by Jaime Maddox
It could have been worse, Rae thought. At least she hadn’t caused all the tears. When she’d left for work this morning, with Nic still sleeping on her couch, she’d hoped it wouldn’t be the last time she saw her.
The ringing of her cell phone was a welcome distraction, and even though she didn’t recognize the number, she answered anyway. “Hello.”
“Is this Rae?” a woman’s deep voice asked.
“Yes.”
“This is Jet Fox calling. I met you last night at the hospital.”
Rae’s heart went to her throat as she realized the call couldn’t be bringing good news. And when she heard Jet’s tale, she knew she was right. “So I have an hour to get her there?”
“Actually, we’re down to fifty-seven minutes.”
Rae looked at her watch, setting the stopwatch feature as she replied, “I’ll do my best.”
Only half a dozen blocks separated the DEA offices from the convention center on Arch Street, but in a business suit and loafers, Rae’s best effort was a modestly paced jog. When she stopped in front of the building, she glanced at her wrist. Forty-four minutes left.
Signs everywhere announced the medical convention and directed her upstairs to the meeting rooms. Rooms. Three topics were currently being presented, and Rae had no idea which one Dr. Coussart would have preferred, which door held the grand prize. Was she a spinal-cord-injury enthusiast or would she prefer EKGs to Remember? Or, perhaps The Difficult Airway interested her. Rae looked around and spotted two women seated at a table, beneath a banner welcoming her to the conference. She jogged over to them and looked at both as she spoke.
“Hi. I have a minor family emergency and need to find someone at the conference. Can you tell me which room Nicole Coussart’s in?”
“Oh, my. I’m sorry to hear that. Let me check,” one of the women said.
Rae glanced at her watch while the woman flipped through pages in a binder. Thirty-nine minutes left. She looked up, awaiting the woman’s response, wanting to rip the binder from her hands and find the information herself. “Oh, dear. This isn’t good.”
“What?” Rae asked. “Isn’t she here?”
“No, it’s not that. She originally signed up for Updates in Arrhythmia Management, but that was rescheduled because the speaker couldn’t make it until this afternoon. Dr. Coussart had a choice of the other three lectures, but the change wasn’t marked on her registration form.”
“So she can be in any one of those rooms?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Is it possible to have her paged?”
The woman frowned and looked to her colleague for advice. It didn’t seem like a difficult concept, but apparently they weren’t accustomed to this sort of request.
“Let me check with Dr. Scialla. He’s in charge.”
“Where is he?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you what. I’ll look for her, and you go look for him.”
Without waiting for a reply, Rae turned and headed into the lecture called The Latest in the Management of Spinal Cord Injuries. The room was darkened, and some sort of scary-looking image of the human body was displayed on monitors conveniently located throughout the auditorium, as well as on a giant screen at the front of the room. After allowing her eyes to adjust, Rae began to walk slowly along the wall toward the speaker. Nic had told her she always sat in the front, so she could see, and sure enough, that’s right where Rae found her. Quietly, she leaned down and whispered in Katie’s ear. “Bring your things, we have to go.”
The intrusion startled Nic, yet she’d never been so happy to see anyone. It was her birthday, and she should have been happy, but she’d just been stressed—about her parents’ betrayal, Katie’s situation, and because those two factors had combined to ruin a wonderful night with a really wonderful woman. Nic thought she might never see Rae again, yet here she was. The trepidation she felt at wondering why she was there was overshadowed by the thrill of seeing her.
She followed Rae, holding her questions until they were in the hallway. “What’s going on?”
Rae held her by the elbow, walking her toward the exit on Arch Street. “We have a little emergency.”
“Oh, no. Did she…die?” Nic whispered.
“No, no. Not as bad as that, thankfully. But your sister needs your help.”
“She’s not my sister, Rae.” A chill swept through her as she said it, but it was true. Katie meant nothing to her. Nothing but trouble.
“She’s still your flesh and blood, Nic. She’s in trouble, and she needs your help.”
