She followed Lindy upstairs. The child seemed to have forgotten about Sharon and the demonstration of intimacy between her and Rick. Maybe he’d broken it off with the woman tonight, but Vanessa didn’t think Sharon would disappear that easily.
“Lindy, if Sharon contacts you for any reason, don’t agree to anything until you check with me. Promise?”
“Why?”
“Because she’ll try anything to get what she wants. No matter who it hurts.”
“But Rick told her to leave.”
“I know he did, but that doesn’t mean she’s out of his life. Just remember not to agree to anything, okay?”
“Sure, Vanessa.”
After Lindy had gone to sleep, Vanessa made another trip down to the kitchen. There she gave Betty and Peter the same warning about Sharon.
“Sharon?” Betty asked. “The only Sharon I know is that awful girl in your sorority.”
Vanessa nodded. “That’s her.”
“Why would she want to talk to Lindy?”
“She’s been dating Rick, apparently. He sent her home tonight, but she won’t chance losing someone rich like Rick that easily.”
“Oh, you’re right. She used to say years ago how she was looking for a rich man. And Rick is rich, isn’t he?”
“Yes. He could end up unhappily married just like his father. That would be sad.”
“Can you save him?”
“He’s not my business. I’m just trying to protect Lindy.” The truth was, however, she wanted to save him. It had appalled her when she’d discovered he was dating Sharon. She’d been having kinder thoughts about Rick lately, and Sharon had knocked all those out of her head. She couldn’t believe the man could be so stupid!
After leaving the kitchen, she headed to the library, where she knew she’d find her parents. But only Will was there.
“Where’s Mom?”
“She was tired, so I told her to go on to bed. I’m about ready to join her.”
“Oh. I thought—Never mind.” She and Will walked up the stairs together. “You don’t think Mom is coming down with something, do you?”
“No, but if she’s not better in the morning, I’ll take off work and get her to a doctor.”
“Good. I have an early meeting in the morning with Dr. Cavanaugh, but I’ll check on her when I get back home.”
They exchanged good-nights and she went to bed, but she couldn’t keep her mind off Rick Austin…and Sharon. And it bothered her that everyone kept asking her what she was going to do about it. Rick wasn’t her responsibility. The last thing she wanted to think about all night was Rick Austin.
When her alarm went off in the morning, she had to drag herself out of bed. She couldn’t miss the meeting. It would determine her schedule for the upcoming school year. She was hoping to schedule all her classes while Lindy was in school. Then she could pick Lindy up when her classes let out.
Of course, Peter could get her, Vanessa thought. But she’d always liked it when her mother picked her up. She hoped to do the same for Lindy.
Betty stepped out of the kitchen when she heard Vanessa’s steps on the stairs. “You can’t go out without breakfast. I’ll whip up something real quick.”
“I can’t, Betty. But I’ll take a diet cola.”
Betty fetched her a cola and a blueberry muffin. “Eat this on the way. That way you’ll have something in your stomach.”
Vanessa smiled. “Thanks. And remember, no Sharon.”
“I’ll remember.”
The meeting took over an hour and a half. Vanessa was sure that by the time she got home Lindy would be up and in the kitchen with Betty and Peter, and maybe her mother. She hoped her mother wasn’t coming down with something. But with Danny going to play-dates, he was probably being exposed to all sorts of germs, which meant her mother was, too.
She pulled into the drive and parked her car. When she came in the back door, she noticed Peter going to the front door. He opened it to the one person she didn’t want see coming to call.
Sharon.
“I’ll take this, Peter. Thank you,” said Vanessa.
With a relieved expression, Peter went back into the kitchen.
Vanessa took his place in the doorway, one hand holding the door, the other braced against the jamb. “Hello, Sharon. What can I do for you?”
“I thought I’d visit with Lindy.”
“I’m afraid she’s busy.”
“How do you know if you just came in?”
“Trust me, I know.”
