Page 2 of Shocking Sapphires
I knew she was trying to make me feel better, but it wasn’t working. “What do you two know about watching a baby? Besides, every sick person in town comes to see you at your medical office. Who knows what kind of nasty germs you’d bring back to him?”
“What is it that you’re wanting to have happen here, Molly?” My brother asked, sounding perturbed.
What did I want?I didn’t really know. I pondered the question for a long moment. When the answer came to me, I couldn’t quite believe it myself.
“I want to take him home with me,” I answered, lifting my chin.
“Absolutely not,” was Max’s immediate, bull-headed response.
His strong, negative reaction only served to make me more determined. Something deep inside my chest was telling me this was the right thing to do. I was a big believer in trusting that intuitive nudge when it happened.
“Why not?” I demanded.
“First off, you’re all alone in that tiny apartment. What if something goes wrong? Or he gets sick? What are you going to do?”
“I’ll figure it out,” I answered, feeling petulant about his lack of confidence in me. He stared at me, seeming to expect more of an answer than that, so I finally said, “If all else fails, I’ll call you guys. Dani is a doctor, so she’ll know what to do.”
I darted my gaze to Dani, hoping to sway her over to my side. My pig-headed brother would listen to her.
When the bundle in my arms made a mewling sound, I tipped him up on my shoulder and began patting his back.
After watching me closely, Dani finally weighed in, “She does seem to be a natural with him.”
Max’s eyes softened when he said, “You’ll end up getting too attached. He’s not yours, Molly.”
“I know that.”
I could tell by his unsure expression that Max was thinking about the lost gray kitten I’d found when we were kids. I had cried for days and moped for weeks when the cat’s family came to claim their pet.
Wanting to reassure my brother, I said, “I know it’s temporary. I’ll just keep him safe and give him the attention he needs until the right entity comes along to provide him a permanent home.”
From my years of practice at badgering him until he caved, I could tell that Max was starting to waver in his conviction. Going in for the kill, I added, “My life is completely empty right now. I’m between dead-end jobs and my dating life is non-existent. This little guy needs someone to shower some love on him. He needs me. Let me help him, until something better comes along for him. I promise I won’t stand in the way when we figure out a better situation for him.”
After I finished speaking, I leaned down to smell the baby’s head and gave him a kiss on top of his light blue, knitted hat.
“You don’t even have any of the stuff required to take care of a baby,” Max tried, but I could tell I’d almost won him over.
Pointing to his shoulder, I said, “I bet that bag has some supplies to get me started, and I’ll go to the store right now to get the rest.”
Not giving my brother the opportunity to devise any further excuses, I leaned in to take the blue diaper bag from him. He helped me heft it onto my shoulder.
“It will be fine,” I promised him as I turned to leave before he could change his mind and stop me.
Walking quickly, I smiled down at the sidewalk when I heard him say to Dani, “Famous last words.”
With my heart already overflowing with love for this sweet little bundle, I snuggled him closer to me to help ward off the brisk wind. After looking both ways, I started across the road. One quick glance up the street told me that Max and Dani were already headed back to his truck. I’d won this round.
I was mentally scanning through my favorite boy baby names, when I heard the rumbling noise. It was much too loud and much too close.
In an instant, the speeding car crested over the top of the hill and barreled down toward us. I stood frozen in the middle of the road. It was too far to leap to safety in either direction.
I spared a quick glance at my brother and saw his horrified, helpless gaze as the car sped directly toward us.
The piercing squeal of the tires on the slick pavement broke the silence of the evening as the driver slammed on the brakes. The world seemed to move in slow motion as the car skidded sideways on the ice directly toward us.
I only had time to whirl around and present my back to the oncoming vehicle as I curled my body around the precious bundle, in the frantic hope of protecting the innocent baby from the impending impact.
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