The Deadline (The Friessens: A New Beginning)

by Lorhainne Eckhart

  “You sound very angry, and I’m not going to get into this with you on the phone, so I think I’ll bid you a good night,” the man said, and then the line went dead.

  Andy stared in disbelief at the phone, unable to believe this man had actually hung up on him. He threw his cell phone at the wall, shattering it.

  Chapter 20

  Laura wandered into the living room in her white robe, her damp hair brushed back. She had taken a long bath and almost fallen asleep after Neil insisted, though it hadn’t taken much convincing. She had ached and longed for a bath, to just sit and think and relax. Neil was dominant in a charming sort of way, different from her husband, though he also enjoyed telling her what to do, and he wasn’t a man to take no for an answer. Surprisingly, Candy didn’t seem to pay him much mind.

  Laura was surprised to see Candy holding Chelsea in the warm living room, rocking her by the fire. She stood in the shadows and just watched. Neil was beside her, holding Jeremy, telling Candy how to hold the baby. Laura could tell how nervous and uncertain Candy was, but she was still willing. Then they noticed her.

  “Hey, how are you feeling?” Neil asked.

  She stepped into the living room barefoot, and Candy appeared to stiffen, uncertain with the baby. Laura had never pictured Candy as the mothering type.

  “I’m good. Are they hungry?” she asked as she started into the living room, feeling the welcoming heat from the fire.

  “This one is, your demanding son—who’s bigger than his sister, I noticed, taking more than his share.” Neil looked so comfortable holding the baby, and it wasn’t lost on her what a good father he would make. “Laura, did you get a chance to try out one of the breast pumps?” he asked.

  Immediately, her face burned in embarrassment. “No, I’ve never used one.”

  “Well, Candy and I need to be able to feed these two to help out. You need to use them, start storing your milk. You can take one of them with you to the hospital to use, and then you can leave the babies with us while you stay with Gabriel.”

  She didn’t know what to say to that, but it made a lot of sense. Actually, it was a relief to have the option, because she didn’t want to leave Gabriel. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to race back to the hospital and be with her son. “Okay, let me feed Jeremy, and then I’ll use the pump. I’d like to go back to the hospital,” she said.

  “Yeah, I’ll take you in the morning after you get some sleep.”

  She firmed her lips. She couldn’t believe Neil was making her wait, but then again, her husband had almost ordered him to take her and the babies home, to make her lie down and get some sleep. It seemed now that he was going to follow what Andy said to a T. “I would feel better if I went back tonight. I’m not going to get much sleep here, lying awake, worrying about my son.”

  Neil set the baby in her arms and slid his hand on her back, guiding her to another easy chair by the woodstove. She wasn’t really comfortable nursing in front of Candy and Neil and wondered if they realized.

  “Hey, feed your son, but I’m not taking you back tonight. Andy will call if there’s any change. Laura, you’re about to fall over.” Neil squatted down in front of her. “You’re not going to be any use to Gabriel or the babies if you don’t get some sleep. Besides, your husband would kill me if I let you go back tonight.” Neil’s cell phone started ringing. He pulled it from the leather pouch clipped to his belt, glanced at the screen, and turned away. “Hey, how’s it going?” he said. When he turned around, he glanced at Laura, and she wondered who it was. “That doesn’t sound too good. Do you want me to come in?”

  Laura could feel her Spidey senses tingling, the hairs coming alive on the back of her neck. She knew it had to be Andy by the way Neil watched her. Something must be wrong. Jeremy fussed and pulled on her housecoat, trying to open it and get dinner, but being unable to relax was not helping. Neil gestured for her to stay put.

  “Do you want me to call? I’m pretty persuasive,” he said. He moved away, listening to whatever Andy was saying. “Okay, call me after you talk to him, then. No, she’s fine. She’s going to bed, and we’ll be back in the morning. You, too,” he said before hanging up, staring straight at Laura. “Your husband,” he said. He looked to Candy, who was still rocking Chelsea, looking a little more comfortable. Chelsea was such an easy baby.

