Chapter Two

Jill

A week and a half later, I get a call from my lawyer, Frank Bennett. He’s the cheapest one I could find. I’m not fond of the guy, but I had no choice in the matter.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Jill? It’s Frank Bennett. Can you talk?” He sounds excited.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“The results came back positive, and they have made an offer.”

“Already? I figured it would take time for all of that.” I know I sound skeptical, but it’s been my experience that if something seems too good to be true it probably is.

“Yes, it’s a pretty good one, too. If it were me, I’d take it, but it’s up to you. First, they plan to pay off your medical bills from the birth. We figured those to be about a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Then the offer is six hundred a month every month until the baby’s eighteen, retroactive to the date of her birth. She’ll get fifty thousand dollars for college or trade school. Then receive half of the remainder of the trust at age twenty-five and the other half at age thirty, unless that money has to be tapped into for other things. There are also provisions for serious illness and major accidents. In a case like that, we’ll be able to petition the executor of the trust for funds to pay her medical bills. The executor is Mark Willis, Mrs. Browning’s attorney. We can fight it and ask for more, or we can take it and be thankful. The lump sum of the whole package is exactly half of Matthew Browning’s estate. I can ask for more a month, which would drop the payouts at twenty-five and thirty years old to less, but would help more now. What do you want me to do?”

I’m speechless. I can’t believe she’s being so generous especially considering the situation. I’m not stupid or greedy and the old saying about looking a gift horse in the mouth comes to mind.

“Yes, I accept it. It’s very generous. I don’t want to be greedy and ask for more a month. I should be able to make that work. What do you need from me?”

“Just come by my office today if possible. I need you to sign some paperwork. It should all be taken care of so you can get your first check in the next couple of weeks.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bennett.” Tears fill my eyes that I’m thankful no one can see.

“You’re welcome, Jill. I’m glad this process has been relatively easy for you. It’s not always this easy.”

“Thank you again for everything, I’ll see you later today.”

I hang up the phone, flabbergasted that Lisa has been so generous. I may be able to make things work this way. I hope that the first check shows up before I get evicted. I wish there were some way to properly thank her for doing this. I’m sure she could have fought me and won, never having to give anything up, but she didn’t.

****

Two weeks later, I am sitting on the couch holding Mariah. It’s quiet in our little apartment. The hum of the refrigerator and soft baby snores are all I can hear. She’s all cuddled up in my arms asleep. The scent of her sweet baby lotion-covered skin floats up to my nose as I stroke the dark curly hair coming in all over her pretty little round head. Her small chubby fist is wrapped around the collar of my shirt. I’m relishing this moment. I don’t usually have time to just sit and enjoy motherhood, but I made some time today. I felt like we needed it. I could watch her for hours as she sleeps. Her little lips are pulling and working her pacifier like she’s eating. It’s the cutest thing ever. Then the shrill ring of my cell phone interrupts the sweet moment.

Only a handful of people have this number, and I can’t figure out why any of them would be calling. Curious, I pick it up, answering quietly so I don’t scare my girl.

“Hello?”

“Is this Jillian Pierce?” It’s a woman’s voice.

“Yes, this is Jill. Who am I speaking with?”

“This is Matthew Browning’s mom, Judy. Please don’t hang up.” She sounds nervous.

“I won’t. How did you get my number?”

“Lisa. Lisa told us about the baby and said we should call.” Her words are rushed like she’s scared.

“Really? Is this a joke?” My voice is heavy with the cynicism I’m feeling.

“Oh, no, honey! Not at all. I know this is strange under the circumstances, but if the information is true, I’d like to meet you and my granddaughter. I can’t imagine Lisa would lie about something like this.”

“I’m not sure it’s a good idea. I can’t imagine what you must think of me, but I didn’t know he was married. He never told me—” She cuts me off.

“No, no. I’m not calling to judge or ask questions. I’d honestly like to meet you both. My whole family would: my husband, my two sons, my daughter, and their spouses. I promise not to cause trouble for you. Please think about it. We can come to you, or I can fly you here. Lisa said you live in Indianapolis. Is that right?”

