Baby Love (Baby Series)

by ANDREA SMITH

  I nodded feeling extremely emotional.

  "Do you want me to leave you alone to read it by yourself?"

  "No Trey - please would you read it to me?"

  "Sure baby," he said taking it from me.

  I listened as his smooth and silky voice read the words that my mother had written just for me.

  "My precious daughter, Tylar. If you are reading this letter now it is because I am not with you to be able to tell you these things myself. First of all please know that I love you more than life itself. You are the most precious gift from God that I could ever have hoped to receive. I loved you from the very first moment I felt you flutter inside of me. On the day that you were born I held you to my breast and you knew exactly what a baby was supposed to do. You taught me how to be a mother. You taught me what it was to love someone unconditionally."

  Trey looked up at me as I wiped a stray tear from my cheek. He continued.

  "My hope for you is that your father is raising you or perhaps he has already raised you to maturity and is presenting this letter to you as an adult. If you are reading this having not been raised by your father then please know that he was and hopefully still is a good man. His name is Preston James Tylar. I named you after him. He needs to know that he has such a beautiful baby girl. You may wonder why your daddy and I weren't together. That is my fault Tylar. I didn't tell him about you."

  "Our relationship was a complicated one; but know that I loved him and that he loved me. He was the only man that I ever made love with. We made you together on one very special and magical night. You can find him in Baton Rouge. He is a very important judge."

  Trey looked up to check on me. I nodded for him to continue.

  "My wish for you Tylar is that you grow up to be a strong, self-reliant woman. I hope that you find the love of your life someday. I hope that you are blessed with children. I wish that I could have been a stronger and more self-reliant person than I was. If I had been, I would have been here to raise you. Always remember my darling daughter that sometimes it is better to take the path less traveled. Know that if there is a heaven and if by chance I get there I will always watch out for you! You are mommy's precious angel."

  Trey folded the letter and put it back into the envelope.

  "Oh Trey," I wept climbing into his lap.

  "How could I have ever been angry with her?"

  He held me close as I sobbed into his shoulder.

  "Sweetie - I don't think your mom intended for that letter to make you feel badly. I think she wanted it to comfort you."

  I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

  "It does comfort me," I replied sniffling.

  "So much of what she said in that letter reminds me of exactly how I feel about Preston. I guess I have a point of reference now on just how much she did love me."

  "Yes and you need to remember that at the time, your mother was four years younger than you are right now. I think that's why her wish for you was to be strong and self-reliant. Those are things that I think come with age; she just wasn't there yet."

  "Trey I need to call Dad."

  I phoned my father and read the letter to him. I could tell that he was choked up. He said that he hadn't read it because he felt as if he would be invading the privacy between my mother and me. He thanked me for sharing it with him. He mentioned that there had been a letter addressed to him as well which the authorities would not release. He was not even permitted to know the contents of it until such time as formal charges were brought against Matthew and the case went to discovery.

  I wasn't sure what all of that meant but I'm sure that Trey would explain it in more detail. My father thanked me for the portrait and said that it was hanging up in his study. He said we would talk soon.

  Trey and I finished our wine in front of the Christmas tree. We went to bed anxious for Santa to arrive.

  CHAPTER 49

  Preston was up at dawn on Christmas morning. Of course she had some help because Gina and Tristan had awakened early and were making enough noise to wake the dead in their bedroom.

  "Jesus Christ," Trey moaned, rubbing his eyes. "Don't they ever give it a rest?"

  I got up to check on Preston and found her sitting up in her crib playing with her Santa Claus. She smiled and scrambled to her feet upon seeing me come into the room.

  "Merry Christmas baby girl," I crooned to her lifting her to me.

  I grabbed a clean diaper and her baby wipes and took her back to our room. Trey was still in bed sitting up.

  He reached to take her from me.

  "Da-da," she squealed smiling at him.

  "I think she has a Christmas package for you Trey," I said laughing as I headed to the bathroom.

