by Doreen Alsen
He didn’t look up from his art project. “It was awesome. The other team didn’t know what hit ’em. Coach is the best.”
Of course. It all came back to Coach. “And you got pizza.”
He looked up. “Are you mad?”
“Of course not, or else I wouldn’t let you order breakfast with everything buried under whipped cream.”
“It was really good.” He traded the green crayon for a white one. “Sal makes the best pizza. Ben says so. The Sharks go there every Friday after a game, so it must be good.” He added the white yard markings to the big green expanse.
Danny put down the white crayon for a brown one. “Can we get pizza sometime?”
“We’ll see.”
“It’s so good, Mom. I love pizza.” He grabbed a black crayon, one of the Sharks’ school colors.
She cleared her throat and tried really hard not to be jealous. Really tried. “I guess if you like pizza so much, we’ll have to get some every once in a while.”
He looked up then, scrunching his brows. “Really? We can order a healthy one, with broccoli instead of pepperoni.”
Oh, how she loved her son. “I don’t know. Broccoli on pizza doesn’t sound so good. Pepperoni sounds much more appetizing, don’t you think?”
Danny’s jaw dropped. “That’s awesome! Thanks Mom! Can we get it after next week’s Junior Sharks’ game? It’ll be my first game ever.”
“I think I can spring for a pizza.” Hopefully Anita would let Danny stay the night with Ben again, so she could go on her date with Jeff.
She wondered how things were going with him and his daughter in Addington. Beth thrust the thought out of her mind, because it led to thoughts of letting Jeff take Danny to meet Cookie.
She studied her son, her precious baby boy. Was this the last time she’d have him to herself?
A large, painful lump gathered in her throat, but she smiled in spite of it.
****
“Go long, Danny, go long!” Jeff was putting the Junior Sharks through some pass drills.
It had rained earlier that day and the field was more than a little slick. He imagined he’d have some very annoyed moms when they saw the mud covering the kids.
Danny scampered down the field, looking behind him so he could watch the ball and hopefully catch it. With ten-year-olds, it got kind of hit of miss.
As if in slow motion, Ben, as quarterback, lobbed the ball high at him, Danny leaped into the air and turned to make the catch, but lost his footing because of the mud. The ball hit him smack in the face and the kid fell like a ton of bricks. He landed hard on his ankle, crashed, and clunked his head hard on the ground.
“Danny!” Jeff ran to the kid. “Kids! Stand back.” He and Kevin, one of the other dads went down on their knees.
Adrenaline spiked through his system. Usually he was Joe Cool.
Danny moaned as he tried to get up, a good sign that he hadn’t lost consciousness, but it was pretty clear his nose was broken. Jeff didn’t want to take any chances. “Kevin, can you stay here, practice is almost over anyway, and most of the other parents are here to pick up the kids. I’ll get Danny to the emergency room.”
****
“Good job today, Tina! I’ll see you next week, right?” Beth stood at the door, holding it open for her student.
“Yep. Thanks, Mrs. Rawson.” Tina left and Beth closed the door.
She sighed and leaned against the door. No more lessons for the day. Her shoulders and lower back ached from sitting rigid on the piano bench all afternoon. She glanced at the clock hanging over the piano. Anita should be dropping Danny back home soon, so she had to start dinner. He was always so hungry after practice.
She pushed off the door and started toward the kitchen when her phone trilled. She pulled it out of her pocket, saw Anita’s name on the caller I.D. A strange tingling slithered along her spine. “Anita. What’s up?”
“You need to get to the E.R. right away. There was an accident at practice and Danny got hurt.”
Oh, God. She felt lightheaded. She shook her head to clear it.
“Beth, did you hear me?”
“Yes. I’ll be right there.” She ended the call, grabbed a jacket, purse and keys. Her worst nightmare about Danny playing football had come true.
Chapter Fourteen
Jeff sat by the gurney watching over Danny Rawson. Mercifully, the kid was asleep.
