“I didn’t get where I am by letting people walk all over me, either. I respect the fighter attitude, Ms. Lewis. Even when it’s me you’re fighting.”
I nodded, unsure of what to say.
“If you ever decide to leave this place, let me know. We have openings for people with your attitude.”
“Thank you. I’m going to be opening my own business soon,” I said. I don’t know why I told him. Perhaps to gain further praise. Perhaps to show I didn’t need him.
“Well, if you need investors…” He pulled a card from his pocket.
“Th-thank you, Mr. Anderson.” I suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed for my outburst.
“Don’t back down, Ms. Lewis. It’s that fighter spirit I’m betting on. Don’t lose it.” With that, he walked past me, phone already out, and he was gone.
From her office, Dannika stood, thumbs up, a question on her expression. I looked down, noticing the dark patches on my blazer. I didn’t have time to talk. I hurried to my own office and grabbed my bags, then walked back to hers. I passed by Mr. Cumberland’s office, staring through the glass walls. His office was double the size of the rest of the offices, but unlike ours, his was empty. Impersonal. Plain. He had no family or friends to boast about on his walls. He barely looked up from his phone call, waving at me as I walked past.
“I’m heading out,” I told her. Her eyes traveled to the stains when I moved my arm from in front of my chest.
“Oh, my God. Do you need a jacket?”
“Do you have one?” I asked.
She jumped up, pulling hers from the back of her chair and wrapping it around me. “There you go. What happened?”
“We got the deal, but it took longer than expected,” I said. “I’ll fill you in tomorrow, okay? I just need to get to the car.”
“Pump while you drive, if you need to. I had to do it plenty of times.”
“Will you let Cumberland know I’m leaving early?”
“Honey, you just secured the biggest client of the year. Cumberland should be kissing your feet.” She giggled, tossing her braids over her shoulder. “Get home and snuggle that baby for me, okay?”
I nodded and darted from the office, planning to do just that.
Thirty-five minutes later, I parallel parked in front of the apartment building and pulled the bags of milk from my pump, careful not to spill any. I placed them carefully into the cooler, shoving my breasts back into my bra and stepping from the car. I crossed the quiet street and hurried up the stairs, twisting my key in the knob.
The apartment was eerily quiet.
“Ben?” I called in a whisper, setting my bags down on the sofa. I crossed through the living room and kitchen and down the hall, heading into the bedroom. “Are you guys napping?” I pushed open the bedroom door, my blood running cold. “Ben?”
The room was empty. I stepped back into the hall, pushing open the bathroom door. It was empty, too. Where were they?
The nursery was silent, no signs of life anywhere.
“Ben?” I called louder. Where could they be?
I walked back into the kitchen, opening the fridge. Gray’s milk was still in the fridge, only two bags missing.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and clicked on his name in my recent calls. My hands were shaking as I lifted the phone to my ear, ice-cold fear shooting through my body. The nagging feeling that something definitely was not right was back, rearing its ugly head with the memory of the suspicious phone call.
“Hey, it’s Ben. Sorry, I can’t come to the phone right now…”
I hung up, a lump in my throat.
Where is my baby?
Chapter Five
I dialed his number again, this time walking back toward the door. I was prepared to head to the police station, dial 911, something. Anything. Everything felt like simultaneously an overreaction and an underreaction.
It rang once before I heard his voice. This time, it wasn’t a recording.
“Hello?”
His voice sent shockwaves through me. “Ben?”
“Palmer? What’s wrong?” he asked, his tone full of worry.
“Where are you?” I demanded, shaking.
“I took Gray to the park… Where are you?”
“To the park? He’s not even two weeks old, Ben.”
“Well, I didn’t put him on the slide, Palm. I just wanted to get out of the house, get some fresh air. Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay. I’m home and freaking out because you were gone.”
“You’re home?” he asked, sounding out of breath.
“Yeah, I came home early, and you were gone.”
“I’m sorry, babe,” he said with a light chuckle. “We’re almost home. I was planning to be home and have supper cooked before you got there.”
I sank down on the couch. “I was so scared, Ben.”
“What did you think happened? We ran away?”
“I didn’t know what to think.”
“The stroller was missing,” he said, and I glanced to the place in the corner where the brand new green stroller had been sitting before. “You should’ve known I took him somewhere.”
“I didn’t know the two were related.”
He snorted, trying to get me to laugh. “Wait, so you thought someone kidnapped the two of us and someone else broke in and stole the stroller, and the two were unrelated?”
“I hate you.” I laughed. “God, I was so worried.”
“I’m sorry we worried you, sweetheart. I’m walking up to the building now. See you in a minute.”
I stood up, wiping my tears away and hanging my purse on the coat rack. I grabbed the cooler, placing the bags of milk into the freezer and unpacking the lunch I’d merely picked at. When I heard their footsteps outside the door, my heart swelled with joy, and when he stepped inside, I could’ve cried again. I pulled Gray into my arms, scaring him so badly he began to cry, though he immediately calmed when he realized it was me.
“He missed you, Mama,” Ben said. He looked at my shirt, where white, dried milk stains now showed. “What happened?”
“I leaked because a client meeting ran too long.”
“Cumberland knows you have to keep a schedule to keep your supply up,” he said.
I rolled my eyes at his insistence that it should be that easy. “Cumberland couldn’t care less about my supply, but this wasn’t really his fault. As much as I hate to admit it.”
“Even so, babe. You have rights. Whatever happens, you have to keep your supply up. It’s what’s best for Gray.”
“I know that,” I snapped, feeling like I was being scolded. I glanced down at the stroller as he wheeled it away from me without folding it up. “What’s that?” In the basket underneath the stroller was a small, blue bag with green tissue paper sticking out the top.
He looked down, and I was nearly positive I’d seen a hint of dread on his face. “This?” He pulled the bag out and held it up. “Jason brought it by earlier. A gift for Gray.”
“What is it?”
He pulled the tissue paper out and revealed a small onesie with a cute, smiling Earth on its belly. Hi, I’m new here.