The Common Thread (30 page)

“Oh, wow. I wasn’t expecting this.”

“Is it a problem?”

Nic looked at Rae. She still hadn’t decided whether to take them, but their skin color wasn’t the issue. They could have been green or purple. She was just shocked, having assumed they would be as fair skinned as she was. Nic was concerned only that they were young enough to have needs she likely couldn’t satisfy and that they’d require her time and attention. “No, I suppose it isn’t,” she said softly as she looked at them, and realized that for only the second time in her life she was looking at someone who was her flesh and blood.

And then they were spotted, and before Jet could stop him, the boy sprinted across the hallway and threw himself around her. “Mommy! I’ve been missing you so much,” he mumbled into her stomach.

“Andre. Hey, buddy, take it easy,” Jet said as she caught up with him.

Nic knelt, peeling him away from her, and looked him in the eyes. She searched his face for a resemblance, but she could find none. And then she pulled herself back to reality and wondered what the hell was she supposed to say to him? She took a deep breath. “Hi, Andre. My name is Nicole. I know I look a lot like your mommy. Do you want to know why?”

Pulling back, he looked confused and afraid as he turned to Jet for comfort. She kneeled down as well and he backed into her arms. She kissed him on the cheek. “It’s okay, buddy.”

“Who are you?” This question came from the girl.

Nic stayed down at Andre’s level but looked up at her and smiled. In her, she saw the resemblance of family. The hair was wrong, as was the eye color, but the shape of her face, the nose and mouth, and the serious look she gave Nic, reminded Nic of herself at that age. “My name is Nicole. What’s yours?”

“Chloe. Why do you look like my mom?” Her voice was strong, her posture challenging.

Nicole leaned back an inch to give her more space. “Well, Chloe, that’s a great question. She’s my sister.”

Chloe shook her head and jutted her hip, full of nine-year-old attitude. “My mom doesn’t have a sister.”

“It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it? We’ve never known each other, but we’re sisters.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Would you like to see my driver’s license? It has my birthday on it. My birthday is…today. Just like your mom’s.” It was hard to believe this was her birthday. She’d celebrated some unusual birthdays in her thirty years. Because school was usually dismissed for the summer by the time June fourteenth came, she’d spent her birthdays on many different vacations. She’d been all over Europe, hiking in Colorado, and white water rafting in Idaho. Because medical school doesn’t allow for summer holidays, once, as a student, she delivered a baby on her birthday. But just like that memorable date at Dalessandro’s, this day would forever be remembered.

Nic reached into her purse and retrieved her wallet and the ID she was looking for. She handed it to Chloe.

Chloe took the card from Nic, eyeing it suspiciously before she glanced up, looking not at Nic but at Jet.

“Is this true? Does my mom really have a sister?”

“Yeah, isn’t that great?”

“Why can’t we see Mommy?” Andre interjected.

“You will, in a couple of days. Until then, though, the judge is going to ask Nic to take care of you. Just until your mom is out of the hospital.”

“I don’t wanna go with her. Why can’t we stay with you?”

Jet hugged him tighter for a second, then opened her arms to Chloe and included her in the hug. “I want to be with you guys, but your mom needs me, too. So when I’m with your mom, Nic is going to watch you.”

Nic wanted to point out to Jet that she hadn’t agreed to do this, and Jet seemed to sense her hesitation. “Now guys, I need to talk to Nic for a minute. Can you go back over there with my mom and dad?”

They nodded, and she pushed them in the direction of her parents before turning to look at Nicole. “First of all, thanks for coming.” Jet glanced at her watch, and noted they only had a few minutes to spare. “My parents and the kids just got here a minute before you. Fortunately, they don’t live too far away.”

“Yeah, it was pretty lucky that Rae knew how to find me,” Nic offered.

“Well, I can see the fear all over your face, and I know this is sort of out of left field, but you’re my only chance of getting the kids.”

“What do you mean? You want them?”

“Well, yeah. Of course. I just need you to talk the judge into giving you custody, and then you’re free. I’ll take total responsibility for them.”

Nic looked up at Jet, who seemed to be about three feet taller than her, and took a step forward, challenging her. “Wait a minute, here. You want me to lie to the judge?”

“Lie is a strong word.”

“No, it’s an accurate word.”

