Marcus got home late that night, after I’d already put the children to bed. He looked as exhausted as I felt, and when he sat beside me on the couch in the living room, I rubbed his shoulders.
“How’d it go today?” I asked.
“We signed a new client, so that’s good.”
“That’s great,” I said.
Jeff and Trish were in the other room, but after a few minutes they joined us.
“Marcus was just telling me that they got a new client today,” I told them.
“That’s good news,” Jeff said. “Are they a big client?”
“They’re one of our bigger clients, but my old firm had bigger ones.”
“Well, one client at a time, right?” Jeff said.
“Exactly,” Marcus said as he leaned back on the couch and tugged me against him.
I reveled in his closeness. It seemed I hardly saw him lately, and I missed him—another thing I didn’t like about this new venture.
“How are things going with your partners?” Trish asked. “Are they pulling their weight?” She frowned slightly. “Are their working hours as long as yours?”
Marcus glanced at me, and I wondered if he knew I knew that his parents were unaware that Rick had pulled out.
“We’re all working equally hard,” he said.
I didn’t say anything, but wondered why he didn’t tell his parents the truth.
Chapter 13
“Surprise,” I said when I walked into Marcus’s office the next day with Jackson in my arms and Natalie right behind me.
He looked up from his desk, and when he saw our little group, his face lit up. “Hello,” he said as he stood, a broad smile on his face. He leaned towards me for a kiss. “What a wonderful surprise.”
I hugged him, glad to see how happy our appearance had made him. In all the time he’d been there, this was the first time I’d visited his office—partly because I didn’t want to bother him when he was working and partly because I wasn’t happy about the reality of our circumstances. But now I felt bad that it had taken me so long to stop by.
“What brings you here?” he asked.
I held up a large bag of food. “We wanted to have lunch with you.”
He glanced at the computer monitor where a complicated program was visible. “I could use a break.”
“What are you working on?”
He gestured toward the screen. “I’m designing an electrical system for one of our clients.”
“Daddy,” Natalie said as she pressed against his legs.
Marcus scooped her up. “Hey, sweetie. Did you come to have lunch with me?”
She nodded, her big blue eyes solemn.
“Okay then,” he said as he glanced at me. “Let’s eat.”
We spread the blanket I’d brought onto his office floor, then set the food out and began eating.
“This brings back memories of when we were dating,” Marcus said.
I laughed. “I don’t remember a date on an office floor.”
“Okay, maybe not exactly like our dates, but I’ve missed spending time with you.”
I gazed at him, then nodded. “Me too.”
Jackson crawled over to the garbage can and began pulling himself up, and I hurried over to keep him from crashing to the floor. Soon after, both the children became restless, so we packed up the remnants of our lunch, I kissed Marcus good-bye, and headed home, glad that I’d taken the time to go see him at work.
“That Natalie is sure active,” I overheard Trish say to Marcus a few days later. After helping me put the children down for the night, Marcus had gone downstairs to grab a glass of water, and I’d followed a short time later.
Marcus laughed. “She is two.”
“I know that,” Trish said with a tone of irritation. “But still, I wish Lily would get her under control. It’s beginning to drive me crazy.”
I paused in my approach to join them in the kitchen, wondering how Marcus would defend me.
“I’ll talk to her,” he said, not saying one word about how hard it was to care for a toddler and an infant in someone else’s house.
Frustration ripped through me, but instead of bursting into the room to defend myself, I backed up and headed toward the room Marcus and I were using.
“Everything okay?” Jeff asked as he passed me in the hall.
“Yeah,” I said as I pushed a smile onto my mouth. “Everything’s fine.” I wasn’t about to complain to him about his wife. “I’m just tired.”
“Okay. Well, good-night.”
“Good-night.” I decided reading in bed would make me feel better, so I pulled on a pair of comfy pajamas, then climbed under the sheets.
A short time later Marcus came into our room. “In bed already?”
“I’m pretty tired,” I said, wanting to get a conversation about our children going. “Chasing our children around all day takes a lot out of me.”
He sat on the edge of the bed beside me. “I’m sure it does.” He gently stroked my face. “Have I told you lately how much I love you? And how much I appreciate all that you do for me and our children?”
Peacefulness washed over me at his loving words, and I opened my arms for an embrace. He drew me against him, and the frustration I’d been feeling melted away. “No,” I said, “you haven’t. I needed to hear that today.”
He pulled away from me, a question on his face. “Oh? Why’s that?”
Honesty is the best policy. “I overheard your mother complaining to you about the way I handle Natalie.” My lips pressed together. “It kind of upset me.”
“She’s just not used to having children around all day.” He laughed. “Remember, I was an only child. And a perfect one at that.”
Despite myself, I laughed with him. “Perfect, huh?”
“That’s the way I remember it.”
“Uh-huh.” A smile remained on my face. “I guess it would be hard to get used to having two little ones around.”
“Thank you for understanding,” Marcus said, then he stood and walked toward the adjoining bathroom.
