The Baby Barter

by Patty Smith Hall

  Mack watched as she poured a sizable amount of milk into her coffee. “Like a bit of coffee with your milk?”

  Good, he was back to his irritatingly charming self. “It’s the only way I can drink the stuff. What about you?”

  “Three sugars.” As if to confirm it, he reached for the sugar bowl. The spoon clicked against the side of the cup as he stirred three heaping spoonfuls into the steaming brew. “Sorry about that. It’s been an interesting morning.” Mack sat quietly for a long moment, studying her, as if trying to decide if he should tell her. Then, almost as if he didn’t have any other choice, he gave a slight nod. “The doctor from the children’s hospital has scheduled Sarah’s surgery for next week.”

  Thea heaved out a relieved sigh. She’d been wondering why it was taking so long for the baby to get the surgery she needed. So why did Mack look at the prospect as a bad thing? “This is good news.”

  “Not to me, it isn’t.” Stormy blue eyes glared back at her from across the table.

  She was confused. “You don’t want Sarah to have corrective surgery?”

  “Not until she’s older. Stronger.”

  Thea pressed her lips together. She should have expected Mack to be an overprotective parent. He’d always guarded those around him he cared for, defending them as much as he could from the hurts this world inflicted. But this was going too far. The surgery and the recovery that came afterward might be hard on Sarah for a little while, but what she got in return would be worth it. Maybe if Thea could get him to talk about it, she could assure him surgery was the right thing for Sarah. “You do know this procedure will help her when she starts talking, not to mention helping now with her food intake.”

  “I’m not against the surgery. I’d just like to put it off for a few more months.”

  “Why?”

  The muscles in his throat worked, as if he found the words almost impossible to say. “She could die, Thea. It almost happened last time they attempted this surgery. She had some trouble with the medicine they gave her to put her under. Dr. Medcalf had to stop before he barely got started because her heart rate dropped dangerously low.”

  No wonder Mack felt the way he did. The thought of sending Sarah into surgery now worried Thea more than a little bit. “Did he give you any reason as to why she could have reacted that way?”

  Mack nodded. “He feels it had something to do with her weight, that maybe she was too small to handle the stress of the surgery.”

  The stoic sheriff was gone, replaced by a man deeply concerned about his child. Dark blond hair fell across his forehead, his brows knitted together in worry, his arms folded around himself as if protecting himself from a fatal blow. Emotions thickened in Thea’s throat. She’d seen things during the war no man or woman should witness, had hardened her heart against her instinctive reactions so that she could do the job she’d been trained to do. So why did this man’s pain pierce her heart like nothing she’d ever felt before?

  “She could die.” His voice was unsteady, as if saying the words made them so.

  “I know.” Thea touched his forearm, then settled her hand there when he didn’t flinch. A nurse’s touch, she reminded herself, unsure why the warmth of his bunched muscles beneath her fingers offered her comfort in return. “Dr. Medcalf must think that Sarah will be able to handle it now.”

  “But what if he’s wrong?” His lips pressed into a hard line. “What if it happens to her again?”

  Mack loved the little girl, thought she was perfect as she was, almost as if Sarah was already his daughter. What would happen when Thea finally found the evidence she needed to prove Sarah was her niece? She’d have to find ways to include Mack in the baby’s life. But for now, he needed comforting. “You could always put off the procedure for a few more months. Give Sarah time to grow up a little bit more.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t have a say in the matter.”

  Thea hadn’t thought about that. “Then Ms. Aurora...”

  “She doesn’t have a say in it, either.”

  Then who? Her shoulders slumped slightly as the realization hit her. “Dr. Medcalf has gone to the judge and asked him to sign the consent forms on Sarah’s behalf.”

  Mack sent her a hard stare. “How did you know that?”

  “I’ve seen it done before on the pediatric floor where I worked when I was in nursing school,” Thea answered, trying to quiet the painful memories. Going to the judge and having him sign off on authorizing procedures for the little ones she’d targeted for her Children Society had been a classic trick of Georgia Tann. At first, it had seemed like a godsend to desperate parents unable to pay for needed surgeries. But in return, Miss Tann took their children and sold them to the highest bidder. Of course, that wasn’t the case here—but the memories were still painful.

  “Thea, are you okay?”

  She shook away the memory of Miss Tann and what she done with Eileen’s first baby. Her concern right now was Sarah, and part of taking care of the girl meant calming Mack’s fears so the necessary surgery could move forward. “I’m sure Dr. Medcalf will monitor Sarah very carefully after the last time.”

  But he was still focused on her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Of course I’m okay. Why do you ask?”

  He nodded to a growing pile of torn paper in front of her. “That napkin you’re holding didn’t stand a chance.”

  “Oh.” A flush of heat hit Thea’s cheeks, and she dropped what was left of the napkin then brushed the lint off her hands. “I guess I’m more nervous than I thought.”

  Her confession brought a tender light to Mack’s eyes. “Little ones have a way of changing how a person thinks about everything.”

