The Switch

by Heather Justesen

Conversation meandered from topic to topic as he finished putting together dinner—refusing all assistance from Tia—and keeping an eye on the chicken on the grill. To her surprise, Tia found herself relaxing in his presence. He was good with the kids, cooked competently, and kept the conversation lively.

  After dinner was done, dessert was a memory, and the girls sat in front of a kids’ movie Tia had brought—just in case—Tia and Danny settled comfortably in his living room.

  “I have to admit, I didn’t expect to have such a good time tonight,” Tia said as she kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet under her on the sofa. It was even more comfortable than it looked.

  “You underestimated my charm?” His grin was teasing and nearly irresistible.

  “On the contrary, I wondered if there was anything under all of your charm. All too often charm is just smoke and mirrors to cover up an empty shell.” She winced inwardly after she spoke. Did she just insinuate she’d thought he’d be shallow?

  “And you came anyway?” He looked amused rather than offended, giving her the courage to explain.

  “Promise not to hate me?” When he nodded, she plowed ahead, “I’m trying to avoid my mom, and the best way is to be out of the house and turn off the phone. You were a good excuse.”

  He covered his chest with one hand. “I’m wounded.” His amused expression said otherwise. “What’s the deal with your mom, if you don’t mind my asking?”

  Tia paused to consider her words. This was extremely personal, but she felt like she could talk to him. He was a much better listener than most men, and since she’d already admitted to more or less using him, not giving him some kind of explanation wouldn’t be fair. “I found out a few days ago that my parents divorced because she cheated on my dad. Now we think he may not be my dad at all.”

  Danny didn’t give her the pity she dreaded, just sympathetic understanding. “Wow. How long have your parents been divorced?”

  “Sixteen years. All this time they’ve been saying it was a personality conflict, and they decided they’d be happier apart. My dad never even hinted at my mom’s infidelity.” It was just like her dad—who while not exactly self-effacing, did at least tend to put his kids’ best interest first. Her mom certainly wouldn’t have done the same if the roles had been reversed.

  “Did your mom marry the guy she cheated with?” Danny reached up and touched one of her auburn curls, wrapping it around his finger.

  “No. She has married and divorced again since then, but she met the second husband years after the divorce finalized. I keep asking myself if I was really so naïve I had no idea what was going on in our home.” Tears prickled Tia’s eyes and she willed them away. She was tired and vulnerable, which meant it was time to leave. “I better take the girls home.” She stood and Danny joined her, stopping her with a light touch to her shoulder before she could move to the kitchen to collect her things.

  “I’m glad you came over.” Danny searched her face. “I’d like to see you again sometime.”

  Her heart fluttered again at his words, part of her longing to shout out her agreement. The rest of her wasn’t ready to get involved with someone. She really liked him and wasn’t sure they could keep it casual. The emotions he stirred up in her definitely weren’t platonic. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

  “Why not? Didn’t you have a good time? The girls seem content.” His eyes switched to flit over them before returning to her face, a smile growing on his mouth. “Besides, you need to give me a chance to weasel the pie recipe out of you.”

  Tia chuckled. “You don’t have to spend time with me to manage that. Watch my show on Thursday and you’ll get it all step by step.”

  “That’s something anyway,” Danny murmured low so she doubted Samantha could hear him. “But it’s not quite enough.”

  His request was more tempting than she wanted to admit. “I think I’ve got plenty going on right now without throwing a relationship into the mix.”

  “Maybe you’re right.” But he didn’t look convinced. Danny moved to the kitchen and picked up her pie plate with the two remaining pieces. “I make a great friend. If you change your mind, you know how to reach me.”

  Tia seriously doubted he’d be contented with friendship for long. Or that she would. “You can keep those last two pieces if you like. I do need the dish back, though.”

  With a grin he pulled a plate from the cupboard and slid the rest of the pie onto it. “If you insist, who am I to argue?” He washed the pie pan and Tia moved to gather their things.