It would sure be nice if Natalie had a little friend to play with. That would keep her busy.
Then I got an idea. My gaze went to Marcus as he got ready for bed, but I decided not to say anything about my idea until I’d nailed something down one way or the other.
The next morning during my daily walk with Jordan and our children, I asked her if she would watch Natalie and Jackson for an hour that morning.
“Sure,” she said. “Mind telling me why?”
A smile grew on my face. “I’m going to apply for a job at the day care in town.”
“What? Why?”
I tugged Greta’s leash to keep her moving as we strolled along. “I was thinking how nice it would be if Natalie had some other children her age to play with. I can’t afford to send her to preschool, and we can use the money from me getting a job, so I thought maybe I could work at the day care and bring Natalie and Jackson with me.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“Do you think so? I haven’t told Marcus yet.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want him shooting down the idea before I’ve even tried.”
“Why do you think he’d do that?”
“I don’t think he wants me to get a job, but I want to know I can earn some income.” I frowned. “I lived on my own and took care of myself, and then Natalie, for a long time before I married him.”
She nodded. “Well, I’m happy to babysit for you while you go check it out.”
“Thanks, Jordan.”
Chapter 14
When I arrived at the day care, I took a deep breath and told myself that I was eminently qualified to work there. I was a mother of two small children, after all. I was in the trenches of motherhood. Besides, I loved children.
After being buzzed in by a worker, I told her why I was there.
“Let me have you speak to Cindy,” she said with a smile. “She’s the
director.”
I waited in the lobby and a moment later a woman I recognized came out.
“May I help you?” she asked, then a spark of recognition lit her eyes. “You used to work with Billi, right?”
“Yes.” I held out my hand. “I’m Lily Oliver.”
She shook my hand, then invited me in to her office. I explained why I was there, and she seemed interested.
“If we were to hire you,” she said after we’d been talking for several minutes, “we would need to do a background check.”
“That’s fine.” Even after all I’d been through with Trevor, I didn’t think anything negative would appear on my record. “Would it work for me to bring my own children?”
“You mentioned that you’d need to. I don’t have a problem with that, but be aware that you wouldn’t spend much time with them while you’re working.”
“I understand.” I didn’t like the idea, but we desperately needed more income. In addition, Natalie would have the opportunity to play with other children.
“Let’s go ahead and do the background check and have you do a TB test with your physician. If those both come back clean, I have a part-time opening that you could fill.”
“Really?”
Cindy smiled. “Yes.”
“That’s great.”
She handed me a form to fill out, which I quickly did, then told me she’d call me when the background check was complete. “I should get the results by early next week, which will give you plenty of time to complete the TB test.”
We said our good-byes, and I drove to Jordan’s.
“How did it go?” she asked.
“I think I’ve got a job.” I held Jackson against me, wondering if I was making the right decision.
“Congratulations, Lily.” Her eyebrows pulled together. “You don’t sound super-enthusiastic though.”
“It’s just that I have mixed feelings about it. Plus I know I’m going to have to convince Marcus that it’s a good idea.”
“I’m sure it will work out.”
I smiled, but I was much less certain. “I hope so.”
Just as promised, by early the next week I heard back from Cindy. The children were napping when my phone rang, and I was glad I was in my room where Trish wouldn’t overhear my conversation.
“You passed the background check,” Cindy said. “And I saw the TB test results you dropped by.” She paused. “If you’re still interested, we’d love to have you here.”
“Yes,” I said. “I’m still interested. When would you like me to start?”
“How about tomorrow?”
I hadn’t told Marcus about the day care job yet—I’d been waiting to make sure everything went through first. But if I was going to start the next day, there would be no putting it off. “Sure. That sounds great.”
“Wonderful. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
I would be working about five hours per day, which suited me just fine. It would give us some extra income, plus give Trish a break from the children.
Suddenly, I dreaded telling Marcus and his parents about my new job.
“I have some news,” I said at dinner that evening. Everyone looked at me expectantly as my heart began to pound. “I got a job.” I grinned nervously.
Marcus’s hand froze as he lifted his fork to his mouth, then he tilted his head to the side. “What?”
“Where?” Trish asked.
“Congratulations, Lily,” Jeff said.
“What about the children?” Marcus asked.
My gaze darted between the three of them, not sure who to address first, although I knew Marcus was the only one I really needed to answer to. My eyes met his. “I’ll take them with me.”
He slowly shook his head. “Wait. What kind of a job is this that you can take the children with you?”
“It’s at a day care. And it’s only part-time.”
“A day care?” he asked. “What are you going to do there?”
Now he was just being dense. “Take care of the children, of course.”
“What about our children? Who’s going to take care of them while you’re taking care of other people’s?”
I didn’t like having this argument in front of his parents, but it was my own fault for bringing it up at dinner. “Maybe we can talk about this later,” I said.
“I want to talk about this now,” he said.
“I’ve heard that day care workers who bring their own children to work hardly get to see their own children,” Trish added.
