Dani and the Bull Ch. 07

Bull came awake and felt like he had just run a marathon around the prison track, his heart was pounding, his body hurt and he could barely catch his breath. She had been so beautiful sitting there in the sunshine. Behind her the crystal blue of the water, the sounds of happy voices and joy in the air. Her voice had been so soft; it had been like a musical note to his ears. They had been talking, that was all just talking but he had felt like he had known her all his life, and her eyes...The amber color had been almost liquid, and her hair, falling around her face so soft and silky looking. He had wanted to run his fingers through and just let it drift away on the breeze.

The light from the cellblock was enough to let him see what he needed to see and he sat up carefully to keep from bothering Red, his cellmate. Red was from his own part of the country and had become a good friend, though somehow he doubted the man would understand this. This was his own special time, and as his granny had predicted, she had come to him when he needed her most. Fingering the pencil he began to sketch, each line, each curve of her face, and when it was done, he looked at it and nodded. This was it, this was his Dani and he knew she would come to him again. Writing her name below the sketch and dating it, he knew too that this would not be the last time he filled a page, but it would be the one image he would carry with him all his life...

Chapter 7

Dani came awake and found Bull already up. From the sounds in the bathroom, he was showering before getting dressed and going to work. Moving gingerly off the bed, she saw Rose was waiting for her good morning and Dani moved even more gingerly to pet the pup and tickle the wet little nose. "I over did it girl, I hurt like hell and I don't want him to know, but I can't lie to him either. And it's not his fault or mine that every time I look at him all I can think of is how good he feels inside of me, and how much I love the feel of his body...well maybe it's mine, what do you think?"

A deep chuckle made her look up. "I was afraid of that hon; we have been going at it like two rabbits from the start."

She sighed. "I guess I should have known better..."

Bull shook his head, "No, I should have known when to call a halt to it. But I'm like you, I love being inside you and I love how you feel. So we're both to blame. Take it easy today, soak in a warm tub, and we'll just work it out..." He drew her up to him and hugged her tight.

She nodded and went into the bathroom. For now she would just stagger downstairs, have some breakfast with the guys and then come back up and take his advice, she had some questions for him this morning anyway, the dreams she had had last night had been too vivid and not her usual.

It was funny to see her brothers up so early, and it was strange to see that none of them were complaining or griping about it. Actually they all seemed in decent moods, like everyone had known a really good night. She had slept well, just the dreams, and as she took a drink of her coffee she knew she had to ask. "Bull, what's the Massie Love?

He had gone pale and his fork clattered to the plate. "It's the name of my dad's fishing boat. It was named after my mother. How...?"

"I dreamed about it, it's big and white, but there are bright blue lines that look like water that go up and down in the front, and around the entire boat like waves right?"

"Yes, you dreamed about my daddy's boat, what else did you dream?"

It didn't feel as strange to her to describe the huge house and all the people she had seen in her dream knowing that it was real. "It was like they all knew me, everyone was smiling at me and all the little ones kept running up and rubbing my tummy and running off laughing. And this old man with crooked teeth was talking to me in French but I understood everything he said. Something about how lucky the baby would be and that it was almost time for you to come home..."

Bull looked at her and as her family watched in surprise, he laid his hand on her stomach. Closing his eyes, he seemed to be talking to someone. "I thought as much, sorry Jack, it wouldn't matter if I worked or not, she's already pregnant."

Dani had to smile when she saw him open his eyes. "It's a boy or girl?"

"Are you angry?"

She shook her head. "It isn't from lack of trying and we have been careless. So is it a boy or a girl?"

He grinned. "A boy of course, Pierre Jackson Marquaille, not much more than a spark right now, but he's aware of us. He says that you're right, it is almost time; but there is no hurry, the family is waiting patiently."

Dani knew from the looks on the faces around them her family thought it was all a joke, a joke from what her dad had said yesterday. But she knew better, and she looked at her mother, then at Kate, they knew better, and she smiled as she ran her hands over her stomach. She should be upset, should be crying or feeling like a fool for not thinking about protection or the chance of it happening. Instead she felt filled with a joy that was only matched by the feelings she had for Bull.

