Cathy McDavid - Baby's First Homecoming

“I have. Two years ago when she came home for a visit. We didn’t tell anyone. We thought it wise, considering how her family felt about me, us, at the time.”

“You cheated on Jessica with Sierra?”

“No. Jessica and I were on the outs. I ran into Sierra at the Corner Diner. We got to talking, hit it off, and one thing led to another.”

He summarized his brief affair with Sierra and what she’d told him about her pregnancy, Jamie’s birth, adoption and getting him back.

“I can’t believe it.” His mother’s happy smile warmed Clay. “I’m a grandmother. Wait till I tell—” She stopped, covered her mouth. “What am I saying? Poor Sierra. Such a terrible ordeal for her to go through.”

Her? What about him? “She kept my son from me!”

“You dumped her.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“It was entirely like that. No wonder she was hurt and confused.”

“She had no right to pawn Jamie off on strangers.”

“We’re all guilty of making bad decisions we later regret.”

True. Clay was a walking, talking example. “I told her I want joint custody of Jamie.”

“Is she agreeable?”

Clay thought back to how he and Sierra had parted yesterday at Ethan’s apartment and her vehement protests. “She’d prefer I start with supervised visitation. I told I have no intention of being an every-other-weekend father.”

His mother reached over and covered his hand with hers. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, sweetheart, but why not?”

“I’ve always wanted kids. That was one of the reasons Jessica and I divorced.”

“I remember how devastated you were when she miscarried.”

“She didn’t want children, Mom. She couldn’t have been more relieved.” Clay was the one who’d grieved over the loss. When he’d discovered not long after that Jessica was secretly taking birth control pills, their shaky marriage had rapidly deteriorated. “This is a second chance for me.”

“I worry that you’re so busy. You work seven days a week at the rodeo arena. You’re at Powell Ranch at least two days a week helping Gavin with the stud and breeding business. And then there’s the wild-mustang sanctuary. How are you going to fit raising a child, a young child at that, into your life?”

“I’ll hire more help if necessary.”

“I suppose you could.”

“What happened to the happy grandmother?”

“I’m thrilled, of course. And I’ve always liked Sierra. It’s just such a huge responsibility and an enormous adjustment. I think the two of you should proceed slowly. Whatever decisions you make must be best for everyone, especially little Jamie. Let him get used to Sierra before you start taking him.”

His mother made sense, but Clay wasn’t convinced. He had a lot of catching up to do with Jamie.

“Would you like to see him?”

She brightened. “I can’t wait.”

“Let’s go over there now.”

“This second?”

“Sure.”

“Shouldn’t you call Sierra first?”

“She’s already expecting me. I told her yesterday I’d be by.”

“But not that you’d be bringing me.”

“You’re Jamie’s grandmother.”

“Have you told your father yet?”

He shook his head.

“Don’t you think you should?”

“I will. Later this week.” Clay may be at odds with Bud, but he wouldn’t deny the man his grandson. Not like Sierra had denied him.

“Tell you what.” Blythe hopped off her stool. “You call Sierra while I change into slacks.”

Two minutes later, Clay was shutting the Arcadia door behind him as he went onto his mother’s back patio to make the call. He didn’t want her hearing the conversation in case Sierra gave him more grief.

She answered the house phone on the second ring.

“It’s Clay.”

“Oh, hi.”

He ignore her lack of enthusiasm. “I should be there in about a half-hour, forty-five minutes tops.”

“It’s not a good time. Jamie’s napping.”

“He’ll wake up eventually. Won’t he?”

“Yes—”

“We can wait.”

“We?”

“My mother’s coming with me.”

Silence followed.

“We won’t stay too long, I promise.”

“All right. But in the future, I need more than a moment’s notice you’re bringing someone with you.”

“She’s my mother.”

“Even so.”

“Until we hammer out the custody agreement, I’m going to see Jamie every day. I’m more than willing to work out a schedule that’s convenient for both of us.”

“You don’t get to dictate all the rules, Clay.” There was an unaccustomed edge to her tone.

“Neither do you. Not anymore.”

He heard her sharp intake of breath.

“Fine, I’ll see you shortly.” She hung up without saying goodbye.

Clay refused to get angry. This was only the beginning of a potentially long battle, since Sierra was intent on resisting him at every turn.

Unless…

The idea that had suddenly sprang to his mind quickly grew into a full-fledged plan.

And Clay liked having plans.

* * *

“YOU OKAY, SIERRA?”

She glanced up to see her future sister-in-law Sage enter the kitchen wearing her khaki uniform. She was a field agent for the Arizona Game and Fish Department and often worked on the weekends. Later, as her pregnancy advanced, she’d be assigned to a desk job.

“I’m fine.” Sierra moved away from the wall phone. “Clay and his mother are coming over.”

“From the look on your face, I’d say that’s bad.”

“I was hoping for more time alone with Jamie before pulling him in a dozen different directions.”

“Kids are resilient and do better with change than we think they will. Especially at his age.”

“You’re probably right.” She was right, Sierra thought. It was her and not Jamie who needed more time.

Sage reached into the refrigerator and came away with a piece of leftover pizza, which she then placed on a paper plate and put in the microwave.

“Miss lunch?”

“No.” She smiled embarrassedly. “I’m just always hungry.”

“Lucky you. I spent most of my pregnancy throwing up or feeling like I wanted to.”

“You’re also lucky.”

“I am, but what are you referring to?”

The previous evening, after Clay had left, Sierra had finally unloaded the entire story about Jamie to her family. They were supportive, sad she’d gone through so much misery alone and ecstatic she and Jamie were reunited. They also didn’t quite understand her reasons for not telling them about her pregnancy from the start and, at least in Gavin’s case, were a little mad at her.

“You’re lucky Jamie’s father wants to be part of his life,” Sage said.

Sierra leaned her back against the counter and watched Sage devour her warmed-up pizza. “I’m okay with Clay being part of his life. It’s his need to control that bothers me.”

“Wanting to see their sons every day is natural for most dads. I wish my ex wanted to see Isa. Not for my sake, mind you. For hers. Gavin is wonderful and a hundred times the father my ex will ever be, but Isa still asks about her daddy and can’t help feeling rejected. Jamie won’t ever experience that.”

The advice was good, and Sierra appreciated it. When she’d first got Jamie back, Sierra hadn’t thought ahead to when he might ask about his father. Certainly not about what she’d say to him or how it would affect him.

Now it was irrelevant. Jamie would know his father. Very well, if Clay had anything to do with it.

“I just wish he’d calm down a little. Quit trying to run the show.”

“That’s Clay for you.”

“Is it?” Sierra really didn’t know him, not the adult Clay. The youth and teenager she’d grown up with had been a lot like her older brothers. Competitive, confident, a talented athlete and enormously popular with the girls. The Clay she’d spent time with two years ago had been vulnerable and wounded and unafraid to show his gentler side. That was the man she’d fallen in love with.