Accidental Family. Joan Elliott Pickart

of where your husband…excuse me…your…the father of your children is, himself, at the moment.”

      “The who?” Patty said, her eyes widening.

      “David,” the doctor said, “does the name Patty Clark ring any bells. Patty… Clark.”

      David opened his eyes and looked at Patty again.

      “No,” he said. “I have never heard that name, nor have I seen this woman before in my life.”

      “Huh?” Patty said. “Now wait just a minute here.”

      “David has retrograde amnesia from the blow he sustained to his head,” Dr. Hill said. “He doesn’t even remember his own name, which we were able to supply from credit cards and what have you in his wallet.”

      “You’re kidding,” Patty said. A funny little bubble of laughter that held the edge of hysteria escaped from her lips. “No, you’re not kidding. How long is this amnesia thing going to last?”

      “I have no idea,” the doctor said, shrugging. “Every case is different.”

      “Well, isn’t this just dandy?” Patty said, then marched to the bed and gripped the top bar of the rail. “David, read my lips. You…have…a…daughter…named… Sarah Ann. She…is…three. She…is…cute. She…misses…her…daddy. That…is…you.”

      “I don’t know any Sarah Ann,” David said, frowning. “She’s only three and she misses me and… This is terrible. Well, it could be worse, I guess. At least she’s with her mother. You. Patty.”

      “No, no, no,” Patty said, shaking her head. “I’m not Sarah Ann’s mother. You didn’t list a name for her mother on the application blank.”

      “What did I apply for?” David said. “To be a sperm donor? Are you the mother of Tucker and Sophia?”

      “Yes, but…”

      “I apparently didn’t marry Sarah Ann’s mother, but why didn’t I marry you? This Sophia baby is only three weeks old? I must say you look sensational for someone who just gave birth. At least I know I have good taste in women. You’re very pretty. Who do our children look like? You or me?”

      “That’s it,” Patty said, throwing up her hands. “This isn’t a conversation, this is a ridiculous stringing together of words that are totally insane. Dr. Hill, I cannot talk to this man.”

      “Let’s all just calm down and start over,” Dr. Hill said. “Please, Miss… Ms… Patty, sit down, won’t you?”

      Patty sighed and sank heavily onto the chair next to the bed. The doctor pulled another chair over and sat next to her.

      “Now then,” Dr. Hill said, “perhaps you would be so kind as to explain to us what your relationship is with David, his daughter Sarah Ann and, of course, there’s Tucker and Sophia.”

      “Yes, all right,” Patty said, then looked directly at David. “But first I want to apologize for my behavior. I was just so stunned to discover you have amnesia that it threw me for a loop and I haven’t been very patient with your misconceptions. This must be terrifying for you, David, to wake up in a hospital and not even know who you are. On top of that, you’re obviously in pain. I’m sorry I was so rude.”

      “Well, I haven’t exactly been a pleasant person, either,” he said, meeting her gaze. “I suppose I should say something macho, such as, ‘amnesia is no big deal and I’ll just hang around until my memory jump-starts itself again.’ But…but the truth of the matter is, you’re right. This is terrifying, the most chilling experience I’ve ever been through. Thank you for understanding that, Patty.”

      Patty nodded, then told herself with a very firm directive to stop gazing into the ocean-blue depths of David’s eyes. Mesmerizing eyes. Eyes that held a flicker of pain and fear and made her want to reach out and take David’s hand and assure him that everything was going to be fine, just fine.

      But she couldn’t move, she thought frantically. He was pinning her in place with those eyes. Her heart was doing a funny little two-step number and a strange heat was swirling within her, low and hot and…

      Good grief, she thought, finally switching her attention to the water jug on the side table by the bed, this man was lethally sensuous.

      “Excuse me?” Dr. Hill said tentatively.

      “What!” David said.

      He was having a heart attack, he thought. On top of his other physical woes, he was now having a full-blown heart attack caused by gazing far too long into the beautiful, dark eyes of Patty Clark. Heat was coiling low in his body and… He was being consumed by desire for a woman he didn’t even know.

      “Sorry,” he said. “What was it you were saying, Dr. Hill?”

      “Patty is going to share what she knows about you, David. This could be important information.”

      “Yes. Yes, of course,” David said. “You have the floor, Patty.”

      “Well,” she said, lifting her chin. “That application I referred to earlier is the one you filled out at the Fuzzy Bunny Day Care Center to enroll Sarah Ann over a month ago. There was very little information on the form and you told the owner of the center that you’d get her the remainder of the data later.”

      “Mmm,” Dr. Hill said, stroking his chin.

      “All the caregivers at the center became immediately aware that you’re devoted to Sarah Ann, David,” Patty went on. “You didn’t really interact, smile or anything with those of us who worked there, but when you looked at your daughter, spoke to her, the love for her just radiated from your eyes, from the expression on your face. You’re a wonderful father.”

      “Imagine that,” David said, his voice holding a hint of awe. He frowned in the next instant. “But I didn’t write down anything about Sarah Ann’s mother?”

      “No. We assumed you were a single father who has custody of your daughter.”

      “That would be unusual,” Dr. Hill said. “Perhaps you are a widower, David.”

      “My wife died?” David said. “Wouldn’t I be aware of something that devastating?”

      “There are no rules for amnesia,” the doctor said. “It varies from person to person. Go on, Patty.”

      “You always pick Sarah Ann up at exactly five-forty-five,” she said. “Yesterday I was helping out at the center because they were short on caregivers. I no longer work there since I had Sophia. Anyway, you didn’t show up to get Sarah Ann last night, David.”

      “Oh, God, my daughter must have been scared out of her mind. I don’t know what she looks like, or what kind of personality she has, but that has got to be a terrifying experience for any three-year-old. I’ve got to go get her and…”

      “No, wait,” Patty said, raising one hand. “I took Sarah Ann home with me. She and my son Tucker are ‘bestis friends,’ as they put it. I told Sarah Ann that you had somewhere important you had to go and made the whole sleepover seem like an exciting adventure. The three kids are at my mother’s right now so I could come here. And for the record, you are not related to Tucker and Sophia. I’m divorced from their father. Oh, and Sarah Ann slept well and ate a big breakfast. She’s doing fine.”

      “Thank you,” David said, then drew a shuddering breath. “Thank you so much for what you did for Sarah Ann.” He paused. “You have a son? And a new baby? And you’re alone, but you took on another child? My Sarah Ann?”

      “Yes,” Patty said, shrugging. “I mean, goodness, what would you have had me do? I realize I have a lot on my plate but I can handle three children.”

      “Amazing,” David said. “You’re a remarkable woman, Patty, and a natural-born mother, that’s for sure.”