Friends With Multiple Benefits (21 page)

For the rest of the spring and summer,
the new
family grew and thrived together, settling into a routine of slightly more sleeping. Brian returned to work full time while Jillian worked part-time from home on the television series. The producers could not come to terms with Chase Hart to reprise his role as Brice from the movie, so a young actor named Jake Russell was cast instead.

During this
time
Jillian also spent many hours Skyping with her daughter-in-law, her son, and her new granddaughter as they continued to live in their tropical paradise far, far away. Lots of pictures were exchanged between both sets of proud parents and
a promise
of a holiday get together was discussed at length.

Victoria, juggling her therapy practice along with motherhood, spent
as
much time helping out with the twins as she could. Kaylie enjoyed visiting Jillian's as well and was absolutely fascinated with the babies. The toddler was assuming a motherly role with the two as she helped as much as her little hands would allow.

During the first week of September, rehearsals for the television show were in full swing and Brian had resumed his tennis training with his superstar celebrity client. Jillian somehow seemed at ease with the whole situation. Between work and the twins, not to mention the intoxicating security of having millions in the bank, she never had the desire or a minute to think about it.

After finally getting Kaylie to stay in her bed, Jim and Victoria sat down to watch the latest episode of
Ray Donovan
on demand. Two minutes after they hit play the doorbell rang. They shared a look. Jim asked, "Are you expecting anyone?"

"No."

When he opened the door, he discovered his mother, Beverly, on the porch with a large suitcase. "Mom, what are you doing here?"

"Hi, Jimmy." She muscled past him and pulled the suitcase through the door.

"I'll get that." He grabbed the bag from her and moved it near the wall.

Wrapping her arms around him, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I came for a visit."

Victoria met them at the door wearing a shocked expression. "Hi, Beverly."

"Victoria, so good to see you." She gave her a hug and a kiss as well.

"Where's Dad?" Jim stepped out to the porch and looked around.

"Oh, he's home."

"Home?" Jim entered the house and closed the door. He looked to Victoria with his eyes bugging out of his head. "How'd you get here?"

"Have you ever heard of an airplane?" She chuckled.

"But you came here alone?"

"Yes."

"But you've never traveled anywhere alone before."

"Jim." Victoria smiled. "Stop grilling her. I'm sure she's tired from her trip."

"Oh, I am dear. I would love a cup of tea."

"I hope you plan to stay with us."

"I do."

"Great. Jim, please take your mother's suitcase to the guest room."

"Oh, okay." He shook his head as he watched Victoria lead his mother toward the kitchen.

A few minutes later, Victoria and Beverly sipped tea while Jim sat gazing with concern at his mother. "So, Dad is home?"

"Yes."

"In Delaware?"

"Yes, Jim. That's where our home is." She made a face.

"Wait, but I don't understand."

"There is nothing to understand, Jimmy. I just came for a visit. I wanted to see my granddaughter. That is okay isn't it?"

"Um, yeah sure, but…"

"Plus I wanted to talk to my new daughter-in-law." She placed her hand on top of Victoria's. "I'm so sorry that I couldn't come to the wedding or come visit you sooner."

"That's okay. It was sort of a last minute thing we sprung on you. My parents couldn't make it either. Well, they watched Kaylie."

"We never got much of a chance to know one another and I want to fix that."

"I would love that." Victoria smiled.

"This is freaky," Jim mumbled under his breath.

"What?" Beverly asked.

"Oh, nothing."

Victoria shot him a frown. "Why don't you leave us girls alone for a while?"

"Okay." Rising from his chair, he slowly walked from the room. Once he was out of the kitchen he rushed to the bedroom, closed the door, and made a call. "Brian, it's me. Mom's here."

"Mom in Miami?"

"Yeah, and Dad isn't with her."

"What's she doing here?" Brian asked.

"She says she wanted to see her granddaughter and Victoria."

"Victoria? She doesn't like Victoria."

"I know." Jim opened the door slightly and could hear loud laughter coming from the kitchen. He whispered into the phone. "They are laughing like… like old friends."

"What? Is
Mom
drunk?"

"I don't think so." Jim listened for another moment then closed the door. "Have you ever heard
Mom
laugh? Like really laugh."

"Um, I don't think so. But where is Dad?"

"She says he's home."

"She's never
traveled
anywhere alone before."

"I know." Jim opened the door and again heard the laughter. "I'm going to go. I've got to find out what they're talking about or get drunk or maybe both."

"Ok, call me back when you figure out what's going on. I'll call Dad."

"Good."

He returned to the kitchen and headed to the refrigerator. After grabbing
a beer
, he turned to find Victoria giving him a look. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Would anyone like
a beer
?" Jim asked sheepishly.

"No thank you, dear. Should you really be drinking this late?"

"Huh? No, it's fine. I, um, I'm just going to watch some TV." He shuffled past them to the living room and clicked the remote on the television. He turned the volume down to a whisper and craned his neck back to listen to the happenings in the kitchen. While pounding his beer, he listened to the continued laughter of his mother and wife as they discussed everything from
Kaylie,
to the local weather, to the wedding.

