A Better Life

by Liza O'Connor

  “It was Tommy’s fault,” Stevie declared.

  His words caused Tommy to leave his corner and fly at his brother with his tiny hands fisted and looking for trouble.

  Derrick snared him with one hand, swatted him hard on his butt and shoved him back in his corner. “Ten extra minutes for all of you.”

  “What’d I do?” Dare demanded in outrage.

  “Figure it out since you know everything,” Derrick snapped at his son.

  “Everybody, calm down.” She walked to Derrick and gave him a hug. “I’m sorry the boys have driven you to the brink. Go to the gym and give the punching bag hell.”

  His tense muscles relaxed a bit. “I’ll take you up on that.”

  Davenport snagged him at the door and whispered something which caused Derrick to curse then yell, “You’ve got to get Tom back here. I can’t deal with these boys anymore.”

  Once he left, Angel called her three boys to her. She picked up the center cushion from the floor and placed it on the couch, then sat down.

  Stevie glared at her. “Where are we supposed to sit?”

  “I’m hoping you’ll pick up a cushion and join me.”

  Tommy ignored her hopes and tried to climb in her lap. That resulted in Stevie slamming them both with the couch cushion he had picked up.

  “Stop it, right now!” Angel yelled. “Sit down and talk to me. I can barely recognize you three. Where are my sweet boys?”

  “They’ve run off to find Tom,” Stevie grumbled as he shoved the cushions on the couch, then threw himself on the cushions, kicking Tommy in the process.

  She grabbed Tommy’s feet to prevent a retaliation. “What is wrong with you boys?”

  Not one of her boys would look her in the eye. “Something has happened.”

  “We want Tom back,” Dare grumbled. “My dad sucks!”

  “Your dad is a wonderful man,” she scolded. “And I hope you didn’t say such cruel words to him.”

  By the boys’ squirms, she feared he had. Deciding to stay focused on the main issue, she tilted Stevie’s glum face toward her, so he had no choice but to look her in the eye. “You missed Tom this morning, but you weren’t misbehaving like this. What happened?”

  “You missed our lesson,” he grumbled.

  “I apologize for that, but we are working on a really important project and I couldn’t leave.”

  “More important than us?” Tommy asked.

  She kissed the boy’s forehead, then kissed Stevie and Dare. “Nothing is more important than my five children.”

  “Then why didn’t you come home?” Stevie challenged.

  “Because that wasn’t the choice that I had to make tonight. My choice was to stay and help a project that is very important to Tom or to let it fail. Since Tom will be broken hearted if this project fails, I chose to stay and work on the project.”

  “Is the project done now?” Tommy asked.

  “No, even working day and night it will still take us several days to complete.”

  “You’re leaving us again?”

  “Would you rather Tom’s project fail?”

  Dare’s eyes narrowed. “Would that make him come home faster?”

  “No, but it would really hurt him.”

  Tommy sighed and cuddled against her chest. She looked at Stevie and then Dare.

  Stevie pressed against her side. “We’ll be good.”

  “You don’t speak for me,” Tommy growled.

  “I meant Dare and I,” Stevie replied to Angel. “Tommy is invisible to us.”

  She held Tommy’s feet, so he couldn’t prove how un-invisible he was.

  “I’m not going to be able to concentrate on my job if I’m worried that my three big boys are trying to kill each other. What’s caused this problem?”

  “Tommy got us demoted to stupid kids.”

  “Did not!” Tommy screamed.

  “No need to yell,” she chided. “Now would someone like to explain this better so I can understand what has happened?”

  Tommy huffed. “Instead of teaching me math, the teacher’s making Stevie and Dare color boxes.”

  “It’s horrible!” Stevie added. “And all Tommy’s fault.”

  “Yeah,” Dare agreed.

  “Why is it Tommy’s fault?” Angel challenged.

  “Because he made our boring class even worse.”

  “You should have told me or Derrick. Then we could have fixed this matter.”