  “Neil, what’s going on? Why is my husband not talking to me?” she asked. All this over-protectiveness was beginning to tick Laura off, and she felt she was being kept out of the loop.

  “He called your parents, mainly your dad. It didn’t go well,” Neil replied.

  There was a second where she wasn’t sure she’d heard right. A second later, she realized what he’d said, and she was mortified that Neil had heard anything about her parents and what had happened when she was a teen. She shut her eyes when it registered just how badly they still must hate her.

  “Wow, so I suppose my husband told you all the gory details,” she snapped, finally settling Jeremy on her breast. She could feel both Candy and Neil watching, but she refused to meet their gaze. She was so tired of everyone judging her.

  “Hey, Laura, give yourself a break,” Candy said. “Whatever problems your parents have are their issues. Whatever happened, you were a child and should have had your parents’ support. Shame on them, Laura, not you. Neil, are you helping?” she added.

  When Laura glanced up and took in the exchange between Neil and Candy, she wondered what was going on. “Apparently my husband doesn’t like to share what he’s thinking, so, Neil, I want you to tell me right now,” Laura insisted, covering her breast with her hand, feeling far too exposed in front of Neil.

  “I think I should talk to your parents. Andy would just as soon…well, you know how your husband feels about your parents. He planned to never meet them or have them in your lives, and I think he’d like to get your dad alone right about now, which is definitely not a good idea, the way he’s feeling. Candy’s right, by the way,” he added. “Your dad’s a prick. Any father who wouldn’t look after his child…I’m sorry, but you should have no use for him.”

  Candy frowned, looking at her husband as if she wanted to pull him aside. “He’s right, Laura,” she said. “As much as it pains me to admit, Neil’s probably right about talking with your father. He’s very persuasive, and he would be the best person to talk with your parents.”

  “I think I should talk to them,” Laura said. “After all, they are my parents. I don’t want to drag you into the middle of this, Neil. My husband should be talking to me about this.”

  “Well, I think your husband thinks differently, Laura, and you really need to let us handle this,” Neil said. It sounded a little sharp, and Laura wasn’t sure how to respond. He was family, but she barely knew him, yet he was stepping in and acting on her husband’s behalf. She looked to Candy, who just shook her head, irritation rolling off her.

  “Neil, Laura has to be hungry,” she said. “I know I am.”

  He appeared distracted, maybe even irritated with her. Laura was aware she could push Andy’s buttons at times, and obviously she pushed Neil’s, too. “I’ll go whip up some dinner,” he said.

  “I’m actually kind of tired, so don’t make anything for me,” she said. “I think I’m just going to go to bed. I’ll sleep in Gabriel’s room. You two take mine.” She started to stand before remembering she hadn’t made the bed. “I’m sorry, I’ll have to put clean sheets on there for you.”

  “Laura, it’s fine,” Candy said. “We’ll take care of it. You have enough to do, but you have to eat. Neil, just make her some eggs.”

  “Candy’s right, Laura. You’re feeding two babies. You have to eat something. I’ll put something together.”

  Thankfully, he disappeared into the kitchen, because Laura wasn’t sure she could have been polite much longer. When she looked up, Candy was watching her.

  “Try to forgive my husband,” she said. “One of the biggest obstacles I had to get over was the w
ay Neil just rushes in and fixes things without discussing his plans. Do you know that your husband absolutely terrifies me? As domineering as Neil can be, he has nothing on your husband.”

  That comment had Laura smiling. “Yeah, Andy’s definitely all that, but I love him so much that it hurts sometimes. He’d never allow anyone to hurt us. I think he’d kill a man with his bare hands if he ever did anything like that. And he loves my son like his own. I never expected that, because when he married me, it was more out of obligation, to be the hero. We’ve worked through a lot. I don’t know where we’d be without him,” she said, and then she just stopped talking. She didn’t want to speak anymore. She didn’t know what she wanted.

  “Laura, the omelette’s ready.” Neil poked his head around the corner, and Jeremy, who’d fallen fast asleep on her breast, slipped off.

  Fast asleep—boy, how she envied that.

