Page 19 of Rock the Cradle of Love
“I missed you, too, sweetheart,” she says as they both take their seats. “How are you doing? I’m sorry you didn’t make it into the playoffs.”
He shrugs. “Eh…I’m disappointed, of course, but it turned out for the best.” So much has happened in his life in the last few weeks; everyone else seems to be dwelling on their miss more than he is.
“Right. We haven’t really talked about Julia and Emma either. Brenda’s called me several times, accusing you of brainwashing Julia. I had no idea what to say.”
“What? You’re kidding?” Noah’s fists clench and his shoulders tighten up. Why would Brenda ever think that? Cripes, she was his babysitter for how many years? “That’s a load of horse crap, and you know it, Mom,” he says, snappier than he intended. He’s immediately contrite. “God, I’m sorry, but that’s just so ridiculous. Julia felt forced to keep Emma. She told me she’d planned on giving Emma up.”
His mother’s eyebrows rise, but she says, “Noah, that’s between the two of them.”
“It should have been,” he agrees and nods, “but Julia’s an adult. She should have been able to make the decision. She felt like she had to accede to her mother’s wishes because Brenda’s paying for school.”
“Noah, honey, you have to give the baby back.”
He’s shaking his head before she finishes speaking. They’ll have to pry Emma’s precious little self from his arms. “That’s not going to happen, Mom. Julia and I have talked, and I just came from an appointment with a family law attorney.”
Mom’s eyes go wide and her lips purse.
“Julia doesn’t want to be a mom. Do you know how many times she called me in tears with Emma crying in the background?” Those phone calls had killed him. Especially when he’d been on a roadie and he’d have had to desert the team and catch a plane in order to get to her. He’d have done it though, if it had come right down to it.
Mom’s eyes get even bigger. “No…”
“At least weekly, Mom. Sometimes twice a week, there at the end. Emma has colic, Julia probably has post-partum depression. And as far as I know, Brenda did precious little to help, aside from watch Emma while Julia attended class.” Much as he appreciates all Brenda did for him when he was young, he could strangle her right now.
Mom sighs, and she’s quiet for a moment, studying him. “Have you thought about how you’re going to juggle hockey and parenting?”
The server brings two glasses of water, takes their drink requests, and leaves a couple of menus. “I’ll be back shortly to take your order.”
Noah nods to the young woman and turns back to his mom. It’s Noah’s turn to sigh. “Some. A little. I’m not sure yet, but I’ll figure it out. I have a couple of months to sort things, and Emma and I are already bonding. I’m not giving her up unless I have to.” She’s the child he thought he’d never have, and he’s wanted a big family since living with Steve and Marisol. He’s got plenty of money, so he’s not really sweating a legal battle in and of itself. It’s Brenda’s influence on Julia that still worries him.
“What do I tell Brenda?” Mom asks. “We’ve been friends a long time.”
“Butt out?”
“Noah.”
“No. I know. Sorry.” He fiddles with his silverware bundle. “Um, I guess that custody of Emma is between Julia and me?”
Mom looks surprised by his words, and he’s not sure why until she asks, “Is Emma yours?”
Noah laughs. “No, Mom.” He and Julia are like cousins, almost like brother and sister. He could no more have sex with her than he could with, well, anyone. Except Taylor. The thought of being intimate with Taylor thrills him and terrifies him at the same time. Taylor’s been patient, but Noah knows he wants more. Of course, now’s definitely not the time to be thinking about that…not sitting in a public place with his mother.
“Oh, okay…well, your last statement was a bit misleading.”
“How so?”
“Saying that custody of Emma is between you and Julia makes it sound as if you’re Emma’s father.”
Noah frowns. “Nothing in that statement implies I’m Emma’s father.”
Mom chuckles. “Technically, you’re correct, but people are going to make assumptions because you and Julia are such good friends, and because they won’t be able to fathom why else you’d want to take custody of a three-month-old if she’s not.
“Where is Emma’s biological father in all this?”
With a shake of his head, he says, “Not interested in fatherhood. He offered to pay for an abortion, but wanted nothing to do with a child.”
Mom puts a hand to her mouth and shakes her head. “That’s honest, at least, if not sad and his loss.”
“Right. His loss, my gain.”
