[Second Chances 02]California Dreams

by Morris Fenris

  Daniella took off running down the hallway again. Grace heard her throw the hairbrush into the basket by the sink and then scramble to get the front door open, “Come on, mommy. I don’t want to be late.”

  Grace sighed, picked up her purse and then smiled at Jane, “Have a good day.”

  “You too!”

  *****

  Grace and Katelin had just finished selecting the first three numbers the Children’s Choir would work on when her cell phone rang.

  She looked at it for a moment before she answered it, “Hello?”

  “Grace, this is Dr. Patterson.”

  He didn’t sound worried. “Hi, doctor.”

  “Grace, I got Daniella’s blood test results back. Her white cell count is elevated, probably due to the cough she’s had the last several days. I would like to schedule her for a chest x-ray, just to make sure we aren’t missing the beginnings of an infection.

  “Would this afternoon work for you?”

  Grace breathed a small sigh of relief, “So, you don’t think it’s anything serious?”

  “Not at this time. I would like to rule out any respiratory infection and then take another blood test the first part of next week and see if her numbers have changed at all. How is she feeling?”

  Grace smiled, “She seems to be feeling really good today. She even asked to go to school.”

  “And yesterday?” Dr. Patterson inquired.

  “Yesterday, not so good. She was lethargic and pretty quiet for the most part.” Should I be worried about that?

  “Well, that sounds pretty normal for a little girl. Bring her round later this afternoon and we’ll get a chest x-ray just to be on the safe side.”

  “Thank you doctor, I will. Thanks for calling.”

  “No problem.”

  Grace hung up. When she looked up, Katelin and Derek were standing there watching her, “Is everything okay?” Derek asked.

  Grace smiled and nodded, “Yes. The doctor drew some blood samples the other day and was just calling to tell me he thinks Daniella’s just got some sort of infection. Everything seems fine.”

  Derek smiled, “Good. Well, I just wanted to let you know I have the enrollment numbers for this term and you are at three hundred and have a waiting list of twenty-nine already.”

  “Twenty-nine? But we haven’t even started yet. Usually we don’t get that many kids on the waiting list until the end of February.” Twenty-nine kids who wanted to participate and couldn’t because of the limit I put on the size of the choir.

  Grace quickly did some calculating in her head and then asked, “How hard would it be to expand our risers?”

  Katelin knew where she was going and grinned, “Yeah, could we add an extra set to each side of the stage?”

  Derek thought for a moment and then nodded, “I think there’s plenty of room for that. What are you two thinking?”

  Katelin looked at Grace who was smiling broadly now, “I’m thinking that if there are that many kids who want to participate with us, why not let them?”

  “You mean, increase enrollment? But, we’ve never done that before.”

  “Aren’t you the one who’s always preaching to me about change and how it’s a good thing?” Grace asked Derek, placing her hands on her hips and raising one eyebrow at him.

  “Well,” Derek stammered and then smiled, “Alright, you’ve got me there. Do you really think you can handle more kids?” Three hundred is way too many for me to handle. I still don’t know how she and Katelin do it.

  “You let us worry about crowd control. You bring’em in, and Katelin and I will have them singing like canaries before you know it.”

  “Alright, but if this doesn’t work, it’s all on you two.” Derek walked out of the office, mumbling beneath his breath.

  Katelin turned to Grace, “You really think we can handle another thirty kids?”

  “Sure. But that means we need to build that many more folders before Monday.”

  “Grace, it’s already Thursday,” Katelin reminded her.

  “I’m aware of that, so why are we standing around. We have music to print off and folders to put together.”

  Grace and Katelin spent the rest of the day doing just that. As 3 o’clock rolled around, Grace stood up from the conference room table, grabbing the latest stack of finished folders and depositing them in the large rolling cart. “I’m out of here. I have to go pick Daniella up and run her by the doctor’s office for her chest x-ray. Why don’t you leave the rest of these and we’ll tackle them first thing tomorrow morning?”

  Katelin stood and stretched, “Sounds good. See ya tomorrow.”

