Lucy smiled, retrieved her rolling suitcase and left the two of them alone, wrestling and laughing. She thanked God she left to the sounds of laughter and happiness instead of wails of fear and a child’s tantrum.
Chapter 6
Two days later…
“C’mon buddy, we have to get goin’ before we miss visitin’ hours,” Joe called from the kitchen where he was busy rinsing his coffee mug. He’d enjoyed two fun-filled days with a walking question-machine. He’d been asked everything from how he’d learned to throw a ball so fast, to where babies came from?
The first was easy to explain, the second; not so much. With a hasty “they come from Target,” he’d managed to appease the little guy’s curiosity long enough to get him interested in something else.
Bath time and bed time had been tricky, but together they’d muddled through it. Joe hadn’t had much success getting the kid to brush his teeth properly, but hey, they were just baby teeth and he’d lose them anyway, so did it really matter in the long run?
They’d gorged on pizza, chips and cola to the point that Joe feared the kid would develop diabetes or high blood pressure, but at the end of the day – after bath time – he’d found great pleasure in relaxing on the worn sofa and watching cartoons with the little guy. They’d also played so many games on the PlayStation Wii that’d he soon found himself having more fun than he’d ever thought possible; especially considering he’d been the responsible one at the party. Jacob was the smartest, bravest and most interesting kid Joe had ever met.
He marveled at how Lucy had managed to raise such a perfect child. He’d had so much fun, that he’d soon found himself wondering if he’d be a good father.
“I’m ready,” a small voice declared from the kitchen doorway. Joe turned and nearly doubled over in laughter.
“You sure you wanna wear that?” he asked after pulling himself together.
Jacob looked down at his blue sweat-suit, red cape and boots and then back at Jacob.
“Why not?” Jacob challenged with a familiar gleam in his eye. Joe knew the look well; he’d used it often in his own youth. It hadn’t taken many instances to realize the method didn’t work for him, he decided to let the kid have this one.
“Looks good to me,” Joe agreed. “Grab your coat,” he insisted and grabbing the apartment keys Lucy left for him, they headed for the hospital.
Joe pulled his rental car into the hospital visitor’s parking lot and cursed his choice to go with the flashy sports car. Of course, he’d thought to impress his former lover with a hot car before he’d known the circumstances of her request for help. He tilted the rearview mirror and studied the kid in the back seat. He’d had hell getting the booster seat strapped into the crowded area and knew Jacob wasn’t exactly comfortable as the seat raised him enough so that his head touched the headliner of the car.
“Sorry bud,” Joe murmured. “I guess I should have gotten a minivan huh?”
Jacob smiled and shoved his glasses back onto his nose. Joe had figured out the kid had the habit of doing that when he was nervous.
“Don’t worry,” Joe reassured him and turned the car off. “I know your mom is excited to see you,” he said and got out of the car, heading around to the passenger side so he could get Jacob from the back.
“I know,” Jacob replied after he’d gotten out and reached for Joe’s hand. “I just hope she’s feeling better.”
Suddenly inspiration struck like a bolt of lightning. As they headed through the automatic double doors of the front entrance, Joe spotted the gift shop.
“How about we stop at the flower shop and get your mom some flowers?” Joe suggested and laughed when Jacob grinned up at him.
They stopped long enough for Jacob to pick out some yellow daisies, which he claimed was his mom’s favorite flower and they rode the elevator to the fifth floor. Joe made sure to keep a firm grip on Jacob’s tiny hand lest they get separated; he feared Lucy’s wrath should that happen.
Stepping off the elevator, Jacob clad in his superman outfit and gripping the slender vase of flowers, Joe tucked his finger in the neckline of Jacob’s red cape and turned him toward the nurse’s station when his little red boots veered off to the left.
“We’re here to see Lucy Conlay,” Joe spoke softly to the young blonde nurse when she smiled up at him.
“Visiting hours is for family only,” she announced and continued to smile up at him. “Are you family?” she asked and Joe didn’t miss the salacious gleam in her eyes. Realizing the pretty little thing was asking if he was Lucy’s boyfriend or husband, a cocky grin spread across his face and he leaned one arm on the waist high partition between them.
“I’m an old friend of the family,” he explained and then nodded down at the superhero clad boy. “This is Ms. Conlay’s son, Jacob.”
The nurse, Samantha, her nametag read, stood and peered over the counter to inspect Jacob. The little boy tucked his chin and stepped closer to Joe, partially hiding himself behind the man’s large leg.
“Are those flowers for your mommy?” Samantha asked and flashed a genuine smile at the child. “I bet she’ll love them,” she praised and turned back to Joe. “Ms. Conlay is in room 507, just down the hall on the right.” She pointed them in the direction.
“Thanks,” Joe drawled and pushed off the counter after shooting a wink at her.
“My shift is over in ten minutes,” she called and Joe tossed her a flirty smile over his shoulder.
A major part of Joe wanted to dump Jacob off with Lucy for a few hours and take the hot little nurse for a ride in his rental car. Tall, curvy and busty, she had all the assets he appreciated in a woman. Glancing down at his watch, he realized he had enough time for a quickie.