“Yes, ma’am, I do. I work a lot and only have one day off at a time, never two in a row. Do you think you could come here? Maybe just you and your husband to start, and we could go from there. To be honest, I’m a little freaked out. Life and people haven’t been very kind to me, and I’m having a hard time understanding why you’d want us in your life.”

“I can understand that. I don’t know the details, but I do know there is a part of my son still left in this world, and I’d like to be part of her life, however you’ll allow it to happen. I also know you were with him for a year; it wasn’t a one-night-stand, so I’m certain my son saw something in you worth knowing. I’d like the opportunity to find out what that is. When is it best for us to visit? You tell me the day and time, and my husband and I will be there. We’d actually like to stay in a hotel nearby for a couple of days. We won’t interfere with your schedule; we’d just like to spend a little time getting to know you both.”

I hesitate, not sure what to say at first, then I blurt out, “I’m off of work the day after tomorrow. Mariah is usually up by seven o’clock, so you can come any time after eight. Is that too soon?”

“No, that would be great. Can we take you to breakfast?”

“That would be lovely. We’ll go when you get here. Mariah has her morning nap about ten o’clock, so if we can work around that it would be great.”

“We’ll be there at eight.” She sounds happy.

I give her my address before we disconnect and wonder what in the world this is all about. Why would Lisa Browning give my number to Matt’s parents? I figured she’d have a voodoo doll with my name on it and pins sticking out of it instead of sending grandparents my way.

I’m nervous to meet these people. Judy seemed nice, but I thought Matt was, too, and he ended up being cruel and heartless. What if they treat me like my own parents? I don’t think I can take any more beat downs.

****

Two days later, a short, roundish woman with brown hair, brilliant green eyes, and a kind smile stands at my front door along with a tall man who is an aged replica of Matt. His eyes match Matt’s and Mariah’s. Seeing his dad almost does me in. In an instant, my knees get weak, my eyes tear up, and my breath leaves me for places unknown.

“Oh my God. You look just like him,” I whisper, fingers over my mouth. Mariah is in my arms chewing on her fist, making gurgling noises, unaware of the drama unfolding.

Judy gives me a warm smile. “One of Matt’s brothers does, too, more so actually. Hi, I’m Judy.” She puts her hand out in front of her to shake mine, and I take it. Her hand is soft and warm, and her smile is timid but genuine.

She glances down at Mariah and tears up. I smile back. I’m nervous, but I try not to let it show as I usher them inside and wave them toward the couch. I offer them a drink, and they decline.

Finally, I sit down in a small chair across from them and perch Mariah on my lap. She’s going to town on her fist, and drool is running down the front of her. Their eyes are intent as they watch us, and I can tell by the expressions on Judy and John’s faces that they now realize she has Matt’s eyes, those beautiful whiskey-colored eyes. Judy lets out a sob, and John puts his arm around her, pulling her in close. I can hear him telling her with a tenderness I’ve never experienced, “It’s okay, baby. We knew this was going to be hard, but it’s going to be okay. I love you, and we can do this together.”

She sniffles, wipes her eyes, and pastes a smile back on her face.

Tentatively, she asks, “Can I…maybe…hold her?”

I respond with more enthusiasm than I feel. It seems strange handing my baby over to another woman. I do it every day at daycare, but this feels different. I force myself to relax and say, “Of course you can. Let me wipe her face, and I’ll hand her over.”

They wait while I clean her up. My hands shake the entire time, even when I lift her into Judy’s arms. Mariah studies both of them with a serious expression for a moment and then gives the biggest gummy smile she has in her arsenal to them. Now I see John’s eyes glisten with unshed tears as he squeezes Judy’s shoulder.

Judy smiles back at her and says, “She’s beautiful, Jill, a wonderful mix of both of you. She’s so chunky and healthy. I love babies with a little meat on their bones. All of my kids were that way. Is she a good baby?”

