“I remember the old woman. She wasn’t fit to raise such a small, needy child.” Antonio sat down on the bench again. “You probably don’t remember because she’s so much younger than you—she’s Michael’s age, you know — but Faith used to play at our house sometimes. On a hot summer day all the kids would be in shorts and T-shirts, dirty, barefoot, playing in the sprinklers, and Lucia would be sitting on the porch with Faith in her little dress, shoes and socks, absolutely spotless, her hair fixed just so. She never got to get dirty, never got to have fun. She was the most frighteningly polite child I’d ever seen.”
After a moment’s silence his father asked yet again, “So, son, what are you going to do?”
Nick sat down beside him. “Actually, I was hoping you could tell me.”
“When is my grandbaby due?”
“In a few days.”
“Not much chance you’ll get her married before then, is there?”
Nick looked up at the sky. “I doubt it. It’s a little cool today, but I think we’re a long way from hell freezing over.”
They sat in silence for a time, then his father glanced at him. “Are you happy about the baby?”
“I wasn’t.” His grin was shaky. “But the more I get used to the idea... I don’t know. It just seems so—”
“Miraculous?”
After considering it a moment, Nick nodded. “Yeah. Miraculous. A week ago, all I could think was, ‘Oh, God, please don’t let this be true.’ Now—”
His father laid his hand on Nick’s shoulder. “Now you’re ready to be a father.”
Again, Nick considered it for a moment, then once more nodded. “Yeah.” He was ready to be a father—and a husband. He just had to convince Faith.
“You know, I can’t keep this from your mother for long, and once I tell her, the whole town will know. She’ll be too excited to keep it to herself. She’ll have to brag to everyone about her new granddaughter.”
Nick knew that, of course. He’d told Faith, even though she hadn’t believed him, that his parents would be thrilled. Regardless of whether Amelia Rose’s parents were married, Antonio and Luisa would welcome the baby into their family with the same excitement, love and joy that had accompanied the births of their other two dozen grandkids.
They would welcome Faith into the family with the same enthusiasm. They would make up for the family she’d never had. They would welcome her, love her and protect her. If they had a chance. If she gave them that chance.
“Pop... could Mom have everybody over for dinner Friday evening?”
Immediately catching on, his father grinned. “She would be happy to. You know she never misses a chance to get all the kids together. Does this mean I can tell her?”
Nick drew a deep breath. Some part of him—the part that wanted to take care of Faith and shelter her—disliked his plan. She was one shy, delicate little woman. There was no way she could stand up to any Russo — with the obvious exception of him. It wasn’t fair to unleash the whole bunch of them on her at once.
But wasn’t all fair in love and war? Wasn’t anything he did for the sake of their child, anything done for Faith herself, all right? If he didn’t honestly believe they could have a good marriage—a strong, happy, loving marriage—he would never push her like this. But he did believe. He believed enough for the both of them.
“Not until Friday, Pop,” he answered at last as he stood and tugged his jacket on. Offering his father a tight, uneasy smile, he finished, “You can tell everyone Friday.”
Chapter 9
Faith was with a customer when Nick came strolling into the shop that afternoon. She hadn’t expected him back so soon—it was only a little after three-thirty—but she was happy to see him — so happy that it made her scowl.
“Are you all right, dear?” Mrs. Willingham, her old high school English teacher, set the educational toy they’d been discussing aside and worriedly patted Faith’s arm. “Should I have that young man with Beth get you a chair?”
“No,” Faith blurted, then flushed. If Mrs. Willingham called Nick over, he would probably insist on carrying her into the back room to rest, or, more likely, he would make her go home and to bed.
Which wouldn’t be a bad place to be.
Especially with him.
“I’m all right,” she hastily reassured the elderly woman. “It’s just a little indigestion.”
Immediately the worry faded and was replaced by a knowing smile. “Oh, yes, I remember that well. I never suffered from morning sickness, but by the last few weeks of each pregnancy, I couldn’t eat anything without suffering an incredible case of heartburn. When is the baby due?”