“C’mon buddy,” he murmured to Jacob. They turned toward the door marked 507 and Joe reached down to push the handle. The large door slid open on a whoosh and he inhaled sharply when he saw Lucy’s frail form snuggled beneath a thin blanket atop the hospital bed. A multitude of tubes ran from her body to the machines sitting around the bed. Although her eyes were closed, she smiled and raised a hand riddled with IV tubes.
“There’s my baby boy,” she murmured. “I’ve missed you so much,” she added and tried to sit up. But no matter how much she struggled or wiggled, she didn’t have enough strength to move her body even a fraction of an inch.
It was in that moment that Joe truly realized just how bad Lucy’s health was. If she wasn’t strong enough to survive chemo or radiation, then she wasn’t strong enough to survive at all. He glanced down at the little boy he’d grown fond of and smiled when Jacob ran to his mother’s bedside, his arms outstretched and offering her the flower arrangement.
“Look what we got Mommy.” He shoved them toward her and she scrambled to catch the vase before both flowers and water spilled on the bed.
“My favorite,” Lucy exclaimed and brought them to her nose. “They’re beautiful, thank you,” she beamed at her son and then turned an appreciative glance on Joe.
“I dressed myself, Mommy,” Jacob added, prompting her attention back to him and moved back to show off his attire. Lucy giggled when she took in the superman garb.
“I see that,” she responded. “You look like you’re ready to save the world.”
When the child started rambling about everything they’d done the past few days, Joe stepped back toward the door and raised a hand to draw Lucy’s attention.
“I’m gonna step out for a few,” he murmured. “Let you two catch up, I’ll be back,” he added and hastily escaped when Jacob shrugged his shoulders and turned back to his mom.
He slumped back against the closed door and inhaled sharply. He didn’t understand the feelings running rampant in his gut. Never one to get caught up on just one woman, Lucy was taking up entirely too much of his attention for his liking. It was time he sought some different company.
Shoving off the wall, he sauntered back down the hall, approaching the blonde at the nurse’s station. She
looked up and then grinned.
“How ‘bout we go somewhere quieter?” Joe drawled and grinned at her in return.
Chapter 7
Lucy frowned when Joe hastily retreated. It wasn’t like she’d expected him to fawn all over her or anything, but she would’ve liked an update on what he and Jacob’s were up to these past couple of days. But from the look of her son’s choice of attire and his high spirits, she knew it couldn’t have been all that bad.
“Come,” she invited and patted the bed, “tell all about your time with Uncle Joe.”
She scooted over, although it wasn’t really necessary and Jacob scrambled on to the bed next to her.
“Why do you have all these things stuck to you?” he asked curiously as his wide eyes studied her.
“Well, this helps me to get better,” she said and smiled weakly.
Her heart ached for her little boy and was it not for him; she would have had no fight left. The shock after learning she had breast cancer was devastating, her life literally flashed past her eyes and the thought of Jacob growing up without her was her worst nightmare.
“When will you come home?” he asked and snuggled against her shoulder.
“Soon, very soon, now tell me, have you been having fun with Uncle Joe?”
“Yes!” Jacob exclaimed, we eat Pizza, and we watch TV. Uncle Joe said he’s going to teach me baseball too…”
Jacob rambled on about all they had been up to and Lucy sighed contentedly. She was truly thankful that the two of them got on so well, now it was just a matter of the secret that weighed so heavily on her heart. Sooner or later she was going to have to tell Joe that Jacob is his, and she had no idea how he might react to that.
As Jacob told her about his fun times at home with Joe, she glanced out past the louver blinds that hung over the window that separated her from the nurse’s station. Jacob was talking to one of the nurses and she appeared completely mesmerized by him, hanging on every word he said as if he was a god. He hadn’t changed much, always the charmer having every eligible girl run after him like a lost puppy looking for a home.
When Joe looked her way she quickly averted her eyes. Even after all these years, there was still a flutter of wings left in her stomach. The years had taught her to live with disappointments in life, and one of them was the day Joe drove out of town, she spent days crying in her room and finally when she made peace with the fact that she would never see him again, she managed to pick up the pieces of her scattered life. By the time she realized she was pregnant she had already made up her mind to just deal with her situation. She never once considered calling him or claiming any alimony from him.
“Can I go play?” Jacob asked drawing her out of her reverie.
“Well it’s a hospital, there isn’t much room to play here, but maybe uncle Joe can take you back home now, then you can come visit me again tomorrow.”
Jacob clambered off the bed and ran out to where Joe was standing and tugged on his pants. She watched how he grinned at her little man and picked him up, tossing him over his shoulders like a sack of maize before returning to the room.
“We’ll come around again tomorrow, looks like this little superhero has superhero things to do,” Joe said and grinned and set Jacob down on his feet.
“Joe…” she started, and then closed her eyes. Now was not the time, she hesitated and in instead said “thank you.”
He reached out and placed his hand over hers, “I told you, friends help each other, now you don’t worry your pretty little face, and just get better.”