“The best. She doesn’t fuss unless she’s hungry. She sleeps through the night, or at least she has for the last two and a half months. She’s meeting all of her baby milestones right on time. She’s a blessing.”

“She sure is. Thank you for letting us come here. I can’t tell you how much it means to us.”

“You’re welcome.”

****

John and Judy spend that whole day and the next evening with us after I get off work. I was really nervous at first but have slowly started to relax. Their intentions are clear. They just want to get to know Mariah and want to be a part of our lives. It’s been kind of nice having someone around to help. After a long day at work, a second set of hands is a Godsend. Tomorrow is the last day they will be here, but they plan to come back next month and visit us again. They treated us to dinner at Bubba’s BBQ and are now returning to my apartment to visit a little bit longer before they have to leave. As we are ascending the stairs, I catch sight of another pink sticker and the smile I’ve had on my face since yesterday fades from my lips. It’s attached to an envelope with my name written on it, which is taped to the door. I know what that is. Mortification slides through me from top to toe like someone injected it into my veins. I’m so embarrassed that this had to show up when his parents are here. I could crawl under a rock and die. Seriously. Die.

I yank it off the door, and usher everyone inside. I need to see what the exact dates are before the hysteria sets in. I’m pretty sure I know the answer already, but I’m praying for a miracle. I need time. I’m still a couple of weeks away from getting the check from Matt’s estate. I hand the baby to Judy and grip the envelope in my hand.

John stays by my side and asks in his deep voice, “What is that? I can tell it’s not good.”

“Honestly? I haven’t read it, but I’m certain it’s an eviction notice. I fell behind when Mariah was born. It’s a long story, but I was in the hospital for over a month, and then I couldn’t go back to work for another six weeks so I got behind, and I just can’t catch up. I depleted my savings buying a car and trying to keep up with the bills while not getting a pay check.”

His eyebrows push low and he asks, “What happened to the money Lisa gave you?”

“I haven’t received any of it yet. I’m a couple of weeks away from getting the first check. It will be okay. I just have to talk to the landlord.”

I know it’s not going to be okay, because the landlord said once the envelope shows up I have about seventy-two hours to vacate or they lock me out, without our stuff. I don’t tell John that, though; I’m embarrassed by this whole situation.

Judy speaks up from the living room. “Are your parents around, honey?”

“No. My parents are religious zealots. They told me that Mariah was Satan’s child and disowned me for being pregnant with her.”

I swear I hear John growl and Judy gasp.

“Who’s helping you with everything, Jill?” John asks rather gruffly.

“No one.” I answer him quietly, wishing we could end this line of questioning. “I don’t have anyone. No family. No friends. I’m getting some government assistance to help with Mariah’s essentials and daycare costs. That will last until the checks start coming in from Matt’s estate. At that point, I was told I’d be making too much money to keep getting help. We’ll be okay though. I’ve made it this far.”

John stands in front of me with hands on his hips. He bows his head and allows the silence to grow between us, just long enough to make me uncomfortable. “Jill, normally I wouldn’t act like this around someone I just met, but I’m about to get a bit bossy, and I expect you to listen. I’m not doing it to be rude or take over your life, but whether you like it or not, you’re a part of our family now, and we take care of our own. Now pass me the envelope. I’d like to see what it says for myself.”

What he says shocks me. Shame continues to sit heavy in my gut, but I can’t hide any of it, so I just pass the letter over to him.

He reads it, curses under his breath and inquires, “Are you determined to stay in this town?”

Shaking my head, I say, “No, I planned to move to Florida once she was born. I researched and found the cost of living is cheaper down there. I was going to use my savings to pay for the move. I thought it would be easier on me, but I haven’t been able to get out from under the financial mess here yet.”

“Jill, I’m not sure how, but we’ll help you. Give me a little bit to think about it, okay?”

I open my mouth to protest and get the evil eye from him.

“Don’t try to argue with me. Just give me some time to think about it.”

Half an hour later, John and Judy leave for their hotel, and Mariah and I go to bed. That night sleep eludes me. I’m terrified we’ll be homeless. Even if it’s for a short while, I don’t think I can deal with that.

