An Unexpected Christmas Baby (The Daycare Chronicles 2)

He didn’t kid himself about that.

* * *

A week before Christmas, just after Tamara had arrived at work Tuesday morning, Mallory called.

“He asked me not to say anything, and I haven’t, but I think what you said about him is right, Tam. Flint doesn’t ask anyone to help him and I’m really afraid he’s going to lose Diamond.”

“It’s because he doesn’t trust that anyone will help him,” she said, having reached that conclusion sometime over the past week of thinking about him. About them. About herself, too. She took for granted that there’d always be people around her who would help her out.

Flint had never known a day in his life where he could take anything good for granted. Least of all the people around him.

“Tell me what’s going on,” she said. She’d called him a couple of times since he’d been back at Owens Investments, almost grateful to get his voice mail so that she could just say what she had to say.

She’d told him how sorry she was. She said she understood that the issues between them, including her aversion to motherhood, would always keep them apart, but that she wanted him to know she loved him and that if he ever needed anything, she hoped he’d call her.

She’d asked that he let her know about Diamond. Told him how deeply she believed the child belonged with him.

He’d called back the last time. When she’d answered, he’d simply told her to cease calling him and then hung up.

Very clearly she’d been warned.

He could keep her from contacting him, but he couldn’t control her heart.

Love chose her. She most assuredly didn’t choose it.

“The DNA must’ve come back positive,” Mallory told her, “because Flint has to take the baby to court for a hearing this afternoon.”

Tamara was just wrapping up her job with the box-making company she’d been working for since leaving Owens. She expected to be out of there for good by late afternoon.

“It’s just a hearing, though, right? Nothing happens today, even if a decision’s made?”

“From what I understand—and he’s not too chatty with me since he knows I talked to you about him last week—it could go one of three ways. He could be given full custody, with the grandparents getting some kind of visitation rights. They could get joint custody. Or the grandparents could get full custody with him having visitation rights.

“I think he only told me that much because the outcome will affect Diamond’s time here, as well as who can pick her up. He said he’s going to request that in the event they get joint custody, the Reddings agree to continue bringing her here on a regular basis so her life has as much stability as possible.”

Heart pounding, Tamara stood from the temporary desk she’d been clearing off. “You think there’s really a chance they’d decide custody today?”

“He sure seems to think so because he said he’d let me know if she’d be here tomorrow. I guess he had an in-home study done over the past week, and I’m assuming the Reddings did, too. It’s my understanding that they live somewhere in the area.”

“So the case is being heard here in San Diego?” Tamara.

“Yes, I know that because I had to fill out a form, answering questions, and send it in to the court.”

The hearing would be at the courthouse. She could find out the room when she got there. “Do you know what time the hearing is?”

“I know it’s after lunch because he’s picking her up at noon.”

That was enough. “Gotta go,” she said, thinking furiously. “Thanks, Mal.”

“Just help him, Tamara, and then for God’s sake, let yourself be happy.”

She didn’t really get that last part. But couldn’t think about it, either. She was one hundred percent focused on devising a plan to change a course of life events and only had until noon.

You’re going to be someone.

You’re special. The best part of me.

Don’t you ever give up.