****
Dr. Liam Brigham had spent more money in the hospital’s coffee shop over the last four days by accident than he had in all the years of working there.
A Monday lunchtime consultation with one of the surgeons regarding a complicated appendectomy put him next to the window.
He looked out—a simple act that had nearly stopped his heart. In the window of a building across the road, he’d seen Isobel. At first, he thought he must be mistaken, but he kept watching.
She ran fingers through her hair, catching it together in a low ponytail.
And he knew it was Isobel. Every day since, he’d fought the urge to live at this window just to see her. To know that she was OK. He kept hoping for a glimpse of Mia. Since the beginning of the week, he had seen Isobel at least once a day. This was good.
But her missed calls had dried up three days ago. This was not so good. She’d given up on him.
He kept telling himself that this was all part of the plan.
Sometimes, she felt so close, he caught himself wanting to knock on the glass and wave. Logic always prevailed. So he stuck his hand in his pocket, bought coffee, and drank it while staring out the window, trying not to look suspicious.
11
Exhaustion had a firm arm around Isobel and seemed intent on being a loyal companion.
Mia was finally asleep upstairs.
Isobel frowned at the supper dishes that lay waiting for her in the kitchen. She ignored the two loads of unfolded laundry that were collecting creases and poured a glass of mango juice. She picked her way between the borrowed toys that littered the lounge floor and collapsed on a couch with a yawn. How does Melindi do this? With two of her own and Mia? She took a sip and set it aside. The smell brought back memories of the day she babysat Lilly. One afternoon had been too much for her, how was she going to cope indefinitely?
It had been four days since she’d asked Melindi to watch Mia while she taught. Mia was always happy when she fetched her, and Melindi seemed to be managing having an extra body to look after. This was by no means a long term solution, but then who knew how long she would even have Mia?
The phone rang and she forced herself off the couch to answer. It would wake Mia if she left it ringing, and getting her to sleep again would take more energy than getting off the couch.
“Bel, I need to come see you.” Melindi’s voice was thick with emotion.
“What’s going on? Are you all right?”A chill shot through Isobel. “Can I come to you?”
“No. The kids…mustn’t hear. I’m coming.”
“I’m here, just come—”
The line went dead.
Bel ran to unlock the door. She met her friend at the gate.
Melindi was a mess.
Sick fear twisted Bel’s stomach. “Is it Ben? Lilly?”
Melindi shook her head.
Bel led her to the lounge.
Her friend squeezed deep into the corner of a couch, hugging a pillow to her chest. It took a long time for Melindi to calm down enough to be coherent. When she did, she sounded hollow, gutted. “I should have known. I’m such a fool. All these years, I’ve believed the best. I’ve trusted and ignored any suspicions. He is always away on business. I kept telling myself he was doing everything he could to provide for his family.” She buried her face in her hands as the tears started again.
Bel reached for a tissue and tucked it into Melindi’s hand.
“Your husband is…”
Melindi nodded. “I found emails. Dates, hotel names. It was all right there. He didn’t even try and hide it. He must think I’m a halfwit. I know I’m not exactly a technology goddess, but I obviously know more than he thought.” She blew her nose, “Now I really know more than he thought.”
“Oh, Melindi. I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry. What are you going to do? Leave him?”
Melindi drew her feet up on the couch, hugging her knees. She shrugged. “I need to think it all through. Maybe I’ll take the kids and visit my mom. In fact, I’m going home to pack. I don’t know that I can be in that house alone one more night.” As if someone shot electricity down her spine, she got to her feet and hugged Bel.
“You are doing the right thing, Melindi. Good for you.”
Without another word, Melindi hugged her again and let herself out.
Bel sank onto the couch in shock. An avalanche of emotions dumped over her. Sadness for her friend’s pain, happiness that she’d found new fire, panic at being left alone with Mia. That one screamed loudest of all. I can’t do Mia without Melindi. I can’t.
****
Lying in bed, Isobel heard the car leave.
True to her word, Melindi had packed up her kids and left at six in the morning.
Mia was stretched out like a starfish next to Isobel, taking up far more bed than a two-year-old should. Her breathing was deep and even.
Isobel rolled onto her side, facing the little girl. In the half-light of morning, she studied the child’s face. The sunburn was gone. Melindi’s cream had worked, leaving Mia’s skin smooth and soft. It was a shade or two darker than what it would have been, but the angry red, the long flakes—all of that was over. What am I going to do with you today, Mia?
Her ladies were due in at 9 AM for their first session with acrylic paints. They didn’t know it, but the pieces they were to work on would serve as auditions for the evening art class. The real art class. If a student’s work showed promise, she would be getting a personal invitation from Rochelle herself.
Isobel thought of Mia and all those pots of paint and cringed. She felt a twinge about the art class too, something she would probably never be part of. Whatever. It didn’t really matter.
Mia had changed so much in such a short time.
Bel still had moments of blind panic, but she and Mia were settling into a rhythm of life together that soothed a tender spot that was buried too deep for her to look at. She no longer thought about next year, or next week. Each day came with just enough energy and emotional strength to see her through to bedtime.
