The Motherhood Mix-Up

by Taylor, Jennifer

  ‘It appears you were right.’

  Mia’s voice was still calm, although she couldn’t disguise the pain it held. Leo felt a rush of regret hit him when he looked up and saw the anguish in her beautiful eyes. All of a sudden he wished he hadn’t started this, that he had just accepted that Noah was his son and carried on the way they’d been. Now it was too late to go back, far too late to take away the pain she was feeling.

  ‘The results are conclusive. Harry isn’t mine and Chris’s child. We aren’t his biological parents.’

  CHAPTER FIVE

  ‘DRINK THIS.’

  Leo placed a cup of tea in front of her but Mia didn’t make any attempt to pick it up. How could she when her hands were shaking so hard that she would only drop it? He muttered something under his breath as he picked it up and raised it to her lips.

  ‘Come on, just a sip. It will help.’

  Mia obediently took a sip of the hot liquid, feeling her stomach roil with nausea when she tasted the sweetness of the tea on her tongue. She stumbled to her feet, praying that she wouldn’t disgrace herself by throwing up.

  ‘Through here.’

  He led her into the consultants’ bathroom, guiding her to the basin when she began to retch. Mia bent over the sink, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her. The sheer humiliation of throwing up in front of him was just too much, coming on top of the shock of learning that Harry wasn’t her son.

  Tears welled in her eyes and she heard Leo sigh as he moved away. She didn’t blame him for leaving. Why should he have to deal with this on top of the shock he’d had? Although it hadn’t been such a shock for him, of course. He had known from the outset that Harry wasn’t her child. He’d simply needed the results of those tests to prove it to her. Now they had to decide what they were going to do. About Harry. And Noah.

  ‘Sit down.’

  Mia jumped when Leo reappeared with a towel. He sat her down on the lavatory seat then rinsed the washbasin. Once it was clean, he soaked the end of the towel in cold water then wiped her hands and face.

  Mia shuddered when she felt the coolness of the cloth on her skin. It felt as though the chill was invading her whole body, seeping deeper and deeper into every pore. Maybe the tests had proved that Harry wasn’t her biological child but he was still her son and nothing was going to change that!

  She pushed Leo’s hand away, knowing that she had to make it clear that she wasn’t going to give Harry up. Even though she had no idea what she was going to do about Noah, she was sure about that. ‘It doesn’t make any difference what those results say. Harry is my son and I won’t let you take him away from me.’

  ‘And I won’t let you take Noah away from me either.’ His tone was flat yet she could hear the emotion rippling beneath the surface. If she was determined to keep Harry then Leo was equally determined to hold onto Noah.

  ‘Then what are we going to do?’ She sighed when he didn’t answer. ‘You must have thought about what you wanted when you started this, Leo. So what did you decide?’

  ‘I didn’t.’ He ran his hand through his hair and she could see that it was trembling. Maybe he appeared to be handling the situation far better than she was, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t affected by it.

  ‘You must have had some idea of what you wanted to achieve,’ she insisted, more gently this time. In a way, it made her feel a little better to know that she wasn’t alone in having to deal with this situation. Leo was going through the same kind of heartache that she was experiencing.

  ‘Not really.’ He gave her a tight smile. ‘I acted on instinct more than anything else. Once I discovered that Noah wasn’t my biological child, I set out to find out who was.’

  ‘How did you discover that Noah wasn’t yours?’

  ‘Noah was involved in a road traffic accident several months ago and needed a blood transfusion. It turns out that he has a fairly rare blood type so I was tested to see if I could be a donor for him.’ He shrugged. ‘Amanda was driving and she was injured as well so they already knew that she wasn’t a suitable match for him.’ He laughed shortly. ‘The doctor who came to tell me that I wasn’t a match either didn’t know what to say. I mean, it was obvious from the blood work that neither Amanda nor I were related to Noah.’

  ‘It must have been a terrible shock!’ Mia exclaimed.