“Four more days.”
“Oh, honey, you should be home resting, not in here on your feet all day.”
“Exactly what I’ve been trying to tell her.”
Faith cringed as Nick joined them. What was he doing? Mrs. Willingham might be old as the hills, but she was as quick and sharp as ever. She was more likely to recognize even the most subtle of hints than probably anyone else in town.
“Nick Russo. I’d heard you were back for your brother’s wedding.”
He contradicted her with a shake of his head. “Back to stay, Mrs. Willingham. I’ve moved home.”
The old lady smiled. “How nice. However, I’m not surprised that you’ve returned. Family ties are powerful, and your family ties seem unusually so. Your parents must be overjoyed.”
“They are,” he agreed with a grin that Faith found both smug and endearing. “In fact, I just came from a visit with my father. He was thrilled.” He said the last with a quick glance at Faith.
Was that a little extra emphasis he’d put on his last word? As in his reply when she had warned that his parents wouldn’t be pleased to find out he was about to have an illegitimate daughter. Are you kidding? They’re going to be thrilled.
No. She was being overly suspicious. He wouldn’t have told his father about them. He wouldn’t tell them until Amelia Rose was here. He would want to try to resolve their disagreements before bringing his family into the situation ... wouldn’t he?
Mrs. Willingham directed her next words to Faith. “I taught Nick English, also—or rather, I tried. He wasn’t very enthusiastic about learning. All he wanted was a C so he wouldn’t jeopardize his place on the football and baseball teams.”
“Yes, but I earned a B,” he reminded her.
“Faith earned straight A’s, and I taught her for three years,” the old lady said with a smile. “She was such a good student—such a good girl. She was a teacher’s dream.”
He gave Faith a long, measuring look before agreeing. “I imagine she could be anyone’s dream.”
Even his? she wondered, the conversation continuing without her attention. Her head said no, but her heart...her heart wanted to believe maybe. Of course, in her heart, she wanted to believe all sorts of things. That people were basically good. That parents didn’t give away their children by choice. That children weren’t responsible for the actions of those parents. That no one meant to hurt those children with thoughtless words and insensitive labels. That everyone deserved a family and someone to love them. That she deserved a family and someone special to love her.
But did she deserve the Russo family? Did she deserve Nick Russo? And could he ever find it in his heart to love her? Longing coupled with fear made her eyes grow damp. Quickly, before anyone could notice, she closed them, lowered her head and pinched the bridge of her nose as if she had a headache, as if she could somehow push the tears back inside where they belonged.
Immediately Nick laid his hand on her shoulder, a stronger, more solid, more reassuring touch than Mrs. Willingham’s. “Are you okay?”
Hoping he wouldn’t see any evidence of weepiness, she lowered her hand from her face, opened her eyes and forced a smile. “I’m fine.”
“She’s tired,” Mrs. Willingham stated flatly. “She needs to go home and rest.”
“I agree,” Nick said, sta
lling Faith’s protest. “Why don’t you ask Beth to close up this evening, and I’ll take you home.”
Upon hearing the conversation, Beth joined them. “Sure, I’d be happy to close.”
“I’m fine,” Faith repeated, but no one seemed to be listening.
Beth slid her arm around her shoulders. “Look, you’re going to be having this baby any day now. Mom will be working during the day, but I’ll be closing every day until you come back. I’ve done it before, and I’m perfectly capable of doing it now. Go on. Go home. Go to bed.”
She hesitated, but knew it would be easier to agree than to argue. Besides, she did want to go home. She wanted to nest, to curl up in her warm, safe, welcoming home and not come out again until her daughter was born. Letting her breath out heavily, she said, “All right. I’ll go home.”
Satisfied that they’d won the battle, Beth returned to the counter where she’d been studying and Nick went to the storeroom to get Faith’s purse and coat. They left her alone with Mrs. Willingham, who was studying her intently. Faith tried to smile, but such scrutiny, especially now, especially when she felt so vulnerable, was hard to take.
