by Judith Keim
Madeleine led Sukie away from them. “I don’t know if this parenthood thing is getting to him, but Rob is becoming so protective of you, it’s silly.”
Sukie smiled. “Let them duke it out with words. Get comfortable. What would you like to drink?”
“Ice water’s fine.” Madeleine eased into a lounge chair and stretched her slightly swollen legs out in front of her.
Sukie poured her a glass of sparkling water, half-filled a plastic cup with juice for Chloe, and settled Chloe at the table with a coloring book and large round crayons.
Turning her face up to sky, Madeleine leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.
“How are you doing?” Sukie asked her, taking a seat opposite her.
Madeleine sighed. “I don’t know. The baby has dropped even more, but that might be from all the activity. I mopped the kitchen floor this morning and did a thousand little household chores I’ve put off. I think I’m ready now. Is it always this difficult near the end?”
Sukie nodded. “’Pretty much. Just rest there. I’m going inside to get the appetizers.”
Through the kitchen window Sukie observed Cam and Rob, chatting amicably now. Her nerves settled. They were the two most important men in her life and she wanted, no, needed, them to get along.
Sukie carried a tray of appetizers out to the patio.
Madeleine looked up from where she was resting, a quizzical expression on her face. “I feel so strange...”
Sukie studied Madeleine’s flushed face. “Are you all right, honey? You’ve spilled your drink. I’ll get you another.” She set the tray down on the table and picked up the bottle of sparkling water before realizing Madeleine’s glass was still full. She glanced at the puddle on the flagstones. “Madeleine! Your water has broken. The baby is on its way!”
Conversation between the men stopped. Rob ran over and took hold of Madeleine’s hand. “Omigod! Does it hurt?”
Madeline puffed out a breath. “I’ve got the worst backache in the world. It comes and goes every few minutes but I don’t think. . .”
Sukie’s heart raced as Madeleine stopped talking and grimaced. The signs were unmistakable. “Rob, you’d better get her to the hospital immediately. I’ll meet you there.”
The color drained from Rob’s face. “Hang on, Mad. I’ll get the car started.” He took off at a full run.
Sukie took Madeleine’s arm, Cam the other. They helped Madeleine walk around the side of the house, letting her set the pace. She stopped once and panted until the pain went away.
Sukie gave Cam a worried look. Thank God, the hospital wasn’t far—just one town over. Maybe ten miles, max. When they reached the car, Madeleine grabbed Sukie’s hand.
“You’ll stay with me, won’t you, Sukie?”
Sukie glanced at Cam.
“Go,” he said. “I’ll clean up, find a sitter for Chloe and meet you at the hospital. I know where it is.”
They helped Madeleine into the backseat of the car. Sukie got in beside her. As soon as the car doors slammed shut, Rob took off with a roar of the car’s engine that matched the roar of excitement inside her.
In record time, they pulled up to the Gilbert Regional Hospital. With the ease of much practice, the emergency room nurses had Madeleine in a wheelchair and on her way to the maternity ward before Rob could finish the administrative paperwork. Sukie sat on the edge of her seat in the waiting room, needing Cam’s presence more than ever. Awaiting the birth of her first grandchild was one of the most important moments of her life.
Rob trotted over to her. “Keep your cell phone on. I’ll be in touch. Will you call Dad?” He hesitated. “Never mind, I’ll call him later, when I know more about what’s happening.”
###
Sukie was sitting in the waiting room, flipping through a time-worn magazine for the umpteenth time, when she looked up to see Ted walking toward her. She jumped to her feet.
Ted gave her a hesitant smile. “Rob called. ‘Said the baby is on its way and that with the way things were going, it shouldn’t be too long. Guess she’s one of the lucky ones. Not like you with him or Elizabeth.”
Sukie was touched by the tenderness that had entered his voice. Both deliveries had been difficult, along with two miscarriages that had been painful to her.
“I’ve been so excited about this,” Sukie said. “I’ve heard grandchildren are gifts to make up for the relatives you’d rather not have.”
Ted frowned. “Well, I’m not there yet. My new baby is due in a couple of months and I’ll be glad when it’s over. Unlike you, Emmy Lou’s not too happy about the whole process.”