  As she pulled out of his parking lot a few minutes later, Tia told herself she’d made the right decision, even though she couldn’t help wondering what might have happened if she’d agreed to go out with him.

  Eight

  Tia arrived home to find Mona on her doorstep, tapping her toes. Though she wanted to snarl, Tia composed herself and greeted pleasantly, “Hello, Mom.”

  “Where have you been?” When Tia didn’t respond, Mona asked, “Are you going to let me hold my grandbaby?”

  Glad to put the confrontation off for a few more minutes when she still had Danny’s smile lingering in her mind, Tia passed Tristi to Mona.

  They went through the evening routine, getting the girls through baths, stories, prayers, and into bed. Tia was amazed Mona managed to hold her tongue until the girls were tucked in for the night.

  When they sat in the living room afterward, however, the politeness came to an end. “Where were you? I waited for over an hour,” Mona complained.

  “I told you I had plans.” Tia fidgeted with a bottle of water from the fridge, grateful to have something to hold.

  “I thought you made that up.” Mona’s eyes narrowed, studying her.

  Irritation rushed through Tia. “You were wrong.”

  Mona clasped her hands on her lap in the way she always did when she was tired of being put off. “Where were you? I called Nichole and she said you weren’t over there.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  “Obviously. You wouldn’t have driven across the street.”

  Tia didn’t feel like explaining her actions. Telling Mona that she had enjoyed dinner with a handsome man would only prolong the conversation. “I was going to call you tomorrow.”

  “I know you were, but you know as well as I do, you won’t be able to see my face over the phone, so you won’t believe me when I tell you the truth.”

  Surprised at her mother’s comment, and thinking she was probably right, Tia nodded. Though she was not entirely sure she was ready for the answer, she asked, “What is the truth?”

  Mona played with her own bottled water, but her eyes stayed steady on her daughter. “I made a mistake when you were eleven. A huge mistake which cost me my marriage. It was the first time I made that mistake, though. I swear I wasn’t involved with anyone else when I got pregnant with you.”

  Tia studied her mother’s face and decided Mona had been right. If she’d told Tia over the phone, doubt would have lingered. She knew all of her mother’s tells, though, and Mona was being truthful. It was a relief to know, though it brought on more questions than it answered. Her gut twisted as she tried to deal with the possibilities. “What do you mean? How else could I be B-positive?”

  “I don’t know. I wish I did.”

  Tia took a few sips of her water, then sighed. The thought had crossed her mind repeatedly since the big revelation, but she’d hoped not to have to pursue it. “I guess the most obvious place to start is with a DNA test.”

  Mona nodded. “I’m sure your father would appreciate it.”

  Though she hesitated to push it, Tia decided it was necessary. “I mean for both of you, Mom.” Nervous, she clasped her hands on her lap so she wouldn’t fidget.

  Mona looked shocked, then offended. “Both of us? Are you saying you don’t believe I would know my own child?”

  It seemed far-fetched to Tia too, but she wanted to cover all the bases. “The fact is, something doesn’t fit here,
and if you’re sure you didn’t step out on Dad, then it follows that the problem could be something else.” Tia didn’t want to think about it, but knew she couldn’t ignore the possibility forever. Better to eliminate it right off rather than letting the possibility haunt her.

  “What a ridiculous suggestion.” Mona folded her arms over her chest and harrumphed. “Of course you’re my daughter. How could you not be?”

  “Then the tests should prove what you know is true—I had a mix up somewhere else and got the wrong blood results.” Tia paused, choosing her words carefully. “If things don’t come out the way we want them to, however, I need to know what happened.” She stared out the window at the darkness and tried not to let herself believe it could be true.

  Though Mona insisted it was a waste of money, she agreed to go along with the test.

  * * *

  The next day after work Tia met with her father for a late lunch. He took time away from the office and she left Tristi in daycare for an extra hour.

