The Baby Twins (Babies & Bachelors USA)

by Laura Marie Altom

  “Lauren,” she said with a glare. “Why can’t you ever remember?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Yes.” Arms crossed, she stared hard out the passenger-side window.

  “I’ll try harder, okay?” He gave her hair a tousle.

  Flinching, she snapped, “No, you won’t. You care about everyone on the planet more than me.” Tears slid down her still adorably chubby cheeks.

  “That’s not true, and you know it.” He tried hugging her, but she pushed him away.

  “Prove it.”

  “How?” He’d already moved to Seattle. What more proof did she need?

  “Prove you love me more than that Stephanie lady. Mom says she has baby twins. Do you like her more than Mom because her babies are cuter than me?”

  Drawing her into a hug, and this time holding on no matter how hard she struggled, he kissed the top of her head. When she finally stopped crying and went limp in his arms, he said, “You’re crazy. No baby—or little girl—could ever be cuter than you.”

  “P-promise?” Her red-eyed sniffles shattered him.

  “Absolutely.” What was going through Lola’s head that she’d even wonder about him loving another kid more than her? “Tell you what, how about the next time I see Steph and her girls, you come along for the ride? Does that sound fun? You like babies, don’t you?”

  “Y-yeah…I guess.” Twirling a lock of her hair, she asked, “They don’t smell bad, do they?”

  “No. But if they do, I’ll bet Steph would let you change their diapers.”

  “Eeuw!” She pretended to look disgusted, but a hint of a grin and the sparkle in her eyes gave her away. “Can I go with you right now?”

  “I don’t know about us leaving right this second, but as soon as we clear it with your mom and you have a school break, I’m sure Steph would love having you for a visit.”

  “YOU’VE ALREADY SUNK LOW enough to sleep with my brother,” Brady said under his breath to Clarissa even though Lola was safely out of earshot in the backyard, “but I never imagined you’d stoop to turning my own daughter against me.”

  “How exactly did I do that?” She slammed a can of green beans on the counter. She’d been grocery shopping, and was putting them away when he’d brought their daughter home. “Honestly, Brady, you’ve always been such a drama queen.”

  Taking a deep breath, he said, “Why’d you tell Lola I’m shacking up with a floozy? You and Steph used to be friends.”

  “I never said anything of the sort.” Out of a paper bag came boxes of Cheerios, three brands of crackers and the oatmeal pies Lola had loved since she’d first had teeth. “She’s been running with a foulmouthed crowd at school. I’m sure one of them said it.”

  “Cut the B.S., Rissa. Why do you have such a hard time telling the truth?”

  “Me?” She snorted. “Don’t get me started on how many times you promised to cut back on your precious flight schedule to stay home with me, only to call at the last minute, telling me you weren’t coming home. You want to talk lies, Brady, you can damn well start there.”

  Fighting with everything in him not to match her angry tone, he clenched a fist. “Where do you get off, bitching about my long hours at work, doing everything I could to put you and Lola up in this gorgeous home, when all the time you were screwing my brother behind my back?”

  “That’s ancient history,” she snapped. “Get over it.”

  Refusing to waste one more minute of his life on senseless arguing with a woman whose only admirable quality had been giving birth to their daughter, he straightened his shoulders. Through gritted teeth, he said, “I have never asked one thing of you. I gave you this house. Your car. Have never been so much as a day late on child support. So over Lola’s Christmas break, consider her mine.”

  “But I always have her over the holidays. What will our families say?”

  “I don’t give a damn. All I know is that I’ve wasted years with Lola, and I won’t throw away one second more. If you want to fight me on this, I’ll be all too happy to sue for joint custody.”

  “You wouldn’t?” She’d gripped a loaf of white bread so tightly that it was now nearly flattened.

  “Try me. I’m tired of always being the one turning the other cheek. What I’m asking isn’t unreasonable. Aside from my few weekends, you and my brother have her the rest of the year.”