“I can imagine,” Sukie said, biting back any further comments. No doubt, Emmy Lou had him waiting on her hand and foot—anything for more attention. The helpless female act had worked before on a number of men. Why not, Ted?
Ted’s gaze lingered on her. “You look great, Sukie. I mean it. You’ve lost weight, done something to your hair. . . “
He leaned over to kiss her.
Sukie quickly stepped back. After all he’d done, her ex was hitting on her?
“There you are, hon.” Cam approached them. “Rob called to tell me it was the real thing. I got Emily Warren to sit for Chloe, so we’re set.”
Sukie waved him closer. “Cam, meet Ted Skidmore. Ted, this is Cameron Taylor.”
Cam held out his hand.
Frowning, Ted hesitated, and finally shook it. Though he didn’t reach Cam’s height, he raised his chin. “I was just telling Sukie I have a baby coming soon.”
“How about that,” said Cam in a controlled voice. “My daughter is three. They grow very fast, don’t they?”
“Cam hasn’t met Elizabeth yet, but he will,” Sukie said to Ted, wanting him to understand her relationship with Cam was serious.
“Yes, she’ll be coming home to see her new little sister or brother,” responded Ted in a game of one-upmanship.
Cam ended it by turning to her. “Elizabeth called home while I was cleaning up. She wants you to give her a call as soon as you know anything definite about the baby. Let’s go outside.” He took Sukie’s elbow and led her away.
Sukie glanced back at Ted. The fury on his face was frightening. She turned away. Maybe, she thought, he was beginning to realize by tossing her and all their married years aside, he’d given her a chance to be happier than she’d ever been.
She took a seat next to Cam on a bench by the entrance to the emergency room. Cam took her hand. “Whew! If looks could kill, you’d be dead! What’s his problem? He left you—not the other way around.”
Sukie gave him a heart-felt smile. “I’m so glad he did.”
Cam put his arm around Sukie and pulled her close. “Me, too.” He gave her a long look. “Be careful with him, Sukie. He’s one pissed-off guy.”
A shiver crossed Sukie’s shoulders. The Ted Skidmore of the past was someone she knew. The man he’d become had made a lot of bad decisions. Now he was paying the price and might be blaming her for all his problems. Sukie’s thoughts flew to the nasty notes she’d received. Had Ted sent them? Was that why no one had seen or heard from Lynn’s ex?
The click of heels warned Sukie someone was approaching. She turned and held her breath. Emmy Lou walked toward them. With her enlarged breasts and bulging stomach, she barely resembled the sleek instructor who’d enjoyed making Sukie sweat in her Pilates class.
Emmy Lou’s eyes widened when she saw Sukie. “H...Hello...Sukie.” Her gaze fled to Cam and lingered. “I heard you were seeing someone...” She turned and waited for Sukie to introduce her.
Cam stood. “You must be Ted’s...er...friend. I’m Cam Taylor.”
Emmy Lou turned a megawatt smile on him and fluttered her eyelashes at him, almost comically. “Emmy Lou Rogers.”
After an awkward moment of silence, Emmy Lou waved to Sukie and disappeared inside.
“Ted left you for her?” Cam’s expression was incredulous. “You’ve gotta be kidding.”
�
�She’s a lot younger than I am,” Sukie reluctantly admitted.
Cam laughed and hugged her. “My God! He’s a fool.”
If Sukie didn’t love him already, she would have fallen in love with him right then. She was one lucky woman, and she knew it.
Her cell phone rang. She snatched it out of her purse.
“Mom?” said Rob. “Madeleine says for you to come upstairs. She wants you in the delivery room as her second coach. Things are moving right along.”
“Really? I’ll be right there.” Sukie jumped to her feet and turned to Cam. “I can go into the delivery room!”
“Good luck!” Cam said. “Call me with the news. I’ll go home and rescue the babysitter. It’s early yet and Chloe will still be up.”
Sukie gave him a quick kiss and hurried inside.
Ted called to her as she rushed toward the elevator. She waved and kept going.
