Tabitha's Guardian (10 page)

Owen could see that Jenson was biting his
tongue to keep from saying more, and he was certain that his
father-in-law would have questions for him when they were alone.
Thankfully, Janice asked about the flowers and plants growing on
the islands, and gave them something else to discuss while they
were waiting for dinner to be served.

They were finally asked to come to the
dining room by the new cook the agency had sent to fill the void
after Charla left. The meal was acceptable, but Owen preferred his
wife’s cooking. He could see that no one was asking for another
serving of anything, and were, in fact, leaving food on their
plates. No, the new cook was not as good as Tabby.

“If we are all finished with our meal, I
would like to talk to you in the gathering room for a few minutes,
unless you have other plans this evening, Owen?”

“No, sir. We are happy to serve you,” Owen
replied, pulling out Tabby’s chair for her to rise.

“Good.” Jenson asked the cook to bring their
coffee to the other room, and the man quickly agreed. Jenson made
small talk while they waited for their coffee, and then he told the
cook to go on home. They would help themselves. The man nodded, and
within minutes he was gone.

“Daddy, I do not wish to overstep my bounds,
but I would ask you to consider letting go of the cook the agency
sent. He is really not that good. The food he prepared was edible,
but barely. I would offer to run the household again if it would
please you? I do enjoy cooking ever so much.”

Owen was proud of his bride, and he nodded
and gave her a huge smile of approval.

“I take it by your expression that you are in
agreement with Tabby, Owen?” Jenson asked wryly.

“Tabby’s cooking is very good, especially
when compared with the man who cooked for us this evening.”

“I agree with that,” Jenson said, and then
admitted, “Janice has been telling me I should dismiss the man, but
I did not wish to prevail upon her to take over the kitchen.
However, daughter, I am aware that you love planning and preparing
meals, and we will all eagerly welcome the change. I will call the
agency in a few moments and make them aware of our decision.”

“Good," Aunt Janice said. "I will be happy
to help you in the kitchen, Tabby. I know that your cooking shines,
and mine is poor at best when compared to what you offer, but I
would love to help and learn more.”

“I would enjoy that. It is wonderful to have
you staying here.”

Jenson cleared his throat and shifted in his
seat awkwardly. “That is what I wish to speak to you about, Tabby.
Janice and I have discovered that we have feelings for each other.
I know this is probably a shock, but I hope you will be able to
accept this. Janice and I wish to be married shortly.”

“See, Owen! I told you so!” Tabitha
gleefully jumped to her feet, and hugged her father and then her
Aunt Janice. “I could tell just by the way the two of you were
looking at each other, and Daddy, you would have not scolded Janice
so fiercely if you did not have strong feelings for her. Aunt
Janice, Owen said that you would feel loved by Daddy’s concern, and
I prayed that was true.”

“Calm down, Tabby. You are overwhelming
Janice and Jenson.” Owen was chuckling at her antics.

“I am so excited, Owen!”

“We can tell, honey.”

“So, you do not feel upset and think I am
going to try and take your mother’s place?” Janice asked, clearly
concerned.

“Mama is gone, Aunt Janice. You cannot take
her place, but you can make a place that is solely yours within
Daddy’s heart, and I know Mama would be very pleased. Please do not
have reservations because of me. I am happy you have discovered
each other in a pleasant way instead of your normal bickering.”

“I had to grow up,” Janice admitted.

“I had to put away my grief, and see the
woman in front of me. Janice is no longer the sassy brat she was
when your mother and I married. She has worked and learned to live
within her means and be responsible for herself. Now, I am asking
her to allow me to be responsible for her.”

“Giving up complete independence will not be
easy for me; I lived on my own for ten years. But I value Jenson’s
love and I want to be with him for the rest of my life. We may fuss
occasionally,” she warned. “You are not to take it to heart, dear
girl. Jenson and I will solve our problems with love, just as you
and Owen do.”

“Owen spanks,” Tabitha blurted the words
without thought, and then felt her face turn a scalding red as she
covered her mouth with her hands.

“So does your father,” Janice whispered, and
her cheeks were a pretty pink.

“You did not need to admit that, sweet lady,”
Jenson told her.