  BY THE TIME BRADY HASHED OUT the details, letting Lola in on the fact that she’d spend the holidays with him in Arkansas, he was not only exhausted, but running late for his return commuter hop to Dallas. Thank God, he wasn’t scheduled to fly, or he’d have called in sick.

  Once he reached the gate, it was full.

  Crying babies. Corporate executives ticking away on their iPhones and BlackBerries. Families bickering over who was to stand watch over the carry-ons while the lucky ones headed out to forage for food. Just a few days earlier, all of this had felt normal. Now, he walked like a stranger through what used to be his home away from home.

  He’d expected that having Lola for Christmas would finally banish the gnawing emptiness inside. It helped, but he still didn’t feel complete.

  Pulling out his cell, he walked a short way to the nearest empty gate before punching in Steph’s number.

  She answered on the third ring. After exchanging pleasantries, she asked, “How was your visit with Lola?”

  “Better than usual. Which was nice. Even though I’ve been seeing her more, I only just now learned my little girl religiously uses a hair straightener and shops at mall stores where I’m pretty sure the noise decibels are well over the legal limit.”

  Laughing, Steph said, “Mmm… Guess I’ve got that times two to look forward to, huh?”

  “Not to mention shelling out an obscene amount of money for what couldn’t have been more than a half yard of fabric.”

  “You’re funny. Definitely a daddy who needs more training in the how-to-raise-a-female department.”

  “Interesting you should say that,” he said, pride ringing through his voice. “I just happened to land a pretty major prize that I hope will teach me more about my daughter.”

  “What happened? Did you reconcile with Clarissa?” Was that concern in her tone? As though his being taken off the market would be a bad thing?

  “Not a chance, but Lola’s going to spend her entire Christmas break with me, and I’m hoping this isn’t presumptuous, but I—we—are planning a ski trip, and then we’d like to spend a couple of days with you and your girls. Lola’s excited to meet them.”

  “That’s great, but I am going to need details. What are the dates you’ll be here? What are her favorite foods? What size does she wear so I can pick up a few gifts. What—”

  “Slow down,” Brady said with a relieved chuckle. He’d been holding his breath while waiting for her reply. Now that he sensed Stephanie was as excited about his daughter’s visit as he was, his heart went out to her a little more. “I’ve got a full flight schedule for the next three days, but after that—if it’s all right with you—I’ll stop by so we can make plans.”

  After saying his goodbyes, Brady tucked his phone in his pocket, leaned his head back and smiled. For the first time since the divorce, he couldn’t wait for the holidays.

  His argument with Clarissa had flipped a switch in his heart. Though he refused to apologize for working long hours to support his family, he did accept responsibility for not devoting more of his free time to them. Looking back on it, instead of kicking back to watch football and drink beer, he should’ve taken Lola to the park. Taken Clarissa out for dinner and dancing and movies like they used to before having a baby consumed their lives. He’d dropped the ball. Big-time. And for that, he was sorry. Though it was too late to change the past, from here on out, Lola was getting the absolute best he had to offer.

  And Steph? What will you have left to give her?

  At the moment, he didn’t have a clue.

  “DO YOU THINK SHE’S HAVING FUN?” Stephanie as
ked, standing alongside Brady at Valley View’s ice skating rink. For two weeks every Christmas season, city workers set up an artificially cooled skating pond in the park surrounding the city square. It was most fun when the weather cooperated by staying chilly. But even on years when the temperatures rose into the sixties, it seemed as if the whole town came out to have a good time. Too bad her twins apparently didn’t notice, as both girls were snoozing despite blaring Burl Ives and plenty of laughing shrieks when skaters took a dive.

  “Duh. Look at the size of her smile.”

  “Speaking of which, her grin is identical to yours—minus the stubble.”

  “Let’s hope she doesn’t inherit my whiskers. My mother’s side of the family has some freakishly hairy aunts.”

  Elbowing him, she said, “Seriously, she’s a beautiful girl. When she’s not giving me dirty looks, she seems poised for her age. I see why you’re so proud.”

