Stonehill Series Collection, page 87
They’d spent the last hour taking turns painting images of each other, each one getting sillier and sillier. It was Jessica’s turn. She flipped her picture around, showing her “portrait” of Mallory, which was really a woman with big rainbow hair riding a unicorn through the sky. The three of them burst into another fit of laughter.
Mallory had no idea where she was going to hang all these paintings, but she was determined to display them all somewhere in her home. She might even take Rainbow Mallory to her office and hang it on her wall.
“I want to paint Grandma now,” Jess said, not even waiting for anyone to agree that she got another turn. She just tore off the painting she’d been doing and started another one.
“Thank you,” Kara said to Mallory as Jessica focused on rinsing her brushes.
Uh-oh. Had her luck run out? “For?” she asked tentatively.
“For today. I really needed a distraction.”
Mallory offered her a sweet smile, feeling guilty for expecting the worst from Kara. “How’s the adoption going?”
“Good. Everything should be finalized soon.”
“Has she…Lynn… Have you seen her?”
“Nope.” She glanced at Mallory, and her eyes turned sad. “Wherever she is, whatever she’s doing, I hope she finds peace in it. And never looks back. I hate to say that, but…”
“But sometimes kids are better off without blood relatives holding them back,” Mallory finished.
“Yeah. Sometimes.”
“How’s Mira?”
Kara’s smile was one of pure love. “She’s getting better. We’re getting her settled into a real schedule, and a lot of the tension surrounding her has eased. That’s important. Kids pick up on the stress around them.”
Mallory didn’t think that was a jab at her and Phil, but she couldn’t help but feel it. “Phil and I are working around our issues. Just so you know.”
“I know.” Kara put her hand on Mallory’s, giving it a motherly squeeze. “Honey, you don’t have to tell me what’s going on. I have eyes and ears and a granddaughter who tells me everything. Just keep her best interests at heart. Phil will figure his own problems out in his own time.”
Mallory nodded, deciding not to tell Kara that she had no intention of sitting around waiting for Phil to sort out his demons. His issues had hurt her enough. He could figure them out with someone else.
Jessica’s giggles drew their attention. She was attacking the canvas with a paintbrush and an air of hijinks that undoubtedly would lead to another round of laughs.
“That sounds absolutely mischievous,” Kara said. “Let me see.”
Jessica laughed again. “No! It’s not done yet.” Sticking her tongue out in a show of concentration, she made several more swipes with her brush, giggled, and eyed her grandmother. “Are you ready?”
Before she shared her painting with them, Harry came rushing into the room. The raw panic on his face made Mallory’s heart drop.
“Kara,” he said. “Mira’s burning up.”
Kara jumped from her stool, running toward the living room with Harry right behind her.
“What’s wrong?” Jessica asked Mallory, her eyes wide and all her happiness drained.
“I don’t know.” Standing, Mal held her hand out. With Jessica’s fingers entangled around hers, they walked quickly, but didn’t run like Kara and Harry had, toward the living room.
“She was quiet for too long,” Harry was explaining as Kara fussed over the crib that had become a permanent fixture in the living room. “She’s never been quiet that long.”
“It’s okay,” Kara said, soothing her husband, but her voice wasn’t convincing. “Get me cold rags.”
“I’ll get them,” Mallory offered. “Come on, Punk. Show me where the washrags are.”
“Grab the thermometer, too,” Kara called after them.
“What’s wrong with Mira?” Jessica asked, her voice quivering as she led Mallory to the bathroom.
“Sounds like she just has a little fever,” Mallory said. “She’ll be okay. Grandma will know what to do.” Even as she tried to reassure Jessica, her heart continued to race with anxiety. Kara sounded worried. If Kara, a midwife, sounded worried, then maybe there was more going on than just a fever.
Jessica opened a drawer. Mallory pulled out several rags, running them under cold water and squeezing out the excess, while Jessica got a battery-operated thermometer from the medicine cabinet. “Let’s take these to Grandma.”