Only one question remained to be asked. "Dad, when did you and mom meet Bull's mom and dad? Was it while Grandpa was still alive?"

Her dad nodded. "If that boat and the name Pierre are right, then it would have been when your mom and I were there while she was pregnant with Mike. Jericho would have been about two. Your grandparents and Aunt Jessie had wanted us to come down since I called and told them I was married, but I kept putting it off, finally your mother told me we were going and that was it. She understood why I had no desire to go back, but felt it wasn't fair to them not to meet her or Jericho. So I gave in and while we were there, we went out on the Massie Love for the day, I never did know just when the folks had met them, but it seemed like dad and mom knew the whole family very well. Helen, do we still have those pictures we took, seems as I remember there being a couple of me and Pierre and one of all of us together on the dock."

Dani watched her mother go to the book case and come back with a photo album. She sat back down and opened it up, scanning the pages and finally stopping. "Here they are, see Jack, there you are, you and your big catch of the day..."

Her dad was holding a pole that was taller than he was and in the other hand a fish about the size of a pencil, except it wasn't even a fish. Bull was the one who laughed as he identified it. "How the hell did you catch a shrimp on a hook Jack...?"

"Hell if I know, from the way that thing fought I was sure I was tied into something huge, but then I reeled it in and there it was, and see, here is me and I guess it's your dad Bull. That Pierre was something else, he had some fine tasting moonshine, I know that. Said his father in law made it back in the swamps, and there was something special about it. Course after a couple shots I don't remember too much about it. Seems they had a daughter and a son and your mother was pregnant again. She was a handsome woman your mother, I remember thinking how Helen and her were so much alike yet so different."

The difference became obvious when they saw the picture of a group of people standing on the dock. There was no missing Bull's father, or the proud, stately woman with the rich dark skin and bright shining eyes that was his mother. Bull pointed at the two children in the front row, "that would be Bella, the oldest and Jorge. I'd say she was pregnant with Susanna in this picture; I would have been next in line, then Morgana and Lucan. Andre was the youngest boy and Marie the youngest girl." His finger moved to the little boy standing next to his brother. "This must be Jericho..."

Jack nodded, and then pointed out his parents. "My dad, mom and that giant lady standing in back of them is Aunt Jessie." He grinned. "You may be big Bull, but even Aunt Jessie would tower over you. Funny thing is, she is one of the gentlest people you ever want to meet, hands as soft as silk and a voice so dainty and gentle that you swear her and my momma were switching voices. I remember the first time she saw Dani, she actually acted afraid to pick her up. Dani wasn't afraid of her though went right up to her and held her arms out like she knew Aunt Jessie would be a push over for a little girl like her, and she was. Of course she was the apple of my folks eyes as well, not that they didn't love the boys too, but Dani, she was something special and everyone knew it. Even that snake in the grass brother of mine was taken by her."

Dani saw her mom smile, "not that Jack ever let him be alone with her the whole time they were visiting."

"Hell no, I knew he wasn't to be trusted, he never was. Well, with any luck, that man has crawled back into the swamp and been eaten by an alligator. Feel sorry for the poor thing though, probably died from indigestion if that was the case."

Looking at Bull, Dani knew he was thinking about his family. He had been a long time gone and seeing these old photos must be bringing back a lot of memories. She touched his arm and he smiled at her. "I'm okay love, just thinking...those would have been better times. Seems like when I came along things took a turn for the worse for a while, I used to think I was born under a bad star."

"No, you were just waiting for me to come along and make things better."

"I guess you're right. Lord knows it took me long enough to find you." Reaching out, he touched her face. "There've been times I wondered if I ever would."

Her brother Dave's voice sounded disbelieving. "Damn, I have got be stoned and not even been smoking anything. Am I crazy or are the two of them actually glowing?"

Dani heard her mother's response. "That Dave is what Love can do."

Dave chuckled. "Well hell, I got to find me some of that."

