Allie Everhart's Blog, page 15

Scene from Only Her – Garret’s POV

In this scene, Garret is 15 and having dinner with Lilly, who is 2.

——–

GARRET

Why did the plane crash have to happen? Everything was so perfect, and then it all ended and it’s never been the same.

“Garrah!” Lilly’s holding a piece of carrot up to my face. I pretend to bite her fingers as I take it from her. She laughs and falls back on my chest.

“Come on, Lilly.” I point to her plate. “You need to eat your dinner.”

She sits up again and picks at her chicken. But I’ve lost all interest in mine.

“Remember that day?” I ask Charles. “When I asked her to stay?”



That day is still so fresh in my mind. Like it happened just yesterday. My mom, Dad, and I had gone out for pancakes in the morning, then went to my basketball game in the afternoon. Charles was at our house that day, making cookies for a bake sale.

He sets his dish rag down, his face serious. “Yes. I remember. But I’d already left when you asked her.”

“But before you left, my mom seemed happy, right? I mean, she wanted to go?”

“Garret.” He comes back to the table. “You shouldn’t relive this. You can’t go back and change it.”

“I know. But just tell me.”

“Yes. She wanted to go. She was excited about it. She and your dad hadn’t been on a trip together, just the two of them, for a long time.”

“Dad won’t tell me anything about that weekend. I’ve asked him, but he won’t tell me.”

“It’s hard for him to talk about.”

“It’s been five years. By now, he should be able to tell me.” I set my fork on my plate. “I don’t even have a photo of her.”

Charles sighs. “Your father never should’ve thrown those out.”

“I went online and printed out the ones I could find of her. There weren’t that many, but at least it’s something. Don’t tell my dad.”

“I won’t.” He pauses. “Garret, maybe you should see someone again.”

“I’m not going to counseling again. I’ve talked about it enough. Like you said, I can’t change the past.”

Katherine storms into the kitchen. “Charles, the potatoes were completely overcooked!”

He rolls his eyes as he stands up, but he’s facing me so only I could see his eye roll. I laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Katherine asks.

“You. Complaining about the potatoes, when millions of people are starving right now.”

“What is she doing?” Katherine points to Lilly, who’s stuffing a piece of chicken in her mouth.

“Eating her dinner,” I answer, knowing that’s not what she’s asking. But I like pissing Katherine off. I used to try to get along with her, but it was completely pointless. No matter what I say, she finds a way to turn it into a fight.

“What is she doing on your LAP instead of in her CHAIR?” she asks, her voice raised.

“She didn’t like the chair,” I say casually, as I take a bite of potatoes. “They’re not overcooked,” I say to Charles. He gives me a smile, but Katherine can’t see it because he’s facing the sink.

“She needs to be in her high chair, Garret. It is unacceptable for…”

She keeps talking but I just ignore her. I check the clock. It’s almost eight. Lilly has eaten most of her dinner, so I push my chair back and get up and take Lilly over to Katherine.

“She’s all yours.” I hold her in front of me.

Katherine steps back, motioning to her white dress. “I can’t take her. Her hands are a mess.”

“You’re saying you won’t hold your own daughter?”

Charles comes over and takes her. “I’ll clean her up.” He takes Lilly to the sink and starts wiping her hands.

I turn to leave and hear Katherine yelling at me, “Where are you going? You have to watch her!”

“I’m going out. Dad said it was okay.”

“But we have two more courses to be served!” she yells as I walk away. She cares more about her dinner party than her daughter. Worst. Mother. Ever!

Only Her Teaser and Pre-Order

ONLY HER comes out November 1st! Last book in the series!

Pre-Order on Amazon – http://amzn.to/1VYuOLE

Add to Goodreads – http://bit.ly/1LVJBkJ

 

Release Date for ONLY HER

Bonus Scene – Jade’s Early Years

Here’s a bonus scene that’s a prequel to The Jade Series. It takes place when Jade is 3 years old and is written from her mom’s point of view.

——————-

JULIE

“Come on, baby girl, we’ve gotta go.” I chase after her but she keeps running away. It’s after eleven and if we don’t hurry we’ll miss the bus and then I’ll miss my appointment and I can’t miss it.

Jade hides under the kitchen table and I feel my anger rising. She does this all the time. She’s always hiding and it makes me angry. She’s only three so I know I shouldn’t be angry at her for just acting her age, but I can’t help it. I can’t seem to control my anger, not just with her but with anyone.

