Page 14 of Not the Bodyguard's Baby
September asked the question plaguing her for weeks. “What if I can never be a good mom?”
8
The dashboard clockread 3:27 as Adam pulled up to the curb. Melanie Hastings waited next to her large, pink, wheeled suitcase. She said she liked to use pink because no one else in the family would touch it. It had kept him from grabbing the more convenient item over the years. Adam opened the back door of his SUV and tossed the bag in. If necessary, he could keep it as ransom. He gave his mother a hug and received a kiss on the cheek before getting back into the driver’s seat.
“How is Grandma?”
“Busy as ever. Do you want to skip the small talk?”
“Yup. September said you helped her buy her house. And when I asked Alan to run a background check on something odd related to September, he wouldn’t tell me anything. Said I had to talk to you. So I am talking.”
“There wasn’t a question in there.”
“Mom.” He knew he sounded like a frustrated five-year-old, but some habits died hard. “You are only going to tell me what you planned to. Do I have to find the right questions, too?”
“Maybe I should ask the questions. What do you know?”
“I’m assuming September was never in rehab and she has been in the Chicago area for some time. For whatever reason, probably involving Harmony, she has cut ties with Shyla. I think she hired you about the time she disappeared, but even Dad doesn’t know. I don’t know how involved you are in her life or why September didn’t have a support group and ended up checking herself in.”
“First of all, even new moms with excellent family support can experience PPD severe enough to need round-the-clock care. I had your dad and both grandmas when I had PPD after the twins were born. Second, I can’t share details September doesn’t approve. But know there was a plan, and things should have been covered while I was in Florida. But I don’t see her daily. I was not aware the baby blues had grown into something more until I got Jethro’s call about the baby in the office. I couldn’t tell him anything, either. September asked me not to.”
“Which brings me back to my point. It doesn’t matter what I ask. You won’t tell me what I want to know.” Sometime during his twenties, Adam realized his mother had mastered the art of disseminating only the things she wanted to, especially when it came to confidences.
“It depends on what you want to know. Some things September needs to tell. You understand how the client-confidentiality thing works.”
This conversation had more circles than I-90 had exit ramps. “Why can’t I read Sven’s file?”
His mother didn’t answer for a moment. “If I don’t answer the question, then your mind will probably find an answer or worse.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I believe Sven Bent is Harmony’s father, and I have been monitoring him. That stays between us.”
Believe as in don’t know for sure? Or carefully worded?Neither question would garner a usable answer. “Why would she choose me to take care of Harmony?”
“I have my suspicions, and I am sure you do too, but September is the only one with the answer. Although had I been in town, you might not be involved at all.”
“You mean she wouldn’t have checked into the hospital?” He turned into his parents’ subdivision.
“No, I don’t think my presence would have lessened the depression, but I may have gotten her into help earlier on an out-patient basis. Her housekeeper monitored things but got strep last week, and then her child caught it. She didn’t dare be around the baby. Grandma breaking her hip added to everything else going on in September’s life, it was a perfect storm.”
“Are you going to tell me anything about what is going on or just hint at it and leave me wondering?” Adam parked in the driveway.
Melanie opened her door. “Let me talk to September, and then I will fill you in on what I can.”
Adam beat her to the back to get her suitcase. “When do you think you will get to see her?”
“Dr. Brooks asked me to call when I got into town. September put me down as her emergency contact and signed a HIPAA waiver.” Melanie held open the front door.
Adam stopped at the first stair and looked up at his mother. “How involved are you in September’s life?”
“We’ve talked weekly for years, other than a couple weeks here and there over the past year.”
Grabbing the suitcase by the handle, Adam carried it into the house. Chances were his mother knew more about their breakup, or whatever it was, than he did.
* * *
It wasn’t a smile, at least not according to the parenting books, but it looked like one. September smiled back at her baby and stuck out her tongue. A few short seconds later Harmony forced her tongue out of her mouth. The nurse told her the mimicking response wouldn’t last for long, so have fun with it now. September opened her mouth wide. Harmony tried but ended hers with a yawn. The clock counted down the minutes until Adam and Melanie would arrive. How much would Melanie tell Adam? Under normal circumstances, she kept secrets better than a bank vault. However, this week resembled anything but normal.
A nurse in princess scrubs entered. “Rayne? Security called. Your visitors are here. Do you need any help with Harmony?”
September moved Harmony from her lap to her arms. “No, I changed her a few moments ago.”