“The children might as well know the truth,
Jenson, so that they are not worried if we have a disagreement in
the future.”

“Speaking of such,” Owen said, “I do hope
you will be careful with yourself, Janice. As a former guardian and
now a representative of the law, I have seen some very dangerous
men out in the world, and until we know who this person is who
accosted you, I would strongly suggest that neither you nor Tabitha
leave this house alone.”

“I appreciate your concern,” Janice replied.
“Jenson has convinced me that this precaution is for the best right
now.”

“Good.” Owen turned to his own wife, who was
prepared to argue with him, and he said, “I know this is the first
time you have heard of this, my darling, but it would make me feel
better if you would humor me for a week or two at least. Please?”
he asked.

“Since you asked so nicely, I will agree. I
do hope that we learn this is not something to worry about.”

“So do I,” Owen agreed.

“Daddy, if that is all you wished to discuss
with us, then I have some things to do in the kitchen. I want to
prepare a breakfast casserole to put in the oven in the
morning.”

“There is nothing more, honey. Thank you
both for your support and understanding. Janice and I both were
concerned… and it turns out we had no reason to be.” He gave his
daughter a big hug.

“Do you need my help, Tabby?” Janice
offered.

“Only if you want to help,” Tabitha said. “I
would love your company.”

That was all Janice needed to hear. She was
up and following her niece in the next second, leaving the two men
alone.

“Owen, was my daughter telling the truth
earlier? Was she unharmed by those men?” Jenson asked, the worry
etched on his face.

“She was telling the truth, sir. I was
amazed at how well she fought, but there were two of them, and they
would have hurt her if I had not heard her and run to her aid. They
were both labeled as predators, and their attack on Tabby meant
they would be sent to a prison off-planet. Tabitha was shaken by
the incident, and I regret that I found it necessary to punish her
so soon after we married. She is not holding a grudge, however. I
believe she needed the punishment to ease her guilt for having
wandered from the group.”

“It is not Tabby’s nature to be so
thoughtless.”

“True, but she was wroth with me over
something silly, she took my words too much to heart, and her mind
was elsewhere when our guide was issuing instructions.”

“Thank you for saving her, Owen.” Jenson
humbly offered his hand, and was pleased when Owen accepted it.

“I love her,” Owen said emotionally.

* * * * *

“What are you thinking, Tabby?” Janice asked
with a smile.

“I am thinking about the man who accosted
you; I am concerned for your safety,” Tabitha admitted, looking at
her aunt. “I am praying it was a case of mistaken identity, but
something is making me feel uneasy.”

“I have promised Jenson to have care,
sweetie, and I shall keep my promise,” Janice said
comfortingly.

“Oh, I trust you to do that, Aunt Janice,”
Tabitha quickly said. “It is just this terrible feeling that I
have. I cannot think of anyone who would have a grudge against
you!”

“I cannot fathom such a thing, either. I
craft jewelry, and that is not a position that draws a lot of
attention. I am seldom seen by jewelers’ clients.”

“Let us hope that my imagination is simply
working overtime.”

“And let us change the subject and talk
about you,” Janice said with an impish smile. “I want to hear the
rest of the story that you did not wish to share with your father.
Was your husband wroth with you?”

“Yes, he was. He punished me thoroughly, and
it pains me to admit that I earned the spanking he gave me.”

“You did not get angry with him for ruining
your honeymoon?”

“Owen did not ruin anything, Auntie. I am
the one who was in the wrong, and the punishment I received was
fair and just. After it was over, Owen comforted me and made sure I
knew that I am loved. The spanking hurt while it was happening, but
the love I felt when it was over was worth the discomfort. I felt
cherished. Does that make sense to you, or am I being silly?”

“If you are being silly, then I am also
silly,” the brunette said softly. “I will share with you that a
spanking from a parent is very different than a spanking from a man
who is in love with you. Jenson has told me that he never punished
you in that manner when you were a child; but I was spanked
frequently because Papa believed in the old adage ‘spare the rod
and spoil the child’. I was the youngest, and he was determined
that I not be spoiled,” she shared. “When Jenson spanked me earlier
this afternoon I was prepared to stomp out of this house and never
come back, but I ended up seeing his actions as an act of loving
concern. It was different, my dear; so yes, I do understand what
you mean, and I am so relieved to learn that you are able to accept
that Owen’s discipline was given with love. I do believe he will be
a good husband to you.”