“He’s a nice young man,” the old lady said at last, an odd, knowing tone to her voice. “Solid, responsible, comes from a good family. You could have done worse.”
Faith stared at her for a moment, then suddenly tears welled again and her lower lip trembled. “Please,” she whispered.
Mrs. Willingham reached out once more and patted her arm. “Dear, I’ve kept secrets longer than you’ve been alive. I won’t tell anyone. Though I don’t know how much longer it can stay a secret. I’ve taught more Russos than you could shake a stick at, and I’ve yet to see one who doesn’t look just like all the others. Besides, Nick was never one to hide things. He’s not going to be a proud papa in secret.”
That was one of the problems, Faith wanted to sob. She wasn’t sure he was going to be a proud father at all.
As he came out of the storeroom, Faith wiped desperately at her eyes. Mrs. Willingham pressed a lavender-scented handkerchief into her hands, then patted her once more. “It’s your hormones, dear,” she said with a chuckle, for Nick’s benefit, Faith suspected, rather than her own. “Your entire system is out of whack, you’re exhausted, and every little thing you do is a major undertaking. When I was pregnant, I cried at the drop of a hat. Take her home, Nick. Make her lie down, prop her feet up and do nothing for a change.”
“I intend to.” Sliding her purse under his arm, he lifted her left arm and slid it into the coat sleeve. She cooperated by raising her right arm, but he took care of the rest. When he was finished, he gave Mrs. Willingham one of those charming smiles. “It was nice seeing you.”
She implied the same with a regal nod. “I hope to see you again soon.”
“I’m sure you will. Come on, Faith.”
She let him usher her out of the store and a few yards down the street to where his truck was parked. There he practically lifted her into the seat, then leaned across and fastened the seat belt around her before closing the door. The instant he climbed into the driver’s seat, she asked, “Did you tell your father?”
He became very still for a moment, not moving, not breathing, not looking at her. Then, his voice even and almost normal, he replied, “Yes, I did.”
“Why?”
He started the engine and turned the heater on low. It wasn’t really cold, Faith realized, but she was. The warm air on her feet felt almost as good as sliding into a tubful of fragrant, steamy water—a pleasure she hadn’t indulged in since the sixth month of her pregnancy when her body had changed enough to start making simple things more difficult.
Finally he looked at her. “When I need advice or someone to talk to, I go to my father. A lot of people do. You would know that if you’d ever had one of your own.”
She should be angry that he’d told her secret to someone else, but she didn’t have the energy. Besides, it was his secret, too. She had told Wendy and had just confirmed it for Mrs. Willingham, so he was entitled to tell whomever he wanted. More than angry, she should feel threatened. If any one bunch of people in the world could make her accept his marriage proposal, it was his family. Hadn’t she wanted to be part of a family like that all her life? Hadn’t she marveled over them every time she’d gone to their house to play with Lucia—over the love, the affection, the respect, the strength? Weren’t they exactly the sort of family she’d dreamed about bringing Amelia Rose into?
“He’s the only one who knows so far. But, Faith, trying to keep it secret is just delaying the inevitable.”
She knew that. Eight days ago only she had known. Then Wendy had found out, and Nick. He’d told his father, and Mrs. Willingham had guessed. His father would tell his mother, who would tell all the other Russos. Wendy might slip and confide in Travis. Faith herself would eventually admit it to Valerie, and in a few more days she was going to have to come forward with the information for Amelia Rose’s birth certificate. Common knowledge was inevitable... but the secret had been kind of nice while it lasted. Amelia Rose had been hers and hers alone. There had been no father in the picture and no pressure from him, his family or anyone else.
But wasn’t a family worth the secret becoming common knowledge? Wasn’t a father for Amelia Rose worth giving up that selfish claim to her daughter?
“Are you angry?” Nick sounded hesitant, unsure—something totally new for him, she was certain.
She stared out the window and sighed. “No.”