The sense of dread in Mallory’s stomach grew as they closed in on the living room, where the only sounds were Harry and Kara sounding upset as they discussed Mira’s condition. Harry was right in saying that Mira was never quiet for long, especially when Kara wasn’t in the room. The baby seemed to need Kara’s soothing spirit near her at all times. Kara was pressing her hands all over, as if assessing her.
Something was definitely wrong.
While Kara pressed a cold rag to Mira’s forehead, she held the thermometer under the baby’s arm. When it beeped, she looked at Harry, her eyes wide. “She’s too hot. We’re going to the ER.”
“Oh, no,” Jessica gasped.
Mallory hugged her close. “Do you want me to drive?”
“Please,” Harry said.
She followed him and Kara through the kitchen and to the garage. Harry handed Mal his keys while Kara secured Mira in her car seat. Again, the silence was unsettling. Other than Kara whispering encouraging words to Mira while Jessica sniffled, the car was silent until Mallory pulled up to the emergency room doors.
“Call Phil,” Harry ordered as Kara released the buckles holding Mira in. “Have him call the attorney. Someone needs to find Lynn. We can’t make decisions about Mira’s care yet.”
“Stay with me, Punk,” Mallory ordered. “I gotta park before we go in.” She pulled Harry’s car into the nearest vacant spot and, hands trembling, pulled out the keys. She and Jessica climbed out and met at the back of the car. By the time they reached the reception area, Kara and Harry were being ushered back. Mallory held her breath and swallowed. She probably would have stood frozen, terrified, if Jessica hadn’t sniffled beside her.
Kneeling down, she wiped Jessica’s cheeks. Only then did she notice the red and blue stains on her hands from their afternoon of painting. She examined Jess’s little hands and found the same. “Let me call Daddy, and then we’ll go wash up.”
“Is Mira okay?”
“She will be,” Mallory whispered. Silently, she wondered if she was right.
Phil rushed into the emergency room waiting area. He’d been building a doghouse for Lucky, excited to surprise Jessica, when he’d gotten Mallory’s call. He suspected she was trying to sound calm for Jessica’s sake, but he had heard the concern in her voice the moment she said his name. His stomach knotted tighter and tighter with each word. Mira was sick. He needed to call the attorney because Lynn still had parental rights. Someone had to find her.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he’d said. Thankfully, he had a business card from the attorney in the pile of receipts and change that he piled up on his dresser when he emptied his pockets every night. He found the card fairly quickly.
The attorney said he’d meet them at the ER, but Phil didn’t see him as he rushed in. His heart melted at the sight of Jessica and Mallory huddled together on a fake leather love seat. “Is the attorney here yet?”
Mallory looked up, and Jessica jumped from her side to hug Phil.
“Mira’s sick,” she said, burying her face in his stomach.
He hugged her tight. “I know, Punk. I’m sure she’s already starting to feel better.” He lifted his questioning gaze to Mallory.
“I don’t know what the attorney looks like.”
He held his hand about eight inches over his head. “Tall, muscular, African American. Looks like he walked right out of the NFL and onto a GQ cover.”
She smirked. “Oh, no. I would have noticed a guy like that. He isn’t here yet.”
Did she really have to say that she’d notice a guy like that with that underlying husky tone she used when they were alone? “Right.” He brushed his hand over Jessica’s hair. “What happened?”
Mallory shrugged. “Harry ran in while we were painting and said Mira had a fever. Kara took her temperature and said we needed to bring her in.”
“She wasn’t crying, Daddy. She was just lying there.”
His heart tripped over itself. That kid was always fussy. “Sometimes when you don’t feel good, you get quiet, too. You like to just lie around until you feel better. I’m sure Mira feels the same right now.”
The concern in Mallory’s eyes made him question his reassurance. He heard his name and turned to see his parents’ lawyer crossing the room.
“Wow,” Mallory whispered. “You weren’t kidding.”
The man’s suit, though clearly tailored, seemed to strain against his bicep as he held his hand out to Phil. “Where are Kara and Harry?”