  ‘It was. I couldn’t take it in at first. After all, I’d watched Noah being born and knew that he was the child Amanda had given birth to. How could he not be our son? I convinced myself that the hospital had made a mistake somehow.’ He sighed. ‘It was only when Noah was on the mend that I thought about it properly and realised that if there had been a mistake, it must have happened at the clinic. I contacted Dr Khapur and he agreed, reluctantly, to check their records.’

  ‘So how did you discover that I was involved in the mix-up?’

  ‘Sheer luck. Dr Khapur was very disinclined to discuss the matter from the outset. Every time I phoned to speak to him, he was unavailable.’ He shrugged. ‘In the end, I took matters into my own hands and went to see him. His secretary tried to fob me off, but I told her that I intended to sit there until Dr Khapur would see me. He must have realised that he had no choice in the matter and invited me into his office. Your file was on his desk along with Amanda’s and I asked him, point blank, if you were involved.’

  ‘And he confirmed that I was? So much for patient confidentiality!’

  ‘No. To give him his due, he tried to deny it, but I could tell he was lying and insisted that he told me the truth otherwise I’d go straight to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and make an official complaint.’ He sighed. ‘I’m not proud of the fact that I resorted to threats but I needed answers. Anyway, it did the trick because he admitted that it was possible you were the other party and that he had asked you to come and see him. I don’t think he meant to let it slip when you were due to visit the clinic but he was very flustered by then. I decided that I needed to speak to you myself and made sure I was there.’

  ‘I see.’ Mia frowned. ‘That explains how you happened to be there the other day but it doesn’t explain how the mix-up occurred. Do you have any idea what happened?’

  ‘Not really. All I can gather is that you and Amanda had embryos transferred on the same day. I can only assume that something went wrong during the process.’

  ‘It’s incredible.’ Mia shook her head. ‘I mean, there are strict guidelines laid down to avoid something like this happening. Chris and I chose that particular clinic because of its excellent reputation, in fact.’

  ‘No doubt we shall find out what went on eventually, but at the moment we have more pressing matters to worry about.’

  ‘Namely two little boys,’ Mia agreed sombrely.

  ‘Exactly.’

  Leo looked round when he heard voices coming from the other room. It was lunchtime and his colleagues were starting their breaks. He couldn’t bear it if people found out about what had happened and started gossiping. Noah went to school with several of the other consultants’ children and Leo didn’t want him overhearing something he shouldn’t, even though he would have to be told at some point.

  The thought of how confused Noah was going to be when he found out that Leo wasn’t his real father was too painful. Noah had been through enough in the past six months and Leo was determined that he was going to protect him from any more unhappiness. He came to a swift decision, hoping that Mia would agree.

  ‘I don’t know about you, Mia, but I really don’t want people finding out about this. To my mind it’s a private matter and we need to deal with it ourselves.’

  ‘I agree, although I shall have to tell Chris’s parents, of course.’ She shook her head. ‘Heaven knows how they’ll react. They adore Harry, all the more so because he’s their last link to Chris. They’ll be devastated when they fin
d out he isn’t Chris’s son.’

  ‘Obviously, you can’t keep it a secret from them,’ Leo agreed, although he had no such compunction when it came to his own parents. Sir Iain and Lady Davina Forester weren’t exactly doting grandparents, but then they’d never been doting parents either.

  He dismissed the thought with an ease that should have worried him, but he’d had years to come to terms with his parents’ lack of interest. So long as he had performed well at school and behaved impeccably out of it, they had been perfectly content. However, they had never loved him the way he loved Noah.

  No one had ever loved him like that, he thought suddenly. Amanda certainly hadn’t, not that he’d wanted her to. That kind of love came with far too many strings attached and he preferred his life to be free of such complications. That’s what had attracted him to Amanda in the first place—she hadn’t been the clingy type and had been perfectly happy doing her own thing while he did his. It had never worried him that she hadn’t loved him so it was a surprise to find himself wondering how it would feel to be loved totally and with an all-consuming passion.

