Way to Her Heart (16 page)

After entering the building with her key, Sherri blinked to accustom her eyes to the dim lighting after being in the bright sunlight. She walked down the familiar hallway to her mother’s office, knocking politely on the door. Even though the door was open, she knew better than to invade her mother’s privacy without permission.

Sybil looked up from her paperwork with mild surprise on her face. “What are you doing here, Sherrilyn? I don’t remember making an appointment with you today.”

An appointment to see her own child—how sad. Sherri ignored that and took one of the chairs in front of the desk.

“No, Mother, we don’t have an appointment, but there are some things that need to be discussed and that’s why I’m here. I won’t take up too much of your time—I just want to know what’s going on with you and Trevor. Why did he show up here in Columbia after all this time, and why are you suddenly so close to him that he calls you ‘Mother Stratton’? I think I’m entitled to some answers and I know you’re the one who can provide them.” She crossed her legs at the ankle and waited for a reply, which came immediately.

“Sherrilyn, I don’t appreciate you barging in here interrogating me like I’m a criminal. You’re acting as though something underhanded is going on when you should be grateful that Trevor has realized that he’s still in love with you and wants to be a father to your child. He called us a few weeks ago and told us that he was coming to town to ask for your hand in marriage and we were thrilled to hear it. It’s about time that something was done to legitimize your situation,” she said with a self-righteous sniff.

Sherri’s temper flared. She had to exercise a great deal of control not to let it get the best of her. “Legitimize what situation? Mother, I’m a doctor, for heaven’s sake. I have a child and no husband, and so what? That doesn’t stop me from being a decent member of society and it certainly doesn’t make my baby some kind of social pariah. You act like this is ninety-fifty something instead of 2013. I’m educated, employed and respected by everyone in Columbia except you and my father,” she said hotly.

“You’re so ashamed of me and Sydney that when you get a call from the creep who deserted me almost eight years ago that you start jumping through hoops because he’s suddenly decided that he wants to put a ring on it. I always knew that you and Father cared more about your businesses than your children, but this is too much, even for you.”

Her mother’s face quivered for a second before freezing into its usual unexpressive mask. “It wasn’t always so easy for a woman to have a child out of wedlock,” she said slowly. “It was the end of her and any aspirations she might have had for her future. She was turned out by her family and shunned by any decent people because an illegitimate child was a disgrace.”

Sherri’s faced flamed with anger. “My baby isn’t a disgrace—she’s my joy. If you ever spent any real time with her you’d know what she’s like. Sydney is a beautiful gift—she’s not some burden. If you only knew how much I love being her mother, how fortunate I am, you’d change your tune. You sound like you were born in another century, Mother. It’s been a long time since the unwed mother was run out of town.”

“It wasn’t that long ago,” her mother replied. “I hadn’t been dating your father that long before we found out that I was carrying you. I had to leave college because it was against the rules for someone like me to attend. I lost my scholarship. My parents forced me to marry your father even though we weren’t really in love. We were just wild and stupid and full of sin,” she said, bitterness filling her voice.

“I had planned on being a teacher and traveling the world in the summer when school was out. I had a whole life planned that didn’t involve a husband or children. And what I got was an unpaid job in a funeral home and two children to take care of. When John’s parents found out what we’d done, he was cut off from the family. They own an insurance company with branches all over the world, and he should be getting his share of the profits instead of taking care of dead people. So here we are, living a life neither of us wanted and you have the nerve to tell me that getting pregnant out of wedlock doesn’t carry any consequences. It does, Sherrilyn. It will haunt you to the day you die.”

Her mother’s face was pale and pasty with perspiration trickling down. Sherri had never seen her looking so wrought up. She went to the dispenser in the corner of the room and filled a paper cup with cold water. Her mother brushed it away but Sherri insisted that she take it.

“This is why I was so happy when Trevor called,” her mother went on. “This way you can erase the stain on your child by marrying her father. You don’t want to have one of those marriages where all the children look like strangers. If you marry somebody else and have another child, God knows what it will look like. Now all your children will look alike and nobody can say that your child is a bastard because you and her father will be husband and wife under God. Don’t you see that this is the best answer for everyone?”

