Page 8 of Sudden Summer

“I’ll do my best,” Ms. Slater said, nodding. She reached down to her briefcase and pulled out a stack of paperwork. “Beau, would you mind handing the baby to your friend so we can go over the required paperwork?”

I didn’t even have to say a word to her; Birdie could probably see the fear written all over my face. She swooped in, like I knew she would.

“I’m happy to take her. We’ll need to inventory the diaper bag, too. If there’s anything not in there that we’ll need to get through the night, I can drive out and get it.”

I tried to argue. She’d had a bad day at work. She was fucking hurt and pretending like that wasn’t a big deal. And she was exhausted. There was no way I was sending her out for things my daughter—God, I really had a daughter—needed. “Bird⁠—”

“Nope. Hand that sweet girl over to me. Sign the paperwork so we can get her settled here. It’s going to be okay, you have each other now.”

I gently moved Juniper into Birdie’s arms, waiting for…well, for Juniper to cry. But she didn’t. She just looked up at Birdie with her big blue eyes as Birdie rocked her gently back and forth, whispering to her.

“What about her mother?” I asked, my hand running over my face.

“I’m sorry?” Two lines formed between Ms. Slater’s brows as she tipped her head in confusion.

“Is someone taking care of her final arrangements?”

“Oh.” Understanding sparked in her eyes. “No. Right now, she’s in Austin, unclaimed. In these situations, the state will normally look to the estate to cover the cost of burial. If that doesn’t exist, they will use funds from the state to cover the cost of cremation.”

“Beau…” My name was a plea, and I didn’t even need to look at Birdie to know what she was thinking.

“I’ll cover the costs. I don’t know what needs to happen so I can be the person to receive her ashes, but our daughter shouldn’t have to grow up not knowing where her mother’s remains are.”

Ms. Slater nodded. “You’ll need to speak with the Travis County Coroner’s Office tomorrow morning. They’ll have further information for you.”

“Okay. I’ll do that.” I nodded, blowing out a slow breath. “I’m ready to sign those papers.”

Birdie

The social worker left as soon as Beau finished signing the paperwork. I’d pulled out a few outfits that she brought along and tried to get things organized as best I could. At least there was one pair of cozy pajamas and a cute little onesie with little leggings that we could dress her in tomorrow when we’d need to go into town.

Right now, I had the little peanut between my legs with a blanket on the floor, changing her diaper while Beau got her bottle ready. He hadn’t really said a word to me since Ms. Slater left, but I could hear his thoughts screaming from that rock-hard head of his.

“Alright, gumdrop, let’s get you in these jammies and see what we can do about getting you that night-night bottle.” Juniper’s eyes, which were transfixed on the lights in the bathroom, found my face. She gave me a gummy smile, and I couldn’t help it. I reached out for her foot and pressed my lips against her soft skin.

She was the most beautiful baby. Even if it hadn’t been the shock of a lifetime to walk downstairs and see a baby in a car seat with Beau looking like he was about to pass out, I think I would have instantly known she was his. Her eyes were big and so blue; there was no doubt in my mind they would stay that color as she grew. They were a perfect match for his. Her lips, too. But her hair—already long and the most beautiful shade of brown that caught rainbows when it hit the light just right—had to be from her mom.

I wish I knew more about her. I wish I had been able to meet her. To have something to keep her memory alive for Juniper.

“Does she have stinky toes?” Beau’s silly question pulled me out of my thoughts. I released her little foot from my mouth, slipping it into the cool pajamas before working the rest of her wiggly limbs into the bedtime outfit.

“She has the sweetest little toes I think I’ve ever seen.” My response softened the worried look he gave as he stood over the both of us.

“Here’s her bottle. I’m going to work on getting that travel play thing set up for her tonight.”

He was avoiding holding Juniper ever since I’d first taken her so he’d have his hands free to get things together. Granted, the little thing had covered him in spit up as soon as the social worker’s car drove away, so maybe he hadn’t quite recovered from that. “Okay. I think she might be content for a few minutes if you want to set it up, and then do her bottle, too.”

I watched as the muscles in his throat stretched and constricted while he swallowed. “No. I should make sure she has somewhere safe to sleep. You don’t mind, do you?” He held out the bottle, waiting as I scooped Juniper up in my arms before he grabbed my elbow to help stabilize us both as I stood.

“I don’t mind.” I carried Juniper back to the bed, settling against Beau’s pillows. My God. I would have thought I’d have been asleep for a couple of hours at this point. My body was starting to feel it; the exhaustion, trying to heal from what happened during my shift. But there were two people counting on me to help them through the night now, and I wasn’t about to let my best friend, or the daughter he just found out he had, down.

Testing the formula’s temperature on the inside of my wrist, Beau had gotten it just right. He was a hands-on uncle, so it shouldn’t surprise me that he’d have that down pat. I barely even touched the bottle to Juniper’s lips, and she latched right on.

“She’s a good eater,” I whispered. Beau didn’t look back at us, his frustrated grumbles only interrupted for a moment as he listened to me before returning to the Pack ‘n Play set up.

By the time Juniper had half the bottle sucked down, her eyelids were starting to droop. I popped the bottle out of her mouth and brought her up to my shoulder for a sleepy burp before returning her to the pillow to have the second half of her bottle.

As quickly as she’d latched onto the bottle, she was asleep. I gently removed the bottle from between her lips, lightly shushing as I stood and walked her over to Beau.