  “Hey, hon.” Ron wrapped her in a hug outside the restaurant. “I wondered if you were going to call me, or if I’d have to contact you first.”

  She felt a pang of guilt. “Sorry. I’ve been all tied up about everything.”

  “That’s understandable,” Ron said. They went inside and by mutual consent, waited to be seated before broaching the subject. Once their orders were placed and drinks sat in front of them, however, he didn’t waste any time.

  “Have you spoken with your mother?” He played with the straw wrapper.

  “Yes, she showed up last night and we talked through things.” She fiddled with her fork, not wanting to meet her father’s eyes.

  “And?”

  “She said she wasn’t . . . she didn’t . . . ” Tia was acutely aware of the other patrons around them, but knew he understood—which was good, because it was too awkward to say out loud. “I believe her.” She glanced up at him to catch his reaction.

  His eyes flashed at hers, widening. “Then how does she explain the blood typing?”

  She knew her father thought she had bought into a lie. “She can’t.”

  He lifted his brows in derision. “How convenient.”

  Tia dropped her hands to play with her napkin on her lap. “I did some research last night on DNA tests. If I ordered the kits today, we could have results by the end of next week.”

  Ron shifted back in his seat. His face was impassive, but his voice held an edge of pain. “So you’re going to test to make sure I’m your father? I thought you believed her.”

  This was where it got sticky, because she really didn’t know what to think or believe anymore. Thinking about it made her stomach hurt, but she couldn’t keep her mind off of it. “I do. But I need answers, for my peace of mind. You know you’ll always be my dad, no matter what happens.”

  Though his eyes spoke his relief, his brow furrowed. “So what are you suggesting?”

  “If she insists I’m your daughter, but evidence indicates otherwise, I thought maybe we should check both of your DNA against mine.” Tia prepared herself for anger or irritation at the suggestion.

  He sat in stunned silence for a moment. “Do you think it’s possible?”

  “Highly unlikely, actually. But I’d rather know absolutely than wonder.” If she was only tested against her dad and the test came back negative, that would only make the rift between her parents worse. If they both came back negative, though . . . she pushed away the thought for now.

  Ron nodded, and they sat in private contemplation for several minutes, which was broken only by the arrival of their meals. When the waitress left again, he began salting his food—before tasting it, as he always did. “I think that’s a good idea,” he started as if there hadn’t been a pause in the conversation. “It’s best to make sure it’s all clear. Tell me where you order the kits and I’ll pay for the tests. I’m sure they’re not cheap, and I know you don’t have a lot of extra money.”

  Tia felt gratitude swamp her at his acceptance—and the offer to purchase the tests when her budget was extremely tight was an added bonus. “Thanks, Dad.”

  He reached across the table and set a hand over hers. “I meant what I said. I’m doing the tests because I need to know, and I know you won’t be able to rest until you have answers, but you are my daughter, regardless of what the tests show.”

  Tia had to swallow hard to hold back the tears. “Love you, Dad.”

  “I love you, sweetie.” He squeezed her hand before returning to his meal.

  Nine

  “What’s going on?’ Danny asked as he entered the station for work. James held a clipboard, making notes as he began the daily shift inspection on their ambulance.

  “They say it’s been quiet since three.” James popped the hood and set down the clipboard to check the fluids.

  “So we’re due something soon.” Danny dropped his gear and grabbed a pressure gauge, calling out greetings to the rest of the guys while he checked the tires. A week had passed since he’d had Tia and the girls over for dinner. He was feeling at loose ends again. He’d thought—more than once—about popping by Tia’s to see how things were going, but didn’t think dropping in would go over very well. She’d been friendly, but not encouraging—to his great regret. Something about her called to him.

  He and James finished the vehicle check and moved to the break room for a start-of-shift meeting.

  “All right, guys, I know you’re anxious to get to important things like video games.” Stu looked pointedly at Chris, who smiled back cheekily, “but we have a challenge from station C. They think they can raise more money for burn camp than we can. Each shift at the station has to come up with a way to raise money. Any ideas?”