After a long day at work, I pick up Mariah and meet the Brownings at my apartment. After we have the baby in her highchair and Judy has taken over feeding her dinner, John says, “I’m thinking you need to move to Cincinnati, at least for now. We’ll be able to help you with Mariah and a place to live if you’ll let us. You can either live with us until you’re ready to be on your own again, or we can put you up in a hotel nearby while we look for a place of your own. Judy and I talked about it last night and want to help you. Either option is fine with us. Cincinnati’s a nice town, a family town. Matt’s two brothers and his sister could help, too. If I thought you had all of that here, I’d never say a word, but young lady, you need family around you, people who care about you, who are willing to help out.”

Between the feelings of embarrassment, sadness, and appreciation, I turn into a blubbering basket case. I drop down hard in the chair at the kitchen table and sob. No one has ever said anything like that to me. Ever. No one has ever cared about helping me.

It seems too good to be true. Can I trust these people to help me? Or will it be another version of Matt? I don’t think I’d survive that again. I just don’t have any other options left. It’s either get help from them or sleep on the streets with my baby.

I pick my head up, eyes seeking my daughter only to find her smiling like a lunatic as Judy feeds her, and I realize, like everything else lately, it’s not about me. Not about my pride or even my feelings, it’s about my little girl and all the things she deserves. I cry harder, and John reaches down and pulls on my arm until I stand. Then he wraps his big body around mine and lets me cry all over him. I’m thinking they didn’t expect all of this drama during our first meet-and-greet.

After I regain my composure, I say, “Yes. I could use your help. I’ll move to Cincinnati, but I’ll only live in your home until I can find my own place. I don’t want the expense of the hotel until I find something. I also don’t want to take advantage of you, but I need what you’re offering; more importantly, my little girl needs it. I wasn’t kidding when I said I haven’t found much kindness in people, so to be honest I’m terrified.”

“All right then. This letter says you have to be out of here in seventy-two hours. I’ll call my boys and have them up here tomorrow to help us. Give your notice at work. I’ll handle the landlord. I’m going to run to the hardware store and get some packing supplies, and we’ll start now so that by the time the boys get here tomorrow we can load up.”

I’m stunned by the speed that he’s ready to move. He walks back into my tiny kitchen before I can say anything, and I hear him talking on his phone. He’s trying to be discreet, but I hear him say, “Call out. I don’t give a damn. This is family, and they need us. I’ll see you tomorrow morning before lunch. Boy…I love you. Now call your brother and tell him what I just told you. If he has questions, he can call me.”

He disconnects, grabs his keys from the table, and kisses his wife on the way out the door.

John made me post a For Sale sign on my car and said the landlord will let us leave it here until it sells. I’m skeptical about this, but I’m not about to argue. He says he’ll get me a better car, a reliable one, once we get to Cincinnati. I had to buy that one for fifteen hundred dollars after my other one was totaled. It looks like a cheap car and handles like one, too. I’ve been nervous about having the baby in it but thought it was better than standing at the bus stop with her exposed to all the elements and the local riff-raff.

****

When Matt’s brothers show up the next day bright and early, I’m a nervous wreck. Thank goodness the brothers arrive at the same time that Matt’s parents get to my place, or it would have been even more awkward.

Matt’s brother, Steve, is quiet around me at first. He’s watching me like a hawk and it’s so uncomfortable, but I just try to suck it up and ignore him. Mariah’s a different story; she and Steve are an instant hit with one another. He seems to even carry on a conversation with her and the babbling baby noises she makes. The smile he gives her is one of genuine affection.

Johnny’s different. He’s quiet, pleasant, and helpful, but not overbearing. I catch him watching me, too, but it’s different with him; it’s like he’s trying to figure me out. He also hit it off with Mariah right away.