Jet leaned against the wall and closed her eyes for a moment. Nic thought she looked tired and realized she’d probably been at the hospital all night. “I’m sorry for putting you in this position, Nicole. I really, really wish it hadn’t turned out this way, but it did. And this was all I could think of. If you have another idea, I’d be happy to listen. I just don’t know what else to do. I can’t let those people have these kids. They turned Katie into the street when she was fifteen years old. They abused her and abandoned her. They’re unfit to care for a gerbil. These are sweet, innocent kids caught up in this nightmare, and I just want to protect them.”

“I can’t lie to a judge, Jet. I just can’t.” Nic shook her head, feeling like she was shaking all over, about to jump off a cliff. “But I’ll take the kids, if he’ll give them to me. They can stay with me.”

Jet closed her eyes, clearly fighting tears, then ran her fingers through her hair. “I’ll help as much as I can.”

“Me, too.” Rae winked at her, and suddenly Nic felt a little bit better.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

In the courtroom, Nic saw the Finan family and immediately understood Jet’s fears. When the older woman saw her, she eyed her suspiciously, as if inspecting her to see if she was an imposter wearing a Katie Finan mask. Nic turned her back to them and gave her attention to Katie’s kids. Her niece and nephew.

“So are you guys hungry? I’m famished. I had to skip lunch to come get you.”

“We had pancakes for breakfast,” Andre volunteered, suddenly quite friendly. “At Denny’s.”

Chloe was silent while Andre was a chatterbox. Apparently, he wasn’t going to stonewall her, but Nic could see she’d have a tough job breaking through Chloe’s armor. Before she could speak again, the judge was announced and they all turned their attention in his direction.

“Do you want me to represent you?” Rae asked.

“Can you do that?” Nic asked.

“I’m a lawyer. Of course I can.”

Rae approached the bench and made her introduction to the judge.

“Well, let’s get this over with, then.” The judge apparently wanted his lunch, too.

Nic came forward and stood at the table beside Rae. She introduced herself to Judge Rova, and the Finans’ attorney immediately asked for ID. For the second time in ten minutes she produced it.

“Do you dispute this woman’s claim that she’s Miss Finan’s sister?” He was addressing the Finans’ lawyer.

“No, Your Honor.”

“Thank you. Miss Coussart, do you wish to serve as the guardian for these children?”

Nic wondered if it was appropriate to remind the judge that she was a doctor. Would it help her cause? It was her cause now. She’d decided to help Jet, to help these kids, and now it was important that she do her best for them. Using her title never hurt. “Your honor, it’s Dr. Coussart, and yes, I do. I do wish to serve as their guardian.”

“Well, Doctor,” he said, stressing the word, “then you shall have your wish.”

The Finans’ lawyer objected, and the judge told him to stand down, and the Finans began shouting and cursing until they were threatened with arrest. Nic was too scared to celebrate, but Rae smiled and then hugged her.

“That was easy,” Nic said, when the judge rose from the bench and left the courtroom. She had a terrible fear in her heart that she wouldn’t have too many more easy moments in the coming days.

Rae shrugged and held up her hands. “I’m a great lawyer, Nic. What can I say?”

Nic tried to suppress her smile, but somehow it emerged anyway, as it had been tending to do when she was in Rae’s company. “You’re just lucky there are no diapers to change.”

“Well, it was my pleasure. And Nic—happy birthday.”

Nic looked at her niece and nephew. Andre was talking to Jet, his face animated as he relayed something of vital importance. Chloe stood behind and to the side, her arms wrapped around Jet, her eyes piercing Nic with a threatening stare.

Nic swallowed and forced a smile. “Best. Present. Ever.”

Much to her surprise, Nic learned her car was equipped with a LATCH system to hold Andre’s car seat in place. After watching Jet struggle to secure it, she hoped for the sake of her manicure that she never had to do it herself.

After taking inventory of the kids’ clothing, supplied in a duffel bag by Mr. and Mrs. Fox, Nic decided they needed to shop. They couldn’t possibly function with one bathing suit, one pair of shorts, and one T-shirt each. Her heart raced at the thought of a few hours at the King of Prussia mall; she’d seen a new purse in a magazine and was sure they’d have it at Bloomingdale’s or Nordstrom. Her mouth watered at the thought of the delectable lunch they’d have at The Cheesecake Factory. She could hardly wait.

“So where do you guys normally shop?” she asked after they were all buckled up and heading toward the mall. “Bloomie’s? Lord and Taylor?”

