Vanessa's Match

by Judy Christenberry

  “I haven’t talked to her yet,” Jeff replied. “Here’s what I propose we tell her, Rick. You can let me know if you disagree with it. Since there is some doubt about your having fathered the baby, I suggest we tell her you will pay any doctor bills if she gives the doctor permission to reveal her medical information to you. Any additional payout will not occur until after the birth of the child, when DNA testing can be done safely.”

  “Do you think we have to be that difficult? If she’s carrying my child, I want her to have what she needs,” Rick said.

  “That’s what she’s counting on. If we remain firm, she may realize her tactics are useless, unless the baby really is yours. Just don’t deal with her. She’ll play on your sympathy. Keep saying over and over, ‘Call my lawyer.’”

  “Okay, I’ll do what you say. And thanks.”

  After Will thanked him, too, he disconnected the call. “Feel better?” he asked Rick.

  “Yeah, but I’d like this resolved sooner rather than later.”

  “You’re not the only one,” Vanessa muttered.

  When both men stared at her, Vanessa asked, “I didn’t say that out loud, did I?” She could feel her cheeks start to heat up and she scrambled for an excuse. “I—I meant because of Lindy, of course. I feel sure Sharon will try to get to her, if she can’t get to you.”

  “Why would she do that?” Rick asked.

  “Because Lindy would be excited that you were having a baby and she wouldn’t understand the motives of someone like Sharon.”

  “That’s true,” Rick said. “But you’ll keep her away from Sharon, won’t you?”

  “Of course.”

  That settled, Will stood up and said, “I guess that’s all we need to talk about. I’ll give Jim the information and he’ll see what he can find out.”

  Rick stood and shook Will’s hand. “I appreciate all you’re doing.”

  Will grinned. “Don’t worry. We’ll bill you.” Then he added, as he headed for the door, “Thanks, Vanessa.”

  “But—” Vanessa began, then stopped. There was no point in trying to persuade Will to stay. He was already gone.

  “Well,” she said, stopping to clear her throat. “I’m sure you have things to do. I don’t want to hold you up.” She stood and looked toward the door.

  “Not so fast.” Rick stepped closer. “I want you to know that I have no intention of marrying Sharon whether she’s carrying my child or not. But I truly believe she’s not.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Vanessa said softly, looking away.

  “I just want to tell you not to go falling for some other guy in the meantime.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Vanessa protested.

  “Yes, you do. There was something between us from the beginning. So, I’ll be back. You be ready.”

  “I don’t respond to threats.”

  He moved closer and dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “It’s not a threat. It’s a promise.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Things seemed normal in the Greenfield household for several days. Rick wasn’t mentioned by anyone. But that didn’t mean that Vanessa didn’t think about him. In fact, thoughts of Rick were driving her crazy.

  She was worried about his future. If he was wrong and Sharon was carrying his baby, he might actually marry her, and she, Vanessa, couldn’t blame him. In fact, she might even insist. A child left to Sharon’s care would only suffer.

  Vanessa shook her head to clear her thoughts.

  “Is something wrong, dear?” Vivian asked.

  “Oh, no, I, um, was thinking about something that happened at the university this morning.”

  “Oh. I keep thinking we’ll hear more about Rick’s situation. I do worry about that.”

  “He’ll be fine, Mom. Don’t fret about him.”

  “But he’s such a nice man. And he’s already been victimized by his stepmother as much as Lindy was. Sharon seems to be the same kind of woman.”

  “I know. I’m thinking about doing a study of how some men attract the same kind of woman from father to son. It’s interesting, isn’t it?”

  “I doubt Rick finds it interesting. You know, Vanessa, sometimes I fear that you try to keep certain people distant by studying them as if they were bugs under a microscope.”

  “Mom!”

  “Well, dear, it’s very difficult when you study people and their reactions all day long, not to do so in your personal life.”

  “I don’t—I’ll try not to do that, Mom.”

  Betty appeared in the doorway. “That lady is outside and Lindy is due to arrive home any minute.”

