Chapter 27

“Hey, you feel better?” Sean asked, looking up from the newspaper and hugging her with his free arm as she leaned into him.

She sat down in the armchair that used to be in Sean’s bedroom. “Yeah. When did you bring this in here?”

“While you were sleeping.”

“How’s Kelvin?” she asked, glancing at the bed.

“He seems to be resting well. I tried to wake him to see if he wanted to eat or at least drink something, but no luck. I think he’s just worn out.”

“You’re saying he wouldn’t wake up?” Chelly stood and spread the back of her hand across Kelvin’s brow, trying to keep her apprehension at bay and avoid upsetting Sean.

“No, he wouldn’t.”

“He feels a little warm, Sean.” Kelvin’s crackled breathing sang out, so maybe he really was just knocked out from the adventures of the day.

“He’ll wake up for his pain medication,” Sean said, reading her mind. “I’m not sure what they gave him at the hospital, though, or how long it lasts.”

“When he wakes up, we’ll take his temperature.” Chelly sat down again. “Was that phone call about Riana?”

“Yeah, get this. Children’s services placed Riana with her father’s parents.”

“That was fast.”

“Yeah, well, seems these people found out Riana had been staying with Miss Minnie Eva. They called her and asked if she wanted Riana back. They said they didn’t want to uproot her from everything she’d known, and that they worked demanding jobs. Their son, Riana’s father, is away at college, and, in short, they don’t want Riana to disrupt their lives. Miss Minnie Eva thinks you and I can become Riana’s parents, you know, should it come to that.”

“She mentioned that to me, too,” Chelly said, sitting forward, anxious for Sean’s take on this.

“It’s a crazy idea.” He folded the newspaper and put it aside. “What? We’re supposed to get married to provide a home for a kid we’ve seen all of three times?” he scoffed. “I mean, you know me, I’m a good guy, Chelly, but last time I checked, no one had nominated me for sainthood.”

Chelly gave a small smile, acknowledging his point and sitting back in disappointment. No, that’s not a reason to marry, she thought, but Riana was a precious little girl and just because she’d only seen her a few times, didn’t stop her from wanting the best for her. Of course, wanting the best for her and being her mother weren’t the same things. What was wrong with her? Where were all these maternal thoughts coming from? She rubbed her forehead, wondering if she were warm, too. She wasn’t. “So, where’s Riana now?”

“Still with her grandparents. Miss Minnie Eva can’t work and keep her.”

“Oh.” A horrible image of Riana holding out a bowl begging for gruel flashed in Chelly’s mind. “How can we ignore that, though, Sean? I mean, can’t we…do something?”

Sean looked at her with a pained expression and offered his opened palms. “What did you have in mind?”

She wasn’t sure if it was the topic or the discomfort of his broken nose, but Sean’s tension radiated across the room. “Never mind.” What was she going to suggest? If marriage wasn’t realistic, what was? She had the money, the blood money from the airplane crash. Well, she didn’t have it, but her parents did. She and Riana could live financially secure lives.

“Did you call Rosemary?” Chelly asked.

“Yeah. Miss Minnie Eva knew how to reach her. I talked to her.” He shook his head, apparently recalling the painful memory of that conversation. “She wants to go ahead with the DNA test.”

“Did Kelvin speak with her?”

“Yes, for less than a minute, but he seemed glad for the chance.”

“How long will it take to get the DNA results?” Chelly asked.

“At a private lab, three days. It’s after four now—too late to get much done tonight, but I’ll find an attorney tomorrow who can deliver Rosemary’s signed request to the hospital.”

“I’ll call someone from my firm,” Chelly said.

“Great. Thanks. Then we can know how this works and what samples they’ll want from Kelvin.”

Later that evening, Miss Minnie Eva came and read the Bible to Kelvin. Gus came to watch the American League win the World Series with him, but Kelvin didn’t wake either time.

