A Child Changes Everything

by Stella MacLean

  She had a home for Katie, and Anne Marie was right about their mother. She’d be overjoyed to be with her granddaughter in Durham.

  Still, it was such a big decision. “I’ll think about it—”

  The door whooshed open behind her. “Ma’am, your time is up.”

  “Please, Lisa, say you’ll do it. I’ll sign anything to have her safe with you.”

  So often, Lisa had imagined having a family of her own, sharing everything with her sister or brother—but never like this. “Anne Marie, I can’t.”

  “I’ll give you Cindy’s phone number. Lisa, go and see Katie. Judge for yourself what a wonderful little girl she is,” she added quickly.

  Despite the cool indifference of the monitor, Lisa could see the stark look in Anne Marie’s eyes. If she didn’t help her sister now, there wouldn’t be a second chance. What had her dad once said to her? Some moments only happen once in a lifetime.

  This is what you’ve always wanted—a family to care for, someone who shares your blood, who knows who you were and where you came from. What are you waiting for?

  “Ma’am?”

  Lisa motioned to the officer. “One minute, please.”

  She turned back to the video link, meeting the anguished expression on her sister’s face. Feeling her heart open up to the plea she saw in her sister’s eyes, she said, “I’ll take Katie…for now. Mom and I will look after her. And I promise, I’m going to get you out of here so you and Katie can be together. Katie should be with her mother.”

  “I’m so glad you’re my sister, Lisa. You won’t regret this, I promise.”

  The trust in Anne Marie’s eyes fanned hope in Lisa’s heart. Her sister and her niece needed her, and being needed was something entirely new. Suddenly she felt strong, decisive and in control.

  She’d get her mother to help her with Katie, and she’d talk to her friends at work about how to care for a toddler. She was a nurse with experience in pediatrics. This could work. Besides, it would only be for a little while. “I’ll go and get my niece.”

  As her words floated across the room her heart tripped in her chest, sending anticipation spreading through her.

  “And I’ll make sure you get a proper lawyer.”

  “I’ll pay you back. I’ll make this up to you.”

  Lisa responded to the wholehearted smile on Anne Marie’s face with a reassuring one of her own. “That’s not necessary. I’ll do the best I can with Katie…and Mom. We’re family, and family sticks together.”

  IMPATIENT, MASON LEANED against the car as he listened to the potential client on his cell. Tank had referred a woman to him who suspected that her husband was cheating on her, and she had the money to pay his investigation fees.

  He wanted to refuse the job. Marital issues and surveillance might be a P.I.’s bread and butter, but that was all you could say for it as far as he was concerned. The money was good, though, and he needed to build a solid track record with Tank, who had the connections to get him more interesting, high-profile cases. And building the business was his number-one priority.

  He held the phone to his ear, trying to offer suggestions while he kept a lookout for Lisa. She’d been in the jail for over half an hour and he was becoming more concerned with each passing minute. True, there was no way for Anne Marie Lewis to do her any physical harm, but Mason worried more about the psychological impact of this particular reunion.

  He’d had the impression from the officer that Anne Marie had no financial or emotional support, a difficult situation for anyone. Lisa’s need to connect with her birth family made her a perfect target for an unscrupulous person.

  Finally, his new client seemed satisfied and hired him on his promise that he’d meet with her within forty-eight hours. He was confident that he could head back to Durham just as soon as Lisa had made plans to move her mother there. In the meantime, he’d get his assistant, Tim Harris, to organize surveillance for the new client.

  Suddenly Lisa was walking across the parking lot toward him, a shocked look on her face. Damn! What had happened?

  He slipped his cell phone into the case on his belt and jammed his fists into the pockets of his jeans, his good old-fashioned guarantee against touching her. “How’d it go?”

  “Anne Marie and I talked,” she said, squinting into the sun, seemingly unaware that her sunglasses were perched on her head.

  She was chewing her lower lip, which told him her stress level was pretty high. “That’s great.”

  She adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder, resting the other hand on her hip. “She’s agreed to allow me to hire her a lawyer, and I’m going to have to stay here longer than I planned.”

  Mason glanced around the parking lot, resisting the urge to slide back into the old habit of taking her hand and playing with her fingers. “Why, is there a problem?”

  “She has a daughter, a little girl named Katie.”

  He wasn’t completely surprised by this development. He’d seen it many times in his police work. A woman without the money to train for a career very often hooked up with a man who could support her. Unfortunately, the situation was frequently worsened by the addition of children.

  “A little girl. How do you feel about that?” he asked, knowing Lisa’s response all too well. No wonder she was chewing her lip. The dream of finding her family had not included a niece.

  “I’m an aunt, and it’s… I guess it’s different. I never expected to be an aunt.”

  Given that she’d babysat only once in her entire life—an upsetting experience, as he recalled—he doubted she’d be willing to do it now. “I assume you plan to meet Katie.”

  Lisa looked him straight in the eye, making it impossible for him to miss the hope in her expression. “No, it’s a lot more than that. I’m bringing Katie home with me…and Mom.”