Dani didn't believe she was actually glowing, and Bull either, it was just the feelings they shared coming out for the entire world to see. It wasn't until all the men had left for town that Kate looked at her as she fed Pigpen. "He wasn't kidding Dani, you and Bull, there was like a glow around the two of you, it might have been a trick of the light or something, but I've never seen anything like it before."

Her mom shook her head. "I've seen it before, a couple of times. One was with Bull's mom and dad. His grandma told me it's the glow of two perfectly matched hearts working as one. She said Jack and I had it too. You know Dani, I never expected you to find it so fast, before that day Jack rode into town I never thought I would find it myself."

That surprised Dani. "With all the guys you had at your feet mom? That surprises me..."

"Well, it's true. Yeah, I dated a lot of the guys in town, but none of them made me feel a tenth of what your father did just looking into his eyes. I felt like he was looking right down into my soul and I could look down into his...and it wasn't just the sexual reaction that hit me so hard. Oh I admit I understand perfectly how you and Bull can be so hungry for each other but with your dad and me, it was more. It was a feeling of possession, like he owned me and I owned him."

"I feel that way about Bull, like I've been waiting for him for my entire life and I never knew it until that day at the lake. I know some might wonder about me, forgiving him about him and Sue, but I understand that he was in need and she was there for him. Not that she did him a lot of good." Dani couldn't keep the smugness from her voice or her smile.

Her mom smiled. "I wondered if he had been honest enough to tell you about that. Must say he just went up a notch in my book if he was. She is one of your best friends and it did bother me that he would go from her to you so fast. Of course her mother was the same way, most of the boys in town if they wanted anything all they had to do was call, and Janice was right there to take care of them, surprised hell out of me and the whole town when she married Rex. Him being a preacher and all, but then I've heard of stranger things. And he was a good looking man in his day. Now Sylvie, we knew the minute she met Arthur, or Artie as he was known back then, that they were destined for each other. And he was a big help when all the hell went down with what happened that night of the picnic, but still..." Her mother stopped as she thought she might have said too much. Looking at Pigpen and Andi, she smiled and looked at Katie. "I'll go take these two in and get them washed up; you two sit here and finish your coffee. Dani, what Bull said about a baby, he wasn't joking was he; he really does think you're already pregnant doesn't he?"

She nodded. "I think he does mom, and to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if I am. I'm not sorry if I am. I might have been happy if it had waited, but sometimes things happen and you can't go back and change them."

"No, you can't no matter how much you might like them to be different...well if he is right, we won't have to waste a bunch of money buying things for a little girl at least. And I think your dad will like having another grandson. Not that he doesn't love Andi to pieces but men are strange that way they want all boys, but when a little girl comes along, well it's a whole new ball game."

Bull pulled the oil pan off the old truck and watched as the black liquid emptied out. He had been working hard all day and was looking forward to getting off and going home. Not that he was the only one, everyone had been busting ass to get the backlog of cars, trucks and motorcycles out of the way. Even Mike was pitching in and Jack was cursing up a blue streak as he looked at the calendar for the next week. "This happens every damn time I take some time off. You'd think this was the only repair place in town. Half these people only go to Max because I tell 'em to."

Mike grinned. "Face it dad, you do too good of work, and Max is getting too old to be handling that shop by himself. It would be different if one of the boys had stuck around to help."

"Well, he may be getting old, but he can still handle a tune up better than anyone I know, he doesn't need all that fancy equipment to tell you what's wrong with your timing or if a spark plug is misfiring. And give the old man credit, those boys of his may have left town, but they came back with degrees out the ass and he paid for every damn dime of their education himself. Besides where the hell would this town be if Rodney hadn't gone to medical school and got himself a M.D. after his name when Doc Roberts wanted to retire, this town would have been in a fix, and Stew is one of the best Vets in town. And his wife is one hell of a midwife." He looked at Bull, and Bull knew he was thinking about what had been said this morning. "A grandson huh, I should kick your ass for not taking the time to put on a rubber, but then Helen wanted to put her on the pill back a couple years ago and I told her no. No need to make it seem like we didn't trust her or think she might get like Sue."