“Well, I’d like to take her shopping. When would be a good time?”
“I’m sorry, but I take her shopping often. She doesn’t need any other trips.”
“What’s with you, Vanessa? Don’t trust me with the little sister?”
“No, I don’t.”
“You’re being silly. I just want to become friends with Lindy. After all, when I marry Rick, I’ll be her sister-in-law.”
“Perhaps you will, but that doesn’t mean you can take her out now.”
Sharon put her manicured hands on her hips. “You bitch! You’re just hoping to keep Rick for yourself. But I’ve already got him, and you don’t have a chance!”
Maintaining her composure, Vanessa replied calmly, “That’s between you and Rick. But Lindy is my business and I’m keeping her here.”
“We’ll see about that. I’m telling Rick. He’ll take Lindy away from you!”
Vanessa just stood there staring at her. Finally, Sharon stomped down the sidewalk. Vanessa watched her until she pulled her vehicle away from the curb.
She went into the kitchen where her mother and Lindy sat at the big round table with Peter and Betty. Peter jumped up and held out a chair for her. Betty immediately began cooking pancakes for Vanessa.
“Betty, I shouldn’t—Okay, just one stack. I love your pancakes.”
Peter poured her some coffee and brought it to her.
“You two are wonderful at spoiling me,” Vanessa said with a satisfied sigh. She looked at her mother. “Are you feeling all right this morning?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Lindy and I had a contest to see who could eat the most pancakes.”
Lindy grinned. “I won!”
“Good for you, I think.”
“How did your meeting go, dear?” Vivian asked.
“Fine. I’m teaching nine hours, all of them on Monday, Wednesday and Friday ending at noon. It’s a wonderful schedule.”
“Three classes in a row? Won’t that be tiring?” Vivian asked.
“Not really. Two of them are intro classes and the one at eleven is a class for kids who think they want to major in psychology.”
“That sounds interesting,” Lindy said. “Will they have psychology classes for me to take in high school?”
“I’m not sure, but we can look in the book you have listing the classes. We’ll do that after I eat my breakfast.”
“Okay. Oh, look, here’s Danny,” Lindy said as the sleepy little boy wandered into the kitchen.
“Oh, my, Danny,” Vivian said, holding out her arms. “I intended to come up to wake you, but I got busy talking and didn’t realize how late it is. Would you like Betty to make you some pancakes?”
Betty was already at the stove, fixing silver dollars for the boy while Peter poured some milk for him.
Danny leaned back against his mother’s shoulder. “I’m very hungry, Mommy.”
“I bet you are. You didn’t eat much dinner last night.”
“Did he not feel well, either?”
“He was feeling perfectly well. As was I. You know how Will worries if anything is different. I was just a little tired.”
“Are you sure you don’t want any coffee?” Betty asked. “It might help you wake up.”
Vanessa turned to stare at her mother. “You didn’t drink any coffee?”
“No, I wanted milk to go with the pancakes.”
Vanessa realized the only time she’d seen her mother turn down coffee was when she
was pregnant with Danny. “Mom, you aren’t!”
Her mother looked away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Lindy, will you keep an eye on Danny and help him put syrup on his pancakes?” Vanessa asked. Lindy agreed. Vanessa got up. “Betty, you need to come with Mom and me.”
Betty was frowning deeply as she followed Vanessa and Vivian into the library. “Now, Vanessa, what’s the matter?”
“Betty, when was the last time Mom gave up coffee?”
Betty appeared to be studying the question, and then the answer dawned on her. “No! Are you? Miss Vivian, are you pregnant again?”
At first Vivian kept her head down. Finally, she raised it and said, “I think so.”
“But I thought Will said no more babies,” Vanessa said.
“I know. But I forgot to buy more birth control pills. I only missed two days, and I thought—”
“Oh, Mom,” Vanessa said. “You’ve got to get to the doctor at once, to be sure that everything is all right. Why don’t I take you now? Then you can tell Will tonight.”
