It Happened at Christmas

by Debbie Mason

  * * *

  Skye sat beside Ethan in the hospital waiting room filled to capacity with McBride family and friends. “I don’t know why she kicked me out of the room,” Skye grumbled to Ethan. “All I did was tell her that a natural birth is the best thing for the baby. I even offered to get my ball for her.”

  Ethan put an arm around her, and kissed the top of her head. “Sorry, sweetheart, I forgot to warn you. She got ticked at Gage, too, so don’t feel bad.”

  “Maybe I should try again. Help her with her breathing.”

  “How about you just stay with me for a while? Do you want something to drink?”

  “No, I’m good, thanks,” she said, looking up when Gage entered the waiting room. “How is she?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “I think we’re in for a long night. Nell, would you mind taking the girls home?” He exhaled deeply when his aunt shook her head. Skye wasn’t surprised she wouldn’t leave. Nell loved Maddie like a daughter.

  Liz stood up. “I’ll take the girls home and stay with them, Gage. Don’t worry,” she quieted Annie’s and Lily’s protests. “Your dad will call as soon as your brother or sister gets here, and we’ll come right back.”

  Paul came into the room, took in the situation, and said, “I’ll go home with Liz and the girls.”

  “Perfect,” Skye whispered as Paul left with Liz, Annie, and Lily. “They’ll have the whole night together.” She frowned when Ethan didn’t respond, then heard what he obviously had. A woman who sounded a lot like Maddie, yelling for drugs and moaning in pain. The color drained from Ethan’s face. “Are you okay?” she asked him.

  “No. That’s going to be you in a couple months.” He put his hand on her stomach and met her gaze. “I don’t think I’ll be able to do it, listening to you scream like that. Maybe you should reconsider the drugs.”

  “You’re sweet to worry about me, but I’ll be fine.”

  “You don’t know that.” He winced, his hand tightening on her stomach when a woman, not Maddie, started cursing at her husband for getting her pregnant. “Okay, I’ll take the drugs instead,” Ethan said.

  “You’re going to be a fainter, aren’t you?” she said, unable to keep the laughter from her voice.

  “I don’t know how you can laugh. This isn’t funny. They sound like they’re dying in there.”

  “You’ll feel better once we go to the birthing classes. We’re scheduled—”

  “I’m not going. Gage told about the film they showed, and—”

  “You’re going. It’s not you who has to push a—”

  He covered her mouth with his hand. “I do not need that visual in my head.”

  She kissed his palm, then removed his hand. “How about visualizing holding your daughter in your arms for the first time.”

  He leaned into her. “For now, I think I’m going to visualize her mother naked in my arms.” His cell pinged. He glanced at his screen and stood up. “I’ve gotta take this. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  Five minutes later, he returned to the waiting room. “I have to leave.”

  Skye lowered the magazine she’d been reading to search his face. A muscle ticked in his jaw, and he avoided meeting her gaze. “Ethan, what is it?”

  “Nothing. I’ll take care of it.”

  “But where are you going? What about Maddie and Gage?”

  “Look, it can’t be helped. I’m meeting with the team at Mom’s. Claudia’s on her way to pick me up.” He reached in his pocket and handed her his keys.

  “Ethan, tell me—”

  “I’ve gotta go.”

  Without saying good-bye, without kissing her, without looking at her, he strode from the waiting room. A sense of impending doom came over Skye. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Skye lay beside Maddie on the narrow hospital bed with baby McBride swaddled between them. She angled her cell phone. “Better?” she asked Vivi, whom they’d called on FaceTime.

  “He’s adorable. He has his daddy’s dimple,” Vivi said with a watery smile. “I wish I was there.” She tilted her head. “Did you break out the bubbly to celebrate? ’Cause you’re looking a little loopy, mommy Maddie.”

  “It’s the drugs,” Skye said.

  “You wait until it’s your turn, Miss Crunchy Granola. You’ll be screaming for drugs,” Maddie said, slurring the words.

  They talked for another few minutes, then Vivi had to take another call. “I might be a little punchy, but something seemed off with Vivi,” Maddie said as soon as they’d disconnected. “And what was with the look she gave you when she said ‘Call me’? Are you two holding out on me again?”

