A Baby by Christmas. Linda Warren

Carmen Woods.” She held out her hand and he shook it. A salesperson, he guessed. He had to get rid of her so he could talk to Elise.

      “May I come in?”

      “I’m kind of busy. Could we do this another time?”

      “It’s very important.”

      “Ms. Woods, I…”

      “I’m from the Harris County Children’s Protective Services, Mr. McCain, and it can’t wait.”

      Children’s Protective Services. What the hell did they want with him? They had to have the wrong person. He could clear this up easily, he was sure.

      He stepped aside and she entered the living area. Elise came out of the bedroom in a white robe and Jake introduced them.

      “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting,” Ms. Woods apologized as she took in Elise’s attire.

      “That’s okay,” Jake said. “But I believe you have me confused with someone else.”

      “I don’t think so, Mr. McCain. Just let me explain.”

      “Okay.” Jake still felt she had the wrong man, but he was willing to listen. “Have a seat.”

      Elise and Jake sat on the sofa and Ms. Woods took the Queen Anne chair. “I’m glad you’re here, Mrs. McCain. This concerns you, too.” She opened her briefcase and took out some papers.

      “Oh” was all Elise said.

      “Mr. McCain, do you know a Sherry Carr?”

      Jake frowned. “Sherry? Yeah, I met her about, gosh, maybe four years ago. I went to Texas A&M for a program on increasing cotton production and she worked at the hotel where I stayed. We dated, but it didn’t work out. I haven’t seen her since.”

      “Then you knew her…very well.”

      His frown deepened. “What are you getting at, Ms. Woods?”

      “Are you aware that Sherry has a son?”

      Jake shook his head. “No, she never mentioned a son.”

      She pulled a paper from the ones in her hand. “I’m not sure how to tell you this, but I’ve learned that it’s best just to come out with it. Your name is on his birth certificate.”

      “What!” Jake and Elise said simultaneously.

      Ms. Woods leaned over and handed him the paper. It was a copy of a birth certificate and there, in black and white, he was listed as the father. Elise moaned softly. Jake wanted to reassure her, but he kept staring at his name, trying to make sense of what he was reading.

      “This can’t be true,” he said in a low voice. “I was only with her for a week and we always used protection. And she said she was on the pill. Why she put my name on the birth certificate is beyond me unless…” His eyes narrowed. “Is she trying to extort child support from me?”

      “It’s nothing like that, Mr. McCain,” Ms. Woods said firmly.

      “Then what is it like, Ms. Wood, because you’d better tell me and fast.”

      “Ben’s grandmother passed away two weeks ago. By the way, his name is Benjamin, but everyone calls him Ben. He just turned three.”

      Jake had noticed that on the document. Benjamin Jake. Sherry had even named the boy after him. Why would she do that? They had not parted on amicable terms.

      “As I was saying, Ben lived with his grandmother. Sherry left him with her mother and she called a couple of times, but no one’s heard from her in years. The authorities have searched, and they can’t find a trace of her. Mrs. Carr was worried because Sherry’s boyfriend was involved with drugs.”

      “That’s why I stopped seeing her,” Jake said quietly. “I caught her doing cocaine in the bathroom and that was it for me.”

      There was silence for a moment, then Ms. Woods spoke, “Mr. McCain, this little boy is all alone and we’re trying to find his father.”

      Jake met her gaze. “I’m not him.”

      “Are you positive of that?”

      He stared at the brocade drapes and wished he could say with certainty that the boy wasn’t his, but he couldn’t. They’d used protection. Maybe it didn’t work. If it didn’t, then…

      “No,” he admitted reluctantly.

      Elise moaned again and Jake wanted to tell her it wasn’t true, but he really didn’t know.

      “There’s an easy way to find out,” Ms. Woods said.

      Through his confusion, Jake breathed one word, “How?”

      “A DNA test. It’s a simple blood test and it’ll tell us if you’re Ben’s biological father or not.”

      Jake didn’t say anything. This was so unreal, but he felt that if he had a son, surely he’d have some inkling, something…

      “Is there a possibility that someone else is the father?” Elise asked into the silence.

      “Yes,” Ms. Woods replied. “We know there were two other men she was seeing at the time.”

      “Have they taken a DNA test?”

      “No, we’re starting with Mr. McCain, but I have appointments set up with the other men as well.”

      “I see.”

      Ms. Woods’s gaze centered on Jake. “Are you willing to take the test?”

      He rubbed his hands together. “Yes,” he replied, knowing this was hurting Elise, but he had to do it to ease his mind.

      Ms. Woods reached over and handed him a card. “That’s the name and address of a lab here in Waco. You can have it done first thing in the morning and—” she reached into her purse “—I’ll leave my card in case you have any questions.” She laid it on the table. “I work out of the Houston office, but I’ll be here until tomorrow to finalize the paperwork.”

      He fingered the card in his hand. “How long will it take before we have the results?”

      “A week or two, maybe more. Depends how busy they are.”

      “I see,” he said, studying the card. “I’d like it done as soon as possible.”

      Ms. Woods rose to her feet. “I’ll put a rush on it. Maybe that will help. If you’re not the father, I have to keep searching.”

      “What…what does he look like?” Jake asked, suddenly needing to know. He felt Elise stiffen beside him.

      “Actually, a lot like you. He has brown eyes and hair, and a smile that’ll steal your heart. He’s a well-mannered, adorable little boy. His grandmother raised him well.”

      Elise jumped up and ran to the bedroom.

      “I’m sorry if I’ve upset her,” Ms. Woods said.

      Jake got to his feet. Upset was a mild word for what they were about to go through. He’d never expected this and he damn well didn’t plan it. They had to face it, though. He was hoping they’d face it together, but he wasn’t sure.

      “I’ll call when I get the lab results,” Ms. Woods added, and Jake showed her to the door. Earlier he’d been feeling irritated. Now he was stunned and wondering how to explain this to Elise. He’d had sex with another woman, but that was years before he’d met her. If the boy was his, though, it wasn’t going to make a difference. Their marriage, such as it was, would be over. He knew that for a fact.

      ELISE PACED BACK AND FORTH in the bedroom, her movements agitated. A child. Jake could have a child—with another woman. No, she was going to have Jake’s baby. She ran her hand over her flat stomach. It could be conceived already—growing