  “I can’t disagree with you about that.” Since she’d learned about this second chance to make things right with her sister’s memory, Thea had thought of nothing but getting Sarah back home. Well, she admitted to herself as she stole a glance at Mack, almost nothing else. Even in the mist of their disagreements over Sarah, she’d caught glimpses of the boy she’d once known, teasing her, making her smile when that was the last thing on her mind. He should have women lining up at his door, begging to start the family he so obviously wanted. So why was he still alone?

  Not that it mattered to her.

  Thea straightened. “Don’t worry, Mack. I’m certain Dr. Medcalf isn’t going to take any undue risk with Sarah.”

  “Good.” He relaxed slightly, but Thea sensed there was something else on his mind. “But that’s not the entire problem.”

  “It’s not?”

  He sunk down into the seat, his voice low enough so that she struggled to hear him. “You know how long the recovery period is for a surgery like this.”

  Thea bent closer, narrowing the gap between them. “At least a month, maybe longer if there are complications. Why?”

  “Can she be taken care of at home?”

  “Yes, but...” Realization hit her. Corrective surgery was expensive all on its own. Adding in the cost of spending the recovery in the hospital made the price tag more than what most families made in a year’s time. And Mack’s case was complicated by the fact he was single. He could save money by having Sarah recuperate at home, but with no wife to care for the baby, he’d be forced to hire outside help. But how could she help? She didn’t know any nurses in Marietta who were qualified to provide post-op for this procedure, and after their recent run-ins over Sarah, the man would never consider her. “If you’re looking for a recommendation, I don’t know any of the nurses who live around here.”

  “I already have a recommendation.”

  “You do?” Thea’s midsection tightened into a painful knot. She wished she’d known Mack was looking for someone. If he’d asked her help with the search process then it would have given her a chance to interview the woman, find out if she
was good with children and if she had the proper training to care for someone with Sarah’s special needs.

  “Nurse Eison spoke very highly of you. Said you were the most qualified person for the position.”

  The knot in Thea’s stomach loosened slightly. She’d have to send the nurse a thank-you card for such kind words. There could be nothing as wonderful as spending each day with her sister’s daughter, nursing her back to a normal life. But being recommended didn’t necessarily mean Mack was on board with the decision, and he hadn’t really offered her anything yet. “Are you saying you want me to take care of Sarah?”

  He scrubbed an aggravated hand through his hair. “I’m not quite sure yet.”

  “But you’re considering it.”

  “Yes, only because Nurse Eison says you’re the best pediatric nurse in town.” He leaned slightly forward, his gaze catching and holding hers, concern darkening his blue eyes. “But I don’t want Sarah caught in the middle of one of our ‘discussions.’ She may be a baby, but it can’t be good for her to hear the folks caring for her arguing.”

  Thea understood that. “I agree.”

  “For this to work, we’re going to have to set aside our differences.”

  “A truce?”

  “Yes.”

  Mack watched her as if he expected her to argue the point. In fact, she felt grateful. To spend time with her niece, to be a part of her daily life, to nurse her back to health. It was an answer to prayer. “I think we can work something out.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that.” He visibly relaxed, the lopsided grin he gave her kicking her heart into high gear. “What? You look surprised.”

  The man could absolutely read her like an open book! “I didn’t expect you to agree so easily.”

  His smile slid into a more serious line, and she felt a pang of disappointment at its absence. “I’d move mountains for that little girl.”

  Thea didn’t doubt it. If fact, she felt a tad envious. How would her life have been different if she’d had someone like Mack as a constant presence to protect and watch over her? To love her unconditionally without ever expecting anything in return? She wanted to give that to Sarah. It was what Eileen would have wanted.

  “Then we agree. Truce?” Mack held his hand out to her.

  “Truce.” She slid her hand into his, sparks racing up her arm. Once the surgery was in the past and the situation with Sarah was settled, someone would nurse a broken heart.

  Please, Lord, don’t let it be mine.

  “We’ll need to explain the situation to Ms. Aurora. Will you come with me for that?”

  Oh, dear. It was a reasonable request. Thea was the one with the medical background who could answer Ms. Adair’s questions. And anyway, it would make sense that she’d have to face the woman eventually. How would she feel about Mack’s plan for Thea to be involved in Sarah’s recovery? “Yes, of course. When’s a good time for you?”

  “I’m going out there this afternoon.”

  She blinked. So soon? Would she have time to run home and check on her mother? But she couldn’t fritter away this opportunity, either. “Right now?”

  “Might as well get this over with.” He nodded. “Just don’t expect Ms. Aurora to feel comfortable with the surgery unless Dr. Medcalf can promise Sarah will be okay.”

  No doctor would ever make that kind of guarantee. Maybe she could explain the procedure in a way that would give Mack and Ms. Adair peace of mind. Convince them that this was the right thing to do for the little girl they only wanted the best for.

  For now, they’d be working together to take care of Sarah. And as for what would happen later...they’d deal with that then.

  Chapter Six

  An hour later, Mack’s doubts continued to dog him as the familiar landscape along the route to Ms. Aurora’s flew by. What had he been thinking, asking Thea to nurse his daughter back to health after her operation? What would stop her from taking Sarah and stealing off to parts unknown? He’d have to keep her close to keep her in line.

