The Soldier's Surprise Family

by Jolene Navarro

  She glanced at Garrett to see his reaction, but he had his head buried in his hands. The timer went off. “How about cinnamon rolls? They were made yesterday.”

  “I could hang out in your kitchen just for the aromas.” He fed Pilar a couple bites of egg before eating the tomato on his plate.

  “You know, you hired me to run interference whenever you need it.” She gave each of the guys a two-inch-tall cinnamon roll. Licking the gooey goodness off her fingers, she sat down at the table.

  “My brain is rubbish this morning, but have you made two sport references in the last two minutes?”

  She shrugged and winked at him. “In Clear Water, everyone is a Friday-night-lights fan. Plus I was a total tomboy. I actually had a basketball scholarship but got married instead.” Sitting across from him, she grabbed a pear out of the fruit bowl. “Don’t let the girlie clothes fool you. On the court, I’m a fierce Mayan warrior. It’s the Ortega blood.”

  Shaking his head, he grinned. “I assumed you were the artsy type that protested violence of any kind.”

  Changing the subject would be good. “Do you want more bacon?”

  “You don’t have to feed me. I’ve managed several years on my own.”

  “You’re not on your own anymore.” She nodded and took a bite from the pear.

  He cleared his throat. “For some reason, that scares me even more.”

  Reaching across the table, she touched the back of his hand. “We’ve got this. You’ve been given a tremendous gift and it can be consuming, but we’ll do this.” She glanced at the kids. Pilar played with her eggs and Rio stared at them. It looked as if more of the sugar glaze had gotten on his face and shirt than in his stomach. “We’ll set a daily routine and everyone will know what to expect.”

  * * *

  Garrett shot straight up in his bed. Breathing as if he had just sprinted two hundred yards. Cries echoed in his head. Swinging his body to the edge of the bed, he planted his feet on the cool surface of the wood floors. Slowing his breathing, he closed his eyes and focused on the present in Clear Water, but the cry came again.

  Pilar.

  In the next room, Pilar cried. He checked his phone. Three in the morning. In the last two weeks, she had settled into a routine. She was off schedule.

  Concerned, he went into the room and found her standing against the railing of the crib, her face red and damp from the tears. Rio was holding a bottle to her, but she slapped it away. The little boy turned and glared at him.

  “It’s okay, Rio.” He crossed the room. She stretched her arms up to him, wanting him to pick her up. Without hesitation, he complied.

  Lowering his voice, he started singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” With one hand on her bottom, he realized it was a little damp, so he took her to the changing table. “Hey, pretty girl, what’s the problem? We’re going to get you a fresh diaper, all right?”

  Another cry ripped the room as her back arched. This wasn’t usual for her. She liked talking and cooing while he changed her.

  Rio had pulled up a box and stood at the end of the changing table. He touched her face. It didn’t soothe her.

  Once she was clean, Garrett lifted her and held her against his shoulder. The soft curls brushed against his stubble as he sang softly against her ear. He’d seen Anjelica do that as she rocked the baby to sleep. Her crying went to a few sniffles and hard hiccups.

  Taking a deep breath, Garrett relaxed. He could do this. With another pat on her back, he leaned over the crib to put her back to bed. As soon as he moved her away from him, she started crying again.

  Bringing her back to his chest, he started singing. This time it seemed to irritate her. The tiny body stiffened. Rio crossed his arms and glared at him. Even the dog glared.

  “It’d help if you could tell me what’s wrong. If at least one of you would talk. I can’t fix the problem if I don’t know what it is.” He cradled her in his arms and started swaying. He offered her the bottle again. That didn’t help. It seemed to make it worse.

  He lifted her back to his shoulder. “You know, when you think of being a father, it’s all about playing ball, Christmas mornings and the first bike rides.” He massaged her back. His voice low and soft, he walked. “You don’t imagine the odd hours or how obsessed you become with the bodily functions of another person.”