  Chapter 25

  “And they took a picture of my insides, only they wouldn’t let me see it.”

  Sara chuckled through the phone, “Well, I’m sure Dr. Patterson would be happy to let you see it when you go to visit him again.”

  “I wants a copy. Mommy says that they don’t do that, but maybe if I ask really nice Dr. Patterson could do that.”

  “Maybe. It was good talking to you Dani. Can you got get mommy and put her back on the phone for me?”

  “Mommy! Aunt Sara wants to talk to you again,” Daniella hollered into the phone.

  Sara pulled the phone away from her ear and laughed, waiting a second and then putting it back to listen for her sister to pick up. “Sara?”

  “Hey, you might want to talk to Daniella again about pulling the phone away from her mouth before she screams really loud.”

  “She didn’t! Sorry about that. We have talked about it, I think she just forgets.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Anyway, tell me what the doctor said.”

  Grace filled her sister in on the report and promised to keep her informed. “So, what are you and Trent up to this fine Saturday morning?”

  “No much. We got another ten inches of snow last night. Trent’s out clearing the driveway with the tractor right now.”

  “Ten inches? Sara, are you sure you want to live up there?”

  Sara chuckled, “Yes I’m sure. Besides, Trent and I have decided to expand.”

  “Expand?” Grace said the word, trying to figure out what her sister was talking about. When the light came on, she squealed, “You’re going to have a baby?”

  “Well, not that I’m aware of, but we are trying. Do you think Daniella would like a cousin sister or a cousin brother?”

  Grace smiled, “Anything, as long as it’s healthy. Oh, you have to tell me the minute you find out. Daniella and I will make plans to come up there when the baby’s born.”

  “That would be fun. Did I tell you that Trent was going to bring me to California if Dani was really sick?”

  “No, and he offered to do that?”

  “Yes. I thought it was a nice gesture.”

  “Totally sweet and making me totally jealous.” Grace cringed at the wistful note in her voice, sure her sister had picked up on it.

  “Feeling lonely, sis?” Sara asked.

  “Maybe. I don’t know. Lately, I don’t know that I’d mind having someone else around to share things with. No offense, I know I can always share things with you, but it’s not the same …”

  “…as sharing them with a soul mate and partner. You can have that again, you know. Alec wasn’t a one shot deal.”

  “I’m starting to think you’re right. I guess maybe I’ve been out of the dating scene too long. Maybe after things settle down at work and with Daniella I’ll visit one of those dating circle things.”

  “You mean speed dating?” Sara screeched. “Tell me you’re not actually considering that? Grace, you can’t do that. A lot of those men are psychos and abusers. You need to meet some nice, career oriented guy who would also make Daniella a great father. Don’t get in a hurry!”

  “Slow down, mother. I was just saying it might be one way to meet someone new. I don’t think I could ever make myself go through with it, but it was an idea.”

  “Don’t have those kinds of ideas!”
>
  Grace chuckled, “I could always advertise online for a boyfriend?” Grace heard her sister’s gasp of outrage and laughed, “Gotcha! Don’t worry, when and if I ever decide to start dating again, I’ll be safe. Who knows, maybe Prince Charming is already out there looking for me and I just haven’t found him yet.”

  *****

  Samuel arrived at the house to pick Jane up a few minutes after her phone call with Sara. Letting him in, she informed him, “Jane’s still getting ready. She got delayed keeping Daniella entertained for me while I spoke with my sister.”

  “How are Trent and Sara?”

  “Good. So, what’s on your agenda for today?” Grace picked up toys as she led the way back to the kitchen.

  “Jane wants to shop for the food she’s going to cook tomorrow. I thought we’d take a walk through the Botanic Gardens first and then head down to the docks.”

  “That sounds fun and exciting.”

  “What are you and the princess up to today?”

  “We are going to ballet class. A friend of mine from college has a dance school that just opened up and she’s running a preschool ballet class on Saturday mornings. I think Daniella will enjoy it.”