  Lindy had begged and pleaded to carpool home from school with her best friend. Today the friend’s mother would bring them home.

  “Oh dear, I’ve got to go chase her off,” Vanessa said. She grabbed her mother’s cell phone from a lamp table. “I’m going to borrow this, Mom.”

  “Of course,” Vivian said. She followed more slowly as Vanessa raced out the door.

  Vanessa reached the front door in time to watch Lindy arrive. She sped down the sidewalk to the girl. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sharon get out of her car.

  “Just drive away, Sharon, or I’m calling the police,” Vanessa called as she opened the car door for Lindy to get out.

  “I don’t have to do that. I’m not breaking any laws,” Sharon protested. “I just want to speak to my baby’s aunt.”

  “What’s she saying?” Lindy asked, turning to stare at Sharon.

  “Just ignore her,” Vanessa told Lindy. Then she said to Sharon again, “I’m calling the police, Sharon, and telling them you’re trespassing.”

  “I’m on a public street, I’ll have you know!” Sharon said, standing in the street behind her car.

  Vanessa pulled Lindy toward the door where Betty and Vivian stood waiting.

  “Why does she want to talk to me?” Lindy asked Vanessa.

  “She’s lying and hopes to get sympathy from you to use against your brother.”

  Suddenly Lindy stopped resisting and hurried to the front door.

  Obviously realizing she wasn’t going to get any attention from the street, Sharon started running up the walk. She reached the front door just after Lindy and Vanessa entered and closed it. She immediately rang the doorbell.

  Vanessa, having sent Lindy into the morning room with Vivian, opened the door, Peter beside her. “Yes?”

  “I want to talk to Lindy!”

  Vanessa studied the woman. “I’m afraid she’s not available.”

  “I just saw her go in. I know she’s in there.”

  Vanessa didn’t bother to argue. “So?”

  “I want to talk to her.”

  “No.”

  “Fine! But I’ll find a way!”

  “You can try. But then I’ll report you for harassment.”

  “We’re going to be kin. You can’t keep me out.”

  “Goodbye,” Vanessa said firmly, and slammed the door in Sharon’s face.

  “That woman is trouble,” Peter muttered.

  “Yes, she is. Don’t let her in, no matter who she asks to talk to or what she says she wants.”

  “I won’t.”

  When Vanessa reached the morning room, she found her mother lying back on the sofa with her eyes closed and Lindy pacing the floor. On the coffee table was a tray with iced tea and cookies, no doubt courtesy of Betty.

  When she saw Vanessa, Lindy demanded to know what Sharon wanted to tell her.

  “I think your best protection is to explain the situation to her, dear,” Vivian said, sitting up and opening her eyes.

  “Are you feeling all right, Mom?” Vanessa asked.

  “Yes, I’m fine, but I didn’t want to answer any of Lindy’s questions.”

  “I wish I didn’t have to,” Vanessa said with a sigh.

  “Fine! I’ll ask Rick,” exclaimed Lindy.

  Vanessa ducked her head to hide her smile at Lindy’s stubbornness.

>   “No, sit down, sweetie. I’ll explain.”

  Lindy sat on the sofa and Vanessa joined her. “First, I have to ask if you know where babies come from.” Vanessa watched Lindy closely.

  Though her cheeks flushed, Lindy tried to appear blasé. She put down the cookie she was eating. “Yes, of course.”

  “I hope you know that it can happen when a man and a woman have sex. You’ll notice I didn’t say anything about love. Men and women have physical urges that they sometimes give in to even if they aren’t in love. Your brother has occasionally indulged in sex. While he contends that when he did so with Sharon, he used condoms, she says she’s pregnant.”

  “Pregnant? You mean Rick’s going to have a baby?” Lindy asked, excitement in her voice.

  “We don’t know if it’s his, honey. Sharon has been known to lie.”

  “Why would she do that?”

  “Some women will do whatever it takes to get a man with a lot of money to marry them.”