  "That's all right," I heard him croon to her from the bedroom.

  "Daddy will change his baby girl."

  I was sitting on the toilet; I waited counting down to the inevitable gag that always occurred after he unfastened her soiled diaper to take it off. There it was.

  "Christ Tylar, stop pureeing the green beans, please!"

  (It was always my fault that her baby poop made him gag…..LOL!)

  I finished up in the bathroom just as Trey was fastening her clean diaper on her. I put my robe on as I headed back out into the bedroom. He was taking the offensive diaper to the lined and covered trash can we kept in his office now that she slept there.

  "At what age do you normally start potty-training?" he asked as he headed out to the hallway.

  "It differs. It helps if they're walking though."

  "Smart ass," he mumbled as he headed down the hallway.

  I scooped her up into my arms.

  "Do you want to see what Santa brought Preston last night when she was sleeping?"

  She smiled and said, "Ho-ho."

  That is what she had been calling Santa Claus. It was probably because of the toy Gina had bought for her that yes identified Santa with 'Ho-Ho'.

  "Yes, let's go see what 'Ho-Ho' brought for Preston."

  Gina and Tristan were coming out of their room just as I passed by.

  "Merry Christmas!" Gina said taking Preston from me.

  Trey had put the coffee on so we plunked the baby down in front of the tree and let her have at her Christmas gifts while we sipped our morning coffee.

  Gina patiently showed her how to rip the paper off of the packages. Preston seemed to be more interested in playing with the wrapping paper and bows than the actual toy inside.

  Santa had bought her baby dolls, wind-up toys, puzzles and more Atlanta Falcons garb then she could possibly wear in a season. Tristan had bought her a beautiful 'Baby's First Christmas' commemorative ornament for the tree along with a gorgeous handmade quilt for her bed. It was done in the colors of her new room. Gina must have told him.

  Jean's gift was a hat and matching mittens that she had knitted herself. Trey's parents had sent a beautiful winter coat; along with a faux fur muff. Nigel and Tess had sent her a collection of Sesame Street storybooks.

  "Well it is official," Gina announced as she started picking up all of the tossed wrapping paper strewn about the living room floor.

  "She made out like a bandit this year."

  "I suspect just one of many," Tristan replied with a smile.

  "Come on Giner," he said mocking Ian's accent, "Let's you and I make breakfast."

  She smiled up at him as he held his hand helping her up. We had decided the adults would exchange our gifts after Preston went down for her afternoon nap.

  Gina and Tristan fixed breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen. Trey and I then started getting our Christmas ham ready for the oven. Christmas dinner was so much easier to prepare than Thanksgiving dinner I decided.

  We spent a pleasant afternoon with family watching Christmas specials on television. Once Preston went down for her nap the four of us opened our Christmas gifts.

  Trey loved his new clothes and all of the Falcons paraphernalia I had bought for him. He had bought me a beautiful gold
watch, a pair of diamond stud earrings and several sweaters that I loved. Gina had bought me some sexy lingerie which Trey in fact appreciated. I had bought her an I-Pad that I knew she wanted but would not buy for herself.

  Tristan had bought me a beautiful Burberry coat; he had bought Gina one exactly like it. She was quick to point out his faux paux.

  "Tristan you realize that one of us is going to have to take their coat back and exchange it don't you?"

  He looked over at her with a puzzled expression.

  "Why? You both said you loved them."

  "Because babe we can't both wear the exact same coats. We are best friends; we're not lesbian lovers for Chrissake."

  Trey had looked over at him shaking his head.

  "Oh yeah right, Trey. Like you knew that," Tristan said.

  "Uh, yeah Tristan."

  They both started wrestling around like a couple of kids.

  "Tristan. Open your gift from Trey and me," I said trying to get them to settle down before they woke the baby.

  Tristan opened the envelope taking out the tickets we had bought for a 5-day all inclusive cruise for two to the Bahamas.