Sherri sat down heavily in the chair she’d vacated. “What I see is that you’ve had way too much time to think about this, Mother. You should have gotten counseling instead of letting all this fester inside you for all these years. I always wondered what made you tick, and now I know. You’ve always blamed me for everything that went wrong in your life, haven’t you? And when I got pregnant and didn’t burst into flames, it pissed you off, didn’t it? You were furious because I was able to keep pushing and finish my education and fulfill my ambitions and that’s why you always treated Sydney like a stray puppy that wandered into your yard.” She shook her head slowly as she rose from the chair.

“Well, you don’t have to worry about either of us anymore, Mother Stratton, because I’m done.” She picked up her purse and walked out of the office, never turning back.

Chapter 16

By the time she got home, Sherri was exhausted. She’d stopped by the church daycare center to pick up Sydney, and they decided to pick up a rotisserie chicken and a salad for dinner, with ice cream for dessert. Sydney was in her usual bubbly mood and Sherri was glad to see her that way. She was still angry about the scene with her mother, although a part of her felt sorry for the woman. No wonder she’d been such a cold, empty shell of a mother, Sherri thought.

Sydney went off to hang up her backpack and wash her hands so she could help with dinner and Sherri went to the kitchen to put away the few groceries she’d bought. Her mind was still racing when her cell phone rang. It was Lucas, which made her smile.

“What are you ladies doing for dinner?” he wanted to know.

“We picked up a rotisserie chicken and some salad,” she replied. “Want to join us?”

“I’d love to,” he said. “But why don’t you hold the chicken until tomorrow and I’ll bring dinner? I’ll see you in about fifteen minutes, okay?”

After the call ended, Sherri let Sydney know about their change in plans, and she was thrilled to be seeing Lucas, as usual. They went out on the deck to water their flowering plants and the small plot of strawberries they were carefully growing. When Lucas arrived, Sydney was so excited that she ran through the condo leaving muddy footprints all the way. Sherri laughed as she got out the mop to clean it up.

“Lucas, make her take those shoes off and leave them on the mat,” she called when she heard his voice.

She was finishing the mopping when he entered the kitchen and he grabbed her around the waist for a kiss. Everything felt so warm and homey that she was touched to her heart. This was normal; this was like being in a family, with or without “legitimization” or whatever strange word her mother had used. Despite the afternoon’s ordeal, she felt happy just being with Sydney and Lucas.

Dinner was fun and festive, even on such short notice. She and Sydney set the table while Lucas got the food into serving dishes. Colorful napkins set off the white plates, and fat candles lent the room a nice glow. Lucas had brought them a caprese salad with mozzarella he’d made at the restaurant, plus broccoli rabe and the most astounding ravioli she’d ever eaten. It was handmade pasta stuffed with well-seasoned roast chicken and covered with a brown-butter and sage sauce that made her want to lick her plate. Sydney ate every bite, impressing Lucas once again with her appetite. He commented on it to Sherri, who nodded her head with a smile.

“She’s always been a very good eater. She was never terribly interested in baby food actually. Whatever I was eating, that’s what she wanted. I used to have to make her food myself because I basically had to grind up regular food for her. Once she got enough teeth, though, it was on and poppin’,” she said with a laugh. “If you want to insult her, show her a kiddie menu. She wouldn’t eat a chicken nugget if you paid her. She likes really good food—always has.”

While Lucas cleaned up the kitchen, Sherri went upstairs to give Sydney her bath. Sydney was very happy about the evening’s impromptu meal with Lucas. She splashed around in the bathtub and talked about it while Sherri washed her back.

“Mommy, this was so much fun, wasn’t it? I love Uncle Lucas.”

“Yes, it was a lot of fun, sweetie. Uncle Lucas loves you, too.”

“We could do this every night if you married him,” Sydney said guilelessly.

“Hmm” was all Sherri would say. They finished the bath and Sherri wrapped her up in a big towel.

“Go put on your pajamas and you can come downstairs for some dessert. How’s that?”

“Okay, Mommy!”

Sherri tidied the bathroom and went down to the kitchen to find Lucas making a salad from the chicken. It looked delicious, full of celery, red grapes and toasted pecans.

