“Theresa, do you have any heirloom tomatoes today? John has been after me to make a caprese salad so I thought I would go Italiano tonight.” Maggie looked up and met Hailey’s eyes. “Oh my God, Hailey! You’re back! When did you get here? Holy balls, you’re pregnant!” Maggie dropped to her knees and touched Hailey’s stomach. “John and I have been trying for a year now with no luck. It’s hard. You and your husband are so lucky! Theresa must be thrilled you are home. When do I get to meet the lucky guy? I can’t believe Theresa didn’t say anything!”
“Oh, um, I’m not married.” Hailey turned a bright shade of red. She had forgotten how traditional everyone was back home. Of course a big stomach was expected to have a big diamond ring attached. “And Gram didn’t know I was coming. I was kind of a surprise last night. So...surprise!”
Maggie stood up and hugged her. “I’m sorry - that was so presumptive of me. Of course you don’t have to be married. You’re a big-time city girl! I’m just so happy you are home! Don’t you dare ever leave again! Gah!!!! You have to come over for dinner tomorrow night and meet John, my husband. You’ll love him - he’s great.” Maggie just beamed at her and Hailey felt a little guilty for losing contact with her friend. Maybe if she hadn’t lost touch with the people who cared about her, she wouldn’t have made such bad decisions and be in this mess. But she couldn’t regret the baby. She would never do that.
“I would love to! Dinner sounds amazing and I can’t wait to meet John. And as for the heirloom tomatoes, I saw some in the back. Let me grab them. Plus Gram made some of her famous homemade mozzarella so that would be perfect for the caprese salad.” Hailey rushed to grab the items and ring up Maggie. As she did, she promised to be at Maggie’s new house with John promptly at 7:00 pm tomorrow night for dinner. Maggie was halfway out the door when Hailey realized Maggie never gave her the address.
“Oh, just come over with Chuck!” Maggie yelled back. “He and John are besties. He always comes over for dinner on Thursday nights. I’m just so excited to finally have some estrogen in the mix! See you then!”
First Gram, now Maggie. Clearly Chuck had wormed his way into the hearts of the women of Corrales. Now Hailey just needed to protect her heart from the same fate.
Six
Thursday night Hailey took one more spin in front of the mirror. She had never been one of those girls who couldn’t find the right outfit to wear but it was getting harder and harder to dress the bump without maternity clothes. Baring the midriff was in style if you were a tiny, bikini girl but the look on Hailey just said “nothing fits me anymore.” Finally she found a dress that looked okay and threw on a cardigan in case the night got chilly.
“Come on, Cinderella. Maggie’s going to eat without you if you don’t get a move on.” Gram’s voice carried down the hall to Hailey’s room and with a sigh Hailey grabbed her purse and made her way to the kitchen. There she found Gram and Chuck sharing a pot of coffee and laughing, probably at how long it was taking her to get ready. Chuck saw her first and stood up to greet her.
“You look great.” He smiled and put down his coffee mug. He reached over to give Gram a hug and grabbed his keys. “Shall we go?”
“You kids have fun. I’m excited to have a night to myself to finally watch some Lifetime movies without any complaining so don’t you dare rush home.” Gram added some Bailey’s Irish Cream to her mug while Chuck shook his head. “I’ve been trying to get Chuck to watch the Amanda Knox story with me but no luck.”
“Well, that sounds like you have a fun night planned, Gram, so we won’t keep you from your party.” Hailey kissed Gram’s cheek and followed Chuck out to the truck. Chuck opened up the door for her and even helped her up a little. The feminist inside Hailey wanted to protest but her pregnant back was grateful enough to drown out any protest.
As they made their way down the main Corrales thoroughfare, Hailey’s eyes drank in the sights of her old hometown. Whereas other cities were constantly growing and prospering, Corrales was proud of its history and charm and was in no hurry to modernize. It was amazing how little had actually changed since she was there six years ago.
