Cimarron, Denver Cereal Volume 4 (53 page)

“
What do you mean
‘historic’?” Seth asked.

“
I know this guy might have
been killing people for the last thirty years or whatever,” she
said. “But we found stuff that’s like fifty, sixty years old. We’re
calling the Museum of Nature and Science to take a look at one
area.”

“
Why?”

“
There’s desiccated tissue
and artifacts there from a hundred years ago or more,” she said.
“It’s weird. And we haven’t started on the house yet.”

“
Artifacts?” Seth
asked.

“
Scalps,” she said. “Real
cowboys and Indians crap.”

Seth shook his head.

“
That’s my response.” The
woman gave him a sweet smile. “How’s your Goddaughter? Sandy,
right?”

“
Right. She’s in surgery,”
he said. “The baby’s still alive, which I’m told is a big
deal.”

“
Well, good luck with it.
We’re all pulling for her.”

Seth watched her as she walked out of his
office. Shrugging to himself, he opened the file.

“
Oh hey, I forgot,” the
woman said. She jogged back into his office. “We found this. Can
you check with that kid Charlie to see if this is the victim’s
necklace?”

She held out a plastic bag with a stainless
chain and a medallion on it. He took it from her.

“
St. Jude,” he
said.

“
The patron saint of lost
causes,” she said. “Poor kid.”

“
I’ll check,” Seth said.
“Thanks.”

“
You wanna get a bite to
eat?” she asked. “I’m off.”

“
Nah,” Seth said. “I should
wait to see how…”

“
Sandy is doing,” the woman
finished his words. “Yea, that’s what I like about you.”

The young woman winked at him and gave him
another sweet smile. Knowing she had his attention, she spun in
place and swished out of his office. He watched her high firm rear
end retreat from his view. In another time, on another day, he
would have accepted her invitation.

He sighed. Today wasn’t that kind of a day.
He took one last look at where the technician had stood and began
flipping through the evidence folder. He’d gone through the
evidence from start to finish when his desk phone rang.

“
Yeah?” Seth
asked.

“
She’s out of surgery,”
Jill said.

“
I’m on my way,” Seth
said.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED and
TWENTY-TWO

Secret deal

One day later
Saturday — 6:30 A.M.

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nurse
smiled at Sandy when she was wheeled into the unit.

“
I wondered if I’d see you
this morning,” she said. “How are you feeling?”

“
Better,” Sandy
said.

“
You’re still pretty sick,”
she said.

“
I’m still sick,” Sandy
said. “They say it’ll take a while. That’s all right. I’d be here
at the hospital anyway. I’m kind of grateful to have a
bed.”

“
Do you need some help
getting into the chair?”

“
No, I can do it,” Sandy
said.

Sandy mustered her strength and moved from
the wheelchair to the chair. The nurse held her arm for
support.

“
Can you open your gown?”
the nurse asked. “I’ll bring her.”

Sandy settled into a chair near her
daughter’s incubator. The nurse lifted the tiny child from her
incubator. The baby had a CPAP oxygen tube in her throat and an
intravenous line in her tiny leg. EKG and Blood pressure monitors
were taped to her chest. She was wearing a diaper and a gold
colored hat Delphie had knit for her. The nurse set the tiny bundle
with her head to the side between Sandy’s breasts. The baby’s belly
was against Sandy’s in Kangaroo position. Sandy held her close in a
light hug. The nurse laid a soft cotton blanket over the baby and
helped Sandy tie her hospital gown in place.

“
You’re not breast
feeding,” the nurse said.

“
Can’t,” Sandy said. “Too
many drugs. I’m pumping so I’ll have milk flow when I get better.
How is her infection?”

“
She’s a fighter,” the
nurse said. “I bet she’ll be ready for formula in a few days. The
doctor thinks she’s closer to twenty-nine weeks than the
twenty-seven we first thought.”

“
She’s small,” Sandy said.
The baby nestled into Sandy.