Anita Parks had called Danny’s mother, the elusive Mrs. Rawson. He’d finally get to meet her.
He turned his gaze to the kid on the gurney. For some reason, Danny Rawson got to him. He was drawn to him like no other kid he’d worked with before.
“He’s right in here, Mrs. Rawson.”
Jeff stood when he heard the voice of the nurse. The curtain pulled back and he was face to face with Danny’s mother.
Beth Pritchard.
Holy hell. He couldn’t hear over the buzzing in his ears. Beth was Danny’s mother. His Beth.
The one who’d told him he was the only man she’d ever been with. Obviously she’d been with someone else and lied about it. A queasy, cold feeling rose in his stomach.
What if she hadn’t lied about him being her one and only and had lied about giving birth to a daughter she gave up for adoption? This amazing child in front of him may very well be his son.
A wave of love swept over him. He had a son. He didn’t know how he knew it, he just did.
A son that the woman in front of him hadn’t seen fit to tell him about. His jaw clenched and every muscle went rigid. He forced himself to breathe. “Mrs. Rawson, I presume.”
Beth, paler than he’d ever seen her, barely spared him a glance. She went straight to Danny. She gently smoothed the hair off his forehead. “Hey, baby. Mommy’s here.”
Danny’s eyes fluttered open, like he sensed her there. “Mom,” he croaked. “It hurts.”
“I know, baby, I know,” she crooned, her face as white as her son’s.
His son.
She looked at Jeff then, her blue eyes round and lit with both panic and defiance. “How did this happen?”
“He slipped in the mud trying to make a catch and got hit in the face with the ball and got his nose broken. He sprained his ankle and wrist when he fell. He hit his head, but didn’t lose consciousness, so I don’t think he got a concussion. I brought him here right away.”
“I was afraid of this! I knew he’d get hurt if I let him play football.”
“Of course you did.” He really didn’t trust himself to talk to her right now. His hands fisted at his sides.
She stood. “I’m here now so you can go.”
He took a deep breath. “I don’t think so.”
“Danny’s welfare is my top priority. You can stay, but only if you don’t upset him.” She turned her back to him and sat once more.
He pulled up a chair to the other side of the gurney. She placed a kiss on Danny’s forehead, her attention rapt. She held his hand and squeezed it. Danny squeezed back and murmured something Jeff didn’t understand.
“I love you more,” she said, her voice soft and soothing.
He knew nothing about his son’s life. That made him even madder.
The doctor came in and they both stood. “Mrs. Rawson.” He held out his hand for her to shake. “I’m Alex McKenzie. You’ve got one brave little guy there.”
She swallowed and gave Dr. McKenzie a wan smile. “I know. I’m very proud of him. When can I take him home?”
“As soon as I check him over one more time and go over his discharge instructions with you.” He motioned to the hall outside the curtains. “Why don’t you wait out there while me and my nurse get to work?”
“I don’t know,” Beth said.
Jeff touched her elbow. She flinched. Good. “Mrs. Rawson, let’s go on out and give them room. The sooner they start, the sooner we can take Danny home.”
“I can take Danny home without your help.”
“You’re delusional if you think t
hat’s going to happen,” he ground out between his teeth.
She gasped, but he could see in her eyes that she knew the score. And he wanted answers. He was going to claim his son and there was nothing she could do about it.
She nodded and with one last look at Danny, she stepped out into the hall.
He followed right behind.
****
Beth’s heart thumped like a caged rabbit and a chill surrounded her. Of all the scenarios she had imagined telling Jeff about Danny, this sure wasn’t one of them.
Fury rolled off Jeff in waves, but Beth had faced worse with her father lived to tell the tale. She squared her shoulders.
“Were you going to tell me, Mrs. Rawson? Or were you going to keep it a secret forever?”
She turned to face him. Those hazel eyes turned stormy and angry. “Yes. On our lunch date last Saturday.”
“I see.” He clenched and unclenched his hands. “And where is Mr. Rawson?”
