Chapter Ten: His Parents
JC didn’t want his marriage to Lisa to become a circus freak show. He didn’t plan on making any big announcement. He wasn’t going to deny the fact, but he certainly wasn’t going to offer up any details. And he wasn’t about to expose his new family to gossip or speculation. They deserved his love and protection; so to that end, he packed them up and headed to Chicago for the wedding. He could have a marginal amount of anonymity there. His parents could act as witnesses to his vows as well as get to know their new grandchildren.
After her repeated assurances she could indeed survive a few hours without him, Lisa finally got JC to leave her and the children at the hotel. He could visit his parents and tell them his news in person. She reminded him these were her children and she was perfectly capable of handling them without help.
“Married?” Karen Chasez was stunned when her oldest son made his announcement over dinner. “When did this happen? Do we know her? Are you sure? How long have you known her?” She fired questions at him.
JC grinned at the barrage. “Recently. Yeah. Yeah. Over nine years.”
Roy Chasez chuckled at his son’s response.
“You’ve known her that long?” Karen asked. “Who is she?”
“Lisa Castle. You knew her as Lisa Williams.”
She frowned. “Divorced?”
”Widowed.” JC looked down at his plate to gather his words “Greg died of cancer. He left Lisa with four kids to raise. Scott’s eight. Krista is going on seven. And the twins Digger and Bess are two.”
“The poor girl.”
“And Lisa is blind.”
“Son, are you sure you want to take all that on? I understand wanting to help her out…but marriage? “ Roy asked.
“I’ve been doing pretty well. I mean Lisa is fantastic. Ya know most of the time you wouldn’t know she was blind. She’s a great mom.” JC took a deep breath. “And one more thing…”
“What else can there be?” Karen wondered aloud.
“Scott is mine.”
“What!” Roy barked.
“Umm…just before I went to Europe with the guys. I didn’t know it, but Lisa was pregnant when I left.”
“You’re sure he’s yours?” Karen asked.
JC nodded. “Yeah, all I had to do is look at him. He’s a great kid,” he stated proudly.
“So you are really marring Lisa for Scott’s sake?” Karen inquired softly.
He shook his head. “No, I am marrying Lisa because I love her. I think I probably always did.” He shrugged. “If it hadn’t been for certain people keeping us apart, I would have married Lisa then and I would have been Scott’s father.”
“And you’ve thought this through? Completely?” Roy demanded.
“Completely,” JC answered firmly.
JC’s father nodded, satisfied JC understood the ramifications of his decision. “Now what?”
“We’ll get the license. Stay here until the waiting period is over, get married and go home. I’d like to have the wedding here if that’s cool with you…and if you could be our witnesses…I’d kinda like to keep this on the down low for now, give the five them chance to adjust.”
“When do I get to meet my grandbabies?” Karen asked.
“Tomorrow soon enough?”
His little family was asleep when JC crept into the hotel room. The small lamp next to his side of the bed had been left on the dimmest setting so he wouldn’t trip around in the dark. Lisa had left his pajamas lying across the foot of the bed. Very wife-like he thought with a smile. Changing quickly, he went to the connecting door that had been left open to the next room. The bathroom light had been left on just in case. The two queen-sized beds dwarfed their occupants. Scott and Digger in one, Krista and Bess in the other. They slept like angels he noted with fatherly pride.
He joined Lisa in their big bed. The moment she sensed his presence, she gravitated towards him unconsciously. It was more than sprawling he’d discovered, she wanted his arms around her. He obliged readily, kissing the soft fragrant skin of her neck. In her sleep, she smiled at the caress, so he repeated it, nuzzling her neck.
“JC?” Her dark eyes blinked open, heavy with sleep.
“I’d better be the only guy in your bed,” he answered teasingly.
She gave him a drowsy smile. “For now,” she quipped.
JC chuckled. “You mean I have competition?”
“Stiff competition.”
“And what do these guys look like?”
“Hmm…one sort of looks like you, only smaller. The other fella has big blue eyes and angel curls.”
He grinned. “And is full of the devil’s mischief.” Tipping up her chin, he kissed her softly. It was all he dared for the time being.
“How did your parents take the news?”
