Scott didn’t pay any more attention to his old friend. He backed out of the driveway, then grabbed his phone as he drove down the street and called his parents.
“You know, Scott, we would have you any time, but tonight is not a good night,” his dad said when he asked if he could crash in their guest room. “Your mom isn’t feeling well, and you know how she gets.”
Scott sighed deeply and guessed that the police had been at their door as well, then he hung up. He drove out I95 and went north; when he saw the exit sign to Cocoa Beach, he made a sharp turn, driving onto the ramp.
Chapter 4
I stayed with Christine at the hospital to make sure Amy and the baby were both okay. She was smiling, but I believed I saw a deep hurt underneath. I grabbed my phone and called her parents. I had known Phil and Kim Robinson for some time now since our daughters were good friends. They seemed like good people to me. They needed to know that they were now grandparents. Seeing that adorable little baby would have to make them feel differently about the situation.
Who wouldn’t go completely soft when seeing him?
No one picked up, and I tried again but still got only Kim’s voice mail. I decided not to leave a message since something like this had to be handled delicately.
It was best if it was delivered in person.
I walked back into the room, then kissed Amy on the forehead. “I have to get back to Angel, but Christine will stay here, right, sweetie?”
Christine nodded. “I’ll stay. I’m not going anywhere.”
I smiled, feeling proud of my daughter and her compassion for her friend. I wasn’t angry anymore that she had kept it a secret. I now realized she was just doing what she believed was best for her friend and because this was how Amy wanted it. They were teenagers. They didn’t think of consequences.
“All right. See you in a few hours, then,” I said. “Call or text if you need me.”
Christine hugged me. “Thank you, Mom.”
I closed my eyes and enjoyed her embrace. At that age, you never knew when you’d get one again. “You’re welcome, sweetie. We all need to take care of one another.”
I hurried to the elevator and into the parking lot. I got into my car, then drove down A1A, wondering about poor Amy and what her future would be. Surely, her parents would want to help her out the best they could. That was what we were there for, right? If it were me, I’d take the kid in and have her drop out of school, then retake this year next year while I cared for the child. Of course, not all parents had the privilege of working from home as I did, but I knew that Kim didn’t work outside the home. Phil was the bread earner, and Kim had devoted her life to taking care of Amy, driving her to soccer, and making sure the snacks they brought were gluten-free. I knew it wasn’t easy for her, but at some point, she’d have to accept that it happened and step up to help.
Right?
I parked in front of their two-story luxury house with river views from all sides, then got out. I hurried to the door with the palm trees carved into the glass and rang the doorbell.
It took a while for Kim to answer.
“Eva Rae?” she said with a stiff smile.
“I tried to call. Amy went into labor.”
Kim shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“She had the baby, Kim. She’s in the hospital.”
Kim’s eyes met mine, and I could see the terror in them. Her nostrils were flaring lightly as she was searching for what to say to me.
“It’s a boy,” I added. “A healthy baby boy. Your grandson.”
Kim was just standing there in her purple and gray yoga outfit. She lifted her nose toward the sky and spoke in almost a whisper, “Please. Just leave.”
“Kim,” I said. I felt urgent desperation as it rushed through my veins. This couldn’t be right. She couldn’t have heard me right. “It’s your daughter. She had a child. She needs her parents more than anything right now.”
“I don’t have a daughter anymore. Just leave. Please.”
And just like that, she slammed the door shut in my face. I stood back, staring at the palm trees cut into it, suppressing my desire to kick down the door, grab her by the neck, and drag her with me to the hospital, or at least shake some sense into her.
How could anyone be this cruel?
I knew the feeling of rejection a little too well from my own mother when I was Amy’s age, and I think that is why it angered me so much and why I made the decision I did.
Chapter 5
Then:
“You’re alone today?”
Lynn looked at Jeffrey questioningly. He sat down on the couch, his hands folded in his lap. He seemed like a completely changed man, so different from the cocky guy with the handsome smirk she had gotten used to. He was still in an expensive suit, but it couldn’t hide the fact that he seemed like a broken man. Lynn felt worried and sat up straight in her chair.
“Where is Joanna?”
His eyes didn’t meet hers yet. They stared at his shoes, and his fingers fiddled with the edge of his suit jacket.
“Jeffrey?”
Finally, he lifted his gaze and looked into her eyes. Her heart sank when seeing the hurt in them.
“What happened? Can you tell me about it? Take your time if you have to. Settle down.”
He sighed and fought his tears. The sight made Lynn feel so incredibly worried for him. This was a completely different Jeffrey than she had ever seen during their sessions. And if she was honest with herself, it woke some strong maternal feelings inside her. She felt an urge to protect him, to care for him.
“She left me,” he said with a sniffle. “I’m sorry.”
He reached for the box of Kleenex on the small table between them, then used one to wipe his eyes.
“Why do you say you’re sorry?” Lynn asked.
He scoffed. “You must think I’m a total mess. It’s not like I’m the first guy to be dumped in the world, right?”
Lynn couldn’t take her eyes off of Jeffrey. Somehow, seeing his vulnerability had triggered something inside her, something profound that she struggled to understand. Gone was the alpha-male, the grin, and the constant flirt, but it didn’t make him less attractive. Not by any means.
“You’re right about that, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. Let’s help you work through this. Tell me what happened,” Lynn said. “When did she leave you?”
Jeffrey moaned lightly. He was shifting in his seat. “The day after we were here last time. We had a huge fight when we got home, and then she packed her bags and left. She said she went to her mother’s place, but I called there later when she wasn’t picking up her phone, and her mom said she wasn’t there. I haven’t spoken to her since that day. I keep calling her, but she doesn’t pick up. It’s driving me nuts.”
“Okay,” Lynn said. “So, you think she might be with another man?”
Jeffrey’s head jolted upright, and he stared at her. “Why? Do you think she is?”
Lynn took a deep breath.
His head slumped. “Of course not. You have no way of knowing that. I just… I always suspected that she might be seeing someone else.”