Vada Faith (28 page)

“I can’t give you my baby. I’m sorry,” I blurted, looking straight at the couple across from me, “I’ve changed my mind.”

“Good for you, girl,” someone in the audience yelled.

Two women in the front row jumped out of their seats and started clapping.

“I’ve been trying to tell you both.” I concentrated on their shocked faces. “You wouldn’t listen. Here’s your money back.” I held the check toward them.

“Now, hold on, young lady,” Roy said, ignoring my check, “this isn’t the place to discuss our personal business.”

“I’ve made up my mind,” I said, leaning over more and extending the check toward him. “I cannot, will not, give you my baby.”

“That’s my baby,” his wife said, jumping up and heading toward me as though she might try to snatch the baby from my stomach right there. I pushed back into the seat.

“Mrs. Kilgore, please,” Maddie said, half rising from her seat. “We can talk about this.” Reluctantly Dottie sat back down.

“Please, finish what you were saying.” Maddie turned to me and settled back in her chair.

“I just want to say I’m sorry that I cannot go through with this.” I hung my head. “I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart.”

The room was so still I could hear Maddie breathing.

“It sounded good,” I continued, my voice trembling, “giving a childless couple a baby and I was sure I could do it. At first.”

“Sort of like giving someone a gift from God,” Maddie said. “Isn’t that right, dear?”

“That’s exactly right.” I dug the toe of my running shoe into the blue carpet to keep myself from wailing. “But,” I said, trying to push the words out from where they were now stuck in my throat like a glob of peanut butter, “money played a big part in my decision.”

Well, now it was out. I’d admitted it to the world. I was a mean mercenary person just as my sister had guessed.

“My decision,” I said, “was made too quickly. Talking about being pregnant and being pregnant is as different as day is from night. It’s something that in reality isn’t one bit like it is when it exists only in your head. You think you can give away your baby. Then when it’s there inside you, you wonder how you ever could have had such a thought.”

“Go on,” the woman said, wanting me to add as much drama to the show as possible.

“Oh stop it!” Dottie Kilgore jumped up and rushed at me.

The talk show host stood quickly and shielded me. In an instant a huge body guard was on stage folding his arms in a Mr. T posture in front of us.

“That girl is talking crap,” Dottie shouted, backing up and sitting down. “We paid good money for that baby.” She turned to me. “You know we did, Vada Faith. We used my husband’s sperm too. That baby is half ours. You can’t claim it’s all yours either,” Dottie turned to the camera man who had zoomed in on us. “You can have that baby over my dead body.”

“Now dear,” Roy said, trying to calm her. “Our girl is distraught. It’s nothing more than a case of hormones. I’ve read about this. She’ll come to her senses. Let’s all just sleep on this.”

“No,” I said, growing braver, “I don’t have to sleep on it. I have made up my mind, Mr. and Mrs. Kilgore. I’m not giving my baby to you. Not to either one of you.”

“Now, look, girl, you’re hysterical. Dr. Fine can give you a shot. Something to calm you down.”

“I am not hysterical,” I said, my voice rising with determination. “I love my baby.” I patted what I thought might be its little head. “I am not giving it to anyone.”

“So you’re saying your maternal feelings have kicked in,” Maddie said, from her seat beside me, “and you can’t bear to part with this baby?” Another close up by the camera man.

“That’s right. I can’t possibly give it up. This couple, well,” I glanced over at the man and woman sitting across from me, “they have some things to work out and then they can find another surrogate.”

“Things to work out?” The woman shouted. “We don’t have things to work out? I know what I want. I want that baby you’re carrying. It’s mine. I’ve had baby showers. I’m learning to breast feed.”

“We have someone else who has something to say,” the show host interrupted before Dottie could say another word. “So let’s welcome Joy Ruth, Vada Faith’s twin sister.”

The audience cheered when my sister danced on stage, waving to the crowd. She slipped into a chair beside me smiling from ear to ear.

“Don’t be mad,” she mouthed at me.

I just shook my head. I wanted this day over.

“What did you want to share with us as a family member?” Maddie asked.

“My sister is being too nice,” Joy Ruth said, not the least bit shy. She folded her hands ladylike in her lap. “She would not tell this to you herself. That’s just the way she is but this couple is not fit to be parents.” She leaned across to Maddie and whispered loudly, “They’re crooks.”

