The Nurse's Newborn Gift (8 page)

“What do you think?” Krissy asked. “Is introducing J.J. to Mom a horrible idea?”

“I think...” Kira hesitated. “I think if you want to introduce J.J. to Mom, then of course you should.” She released Krissy's hand and sat back. “We'll make sure to do it on one of her good days.”

“How do you think she'll react?”

Now it was Kira's turn to look down at the table. “With Mom, you never know.” Then she looked up. “Let's give her a few more weeks to get adjusted to her new home. Then we'll pick a time when you, me, Derrick and Tippy can all be there.”

Kira didn't say it, but Krissy knew they all needed to be present in case J.J.'s presence caused Mom to act out...or become violent, which rarely happened anymore, thanks to her daily medications and the fact they'd all become so in tuned to her moods and triggers. But introducing a baby was an unknown. Who knew how Mom would react? “As much as I want to do this, I won't unless I'm sure J.J. will be safe.”

“He will be,” Kira said, with a confidence that put Krissy's mind at ease. “We'll all make sure of it.”

The little man in question started to cry.

“Oh, good.” Kira jumped up and hurried to the sink to wash her hands. “A quickie hello and cuddle with my favorite nephew then I'll leave you two in peace.”

Later that evening, when Krissy received Spencer's nightly text, she responded with a return call. He answered on the first ring, “What's wrong?”

“Nothing's wrong. You asked if I needed anything and there's something I wanted to ask you.”

A response would have been nice, maybe a “Sure, ask me anything.” All Krissy got was silence. So she kept on talking. “I'm feeling much better now and I'd really like to take J.J. down to meet Patti and Bart. I don't want to take him on the train, and I'm not comfortable making a long trip with him in the backseat where I can't see him or take care of him if he needs me. I know this is your busy time at work, but do you think you may have a free Sunday afternoon coming up? And if you do, would you be willing to drive us in? I'd have to work it out with Patti, of course.”

“Let me take a look at my schedule. If it's okay with you, I'll call Patti directly to set something up. Then I'll let you know.”

“That'd be great. Thank you.” Krissy hated how things felt so strained between them now. No laughing. No banter. “Don't mention J.J.” Good or bad, Krissy wanted to be there in person, to see their reaction as well as to render first aid if one of them collapsed in shock.

“I won't.” After a pause he added, “Thanks for asking me.”

“Thanks for agreeing. And thanks for the baby bath and the diaper pail. I would have thanked you sooner if I'd known they were from you. I thought they were from Kira. We'd discussed them at the hospital.”

“Uh, yeah, about that. I um...”

“No worries.” She gave him an out.

He took it. “Whew. Okay, then. Well, I guess I'll be in touch with the date and time.”

“Talk to you then.”

Only she didn't talk to him then, because late one night about a week later, she received a text.

3 p.m. next Sunday. Pick you up at 2 p.m. Spencer.

CHAPTER EIGHT

S
PENCER
GLANCED
AT
the time on his cell phone then settled back onto his sofa. He had half an hour before he needed to head down to Krissy's apartment to get her and J.J. down to Patti and Bart's by three o'clock. He tapped his ‘Find Friends' app to find her down in her apartment, where she spent most of her time, taking care of her newborn baby like a good mother should.

Maybe it'd been wrong to load the app onto her phone and accept the terms on her behalf, especially within minutes of her giving birth. But when she'd asked him to find the cell phone she'd dropped during labor, he couldn't bring himself to pass up the opportunity. When she'd moved into his building, he'd promised to respect her privacy and not to stop by without an invite. ‘Find Friends' allowed him to keep tabs on her without intruding in her life, without putting them in close proximity, which would no doubt lead to more kissing, which would no doubt lead to...complications he didn't need in his life right now. The app served his needs perfectly. God willing she wouldn't notice the icon amongst the dozens already on her phone.

For all the time he spent on ‘Find Friends', you'd think he was tracking more than one friend. Well, maybe tracking wasn't the best word to represent his purpose. Some might see tracking someone's movements as stalkerish behavior.

He wasn't a stalker.

He was a concerned friend, a godfather responsible for the well-being of his godson, a man trying to do the right thing while distancing himself from temptation. Yet the more he'd checked on her location over the past month, the more he'd thought about her. And the more he'd thought about her, the more he'd started to miss her. He glanced at the time again, the buzz of excitement zinging around his belly. The time had come. Today he would see her. In twenty-six minutes, to be exact. Only he didn't want to wait twenty-six more minutes. He didn't want to wait one more minute. So he stood and grabbed his keys and walked to the door.