Sitting there flabbergasted and listening to his suddenly chatty and cheery mother, he considered heading back to the kitchen for beer number two, but remembered the fully stocked refrigerator in the garage. He quietly made his way there to pick up another then returned to his seat. He arrived back just in time to hear the continued discussions of the two fast friends as they spoke about Victoria's therapy practice, Jim and Victoria's recent trip to Hawaii, Jillian's pregnancy and life back in Delaware.

After another couple trips to the garage, Jim was developing quite a buzz as the non-stop chitchat rolled on. He considered stopping in for beer number five, but after checking the clock and discovering it was after one a.m., he poked his head
into
the kitchen just to check on the two of them. After finding them still chatting away, he said goodnight then weaved his
wa
y tipsily to bed.

The next
morning, Victoria dropped Beverly off at Brian's to see the twins. Although she'd video chatted with her son and her grandsons a handful of times since their birth, this would be her first time she would meet them in person.

Brian opened the door and smiled. "Hi, Mom."

"Brian, it's so great to see you." She gave him a hug then asked, "Where are they?" Hearing noise straight ahead, she headed for
the great
room. The boys sat in their reclining seats on the floor with identical play gyms sitting above them. Flailing their little hands wildly, they were both
cooing
and evidently having the time of their young lives.

Beverly got on her knees and beamed. "They're adorable. Thank God, they look just like you."

"Mom," he grumbled.

"What? Is it wrong to want your grandsons to look like their father?"

"Please be nice to Jillian while you're here."

"What?" Beverly sighed. "I've always been nice to her."

Brian rolled his eyes then lifted the activity gyms away from the seats. The twins gazed wide-eyed up to the face of
the woman
staring at them. Brian could have sworn at that moment the boys shared an odd look, but he knew they were much too young. He was positive, however, that their mother was telling them story after story about their grandmother when he wasn't around.

Brian pointed to the baby on the right. "This is Dylan and that's Griffin."

She reached into the seat then picked up Dylan and cradled him in her arms. Her gaze went from one baby to the other. "I can't tell them apart."

"Dylan's head is thinner."

"Oh, okay." She returned a slightly skeptical look. "Yeah, maybe."

"Are they identical?"

"The doctors don't think so. They shared a
placenta,
but there was a sack separation. I actually think they might be, but without DNA testing, I guess we won't know."

"Well, they're adorable." Beverly ran a finger through the baby's hair and said in a sing-songy voice, "How is your mommy treating you?"

"Mom, geez."

"What? I'm just asking."

"What do you really think is going on here?"

"I don't know." She made a face. "You're the one who lives here. Is she still writing those dirty books?"

He sighed. "You know they're romance novels."

"Oh, is that what she's still calling them." Beverly handed over Dylan to his father then leaned down to pick up Griffin.

"You're adorable too." She looked to her son. "He's so precious."

"I know." Brian kissed Dylan on the forehead then made a goofy face. "You're precious too." He turned to his mother. "Why didn't you call?"

"I wanted to surprise you."

"I am surprised, but where's Dad. What's going on with you two?"

"Nothing is going on." Beverly rubbed her finger gently across the baby's chest and added in a
sing-songy
voice, "That's right nothing is going on."

"I called him last night and he said he didn't know what was going on either. He said you didn't even tell him where you were going."

"Well, sometimes couples just need time apart."

"What's really the matter with you two?"

She looked him in the eye. "There are some things that should just be kept private."

"Dad is on his way here."

"He can do whatever he wants." Beverly shot her son a snooty look then returned a smile to the baby. "You are such a cute boy."

"Okay." Brian sighed. "When Dad gets here Jillian wants to have you both over for dinner."

"Oh, I didn't know she cooked."

"Mom."

"What?"

"I mean, that's wonderful. She writes AND cooks. I think a woman with children should be home with those children especially during their formative years."

"We're sharing that responsibility. My schedule is flexible and one of us is always here."

Beverly frowned. "Well, that's another way to do it, I guess."

When she returned her attention to the baby, he rolled his eyes and sighed.

When Beverly returned to Victoria and Jim's house, Victoria was in her office with a client and Kaylie was with Victoria's mother. Beverly walked through the door and spotted her husband Edward sitting on the sofa.

"Beverly." Rising to his feet, he headed toward her.

"What are you doing here?" She refused to look at him as she walked toward the kitchen.

"I came to find you." He followed after her. "Why didn't you tell me where you were going?"

"I had to get away."

"Get away from what?"

"I just needed some time to myself." She grabbed the kettle from the stove and filled it with water. "Since you won't go to therapy with me, we really have nothing to talk about."

He sighed. "Not that again."

After placing the kettle on the burner and turning it on, she gave him a pointed look. "Oh, yes, it's that again."

Victoria walked through the back door and stopped in her tracks. "Oh, Beverly you're back. I called Brian and told him that Ed was here. Did you get the message?"

"Uh-huh." Beverly sneered at her husband then she turned to Victoria wearing a cheery smile. "Would you like some tea, dear?"

Victoria took in Edward's sad and confused expression then returned her attention to Beverly. "Um, maybe I should let you guys have some time together."

"No, I don't want you to leave."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I came here to visit you, so please stay."

"Okay." Victoria took the milk out of the refrigerator.

A few minutes later, Victoria and Beverly sat at the table sipping tea with the
empty-handed
Ed sitting with them.