Vanessa's Match

by Judy Christenberry

  “That’s Rick’s business, not mine.”

  “You’re going to pay for your attitude, Vanessa Shaw!”

  Vanessa said nothing. And when Sharon finally stormed down the hall and out the front door, Vanessa let out a big sigh.

  Was Sharon really pregnant? It was possible the woman was scamming Rick. But if she was pregnant, what would Rick do? Vanessa was pretty sure he would not abandon his child. But would he marry Sharon?

  With another sigh, Vanessa went to the kitchen, where she knew Betty would have made her some lunch. Maybe she was just hungry—something was causing an emptiness in her stomach.

  She reminded Betty and Peter, “No matter what that woman Sharon says, don’t let her in the house again. Unless Rick is with her.”

  “Why would Rick have anything to do with her?” Betty asked.

  “Because she says she’s carrying his child.”

  Betty put a sandwich in front of Vanessa as she said, “I don’t believe that.”

  Vanessa managed a small smile. She wished she didn’t. But truthfully she didn’t think even Sharon would be brazen enough to try faking a pregnancy. Surely Rick wouldn’t marry her without proof. Then again, even if she was pregnant, the baby might not be Rick’s. Sharon got around.

  After trying to eat, Vanessa went to the library to call Jeff, on the off chance that Sharon had discovered he was Rick’s attorney.

  “Jeff, it’s Vanessa. I thought I should give you a heads-up on a problem Rick is going to have.”

  “Going to have? Are you a fortune-teller now?”

  Unfortunately not, she thought. If she were, she wouldn’t be filled with uncertainty. She told Jeff about Sharon and her claims.

  He was silent for a minute. Then he said, “Is it possible?”

  “Whether it’s possible or not would probably be better answered by Rick. But I wouldn’t trust her. She’s wants to marry money, whatever it takes.”

  “Ah, one of those. Give me her last name and I’ll start an investigation.”

  “Her name is Sharon Cresswell. She went to college with me and Carrie. I don’t know what she does for a living, but she lives in Dallas.”

  “I’ll find her. Thanks for letting me know. By the way, you haven’t heard from Rick, have you?”

  “No. He said he wouldn’t be able to call us until his return, which should be in two weeks.”

  “Right. Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”

  Just as Vanessa hung up the phone, she heard her mother come in. She walked out into the hall to greet her. “Hi, Mom, Danny. How are you doing? Did you have a good time at the birthday party?”

  “Yes, ’Nessa! Look! I got a prize, too!” Danny held up a small water gun. “You put water in it and you can shoot water at people!”

  “But only outside, and only if you are in a swimsuit, Danny. Remember?” Vivian prodded her son.

  “Yes, Mommy. I ’member.”

  “Good. Go show Betty and Peter your prize.”

  Danny charged down the hall, calling for Betty and Peter.

  Vanessa looked at her mother. “How are you, Mom? Danny has so much energy, I don’t see how you keep up with him.”

  “I’m not sure I am anymore.”

  “Don’t worry, Mom. It’s not your age. It’s being pregnant again. You need to take it easy. Come sit down and I’ll get you something cool to drink.”

  When Vanessa got to the kitchen, Danny was still talking ninety miles a minute. “Danny, you need to go take your nap.”

  “Aw, ’Nessa, I’m a big boy. I don’t need a nap.”

  “Yes, you do. Go upstairs and wash your hands. I’ll come up and tuck you in.”

  After she’d settled both her brother and her mother upstairs, Vanessa curled up in one of the leather chairs in the library and attempted to spend the afternoon reading material both for her classes and for her doctorate research.

  Unfortunately, her mind kept returning to the problem with Sharon that Rick was going to face. No matter how long she thought about it, she really didn’t believe Sharon was pregnant with Rick’s child, if she even was pregnant. Vanessa would guess that the idea hadn’t occurred to Sharon until she realized she was going to lose Rick. After all, the woman was as far from the motherly type as you could get.

  But if the baby wasn’t Rick’s, whose could it be? Vanessa knew Rick had said he only went out with Sharon occasionally. She must be dating someone else, too.

