“Why are you leaving?” asked Nicky. “We’re getting ready to party. The whole family’s coming over. And Dan’s friends. You’ll never eat food this good anywhere else. You should stay.”
What a difference an afternoon made. “Thanks, but not this time,” Alexis replied with a smile. “I’ve got to get ready for work tomorrow. It’s my first day back after my leave of absence. Can’t afford to lose my job.”
She brushed the baby’s cheek with kisses, waved to Dan’s parents and let herself out the front door. When she reached the corner, she paused. A party. Did that mean Dan would be drinking again? Unless she stayed, she’d never know. But surely the man wouldn’t get blitzed in front of his parents. Stop assuming the worst. She’d seen him drunk only once, and he’d had a reason. She was overreacting, too sensitive. Placing once foot in front of the other, she continued on her way.
THE HOT SHOWER IN THE locker room didn’t do it. He needed a long soak in a very hot tub. Every muscle in his body cried out for relief, but between the press interviews, the fans in the parking lot at Gillette and the traffic going home, it took Dan’s driver over two hours to reach Chestnut Street.
Dan opened the door to a full house. Good. He scanned the room for his mom and the baby. Now, everyone would meet the latest addition to the family. He heard his name being called, and compliments on the rally in the second half. He waved to everyone.
“Where’s my daughter?”
“Right here, Danny-boy. Right here.” Theresa’s voice.
His heart lightened as he beat a path to his sister, who held Michelle and was kissing her belly at the same time.
“Where’s my little girl?” asked Dan softly when he stood next to her.
The baby’s eyes opened wide, her arms and legs started their own dance, and Dan thought his heart would burst from his chest. “Come to Daddy, my little sweet pea,” he cooed, taking Michelle from his sister.
He felt a kiss on his cheek, and a hug. “I don’t know the details,” said Theresa, “but I haven’t seen you so calm and happy in too long. This baby is a good thing.” She paused. “Oh, and congrats on the game. Well done. Of course, I always think any game in which you come out alive is a good one.”
His parents appeared, and Nicky started to clap him on the shoulder.
“Easy, easy, Dad. I’ve got a delicate bundle here.”
“Good job, son. Good job. A win at home and a new daughter. Perfect reasons for a party.”
“I totally agree.”
“Too bad Alexis didn’t stay a little longer,” said Nicky. “She could have met everyone.”
“Alexis? Man, do I owe her. But I thought she would have left this morning after you and Mom showed up. That was the deal.”
His dad’s eyes narrowed. Furrows crossed his forehead. “She said she didn’t remember any specific arrangement, so she stayed till the end of the game.”
“Alexis not remember?” Dan’s incredulity echoed in his voice. “She’s got a memory like an elephant’s, a steel trap. You can use any cliché you want, and that’s her. She works for the D.A. She remembered, all right. She just didn’t want to leave.”
“Oh.” The one soft syllable came from Rita. “Maybe because I fainted.”
“Fainted? You?” What the hell had happened between his folks and Alexis during the day? Dan couldn’t remember his mom ever fainting before.
“Your mother took one look at Alexis and passed out. And it’s your fault, Danny-boy. You should have warned us.”
He hoped insanity didn’t run in the family, but he was beginning to wonder. “Warned you about what? She won’t steal the silver.”
Rita placed her palm against his forehead. “Do you have a fever? Or are you just blind?”
Now he got it. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I guess I forgot. I don’t even notice the resemblance anymore. First of all, the eyes. Same big round eyes, but Alexis’s are green, not brown, and a bit larger than Kim’s. Her hair is a shade darker, too, and she’s at least an inch taller—she comes up to here on me.” He began to gesture, and Rita grabbed onto the baby.
“As if that’s not enough difference—there’s the personality. This one’s a barracuda. While Kimmy…well, Kimmy was the gentlest person on the planet.”
“My goodness, Dan. That was a lot of detail off the top of your head,” said his mom.
