Part 6 (2/2)
As they reached the door, Sam straightened up. ”Hi, Thomas.” She smiled at his bundle. ”You must be
Jamie.”
Jamie hid her face against Thomas's shoulder, and alarm brushed him. What if she refused to stay with Sam? He couldn't take Jamie with him for the rest of the day.
Sam didn't seem fazed, though. ”So where's her stuff?”
He blinked. ”Stuff?”
”You know. Toys. Food. Diaper bag.”
Jamie lifted her head and glared at Sam. ”Don't need diapers,” she stated loudly.
Thomas's face heated. ”I don't have anything,” he told Sam. Then he remembered the bag Leila had
given him last night. ”Wait. Some of her things are in the kitchen. A bag with puppies on it.”
”I'll find it.” Sam seemed about to laugh, probably at him. ”I've never seen you babysit before.”
”Leila had an emergency.” Thomas carried Jamie into the house, which was filled with sunlight from the
many windows. ”Her law firm told her that if she didn't take this trip, she was out of a job. They landed a big client and he would only work with Leila.”
Sam followed him into the living room. ”That sucks.”
”Sam!” Thomas wanted to put his hands over Jamie's ears. Then again, she probably had no clue what the phrase meant.
”Sorry,” Sam said. She had the grace to refrain from saying she had heard much worse from him in his
younger days.
Thomas set Jamie down on the couch. ”Apparently the partners are concerned because Leila has already refused several trips. She's supposed to be one of their stars, rising in the firm. Well, good, but she wants a life, too.”
Jamie was standing on the couch. ”Mommy was mad.”
”I don't blame her,” Sam said. She glanced at Thomas. ”What about Karl? Can't he take care of his own kid?”
Thomas scowled at her. ”He's giving an important paper at a math conference in California. Nothing
wrong with that.”
Sam just looked at him. What could he say? He had his own doubts about his son-in-law. It was difficult, because he liked Karl Harrows. He had since Leila first brought the gangly young man home.
Intelligent fellow, too, a math professor at the University of Maryland, College Park. But Karl was
spending more and more time away from home, building his career, too often leaving his wife to act as a single parent, until Thomas felt like administering a swift kick to his son-in-law's rear.
”He's trying to come back early,” Thomas said.
”Yeah.” Sam didn't look like she believed it. She let it go, though, which he appreciated. He didn't want
to talk about it in front of Jamie.
Thomas dropped into his armchair, glad to rest. Jamie started to fuss, jumping up and down on the couch. She pulled away when Sam tried to put her in a chair.
”Don't want to sit down!” Jamie yelled.
”Moppet,” Thomas said. Then he ran out of words. Janice had always been better at calming a cranky
child. She used to carry Leila on her hip while she was designing the holoscapes she created as an artist.
Those seascapes in the hallway had been her favorites, and she had refused to sell them despite offers of fifty thousand and more. He treasured them all the more since her death, but he would have gladly given them away if it would have brought her back.
Sam had none of Janice's soft-spoken expertise, but she didn't seem the least daunted by a grouchy three- year-old. She considered Jamie, who was glaring at her. ”You can stand on the couch all day,” Sam offered. ”It might get boring, though.”
”Don't want to go!” Jamie said.
”Go where?” Sam asked.
Tears leaked out of Jamie's eyes. ”I want Mommy.”
Sam gentled her voice. ”I'm sorry she isn't here.”
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