“No. No, Rae. I can’t get involved. This is just too screwed up for me.”
Rae stopped, gripping Nic’s biceps so she couldn’t turn away. “I know this is an awful situation for you, but there’s more than yourself to worry about now, Nic. You’re a doctor, for Christ’s sake. You’re supposed to give a shit about human beings, even if they’re not perfect like you.”
“Ouch.”
Letting go of Nic, Rae turned and ran her fingers through her dark hair, looking out into a beautiful spring day with a sadness on her face that touched Nic’s heart. It wasn’t just that she liked Rae, but that Rae seemed so strong—so untouchable. That she was worried now worried Nic.
“How? What do you want me to do?” Nic eyed her suspiciously and Rae leaped into her arms, hugging her tight, then pulling back to plant a perfectly electrifying but brief kiss on her lips. Nic was speechless as they resumed walking.
Rae relayed the scant details Jet had given her. “Katie’s mom died when she was a kid. Her father remarried. Imagine Cinderella and you get the picture. Anyway, Jet went to court today to appeal for custody of Katie’s kids, and Katie’s dad was there, with the evil stepmother in tow. They want the kids. What they really want is Katie’s money, but they’ll use the kids to get it. The judge wants a family member to have the kids. You’re Katie’s only known relative, Nic. You have to do this. You have to ask for custody.”
Nic shook her head and stopped in her tracks, looking at her. “Are you out of your mind? I don’t even know this woman.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter. I didn’t even know she has kids. I know nothing about her, except she’s into drugs and guns.”
“What matters is that children—your nieces and or nephews—are in a lot of trouble. You can help them. You’re the only one who can help them.” Rae was pleading with her, as if she knew these children, as if she cared.
Nic closed her eyes and thought about the facts, wondering if it was really as serious as Rae seemed to think it was. And then she thought of her own perfectly prim-and-proper parents and her perfectly normal life. How had Katie gotten so screwed up? Probably because of her parents. Nic didn’t know that she could help in the long run—that was Katie’s job. But might she prevent them from getting into the wrong hands while their mother recovered from her wounds? Did she dare take on this massive responsibility? “How many children?”
Seeming to sense progress in her argument, Rae gently grabbed an arm and pulled Katie toward a waiting taxi. “I’m not quite sure.”
Opening the door, Rae gently pushed Nic inside and gave the driver the address they needed.
Suddenly frightened, Nic clutched Rae’s arm. “Rae, it doesn’t even matter, really, how many. I’m allergic to children. They’re messy and write on the walls with crayons and break stuff. And I’m irresponsible. I can’t even keep a damn plant alive.”
Rae laughed and placed her hand on Nic’s thigh. “Kids are easier than plants. They know when to ask for food and water.”
“You’re out of your mind. I can’t take her kids. Besides, I don’t even know them.”
“Neither does her father. Will you please just meet them? They could be really great kids.”
“And they could be little drug dealers like their parents.”
“Jet’s crazy about them.”
“Yeah, well, I think she need
s her head examined. What’s a respectable nurse who works for my aunt doing hanging around with drug dealers?”
Rae turned, giving Nic her full attention. “Nic, do you suppose it’s possible there may be more to this story than you’ve heard on the news?”
Nic looked down her nose at Rae and scowled.
“From what Jet said at the hospital last night, it sounds like Katie was in the wrong place at the wrong time. You read about it every day in the newspapers and see it on TV. Can’t you give Katie the benefit of the doubt until you know the whole story?”
Nic leaned back and rested her head against the taxi’s warn seat, still staring at Rae. “Why? Why should I? This is not my problem, Rae.”
“Because, Nic, whether you like it or not, or whether you acknowledge it or not, Katie Finan is your sister.”
Nic didn’t respond, but instead turned again and stared out the window, not seeing anything but the image in her mind of Katie’s still form in the ICU bed. She digested Rae’s words as she replayed the scene from the hospital. Katie and her children meant nothing to her. She had no obligation. So why was she sitting in the cab on her way to court? Was it curiosity? Or some deeper need, that childhood desire for a sister beginning to ooze from the depths of her, where it’d been buried for so long? Or did she just want to be with Rae?
