my parents thought it, other people will.’
Dana was livid. ‘Only people who don’t know us. People who do, know that we’re happily married. They know we’re together every free minute.’
‘They also know I was in Philly for a month nine months ago trying a case.’
Dana was stunned. ‘Whoa!’
The baby whimpered in response.
‘Not me, Dee,’ Hugh said, but his eyes remained dark. ‘Not me. I’m only playing devil’s advocate. They’ll wonder, particularly since the baby came two weeks early.’
‘And you’ll tell them there isn’t a chance,’ Dana stated.
‘Do I know what happened while I was away in Philly?’
‘You sure know what happened the weekends in between.’
‘You could have done both.’
Dana was beside herself. ‘I can’t believe you’re saying this.’
‘I’m only saying what other people will.’
Dana peered at the baby’s face. It was scrunched up, ready to cry. Lifting her off her shoulder, she tried rocking her, but all the while she was growing more dismayed. ‘Would I be so dumb as to have an affair with an African American and try to pass his baby off as yours?’
‘Maybe you weren’t sure whose baby it was.’
‘Wait. That’s assuming I cheated on you.’
The baby’s cries grew louder.
‘Why’s she crying?’ Hugh asked.
‘I don’t know.’ Dana tried holding her closer, but it didn’t help. ‘Maybe she senses that I’m upset.’
‘Maybe she’s hungry.’
‘I just fed her.’
‘Your milk isn’t in yet. Maybe she needs formula.’
‘Hugh, I’ll have milk. I’ll have plenty of milk.’
‘Okay. Maybe she’s wet.’
That was a possibility. Dana looked around. ‘I don’t have anything. There must be something here.’
‘Where?’
‘I don’t know. Call the nurse.’
‘I’ll get the nurse,’ Hugh said. ‘She should be here, anyway. Hell, if we wanted to do this alone, we would have checked into the Ritz.’ He went out the door.
Given the speed with which he returned, Dana suspected the nurse had been on her way. Soft-spoken and reassuring, she took the baby and set her in the crib. Opening one drawer after another underneath, she pointed out Pampers, ointment, baby wipes, burp pads, and other goodies.
The baby cried louder when her bottom was bared, but the nurse calmly showed them how to clean, apply ointment, and rediaper her. She showed them how to support the baby’s head and talked about care of the umbilical cord.
When the nurse left, Hugh stood at the crib, his back straight in a way that had CLARKE written all over it. Unfortunately, Dana was a Joseph. And this tiny, helpless baby, who was she?
Hugh stared at the baby for the longest time. He had always loved the fact that Dana bore no resemblance to his family, yet he was desperately searching for a familiar feature in his child. So was this his comeuppance for devaluing familial traits – fathering a baby who didn’t have any one of those traits?
Feeling a helpless tug, he leaned down over the infant. ‘Hey,’ he whispered. ‘Hey,’ he said again, this time with a smile.
Lizzie didn’t blink. She had remarkable eyes, Hugh decided – deep brown irises, delicate lids, long dark lashes. Her nose was small and perfectly formed. And, yes, she had the softest, smoothest skin. She really was a breathtakingly beautiful child. Reaching for his camera, he took a picture. Then he glanced at Dana.
Hugh loved his wife. He truly did. He loved her for many things, not the least being that she was genuinely laid-back. She didn’t get mired down in details the way he did. She didn’t have his compulsive need for order or logic or precedent. She went with the flow, could adapt to change with a smile and move on. He admired her for that.
At least, he always had. Now, as he looked at the baby again, Dana’s nonchalance suddenly seemed irresponsible. She should have made it her business to know who her father was. It would have made things a whole lot easier.
He started to say something to her, but saw that her eyes were closed. Choosing to believe she had fallen asleep, he left the room and took the elevator to the ground floor. He was looking around for a quiet place to use his phone when someone called his name.
David Johnson strode toward him, lab coat open over deep blue scrubs, shaved head gleaming. David wasn’t only a neigh bor; he was a close friend. They had first met five years ago, when the acre of waterfront land Hugh bought was nothing but clumps of beach grass and heather. David’s house had become Hugh’s emergency outpost during a long year of building, with access to beer in the fridge and a list of resources that had saved Hugh inestimable effort and time.
One of those resources was Dana. If Hugh owed David for any one thing, it was that.
‘Hey, man,’ David exclaimed now, grinning broadly as he clapped Hugh on the back. ‘How’s the new dad?’
Hugh shook his hand. ‘Shell-shocked.’
‘Quick delivery, Hugh. Can’t complain about that. Is the little one adorable?’
‘Absolutely. Hey,’ Hugh said, needing David’s help again, ‘are you coming or going?’
‘Coming from OR, going to office. I have three minutes to run up and take a peek. How about you?’ David asked with a glance at the opening elevator.
‘I have to get messages and make some calls. Will you be around later?’
‘I’m done at six, but I have meetings at Harvard after that, so it’s either see your girls now or tomorrow.’
‘See them now,’ said Hugh. ‘Dana’ll appreciate it.’
David moved into the elevator seconds before the door closed. He turned and shot Hugh a smile. Bright white, it lit his handsome dark face.
Oh, yeah, they had to talk. David would understand the problem. Not only had he grown up black, but after marrying a white woman, he had fathered a daughter whose skin was the same shade as Lizzie’s.
David’s daughter was well adjusted. She was happy. Holding tight to that thought, Hugh found a quiet corner near the hospital’s front entrance and accessed his phone messages.
From his law partner Jim Calli came an exuberant ‘Great news about the baby, Hugh. Rita and I want to stop over as soon as they get home. And don’t worry about things here. Julian and I will cover.’
From Melissa Dubin, one of the associates who worked for him, came a victorious ‘Congratulations, Hugh! One baby and one legal coup! The prosecutor of the Hassler case just called to say he’s dropping the worst three charges against our man. He made it clear that the misdemeanor charge still stands, but we all know Hassler won’t do time for that. This is good.’
The next message wasn’t as happy. ‘Hey, man,’ said Henderson Walker in a low, urgent tone, ‘we gotta talk. There’s guys here lookin’ to hurt me. I already got two threats. And don’t tell me to tell it to a guard, because the guards are in on it. I need to be transferred. You gotta tell them that.’
Hugh had known trouble