As he left his apartment he wondered how he'd be received. After texting her every evening since she'd given birth, to see how she was doing and if she needed anything, not once had she invited him over. He should be happy, relieved even. Instead it irked him. He didn't like being shut out of her life. In the elevator he wondered if she'd be happy to see him, or angry that he showed up early, or frazzled and thankful for an extra pair of hands?

As much as he'd been thinking about her and trying to imagine what she'd look like without her pregnant belly, when she opened her door, nothing could have prepared him for the sight of her big, welcoming smile and the vision of her beautiful, voluptuous figure in a pale peach baby doll type dress, tight on top, flowy on the bottom, stopping a couple of inches above her bare knees.

All the air whooshed out of his lungs.

She looked...stunning, had lost all of her baby weight, at least as far as he could tell. But her breasts, her big, beautiful breasts had grown even larger. Spencer swallowed to keep from drooling. He couldn't look away, couldn't keep himself from thinking about dropping his head into her deep cleavage, from wondering what the soft heat of that creamy white skin surrounding his face would feel like?

“I know,” she said, looking down. “They're freakishly huge.”

“They're...awesome,” slipped out of Spencer's mouth before he could stop himself. Thinking it made him a typical guy. Saying it out loud made him sound like a jerk.

He was on the verge of apologizing when, Krissy smiled. He took that as a ‘no apology needed.'

“Come on in.” She stepped aside. “We're almost ready.”

The apartment wasn't as neat as it could have been, but Krissy had a diaper bag, her pocketbook, and the car seat ready and waiting by the door. J.J. looked neat and clean and way too adorable for words lying on his back on a cushiony baby comforter on the floor in the living room, just off the entryway. It didn't escape his notice that Krissy had dressed the baby in the light blue sleeper with the baseball emblem on the chest that Spencer had bought. “Wow, he's really filled out.” And he was alert, his eyes opened and looking around, his little legs bending and straightening, his tiny hands clenched into fists, one shoved half into his mouth.

“He's a breast man, too,” she teased, coming to stand beside Spencer. “Every two to three hours. Which means we'd better get on the road soon in case we hit traffic.”

Right. But before they left, he took a few seconds to be impressed by how calm and organized she seemed.

Krissy went down on her knees and carefully scooped J.J. into her arms.

“What can I do to help?” he asked as she placed J.J. into his car seat on the floor and buckled him in.

“If you'd carry the car seat down, that'd be a big help. Usually I put him in a baby carrier thing that I wear. But since you're here I will shamelessly take advantage of your big, strong muscles.”

“Happy to help,” he said, meaning it. He missed helping her as much as just being around her.

On their way out the door Krissy stopped and ran back into the kitchen. “Almost forgot.” She opened the refrigerator and took out a plastic bowl. “I made a fruit salad.”

That she'd even thought of that, with all she had to do, impressed him even more. “With lots of bananas and strawberries?” he teased.

“Oh, my God, don't even bring them up.” The bowl in her right arm, her pocketbook and diaper bag draped over her left shoulder, she walked toward the door. “I'll start retching. Can't stand to even look at them. J.J. left my body and took those awful cravings with him.” She glanced up at Spencer. “I'm hoping he doesn't develop a taste for them when he starts on solid food.”

With Jarrod as his dad, chances were pretty good that he would.

Down at the parking lot, Spencer moved the base for J.J.'s car seat into his SUV. Ten minutes later they were on their way.

“I'm going to start out in the front seat,” Krissy said, “So you don't feel like a chauffeur. But if J.J. starts to fuss, I may need you to pull over so I can move into the back.”

“No problem.”

“I hate that he has to face backward so I can't see his face.”

Spencer didn't like that either. He recalled seeing a mirror that could be placed on the seat so you could see the baby's face from the front seat and in the rear view mirror. Later on he'd do an Internet search to see where he could buy one.

After he'd run out on Krissy post-kiss, then left the hospital without saying good bye, and then went a full month without seeing her, Spencer had been concerned things might be a little strained between them. But Krissy kept the conversation going, sharing stories from J.J.'s first month of life, until about halfway through their trip, when she stopped talking, mid-sentence.

Spencer looked over to see she'd fallen asleep.

So exhausted, and yet she never asked for help. Krissy was so different from his needy mother and sisters. She was so different from his last few girlfriends, too. He got the feeling Krissy wouldn't complain about his long hours on the job or days away when he traveled with the team. Krissy wouldn't demand his time and attention, wouldn't expect him to buy her expensive things she didn't need. Krissy wouldn't clam up and give him the silent treatment, either.

He smiled.

She didn't play girlie mind games. She was angry? She came right out and told you so...loudly. That'd been one of the things he'd liked most about her.