“I won’t talk about it here. We can get together tomorrow night and I’ll explain everything.”
“That doesn’t work for me. I’m following you home and you’re telling me tonight. I’m not letting another minute pass without claiming my son.”
“You can’t tonight! He’s not ready.”
“I want some answers and I will get them.”
“Jeff, please, I know you’re mad and you have every right to be. But remember he’s just a little boy.”
“My little boy.” He thumped his chest with his fist. “My. Little. Boy.”
Dr. McKenzie came out of the cubicle. “Looks like he’s good to go.” He held a sheaf of papers in his hand. “Here are the discharge instructions. Nurse Novak will go over them with you.”
“Thank you.”
“Danny’s asking for you,” the nurse said.
Beth glanced at Jeff then followed her.
But not before Dr. McKenzie said to Jeff. “Coach Myers, I’ve heard awesome things about you and I’ve been following the Sharks. They’re looking good. Any chance you play softball?”
****
Beth parked in the driveway. Jeff, true to his word, pulled in behind her.
“We’re home, buddy,” she told Danny. “I’ll come right around to help you out of the car.”
The door opened and Jeff leaned in. “I’ll bring Danny in. You go get the door.” He unbuckled Danny’s seatbelt and lifted him as if he weighed nothing. “Put your arms around my neck, champ.”
Her heart lurched seeing Danny cuddle against Jeff’s broad chest. He already worshipped Coach. She couldn’t imagine how euphoric he’d be finding out Coach was his real dad.
“Got that door open?”
She fumbled with her keys. “Sorry.”
When she finally got the door open, he marched through carrying Danny as if he was made of spun glass. “Where’s his room?”
“Please put him on the couch. He hasn’t eaten dinner and I imagine he’s hungry. Besides, he’s filthy.”
Jeff’s jaw clenched even more, but he did as she said.
Beth plumped some pillows for his head and put one under his injured ankle. “The doctor said you need to keep this elevated. Are you hungry?”
“A little.” He wiggled his back against the pillows.
“What do you want?”
He gave it some thought. “Pizza?”
“How about some cereal and a banana?” Beth smiled when Danny groaned, then turned her eyes to Jeff. “Do you want anything?”
“I’m good.”
“Then, maybe while I’m putting his cereal together you can take him to the bathroom and help him clean up a little.”
“Sure.”
Beth blew out a breath. “Okay. I’ll be right back.” She hurried to the kitchen to get some breathing room.
Jeff was so angry. Once she explained everything she’d gone through, calmly and rationally, he might calm down enough to have a real conversation.
She put Danny’s cereal on a tray and went back into the living room. Jeff had helped Danny into clean pajamas and now her baby had fallen asleep on the couch. Jeff sat on the other end watching him.
“Well, it looks like he’s down for the count. Can you help me get him to his room?”
“Of course.” He stood and picked up Danny. “Where?”
“Just down the hall. On the left. This way.” She raised and pointed with a very shaky hand.
Jeff didn’t say anything; he just took Danny to his room. He laid him on the bed.
“I need to tuck him in and get his ankle elevated.” She stood in the doorway. “Go wait in the living room and I’ll be right out.”
Jeff looked like he wanted to argue, but he did what she said.
She kissed Danny’s nose.
“I love you,” he whispered before he totally went under, “across all dimensions.”
She smiled and kissed him again. “I love you more.”
Straightening, she turned off the lights and flicked on his Time Bomb nightlight.
She couldn’t stall any more. Danny’s father was in her living room, demanding answers, which he deserved. Closing the door, she went to face him.
****
Jeff prowled around Beth’s house, feeling much like a lion with a thorn in his paw. It was a comfortable, homey room filled with comfortable furniture, shelves of books and games and pictures, but he felt anything but comfortable. He felt like an unwanted stranger.
Pictures predominated the room. They were mostly of Danny chronicling his growth from infant to the boy he was now.
Jeff had missed so much.
He found it odd that there were no pictures of Beth’s husband, which confirmed his suspicion that Danny was the baby he’d made with her.