“
You’re a natural,” the
nurse said. “How many children do you have?”

“
She’s my first biological
child,” Sandy said.

“
But you’ve been around
infants,” the nurse said. “That’s obvious.”

“
Younger brother and
sister,” Sandy said. “They weren’t this small but…”

“
Look, Daddy’s here,” the
nurse said.

Sandy looked over to see Aden come into the
NICU. She hadn’t seen him since the night before she’d gotten sick.
She’d required long hours of sleep to recover from last night’s
visit to the NICU. She’d missed him when he’d been here to help
Kangaroo the baby. He leaned to kiss her cheek, touched the baby’s
back and sat down next to Sandy.

“
I looked for you in your
room,” he said.

“
I wanted to be with her,”
Sandy said. “We only get a couple of hours today.”

Sandy sighed. There was nothing better than
the warm feeling of her baby on her chest. Because she and the baby
still had the infection from her burst appendix, the baby could
only be out of the incubator for a short period of time. This
Kangarooing was so vital to her growth and health, it was worth the
risk. If she improved, they would increase the Kangaroo time.

“
How are you?” Aden
asked.

Sandy shrugged. He smiled to encourage
her.

“
Are you working today?”
Sandy asked.

“
I’m on paternity leave,”
Aden said. “Jacob met with the state for a couple of days last
week, you know, after Valerie set it up. As long as he stays away
from female employees, he’s can return as CEO. I’m off for at least
six weeks.”

The baby shifted her head toward his
voice.

“
She knows you’re here,”
Sandy said.

“
Sam promised me I could
take as much time as we need,” Aden said.

“
She could be here ten
weeks,” Sandy said. “Then we have to get home.”

Exhausted at the thought, Sandy sighed.

“
Everything depends on both
of you getting better,” he said. He stroked her hair.

“
I’m sorry to be so sick.
I…” Sandy said.

“
It’s a miracle you and the
baby are alive,” Aden said. “We’ll get through everything
else.”

“
She’s already out of the
radiant warmer and in an incubator,” Sandy said.

He smiled. Even ill, Sandy and their little
bundle were beautiful.

“
How are the kids?” Sandy
asked.

“
In seventh heaven,” Aden
said.

Sandy raised her eyebrows at him. Her eyes
tracked another mother and father coming into the NICU.

“
You haven’t heard?” Aden
asked.

“
I haven’t heard any news,
anything,” Sandy said. “I’ve just been here or
unconscious.”

He touched her shoulder and she looked at
him.

“
You’ve been very sick. You
had major surgery
and
delivered our baby yesterday,” he said. “It’s a lot. I’m glad
you’re resting.”

“
Where are the kids?” Sandy
asked.

“
Everywhere,” Aden said.
“Teddy and Nash moved into the basement of Alex and John’s house.
It’s like a boy’s camp. Today they’re going to learn to shoot bows
and arrows at some club in Morrison. Yesterday, to celebrate being
done with school, they went horseback riding. Charlie went with
them.”

“
Alex and John?
But…”

“
They can stay there until
you’re feeling better and the baby’s home,” Aden said. “At least
that’s what Alex said. The boys will go to work on Monday. And so
far, they’re really happy.”

“
How do you feel about
that?” Sandy asked.

“
They’re happy,” Aden said.
“That’s all I care about.”

“
And Noelle?”

“
Valerie took Noelle and
Sissy on a shopping trip to the discount malls in Silverton,” Aden
said. “They left last night. They’re staying at a posh condo owned
by some movie director Val knows. They plan to shop morning to
night today and tomorrow.”

“
Sissy too?” Sandy
smiled.

“
Sissy has the weekend off
treatment,” Aden said. “They want her to integrate into our family.
You should see them. Noelle and Sissy. They aren’t sisters. They
don’t look like sisters. But if you heard them talk? They’re
sisters. They bicker, talk over each other, and laugh. They’re
thrilled to have a movie star take them shopping. Val paid for a
stylist to fly in to help the girls find their style.”

