The Prodigal Daughter

The Prodigal Daughter - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Thanksgiving was fast approaching and although most families enjoyed having everyone over, MaryBeth was not looking forward to Abbie and her family coming to dinner. She would do whatever she could to make it a great day for her parents, Josh and Ann both deserved the family together for the first time, but MaryBeth knew it was going to be a struggle not to slap her sister, if not worse. She could man-up and take what Abbie dished out for one day, couldn’t she?

Joey came over to help and spend the day with MaryBeth. Joey’s mother was also coming over to have dinner with the family.

Joey came into the kitchen and gave MaryBeth a kiss and then went right to work, “OK, what needs to be done?”

By the time Abbie and her family arrived, dinner was being put on the table. This was normal. Abbie and Don would show up right to eat and leave as soon as the dishes needed to be cleared from the table. Joshua and Ann put up with a lot from Abbie because they loved her, but they also knew that she controlled how much they saw their beloved grandchildren Donnie and Annabelle.

“Nana!” Donnie yelled as soon as they came into the house. “Grandpa!”

“Hey buddy. How is my favorite oldest grandchild?” Joshua said.

“Good! But I am your only oldest grandchild.”

“I know, but you are still my favorite.” Joshua said with a hug.

“What is Joey doing here?” Donnie asked his grandfather as they walked to the table and spotted Joey helping MaryBeth sit at the table.

“Well, I think you will find out in a few minutes, but you can call him Uncle Joey, he is going to marry your Aunt MaryBeth.”

“Does that make him the babies daddy? Because Mama said the baby did not have a daddy.”

Joey hearing this looked up at Abbie with a glare then down at her unknowing son with compassion. “Of course I am the baby’s daddy. And you will have a cousin in about a month. A little boy or a little girl that we are all going to love.”

“So, when is the happy day?” Abbie asked. “I mean the wedding?”

“Christmas Eve.” MaryBeth replied rubbing her stomach.

“That is cutting it kind of close isn’t it?” Abbie said, “The baby is due, what the next week?”

“Yes, but we want to be married before the baby comes.” Joey said sitting down next to MaryBeth taking her hand in his.

Abbie sat down across from them with a disgusted look on her face. “Isn’t that an awful lot to ask MaryBeth, forcing Joey to marry you in this condition. He won’t even get a decent honeymoon. But, I am sure if anyone can manage, it will be you.”

“I am not being forced. It took a lot of wooing on my part to get her to say yes! And we will honeymoon in the spring.” Joey said kissing MaryBeth’s hand.

“Now why don’t we eat, before all of this hard work is ruined and the food is cold.” Ann said. “Darlin’ will you say grace?”

“So,” Abbie said to MaryBeth, “Can you find a wedding dress to wear at nine months pregnant?”

“I have a dress. Not to worry. It is custom made from New York. It will be beautiful.”

“I don’t care if you are wearing a potato sack darlin’ you will still be the most beautiful bride ever!” Joey said with a kiss on her cheek. He knew he was on dangerous ground. Abbie had her wedding spread in the paper on two full pages because she had the wedding of the year for Citrus County. Abbie was a very beautiful woman. But, she did not hold a candle to MaryBeth in Joey’s eye.

“Well, where will you live?”

“We are looking for a house now. Joey’s apartment, sorry dear,” MaryBeth said as she looked over at Joey, “Is hideous. So, we will be buying a house close by.”

“Can you afford that? I mean on what Joey makes at the church.” Abbie questioned. Meanwhile, Don was putting a hand on his wife’s leg trying to clue her in to stop with all the questions. Joshua and Ann sat there, never knowing quite how to handle Abbie.

“Yes, we both have some money saved up. Thank you Abbie for being so concerned with our well being. But, I assure you, everything will be fine.” MaryBeth said.

“What about the baby’s father? The real one.”

“Um, I am the baby’s real father and that is all you need to know and understand. NOW. If no one else will call you out, I will. You need to control your tongue and let us be happy. This is a joyous occasion. You are invited to the wedding, but if you don’t come, it won’t hurt us in any way. So, if you want to go on trying to ruin a family gathering, you will do it on your own and with your own children watching. If you would like to enjoy the meal, then act like an adult rather than the spoiled brat you have always been.” By this time, MaryBeth had her hand on Joey’s lap trying to calm him down.

“It’s OK.” MaryBeth said.

“No it is not, this family may cater to Abbie, but I won’t. She needs to act like an adult and a Christian and if she doesn’t it is my obligation as a man of God to bring her actions to light. Pastor is her father, and I understand his obligation to her, but I am not and I will let her know.”

After that, lunch was very quiet. Mrs. Davidson talked a little with Ann and MaryBeth about the wedding and showers, both wedding and baby. Joshua, Don and Joey talked about football. Abbie sat there and stewed. As soon as everyone finished eating, Abbie announced that they were leaving and told her children to kiss their grandparents. She did not tell MaryBeth and Joey goodbye, and she did not tell the children to either. Donnie walked over to his aunt and soon to be uncle and said, “I am glad you are having the baby. Can I hold the baby when it comes?”

“Of course you can Donnie.” MaryBeth said. “You are an expert at babies with all the help you give your Mommy and Daddy with Annabelle, so I expect your help.” And MaryBeth kissed him on the forehead.

“DONNIE! We need to go.” Abbie yelled from the door.


“Whew, that went better than expected,” Joey said as he began rubbing MaryBeth’s feet while they sat on the sofa.

“Thanks to you!” MaryBeth said. “Thank you!”

“You know, I would never let anyone hurt you or disrespect you again.”

“I know, and it felt really good for you to stand up for me.” MaryBeth said. “Um. I need to talk to you about something. We were expecting it, but I had no idea there would be a bidding war and I got an offer on the condo.”

“Great!” Joey said, “Now your life is fresh and you won’t have any ties there. We can start over.”

“You know when you said we had some money saved up? This is going to increase our nest egg quiet a bit. We could buy anything we want really.”

“Really? I thought you were only asking fair market on the condo, what a couple hundred thousand?”

“Um. No.”

“Well, babe, we will make it, I have my nest egg. It is not like we are counting on that money.”

“Joey, listen to me. I put it on the market not knowing what Richard paid for it or how much it was worth. Honestly, I knew it was nice and expected about a million or so. The realtor told me this past week that it was listed for eight million.” She stopped to look at Joey who was sitting there with his mouth hanging open. “Since the market is not that good in California, I really did not expect to see that much. But, it is in a prime location. There was a bidding war and I have three offers on the table, the highest is ten million.”

“We are talking US dollars, right?” Joey said, “Holy Cow!”

“I was thinking, let’s pay off the church’s building project. I think Dad said it was about a million. And let’s buy a house here. But, I have always wanted a cabin in the mountains to get away to. What do you think?”

“I love it! All of it!! Yes, pay off the church debt, house here and a cabin in the mountains.” Joey said. “Then what?”

“Savings.” MaryBeth said.

“Not your business?”

“No, I will continue to work from home. But I really want to be a good wife and mom and build our house into a home.”

“I love you. Rich or poor. You are my past, my future and my present and on December 24th, I will make you my wife!”