“I think they’re convinced I’m crazy.”
“You are.”
“Beautiful wife. Four great kids. I don’t think so.”
For a brief moment, she looked as if she were going to say something. Instead she put her head on his shoulder.
“Second thoughts, Lisa?”
”And third and fourth and fifth and …”
He rubbed her back soothingly. “Don’t, honey. It’ll be good.”
“Oh, JC…” she whispered helplessly.
“Shh…just close your eyes and go back to sleep,” he urged gently. He was fairly certain a show of passion would ease the womanly part of her that appeared to be struggling with the notion of marriage, but she had given no indication she would accept such a gesture. After more than two months, the only real concession he’d gained was her moving Greg’s rings to her right hand so he could place his diamond engagement ring on the left. Yeah, he knew he was probably pushing her too fast. It was hard not to when everything about them seemed so right.
With the hypnotic motion of his hand moving up and down her back soothingly, Lisa was quickly lulled to sleep. JC closed his eyes. Listening to her soft, even breathing, he followed her into dreamland.
“We get to meet them for real?” Scott asked excitedly as JC strapped Digger into his car seat. The prospect of having grandparents was new to him.
JC rumpled the boy’s hair. “For real. They’re probably just as thrilled as you are.”
“Gampa,” Digger stated.
“And a grandma,” Scott told him.
“Will they like us?” Krista asked solemnly from her place.
“My awesome kids? They’ll love you to pieces,” JC assured her.
“Me?” Bess asked quietly.
JC smiled. “Of course, baby doll.”
Hearing his affectionate name for her, the little girl smiled.
Walking around to the driver’s side, JC slid beneath the steering wheel and started the vehicle. Smoothly pulling out of the parking space, he headed towards his parents house. He ventured a glance at Lisa who sat silent and stoic in the passenger seat. She looked as if he was taking her to the executioner. Reaching over for her hand, he gave it a gentle squeeze. “I wish you were as excited as the kids, honey.”
“I’m sorry, JC…It’s just…”
“Just what?”
“I’ve never done this in-law thing before.”
“Lisa, these are my parents were talking here. You know them. There isn’t gonna be any grand inquisition.”
“It’s been a long time…”
“You’re still the same beautiful girl—”
“Oh, right!” she snapped irritably. “Come into the real world, Chasez. I am a blind widow with four children.”
“Aww…Baby, you’re so much more than that,” he told he. “You’re a wonderful Mom. You’re a kickass cook. You’re beautiful and smart and sweet and sexy and—”
“Down, boy!” she taunted, smiling once more. It was hard to be ill-tempered when he was so charming.
JC chuckled. “Only ‘cuz I hafta,” he quipped. “We have a car full of kids and I gotta keep my eyes and hands on the wheel.”
“Thank you, JC,” she said quietly, her good humor restored by his caring words and warm teasing.
“Any time, honey.”
They drove along for some time before JC spoke again. “Lisa, I have a favor to ask.”
“Sure.”
“I kinda let my folks believe we’re in love. Can we let them keep thinking that? I mean we don’t hafta play tonsil hockey or anything…”
“I think we can manage that.” She laced her fingers with the big hand still holding hers. “I don’t want to make things difficult for you with your parents. Besides we’re affectionate friends anyway. We hug and cuddle all the time.”
That much was true – along with sharing a platonic bed, which was a form of exquisite torture for JC. He held her every night – and so far, Lisa showed no interest in him as a sexual male and he hadn't pushed the issue. He realized two months plus wasn’t nearly enough time for her to mourn Greg. Still he was a young, healthy, average male – he had urges, urges he hadn’t satisfied since that brief, unfulfilling encounter months ago. And he longed to love her with every part of his being, mind, body and soul. He supposed he had to be content with showing his love by taking care of her and the kids, by fulfilling his promise to Greg.
When the Castle family descended on the Chasez home peace and quiet came to an end. Digger being Digger, he went back and forth between Karen and Roy, charming them with his easy affection and impish smiles. At first, Scott and Krista hung back, not quite sure what to do with grandparents. Eventually Karen won them over with her friendly, encouraging manner. The biggest surprise was Bess. She took an immediate liking to Roy and stuck to him like fly paper. Her animated chatter astounded JC.