  Vanessa hoped Will could figure it out. Maybe Jim or Carrie could find whom Sharon was dating. They were both good investigators. But Carrie was due soon. Will wouldn’t send her out to do any investigations for a while.

  Vanessa found herself smiling. More family. They would have babies all over the place. Probably David and Alex would start a family sometime soon, too.

  How would Rick feel about a baby? Not the one Sharon was threatening him with, but any baby. If he married, would he want a family? He seemed to feel closer to Lindy now, but would he want children of his own? Vanessa thought he would, since he’d spent most of his youth as an only child, as she had. She remembered the other thing they had in common: that they’d both had a sibling enter the family after they were grown.

  Life took such funny twists. Her father’s death had freed her mother from a difficult marriage and her from a difficult parent and had brought them both Will. For Rick, his father’s death had ended his family, until his stepmother’s death had brought him and Lindy together again.

  The phone rang and Vanessa, so deep in thought, jumped. Peter came from the kitchen.

  “Rebecca is on the phone, Vanessa.”

  “Thank you, Peter.” She crossed to the phone and greeted her sister. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine, but I’ve talked to my husband. Are you sure you’re fine?”

  “He told you?”

  “Well, he was concerned about you.”

  “I don’t know why.”

  “Vanessa, you may be able to fool Vivian and Will, but not me! I saw the way you were looking at each other the other night when you came in after taking Lindy to the movies.”

  “We—we were pleased with how well the evening had gone.”

  “Exactly!”

  “No, for Lindy!”

  “Are you telling me he hasn’t kissed you yet?” Rebecca asked.

  “I—That’s not a fair question!”

  “But now I have my answer. So tell me. How’s the romance developing?”

  “We—we’re just getting to know each other.”

  Rebecca chuckled. “Frankly, my dear, he seems more like the type to throw you over his shoulder and head for the cave.”

  “Rebecca!”

  “Don’t protest too much, Vanessa. I know that’s not a politically correct statement, but it’s still kind of romantic if he’s the right guy.”

  “But I’m not sure he is.”

  “You’re not going to let this Sharon person ruin things, are you?”

  “No. I don’t really believe her. But if Rick believes her, he might marry her.”

  “I hope not. She doesn’t sound like the kind of wife a man like Rick should have. Jeff says he’s a really good guy.”

  “Yes, I think so, too.”

  “So why are you hesitating?” Rebecca asked.

  “Because he’s a million miles away in China. I can’t even talk to him. How can I be sure when he’s not here?” Vanessa could feel herself losing the tight control she’d been keeping on her emotions. She hadn’t even admitted to herself that Rick might be the man for her.

  “I—I really can’t talk about this right now, ’Becca. I’m fine, but I—I need to go.”

  “Okay. Sorry if I upset you. You can call if you need to talk, though. I won’t tease you anymore.”

  “That’s what a sister is for, and I’m always grateful I have you and Rachel. Don’t forget that.”

  “No, I won’t.”

  Vanessa said goodbye and hung up the phone, then spent the next few minutes try
ing to rebuild her defenses.

  VANESSA RETURNED to her studies after she picked up Lindy from school. In case Sharon went to the school to find her, Vanessa reminded Lindy that she was not to talk to Sharon.

  “Why?”

  “She’s not the kind of person I want you to associate with.”

  “But she’s a friend of Rick’s.”

  “Yes, but she’s not a nice person. And she doesn’t always tell the truth. I don’t want her to tell you things that will upset you, because they might not be true.”

  Lindy stared at Vanessa. Finally, she asked, “What did she say to you?”

  Vanessa grinned. “You are one smart cookie, Lindy, but I’m not going to tell you. When Rick gets back, he can deal with Sharon. If what she says is true, Rick will tell you. Now go let Betty get you a snack. You know she doesn’t think you can make it until dinner if you don’t have a snack after school.”

  Lindy smiled. “I know. Isn’t she wonderful?”

