Finding Her Family

by Syndi Powell

  She retreated to her room and lied down on her own bed. A nap sounded tempting, and she’d need to take better care of herself if she was going to be responsible for Ruby. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the panic that came from that thought.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  THE CALENDAR INDICATED that Mateo had a free afternoon. Maybe he should go home to his condo and take a dip in the pool? When was the last time he’d had a moment to do something for himself? Instead, his cell phone vibrated and he answered the call. “Mateo Lopez.” The caller didn’t say anything at first. “Hello? You’ve reached Mateo Lopez. Is someone there?”

  He took the phone from his ear and was about to press the button to hang up when the caller said, “I need a lawyer.”

  He took a seat behind his desk, grabbing a legal pad and pen. So much for the free afternoon. “How can I help you?”

  “My son. He’s been arrested on drug charges.”

  He put the pen back on the desk. He’d never taken a case with drug-related charges, but he knew a colleague who would. “I can give you the name of a very good lawyer who is better able to defend your son.” He started to dig through his address book for Dave’s information.

  “No, my friend recommended you. She said you helped get the case against her son dropped.”

  “Who recommended me?”

  “Silvia Delgado.”

  Mateo closed his eyes and wrote the name on the legal pad. He remembered the case well. Paolo had been caught with stolen merchandise, but it had been planted by a so-called friend. After producing the evidence that this friend was the real culprit, the DA had exonerated Paolo. “Her son wasn’t facing charges to do with drugs. I’m afraid that I don’t have any expertise in that area.”

  “But Silvia said...” The woman started to cry on the other end. “Preston is only fourteen. I can’t have his whole life end now.”

  Mateo couldn’t watch another kid get lost in a life of crime or drugs or poverty. It was too much to ask. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Like I said, I can give you Dave’s number. He’s better equipped to help you.”

  “Please, Mr. Lopez.”

  He read off Dave’s information and repeated the phone number in case she hadn’t written it down the first time.

  The woman sighed. “If you’re sure...”

  “I am. Good luck.” And he hung up before he could change his mind. He placed the phone on his desk and stared at it. His fingers twitched, wanting to reach out and call her back and yet...

  He needed to figure out what kind of lawyer he really wanted to be. He’d started out taking cases for his family members; things like wills, prenup agreements, even a divorce. Then he’d had his first juvenile law case. He closed his eyes and could see the kid’s face even though four years had passed. He couldn’t forget how he’d looked sitting in this office beside his parents as they told him the facts of the arrest. Caught for vandalism to a school, a second offense even though the first one had been thrown out when the store owner had dropped the charges if Jimmy paid for the damages. This time, the school principal wasn’t so forgiving. He wanted the kid prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And because of the amount of damage he’d caused, it could be considered a felony. The kid was fourteen and facing jail.

  Mateo steepled his fingers and tapped his mouth with them. Because Jimmy’s parents were going through a messy divorce, Mateo had been able to convince a judge that the kid needed counseling, rather than to serve time. Jimmy had also worked after school cleaning the building to pay back the cost of repairing the damages. He had just graduated from that school and was about to attend Michigan State to pursue a dual degree in education and psychology.

  The case’s outcome had convinced Mateo that he could turn his passion for rehabilitating these kids into a lucrative law career. But after four seemingly long years, it now left a bad taste in his mouth. He’d grown weary of excuses and attitudes. His passion had become his curse.

  Maybe what he needed was a new passion, a new focus. He could go back to criminal law, focusing as he had on taking cases like Page’s, where he could help to forge families. Unfortunately, the juvenile crime statistics of his neighborhood held more lucrative opportunities.

  With a sigh, he closed his laptop and placed it in his canvas messenger bag. He swung it over one shoulder, left his office and locked all three dead bolts, then left the building and walked out to the parking lot, where heat shimmered off the blacktop. He rolled down all the windows after he started the car, letting the faint breeze attempt to cool the interior.

  He took a drive down Lakeshore Drive, watching the boats on Lake St. Clair. What if he got on a boat and just left? Start over somewhere else where he wouldn’t have to face these kids who needed a champion? He could go where kids didn’t have to live a life with so many challenges. He’d find happiness there, right?

  He parked and left his car at Lake Front Park while he walked to the shore. He stood, hands in his pockets, staring at the eastern horizon while he contemplated what to do next. Because, to be honest, he didn’t have a clue.

  * * *

  RUBY’S LEGS SWUNG back and forth as she sat on the examination table, waiting for Dr. Achatz to come into the room. Page reached out and touched Ruby’s knee. “Nervous?”

  “Kind of.”

  Page sat back in the plastic molded chair and returned to the magazine article she’d been pretending to read. She was unable to focus on the words because her mind raced with questions and worries. This guardian stuff wasn’t for wimps. You had to be strong and pretend you knew what you were doing. Good thing Page had been doing that for years.

  The door opened and Dr. Achatz entered with a smile. “Ruby, it’s good to see you again.”

  The teen girl grunted a response while Page stood. “We appreciate you seeing us so quickly. I wanted to make sure both Ruby and the baby are doing okay.”

