by Dianne Drake
“Let’s just say that she probably won’t even remember any of it tomorrow.”
“I appreciate everything you’ve done, up to and including sending her home.”
“Amy doesn’t need a drunken mother here.”
Simon smiled as he took Del’s hand and led her back to the cubicle where Amy had been treated. “She’s going to spend the night in the ICU and if all goes well be transferred to a pediatric bed in the morning.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I can see why you didn’t stay with Yvette.”
“Yvette does have her bad moments but she’s not always so...oblivious. And she’s not so cruel that she’d want to see her daughter hurt.”
“But she’s drunk!”
“Which means something’s going wrong in her life.”
He was much more lenient with Yvette than Del expected him to be. Did he harbor leftover feelings for her? Maybe part of him still loved her in some odd, convoluted way. It was obvious that Yvette still counted on Simon to see her through and Del felt confused by the emotional interplay she saw. Simon should have been livid with Yvette yet he wasn’t. In fact, he was being awfully kind.
“She’s worse now than she used to be. For all her faults, Yvette was never a real drunk.”
“This new marriage must not be agreeing with her too well, then.”
He shook his head. “And Amy’s trapped in the middle of it.”
“Might be a good time to revisit the custody issue. You’ll have the records from the hospital to back you up.” Del smiled sadly as he put his arm around her shoulder. “I’m sorry it turned out this way.”
“So am I. Amy doesn’t deserve this.”
“Look, Simon. Let’s go up to the doctors’ lounge and sit there until Amy’s out of surgery. I’ll tell them at the desk where we’ll be. They need to clean up this cubicle for the next patient.”
Simon nodded his agreement and they walked, clinging to each other, to the elevator, where they boarded and went up one floor to the doctors’ lounge. It was blessedly quiet in there. A couple of the docs there were dozing, one was eating a meal and another one was reading, with his reading glasses poised on the end of his nose. All in all, it was a peaceful place and Simon was glad for the quiet as he didn’t feel like talking, he was so numb with worry. So he and Del sat on the couch, arms wrapped around each other, with Simon’s eyes glued to the clock.
Every now and again he sighed and shifted, but he didn’t let go of Del. It was well into the first hour of surgery when he finally spoke. “If I went after custody now, wouldn’t it seem like I’m taking advantage of a bad situation? I’m afraid that would eventually hurt Amy. I should have had her with me, but the court has been against me every step of the way,” he whispered, so as not to disturb the tranquil atmosphere in there.
Del nodded. “Sometimes life’s just not fair. Tonight it’s not fair for Amy.”
He looked down at her and smiled. “Charlie’s a lucky little boy having you for his mother. You were meant to have children, Del. I’ll admit, I wondered why you wanted to do it, but now I know. You’re a natural.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I love being a mother. I never gave it much of a thought while I was in med school, and even in the beginning of my practice, but being around babies every day...it’s how I define myself now, even more than I’ve always defined myself as being a doctor. But I think you’re a natural, too.”
“A father without a child.”
“Because the child’s mother doesn’t care enough about her to do what’s right. I can’t believe she wanted to go home before Amy’s surgery.”
“Believe it. That’s the way the last couple years of our marriage were. She was out playing while I was at home taking care of Amy.”
“Yet you still defend her.”
“Because for all her faults, I know she does love Amy. It’s just difficult for her because she doesn’t have that natural mommy instinct like you do.”
There he was defending Yvette again. She’d just made love with this man and here he was defending the woman she’d thought he hated. Perhaps it was her own judgment that should be called into question here, getting involved with a man who was distanced from the relationship because he still had feelings for another woman. Could she overcome that? Or did she even want to try?
“I’m just amazed that she wanted custody, when she clearly doesn’t care about being a mother.”
He shrugged. “I think having a child makes her appear more stable than she is. Yvette’s a total mess. Worse tonight than I’ve ever seen her before.”
“I can only imagine what her husband’s like,” Del commented.
“I’ve tried not to think about it,” Simon said, sounding so discouraged his voice barely broke through the air around them.
“Simon, Del...” A scrub nurse entered the room. “Her splenectomy went fine. They’re in for the leg repair now and Dr. Ross said to tell you he’ll be up here in a little while to have a talk with you.”
Simon heaved a sigh of relief. One surgery down, one to go. Which meant it was still a long night ahead of them. “Thank you,” he told the scrub nurse, then turned to Del. “If you want, you can go home now. I’m fine here by myself. And little Charlie may be waking up wanting his mommy anytime.”
“How about I call home and if I’m not needed there I’ll stay here with you?”
“I’m really OK being by myself here. Especially since you did my dirty work and dealt with Yvette.”
“Do you think you should call her with a progress report?” Del asked.
“How about I wait until she calls me?” he snapped.
“Because you’re better than that.”
“I know. And something’s obviously wrong in her life or she wouldn’t be acting the way she did. But I’d sure like to treat her the way she deserves.”
“Except you won’t, and you know it.”