  ‘It’s other folk I’m concerned about,’ he explained, getting back to what really mattered. ‘Noah goes to school with several of the other consultants’ children and I don’t want him to become the subject of gossip, especially when it will only upset and confuse him.’

  ‘I feel the same about Harry. There’s quite a few children at his school whose parents work at the hospital.’ Mia shook her head. ‘The less everyone knows about this, the better.’

  ‘In that case I think we need to be circumspect.’ Leo glanced round when he heard someone rattle the doorhandle. It struck him how odd it would appear if he and Mia were seen leaving the bathroom together. People were so quick to add two and two and come up with the wrong answer.

  The thought of the answer they might come up with sent a rush of heat through him and he cleared his throat. He made a point of never being seen alone with any female members of staff. His private life was his concern and not the basis for gossip.

  After his divorce had become common knowledge there had been a lot of speculation but he had soon nipped it in the bud. The few relationships he’d had since splitting had been conducted well away from the hospital. They had been brief affairs, based on sexual need rather than anything else, and he had made sure that the women involved had understood that. Thankfully, there were a lot of women in his circle who felt the way he did. They didn’t believe in love either and were happy to satisfy their needs on a no-strings basis.

  He couldn’t imagine Mia agreeing to that kind of a relationship. She would expect more than that. Far more than he could give.

  The thought caught him flat-footed so it was a relief when Mia took charge. Standing up, she pointed to the second door that opened into the bathroom. ‘Where does that lead?’

  ‘To the consultants’ rest room.’ Leo gathered his wits, which seemed to be racing in several different directions. He and Mia weren’t ever going to have a relationship that was based on anything except their boys. ‘There shouldn’t be anyone using it right now but let me check to make sure.’

  Mia stepped back to let him pass as Leo went to the door. The bathroom was a little too small for two people and he flinched when his hand brushed against her arm. He could feel the silky-soft down on her skin tickling the back of his hand and shuddered. He hadn’t touched a woman in any way that wasn’t connected to his work since Noah’s accident and the speed with which he found himself responding shocked him. He could feel feather-light tingles spreading over his skin, as though each tiny hair had triggered an individual response.

  His mouth thinned as he opened the door and checked the room was empty. He wasn’t attracted to Mia for the simple reason that he refused to allow himself to be attracted to her. It was Noah who mattered, Noah and Harry, not him and what he did or didn’t feel. Mia may have given birth to his son but it had been purely an accident. It didn’t mean there was a bond between them.

  Opening the door to the corridor, Leo checked there was nobody about then ushered her out. He watched her make her way to the lift, wondering all of a sudden if he was right to write her off. Mia had not only given birth to his son but she had loved and nurtured Harry for the past five years. She had played a major role in Harry’s life and nothing could change that. That she was destined to play a role in his life from now on was a given too.

  Leo took a deep breath as he watched her step into the lift. He couldn’t ignore Mia even if he wanted to.

  * * *

  It was raining when Mia woke up on Saturday morning. It had been a miserably wet summer and now it appeared that autumn was repeating the trend. She grimaced as she headed downstairs. She had promised Harry they could go to the park that morning and only hoped the rain would stop. Harry would be so disappointed if the promised trip had to be cancelled.

  She gave Harry his breakfast then sent him into the sitting room to play while she tidied up. She had just finished washing the breakfast dishes when the phone rang and she hurried to answer it, hoping it wouldn’t be her parents-in-law. She and Harry were going to their house for lunch the following day and she really needed to work out how to break the news to them that Harry wasn’t their grandson if she wasn’t to give them the most terrible shock. She sighed as she picked up the receiver because no matter how she phrased it, Joyce and Edward were going to be dreadfully upset.

  ‘Mia? It’s Leo Forester.’

