Baby Love (40 page)

"Matthew wasn't going to allow that to happen. You were his golden goose. She and I were almost to Mississippi on the Greyhound bus with you when Matthew caught up with us."

Maggie visibly shuddered at that particular memory.

"After Marla passed away you became my responsibility.  I resented that I had been given no choice in the matter.  I hated Matthew and the control he had over me and my life. You just wanted a mama.  You tried to make me your mama but that just wasn't in the cards don't you see?"

"Aunt Maggie did Matthew ever see me when we lived in Kentucky?"

"Yes a couple of times when you were very young."

(The man from my first memory with the swing set!)

"How did my mother die?"

(I had to know.)

"Poisoning," Maggie whispered before slipping into unconsciousness.

CHAPTER 32

Trey received a call Sunday evening from Sandy Meyers.  She had been keeping in touch with us daily letting us know Maggie's condition.  There had been no change since Friday afternoon when we had been there with her.  She was still in a coma but holding her own.  The doctor said part of the coma has been induced because of the heavy duty pain-killers she was being given.

Right after Trey got off of the phone with Sandy Tristan called him.  He let Trey know that he would be in Atlanta tomorrow and would be staying for the week to get the transition of ownership taken care of with Gina. I had kept my BFF promise to Gina and not mentioned anything to Trey about Tristan coming in or where he was staying.

My ears perked up when I heard Trey ask him if he was staying here with us.

"You aren't serious Tristan.  What the fuck?"

I couldn't hear Tristan's response but pretty much figured it out with Trey's next line.

"Yeah right - platonic my ass!  What's your deal bro?"

"I realize that Tristan.  I just hope that you are a bit more cautious before jumping into another relationship so quickly."

(Pause . . .Tristan is responding to Trey on his end.)

"Whatever you say Tristan.  It's one thing to be in business with Gina just take my advice and don't hop into bed with her."

(WTF?  That is my best friend he's talking about!)

"Okay, okay.  I will butt out.  See you in a couple of days then.  Don't forget to come up for air."

Trey was chuckling now so it appeared as if the brothers were still on good terms.

He came out to the kitchen where I had just finished unloading the dishwasher.  He looked all disheveled from the afternoon he had spent on the couch drinking beer and watching football.

"Did you know that Tristan will be in town tomorrow for the week?"

"I overheard you talking to him about it just now."

(That was the truth.)

"Guess where he's staying?"

"Well from what I overheard it sounded like Gina's?"

"Oh come on Tylar.  You already knew about this, didn't you?"

He was giving me an accusatory look.

"So what if I did?  It's not my place to tell you everything that concerns my best friend or your brother is it?"

"I certainly hope you aren't playing matchmaker with those two," he warned, furrowing his eyebrows at me.

"Trey this isn't seventh grade.  Tristan and Gina are both adults who can navigate their way into a business relationship or a love relationship or a sexual relationship without any outside assistance or
interference
."

"You are mighty sassy with me tonight aren't you girl?" he said with a smile closing in on me.

He tugged on my ponytail gently, pulling me back against him.  His arms circled around me as he lowered his face to kiss the top of my head softly, rocking me back and forth within his arms.

"Is your period over yet baby?" he asked.

"Sorry no," I answered trying to wriggle out of his strong grip.

"Can I interest you in a high protein drink then?" he asked, not loosening his hold on me whatsoever.

"We'll see," I replied.

"You may have a better chance of that if you get out of those sweats you've been in all weekend and shower though."

He chuckled, burrowing his face down into my hair and kissing the back of my neck.  He gave me goose bumps.

Just then the sound of glass shattering on the wooden floor in the living room followed by Preston's loud wailing interrupted our play.

"Shit," Trey said racing out of the kitchen and into the living room with me on his heels.

Preston had evidently crawled over to the entrance hall and tried to pull herself up using the legs of a small hall table that was against the wall.  The large glass vase that had set atop it had slid off and hit the wooden floor shattering.

Trey scooped her up immediately checking for cuts.  Her little face was puckered up crying tears; she buried her face into Trey's chest her thumb finding its way into her mouth.  

"I think it just scared her," he said visibly relieved. 

"Trey what the hell?" I fumed.

"Why did you take her out of her playpen?"

"Tylar she wanted out. I was on the couch so I put her on the rug with some toys while I watched the game.  She was fine crawling around and playing right there with me.  I guess when I took the phone calls I got distracted.  I didn't think about it when I went into the kitchen to talk to you."

He was stroking her hair and kissing her head.

"I think you need to baby proof the apartment now that she is a toddler."

"Right," I said, rolling my eyes at him.

"What exactly do you think baby-proofing involves Trey?  Sticking some shields on electrical sockets and taking everything breakable out of the rooms?"

"Well - yeah," he replied.

"The shields on electrical sockets yes," I replied, "But you still need to be in the same room with the baby.  You teach them not to touch certain things that could break or hurt them by telling them 'no' firmly and consistently - do you think you can manage that Trey?"