Chelly called into work, leaving the message she’d be out one more day, and then she called Jamison to let him know. Jamison demanded all the details, so she shared their harrowing experience. While she was on the phone, Sean put on his coat and headed for the door.

“Excuse me a minute, Jamison. Sean?”

Sean backtracked to answer. “I need some air. Got to clear my head.”

She blinked several times, trying to understand. “There’s eight inches of snow out there and it’s dark. You’re going for a walk?”

“Thought I’d shovel the sidewalk.”

Was he being facetious? “You don’t have a shovel.”

He gave her a quizzical look. “I’ll borrow one from the neighbors, Chelly.”

“Okay…sorry. Be careful.” She backed off as his tone implied she should, but she peeked at Sean through the blinds. What if Isaac wasn’t the only threat to Sean’s safety? Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach, then she remembered she still held the phone. “Jamison, I’ve got to go.”

What was the matter with her? She paced. So now she was doomed to living every second until Kelvin died in fear for Sean? That was insanity, and, worse than that, even before Maya had talked to her she’d been tired, sleepy, irritable, clingy, and so PMS lately. In an instant, the cause of the problem registered with jaw-dropping clarity.

Quick as a bunny, she grabbed her purse and took it into the bathroom. She found her calendar and flipped through months like a madwoman. She’d circled the expected date of her period for October. She read it, then struggled to absorb its meaning. Friday—five days ago.

Chelly told herself not to panic, but covering her mouth to stifle the scream was the best she could do. She sat down in a daze, yelped when she realized the seat was up, then tried it again. She’d been so distracted with Kelvin dying, falling in love with Sean, and explaining Maya, that she forgot about her period.

She’d had her first period in June of her thirteenth year and then every month thereafter without fail, except when she was pregnant. Every month without fail. The words hovered in her mind over a din of clanging thoughts and emotions. She was never late.

Chelly jumped up and nearly pressed her face into the mirror, peering into her eyes. After all that had happened and all she’d suffered, she, Chelly Whitaker, was actually going to get a second chance? Oh, God. She sat down again, biting her lower lip, her hands on her stomach, not daring to believe it was true.

What had Sean said on the phone earlier? ‘I wouldn’t want a kid of my own now, I’m not good around them.’

Remembering that colored the moment in sadness. Some people had no interest in having what they would call crumb snatchers. But Sean? He had a good heart. Surely a baby would add more to his life than detract from it.

He’s got to be thinking about the timing and his restaurant, that’s all, Chelly assured herself. The timing was…well, the timing was inconsequential. Try as she might, she had no sympathy for Sean’s plight. The restaurant was important, but not as important as a baby. A baby was a miracle! He’d understand that, wouldn’t he?

Chelly’s mania sloped to sobering thoughts again. She was never late, but it was possible. Anything was possible, and she shouldn’t get carried away when she might not be pregnant after all.

She resisted the urge to put on her coat and claim time for herself—resisted her old pattern of mulling over an issue while physically isolated, as if only she were affected. She didn’t want to do that anymore. Living meant being present around others for the good, the bad, and the scary. Everyone she cared about, except her parents, were right here, ready to love and support her. She took a deep breath, and opened the bathroom door.

In the kitchen, habit had her reaching for a wine bottle to buffer stress, but she drew her hand back and put the kettle on for some herbal tea instead.

If she were pregnant, what would her parents say? Her mother would have a cow and then buy out Babies “R” Us. Her dad would get his “huh?” smile on his face, scratch his head, and try to entice her to move to Chicago so he could take care of his 42-year-old baby girl. She smiled.

What would Sean say? In theory, this was not the time for a baby, but wouldn’t he be happy? Or would he feel put upon and trapped? No way. Although, what if Nicole died? Would this baby and Sean’s moral, if not physical, obligation to Riana be too much pulling at him?