“He’s sound asleep.” Jeff turned to see her standing there. “Do you want me to make some coffee while we talk?”
Since he figured on a long night, he said, “Sure.”
“Come into the kitchen with me. We’ll be more comfortable and there’ll be less chance we’ll wake Danny.”
“Why not.” He selected a picture of Danny as an infant and brought it with him. Beth was already busy grinding beans, filling the coffeemaker with water.
Without turning to face him, she said in a small voice, “I think you remember that my father was a man with no kindness in him, a hard man who made rules and expected everyone to do as he said. I was sixteen and under his thumb.” Now she faced him and motioned to one of the two kitchen chairs. “Sit, please.”
He did, defiantly putting the framed photo of Danny on the table so only he could see it.
She sat in the other chair. “I desperately wanted to keep Danny, you have no idea how much I did, but my father would have none of it. The Gospel according to Bob Pritchard demanded I give my baby up for adoption. Do you want a cookie? I baked a batch of Danny’s favorites today.”
Something burned inside of him with that. He didn’t even know what kind of damn cookie his son liked. “Sure.”
She went to the cabinet, grabbed the jar of cookies. She arranged the cookies on a plate. “Here you go. Oatmeal with chocolate chips. No nuts. He hates nuts.” She placed the plate on the table and sat back down.
“So do I.”
“Good to know.” She grabbed a cookie but didn’t do anything with it. “Here’s what you need to know.” She told him the whole sad story.
Jeff shook his head. “Jesus Christ.” A small part of him was relieved there was no Mr. Rawson lurking somewhere, waiting to ambush him and keep him from his son. “Your father died. Why didn’t you tell me then?”
“I told you why. I looked you up and found out you married Katie. Who, by the way, called the Lobster Cove police right before she called my father.” Beth’s eyes flashed the fire of temper. “We’d be a family, maybe with other children. Instead you married her and had a child with her.” Beth stood. “I’m sorry, but you were an idiot. A callous, clueless, idiot. She stole the life I should have had. No way I was letting h
er take my son away from me as well.”
“What did you say?”
“You heard me. Katie called the police on us before she phoned my father. You married the woman who almost got you sent to jail. Good going.”
He got a little lightheaded. “That can’t be true. How do you know that?”
“My father told me.”
“I can’t believe it.”
“Oh, believe it. He said so on his deathbed. So maybe you can see why I didn’t want my son to have anything to do with the woman who called the police to keep us apart and the man who would actually marry her.”
A bit of wind escaped from his sails. Katie would have used Danny against both of them. “I would have protected you both.”
“You married her! How could I trust you?” She walked to the counter and filled the mugs with the fresh brewed coffee. “How do you take yours?”
The question took him slightly aback. “Black.”
She poured milk and sugar into one mug then brought both to the table and set one in front of him. “We moved here because it was a way to be close to you. To have that little slice of happiness back.”
He stared at her, this stranger, his first love, the mother of his child. His heart beat a little harder. “I want him to know I’m his father.”
“That’s so complicated. Somehow I have to tell him I’ve lied about his father all his life.”
“Tough. I’m his father and I want the world to know it. I want him to know.”
She nodded. “Yes. He should know the truth.”
Finally! “Why did you name him Danny?”
Beth gave a mirthless laugh. “I didn’t. My father was reading from the book of Daniel when he was born. He demanded I name him that.” She grabbed a cookie. “He hated that I called him Danny. My one defiance.” She took a bite.
“Your father, the one who wanted to send me to jail for rape, named my son?” Jeff’s blood pressure spiked way up.
Beth slapped her hand on the table. “I wouldn’t risk losing him, especially over what to name him.”
“I would have named him after my father, William. Billy.”
She goggled at him. “You truly have no idea what I’ve been through! I’ve given up every dream I ever had for that boy. He is my whole life.” She splayed her hand on her chest. “You come into our lives and he ends up in the hospital! Playing football for your team. And you’re upset about his name?”
