Moyra Tarling - The Baby Arrangement

Faith fought down the bubble of hysterical laughter threatening to break free. “No, I’m not breast-feeding,” she responded, filling the bowl in the sink with hot water from the tap. Dropping the baby’s bottle into it, she turned to face the man hovering behind her like a vulture.

“He needs to be changed, then fed,” Faith said assertively. “When I’m finished feeding him, we’ll get this sorted out.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he replied. “Besides, what’s there to sort out? I thought I’d made myself perfectly clear. Once you’ve finished feeding my son, I’m taking him home with me.”

A variety of emotions ranging from fear to frustration tugged at Faith, but she kept them in check. This wasn’t the time to argue, not when she had a hungry baby in her arms.

She strode down the hall and into her bedroom. After Paula had left for the airport last night, Faith had transported her dressing table into a makeshift change table by placing a thick bath towel on top of it.

Not for the first time since her twin had appeared on her doorstep twelve hours ago, Faith wondered what kind of mess her sister had gotten herself into.

Precocious and outgoing as a youngster, Paula had been the favorite child. Their parents had indulged her and encouraged her in her goal to become an actress. Faith, shyer and more introverted, had sat in the shadows, quietly developing her artistic talent, a talent that had led her to a career illustrating children’s books.

Throughout their teenage years Paula had landed herself in more scrapes than Faith cared to recall. She’d delighted in pulling reckless and sometimes dangerous stunts with no thought to the consequences.

Faith, a scant ten minutes older than her twin, had often been left to soothe ruffled feathers, pacify angry neighbors, or take the blame for things her sister had done.

After graduating from high school, Paula had moved to Los Angeles, where she’d worked as a waitress before landing a small part in a movie. From there she’d moved to New York to work in an off-Broadway show.

Faith in turn had won a scholarship to attend an artists’ college in Seattle. Living on opposite sides of the country, they’d drifted apart. Paula hadn’t been able to attend Faith’s small wedding. The last time Faith had seen her twin had been almost two years ago, at Erica’s funeral. After a brief stay Paula had returned to the East Coast, still chasing her dream of stardom.

But while Paula’s arrival yesterday had surprised her, it was nothing compared to the shock of having her twin thrust a baby into her arms and beg for her help. At the time, Faith had wondered if by some quirk of fate she’d stepped into a nightmare.

Suddenly Nicky’s cries grew more urgent, effectively bringing her thoughts back to the present. With quick, accomplished movements she changed his diaper all the while speaking softly to him till his cries subsided. As she gazed down at his cherublike face she noticed for the first time the faint cleft in his chin—a tiny replica of his father’s.

Snapping the sleeper back into place, Faith lifted Nicky from the dresser, carefully supporting his neck and head. The powdery scent of baby wrapped around her, filling her senses and storming her defenses. Suddenly a barrage of memories, memories of another baby—her daughter, Erica—washed over her. Erica had been born prematurely with a multitude of medical problems, problems that after only five days had resulted in her death.

Faith bit down on the inner softness of her mouth to stop the moan of pain and sadness threatening to escape. Blinking back tears, she firmly closed the door on the past, a past too painful to revisit.

Turning, she came to an abrupt halt when she found Jared McAndrew’s tall frame blocking the doorway.

“Excuse me,” she said, careful to avoid his gaze, unwilling to let him see her distress.

“I’m impressed, Paula,” he said moving aside. “You looked like you knew what you were doing. Did you take a crash course in child care?” he asked, cynicism in his voice.

Faith made no reply as she headed for the kitchen.

“So tell me, who owns the house?” Jared asked as he followed her down the hall. “Is it one of your actor friends...or an old lover, perhaps?”

Faith ignored him. Grabbing a tea towel off the counter, she retrieved the bottle of formula from the sink. Continuing into the tiny living room, she sat down in front of the bay window in the rocking chair she’d bought during her own pregnancy.

With practiced ease she tested the temperature of the milk on the inside of her wrist Nicky was growing increasingly fretful, squirming in earnest now, undoubtedly aware nourishment was close at hand. Faith nestled the baby firmly against her breast, and in a matter of seconds his eager mouth found the bottle’s nipple.

Closing her eyes, Faith drew a steadying breath. As she gently rocked back and forth she listened to the soft sucking sound Nicky made, a noise she’d never thought to hear again, and one that made her heart ache anew.

After a few moments Faith ventured to open her eyes. The baby’s father had followed her into the living room and was slumped in the big old armchair opposite, eyes closed and a look of exhaustion on his face.

She let her gaze travel over his arresting features; the wide intelligent forehead, the straight nose, the mouth that was full and sensual, hair as black as ebony and the attractive cleft in his chin that Paula had mentioned.

Dropping her gaze to the sleeping child once more, Faith let her thoughts drift back to the events of the previous night. Why hadn’t Paula warned her to expect the baby’s father?

“I’ve made such a mess of things,” Paula had said, carrying the stroller and diaper bag inside. “I didn’t know where else to go.”

Faith had swallowed the hard lump of emotion clogging her throat. “The baby’s yours?” She’d felt foolish posing the question, but she hadn’t even known her twin was pregnant.

“Yes, he’s mine,” Paula had confirmed with a heavy sigh, and Faith had heard neither pride nor joy in her sister’s voice. “It wasn’t supposed to happen,” her twin had continued, annoyance echoing in every word. “I forgot to take a few pills...that’s all.”

“That’s all,” Faith repeated, and lifted her gaze to meet Paula’s, wondering if her sister ever thought about the consequences of her actions.

“You’re not going to start lecturing me or anything, are you?”

“No, I’m not going to lecture you,” Faith assured her, suddenly blinking away the moisture clinging to her lashes. “Mom and Dad must be thrilled...” she went on, and immediately caught the look of guilt that flashed in her sister’s eyes.

“Haven’t you told them?” Faith asked as she followed Paula into the living room.

“No, I haven’t told them,” Paula confessed. Dropping into the armchair, she glanced up at Faith. “I haven’t told anybody. I couldn’t—” She stopped abruptly. “Not after what you went through with Erica,” she added, her voice trailing off.

“I see,” Faith responded softly, surprised and touched by her sister’s thoughtfulness.

Glancing at her twin, Faith noted the paleness of her sister’s features, as well as the anxiety tugging at her mouth.

“So, tell me. What kind of mess have you gotten yourself into this time?” Faith asked as she lowered herself with the baby into the love seat facing the granite fireplace.

“It’s complicated...” Paula replied, not quite meeting Faith’s eyes.

“When hasn’t your life been complicated? You thrive on complicated,” she added in an attempt to coax a smile from her twin.

Paula flashed her a fleeting grin. “I know. But this time, well...this time I think I’ve bitten off more than I can chew,” she concluded with a sigh.