The Daddy Dilemma

“Regrettably,” he said solemnly, his attitude bringing her back to earth.

She opened the door wider and gestured toward the conference room, studying the two as she followed behind.

The toddler was dressed in a pink coat trimmed with fake fur. Beneath the matching pink hat curled soft brown ringlets. Her blue eyes, exact copies of her father’s, took in Mackie from her shoulder-high view.

Beth stood transfixed at the back of the room as Gordon shifted a diaper bag off his shoulder onto the conference table. Neither spoke to the other.

Mackie walked over and urged Beth forward. “Come greet your daughter.”

Seemingly afraid to get too close to Gordon or Ashley, Beth tentatively approached. She reached out to take the baby from Gordon.

As if programmed by her father, Ashley let out a howl the instant Beth touched her. But instead of turning into the familiar male shoulder, the little girl flung herself toward Mackie’s arms. Mackie, nonplussed, gingerly took Ashley and held her as one might cradle a large cactus plant. “There, there,” she said uncomfortably, aware of Galloway’s scrutiny as she tried shifting the bundle to her hip.

“Lord help me,” he growled. “Give her back before you drop her. You’re as bad as your client—” he cast a menacing glance at Beth “—neither one with the maternal instincts of a cuckoo bird.”

For a moment Mackie reeled from the tongue-lashing, but then managed to regain her poise. “Insults won’t make this any easier, Mr. Galloway,” she huffed, again shifting the load in her arms and leaning her head out of reach of the curious little fingers trying to snag a gold earring.

“OK, I’ll keep quiet. Just give her to me.”

Mackie refused to relinquish the baby to him, defiantly handing her to Beth instead. Ashley’s lips curved down at the exchange but at least she didn’t start wailing again. Turning back to Galloway, Mackie announced crisply, “We won’t keep you any longer. This transaction is complete.”

“Transaction?” Galloway’s face darkened ominously. “Is that how you see it—a transaction?” He gave a puff of disgust. “Man. You and Beth are definitely kindred spirits.”

“And you’re a sore loser. What say we give the put-downs a rest and you be on your way? Beth has waited a long time for this reunion with her daughter. Why don’t we let them get to it?”

“Right...a long time,” he said, sparing no sarcasm. Then his shoulders seemed to sag a little in defeat. “I’ll be available all weekend if you need me, Beth. I’ve brought some clothes and toys, and a list of things she likes and dislikes. I’ll leave her car seat with the guard downstairs...oh, and here...”

Placing two business cards on the table, he slid one Beth’s way and one toward Mackie. “My home and cell phone numbers are on the back. I expect to be notified immediately if there’s the slightest problems.”

“There won’t be,” Mackie answered optimistically, motioning Gordon toward the door. He put a hand up to wave to his daughter, then departed.

“Well, thank heavens that’s over,” she said, smiling to Beth once he was gone. The smile faded immediately as Mackie moved her gaze to Ashley whom Beth had set on the conference table. In that brief period of time the child had upended a silver carafe, which was sending rivulets of water toward the business cards. Beth seemed oblivious to the spill.

“Better get those cards,” Mackie admonished. “While they’re still readable.” All hell would break loose if something happened to Ashley and Galloway weren’t informed.

Compliantly Beth reached for Ashley and the cards.

“Now let’s get you down to the car so you can spend the next two days getting acquainted.” Mackie started gathering up the paraphernalia. “You’re in charge now,” she said, turning to Beth.

Beth, who should have been euphoric, wore a dazed expression. “I can’t believe it’s happened. I expected something else to go wrong at the last minute, to...to...”

“Everything’s gone exactly as intended, so you can rest easy.”

Beth cleared her throat. “Not exactly everything.”

“Is there a problem?” Mackie asked. “Something you haven’t told me? I’m aware of Gordon’s settlement offer. Is it that?”

Beth’s eyes seemed to become shuttered. “No, not that.” She slid into a chair, Ashley on her lap. “I’m almost afraid to tell you.”

Mackie patted her arm comfortingly. “Don’t be silly—there’s nothing you can’t share with me. And whatever it is, we can handle it.” Mackie held her breath. Despite her encouraging words, she had a feeling she didn’t want to hear this.

“I was hoping you’d say that, but I’m in your debt so much already. I owe you big time, Mackie. Your support, your—”

Mackie signaled whoa. “We can’t start handling it until I know what’s wrong.”

“I need you to watch Ashley for me.”

“What!”

“I have to go back to the restaurant. You know I’m not supposed to work weekends...but there’s a big party scheduled...then Tammy called in sick...so there’s no one to act as hostess, manning the reservations desk, greeting people and seeing them to their tables. Rick told me I have to be there. If not, he’ll fire me. It’s just for a few hours. I’ll be off by ten or ten-thirty. But I can’t lose this job.”

Mackie panicked. Just a few hours?—might as well be a few years. She knew next to nothing about babies. Why, up until ten minutes ago, she’d never even held one. She wasn’t antikids—they just weren’t part of her life. Years ago she’d decided on career over motherhood.

“I don’t do children,” she said to Beth. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier so we could have postponed—”

“Postponed?” Beth’s voice took on a strident note. “Gordon would have loved that, now wouldn’t he? Just prove everything he’s been saying about me is true. You know I don’t have anyone else—no girlfriends, no family here—so please, please, please, can you look after Ashley this evening?” Beth reached out and grasped Mackie’s hand.

Mackie sighed. She’d promised to go the distance with Beth. What could she do but agree?

Ashley was cute to look at, but about as easy to control as a young chimpanzee. From the second Mackie had arrived at her town house with the toddler in tow, the latter had been expressing her displeasure with the arrangement. She’d turned up her nose at dinner, rebelled at having her diaper changed and refused to stay in the playpen Mackie had borrowed from a neighbor, preferring to roam around the unfamiliar territory.

Pricey art books, marble fruit and crystal obelisks now cluttered the mantel, secure from Ashley’s reach. Although by now Mackie would willingly sacrifice any one of them to Ashley’s mayhem if that would keep the baby from sobbing and pitifully begging for her “Da Da” the way she was doing.

“Don’t cry. Please stop crying.” Mackie cast her eyes upward in supplication. Where are you, Beth?

Pacing the floor with the fussy baby in her arms, Mackie noticed the warmth of her skin. She leaned her head back for a better view of the child’s face. It was flushed and tearstained. “Is it too hot in here? Or do you have a fever?” Don’t you dare have a fever.

At eleven-thirty, every shred of patience and energy exhausted, Mackie called the restaurant. “Beth Galloway, please.”

“Sorry, ma’am. Beth’s gone.”

Mackie hung up the phone. Hallelujah! Beth’s on her way.

For thirty more minutes Mackie circled the room and watched the time crawl by. Where was Beth? What could she possibly be doing? An accident perhaps. Or maybe she’d forgotten and gone home. She dialed Beth’s apartment. No answer. Of course Beth hadn’t forgotten—something was definitely wrong.

The waiting was getting intolerable. Ashley crying... Mackie worrying now about both Ashley and Beth.

Finally deciding she could no longer put off the inevitable, Mackie placed a weepy Ashley in the playpen with a bottle of milk to distract her, then fished out Gordon Galloway’s card from her briefcase and dialed his number.

“Mr. Galloway, this is Mackie Smith, Beth’s attorney. I know it’s late, but—”

“Has something happened to Ashley?”

“I don’t think it’s anything serious but she may be running a fever. If you’ll give me directions to your home, I’ll bring her there right away.”

“Did you take her temperature?”

“Uh, no. Not yet.”