  “I heard you took temporary guardianship for her. Good for you.” Dr. Achatz put her stethoscope in her ears and listened to Ruby’s heartbeat. She nodded and felt Ruby’s neck. “How are you feeling, Ruby?”

  “Fine.”

  “No more labor pains?” Ruby shook her head. Dr. Achatz peered at her. “No twinges or aches?” A one-shouldered shrug. Dr. Achatz sighed. “Go ahead and lay back. I’ll do an examination to see if you’re still dilated.”

  Ruby glanced over at Page, who asked, “Do you want me to step out or stay with you?”

  “Stay.”

  Ruby reached out her hand, so Page stood and took a spot near Ruby’s head, holding the girl’s hand. She pushed the girl’s bangs back as Dr. Achatz examined her. “You’re doing good,” she told her even though the girl winced at something the doctor did.

  “How do you know?”

  “Don’t forget I’m a nurse who has been in a lot of these situations.” She tried to give her a reassuring smile. “If something was wrong, Dr. Achatz would already have said something.”

  “She’s right, Ruby. Things look good. You’re dilated to two but nothing to worry about at this point.”

  Once the examination was complete, Ruby sat up and Page took a seat next to her on the exam table. Dr. Achatz removed her gloves and placed them in a receptacle. “I don’t see anything to be concerned about, but I’d like you to still take it easy. Your blood pressure is slightly elevated, so put your feet up every chance you get. Plenty of water. No caffeine.” She wrote something on a prescription pad then tore it off and handed it to Page. “For prenatal vitamins.”

  Page nodded and put the piece of paper in her shorts pocket. “Thank you, Dr. Achatz.”

  “Eat several smaller healthy meals rather than three big ones. Based on some of your tests in the hospital, the baby is smaller than it should be at this point.” Dr. Achatz put a hand on Ruby’s shoulder. “Let’s see if we can get some weight on the both of you, okay
?”

  “Thank you, doctor.”

  Dr. Achatz pulled out a brochure from the pocket of her lab coat. “I work with a support group that meets at the library for pregnant teens. I thought you might be interested. Our next meeting is tomorrow night.”

  Ruby accepted the brochure and glanced at it before handing it to Page. “A support group?”

  “It doesn’t hurt to talk with others who are going through the same things you are.”

  Page nodded. “This is a great idea. Thank you again.”

  Dr. Achatz smiled at them before leaving the room. Ruby slid off the exam table and finished dressing. “So we can go now?” Page gave a nod. “And you’ll hold up your end of the bargain? I’ve still got this superwicked craving for ice cream.”

  “I promised to take you, didn’t I?”

  Ruby laughed. “You know, you’re not supposed to bribe kids into doing the right thing.”

  “Hey, I’m learning this parent job as we go. Cut me some slack.”

  Page put an arm around Ruby’s shoulders as they walked to the receptionist’s window to check out. They made another appointment for two weeks from now, then headed for the parking lot. They drove to Page’s favorite ice-cream stand, where she’d once worked. Ruby ogled the long list of flavors. “How am I supposed to pick just one?”

  “So pick two.”

  Ruby grinned and chose honey walnut with chocolate fudge. Page opted for her old favorite, strawberry guava. They took their ice-cream cups to a picnic table and stayed silent while they took their first few bites. Ruby put her mouth around the spoon and closed her eyes. “Good, huh?” Page asked.

  “Better than good.”

  Page handed her a napkin to wipe the chocolate smear from the side of her lips. “I have to work nights this week, so April said she’d come over and stay with you, okay?”

  The spoon stopped halfway to Ruby’s mouth. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’ve been taking care of myself for a while.”

  “I know, but I’d feel better knowing that April was there just in case.”

  “The doc said I’m fine.”

  But Page insisted. “She’s staying over anyway. She’s my best friend, so I’m sure she’ll give you plenty of dirt on me.”

  “Ha! You probably got the best grades and was never in trouble.”

  “That’s what you think.”

  Ruby scoffed. “Please.”

  “You think you’re the only one who has run away and lived on the streets?” She hadn’t meant to share that, but now it was out there. “We all have a past, Ruby. But what counts is what we do with our present to make a better future.” Page paused, then shook her head. “Now I sound like April. Great.”

  “Why did you run away?”

  How much to tell an impressionable girl? Should she tell her about the night that her mother had told her she wished she’d never been born? How it had almost wrecked her life? How Page had let those words sink into her skin until she packed her backpack with clothes and left for school the next morning with the intention of never returning? How she’d slept in her friend’s car for over a week until a cop found her and took her home?

  Instead, she stared into her ice-cream cup. “Family stuff. With any luck, you’ll never meet my mother. She’s not exactly the warm-and-fuzzy type.” She raised her eyes to Ruby’s. “I haven’t always been the fierce woman you see before you. I decided I’d be better off alone on the streets than living with her, but the cops didn’t agree. They took me back, and I waited for another chance until I could leave again.”

  Ruby shook her head, but grinned. “My mom was the best. She had her problems like everybody else, but I never doubted she loved me.”

  “Then you’re lucky and shouldn’t forget that.” Page pushed her ice cream away, her stomach starting to rebel at the treat. “I should have asked for a smaller scoop.”

