Delores Fossen - Texas-Sized Trouble

They finally made it to the glass window of the nursery, and Eve peered in. There he was. Alone in the incubator. For some strange reason, she’d thought that Lawson might be here to look in on him, and she hated the disappointment she felt that he wasn’t. Lawson probably didn’t want to get anywhere near her, and that meant not being near the baby, either.

With Cassidy’s help, Eve made it into the area just off the nursery, and she spotted the nurse there. Not Darby or Mildred, but according to her name tag, she was Wanda Kay Busby.

“The doctor said it was okay if I held my baby,” Eve told her. “It’s not dangerous for him to be out of the incubator, is it?”

The nurse shook her head. “He’s not having trouble breathing or anything. The incubator’s just a precaution.”

That caused Eve to feel some relief, but she wouldn’t get a full dose of that until she had him in her arms.

“I’m surprised your OB let you fly when you were in your eighth month,” Wanda Kay commented. “Usually they warn against it.”

There went the relief. “My doctor thought it would be okay. And the flight wasn’t that long because I flew direct to San Antonio on a friend’s private jet. Could the trip have caused me to go into early labor?”

“Probably not, but most OBs would rather their patients deliver in a hospital, not on an airplane. Or a guesthouse.” Wanda Kay shrugged. “Still, it all worked out just fine.”

Eve hoped that was true. But now she had some more guilt to add to her guilt-riddled life.

Wanda Kay had Cassidy and Eve wash their hands and put on green paper robes before letting them into the actual nursery. The nurse then had Eve sit in a rocking chair. No easy feat with her sore bottom, but she would have sat on fire ants to have this chance.

“Don’t nurse him yet though,” Wanda Kay added. “I’ll need to check with the doctor first and make sure it’s okay.”

Eve doubted the baby would be hungry since she’d nursed him in the ambulance. In hindsight, that had probably given Lawson an uncomfortable moment or two, but she’d gotten so caught up in feeding her son that she hadn’t noticed.

The nurse lifted him from the incubator and eased him into Eve’s waiting arms. And Eve could have sworn that her heart doubled in size. She didn’t care that he wasn’t planned or that he shared DNA with Kellan, Eve loved him from the top of his curly-haired head down to his feet, which she checked.

All ten fingers. All ten toes.

The tears came, and they were bittersweet.

“Brings back memories of Tessie, huh?” Cassidy said after Wanda Kay went back into the office. Since the nurse hadn’t given her a chair, Cassidy sat on the arm of the rocker.

Yes, this did remind Eve of Tessie, and that was the reason for the next tears that fell.

“So, what did you decide to name him?” Cassidy asked. “And please don’t say Kellan, Jr.”

Not a chance. And Cassidy knew that. “Aiden James Cooper.”

“After your grandfather. Good choice.”

Cassidy knew about Eve’s grandpa James, too. Knew that he’d basically raised Eve after her mom and dad had divorced. Her dad had disappeared shortly thereafter, and in between her mom’s job and her constant dating, there hadn’t been much time for Eve. Grandpa James had always made time. Too bad he wasn’t here to see his namesake, but he’d died of a heart attack seven years ago. Her folks wouldn’t be around, either, since they hadn’t spoken since she’d left Wrangler’s Creek.

“I considered naming him Brett,” Eve added, “but I wasn’t sure that’d be a good idea. I mean, Brett’s family might not like that. Lawson probably wouldn’t, either.”

There was also no need for Eve to explain Brett to Cassidy. There’d been too many times when Eve had broken down over the memories of the teenager who’d once been Lawson’s and her best friend.

A friend they’d let die.

Sometimes, like now, the memories still crushed her heart, and she figured it did the same to Lawson. Or rather what memories Lawson had of that horrible night. Unlike Eve, Lawson hadn’t been able to recall a lot of details. Of course, that might have changed over the years. Though Eve hoped it hadn’t. She had enough of those memories for both of them.

“Are the tears of the happy variety or are they because of Brett or Tessie?” Cassidy asked.

“All three.” Eve looked up at her friend. “Is there any chance you can convince Tessie to take my calls?”

“You know I’ve already tried. And I’ll keep trying.” She patted Eve’s arm. “Just give it time, and Tessie will come around.”

Maybe, but it certainly didn’t feel like it at the moment.

“I talked to her briefly on the way here,” Cassidy went on. “She’s busy with her summer classes. And yes, she’s fitting in.”

Since that was about to be Eve’s question, she just waited for Cassidy to continue, but she didn’t because Darby came in. Eve tried to smile. Tried not to look as uncomfortable as her bottom felt. It was bad enough that Eve had to see Lawson’s ex, but the nurse also had yet more of those fan magazines.

“Oh, good. You’re up,” Darby said. She seemed a lot perkier than she had earlier when she’d stopped by Eve’s room. Of course, Eve didn’t really know the woman since Darby and her family had moved to Wrangler’s Creek after she’d already left.

“I just saw Kellan in the hall,” Darby went on. “He’s giving an interview to some reporters, and you can tell he’s bursting with pride over his son.” She ran her hand over the baby’s toes.

So, Eve had been right about Darby’s perkiness. And Eve didn’t have to guess why the woman was in this giddy mood. She knew that Kellan was the baby’s father and not Lawson. Eve didn’t like that Kellan was using their son to milk some publicity, but at least now folks might not blame her for causing Lawson and Darby’s breakup.

“Kellan told the reporter that you’d be splitting time between LA and here,” Darby remarked. “He said that way you’d be ready if the studio goes through with the Demon High reunion.”

Those were obviously fishing-expedition comments. And they weren’t true. Eve had no plans to live anywhere but the place she’d bought from Lucian. Kellan knew that. The studio knew that. But yet it kept coming up—from Kellan.

Eve didn’t mind if that was one particular bridge that got burned, but anything she said to Darby could end up as some twisted version of a story in a tabloid. Once a reporter had heard Eve belch after downing a few swigs of a Diet Coke and then had reported that she had a rare intestinal disorder that could be life-threatening. It had resulted in her “hornies” fans sending her hundreds of cards, flowers, herbal remedies and baskets of horns.

When Eve’s silence dragged on, Darby gave a nervous smile and turned to Cassidy. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Darby Rester.”

“You’re Lawson’s ex. I heard about you. One of the other nurses mentioned you when I asked about Eve. I’m Cassidy Vale.”

Eve frowned at Cassidy. There was no need to rub that ex part in or make it seem as if she’d heard something unsavory about Darby, but Eve suspected it was Cassidy’s way of reminding Darby that she didn’t have a right to play the “I’m the wronged woman here” with Eve. After all, Lawson had been Eve’s ex long before Darby had come into the picture.

“Yes, Lawson,” Darby repeated. “I nearly forgot. He wanted me to tell you that he’s leaving on a long business trip and didn’t have time to stop by.”

There it was again. The little pang of disappointment because she wouldn’t be seeing Lawson anytime soon. Eve reminded herself that Lawson wasn’t hers to pang about, and this absence might be a good thing.