“Wow, that’s pretty. I love chicken salad. If I wasn’t so full from that spectacular meal I’d eat some now. You’re so good to me, Lucas.”

She stood behind him and put her arms around his waist. He turned around and draped his arms over her shoulder for a kiss, which was how Sydney discovered them when she skipped into the room.

Sherri pulled away from him but he was reluctant to let her go. Sydney reacted with her usual aplomb. “Everybody kisses, Mommy. Uncle Jared and Auntie Alexis kiss a whole lot. You should kiss Uncle Lucas more. It’ll make you happy. What’s for dessert?”

Lucas laughed heartily while Sherri mumbled, “Out of the mouths of babes,” as she went to the refrigerator to get the ice cream and sliced strawberries.

* * *

Later, after Sydney was tucked in bed by both of them, Sherri told Lucas about the scene with her mother. He was lying on the sofa with a pile of throw pillows behind him and she was on top of him, her legs between his. She was so relaxed and comfortable she could have drifted off to sleep in his arms, but she had to tell him what she’d discovered about her mother. It didn’t take her very long to relate the whole story.

“Wow,” he said when she finished. “That’s some story.”

“The sad thing is, it’s not that unusual,” she said. “How many women have found themselves in that situation? And how many of them have just kept on pushing to get what they wanted in life? Part of me feels bad for her because it’s obvious that she still feels a lot of hurt for what happened and the way it happened. But part of me wants to tell her to suck it up,” she admitted.

“She had a choice. Maybe not in what happened—her getting kicked out of school and losing her scholarship. I mean, things were very different then. But she had a choice in what happened afterward. If she wanted to go back to school, she could have found a way. If she wanted this other life, she could have figured out a way to make it happen. Instead she went through life in a marriage she didn’t want with a child she blamed for everything. It’s really sad.”

Lucas held her and kissed the top of her head as his fingers played in the soft hair at the nape of her neck. “So she really doesn’t know why Trevor suddenly shows up to claim you and Sydney, does she?”

“Nope, and she couldn’t care less. It never occurred to her to ask. She’s so happy that someone is offering to dip me in the pool of holy matrimony and make me pure again she’s not asking any questions. But I want to know what he’s up to, Lucas. I don’t trust him any further than I can throw an elephant, and I don’t want him anywhere around Sydney until I know what his endgame is.”

“What did the lawyer say to do about it?”

“I didn’t get to talk to him today. He was in a deposition or something, so I’ll see him tomorrow. It’s just as well,” she said with a delicate yawn. “I’ve had all the info I could handle today.”

“You’re getting sleepy,” Lucas observed.

“Yes, but you feel so good,” she murmured.

“I’m going to let you go to bed,” he said. “I might have some news for you tomorrow. I have a friend who’s an investigator and I had him start digging into Trevor’s life. There’s bound to be something out there that he can find out about the timing of his sudden desire to have you and Sydney back in his life.”

“That would be really helpful, Lucas. You’re way too good to me.”

He put his hand under her chin and tilted her face up to his. He kissed her with great tenderness. “You’re going to have to get used to it, sweetheart. You deserve all the TLC in the world and I plan to give it to you and Sydney as often as I can, so relax. I got this, babe.”

“Anything you say,” she said sleepily. “Anything at all.”

* * *

Sherri didn’t know what to expect when she went to the law office of Royce Griffin. She’d never met him; he was recommended by Alexis’s mother, Aretha Sharp. Aretha had worked with him on many committees and had turned to him countless times on behalf of people in the community who needed top-notch legal services but had very little money. Royce was a legal legend in South Carolina, and he never turned anyone away, regardless of their ability to pay. The office was in a part of town that had seen better days. It was the exact opposite of luxurious, but the building was clean and cared for.

She opened his office door and found the reception area immaculately clean, although the furnishings weren’t new. There were large plants, two sofas and several chairs, none of which matched, but all of them were in good repair and looked comfortable. A birdcage containing a large parrot was on a stand in the corner. As soon as the bird laid eyes on her it squawked and then said, “Client! Client! Get out here—client!”