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I always ask about the kids first, because inevitably, a mother’s eyes will light up, and I’ve found it tends to be the best way to get someone to open up.
“Matthew … and Grace …” She takes out her phone and starts to show me picture after picture of the two kids, telling me little stories about them until I actually see her laugh.
“And now, you’re having another. Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl? Have you been to the doctor recently?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t have insurance, and I’m about to be evicted from my place. My boyfriend…”
I know that story. My boyfriend left. It’s not an uncommon scenario, but I know the devastation it can bring. That’s something both Brooks and I understand, which is why he loves this cause almost as much as I do. He’s come in to help me almost every day this week after work.
A lot of the women don’t want help from men, after being scarred so badly by them … but Brooks has an uncanny way of putting everyone at ease. He’s gentle, understanding, and personable, and sometimes I have a hard time believing he’s the same guy who once fought me so mercilessly for a promotion.
“We’ll take care of that. We have an OB/GYN we work with at the Maine Medical Center who’s one of the best in the state,” I say, looking through the desk for the right prenatal care pamphlets. “One second. I’ll get you a packet of things you can take with you, and then we can discuss your immediate needs.”
I go out to the wall of pamphlets in the lobby, grabbing the right brochures. Francine is talking with a young former addict who looks loads better than she had a few months ago, when she was pale, withdrawn, and sickly. I give her a wave and ask how things are.
“Fine, Ms. Bayliss,” she says, and when she smiles, it radiates.
In the break room, a couple of law students I hired to intern with me are putting together care packages for expectant mothers. Brimming with toys and necessities, they look fantastic. “Great job, guys!” I say, tucking one under my arm and heading back to my office with the goodies.
I get Ann all settled, arrange for another meeting to ensure she has someplace to stay. As I’m seeing her out the door, Ellie appears, holding Jace’s hand.
“Hey there,” I say, excited. I haven’t seen her in weeks, not since I helped her move in. “What are you doing here?”
“Just in the neighborhood. I heard you’re the head honcho here now?”
“Interim head honcho, but yes. How are things going with you?”
“Great. I’m actually just coming back from a job interview. They gave me the job!”
I gape at her. Like, brother, like sister, I guess. They both know how to ace the interview. “Ellie, that’s so great! So happy for you.”
“It’s working in records, at the Maine Medical Center,” she says, beaming. “It pays so much more than Ted’s, too. Plus, it starts in September and the hours are flexible, for when Jace is in school. And they’re going to pay for me to get my business degree. Can you believe it?”
“It sounds perfect,” I say, tears coming to my eyes. I couldn’t be more thrilled; it’s like having it happen to my own family. “But I absolutely believe it. I always knew you had it in you.”
She hugs me. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
That, right there, is why I’m here. It only makes me want to do more, to help others. So what if I never get another job as an attorney? This is where I feel most at home. Where I belong.
When she pulls away, she’s giving me a grin. “Are you two going out for his birthday?”
“Yep. His favorite place.”
I’m glad she doesn’t ask where, because it’s a secret only Brooks and I know. I have a picnic all ready, and we’re going to have dinner on the cliff outside of Sapphire Shores, overlooking the ocean, just like he did for me, a couple of months ago.
It’s not just his favorite place, either. It’s ours. In fact, the more layers I peel away from him, the more I realize we actually have so much in common. We just happened to hide it under a lot of scar tissue.
She waves goodbye, and I give Jace a kiss on the head and send them off.
By then, it’s closing time, and I have to go home to prepare the picnic for tomorrow. But before I do, I stop at the jewelry store on the corner, to pick up my gift for him. I make it in just as it’s about to close. “Hello,” I say as I breeze in. “I made it!
The old jeweler recognizes me, probably because of my odd request. “Hello, there, Tenley. I have your order ready.”
