A Baby for the Deputy

by Cathy McDavid

  Frankie wore the same struggling-to-be-patient face she frequently did with her daughters. “How is it fair that Samantha suffer when we can help her? Won’t you at least examine her horse?”

  Mel’s father spoke for the first time since they’d resumed the meeting. “You’re angry. Who wouldn’t be? I should have told you girls about Samantha a long time ago. Whenever the right moment arose, I came up with an excuse. Eventually, I stopped looking for moments.”

  “That’s not a good enough reason, Dad.” Mel shook her head. “It’s actually a pretty bad one.”

  “You girls loved your mother so much.” Sorrow filled his eyes. “I didn’t want you to hate me.”

  “So, instead, you were grossly unfair to Samantha.”

  Had Mel just defended Samantha? More likely, she was just angry at her father.

  She stared across the table, not recognizing the man standing there. Her father, the one who’d raised her, had been kind and good and loving and honest. He didn’t deceive people, regardless of the reason.

  Yet, he had. For more than eighteen years. How could Frankie and Ronnie not feel the same bitterness and disappointment she did?

  Mel tamped down her emotions and faced Frankie.

  “Don’t make me out to be a terrible person just because I’m upset. I think we can all agree Dad hiding the fact he had a daughter with another woman is hard to understand and difficult to forgive.”

  “You don’t want me, either,” Samantha ground out.

  Mel groaned in frustration. Was everyone intentionally taking what came out of her mouth the wrong way? “That’s not what I said.”

  “You implied it.”

  Had she? Mel rubbed her throbbing forehead. This discussion was gaining momentum and going entirely in the wrong direction.

  “You’ve known about us for a while. My sisters and I only just learned about you less than two hours ago. We deserve a break. Some time to adjust.”

  “I agree,” Frankie said. “Which is another good reason for what I’m going suggest. Not only can we help Samantha, we’ll have a chance to get better acquainted with her and her with us.”

  She made it sound like a meet the teacher night at school.

  “Dad, Ronnie, Samantha and I talked while you were outside with Aaron, and we’re in agreement.”

  Mel doubted she was going to like what came next. “I’m all ears.”

  “Okay.” Frankie squared her shoulders. “Here’s the plan in a nutshell. Starting tomorrow, Samantha will stay with me. In exchange for room and board, she’ll help around the house. Maybe, if things go well, she can watch the girls when I’m at work. Take them to and pick them up from preschool.”

  “She’s going to remain in Mustang Valley?” Mel asked.

  “You’ll treat her horse. At no cost.”

  “It’s not the money. I already said, there’s no way the horse can improve sufficiently to compete in time for Nationals.”

  “Ronnie will let Samantha use one of her horses in the meantime.”

  Mel had to swallow her shock. Ronnie had purchased those two horses with the money from their father in the hopes of selling them for a profit. She was sacrificing a lot.

  “Lastly, Dad will cover Samantha’s competition costs and see to it that she gets to and from the rodeos.” Frankie finished with a satisfied smile.

  Everyone looked at Mel and waited, as if the entire success of this harebrained scheme depended on her.

  “I can’t stop any of you from doing what you want.”

  Frankie’s smile faltered. “Are you saying you won’t treat the horse?”

  “I’d like to sleep on it.”

  “Come on, Mel. You’re being stubborn.”

  “She’s not,” Dolores said, contributing for the first time. “It’s a reasonable request. You’re the ones who are out of line, expecting her to agree on the spot.”

  Mel sent her stepmom a grateful look.

  Dolores began gathering water glasses, signaling the end of the meeting.

  “There’s still a lot to discuss,” Frankie objected.

  “I’d like to go home.” Mel was tired, the most tired she’d been in weeks. Months. “It’s been a long day.”

  As the last word escaped, she realized she didn’t have a vehicle here. She’d driven with Ronnie to the café and with Aaron from there to her father’s. Her truck was at home. Son of a—

  “I can drop you off.” Aaron checked his watch. “I need to leave myself.”