“They’re with the doctor right now,” Phil said, greeting the man.
He smiled. “You must be Jessica.” He shook her hand as he had Phil’s. “I’m Alan. A friend of your grandma and grandpa. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“Were you a football player?” she asked, not noticing how Phil winced. He hated when she repeated his off-the-cuff commentary about people.
Laughing, he shook his head. “I just like to exercise. Being healthy is important.”
“Mira’s sick,” she said softly.
“I’m going to go check on her right now.” He eyed Phil. “Is Lynn here?”
“Not that I’ve seen.”
Alan moved beyond Phil to the triage nurse, undoubtedly explaining the situation. Within a few moments, he was escorted through the double doors where patients were treated.
Phil led Jessica and Mallory to the sitting area where they’d been when he came in. He was going to situate Jess between them, but she hopped onto the end of the couch, pulling Mallory to her side, forcing Phil to squeeze between Mallory and the arm of the couch. He knew better than to think that was anything but deliberate, but now wasn’t the time to remind Jessica that he and Mallory weren’t on the best terms.
Pulling out his phone, he texted his father, asking him to send an update when he got a chance.
“Should I take her home?” Mallory whispered.
“I want to stay,” Jessica protested before Phil could answer.
“Just for a while, Jess,” Phil said softly. “It could be a long time before the doctor knows what’s wrong.”
“I can take her when she’s ready,” Mallory offered.
“Thanks.”
Time seemed to slow to a stop. He’d check his watch expecting hours to have gone by, but only minutes had passed. He’d check his phone, expecting to have missed a text from his father, but the silence didn’t lie—he hadn’t received any new messages.
The sound of a familiar voice drew him from his thoughts. Lynn stood at the receptionist’s desk, asking to see her daughter. An uneasy feeling formed low in Phil’s stomach. She seemed concerned, genuinely concerned. At least from where he sat.
Though she hadn’t been the primary caregiver for Mira for some time, she was still her mother. She was still Mira’s legal guardian. She had responsibilities, and while he was happy to see her there, he was nervous at the same time. Seeing Mira sick might be the thing that triggered her maternal instincts to kick in. This might be the moment when she recognized she had to step up and engage in the baby’s life.
If so, where would that leave his parents? The adoption wasn’t final. Lynn hadn’t signed away her rights. The child was simply living in his parents’ care until the paperwork was approved and a judge made it legal. Lynn had every right to be there. More so, she had every right to tell Harry and Kara they couldn’t be there.
He didn’t know if she would. Part of him hoped she’d snap to the reality that she was the child’s mother, but if she did, that would hurt his parents. They’d never stop helping her or caring for Mira, but they’d also never stop worrying. He couldn’t imagine how Kara would handle that. For his family’s sake, he hoped the young woman signed whatever papers she had to sign to give Harry and Kara the power to oversee Mira’s medical treatment and walk way.
Lynn disappeared through the same doors the attorney had, and Phil tried to not let his mind wander to where it was pulling him. Jessica had been Mira’s age when she had to have heart surgery. Katrina had stood in a room like this, cold and impersonal, declaring that she couldn’t handle being a mother. Kara had tried to calm her, to reassure her, but she’d shaken her head, her long, dark hair—like Jessica’s—flying around her shoulders. She looked at Phil with sad eyes, apologized, and walked out.
He’d never seen her again. Weeks later, he received divorce papers giving him full custody. At his attorney’s and mother’s encouragement, he pushed back and requested Katrina relinquish her rights so they never found themselves in a position to have to run medical treatment by her. For some reason, he had expected her to push back, to realize she wanted Jessica. If not Phil, at least he expected her to want Jessica.
She hadn’t. She’d signed without any kind of protest.
Phil had always resented her for that. He’d always resented the void that Jessica grew up with.
When he glanced at his daughter, though, some of the edge of his long-held anger eased. Jessica sat leaning against Mallory’s side. Mallory stroked her hair rhythmically, soothingly. Jess had finally stopped looking so scared and seemed content to sit there and be comforted.