Tom growled. "I wish everyone would stop talking about Sue that way, so she likes sex, if it doesn't bother me, why should anyone else care... Hell, I don't give a fuck how many men she's been with, she knows that now she's mine, and that's it. She quits being a she cat and I stop being a tom."

Bull grinned. It was still funny to him how fast Tom and Sue had hit it off. It seemed like since the night of the birthday party they had been as inseparable as him and Dani, Zach and Annie were just as bad. Well it wasn't a bad thing, Dani was happy for her friends, and seeing her brothers treating the girls' right was a plus. As for him and Sue, they had reached an understanding that night too, what was past was past, and that was all that needed to be said.

They were just closing up when a familiar truck pulled up outside the bay doors. The last thing Bull needed to see right now was Nick Jensen and his brother. Jack tensed beside him and the boys did as well. "What brings you around here Nick; you aren't welcome here after what happened at the mini mart."

Nick frowned. "They tell you this big man tried to kill me, you better think twice about him being around Dani, man that size with a temper like he's got."

"He was protecting my daughter, that's all I care about. And what the hell was Jessie doing keeping Zach from helping his sister? I admit, I've opened my eyes to what you are Nick and I don't like what I see. Helen tried to warn me, I should have listened to her from the start."

Nick's voice turned into a snarl, "So it's like that, let your wife turn you into some pussy whipped weakling. I thought you were a stronger man Jack, knew how to keep your women in line. Guess I was wrong." He turned his glare to Bull. "As for you big man, watch your back, sooner or later I will be behind you and when I do, you'll go down like a twig under my boot. Mean time you take care of my pretty little Dani...I can smell her on you and when I get to her, I will be more than happy to give her the fucking of her life. Hell, maybe I will even let you watch her moan and groan..." He took a drink of his beer and flung the bottle at the plate glass window of the shop. As it shattered, it took all of them to hold Jack back. "Oh, and don't bother calling the Sheriff, he's out of town for a few days, and by the time he comes back, me and Jessie will be long gone."

As they started to pull away, Nick looked back at them. "Oh, and you all might want to leave one or two of your boys at home, not a good idea leaving those pretty women all alone in the day time with those two precious little ones." Another bottle appeared and his laughter rang in their ears as Jessie gunned the engine of the truck and Bull watched as they drove off. Jack was visibly shaken and Mike was clenching and unclenching his fists. He could feel the anger rising from all of them and he knew they had to be distracted; this was what Nick wanted, for one of them to do something foolish.

Despite his own feeling, he tried to keep his voice even. "Jack we need to do something about the window. Zach and Mike can head for home; keep an eye on Helen, Dani and Kate. He wants us disorganized and angry..."

He was right and Jack knew it. "Well, he's got us good and angry, as for disorganized, you're right; we need to keep cool heads. Zach you and Mike do as Bull suggested, Tom, Dave and Bull will help me with the window."

It was clear that none of them were happy with just passing up a chance to go get some payback, but Bull knew now was not the time, so did Jack, even if his face held all the rage and anger he felt. He was feeling just that way too, he had wanted to pull Nick out of that truck and smash the man's face into the pavement, but he knew that all it would accomplish was trouble for all of them. No better to wait and let it be the right time, as it was he knew that when the final showdown came, it would not be here in Elton, it would be on his and Jack's home turf, and he would seriously feed Nick and his brother to the alligators personally.

He also knew it was time to swallow his pride and call home, he needed advice and there was one person he respected enough to ask for it.

Somehow he wasn't surprised when it was his daddy that answered the phone after they had eaten dinner and he had told Dani what he was planning on doing. "About time you called son, your mom and momma Maylene been asking all day what was taking you so long."

"More visions dad?" He chuckled at the sound of his family in the background. "Is everyone still awake?"

"Of course, it has been a long time since any of us heard your voice, or saw you. I should come there and beat you as I used to for running off, but I understand why you did it and I only wish you had come to me before you did such a thing."