Part 40 (1/2)
”You what, Zach?”
”She's the kind of girl you marry and I don't think I can do that.”
”Why not?” Teresa asked gently, reaching over to take hold of his hand. ”You know, Zach, you've been a loner all your life and I've never really understood why. You get along with people. You seem to like them and they like you. But in the end, you always pull away. You were a lonely little boy, Zach. There's no reason for you to spend your whole life that way.”
He glanced out the window, saw only the wall of the building next door. ”Maybe not. I don't know.”
”You need to ask yourself what it is you really want out of life and if the answer is that you want to be with this girl, then go for it. You're not like your fatheror me, for that matter. If you give your heart to a woman, you won't betray her. That's one thing I know for sure.”
A corner of his mouth edged up. ”How could you possibly know that?”
”Because I'm your mother. I never was much of a one, but I know if you make a promise, you keep it. And I think you would make some woman a d.a.m.ned fine husband.”
Zach looked at her hard, seeing something in her eyes he had only begun to notice. In her own strange way, Teresa loved him.
He shoved back his chair and stood up. ”Sometimes you amaze me Mother.” Catching her chin, he bent and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. ”I'll think about what you said.”
But he didn't really have to think anymore. He'd been back in L.A. for two weeks, fourteen long, restless nights, searching for the answer that suddenly seemed so clear. He knew what he wanted, had known for sometime but was afraid to admit it.
Unfortunately, before he had come to that conclusion, he had made a miserable mess of things.
Now the question was, What the h.e.l.l should he do?
The office was just about to close for the day. Elizabeth still sat working behind her desk when a phone call came through from Miguel. He sounded frantic, yet more like his old self than he'd been in some time.
”Elizabeth. It is Miguel Santiago. I am calling from the hospital. Maria she is having the baby!”
Elizabeth grinned. ”That's wonderful, Miguel! I'm just leaving work. I'll be there as quickly as I can.”
”Oh, no, you do not have to come. You have done enough already. And Se”ora Garcia, she is here with me.”
”I'm coming. I'll be there as soon as I can get there.”
She didn't miss the relief in his voice. ”Gracias. That would be very good. I know Maria will be happy to know you are coming.”
She hung up the phone and grabbed her purse. Terry was on the phone when she walked up to the desk. She ended the call and looked up. ”You're smiling. What's up?”
”I'm off to the County Hospital in Mason. Maria Santiago is having her baby.”
Dr. James emerged from his office just then. ”So the big day has finally arrived.”
Elizabeth grinned, excited and wildly relieved. ”Looks that way.”
”I guess I owe her an apology though I still have a tough time believing in ghosts. I'm glad you stuck with her through all of this.”
”I have to say, there were times I thought I was going a little crazy myself.”
”By the way, Babs and I are finally getting married. Funny thing is, after all the indecision, I'm really excited about it.”
Elizabeth thought of Zach and ignored a stab of pain. ”Congratulations. I guess when you finally figure out what you want, everything falls into place.”
”Yes, I think it does.”
Pasting a smile on her face, pus.h.i.+ng thoughts of Zach away, Elizabeth waved a quick goodbye and dashed out the back door to her car.
The roads were a little bit busy this time of day, but she made the trip to the Mason hospital in record time. Once inside, she headed for the maternity ward and found Miguel pacing the floor of the waiting room. The man looked completely different from the last time she had seen him, his dark hair neatly trimmed, s.h.i.+rt and trousers spotlessly clean.
”Elizabeth! Thank you so much for coming.”
”I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Where is she?”
”She is in the labor room.”
”Aren't you going in with her?”
Miguel's dark face turned pale. ”I would rather wait out here.”
Elizabeth bit back a smile. In Miguel's mind, having a baby was a woman's job. It was the man's job to wait and worry.
”This is Se”ora Garcia,” he said, introducing her to a heavyset woman sitting in one of the chairs.
”Con mucho gusto, Se”ora,” Elizabeth said.
”It is good to meet you, too. Maria has spoken of you often.” She had snow-white hair and very dark, very weathered skin. She wore a flowered housedress and serviceable brown leather shoes with the stockings rolled down around her ankles.
”How is she doing?” Elizabeth asked.
”She is a little nervous, but then this is her first.”
For the next three hours, they waited, drinking cups of thick black coffee.
Then a green-gowned nurse appeared in the door of the waiting room. ”Mr. Santiago?”
Miguel shot to his feet. ”Si, that is me.”
A grin spread across the nurse's face. ”It's a boy! You have a son, Mr. Santiago. A seven pound, twelve ounce baby boy.”
Miguel let out a whoop of glee.
”Congratulations,” Elizabeth said, grinning nearly as wide as the nurse.
”When can I see her?” Miguel asked.
”Give us a few minutes to get her cleaned up and I'll come get you.”
By the time visitors were allowed into the room, Maria was propped up in the bed, proudly holding her bundled-up son in her arms. Everyone oohed and aahed over the tiny black-haired infant and said what a beautiful child he waswhich indeed he was.