Simon sighed. “I’m not looking forward to calling her, but maybe by now she’ll be coherent enough to care a little.”
While Del made her call, only to find out that everything was being managed quite well, Simon made his to a voice mail message, telling the caller to call back in the morning. “If you’re calling at night, call back in the morning when I’m awake. If you’re calling during the day and I don’t answer, leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
Damn, she sounded so sweet on the phone. He could see why he’d fallen for her. She had a way of turning it off and on to suit her needs.
“So, what did she say?” Del asked.
“Nothing. It rolled over to voice mail.”
“Seriously? With her child in surgery? Maybe she didn’t want to be here but you’d think she’d want to know what was going on.”
“She doesn’t care.”
Del frowned. “I just don’t understand it.”
“And I hope you never do. People like that shouldn’t have children, and Yvette certainly is one of those people.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, my parents said to tell you that Amy is in their thoughts and prayers tonight, and they’re keeping a good thought for you, too.”
“Are you going home?”
She shook her head. “I’m here for the duration. As long as you need me...”
* * *
“Daddy, where am I?” Amy asked.
“You’re in the recovery room. The doctors had to operate on you tonight and you’re going to be just fine.”
“Is Mommy here?”
“Mommy had a headache and she had to go home.”
“Oh,” Amy replied, her speech thick with anesthesia. “I’m so sleepy.”
“Then go back to sleep, sweetheart.”
“Are you going to stay here with me?”
“I’m not going to leave your side,” he promised. “And next time you wake up I’ll be right here, holding your hand.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” He bent over and gave her a kiss on her forehead, then looked at her tiny form lying under the blanket. The daughter he would choose...if the choice were his to make. Unfortunately, it wasn’t and he was scared to death that once she was past this crisis Yvette would take Amy away from him again.
Simon didn’t know how he’d survive that.
“She looks like an angel,” Del said, stepping up behind Simon and putting her hand on his shoulder.
“She is an angel. Such a good child... Yvette doesn’t know what she has or how lucky she is.”
“Well, Yvette is out in the waiting room with a man I take to be her husband. He’s older. Old enough to be her father, and he looks like a dude, with all his gold chains and rings. And he’s wearing sunglasses even though he’s inside the building at night.”
“He brought her here?”
Del shrugged. “She seems more sober than she did when I sent her home several hours ago.”
“I suppose I should go out and see her.”
“Well, they won’t let her in Recovery. I told her she’d have to wait until Amy went to the ICU, then she’d probably get ten minutes with her.”
“Was she agreeable?”
“Her husband did all the talking for her. He wanted to know when that would be and I told him we have no way of knowing. He wasn’t happy to hear that.”
“I guess it has to be done.” Frowning, Simon stood up and walked slowly to the door, then out to the surgery waiting room.
“How is she?” Yvette asked as she looked in a compact mirror and fiddled with her hair.
“Rough shape. She lost her spleen, and had to have orthopedic surgery. She’ll probably be down about six weeks, and they’ll get her up and start her on physical therapy as soon as possible so she won’t get weak.”
“Six weeks?” Yvette’s husband shouted. “We can’t have a sick kid hanging around that long. We’ve got things to do, and if she’s laid up that means we’ll have to get someone to watch her.”
“You must be Mack Brighton,” Simon said, without extending his hand to the man.
“Sure, this is my husband, Mack,” Yvette said. “Mack, this is my ex, Simon. The one who was fighting me for Amy.”
“So you’re the one who wants the kid. Funny how that’s going to work out for you, ’cause it looks like you’re going to get her for a while, since we can’t take care of her the way she needs. Or, I suppose we could put her in a nursing home of some sort if you don’t want her the way she is now.”
“Amy’s not going to a nursing home,” Simon said, fighting hard to hold his temper in check.
“Then you’ll keep her?” Yvette asked hopefully.
“Of course I’ll keep her. But you’ll have to have the court revoke the restraining order against me.”
“And you’ll have to give him full custody so he can make all her medical decisions,” Del said from behind Simon. She stepped around him and looked straight at Mack. “The way it stands now, Simon can’t do anything to help Amy because of the way you’ve got him tied up. So untie him and give him a full-custody agreement, then you won’t have to have him bothering you every time something has to be decided.”
“Sure, whatever,” Mack grunted. “I’ll call the attorney first thing in the morning.”
“You’re taking my baby?” Yvette asked, as if she wasn’t even paying attention to the conversation going on around her. “Does that mean you’re going to pay for her, too?”
“Of course I’ll pay for her.”
“And he won’t come after you at some time in the future if you agree to sever all ties to Amy now, and in the years to come.”
“You mean you’re just going to take my baby away from me forever?”
“That’s exactly what he means,” Del interjected.
“And I want to adopt her,” Simon said. “Give her my name and become her legal father.”
“That’s being harsh,” Yvette said. “Just because she had a little accident.”
“An accident that almost killed her,” Simon returned.