I need my pills. My pills will make me feel better. But I’m all out, which is why I can’t miss my appointment at the free mental health clinic.

“Jade.” I stand by the table, leaning down to see her bright green eyes looking back at me. “Get over here. Right now!”

She doesn’t budge so I get down on my hands and knees and crawl under the table just enough so I can grab her.

“No,” she says. “Don’t wanna go.”

“We have to go. Mommy needs her pills.”

She shakes her head. “No, Mommy. No.”

She does this every time I tell her we’re going to the clinic. She doesn’t like it there. She doesn’t like waiting while I talk to the doctor, and she doesn’t like the doctor. He’s a psychiatrist and seems very smart, but he’s not good with children. He either ignores Jade or scolds her if she makes a noise.

“I’ll be quick today,” I tell her. “We won’t be there long.”

“No.” She’s crying now. “No doctor.”

As I grab my purse, she struggles with me, trying to get down. “No!” she cries, kicking her legs. “Don’t wanna go!”

“Stop it!” I scream it at her and she stills, her crying now silent tears. She’s looking at me like she’s scared to death of me. Why does she always look at me that way? Why is she scared of me? Have I hurt her? I don’t think I have, but I can’t remember. I can never remember anything. Yesterday. Last week. Last year. It’s all a blur.

I hug her, squeezing her into me. “I’m sorry, baby girl. I didn’t mean to yell at you.” My voice is shaking. My whole body is shaking. I need those pills. They’ll stop the shaking and calm my nerves.

“Mommy.” Jade hugs me back, her tiny arms around my neck. Her sticky hands catch in my long hair, pulling it, and it hurts. It makes me angry again and I want to yell at her, but I force myself not to and walk out the front door, fumbling through my purse for my keys. I lock the door, then run to the bus stop, trying to hold onto Jade. I don’t have a car. I had to sell it because I needed the money.

We make it to the bus stop just in time. It’s cold out, but I’m hot and sweaty from running so fast.

“Sit still,” I say to Jade once we’re seated on the bus. She’s on my lap, facing forward, but she keeps rocking back and forth. Her constant movement makes me nervous, agitated. I try to stay calm, taking deep breaths.

There’s an older woman sitting next to us holding a little boy about Jade’s age. He has brown hair and is dressed in jeans and a red jacket that looks brand new. I don’t have money for new clothes. All Jade’s clothes and my clothes come from free donations I get from a church down the street. But they don’t always have Jade’s size so most of the clothes she has now are too small.

Jade’s staring at the little boy and I notice she’s still wearing her pajamas. I forgot to put different clothes on her. Why didn’t I notice this before? What is wrong with me? And her hair. It’s a mess. I forgot to brush it. I run my hands over it, trying to tame the long brown strands which are sticking up every which way.

“Want one?” I hear the little boy say. I look over and see his hand stretched out across the aisle toward Jade. He’s holding a donut that has some bites taken out of it.

Jade reaches for it and I slap her hand. “No!”

She brings her hand back to her side and I feel her shaking a little.

I scared her again. Why did I do that? Why did I hit her? What is wrong with me?

“Sorry about that,” the older woman holding the little boy says to me. She talks to the boy. “Honey, she doesn’t want the donut you already ate. Give her a new one.”

He nods as the older woman picks up a box of donuts that was sitting on the seat next to her. She holds it while the little boy lifts open the lid. He waits for Jade to take one but she won’t.

“Go ahead, honey,” the woman says to Jade. “Take whichever one you want.”

Jade peers up at me, fear in her big green eyes.

“It’s okay,” I tell her. “You can have one.”

She keeps her eyes on me. She doesn’t believe me. She doesn’t trust me.

What have I done to her? I honestly don’t know. I don’t remember. I love her. I know I love her. I feel it in my heart. So why is she scared of me? Why doesn’t she trust me?

“Is she not allowed to have one?” the woman asks.

“Oh, um, no. She can have one.” I quickly take one from the box and give it to Jade. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” the woman says.

Jade’s holding the donut I gave her but not eating it. I think she’s afraid to. Afraid I’ll get mad. She lifts it up to me. “Mommy, you have it.”

“No. That’s okay. It’s yours.”

“Would you like one?” the woman asks, offering me the box.

I haven’t eaten since yesterday so I take one. “Thank you.” I look down at Jade. “Thank the nice lady for the donuts.”

Jade turns and looks at her. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, sweetie.” She smiles at her.

I devour the donut and notice Jade does the same thing. Did I not feed her today? Oh, God, I don’t think I did.