  Apparently Maddie wasn’t as punchy as she seemed. “No, of course we’re not.” Skye ignored the frisson of nerves dancing around inside her. First Ethan and now Vivi. She really hoped she’d misread the concern in Vivi’s eyes. Skye had enough to worry about. Ethan had yet to respond to her text announcing the baby’s arrival. He was probably on his way, she told herself. Nothing would keep him from the birth of his best friend’s baby. But obviously something had.

  Maybe it was a guy thing. And the unscheduled meeting of his team? That wasn’t a big deal, either. Not when she considered Claudia’s tendency to overreact to the most minor of hiccups. Understandably they were all on edge with the election less than a week away. All that made sense and helped Skye get her rising panic under control. “He is, without a doubt, the most beautiful baby ever,” she announced, kissing the baby’s head.

  “He is pretty adorable, isn’t he?” Maddie beamed, gazing down at her son. She raised her eyes to Skye and reached for her. “I’m so glad you were here to share this with me.”

  Skye returned Maddie’s hug with a grin. “I am, too. But you weren’t so happy with me a few hours ago when you told me what I could do with my birthing ball.”

  Maddie chuckled. “I can’t believe I said that to you.” They both looked up when Gage entered the room with Lily and Annie. Nell followed behind with her white hair standing on end. “You were supposed to wake me up,” she grumped at Skye.

  “I tried,” Skye said, getting off the bed. She kissed the baby one last time before his sisters took her place. She hugged them both. “I’ll let you guys get acquainted. I’ll see you tomorrow. Congratulations, Daddy,” she said to Gage. “Let me know if you need anything.”

  He put his arm around her shoulders. “Thanks for being here. You be careful driving home. It’s snowing. And tell my best friend if I don’t hear from him soon, I’ll be ticked.”

  “I will.” She smiled at Gage’s dad when he walked in, expecting to see Ethan’s mother with him. “Where’s Liz?”

  “She headed home a few hours ago. Something about…” He trailed off, grimaced, and patted her shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll be fine, honey.”

  “What… what’ll be fine?” she said, but he was already moving toward the bed with Gage, joining his family to coo over the new arrival. Desperate to know what he meant, Skye stood awkwardly by the door. She couldn’t do it, couldn’t upset this joyous occasion, because now she was nearly frantic with worry.

  By the time she’d brushed the snow from the Escalade, Skye was chilled to the bone. And it wasn’t only the damp night air that caused the goose bumps to break out over her skin. She’d tried to phone Ethan, and her call went straight to voice mail. She left him a message, unable to keep the fear from leaking into her voice.

  She got in and cranked the heat. While she waited for the Escalade to warm up, she called Vivi. “I didn’t wake you, did I?” she asked when her best friend answered, her voice more raspy than usual. Actually, it sounded as if she’d been crying. Which made sense, given that she wasn’t with them tonight. Skye decided not to mention it. Vivi didn’t like anyone, not even her best friends, to think she was anything other than tough as nails.

  “No. I’m trying to get one person, just one fricking person, from the NYPD to take my calls. I’m going to kill him.�
��

  “Who are you going to kill?”

  “Superman. He’s shut me down, cut me off from all my contacts. My sources dried up overnight. And you know why he did this to me?”

  Skye had a feeling she was going to find out the answer. She felt bad for Vivi, but she had to admit she was relieved the look she’d seen in her friend’s eyes had nothing to do with her.

  “I’ll tell you why. He’s a narcissistic, arrogant, self-absorbed, psychotic control freak!”

  “Sweetie, calm down and tell me what happened,” Skye said as she pulled out of the hospital parking lot.

  “Five days ago someone broke into my apartment and tore the place apart. I’m sure it was that slimeball Jimmy. He left me a threatening note. I was so close, Skye, so close to nailing the guy, and he knew it. Gina’s back in town. She agreed to talk to me. Now I can’t get to her. The cops have her in protective custody, and Jimmy’s gone to ground. Gina’s uncle made sure he has no one to turn to. His pals have cut him off. He’s desperate.”