  "Wow thanks you guys," he said grinning. "Now if you just would have given me someone to take."

  Gina immediately swatted at him playfully. They were making out in a matter of seconds. I saw Trey roll his eyes in feigned disgust.

  I think that Gina was finally growing on him. It had been his idea to buy them the cruise tickets. When I pointed out to him that he finally seemed to be softening towards her he responded the gift was as much for us as for them. With them gone for five days we would be spared their nightly 'fuckfest.'

  We ate our Christmas dinner. Trey's parents called and were looking forward to us being there for New Year's Eve. Tristan had apparently told them that he was bringing Gina. Susan was thrilled that he had dumped Libby. She said that Nigel and Tess were coming in for a few days as well. They would be getting to Bristol the day before we arrived. She said they had some exciting news.

  Trey had taken the phone from me before we hung up wanting to talk to his mom one last time. He went into the kitchen away from the rest of us apparently not wanting anyone else to hear what he said to her. I started clearing the table curious as to what he might be telling her.

  As I carried the dirty plates to the kitchen he was telling her good-bye.

  "What was that about?" I asked, my curiosity getting the best of me.

  Trey gave me his crooked grin and looked a bit sheepish.

  "I asked Mom to put Nigel and Tess in the room next to ours and put Tristan and Gina in the other wing."

  "Trey," I said, trying to stifle a grin, "You are too much."

  It was back to work as usual the day after Christmas for everyone but me. I had gotten up with Trey to start the packing for our move in two weeks. We had driven out to the house Christmas evening and it was pretty much finished with the exception of some minor finish work and the overall cleaning of it. That was scheduled to take place January 5th. Our move-in date was January 7th.

  Gina was going to get her furniture out of storage the day we moved. She was anxious to move into the master suite with that 'bad ass' bathroom as she called it.

  My father had called me on the 27th to tell me that the Grand Jury had met and would re-convene once the forensic testing had been concluded on my mother's autopsy. He said he was using his connections to expedite the testing as much as he could.

  The results of Maggie's autopsy had been released but it apparently showed an "inconclusive" toxicology report. That was disappointing. Her cause of death had simply been listed as "natural causes" with a notation as to being related to an untreated bacterial infection that had caused her to go 'septic.'

  Matthew was being held without bond on his current charges. He apparently had hired a fairly competent attorney from Jackson. Trey and I had identified the clothing that was collected at Matthew's home. The pink bib overalls and white cotton turtleneck that Susan had dressed her in the day she was abducted had been found underneath a sofa bed in his living room.

  We figured that Maggie had probably been sleeping there with Preston for however long they had stayed there. They had found some strands of what proved to be Preston's baby hair on the inside of the white turtleneck and it matched the DNA samples taken from Preston when she had seen the pediatrician after the feds had taken her into protective custody in West Virginia.

  The phone records that Daniel had provided Trey showed that Maggie had been in touch with Matthew while living in Indiana with Daniel; and that she had also been in touch with Charlie in Bristol. That most likely had been during her efforts to arrange for my untimely "accident." The records also showed that she had accepted a couple of collect calls from an inmate at the state prison where Charlie had been incarcerated. The prison authorities were to question Charlie. My father wasn't certain if all outgoing calls were taped from the prison, and if so, how long the tapes were kept on file.

  There were two phone calls made to another party in Atlanta. The number tied back to a track phone which essentially was a dead end.

  My guess was that it was the person that had worked as a doorman at our apartment building that had been supplied by the questionable temp agency. He somehow was connected to Maggie or Matthew. At this point, we were no longer certain whose plan it was. I still suspected it was Maggie's plan that somehow went awry and Matthew got involved for his own personal gain.

  My father inquired as to how Preston liked the gift he had sent. It was a beautiful antique porcelain doll that resembled her.

  "I'm sure she will love it Dad, but for now it is placed carefully away until she understands she can't drag it around like the rest of her toys."