“How old is she?” the woman asks.

“Three,” I say, wiping the sugar off Jade’s little hands.

“I would’ve guessed younger. She’s so tiny.” She bounces the little boy on her leg. “This is my grandson, Thomas. He’s also three. He just turned three last month.”

I look at the boy. He’s much bigger than Jade. More filled out. But he is a boy, and boys are usually bigger. But Jade is even small for a little girl. Her arms and legs are so thin and tiny. Do I not feed her enough? Is this morning not the first time I forgot to feed her?

The woman gets up, hoisting the little boy onto her hip. “This is our stop. It was nice meeting you.”

“Yes. Thank you for the donuts.”

“You can have the rest.” She smiles at Jade. “She seems to like them.”

The woman leaves and I notice the box of donuts still sitting there. The bus moves and I reach over and grab the box before it slides off the seat. There are six donuts left and Jade and I devour them, finishing all six by the time we reach our stop.

The clinic is five blocks from the bus stop and I practically run to make it there on time. The doctor gets angry if I’m late. When I get there, I go in the bathroom and quickly clean off my hands and Jade’s, then sit in the waiting room.

“Julie.” Dr. Waltin appears at the door to his office. He’s in his late forties, thin, with gray hair and black-rimmed glasses. He reminds me of a college professor. I used to go to college, but I don’t remember ever going. I only know I went because I have photos of me at college and paperwork proving my enrollment there.

I get up, and as I’m walking past Dr. Waltin, Jade clings to me and says, “Mommy, no.”

“It’s okay,” I tell her. “We won’t be here long.”

“How have you been, Julie?” Dr. Waltin asks, taking a seat behind his desk. I’m sitting across from him with Jade still clinging to me, facing away from the doctor.

“I’m struggling,” I say to him. “I’m shaky and agitated and I keep forgetting things. I think I forgot to feed Jade this morning. And I didn’t realize she was still in her pajamas until we were on our way here.”

He nods. “I see. Perhaps we’ll need to adjust your medication.”

“Yes. I think that would be good.” I rock Jade a little, and rub her back. “I’m worried.”

“Worried about what?”

“That I can’t take care of her.”

He glances at her. “She seems fine to me.”

“I…I can’t even remember feeding her this morning. Don’t you think that’s bad?”

He taps his pen on the desk. “I’m sure you fed her. Besides, children her age let you know when they’re hungry. She probably cried and then you fed her.”

“But I don’t remember doing that. I don’t remember anything. Not what happened yesterday or the day before. What is wrong with me?”

“You’ve been through something traumatic. And when that happens, the brain can sometimes shut down. I’m sure, in time, your memory will return.”

“What happened to me?” I ask for probably the millionth time. I don’t remember asking, but I’m sure I ask this every time I come here.

“Your parents were killed in a gas explosion that took down their entire house. It was an unfortunate accident, and you haven’t been able to get past it. You were very close to your parents.”

“Did I have Jade when they died?”

“No. But you were pregnant with her. That’s another reason for your psychological trauma. Your parents were furious with you for getting pregnant out of wedlock. They threatened to disown you. You were devastated.”

“Who is her father?”

He clears his throat. “A man you met at a bar. A one-night stand. At least that’s what you told me. You said he was only in town for the night and you couldn’t remember his name.”

I don’t recall telling him that, but it must be true if that’s what I told him. He wouldn’t just make that up.

Dr. Waltin gets up from his chair. “I’ll make the adjustments to your medication. It’ll be delivered to your home this afternoon.”

“We’re done already?” I came all this way for just a few minutes of his time? I thought he’d spend at least ten minutes with me.

“Mommy, go,” Jade says, pointing to the door.

As I stand up, the doctor says, “Not yet. There’s someone you need to talk to first.”

“Who?”

“One of my fellow psychiatrists. He’s in town and wanted to meet you. I told him about your case. He’s doing a study on trauma and memory loss. It won’t take long. Just wait there.”

I sit down again as he goes out the back door of his office.

“Mommy, I want to go.”

“I know,” I say, rocking Jade. “Just a little longer, then we’ll go home.”

A man walks in. He has dark hair and he’s wearing a black suit. He’s much younger than Dr. Walstin, probably just a few years older than me. Maybe mid- to late twenties?

“Hello, Julia.” He walks up to me and holds out his hand, his dark eyes boring into mine. I suddenly feel very nervous, even more agitated than normal. And the donuts I ate aren’t sitting well in my stomach. I almost feel like I might throw up. And why did he call me Julia? My name is Julie, not Julia.

