Parker's Island (46 page)

“What time is it?”

“It’s 11:00 am
.
I thought you might be hungry by now.”

“No, not really
,
” I said, sitting up in bed.
  “I’m sorry I slept so late
.
I’m just tired
, I guess
.”

“That’s interesting sleep wear
,
”
s
he said, looking at Logan’s shirt.

I pulled it tight around my chest and said, “It’s comfortable
,
”
leaving little doubt that I wasn’t going to discuss Logan’s shirt or anything else concerning my current predicament.

“Okay.  Well, I made breakfast a few hours ago, but now I’m thinking lunch is more in order.  You two need to eat.”

I showered and dressed and met her downstairs a little while later.

“So, I told you I wasn’t going to push you, but curiosity has really gotten the best of me.  I gotta know
…
something.”

“I guess that’s only fair, since you’re letting me stay with you.”

“I don’t
expect
you to tell me anything
,
Delaney
.
I just think you may need to talk and I’m here.  But I
am curious about
the baby’s father, and why you’re not with him.”

“I was
raped,”
I said
abruptly
, like
ripping off
a band aid quickly
.  I
realiz
ed
it was a bit easier to say now
, and I knew Brian was right…again
.

“Oh my God, I didn’t know.  I’m so sorry!”
s
he said, starting to get up to comfort me.

“Please, don’t hug me, don’t cry, and don’t feel sorry for me.  I’m fine.”              

She sat back down and said, “Are you?”

“I will be
,
”
I said, tears starting to form.

“There’s something else, isn’t there?”

“Can we talk
about this
later
,
please
?  I need to start looking for a job.  I have a lot of things
I need
to buy for the baby.”

“
You found one
.  I need an assistant.  It’s getting crazy around here and I need someone to answer the phones, make appointments and help me set up some shows.  Are you interested?”

“You don’t have to do this.”

“My business is here
.  You’
re here
.  I
t works.”

“Really?  Oh
,
thank you.  I’ll work really hard.”

“I’m sure you’re going to be great and
you’ll definitely be
a huge help.  But, I don’t want you getting over-tired
, so when you’re done, you’re done.  Deal?”

“Deal
,
” I said, smiling.

“That’s more like the Delaney I know.  Okay, now can I ask just one more question, and then I’ll drop it?”

“Yes
,
” I said, nervously waiting.

“W
hat’s up with the
shirt?”

“It belongs to…
someone.”

“I figured that one out myself.  Do you mind telling me who?”

“
It’s…
Logan
’
s
.”

“Oh, that explains it. 
Who
is Logan and why are you sleeping in his shirt?”

“
He’s…um, he’s…
”  I
couldn’t bring myself to talk about him, so I couldn’t answer her
.
  I was tired of crying and I knew that talking about Logan would instantly bring me to tears.

“Why aren’t you with him?”
she asked.

“Aunt Vickie
, can we please not talk about this?”

“Okay.  Let’s eat and then get to work
,
”
she said, realizing I was at my breaking point.

“Thank you.”

I spent the
rest of the
day learning all there was to know about my aunts’ business.
 
I was
happy
to be working.  It kept my mind off of Logan.
 

“Wow, you catch on fast.  I should have hired you ages ago.”

“Thanks, and thank you for the job.  I really appreciate it.”

“Well, you’ve done a great job today.  How about we go out to dinner tonight?”

“Yeah, okay.  That sounds nice.”

We went to a Chinese restaurant and shared a nice meal.  I know she wanted to ask me about Logan, but she kept her questions to herself.  After dinner
,
we headed home
.  I
was tired from a long day and excused myself to go to bed
very early
.

As I headed up the stairs I heard the phone ring
.
“
Delaney, it’s for you
.  I
t’s your mom
.”

“Hi
Mom, how are you?”
I said.

“I’m fine honey, how are you?”

“I’m okay.  Aunt Vickie gave me a job, so I’m keeping busy.”

“Good, but don’t over-do it.  You have to remember your condition.”

I looked down at my belly, “Trust me Mom, I remember.”

“Well, I called to see how you
were
, but also to tell you something else.”

“What?”

“Your young man came to the house today.”

When I didn’t say anything, she said, “He’s certainly a striking young man.”

“Yes.”  I was shaking.

“He seems very determined to find you.”

“You didn’t tell him where I am, did you?”

“No
honey, I didn’t.”

“
Thank you.  W
hat did he say?”

