Delivered with Love (22 page)

Michael charged to the restroom. And lost his lunch.

C
laire nestled under her covers. A nap would do her good. She felt exhausted—between Geraldine's heart attack, her sister coming to town, coffee with Michael, and Blake's possible new love interest, Kristy, Claire could sleep for a week. She rolled over on her left side and pulled the covers under her chin. She closed her eyes, took in a few deep breaths, and tried to empty her mind.

"Mew." The muffled sound came from outside her window.

Claire turned over and settled in a comfortable position on her back.

"Mew." The sound was louder now.

She'd never be able to sleep with that noise. Claire kicked off the blanket and wandered over to the slightly opened window. She opened it all the way and listened.

"Meow."

A cat.

Claire pushed herself away from the window, then sprinted to the front door and around the side of the house. Sitting in the bushes was the most beautiful calico cat she'd ever seen. Claire took a few steps closer. She could see it was mostly white with black and tan markings. And it didn't have a collar.

"Meow."

"Are you hungry, little one?" Claire pushed her hair behind her ear, then gathered the cat into her arms.

It purred and nuzzled Claire's neck.

"Come inside with me." She stood, cradling her find. "I'll pour you some milk."

Once in the kitchen, she filled a bowl and placed it on the tile floor.

The cat lapped the milk up quickly, then walked over to Claire and rubbed against her legs.

"Where are your owners?" She leaned down and scooped the cat up. "I'm sure they miss you."
I know I would.
Claire recalled her pets growing up, and she stroked the cat's fur as she walked into her bedroom and sat on her bed. The cat hopped off her lap, then walked around in circles before settling down in a ball near Claire's feet.

"I'm tired, too." Claire plumped the pillows and sank into them. She stared at the ceiling and felt the cat's soft fur against her leg. Thoughts of her mother's journal invaded her mind. She reached in her nightstand, grabbed the book, and opened it. It felt good to see her mother's handwriting—neat and straight, unlike hers. It reminded Claire of all the times her mother wrote notes and stuck them in her school lunchbox when she was a child.

Claire read the first line.

I'm in love with Martin DeWitt.

Ever since finding out Michael wrote the letter, a nagging feeling told her something wasn't right. Why did her mother write in her journal that she was in love with Martin when Michael was the one who wrote the letter?

Claire looked closer. Wait a minute. The ink in Martin's name appeared to be a shade darker than the ink used for the rest of the sentence. Claire flipped a couple of pages. She found Martin's name once again in darker ink. Who changed it? And why? Claire tossed the journal on her bed and stroked the cat's back. It didn't make sense.

"Claire?" Haley's voice called from the family room.

"I'm in the bedroom." Claire picked up the cat and sat her on her lap. She'd question Haley later, when the time was right. "You'll never guess what I found."

"Oh, no. You let an animal in the house." Haley covered her nose and mouth with her hand. "Don't you know pregnant women shouldn't be around cats?"

"That's only a myth." Claire scratched the top of the cat's head. "Pregnant women shouldn't change the litter box, that's all."

"Where did you find her?"

"Outside my bedroom window."

Haley sat on the edge of Claire's bed. "Are you going to call Animal Services?"

"Yes. Then, if no one is missing a calico cat, I was hoping you'd come with me to the pet store for food and a litter box." Claire held the cat like a baby. "Isn't she the sweetest thing?"

"What do you think Geraldine will say? After all, she lives here too."

"Don't you remember? Geraldine loves cats. She had at least a half a dozen at one time. I'm sure she'd welcome Cali with open arms."

Haley rolled her eyes. "Cali? You named her?"

"It fits, don't you think?" Claire held Cali up underneath her front legs.

"Oh, brother." Haley stood, walked to her suitcase, and rummaged through it.

"Where were you, by the way? Blake said you left in a taxi."

"Blake and Miss Mustang were locked in an embrace, I didn't think he saw me."