  Chapter 21

  Andy jumped when a hand touched his shoulder. His neck ached, and he blinked in the dim room, staring up at Laura, who was looking way better than he felt. Neil was behind her, and he touched her coat. He didn’t see the babies.

  “Hey, how are you? How’s Gabriel?” Laura asked.

  Andy took in the huddled form of his little boy, fast asleep on the bed. “Surprisingly well. He’s handling this like a trooper. Where’re the twins?”

  “With Candy at home,” Neil said. “They were still sleeping when we left. I’ll head back and give her a hand, and I thought I would drag you back with me.”

  “Laura, you’re nursing the babies. You can’t stay here without them,” Andy said. He was so tired he couldn’t even attempt to sound reasonable.

  “Your cousin took care of that,” she said. She lifted a breast pump from the big purse she carried, which always had extra diapers and wipes for the babies.

  “You bought my wife a breast pump?” Andy said. He couldn’t believe Neil would do that.

  “Actually, your cousin bought three,” Laura interrupted.

  “Well, have you taken a look at all the brands? How do you know which one is the best? Anyway, how are we going to help unless we can feed the babies? I’m pretty sure you’re not doing formula.”

  “Hell, no. Not for my kids. I should have thought of it myself,” Andy added, because he couldn’t believe Neil had been the one to suggest it.

  Laura leaned down and kissed Andy on the lips. She pulled away just far enough that he could see she had something on her mind. “Why didn’t you tell me you were calling my parents?” she said. “I should have been with you when you did.” She touched his cheek and then set her bag on the other chair.

  He just watched her and wondered how she’d react to knowing her father couldn’t make a decision even if his grandson’s life depended on it. No, he had to go talk to her mother, and the fact was that he wasn’t racing down here to be with her, to save his grandson. He’d simply hung up on Andy, who had pushed with everything he had. He didn’t want Laura to be hurt any more. He’d rather have her angry at him than to see the shadow of that pain her parents had buried in her with a hatchet, cutting into her heart.

  “No, it took everything I had in me to call them,” he said. “You have enough on your plate. I’ll handle your parents. I don’t want you to have to deal with them, Laura.”

  “Andy, they’re my parents, my problem.”

  He couldn’t believe she’d said that. “Well, that’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. You’re my wife, my responsibility, so therefore they’re my problem.”

  She looked away, and he wasn’t sure why she looked so bothered. “What about Tyler?” she asked. “Are you planning on calling him, too?”

  There was a knock on the door. “Hi, Laura,” said a male voice he wasn’t familiar with.

  Andy was out of that chair, standing behind his wife, who stared at a tall, slender young man with blue eyes the shade of indigo, reddish short hair, and a narrow face that looked down at Laura with a familiarity Andy didn’t like.

  “Tyler,” Laura said. Her voice sounded strange, as if it was a struggle to get the name out.

  Andy stared for a moment at the young man who had shut the door in her face so long ago, when she needed him most. Andy reached out his hand. “I’m Andy Friessen, Laura’s husband—and Gabriel’s father,” he added. Everyone looked to the little boy in the bed. Tyler shook Andy’s hand and then glanced down at Laura again.

  “You look good, Laura,” he said.

  Andy moved closer beside her, putting his arm around her and pulling her against him. He was letting this punk know darn well that Laura was his, off limits. Tyler gazed at Gabriel, who was rustling in bed.

  “Andy,” he called out in such a weak voice.

  “Hey, right here, bud,” Andy said. Gabriel opened his eyes and took in Neil, standing so quiet, then Tyler. Laura scooted by Andy and went to Gabriel’s side, giving all of them her back.

  “Hi, honey. How are you feeling?” she asked, brushing back his bangs. Andy moved closer behind her and reached around, setting his hand on Gabriel’s head.

  “I want to go home,” Gabriel said.

  “I know you do, honey. Soon. The doctor just has to make you all better first,” Laura said. When she glanced up at Andy, he’d have to have been a fool to miss the pained expression she gave him. Well, hell, he hadn’t expected Tyler to show up there. The kid should have gone to a local hospital.

  “Is that Gabriel?” Tyler said as he stepped around the bed, and Laura glanced up at Andy again. Andy watched Tyler, hoping the kid wouldn’t move any closer. He wanted him out of here and far away from his son.

