When Cate saw Rick and an older man choose a nearby booth
her shoulder muscles tightened. The last bite stuck in her throat and she
feared she would gag. From his startled expression, she knew he’d seen Maddie
and realized the child was his daughter. She prayed he would ignore them but he
wouldn’t. Maddie was his only blood relative unless he’d married and had
children, a distinct possibility. Why else had he chosen a house with five
bedrooms?
She pulled several bills from her wallet and tossed them
on the table. “This should cover mine and Maddie’s lunch. We need to hit the
grocery story.”
Lauren looked up. “There’s food in the basement freezer
and the fridge is stocked. My welcome present.”
“I saw what’s there but we’ll need some cleaning supplies
and Maddie’s favorite cereal.” She slid from the booth and signaled her
daughter. Somehow she had to solve the new dilemma without upsetting Maddie.
“Cate.” Rick’s deep voice caressed her name.
She kept walking, hoping he would realize she didn’t want
to speak to him.
Maddie tugged on her hand. “Mom, I think that man knows
you.”
“We went to college together.” She chewed on her lower
lip. There were things she couldn’t tell her daughter. Like we were friends. We
fell in love. We had sex. I was pregnant. He rode away.
“Don’t you like him? I saw your friends talking to him. He
lives in the house across the street.”
Cate paused beside her car and unlocked the door. “In and
seatbelt on, please.”
“I will. You didn’t answer my question.”
Cate considered her answer. “Years ago we were friends.
Right after graduation he left without saying goodbye. I guess I’m not a
forgiving person like my friends.”
Inside she shook. She had to tell her daughter her father
had surfaced. Any questions Maddie asked should be answered in a neutral voice.
She didn’t want her daughter to hate the man who had fathered her. Right now
she was too angry to talk about him. Still, she’d had his name placed on the birth
certificate.
Her mother had been furious. Their conversation popped
into her thoughts.
“You’ll give him a
way to claim her.”
“If I ever see him
again, he has a right to know.”
“Does he? Just like
your father he left. Do you think I enjoyed answering your questions? How will
you deal with her?”
“When the time is
right I’ll know.”
Cate released a held breath. Her mother had answered her
questions with bitter remarks. Never had the older woman allowed a fact to
emerge.
The time to tell her daughter about Rick had arrived too
soon. Was Maddie old enough to learn about her father and his actions in the
past? Did it matter? A way must be found before he acted.
She parked at the grocery store. She and Maddie walked the
aisles selecting cereal, bread and other needed staples. Cate picked up
microwaveable popcorn for the movie they planned to watch this evening.
At the house while stocking the pantry she weighed her
options. Though her new job was a challenge, if Rick made trouble, she and Maddie
could leave Eastlake
Rick had seen Maddie. His failing to realize she was his
daughter fell into the area of impossible. Every time she looked at her child
she saw him. Hair and features. Only Maddie’s eyes were green instead of deep
brown. She pursed her lips. She had to tell her daughter but not today or even
tomorrow. She needed the right time and the right words. She also needed to
know more about him. In nine years a person could undergo changes.
Maddie ran to the kitchen door. “I’m going to swing.”
“Enjoy.” Cate walked to the living room. The doorbell
rang. Tension froze her. She wanted to run but there was no escape. When she
saw Lauren relief nearly made her black out.
“What’s wrong?” her friend asked. “You’re as white as a
sterile four by four.”
“I thought you were Rick.”
“Who is Maddie’s father.”
The clipped words helped Cate regain her inner balance.
“He is and…I feel like running and hiding.”
“Don’t chicken out. Face him. Clear the past so you can
more forward.”
“I wish I could.”
“Look at me. I fell in love with Alex when I was a teen.
He married Rhonda. I ran from seeing them and went to work for that
international health group. When I returned he was a widower. I remained deeply
in love while he wallowed in the past. I stayed and found happiness. So can
you.”
“I’d just like to push this all aside.”
“No matter what happens I’ll back you. So will the others.
Face Rick and let him know what you feel.”
“I need to tell Maddie first and that’s difficult. We’ve
never talked much about her father.”
“Don’t delay too long and don’t feel guilty that you
didn’t look for him. You weren’t the one who took off for parts unknown.”
Lauren’s words struck Cate as the truth. On graduation day
the well of anger and hurt. Today, tendrils of guilt entered her thoughts. She
had let him go and hadn’t tried to let him know about their daughter. “Do you
want to come in?”
“I can’t. On the way here Johnny fell asleep. I just
wanted to make sure you were okay. You did dash off. See you Monday. Have you
found anyone to watch Maddie?”
“Your father-in-law enrolled her at the Community Center.”
“Liz’s boys are there as are many children whose parents
work at the hospital.”
After Lauren drove away, Cate made a green bean and tuna
salad for dinner. At five she called Maddie inside. Once they finished dinner, they
unpacked their suitcases.
With this done Cate popped a bag of corn and they watched
the latest animated feature. When the movie ended Maddie yawned. “Upstairs. Bath
‘I had fun today. Thank you for the swing set. Johnny and
the twins really liked it.” She ran off.
A short time later, Cate followed. She kissed her daughter
good night. As she walked downstairs she felt thankful. Her daughter hadn’t
asked about Rick.
She carried a glass of iced tea outside and sat on the
swing. The moon shone brightly. As she gently rocked, she saw a car parked in
Rick’s driveway. Before long she had to face him and have that talk with
Maddie. She couldn’t allow anger to color either conversation. Hopefully she
would find the right words.
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BUY MARK
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