  Eyes welling, he nodded.

  “I think you made a good call in staying at a B and B. Less confusion. You know, us being just friends and all.”

  “Right.” His expression darkened. Tone turning serious, he said, “About that…our friendship.”

  Stomach tightening with dread, in a heartbeat her excitement over his visit lessened.

  “Hey, whoa,” he said with the lopsided grin she adored. Slipping his arm around her shoulders, he kissed her forehead. “I can tell by your pretty pout that you took that the wrong way.”

  “I’m a grown woman,” she was all too happy to point out. “I don’t pout.”

  “If you say so.”

  Lola came around to their section of the fence. “Look at me, Dad! I’m in the Olympics!” She performed a flawless skip and a hop.

  Applauding, Stephanie shouted, “Perfect ten!”

  “I say eleven!” Brady chimed in.

  Lola waved before heading back out to the skating rink’s center where she’d been playing with a group of girls.

  “She’s adorable,” Stephanie said. Kneeling in front of the stroller, she noticed that Michaela had woken from her nap. She wasn’t fussy, just wide-eyed at the commotion.

  Lifting her from her seat, Stephanie said to her baby girl, “Just think, one of these days, that’s going to be you out there.”

  Michaela didn’t look impressed.

  “Back to your pouting…” Brady tweaked the baby’s nose.

  “Oh, whatever.” Ignoring him, she hugged her daughter.

  “So, like I was saying. After talking with Clarissa, I had an epiphany.”

  “Uh-huh.” Jiggling Michaela, she said, “And I had an early visit from Santa.”

  “I’m serious.” Once smiling eyes turned somber.

  “Sorry.”

  Lola skated around again, hollering at them.

  After pasting on a bright smile and waving to the girl, Stephanie asked, “What happened?”

  “Clarissa and I had an argument—nothing new. But…” Rubbing his forehead with his thumb and forefinger, he seemed to struggle with what to say next.

  With one hand around his back, and her other resting on his abs, she asked, “Everything okay?”

  Voice cracking, he said, “Truthfully, I don’t know.”

  “Take it slow,” she urged. “One issue at a time.”

  What was it about her that always made him feel as if no problem was insurmountable? “Everything I thought I knew about what went down between us. In putting the pieces together—little bits from my mom and you, and now Clarissa, for the first time, I’m understanding what role I played in our family falling apart and I don’t like the man I see.”

  “But that was in the past, right? Now, you’re doing everything you can to make things right between Lola and you, and as for Clarissa, it is what it is. She’s happy. You can’t keep beating yourself up for something irrevocably broken—unless you do want to try winning her back?”

  “No.” It was the second time Steph had mentioned him patching things up with his ex. Did she honestly think that was a possibility?

  “If you wanted to, you probably could…”

  How badly he wanted to twine his fingers with Steph’s. Maybe in another time, it would’ve been all right. But for now, he settled for surrendering his pinky finger to Michaela’s pinching grip.

  “Ouch!” he said in an exaggerated cry. “You’re a bruiser.”

  The baby giggled.

  The sound warmed him through and through. Made him want a second chance he didn’t deserve. If only he’d done things differently the first time around, maybe he’d still have his own family instead of being on the outside looking in?

  With Michaela still in her arms, Stephanie asked, “You look like you just lost your best friend. What gives?”

  “Just wondering…”

  “Look at meee!” Lola called out, whizzing along at top speed.

  “About?” Steph adjusted Michaela’s red hat to better cover her tiny ears.

  “What our lives would have been like if we’d met each other first.”

  Still fussing over the baby, Steph said, “You mean, if I hadn’t met Michael and you hadn’t met Clarissa?”

  “Yeah.” He stared out at the swirl of colorful skaters. “Suppose I’d still have Lola and you’d still have the girls, but we wouldn’t have so much emotional baggage, you know?”

  “That would be nice.” Gazing up at him, she looked as if she wanted to say more.

