The Deadline (The Friessens: A New Beginning)

by Lorhainne Eckhart

  “Let me be clear about something: I don’t like them,” he said. “They hurt you. They’re a miserable excuse for…I told them to name their price.”

  She wasn’t sure what to say, and she could tell by the way he watched her that he didn’t know how she’d react. Even Laura didn’t know how to react to that. She glanced over at her babies cooing in the playpen, and then there was a knock on the hotel room door.

  “Did you order something else?” she asked

  Andy frowned and wiped his mouth with the napkin as he slid back his chair. “No, I didn’t. Maybe they forgot something.” He went to the door, and Laura stared at her plate, considering how it made her feel that Andy was willing to pay her parents off to save Gabriel. She wondered whether they were the type of people who could be bought.

  “Hello, Laura.”

  Laura jumped and felt her face warm when her father stepped into their hotel room. She pulled instinctively at the front of her robe to make sure it was closed and she was decent, and she looked right to Andy. She knocked her fork on the floor. She felt like an absolute klutz, and she bent down to pick it up, reminding herself she wasn’t a little girl. She was good, and she was decent, and this man had no power over her.

  Andy was right there when she stood up. He slid his hands possessively over her shoulders and held her still. “Your dad wants to talk about Gabriel,” he said, and then he moved her beside him. With his arm around her, she could feel his strength, his power, protecting her. In that moment, she knew she could handle anything.

  Chapter 26

  Andy still couldn’t believe George Parnell had knocked on their door, and he was here alone with what appeared to be his hat in his hand.

  “Dad, what are you doing here?” Laura asked. Andy could feel how she was fighting to hold every one of her emotions in check.

  George gestured to Andy. “Your husband, here, made a very good point. I wasn’t proud, Laura, about what happened, but your mother can be a difficult woman. I’m sure you understand this.”

  Andy couldn’t believe this man was actually going to stand there and blame Laura’s mother for his poor choices, for the fact that he hadn’t figured out where his balls were. Andy had no respect for this man. In fact, he saw him as less than a little boy. He wondered what kind of role model he was for his sons.

  Laura looked to Andy, and he could see she wanted to say something, but she frowned. Maybe she was having the same trouble he was.

  “George, I frankly don’t understand how any man could allow a woman to make all the decisions, good or bad, and not have the backbone to stand up for what’s right or wrong,” Andy said. “You’re supposed to be a pillar in the community, an elder in the church. Seriously, George, I wouldn’t want you as a role model for my kids, let alone a mentor or anyone they could go to for advice.”

  The man appeared embarrassed—hell, “shamed” was a better word for it. Laura set her hand on Andy’s chest. “Let’s hear him out,” she said.

  “Thank you, Laura. Your husband is a little hot under the collar,” George said. Andy didn’t miss the way Laura stiffened beside him.

  “Well, Dad, my husband would walk through hell for me and our children. He’d do anything to protect us and keep us safe. He’s an amazing man.” She was holding on to Andy so tightly and looking up at him. “I know he loves us. I never thought it was possible to be cherished this way, and I thank God every day for bringing him into my life.”

  Andy couldn’t believe she’d said that. He was stunned by the passion and tears glistening in her eyes when she spoke about him. She was still watching him, although a little shyly now.

  “Well, that’s good. I’m glad you’re being looked after,” her father said. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I took to heart what you said, Andy, and I do have a conscience, whether you believe it or not. I’m not going to take money to help Gabriel. I’ll get tested.”

  Andy hadn’t expected this. George was all over the map. Although Andy knew there was a conscience somewhere in this man, he had thought it was buried so deeply that the money would have won him over, in the end. “That’s great,” Andy said. “I’ll call Doctor Siegel. He’ll make arrangements here at the hospital for all of you to be tested.”

  Andy was so happy that he had already reached for his phone, about to make the call, when he noticed the way George winced and wiped his hand over his forehead.

  “Andy, here’s the thing. Only I’ll be getting tested, not my wife or the boys,” he said.

