by Syndi Powell
“We’ll have to find you something to wear.”
Ruby shuddered. “More shopping?”
Page shuddered, too. “They have a lot of choices online, so fingers crossed we can order something and get it here by then.”
“I love the way you think.”
* * *
MATEO HUNG UP the phone and crossed another name off the list of Ruby’s potential fathers. Out of almost two dozen possibilities, twenty names had been eliminated. He’d finally gotten a copy of Ruby’s birth certificate that morning and it had helped him in the search. Ruby’s mother had included Thomas’s middle initial, which helped Mateo narrow the search.
He entered the next name and vital statistics into the online search engine and got a phone number. He dialed it, but an incessant beeping told him the phone number was no longer valid. He put a question mark by that name and moved on.
A knock on the door interrupted his work. He closed the file on his desk, rose and opened the door to find a young woman standing there. “Mr. Lopez, I wasn’t sure if you’d be in today.”
“We don’t have an appointment.”
“Your sister said you wouldn’t mind.”
Mateo waved her inside. “Lulu recommended me?” He’d have to remind his sister to give him advance warning the next time she told a friend about his practice. “How can I help you?”
The young woman took a seat, and Mateo walked behind the desk and pushed his chair back before sitting. Despite the heat of the August day, the woman wore a long-sleeved blouse and dark pants. Her gaze tipped down. Was she hiding something? Finally, she looked up at him and tugged one sleeve past her wrist. “I need to leave my husband.”
“You’re seeking a divorce.”
“Lulu said you take this kind of case.”
“I do. Are there any children in the marriage?”
The woman shook her head vigorously. “No, I lost the last pregnancy.”
Based on her behavior, he wondered if there were more serious issues going on here. “I’ll get the paperwork started. Do you have somewhere safe where you can go once he’s served the summons?”
The woman looked shocked and was about to say something, but changed her mind. A minute passed, maybe two, before she said, “My sister’s. She said I could stay with her.”
“Good.”
He pulled up a file with the necessary papers and asked her questions to complete them. When Mateo told her that Michigan was a no-fault-divorce state, she looked up and glared at him. “He knows what he did. It’s his fault.”
“The court will ask if there’s any possibility of reconciliation.”
“I’m never going back.”
Mateo nodded and printed off the forms for her signature. “I’ll get these sent to the county court office. You’re sure you don’t want to ask for spousal support?”
“I can take care of myself.” Her eyes flashed with a determination that made him think she would be okay after this.
They discussed payment terms—she’d have to pay him in installments, since she was only newly back in the workforce. They shook hands, and he walked her to the door. “If you need anything, Mrs. Stanhope, my number is on your copies of the paperwork. I’ll keep in touch as we go along in the process. And if your husband tries anything with you, call the police and then me.”
She looked him in his eye. “He wouldn’t dare.”
She left and Mateo sat at his desk, mulling over the young woman’s case. When he had thought about expanding into family law, he thought he could avoid the emotional drain that his juvenile crime cases had been. But listening to her story and knowing how these cases often turned out, he still felt depressed.
Was there no hope in the law? Did it only bring pain or could Mateo find a way to bring redemption somehow? He so wanted to make a difference, but it seemed even more hopeless. He forced himself to return to the next Thomas Burns on his list.
* * *
RUBY ACCOMPANIED PAGE to her chemotherapy appointment and watched with wide eyes as the nurse connected the IV to the port near her clavicle that would deliver the poisons to her body. Page handed her a magazine in an attempt to distract her.
Once the infusion began, the nurse left and Page opened her book to the part she’d left off at. The thick melodramatic novel had gotten her through her last round of chemo and would help her now. It was easy to get lost in the story and forget what was happening to her.
Ruby set aside the magazine and took a walk around the large room, stopping at the window that overlooked the parking lot. Then she strolled past the other chemo patients and returned to her seat next to Page. “I’m bored.”
Page knew the feeling, but she didn’t have a choice of whether she wanted to be here or not. “The chair isn’t very comfortable for you?”
“No.” She picked up the magazine, flipped through it. “How long do we have to be here?”
“At least six hours.” She put the marker into her book and placed it beside her. “Would you rather talk?”
“No.” Ruby scooted down in the chair and let out another big sigh. “Adults like to talk too much.”
Page tried to squelch a grin. “How was your meeting last night?”
“I told them how I asked you to adopt my baby. The counselor seemed surprised.”
“Why surprised?”
“Like you said, the cancer thing might stop our plan.” She shifted in the chair. “We have to make it work, though.”
“We will.” Page hoped they could, but she couldn’t show any uncertainty with Ruby.
“We also talked about being pregnant and going to school. And alternatives.”
“Alternatives?”
“Ranjan said there’s a school I could go to and not feel out of place.”
“Are you interested?”
“I could be.”
Page nodded. “Education is very important. It’s what helped me get out of my home and take care of myself.”
“Did you always know you wanted to be a nurse?”
