by Joan Wolf
"Yes, I have."
"I have told Ben, and he wants to see you. Could you come to the house this evening?"
Daniel took a deep, steadying breath. "I have a game this evening, Miss Foley. But I could come to see Ben right after school."
"I suppose that would be all right." Her flat tone did not bespeak enthusiasm.
"W . . . what did he say when you told him?"
"He had a lot of questions. I told him that Colleen had never given us your name, nor had she told you about her pregnancy. He is having a hard time understanding why she did that. Otherwise, I would say he is delighted."
His son was delighted. Daniel smiled. "What time does Ben get home from school?"
"The bus stops at our house at three-ten."
"I'll be at the house before three, then."
"All right. I'll pick him up at the bus as usual and bring him back to the house. You can see him then."
"All right."
"I just have one further thing to say, Mr. Montero."
"What is that?"
"If you ever hurt Ben, you will have me to deal with. And I will make you pay."
She sounded deadly serious.
"I would never hurt Ben, Miss Foley." He tried to project his sincerity into his voice.
"Good. I'll see you tomorrow at about three." And she hung up.
Telling Ben about Daniel was one of the hardest things Kate had ever done in her life.
"I have something to tell you, Ben," she had begun when he was sitting up in bed the night before, waiting for her to listen to him read.
He looked at her warily. Something in her voice must have cued him that what she was about to say wasn't pleasant.
She forced a smile, and said, "It's good news, honey, so take that worried look off your face."
His eyes brightened. "Is Daniel Montero coming back to see you again, Mommy?"
She was sitting on the bed, facing him. He was so close, but somehow he seemed far away from her. That man had already come between them. She cleared her throat. "Actually, Ben, Daniel Montero is coming back to see you."
Ben's eyes opened wide. "Me? Why would he want to see me?"
This was it. "You know how Nana and I have always told you that your father was dead?"
"Yes."
"Well, we told you what we thought was the truth. But it seems that we were wrong. Your father is alive, only he didn't know that he was your father until recently."
Ben's eyes were enormous. "My father is alive?"
"Yes, Ben, your father is alive. And"—she drew another steadying breath—"he is Daniel Montero."
Ben stared at her blankly. "Daniel Montero is my father?"
"Yes, Ben."
Ben shook his head, as if to rid himself of a pesky insect. "But how can that be, Mommy? I don't understand."
"I will try to explain it." Kate picked up her son's hand. "Colleen, your mother, and Daniel Montero were lovers. This means that they lived together like married people, only they weren't married. Colleen got pregnant, but she never told Daniel. She thought he was too poor to help her, so she came home to Nana and me. But she never told us the name of the man whose baby she was carrying. Nana and I assumed he was dead." She looked at him worriedly. 'Are you getting this?"
His fingers were tense in her hand. "Colleen was having me but she never told Daniel?"
""That's right."
"But why would she do that, Mommy?"
"Daniel was only a minor-league player at the time, Ben. She must have thought he was too poor to help her."
"But didn't she know that I would need a father? And why didn't they get married?"
Kate felt like weeping. How could she possibly explain this situation to Ben and make it sound as if his parents had had his best interests in mind? She said carefully, "I don't know why they didn't marry, Ben. You'll have to ask Mr. . . . your father . . . that question. All I can tell you is that Colleen came home to Nana and me, and we took care of her until you were born. Then, when Colleen died, I adopted you. But you know that part."
His face was slightly flushed. "She never told him? Even after I was born, she never told him?"
"Ben . . ." She drew a deep breath. "Colleen died when you were only six months old. If she had lived, I'm sure she would have told him eventually."
Once she found out how much money he was worth.
Ben's eyes were very bright. "Was Daniel mad when he found out?"
She said cautiously, "Mad about what?"
"Mad at Colleen that she didn't tell him."
She replied honesty. "I think his main feeling is happiness, Ben. He is so happy to learn he has you for a son that he doesn't have any room inside to be angry."