And Kelvin. He’d said he’d wouldn’t mind a grandbaby or two in this very kitchen only a couple of weeks ago. And today he’d said he had two grandchildren. He knew? Grinning, Chelly placed her palms on the sides of her face, trying to take it all in.

Sean came inside calling to her, “Can you get me a towel for the floor, Chelly? I don’t want to track it up.”

“Okay. Coming.” Chelly left her cup in the sink, collected two towels from the linen closet and covered the wood floor near the door.

Feet stomping, Sean held out a fistful of cash. “I did four houses on this side of the street and two on the other. Made thirty bucks.”

“That’s wonderful. Gotta love a man not afraid of hard work. You want something warm to drink?”

He slipped off his coat and she took it. “No, I’ll get some water. Exercise is my favorite tension reliever, you know. Well, that and sex.”

“Hmm. How romantic.” She kissed his freezing lips and tenderly touched his cheek. “Isn’t the cold weather painful because of your nose?”

“Nah. They’re still in there with him, huh?” He meant were Miss Minnie Eva and Gus still in Kelvin’s bedroom.

She nodded as she hung up his coat.

“Should I worry about dinner?” Sean asked.

“No, I think they’re about to order Chinese.”

Looking down, Sean toed off his shoes and set them on the second towel. “That’s fine. Kelvin’s not going to wake up again, is he?”

When he looked up, Chelly knew the shimmer in his eyes wasn’t because of the cold. She dropped her gaze, taking a second to adjust to this shift in conversation. She looked him in the eyes again. “That could be a possibility. He does have a fever. Miss Minnie Eva took his temperature under his arm…101. Maybe his doctor will want to prescribe something?”

Sean sighed. “A minute ago, I didn’t know how this day could get worse. Now I do.” He tugged at his earlobe and looked at his watch. “I’ll leave a message with Dr. Hershey’s answering service.”

She hugged him, wishing she could tell him about the life they had created, but she couldn’t put one more thing on his plate until she was sure.

* * *

The next day Kelvin hardly stirred. He wouldn’t eat, didn’t want to drink, and his conversation, what little there was of it, made no sense. Chelly watched him asking Sean about a riverboat and skyscrapers. Sean didn’t remember what he was talking about.

The doctor prescribed an antibiotic. When Chelly went to pick up the prescription, she bought Jell-O, Ensure, and Depends at Miss Minnie Eva’s urging. She also bought a pregnancy test kit, then she made a special stop for crackers and butter, in case Kelvin woke up hungry.

* * *

Sean waited for Chelly to return after play rehearsal the next night. He envied her being able to take a break from what he’d resigned himself to accepting—Kelvin’s death watch.

He kissed her at the door. “How was rehearsal?”

“Fine. How are things here?”

“He’s in and out. I remembered the boat ride, though. There’s this tourist ship that takes passengers up and down the Potomac. You can see the DC skyline—the skyscrapers. I think I was seven when we did that. This evening he didn’t talk about the boat, but he thought there was a turkey under his bed. At least he’s talking. I guess that counts for something. He’s not ready to let go.”

Chelly walked to the hall to hang up her coat. “Maybe he can’t let go until he knows what’s going to happen with Nicole and Riana. The DNA results will be back tomorrow.”

They let the topic rove the room unleashed for several seconds, then Sean attempted a desperate levity.

“About Riana, Chelly. What do you think? Are you willing to share me?”

Chelly stood in front of him. “Sure, but not the good bits.”

“Seriously. If Nicole doesn’t make it? Could you see yourself…?”

She held his gaze, wanting to make sure he understood. “See myself loving Riana? Yes. And you know why?”

He melted into her, placing his arms around her waist. “Why?”

“I can love again, thanks to you.”

He kissed her with a sweetness and then a fierceness that took her breath away.

“Miss Minnie Eva is right, we have a lot to offer a child,” Chelly said when they came up for air.

“I thought for sure children were nowhere to be found on your radar, Chelly. You constantly amaze me.”