“I didn’t know what I wanted to be. In high school, I got a part-time job at the hospital in the cafeteria because I could get free food during work. I’d deliver meals to patients, and I saw how nurses helped them. I found myself wanting to do that, too. To help people get better. So I graduated high school and worked as a nurse’s aide while I attended nursing school.”
“How did you start with the babies?”
“I was working in the ER, and a woman arrived in labor. I assisted April with the delivery, and it was amazing.” She smiled at the memory. “I’ve never thought about being anything since.”
“I wish I knew what I wanted to do like you.”
“You’re still young, Ruby. Concentrate on graduating high school first. You have time to figure it out.”
Ruby nodded and looked at the IV. “Does it hurt?”
Page shook her head. “Not anymore. I’m used to it.”
“How many times do you have to do this?”
“This is my fourth one this time round. Last time, I had eight before surgery, and they’ll test me after the sixth infusion now to make sure the cancer is gone.” Hopefully for good.
“What does it feel like?”
Page reached to the port underneath her skin near her shoulder. “This one burns a little. The next one feels like warm honey. But everyone reacts differently.”
“And do you get really sick?”
“I’m on some pretty strong stuff, so yes. Probably tomorrow night it will get worse, but then each day gets better.”
“I can’t imagine letting them do that to me.”
“The alternative is worse.” Page tried to smile. “I’m fighting with everything I’ve got, so I’ll let them pump this poison into my system. Cancer doesn’t stand a chance with me.”
Ruby shrugged. “I thought this was your third time.”
“It is, but I’m determined to make sure it’s also the last.” Page reached over and took Ruby’s hand in her own. “You’re not worried about me, are you?”
Ruby looked at the other patients. Page could only guess what she was thinking. Six years before on her first chemo treatment, she had watched the others and compared herself. She wasn’t as bad as this person, but someone else was doing better than herself. She’d tried to determine the success of her treatment based on those she saw in that room.
The problem with cancer was that it wasn’t predictable. Some of those she figured were doing better had died, while those who seemed to be worse off had beaten it. And she was back for the third time. So, what did that say about her?
“I’m thirsty.”
Page turned her attention back to Ruby. “I’ve got bottles of water in my bag here. And if you get hungry, I packed some granola bars and fruit.” Ruby made a face, and Page laughed at it. “It’s what I can handle on chemo days. If you hand me my wallet, I’ll give you money for the cafeteria.”
Ruby took several bills, asked if she wanted something and left. A moment later, April entered the room and spotted Page. She claimed Ruby’s vacated chair. “Where’s Ruby?”
“She wanted something better than water to drink. But my guess is that she’s buying good, old-fashioned junk food downstairs.”
“She’s fourteen. What else would you expect?”
“True.” Page looked her friend over. “You’re a little more than a week away from the wedding. Are you ready?”
“Seems like every time I scratch one item off my to-do list, three more get added.” April smiled despite her frustrated tone. “Zach threatened to whisk me away to elope, but he knows that we’ve put too much work into this wedding. Besides, his assistant, Dalvin, wouldn’t tolerate his contribution going down the drain.”
Page smirked at this, remembering the daily emails that Dalvin had been sending to her about what she needed to do as maid of honor. Then again, he’d kept her on task, and she’d started to look forward to reading those reminders. “You’ll be glad of everything he’s done once it’s over. Have you two planned the honeymoon?”
April let out a big sigh and settled back into the chair, a dreamy smile on her face. “Marking off another item on our second-chance list. We’re going to eat our way through Italy. Try the food in each region. I’ll be coming home fat and happy.”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” Page winced as a hot prickle moved down her arm. She turned and adjusted the IV tube, finding a kink and straightening it. “I’m so jealous of the two of you.”
“You’ll get your turn soon enough.”
Page grunted. “I’ll just be satisfied to get through my treatment and be cancer-free. The whole guy and wedding thing can wait.”
“I don’t know. Seems like you and Mateo are getting pretty friendly.” She waggled her eyebrows and grinned at her.
“That’s because of the whole adoption case. Trust me. He’s not interested. He knows what he wants. Or doesn’t want, in my case. It’s fine.”
“I think you’re fooling yourself, but then I never figured that I’d be marrying Zach.” She fiddled with her engagement ring. “And now, I can’t imagine a life without him.”
“Everything works out for you. You’re like one of those fairy-tale princesses.”
“And you’re who, the cute sidekick? You could be a princess, if you wanted to be.”
Page couldn’t imagine herself in a tiara, so she’d pass on that. “The happily-ever-after can happen to you, but not for me.”
“Maybe your version of a happy ending looks different than mine.” April scooted closer to Page. “Maybe you get the baby before the husband.”
Page sighed. “Getting the baby might not even happen. Mateo warned me it’s going to be tough. And the result might not go in my favor.”
“So you’re giving up already?” April frowned at her. “I thought you were past all this negative thinking.”