  “Yeah,” Andy said. “Can I talk to you outside?”

  Tyler smiled down at Gabriel and seemed to really take him in with an interest Andy didn’t particularly like.

  “Tyler,” he prompted again as Tyler stepped closer still and brushed his knuckles against the bedding next to Gabriel’s foot. Andy had to fight against every caveman instinct he had not to grab Tyler and drag him out. He didn’t want him seeing Gabriel or having anything to do with him, and the way Laura was watching Tyler, he could tell she was thrown. This wasn’t how he’d planned it, and this wasn’t something he wanted between them.

  Tyler glanced his way and stepped away from the bed, following Andy into the hall, Neil flanking him. “I didn’t expect him to look so helpless. He has my mother’s eyes, and his expression…”

  “Tyler, thanks for coming so quickly. This is my cousin Neil,” Andy said. Struggling with the highs and lows that came with a lack of sleep was making him punchy. He thought he’d been clear that Gabriel was his son when he called Tyler last night.

  Neil shook his hand, and Tyler appeared less confident than he had been when he stepped into his son’s hospital room. Good! Andy wanted him nervous, off balance, scared shitless. He didn’t want Tyler to confuse this with an opportunity to get to know the kid he’d fathered.

  “Good to meet you,” Neil added.

  “I called Tyler last night and filled him in on Gabriel. He said he’d get tested to see if he’s a match,” Andy said, because he’d never called his cousin back after talking to Tyler. He was still surprised that, to his credit, the kid hadn’t hesitated to say yes after Andy tracked him down and called him at his university dorm in Missoula.

  “So what do I do now?” he asked.

  Andy glanced at the nurses’ station. “Let me just get a hold of Doctor Siegel and have him set up the tests. What happened to having the test done in Missoula?” he asked. It wasn’t just curiosity that made this kid skip school and drive all this way for some son he’d never met.

  “I don’t know, really. I got to thinking about how I let Laura down. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about the baby, whether she had him, what happened to him. The next thing I knew, I drove past the hospital in Missoula and just kept driving until I pulled into the parking lot here.” He offered a smile as if Andy should appreciate what he’d done, but Andy didn’t miss the hard look
Neil leveled at him. Yeah, this kid could be trouble. What-ifs sometimes led to things that wouldn’t be good for any of them.

  “Let’s find the doctor and get Tyler tested,” Neil urged, setting his hand on Tyler’s shoulder.

  Andy flagged down a nearby nurse. “Can you page Doctor Siegel?” he asked, but she pointed with her pen.

  “He’s on rounds, right there.”

  Doctor Siegel approached, looking fresh in neatly pressed slacks, a green dress shirt, and a fashionable striped tie, his white doctor’s coat pulled overtop. “Andy, how was Gabriel through the night?” He asked, taking a chart from the nurse and opening it.

  “He slept most of the night. He was sick, though. How much worse is it going to get?”

  “Hard to tell, Andy. Everyone responds differently, some sicker than others. I’ll see how he’s holding up after today’s round. We have to do a couple, but we’ll watch him closely.”

  “This is Tyler,” Andy said. “I spoke with you about him. He fathered—he’s the kid I told you about who fathered Gabriel, so he should be a biological match.”

  Doctor Siegel took in the clean-cut features of Tyler and extended his hand. “So you’re Gabriel’s father,” he said.

  “I’m Gabriel’s father,” Andy snapped. “Let’s be clear: Tyler is not his father, and there is a difference.”

  He was being a real prick, and he knew it. Maybe that was why Neil was giving him a warning look. If Andy had been rested and in control of his emotions, he would have seen the danger signs.

  “I think what my cousin is trying to say is that he married Laura and is Gabriel’s father. A father is someone who is there for his son, raises him, loves him, and will move every obstacle to protect him,” Neil said. “Tyler, we’re so grateful you’re willing to help Gabriel as his biological father, but we know you didn’t want anything to do with him. Laura did it all alone until she met Andy. Brave girl. She’s raised a fine boy,” Neil added.