“Laura, it’s okay. I’ve got Andy’s keys,” Neil assured her. He set the babies down and pulled the keys from his pocket. “This one?” He held up a silver house key.
“Yes, that’s the one,” she said.
He shoved it in the deadbolt and opened the door. Laura moved ahead of Candy into the dim house. She turned on the kitchen light and shivered. The house was cold, but there was no heat and hadn’t been since yesterday. Candy set a bag on the table, and Neil set down both baby carriers.
“Candy?” he said, gesturing to the babies.
She nodded. “It’s okay, I’m here.”
He leaned down and kissed her—Laura had to look away. “I’ll grab the bags,” he said before stepping out the door.
The babies still slept in their car seats. Laura started toward them, about to unbuckle Chelsea so she could put her in her crib, when Candy pulled a breast pump from the bag. Laura was a little confused. Maybe that was what Candy saw when she said, “I’m sorry, but Neil bought three.” She pulled all of them from the bag. “He wasn’t sure which one was the best, and I’m not much help in that area.”
Laura reached for the blue box. “I’m sure any one of these will be fine. Why is he buying…”
“For you,” Candy said before she could finish. “It’s just the way he is. I don’t know if your husband is the same, but Neil tends to take charge, take over and arrange, handle and deal…” she said. For the first time that Laura could remember, she burst out laughing. She was met with a bright smile from Candy. “Well, we can’t help with the twins unless you provide the milk, and you don’t even need to tell him which ones you don’t like.”
“Thank you, Candy. Really,” Laura said. She didn’t know the woman well, but she was family. There was something genuine about her that she couldn’t help but like.
Chapter 19
Andy listened to the ringing once, then twice, as he paced in the empty visitors’ room on the pediatric floor.
“Hello?” A younger boy’s voice answered the phone, and Andy wondered if it was one of Laura’s brothers. There was something about the voice that was similar to hers.
“Hello, could I speak to George Parnell?” Andy said.
“Dad!”
He listened to the boy call out. He heard a clatter of dishes in the background. There were other voices, and a woman asked the boy who it was. He figured that had to be Laura’s mother.
“Hello?” a man said into the phone.
“Is this George Parnell?” Andy asked.
“Yeah, yeah, who’s calling?” the man asked. He said something to someone in the background that Andy couldn’t make out.
“My name is Andy Friessen. Your daughter, Laura, is my wife,” he said. There was silence on the other end.
“Give me a minute,” the man said. There was rustling, and then it became quieter as, Andy guessed, a door closed. “Laura is married? Why? She’s so young. Is she all right?”
This didn’t sound like a man who hated his daughter. There was concern there. “She’s fine. The reason I’m calling is Gabriel, our little boy. He’s very sick.”
“Gabriel? You have a child?” The man was hesitant on the other end.
“We have three, two of them are newborn twins. Gabriel is the little boy she had when she was pregnant at fifteen—when you asked her to leave.”
“I didn’t know his name,” the man said. “So she kept him.”
Andy wasn’t sure what to make of his response. “Yes, she loves him. I love him. But he’s very sick right now. He has leukemia—and the only way to save his life is with a bone marrow transplant. It needs to be a perfect tissue match, which can only come from family, but Laura’s not a match.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that, but I don’t understand how I can help,” the man said.
Andy felt the first alarm bell go off. If that had been him, and Laura was his daughter, nothing could have kept him from being here. Making sure his daughter and his grandson were taken care of, that his grandson had everything he needed. Hell, if his daughter got pregnant, he’d never toss her out—though he would kill the boy who did it. Andy couldn’t understand anything about this man.
“You’re his grandfather...We need you and your wife, as well as Laura’s brothers, to be tested for a match,” Andy said. His voice had become so humble, that it made him ill to suck up to someone this way. He ground his teeth, wanting nothing more than to reach through the phone and shake the man.
The man took a breath on the other end. “I’ll have to talk to my wife.”