He pulled away from the curb, turned at the next corner and took the side streets to her house. There he hustled her inside, took her coat from her, hung it with his, then guided her toward the parlor where he left her standing next to the old rocker. Disregarding the chill that had filled the house, he took the quilt from the sofa, wrapped it around her, then lifted her into his arms.
“Nick,” she protested, but he shushed her as he sat down in the rocker and settled her across his lap. “You’re going to hurt yourself,” she said in halfhearted complaint even as she let him pull her head to his shoulder. He was solid, just as Mrs. Willingham had said, only in a totally different way. He felt comfortable and warm and smelled of after-shave and fabric softener and of just plain, pure Nick.
“Darlin’, I’ve picked up people who weigh twice what you do and never gotten hurt. Granted, I usually wind up throwing them to the ground, though, and putting the cuffs on them.”
She smiled sleepily. “Sometimes I forget you’re a cop.”
“In a few more weeks that’ll be hard, since I’ll be in uniform again. It’ll be the first time in seven years.”
“Moving up here and taking this job is a big step back for you, isn’t it?” She hadn’t thought about it before, but his work wasn’t just a job. It was a career, one he had studied for and had worked hard to advance in. According to his brother, he’d been a real hotshot detective in Houston. Here he would never handle the sort of cases he’d had down there. If he was going to be in uniform, that meant he would be patrolling the streets, investigating accidents, writing tickets—a far cry from the work he was used to.
“Depends on how you look at it. I worked some long hours in Houston. They weren’t exactly conducive to relationships, you know. Neither was the risk. A lot of the people I worked with had never married, but a lot were divorced. Their wives got tired of spending so much time alone, of competing with the job for their attention, of always worrying.” He tucked the quilt closer around her, then brushed her hair back. Simple little touches, but they spread such heat through her. “There are some advantages to big-city police work if you like excitement, variety, experience. But if you want a safer environment, if you want to go home at a reasonable hour every day, if you want both a job and a family, a small-town department has a lot to offer.”
She just hoped he didn’t find himself resenting the trade-offs he’d had to make for Amelia Rose. She prayed he didn’t someday blame his daughter for forcing him to
give up the career he’d chosen and become instead just another small-town cop.
As he set the chair in motion, Faith yawned. She could go to sleep right here. He would wind up squished and aching, but she would be more comfortable than she’d ever been. Fighting another yawn, she asked, “What did your father say?”
“He was angry.” He must have felt her tense, because he quickly went on. “With me. Not about the baby. I already knew what my folks thought about the horrible person who seduced you, then took off, so I was prepared. About the baby—just as I told you he would be, he was thrilled. Pop loves kids. He loves little girls. I guarantee you, he’s already making plans to spoil her rotten.”
“Not my daughter,” she protested, and he laughed.
“That’s what grandparents do. If your grandparents had been deserving of the title, you would know that. Parents teach, train and discipline, and grandparents spoil, pamper and indulge.”
She liked the sound of that—liked that Amelia Rose would have that sort of typical, normal relationship that she had missed out on. She liked that there would be grandparents—especially people she was fond of, people she respected—willing to pamper and indulge her little girl. She very much liked that Amelia Rose’s life would be full, rich and loving from the very beginning, instead of sterile and lonely as her own-had been.
Of course, Nick could be wrong. Just because Antonio was willing to accept Amelia Rose didn’t mean Luisa or any of the others would be. Luisa could have easily chosen any number of young women right here in New Hope with whom she would prefer that Nick had a child. After all, Faith wasn’t Catholic, and Luisa very much was. Faith wasn’t outgoing. She didn’t know how to be friendly in the way they were. She didn’t know how to be part of a family. She’d become just the slightest bit notorious in the past nine months. She’d been the subject of whispers and the target of finger-pointing. Her refusal to identify the father of her baby and her decision to go through the pregnancy and raise the baby alone damned her in some eyes. And that was in addition to all the baggage of her past.
Discovered: Daddy Page 22