He shrugged. “It’s my job to notice details. How do you think we turned the game around?” He kissed his folks and ambled toward the eggplant parmigiana. The postgame meal was as important as the pregame meal the night before. He needed the correct balance of carbs, protein and good fats. And he needed hydration. He’d downed a bottle of sports drink with electrolytes while still at the stadium, but it wasn’t enough liquid. He felt dry.
“Can I have a turn with her now, Danny?”
He smiled at Joe’s wife, Mary Ann.
“I want her to meet all her cousins,” his sister-in-law continued. She rose on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “A heck of a beginning, but I know she’s in good hands now.”
Mary Ann whisked Michelle away, and a bottle of beer was placed in his hand. His friends were lifting their longnecks in a toast to him, and someone was saying lovely things about new lives and new beginnings.
The bottle was cool to the touch, the aroma tantalizing. A searing heat filled him. He felt beads of sweat pop out on his forehead. He wanted it.
Just one—to celebrate the win.
Just two—to celebrate the baby.
Just three—to celebrate. Anything.
Kim’s image flashed; Alexis’s image followed—like snapshots in his head. One worried; one disgusted.
“Dad! Joe!” His voice was strangled, but somehow the men of his family heard his call and were there. “I can’t drink this. Take it away.” The bottle disappeared.
“Water. I need water,” Dan whispered.
He heard voices around him. Questions. His mom said something about dehydration upsetting a person’s balance.
“Here you go, Danny-boy,” said Nicky. “Juice. Water. Whatever you need. Drink as much as you want. We’ll get rid of all the other stuff when we leave.”
“Dad?”
“What, son?”
“Don’t give up on me.”
CHAPTER SIX
BY TEN O’CLOCK THE next morning, Alexis was buried under a dozen case files she’d found waiting for her on her desk. Greetings of “welcome back” were superseded only by “Thank God you’re back.” Nevertheless, it was nice to be appreciated, and she dived into her work with rekindled enthusiasm.
Not that she forgot about Michelle. Her apartment held a repository of memories, and the baby sat in the back of her mind all the time. She’d run out of the condo that morning as though being chased by a swarm of bees.
Maybe she’d call Roz later and see if she was free for dinner. The other woman was single, too. They’d meet as friends, not as social worker to client. Alexis needed a friend. In fact, she needed more than one if she were to fill up her hours after work and avoid the empty apartment. Now would be a good time to build a social life—or at least try. She’d make the effort, be caring, share ideas—even if they led to personal discussions. Or maybe she’d join a book club. That seemed safer.
Her cell rang an hour later. She’d barely identified herself when Dan’s voice came through. No hello. No greeting of any kind.
“The first Mary Poppins didn’t show. She’s no longer available. The second one was horrible, and I sent her packing. The third one looked like she was twelve years old. No way.”
She heard his stress and tried to calm him. “Appearance doesn’t matter. She might be very qualified.”
“Her tongue was pierced. She had four earrings in each ear. Need I say more?”
Now Alexis began to pace. “What about a good day care?”
“I need night and weekend people, too. I’m out of town a lot. Besides, there’s the question of security. I’m rich and famous. Yippee.”
; He sounded miserable.
“Do you want me to stay over tonight? I can stop at my apartment first….”
“Yes,” he said, drawing out the one syllable into five. “But not just tonight. I’ve been thinking, Alexis. Thinking about the situation a lot. You’re the best Mary Poppins the baby could have. I want you to come here full-time. I’ll cover whatever you’re earning in the D.A.’s office plus a good bonus.”
The breath whooshed out of her lungs. “Would you mind repeating that? I’m not sure I understand.”
“I’m offering you the job.”
When he explained again, she listened hard, clasping her phone in a viselike grip. “You sure know how to turn my world upside down.” Her scrambled brain burst with one thought after another, all tumbling over themselves. She had to consider the negatives.
“Before we discuss this further,” she began, “we have to clear something up.”
“You’d be perfectly safe here! I’d never take advantage of you, never.”