“Seriously? I’m confused on what your hesitation is. This is a little boy who’s done nothing to you. I don’t understand why you’re not all over this. Do you hate your daughter that much?” Andy said. He was shaking, and he didn’t realize how loud he had been until a nurse passing in the hallway poked her head in and gestured for him to quiet down.
“You sound very angry and I’m not going to get into this with you on the phone. So I think I’ll bid you a good night,” the man said, and then the line went dead.
Andy stared in disbelief at the phone, unable to believe this man had actually hung up on him. He threw his cell phone at the wall, shattering it.
Chapter 20
Laura wandered into the living room in her white robe, her damp hair brushed back. She had taken a long bath and almost fallen asleep after Neil insisted that she take care of herself. It hadn’t taken too much convincing. She ached, and had longed for a bath. She just wanted to sit and think...To relax. Neil was dominant, in a charming sort of way. He was different from her husband, although he enjoyed telling her what to do, too. He wasn’t a man to take no for an answer. Surprisingly, Candy didn’t seem to pay him much mind.
Laura was surprised to see Candy holding Chelsea in the warm living room; rocking her by the fire. She stood in the shadows and just watched. Neil was beside her, holding Jeremy and telling Candy how to hold the baby. Laura could tell how nervous and uncertain Candy was feeling, but she was still willing to try. Then they noticed her.
“Hey, how are you feeling?” Neil asked.
She stepped into the living room barefoot. Candy appeared to stiffen, uncertain with the baby. Laura had never pictured Candy as the mothering type.
“I’m good. Are they hungry?” she asked as she started into the living room, feeling the welcoming heat from the fire.
“This one is. Your demanding son—who’s bigger than his sister, from taking more than his share.” Neil looked so comfortable holding the baby. It wasn’t lost on her that he would make a good father. “Laura, did you get a chance to try out one of the breast pumps?” he asked.
Immediately, her face burned in embarrassment. “No, I’ve never used one.”
“Well, Candy and I need to be able to feed these two to help out. You need to use them, start storing your milk. You can take one of them with you to the hospital to use, and then you can leave the babies with us while you stay with Gabriel.”
She didn’t know what to say to that, but it made a lot of sense. Actually, it was a relief to have the option, because she didn’t want to leave Gabriel. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to race back to the hospital and be with her son. “Okay, let me feed Jeremy, and then I’ll use the pump. I’d like to go back to the hospital,” she said.
“Yeah, I’ll take you in the morning after you get some sleep.”
She firmed her lips. She couldn’t believe Neil was making her wait but, then again, her husband had almost ordered him to take her and the babies home. To make sure she laid down and got some sleep. It seemed now, that he was going to follow what Andy said to a T. “I would feel better if I went back tonight. I’m not going to get much sleep here, lying awake, worrying about my son.”
Neil set the baby in her arms and slid his hand on her back, guiding her to another easy chair by the woodstove. She wasn’t really comfortable nursing in front of Candy and Neil and wondered if they realized.
“Hey, feed your
son, but I’m not taking you back tonight. Andy will call if there’s any change. Laura, you’re about to fall over.” Neil squatted down in front of her. “You’re not going to be any use to Gabriel, or the babies, if you don’t get some sleep. Besides, your husband would kill me if I let you go back tonight.” Neil’s cell phone started ringing. He pulled it from the leather pouch clipped to his belt, glanced at the screen, then turned away. “Hey, how’s it going?” he said. When he turned around, he glanced at Laura. She wondered who it was. “That doesn’t sound too good. Do you want me to come in?”
Laura could feel her Spidey senses tingling; the hairs coming alive on the back of her neck. She knew it had to be Andy by the way Neil watched her. Something must be wrong. Jeremy fussed and pulled on her housecoat, trying to open it and get his dinner. Being unable to relax was not helping. Neil gestured for her to stay put.