Blake and Kristy were hugging? Kristy probably made the first move. "He's an affectionate guy." Claire felt the need to defend him. "I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it." She wished she believed her own words. "Did you go shopping? I don't see any bags."

"I ran an errand." Haley pulled out a baby name book and sat next to Claire on the bed. "I'm thinking of Beau for a boy and Brooke for a girl. What do you think?"

"I like them both." Claire hesitated. "Speaking of names . . ." She didn't want to start another fight with her sister, and yet she wanted to know the truth. "Did you notice the different-colored ink in mom's journal?" Claire opened the book and pointed. "I know Michael wrote the letter, yet there's a reference to Martin in a darker shade of ink."

Haley's cheeks turned pink. She walked toward the window.

"You were the one who sent me mom's journal." The realization dawned on Claire. She joined Haley next to the windowsill. She met her sister's eyes. "Why? Why did you change Michael's name to Martin?"

"Because I wanted you to quit searching." Haley leaned against the wall. "I thought if I wrote Martin's name, you'd leave everything alone."

"How did you know about Martin?" Claire leaned against the wall. "Mom never told me about him."

"Mom mentioned him to me when I was getting my driver's license. She knew that Mark liked to party and she was afraid I'd end up like Martin."

"You didn't think I'd talk to him?"

Haley brought her hand up to her temple. "Mom told me about Martin's car accident. I hoped he wouldn't remember with his brain injury and all."

Claire let out a frustrated sigh. "But why?"

"I miss you. I need you, especially now." Haley touched her pregnant belly. "Won't you come back to Los Angeles with me?"

Why would her sister ask her now, after she had finally made a life for herself? Geraldine needed her. And hopefully Blake did too. "Back to L.A.? You're not seriously thinking of getting back with Mark, are you?"

"No, but my life is in L.A." Haley let out a long, slow breath. "With or without Mark."

"And for now, my life is here in Capitola." Claire touched Haley's arm.

"That's what I was afraid of." Haley gave Claire a hug. "I was wrong. I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?"

"Just one question." Claire folded her arms. "How did you change the names when they were written in ink?"

"I dipped a Q-tip lightly in bleach." Haley grabbed the journal. "I kept the M and erased the rest of the name." She bit her lip and handed the book to Claire.

Did Haley's apology excuse her actions? No. But her sister was frightened. She'd be scared too if she were pregnant, alone, and married to Mark. Haley had made a mistake, but then again, she couldn't remember the last time her sister had admitted she was wrong. Claire felt a surge of compassion. "I forgive you."

"Thank you." Haley smiled. She nodded toward the cat, licking her front paw. "Let's go find out if someone is missing her pet."

"All right." Claire scooped up Cali, grabbed her purse, and followed Haley out the door. "Let's take my car." Suddenly, she had a boost of energy.

Cali's emerald green collar jingled in the backseat. Claire was relieved no one had called Animal Services about a missing cat with Cali's markings. She left her phone number anyway, just in case. But at this point, the cat was hers. And Geraldine's.

The crate, food, and bag of litter filled the backseat of her VW as she and Haley drove home.

"Blake should be by in a little while. Chinese food tonight. "Claire loved the feel of the steering wheel beneath her hands. It had been too long.

"Meow."

"I hope Blake isn't allergic to cats." Claire turned off the highway at Bay Avenue.

Haley glanced over her shoulder. "We'll find out at dinner."

"Afterward, I promised Geraldine that Blake and I would come for a visit."

"For a woman who doesn't have a boyfriend, you sure talk about Blake a lot." Haley adjusted her seat belt. "All I can say is, take it slow. Don't follow in my footsteps."

"I'm not eighteen. And I would never elope. No, I would want a wedding on the beach, with my friends and family there." Claire grinned.

"Sounds like a dream." Haley looked out the window. "Life doesn't always turn out the way you want. Look at me." Her voice quivered. "Pregnant and separated from my husband."