  Once Lindy had gone to the kitchen, peace settled around Vanessa again for a while. Will got home an hour later, and came into the library when he saw Vanessa there.

  “Hi, there. Is your mother napping?”

  “Yes. I made sure she did. She was tired after taking Danny to his friend’s birthday party.”

  “Thanks.” He came over and sat down opposite her. “Jeff called me today.”

  “Oh?” she asked, trying to appear innocent.

  “Yeah. He wants information on Sharon Cresswell. Carrie said the two of you know her.”

  “Yes, I do. I called Jeff today.”

  “About Sharon’s claim? She’s the one who told you?”

  “Yes. Jeff asked if I believe her. I don’t want to, but Rick has dated Sharon off and on. So I guess it’s a possibility. He stopped dating her when I told him she wasn’t a good person for Lindy to be around.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Jim’s going to see what he can find out.”

  “Why not Alex?”

  “Because men will talk more freely with another man than they will with a woman.”

  Vanessa nodded.

  “What about Lindy?”

  “I told her not to talk to Sharon. Of course, that made her curious. I told her that I didn’t want her to be upset by anything Sharon said, because she’s been known to lie.”

  Will patted her hand. “We’ll see what we can find out.”

  “If there’s anything I can do, please let me know.”

  “You’re already helping by making sure your mother gets her rest. I worry about her, you know.”

  “I know, Will. But I’ll help you keep an eye on her. Right now she just tires easily. But that’s normal, no matter what age you are. ’Becca will tell you. Or Rachel. They’ve both gone through it.”

  “Yeah, I know. I remember when she was pregnant with Danny.”

  Having heard Will’s voice, Betty came in. “Would you like an iced tea?”

  “No, I’m fine, Betty. Is Danny up yet?”

  “Sure thing. He’s in the kitchen with Peter. You ready for him?”

  Vanessa couldn’t hold back a grin at Betty’s choice of words. Will nodded and seconds after Betty called Danny, the boy came through the door like a tornado. He leaped into his dad’s arms, talking as fast as he could, repeating all the information about his water gun.

  “I’m going up to see how Lindy is doing with her homework,” Vanessa told Will. “I’ll check on Mom, too.”

  She found Lindy on the phone talking to a new friend. That was a good sign. She was beginning to act like a normal teenager.

  “Excuse me, Lindy, but did you finish your homework?”

  Lindy covered the phone receiver. “Yes, but I’d like you to check my French. The grammar is a little complicated and I’m not sure I got it right.”

  She pointed to some papers on her desk.

  Vanessa reached over and found the French assignment, took it to her room next door and ran over it quickly, finding a couple of mistakes. She returned to Lindy’s room and, after Lindy hung up, Vanessa explained the errors.

  “Now I’m going to check on Mom. Dinner will be served in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Okay. I’ll go down and see if I can help Betty.”

  “Thanks, Lindy.”

  When she knocked on her mother’s door, she didn’t hear any movement. Opening the door, she found her mother still asleep, which meant that she’d slept for more than three hours.

  “Mom? It’s time to get up for supper.”

  “Oh my. I’ve slept that long?”

  Vanessa nodded. “Are you feeling all right?”

  “Yes, but the birthday party was draining.”

  “Next time, make Will go.”

  Vivian grinned. “Yeah, then he can get his ear chewed off about that silly water gun.”

  “He already is.” Vanessa cocked her head toward the stairs.

  Her mother stood up. “In that case, let’s go rescue my man.”

  WAITING FOR RICK’S RETURN was more draining than Vanessa had expected. At least Jeff was taking care of the problem Sharon had revealed. Vanessa didn’t want to discuss the possibility of Rick’s child, though she did have some thoughts about him and his father choosing the same type of woman.

  The day he was expected back in the States, she found herself on edge. When the phone rang that afternoon she jumped. She grabbed the receiver at once. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Vanessa. It’s Rick. How are you?”

  The sound of his voice warmed her. She resisted the urge to sigh and instead adopted a neutral tone. “Fine. Are you in D.C.?”

