Lottery (33 page)

“Ling’s gonna leave you, you know that, right?” Weber told Caleb.

Caleb took out the flask from his back pocket and took a swig. “How do you know?”

“Come on.” Weber leaned back into the stucco wall surrounding the deck. “All the signs are there. You’re not stupid.”

“She can’t leave,” Caleb spat. “I won’t let her.”

“The only way you can make her stay is if you force her.”

Caleb combed his fingers through his sun-streaked blond hair. “How the hell can I make someone stay with me?”

“You have a yacht.”

Confused, Caleb asked, “And?”

Weber smiled. “Maybe a very long honeymoon cruise is in order.”

“Ahna can’t live on a boat.”

Weber shook his head. “You have to choose. Stay here and lose Ling. Or leave the kid and mother-in-law behind.”

Caleb’s mind raced. “Leave Ahna behind? No way. Ahna and Ling are everything to me.”

“Kids slow you down. They need attention … doctors … shots … school,” Weber argued.

Caleb shook his head. “I’m
not
leaving Ahna.”

After Weber was gone, Caleb went back and forth on what he should do. If Ling was planning to leave him anytime soon, she wouldn’t have put so much time into decorating the nursery. Unless … she wanted the house. It had taken two hours and finishing off a half a bottle of scotch for Caleb to reach his decision. Weber was right. Caleb had to choose—either a life without Ling, Ahna, and the baby, or try and hold onto Ling.

His chin quivered thinking about never seeing Ahna again.“Oh, God, why?” Silent tears filtered down his cheeks. “Why?”

In time, Ling would fall in love with Caleb all over again, and understand that Caleb had made a wise decision to start their lives together all over again. There was no other way out; Caleb would ask Ling to go on a boat ride alone with him, but neither of them would come back.

He would quit drinking for a couple of days so he could think clearly about what he needed to do.

First, he’d set up the trust fund for Ahna and the baby. Next, he’d forge Mei’s name on his bank account as she would need money to raise the children. He’d go to the county assessor’s office and put his mother-in-law’s name on the deed to the house. Then he’d an attorney and make out his will.

After all this was accomplished, he went to the library and opened an online money market account. Two days later, he transferred thirty million into it. In a couple of days, he’d write a
check for the entire amount, and send it to an off-shore bank account he’d set up under an assumed business name.

He made an appointment with his doctor and asked for two prescriptions of the powerful sleeping pill Ambien that he’d been prescribed before. Caleb told the physician that he and Ling were going on an extended honeymoon in Europe, and wouldn’t have access to a clinic.

It was good that Ling and her mother were busy getting ready for the baby, as they rarely noticed if Caleb was around.

Weber helped Caleb with every detail. Caleb had filled the cabinet in the bathroom on the yacht with Band-Aids, Motrin, insect repellent, and the bottles of Ambien. He’d purchased fresh fish, steaks, and hamburger and stocked the freezer.

After he filled the cupboards with cereal, canned goods, powdered milk, and boxed dinners, Weber counseled him on what would be a good destination and which routes to take to avoid being caught. More and more, he grew dependent on Weber, who had become Caleb’s voice of reason.

Caleb purchased rain gear, fishing poles, a waterproof flashlight, blankets, and emergency flares, and then stored everything inside the benches at the back of the yacht. After he had the life raft checked, Caleb changed out the propane tank for the grill and bought two long lighters in case it wouldn’t start.

At the market, he stocked up on fine wines, fresh cheeses, and bread. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to take clothes from home as Ling would see him, he’d spent a morning at Neiman Marcus picking out everything from jackets to shoes to silk nightgowns for Ling and hung them in the cedar closets, or folded them neatly before putting them in drawers.

A surge of excitement rushed through him when he thought about all he’d accomplished. The only thing left was to find the handgun that was packed away in the attic.

“Ling will be proud of you,” Weber told him.

Caleb smiled, locked up the boat, and headed home.

“Jenee’s coming a couple of days after the baby is born,” Ling said at dinner.

Caleb’s stomach tightened. That bitch from Kansas was going to ruin everything. “Really?”

“I am so glad Jenee is coming.” Mei reached over and wiped Ahna’s face off with a napkin as the eighteenth-month-old wiggled in her high chair. “You will be happy to see her.”

Ling glanced at Caleb. “She said it’s snowing in Kansas.”

“Wow. Snow in October?” Caleb put his fork down. “How long?”

“Will she be staying?” Ling asked, but didn’t wait for an answer. “I hope at least a week, but I don’t know if she can get away that long.”

“Minor setback,” Weber whispered.

“Okay.” Caleb leaned back. “I’m sure you two will have a lot to catch up on.”

Ling winced and bent over, putting her hand over her stomach. “Oh, God.”

Caleb pushed his chair back. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been having these pains all day,” Ling said, her eyebrows knitting together in pain, “but didn’t know for sure if it was labor. They’re getting stronger.”

Caleb shot up from his chair, almost knocking it over. “But … you’re not due for two more weeks.”

“Tell that to the baby.” Ling blew out a breath.

“What should I do?” Caleb asked, panicked.

“I was only dilated to two the last time … uh oh …” Ling looked down at the seat on the chair. “My water just broke.”