Claire hurt for her sister. She couldn't imagine being married to a creep like Mark. And she definitely couldn't imagine raising a baby alone. She knew how difficult it had been for her mother. A few more turns and they pulled up behind Haley's Chevy in front of the rental.

"What is
he
doing here?" Claire caught sight of Mark standing on the front porch before Haley did.

"Mark," Haley whispered.

"You don't have to talk to him." Claire pulled the keys out of the ignition and slipped them into her purse. "Wait right here with Cali."

"I can handle my own husband," Haley argued.

"Of course you can, but now is not the time." Claire opened her door. "You're pregnant. And vulnerable." She stood. "Wait here."
Lord, help me.
Claire took long strides up the walkway.

Mark's eyes bore a hole through Claire "I'm here for my wife."

"I don't think so." Claire marched up the steps.

"I don't know what she's been telling you, but I've been clean and sober ever since I heard I'm going to be a father."

"You're right. That's not what I heard." Claire stood a few feet from Mark, her hands on her hips.

"Haley's wrong." Mark's upper lip curled. "I've been working overtime to save money for the nursery. I haven't touched a drop of liquor."

Claire didn't believe him—didn't want to believe him. She had lived with Mark long enough to know he wasn't strong enough to stay away from the bottle. "It's time to leave Haley alone. She needs to live her own life. Without you." Claire was surprised how calm she felt. Like her prayer was working. "And what about Brett Wilder? Did you go out with him?"

Claire heard footsteps behind her. She turned. Haley carried Cali in her arms.

"I'd like to hear this." Haley handed the cat to Claire.

Mark reached out and ran his fingertips down Haley's arm. "Baby, I didn't touch a drop. Not one sip."

Haley flinched.

"I drove Brett back to his hotel. He's long gone."

Haley looked at Claire, then back to Mark.

"You took off before I had a chance to explain." Mark pulled Haley close. "Come back with me. I don't want to live without you, baby."

Claire nearly gagged. Surely Haley wasn't buying Mark's story again. "Haley, come inside. We've got to talk." Claire put her key in the lock and opened the door. "Mark, wait outside."

Haley's brows furrowed, and her mouth formed a straight line. "Just a few minutes." Haley looked again from Claire to Mark. "I'll be right back."

Once inside, Claire placed the cat on the recliner chair and turned toward her sister. "You don't believe him, do you?"

"It's complicated." Haley sat on the couch, obviously torn. "He's my husband. And the father of this baby."

"You don't need him. Mom did it alone and so can you. And I'll help you any way I can." Claire sat down next to Haley and grabbed her sister's hand.

Haley's eyes filled with tears. "If you could have a relationship with your father, would you?"

"Our father was a low-life. He left us. Why would I want a relationship with
him?"
Claire shook her head. She didn't see Haley's point.

"No, Claire. You didn't know him. You still don't." Haley stood and walked to Claire's bedroom.

Claire followed. "What are you talking about?"

Haley gathered her things. "Your father is here—in Capitola."

What was Haley saying? They shared the same father, didn't they? Claire felt dizzy. Confused. She watched her sister tuck her clothes and toiletries into her suitcase.

"I want my baby to grow up knowing her father, because one day she'll want to find him. And like you, she won't be able to leave the past alone."

"Michael?" Claire's voice was barely above a whisper. Could it be?

"Bye, Claire." Haley hugged Claire tight, then grabbed her suitcase. "Mark is going to take me home."

"Wait a minute. You're leaving me now?" Claire held on to Haley's arm. "How do you know Michael is my father? Did he tell you?"

"Babe, let's go," Mark called from the entryway.

Claire's pulse raced.

"Mom wrote a note to Michael before she died." Haley inched closer to the door. "I was supposed to give it to him at the memorial, but I held on to it—until today."

"The taxi." Claire's eyes narrowed.

"I went to Michael's work and gave it to his secretary. I'm sure he's read the note by now. You're Michael's daughter, Claire."