  She couldn’t ride with him. What would her family say? They were already suspicious. Then again, with the way she felt now, the heck with her family and what they thought.

  “Fine.”

  “Samantha?” Aaron asked. “You want to come with us?”

  “I’ll take her,” Mel’s father volunteered. This time, Samantha didn’t refuse. “Frankie and Ronnie, you can ride with us and pick up your vehicles. The Morning Side Inn is right down the road from the café.”

  Mel’s house was a ten-minute drive at most from her father’s. She and Aaron spent the first eight minutes in silence. But Mel couldn’t keep quiet after that.

  “Do you think I’m being unreasonable?”

  “Not at all.”

  He sounded genuine, which relieved her greatly, then brought her to tears. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” She wiped at her damp eyes.

  “You’ve had a rough day, and you’re not feeling well.”

  Oh, yeah, thought Mel. That, too. She’d momentarily forgotten about her pregnancy-like symptoms.

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

  Aaron didn’t walk her to the door, not that she’d expected him to. But, before she got out of his SUV, he did take her hand and raised it to his lips for a lingering kiss.

  “Good night, Mel.” He met her eyes across the darkness.

  “Um, night.” She reclaimed her hand.

  In a half-daze, she hurried up the walk to her house, thinking Aaron kissing her hand was the most romantic gesture any guy had ever made.

  Oh, yeah. They really did need to talk.

  * * *

  UNLESS THERE WAS an emergency that couldn’t possibly wait, Mel took Sundays off. It was her one full day of rest and relaxation and, normally, she relished it, sleeping in until seven or even later.

  But today, she’d gotten up early and wandered the empty house, too restless and nervous to stay in one place long. Last night’s events were on her mind, though not as prominently as her possible pregnancy. Still no period. Off and on nausea. Overwhelming tiredness. Ready to cry at the drop of a hat. It was getting harder and harder to ignore the signs.

  Thankfully, Mel had the place to herself. Ronnie had left at daybreak for Powell Ranch to ready her two barrel-racing horses. Samantha would meet her there after breakfast and, together, they’d choose the right horse for her.

  Grabbing a second cup of coffee, which wasn’t helping her anxiety—she tried not to think how bad caffeine was for a baby—Mel padded outside to the shaded patio.

  She had always loved the backyard. It was her main reason for choosing this house over the other available rentals in town. To her right was a perfect view of the McDowell Mountains and Pinnacle Peak. To her left, and beyond the neighbors’ houses, stretched endless desert. The fenced yard, with its see-through rails, allowed her to view both to her heart’s content.

  She’d always thought that someday, when her schedule allowed it, she’d adopt a rescue dog or two. The yard was designed for romping and playing, and she missed having pets. The yard was also custom-made for children. A family was also in her “someday” plans, along with a caring and devoted husband.

  It seemed, however, she might be having children sooner than expected. One, at least. And no caring and devoted husband.

  Mel leaned back in th
e wicker lounge chair and closed her eyes. Later today, regardless of what happened, she’d drive to Scottsdale and buy an early-pregnancy test. Then, she could concentrate on Aaron and their evolving relationship, which seemed bound to change whether she was pregnant or not. Equally pressing was Samantha, and Frankie’s plan for the entire Hartman clan to help out their surprise half sister.

  Mel decided assessing her priorities was a good stepping-off place. Naturally, her practice topped the list. It was more than a job or a salary to Mel. It was her dream. Her passion. Her reason for eagerly embracing each day. Her goal was to be as successful as her predecessor, if not more so, and a valuable part of the community.

  When she did eventually have a family of her own, she’d need to be able to help support them, if not be the sole provider. Her father had taught Mel independence and the value of hard work. He’d also taught her the importance of honesty.

  Him hiding a huge secret all these years didn’t cause her to question his lessons. But it did force her to view him differently and, to a lesser degree, herself, as well.