The next time the big double doors opened, Harry emerged, and Phil jumped up to meet him in the middle of the waiting room.
“Her fever’s coming down. They gave her some meds. She’s on an IV just in case they need to give her fluids or meds.”
“How’s Mom?”
“Worried,” Harry answered. He opened his arms when Jessica ran up to hug him. Kissing her head, he smiled down at her. “Sorry we scared you, Punk.”
“Is Mira okay?”
“She will be. They think she caught a little bug, but they’re going to do some blood work just to be sure.”
“That’s good news,” Mallory said. She looked at Phil and seemed to sense that there was more he wanted to discuss with his father. “Hey, Jess. I think we should find the cafeteria and get a drink. Sound good?”
“It’s this way,” Jessica said, pulling away from Harry. “I saw a sign.”
After Mallory and Jessica were out of hearing distance, Phil heaved a sigh. “What about Lynn?”
Harry pressed his lips together. “She’s worried. As she should be. Only two people can be in there with Mira right now. She wanted Kara to stay. I think that’s a good sign. She could have kicked us out.”
Phil creased his brow. “Where’s Alan, then?”
“He was going to talk to the administrator. See if they will at least get me and Kara listed as guardians so we can make medical decisions if need be. God, this is such a mess.” He ran his hand over his hair and blew out a breath. “Sure wish whatever is wrong with her could have waited a few weeks until the adoption was final.”
Phil swallowed, trying to keep his own concern out of his voice, but he had to ask. “Think she’ll change her mind?”
Harry seemed to consider the possibility before shaking his head. “No. No, I think this will remind her that she’s not ready for parenthood. Kara and I have already let her know she’s welcome to be a part of Mira’s life if she chooses, so long as she agrees to our terms on that. She’s not going to want this. Not just the responsibility, but the diapers and formula and…medical bills. She won’t change her mind.”
“Yeah. That’s why Katrina signed her rights away.”
Putting his hand on Phil’s shoulder, Harry gave him a sorrowful look. “I’m sure this is bringing up a lot of memories for you. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about me. You focus on Mom and Mira right now.”
Harry glanced toward where Mallory and Jessica had wandered off. “How are things with Mal?”
He shrugged. “Tense. Uncomfortable.”
“She’s a good woman, Phil. She really cares about Jessica.”
“Yeah, Dad. I know.”
“Had to say it.”
Phil nodded behind Harry at the sight of his mother rushing through the door.
She smiled and gestured for Harry to join her. “Come on. Lynn’s going to give us legal guardianship. We need to sign some paperwork so Alan can get it filed right away.”
The relief on Harry’s face was palpable. Though he’d insisted, clearly he hadn’t been as confident as he’d tried to make Phil believe. He offered Phil a smile before joining his wife. Phil was thrilled for them. This was definitely a good sign. Now they all could focus on getting baby Mira healthy again.
Mallory hadn’t intended to fall asleep next to Jessica, but sometime after agreeing to stay with her until she drifted off, Mallory had dozed as well. She woke to Phil gently shaking her. And naturally, because that was how her life went, she woke with a snort, a trail of drool running from the corner of her mouth. Licking her lips and wiping her chin, she ignored his grin as she held out her hand in an unspoken request for his assistance in sitting.
“What time is it?” she whispered after he’d pulled her to her feet.
“Almost ten.”
“How’s Mira?”
“Good. They released her about an hour ago.”
She followed him down the hall to the living room. “And your parents?”
“They’ve been better but are happy Mira went home with them and not Lynn.”
“I bet.”
“I told them I’d come over in the morning to help out so they can get some rest. They’re going to need it.”
“If you want to drop Jess off at my place—”
“Actually, I was hoping you’d join us. Mom told me all about how much fun you guys had painting. Sounds like maybe she could use some more of that, and Jessica wouldn’t mind having you around. Neither would I, to be honest.”