Ben's face suddenly lit, as if a lamp had been turned on inside him. "Daniel Montero is my father. Mommy! Just wait until Connor finds out."
This conversation was going through Kate's mind as she sat at a conference table in her attorney's office awaiting the arrival of Daniel Montero and his attorney. She had sent an electric Ben off to school this morning with the promise that she would try to arrange a meeting between him and Daniel, and the warning not to say anything to anyone—not even Connor—until "things" had been decided.
Daniel came in, conservatively dressed in a navy blue blazer, white shirt, blue tie, and gray trousers. A slender man of medium height, with brown hair and golden brown eyes, accompanied him. The second man introduced himself to John Burnham as Luis Sanchez, Mr. Montero's attorney. Then Daniel shook hands with Mr. Burnham, and the two newcomers came over to greet and shake hands with Kate and Molly.
Daniel seemed to fill up the room. It's because he's so much bigger than anybody else here, Kate thought as she watched him take the chair directly across the table from her. But she had a feeling that he filled up most rooms; there was something about him that commanded attention, and it wasn't just his size.
John Burnham started the conversation. "I received your fax yesterday, Luis, and I have to tell you that the terms are unacceptable. The Foleys will not agree to joint custody."
You're damn right, Kate thought. Every time she thought of Montero's nerve in asking for joint custody, her blood boiled. But John Burnham had assured her that, without her agreement, Daniel had almost no chance of obtaining such a ruling. So she watched him carefully as he received the news.
For the briefest of moments, he looked stricken. Then he pulled himself together and turned his eyes to her. "You have had him for the first seven years of his life," he said. "Surely you will not begrudge me a share in the years to come?"
Her attorney spared her the necessity of answering. "Miss Foley did not say that she begrudged you a share, Mr. Montero. She said she will not give you joint custody."
Luis Sanchez said smoothly, "Then you are willing to agree to some custody-sharing arrangement?"
Kate knew that she could not keep this man out of Ben's life. She knew that she was going to have to trust him with her son. But she wanted those occasions to be strictly limited.
Burnham replied, "We are willing to allow Mr. Montero visitation rights. He may have the boy one weekend a month, and he may see him one day during the week as well. That is our best offer. Take it or leave it."
Kate's eyes went to Daniel's face. It was a polite mask of attention, but she had seen that stricken look. What was he thinking?
Luis Sanchez did not even glance at Daniel. "Let Mr. Montero have the boy every other weekend, and we'll take it."
Kate said directly to Daniel. "You play baseball on the weekends. What are you going to do? Leave him with a baby-sitter?"
His brown eyes met hers, and she felt a little thrill of something go through her. He was trying to stay calm, but he was angry. "I don't play baseball November through January, Miss Foley. That's why I wanted full custody during those months."
Kate's eyes narrowed. "If you think I'm turning my son over to you for three months, you're crazy."
Luis Sanchez spoke in a soothing voice,
"We understand your feelings on this matter, Miss Foley, and we have dropped that request. But surely Daniel could have the boy every other weekend during the months of November, December, and January."
"And for a few weeks in the summer as well," Daniel put in. "He can visit my parents' ranch in Colombia."
Fear knifed through Kate. "Ben is not going to Colombia," she told Daniel. "They kidnap anything that moves down there. The son of a big baseball star would be a temptation to all of the factions who use kidnappings to extort money."
Daniel's eyes began to glitter in the same way Ben's did when he was angry. "Your mother has had the pleasure of her grandchild's company for seven years. My mother deserves the right to get to know her grandson as well."
Kate opened her lips to reply, but Molly's voice overrode hers. "Of course she does, Daniel. But Kate is right. Colombia is too dangerous just now. Perhaps your parents could visit you for a few weeks in the summer and Ben could stay at your house right here in Connecticut."
"Mom!" Kate gave her mother an outraged look.
Her mother put her hand over Kate's. "Daniel is right, dear. His parents deserve to have some time with Ben. In fact, I am glad that they feel this way about an illegitimate child."