“He said to tell you
that
he loves you.”

“Anything else?”
I said as the tears started
down my cheek
.

“Yes
.  H
e said
something about not believing one word of
a
letter you wrote.”

“Is that all?”

“No.  He asked about the baby, and if you’ve been to a new doctor yet.  He said to remind you that you’re due for your next appointment.”

“I know
.
I have to find
a new doctor
here
.”

“Why don’t you just come home?”

“Because he’ll be back.”

“He told me that he was married and the story behind it.  He also said he’s getting divorced.  He seems like a very wonderful young man.
  He obviously loves you very much.
”

“He is
wonderful and I know he loves me,
” I said, openly crying now.

“Then why
?  You obviously love him, and
it’s evident that
he’s madly in love with you. 
Why don’t you g
ive him another chance
?
”

“Mom, I told you, it’s because I love him that I left.”

“This makes no sense
,
Delaney.  If he’s getting divorced, then what’s the problem?”

“She’s not going to let him go that easy.  She’s going to take everything
from him if
I
go back to him
.”

“He doesn’t seem concerned
about any of that
.  I
n fact
,
the only thing he
i
s worried
about;
is
you
.”

“I can’t let him lose
everything
.  I
t’s
all he has
left
of her.”

“I
don’t think you’re giving him enough credit
.  H
e see
ms to really have his mind set…
”
             
“MOM, I don’t want to talk about this anymore.  Please, I have to move on.  I have a baby to think about.  I wish it was his baby, and I’m sure you don’t want to hear that, but it’s true.  But, since it’s not, I have to take care of her on my own.  He’s not responsible, and it’s not fair to him.  So drop it, please!”

“Why don’t you come home?  You don’t need to work.  I’ll take
care
of you,” she pleaded.

“Mom, I love you.  But, please understand that I have to do this on my own.  I need to work to stay busy.  I can’t just sit around and let you take care of me and my problems.  I
have to take care of my baby…
myself.”

“Okay, I’m not going to argue with you anymore.  You do need to make that appointment though
.  Do
n’t forget.  Please call me once in a while
,
honey.  I miss you.”

I knew I was hurt
ing her, but I had to do this
for myself.  I needed to stand up and be responsible for my own life and that of my child’s. 

I hung up the phone and asked my aunt Vickie the name of her doctor.

“I go to Dr. Ambrose, b
ut he’s a general doctor
. 
I don’t think he handles pregnancies.
”

“Oh, well I guess I’ll have to look in the phone book.”

“We’ll make an appointment
,
first thing in the morning.”

“Thank you.  I’ll see you in the morning.  Goodnight.”

“Delaney, why don’t you call him?”

“Not you
,
too
,
”
I said, tired of fighting.

“It’s obvious that you love each other.  Sorry, but I was listening.”

“I’m going to bed now.”
             
“Goodnight
,
honey
.
I’m sure his shirt is
almost
as good as the real thing.
”

I stopped and looked at her, “It’s all I have.  Goodnight.”

I made it upstairs and put on my nightgown.  This time I just hugged the shirt to me until I fell asleep. 
My nightmare
came back that night
in full force. 
I woke up a few hours later
soaking wet and shaking.  I looked around to get my bearings and then heard some strange s
ounds in the house.  I walked down the hall to investigate and walked right in to my Aunt’s room
.  I
stopped dead in my tracks when I realized she was in bed, and she had company. 

“Oh
,
no, I’m so sorry
,
” I said, covering my eyes and backing out of her room.

“It’s okay.  Tabby must have opened the bedroom door,
that
stupid cat
,
”
s
he said,
throwing a blanket over herself and her lover
.  “I guess this is probably not a great time for introductions.  I’ll see you in the morning
,
honey.  Did you need something?”

“Um, no
,
s
orry
.
I just heard…
g
oodnight.”

The next morning I headed downstairs determined to be on time for work and ran right into my Aunt’s lover.

“Good morning
,
”
h
e said.

“Hi
,
”
I
said, unable to look him in the eye.

“I’m really sorry about last night.  I hope we didn’t wake you, or keep you up.”
             
“No.”

“I’m Harley.  You’re Delaney?”

“Um, yes
,
” I said, trying very hard to stop picturing him without his clothes and in bed with my aunt.

“Good morning
,
Delaney
,
”
m
y aunt said, stretching her arms above her head and smiling.

“Hi
,
Aunt Vickie.”