“Now, careful there,” a red faced Roy said, pointing at my sister. “Watch how you make allegations. We are perfectly fit to be parents, as fit as anyone sitting right here.”

“Perhaps it’s you, missy, who’s unfit,” his wife shot the words at my sister. “Perhaps your reputation isn’t white as the driven snow.”

“Well,” my sister said, sweetly, with her arms still folded, “I’m not what matters here. Am I? I’m not the one who wants my sister’s baby. If you ask me, neither one of you has time for a baby. All the national news coverage about your business practices, and you, Dottie. You’re all wrapped up in the performers over at the Civic Club. One performer in particular, I might add. Really, you two don’t have a spare minute for a baby.”

“You stay out of this,” Roy shouted at Joy Ruth. He looked square at me and narrowed his eyes. “We’ll take you to court, you hear, girl. I recommend you honor our verbal agreement.” His face was mottled red as he stood up. “You led us on. You manipulated us. You’ve taken our money and now we’ll be the laughingstock of Shady Creek. Of the entire country.”

He turned to the talk show host. “You misled us, too. You brought us here under false pretenses. I’ll sue you and this television station. Well, this interview is over.” He held out his arm to his wife. “Let’s go, sweetheart. Our attorney will handle this. We’ll get our baby. Don’t you worry your little head.” He stalked off the set pulling his shocked wife behind him.

“You know, you may face some legal battles,” Maddie said when the audience had finally quieted.

“I don’t care. All I want is to be able to raise my baby.”

“You’re not afraid they’ll fight for custody?”

“Let them. I’m not afraid. Not of them or anyone. This baby is mine.”

“How does your husband feel about you keeping the baby?”

“I can’t speak for him,” I said, miserably, “I can only speak for myself.”

“That couple might get visitation rights,” she said.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” I said. That was something John Wasper would have said if he’d been there, only he wasn’t and I was glad. He’d been hurt enough already.

After the show, my sister rushed back to the shop while I lingered to finish up some business.

“Are you sure,” Maddie asked, “that you don’t want to do one more show for us. We’d like to cover the birth of the baby. We’ll get you some freebies. Diapers and formula.”

“Nope,” I said, adamantly. “Not a million freebies is worth putting myself or my family through this again.”

“Well, if you’re sure, dear,” she said, almost absently now, her mind on a young man who’d been smiling and waiting patiently on the sidelines for her autograph.

As she walked away, I realized I had one thing to be thankful for on that day. The story of my surrogacy would soon die down in the public’s eye. It was only in my own life it would live on forever.

“Are we really keeping our baby, mommy?” Hope Renee asked over breakfast as I explained the situation.

“Yes,” I said, “we are keeping it.” I pushed a piece of waffle around on my plate. I had no appetite.

“Daddy said no!” Hope’s eyes were wide. “He said no and he said he meant no.” Hope was not one to agree with anything that was against her daddy’s wishes. Even if it was something she wanted badly.

“I know what daddy said. However, things have changed and we are keeping the baby.”

“Is daddy coming home tonight?” Hope asked, her eyes lighting up at the thought.

“Not now, honey, but soon.” I knew I was promising something that was out of my control. After seeing John Wasper with Sandy Dooley I wondered if he’d ever be home again.

“Can we tell Ryan we’re keeping our baby, Mommy,” Charity asked.

“Yes,” I said, “you can tell Ryan we’re keeping the baby.”

It was the tenth time one of them had asked a question. They sat at the kitchen table after finishing their waffles playing with a couple of the little wooden houses John Wasper had built for them. The longer he was away the more they played with the houses he’d made.

It was one of those rare days when the beauty shop was closed for some much needed plumbing repairs. It was good to have the day off. I still wasn’t feeling good.

After the girls left for school I ran a few errands and came home to find Stewart Silverberg, the surrogacy attorney, in my driveway.

“I saw you on the news again,” he said, blowing cigar smoke out the window of his Jaguar.

“Really!” I took several grocery bags out of the car and started toward the house.

“Wait,” he said, hopping out of his car. “Can I help you carry those? Can we talk a minute?”

“No.” I stopped and turned. “I don’t need your help and I don’t have anything to say to you. Now just go away and leave me alone.”