Ten minutes from Patti and Bart's house he woke her. “Krissy,” he said quietly as he gently shook her shoulder.

She jerked awake, would have sprung out of her seat if not for the seat belt. “J.J.” She looked around, seeming confused.

“He's in the back. Haven't heard a peep out of him.” He'd been driving with the radio off to make sure he didn't miss even the tiniest whimper. “We should be there in ten minutes.”

Krissy's hand went up to twirl her post earring, a nervous gesture Jarrod used to tease her about back in high school. “You okay?”

She sat staring out the window, same as prior to Lamaze class.

He waited her out.

Still staring out the window she eventually said, “Maybe I should have checked with Patti and Bart before I went through with the artificial insemination. I mean sure, Jarrod wanted to leave a part of himself behind, wanted his parents to have a grandchild to dote on. And I grew to love the idea of having his baby, of having Patti and Bart's grandbaby. For a long time, they were more mother and father to me than my own mother and father were. But what if they don't want a grandchild? I never once took that into consideration. What if they—?”

“Stop getting yourself all worked up. There are no two people on the planet who deserve to be and would love to be grandparents more than Patti and Bart.”

“But what if—?”

“They're going to be thrilled,” he told her. No doubt in his mind. “Word of advice. When Patti goes in to hug you, which she will no doubt do, I'd bet in all her excitement she's going to put some power behind that squeeze. My suggestion, take a deep breath before she grabs on to you.”

Krissy's small smile warmed him.

When they reached the old neighborhood, Spencer circled the block to find parking. “I'm not going to find anything close. You want me to drop you—?”

“No,” shot from her mouth before he could even finish. Seeming to realize her exaggerated response, she took a breath and calmed it down. “I mean, no thank you. I like to walk. Walking is good. If J.J.'s car seat is too heavy for you to carry, I'll carry it.”

As if seven
maybe
eight pounds of baby and a plastic car seat would be too heavy for him to carry. Heck, he could carry Krissy and the diaper bag too without breaking a sweat. “I can handle it.”

Fifteen minutes later Spencer pressed the intercom button for Patti and Bart's apartment.

“Do I look okay?” Krissy asked nervously, trying to rub some wrinkles from the front of her dress. “Do I look like a woman you'd want raising your grandchild?” she asked, without giving him a chance to respond to her first question.

“Hey,” he said, lifting her chin so she had to look at him. “I know telling you not to be nervous isn't going to stop you from being nervous, but trust me, it's wasted energy. Patti and Bart love you, they've always loved you. You look beautiful. And while I find you way too sexy to want you to raise
my
grandchild, I think Patti and Bart will be perfectly fine with it.”

She smacked his arm, the one holding J.J.'s car seat.

“Hey,” he said. “You're going to make me drop the baby.” Not likely.

Her eyes went wide.

He smiled.

She smacked him again.

Just like old times.

The intercom buzzed them in and Spencer opened the door.

“The hallway looks and smells the same,” Krissy said.

Dimly lit, off-white walls with various nicks and scratches, and worn carpeting that could quite possibly be the same carpet his eleven-year-old feet had walked on so many years ago. The scents of fried food and garlic and tomato sauce lingered in the air. Coming for a visit was a journey back in time.

He tried to be a gentleman and let Krissy precede him up the stairs to the second floor, but she insisted he go first. When they reached apartment 2F, Krissy stood there, looking like she'd seen a ghost.

“You okay?” he asked her again.

“So many memories,” was all she said.

So many memories indeed, delicious food, fun times and so much laughter...followed by such heart-wrenching sorrow.

After a few seconds Krissy straightened to her full height and, shoulders back, lifted her fist to knock.

Only she didn't knock. “I should probably...” She dug into her purse to take out a white business sized envelope similar to the one Jarrod had left for him. Made sense he'd leave one for his parents too. She pulled out two other papers then lifted her fist to knock again.

She hesitated.

“You want me to do it?”

She nodded.

Spencer knocked.

Bart must have been standing in wait because the door flew open. “Look at you,” he said to Krissy. “Pretty as ever.” He pulled her into a hug. “Haven't changed a bit.”

Actually, in Spencer's estimation, she'd changed quite a bit. Adult Krissy was so much more than a pretty face, a hot body, and a fun time. She was strong and determined, yet at times, vulnerable. She was competent and responsible, yet not afraid to ask for help when she needed it. And most importantly of all, she seemed to be a great mother.

“Let them in you big oaf,” Patti said from behind Bart, hitting his shoulder with a dish towel. No sooner did Bart step aside, Patti's eyes went straight to J.J., who was fast asleep in the car seat carrier dangling from Derrick's hand, and everyone went silent.