Page 62 of This Baby Business
Irene
“Wasn’t the petwash wonderful?”
Irene didn’t think she’d seen a cuter event in her lifetime. A pet wash event to raise money for a good cause. The buffed and hunky shirtless young men washing the pets was a nice touch, and eye candy even for a senior citizen. But she wasn’t going to mention that to Frank. He’d stopped going to the gym or caring about anything months ago. He sure didn’t want to hear that Levi had a physique that any man should envy. Not to mention that he was engaged to Carly Gilmore, Pearl Gilmore’s daughter!
Since the moment Irene had digested that information, she hadn’t stopped floating on imaginary pink clouds. Grace, despite her rough beginning, would be all right. And wasn’t that really all they should care about now? They couldn’t do much about how they’d wound up here, but they could do their best with what remained. Surely Frank would understand now that Levi would do right by their granddaughter. He’d listen to her now, and abandon this joke of an emergency screening.
“Frank? Are youlisteningto me?”
Given that he was staring straight ahead as he drove them to their budget hotel from Sunday brunch at a local diner, she couldn’t be certain.
“I heard you.” He grunted.
That grunt meantyou have got to be kidding me.
“You’re so naive,” Frank said. “Tell me you don’t honestly believe Levi the playboy pilot is already engaged? And how can you be impressed with a woman who would wrestle with a pig?”
“It was a potbellied pig. People keep them as pets.”
“She should know she was simply giving the pig a good time. Ridiculous.”
“I don’t know, Frank, maybe she didn’t grow up on a farm.”
“Why are you defending that woman? Everything just got a lot more complicated for us.”
“I’d say it got a whole lot better. We can relax now, knowing that Grace is with a woman who’s a first-rate baby expert. You know how I love RockYourBaby. And so did Sandy, by the way. She bought everything that Pearl Gilmore recommended as rated best for baby.”
“And because of her, we’re going to lose our best chance at getting Grace back.”
“Face it, honey, we never had much of a chance anyway. Who would award grandparents the custody of a baby when the father is perfectly capable? It’s not as if he’s a meth addict or an…an unemployed actor.”
Frank snorted. “What do you want to bet he’s even lying about being engaged to this woman? Think about it. It’s a little too perfect. He’s engaged to ababy expert. How did that work out? It’s more than a little convenient, if you ask me.”
“You don’t actually think anyone would lie about being engaged? Really!”
“I wouldn’t put anything past him.”
Dear God, it was hopeless. Why did she bother anymore? “I want you to cancel the emergency screening. I insist. No judge in their right mind will think anyone should fear for her safety.”
Frank didn’t speak for a moment. “Okay.”
Irene was so pleased that for a moment she didn’t know what to say. Maybe she would get her husband back after all.
“Thank you.” She squeezed Frank’s hand.
Later that day, after Irene had checked in with the kids and gone to the hot tub alone once again, she came back to find Frank asleep again. He did far too much of that, a clear sign of depression. And yet he refused to see a grief counselor. She’d been seeing a lovely woman for months now, and it was really helping. But much as she’d beg Frank to go, he insisted he could handle this on his own.
Handling itmeant he’d taken a leave of absence from work, usually woke at 11:00 a.m., spent time on the computer doing God knew what, then took a long nap in the afternoon. She knew this wasn’t healthy, but couldn’t get through to her once strong husband. He’d turned into a man she hardly recognized.
She shook him to wake him up. “Did you cancel the emergency screening?”
He opened one eye. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I am worried. Shouldn’t you at least email the lawyer? We don’t want to waste the court’s time.”
He didn’t answer.
“Don’t you think it’s a waste of everyone’s time and energy to show up? Won’t the judge be upset with you?”