“Damn, baby, I think Bess is in love with Dad,” JC commented to Lisa as they sat on the sofa while the children became acquainted with their new grandparents.
“Your father can be very charming,” Lisa responded. She vaguely remembered the handsome older man she had met only a handful of times.
“You had the hots for Dad?” he teased. “So not cool!”
Playfully she stuck her tongue out at him. It was all he could do to control the urge to close his mouth over it. Oh, God, he wanted her so badly!
“Josh, want to help me bring out refreshments?” His mother’s command couched as a question broke the sensual spell.
“Sure, Mom.” Rising he followed her to the kitchen.
“That is quite a brood you have there, Josh,” Karen remarked as she prepared a plate of cookies. “And you seem very comfortable with them.”
Snatching up a cookie, JC bit into it and chewed thoughtfully. “Actually I am.”
“So you’ve been seeing Lisa for some time?”
“Not in the romantic sense at first, but yeah. When her husband got sick, I sorta stepped into pinch hit.”
“However did you meet after all this time?”
“Greg, Lisa’s husband.”
“Because of Scott?”
“Mostly.” JC was glad his mother seemed to accept his answer and didn’t pursue that line of questioning.
“What happened to Lisa?”
“She was in a car accident when the twins were babies. I guess she nearly died.” With pride, he asked “Isn’t she great, Mom?”
Karen withheld judgment. “And you think you’re ready to take on a blind wife and four children?”
“I love her, Mom,” he answered truthfully. “And I love each one of those kids like they were my very own. I can do this.”
Karen patted her oldest son’s cheek. “I’m sure you can.”
When it was time to leave all four children protested briefly. They had a wondrous thing called grandparents and they wanted to stay. The usually amiable Bess clung to Roy’s neck and shook her head when JC tried to take her.
“Dad, what did you do to my baby doll?” JC asked, bemused. He wasn’t used to Bess wanting anyone except Daddy C.
Roy jostled the child and gained a smile. “I just might have to keep this one.”
“Gampa keep.” Bess nodded enthusiastically.
JC stuck out his lower lip and pretended to be heart broken. “But I thought you were my baby doll.”
“Doan kie, Daddy.” Bess put her arms out to JC, allowing him to take her from Roy. She patted his cheeks comfortingly. “Dae…dae, Daddy.”
JC cuddled the little girl and kissed her forehead.
“Jeeze, what a faker, Dad C,” Scott accused teasingly.
JC winked at the boy. “Hey, it worked didn’t it?”
Scott rolled his eyes and nudged JC affectionately.
Digger stood in front of Karen, his big blue eyes beseeching her. “Me see soon?”
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll see you very soon,” Karen assured the angelic-looking child, ruffling his curls. She looked to JC and Lisa. “In fact why don’t you two drop the children off when you go for your license? That way you don’t have to entertain them while you’re in line.”
“Mom…” JC began.
“If you want to be anonymous, hauling four boisterous children around certainly is not the way to do it.”
“Mom, Digger is the only boisterous one we have.”
“Me boy-stus,” Digger announced proudly.
JC did have to concede his mother did have a point. “Whaddya think, honey,” he asked Lisa.
Lisa sensed JC’s reluctance was partially separation anxiety. She found it endearing. “I think she’s right. Our crowd can look like a circus some days.”
“But I may never get Bess back from Dad,” JC mused.
“You can always pout again,” Scott suggested impishly.
Joining the teasing, Krista said, “Or Mom can always have another one to replace her.”
Lisa protested laughingly. “Hey! It isn’t as easy as it looks!”
Forgetting she couldn’t see him, JC wiggled his eyebrows at Lisa. “Hey, I’m all for trying,” he taunted. Oh, how he was ready to make ‘a replacement’ with Lisa – hourly if need be.
Lisa wiggled her left hand at him, indicting no wedding band. “Dream on, Chasez. We aren’t married yet,” she reminded him jokingly.
Grinning he quipped, “I’m workin’ on it. I’m workin’ on it.”
Watching the teasing, affectionate interaction between their son and his fiancée, the parents decided that indeed JC had made a love match.