The Baby Bond. Linda Goodnight
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she could think of, the only acceptable one.
“Precious angel from God.” Rosalie looked over at Alex who didn’t seem to mind that an army of Caranos were tromping all around him. “You’ll be a fine mother for him, I’m sure.”
“Oh, I can’t keep him. That’s what I’ve been trying to say.”
The woman was taken aback. “I’m sorry. I thought Nic said you were the aunt, the only sister of the baby’s mother.”
“I am. It’s just that…”
Rosalie tilted her kind face to listen. Cassidy stumbled through her litany of reasons.
“I’ve already missed four work days. I can’t keep a baby. I’m single. I don’t know anything about babies. My job is demanding. I’m working my way up to creative director. That’s even more demanding. Alex deserves…” Realizing she was babbling, Cassidy clamped her lips together.
Rosalie patted her arm. “It’s all right, Cassidy. Alex deserves love. Everything else is negotiable.”
Cassidy opened her mouth to say more but nothing came out.
“You’ll do the right thing. God will guide you.”
She hoped she could count on that.
“But what about all these lovely things? I can’t keep them.”
The woman waved her off. “As long as you need them. We know where they are.” Then Rosalie stuck her head out the door and called down the stairs. “Come on, boys. This baby does not need to sleep on a floor with all of you tromping around like Bigfoot. Bring that up here.”
Two men who looked remarkably like Nic pulled a baby crib from the back of a pickup.
Cassidy felt a moment of panic. This was getting out of control. Did she need a crib?
One of Nic’s dark-haired sisters, Mia, if she remembered correctly, asked, “The baby is awake. Do you mind if I pick him up?”
“No. Please. I—” Cassidy blinked, as confused as a minnow in a whirlpool.
Her heart continued to race as load after load of baby paraphernalia, much of which she could not identify, found its way into her apartment. By the time the pickup and two cars were unloaded, the guest room was crammed with baby items.
With relentless cheer, the Caranos went to work organizing and setting up. The men clanged away at the crib, arguing over the direction of the springs and screws. The ladies folded sweet-smelling clothes and placed them inside a small chest.
The Caranos were like a tidal wave, overwhelming in their power. Cassidy gave up the battle. She’d deal with this later.
“What is this thing?” Nic asked, holding up a device with a dangling electric cord.
“Baby wipe warmer.” Mia’s full lips curved in amusement at her clueless brother. “Now that my little one is out of diapers I don’t need it or most of this other stuff. Thank goodness.”
“Sweet,” Nic answered and found a place for the warmer on the baby changer. “Right here okay, Cass?”
No one called her Cass.
“Perfect,” she muttered, helpless to say otherwise.
Nic efficiently filled the machine from a package of wipes, plugged it in and then wove his way through the maze of working Caranos and baby stuff to her side.
Smelling like baby wipes, a fact that made Cassidy want to giggle, the macho fireman plopped down on the floor and tilted a roll of Life Savers toward her.
She was on her knees next to Rosalie sorting onesies by size.
“Overwhelmed yet?”
She dug a cherry candy from the wrapper. “A little.”
“Want us to disappear?”
What could she say? To tell the truth would be both unkind and lacking in gratitude. Suspecting she would live to regret the decision, she said, “Stay.”
“Sure?” He popped a lemon Life Saver into his mouth.
Trying not to remember who he was or his role in her sister’s death, Cassidy controlled the urge to send him away. She slid the candy onto her tongue and sucked at the sweetness.
During the hour since the Caranos had swept into her life with their friendly laughter and kindhearted intentions, she’d pushed aside the terrible circumstances that brought them here. For this little while she’d witnessed the inner workings of a real family, the kind she and Janna had dreamed of. For the first time since Janna’s death, she’d felt almost human. That’s why she’d let them stay. She’d needed to feel normal again.
Now the sorrow came back in a rush.
Nic was silent beside her as though he guessed her thoughts. Guilty, troubled, hurting, she folded and refolded the onesie, never taking her eyes off the tiny garment.
I’m a mess. She, a woman who had long known what she wanted and where she was going, now floundered like a baby bird fallen from the nest.
The intrusion of a single, high-pitched, nasal voice jolted Cassidy from her brooding.
“What is all this?” Eleanor Bassett stomped into their midst, the heels of her alligator pumps thudding ominously on the beige carpet. Beverly and Thomas Brown peeked in behind her. Ignoring them, Grandmother swept one arm imperiously around the bedroom filled with boxes, diapers, bottles, a changing station, a crib and a lot of people.
Nic leaned into Cassidy’s ear and whispered, “Cruella de Vil. Hide the puppies.”
Squelching a gust of sudden and surprising laughter, Cassidy pushed at his shoulder and stood. He came up with her, eyes dancing above an expression as innocent as a rose. He’d probably gotten away with a lot of things because of that face.
“Grandmother, come in. I’d like you to meet the Carano family.” She’d almost added “friends of mine” and yet she hardly knew them. This amazing group that had baffled her with their display of generosity to a bereaved aunt and an orphaned baby were basically strangers.
Introductions were made and Grandmother perched on the rocker, ready to take over. The Caranos, while polite, didn’t seem all that impressed.
“Cassidy, we’ve come to discuss the situation. Although I see no reason whatsoever for you to have purchased all this frippery, shall we adjourn to the living room and leave these people to their work?”
The Caranos exchanged amused glances, aware they had been relegated to the position of hired help.
“Grandmother, the Caranos are friends.” There. She’d said it. “They donated these items for Alex.”
“Oh. Well.” Eleanor tilted her nose down a notch. “Unnecessary given the situation, but thank you. How generous. Now, Cassidy, as I was saying, let’s adjourn to the living room. I need to get back to Dallas tonight. The Forkner merger is set for tomorrow and I have tons of paperwork to prepare.”
Cassidy looked from the woman who’d birthed her mother to Nic’s sister who held Alex. The blue-clad baby reached chubby arms toward his aunt. Cassidy’s heart swelled with an undeniable emotion—love. Her knees started to shake. Could she do this? Could she let Grandmother ship him off to virtual strangers? Could her heart let him go?
The answer came loud and clear. No. She could not.
Lord, help me. She was about to jump off a building without a safety net.
“Grandmother. Mr. and Mrs. Brown.” She sucked in a steadying lungful of Nic-scented air and let it out slowly. This was the right thing. The only thing. “I want to keep Alex.”
Nic squeezed her elbow.
Buoyed by that simple gesture and the growing confidence that no one else could love Alex the