  “I’m all ready, mommy,” Daniella said, twirling her way into the kitchen. Seeing Samuel she grinned and twirled her way over to him, “Hi Mr. Samuel. Pick me up.”

  “Daniella, be nice,” her Mother admonished.

  Samuel chuckled but dutifully picked the little girl up, admiring her outfit as he did so, “What are you wearing?”

  “Ballet clothes, silly. Don’t smash my tutu. Mommy said she didn’t think I’d need it, but Angeline Ballerina wears one, doesn’t she mommy?”

  “Yes, Angelina wears a tutu, but I don’t think you’ll need one today. We’re just going to try it out, remember?”

  “I’s remembers. But I want to be a ballerina and fly up in the sky.”

  Samuel took that as a clue to lift Daniella above his head and fly her around the room once, “Like that, princess?”

  Daniella’s eyes danced with glee, “Just like that. Mommy, Mr. Samuel needs to come to ballet as well. That way everyone can see how well I can fly.”

  “I think Mr. Samuel has other plans with Aunt Jane. Speaking of which, would you run down the hallway and tell Aunt Jane that Samuel’s here?”

  “Okay,” Daniella squirmed until Samuel set her down. She lifted her arms above her head and proceeded to dance her way down the hallway.

  “Sorry about that.”

  “Don’t be, she’s as cute as a button. I’m real glad she’s feeling better.”

  “Me too.”

  “Me three,” said Jane, entering the room with her list in her hands.

  Samuel smiled at her and kissed her cheek as she drew near, “What’ve you got there?”

  “My list. Grace gave me a brilliant idea when we were talking about the menu. Chefs Perez and Scaltini aren’t going to know what hit them after tomorrow night.”

  Samuel loved hearing the confidence in her voice. He’d only heard her rendition of her interview, but something had clicked for her during that process. She was more confident than he had ever seen her. He loved it!

  “Ready to go? I thought we’d take a walk through the Botanic Gardens before we headed down to the docks.”

  “Great! I need to pick up some flowers for the table as well.”

  “We’ll get you whatever you need. Grace. Daniella, enjoy ballet class.”

  “I will Mr. Samuel. Will you dance with me when you get back?”

  “I’d love to sprite. It’s a date.”

  Daniella beamed at him, happy at his compliance, “It’s a date.”

  Chapter 26

  “I’m afraid your date with Daniella is going to have be postponed,” Grace told Samuel when he brought Jane home just before dinnertime.

  “Oh? Is she not feeling well again?”

  Grace shook her head, “No. She’s was doing fine until after lunch. I put her down with a movie to rest and she’s still sleeping. That was five hours ago. I just tried to wake her up and she’s still very sleepy. She’s coughing again, too.”

  “Did you call the doctor?” Jane asked, having just come back from checking in on the little girl and concerned at the new bruises that were forming on her arms and legs.

  “No. We have an appointment Wednesday to do another blood test. I checked her temperature, and she’s not running one. Maybe it’s just a virus like he thought.”

  “Could be. Listen, why don’t you go sit down and let Samuel and I finish dinner?”

  Grace looked at Jane and smiled, “That sounds wonderful. I picked up some new demo tracks from the art center after ballet, but haven’t had a chance to listen to them.”

  “Go,” Jane told her, shooing her out of the kitchen.

  Grace headed to her office, putting the first CD in and leaning back to listen. Scrapping that one as being too urban for her tastes, she put the next one in and listened in enjoyment. These are songs my kids could sing! Making a note on the CD with a marker, she worked through the remaining four CDs, selecting only one more from the group.

  Finished, she headed back into the kitchen only to find Jane standing at the kitchen window with Samuel right behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist and his lips nuzzling her cheek.

  “Will you think about it?” she heard him softly ask, as she backed her way out the doorway and headed back to her bedroom. Think about what? Are they getting that serious already?

  She waited a full ten minutes before she headed back into the kitchen, making sure to place her feet solidly against the wood floors to announce her imminent arrival. When she entered the kitchen, Samuel was just finishing tossing a salad, and Jane was nowhere to be seen.