Kate's, "Don't call Ben that!" clashed with Daniel's, "Don't speak of him that way!"
Molly smiled. "Very well. But I think we have to give Daniel a few weeks of Ben's summer vacation, dear."
There was little Kate could say; her mother had cut the ground from under her feet. She gave Daniel a dark look. "All right. As long as he stays in Connecticut."
"I will respect your wish in that regard, Miss Foley." He turned to John Burnham. "Perhaps I could have him for a few weeks in the winter as well."
"Ben is in school," Kate said quickly.
"I will drive him to school and pick him up."
"I'm giving you enough time already," she said fiercely.
Luis Sanchez said, "I don't think it is unreasonable for us to ask for another few weeks, Miss Foley. In most custody cases, the noncustodial parent does get to spend vacation time with the child. Mr. Montero's vacation happens to fall in the winter."
Kate looked at her own attorney. "Can we put in the agreement that Ben has to agree to these 'visits'?"
Luis Sanchez answered, "That is not usually part of a custody arrangement."
"I don't mind," Daniel said.
Luis said, "I don't think it's a good idea, Daniel. There is nothing to stop Miss Foley from influencing the boy to say he doesn't want to spend time with you."
Daniel's eyes met hers. "I don't think she would do that."
"Why not?" Kate shot back.
"Ben told me that you hate liars, and you would have to lie to him to turn him against me."
Kate's narrow nostrils quivered.
"Very well," Luis Sanchez said. "We will accept the stipulation."
Damn, Kate thought unhappily. She had given Daniel more time than she had intended to.
John Burnham said, "In regard to child support."
Luis Sanchez sat straighter. "Of course we will agree to pay a reasonable child support. Do you have a sum in mind?"
"Miss Foley would like Mr. Montero to establish a college fund for Ben and to deposit enough funds in it so that Ben's education will be paid for."
"Of course," Daniel said impatiently.
"And the child support?" Sanchez said.
John Burnham looked from Kate to Molly, his mouth set in a grim line. "The Foleys do not wish to receive any money from Mr. Montero for Ben's upbringing. I might add that they do this against my strongest advice."
Molly said, "Daniel can buy him presents and take him shopping for clothes if he wishes, but Kate and I are perfectly able to pay for his needs."
"Are you serious?" Luis Sanchez asked with disbelief.
"Perfectly serious, Mr. Sanchez," Molly said.
"It's ridiculous," Daniel said. "I have a lot of money. I want some of it to go to my son."
You want to buy him, you mean, Kate thought.
"Do you know how expensive a college education is today, Mr. Montero?" Molly asked humorously. "You will be contributing greatly if you send him through school."
Daniel leaned forward. "You yourself told me that your daughter has to work very hard to make the money needed to support your household, Mrs. Foley. Well, she will not need to work so hard if you will let me help you."
Kate felt stabbed in the back. "How could you say such a thing, Mom? I work hard because I want to. I have a successful teaching and riding barn, and I'm proud of what I've done. I'm not taking any handouts from anyone."
"I'm not anyone. I'm Ben's father, for God's sake!"
Unfortunately, Kate thought bitterly. "I know you're his father. We just established your rights to see him, remember? But I'm his mother. I have been taking care of him just fine for seven years, and I shall continue to do so without your help. I do not want any money from you, Mr. Montero. Is that clear?"
They stared at each other, and the roused hostility between them seemed to spark in the air. Kate felt suddenly breathless. She had a sudden insight that he would make a formidable enemy, this man. The clean bones and planes of his face suddenly looked very hard, and his eyes had begun to glitter.
"Very clear," he said.
A little silence fell, then Luis Sanchez said, "If that is all, then, I suggest I get the legal paperwork started. I'll fax a copy for you to review, John, before we have them drawn up for signing."
Daniel turned away from Kate. "Mr. Burnham, you can't allow your client to do something as foolish as accepting no child support from me."
Didn't he hear what I just said? Kate thought incredulously. When she spoke in that tone of voice, she was used to people listening.