  Which brought her right back to her potential pregnancy and the need to buy a home pregnancy test. Perhaps because she lost her mother at a young age, perhaps because she witnessed the miracle of new life on a weekly basis with her job, keeping a baby was the only option for Mel.

  Sitting alone on her back patio, watching a glorious sun peeking out from above her neighbors’ roofs, Mel couldn’t help but feel optimistic. Even if Aaron didn’t want their child, her mind and her heart were made up. Granted, there would be obstacles to overcome and challenges to face. But a baby? A beautiful, tiny being brought into this world by her? Mel would fall head over heels at first sight.

  She definitely wouldn’t fall head over heels for a man who didn’t want their child. The next instant, she dismissed the notion. For one, her pregnancy had yet to be confirmed. Two, she had no clue of Aaron’s feelings on the subject, since she hadn’t told him. Three, he had a daughter whom he adored and cherished. The man was a natural born father. She doubted the accidental circumstances of their child’s birth, if there even was a child, would change him.

  Before meeting Aaron, Mel had never approached sex casually. She did date, a couple guys semiseriously. Frankie accused her of being afraid to commit, a hang-up from losing their mother. There might be a sliver of truth to that. Mel tended to believe she simply hadn’t fallen in love.

  After meeting Aaron, she had tried to convince herself she was capable of remaining emotionally uninvolved. How wrong she’d been. Worse, she’d set herself up for being hurt by growing fonder and fonder of a man who couldn’t have been clearer about his unavailability.

  What should she say to him if she was indeed pregnant? Give him an out? Amicably part ways? Admit the truth about her feelings for him?

  She recalled the previous evening when he’d dropped her off and kissed the back of her hand. How sweet was that? And romantic. There was also his kindness toward Samantha—which was touching, and now that Mel wasn’t smack-dab in the middle of a tense family discussion, she could admit it.

  Oh, Samantha. What to do about her? The abrupt change in direction her mind took dampened Mel’s spirits.

  Frankie appeared ready to accept the young woman as a member of the family. Then again, Frankie was the motherly type. She’d looked out for Mel and Ronnie after their mother died and, these days, was fiercely protective of her own daughters. She regularly took in stray dogs and cats, finding them good homes and keeping them if she couldn’t. Ronnie’s willingness to help Samantha was likely due to their shared interest in barrel racing.

  Mel had decided at some point she’d at least examine the horse. There’d be no harm in it, and the exam would get Frankie off Mel’s back. Plus, she was curious about the horse’s injury and the prognosis. Beyond that, she’d make no commitment.

  Hearing a noise, she turned to see the door leading to the patio open and Dolores step outside.

  “You’re up.”

  “Morning,” Mel said. “What brings you by?”

  Dolores’s appearance wasn’t out of the ordinary. Mel and Ronnie had a tendency to leave their doors unlocked when they were home, a habit formed from small-town living and family members who frequently dropped by unexpectedly.

  “I brought you something.” Dolores held up a small paper sack.

  “What’s that?”

  She came over, sat on the other lounge chair and passed the sack to Mel. “See for yourself.”

  Mel sat up, opened the sack, peered in and read the label on the box. She arched a brow at her stepmom. “A home pregnancy test?”

  “Stopped at the market on my way over.”

  “Get any snide comments?”

  Dolores laughed. “Like I care.”

  “Thank you.”

  Mel didn’t take Dolores’s purchasing the pregnancy test as interfering in something that was none of her business. She truly appreciated having the older woman’s advice and help.

  “You could take it now,” Dolores suggested.

  Mel swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. Now that the moment was upon her, she hesitated. There were so many uncertainties, not the least of which was Aaron’s feelings for her.

  “The instructions recommend seeing a doctor to verify the results.”

  Mel glanced up from staring at the package. “You read them?”

  “I’ve taken the test before. Though it’s been a long while.”