  “We did, but Dad told us to suck it up,” Dare said.

  “Well, he must of have been out of sorts when you mentioned it.”

  “We wanted him to turn on our lesson, but he wouldn’t do it,” Stevie muttered.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve never showed Derrick how to start the program, because I like to play it with you.”

  Tommy smiled up at her. “We like that too!”

  “But you didn’t come home,” grumbled Dare.

  “And why was that? Who remembers?”

  Tommy raised his hand and leaned back so he could stare up at her. “You were doing something for Tom, so he can finish his project and come home happy instead of sad.”

  She rewarded Tommy with a kiss. “That’s right. Now tell me more about your teacher. He was supposed to be teaching you all interesting things such as math. Did he stop doing that, or did he never start?”

  All three boys sighed in unison.

  “What happened?”

  “The day Tommy joined our class, he came in and declared us little geniuses,” Stevie explained.

  “Only he didn’t mean it,” Dare added.

  “He then gave us a page of numbers and told us to ‘do them’, only we didn’t know what he meant. “So, he starts writing stuff on the board and Tommy couldn’t even read the numbers right.”

  “You couldn’t either,” Tommy challenged.

  “I could say the smaller stuff but Dare and I couldn’t understand some of the squiggles in between them, and there were a bunch of letters in the mix.”

  “And tiny numbers which evidently made the number mean something else,” Dare added.

  She pulled all three boys close to her. “I’ll talk to the director about getting you a new teacher, but I need you to be on your best behavior, especially at school, these next few days, because he’ll no doubt check on your class to make sure the problem is the teacher and not you boys.”

  All three smiled up at her as if she was the best mom in the world.

  Davenport cleared his throat and pointed to his watch.

  “It’s bed time.”

  “But you just got home!” Tommy cried.

  “It doesn’t change your bed time. I have to go back to work now. So, let me have the pleasure of tucking each of my sweet angels into their beds. That way I’ll be happy when I go back to work and help Tom with his project.”

  With less grumbling than normal, she got all three boys into bed. She stopped by Kelly’s room and verified she was happy with her teacher.

  “Mr. G’s fabulous, but my brothers are horrible cretins. Did Stevie tell you he hit Johnny on the head with the laptop just because Dad didn’t know how to open and play our lesson?”

  “Johnny got hit?” Angel stated in shock and left the girl to find Mrs. Adams.

  When she entered the woman’s room, the old woman silenced her with a finger to her mouth. She then led Angel to the main room. “The boy is fine. He has a bump on his head, but nothing serious. Only he has cried for hours and I’ve finally got him to sleep—”

  “Did you call Dr. Hanson?”

  The woman stared at her in confusion. “Didn’t need a doctor. Nor would I know how to leave this place to take the boy to one anyway.”

  “Dr. Hanson is here. All you had to do is pick up the phone and ask the operator to patch you into Dr. Hanson. He would have either come here or had someone bring you to him. And while I know all too well that little boys get plenty of bumps, it doesn’t mean that serious bumps shouldn’t be checked on by a doctor.�
� She then opened Mrs. Adam’s door and went in to see her baby boy.

  While her child was sleeping, it didn’t seem to be a peaceful sleep. His breathing seemed wrong, his hands and feet quivered in tiny shaking motions.

  She ran from the room and grabbed the phone. “Dr. Hanson please.”

  “Dr. Hanson is off hours.”

  “I know, but this is an emergency. I think there’s something wrong with my youngest boy. Please patch me into him.”

  “You’re making a fuss over nothing. The boy’s fine,” Mrs. Adam chided.

  Dr. Hanson’s voice on the phone kept her from yelling at Derrick’s mother. “Angel, what is it?”

  “Sometime tonight, Johnny got hit on the head with a laptop. He has a lump the size of a half dollar on his forehead. Mrs. Adams says he cried for several hours before falling to sleep, only when I just checked on him, he seemed flushed, and his arms and legs were shaking. I know it’s your time off—”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  “Thank you.”