“You need legal representation, Vada Faith, and you need it now. The Kilgores are suing for custody of your child.” He reached back into his car for the heavy briefcase he always carried. “I’ve handled cases like this before.” He leafed through some papers. “I can help you get custody of your child.” He looked down at my stomach where a tiny baby bump was visible under my shirt.

“I can handle the Kilgores,” I said, moving toward the house.

“You’d have a better chance with me on your team,” he said. He rattled some papers at me.

“Look,” I said, losing my patience, “if I need help I’ll call you.” I shifted the bags in my arms. The man didn’t move an inch. “I will. Now please go away.”

“All right.” He put out his hand and reluctantly I extended mine. “You won’t be sorry. Here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card and handed it to me.

I stared at the card then shoved it into one of my bags. I’d knew I’d eventually need an attorney and a good one. Just not now.

Mr. Silverberg made it all sound so simple. Sue Dottie and Roy Kilgore and that would be the end of it. It wouldn’t because there were more than legal aspects to deal with.

There were matters of the heart.

I had to deal with those alone.

Later, I sat in the backyard with Joy Ruth and Mama, discussing the cemetery project while the girls played on their swings. It was a perfect late fall day. Though the sun was warm, there was a nip in the air.

“Honey, your man will come around,” Mama said, turning the conversation to what was on everyone’s minds. She took a sip of the hot apple cider we’d made. The smell of cinnamon drifted out through the open kitchen window.

“I don’t know,” I said, leaning back in my chair, “I’ve never seen him so dead set against something. He’s never moved out. He even left his tools scattered upstairs. That’s not like him. None of this is like him.” I shook my head. “I just can’t give my baby to those people. I can’t.”

“Atta girl,” said my twin, leaning over and clinking her cup with mine.

“They aren’t fit to raise animals.” A smile brightened her face. “Hey, maybe you should sue for custody of that spoiled poodle, Baby.”

“That’s mean.” I giggled. “Though it would be a riot.”

Somehow suing was on everybody’s mind these days. Stewart Silverberg. Dottie and Roy. Even Joy Ruth.

“Here’s to suing for Baby,” she laughed, draining her cup, and then she turned to me and got this serious look on her face. “I’m dating Bruiser.”

“Yes,” I sighed. “I know. Everyone in town knows. How could I not know? The man has sent flowers to the shop three days this week. He’s done everything but write your name in the sky. He’ll probably do that for Christmas.”

“Christmas?” She asked, her eyes narrowing. “Why’d you say Christmas?”

“No reason.” I looked at her curiously. “Why?”

“I wasn’t going to tell you,” she squealed, “but he’s giving me an engagement ring on Christmas.” She twisted her birthstone ring around on her finger. “Not that I’ve said yes. Of course, I’m going to.” Her eyes sparkled.

“What brought this on?”

“Well, when he asked me for a date I didn’t really want to go. He pointed out how wrapped up I was in your life which really irritated me. I see now he was right. I wanted everything you had. I’m sorry to say even your husband and the girls. Then I realized it wasn’t your life I wanted but a life of my own with a husband and children.”

“If you marry my husband’s brother, you’ll be my in-law,” I said, trying to cheer us both up. I could see tears forming in her eyes.

“I know,” she laughed and wiped at her eyes. “Then maybe you’ll have an in-law you can get along with.”

“Maybe,” I said, “and, maybe my husband will move home. You won’t want to live with him and Bruiser. One of them is like a disease,” I quipped. “Two would be an epidemic.”

“You two,” Mama said, frowning, “they’re both good men.”

“Who needs a good man?” I cried and Joy Ruth and I laughed until tears ran down our cheeks.

Of course I didn’t mean it. I needed a good man. I needed my husband. I laughed at things lately that weren’t humorous.

“Well,” Mama huffed, “I need a good man too.”

“You’ve got a good man,” I said. “That new guy. What’s his name?”

“I don’t have a new guy.” She sniffed. “I’m going to Bermuda with Albert.”

“Albert?” My sister and I shrieked.

“Yes, Albert.” Off in the distance the noon whistle blew. “Albert might be bullheaded,” she said, “but he’s reliable, like that old noon whistle. It’s irritating. However, you can count on it every day at noon. Regardless of what else in your life gets screwed up.”