Olivia's since she's rehabilitating at home. They show up in the evening after work, and Tara's body begins to feel changes.

"Hiya girls! I brought pinto beans, corn cakes, fried chicken, green beans made with bacon grease, and sweet corn," Tara calls out when she enters the house.

"Oh, good lord! I thought I was losing out on this stuff when I left Arkansas," Janet mentions, followed by a deep, long inhale.

Setting the bags on the counter, Tara leans against the sink feeling like she's about to lose her lunch, "Hey, is everything okay?" Lorraine asks with a soft rub on Tara's upper back.

"Yes. I'm still feeling queazy at times. You know how it is, but I promise I'm okay. Let's get a seat and finish going over plans for the arch and flowers."

Slowly they get what they want to eat. Tara is the last to get hers since she helps her mother get her food and a seat at the head of the table. Finally, after Janet says grace, the ladies delicately eat dinner and enjoy an upside-down pineapple cake that Olivia has in the refrigerator that Janet made at work. The first slice is cut and given to Lorraine while Janet takes the last slice cut, but Tara surprises everyone except her mother when she brings out the chocolate and marshmallow ice cream to accompany the cake.

"Now that's comfort eating for two!" Tara cries out after the first bite of both sweet confections hits the spot.

It doesn't take Tara long to get the dishes washed and put away. Then, when she joins the party back at the table, the fun moves away from details over the wedding to games of Yahtzee and Phase Ten. The fun lasts until the sun disappears, and everyone heads home for the evening. Along the way home, Tara bumps into Nia at the gas station. After they hug, Nia invites Tara over to the church to go over a couple of details.

"If you have a minute, I'd love to show you a few things and maybe an idea for the arch," Nia stops for a minute to reflect, "We've had so many weddings in that church, but this one feels so much different. I don't know why, but it feels like the son I never had is leaving home for good in an odd way. Here I am getting gray hair, yet I still remember the first day Cory came to play. It blows my mind to think that I'm now the grandmother of two wonderful children who call me nann-ma. Time has turned the corner, and here I am now in the position to be the aging elder."

"Oh, Mrs. McGuiness, you're not getting old but gaining a larger family. If anything, it completes the circle. Janet coming back into my life has been such a Godsend. How fast she and Rick hooked up and decided to get married. It blew my mind, but I've never seen either of them so happy. If they're the trend, then I have faith that Cory and I will make it too," Tara says as they walk into the church.

With the lights turned down low, Nia works a path from the back to the front, with each set of spotlights getting brighter the closer it gets to where the arch will stand. Tara likes the idea and practices walking up the aisle. Nia watches and takes a seat in the front row. She sees how much Tara glows and can't contain her emotions any longer.

"You're going to be such a beautiful bride. I've heard from Rick how much you love your son, CJ, and the way you've busted your hump to provide. Cory's going to be an amazing husband and provider too. If I could predict the future, I can see both of you traveling the world with your children. Your life is about to be blessed in more ways than you realize. These feelings come to me right before miracles happen."

Tara blushes as she stands there with her hands folded together. Deep in her mind, she hopes Nia's words come true and counts her blessings before she speaks up, "You know, I got the check for my house the other day. I have it put into a savings account for another home," Tara pauses before she finishes, "I, rather we, can't thank you enough for lending us one of the church houses. Cory worked hard to fix things up and make the small repairs needed. Hopefully, soon we can turn the keys over to you, and it'll bring another family together. It means more than you know to have people like you, Mr. McGuiness, and Mrs. Dubois in our lives."