  Pacing back and forth, he tried another song. Maybe he’d done something wrong when he changed her diaper. He laid her down, then took off the onesie and the clean diaper. “Baby girl, I’m trying to fix it.” Her skin was smooth, not a mark or blemish.

  After what seemed like an hour of Pilar fussing, nodding off, then crying again while Rio and the dog glared at him, he wanted to cry himself. Rio turned his back and marched out the door, Selena on his heels.

  “Rio!” A sigh didn’t even begin to express his level of frustration as he followed his son.

  At the front door, Rio reached up and unlocked it. Okay, he needed to place the lock higher. “It’s four in the morning. We are not going outside.” The duo headed down the stairs. Anjelica. He was going to Anjelica for help.

  Okay, so my son is smarter than me. Or maybe the little guy just had better parenting skills.

  Whispering soft nonsense words to Pilar, he passed Rio and walked across the driveway to the kitchen door. Pilar’s cries had turned to sniffles. “Hang on, baby girl. We’re getting help.”

  Standing in front of the old wood door, he noticed areas had peeled off, showing years of different paint colors. Pilar nuzzled her nose against his neck. Maybe she had gone back to sleep. He took a step back, about to turn and head back to his living quarters.

  Pilar opened her mouth and let out a yell as if he had pinched her. The door opened and Anjelica stood there in an oversize T-shirt and sweats. She glanced down at Rio and Selena, then brought her gaze back to him and Pilar.

  “What’s up with the family field trip?” She laid a hand on the baby’s back.

  “I can’t settle her down. I’ve changed her twice, tried to feed her and walked or rocked until... I just don’t know what else to do. Rio thought you might be able to help.” Okay, so why had he just ratted out his son? “I agreed. So here we are.”

  She took Pilar. “You and Rio had a conversation about this?”

  “Well, no. He walked down the stairs and I followed. Sorry—I know you’re not officially on duty, and I hate bothering you, but I don’t know what to do to make her all right.”

  “Have you taken her temp? She feels slightly warm.”

  He hadn’t even thought about her being sick. “No. How do I take her temperature?” He dug his fingers into his hair.

  “My aunt left a kit for you that includes an ear thermometer.”

  “I have to poke something in her ear? That doesn’t sound safe.”

  Pilar reached for him, her lashes wet from tears. “I think she wants you.”

  “Why? I haven’t been able to help her at all.” Garrett’s hands engulfed her little chubby body. “Should we give her something for the fever?” As he cradled her, she grabbed his thumb and started gnawing on it. Eyes closed, she slobbered all over his hand as her gums went back and forth. “She’s trying to eat me.”

  Anjelica laughed. “I think we might have our answer to what’s wrong.” Moving around him, she took Rio’s hand and headed up the stairs to the apartment. “If she is cutting teeth, it can be painful. Can you feel anything on her gums?”

  “But she already has teeth.”

  “Yes, and she will get more, a whole mouthful.”

  Pausing, Garrett watch the look of bliss transform the little face as he rubbed a calloused thumb over the swollen gum. “I think I feel something right under the surface.” Eyebrows pulled, he looked at her. “How do I fix it so it stops hurting her?”

  “Let’
s take her temp, then go from there, okay?” Anjelica made her way to the nursery and opened the top drawer of the light green dresser. With a weird-looking gun-shaped instrument, she moved to stand in front of him.

  Instinctively, he pulled Pilar closer to him. “What are you going to do with that? It looks like it might hurt.”

  A tiny fist hit Anjelica’s thigh. A scowl that mirrored Garrett’s was planted on his small face.

  “Rio!” Garrett’s voice came a little sharper than he intended, causing everyone to jump. Pilar started fussing again. “Shh...baby girl, I’m sorry. It’s okay.” He turned to his son and took a knee. “I didn’t mean to scare you, but you can’t hit. You have to use your words.”

  The small boy reached over and touched his sister’s face.