  She hung up the phone and realized Davenport was standing right beside her. She turned to him and fell against his chest. “I know it’s time for me to go back, but I can’t until Dr. Hanson comes.”

  “She’s making a fuss over nothing,” Mrs. Adams insisted.

  Davenport curled his arms around Angel. “It’s going to be all right. Dr. Hanson is very experienced in head injuries.”

  Not only did Davenport not try to force her back to work, but he held her until the doctor arrived.

  She followed Dr. Hanson into Mrs. Adam’s room and assisted him in his gentle examination of her boy, who continued his restless sleep through the exam, only waking up when blood was drawn.

  His burst of terror caused Angel to pick him up and comfort him.

  “Now look what you’ve done! He’ll be crying all night,” Mrs. Adams scolded them both.

  Angel carried her baby into the living room. What the hell was wrong with Derrick and his mother?

  Both had let her and the children down tonight.

  Once away from the woman, Dr. Hanson spoke. “The head wound does not appear serious. However, you were right to call me. Do you know if he’s recently had a cold?”

  Angel shook her head. “He’s been fine.”

  Dr. Hanson sighed. “Then he wouldn’t have been given cough medicine tonight?”

  “No. Why?”

  Dr. Hanson stood up. “Mind if I talk to Mrs. Adams in private.”

  Angel did but shook her head. This was her child. If Mrs. Adams gave him something, she had a right to know.

  Once the door closed, she hugged her child and pressed her ear to Mrs. Adams’ door so she could hear what they said.

  The doctor spoke low enough she couldn’t make out his words, but Mrs. Adam’s angry response was loud and clear.

  “How dare you accuse me of such a thing. I look after that child day and night. I’m more a mother to him than that woman is. And when he cries, who gets up in the middle of the night and gets him back to sleep? It sure ain’t her. She don’t want the boy in her room because she’s got men coming and going. No, it’s me who is mother to this boy, not her.”

  Angel stepped back, not wanting to hear anymore. She carried Johnny to her bedroom and lay down in the bed with him. Once the doctor left Mrs. Adam’s room, she would retrieve his crib and bring it into her room as well. She’d never wanted her child sleeping with Mrs. Adams, but Davenport had insisted it was the woman’s job. If not for Angel’s new job, she would have still refused, but she needed to be her brightest for her work. So, she’d gone along, against her better judgment. But no more. She needed to put her children first.

  Davenport opened her bedroom door. “Angel, Dr. Hanson wants to speak to you in private.”

  She sat up and glanced past Davenport to the doctor. “Come on in, doctor.”

  Dr. Hanson stepped in. “May I suggest you keep Johnny with you tonight.”

  “I intend to.”

  He glanced at Davenport, who had invited himself into the room. “She’ll need the crib.”

  The moment Davenport left, he closed the door and spoke. “I believe your child was drugged, but we’ll know for sure once I get the blood test back.”

  “Drugged?”

  “It wouldn’t be the first time an older caretaker has drugged a baby to make it peaceful. Normally, they don’t realize there is anything wrong with doing that, however, Mrs. Adams’ adamant denial would imply she does know drugging a baby is wrong, so if my suspicions are correct, then you need a new caretaker for your child.” His statement left her overwhelmed.

  “Should I put up a flier in the cafeteria?” How the hell would she get another caretaker? She didn’t want a new caretaker. She wanted to raise her baby herself, but that wasn’t a realistic option. Hamilton would never allow it.

  Nor could she ask Tom to leave here to find her a new nanny. She was certain she would never see him again, if he tried to leave a second time.

  Dr. Hanson blotted her boy’s shiny head. His action confused her, until she realized her tears were falling upon her baby’s head.

  “How do women do it?”

  “Do what?”

  “Work all the time and be a good mother too.”

  He sat on the bed beside her and wrapped his arm about her shoulder. “They make the time they have for their kids matter. They listen and get behind the surface issues when their kids act up. They err on the side of caution rather than taking a wait and see attitude.”