“
Val needs pregnancy
clothes,” Sandy said.

“
That’s what she said.
She’s a good liar. Jake said she’s already signed contracts with a
couple of companies for their clothes. Of course, Claire Martins is
starting a line of maternity clothing for her to wear.”

Sandy smiled. She touched her tiny baby and
looked back at him.

“
How is Noelle? She’s never
had a sister.”

“
Noelle is thrilled,” Aden
said. “We’ll see how she is by the end of the weekend. Sissy goes
back to treatment on Monday. Noelle will stay with Delphie and
Sam.”

“
Would you like some time?”
Sandy asked. She nodded at the baby on her chest.

“
I like watching you,” Aden
said. “I’ll take a half hour this afternoon when you’re resting
later today.”

Sandy smiled. She closed her eyes to enjoy
the moment.

“
Noelle and Sissy named the
baby,” Aden said. “I told them I would tell you and we don’t have
to…”

“
What did they name her?”
Sandy asked.

“
Rachel Ann,” Aden said.
“Norsen, of course.”

“
Are you Rachel Ann?” Sandy
asked the baby. “Seems like a good name. What do you
think?”

“
Works for me,” Aden said.
“The girls will feel good if we use their name.”

“
What if she doesn’t make
it?” Sandy asked.

Aden closed his eyes at the thought. They
sat in silence for a few minutes until the sad words dissipated
from the air around them.

“
Where’s Charlie staying?”
Sandy asked.

“
He’s staying with Pete
over your shop,” Aden said. “He was here with you and Rachel almost
all of last night.”

“
I thought Pete couldn’t be
around him,” Sandy said.

“
Charlie’s really doing
recovery,” Aden said. “Plus Molly wants to see if Pete is able to
care for a child. Pete’s up for the challenge. Charlie’s going with
the boys today.”

“
They’re all… everywhere,”
Sandy said.

“
They’re everywhere so we
can focus on Rachel, so you can get well,” Aden said.

“
I hate that they have to
sacrifice for me,” Sandy closed her eyes.

“
They’re happy.” Aden
shrugged.

“
You only have a few more
minutes,” the nurse said. “I’m sorry. I know it goes
quickly.”

Nodding to the nurse, Sandy smiled.

“
How are you here?” Sandy
asked.

Aden raised the cuff of his jeans to show
the pale skin where the ankle monitor had been. Sandy smiled.

“
Congratulations,” she
said.

“
I’m on probation for a few
years, but…” he said.

“
I noticed your teeth,”
Sandy said.

“
Straight and white,” Aden
said. “Am I brutally handsome?”

“
Yes,” she said. “What
happened to your chin?”

“
Cleo scratched me with her
claws.” Aden raised his hand for her to see. “My hand
too.”

“
Cleo?” Sandy laughed. “Now
I’ve heard everything.”

The bell rang and the nurse came for Rachel.
Sandy kissed her tiny face and the nurse put her back in her
incubator. They watched the nurse check their daughter’s oxygen and
IVs. She covered Rachel’s eyes and turned on the bili lights. Their
daughter was awash in radiant blue.

“
Now’s a good time to get
something to eat and some rest,” the nurse said. “Come back in a
few hours for touching and another Kangaroo session.”

“
But…” Sandy
said.

“
I know you want to be
here,” the nurse said. “But you need to get well. This is a lot to
deal with, even for someone who’s well.”

Aden helped Sandy to stand and held her in
his arms. He took charge of the wheelchair and Sandy sat down.

“
Are you eating?” he asked.
“The cafeteria isn’t bad or I can get something for us.”

“
For us?” Sandy asked.
“Don’t you have to…”

“
Oh, I didn’t say that?”
Aden laughed at himself. “I’m here. With you. Until Rachel is
released. Until you’re released. They’re putting a cot to your
room. I can sleep there. I’ll hit the Castle for showers or
whatever but otherwise, I’m here.”