Mei took Ahna out of her high chair, while Caleb hurried up the stairs and grabbed Ling’s overnight case that was already packed. Even though he’d known that this day would come, and Ling would go into labor, he was falling apart.

Taking two steps at a time down the stairs, the strap of Ling’s bag over his shoulder, he had the phone pressed against his ear. “Cab’s on its way,” Caleb said out of breath, “I’m way too nervous to drive.”

He set the bag down at the front door, and then raced back to Ling to help her out of the chair. His son was going to be born.
Caleb’s son
. He had to stay focused on the plan and not become too attached.

“I will put Ahna to bed,” Mei said, her eyes clouded with worry.

“I’ll be okay, Mom.” Ling’s hand over her stomach, she walked slowly to the foyer with Caleb holding onto her. “Caleb will call you when the baby is born.”

“I need to go with you,” Mei said tearfully.

“Mom, Ahna needs you,” Ling told her.

Ahna reached her arms out for Ling. “Mama,” Ahna’s tired voice cried.

“You be good for your grandma.” Caleb ran a loving hand over Ahna’s silky hair. “We’ll be back in no time, little one.”

Caleb saw the lights from the taxi shine through the window. He picked up the bag, opened the door, and held out his arm. “Here, hold onto me.” Ling put her arm through his, and leaned into his shoulder. “We’ll get through this.” God, he loved her so much. Even in pain, and nine months pregnant, she had a quiet strength about her that Caleb knew he would never have.

Ling hunched her back over in the taxi and let out a faint cry. “I want this over.”

Caleb couldn’t stand to see her in pain, and wished it were him going through this and not Ling.

After Caleb checked Ling into the hospital, an attendant whisked his wife onto the elevator and into a room. Hour after hour, Caleb watched her suffer. He’d paced, rubbed her back, and held her hand, reassuring Ling every few seconds that it would all be over soon. Finally, Caleb took a nurse aside. “Why’s it taking so long?” he whispered, and wiped the continual flood of perspiration off his forehead and upper lip.

“Your wife has very small hips, but they’ll give,” the nurse assured. “First babies take their time.”

“Oh God,” Ling wailed. “It hurts.”

Caleb hurried back to her. “Almost over, honey.” Caleb picked up her hand, massaging each finger. Ling had been in constant anguish for so long that Caleb didn’t know how much more either one of them could take.

“You’re dilated to ten,” the female obstetrician said who sat on a stool at the end of the bed. “This baby is ready to see the world.”

“I … can’t,” Ling managed.

“Doctor,” Caleb said, the twitch in his left eye out of control, “do you think it would be better if you did a C-section? I can’t stand seeing her like—”

“Hold on, Daddy,” the middle-aged female physician said and smiled. “You’ll both forget all of this once this little boy is in your arms.” The obstetrician turned her focus to Ling. “Two cleansing breaths and then push slow and steady.”

“Okay … okay.” Ling blew out two breaths as the nurse helped her into a semi-sitting position. “
Aarggghhh
.” Ling’s slow, painful guttural cry made Caleb see stars.

It took a few long minutes of Ling pushing and crying out before Caleb heard a high-pitched warbled cry, and then caught his first glimpse of his son.

“Oh, my God,” Caleb said breathless. “Oh, my God,” he repeated and glanced at Ling. Even though Ling’s face was the
color of milk toast, and her body weak, her face was radiant. He looked back at the perfect little boy with a fine coating of dark hair, his tiny arms and legs flailing with each meow-like, vibrato squeal.

Ling rolled her head to the side. “I want to see my baby.”

One of the nurses put the child into Ling’s arms. Bound tightly in a blue blanket, the newborn’s eyes were tightly closed, and his miniscule hands were balled into fists.

Ling’s eyes filled with tears when she looked up at Caleb. “He’s perfect.”

“Just like his mommy.” Caleb stroked Ling’s cheek lightly.

“You have a name for this pretty boy?” a nurse asked.

“Samuel.” Ling looked down on her son lovingly. “After my father.”

Caleb had never felt so torn. How could he take Ahna and Sammy’s mother away from them? How could he take Ling away from their children?

“You don’t have a choice … unless you want to lose your kids
and
your wife,” Weber replied. “Simple as that.”

ing rocked Sammy in his nursery, watching his eyes growing heavier and heavier. With Ling’s dark hair and Caleb’s sky-blue eyes, he was a striking child. Sammy had gained six ounces since he was born and, at two-weeks-old, weighed a little over seven pounds.

“Sweet boy,” Ling whispered, admiring him. “My sweet, sweet, baby boy.” She offered him his bottle, but Sammy pursed his rosebud lips together tightly.

The nursery was next to Ahna’s room, and unlike Ahna’s glossy white crib. Sammy’s baby bed and dresser were made of oak. The smell of baby powder and lotion lingered in the air.

During the day, Sammy slept in the nursery. At night, Caleb would carry Sammy’s bassinet and the stand into their bedroom. Ling always had the baby monitor with her and was able to hear the newborn’s slightest stir.

She heard the door creak, looked up, and saw Mei in the doorway.

“He sleeping?” her mother whispered.

“Almost,” Ling whispered back. “I’ll be down in a minute.”