  “Yeah. We got in about an hour ago. It looks like I’ll have to stay here for a couple more days, but I wanted to be sure you and Lindy were fine.”

  “We’re both doing well.”

  “Did you miss me?” he asked, his voice dropping to a personal level that sent shivers through her body.

  “Lindy talked about you constantly.”

  “That wasn’t my question. Did you miss me?”

  No way would she answer that. “Rick, I think you need to talk to Jeff.”

  After a moment of silence, he asked, “Why?”

  “Something has come up. Something personal.”

  “And it’s made you back off, right?”

  She feigned innocence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “You don’t remember kissing me goodbye?”

  Vanessa said hastily, “You kissed me!”

  She could hear the grin in his answer.

  “Good. You do remember. Now, what’s the problem?”

  Vanessa let out a sigh. She hadn’t wanted to be the one to tell him. But he’d pushed her into a corner and she had nowhere to escape. “Sharon came to see me.”

  “Why?” he asked.

  “She needed to find you. She—” How else could she say it? There was only one way. “She said she was pregnant.”

  More silence. Then Rick asked, “What does that have to do with me?”

  “She said it’s yours.”

  “No!”

  Vanessa didn’t say anything.

  “You believed her?”

  “I don’t know, Rick! Did you—Were you intimate with her?”

  He huffed into the phone. “A time or two, yeah. But I always used protection.”

  “Accidents happen. That’s why I contacted Jeff.”

  “You should’ve thrown her out on her ear!”

  “I felt like doing that. But what if she is carrying your child?”

  Rick said, “I’ll call Jeff.”

  “Okay. I’ll tell Lindy you’re back and that you called.”

  “Yeah, thanks.” And he hung up the phone.

  Vanessa sat there, staring at the wall, a tear drifting down her cheek. When she realized she was crying, she silently gave herself a stern lecture. She had nothing to cry about. She would have her doctorate in six months. She had Lindy in her life. She had her wonderful family. She ha
d more than most people.

  But something that had only been a shimmering idea in the air, not yet real, but possible, had died.

  “I CAN’T BE THE FATHER of her baby!” Rick was nearly shouting into the phone at his attorney. “I had sex with her twice but I used a condom both times. This has to be bogus.”

  “Rick, calm down.” Jeff Jacobs spoke evenly, his voice reassuring, making Rick stop pacing inside his D.C. hotel room. “I’m glad to hear that you used protection. I’m sure Will’s firm will turn up something. In the meantime, you must refuse to pay for anything until after the birth of the child, when you and the baby can be tested.” He paused, then said, “Unless you want to marry the woman, of course.”

  Rick felt his blood pressure spike. “No!”

  “Then I’ll proceed with what I’ve set in motion.”

  “Good.”

  “You don’t know anything that will help me, do you? Can you tell me the names of anyone else she’s dated?”

  “No.”

  “How did the two of you meet?”

  “We met at a party given by the S.M.U. alumni association.” He sat down at the foot of the bed. “Come to think of it, I wonder why Vanessa didn’t attend.”

  “I don’t know. Did someone introduce you?”

  “Obviously you’ve never met Sharon. My guess would be someone pointed me out to her. She waltzed up and introduced herself. Before she left, she stuck her phone number in my pocket.”

  “What made you call her?”

  “I hadn’t spent a lot of time on my social life and I needed a date for a function I had to attend. So two weeks later, I called her. She accepted and she looked great. She was a little clingy, but not too bad. I didn’t even think about her for about a month, until I needed a date for a business dinner. I called her and she accepted at once. There was no complaint about me not having called her for so long. That charmed me. We had sex that night.” He hated to admit it.

  “And what was the date?”

  “I’ll have to look in my calendar.” From his briefcase he pulled out a small date book that he always carried with him. “Here it is. The dinner was three months ago on June third.”

  “I don’t think she would’ve waited so long to claim a pregnancy. When was the next time?”

  “About six weeks ago. She started calling me. That should’ve been a sign to me, but I didn’t pay attention. She went to a dinner with me and begged me to make love to her again. I did so reluctantly. But it was my fault.”