  It was then that Andy noticed how George seemed to pull into himself, looking around the room in a self-conscious, worried kind of way. He hated that spineless behavior in men, yet here he was, face to face with a man who was all that. He just shook his head.

  “Why, Dad?” Laura said. “Brian and Chad want to help. They’ll hate you.”

  “Can’t be helped. Your mother put her foot down. She won’t allow them to be tested.” He was shaking his head as if he had accepted that Sue’s words were set in stone.

  “Well, I think Chad and Brian might have other ideas, Dad, and Mom doesn’t need to know.”

  Andy was astonished that Laura had said exactly what he was thinking, but her dad was shaking his head.

  “That’s not how a marriage works, Laura. I thought you would have learned that much. That would be completely dishonest. Now, do you want my help or not?”

  Andy squeezed Laura’s shoulder before she said something else. He could feel her tenseness. “Of course. I’ll make the call,” Andy said, immediately dialing Bruce Siegel and passing along George’s cell phone number. When he hung up, he thanked George, and by the time he had him out of the room and the door closed, Laura was fit to be tied.

  “Andy, how could you thank him like that? He’s just going along with my mother when we need everyone,” she cried.

  Andy made it across the room and pulled her into his arms. “Just stop and think about it, Laura. It only takes one. If your dad’s a match, then we’re good.” He held her away from him, but she wouldn’t look at him. She was still stuck, but he could see the moment she realized he was right.

  “Fine, but what if he’s not?” she asked, and he wondered if she knew how far he’d really go.

  “If he’s not, then I’ll get your brothers tested, both of them—with or without your parents’ permission.”

  Laura studied him and tapped his shoulder. “Good. Now let’s finish dinner and get some sleep, because I’d really like to leave early in the morning,” she said.

  Whatever this strong, assertive, together side of Laura was, Andy decided he liked it. Yes, he liked it a lot.

  Chapter 27

  They were halfway back to Columbia Falls when Andy’s cell phone started ringing. “Yeah?” he said, watching Laura as she relaxed against the seat. She turned her head and raised an eyebrow, wondering who it was.

  “Where are you?” Neil asked in a low voice that put Andy on edge.

  “About halfway, three hours away, give or take. What’s going on?”

  Laura sat up a little straighter. “Is it Gabriel?”

  Of course she was worried, and Andy was doing his best to hide his own freak-out from her.

  “We’ve got a problem here,” Neil said. Andy could hear talking in the background and then silence. “Tyler has been back twice to see Gabriel since you left. I got him out of the room the first time, but I was down getting coffee for Candy when he came back. Candy was cornered. She asked him to come back later, but he started talking to Gabriel. When I got back there, he was telling Gabriel some story about Laura when she was a teenager, before she had him.”

  “What?” Andy barked out.

  Laura was instantly alert. She reached out and touched his arm. “Andy, who is it?” She was leaning forward, and he waved her off.

  “It’s Neil. Tyler has been there twice,” he said. “Neil, is he still there?”

  “Yeah, that’s why I’m calling,” Neil replied. “He came back with his
mother.”

  Andy didn’t have a clue what to do. He tapped the phone to his head and then set it to his ear. “Do whatever you can to keep them both away from Gabriel. Damn that kid. This is what I was afraid of. Did he say anything to Gabriel about who he is?”

  “No, not yet, but I have a feeling it’s only a matter of time.”

  “Where are they now?” Andy asked. He couldn’t get there fast enough.

  “Candy’s talking to them in the hall just outside Gabriel’s room. I already paged the doctor. Look, what do you want me to do? This is your call, but I wouldn’t hesitate to get a lawyer on this now. You said you hadn’t filed for legal guardianship. Well, you better get it rolling, especially with Gabriel this sick. I can get it started, find a really good lawyer to fast-track this.”

  “Look, I can’t get there any faster, so do you think you could do me a favor and keep them occupied? Tell the doctor I don’t want them anywhere around Gabriel, and yeah, find me a lawyer, someone good.” He glanced over at Laura and didn’t miss the way her eyes widened.