  “Where’s Jane?” she asked, wondering if his question had upset her new friend.

  “She heard Daniella stir and went to see about getting her up for dinner. Does she like fish?”

  “Fish sticks. I don’t think she’s ever tried any other kind.” Grace looked at the food Samuel and Jane had made and her stomach growled. “This looks amazing. Did you help her do this?”

  “He most certainly did. He’s almost as good a cook as I am,” Jane informed the room as she walked in carrying Daniella, dressed once again in her princess costume.

  “Hey, sweetie,” Grace said, lifting her from Jane’s arms and giving her a kiss on the forehead. “Feeling better?”

  “I’m hungry,” Daniella told her with a frown. Daniella scrunched her nose up as she looked at the pieces of salmon upon three of the plates, “What’s that?”

  “That my dear, is salmon.”

  “Salmon? I don’t think I like pink food, mommy. It smells funny.”

  The adults chuckled, “No sweetheart, it smells fishy,” Samuel added, winking at the women as they rolled their eyes at his pun.

  “Don’t worry sweetheart, Aunt Jane made you some of her special fish sticks. You like those, remember?”

  “Can I have ketchup on them?” Daniella asked

  “Of course.” Jane got the beloved bottle of ketchup from the refrigerator, shaking her head as Daniella squeezed a generous portion on her plate and proceeded to drown the crispy pieces of fish in it. “I will never understand why kids love ketchup so much.”

  “I can answer that one,” Samuel interjected, “It covers up the taste of icky food.” He winked at Daniella who was happily munching away on her ketchup covered dinner.

  “Believe me, if you ever have kids, you’ll understand. Ketchup makes everything taste better, huh Dani?”

  “Yep. I likes ketchup on everything. Well…not ice cream. Ketchup on ice cream sounds…”

  “Gross! It sounds gross. Finish your dinner and maybe Mr. Samuel will read you another story before bath time.”

  “Yeah!” Moments later, Daniella stood up on her chair and announced she was finished. “Can Mr. Samuel come play with me now?”

  “Well, I think he might want to finish h
is dinner first. Why don’t you go pick out the book you want to read tonight and then come sit on the couch quietly until we’re through?”

  “Okay,” Daniella jumped from the chair and hurried down the hallway.

  Jane watched until she was sure the little girl was out of earshot, “Grace, did you see the new bruises forming on her arms and legs?”

  Grace nodded sadly, “I did. I know for a fact that she hasn’t bumped into anything. I don’t know where they’re coming from.”

  “Maybe they’re related to the virus the doc thinks she has?”

  “Maybe. I’ll ask him next week. So, Samuel, what’s happening with the Quintana brothers? Jane said something about Hector being in the hospital?”

  Samuel hadn’t wanted to worry either woman, but since Grace had brought it up, he figured now was as good a time as any, “Hector’s lawyer petitioned the courts so that he could have his kidney transplant. He is in the hospital recovering now.”

  He looked at Jane before continuing, “The lawyer also petitioned the court so that Julian could go visit his brother once he’s out of ICU.”

  Grace was floored, “Since when do criminals get those kinds of rights? And federal ones at that?”

  Samuel shook his head, “I don’t know. Judge Blackburn is pretty lenient. I only hope it doesn’t come back to bite her this time around.”

  “You’re worried,” Grace commented.

  “Yeah. Stan, I and some of the other off-duty agents have been taking turns watching Hector’s room. What he hasn’t known can’t hurt him.”

  “So isn’t that enough?”

  “Not when Julian visits it won’t be. The judge agreed to the lawyer’s request that Julian is a civilized man and won’t try to run. There can only be one uniformed officer present during their visitation.”

  “I guess I still don’t understand,” Grace told him. Wasn’t one armed, uniformed officer enough to subdue one criminal and his critically ill brother?

  “You don’t know how these cartels work, hon. Over the last three days, Julian has had six different visitors. Three of them are suspected cartel members, but the last one that visited today has me worried.”