I had no idea where she’d heard that, but I didn’t appreciate her mentioning it now.
“You see?” Marcus said, as if his mother’s comment was the end of the argument.
I knew she was right—Cindy had told me as much—but I didn’t want Marcus to use that against me. I decided to go on the offensive, even though I knew it might hurt Marcus’s ego. “We need the money.”
His eyes darkened and his jaw clenched, then he glanced at his parents before meeting my gaze. When he spoke, his voice was low. “We’re getting by, Lily.”
“No,” I said. “We’re not. We haven’t even contributed to the expenses here.”
“That’s okay,” Jeff said. “We don’t expect you to right now.”
I turned to him with a look that begged for understanding. “But I don’t like being dependent on you.” I’d been taking care of myself for years, and I hated that I didn’t have the means to do so now. This job would give us just enough money to help out with minimal expenses and have a little left over to put aside.
“I know,” Jeff said. “But when we agreed to let your family move in, we understood it might be a little while before you could contribute financially.”
“We appreciate that, Dad,” Marcus said, then he looked at me. “You see, Lily? There’s no need for you to go to work.”
Without realizing it, I lifted my chin, then I said, “I’m starting tomorrow.”
“What if I forbid it?” Marcus said, then his lips flattened
Memories of Trevor forbidding me to finish school, and then locking me in my own house flashed through my mind, and panic welled within me. As I spoke, my voice shook slightly. “I’m not asking for your permission.”
Marcus’s nostrils flared, then he threw his napkin on the table before storming out of the room.
“Why daddy mad?” Natalie asked before bursting into tears, obviously feeling the tension in the room. Then Jackson began fussing. I lifted him from his high chair and snuggled him on my lap.
Hot tears pushed into my eyes and I wondered if this job was worth it. But I didn’t like being at the mercy of Marcus’s lack of income, and I wanted to be able to support myself as I’d done before I’d ever met him. I’d liked that sense of independence, and I wanted to feel it again.
“I suppose you’ll need me to keep an eye on Greta when you’re gone,” Trish said with a slight frown.
I hadn’t even thought about that, and wondered if that’s what would sabotage my plan. “If you wouldn’t mind.”
She smiled, but I could tell it was forced. “No, I’m sure it will be fine.”
“Thank you.” Jackson wouldn’t stop fussing, so I stood and gently bounced him as I held him against my shoulder.
Natalie calmed down and continued eating her food. I wanted to talk to Marcus in private—although I also dreaded it—but I couldn’t just walk away from Natalie.
“We can watch her,” Jeff said, obviously sensing my dilemma.
“Thank you. I’ll be back in a bit.”
“No rush,” he said with a warm smile—a smile so much like Marcus’s that it pained me. Because I knew it might be a while before I saw the same smile on Marcus’s face.
I nodded, then hurried to the stairs and up to our room.
Chapter 15
“Why would you go out and get a job without even discussing it with me first?” Marcus asked as he paced back and forth in our room.
I sat against the pillows on the bed a
s I held Jackson. “Because I knew you wouldn’t want me to.”
He stopped and stared at me. “Yet you did it anyway.”
Feeling defensive, I went on the attack. “Now you know how I felt when you told me you’d already arranged for us to move in here before you’d ever mentioned it to me.”
With eyebrows bunching, he said, “Is that what this is about? You’re still angry with me for making you leave our house?”
I shook my head. “No. I mean yes, I’m still unhappy that we had to move, but that has nothing to do with me getting this job.”
“Oh, really? Somehow I don’t believe you.”
He hadn’t actually called me a liar, but it was uncomfortably close. “Be honest, Marcus. We need the money.”
His jaw clenched. “I know money’s tight, but that doesn’t make it okay for you to go behind my back and get a job that will affect our children.”
“It will be good for them,” I said. “Natalie has no one to play with right now. This way she’ll have some children her age to play with.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “What about Jackson? He’s only eight months old. He doesn’t need to play with other children.”
“It won’t hurt him to be around other babies. Besides, I’ll be right there.”
“No you won’t. You’ll be taking care of other people’s children. Not ours.”
I’d had about enough of his argument, and I decided to say what was really on my mind. “Look. If you find a job that brings in a steady paycheck, I’ll quit at the day care.”
Fury filled his eyes. “Is that what this is all about? Blackmail? If I don’t do what you want then you’ll go behind my back and . . .” He shook his head. “I know you hate living here, so what’s next? You find someplace else to live, you take our children and change your name so I can’t find you?” The expression in his eyes seemed to flatten. “Like you did to your first husband?”
My mouth fell open and it was as if someone was squeezing a vise around my chest. For a moment I couldn’t speak, but when I found my voice, it came out in a whisper. “How dare you? How dare you blame me for getting myself—and my unborn child—out of an unsafe situation? I’ve apologized for lying to you about the fact that I was really married.” I swallowed past the tightness in my throat. “I thought we’d gotten beyond that.”
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