  Which could be a problem.

  Mack glanced over at Thea. He hadn’t known shaking a woman’s hand—or maybe it was just this woman’s hand—could set off a firestorm of emotions inside him. Attraction, yes, but something deeper, a feeling that threatened to endanger the well-thought-out plans he’d made for his life. He couldn’t trust Thea for the long term, not when she’d let him down in the past. And Thea wouldn’t want someone like him, anyway. No woman had after they’d learned of his disability.

  “You’ve got that look on your face.”

  Had Thea figured out what he’d been thinking? Mack coaxed his features into a neutral expression, only his knuckles, gleaming white from their tight grip on the steering wheel, betrayed the turmoil he felt. “What look?”

  Her skirts rustled softly as she turned toward him. “The look that says you’re wondering if you’ve made a huge mistake, asking me to take care of Sarah.”

  She’d gotten all that from his expression? He couldn’t imagine what hidden truths she’d have mined out of him if he’d given her a yes or no. “It would be unwise not to wonder if you’ve made the right decision at times.”

  “But you’ve always been so sure of yourself, so certain of the choices you made.”

  “We all have to grow up sometime.” Mack stared out at the road in front of him. Yes, he’d been sure of himself, almost cocky back in those days, so certain of who he was and what the life ahead of him looked like. A football scholarship, then law school and a family of his own, almost the same path his father had taken, a journey Mack had been on since birth.

  Had he done the right thing in hiring Thea?

  “Is Ms. Aurora expecting us?”

  He glanced at her, sitting so properly, her hands folded in a neat knot in her lap. She’d freshened her lipstick, a dusty rose that reminded him of the blooms he’d planted last spring just outside his bedroom window, lovely and dewy soft.

  It seemed that handling this attraction he felt toward her was going to be more difficult that he’d thought. Mack flipped the blinker on. “Ms. Aurora knows I come out and see Sarah when I get off work.”

  “So you’re expected. But what about me?”

  “I didn’t have time to call and let her know you’d be coming, if that’s what you mean.” Which was the truth. Once he’d gotten back to his office after hammering out all the details with Thea, he’d had to track down paperwork for a bond hearing, then got called out for the weekly disturbance at Old Man Fletcher’s house. The one time he had tried to call Ms. Aurora, she hadn’t picked up. “But knowing Ms. Aurora, she’ll be fine with it.”

  “I don’t know.” Thea’s voice held a touch of doubt. “I mean, I can’t be her favorite person. She thought I was spying on her and the kids.”

  “You were spying on her and the kids. But she is the most understanding soul I’ve ever met. It takes a lot to ruffle her feathers,” Mack reassured her.

  “She must be a saint.” Thea rested back against the vinyl seat, crossing her arms over her tiny waist. “I’d be like an old momma bear if someone put my cubs at risk.”

  A faint memory played along the fringes of Mack’s thoughts. “You always did have a soft spot for little ones. Remember how you got roped into nursery duty at church?”

  “I can’t believe you remember that.”

  Mack stole a glance at her. “Why wouldn’t I? It’s not everyone who can hush a room full of crying infants by just talking sweet to them.”

  Her cheeks turned a shade of soft pink. “I wasn’t the only one who knew how to handle kids. Seems I recall you leading the boys in a raid on the toy chest more than once.”

  “The girls hogged all the cookies for your tea party. What other alternative did we have?” he teased, then fell quiet. “Did you always want to
take care of kids?”

  She nodded. “For the most part. Children are easier to handle than adults. You love them, do everything you’ve been taught to make them feel better and they’ll trust you with their life. They’re open, honest. Not like adults.”

  Mack didn’t know how to answer, only knew that Thea’s words had tightened into a knot in the pit of his stomach. Somewhere along the way, someone had abused her trust, and it had scarred her like the puckered skin hidden in his hair next to his ear. But who? And what had they done to make Thea question everyone’s motives?

  “How did Ms. Aurora come to take in all these children?”

  Mack turned the car down the dirt road to the Adair farm. “I don’t know the whole story, just that she’s owned this place and brought in kids no one else wanted for as long as I’ve known her. Before the kids, it must have seemed like a big house without anyone else living there.”

  “She never married?”

  Mack shook his head. “I heard she was engaged to one of the coaches at the high school for a time but it didn’t work out.”

  “So she committed herself to the kids, instead.”

  The way she said it, with an air of disbelief, grated Mack’s nerves. “Ms. Aurora is like that, always doing for others before thinking of herself. It’s just her way.”

  Thea gave a noncommittal “Hmm.”

  “You don’t seem too impressed.”

  “Why should I be?” There was real surprise in her voice, as if she truly didn’t understand why it mattered to him.

  Why did it bother him what Thea thought of Ms. Aurora? Maybe because Ms. Aurora was the most loving person he’d ever met, someone who’d truly followed God’s path despite the heartache and loneliness life held. She’d be a good example to Thea on how to find contentment in her life despite all of the challenges—contentment that Thea had never seemed to have for as long as Mack had known her.

  “How many children has she adopted out?”