“Do you want me to call? I’m pretty persuasive,” he said. He moved away, listening to whatever Andy was saying. “Okay, call me after you talk to him, then. No, she’s fine. She’s going to bed. We’ll be back in the morning. You, too,” he said before hanging up while staring straight at Laura. “Your husband,” he said. He looked to Candy, who was still rocking Chelsea, looking a little more comfortable. Chelsea was such an easy baby.
“Neil, what’s going on? Why is my husband not talking to me?” she asked. All this over-protectiveness was beginning to tick Laura off. She felt as though she was being kept out of the loop.
“He called your parents...Mainly your dad. It didn’t go well,” Neil replied.
There, for a second, she wasn’t sure she’d heard right. Then she realized what he’d said. She was mortified that Neil had heard anything about her parents and what had happened when she was a teen. She shut her eyes when it registered just how badly they still must hate her.
“Wow, so I suppose my husband told you all the gory details,” she snapped, finally settling Jeremy on her breast. She could feel both Candy and Neil watching, but she refused to meet their gaze. She was so tired of everyone judging her.
“Hey, Laura, give yourself a break,” Candy said. “Whatever problems your parents have are their issues. Whatever happened, you were a child and should have had your parents’ support. Shame on them, Laura, not you. Neil, are you helping?” she added.
When Laura glanced up and took in the exchange between Neil and Candy, she wondered what was going on. “Apparently my husband doesn’t like to share what he’s thinking. Neil, I want you to tell me right now,” Laura insisted, covering her breast with her hand, feeling far too exposed in front of Neil.
“I think I should talk to your parents. Andy would just as soon…well, you know how your husband feels about your parents. He planned to never meet them or have them in your lives. I think he’d like to get your dad alone right about now, which is definitely not a good idea with the way he’s feeling. Candy’s right, by the way,” he added. “Your dad’s a prick. Any father who wouldn’t look after his child…I’m sorry, but you have no use for him.”
Candy frowned, looking at her husband as if she wanted to pull him aside. “He’s right, Laura,” she said. “As much as it pains me to admit, Neil’s probably right about talking with your father. He’s very persuasive, and he would be the best person to talk with your parents.”
“I think I should talk to them,” Laura said. “After all, they are my parents. I don’t want to drag you into the middle of this, Neil. My husband should’ve been talking to me about this.”
“Well, I think your husband thinks differently, Laura. You really need to let us handle this,” Neil said. It sounded a little sharp, and Laura wasn’t sure how to respond. He was family, but she barely knew him. Yet he was stepping in and acting on her husband’s behalf. She looked at Candy, who just shook her head; irritation rolling off of her.
“Neil, Laura has to be hungry,” she said. “I know I am.”
He appeared distracted, maybe even irritated with her. Laura was aware she could push Andy’s buttons at times, and obviously she pushed Neil’s, too. “I’ll go whip up some dinner,” he said.
“I’m actually kind of tired, so don’t make anything for me,” she said. “I think I’m just going to go to bed. I’ll sleep in Gabriel’s room. You two take mine.” She started to stand before remembering she hadn’t made the bed. “I’m sorry, I’ll have to put clean sheets on the bed for you.”
“Laura, it’s fine,” Candy said. “We’ll take care of it. You have enough to do, but you have to eat. Neil, just make her some eggs.”
“Candy’s right, Laura. You’re feeding two babies. You have to eat something. I’ll put something together.”
Thankfully, he disappeared into the kitchen, because Laura wasn’t sure she could have been polite much longer. When she looked up, Candy was watching her.
“Try to forgive my husband,” she said. “One of the biggest obstacles I had to get over was the way Neil just rushes in and fixes things without discussing his plans. Do you know that your husband absolutely terrifies me? As domineering as Neil can be, he has nothing on your husband.”
That comment had Laura smiling. “Yeah, Andy’s definitely all that, but I love him so much that it hurts sometimes. He’d never allow anyone to hurt us. I think he’d kill a man with his bare hands if he ever did anything like that. And he loves my son like his own. I never expected that, because when he married me, it was more out of obligation, to be the hero. We’ve worked through a lot. I don’t know where we’d be without him,” she said, and then she just stopped talking. She didn’t want to speak anymore. She didn’t know what she wanted.