Both brothers are handsome but look nothing alike. Steve is a carbon copy of Matt. It’s disturbing at first, especially when I think of my last encounter with Matt. I keep getting freaked out when I see him out of the corner of my eye. I’m afraid I’ll call him Matt by accident, that’s how close the resemblance is. I think that’s making me more tense than I already am. For the first hour, it was causing my belly to do flips, but the more he talks, the more the differences are apparent. Steve seems gentler, more laid back, where Matt always seemed to be bigger than any room he was in.

Johnny is taller and broader through the shoulders than both of his brothers. He’s also a little more rugged, a blue-collar kind of man. It’s obvious that Matt and Steve are the suit-and-tie guys. Johnny just seems a little less polished and a little more good ol’ boy. His hair is the same brown as the other two, just a little longer, and his eyes are the same color as his mother’s—an arresting, intense green. I find myself watching him more than I should. I’m drawn to him like no one ever before. There’s something about him that I find calming. He’s melt-your-panties-hot, but there’s something else about him that I can’t put my finger on. I’m also completely enchanted, because he’s so different from his brothers.

So far, all of the Brownings are proving to be good with Mariah, and she seems to like all of them, too. I’m fascinated watching her interact with all three of the men, because up until now, the only man she’s ever been exposed to is the pediatrician she sees during an exam.

It’s obvious that John was an active participant in raising his kids. He doesn’t bat an eyelash when Mariah spits up all over him and even takes over feeding her when the rest of us are busy packing and loading. Steve is tender and sweet with her. He treats her like a little princess, and she can’t take her eyes off him when he’s near.

Johnny’s silly with her. He gives her raspberries on her plump little arms, neck, and belly while she squeals and giggles. When he holds her where she can reach his face, she yanks on his goatee causing him to chuckle every single time.

We finish loading the truck in about two hours, and since I’m leaving my car here in Indy, Mariah and I have to ride with one of them. Steve is driving the U-Haul, so that’s out, and it looks like Judy packed a bunch of stuff in her car. I guess Mariah and I are riding in Johnny’s extended cab truck. I wrestle the car seat into the back seat, locking it into place and load her in. I feel a sliver of fear as we pull out of the parking lot. It’s not overwhelming enough for me to stop the car, but it’s enough that I’m aware.

This whole situation is bizarre. I still can’t believe any of this is happening. I can’t believe I’m trusting people I don’t even know to help take care of us. I wish I’d made different choices in my life up to this point, so I wasn’t in a position to need to rely on strangers, but I didn’t. So, here I am driving down the interstate, headed for a new life with a new family, in a car with a virtual stranger.

****

Johnny

I decide to cut to the chase and ask how she met Matt. I’ve never been good at bullshitting. I’m a right-to-the-point kind of guy. I’ve lain awake in bed every night trying to understand what my brother was thinking, having women on the side.

I almost wish I’d never have asked her though. My brother was a total douchebag. If what she’s saying is true, then he really did a number on her. I can’t believe he freaked out on her and left. I can’t imagine what was going through her head when he walked away and never came back. If Matt were alive, I’d beat his ass. It’s a hard thing to reconcile when the person you don’t understand is dead and you can’t confront them.

The sad thing is that Matt walking out on her isn’t the worst part or the end of her shitty story. After everything she’s already been through, she’s now moving away from her home to be near a bunch of people she doesn’t know just so her daughter will have a family. How fucked up is that? Either she has the worst luck of anyone on the planet, or she’s an idiot. After talking with her, I don’t think she’s stupid, but who knows, only time will tell. No matter what angle you look at her story from, it’s still talk show gold.

I do know that she’s gorgeous; her long brown hair is so shiny it should be in a shampoo commercial. She has a petite, curvy body with shapely legs and a heart-shaped ass. Her skin is a creamy ivory that begs to be touched. The stunning, wide, emerald eyes so much like my own are the first thing I see when I look at her face, but she has perfect full lips and a small straight nose. There’s the hint of a dimple in her left cheek. For some reason, I’m dying to make her smile so I can see how deep it really goes.

I tell her about Lisa coming to inform us about her and the baby, and how Lisa encouraged us to contact her. She seems surprised by this, but if she knew Lisa outside of this situation, she’d know that’s just how she is. I also let her know that I had no idea what Matt was doing, but Steve suspected it and even confronted him about it.