  “You mean like accosting people on the street and holding them hostage until they ante up?” Chris joked.

  “This is the real world, Chris, not a video game.” James threw something at Chris.

  “I think we should stick with our strengths,” Danny said.

  “A kissing booth?’ Larry joked and got an elbow in his ribs.

  Pager tones sounded and the men all stood and hurried to the rigs to respond to the car accident. The discussion would have to be tabled for a while.

  * * *

  As they cleaned up from the run, Danny mulled over the challenge his commander had posed an hour earlier. What were they good at? What would earn money? He was still considering it when he found James hunched over a bowl of chili and Dan Wells’ latest horror novel. “Found the perfect chili yet?” Danny dished himself some from the slow cooker.

  “Nah, it’s good, but not quite right.” James took another bite, then flipped the page of his book.

  James’ quest for the perfect chili would never end. Danny spooned some up from his bowl and savored it. He paused, his hand halfway to his mouth with another bite. “That could be it.”

  “No, the spices aren’t quite right.”

  Danny set his spoon back in the bowl and grabbed a cornbread muffin as Stu came in.

  “Is it any good?” Stu asked.

  “Better than most.” Danny took another bite of chili. “I was thinking. What if we had a chili cook-off here to raise money? We could get people to make the best chili and cornbread, then make the winning entries’ recipes available online.” He smiled as a thought occurred to him. “Maybe bring in a local celebrity as a judge.”

  “Who do you have in mind?” James asked.

  “Tia Riverton from the noon news cooking segment. We responded to her house a few weeks back. She might be willing to help out as a thank you.” And it would provide him with plenty of excuses to contact her over the next few weeks—he’d take what he could get.

  James’ smile widened. “I knew you had a thing for her.”

  “She . . . intrigues me.” Danny split the muffin and spread margarine over it. “I’ve run into her a few times since then and we’ve talked. I’ll be happy to approach her, if you’d like.”

  The me
tal feet of the chair next to Danny scraped across the tiles as Stu pulled it out. “When the other guys get in here, we’ll ask them what they think, but it’ll do fine. I know some newspaper reporters too, so we should be able to get good coverage.”

  The other guys came in and before Danny finished his second helping of chili, the basic details were in place. He smiled to himself and scraped out the bottom of his bowl, knowing exactly how to approach Tia. He washed his bowl and turned the channel to Tia’s station to watch her demonstrate the apple pie.

  * * *

  The days Tia had waited for the DNA test kits to arrive had seemed endless. Mona had left numerous phone messages, but Tia had avoided speaking with her, finding excuses to cut calls short and missing as many as she dared without bringing on her mom’s wrath. She really didn’t know what to think about the whole mess and didn’t want to hash it all out while she waited for answers.

  Now that the kits had arrived, Tia looked at the package in her hands and wondered how she was going to do this. Was she ready for the possibility that one or both could turn out negative?

  There was a knock at the front door and Tia stashed the box on the fridge.

  Danny was the last person Tia expected to find on her doorstep. Both surprise and a glow of happiness slid into her when she saw him. She had told him a relationship was a bad idea right now, not that she was disinterested. Considering the alternative, his interruption was anything but unwelcome. “Hi.”

  “Hey, I’ve been wondering how you’re doing.” He hooked his thumbs in the back pocket of his jeans. “You were a little upset last time I saw you.”

  Tia wasn’t sure how to answer. It hadn’t been the most amazing week of her life. “I’m keeping afloat.” She debated for only a moment before stepping back and gesturing for him to enter. “Would you like to come in?”

  “I would.” He stepped inside and shut the door behind him, then took a look around the room. “It’s amazing how few details you notice when you’re on an ambulance call once you’ve done the initial room check.” His gaze seemed to linger on the family portrait of Tia, Samantha and Lee, before Lee had been deployed, though Danny didn’t comment on it. Finally he met her gaze. “Your place is nice.”