After a few minutes of silence, Rae squeezed her thigh. “I’m sorry about last night,” she whispered.
“What?” Nic turned and met Rae’s eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
“Whatever for?”
“For not doing anything to help you.”
Nic swallowed. Rae had done so much the night before just by being there. She’d sat beside her in the hospital and in the car, and then later, she’d fed her cookie dough, and listened to her, and then held her and made her feel safe, in spite of all the turmoil. Nic couldn’t remember ever falling asleep in a woman’s arms before this early morning with Rae. She smiled at the memory. “Rae, you were perfect last night.”
“Really?”
Nic gave her a hint of a smile. “Yes, perfect. Thank you for being there for me. I…I really didn’t know who else to talk to.”
Rae squeezed Nic’s hand. “I’m here with you now, Nic. And I’m on vacation next week, so I’m available to baby sit if you need me.”
“Me or them?”
Rae chuckled. “Whatever you need.”
The cab pulled to the curb, and Rae paid the driver and glanced at her watch. There was little traffic at this hour and they’d made it with twenty minutes to spare. Following signs to the designated courtroom, Nic noticed a group of people huddled just outside the doors. Jet was among them, with an older couple and two children. She stopped.
“Oh, my God. They’re black.”
Rae followed Nic’s gaze and saw the children, a girl of about nine and boy of six or so. Their skin was the color of coffee with extra crème, their hair suggestive of African ancestry. “Yep, it looks like they are.”
“Oh, wow. I wasn’t expecting this.”
“Is it a problem?”
Nic looked at Rae. She still hadn’t decided whether to take them, but their skin color wasn’t the issue. They could have been green or purple. She was just shocked, having assumed they would be as fair skinned as she was. Nic was concerned only that they were young enough to have needs she likely couldn’t satisfy and that they’d require her time and attention. “No, I suppose it isn’t,” she said softly as she looked at them, and realized that for only the second time in her life she was looking at someone who was her flesh and blood.
And then they were spotted, and before Jet could stop him, the boy sprinted across the hallway and threw himself around her. “Mommy! I’ve been missing you so much,” he mumbled into her stomach.
“Andre. Hey, buddy, take it easy,” Jet said as she caught up with him.
Nic knelt, peeling him away from her, and looked him in the eyes. She searched his face for a resemblance, but she could find none. And then she pulled herself back to reality and wondered what the hell was she supposed to say to him? She took a deep breath. “Hi, Andre. My name is Nicole. I know I look a lot like your mommy. Do you want to know why?”
Pulling back, he looked confused and afraid as he turned to Jet for comfort. She kneeled down as well and he backed into her arms. She kissed him on the cheek. “It’s okay, buddy.”
“Who are you?” This question came from the girl.
Nic stayed down at Andre’s level but looked up at her and smiled. In her, she saw the resemblance of family. The hair was wrong, as was the eye color, but the shape of her face, the nose and mouth, and the serious look she gave Nic, reminded Nic of herself at that age. “My name is Nicole. What’s yours?”
“Chloe. Why do you look like my mom?” Her voice was strong, her posture challenging.
Nicole leaned back an inch to give her more space. “Well, Chloe, that’s a great question. She’s my sister.”
Chloe shook her head and jutted her hip, full of nine-year-old attitude. “My mom doesn’t have a sister.”
“It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it? We’ve never known each other, but we’re sisters.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Would you like to see my driver’s license? It has my birthday on it. My birthday is…today. Just like your mom’s.” It was hard to believe this was her birthday. She’d celebrated some unusual birthdays in her thirty years. Because school was usually dismissed for the summer by the time June fourteenth came, she’d spent her birthdays on many different vacations. She’d been all over Europe, hiking in Colorado, and white water rafting in Idaho. Because medical school doesn’t allow for summer holidays, once, as a student, she delivered a baby on her birthday. But just like that memorable date at Dalessandro’s, this day would forever be remembered.