  “I want her to be better, too. But I can’t allow you to hit people. In this house, we talk. I promise not to hit Pilar, Anjelica or you. I might yell, but I’ll never hit you, and I expect the same from you. We’ll fix problems by talking, using our words. Do you understand?”

  Rio nodded, then looked up at Anjelica. He licked his lips.

  Anjelica dropped to Rio’s level also, placing her hand on his shoulder. “Your father asked if this will hurt her. Are you worried about that, too?”

  Arms crossed over his middle, he glanced at Garrett.

  “Go ahead—use your words.”

  Thick eyelashes blinked a few times and the only sound in the room was the slurping of Pilar chewing on Garrett’s thumb. She fell back to being content in the midst of tension.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  He spoke! He shot his gaze to Anjelica. Oh no. For a moment, Garrett thought Anjelica would start crying. What if that made Rio think he had done something wrong?

  He smiled at the boy and patted him on the shoulder. “Good job, Rio.”

  Anjelica pushed some loose strands of hair back and cleared her throat. “Yes, nice job. I love hearing your voice. Now, about the ear thermometer. What if I show you how it is done? I can use it on your dad first.”

  Rio shook his head. “Me. Try on me.”

  “Okay. Ready?” She leaned in closer and showed him the gun, pointing out the details. “I’m going to put it in your ear and push the button. You won’t feel a thing.” A moment later she showed the screen to Rio. “It says you have a temp of ninety-eight. That’s perfect. Now that you know it won’t hurt her, let’s get Pilar’s temp.”

  Garrett stayed on his knee, with Rio holding Pilar’s hand as Anjelica did her thing. “She has a slight fever. I would hate giving her anything at this point. Let the fever do its job.” She looked at Garrett and grinned. “Chewing on you seems to help. I do believe you’re the biggest chew toy I’ve ever seen.”

  “But how do I get any sleep?” He glanced at the clock. “I have to be at work in four hours.”

  “We can try some numbing cream for her gums and—” she moved to the basket of toys “—let’s see if there’s a toy to replace your thumb.”

  “They make cream for cutting teeth and we have some?”

  “Yes, thanks to my family. I’m sure it was Aunt Maggie. She thinks of everything. Since it’s so late, or early, depending on how you look at it, let’s go ahead and settle them into bed. I’ll stay with the kids and you can get a little sleep before going to work, and you won’t have to wake them up to bring them to me.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “It’s best for everyone.”

  How would he have survived without her? How had his mother done it all without help? He’d never realized how tired she must have been all the time.

  She knew how hard it was to raise two kids alone. One message was the only contact he had had with her in the last two weeks. She was loud and clear about her thoughts of Viviana and told him to let the state take care of them until he knew for sure Rio was his. His mother had never been a fan of his ex-wife.

  He stood at the door and watched as Anjelica helped Rio organize the bed he had created under the crib. When she turned and found him staring, she raised her eyebrows.

  “Go on with you. We’ve got this covered, and you need to get your sleep so I don’t have to worry about you tomorrow.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He needed to leave before he started thinking about her being here permanently and how it felt to be worried over. “Thank you.” The words sounded low and rough.

  In order to break the invisible chain that held him to the spot, Garrett closed his eyes and spun away from Anjelica and the children.

  Creating a fantasy life around a woman had never worked out and now he had a son paying the price. He had one mission and that was to stay focused on Rio and Pilar.

  Chapter Seven

  The early-morning sun had yet to make an appearance as he pulled into the drive. Today marked one month since Rio and Pilar arrived in his life. House inspections and parenting classes had become the new normal. They were one step closer to official family status.

  Before getting the kids from Anjelica, he should go upstairs, lock away his gun and change out of his uniform. He tried to keep his weapons out of Anjelica’s sight, knowing how she felt about them, but tonight he needed to see the kids. He needed to touch them and know they were safe before he could go to sleep.