  "I suppose it is a bit old for her. That just shows you how clueless I am with children I guess."

  "I don't know about that," I replied, "You do pretty well with me and I'm your child."

  "Thanks daughter," he said softly.

  He asked me what was new with us. I told him that we would be in Bristol for the New Year holiday; and then moving to our new home. I asked him when he thought he might be able to pay us a visit since we would have ample room.

  "My court schedule is fairly full for the next few weeks and then I am also interviewing for the staff position at my estate."

  "What staff position?"

  "Didn't I tell you? Ms. Deeny left my employ right before Christmas."

  "Really?"

  (How strange was that?)

  "Yes she handed me a typed up letter of resignation on December 21st stating that it was effective immediately and left."

  "Don’t you find that odd, Dad?"

  "To be honest Tylar, everything about her was odd. I'm not sure why I even kept her on after Olivia passed away. I suppose I didn't feel like having to interview for a replacement which is what I have to do now anyway. I never took to her very well. It was Olivia that was so fond of her."

  "Well anyway, Dad, please find some time to come visit when your schedule allows. Trey will have the horses moved in by the end of January."

  "I will Tylar. Take care honey."

  I told Trey about the conversation that I had with my father earlier in the day.

  "Do you find it strange that Ms. Deeny left his employ so suddenly after I showed up in the picture?"

  "Oh I don't know sweetie. I think she was just a weird bird. Maybe she thought she would get into your father's good graces somehow and when you came into the picture she decided to move on to some other wealthy widower."

  "Ewww, Trey. That is gross!"

  "What's gross?"

  "To think that my dad would ever, you know, do her? She's practically old enough to be his mother!

  CHAPTER 50

  The next morning I was surprised to see that Gina was still at the apartment. Tristan and she usually left before 10 a.m. to go to the club and tally the previous night's receipts; place their food and liquor orders and review schedules. />
  She was coming out of the kitchen with a glass of ginger ale looking tired and pale.

  "What's wrong with you? You look like shit."

  "Thank you Tylar. I appreciate your assessment."

  "I'm sorry," I chuckled. "Hangover?"

  "I wish," she said heading toward her room.

  I followed her into the bedroom as she crawled up onto the bed and unceremoniously flopped back onto her pillow.

  "I've been puking all morning."

  (Holy shit! I didn't want what she had right before New Year's.)

  Gina noticed that I had backed away from her wishing to keep my distance.

  "No worries. I'm not contagious," she said.

  "How do you know?"

  "Cause this little thing told me," she said, reaching over to the nightstand and picking up an EPT stick.

  I came closer looking at it and seeing the dark blue + sign in the results window. I quickly looked up at her in shock.

  "Oh my God Gina! Please tell me that you’re happy about this!"

  "I might be," she answered.

  "What exactly do you mean by 'might be'?"

  "I mean I definitely will be provided the baby is Tristan's."

  "What?!"

  "Don't go all 'east coast' on my Ty. There is a perfectly reasonable explanation."

  "I'd like to hear it," I hissed.

  I was angry with her.

  "Okay," she said sitting up on the bed.

  She pulled her legs up wrapping her arms around them.

  "First of all if you are truly my BFF then you need to lose the accusatory attitude Tylar. Have I ever, ever done that with you? Well, except for the brief thirty seconds you had me believing that you had cheated on Trey, but that was it."

  "I'm sorry Gina," I conceded, "Please tell me what happened."

  "Remember that day that Tristan and I were to meet at my accountant's office and he was late because he had found out about Libby?"

  "Yes."

  "Well that was the day I was late in getting over here to stay with Preston while you went with Trey to Baton Rouge."

  I nodded.

  "You questioned me as to why I was late and I kind of blew it off with an excuse that I had to pack for my stay over here. It was the truth except for one thing. When I got back to my condo Ian was there. He still had his key and he was inside. He looked like hell. Just like Tristan did at our meeting."