by Natalie Ann
“She also holds the power to keep Coralie away from me.” Alston contemplated whether or not he should order a beer but decided one drink out socially wasn’t a taboo thing. Hell, she was drinking something, so why couldn’t he?
“Your little girl is beautiful. I can’t wait to meet her. Your mother is still freaking out that she’s a grandmother.”
Alston tapped his cell. It brightened up with an image he’d taken of him and Coralie at the park. She had the biggest smile, and every time he saw it, his heart swelled. “I wish I felt more like a father.”
“You’re going to make a great father.”
“I hope I can be half the parent you are.”
His dad chuckled. “I didn’t adopt you until you were almost of legal age.”
“Yeah, she thought that was interesting, but she also focused a lot on my temper.”
“What does she know about your past?”
His folks, Will and Kate Walsh, helped him through some really tough times, so when he decided to join the military, he wanted to have their name. In a way, he thought it would wash away all his bad deeds as well as being a respectful way of letting them know how much he loved and admired them.
And not just for what they had done for him.
But because they truly were family.
“I’m not exactly sure, but she knew about my expunged record and some other things.”
“Well, not to worry, son. You’re a good man. You’ll get joint custody.”
He took a swig of his beer, stealing a glance at the good doctor. Her friends had left, leaving her alone at the table. “What do you think about me going over and saying hello?”
His father turned his head. “No reason not to now that she’s alone.”
“I’ll be right back.” He stood and hiked up his jeans. Taking in a deep cleansing breath, he made his way across the busy restaurant. The smell of fresh meat sizzling over a hot grill assaulted his nostrils, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast.
Jackie tilted her head and smiled.
“I hope it’s okay that I came over to say hello. I waited until your friends left.” He stood at the edge of her table and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“I appreciate that.”
Perhaps he should have thought out what he might say to Jackie before heading to her table. Now he stood there like an idiot while a long awkward silence filled the space between them. He cleared his throat. “Can I buy you a drink?”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” she said. “Besides, I’ve got an early day tomorrow.”
“Okay. Well, I want to thank you for making the first visit happen so quickly.”
“Are you going to introduce your old man?” His father came up behind him and slapped his shoulder. “Hi. I’m Will Walsh. I’m Alston’s father.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said, holding out her hand.
“Alston tells me you’re the psychiatrist that is in charge of—”
“Dad, this isn’t the time or place.” Alston generally didn’t interrupt his father, but in this case, he felt it appropriate.
“It’s okay,” Jackie said. “I have an email ready to go out to you and Alston’s mom tomorrow. I’d like to have a chat with you when it’s convenient.”
“I’m here for a week, so we can do one face-to-face. Unfortunately, my wife didn’t make it this trip, but I’m sure she’ll be happy to make some time for a phone or Skype call.”
“I look forward to it.”
“I do as well,” his father said. “Son. I paid the bill. It’s getting late. I’m going to head back to the Airbnb. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No. You stay. Enjoy.” His father set a firm hand on his shoulder. “It was a pleasure.”
“You as well.” She leaned back in her chair.
Alston waited a long moment. He glanced around the restaurant. A band had begun to set up outside on the patio by the water. He should have chased his father out the door, but no, he had to stay behind, and now he was stuck standing in the middle of the room looking like an idiot.
“Would you like to have a seat?”
“Sure.” He pulled out one of the chairs across from Jackie and did his best to act casual. As if he wasn’t uncomfortable, scared, nervous, and utterly terrified of saying or doing something that would affect his case negatively. His heart pounded against his rib cage, but he did his best to keep his hands from shaking as he raised his beer to his lips.
“How are you liking California?” she asked.
“I think I’ll like it much better when I get both my new house and office set up. I honestly haven’t had a chance to enjoy anything since I got here.”
“Did you buy a house?”
“A townhouse,” he said. “I just haven’t closed. That will happen next week. That’s part of the reason why my dad showed up. It needs some work, and I wanted his advice. He’s pretty handy.” Shit. Shut the fuck up. No need to have damn diarrhea of the mouth. She doesn’t need to know every freaking detail.
Not unless she asks.
And he doesn’t have to answer unless it’s in her office or in some official visit or something.
“I’m sure it’s nice to have your dad here to help.”
“It is.” Now, he really regretted taking a seat. He’d just have to keep his temper in check and let her analyze him all she wanted. He set his beverage on the table and leaned back. “He wanted to meet his granddaughter, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen this trip.” He bit down on his tongue. That could possibly be described as passive-aggressive in her world.
“I wish you had told me he was here this morning.” She leaned forward, pushing the dishes aside and resting her arms on the table. “Family is important, and if your parents and siblings are going to be a big part of your daughter’s life, I’d like for them to be introduced to your daughter in a way that won’t be overwhelming for her.”
“I’m all for that, and so is my family. They can be here at the drop of a hat,” he said. “Actually, they had all planned on coming for a visit, but we put the brakes on that when, well, the courts got involved.” He polished off his beer. “Can I ask a couple of questions without it affecting me negatively?”