Nic reached into her purse and retrieved her wallet and the ID she was looking for. She handed it to Chloe.
Chloe took the card from Nic, eyeing it suspiciously before she glanced up, looking not at Nic but at Jet.
“Is this true? Does my mom really have a sister?”
“Yeah, isn’t that great?”
“Why can’t we see Mommy?” Andre interjected.
“You will, in a couple of days. Until then, though, the judge is going to ask Nic to take care of you. Just until your mom is out of the hospital.”
“I don’t wanna go with her. Why can’t we stay with you?”
Jet hugged him tighter for a second, then opened her arms to Chloe and included her in the hug. “I want to be with you guys, but your mom needs me, too. So when I’m with your mom, Nic is going to watch you.”
Nic wanted to point out to Jet that she hadn’t agreed to do this, and Jet seemed to sense her hesitation. “Now guys, I need to talk to Nic for a minute. Can you go back over there with my mom and dad?”
They nodded, and she pushed them in the direction of her parents before turning to look at Nicole. “First of all, thanks for coming.” Jet glanced at her watch, and noted they only had a few minutes to spare. “My parents and the kids just got here a minute before you. Fortunately, they don’t live too far away.”
“Yeah, it was pretty lucky that Rae knew how to find me,” Nic offered.
“Well, I can see the fear all over your face, and I know this is sort of out of left field, but you’re my only chance of getting the kids.”
“What do you mean? You want them?”
“Well, yeah. Of course. I just need you to talk the judge into giving you custody, and then you’re free. I’ll take total responsibility for them.”
Nic looked up at Jet, who seemed to be about three feet taller than her, and took a step forward, challenging her. “Wait a minute, here. You want me to lie to the judge?”
“Lie is a strong word.”
“No, it’s an accurate word.”
Jet leaned against the wall and closed her eyes for a moment. Nic thought she looked tired and realized she’d probably b
een at the hospital all night. “I’m sorry for putting you in this position, Nicole. I really, really wish it hadn’t turned out this way, but it did. And this was all I could think of. If you have another idea, I’d be happy to listen. I just don’t know what else to do. I can’t let those people have these kids. They turned Katie into the street when she was fifteen years old. They abused her and abandoned her. They’re unfit to care for a gerbil. These are sweet, innocent kids caught up in this nightmare, and I just want to protect them.”
“I can’t lie to a judge, Jet. I just can’t.” Nic shook her head, feeling like she was shaking all over, about to jump off a cliff. “But I’ll take the kids, if he’ll give them to me. They can stay with me.”
Jet closed her eyes, clearly fighting tears, then ran her fingers through her hair. “I’ll help as much as I can.”
“Me, too.” Rae winked at her, and suddenly Nic felt a little bit better.
“Okay, let’s do this.”
In the courtroom, Nic saw the Finan family and immediately understood Jet’s fears. When the older woman saw her, she eyed her suspiciously, as if inspecting her to see if she was an imposter wearing a Katie Finan mask. Nic turned her back to them and gave her attention to Katie’s kids. Her niece and nephew.
“So are you guys hungry? I’m famished. I had to skip lunch to come get you.”
“We had pancakes for breakfast,” Andre volunteered, suddenly quite friendly. “At Denny’s.”
Chloe was silent while Andre was a chatterbox. Apparently, he wasn’t going to stonewall her, but Nic could see she’d have a tough job breaking through Chloe’s armor. Before she could speak again, the judge was announced and they all turned their attention in his direction.
“Do you want me to represent you?” Rae asked.
“Can you do that?” Nic asked.
“I’m a lawyer. Of course I can.”
Rae approached the bench and made her introduction to the judge.
“Well, let’s get this over with, then.” The judge apparently wanted his lunch, too.
Nic came forward and stood at the table beside Rae. She introduced herself to Judge Rova, and the Finans’ attorney immediately asked for ID. For the second time in ten minutes she produced it.