“I’ve always loved the feel of Corrales. I’m from Dallas originally and the constant need to change and stay ahead of the game was never for me.” It was like Chuck could read her mind. “I saw Theresa’s ad online and took a leap of faith. When I first came out, so many people here were worried that I would take advantage her, being that she was an older woman living alone. But I knew once I met her how formidable she was and I knew if either of us should be afraid in this situation, it sure wasn’t going to be Theresa.” Chuck’s smile was contagious and Hailey could feel herself smiling too.
“Gram has always been something else. She’s the strongest person I know.” Hailey shifted in her seat. “So what do you know about Maggie’s husband. She said that you and John are friends? I don’t think I know him.”
“John Richmond is one of the finest men I know. He’s actually the Chief of Police of Corrales. He’s former military, as am I, and I ran into him at the grocery store my first day in town. He asked me to volunteer for the Founder’s Day parade and I figured it was a good way to show the town I wasn’t a rapist here to fleece an old lady so I gave in.” Chuck shrugged. I got the feeling he liked volunteering and being a part of small town events, even if he pretended to have to do it for ulterior motives. “How do you know Maggie?”
“Oh, well, I guess turnabout is fair play. Maggie and I grew up together. Ever since elementary school, we were inseparable. Then we graduated high school and I craved more excitement than Corrales could provide and off I left. I was afraid that if I kept in touch with my friends and family from back home I would chicken out and just come straight back so I just didn’t. I ran like a scared kid, which I guess I was, and I’m lucky Maggie didn’t hit me when she saw me in the store. Although, I guess being pregnant means I’m on the no-hit list.” Hailey chuckled as she rubbed her stomach.
Chuck pulled the truck over and turned to her. “Don’t worry. I think people get that. They understand. And they love you and are just happy you are home. So don’t be nervous okay? And if you get stuck, I’m a great buffer.” He squeezed her shoulder and hopped out of the truck. Suddenly Hailey realized they were at a beautiful house. She hadn’t even realized they were already there.
Chuck came around to Hailey’s side and opened the door. He helped her down and couldn’t help admire how she glowed. Maybe it was the pregnancy but he had a feeling that was just Hailey. He had a hard time keeping his mind on work these past few days. Now as he watched her sashay up to the front of the house, he knew he had a cold shower waiting for him before he went to bed that night.
Seven
Maggie was right - Hailey did really like John. He was funny and easygoing. Even though she had only met him an hour ago, she felt like she had known him as long as she had known Maggie. And it was like she had never left Maggie’s side all those years ago. They laughed and drank (sparkling cider for Hailey, of course) and ate an amazing meal that Maggie made from scratch. Maggie went all out with ribeye steaks, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, and a large chocolate cake that had Hailey drooling since she first walked in the door. Hailey was sure that she ate enough for everyone but she wasn’t ashamed, like she would have been back in Seattle. Here people kept encouraging her to eat more for the baby. They said she was too skinny and it seemed to be a town goal to fatten her up.
After the meal, John and Chuck went outside to look at the car that John was working on and Maggie and Hailey cleaned up. They were washing the dishes when Maggie suddenly stopped and just hugged Hailey tight to her.
“I missed you so much, Hailey. I thought you must have been so mad at me to leave and never say anything. I am so glad you’re back. It just hasn’t been the same without my best friend.” Hailey let Maggie hug her and felt the guilt creep in. She had missed so much. She had missed her best friend meeting the love of her life and even her wedding. Maggie coul
dn’t even send her an invite because she wouldn’t even know where to send it. And what would life have been like if she had picked up the phone and asked Maggie for advice when things got tough? Would she still be in this predicament?
Maggie pulled back and saw the tears and guilt in Hailey’s eyes. “Hey, no more sadness. We’re all here and everything is good. Tears are bad for the baby, okay?” Then they laughed and hugged again as the men walked in.
“Everything okay in here?” John asked quietly, with Chuck coming in behind him. Hailey could see that Chuck was trying to assess the situation to see if she needed assistance and she was eternally grateful for it.