  Mia started when she recognised the deeply assured tones flowing down the line. ‘How did you get my number?’ she demanded, then pulled a face. It wasn’t exactly the friendliest thing to have said, bearing in mind that she and Leo were going to have to work together in the coming weeks...

  Or, rather, years, a small voice inside her head amended.

  ‘Directory enquiries,’ he replied succinctly, his tone not altering.

  Mia rolled her eyes. It would take more than the odd snappy remark she came out with to dent his composure! ‘I see.’ She took a deep breath to calm herself. She needed to behave as coolly and as rationally as Leo did if they were to sort out this mess. ‘Has something happened?’

  ‘If you mean have I heard from the clinic then no. They are maintaining a strategic silence, probably because their lawyers have instructed them to do so.’

  ‘Lawyers!’ Mia exclaimed. ‘You really think they’ve taken legal advice?’

  ‘Of course. Apart from the fact that we’d be well within our rights to take them to court and sue for compensation, they have committed a massive error, one that could mean their licence is revoked.’

  ‘But we’re not going to sue them, are we?’ Mia asked, her heart sinking at the thought of the ensuing publicity if the story came to light.

  ‘I’m not planning to do so and I assume you aren’t either. However, the mistake will have to be reported to the HFEA.’

  Mia sat down abruptly on the stairs. ‘I can’t bear the thought of this getting out. We both agreed that we don’t want people talking for the boys’ sake, but we may not be able to stop it.’

  ‘It won’t come to that. This is a private matter, Mia, and I shall make that perfectly clear to all involved. It won’t be only the clinic that could find itself facing a lawsuit if details of what has happened gets into the newspapers.’

  ‘Thank you. I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear that. I couldn’t bear it if Harry’s life was blighted by this.’ She took a wobbly breath. ‘Obviously, I’ll pay half the costs if we do have to go to court, although it may take me some time to raise the money, I’m afraid.’

  ‘Don’t worry about that. I shall bear any costs involved.’

  ‘Oh, but I couldn’t let you do that! It wouldn’t be fair.’

  ‘I suggest we sort it out if and when we need to.’ He changed the subject, making it clear that he didn
’t intend to discuss the matter any further. ‘Are you doing anything special today?’

  ‘Not really,’ Mia told him, realising that it was pointless arguing. She had a feeling that once Leo made up his mind, it was difficult to get him to change it, although she had no intention of allowing him to foot the bill if they did end up in court. She would start saving towards it and that way she wouldn’t be beholden to him.

  The thought of being in debt to Leo made her feel more than a little uneasy, although she wasn’t sure why. It was an effort to concentrate when he continued.

  ‘Good. I’ve promised Noah that I’ll take him to the park this morning and I was hoping that you’d agree to bring Harry along too. The sooner the boys meet the better, plus I’m sure you must be anxious to see Noah.’

  Mia bit her lip, unsure what to answer, unsure how she felt even. Meeting Noah was the next logical step yet the thought scared her. Harry was her son and she didn’t want their relationship to change in any way. However, once she met Noah, it would be impossible to maintain the status quo.

  ‘I know how scary it is, Mia. I felt exactly the same the other day when I met Harry, as though I was leaping into the unknown. But you need to meet Noah, not just for your sake but for his.’

  Leo’s tone was persuasive. It held a concern that she hadn’t heard in it before and she shivered. It was hard to deny him anything when he spoke in this winning way.

  ‘You’re right, it is scary. I... Well, I don’t want to do anything that might upset my relationship with Harry,’ she told him honestly, and he sighed.

  ‘I understand. I’m terrified that having Harry around will somehow alter how I feel about Noah. Crazy, isn’t it? I mean, there’s no basis for thinking such a thing, is there?’

  Mia smiled when she heard disgust in his voice this time. ‘I don’t think we should be too hard on ourselves, Leo. I mean, how many people have to go through something like this? There aren’t any rules so we have to rely on our instincts and that’s what’s so scary.’