Child of Her Heart

“You’re probably right. But I couldn’t pass up the chance to escape for a while.”

“She’s called me twice a day demanding I tell her where you are.”

Meredith knew Chaney referred to her mother. “Don’t cave, Chaney.”

“Never. She needs to give you some breathing room. How’s my favorite girl?”

“Anna’s perfectly content. She doesn’t care where we are. She eats and sleeps oblivious to anything but her tummy and her bottom. I think she’s becoming partial to my singing, however.”

“Nah, she still likes my rendition of ‘Lonely Days, Lonely Nights’ the best. I got her first smile with that one.”

“You did not.”

“Did so. You’ll have to stay up nights practicing to outdo my performances.”

Meredith laughed. “Okay, okay, you’re probably a micrometer better at entertaining in that department. But I can feed her. Thank God.”

“Low blow, girlfriend.”

They laughed, and Meredith said, “I needed this. You keep me centered and laughing at myself.”

“Yeah, well, sometimes you have to laugh.”

Meredith glanced at the windows, then at the clock. It was nearly one. “The sun is shining! I’d better let you go back to work.”

“Call me tomorrow.”

“I will. Bye.”

Four

Justin and his boys were waiting on the beach, the sand darkened from the morning’s rain. With them was a young woman in her early twenties, with dark hair and tanned-looking skin. The closer Meredith got, the more she noticed about the girl. She doubted that was a tan; her skin was a little darker than Anna’s, but her hair was straight and her eyes blue. She was quite obviously of mixed race.

She smiled and peered into the sling to see the napping baby.

“Meredith, this is Mauli,” Justin said. “Mauli, this is the lady and the baby we told you about.”

“The boys couldn’t stop talking about your Anna,” Mauli said. “They said she was the cutest thing ever, and I have to agree.”

“Thanks. I’m partial, but I agree, too.”

“It’s really too wet to spend time on the beach this afternoon,” Justin said, disappointing Meredith.

She nodded in agreement, however.

“I thought we’d find something else to do,” he suggested. “Spend some time seeing the sights. Will you join us?”

Warm relief swept over her at his suggestion. She shouldn’t be reliant on others for a good time, but she’d eagerly been looking forward to today. Justin and the kids were so accepting and friendly. They didn’t know about her dilemma or have opinions about what she needed to do. She could relax and enjoy herself around them. “I’d love it.”

“Great. We’ll take my vehicle.”

“Are we going to see the whales and dolphins, Dad?” Lamond tugged on his father’s hand.

“No, that’s tomorrow, remember?”

Justin led them to a Lexus SUV with a cherry sheen so deep it was almost black. “Give me your keys and I’ll get Anna’s car seat. Do you have a stroller in your trunk?”

Meredith dug her keys from her bag. He returned quickly and fastened Anna’s carrier in the rear seat, facing backward. If this man was as efficient in court as he was with babies, he was a force to be reckoned with.

They all piled in and buckled up. Meredith chatted with Mauli while Justin drove south on the highway. Mauli had been frequenting the gift shops in the little beach town and described the delightful presents she was storing away for Christmas and birthdays.

When Justin parked, it was at a wharf area, and they got out. Their first stop was the public rest room in a charming cluster of shops built to look as though they’d been there a hundred years. While Meredith changed Anna, Justin unfolded the stroller he’d stored in the back of his vehicle. Lamond asked to push it, but Justin told him that was Meredith’s job.

Funnel cakes caught Lamond’s attention next, so Justin bought enough to go around.

“You’re a bad influence,” she said as the boys ran ahead and Mauli hurried after them. “I don’t usually eat this stuff.”

Justin leaned toward her and brushed powdered sugar from her chin. Her heart skittered at the touch and at his attention. Her reaction surprised her.

“Yeah, I’m bad to the bone,” he replied. “Watch yourself. I might suggest ice cream later.”

She laughed and felt Justin’s warm gaze.

“That’s a nice sound,” he said.

Warmth bloomed in her cheeks and she glanced aside.

Justin shifted his attention ahead. “Turn up here, fellas.”

After they’d turned right, a fantasyland of metal sculptures came into view, some intricate, some sturdier, all of them turning and spinning in the wind. Meredith’s attention was riveted. “Oh, my!”

“Isn’t it great? I kicked myself for not getting one of these last year. This time I’m buying something for myself and having one shipped to my mom, as well.”

Jonah and Lamond wound through the display of art. “Dad, I like this one!” the younger boy called.

Justin went to study the sculptures with his sons.

“Come on,” Mauli said to Meredith. “The guy who designs them works inside this building. If we’re lucky, he’ll be making something.”

Sure enough a tall young man in a cap was seated at a bench pounding metal into hollow shapes the size of half baseballs. He looked up. “Hi, ladies.”

They watched as he shaped half a dozen of the cups, all the while talking about his craft. He then fastened the cups to a frame that looked like a small windmill. It already had a dozen or more of the wind catchers attached. Finally he placed the whole piece before a huge fan. When he turned it on, the gadget came to life, smoothly rotating in the breeze.

Justin and the boys had entered the shop, and the boys made appreciative exclamations.

“I like that one, Dad!” Lamond said.

“You like all of them,” Justin replied with a laugh.