“Target!” Andre continued to speak for both of them, and Nic was unsure if his sister was shy or skeptical of Nic’s ability to function as their caregiver. Or perhaps she sensed something more was happening than she’d been told. They knew their mother needed surgery, but not why. They didn’t know their father was dead. And they didn’t know the circumstances of their mother’s birth and why this strange woman named Nicole Coussart was suddenly in charge of their welfare.

Nic looked in the mirror, but she couldn’t see Andre’s eyes. “They sell clothes at Target?” She’d been there for a hair dryer and a toaster, but never clothing.

“Yeah. They have superhero underwear.”

“And Hello Kitty,” Chloe added shyly.

“You like Hello Kitty?” Nic was thrilled to hear Chloe’s voice. “I loved her when I was little. I even had a Hello Kitty lunch box in second grade.”

Suddenly, Chloe came to life, her voice enthusiastic. “Really? That’s cool. I just have a shirt, and pencils, and a backpack. And pajamas.”

Nic smiled to herself as she remembered the little girl she’d been on her first day of second grade, with that pink lunch box clutched tightly in her hands. “Well, I guess it’s Target then. But do you want to eat first? I’m kind of hungry.” She tried to recall if there was a Target near the mall but couldn’t remember seeing one there.

“Yes, please,” Andre said.

“How’s The Cheesecake Factory sound to you guys?”

After a moment’s silence, Chloe answered quietly. “No, thank you.”

“What? You’re not hungry?”

“We don’t like cheesecake, Aunt Nicole.”

“Oh, don’t worry. You don’t have to eat cheesecake. They have other things there.”

“Why can’t we just go to McDonald’s?” Andre asked.

Nic groaned in ecstasy as the image of a cheeseburger came to mind. “You guys like McDonald’s?”

“Yes,” they shouted in unison.

“Me, too.” Maybe kids weren’t so bad after all.

She drove to City Avenue and exited the expressway, and in a few minutes they were walking into the restaurant.

“What will you guys have?” she asked.

“Can we get Happy Meals?” Andre asked.

“Of course. What kind?”

Andre chose chicken nuggets, with barbeque sauce and a Hot Wheels toy, while Nic and Chloe had cheeseburgers, with Twinkle Toes toys. Nic allowed each of them to carry their boxes to the table, and then they filled their own drinks from the beverage fountains.

“My mommy likes cheeseburgers, too,” Andre informed Nic.

“Well, she’s a smart lady.” Nic was more than a little curious about his mother but had been hesitant to interrogate the kids. Since Andre had opened the door, though, she decided to walk through it. “What else does your mommy like?”

Chloe chewed, swallowed, and then frowned. “Vegetables.”

Nic chuckled. Obviously Chloe didn’t share her mother’s taste. “Is she a good cook?”

“She doesn’t like to cook too much,” Andre said.

“Me either,” Nic said, wondering if this was a genetic flaw they’d inherited.

“She cooks sometimes,” Chloe said, sounding defensive.

“What’s your favorite thing your mom cooks for you?”

“Hot dogs,” Andre replied, very seriously, and Nic was quite relieved. She, too, could manage hot dogs.

“How about you, Chloe? What do you like to eat?”

“I like it when we have breakfast for dinner. My mom makes good pancakes.”

“I like pancakes, too.” As they ate their lunch, Nic asked more questions about their mother, and the obvious joy they felt in talking about her assuaged any guilt Nic may have felt about pumping Katie’s children for information.

“You guys are so lucky,” she said after a while. “When I was little, my parents never let me eat at fast-food restaurants.”

At first she thought she imagined the look that passed between them, but when they suddenly both became very interested in their French fries, she knew she’d been conned. “Wait a minute, you two. You aren’t allowed to eat here, are you?”

Chloe looked up first, guilt and remorse all over her beautiful face. “Only on special occasions.”

Nic looked from her to her brother and took a deep breath. “Well, I think this is sort of special, don’t you? I mean, us meeting each other?”

“Yes!” Andre screamed, and Chloe smiled.

“Aunt Nicole,” he asked, “how come you never came to see us before?”

Nic sat back and thought about an answer, then decided it was best to deflect it. “I’m going to let your mom tell you that story. But I’ve been thinking, Andre, and I don’t think I like being called
Aunt
. It makes me feel old. How about if you call me AJ instead?”