“Hello.” I quickly shake his hand.

“I’m Dr. Sinclair. It’s nice to see you again.”

“Again? We met before?”

He laughs to himself and sits in Dr. Walstin’s chair. “We did indeed. It’s a shame you don’t remember.”

“Dr. Waltin said you wanted to talk about my memory problems,” I say, wanting to hurry this along so I can leave. I don’t like this man.

“Yes.” His eyes fix on mine. “So you remember nothing about your past?”

“I remember bits and pieces of my childhood, and I sort of remember my parents, but other than that, no.”

“And the child. You don’t remember having her? Or the pregnancy?”

“No, not at all.”

“That’s too bad.” He smiles as he says it. Why would he smile about that? “I’ve heard that one of a woman’s greatest moments in life is the day her child is born. And yet you don’t remember it.”

I feel a pang of guilt and an overwhelming sadness at his comment. I don’t remember the day Jade was born. Why don’t I remember? How could I forget that?

“Let me see the child,” he says.

“You want to see Jade? Why?”

“Don’t ask questions. Just put her down.” His tone is harsh, almost angry, and somewhat familiar. Why is it familiar? Did he talk like that to me the last time he saw me?

“Hurry up,” he says. “My time is limited.”

I set Jade down but she keeps hold of my sweater. “No, Mommy.”

“This man just wants to say hi to you, okay?”

She shakes her head. “No.”

“It’s okay. Just say hi and then we’ll go.”

Dr. Sinclair walks around the desk and stares at Jade. “She seems small for three.”

“How did you know she’s three?”

His eyes dart up to mine. “Dr. Waltin told me. And I have a child her age.”

“You do?” I feel a little better knowing he’s a father. I glance down at his hand and see his wedding ring. “Boy or a girl?” I ask.

“Girl.” He points at Jade. “Why is she in pajamas?”

“I didn’t have a chance to change her this morning.”

“It’s almost noon. The child should be dressed by now.”

“Yes.” I look down. “I know.”

He reaches down and picks up Jade.

I jump up from my chair. “What are you doing?”

“I’m just saying hello.”

She starts crying and reaching for me. “Mommy!”

“Give her back!” I yell.

“In a minute,” he says, using that harsh, angry tone again.

He goes over to Dr. Waltin’s chair and sits down with Jade. She’s crying even harder. She doesn’t like Dr. Sinclair and neither do I. There’s something not right about him.

“Make her stop crying,” he says.

“I can’t. She’s not good with strangers. We don’t go out much.”

“Fine.” He sets her down and she runs back to me. I pick her up and hold her, rocking her to stop her crying. “It’s okay, baby. Mommy’s here.”

“She has green eyes,” he says. “Is that why you named her Jade?”

“I don’t really know. I guess. I don’t remember.” I hold her tighter as she continues to cry. Normally, her crying would bother me, but right now, it doesn’t. I have this strong urge to soothe her, and protect her from this man.

He stands up. “I think I’ve seen enough. You and the child can go now.”

He leaves out the back office door but I remain in the room, trying to calm Jade down. She finally stops crying and I hear the two men talking in the hall.

“Fix her damn medication, you fool!” I hear Dr. Sinclair say. “She’s so out of it she’s not feeding the child.”

“She said she’s feeding her,” Dr. Waltin says.

“Are you blind? The child is skin and bones. We’ll have child protective services investigating if you don’t fix this! They’ll take the child!”

“Fine. I’ll make sure to adjust it, Mr. Sinclair.”

Mr. Sinclair? Why didn’t he call him doctor?

“I’ll be checking in again, and next time, that child better be fed.”

“Yes, Sir.”

I hear feet stomping down the hall.

Child protective services? What does he mean? Would someone try to take Jade from me? No. That can’t happen. I need my baby girl. I hold her against my chest and kiss her head and continue rocking her.

Who was that man? He didn’t seem like a psychiatrist. He barely asked me any questions. In fact, he seemed more interested in Jade than in me.

He seemed so familiar. His tone. His face. That smile. His smile reminded me of someone.

“Mommy?” Jade sits back and looks at me.

“Yes, baby. We’ll go home now.”

She smiles and I gasp. Her smile. It looks exactly like the smile I saw on Dr. Sinclair, but how can that be?

“Julie.” Dr. Walstin appears again. “You can go now. Your medication will be delivered this afternoon.”