  “Are you crazy? You’re going to take Katie?” What kind of game was this Anne Marie Lewis playing? “Lisa, don’t be conned into assuming this woman’s problems.”

  “I’m not, but I can’t abandon my niece.” The glint of determination in her eyes told him she’d already made up her mind.

  Lisa never made snap decisions like this, so there was only one possible explanation. Anne Marie Lewis had laid a guilt trip on her, and softhearted Lisa had fallen for it.

  “You won’t be abandoning her. You’ll visit her, provide for her and you can even arrange a home for her in Melbourne, if you like. But taking Katie home with you…”

  “Mason, I want to do this.”

  What a hell of a mess. Lisa wasn’t thinking straight or she’d see just how insane this whole plan was. “May I remind you what you said to me when I suggested we consider having kids?”

  She frowned at him. “It was a lot more than a suggestion. You gave me an ultimatum.”

  He didn’t want to argue with her, but he had to press his point—for her sake. “You said you weren’t comfortable having children, that they make you nervous. How does that fit with becoming an instant mom?”

  “Mason, I can’t explain it. But it’s as if somehow everything’s shifted. Seeing Anne Marie alone and in need of my help, having my mother and now my niece enter my life, getting the opportunity to connect with them—it’s all made me feel alive. I’ve been waiting for this for so long. You’ve always had a big family, so you can’t begin to understand what it’s like.”

  “Anne Marie must be happy with your plan,” Mason said ruefully.

  “That’s not fair! You’ve never met my sister,” Lisa said, moving past him to the passenger side of the car. “I’m not talking to you about this. I’m going to make arrangements to bring my mother and niece to Durham. You have no business interfering.”

  Frustrated by the stupidity of the situation, he watched her open the door and throw herself down in the seat of his carefully restored Corvette. He usually rented a car for cases, but on this one he’d wanted the comfort of his own car.

  “You can’t help people who won’t help themselves,
” he muttered, going to the driver’s side of the car.

  “What did you say?” she asked suspiciously.

  Her frown of displeasure was the final straw. Lisa Clarke thought she knew what she was doing; as a result, his opinion didn’t count. “Nothing.”

  He’d come here to find her mother, and he’d succeeded. She’d decided to take on the problems of her family, despite his advice to the contrary. But Lisa was right. He had no business interfering in her plans.

  “What’s your next step?” he said, fishing around in his pocket for the keys. He kept his voice calm and even.

  They sat in the sweaty silence of the car, both staring out the window at the waves of heat coming off the asphalt.

  Mason refused to start the engine until he’d made one last plea. “Lisa, you’ve got a full-time job that you’re devoted to, you’re moving your mother into your home and in the past couple of years you’ve lost both your parents. That’s more than enough change for anyone.”

  Lisa continued to stare straight ahead. “Mason, I’ve got a chance to learn about my family and where I came from. Did I tell you I resemble my dad?”

  Again, he saw the hope in her eyes, heard the certainty in her voice, and despite everything he wanted to touch her cheek. “No.”

  “He was handsome. My parents loved each other deeply. Mom lost the love of her life, and now she’s found me, and I’ve found her.”

  How could he be angry with Lisa for doing what she did best—caring for people. “I just want you to be sure of what you’re doing.”

  “Anne Marie has no one to look after her daughter while she’s awaiting trial—”

  “And if she gets out on bail? Will she come back for the girl then, or is she going to pursue her career in drug trafficking while you play mommy to her daughter?” he asked, more harshly than he’d intended.

  “How dare you say that! You didn’t see her. You have no idea what she’s been through.”

  She couldn’t be this naive. Did she really believe this woman’s story? “Neither do you. You don’t know how much of what she’s telling you is the truth and how much is a fictional story to gain your support.”

  “May I remind you that I’m not the only person who makes snap decisions involving children?” she said.

  “You’re referring to Peter.”

  She nodded, her jaw set. “You and I broke up less than a year before you and Sara had a son, which proves just how determined you were to have kids.”

  Mason felt his cheeks flare red at her remark. “Lisa, leave our problems out of this.”

  “I will if you stop trying to make me do things your way. Mason, all I’m asking for is a chance to make things right for my family. You would do the same,” she said stiffly.

  LISA WAS SUFFOCATING from the heat, which increased her discomfort as she waited for Mason to respond. “Mason, don’t be angry,” she finally said. “Have a little faith in me and in Anne Marie.”

  Resting his arms on the steering wheel, he looked over at her. “It’s not about having faith.” He sighed. “Lisa, as your friend, I want you to think about this before you go ahead.”

  There was genuine concern in his voice—a friend’s concern. And Mason, like her parents, had always offered her advice.

  The difference was that now, with her parents gone, she’d begun to like feeling in charge of her life, making her own decisions. So far, those decisions had been relatively small ones.

  She wished Mason could support what she was about to do, but he obviously couldn’t. Yet she couldn’t renege on her promise to Anne Marie.

  “Mason, I realize you believe I’m making a huge mistake, but I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to take Katie and Mom back to Durham as soon as I possibly can.”

  MASON LEANED TOWARD her, wishing he could ease the distress in her eyes. Although her naiveté was downright frightening at times—thanks to her parents—there was nothing he could do to stop her. Nor could he reassure her. “It’s your decision.”

