Be My Babies. Kathryn Shay

Simon. He stopped short when he saw his daughter close to Lily on the couch. “Jenna, what are you doing here?”

      “I came for lunch. You weren’t around, so I had soup with Lily.”

      He checked his watch. “I see. You’d better get going.”

      “Dad, she drew me. And then I felt the babies kick. It was so awesome.”

      His face softened. “Which? The drawing or the kicking?”

      “Both. Come look.”

      Crossing to the couch, he stood behind them. He was so close, the scent of him practically surrounded Lily. Aftershave? Soap? “Hmm. Very nice. You’re good, Lily. What’s your background?”

      “I was an art and design major in college.”

      “Not much call for that in Mayberry.”

      “I…”

      The phone rang and Lily rose from the couch. “I’ll get it.”

      “No, I will. You can go home now.”

      “Dad?” Jenna had obviously caught the rudeness, too. “Are you okay?”

      “Yeah, sure.” He answered the phone. “Hello? Oh, yes, Mrs. Billings. She’s here. I guess it’s all right if you talk to her.” He held out the receiver. “You’re drumming up quite a fan club.”

      Lily shrugged and ruffled Jenna’s hair. “I hope to see you soon.”

      “I loved feeling the babies move. Do you know what they are?”

      She took the phone, but before she spoke into it she grinned at Jenna. “Yep, one of each.”

      “Isn’t that great, Daddy?” Jenna said.

      “Great,” Simon said, staring at Lily. “Just great.”

      DEREK WAKEFIELD rolled over in bed and reached for Liliana. When he came up with only a handful of silk duvet, he grunted. Gradually, he came awake to the smell of stale booze. There was a putrid taste in his mouth.

      “Aw, shit,” he said, burying his face in his pillow. As awareness dawned, he began to crave another drink. Slowly, he opened one eye and stared at the clock until it came into focus. Noon. What day was it?

      Sighing, he turned onto his back, and his stomach pitched. The bright sun slanted in from the skylight and hurt his eyes. Liliana liked spring afternoons—maybe he’d take her to the park. She looked so cute in that straw sun hat he’d bought her in the Caribbean.

      Then he remembered. Liliana wasn’t here. She’d left in the middle of the night a week ago. Why had she done that? He had a vague recollection of something…her walking in…something happened. His head began to pound when he thought about it too hard.

      The phone rang and he dragged a pillow over his head to block out the sound. When it persisted, he picked up the bedroom extension. “’ello.”

      “Derek, it’s me.”

      “Hello, Mother.”

      “Are you all right?”

      Sighing, he hoisted himself up and stuffed a pillow behind him. “I’m fine.”

      “You missed a meeting with vendors this morning.”

      “I did?”

      “Listen, darling, I know you’re upset that Liliana left, though I think it might be for the best. But your father isn’t happy about your not showing up.”

      “I’m sorry, Mother.” For a lot of things. Not the least of which was the wreckage he came face-to-face with when he looked around the bedroom. The desk chair was on its side. A lamp lay broken on the floor. A wastebasket was tipped over, its contents tumbling out onto the floor.

      And several pictures of him and Liliana were smashed into pieces. He must have lost it last night. Damn, why did she have to leave him? He couldn’t function without her.

       You couldn’t function with her, either.

      He swore vilely.

      “Derek!”

      “Sorry, Mother. I stubbed my toe. What were you saying?”

      “Would you like me to come over there? I could cancel my nail appointment. I know Liliana didn’t appreciate my visits, but now that she’s gone…”

      He rubbed a hand over his jaw. God—days of growth. He could smell himself, too, and it wasn’t pleasant. “No, Mother. I’m going to shower and head over to the office.”

      “Placate your father, dear.”

      “All right. I’ll talk to you later.”

      He hung up and surveyed the room again.

      No wonder Liliana had left him.

       Chapter Three

      “OH, MR. MARTINI, they’re beautiful.” Simon watched Lily gush as she knelt on the floor of the reception area and picked up a furry black creature. She looked cute in a dark pink-and-red skirt and pink blouse. Not for the first time, he noticed how attractive she was. “He’s so little. And soft.”

      “I like the one with white on his face.” Jenna scooped another kitten out of the box, and Simon watched as she held it the same way Lily held hers. For a minute, he worried. His daughter mimicked Lily Wakefield a lot these days. Then, with less effort than last week, he let it go. He believed in the old adage that you could tell a person’s true character by how he or she treated children, older people and animals.

      In the three weeks she’d been in Fairview, Lily had earned gold stars in all categories. She even had the cranky O’Malley brothers behaving. They owned the local pub and usually made everybody miserable. It was odd how people in small towns were so trusting. But Simon vowed he’d keep a clear head about her. He would try not to jump to conclusions.

      “Any takers on the ads?” Lily asked Mr. Martini, as she scratched the kitten’s neck. Her nails were painted pink to match her blouse.

      The seventy-year-old man smiled at Lily. “All but these two.” He stretched out a stiff leg, and winked at Simon. “Don’t know what I’m gonna do with the last of them.”

      Jenna’s eyes widened. She looked heartbreakingly young in overall shorts and a T-shirt, with her long hair pulled back in a ponytail. “Oh, Dad, can we?”

      He stuck his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Who’d take care of it?”

      “Me. I’m not a baby. Lily says I’m very mature for my age.” She lifted a chin in a haughty manner. She’d learned that from Lily, too. “I can do it.”

      “Well, if Lily said so.” The woman already had spent an inordinate amount of time with Jenna. She was even taking his daughter along to her next prenatal checkup after Jenna had begged to hear the babies’ heartbeats.

      Lily looked over at Simon. Her smile was genuine and it did beautiful things to her eyes. Her face, fuller now, was alight with that pregnancy glow. He wondered about her life before she came here and why it had been stressful enough to make her thin and pale, as she’d been when she arrived. Gil hadn’t told him and he hadn’t asked. “They make wonderful pets, Simon.”

      “I’ll think about it.”

      After a minute, Lily stood and stretched, placing her hands on the small of her back.

      “Your back hurt, Lily?” Jenna asked.

      “A bit. I can’t figure out why. I’m not quite five months along. I haven’t gained that much weight. I’m not even in maternity clothes.”

      “Cells are dividing in your lower back, stretching your muscles to accommodate