The Secret Heir

“I brought you a present, Ty-Ty.” Beverly set the box on the bed beside him. “Would you like me to open it for you since you have one hand tied down?”

Though not as vigorous in his enthusiasm for a gift as he normally would have been, Tyler nodded against his pillow. “What is it?”

“Let’s see.” Sitting on the bed beside him, she efficiently removed the wrapping paper to reveal an equally colorful box. She opened the top and drew out a funny-looking stuffed hamster dressed in scrubs and a stethoscope. It danced and sang a few lines of “Doctor, Doctor” when its tummy was pressed.

Smiling, Tyler immediately reached for the toy, activating the song again. Laurel could tell he was getting sleepy once more, a result of the medications and his lingering post-surgery fatigue. He mumbled a few more comments to Beverly, and then his eyelids seemed to grow too heavy for him to hold open any longer. He fell asleep with the hamster still in his hand and his beloved stuffed penguin tucked into the sheets with him.

“I think he’s out.” Beverly ran a hand lightly over Tyler’s hair as she spoke quietly.

“The pain meds make him sleep a lot still. The doctor said they’ll gradually cut back on the dosage during the next few days.”

“He seems to be doing remarkably well.”

“He really is. He even walked a little this afternoon. They want him to get back into his regular activities as quickly as possible.”

“Donna told me you’re going to stay home with him from now on.”

Rather incongruously, it suddenly occurred to Laurel that Beverly actually looked somewhat like Donna, or maybe the way Donna might have looked more than twenty years ago. Blond, blue-eyed, delicately pretty, obviously intelligent. Why hadn’t she noticed the resemblance before?

“I’ll be staying with him while he recuperates from the surgery,” she agreed somewhat absently. “I’m not sure how long it will be, so I’ve taken an indefinite leave of absence from work. I know my boss will take me back when I’m ready, since qualified caseworkers are so hard to find.”

“Oh. So you are planning to go back to work?”

“That’s certainly my intention. Not until I’m sure Tyler’s fully recovered, of course. I’ve thought of working only part-time until the fall, when he’ll be old enough to enter a good preschool program.”

“I see. Donna said—I must have misunderstood her.”

Or maybe she hadn’t. Laurel wondered just what Donna had told Beverly.

Deciding to let that particular subject go, she said, instead, “I’m not sure I’ve told you how much I appreciate the excellent care you gave Tyler while you worked for us, Beverly. Neither Jackson nor I were aware of the signs you saw that something was wrong with Tyler. I’ll always be grateful to you for putting us on alert so that we were able to get early treatment for him. You might very well have saved our son’s life.”

Beverly looked both pleased and self-conscious in response to Laurel’s praise. “I just told you what I suspected. You were the one who took my concerns seriously enough to immediately follow up on them. I’m glad I had some experience with pediatric cardiology while I worked as a nurse’s aide.”

“So am I,” Laurel said fervently. “Will you go back to nursing now, or will you look for another nanny position? I’m more than happy to write a glowing letter of recommendation for you, of course. I’m sure you’ll have your choice of employs, since good nannies are even harder to find than social workers.”

“Actually, I’d like to go back to school to get my R.N. degree,” Beverly admitted. “I mentioned it to your husband the other day, and he seemed to think it was a workable idea. I told him I was worried about having enough money to live on while I’m in school, but he said he’s sure there are grants or student loans available for nontraditional nursing students.”

Jackson hadn’t mentioned the conversation to Laurel. Either he had been so distracted with Tyler that it had slipped his mind, or he’d thought Laurel was too preoccupied to be interested. “I think that’s an excellent idea, Beverly. You’d make such an excellent nurse, especially in pediatric care.”

“That’s what I hope to get into.”

“I have some associates through Children’s Connection who might know something about student grants or nursing scholarship programs.” She was thinking specifically of Leslie Logan, whose charitable activities were almost legendary. Surely Leslie would have some advice to pass on to Beverly. “I’ll ask around when I get the chance if you’d like me to.”

“I’d really appreciate that. Thank you.”

“It’s the least I can do. Literally.”

Beverly didn’t linger much longer. Promising to check on Tyler’s progress again, she brushed a kiss across the sleeping child’s forehead, then let herself out of the room.

Laurel spent some time after Beverly left berating herself for becoming so irrationally threatened by the nanny during the past few days. She could only chalk up the paranoia to stress and her own vulnerabilities, though neither was a sufficient excuse.

Promising herself she would do everything she could to help Beverly achieve her career goal, she laid her head back against her chair. She should take advantage of Tyler’s nap to get some rest, as well. She suspected she was going to need all her energy when he woke again.

Nine

Donna showed up an hour later, rousing Laurel from a light doze. “I’m sorry,” she said as she tiptoed into the room. “Did I wake you?”

“No, I wasn’t really asleep. Beverly came by earlier and gave Tyler that new toy he’s holding.”