  With the wind whipping up the snow and her best friend whipping up her fear, Skye pulled to the side of the road. “Vivi, Superman is right. Let the police do their job. What if you’d been at home? I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you.”

  “Nothing is going to happen to me, or you.”

  “You think he knows where I am?”

  “I don’t… yeah, it’s possible. But he’ll go after Gina first. She can connect him to those girls.”

  “So can you. You’re not safe, Vivi. Come here, come to Christmas.”

  “Don’t worry about me. Dickhead might have cut off all my contacts, but he’s got a bunch of no-necks tailing me.”

  Skye breathed a little easier upon hearing the news. “Don’t you dare try to lose those guys. I mean it.”

  “I promise… Thank God. I’ve gotta go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. And for now, stay alert. I think you’re safe, but it’s better to be extra careful.”

  * * *

  When Skye finally drove through the ranch’s wrought-iron gates, every muscle in her body ached from the tension. Lights blazed in the windows of the main house, several vehicles lining the driveway. Skye turned onto the road to the guest house. Not surprisingly, it was dark. She sat for a moment, wondering what to do. Until she found out what was going on, she wouldn’t sleep, no matter how exhausted she was.

  Wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the cold, she trudged along the moonlit path to Liz’s. The wind whistled through the bare branches while tiny whirlwinds of glistening snow danced across the lawn. Through the dining room window, she could see Ethan sitting at the table with his team.

  Whatever this was about, she wanted him to tell her the news in private. She didn’t want his mother and Claudia or the rest of the team there. With that in mind, Skye entered through the side door to the mudroom.

  She reached the doorway into the kitchen, about to text Ethan and let him know she was there and needed to speak to him. Peeking around the corner, she caught a glimpse of Claudia. Her back was to Skye as she tossed what looked to be photos onto the table.

  “We’ve looked at this from every angle, Ethan. You have to face facts. There’s no way we can explain these to the press. I told you this was going to happen. She’s ruined your chances. No one will vote for you now.” Picking up a photo, she waved it at him. “Your wife worked as an escort. And I don’t care if the guy says he won’t go to the press if you pay him. Even if he’s telling the truth, we have to assume it’ll still get out.”

  Skye gasped, reaching for the doorjamb as her knees went weak. Jimmy. She muffled a sob with her hand when Claudia continued, “She went through millions of dollars, they’ve got her signature on Bennett’s supporters list, they’ve got pictures of her smoking up, sunbathing nude, in handcuffs being hauled off to jail more times than I can count, protesting the war, and you think, you think somehow you can just explain this all away? That silly, spoiled, self-centered slut ruined your—”

  “Enough, Claudia.” Ethan slammed his palms on the table, half-rising from his chair. “I won’t hear another word against—”

  “How can you defend her? Look at what she’s done.” Liz shoved the photos at Ethan, several fluttering to the hardwood floor. “She’s—”

  Ethan sat down, spearing his fingers through his hair. “Don’t, Mom. Don’t say—”

  Claudia cut him off. “You can’t let her ruin everything. We’ll put out the truth, that you married her for the baby’s sake. We’ll just speed up the time line. Instead of divorcing her a year from now, you can file first thing in the morning.”

  Skye staggered blindly to the door and let herself out. She’d ruined him. She’d destroyed his chances. Everything she’d done, all the sacrifices she’d made, were for nothing. Her past had come back to haunt her and take Ethan down. None of them cared about the changes she’d made in her life. It wouldn’t matter to any of them. All they could see were those photos of her.

  Stumbling along the path, she ran to the guest house. In her heart she knew Ethan wouldn’t take Claudia’s advice. Even if he did, because Skye was pregnant, it might backfire on him. Some of the gains he’d made in the last few weeks were due to her efforts.

  The only way for Skye to save Ethan was for her to leave him. Put so much distance between them—make herself out to be the spoiled, self-centered nutcase they all thought her to be—so that he would gain the sympathy vote. And why did she leave? they’d want to know. Because she was a bleeding-heart liberal, an antigun lobbyist, a gay rights proponent, and an environmental activist who couldn’t pretend to be someone she wasn’t.

