Fancy's Baby

by Pamela Bauer

  “What are you staring at?” Wendy asked.

  That brought Kika back to reality. “People. Doesn’t anybody work? That beach is always crowded.”

  “It’s summer. Kids are out of school.” Wendy handed her a manila folder. “Here’s the final expense report for the Tyler trip. What day are we doing the callbacks?”

  “Next Friday,” Kika answered. “That ought to give everyone sufficient notice to make arrangements.”

  It would also give her enough time to convince Nick that Melody should make the trip to Minneapolis. Kika knew it wasn’t going to be easy. If only there wasn’t that sex thing hanging in the air between them.

  * * *

  “NICK, YOU HAVE A call on line one—an Annabelle Scanlon.”

  The first thought that went through Nick’s head as he reached for the phone was that one of the kids was sick. Why else would his mother-in-law call him at work?

  “What is it, Annabelle?”

  “Have they called you about Melody?”

  “Has who called me?” he asked, his anxiety increasing by the moment. “Is she sick?”

  “No, I’m talking about the movie people. Three of the little girls from TylerTots have already been told they made the callbacks. It’s all over town. I thought they might have called you.”

  He heaved a sigh of relief. “I haven’t heard anything.”

  “Do they have your work number?”

  “Yes.”

  This time Annabelle was the one to sigh in relief. “Then she must not have made it. All the others were called first thing this morning.”

  Nick experienced a pang of disappointment. It was odd that he should feel badly about something he was opposed to in the first place, but he supposed it was only natural. After all, Melody had grown fond of Kika Mancini. This meant they wouldn’t see her again—either one of them.

  While Annabelle rambled on about how it was for the best that Melody hadn’t been chosen, Nick doodled on a scratch pad at his fingertips. By the time he hung up the phone, he had written “Kika” four times.

  Out of sight, out of mind, he told himself as he drove home that evening. Only his heart didn’t listen. How could it? He was finally able to start a day with a feeling of optimism instead of regret. Unfortunately, the person responsible for that brightness was a woman he needed to forget.

  That was why he came to the conclusion that Melody’s not making the callbacks for Fancy’s Baby was for the best. His sons didn’t agree, however. The first thing Zachary said when Nick picked him and Patrick up from Adventure Club was, “Melody’s not going to be Fancy’s Baby, is she?” The same disappointment Nick had felt earlier in the day was now evident on his sons’ faces.

  “I guess not,” Nick answered.

  “Why not? She’s just as cute as Brian Bartlett’s little sister,” Zachary insisted.

  “Grandma says being on TV ruins a kid anyway,” Patrick added.

  “Well, it’s nothing we need to worry about, is it?” Nick stated philosophically. “How about if we stop at the Dairy King and pick up hamburgers and fries for supper?”

  No sooner had the paper wrappers and plastic cups been tossed in the trash half an hour later than the telephone rang. Since Nick was busy wiping chocolate milkshake from his daughter’s fingers, Zachary answered the phone.

  “Oh, hi.” Nick could only hear his son’s end of the conversation. “He’s here, but he’s washing Melody’s hands.”

  Nick wanted to ask who was calling, but Melody was whining, upset that he had removed several cold, hard french fries from her tray before she had finished with them. All he could hear was Zachary saying, “Uh-huh,” followed by an “Umm-hmm.”

  Then he heard his son let out a whoopee. “She made it!” He held the phone away from his ear and looked at Nick. “Hey, Dad! Melody made the callbacks for Fancy’s Baby.”

  Nick dropped the washcloth on the table and went to take the phone. The sound of Kika’s voice on the other end made his insides tingle.

  “Nick, is that you?”

  “Yes.” He wanted to say more, but all he could think about was how she had looked lying naked in his arms. He glanced at his sons to see if they had a clue about his thoughts. Of course they didn’t, and he let his shoulders relax.

  “I guess Zachary has already told you the news,” Kika said with that wonderful little giggle he had come to love. “I hope you’re pleased.”

  At the moment he had mixed feelings about Melody’s success. On the matter of seeing Kika again, however, he had no doubt. He was pleased at the prospect.

  “The boys are excited,” he told her, not wanting to admit his own feelings.

  He cast another glance at his sons, who were jumping up and down, saying, “We’re going to be rich.”

  Placing his palm over the mouthpiece, Nick said, “Be quiet.”

  “We need to talk about what happens next,” Kika told him.

  “I’m listening,” he said coolly, trying not to sound too enthusiastic about seeing her again.

  “There are five little girls scheduled for a second interview next week.”

  Nick glanced at the calendar on the wall. “What day?”

  “We’ve booked the soundstage for Friday morning. We figured it was better to avoid nap times if possible.”

  “The soundstage?”

  “We’re going to hold this audition at a soundstage here in the Twin Cities.”

  “You want us to come to Minnesota?” His heart sank in his chest.

  “It has to be that way. We can’t do the kind of taping we need to make the final decision unless we’re at a soundstage.”

  He closed his eyes briefly and sighed. “Then I’m afraid you’ll have to do it without Melody. I just started a new job. I can’t miss a day to take my daughter to an audition for a TV commercial.”