  She moved closer to the door as tears welled in her eyes. “Mason, I thought you of all people would understand what I’m feeling. You love kids. Would you want a vulnerable three-year-old to be left in the care of complete strangers?”

  He didn’t want to think about the child, even if Lisa had a point. In fact, she’d made a lot of good points. And he realized that he could voice all the objections he wanted, but she was determined to help her family.

  “You’re right. Your niece deserves to have you in her life.”

  She glanced at him in surprise. “You’re not going to argue with me? Does that mean you agree with my plans?”

  As he met her questioning gaze, he caught himself wanting to exert his control over her situation. But in the past few minutes he’d seen that Lisa had changed. She wasn’t going to meekly acquiesce to his opinions or advice, as she had always been happy to do before and he had come to expect. “No, I’m simply accepting the fact that it’s your life, your decision.”

  “Well, finally, I’m being heard,” she said, a gentleness in her tone that indicated that she was relieved.

  So why had he let himself get mixed up with this woman again? And why did it still hurt to know that she’d move heaven and earth to look after her niece when she hadn’t agreed to have his children?

  He sighed. “Lisa, yesterday at this time you hadn’t even met your mother, and finding your sister and your niece came as a total surprise. So much has changed for you in the past few hours. Just think about this before you make the commitment to take Katie.”

  “Mason, there isn’t any other family member who can take Katie, who can provide for her. I can’t leave her here… I’m willing to try anything if it will make a positive difference in Katie’s life. And even if I may not be the best fill-in mother, I can’t leave Katie here to face an uncertain future.”

  “If the future includes Anne Marie going to prison for years, are you prepared to raise a child alone?”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  IT HAD BEEN a silent ride back to the hotel. In her room Lisa gathered her belongings and made a few calls to arrange for her mother’s release from the nursing home.

  She’d phoned Carolyn to tell her of the plan to bring her and Katie back to Durham. Her mother was delighted. In fact, she wanted to come with Lisa when she picked Katie up from the babysitter.

  Next, Lisa had called Cindy Sharp, Anne Marie’s friend who was keeping Katie, and was relieved to hear real caring in her voice. She seemed concerned for Anne Marie’s situation and for Katie’s. They’d agreed to meet after lunch.

  On her way out the door, she ran into Mason.

  “You’re leaving, I assume,” he said, the coolness in his tone emphasizing the distance growing between them.

  “I’m going to pick up Katie.”

  His eyes were dark, his gaze analytical. “Have it your way.”

  “I will,” she said defensively. “I don’t get it, Mason. Why are you so upset about me wanting to help Anne Marie and Katie? You would’ve done the same for any of your sisters or brothers.”

  There was a long pause while he studied her, then shoved his hands through his hair before resting them on his hips. “You’re right. I’d do anything for my family.”

  “There. You see? I’m only doing what you would do in the same circumstances.”

  “Lisa, being a parent, caring for a child, is not some sort of clinical trial where you look for results or change your plan when things don’t work out. If you take Katie, you could very well end up raising her. What if your sister doesn’t come back for her, and you find you can’t cope with a child? What then? What kind of damage will you have done to your niece by rushing into this?”

  His words slammed into her with such force she stepped back and sat down hard on the bed. What had made her think she could look after a little girl—and what would happen if Anne Marie went to prison?

  Maybe Anne Marie’s problems were partly due to growing up without a father and wit
h a sick mother; in the same way, Katie might not have a father or a mother, only an aunt and an aging grandmother.

  Lisa’s nursing experience with children made her well aware of how critically important those early years were to the normal development of a child. Was she ready to be Katie’s mother should Anne Marie go to prison? How would she cope with being a single parent?

  She hated to admit it, but Mason had a point. She hadn’t thought this through very well at all. She’d been so easily swayed by Anne Marie’s pleading and her own need to reach out to her family.

  What have I done?

  What had made her agree to something this difficult? She couldn’t do it—not now, not ever! If only she could retract her commitment to Anne Marie. Feeling faint, she forced air into her lungs, waiting for the fear and anxiety to run its course.

  “Lisa, put your head between your knees,” Mason said, a gentle tone in his voice. “Deep breaths.”

  She listened to his instructions, her mind searching for a way out of the situation. What should she do? She’d promised to pick up Katie. She wished she could count on Mason, the old Mason who’d loved her.

  “Lisa, I didn’t mean to be so hard on you.” He took her hands in his as he knelt down. “You have to figure this out for yourself. What do you want to do?”

  She hesitated, all her fears rising to the surface. Indecision plagued her every thought. “What do I want to do? I…I want to do what’s best for Katie. She’s an innocent child caught up in her mother’s problems. Katie shouldn’t have to be lonely or afraid.”

  “And you’re willing to tackle the job of making her world safe until her mother comes back?” he said, his voice a whisper, his breath on her cheek.

  “I…I’ll try.”

  “I’ll help you, if you want.”

  She couldn’t believe it. Had he read her thoughts, her hope that he would become involved? “You will?”

  “Lisa, we may not be lovers, but we can still be friends.”