  Lindy frowned. “But if she’s pregnant, doesn’t that mean—Whose baby is it?”

  “We’re not sure. But we don’t think she should try to use you against your brother.”

  “I don’t think she should, either.”

  “So I hope you’ll wait until Rick knows. When he does, he’ll tell you.”

  Lindy nodded. Vanessa then turned to Vivian. “I hope I didn’t upset you,” she said tentatively.

  “No, dear, you didn’t. Besides, you shared your cookies with me. I’ll forgive anything for chocolate chips like these.”

  “Mom, you know Betty would fix anything you wanted.”

  “I know, dear, but I wanted Lindy to feel better.”

  Vanessa shared a smile with her mother.

  Peter came to the door. “Vanessa, Mr. Rick’s on the phone.”

  “Oh, all right. I’ll get it in the library. I didn’t even hear the phone ring. Lindy, you should get busy on your homework. I’ll come check with you when I get off the phone.”

  “Okay. Tell Rick I said hi.”

  Vanessa ignored the wistful tone in Lindy’s voice as she shooed the young girl upstairs. Then she went to the library and took a moment to compose herself before she picked up the phone.

  “Hello, Rick.”

  “Hi, Vanessa. I called to be sure everything was okay there. About Sharon, I mean.”

  “Are you psychic?” she asked in surprise.

  “No, but she talked to Jeff today, and she threatened to talk to Lindy.”

  Vanessa sighed. “She tried.” She told Rick about the confrontation with Sharon.

  “Good,” he said when she was done. “That will take care of it, I’m sure.”

  “I’m not. I agreed with Mom, the best defense is offense. We thought it better to tell Lindy why Sharon wanted to talk to her.”

  “You did what?” Rick asked, his voice going up several decibels.

  “She said if we didn’t tell her what was going on, she’d ask you,” Vanessa said gently, and waited for a response.

  Silence.

  “Did you want to explain everything to Lindy?” she prompted.

  “No,” he answered quickly. Then he added, “But I don’t want her to hate me, either.”

  “She doesn’t, Rick, I promise. And, uh, she’ll need more information before she starts dating, but—”

  “Dating? She’s not—”

  “No, she’s not ready for dating. Maybe next year.”

  “But she’ll only be sixteen!”

  Patiently, Vanessa said, “I know that, Rick. Most girls start dating at sixteen.”

  “Absolutely not!”

  “Rick, that’s why she’s living with me. I can handle a talk about sex without overreacting. I can understand her need to fit in with her friends…to some degree.”

  “Okay, I won’t argue with you. At least not right now. I, uh, had another reason for calling.”

  “You mean they’ve already found out about the baby?” she asked.

  “No.”

  “Then what—”

  “I need you to go out with me tomorrow night.”

  “No! Absolutely not!”

  “But, Vanessa, you are the only one I can ask.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you know what’s going on in my life, for one reason.”

  “Do you have other reasons?”

  “Yes. I haven’t met another woman to fill in.”

  “Can’t you hire someone? I mean, aren’t there real escort services you can call?”

  “Not for a business function. There are only places to rent a prostitute.”

  “I’m sure you’re wrong.”

  “I may be, but I need someone I can trust. Someone who knows how to behave in public, carry on intelligent conversations. You were great with the Williamses.”

  “Am I supposed to say thank you?”

  “No, just say you’ll go.”

  “What are you going to?”

  “They’ve asked me to speak to a group of elite businesspeople in town, and they’re all coming with spouses.”

  Vanessa let out a heavy sigh. “Fine. One last time.”

  “I can’t promise—”

  “Surely once you clear up the problem with Sharon you can meet someone new.”

  “Why would I want to?”

  “What?”

  “I told you I want you. I’ll court you,” he added, as if he anticipated a protest.

  “I—I don’t know what—”

  “We’ll talk about it later. I’ll pick you up at six forty-five tomorrow night. And it’s cocktail dress. Thanks for agreeing.” And he hung up.

  “Smart man,” Vanessa muttered.

