Stories of the Heart: What Amanda Wants\Small Packages\Worth the Risk by Debbie Macomber & Brenda Novak & Meryl Sawyer

Author:Debbie Macomber & Brenda Novak & Meryl Sawyer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Anthologies (Multiple Authors), Women
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-02-28T05:06:54+00:00

The following day, the pediatrician’s office called Harrison to say he could come down and pick up his son, and he rushed off to buy diapers and other supplies first thing. Jeremy’s release had come a day earlier than expected. Harrison wasn’t prepared and had never been more scared of anything in his life. Jeremy seemed so small, so fragile....

“I can’t believe they’re going to let someone like me walk off with a baby,” he told his mother, shifting his cell phone to the opposite ear as he pulled into the hospital parking lot.

“What do you mean someone like you? You’re a doctor, for Pete’s sake,” she laughed. “What type of training do you think a parent should require?”

He was too nervous to appreciate her confidence in him. “Some sort of basic baby care course would be a start.”

“Oh, quit worrying. It’s easier than you think.”

It hadn’t been easy for her. He could still remember all the mornings she hadn’t been able to make herself get up and help him off to school. After he’d met his father and decided to change before he wound up just like him, he would pull on clothes from the discarded pile on his bedroom floor, eat potato chips, pretzels, or anything else he could find in the kitchen cupboards and hurry outside to catch a ride with Jimmy’s mother. If he didn’t make it to the corner by eight o’clock, he wouldn’t reach school until noon, when his own mother finally dragged herself out of bed. Then she’d get into an argument with his teacher because he’d been late so many times already, and he’d have to miss his recess to catch up on his schoolwork.

But he didn’t point Rosie’s failings out to her. He didn’t want to do anything to wreck her recent happiness. His life could have been worse. At least she’d always loved him and stuck by him. He couldn’t say that much for his father.

“Why didn’t you have that woman who will be helping out come with you if you’re so nervous about picking up the baby?” Rosie asked. “You told me you already checked her character references.”

Harrison had checked as many as he could in one afternoon. Not only had Noelle’s friends and neighbors confirmed how her baby had died, they’d each said they’d trust her with a child of their own. One person he hadn’t been able to reach was a woman named Theresa. But Noelle had said Theresa was her best friend, so he doubted Theresa would tell him anything different. “I did. She seems ideal. But she’s gone for the day. I wasn’t expecting the pediatrician to call until tomorrow.”

“Where’d she go?”

“She has an appointment to show her sculptures to some commercial developers in Stockton.”

“Sounds fancy.”

Juggling his purchases and his phone, he locked the truck and strode toward the entrance. “She’s talented.”

“Are you still planning to attend Lynnette’s funeral?” his mother asked.

He shifted the car seat he was carrying so he could see his watch.

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