Lauren reached for David’s hand, held it. She felt surprisingly calm. “We’ve decided to give the baby up for adoption.”
“Thank God,” Mr. Haynes said, sighing harshly. For the first time, Lauren noticed the tenseness in his jawline, the worry in his eyes. Relief changed his face. He finally smiled.
Mrs. Haynes moved to sit beside Lauren. “That couldn’t have been an easy decision for you.”
Lauren was grateful for that. “It wasn’t.”
Mrs. Haynes started to reach for her, then withdrew her hand at the last second. Lauren had the strange impression that David’s mother was afraid to touch her. “I think it’s for the best. You two are so young. We’ll call the lawyer and—”
“We’ve already chosen the parents,” Lauren said. “My … boss. Angie Malone.”
Mrs. Haynes nodded. Even though she was obviously relieved, she looked sad somehow. She bent forward, picked up her purse, and pulled it onto her lap. She pulled out a checkbook, wrote a check, and ripped it out, then stood up. She handed the check to Lauren.
It was for five thousand dollars.
Lauren looked up. “I can’t take this.”
Mrs. Haynes gazed down at her. Lauren saw the wrinkles through her makeup for the first time. “It’s for your college fund. Los Angeles is an expensive city. A scholarship won’t handle everything.”
“But—”
“Let me do this,” she said softly. “You’re a good girl, Lauren. On your way to becoming a good woman.”
Lauren swallowed hard, surprised by how moved she was by that simple compliment. “Thank you.”
Mrs. Haynes started to move away, then stopped and turned back. “Maybe you could give me a photograph of my—of the baby when he’s born.”
It was the first time Lauren had thought of the baby as their grandchild. “Sure,” she said.
Mrs. Haynes looked down at her. “Do you really think you can do this?”
“I have to. It’s the right thing to do.”
After that, there was nothing left to say.
TWENTY-NINE
It was almost midnight when Lauren got home. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it, letting out a ragged sigh. She couldn’t wait to climb into bed and close her eyes. This day had left her wounded.
She touched her stomach, felt a flutter-soft kick. “Hey,” she murmured to the baby as she headed for the living room.
She was at the dining room table when she noticed the fire in the fireplace and the music coming through the speakers. It was something soft, Hawaiian-sounding. “Somewhere over the Rainbow” played on a ukulele.
Angie and Conlan were sitting in front of the fire.
“Oh,” Lauren said in surprise. “I thought you were off on a romantic getaway.”
Angie rose, walked toward Lauren. When she got closer, she held out her left hand. A huge diamond glittered. “We’re getting married again.”
Lauren squealed and threw herself into Angie’s arms. “That’s great,” she said, holding Angie tightly. She hadn’t realized until just then how alone she’d felt all day, how much she’d missed Angie. She had trouble letting go. “Now my baby will have a daddy, too.”
“Sorry,” she said, finally drawing back. She felt foolish; a girl who should be a woman.
She’d said “my” baby.
“Actually, Lauren, that’s what we came home to talk to you about.”
It was Conlan who’d spoken.
Lauren closed her eyes for just a moment as a wave of exhaustion moved through her. She didn’t know if she could talk about the baby anymore.
But she had no choice.
“Okay.”
Angie took her hand, squeezed it. The touch helped. Together, hand in hand, they went to the couch and sat down.
Conlan remained sitting on the hearth. He was tilted forward, with his forearms rested on his thighs. Long black hair fell across part of his face. In the firelight, his eyes looked impossibly blue.
She felt impaled by those eyes. She shifted uncomfortably on the sofa.
“You’re just a child,” Conlan said, his voice surprisingly soft, “so I’m sorry about all this.”
Lauren smiled. “I quit being a kid a few months ago.”
“No. You had to face a grown-up thing. That’s not the same thing as being a grown-up.” He sighed. “The thing is … Angie and I are scared.”
Lauren hadn’t expected that. “I thought you wanted a baby.”
“We do,” Angie said in a tight voice. “Too much, maybe.”
“So you should be happy.” Lauren looked from Conlan to Angie. “I’m giving you—Oh.” It came to her all at once. “The other girl. The one who changed her mind.”
“Yes,” Angie said.
“I wouldn’t do that to you guys. I promise. I mean … I love you. And I love my baby. Your baby. I want to do the right thing.”
Angie touched Lauren’s face. “We know that, Lauren. We just want—”
“Need,” Conlan interrupted.
“—to know that you’ve thought about this. That you’re sure. It will not be an easy thing to do.”
“Will it be harder than parenting at seventeen?”