“I’m almost afraid to,” Vivian said.
“Mom, you know Will. He loves you and Danny.”
“But I don’t think I can tell him.”
“Let’s get you to the doctor first. Then we’ll worry about telling Will.”
“Vanessa, you’re such a good girl.”
“That she is, Miss Vivian,” Betty said. “I don’t see how Mr. Will could resist another little one. You have nothing to worry about.”
Vanessa shared a smile with Betty. “I think she’s right about that. Are you ready to go?”
“Yes, but we should call first.”
“I’ll do that. Go get your purse,” Vanessa said. She picked up the phone and dialed her mother’s doctor, who was also hers, and asked for an appointment. When she explained the reason for the appointment, the nurse checked with the doctor, then came back to the phone and told Vanessa to bring her mother and they would work her in.
Once they reached the doctor’s office, it didn’t take long for them to call Vivian. She was clutching her daughter’s hand, so Vanessa went in with her.
After a brief examination, the doctor looked at the two of them. “You are correct, Vivian. You’re about six weeks pregnant.”
“Is everything okay?” Vivian asked, her voice shaky.
“So far, so good. You remember all the rules?”
“Yes. Eat well, but not too much, no caffeine, and rest a lot.”
“Good. At your age, you know you’re a high-risk pregnancy. So I want to see you every two weeks. When you get to around seven months, I’ll see you every week. Probably there won’t be a problem since this is your second pregnancy, but we want to stay on top of things.”
“Yes, of course.”
“I assume Will is excited,” the doctor said as he turned away to write on his chart.
Vanessa put her arms around her mother as Vivian’s eyes filled with tears.
He glanced over his shoulder and spun around. “Vivian? What’s wrong?”
“He doesn’t know, Doctor,” Vanessa said. “Mom is a little worried because he told her no more babies. He was afraid she might have difficulties.”
“You are going to tell him now, though.” It was a statement.
“Yes, of course,” Vivian exclaimed with tears in her voice.
“If he has any questions, tell him to call me.”
Vivian nodded as Vanessa helped her down from the examination table.
Once they were outside the doctor’s office, Vanessa said, “Do you want to go tell Will now?”
“No. I’m rather tired. I think I should take a nap. Maybe—maybe I can tell him tonight.”
Vanessa didn’t think her mother sounded too sure of that, but she didn’t say anything.
Once they got home, she helped her mother get to bed. Then she asked Betty to take some lunch up before Vivian went to sleep.
She found Lindy and Danny in the morning room. The little boy was playing with his trains while Lindy was doing her summer reading for school.
Lindy looked up as she entered the room. “How’s Vivian?”
“She’s fine. Just a little run down.” After reassuring her, Vanessa asked, “Have you heard from your brother today?”
“No. Should I have?”
“No. Everything’s fine,” she lied. How could she tell the girl she expected Rick to blast her for throwing his girlfriend off her front step this morning? “Well, I’ve got an errand to run. I should be back before Danny gets up from his nap. I appreciate you taking care of him this morning.”
“He’s such a good little boy—aren’t you, Danny.”
“I’m a big boy.” He stood on his tiptoes, stretching as high as he could.
“Of course you are, little brother.” Vanessa hugged him to her. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, ’Nessa. And Lindy, too.”
Lindy beamed at the boy. “Thank you, Danny. I love you, too.”
“Goodness, we’ve got lots of sugar in here. Maybe you shouldn’t have any dessert after lunch.”
Danny protested at once, and Vanessa told him she guessed he could have one cookie.
They heard the phone ring in the other room and Vanessa started to go answer it, but Peter appeared before she reached the door.
“Vanessa, the phone call is for you.”
“Thank you, Peter.” She went to the library to take it.
“Hello?”
“Vanessa, did you talk to Sharon today?”
Just as she’d expected. Rick Austin. And he was as mad as a bull.