“No, you’re past it. I’m still in the middle of it.” Page gestured to her IV. “Look where I am. I’m fighting and hoping, but it could all be for nothing. And the adoption could go the same way.”
April raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you finished?”
Page glared at her. “Don’t do that. Don’t discount my worries like they’re nothing.”
“That’s because that’s exactly what they are right now. Nothing. You don’t have a crystal ball any more than I do. You can’t know how things are going to turn out.”
“And neither do you.”
April bit her lip. “You’re right. I don’t know. But what I do know is that you like to give up before anything happens. I won’t let you do that again. Not with the cancer. And not with this baby.”
Page stewed over April’s words. It’s not like she always expected the worst. Or even if she did expect it, she still hoped for the best. But she always fell back on how her life had turned out so far. So far having her dreams become a reality wasn’t a part of that. With Chad, she’d thought that she’d finally gotten what she’d always wanted. But then he’d cheated on her and divorced her and the cancer came back. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Could she take a chance and hope that it all would work out?
And while she was at it, maybe she could hope that Mateo would change his mind and see her as a desirable woman rather than a bald cancer victim. Lately, he seemed more open about things, maybe that included her as well.
When she opened her eyes, she saw that April had tears tracking down both cheeks. Page reached out and wiped them away with her fingers. “I’m trying, April. I really am. I want all of it, but what if it doesn’t happen for me?”
April grabbed her hands and squeezed them tight. “I wish you could see how lucky you really are.” When Page started to protest, April cut her off. “I mean, how many women do you know that get diagnosed with cancer the third time and still stand up and fight? You are a strong, amazing woman. My best friend in the whole world. And despite what you think, you deserve to get what you want. To be happy and whole.”
Page stared at her friend, not knowing what to say. Instead, she leaned forward and hugged her tightly. “Thank you.”
* * *
MATEO HAD CALLED PAGE, saying that he would stop by after work to give both her and Ruby an update on the father search. He pulled into the driveway behind Page’s car and paused. He could have done this over the phone, but he had wanted to see her. He couldn’t say why, but being in Page’s presence had become important. And he figured he could bring them dinner.
He got out of the car with two bags of food from his uncle’s restaurant and walked up to the porch. Before he could knock, the screen door opened and Ruby looked out at him. “She’s not feeling so good, Mr. Lopez.”
“Should I come back tomorrow?”
“I don’t think it would be any better then. She said she might feel worse.” She stepped back so that he could enter. “But if you got bad news, then maybe you should tell her next week.”
He followed Ruby. A black-and-white quilt was draped over the sofa along with two pillows. He saw a glass of water and bottle of ginger ale on the coffee table along with a cellophane sleeve of saltine crackers. He figured this was evidence of a recent chemo treatment. Maybe he didn’t need to see Page so badly.
“Hey, Mateo.” Page entered the living room and made it over to her spot on the sofa.
He held up the bags. “I brought dinner, but it doesn’t look like you’d be interested.”
She shook her head. “What news did you have for us?”
She looked much as he remembered his mother after one of her infusions. The gaunt, pale look. Hollow cheeks. Dull eyes. He placed the bags of food on the coffee table, then took a seat in the rocking chair and w
atched as Ruby hovered over Page. They seemed to be good for each other, a fact that warmed his heart. “Are you sure you’re up for this? I can come back another time.”
Ruby eyed him as Page shook her head. “I’ll be fine. Just tell us what you found out about Ruby’s father.”
Ruby slid down to take a seat on the floor next to the sofa. “Did you find my dad?”
He shook his head and flipped to the page in his legal pad where he’d written his notes. “I don’t have one Thomas Burns that it could be. I have two.”
Page frowned. “Two possibilities?”
“They both fit the time line that we know about Ruby’s mother. They were in Oklahoma at the same time. Both originally from Detroit. And both are about the age that your mother would be.”
Ruby didn’t say anything, but stared at him. He wasn’t sure if this was welcome news or not. Her expression remained like stone, not giving away anything about what she was thinking. Page, however, seemed to take the news harder. “So what do we do next?”
“I’ll contact both men to see if they knew a Marcia Wilson, your mom, and we’ll go from there.” He set the legal pad on the coffee table. “And there’s something else we need to talk about.”
He could see both of them tense up.
“I received copies of your birth certificate, Ruby, as well as your mother’s death certificate. It listed a relative.”
“Yeah. Me.”
He shook his head. “Your grandmother, Sheilah.”
Page looked at Ruby and then at him. “What does that mean? That she gets custody of Ruby now?”
Mateo sat forward in his chair. “Did your mother ever mention Sheilah? Do you remember meeting her?”
“Mama said that it was just us in this world. That we only had each other. I don’t know who Sheilah is.”
“To be honest, I’m not quite willing to see you go to someone who we don’t know. Who may not be a fit parent. After all, your mom had severed all ties with her for some reason.” Mateo glanced at Page. “We need more information before we pursue that path. Is that okay with the both of you?”