Impact (Suncoast Society #32)(24)

“Yeah. I managed to stay on birth control before I met her father. But he made me quit working and wouldn’t give me money to buy any at the clinic. Said he wanted me knocked up so we could get more in food stamps.”

“Sounds like a real charmer,” Tilly snarked.

“I wasn’t exactly upset when he got killed during a hold-up. He stupidly picked a store where the owner had a gun. Then I ended up with Monroe, and he made me do the welfare fraud thing. I think the only reason they didn’t give me a longer sentence was I didn’t have any priors, and I was pregnant.”

There but for the grace of god…

Tilly knew she shouldn’t judge. After her mom was killed, her own life easily could have taken a hard right hook into the weeds, leaving her no better off than Sofia.

Only through sheer tenacity on her part, and then followed by Cris’ love, had she managed as well as she had.

“Everyone, finish your breakfast,” Landry counseled. “Time enough later to revisit the past. For now, we have errands to run and priorities to deal with.”

Tilly stared at Katie. “At least things should get easier from here on out.”





Chapter Eight


Fortunately, Dale Waters would pick up Landry and Sofia from the condo for the hearing, and then to take them to the probation office. Meanwhile, Tilly would drop Cris at work and then head straight to the pediatrician’s office for Katie’s appointment.

And at some point that day, Landry and Cris would both rent cars.

Even Tilly wasn’t so stubborn to realize logistically, while it would be easy to temporarily get by with one vehicle in Florida, they couldn’t in LA. Not now, when they needed to take care of Katie.

Well, at least I don’t have to worry about TMZ coming after me for an accident. Now it’ll be a “secret baby” scandal.

Anything that kept the attention off Lucas, Leigh, and Nick was fine with Tilly. A secret baby scandal was far better than a make-believe vehicular homicide or imaginary DUI.

Tilly, who’d ended up behind the wheel today, pulled up in front of Cris’ office and shifted into park.

“You going to be all right, Redbird?” he asked.

“I think I can handle a doctor’s appointment.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I know.” She drummed her fingers against the steering wheel. “Landry’s got the tough job. I know she’s your cousin, but how can she justify letting someone steal her baby’s formula? Why the hell didn’t she tell a nurse or a doctor or someone while she was in the hospital?”

“I’m not excusing what she did,” Cris said. “I’m in complete agreement with you.”

“I won’t let her have Katie back if I don’t think she’s a fit mother.” She turned to look at him. “I mean it.”

“Again, I’m in complete agreement with you.”

“Even if it means turning against your own cousin?”

“Absolutely. We’re talking about a baby.”

Tilly sucked in a long, deep breath and took her time letting it out again. “Okay. Sorry I’m being such a bitch about this.”

“You’re not being a bitch. I love you even more for how you’ve handled this, although I wish you’d called me and not gone there alone.” He leaned in and kissed her. “Text me when you finish at the doctor’s office.”

“Will do.”

She watched him walk into the building before she shifted the car into gear again and pulled out into traffic.

Dr. Rahling’s office was located in an upscale medical building complex with a gated private parking garage.

Tilly walked into the office fifteen minutes earlier than she was supposed to and signed in on the clipboard. There wasn’t anyone else in the waiting room yet.

The receptionist glanced at the name and then recognition hit. “Oh, you’re our urgent case.” She picked up a clipboard full of forms and rounded the desk. “Come with me. Dr. Rahling asked me to bring you back as soon as you arrived.”

Tilly hadn’t even had time to set down the baby carrier yet. She was filling out forms when a nurse knocked a few minutes later and opened the door. “Hi, I need to get some vitals on her.”

Tilly got Katie out of the carrier and stripped her down to her diaper, wrapping her in a light blanket so she wouldn’t get chilled.

The nurse frowned as she checked the baby’s length and weight. “How old is she?”

“Two weeks today, and yes, long story, she’s probably currently underweight and won’t be for long. Hopefully the court order naming me and my husband her legal guardians will be filed before I’m even out of here.” She wasn’t happy leaving Cris out, but it was easier not having to explain a third.

As the nurse noted Katie’s vitals, Tilly gave her the short version of the story.

“Wow. She’s a very lucky baby to have you in her life.”

“Don’t worry, there’s no way in hell I’ll let her mom have custody of her again unless I’m sure she can take care of her.”

The nurse helped swaddle Katie in a blanket and returned her to Tilly. “The doctor will be in shortly.”

“Thanks.”

One-armed, Tilly finished filling out the forms and was ready when Dr. Rahling entered the room a few minutes later. Probably in his late fifties, his formerly blond hair was mostly grey, and he had brown eyes creased enough in the corners to speak of time spent outdoors, but his skin didn’t look like leather. He either had a damn good dermatologist, or had been religiously using sunscreen and a hat.