She adopted a civilized tone and said, “Hello, Rick. Yes, I did.”
“Why were you so mean to her?”
Vanessa sat down. “How was I mean to her?”
“You’re keeping Lindy from her, and she’s just trying to be kind.”
“I don’t consider her to be an appropriate companion for Lindy.”
“Why?”
“She wants to be friends with Lindy so she can marry you. When or if you marry her, she won’t want to spend any more time with Lindy, because she will have achieved her goal.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Do you want to risk Lindy’s happiness on that answer?”
“You’re just being overprotective.”
“Considering that no one cared for your sister for nine years, being a little overprotective doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.”
“So what if I marry Sharon?”
Vanessa had to clamp down on the horrors that question brought to mind, echoes of his father’s second marriage. “Then you’ll be presenting Lindy with the same kind of woman her mother was. And I think she should be protected from that.”
“Sharon isn’t that bad.”
“I heard her say she was marrying you for your money.” The man was supposed to be a brilliant businessman and he couldn’t see what kind of woman Sharon was? What was wrong with him?
“She says that, but I don’t think she means it.”
“Well, when you marry her, I’ll make sure I keep Lindy from having anything to do with her. Count on it!” She hung up the phone. She grabbed her purse and keys and stuck her head in the kitchen, telling Betty, “I’m going out.”
She heard the phone ringing, but she ignored it. After all, she knew who was calling.
When she reached the office of Will’s investigative firm, she hurried up the stairs. Normally, she wouldn’t interfere in any problem her parents were having, but her mother seemed really nervous about Will’s reaction.
Vanessa didn’t think he would be too upset as long as he knew her mother was healthy. So she was going to break the news to him, in the hope that he could reassure her mother at once.
“Hi, Vanessa,” Carrie called out, maneuvering her large pregnant belly around a file cabinet.
“How are you doing?”
“Fine. I just don’t move as quickly as I used to.” Carri
e patted her belly and smiled.
“But the baby’s due in a couple of weeks, right?”
“Yes, thank goodness. Are you here to see Will?”
“If he’s available.”
“Sure. Will? Vanessa is here to see you,” Carrie called.
Vanessa walked into Will’s office and closed the door behind her.
“Well, hello, Vanessa. Are we sharing secrets?” he asked, nodding toward the closed door.
“Yes, we are.”
Anxiety instantly crawled into his voice. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
“Stay calm, Will. I took Mom to the doctor’s office this morning. Everything’s fine, but Mom is about to have a nervous breakdown about what the doctor told her.”
“Why would she do that if everything is fine?” Will asked.
“Because you told her no more babies.”
Will stared at her. “You—you mean she’s pregnant?”
Chapter Six
Vanessa sighed. For the second time that day she was having to deal with a man who didn’t seem to understand his woman. “Yes, of course that’s what I mean.”
Will just stared at her.
“Perhaps you don’t remember telling her no more babies, but she does. She’s in an emotional state that I don’t think is good for her right now. You need to come home and reassure her…if you can.”
“I was just worried about her health,” Will assured her. “Having another baby at her age.”
“So you’ll be happy and supportive when you come home?”
“Of course. But she was on birth control pills. How—?”
“Will, she’ll probably explain, but if she doesn’t, don’t ask. At least not today.”
Will stood. “Then I’d better get home to Vivian.” He looked at Vanessa again. “Are you okay? Has something else upset you?”
She let out a big sigh. “Men can be so dumb sometimes.”
“Are you referring to me?” He sounded sheepish.
“No, not really.” Because now wasn’t the time for the conversation, she shrugged it off. “Go on home to Mom. I’ll stay and talk to Carrie for a little while.”
“Good. I don’t really want to leave her alone, and Jim and Alex aren’t due back for a while.” He gave Vanessa a hug and hurried out of the office.
Vanessa returned to the outer office.
Vanessa's Match Page 6