“Yes. Okay.” I get up and the doctor turns to leave. “Dr. Walstin?”

“Yes.”

“That man. Dr. Sinclair. Did you say he was a psychiatrist?”

“That’s correct. Why do you ask?”

“I’ve met him before.”

“No,” he says quickly, his eyes narrowed. “You’ve never met him.”

“But he said that we had–” I stop, not wanting to say anymore. Dr. Waltin already thinks I’m crazy. I don’t want him thinking I’m even crazier.

But I feel like I know Dr. Sinclair. I feel like we spent time together, but not here. Not at this clinic. It was somewhere else. He said we’d met before, but where? When? And why does his smile look exactly like Jade’s?

Book Description for Only Her

Final book of the series!

After a tragic loss, Pearce has been forced to go on with his life but he’s done so without success. He’s consumed with work and neglecting Garret, the only remaining piece of Rachel he has left. It isn’t until Pearce is at risk of losing his son that he finally wakes up and begins to change back into the man he used to be before she was gone. But part of him will never be the same. He’ll never be completely whole without her.

Rachel has been waiting for years without a word from anyone, until one day, she finally receives a message. But not the one she wants. Despite this major setback, she’s determined to leave the place that was never supposed to be her home. She has a family. A life. And she refuses to give it up, even if it means risking everything to get it back.

Despite the years and distance between them, and all the people trying to keep them apart, their love for each other remains. But it’ll take more than love to bring them back together.

Cover Reveal for Only Her

Release Day for Protecting Her

Protecting Her is now available! And now that it’s out, I’m busy working on book four, the last book in the series. I don’t have a release date yet but it won’t be too long of a wait.

Amazon – http://amzn.to/1PRoqEz

Kobo – http://bit.ly/1MXDwKv

iTunes – http://apple.co/1i4Pncx

Scene from Protecting Her – Halloween

RACHEL

“Which store do you want to go to?” I ask Garret. We’re on the hunt for a Halloween costume. It’s Tuesday, and Halloween is on Thursday, but Garret couldn’t decide on a costume so we didn’t get one yet.

“Jared got his at the mall. He’s gonna be a fireman.”

“What do you want to be? Have you decided yet?” I turn onto the road that takes us to the mall. We don’t have a mall in our small town but there’s one that’s not far from the gym we just left.

“Maybe a football player,” he says. “Or a baseball player.”

He’s so obsessed with sports. It’s all he talks about. In order to have conversations with him, I had to have Pearce give me lessons in every sport. My dad taught me about football but that’s it. I didn’t know anything about soccer or baseball or basketball.

“You could be a superhero,” I say.

“I guess.” He doesn’t sound too excited about that. “What was dad when he was a kid?”

“Your dad didn’t dress up for Halloween. Your grandparents didn’t celebrate it.”

“Why not?”

“They’re not really into holidays.”

“I love holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. Except I don’t like Valentine’s Day. It’s for girls.”

“It’s not just for girls. It’s for everyone. Someday you’ll like a girl and you’ll want to give her a valentine.”

“No way.” I glance at him in the rearview mirror and see him making a face. “I’ll never like a girl enough to give her a valentine.”

“Not now, but you will someday.” It makes me wonder what his future wife will be like and when he’ll meet her. Will he meet her in college? Or maybe he’ll meet her at work, when he’s older.

“I do NOT like Alyssa,” he proclaims. “You need to have a talk with that girl, Mom.” He’s so serious I almost laugh.

“What’s wrong with Alyssa?”

“She wants to be my girlfriend. I told her no but she didn’t listen. She told me she’s gonna tell her whole class I’m her boyfriend.”

“It’s okay, honey. You don’t go to her school. Nobody will know who she’s talking about.”

“I don’t care. I still don’t like her. She wears too much pink and she smells funny.”

“Garret, that’s her perfume.” I’m trying really hard not to laugh.

“Well, it stinks.”

Pre-Order Protecting Her

Protecting Her comes out September 8th. You can pre-order the book now at Amazon, Kobo, and iTunes.

Amazon – http://amzn.to/1PRoqEz

Kobo – http://bit.ly/1MXDwKv

iTunes – http://apple.co/1i4Pncx

 

Protecting Her – Sneak Peek!

Here’s the first half of chapter one. This is from Pearce’s POV.

Note: Contains spoilers if you haven’t read Needing Her and Keeping Her.