"I don't know Tylar," he replied in a faux snotty tone, "I seem to have a problem with saying 'no' to you firmly and consistently it would appear."

"Hah, since when?" I scoffed giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Preston looked up from Trey's shoulder and smiled at me.

"Maamaa," she whimpered, twisting away from Trey and reaching for me.

"Did you hear that?  She wants her mommy," I crooned taking her from Trey.

"Come on sweet baby girl," I said holding her close to me.

"Let's go see if your diaper needs changing after that scare you just had."

I took her to the nursery and sure enough she had soiled her diaper.

"Stinky girl," I said making a face as I unfastened the tabs on her diaper and lifted her legs up to remove it.                She was grinning at me with her thumb in her mouth and jabbering in baby language.  I cleaned her up with baby wipes and put a clean diaper on her.  I went ahead and dressed her for bed since she got her bath in the morning.

"There - all done Preston.  Do you want mommy to read you a story?"

She smiled at me again, saying, "num- num."

I wasn't sure what that meant so I pulled a book from the shelf and sat her on my lap in the rocker opening it up to start reading.  She squirmed about knocking the book out of my hands and repeated the 'num-num' jargon a few more times definitely starting to fuss now.

(Num-num? Nurse?  Nipple?)

I unbuttoned my top and unclasped the front hook on my bra freeing my breasts.  That was it.  That was 'num-num.'

She immediately leaned into me latching onto my nipple and started nursing curled up against me.

Trey came into the nursery awhile later; I shared with him her latest word.  I had noticed that he had showered, shaved and had a clean pair of pajama bottoms on.  His hair was still damp from his shower.

"I swept up all of the glass from the entry hall," he said.

"I will keep a better eye on her in the future."

"Good," I replied, looking down at my precious girl nestled so contentedly against me.

Part of me wished that she could stay this age forever.  I recalled though how I had thought the same thing with almost every stage she had went through thus far. 

I thought about the things that Maggie had told us the other day.  In particular, I thought about how she told me that my mother had loved me and never liked being apart from me.  It reminded me of the way that I felt about Preston.  Perhaps I had more of my mother in me than simply my physical appearance.  I decided that I was very proud of that possibility.  I needed to find out more about the last thing that Maggie had said before falling into her unconscious sleep.  I needed to understand what she meant about my mother being poisoned.  Had it been an accident or had it been deliberate?

Trey was watching me with the baby.

"You know Tylar, you are never sexier in my eyes than when I watch you nurse our baby.  I can't explain it but it is definitely a turn-on."

I smiled up at him knowing that he was sincere - horny or not.

"Are you going to bed?" I asked.

"I'll be watching the late game in our room.  Will you be long?"

I looked down at Preston and her eyes were closed; her long lashes resting against her soft skin.  She continued to suck gently, the pauses between them growing longer each time.

"It'll be just a few more minutes Trey.  She's almost finished here."

"Okay baby," he said, leaning over and kissing her head. 

His lips brushed across mine warmly and sensually.

"I'll be waiting for you.  Come and get your 'num-num' baby."

CHAPTER 33

Trey and I were roused out of our sleep a little after 5 a.m. on Monday morning by the landline extension in our room ringing.  Trey was closest so he grabbed the phone.  I felt him sit up quickly after the person on the other end had identified themselves to him.

"I see," he said, switching the bedside lamp on.

He wanted me awake. 

"She'll be there in thirty minutes.  Let Maggie know.  Thanks Sandy."

I pulled myself up into a sitting position.

"Tylar you need to get to the hospital.  Maggie has rallied somewhat from the coma and she has asked for you.  It's only temporary her death is imminent so if there is more you need to know or anything you need to say to her this is your last chance."

I threw the bed covers off and went to my closet.  I shrugged a pair of jeans on and pulled a sweater on over my head.  I grabbed my socks and boots and sat down on the bed to put them on.  Trey hadn't moved.

"Aren't you going to get ready?" I asked him.

"Sweetie I have to stay here with Preston."

"Can't we get her up and take her with us?"

"By the time we rouse her, change her, dress her and all of the other things she needs done in the morning it may be too late.  You can do this on your own."

I nodded as I zipped the last boot up.  I grabbed my phone and purse and was out the door and on the road in no more than ten minutes after Trey had told me the situation.

I ran through the hallway at St. Matthews taking the elevator up to the ICU.  As soon as I got off the elevator Sandy was there to greet me.

"Your mother is weak but coherent.  She wants to see you about some unfinished business.  She won't last much longer Mrs. Sinclair."

"I understand Sandy.  Thanks for calling."

I made a hasty entrance into the ICU and to Maggie's room.  She looked much worse than she had on Friday.  She had oxygen going in through tubes in her nose.  Her skin had a mottled look to it almost purplish.

I went to her bedside where she appeared to be dozing.

"Maggie, I'm here.  It's Tylar."

Her eyes flickered open and she turned her head slightly so that I was in her line of vision.

"Tylar?" she asked weakly.

"Yes, I'm here Aunt Maggie.  Did you have something that you wanted me to know?"