  “You okay?”

  Page pasted a smile on her face. “Sure.” She took a deep breath and looked around them. “So what do we want to do with the rest of our day?”

  “Shouldn’t you take a nap or something before you go to work?”

  “And here I thought I was the one who was supposed to take care of you and not the other way around.”

  Ruby shrugged. “Maybe we could take care of each other.”

  That sounded really good to Page.

  * * *

  APRIL ARRIVED AT Page’s house after dinner, lugging a tote bag stuffed with teen magazines, cosmetics and snacks for Ruby. When Page protested, her friend said, “I took a chance and brought what I always wanted when I was her age.”

  Ruby thanked April profusely and took a seat on the sofa, putting her feet up on the coffee table. Page fought the urge to scold her. The doctor had told her to put her feet up after all. But she wished that she had chosen somewhere else to put them. Maybe they could talk about that tomorrow.

  April nudged her. “You okay? Your eyes look all funny, bulging like that.”

  Page sighed and moved Ruby’s feet to the sofa instead. “We don’t put our feet on the table here.”

  Ruby sighed and spoke to April. “She likes her rules, doesn’t she?”

  “She thrives on them.”

  Page opened her mouth to protest, but April gave her a wink. “I like things a certain way is all.” She adjusted the neckline of her gray scrubs. “Which means no electronics after nine.”

  Ruby rolled her eyes. “Like I have any electronics.”

  “That means the TV or my computer.” Page told April, “Make sure she brushes her teeth before bed, too.”

  “Hey, I’m not five years old.”

  “And she can read until ten but then lights out.”

  April gave her a nod. “Any rules you have for me?”

  “Don’t be a brat.” Page grabbed her purse and looked at Ruby, feeling like she was forgetting something. “Are you two going to be okay?”

  “Stop worrying. We’ll make some popcorn and watch a movie while we do our nails.” April waggled her eyebrows at Ruby. “I brought a couple DVDs that I thought you might like.”

  “Maybe I should get rid of my shifts for this first week with you here?” She should have thought of this before now, but she hadn’t expected to feel this strong urge to stay home with Ruby.

  She started to pull out her cell phone from her purse, but Ruby stood and nudged Page toward the front door. “We’ll be fine. And you don’t want to be late for work.”

  On impulse, Page reached over and kissed Ruby’s cheek. “Okay. I’ll see you in the morning.” She turned to April. “Thank you again.”

  April waved. “Call me on your break. You’ll see everything is just fine.”

  Page nodded and left before she could change her mind.

  * * *

  THE CELL-PHONE CHIRP woke Page, and she groaned as she rolled over to answer it. “You’re still in bed, Page? I thought I raised you better.”

  Ugh. Her mother. She should have checked the caller ID before she’d answered. “I work nights. You know that.”

  “I never know what you’re up to. You never call me.”

  There was a perfectly good reason for that. Some women were born to be loving nurturers. And then there was her mother. Page had worked for years to establish boundaries, mostly to protect herself. But a part of her wondered if her mother would ever change and truly see her for who she was, a person deserving of love, instead of an obligation and a nuisance. “Is there something you wanted?”

  “Just checking to see if you’d died yet.”

  Okay, so maybe she’d always stay the same. “Nope. Not dead. Disappointed?”

  “Why do you keep fighting? Just give up already. You’ve clearly lost the lottery three times, babe. You won’t get a fourth chance.”

  And her mother actually asked why she never
called? “Thanks for the pep talk. Gotta go.”

  “Wait!” Her mother paused on the other end. “You should know that your father is getting married again.”

  That would make lucky wife number six. “And you think I should call and congratulate him? We don’t talk. Ever.” She paused. “How old is this one?”

  “Old enough to drink, I think.”

  Her father loved three things: himself, bourbon and young women. Page had long ago given up on him changing. “Can I go now?”

  “Try not to die before the holidays. I’d hate to be alone at Christmas.”

  And then her mother hung up. Page glared at the phone and dropped it on the nightstand. For a few moments she considered how she’d ended up with her parents. That thought made her wonder how she’d gotten cancer three times. She placed her hand on her belly above where her ovary created toxic organisms that she fought hard to keep from taking over the rest of her body.

  There was a knock on her bedroom door. “Come in.”

  Ruby popped her head inside. “I didn’t want to wake you, but that guy, Mateo, is here.”

  Page sat upright in bed and immediately regretted it as her head spun and her stomach revolted. She covered her mouth and ran to the bathroom, hoping to make it in time.

  After she cleaned herself up, she threw on a gray T-shirt and black shorts before walking into the living room. Mateo, looking good as always in a navy blue shirt and jeans, sat on the couch. He stood as she entered the room. “I forgot you were working nights.”

  “I was awake. Is everything okay?” She crossed the room and sat next to him on the sofa.

  Ruby started to leave when Mateo turned to her. “You might as well stay. This involves you as well.” He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and held it out to Page. “Names and addresses of potential fathers.”

  Page glanced over at Ruby, whose jaw had dropped. She took the paper and unfolded it, scanning through the information. “So soon?”