  She smiled, realizing he was describing her night she’d just had as proof she was a good mother. “I feel like I’ve let them down.”

  “No. You just need help.”

  “I need Tom.” She leaned her head against his shoulder.

  ***

  Davenport returned with the crib and a pretty Spanish young woman. “This is Maria. She’s the eldest of five and is very familiar with the care of babies.”

  The young woman seemed terrified until her eyes fell on Johnny. Her face lit up with joy and she stepped forward, kneeling so she was face to face with him. Seeing his bump, her face turned concerned. “You should take him to a doctor. They don’t cost anything here.”

  Angel liked her advice. “This is Dr. Hanson.”

  Maria stared at him in awe. He stood. “Well, I need to get that blood test started. I will let you know the results tomorrow.”

  Maria had returned her focus to Johnny. “May I hold him?”

  Angel wanted to tell her no, but her presence meant Hamilton wanted her back to work tonight. Never mind her family was falling apart. But refusing was not possible. Not just because she was officially dead and now the property of the U.S. government, but because Toby would die if she didn’t successfully trick Anderson into revealing his purpose. For as long as they didn’t know what Anderson planned, they would leave Toby at risk.

  With reluctance, she relinquished her baby to the pretty young woman who cooed and adored her child. Her son continued to sleep peacefully against his new cushion.

  Davenport nodded for her to leave her child and follow him. She kissed Johnny one last time and left her room. She heard the door lock a moment later. She looked up at Davenport.

  “I told her to lock the door. I don’t trust Mrs. Adams to act rationally right now. It is possible she will be asked to leave the facility.”

  “Can they risk that?”

  Davenport’s hand fell to the center of her back as he led her out of her home and back to the computer room. His refusal to answer told her the answer to her question. They wouldn’t risk releasing an angry old woman to weave stories the press might actually print.

  “Tom has this way of diffusing stress, and without him everyone is getting a bit wacky.”

  “Not you…”

  “That’s not true. I’m trying to hold it together. But without Tom, I’m losing the battle.”

  Davenport sighed with misery but made no verbal reply.

  Dear God
, he didn’t think Tom was ever coming back.

  Chapter 17

  Angel struggled to concentrate on learning a new language when her family was falling apart. She was re-reading the same section for the third time when Leon took her manual away. “You’re just watering the book. Maybe you should go home and resolve whatever’s wrong.”

  If only she could.

  But that wasn’t where the problem resided. Her boys needed Tom even more than she did.

  A possible solution came to her mind. She turned to Davenport’s worried and tired face.

  “I need to speak to the director.”

  “It’s two a.m., Angel. He’s probably sleeping.”

  His response sent a surge of anger through her. They were staying up all night trying to do the impossible. Why didn’t the director stay up with them as well?

  She covered her face with her hands as she realized how ridiculous her anger was. It was better if the director had a good night’s sleep. Then he might be more receptive to her request. “When he returns to his office, will you let him know I need to see him immediately.”

  “Is this about Anderson?” Davenport asked.

  Angel realized that he was probably weighing if he needed to wake the director up now.

  “Not directly. Although if I can’t solve this problem, I won’t be much use against Anderson.”

  Davenport pulled her out in the hall. “Is this about Tom?”

  She nodded. “And my boys.”

  His eyes filled with misery. “You need to let this go.”

  “I’m trying. When it was just my heart hurting, and only temporary, I was managing. But my boys are falling apart, and that’s all I can think of now.”

  Davenport pulled her into his arms. “I’ll see if I can get time off to spend with them.”

  Angel shook her head. “That’s not happening. Braddock needs you now more than ever.”

  He didn’t argue with her point. Instead, he gave her a warning. “Angel you cannot make demands of the director. You’ll only worsen matters.”

  “I have to try. For my boys, I have to.”

  Davenport sighed and stared up at the ceiling. His phone buzzed. He glanced down at the text message and softly cursed.