  Hearing his words, the boys groaned in unison.

  “That’s why I scheduled it for Friday. Zachary said you have every Friday off.”

  “Normally I do, but I’ve been assigned to a special project. I’ve already agreed to go in that day.”

  Kika groaned. “There must be some way we can work this out,” she said hopefully.

  “I don’t see how. There isn’t anyone who can travel with her that great of a distance.”

  “What if I brought her?” Kika offered.

  Her suggestion caught him by surprise. “You’re willing to come get her and take her back with you?”

  Kika couldn’t give up. “It would work, Nick. I could fly out and get her on Thursday evening, then bring her back home on Friday. It’s only about an hour’s flight.”

  “I couldn’t ask you to do that,” he said.

  “Why not?”

  “It’s too big a responsibility. Who’d take care of Melody when you’re working?”

  There was a silence, and Nick could see that her offer had been an impulsive one.

  “I could get my sister-in-law Frannie to watch her. She has a little boy about the same age.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “You wouldn’t have to worry about Frannie’s credentials. I can vouch for her.”

  “That’s not why I’m hesitating.”

  “You don’t trust me?” There was a vulnerability in her voice that made Nick want to reassure her.

  “Yes, I do trust you. It’s just that Melody’s not even two years old. You must understand why I have reservations about this.”

  In the background he could hear Zachary and Patrick encouraging him to “do it.” Again, he put his hand over the mouthpiece, this time saying, “Go in the other room—both of you.”

  As soon as they were out of the kitchen, he asked Kika, “Does this mean that the commercial will have to be filmed in the Twin Cities as well?”

  She cleared her throat, then said, “Yes, but all of your expenses will be paid.”

  “It’s not the expense I’m worried about.”

  “It’s the time away from your
job. Yes, I understand that. You must know I’d do whatever I could to accommodate you.”

  Immediately Nick thought about all the wonderful things she could do to accommodate him. None of them had to do with the audition.

  “Why don’t you let me think about this?” he suggested.

  “Okay. Why don’t you call me this weekend?”

  “That would be fine,” he told her, not wanting at that moment to tell her no. Maybe it would get easier to turn down her offer if he couldn’t hear her honey-sweet voice on the phone. Right now, every nuance in her tone made him think about their one night together, preventing him from speaking logically on any subject.

  Only Nick didn’t turn down her offer. As each day passed, he thought he’d fax her a quick message, declining her invitation. He told himself it was because he didn’t want to pass up an opportunity for Melody to earn money for college and that the boys would be disappointed if their sister didn’t get a chance to be on television. Deep down in his heart, however, he knew there was more to it than his sons’ disappointment and his daughter’s college fund. This was an opportunity to see Kika again. To have her in his house, to try to convince her that what had happened between them wasn’t simply a fleeting thing.

  One question burned a hole in his curiosity: did she want to see him again, too, or was she just interested in making money off his daughter?

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “DON’T LOOK NOW, but the guy at the end of the bar is trying to get your attention,” Lucy told Kika as they ate lunch in a bistro in downtown Minneapolis.

  Kika didn’t bother to turn her head but simply stared at the Caesar salad in front of her. “I’m not interested.”

  “He looks like Andy Garcia.”

  Kika shrugged. “If that’s the case he won’t have any trouble getting a woman’s attention.”

  “He’s having trouble getting yours.” Lucy lifted her coffee mug, peering at her niece over its rim. “Aren’t you even curious to see what he looks like?”

  “No. I’m too tired to care.”

  The coffee mug landed on the table with a thud. “Since when have you been too tired to notice a perfect tush squeezed into tight denim?”

  Kika shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ve seen too much denim-covered tush in the past two years.” She pushed the romaine lettuce around with her fork.

  “If you keep poking at that lettuce you’re going to have soup, not salad.”

  Kika set her fork down and shoved her plate aside. She turned her attention to her glass of soda, swirling the clear liquid aimlessly.

  “Wendy said George Loken’s going to hire you for his next film,” Lucy remarked.

  Kika sighed. “It’s another basketball movie. I’m not sure I should tackle such a big project.”

  “Why not?”

  “He needs to fill the Target Center with fans.”

  “You had the whole ice arena packed with extras for that hockey movie. What’s the problem?”

  Again Kika shrugged. “There isn’t one, I guess.” She looked at her watch and frowned.

  “Am I keeping you from an appointment?”

  Kika reached over to give her aunt’s hand a gentle squeeze. “No, I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m expecting a phone call this afternoon.”

  “It must be an important one.”

  She took a sip of soda before saying, “It has to do with Fancy’s Baby. I told you we’ve narrowed the field down to five, didn’t I?”

  “Really? That’s great! Did you get the little redhead you wanted?”

  “That’s what the phone call’s about. I’ll know today whether it’s yes or no.” The prospect had Kika’s stomach tied in knots.

  “Is the father still having second thoughts?”

  Kika jabbed at the ice cubes in her glass with her straw. “The problem is the location. He can’t take any time off from his job. If he gives his permission, I’m going to have to go to Tyler and bring Melody back here for the taping.”