Sooner or later, Mia would have to go, and Bel had to keep the walls up or that day would be the end of her. That single thing took more energy than everything else combined.
She watched Mia’s eyes flutter open as consciousness kissed away the last traces of sleep. Isobel braced herself, waiting for the wake-up scream.
Mia rolled onto her side. She saw Bel and a grin of thorough delight crept over her face. She crawled over and tried to stick a chubby finger up Isobel’s nose.
Bel laughed, turning her head away.
As if determined to find out what she kept in there—such a tempting dark hole—Mia clambered on top of her, straddling her ribcage. She waited for Bel to look her way and tried again.
Choking through her laughter and the weight on her chest, Bel grabbed her hand and blew a raspberry in her palm.
Mia dissolved in a puddle of giggles. When her laughing fit subsided, she let out a single breath and stretched out on top of Bel, blonde head resting on her chest, arms draped either side. “Mine.”
That single word sent a shockwave through Bel. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. No longer able to fight, her arms folded around the little girl. She hugged her close and felt her carefully constructed walls shatter.
12
Mia sat in the middle of the table, silently studying the faces cooing over her.
“Oh my gosh! Bel!” Mischa was smitten. “She is a living doll! Is she yours?”
“Yeah, you’ve been holding out on us!” Kez ran her fingers through Mia’s silken hair. “You never told us about this.”
Jules stared at her, head tilted sideways. “I wish I could trade one of my boys in for such a beautiful little thing.”
“So you say.” Savannah laughed. “You wouldn’t trade your boys for anything!”
“You’re right, Savs,” Jules said. “Would be nice to have this hair to play with though. Imagine shopping for dresses. All I get to b
uy are shorts and tees.” She smiled wistfully at Isobel. “Introduce us.”
Isobel felt the knots in her shoulders twist tighter. “This is Mia. I’m looking after her for a while. I did have someone to keep her during the mornings, but it didn’t work out. So here we are.” She looked from face to face, trying to gauge their reaction to having their kid-free mornings invaded by a two-year-old.
Maggie rounded the table and snaked an arm around her waist. “So this is why you’ve been so happy? It all makes sense.”
At that moment, Mia decided she’d had enough of being the zoo attraction. She stood and held her arms out to Isobel. “Mine!”
Isobel reached out her hands and the little girl jumped into them with complete trust and a gleeful laugh that provoked a fresh round of aahs.
Rochelle would have her head on a plate.
“Ladies, let’s paint!”
****
“Doctor, why are you in such a foul mood?” Angie slapped a pile of patient folders onto Liam’s desk with more force than her standard swat. She stood frowning at him, for once apparently not giving any thought to the patients lining the walls of the waiting room like wilted ferns.
Outside, the wind picked up, sandblasting the building in fitful gusts.
Concern for Isobel and Mia gnawed at him constantly. He barely slept at night. Given his current frame of mind, not answering seemed the best option. In fact, it was the only way to avoid swearing. Try as he might, he couldn’t help frowning back at her.
She waved a frustrated hand at him. “You see! There you go again. What is going on? You’ll lose patients with that attitude.”
“I am losing patience right now!”
Angie gasped, her mouth working like a stranded goldfish.
Liam ran fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry. That was out of line.” I have to get out of here. “There’s been an accident and I need to go to the hospital immediately. Get hold of the doctor on call to come and see to this lot. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Angie was still recovering and he took full advantage of the fact to leave. There was no accident, no broken bodies needing stitching, but somehow he felt like the casualty. For the first time in a very long time, he turned his heart toward Heaven.
Half an hour later, Liam Brigham stood at the coffee shop window, the steaming cup in his hand a ticket to catching a glimpse of where his heart seemed to live lately. He was a few swallows away from needing a refill when he thought his eyes must be playing a trick on him.
A tiny blonde flash streaked past the window across the road. Seconds behind, he saw Isobel. Relief turned his knees to jelly. They were alive and together. As he watched, they both ran past the window again, going the other direction. Isobel was trying to catch Mia and not managing. Whether it was fun or sheer naughtiness, he couldn’t tell from this distance.
Thank You, Father. He’d asked in desperation earlier, pleaded with God to let him know that they were both alive, and here he’d seen them for himself. Relief flooded his being. Now to face Angie and that waiting room full of sick people.
****
It was only after all the ladies had left, that Isobel found the mess.
Mia had spent half the lesson digging though and unpacking the ladies’ bags and trying to open cupboards. They had taken it all in stride, laughing at her antics, but Bel knew their painting had suffered because of her lack of attention and input.
For the last bit of the lesson, Mia had grown very quiet and, much to Bel’s relief, managed to keep herself busy.
Isobel found Mia asleep around a corner, an open tub of blue paint clutched in her arms. Her hands were blue. Blue hand prints covered the walls in between smeary blue rainbows as high as her short arms could reach. The floor had received less of her attention, but still boasted its fair share of blue splatters.
I am so dead. This is not working.