  “Like the ultimate do-over.” In the rink’s center, Lola fell, only to hop right up. For a split second, the part of him who would forever worry about her was ready to charge to her rescue. But then she fended for herself, not needing him after all.

  “Is that what you’re looking for? Redemption in the form of a new family?”

  “Absolutely not.” Liar.

  “It wouldn’t be the end of the world if you were, you know? Lots of women would be lucky to have you.”

  But not you?

  Chapter Twelve

  “Those are kind of cute.” Lola frowned at Stephanie’s manger-scene cookies. “How did you get all of the faces so perfect?”

  “Lots of practice,” Stephanie said, piping the edge of the manger.

  “Can I try?” the girl asked.

  “Sure. Pick out any of the cookies on the racks, and then some frosting.” This time of year, Stephanie had piping tubes standing by in a rainbow of colors with all sorts of tips. Though Brady had arranged to take vacation time during Lola’s entire school break, a friend’s wife had gone into early labor and he needed an emergency replacement. Brady had offered to help by covering a few of his flights. Stephanie loved that about him—that he was willing to give so freely of his time to help a friend in need. Lola, on the other hand, wasn’t too thrilled about the idea of Dad being gone.

  Though Brady and Lola had been staying at the town’s only B and B, during his absence, his daughter was bunking with Steph and her twins.

  “The different tips give you different frosting patterns—like this.” Using a sheet of wax paper, Stephanie showed Lola an assortment of decorations ranging from petals and basketweaves to hearts and stars. “You try,” she said, handing over a tip that made perfect mini Christmas trees that could then be decorated with gold balls and sprinkles.

  “This is actually kind of fun,” Lola said, sticking out her tongue whenever she concentrated on getting her cookie just right. “Mom’s always on a diet, so we don’t bake. She says white flour makes her butt big. She does buy me lots of good white stuff, though. She’s really, super pretty and I love her lots. She’s my best friend in the whole world.”

  “I’m glad…” Stephanie wasn’t surprised that Clarissa was still on a perpetual diet. She’d kept herself in top-notch shape even back when they’d been friends. “I’m sorry your dad had to leave.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Sounds like he won’t be gone very long.”

  The little girl actually snorted. “He always says that. I think he leaves all the time becaus
e he doesn’t want to be with me. Now, he doesn’t want to be with you, either.”

  As much as Lola’s words stung, Stephanie was the adult. This was hardly the time to get defensive. Starting a new cookie, she said, “First off, that’s totally not true. Your dad adores you. Talks about you all the time. And second, he can’t help having a job that makes him go places. It’s in his blood.”

  “Eeuw.” Lola made a classic disgusted kid face.

  “Not like that,” Stephanie said with a laugh. “I mean, that flying is something he really loves—kind of like you love mall shopping—only more.”

  “If he really loved me, he’d stop flying.”

  “Oh, honey…” Drawing in her lower lip, Stephanie stood a moment to let the full meaning of the girl’s statement sink in. When they’d first married, Stephanie remembered having the same thoughts about Michael. About how if he just loved her as much as she loved him, he’d give up flying to be something nice and safe and boring. Gradually, she’d grown to see that flying was as important to Michael as breathing. It wasn’t something he merely liked to do, but something he had to do. Only now, in retrospect did she get the full gist of what that truly meant. That if Michael had given up his passion for her, he wouldn’t have been the same man.

  Stephanie explained all of that to Lola, but judging by the girl’s blank expression, her words hadn’t sunk in.

  “Mom said you’re a floozy and that you and Dad are shacking up. I asked Dad what floozy means, but he wouldn’t tell me.”

  “Oh?” That hurt. Especially since when Stephanie put her mucked up feelings for Brady aside, she still had a soft spot for her old friend. She and Clarissa used to shop together and cook together and, most important of all, commiserate together on the trials of being married to a pilot. “I’m guessing it means that even though they’re divorced, your mom might also be having a tough time sharing your father. But I promise, I only want the best for your dad, and that means encouraging him to spend as much time as possible with you.”