  “Isn’t that a little bit above and beyond the call of duty?” Lucy asked with raised eyebrows.

  “I don’t mind.”

  Lucy bit the end off a carrot stick and pondered her statement thoughtfully. “Let me get this straight.” She stabbed the remainder of the carrot in the air for emphasis. “You’re going to fly to Wisconsin, pick up this little girl, bring her to the taping, then fly her back home again?”

  Kika nodded. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s not what you think.”

  “Maybe you should tell me what’s happening,” Lucy urged in a maternal tone. “I have a feeling that, whatever it is, it’s the reason you’ve lost your appetite and your interest in denim-covered tushes.”

  Kika groaned and ran her fingers through her hair. “Oh, Luce, I don’t know what to say. Things just...happened when I was in Tyler.”

  “With the baby or with the father?”

  She sighed. “Both.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  Kika stared into dark brown eyes that had always held understanding. Once again she saw compassion and concern. If there was one person she knew she could count on, it was Lucy.

  “There’s this strong sexual attraction between me and Nick Miller,” she said quietly.

  “Aha! So that’s why you can’t eat. You’re in love.”

  “I didn’t say I was in love,” she retorted. “I said I was attracted to him.”

  “I’ve never known you to lose your appetite over a man.”

  “Probably because he’s not like any man I’ve ever known.”

  Lucy tapped her acrylic fingernails on the table and rolled her eyes heavenward. “Where have I heard that one before?” Sensing Kika’s indignation, she quickly added, “Okay, so you’re attracted to this guy. Why is that a problem?”

  “Lucy! He has three kids!”

  “Most people would call that a blessing, not an incurable disease,” she admonished gently.

  Kika felt suitably chastised. “They’re beautiful children—three little redheads. And they’re smart. And self-sufficient. Of course, they’ve had to be, not having a mother.”

  Again Lucy studied her niece’s pale features. “You don’t just like him. You like his kids, too, don’t you?”

  She nodded miserably.

  Lucy chuckled.

  Kika didn’t see the humor in the situation. “I thought you of all people would understand.”

  Lucy reached for her hand. “I do understand. That wasn’t a funny laugh, it was an expression of gratitude. Don’t you see? You’re finally starting to let go of the past.”

  “Because I like Nick Miller’s kids?”

  “Because you’ve allowed yourself to get close enough to find out you like them,” Lucy answered.

  “But I don’t want to be close to them,” she insisted.

  “Are you sure?”

  Kika didn’t respond. She couldn’t. Fear wouldn’t allow her to consider the answer to that question. She had accepted the fact that she would never be a mother. To open the door to the possibility that she could care for someone else’s children meant taking a risk she wasn’t prepared for.

  “You haven’t told me how this Nick Miller feels about you,” Lucy commented.

  “He thinks I’m terrible with children.”

  “That’s not what I asked.”

  Kika looked down at her hands. “I don’t know how he feels about me.”

  “Does he want to see you again?”

  She shrugged. “That’s why this phone call is so important.”

  “I thought you said the phone call was about Melody.”

  “It is.”

  Lucy reached across the table to give her niece’s arm a comforting squeeze. “You want him to be calling about you, not his daughter, right?”

  Kika nodded unhappily. “I doubt that will happen. I should just forget about him.”

  “Can you do that?”

  Kika didn’t answer.

  “Tell me somethi
ng. What frightens you more—your feelings for Nick or your feelings for his children?” Lucy asked.

  It was a question Kika thought about often during the next few days. She didn’t understand how Nick and his children could have become so important to her in such a short time. Of one thing she was certain. If she wasn’t careful, she would lose something more important than Fancy’s Baby. She would lose her heart.

  * * *

  KIKA FOUND NICK waiting for her when she stepped off the plane in Milwaukee on Thursday evening. He looked wonderfully familiar, with his dimpled grin and the lock of hair that refused to stay back off his forehead. He stood against the waiting-room wall, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, his tie loose around his neck and his suit coat slung over his shoulder.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said as he reached for her overnight bag.

  “Since I was already in town I thought I might as well meet your plane. Have you had dinner?”

  “No.”

  “Want to join me?”

  “Sure, but what about your kids?”

  “Annabelle’s with them. They’ll be fine.”

  As they made their way through the terminal to the parking lot, they talked as if they were old friends. During dinner at a restaurant on the outskirts of Milwaukee, his attitude didn’t change. He treated her as if she were a friend who would be taking care of his daughter for the next twenty-four hours, not the woman he had made passionate love to one hot summer night.

  It was only when they were seated in the convertible with the stars shining overhead that the atmosphere changed. As he drove the interstate between Milwaukee and Tyler, Kika became aware of the glances he cast in her direction. Gone was the friendly twinkle, replaced by a hooded desire that sent a tremor of longing through her.

  Gradually, conversation became more stilted. By the time they reached Tyler’s city limits, all talk had stopped. Nick pulled off the highway into the parking lot of a gas station that had already closed for the night. He steered away from the one lonely street lamp burning dimly on the corner.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked as he killed the car’s engine.

  “There are things I want to say to you and I don’t exactly want to be saying them sitting out front of Granny Rose’s,” he answered.