“To be honest I’m fucking pissed at my brother, but I don’t blame you for any of it. I’m pretty sure that no one blames you. Steve freaked out at first, because he’s always been close with Lisa. He was actually in love with her in high school, and Matt stole her right out from under him. Damn, Steve was pissed. They broke Mom’s glass coffee table fist fighting over it. I don’t think they spoke for weeks. I know Steve was quiet today, but he’ll warm up. It’ll just take some time. He’s mad at my brother right now for having you on the side and whoever else he was stringing along, too. The whole thing is just a mess.”

“I’m a little nervous about running into Lisa,” she confesses in a whisper. “I can tell that you all are still close to her, and I don’t think it would go well if we end up in the same room. I’d be respectful, but I don’t want to upset her any more than I already have. She’s been good to me despite the circumstances. She was very generous with the offer for Matt’s estate. My lawyer said she split it right down the middle and gave Mariah half. She even thought to give a portion to her for college and more as an adult. That’s pretty amazing.”

“No need to worry about that. She moved to Florida last week. She was down there interviewing for a job about the same time she was finding out the answer to the paternity test results. She’ll be okay; she’s a tough girl. You’re right, though; we are still close to her, probably always will be. She’s been part of our lives for almost twenty years. You don’t just flush relationships like that with good people, but it won’t affect anything with you either. We’ll just plan our visits with her so your paths don’t cross. It’ll be okay.”

I try to sound reassuring for her. There’s something about this woman that makes me want to protect her and take care of her. I haven’t felt that way before, and it surprises me. Maybe I’m more like my dad than I thought, just wanting to make things right after my brother left such a mess.

“I figured that she’s pretty amazing. I don’t understand why Matt pursued me when he had her. She’s beautiful, educated, thoughtful, and was obviously in love with him. I’ll never understand. If a girl like her gets cheated on, there was never any hope for someone like me. I feel horrible about all of it. If I’d known Matt was married, I never would have been with him, and if I found out prior to my visit to her house, I never would’ve gone there. That whole trip changed the path of my life and probably hers, too.”

“What do you mean?”

“I lost my mind when I found out that Matt was dead. I passed out right on Lisa’s doorstep. Then I passed out again when I found out that he was married. I was a mess. She was a mess. I got in the car and tried to drive back to Indy. That set the next chain of events in motion with the hospital and the bills. I never should have done that.

“I can’t imagine what your parents must think of me. It’s so embarrassing. This whole situation is something that you’d see in a TV movie. It’s not something that happens to normal people.”

“Unfortunately, you’re living proof that this does happen to normal people. As for my dad, it’s so damn obvious that he’s trying to fix Matt’s mistakes. He probably won’t admit it, though. He loves his kids and is a fierce protector of all of us, but it broke his heart how bad Matt screwed up. He took it to heart and even apologized to Lisa, because he felt like he didn’t raise Matt better.”

“What? Seriously? It’s not his fault. I’m not sure any of us will ever know why he did what he did. It’s no one’s fault, but Matt’s.”

“On the upside to all this, my dad’s thrilled to have a grandbaby. My sister and her husband have been trying, but no luck yet, and Steve and his wife Mary aren’t quite ready. So when he heard about Mariah, I’m surprised he didn’t skip out the door that day and show up on your doorstep. You’ll never find a more devoted family man than him.

“My mom has been an emotional basket case for the last year. Having to bury her son almost killed her. Then to find out what kind of man he really was…” I shake my head. “I thought we’d lose her for sure. The only bright spot has been your daughter. My mom was on cloud nine with that baby in her arms today. I’m surprised she didn’t try to make you ride with her so she’d get more time with Mariah. Moving here won’t just be good for you, it’ll be good for all of us. You’ll see.”

“Well, I can never repay the kindness of your family. I’ll sure try, though. I’ll also do my best not to take advantage of their goodwill.”

“You don’t need to repay anything. Just allow us to be a part of Mariah’s life, and that should cover things.”