Upstairs, the nurses met Sukie and directed her to a scrub area where she could wash up. There, she slipped on a green gown over her clothes. The birthing rooms were at the end of the hall. Rob met her. Sukie entered a room to find Madeleine lying on a gurney, her feet in stirrups.
“How’re you doing, hon?” Sukie took Madeleine’s hand as another contraction hit her.
“Great,” Madeleine growled, crushing Sukie’s fingers. When she could get her breath, Madeleine gasped, “Wanted you to see this.”
“Thank you.” A look of affection passed between them.
Rob and Sukie worked in unison to help with Madeleine’s breathing exercises.
After a short time, the doctor entered and checked her. “The baby’s crowning. I see lots of dark hair. Let’s find out what we have here.”
Madeleine bore down and let out a cry as the baby emerged.
“It’s a boy!” Rob’s eyes lit with excitement and filled with tears. “It’s our son, Jonathan.” He put his arms around Madeleine and murmured softly to her.
Sukie observed her beautiful, perfect grandson. He was flailing his arms and bellowing now. She stepped into the hallway to give Rob and Madeleine privacy, and wiped tears of joy from her face.
CHAPTER THIRTY SIX
BETSY
Betsy dialed her son’s number and waited for Richie to pick up. He’d told her things were better between him and Sarah. She hoped they’d want some time to themselves so she could take the children. She’d missed Caitlin and Garrett like crazy. A new Disney movie was playing and Betsy was sure the kids would love it.
“Hello?”
At the sound of her daughter-in-law’s voice, Betsy’s heart sank. “Hello, Sarah.”
“What do you want?” Sarah snapped.
Caught off guard, Betsy gulped. “I called to offer to take the kids for this weekend so you and Richie can have some time alone. Just like I’ve done so many times before.”
“Not on your life,” said Sarah. Her voice rose. “Do you have any idea what an embarrassment you are to me? My friends know all about your...your perversion, and if you think I’d let you contaminate my children, you’re wrong!” Her shrillness hurt Betsy’s ears and her heart.
Finding it hard to breathe, Betsy fought to get words out. “Karen won’t be around this weekend and you know as well as I do, my being with Karen does not harm my grandchildren. I want to see my grandchildren. I want to spend time with them.” Tears stung her eyes.
“Sorry. You’ve made some bad choices lately. My children are not going to be part of them. Goodbye.” Sarah’s words, coated with ice, froze Betsy’s insides.
She collapsed in a kitchen chair, too stunned to do anything but sob as hot tears streamed down her face. She recalled all the times she’d tolerated Sarah’s obnoxious behavior for the sake of peace in the family. No more.
Anger took over. Betsy’s hands balled into fists. How dare Sarah do this to her!
###
Betsy awoke feeling as if she’d run a ten-mile race in quicksand. Her eyes were swollen and her body dragged as she forced herself out of bed, showered and got ready for work. The loss of her grandchildren was like a drain on her soul, emptying her of life.
At the office, Betsy automatically followed her daily routines, but her mind whirled in endless circles, reliving the blow of Sarah’s cruel words to her. Sarah knew damn well her children would be safe with her. Betsy had practically raised them herself so Sarah could go away on weekends and be needlessly pampered.
By early afternoon, Betsy had worked herself into such a state, she couldn’t sit still. She got up and knocked on her boss’s door.
He looked up from his desk. “What is it, Betsy?”
Betsy swallowed the tears that threatened. “I need to leave early. Personal reasons.”
His concern apparent, he studied her a moment. “Sure. Leave any time you want. And, Betsy, let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”
“Thanks.” Betsy went back to her desk, gathered her purse and hurried out the door.
Inside her car, she took a deep breath. Sarah was not going to destroy her relationship with her grandchildren. They were her flesh and blood!
Making her way to their school, Betsy pressed her foot down too hard on the accelerator and had to consciously slow the car. Easy does it, she reminded herself. She didn’t want to get arrested for speeding. That would ruin everything.
Betsy parked her car on a side street next to the school and gazed around, scouting for the best way to proceed. The school buses were already lined up in the school yard, their engines churning. A school bell rang. Children burst out of the building in groups and formed lines in front of the buses. Betsy searched eagerly for Caitlin and Garrett, but neither one was among the students.