“I think so, too. Do you suppose Daddy and
Owen would have a fit if you and I go shopping together? I do need
to go to a fabric store; Owen thinks I should make a few samples of
my work and take them to a design house to see if they would be
willing to buy some of my work. I am a bit nervous about that, but
I would love to see if I have any talent.”

“Of course you have talent!” Janice promptly
stated. “I would love to go shopping with you tomorrow. We shall
choose some fabulous fabrics!”

“Tabitha Rose and I are going shopping
tomorrow morning,” Janice declared when they rejoined the men a bit
later. “Owen, I am so pleased that you are encouraging our Tabby to
try and sell her ideas to a designer. She is so talented and I know
that she has always wanted a career in clothing design.”

“You should have told me this, daughter,”
Jenson said. “I know that you have always loved sewing and making
clothing, but I did not know you desired a career.”

“I did not say anything, Daddy, because I did
not dream it could be possible until Owen mentioned it to me while
we were on our honeymoon.”

“I see,” her father said thoughtfully. “What
do you need for this, daughter?”

“For now I only need some different fabrics.
I already have everything else.”

“I especially fell in love with Tabby’s new
modesty caps,” Owen spoke up. “They are beautiful.”

“Yes, I am envious,” Janice admitted, looking
at Tabby’s cap admiringly.

“I will make you new ones once you and Daddy
are married,” Tabby promised, and Janice’s eyes lit up with
pleasure.

* * * * *

“I expect you two young ladies to stay
together,” Jenson said firmly. “I also wish to know when you arrive
home, so message me.”

“Do not worry, Daddy. We will be fine.”

“Yes, we will,” Janice insisted. “We are
only going to shop for fabrics, Jenson. And, I am positive that
yesterday’s occurrence was simply a case of mistaken identity.”

“Until we hear back from the officer, my
dear, I expect you to take this matter seriously, and mind your
surroundings. I cannot imagine who would have a grudge against you,
but I do not want you harmed by any crazed person with an imagined
grudge, either.” Jenson looked at them, and then shook his finger
in warning, “I will ask questions later, and I will know if you are
truthful.”

“Goodness sake, Jenson! You do not see Owen
standing here making much ado about nothing!”

“Owen is at work, and he assigned me the
task of making sure his wife knew his feelings on the subject,”
Jenson replied. “He said to remind you of the discussion you had on
the subject last night.”

“I remember, Daddy, and I promised Owen I
would obey him. Not because I am afraid that something is wrong,
but because I love him and I do not wish for him to worry about
me.”

“I wish you felt that same way, Janice,”
Jenson was quick to say.

“Very well, my darling fiancé, I will behave
myself because I really do love and respect you,” Janice said
softly, her cheeks pink with a touch of embarrassment.

“Now that does please me very much.” He
leaned down to kiss her lovingly, and then he smiled. “Have fun
shopping, and please, if you change your minds and decide to go
elsewhere, let me know. I am not trying to control you, but keep
you as safe as I can.”

“Daddy, we know the rules, and we will
follow them, I promise. Let’s go, Aunt Janice. I am excited about
shopping. It is so much fun to see the colors in person rather than
trusting images to be accurate.”

“I have never done this before,” Janice
admitted, “and I am looking forward to helping you.”

“I will enjoy your company,” Tabitha said
with a big smile. “Enjoy your day, Daddy. We will call when we get
home, but be aware, shopping for fabrics takes time.”

* * * * *

They lost track of time, and when they
realized that they were hungry, they went to a lunch cart on the
corner to get a sandwich and a soda. They were caught up in talking
and discussing the different fabrics they saw, and trying to decide
which ones to buy, and neither of them was paying attention to
their surroundings. Janice picked up their trash and walked to the
debris holder. The minute she turned her back, a man reached out
and tried to grab Tabitha’s arm! She let out a scream, and jerked
her arm free, and by then Janice was running back to their table,
yelling, “You leave her alone!” The man ran.