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I turn right at a light, taking a slightly faster way home.
“We have a source or two at the police department. Word I’m getting is he’s tried to file a report, and they’re shutting it down.”
“They can do that?”
“If they want to. Some of them have also been involved with Eden’s birth mom. So…they have some built-in sympathy for you, I’m guessing.”
“How were they involved?”
I tell Vance what I’ve heard so far—about Zara’s motives, and her mental health. All of it. Then the baby starts screaming, and we get off the phone for right now.
As I’m turning onto our street, Mom calls, and I realize I never called her today. She’s probably been wondering if we’re still “on” for tonight.
“Hello, Mom,” I answer.
"How are you, dearest?"
I try to gauge what she’s read online today from the tone of her voice, which doesn’t work because my mother has a legendary poker face—and poker voice.
“I’m okay,” I tell her. I decide to cut to the chase. “Have you been watching the news?”
"I've seen a few things. Rumor-mongers. But Michael, as he braised a turkey, told me your Mr. Rayne was photographed holding a baby. Did you two really fly to Nevada?"
I clamp my teeth on my bottom lip as I slow for the right turn into our driveway. "How upset would that make you?"
I can hear her soft laugh before she says, "I think not very. Am I going to have to hold a belated reception?"
"Maybe.” I pause for the gate and then start slowly down the driveway. “It was my idea,” I tell her. “I wanted to be legally wed. We flew down there on a whim."
"I think your father would have loved that,” Mom says. “Spontaneity. Was it everything you wanted?"
I tell her it was, and then I tell her about Eden.
Mom makes a soft sound, which I take as empathy for Vance and me.
"Anyway, my legal team has been in touch with her—the mother. As of now, it looks like maybe being pregnant triggered some prior mental health issues. She said some pretty unsavory stuff to the press in an effort to make us pay her. For a surrogacy that didn't happen."
"Well that is nonsense,” Mom says.
"But if we do it, we could keep the baby."
"Do you want a baby?” she asks. “Now? You were only married last night." She laughs softly.
"Would you think it's crazy if I said we do?"
"All the best things in this world are crazy. Love makes no sense. You know how I feel about that. Do you want a baby? I suspected you were desperate for a family quite some time ago." My mother. She always sounds slightly smug at how well she knows me. It makes me smile and shake my head as I sit in the garage, still in the car because I want to be off the phone when I go in and greet Rayne.
"I want a family."
"And Vance? Does he want one as quickly as you do?"
"He's the one who really can't let go of her. Started calling her Little Missy. And he wants to call her Eden."
"Eden."
I smile. "Do you think it’s too much?"
"I quite like it. Eden's where the story all began. And it represents so many fascinating questions. Knowledge...heart. Obedience and free will. I love Eden.” I can hear my mom’s smile. “So are you going to buy me a grandbaby?"
I laugh. “I can't believe you said that."
"Well that's what it is," she says with a chuckle.
"Yeah. I think I am. I'm going to buy you a grandbaby. As long as we’re sure that’s what the birth mom really wants, it’s game on. When do you want to meet her?"
"This evening would work, for me. Unless you two need more time.”
"I don’t think we do. I just got home. V has been here with her. You may have seen, he had a rough encounter with someone when they went out today to grab some lunch. He hurt his hand."
“If you think it might be nice to be alone—”
“Mom, I don’t think he’ll mind. In fact, I know he won’t. We both want you to meet the baby.”
I can hear my mom’s smile in her voice. “Just call me when it’s time to come, and I’ll be ready.”
“Let me go in, talk to Vance, and I’ll come get you right after.”
I’m smiling as I open the back door. “Rayne?” When he doesn’t answer, my stomach flips hard. But it’s okay. I find him on the den floor, sleeping atop a thin blanket. He’s on his side, his body curled around the baby’s in a big, C shape. The baby is on her back atop a pillow, looking cuter than I knew a human could look.
I take a picture of them both, and Vance’s eyelids lift a little.
“Hey, you.” I crouch down beside him, running a hand over his hair. V’s hand catches mine and squeezes.