  Gathering her courage, Mel rose from the chair and headed into the house, Dolores following close behind.

  “Do you want me to stay or leave?”

  “Stay,” Mel said without reservation. She might need a shoulder to lean on.

  In her bedroom, she read and reread the instructions, her anxiety escalating with each paragraph. She was actually doing this, taking a home pregnancy test. Focusing became difficult, and the printing on the leaflet blurred. Finally, when she felt ready, she took the testing wand with her into the adjoining bathroom. After that, it was a matter of waiting the longest three minutes of her life.

  Determined not to peek until the required time had passed, Mel placed the testing wand on the bathroom counter, set the timer on her phone and returned to her bedroom where she proceeded to pace and stare at her phone and struggle to contain her racing thoughts. Finally, three minutes became two, and Mel stared as the numbers changed.

  Would Aaron be angry if she was pregnant? She’d assured him she was taking the Pill. What if he thought she’d tricked him?

  Mel pressed a palm to her warm cheek, taking another spin around the room. What? Still one minute to go?

  Unknotting and reknotting the belt on her bathrobe, she scooped up a pile of dirty laundry she’d left on the floor the previous night and tossed it in the hamper sitting near the bathroom door.

  Her gaze went to the testing wand sitting on the counter. Mel swallowed a startled cry. Even from this distance, she could see the results. Lunging forward, she grabbed the wand.

  Her spaghetti legs took her only as far as the bed where she plopped down. Her breath came fast, and her heart beat a hundred miles a minute as relief washed over her. Now that the results of the pregnancy test were literally in her hands, she was able to admit what she’d wanted all along but was afraid to say.

  A soft knock interrupted her. Dolores stood in the doorway, her expression expectant. “Well?”

  Mel waved the wand, happiness filling her as she erupted in a wide grin. “It’s positive. I’m pregnant.”

  Chapter Six

  At the kitchen sink, Mel turned on the water and poured the remains of her coffee down the drain. That, she decided, had been her last official taste of caffeine for the next seven-and-a-half months, or thereabouts. She’d learn her exact due date when she saw her doctor, hopefully this week.

  Mel wrote herself a note to
call him first thing tomorrow morning, not that she’d need reminding. If the doctor was booked and couldn’t see her right away, she’d visit the medical clinic in town. Just to verify her pregnancy and obtain prenatal vitamins.

  Oddly enough, from the moment she took the test, she’d felt physically fine. Not the least bit nauseous or fatigued. If anything, she was bursting with energy.

  “What are you doing?” Dolores asked.

  Mel paused from rummaging through the kitchen cupboard. “Looking for the herbal tea Ronnie bought last winter when she had the flu.”

  “Since when do you drink herbal tea?”

  “Since I quit caffeine.”

  Dolores sat at the kitchen table, texting her oldest son who lived in Louisiana. She also regularly Skyped with her other son and daughter.

  Mel had to laugh. Her father barely understood the workings of his phone while Dolores was an expert.

  Finding the tea at last, Mel heated a cup in the microwave, then sat down next to her stepmom.

  Putting her phone aside, Dolores asked, “Does Aaron know about the baby?”

  Mel jerked, almost spilling her tea. “Who told?”

  “It’s not hard to figure out. You two have been pretty cozy of late.”

  “What about Dad?”

  “Don’t worry. I haven’t said anything. But he’s not stupid. Neither are your sisters.”

  “I’ll tell them. Eventually.”

  “They’ve seen you and Aaron being cozy, too. So far, they think you’re just flirting.”

  Mel should’ve seen this coming, probably had but chose to turn a blind eye.

  “I thought you might have told him last night when he took you home,” Dolores said.

  “My mind was otherwise occupied.”

  “Be careful you don’t wait too long.”

  “We have tentative plans to talk soon.” Mel sipped at her tea, which was more of a distraction than a restorative beverage. “Speaking of Dad, how is he this morning?”