———————————————————

I’ve been waiting all day to see her and the nurse finally gave me the okay. I walk in her room and see Rachel lying there resting, her eyes closed. She’s hooked up to an IV and monitors.

I hate seeing her this way. They said she’ll be okay, but still. I feel guilty, thinking maybe I should’ve told her no. I knew the risks involved with her having a child, and yet I let her do it anyway. And then she almost died giving birth. If she had, I would’ve blamed myself. I’d always blame myself if anything ever happened to her.

I sit on the side of her bed and gently take her hand in mine.

“Pearce.” Her eyes open and she looks at me.

“I’m here, sweetheart.” I lean down and kiss her forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” she says, struggling to keep her eyes open.

“Go ahead and rest. I’ll be right here.”

“I’m okay. I’ll sleep later.” She smiles weakly. “Did you hold him yet?”

“Yes.” I smile, which seems to happen every time I think of him. “I’ve held him several times now.”

Her face lights up, like she got a sudden burst of energy. “Tell me about him.”

“He has your eyes. Beautiful blue eyes.”

“Maybe they’re your eyes. You have blue eyes too.”

“Yes, but mine are a silvery blue. His are bright blue, like yours. Like a bright blue sky on a sunny day.”

She smiles even wider. “When can I see him?”

“Whenever you’re ready. The nurse was just waiting for you to wake up. I’ll go tell her you’re awake.”

Just then, the door swings open and the nurse wheels the baby in. “Are you ready to meet your son?”

“Yes,” Rachel says, smiling as she watches the nurse pick him up.

Rachel sits up straighter and the nurse hands her the baby.

“I’ll give you some time with him,” the nurse says.

When she’s gone, I look over at Rachel and see tears running down her cheeks.

I lightly rub her arm. “Rachel, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she says, gazing down at the baby. “Everything’s perfect. Absolutely perfect. We have a baby, Pearce. A beautiful baby boy.” She lifts him up and kisses him. “I love you so much,” she says to him. “I loved you before you were even born.”

She skims her finger over his cheek. His eyes are open, watching her. “Garret Evans Kensington,” she says to him. “That’s your name. Did your daddy already tell you that?”

I smile at him. “Yes. We went over that. We’ve already had several father-son talks while you were resting.”

Garret’s eyes moved over to me as I spoke, and are still on me now.

“Look at how he responds to you,” Rachel says. “He knows your voice, Pearce. He knows you’re his father.”

“Yes. I noticed that earlier. He responds to you as well.”

She speaks to the baby again. “You are so precious. And so sweet. And handsome like your daddy.”

She talks to him some more, and kisses him, and looks at him. I just watch them interact. Rachel’s so happy. Happier than I’ve ever seen her.

After a while, she looks up at me, “Would you like to hold him?”

“You should. You haven’t had any time with him. I’ll have plenty of time with him when I take him home.”

“Will you be okay? Taking him home by yourself?”

“Yes. Of course.” It’s a lie. I’m terrified of taking him home. I don’t know how to care for an infant. I was counting on Rachel to do that, and I’d just be there to help. But they’re keeping her in the hospital for a few more days and sending the baby home with me sometime tomorrow.

“Pearce, it’s a lot of work. He’ll be up all night. You have to feed him, change him, get him to sleep.”

“I know. I can handle it.”

“Maybe one of the neighbors could help. Mrs. Landow had three children.”

Rachel’s referring to the woman who lives next door to us. She’s a very nice woman, but she’s elderly and has numerous health problems.

“Mrs. Landow can barely care for herself. And I don’t like asking our neighbors for assistance. I can take care of him. It’s just for a few days.”

“Still, I think you might need some help. What about Martha?”

“Martha and Jack are still in Europe on vacation.”

“That’s right. I forgot.” She pauses. “What about your mother?”

“No,” I answer quickly. “That’s not an option. Besides, she hired a nanny to care for me. She wouldn’t know what to do with a baby.”

“Pearce, I’m sure she took care of you at least some of the time. You should call her.”

“My parents aren’t even aware that we had the baby. And given that they haven’t spoken to us in almost two years, I doubt my mother would even answer my call.”

Rachel’s eyes are on Garret. “Maybe it’s time to end this. Maybe it’s time to reach out to them and try to be a family again. I’m sure they’d like to meet their grandson.”

“Let’s not talk about this right now. Let’s just enjoy the baby before the nurse comes back.” As I say it, she walks in and takes Garret back to the nursery.

Rachel falls asleep. I remain there, waiting until she wakes up again, then spend a few more hours with her before heading home.