“We’re all good.” Hailey said as she wiped a tear from her eye and smiled at the guys. “Preggo hormones are the worst.” They all laughed - although the word hormones seemed to make the men a little more uncomfortable than the women. They all grabbed hot chocolate and made their way into the living room for some good conversation and even better gossip. It was small town tradition to exercise your jaw after a good meal.
Maggie and John caught Hailey up on all the small town gossip she had been missing. They told her who was married, divorced, pregnant, and more. She laughed until her side hurt and commiserated with the friends who had misfortune in their lives. Hailey was enjoying the pleasure of just gossiping with good friends.
“Oh, Hailey. Did you see the news today? It’s so good that you came back. Seattle is getting to be so dangerous. It’s so sad about that poor woman.” Maggie was shaking her head as she leaned forward and put down her mug.
“I haven’t actually seen anything on TV since I’ve gotten back. I’ve been working in the store and Gram’s been catching up on her Lifetime movies. What woman?” Hailey also put down her mug, uncertain of what Maggie was about to say next. Hailey was hoping it wasn’t going to be the thing that she was dreading, the thing she had just run hundreds of miles to get away from.
“Well, let’s turn on the TV. John, will you turn it on please? It’s been on all day. It’s like a car accident - I just can’t stop watching. Mark my words, this is going to be the next big national headline.” Maggie adjusted herself in her seat so she could see the TV as John flipped the channels to CNN. Hailey braced herself as she and Chuck turned around to see what Maggie was talking about.
Seattle socialite and heiress Erin Dalton has been found dead in her Queen Anne mansion. The police have ruled it a homicide at this time but have declined to comment on any possible leads. Her husband, Christopher Dalton, the CEO of Dalton Enterprises, Inc., has been said to be overcome with grief and unable to leave the home despite its crime scene status. More information will be reported as it becomes available.
Hailey turned to Chuck and was able to catch his eye right as she slid off the couch and fainted.
Eight
Hailey woke up to find herself in Chuck’s arms with Maggie’s face in front of her and John on his cell phone. Chuck reached over with his free hand and moved her hair out of her face and behind her ear. There were tears and worry in Maggie’s eyes. Hailey was trying to remember what happened when the reporter’s voice from CNN came through the haze and hit her ears.
We will continue to provide you with all updates regarding the tragic and brutal murder of Seattle socialite Erin Dalton as they become available. In the meantime, let’s take a look back at the life of the woman who has captured the nation’s attention.
The pain squeezed Hailey’s heart and she felt the panic deep in her soul. She saw that Maggie knew she had awakened and Maggie began to shout for John to come over.
“Hey, Hales. Just stay put okay. John called the ambulance and they are headed this way. You landed on your back so the baby should be fine but we just want to make sure. You’re okay, honey.” Maggie was stroking her arm as Hailey tried to compute what she had just said. Ambulance, ambulance, ambulance. There was a reason that was alarming her. Right - an ambulance meant a hospital with records. Traceable records.
Hailey sat up and everyone took a small step back to give her some room. “No ambulance. No hospital. Please. I’m fine.” She put her hands up to show that she was okay but serious about this request.
Maggie looked confused and John and Chuck exchanged a look that seemed to mean they would talk later. No doubt their military backgrounds were picking up on the fact that Hailey was acting strangely. But they could find her as strange as they liked as long as they just didn’t take her somewhere that created a record.
“Are you sure? It could be just a quick in and out to make sure you and the baby are okay?” Maggie seemed to be pleading with her and Hailey appreciated her concern but the only way both she and the baby would be okay is if there was no hospital involved. Hailey nodded her head that she was certain. John picked up his cell phone and called dispatch to cancel the ambulance.
“Well, this has been an exciting night but I should probably get Hailey home so she can rest.” Chuck helped Hailey to her feet and refused to let her go until he was sure that she had her footing and would not go back down again. He even carried her purse so she wouldn’t have any extra weight on her. “Maggie, the dinner was beyond delicious, as usual. And give me a call, John, when that part comes in for the car. I’ll give you a hand with it.”
