Promises in Paradise

Diane stepped next to Hale and he obligingly tilted his arms so that she could peel back a thin, pale yellow baby blanket and peer into the sleeping face of the week-old infant.

She saw babies all the time on her rounds, with private patients and at clinics and shelters. They came in all shapes, colors and sizes, with and without hair. But they were still largely anonymous. Unless there was a problem that required additional visits or further treatments, the small wizened faces became somewhat interchangeable to Diane. But she found herself staring at this child, studying him and the sweet peacefulness of his face. A tiny fist was curled closed and sticking out of the folds of the blanket. She was tempted to reach out and…

“You don’t mind, do you?”

Diane realized that Jenna and Hale were looking at her. One had asked her a question.

“I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“I need Hale’s help. Will you watch the baby? Just for a few minutes.”

“I…well…sure.”

Hale stood poised to pass the sleeping child to her. Diane hastily took off her coat and turned to accept the baby. As Hale also removed his coat and baseball cap, she moved to a nearby chair and sat down. Hale and Jenna left her alone.

The baby slept. He was breathing softly, now and then working his little mouth in a small sucking motion. The fist open, the fingers stretched and then closed again. He sighed and kicked a leg as he slept. He was so small and warm.

Diane was fascinated. She could not remember the last time she’d actually sat like this and held a baby. Maybe when Bailey or Hayden were babies. She let her gaze roam his perfect features, looking for the parts that were like Jenna. And the parts that were like Hale.

She had no idea how much time lapsed before they returned to the front room, deep in a serious conversation. Hale was instructing Jenna who to call about a malfunctioning refrigerator.

“I’m not going to fool with it, Jen. It’s probably the thermostat. Sorry it wasn’t an easy fix.”

“Me, too.” Jenna sighed. “Especially with having to keep prepared bottles of his milk and formula.”

She reached to take her son from Diane, who released him but then sat feeling somewhat useless. She quickly stood to put her coat back on.

“I thought men knew how to fix anything that ran on power.”

“My husband is actually very good at that. Unfortunately, he’s on the other side of the world,” Jenna chuckled as she soothed the infant who was whimpering. She bounced him gently in her arms.

Diane stared at her. Then she looked at Hale. His expression said it all. She’d made a big mistake and a colossal fool of herself.

“Really? Where is he?”

“Iraq. Second tour of duty, but he got promoted to captain. You can see what happened when he was home the last time,” Jenna said wryly as she smiled, besotted, at her son. “He left me with a special package. Thank goodness for Skype, video calls and Hale. Colby got to see his son just hours after he was born. He said it was the best Christmas present ever.”

Diane didn’t dare look at Hale again. He didn’t have to say anything. Jenna had innocently, effectively, absolved him of all the transgressions she’d blindly heaped upon him.

“I’d say so,” Diane murmured.

“When are your parents arriving?” Hale asked Jenna.

“Tomorrow evening. They’ll be here for two weeks so I’ll get a lot done around here with their help. As you can see, Diane, I’m just moving in. I don’t have family in D.C. but this is Colby’s home. I’m so glad I had Hale to help me before Quinn came along.

“My mother is going to enjoy hanging pictures, but mostly I know she and Dad want to spend time with their first grandchild,” she continued.

“What about your in-laws?” Diane asked.

“Colby’s mom will join us next weekend. Only one missing is Colby.”

Diane knew she wasn’t mistaken when she heard the little catch and crack in Jenna’s voice.

“I hope he returns soon,” she said softly. “He’s got so much waiting for him. He’s lucky.”

“Me, too.” Jenna nodded. She turned to reach out a hand to Hale who took it. “Hale is one of Colby’s best friends, and he’s been wonderful to me. But I’m sure you know what a good man he is.”

Diane swallowed. She knew if she tried to say anything she would go up in flames on the spot for not being honest. She glanced at Hale.

He didn’t look any less angry with her.

“I gotta run,” he said, kissing the back of Jenna’s hand. “I have to take Diane back to her car.”

“I’m glad you brought her along.”

“Congratulations to you and your husband.”

Diane stepped outside into the cold December night. She filled her lungs with the crisp air, trying to clear her head. But it was going to take far more than that to snap her out of it. Behind her, Hale and Jenna said their goodbyes, and then Hale was closing the door as he joined her. Without a word he headed back to the parked SUV. Diane followed as if her feet were encased in lead.

Nothing flip or smart came to mind that she could say to dispel the tension between them. What she had already said could not be unsaid. And she knew Hale was not going to forget.

Hale drove into the parking lot outside the shelter and pulled up next to her car. He turned off his engine and a silence fell upon them. They both sat staring out the windshield. Beyond, there was the start of a light fall of snow.

“I’m sorry. It was wrong to assume…what I did,” Diane said simply. But she doubted Hale believed her. She couldn’t blame him.

He sighed, shaking his head.

“What is it with you? You still hold my past against me, don’t you? My family and where I came from. Your father taking an interest in me. You’ve always resented me, Diane. Thought the worst of me. Believed I’m just not good enough.”

“Hale, that’s—”

“Don’t even try to say that’s not true,” he said sharply, turning to stare at her profile. “At least be honest about how you really feel. Let’s put it out there, in the open, and deal with it. Then maybe we can both move on. You hate me.”

She felt cold, the blood seeming to drain from her face. There was little she could say to refute Hale’s accusation. And now that he’d said it out loud, she knew he was right. Mixed with her guilt was also shame. Hale had so managed to trap her with her own behavior.

“It’s…not that black-and-white and you know it,” she said defensively.

“Oh. You mean you had every right to be suspicious of me then. Okay, I’ll give you that. I could have become a bum, but I grew up. I had a great second chance to change my life and I did. But you just don’t see that. Or you don’t want to.”

“Well, I haven’t seen you in years,” she responded, annoyed.

“You made sure that you wouldn’t.”