“No question will be viewed as negative.”
“Why am I being treated as if I’m a criminal when it comes to my daughter, and yet Kari is the one who has been taking care of her during all of this.” He refrained from accusing Kari of putting those bruises on Coralie, but someone did, and it wasn’t him.
“Do you feel like I’m treating you that way?”
“No. Not particularly. I suppose you’re just doing your job. But I can’t see my daughter without you setting it up. And it’s my life that’s being turned upside down. I’m the one who’s been accused of something horrible.”
She glanced over her shoulder, then the other one. “Why don’t we go for a walk, okay?”
“Sure.” He stood and followed her toward the door and down the boardwalk by the water.
They strolled in silence for about five minutes. The warm summer air floated off the ocean, bringing with it a salty scent. Groups of people milled about, laughing or sharing a romantic moment under the stars while the waves gently lapped against the shore.
“Shall we sit here?” Jackie pointed to a bench at the base of the pier.
He took a seat and stared at the white moon shining brightly in the dark sky. “For many nights while deployed, the moon and the stars were all that I had to keep me company.”
“I can’t imagine what that might have been like for you.”
“Can you imagine finding out you’re a father one day, being told you’re not welcome in her life the next, and then being deployed to an undisclosed area for two months shortly after that only to return to be accused of hurting a child you’ve only met twice?”
“No. I can’t.”
A
t least she was honest.
He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I want to help raise my daughter. Kari and I won’t ever be a couple. Hell, we were barely one for the few weeks I knew her, but that union created a beautiful little girl, and I’d never willingly do anything to hurt her.”
“I shouldn’t be talking to you right now,” Jackie said. “But I’ve spent a lot of time on this case so far, and I’ve read all the reports. There is no proof that you did anything, but as you said, someone did. However, my job is to observe you and Coralie as well as Kari and your daughter. You do realize I’m having the same conversations with her and having visits with them.”
“But she still gets to have our daughter all the time while I have to prove I’m not a monster.” He stood. He’d said too much. “I’m sorry. Thank you for your time. Can I walk you anywhere? I don’t want to leave you alone. I don’t know the area well.”
“I don’t live far from here and this is a safe area but thank you.”
“I’ll see you in the morning.” He turned to leave, but a warm hand pressed against his shoulder.
“I’m not the enemy. Let the system work for you.”
“The system hasn’t always been my friend.”
Chapter Four
Jackie hated it when people were late. It threw off her entire day. Lucky for her, she’d built in an extra forty-five minutes just so she could spend a little time alone with Coralie, but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen.
She paced in her office. Kari had made it clear she didn’t want Alston anywhere near Coralie. So clear, that Jackie felt the need to remind her that this was all court mandated, and if she failed to show, she could be held in contempt, and that wouldn’t do her daughter any good.
Normally, Jackie wouldn’t play hardball so quickly. But she really wanted Alston to spend time with Coralie.
And she also wanted to observe the two of them together.
Her intercom buzzed.
“Miss Kari Hampton is here with Coralie,” her secretary said.
“Thanks.” Jackie smoothed down the front of her slacks and opened the door. “Thank you for coming to my office today.”
“You didn’t give me much of a choice.” She pushed a stroller with Coralie lying back, holding a bottle in one hand and her foot in the other.
Jackie smiled.
“I don’t like being threatened,” Kari said. “I told you at our first visit how I feel.”
“I’m sorry, but I was just reminding you that there are consequences for not meeting the judge’s requirements.”
“This is absurd. I can’t believe I’m expected to leave my baby with a stranger, especially when she’s been sick.”
“He’s her father.” Jackie kneeled and held on to the sides of the stroller.
Coralie toppled the bottle to the side and smiled. A dribble of milk rolled down her cheek. “It’s good to see you again,” she said.
Coralie coed.
“Being a sperm donor doesn’t make him a parent. Besides, he abandoned us, and now he wants to all of a sudden be part of our lives? It doesn’t work that way. Not to mention he’s violent. I’m afraid of him, and I know he put those bruises—”
“I’d rather not discuss this in front of Coralie. She might not understand the words, but she can feel the stress.” Jackie stood. “As I told you, I will be here the entire time. Today, we won’t leave my office, and I won’t leave their side. You have nothing to worry about.”
“I have a lot to be concerned about. Coralie was up fussing half the night. I took her to the doctor this morning. He’s not sure what’s wrong with her, but he put her on an antibiotic.”
Jackie pressed the back of her hand against Coralie’s cheek. “She doesn’t feel warm. I’m surprised she’s on a medication like that without knowing if it’s a bacterial infection or not. Babies can end up having certain antibiotics stop working for them if they are being given—”
“You’re a head doctor, not a medical one,” Kari interrupted. “Coralie is prone to ear infections, and she’s had some other issues. Not to mention that last month she had a seizure, and the doctors haven’t found the reason for that.”
“For the record, I am a medical doctor, so she’ll be in good hands with me.” Jackie made a mental note to call whoever treated Coralie for the seizure.