  Nothing like an ugly accident on 83 to turn a normal shift into a nightmare. Dealing with death always left him feeling a little hollow.

  Home had never looked so good.

  Home. Coffee. Sleep.

  Maybe he should skip the coffee. In a couple of hours, the kids would be up.

  Garrett stifled a yawn as he used his key to open the door into Anjelica’s dark house. Normally, he would have left them here and joined them later for breakfast, but there was nothing about tonight. He should have been home hours ago, before their bedtime.

  He hoped Anjelica didn’t have anything planned for the day. Oh man, he didn’t pay her enough. She deserved a big bonus.

  Today was officially her day off, but the accident had his shift going seven hours over and he wasn’t sure he could function enough to be responsible for the kids.

  Easing across the living room, he made sure to sidestep a toy truck. He gave a prayer of thanks for his own mother.

  There had been so many long hours of two or three jobs, but she had managed to keep them in a safe home with food in the kitchen. He hadn’t appreciated her efforts at the time. All he had known was his mom was always gone.

  She hadn’t had a supernanny like Anjelica or people like the Ortegas to help her when the nights were too long.

  He’d call her tomorrow and thank her. She deserved this time to herself and not to be pulled into his drama.

  He first checked in Pilar’s room and found it empty. His heart jumped and he made sure to control his breathing. All the worst scenarios popped in his head.

  The door connecting the nursery to Anjelica’s room stood open. With hesitation, he entered, finding it empty, also.

  Breathe, Garrett. Breathe. They’re here somewhere. He quickly scanned the house and found it empty.

  Maybe she had taken them up to the apartment when he had called about being late. He couldn’t move fast enough as he leaped the stairs three at a time.

  His living room was empty. He rushed to the nursery.

  A sigh of relief emptied his tense muscles.

  All three people of his little family slept safely in the room. Pilar was sprawled on her back with her arms wide, not a care in the world. On the little car bed, Rio lay curled up in Anjelica’s lap. She leaned against the wall. They still wore their day clothes.

  He smiled at her soft snores. He would have never guessed that she was a snorer—or that he would find it endearing. It made her human.

  His family had tried to wait up for him.

  Without one of
her brightly colored scarves, the soft T-shirt she wore revealed a scar that ran across her collarbone and up her neck. The tip faded into her hairline.

  The need to heal Anjelica always lingered, but now it was hard to ignore. She had suffered so much loss and pain. Somehow she still faced life with such openness and willingness to help others.

  As gently as possible, he picked up Rio, moving him to the side, and tucked him under his hero blanket. This might be the first time he actually slept in his own bed.

  Anjelica shifted to her side and scooted down to the pillow, the soft sounds from her throat stopping. Taking the quilt off the foot of the bed, he covered his pint-size heroine.

  She turned her face to him as he tucked the blanket around her. “Garrett, you’re home?”

  The sleeping edge of her whisper did things to his gut.

  “Yes, ma’am.” The fresh scent of vanilla and flowers filled his senses. He leaned in closer.

  Her hand came up and she threaded her fingers through his hair before they fell to the base of his neck. “Good. We were worried. I listened to the scanner for a bit, but I couldn’t...”

  His heart expanded in his chest. Emotions that scared him clogged his throat. “Don’t waste your time worrying about me.”

  Her eyes opened, clouded with sleep. She gave him the softest smile.

  He couldn’t resist any longer. He leaned forward until his lips pressed against the tiny scar next to her ear. The perfect skin marked with the evidence of the strength she hid under all her softness. He rested there until his breaths synchronized with the pull of her lungs.

  Her hand moved back up and smoothed his hair. He wanted to stay there forever. Their pulses dancing to the same rhythm.

  Swallowing back the need for real contact, a complete kiss, he forced himself to move and press his lips to her forehead instead. Staring at her, he lingered as long as he dared.

  She wanted and deserved a permanent relationship that included a family of her own without mounds of issues.