Laura couldn’t prevent a smile. “Do you suppose all mothers of onlys feel this way?”
“I can’t speak for all mothers, but I know my Linda was perfect, just like your Alex.”
“You’re right, Mrs. Plummer. And since we almost had company for dinner your choice sounds a lot better than a frozen diet dinner or a can of soup.”
“Company?”
Laura half waved away the words. “No, I mean yes. Well, sort of. Just Mitch Tucker.”
“That investigator?”
Somehow Mrs. Plummer made the name sound faintly repugnant, and disapproval flavored her tone.
“That would be him. I made him work late, so I felt a little obligated to invite him to dinner.”
“A gentleman shouldn’t ever make a lady feel obligated.”
Laura held a twitching smile in place. The generation gap was showing. In fact, it was waving like a banner. “That’s not exactly what I meant.”
“Harrumph.”
“I think I’ll check on Alex. He’s awake, isn’t he?”
A warm smile transformed Mrs. Plummer’s face. “Yes, the little angel. I’ll put dinner on the table.”
Smiling, too, Laura headed for the nursery. At first, Alex didn’t hear her approach. His head was bent forward as he concentrated on the plastic blocks he held. A swatch of soft, dark hair fell across his forehead and his chubby face was furrowed as he tried to fit the plastic cubes together.
Laura’s heart constricted with love and she tried to banish the fear that crept in, as well. She had once heard that no one could understand the depth and enormity of love for a child until it was experienced. Now she knew that to be true.
Alex, sensing her presence, lifted his head, his face immediately creasing into a smile as he awkwardly crawled forward, reached for the top border of the playpen and pulled himself up.
“How’s my best boy?” she asked him, scooping him into her arms. She took his answering chortle as a greeting and bent to nuzzle his cheek.
After carrying him over to the rocker, she settled in, knowing it wasn’t long until his bedtime. Each day, each hour, was so incredibly precious. That this time might come to an end was inconceivable. While she wanted to spend every second on the investigation, she didn’t want to sacrifice one moment with little Alex. As the lump in her throat grew, she painfully acknowledged that she didn’t want to ever look back on this period and regret having not spent it with her son.
It was always during the later hours, in the night, that the doubts were the strongest. They sneaked in with the shadows when the absent sun could no longer banish them.
The rocker’s quiet creaking faded into the background as Laura recited a bedtime story. She had chosen a book from a nearby shelf, knowing it was one of Alex’s favorites. He loved to hear about animals—especially the rabbit.
As she often did at the end of storytime, Laura plucked a stuffed toy from the same overhead shelf, delighting Alex as she made the bunny’s ears wriggle. His laughter was pure joy for them both.
A wave of regret struck her, making her wonder yet again how her ex-husband could have simply walked away. Having such a child as Alex was like winning the greatest lottery of life, yet Kevin had dismissed him as though he were of no consequence.
She should almost have expected it, though. Kevin was an adventurous big talker, but a weak man. His charm had convinced her he was what she had been seeking all her life: a permanent connection, her soul mate.
That was why she had married him. She had wanted to believe him, wanted to think they would be together forever. But his actions had proved to be as empty as his words. Kevin was restless, easily bored. Seeking out “companionship” to relieve that boredom hadn’t taken him long. Laura’s marriage had been filled with humiliation and heartbreak.
The lesson had been hard learned, but she knew she would never trust another adventurer, especially one who attracted the ladies—like Mitch Turner. No, if there ever was a next time, she would find someone solid and reliable. Even then, however, she intended to keep standing on her own, not depending on anyone else again.
Laura gently rocked Alex, wondering anew how something so wonderful had come out of something so terrible. That it had made her feel eternally grateful. Alex snuggled closer, and if possible, Laura’s heart melted even more.
Mrs. Plummer’s sudden presence in the room seemed like an intrusion. “I have your dinner on the table,” she announced, moving nearer. Before Laura could protest, the older woman plucked Alex from her arms. “I’ll get this little one ready for bed.”
“I appreciate the concern, Mrs. Plummer, but since I’ve been away all day, I’d rather do that myself.”
The older woman sniffed. “That roast will be tougher than I am if we reheat it one more time.”
“I’ll risk it, Mrs. Plummer.” Gently, Laura retrieved her son. “I know you went to a great deal of trouble, but I’m really not that hungry.” She hitched Alex up a bit on her hip, brushing the top of his head with her chin. “And I don’t want to miss a minute more with this one than I absolutely have to.”
Mrs. Plummer’s expression softened slightly. “Can’t say as I blame you, my dear.” And she left them alone.
Laura treasured the moments with her son, even after Alex nodded off. She watched him for a while, enjoying the apparent normalcy. But finally she rose.
Unsettled and at loose ends, Laura roamed through the quiet house. Mrs. Plummer was staying late to use Laura’s computer. Poking her head into the refrigerator, Laura saw the evening’s meal tucked efficiently into plastic containers. But she didn’t feel like heating up anything. Truth was, she didn’t feel like eating alone. Impulsively, she glanced at her watch. It wasn’t late…yet.
Refusing to question her motives, she pulled out the roast and a loaf of fresh bread. To prepare two roast beef sandwiches and wrap them in foil took only a few minutes. After spotting the moist chocolate cake Mrs. Plummer had baked, she cut two generous slices and wrapped them, as well.
The bounty tucked into a canvas bag, Laura trotted down the hall to her study. “Mrs. Plummer, do you think you’ll be a while?”
The baby-sitter turned toward Laura. “Do you need to use your computer? I can finish this another time.”
“No, not at all. Actually, I’d like to run out for about an hour or so, but I don’t want to inconvenience you.”
“Take as long as you want, Laura. This computer’s a lot for me to manage and I’d like to get a good start on organizing my recipes. I can work for several hours if you don’t mind.”
Although the possible sacrifice pained her, Laura smiled. “I can stay and help you with the computer.”
“No. If I don’t do it myself, I’ll never learn.”
“If you’re sure…”
“I am,” Mrs. Plummer replied firmly.
Unwilling to risk another offer that might be accepted, Laura retreated quickly and grabbed her car keys and purse.
Houston’s streets were never empty, but now the cars were no longer crammed end to end on the unyielding concrete. The giant city sprawled over more than four hundred square miles, so it was lucky Tucker’s office was located close by. That hadn’t been a consideration in choosing him, but it had been an unexpected bonus. She remembered thinking that it was fate’s hand that he was practically in the neighborhood. Now she wondered if fate was mocking her, sending her out in the night. Still, she didn’t turn around.
When