Stunned, she remained silent because that possibility hadn’t crossed her mind. She’d never felt threatened in all the times she’d been with him. Not even that first time, when he was loaded. She could handle loaded.
Maybe she was being naive. After all, he was a healthy male. She was a healthy female. She should have thought of complications. But then she remembered all the times he spoke about Kim, his love and gentleness apparent.
“Thanks, Dan, but that wasn’t my point. You need to know right up front that I petitioned the probate court for legal access to Michelle. That means court-decreed visitation rights. In the beginning, I had hoped for joint custody, but…well, that didn’t happen. And as for the visits—you had been a bit vague about that, and I couldn’t trust you.”
A low whistle came through the phone. “You’re sure being ‘up-front,’” he said. “It’s not every day I’m called a liar.”
She winced. She’d challenge a statement like that, too. “Let’s just say I’d trust you with my life, but not with my heart. We’re talking about Michelle, and that little baby is my heart. So, I don’t trust that part of you. I have to fight for my rights, and I will. The court won’t ignore Sherri’s family…the mother’s family.”
“Tell me what you think is fair, and I’ll have Andy draw up an agreement.”
He’d surprised her again. “Just like that?” she asked, snapping her fingers although he couldn’t see the gesture or hear the noise. “That’s a total about-face from earlier conversations.”
“A week ago, taking care of Michelle was a plan. A concept. It wasn’t real. Sort of like a new football play when it’s still on paper. It’s different when you actually try it out. A lot harder.”
Well, he was learning. Michelle wasn’t a theory. She was reality with a capital R.
“When my wife was sick,” he continued, “I made sure she had the best care possible. Why would I do less for my daughter?”
Whoa. Now he was calling her the “best”?
“Nice try, but flattery won’t get you anywhere. I’m no nanny icon. Whatever I know, I’ve learned in four months. And I don’t know everything.”
“I’m not worried about you! Look, Alexis, I’m asking, pleading, begging, call it anything you want. Stay with us until the season’s over, then you’ll have your visits. All written down and legal. And besides,” he added softly, “don’t you want to do what’s best for Michelle?”
O-o-h, the man was crafty. “Of course I want what’s best for the baby.” If she went along with his plan, she’d be doing it not only for Michelle, but for Sherri’s sake, too. And for herself. Maybe to silence her own conscience. So many regrets…so many unknowns.
She looked at her overflowing desk. At her coworkers passing by. At the door to her boss’s office. She winced. He’d been so glad to see her that morning.
“I’d never planned to leave my job, Dan, and now I’ll lose it. I’ve used up my leave of absence.”
“I’ll also cover your salary afterward—for however long it takes you to find another position. Let’s see…how else can I entice you?
“You won’t have to do a thing in the house. I have a cleaning service twice a month. And Maria comes in two mornings a week to handle the kitchen and food prep.”
Apparently Dan was quite used to spending his way out of every problem. Was she another convenient service he could buy? Be fair, Alexis told herself. He tried to hire a nanny but rejected the idea in the end. And hiring me would be more than a financial transaction. She squeezed her eyes shut. Don’t let your suspicions get in the way of what’s best for Michelle. She’ll thrive with her auntie here to care for her and love her.
No one could take away her license to practice law; later, she could reapply with the Suffolk County D.A. or any D.A.’s office in the state. She could consider private law firms or nonprofits who needed lawyers on staff. Now more comfortable with her employability factor, she tuned in to Dan once more. She must have remained quiet for too long, however, because Dan started selling again.
“I’ll be away a lot of the time. Not just on the road for games, but we have daily practices at the stadium, we review videos constantly, we develop strategies, we train—all of that is critically important. You might not believe it, but playing on an NFL team is a full-time job.”
She’d made up her mind to do it, but now she wanted him to work a little harder closing the sale. Payback, maybe?
“Most adults have full-time jobs, Dan. And plenty of people take business trips.”
“Whew, you sound like my family, putting me in my place. No swelled heads allowed. So—I’m holding my breath here—will you live with us for three months?”