  “On it. I’ll call you.” Neil hung up, and Andy was torn between driving all over the country, trying to save his son’s life, and standing guard outside his door. He was just glad Neil was there, because he’d do everything Andy would. That much he could count on.

  “Andy, what’s going on?” Laura asked sharply.

  “You know how we’ve never talked about all the legalities of making Gabriel mine?”

  She swallowed and took in what he was saying, and he wondered for a moment whether she truly understood what was at stake. “I just assumed, you know, when you married me…”

  “Laura, Gabriel isn’t legally mine. I have to adopt him. In the eyes of the court, I don’t have legal guardianship until I do. Tyler is named as Gabriel’s father on his birth certificate, isn’t he?”

  She set her hand over her mouth. It took a moment, and then her eyes widened as she understood the problem. “Yes, because he fathered Gabriel. Should I not have done that?”

  Right about now, he wished she could have been one of those women who left the name blank, but he knew deep down he didn’t really mean that, even though it would have made things easier. “No, I’m just pissed off,” he said. “That kid is taking advantage of the situation. He’s shown up twice to see Gabriel since we left, and now he’s back with his mother.”

  Laura’s expression grew uneasy. She turned her head away to look out the window and then back to Andy, frowning. “Why would he do that? He wasn’t interested in having anything to do with Gabriel. For God’s sake, when I showed up at his door, he shut it in my face.” She sighed. “Andy, could he interfere in Gabriel’s life? If he really brought his mother, then she must know.”

  “I’ll deal with them, but, Laura, we haven’t had a chance, with everything that’s happened, to sit down and talk about Gabriel becoming my son legally. Right now, we could have problems if Tyler decides he wants to have a voice in Gabriel’s life.”

  “I’m sorry, Andy. I can’t help thinking this is my fault. I just assumed, you know, he’s your son, we’re married, and I never stopped to think about legal custody or anything. Andy, you’re the only father he’s ever had. No one could love him like you do. Yes, let’s make this formal, whatever you have to do.”

  They only had to stop once to hurriedly feed the babies, and by the time they reached the hospital and pulled into the parking lot, the twins were both crying. Andy doubted they’d go back into a car seat anytime soon.

  ****

  Laura had to hurry to keep up with Andy. Although it did feel good to finally stretch her legs, she didn’t like the fact that she almost had to jog to keep up. Andy had taken his son and the diaper bag, while Laura was carrying Chelsea, who was giving her a face, letting her know how displeased she was.

  Andy pressed the elevator button a couple times and then reached for his phone, sending a text. Laura looked up and didn’t miss the annoyed expression on his face.

  “Who are you texting?” she asked, wondering if she sounded as out of breath as she felt.

  “Neil, to let him know we’re here.”

  The elevator door dinged.

  “Andy, Laura,” Neil said. They both turned to see him fast approaching. Tyler was with him, along with a middle-aged woman. She was short, compact, with reddish shoulder-length hair, a round face, and big blue eyes. It took Laura a minute to recognize her, and Tyler and his mother exchanged a look that had her stomach sinking to her knees.

  Neil looked none too happy. “Hey, guys. Glad you’re back,” he said. He was looking straight at Andy.

  “Hello, Laura,” Tyler added. “You remember my mom?”

  “Yes, I do.” She turned to Andy, willing him to do something, anything. “Andy, this is Tyler’s mom, Nancy Cassidy.”

  It would have been impossible for Andy to miss how frazzled Laura was. He took in both Tyler and his mother. “I’m Andy Friessen, Laura’s husband,” he said.

  “I’d say nice to meet you, but these are unusual circumstances,” Nancy replied.

  Laura didn’t miss the uneasy way Nancy glanced toward her. There was something in her expression that set off alarm bells in Laura’s head.

  “To learn I have a grandson under these conditions, well…as you can understand, I was naturally upset,” she said. “We always wondered what happened to you, Laura. I just don’t understand how you could have kept this from me.”

  She firmed her lips, and Laura picked up on her disappointment, but, for the life of her, she didn’t know what to say.