“Laura, the omelette’s ready.” Neil poked his head around the corner, and Jeremy, who’d fallen fast asleep on her breast, slipped off.
Fast asleep—boy, how she envied that.
Chapter 21
Andy jumped when a hand touched his shoulder. His neck ached, and he blinked in the dim room, staring up at Laura, who was looking way better than he felt. Neil was behind her, and he touched her coat. He didn’t see the babies.
“Hey, how are you? How’s Gabriel?” Laura asked.
Andy took in the huddled form of his little boy, fast asleep on the bed. “Surprisingly well. He’s handling this like a trooper. Where’re the twins?”
“With Candy at home,” Neil said. “They were still sleeping when we left. I’ll head back and give her a hand. I thought I would drag you back with me.”
“Laura, you’re nursing the babies. You can’t stay here without them,” Andy said. He was so tired he couldn’t even attempt to sound reasonable.
“Your cousin took care of that,” she said. She lifted a breast pump from the big purse she carried, which always had extra diapers and wipes for the babies.
“You bought my wife a breast pump?” Andy said. He couldn’t believe Neil would do that.
“Actually, your cousin bought three,” Laura interrupted.
“Well, have you taken a look at all the brands? How do you know which one is the best? Anyway, how are we going to help unless we can feed the babies? I’m pretty sure you’re not doing formula.”
“Hell, no. Not for my kids. I should have thought of it myself,” Andy added, because he couldn’t believe Neil had been the one to suggest it.
Laura leaned down and kissed Andy on the lips. She pulled away just far enough that he could see she had something on her mind. “Why didn’t you tell me you were calling my parents?” she said. “I should have been with you when you did.” She touched his cheek and then set her bag on the other chair.
He just watched her and wondered how she’d react to knowing her father couldn’t make a decision even if his grandson’s life depended on it. No, he had to go talk to her mother. The fact was that he wasn’t racing down here to be with her, to save his grandson... He’d simply hung up on Andy, who had pushed with everything he had. He didn’t want Laura to be hurt any more. He’d rather have her angry at him than to see the shadow of that pain her parent
s had buried in her with a hatchet, cutting into her heart.
“No, it took everything I had in me to call them,” he said. “You have enough on your plate. I’ll handle your parents. I don’t want you to have to deal with them, Laura.”
“Andy, they’re my parents, my problem.”
He couldn’t believe she’d said that. “Well, that’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. You’re my wife, my responsibility—therefore, they’re my problem.”
She looked away, and he wasn’t sure why she looked so bothered. “What about Tyler?” she asked. “Are you planning on calling him, too?”
There was a knock on the door. “Hi, Laura,” said a male voice he wasn’t familiar with.
Andy was out of that chair, standing behind his wife, who stared at a tall, slender young man with blue eyes the shade of indigo, reddish short hair and a narrow face that looked down at Laura with a familiarity Andy didn’t like.
“Tyler,” Laura said. Her voice sounded strange, as if it was a struggle to get the name out.
Andy stared for a moment at the young man who had shut the door in her face so long ago, when she needed him most. Andy reached out his hand. “I’m Andy Friessen, Laura’s husband—and Gabriel’s father,” he added. Everyone looked to the little boy in the bed. Tyler shook Andy’s hand and then glanced down at Laura again.
“You look good, Laura,” he said.
Andy moved closer beside her, putting his arm around her and pulling her against him. He was letting this punk know darn well that Laura was his, off limits. Tyler gazed at Gabriel, who was rustling in bed.
“Andy,” he called out in such a weak voice.
“Hey, right here, bud,” Andy said. Gabriel opened his eyes and took in Neil, standing so quiet, then Tyler. Laura scooted by Andy and went to Gabriel’s side, giving all of them her back.
“Hi, honey. How are you feeling?” she asked, brushing back his bangs. Andy moved closer behind her and reached around, setting his hand on Gabriel’s head.
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