She smiled weakly at him and then sank back into the pillow. Everything from a smile to a hug was effort for her, and her energy had drained almost completely. As soon as Jacob and Joe left, she fell asleep.
Chapter 8
Seeing Lucy so frail and pale really threw Joe off, and when they left, although he sounded cheerful for Jacob’s sake, he was worried. He was only seventeen when his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but by the time they had diagnosed him, the cancer had spread too far. He had undergone radiation and chemotherapy but at most all they could do was keep him comfortable. Within three months of Joe Senior’s diagnosis, he passed away. It was a devastating time for the entire family, and most of all, his mother. Thankfully his dad had all his financial affairs in order to make sure that they never suffered financially, but money could never replace his dad. A few years later the evil disease took his mother’s life too. When she was first diagnosed he thought he was ready for the worst, he had already lived through the pain and heartache of losing his father. But it was never easier; his mother went for various treatments, treatments that weakened her completely. Doctors were all hopeful, but when she picked up a viral infection due to her compromised immune system, she never stood a chance. In the end it was a pneumonia that cost her, her life.
He stopped at a traffic light and looked back in the rearview mirror; Jacob sat playing with one of his superhero action figures. He was so young, and had no idea what was really going on. He knew that Lucy hadn’t told him just how sick she was. His heart ached for the little champion who was so oblivious to the harsh reality, but it was not his place to tell him the god honest truth. He could only hope that Lucy could get some borrowed time to spend some quality time with her son, and help him understand what waited for him in the near future.
By the time they got home, Jacob had fallen asleep in his booster seat and Joe carefully lifted the small person into his arms and carried him into the apartment. Suddenly the quaint, disorganized space with its bright and beautifully décor suffocated him. Did Lucy even have a plan for the future, what would happen to Jacob if she didn’t manage to beat this disease?
He carefully laid Jacob down on his bed and headed to the kitchen to grab something to drink. It was time he called Chris to find out exactly what he knew and what Lucy’s plans were if she were to… Joe could hardly bring himself to think about it, the thought of Lucy dying was like a noose around his own neck, and out of anger he beat his fists down on the counter top. She was not allowed to die, and he wasn’t going to let her die. She had a beautiful son to raise, a son who needed his mother. No stranger would be able to fill the shoes of any child’s parents. He was fortunate enough, when he had lost his parents that he was already standing on his own two feet, but others haven’t been as fortunate. Shoved into foster care, moved from one home to another, or being foisted off with family who already had their own children was stressful. He knew Chris wouldn’t think twice to take Jacob in, in fact, he expected Christ to stand up and do what he must. But he didn’t know Chris’ wife as well as he hoped to. On the outside she was the perfect woman, but that’s where it stopped. He had seen women turn into monsters the moment they had to take care of another person’s child. His thoughts were running ahead of him, but he couldn’t help it, there were just so many questions that wracked his mind for him to idly sit back and not do anything.
He fished for his phone and dialed Chris.
“Hey man,” he said when he heard Chris on the other end.
“Joe, my man! Howsit going?”
“It’s going okay,” he said clearing his throat, “Lucy’s looking better, Jacob and I went to visit her earlier.”
“Yeah, I spoke to the doctor earlier this morning, thank you for helping her out, I swear if I was able to I would have…”
“Nah, it’s cool, I’m glad that I came, she has a great kid,” he said interrupting Chris.
There was a slight pause on the other end.
“She hasn’t told you has she?” Chris asked and Joe could hear the waiver in his tone.
“Tell me what?” he asked frowning.
“Nothing…”
“For fucksakes Chris, tell me what?” he said impatiently.
“Its better she talks to you,” Chris said, “Look I have to go, but take care of her okay? As soon as I can get away here, I’ll fly up and come see you guys.”
“Wait…”
And then
the phone went dead. Chris slammed his phone down on the counter and cursed, was her cancer worse than he expected? Had it already spread to the rest of her? Joe ground his teeth and took a few controlling breaths. Why could Chris not tell him? At least then he would know what his future held. His future? How could think of his own happiness when there was a little boy sleeping alone in his room, oblivious to the fact that his mother was possibly dying. Guilt over the fact that he was still such a selfish prick as always twisted its vice around his insides and for the first time since his rise to fame, Joe felt like a villain instead of the superhero ball player that everyone made him out to be. Suddenly his life seemed completely insignificant. It was a barren wasteland filled with trivial parties and empty headed women who threw themselves at him the moment he entered a room. When did his honor and integrity leave him and turn him into a selfish arrogant bastard who cared for no one but himself?
“Uncle Joe?”
Jacob’s little voice intruded his thoughts and he composed himself instantly, “Hey big guy, I thought you were sleeping,” he said and picked him up.
“There’s a monster under my bed,” the little boy said with a slight tremble in his voice.
“A monster, well, I’ll be damned, do you know what I do to monsters that creep around at night?” he said as he caged Jacob between his arms where he placed him on the counter top.
Daddy's Christmas Date: A Single Dad Romance Page 13