  Then she picked up the phone again and dialed the number for Greenfield and Associates. When Carrie answered, she asked for Will, who soon came on the line.

  “Hello?”

  “Will, it’s Vanessa. I know I shouldn’t ask, but what’s happening on Rick’s problem?”

  Will took a deep breath. “You’re right. You shouldn’t ask.”

  “But I helped provide information, didn’t I? Can’t you at least tell me if you’ve found the man Sharon was dating?”

  “We know who he is, but he’s away on vacation.”

  “But school has already started!”

  “We know. Seems his sister is getting married on Saturday night. He’ll come back on Sunday and be in school next Monday.”

  Vanessa groaned in frustration.

  “What happened that made you call me?” Will asked.

  “Oh, Sharon tried to talk to Lindy…and Rick needs me to go to a dinner with him tomorrow night.”

  “Ah. Well, I do think he’s stuck right now.”

  “Yes, so he explained.”

  “Do you really not want to go out with him?”

  “No, it’s just…I don’t mind, but it would be better if he didn’t have this pregnancy claim hanging over his head.”

  “I agree, honey, but I think this will soon be resolved.”

  “Thanks, Will.”

  “And, Vanessa?”

  “Yes?”

  “Anything Rick wants to tell you is fine.”

  “Right. Thank you.”

  She hung up the phone and wandered back into the morning room.

  “Was Lindy finishing her homework?”

  Vanessa looked at her mother in surprise. “I don’t know. I haven’t checked on her.”

  “You haven’t? What have you been doing?”

  Vanessa told her mother about Rick’s call, then her conversation with Will.

  Vivian gave her a sympathetic smile but said, “You shouldn’t have asked Will for information.”

  “I know. He told me. It’s just…Rick needs me to go to another dinner with him tomorrow night.”

  “I see.”

  “I just wanted to know if they had found out any more about Sharon’s pregnancy. If it’s his, I think he should either sue for custody or marry Sharon. Can you imagine the damage Sharon c
ould do to that child?”

  “That’s Rick’s decision, dear. After he makes his decision, you also may have a decision to make.”

  Vanessa collapsed on the sofa beside her mother. “Mom, I don’t know what to do!”

  Vivian smiled. “I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited for you to say those words.”

  Vanessa turned to stare at her mother. “Why?”

  “Because a mother wants to feel needed. You were such a determined child. It wasn’t often that you asked for any guidance.”

  Vanessa struggled to hold back the tears. “I always needed you, Mom. Always. But can you help me now?”

  “I have only one piece of advice, dear. Follow your heart. I don’t believe it will steer you wrong.”

  WHEN RICK CAME TO THE HOUSE a few minutes early to speak with Lindy, he was a little surprised that she rushed into his arms for a hug as usual.

  “You’re not unhappy with me?” he asked.

  “No, Vanessa explained everything.”

  “Okay,” Rick said, drawing out the word while he thought about what Vanessa must have said.

  “She explained that Sharon wanted to use me against you. I’ll never go against you, Rick. You took me back after Mom died, and I’ll always be on your side.”

  Rick had to swallow back a lump in his throat. “That must’ve been some explanation, kid. I’m the one who didn’t take care of you for nine years. You’re being too generous.”

  “I’m just a little worried about what kind of mother Sharon will be. I mean, if it’s really your baby.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “What will you do if it is?”

  “I don’t know, honey. I’ll probably pay Sharon a lot of money to give the baby to me. Money is what she wants.”

  Lindy stood there looking at Rick. “I’m glad we have a lot of money. You can use some of mine, too.”

  He was so moved, he hugged her again. “I don’t deserve your generosity. But I promise I’ll always be on your side, too, no matter what.”

  “Can anyone get in on this hug fest?” Vivian asked as she and Will entered the room.

  “Of course!” Lindy said at once and threw her arms around Vivian.

  Just then, Vanessa entered, and Rick immediately held out his arms. “Need a hug?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “No! I don’t need a hug. What’s going on?”