“You know what’s really ironic, Dan?”
“No-o-o, but your voice sounds happy.”
“I’ve worked so hard to get my diplomas—eleven years altogether. And now, after all that, I’m going to have ‘full-time nanny’ on my résumé. It’s unbelievable.”
His deep laughter joined her light chuckle. “An excellent choice. Thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”
“Oh, let’s just say I like a guy who begs.”
“THE CHOICE IS YOURS,” said Dan with a suitcase in each hand as he led Alexis inside his house. “There’s a guest suite on the top floor, complete with its own bathroom, a study and a terrace overlooking the neighborhood. Or there’s the room you used on Saturday night, across from Michelle.”
“I’m not a guest, Dan. I’m part of the household. And naturally, I’d rather be close to Michelle.”
Just what he wanted to hear. “Great. Walk or ride?”
“Ride? What do you mean?”
He led them to a narrow door, pressed a button on the wall and the door slid open. The snug elevator held them with one of the suitcases as they rode to the third floor.
“You sure have a lot of amenities.”
“This one comes in very handy, like now, when you’re holding the baby. It’s safer than two flights of stairs.”
The elevator door opened, and Dan continued the tour. “In case you didn’t notice the other night, the three bedrooms are all here,” he said. “Mine’s at the front of the house and you two are at the back. You’ll have your own bathroom.”
“I remember.”
He followed Alexis to the bedroom that would be hers and watched her absorb the surroundings. He would have just plopped on the bed or thrown his belongings down. But he’d been married long enough to know women were different, that Alexis would probably look around, touch things, organize herself. He also knew Alexis would probably like the room. Kim had had a flair for decorating and had given her attention to every room in the house. He watched as Alexis fulfilled his expectations and perused the place with interest.
“I didn’t take the time to notice anything when I was here before, but it’s pretty, Dan. I like the soft colors, the curtains and spread. The bookshelves are handy, and the corner desk is perfect for my laptop. It’ll work out fine for a few mo
nths.”
“If you need anything at all, just ask. I want you to treat the place—the whole place—as your own. I don’t want the new nanny to quit.”
Michelle started to squirm and cry. “Let me have her,” said Dan. “You’re probably tired after a full day’s work.”
“Not tired at all,” replied Alexis. “I used to work out regularly at a fitness club in the evenings—before Michelle came into my life.”
“Oh, okay. It’s just that Kim’s mind was stronger than her body, and I…Oh, never mind.” Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut? Alexis didn’t want to hear about his past.
“Dan?”
He glanced at her.
“The baby needs a diaper change.”
And they needed a change of subject, as well. Michelle had good timing.
“She’s stinky,” said Alexis. “That’s what the squirming and crying were all about.”
No problem. Nannies changed diapers. “You know where her room is.” He pointed across the hall.
“Do you think she’ll be toilet trained in three months when I leave? It’s time for Daddy to step up to the plate.”
“The plate? Wrong game, Auntie.”
She rolled her eyes. Laughing, he said, “Cute, Alexis, cute.” He reached for the baby, and they went to her room. Laying Michelle on the changing table, he started chatting to her as Alexis had suggested that day in her condo. “Let’s get you nice and clean.”
After disposing of the soiled diaper, he slipped a clean one under his daughter. “Now I need the butt paste,” he murmured to himself.
He awkwardly tidied his daughter with a couple of baby wipes, then found the powder and cream and applied both liberally. He’d just fastened one side of the diaper when he sensed Alexis behind him. “Want any help?” she asked, peering around his shoulder.
Before he could answer, she stepped closer.
“Holy Toledo, Dan! The diaper’s too loose. She’ll soak through everything. Close it tighter, like this,” she said, demonstrating with the tabs.
“No wonder the laundry’s piled up,” he said. “But practice is something I know how to do.” He dived into diaper action once more. “I learned all about car seats, so I can learn all about diapers.” When he finished, he turned to his new mentor. “Satisfied, Coach?”
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