“Let him have the kid,” Mack said. “If you don’t she’s going to cost you a fortune, and don’t expect me to chip in for her care.”
“Why do I feel like you’re all trying to take advantage of me?” Yvette asked, putting on her pouty face.
“You think you can do better?” Mack asked.
“You know I can’t do better than you, babe,” Yvette answered him.
“Then give him the kid. You don’t want her anyway. You told me so a dozen times.”
“Yet you went after me and took a restraining order against me having any contact with her?” Simon almost shouted.
“That was purely a strategic move,” Yvette said. “And you failed.”
“You were going to extort money from him to see his stepdaughter?” Del asked. “Was that the plan?”
“Not extort money so much as just make him pay for the privilege.”
“I sure as hell don’t pay for that kid,” Mack butted in. “And I made that perfectly clear when we got married that the kid was baggage.”
“Baggage her mother thought she could make a buck on,” Del argued.
“Who the hell are you anyway, lady?”
“She’s the person who cares more about Amy than Amy’s mother does,” Simon told him.
“Your hook-up?” Mack asked.
“My friend.”
With that Del stepped closer to Simon and slid her hand into his. “His very good friend.”
“Then you tell your very good friend he can have the kid if he wants her, but it’s going to cost him.”
“It will cost me nothing,” Simon said, squeezing Del’s hand. “In fact it will save me another court battle where I go after child support from Yvette, which is what I could do since you’re so willing to give Amy away. I’m sure the courts would agree with me that neither of you deserves to have her, and if it gets that far in the court system Yvette might be the one who ends up paying me child support.”
“You wouldn’t do that,” Yvette said. “We were married five years and the one thing I know about you, Simon, is that Amy matters more than anything else to you. You wouldn’t tie her up in a family court battle like one that is bound to hurt her.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t. But you would, and that’s the difference between us, Yvette. You’d use Amy and I’d protect her.”
Del smiled. “See, the thing is, Amy will be going where she’s loved and wanted, and if you care for Amy at all, then you’d want that for her. Especially since you’ll be getting Mack in the deal.”
Yvette sighed. “Are you going to be around to help raise her?”
“I’ll be around,” Del said, then looked up at Simon. “One way or another.”
“Could I at least see her sometimes, Simon?”
Del held her breath. This whole thing had been a gamble to start with, but it looked as if Yvette was about to give in to her husband’s wishes. Here was hoping she had no more children in the bargain.
“Of course. Ideally, you’d even want to have a relationship with her.”
“Except we’re moving out of Chicago,” Mack said.
“We are?” Yvette questioned.
“Yep. I’ve got a hot prospect coming up in Vegas and I need to be closer to my work. Ain’t no place for no kid, either.”
“I could call.”
“You can call,” Simon agreed.
“And video conference,” Yvette suggested.
Simon agreed to that, too, knowing full well that once Amy was out of her sight she’d also be out of
mind. “So, I’ll get an attorney. For my side of it, and—”
“Got one already,” Del interrupted. “He’s my next-door neighbor.”
“Then it’s set. I’ll adopt Amy.” It seemed so simple and almost civilized. Of course, they were talking money at this juncture and Yvette didn’t have a say in that, apparently.
“And we won’t be paying for the kid one way or another,” Mack said, smiling as if he’d just won a great victory.
“And you won’t be paying for the kid,” Simon agreed, nodding. “Oh, and in case you’re interested, Yvette, she did ask for you.”
Yvette looked shocked. “You tell her Mommy’s moving, that she’ll be calling her as soon as she’s settled in.”
“You could see her before you go,” Del suggested.
“Don’t have time,” Mack said. “We’ve got packing to do. Just make a lawyer’s appointment before we leave town next week, and we’ll get this all wrapped up.”
“Dr. Michaels,” one of the recovery nurses said, tapping Simon on the shoulder. “Just thought you’d want to know that Amy’s coming round again and if you want to keep your promise to her...”
Simon took one last look at Yvette and, while he didn’t regret their marriage because it had given him Amy, he did regret that she’d let herself be trampled so low. But that was her life, and he had a brand-new life ahead of him. “Thanks,” he whispered as Mack and Yvette walked away. Simon didn’t know if it was his imagination, or if it was real, but as Yvette glanced back he thought he saw a look of regret on her face. He hoped, for Amy’s sake, he did. But Yvette was pulled into Mack’s embrace as they exited the hall, and she didn’t look back again.
“Goodbye and good riddance,” Simon said as he rushed back to the recovery room, pulling Del along with him. By the time Amy came around again, he was sitting next to her, holding her hand with his left, and holding on to Del for dear life with his right.
* * *
Things had worked out rather simply, Del thought as she stood there. But she still wondered about Simon. Would he commit to someone other than Amy? If, per chance, they got together, how would Charlie rate with him? Would Charlie always come in second? She pictured him adoring Amy while practically ignoring Charlie, and that bothered her. She couldn’t be involved with a man who would do that. Time would tell, she supposed, and if there was one thing she had plenty of, it was time.