Burnham replied, "Believe me, Mr. Montero, I feel even more strongly about this than you do. But I've known Kate since she was a small child, and once she makes up her mind, a blast of dynamite won't change it. She doesn't want any child support."
Kate said through her teeth, "My mother and I are perfectly capable of supporting Ben. We did just fine until you came along, and we don't need your money."
Molly stood up. "Thank you so much, John, but I need to get back to school. I'm giving an exam to my juniors this afternoon."
Kate stood up as well. "And I have a client coming for a lesson."
The two women stood poised, as if ready for flight.
"I will be by at about two-forty-five this afternoon to meet my son," Daniel said.
"Fine," Kate snapped, turning her back on him and walking out of the room.
* * *
6
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Molly arrived at the big brick building that was Glendale High School without remembering how she got there, her mind had been so preoccupied during the drive. Gil Stapleton, a science teacher, was standing near the back entrance, inhaling a cigarette. "Haven't you kicked that habit yet, Gil?" Molly asked as she drew abreast of him. "Do you enjoy huddling out here with all your addicted students?" Molly had lost her husband to lung cancer and had absolutely no tolerance of smoking.
"That's the key word, Molly. Addicted. Believe me, I'd stop if I could."
Molly cast him the skeptical look of a nonsmoker and went into the building. She signed in at the front office, collected her mail, and headed for the teachers' room to run off copies of the test she was giving in a half an hour. As she stood next to the copy machine, watching it spit out the papers she needed, her mind once more went back to the morning's meeting.
They had been lucky that Daniel had been reasonable about the custody arrangements. And Kate had surprised Molly by agreeing to let Daniel have Ben for a few weeks in the winter, although she had added the stipulation that Ben had to agree. She must understand how much Ben needed a father; nothing else would have made her agree to such an arrangement.
Molly understood the reason behind her daughter's overprotectiveness of Ben. Kate was not someone
who gave her heart often, and two of the four people she had loved in this world had died and left her. The loss of a father and a sister would have been difficult and painful for anyone, but for Kate, whose emotions were focused so much more narrowly than most people's, the deaths of Tim and Colleen had been devastating. They had turned her daughter, who had been an utterly fearless child, into a tigress always in defense of her young.
Molly sighed. She sometimes felt the same overprotectiveness for Kate that Kate felt for Ben. It wasn't safe to shut out the world and give your love to so few people. Kate knew many people, but they existed on the periphery of her emotional life. She loved her dog and her horses more than she did any person who wasn't Molly or Ben. It isn't safe, Molly thought again as she went into the bathroom to comb her short blond hair.
She was evening out the papers she had run off when the teachers' room door opened and a young man walked in. He said, "Hi, Molly. I covered your second period class for you. Whew! They're a lively bunch."
"They are, but they're good kids. Not terribly interested in English literature, unfortunately."
"We played charades. They had to act out the title of a book or a play or a poem they've read during their high school English career."
Molly laughed. "I'll bet they loved that."
"They had a blast."
"Thanks, Ken, for covering. I had to meet with my attorney this morning."
"No problem," the young man replied pleasantly.
Ken was one of the numerous men who had asked Kate out only to be rejected because she "didn't have time." He was a nice young man, and Molly liked him. Unfortunately, he was now engaged to someone else.
They remained chatting about a film Ken had seen the previous evening, then the bell rang, and Molly went off to give her test.
Daniel drove up the long, narrow, tree-lined driveway of High Meadow Farm and parked his Mercedes. He sat for a few minutes, trying to collect himself.
He had told his manager about Ben the day before and had gotten Joe's permission to be late to the park. So here he sat, the man who had pitched the Yankees to three World Series championships, shaking in his shoes at the thought of meeting a little boy.
He had been trying all day to imagine what Ben must feel like, but his imagination had been unproductive. Will he be pleased? Will he be angry? Will he have picked up on his mother's dislike of me? All of these questions went through his mind, but he could answer none of them.