They said their goodbyes and Chuck got Hailey safely back into the truck. They had gone about five miles down the road before Chuck pulled over and turned to her.
“I know I told you that I was in the military before. But what I didn’t tell you is that I was a Navy SEAL. And I was really, really good at it. I know when someone is hiding something and I know when someone is living in fear of something coming after them. Theresa is my responsibility and you being at the house makes you my responsibility as well so talk.” Chuck sat and waited for a response.
Hailey shifted in her seat, uncomfortable that she had eaten so much food when the baby was already taking so much room in her stomach. Chuck was waiting for a response that wasn’t coming. She wasn’t going to endanger anyone else with the knowledge she had. She had made that mistake once before.
“Okay, fine. You listen and I’ll talk. Here’s what I know so far. You’re scared and on the run. You came from Seattle and suddenly you pass out when CNN announces a murder of a socialite in Seattle. So I’m thinking there’s a correlation here. Did you have something to do with the murder? Do you know something?” Chuck leaned forward and looked at her like he already knew the answers.
“No, I didn’t murder her. She was my friend.” Hailey began to sob. “It’s none of your business, okay? And if I’m not welcome here, then I’ll leave. It was a long shot anyway.” Just when she thought Chuck was going to tell her to do just that, he surprised her by putting his arm around her.
“It’s okay. Take a deep breath. No more passing out, okay? Just relax. Clearly you’re in some deep shit. Lucky for you, I’m kind of experienced in shoveling shit. So let’s just go home, get some sleep and talk in the morning. We’ll figure it.” Hailey had no idea why Chuck would want to help her or why she trusted him but for a minute, she thought maybe she had a friend who could help her find a way out of this nightmare.
Nine
Hailey loved her little Seattle routine. First she would wake up and look out her tiny Ballard apartment at the locks and admire the waterview. Then she would make her way down to the local coffee shop and get a cafe au lait to sip on her way to yoga. On weekdays she could always get in a morning yoga class before heading to her job at the little flower shop by the University of Washington. Today Hailey was trying a new yoga studio and she picked a little spot by the window to roll out her mat and get comfortable as she sipped the last of the coffee before class started.
“Is this spot taken?” Hailey looked up to see a petite blonde with a tie-dye purple and pink yoga mat next to her. Hailey patted the spot to indicate its availability as she enjoyed the last sip. The blonde spread out her mat and held out her hand to Hailey. “Hi, I’m Erin Dalton. It’s my first yoga class. I�
�m usually more of a sleep-in-and-hope-my-body-wakes-up-perfect girl but I made a bet with a friend and I’m not one to back down from a bet.”
“Well, we will be in this together then because it’s my first time trying out this studio. I usually go to one closer to my apartment but I’ve heard great things and there was a Groupon so here I am.” Hailey tossed her empty coffee cup into the bin and grinned. The instructor then came in and started with the usual stretches. After that the instructor went into some crazy poses that Hailey had never seen before and she and Erin could not stop themselves from alternating between groaning and then giggling at each other’s groans.
Finally the class ended and feeling bonded over surviving the worst yoga class ever, Hailey and Erin decided to grab a bite to eat for lunch before Hailey had to get to work. By the time lunch was over, the two were fast friends and the yoga class from hell became an inside joke that they would share over the course of their friendship.
Hailey woke up and felt overcome by grief. She had dreamt about Erin and missed her desperately. She had thought something might happen to her but she never had somehow hoped that Erin would get away too. Her friend had been so kind and funny. But she had also been very, very wealthy. Hailey had always heard that the rich tended to have more problems but she thought that was a myth perpetuated by the jealous middle-class until the end of her friendship with Erin. Poor Erin. This world had lost an amazing person but all CNN kept reporting was about her socialite status. Erin was so much more than that. But Hailey couldn’t focus on that. She had to keep moving and thinking. If Erin was gone, that was one less ally in this game.
Last Chance Baby Page 2