She hurried around to the front of the school, past cars lined up in the front circle. Garrett and Caitlin were standing together by the school’s entrance. Waving, Betsy called to them.
They saw her, and ran over to her.
Tears of joy blurred Betsy’s vision as they flung themselves into her arms. She hugged them hard. A high-pitched noise echoed in the air around them. It took a moment for Betsy to realize it was someone shrieking.
Sarah came running toward Betsy, her teeth bared. “Get away from my children!” Sarah pushed the children away and threw herself at Betsy.
Betsy teetered back on her heels and landed on the sidewalk with a painful grunt. Staring at the satisfied expression on her daughter-in-law’s face, Betsy’s self-control snapped.
“You...You...!” Betsy lunged at Sarah with a strength she didn’t know she had. They tumbled to the grass. Sarah screamed and kicked. A crowd of students and teachers gathered around them, but Betsy held on, all her anger and frustration spilling over.
“Stop! Stop it now!” A uniformed resource officer rushed forward and grabbed each of them by the arm, and jerked them to their feet. Gasping for breath, Betsy stood facing Sarah.
Sarah glared at Betsy and turned to the office. “Officer, call the FBI. This woman was about to kidnap my children. I told her to stay away from them.”
“No, Sir, I was not. This...this...witch... won’t let me see my grandchildren.”
“Children, go to the car!” shouted Sarah. “Now!”
Wide-eyed, they hurried away, glancing back at Betsy.
“Go on about your business and leave these women alone,” the guard ordered the crowd. The circle of onlookers began to disperse.
While the guard was distracted, Sarah grabbed a lock of Betsy’s hair and pulled. “Leave my children alone.”
Betsy swung her fist back and hit Sarah as hard as she could. The blow caught Sarah on the side of the face.
“Oow!” Sarah put a hand to her red cheek and narrowed her eyes at Betsy. “Officer, arrest this woman!”
“Now, now, both of you calm down. You’re out of control. Let’s go inside and talk this over.”
“There’s nothing to talk over,” said Sarah. “I’m going to my children.” She turned on her heel and marched away as a Sheriff’s car rolled
into the driveway, its red light flashing.
Betsy turned to leave, but the resource officer grabbed her elbow. “Stay right here.”
Bill Michaels left his car and walked over to them.
Betsy’s cheeks flooded with shame. She knew the sheriff from her community volunteer work and hated to have him see her like this—her dress torn, her hair a mess.
“Sorry, Betsy,” he said, “but I’m going to have to take you down to the office. We can sort things out there. The school called, said you were trespassing, and got into a fight.”
“But, Bill...”Betsy began, sickened by all that had happened. “She won’t let me see my grandchildren!”
He nodded. “Let’s go and allow the school to resume their business. We can talk about it on the way.”
“Please don’t do this to me,” Betsy said, panicking.
Giving her a sympathetic look, he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Betsy. Let’s go.”
He led Betsy to his patrol car. She slid into the back seat, as miserable and angry as she’d ever been. Caitlin and Garrett’s eyes were round with shock as they stared at her from the window of their car. Betsy gazed at them and swore she’d never forget this mortifying moment, all because of their mother’s narrow-mindedness. No, she wouldn’t forget what Sarah had done to her, not in a hundred years.
###
The sheriff’s office was in a one-story brick building a block off the town square. Bill parked the car, and helped Betsy out of it and into the building.
Inside his office, he listened to her story and quickly agreed it was little more than an ugly family feud.
“Would you like to call someone to come for you?” he gently asked, offering Betsy a tissue. He stood. “You can wait in one of the back offices for better privacy. I’m sorry about this, Betsy. I thought it best to get you away from the school to diffuse the situation. I was told your daughter-in-law wanted to call in the FBI. Having the Feds involved is the last thing we’d want. Trust me.”
Bill led Betsy to an office behind double doors, at the end of a long hallway. She knew she’d over-reacted to Sarah’s obnoxious behavior. But even now, if she came face to face with Sarah, she knew she wouldn’t be able to control her anger. Left alone, Betsy dialed Sukie’s number and asked for a ride.