****
Liam unlocked the door and dumped his bags in the hallway. He breathed deeply, slowly in and out, relieved that the day was over. Not in the mood for cooking, he put two slices of whole wheat in the toaster, threw some eggs in a pan, and ate an apple while they cooked. Living alone, he avoided the dining room table more often than not. He took his plate out to the deck instead. He loaded his fork and had it half way to his mouth when his phone beeped. Later.
He ate, rinsed his plate under the running tap, stacked it to dry, then went for a swim in the rectangular pool he’d had put in last summer. He’d chosen the shape because it was how he liked his life, predictable and practical. No weird curves or unnecessary shapes. He towelled himself dry and remembered the message that was waiting for him.
He pressed the button to open the text message.
I can’t do this anymore. Mia is too much for me. I will be taking her to the welfare office tomorrow. Isobel.
He exhaled sharply. Dropping Mia with Isobel had been a risky gamble from the start. She had managed far beyond his expectations, breeding a false sense of hope within him. He should have known better.
****
The 3AM jackhammer started again downstairs.
Isobel woke from a semi-doze, knowing exactly who was at the door. She’d slept in her clothes in expectation of this visit. Creeping from the room so as not to disturb Mia, she paused to zip her cardigan, and then ran down the stairs two at a time. She flung the door open.
Liam stopped just short of knocking on her forehead.
Isobel stepped back silently, and he made his way to the lounge. Remembering his first midnight visit, she ignored the light switch and drew the curtains in the lounge back instead. Moonlight flooded the room in soft blue light. Every instinct made her want to sit opposite him, but for the sake of quiet whispers, she joined him on the couch.
“Bel, please—”
She crossed her arms and watched him flounder.
“To give that little girl up is to give her life away. Believe me—”
“Believe you? Believe that you care about this little girl or her life? Who are you to decide what’s best for her? She could have family out there. Surely the authorities—”
“Look, I am in touch with the authorities, at least the ones I can trust. But we need to leave Child Welfare out of it. Something is wrong in the system.”
“Something will always be wrong in the system.”
“No, it’s more serious than that. I had to keep Mia safe.”
“Right. So you dumped her off with a total stranger.”
“Look, I know it was a lot to ask. I know that she came out of nowhere and has turned your life inside out—”
“Why me?”
“Don’t you think for a moment that there was something—Someone—leading you to that beach in the first place? Is there no sense in you that you’ve been hand-picked for this, Bel?” He reached for her hand, but Isobel pulled away.
“And you think it’s fair to dump her on me and disappear? No support, no help. Liam! You won’t even answer when I phone you! I can’t do this alone.”
He wiped a hand down his face and exhaled sharply. “I know. It isn’t fair of me to—”
“No! It isn’t! I don’t know what you were thinking!”
He stood up and paced.
“Liam, talk to me. You hint at things, but you won’t tell me what’s really going on. I cannot live in this limbo. How do I build a life around this little girl”— her voice broke as tears came—”only to have her snatched away from me days, weeks, or months from now? I’m not that strong.”
He sank to his knees, hands on hers. “I don’t know what is going on. All I have are suspicions and a gut that says things are wrong.” His shoulders slumped. “Please don’t give her up. I just need more time.”
It was time to come clean. She sat back, stubborn arms firmly crossed. “I’ve no intention of giving Mia up.” It was barely more than a whispered breath.
“What?”
“I can’t.”
“You nearly killed me.”
“Oh, rubbish. You’re a big boy.”
“No, Bel. That was low.”
“And you don’t think your dump-and-run was?” This man was unbelievably thick.
He flopped on the couch as if his muscles had left for Hawaii. His expression showed that his brain was scuttling in twenty directions.
“Well, that’s good. I am seriously happy. Oh grief, Bel! So the text you sent…?”
“Sneaky plot. You wouldn’t have come otherwise.”
He stared at her, speechless
She’d never seen him at a loss for words before. It made her want to giggle.
“You honestly think I didn’t want to come? You have no idea what we’re dealing with.”
“Well, of course not. You won’t talk to me!” From wanting to giggle, to wanting to slap in less than a millisecond. This man was infuriating.
“I couldn’t come. Someone is following me. They know I have a connection to Mia. Bel, they want her.”
“Who? What are you talking about?”
“Like I said before, she isn’t the first. Parents disappear. Kids are taken and placed without a trace. Something is wrong. Very wrong.” He put an arm around her shoulders hugging her close. “But you aren’t giving her up. I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.”
She picked up his arm, dumped it back on his lap and moved to the end of the couch. As far away as she could. Heart, stop it! “Great. What now? Here’s the thing, you see conspiracy theories. What if you’re wrong? What if they’re just unconnected tragedies. What if Mia has a family out there looking for her? I owe it to her to find out.” Bel took a moment to find courage. “Liam, I can’t live not knowing. She is invading my heart whether I like it or not. We need to get her back to her family now, or I might not survive it when the day comes that she has to leave. Let me help you find out what’s going on. What have we got to lose?”
He was shaking his head before the words had left her lips. “What have we got to lose? You don’t get it, do you? Whoever these people are, they are not scared to kill. You are not getting involved.”
Finding Mia Page 6