  Her hand shook as she unlocked the guest house door. On the way to the bedroom, she tugged off her high-heeled boots and stripped off her clothes. She then pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater. She didn’t pack anything Ethan had given her. Closing the small suitcase on her meager belongings, she sat on the side of the bed and wrote Ethan a letter.

  By the time she was finished, tears were streaming down her face. She loved him with all her heart, but if she told him that, he’d come after her. And if he lost the election because of her, she’d never forgive herself, and neither would he. Her swollen finger made it difficult for her to remove her wedding ring. When she’d finally gotten it off, she placed the gold band on top of the note and took one last look around the room. His gray Strum College sweatshirt hung on the doorknob. She picked it up, breathing him in one last time. Unzipping the front pouch of her suitcase, she stuffed his sweatshirt inside.

  “I’m so sorry, baby. I’ve ruined everything,” she whispered to her unborn child as she walked out the front door. Setting the suitcase down beside the Escalade, she went to open the door and realized there was one more thing she had to do. She had to say good-bye to Bandit. Skye made her way to the stables. Bandit nickered when she reached his stall. He came over and nuzzled her neck. She buried her face in his mane. “You be good, boy. Don’t give them any reason to put you down.” She shuddered with a sob as she patted him one last time before she left.

  Lights still blazed from the main house as Ethan and his team tried to figure out how to clean up the mess that was Skylar Davis. She wondered why she was surprised that it had ended this way. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. But unlike her mother, Skye wasn’t waiting for her husband to kick her to the curb. She shoved the suitcase across the front seat, climbed into the Escalade, and drove away. The main house faded from view in the rearview mirror.

  When Skye reached Christmas, she parked Ethan’s Escalade outside the sheriff’s department and called a cab. When the cabbie pulled in beside her, she got out of the Escalade and locked the door. She’d found a piece of paper in the glove compartment, wrote Ethan’s name on the front, and folded it around the keys, stuffing it in the mail slot in the door to the sheriff’s department. Bowing her head, tears splashed onto the snow-covered sidewalk as she thought of Maddie, the baby, Lily and Annie, of Grace, and Nell… C
hoking back a sob, she climbed in the back of the taxi.

  “You okay, ma’am?” the driver asked, his bald head shining under the dome light.

  She didn’t think she’d ever be okay again. “I’m fine, thank you. I need to go to the Denver airport.”

  The man released a low whistle. “You sure you don’t have someone, family or friends, that’d take you? Fare’s going to be a couple hundred dollars.”

  She checked her knapsack for the prepaid Visa card that Maddie had insisted she buy. “That’s okay. I don’t have anyone.” As the words came out of her mouth, the baby kicked her, hard. Skye startled, realizing what she’d said. She wiped her eyes and gently patted her stomach. “You’re right, baby. I have you.”

  As they left the lights of Christmas far behind, Skye called Vivi. It took a while for her to get the story out. Despite her best efforts not to cry, she did.

  “Are you sure? Are you sure you want to do this, sweetie?” Vivi asked.

  “I have to. Make me out to be the bad guy, Vivi. Make me out to be so bad that people feel sorry for him. He’s going to need the sympathy vote. He can’t lose this election because of me. It’s his dream, his and his father’s. I can’t be the one to ruin that for him. And release the information about Bennett’s wife’s ties to Albright Energy. Ethan’s going to need all the help he can get after what—”

  “All right, take a deep breath. You’re going to get through this. I’ll put the blog entry out first thing in the morning. After that, I’m going to hunt down Jimmy the Knife.”

  “No, don’t. Please, Vivi, I can’t worry about you, too. I just can’t.”

  “Okay, don’t cry. God, I hate this. I hate that you’re all alone. I wish you could come here, but I don’t think that’s a good idea with Jimmy still on the loose.”

  She needed somewhere safe, somewhere…

  “I’m going home.”

  * * *

  Eight hours later, another taxi deposited Skye in front of the pink stucco mansion. She stumbled up the steps to the double mahogany doors, dragging her suitcase behind her. She barely had the strength to lift her hand to knock.