  “Andy…” Laura looked to her husband. What could she say to the woman who had been her best friend’s mother, the woman who had baked her cookies, at whose house she had sometimes spent the night?

  “Nancy, I don’t know what you’ve been told, here, but Laura was alone with Gabriel for years,” Andy said. “She went to your son, and he shut the door in her face. That was a crappy thing to do, Tyler, and you made it clear that you wanted Laura to go away and never bother you again. Now you’re here with your mother. Why?” Andy swayed with a fussing Jeremy.

  Nancy gave Tyler one of her disapproving looks and shook her head. “You shut the door in her face?”

  Tyler jammed his hands in his pockets, knowing he had just been caught in a lie. He shrugged. “I’m sorry.”

  Laura couldn’t believe it now, but at one time she’d thought Tyler was everything. Had he ever grown up? “You’re sorry?” she snapped. “My husband asked you a question, and I, too, want to know what your intentions are. Andy is Gabriel’s father. A father is someone who loves his child, who protects him…”

  “And that’s what I’m trying to do for my son,” Tyler interrupted with a stubbornness she hadn’t seen before. “He’s my son. In all fairness, Laura, you never gave me the chance to get to know him. You could have tried harder. You never let me know when he was born, if it was a boy or girl. After all these years, you could have said something.”

  She couldn’t believe he was trying to turn this back on her. Neil appeared uncomfortable. For a moment, she wondered what he thought of her and what he’d been told about her over the past few hours. Obviously, it had been nothing good.

  “I’d like you both to leave,” Laura said, swallowing the dry lump stuck in her throat. “I seriously cannot believe you are putting this on me. I was the one who was forced out alone. You walked away. You don’t get an opinion. You made your position clear, and I’m the one who had to struggle alone to feed him, to put a roof over his head. You don’t get a say. You weren’t there.” Laura was getting really worked up, and Chelsea started fussing in her arms.

  “I am his father!” Tyler shouted. “I have rights…”

  “Whoa, whoa, just back up a second, here,” Neil said, stepping in.

  “Laura, go upstairs. Take Chelsea up. I’ll be there in a minute,” Andy said. By the dark look on his face, she realized he wasn’t just quietly taking all this in. Tyler and his mother had stirred t
he vengeful lion, but Laura had no intention of walking away.

  “No,” she said.

  No. Damn his stubborn wife! Andy couldn’t believe now was the time she’d picked to stand her ground.

  “Hey, look, guys. This is not the time to get into anything,” Neil said. “Tyler, you may believe you have rights, but I would think really long and hard about your intentions. There’s a very sick little boy up there who’s only ever known one father, and that’s Andy. What exactly is going through your mind to bring this up while Gabriel is sick?” Neil waved across all of them with his hand. Of course, he was trying to be reasonable.

  On the other hand, Andy wanted to hand his son over to Neil, grab Tyler, and drag him out of the hospital to knock some sense into him with his fists. He also wanted to sit him down and explain to him why it was in his best interest to walk away.

  Laura wasn’t moving. He could see the way she was working her jaw. She was furious and fighting back tears at the same time.

  “Of course we’re indebted to you, Andy, for caring for Gabriel, for being there for him,” Nancy said, tucking her purse firmly under her arm. “But he is my grandson, and I can tell you that if I’d known, things would have been different.”

  Andy wasn’t sure how to take that, but he sensed her meaning: She would have raised Gabriel and stripped away Laura’s rights as a teenage mother. “There are no what-ifs here,” he replied. “This is the way it is. Laura is my wife. Gabriel is my son.”

  “Not legally, he’s not, and Tyler is not about to give up his rights,” Nancy added.

  Tyler, that punk-ass prick, had the gall to stand there and glare at Andy as if he was the one who had been wronged.

  “So this is the way we’re going to have to play it?” he snapped. “Nancy, Tyler, this is a pretty shitty thing to do when my kid is fighting for his life. I will be legally adopting Gabriel, and if I have to fight you in court to do it, I will.”