“Maybe so, but you should know that Alston has killed people,” Kari said. “He’ll tell you it was all during combat, so that makes it okay, but he brags about it. He’s sick in the head.”
Last night, Jackie received a report from the military that had more redacted pages than words. She suspected that Alston had done a few things for the government that might make her hair stand on end.
And then there was his youth. He spent from age eight to sixteen bouncing from one foster care home to the next. Most of the families said they believed Alston was good at his core, but he had a temper, even as a ten-year-old.
But what really broke her heart was how he ended up in foster care. She had yet to read that report, figuring it might reduce her to tears. Besides, she wanted to know what Alston would tell her about that time in his life. It might shed some light on his personality and why he handled tough topics with sarcasm and anger.
“Can I give you a little piece of advice?” Jackie asked, ignoring Kari’s statement about killing. It didn’t deserve a response.
“If you must.”
“My role is to make a recommendation to the judge about what is best for your daughter. If I were you, I’d stop trying to insert your opinions into my process. I’m very good at my job. You need to trust the system,” Jackie said. “Now, I’d rather you and Alston not cross paths this morning. He’s scheduled to be here in twenty minutes. His visit is for two hours. You can come twenty minutes after that to pick her up.”
“I don’t like this one bit.” Kari set a diaper bag down on the ground. “I left a detailed note inside. Please don’t give her anything other than the food that is in the bag.”
“We’ll be just fine, won’t we?” Jackie bent over and lifted Coralie into her arms, resting her on her hip.
Coralie immediately started twisting at her hair. “Baba.”
Kari handed the little girl her bottle. “You be a good girl.” She kissed Coralie on the forehead. “I will be on time, if not a few minutes early.”
“Let’s get you all settled.”
Coralie fussed a little bit as her mother disappeared, but not too bad, especially when Jackie set up a blanket filled with all her toys and a plate of cherries along with a sippy cup of juice.
Jackie made herself comfortable on the floor, leaving the door open. She held out a book for Coralie, who crawled over and plopped herself on Jackie’s lap. Jackie laughed. “I guess you want me to read this one.”
The sound of knuckles tapping on the door startled her. She glanced over her shoulder. “Look, Coralie, it’s your daddy.”
“Hi, baby,” he said, immediately getting down to her level. “How are you?”
Coralie shied away a little, grabbing ahold of Jackie’s arm and almost hiding her face behind it.
“Remember me?” He pulled out his phone, tapping on the screen. He held up a picture of him and his daughter.
Coralie reached for the phone and giggled.
Jackie made a mental note that Coralie seemed to be more timid around men than woman. Not necessarily abnormal, just an observation. “How are you this morning?”
He swiped at his face. “Better now.” He reached out and tapped on Coralie’s thigh. “Guess what Daddy brought?” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small pocketbook. “Grandma sent this. It’s pictures of our entire family that she had made into a baby book.”
Quickly, Jackie glanced at it, noting that each page had an image or two with names. “That’s very sweet.”
“That’s my mom.”
“And what a great idea to help a child remember or get to know family.” Jackie knew what s
he was going to make for her niece as a gift for her first birthday, when it came around.
As gracefully as she could, she rose and made her way to her desk. “I know this is awkward but try to pretend I’m not here.”
“Okay,” he said as he stretched out on the floor, resting his head on his hand. He fiddled with a puzzle that Coralie had been playing with.
Jackie sat in her leather chair and focused on paperwork while observing father and daughter. It was a refreshing sight to behold. Most fathers in this situation were uncomfortable and often looked to her for guidance on how to interact with their kids.
Or they felt self-conscious with her in the room and it showed in the behavior.
Alston was able to truly ignore her presence and enjoy his daughter to the fullest, right up to the point where she laid her head on his lap and fell fast asleep.
“Well, at least the visit is almost over,” Jackie whispered, helping him put the sleeping child in the stroller.
“I wouldn’t mind sitting and watching her sleep for hours if that meant I could be with her longer.”
“Well, the good news is, I’ve got a nice schedule for you. The judge just sent it over this morning. I’ve sent it to yours and Kari’s attorneys while you and Coralie were playing.”
“Can I ask what it looks like?”
“Of course,” Jackie said, waving her hand at the sofa and chairs. She made herself comfortable on the couch. “You will have your daughter two nights a week and every Saturday. I have to tell you that you will need to tell me what you plan on doing and where you plan on going, and I can show up at any time.”
His jaw slacked open. “Are you serious?”
“Do you have a problem with that?”
He shook his head, running his hand over his face. “God, no. Absolutely not. I mean, I’d like more, but it’s a start.”
“One more thing. For now, I’ve recommended that I be the one to be the go-between. So I’ll pick up Coralie and bring her to you.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Is that normal?”
“No. Not always.”
“Then why?”
“Because I think it’s best for all parties considered.” She glanced at her watch. “Unfortunately, Kari will be here in about ten minutes. I think it’s best if you leave now. I’ll be in touch tomorrow, okay?”
