Kitabı oku: «Baby, Baby», sayfa 4

The saleslady steered her toward matching crib sheets, bumper pads and a diaper stacker. Next, she added large clown decals for the wall. She’d already decided to paint the nursery walls four different primary colors. She might even pick up paint on the way home and begin the project this evening.

Toys. Faith spotted them across the aisle. She headed straight for a large plush monkey with a funny face. How foolish, she thought, squeezing its soft body. The stuffed animal was bigger than either of the twins. It’d be far more practical to buy a nice mobile or a couple of small rattles. But she couldn’t make herself let go of the monkey. It remained hooked on her arm as she reached for an equally impractical giraffe. Faith had to stand on tiptoe to grab the giraffe from the top shelf. In so doing, she dislodged a pile of bears.

“Goodness!” Bears of all sizes tumbled onto the other side of the display.

“Hey!” Faith heard a faint, gruff protest. She dashed around the corner and almost bowled over a man covering his head with both arms to ward off raining bears.

It took Faith a moment to realize she knew that profile. “Michael? What are you doing here?”

“Uh, hello, Faith.” Michael shifted two small teddies to his left hand, and began to pick up the larger ones spilled across the carpet—a move that placed him in direct visual alignment with Faith’s trim ankles. Hands unexpectedly clumsy, Michael dropped the bears he was collecting. His mouth felt dry as cotton. Lord, what was the matter with him?

Faith’s attention focused on the two bears Michael kept separate. One was pink and the other blue, both washable terry cloth. They matched two soft receiving blankets draped over the crook of his elbow.

Several silent minutes passed before Michael realized he was the only one righting the bears. Faith’s gaze remained fixed on his intended purchases.

“I stopped off at the nursery after the funeral,” he explained, halting his task long enough to meet her eyes. “A nurse, Teri I think was her name, said premies respond to having the type of blanket they’ll be wrapped in at home laid over their isolettes. She also suggested tucking small toys inside. Along with frequent holding, she said, that gives premature babies a sense of well-being.”

A sharp pain sliced through Faith’s stomach. Her first reaction was to wonder why Michael hadn’t gone straight back to New York where he belonged after the funeral. Her second was more an overwhelming sense of fear than a clear thought. A fear that this situation was cartwheeling out of her control.

“You don’t have any idea what type of blankets Abigail and Nicholas will have when they go home,” she said tartly. “I’m outfitting their nursery. Not in pink or blue. Lacy liked wild colors. Bright colors.” She said it almost desperately.

Michael’s face appeared so crestfallen, she almost regretted her outburst. Or she did until it struck her that he was going behind her back to gain entry into the nursery, despite her request. No doubt he’d used his status as an eminent surgeon to inveigle his way in.

Faith’s voice dropped. “Go home, Michael. Don’t make me get a restraining order against you. I spoke with Lacy’s lawyer last night. He said she was very much of sound mind when she came to his office to draw up those custody papers. He further said that if you or Kipp Fielding want visiting privileges, you’ll have to request approval through Family Court. Any questions you have are to be directed to him. His name is David Reed. You’ll find him in the phone book.”

“Why would you drag Lacy’s good name through court? Look at her recent behavior. The doorman at our apartment knows she left me that night in January in a fit of anger. From there she had a torrid affair with a married man. Then she ran off without telling anyone and hid out. Think, Faith. She deliberately went off her lifesaving medications.”

Faith heard only the warning that overlaid his apparent concern. Pain exploded in her chest. She should have suspected Michael was being nice at the funeral to put himself in a good light. Now she could believe this steely-jawed man with the hard eyes had driven her sister away. “And you’re lily-white?” she said angrily. “Lacy left you because you were obsessed with work. Somehow I doubt a judge will find it her fault that Kipp pretended to be single. No one knows better than you, Michael, that Lacy’s anti-rejection drugs were experimental. Who’d fault her for not wanting to jeopardize her unborn child?”

“I see. You and Lacy’s lawyer have it all figured out, don’t you, Faith? Well, I wouldn’t spend a lot of money furnishing that nursery if I were you.” Michael drew himself up to his full six-foot-three height. “Courts have been more favorable to fathers over the last few years, especially if they have the means to provide for their kids. I have the means several times over. And the desire. Tell that to your David Reed.”

Faith watched him stride down the aisle. She felt as if she’d been trampled by an elephant. Michael stopped to pay for his purchases, chatting easily with the sales-woman as she rang them up. He appeared impervious to the fact that he’d left Faith shattered and it struck her how little effect her words had had on him. Michael Cameron intended to apply the same tenacity that had made him a world-famous surgeon to overturning her guardianship of Lacy’s babies.

He obviously didn’t realize she could be tenacious, too. More determined than ever to outfit the nursery as Lacy would want, Faith finished her shopping and requested everything be delivered. Leaving, she visited a paint store. And lugged the heavy cans up to her third-floor apartment. Then she put all other plans on hold while she ran to the hospital to visit the babies. She needed to touch them. To hold them.

Faith cuddled Abigail first, and then Nicholas. “You’re going to love the room I’m fixing for you,” she told them both as they gazed at her with unfocused eyes.

The pediatrician came in while she was there. He unwrapped the babies and checked them over thoroughly. “They’re gaining like champs,” he said over their chorusing squalls. “Two more weeks at this rate and you’ll be able to take them home.”

“So soon? That’s wonderful news! The nurses seemed to think they’d have to stay here much longer.” Faith couldn’t contain a happy smile.

“If they’d lost a lot of weight, that would have been true. Nicholas only lost an ounce and Abigail two. The way they’re chowing down, unless something unforeseen crops up, my guess is they’ll both top five pounds soon. Dr. Finegold mentioned your predicament, Faith. For what it’s worth, I’ll be glad to put in a good word for you. The babies may be stable, but caring for premie multiples can be tricky. I like knowing they’ll be under the care of a trained nurse.”

“I appreciate your vote of confidence, Dr. Sampson. I’m planning to take at least six months off from work. A year if I can swing it financially. Our administrator said he’d hold a position open as long as possible. Otherwise, I’ll use our on-site day care. I’ve already placed my name on the waiting list. Gwen in E.R., said the day care has openings from time to time.”

“If you’re able to stay home six months, that’s great, Faith. A year would be icing on the cake. After I examine the twins next week, I’ll give you a call. I should be able to give you their actual release date then.”

“Thank you,” Faith murmured. She watched him cuddle Abigail while she diapered Nicholas. She felt all thumbs and hoped he didn’t hold that against her. She hadn’t diapered a baby since Lacy was little. “I’ll get the hang of this soon,” she promised.

Sampson laughed. “I have no doubt you will. Call my office and ask my receptionist to put you in touch with a parents-of-multiples support group. They have a newsletter and meetings where other parents of twins, triplets and upward exchange information. My other advice is to lay in a mountain of diapers. You won’t believe how many you’ll go through in a day.”

“Diapers.” Faith snapped her fingers. “I went shopping today and bought out the store. Even paint for the nursery walls. How could I have forgotten diapers?”

The physician handed her Abigail and gave a wry glance at the wet spot on the front of his lab coat. “Breaks of the trade,” he said as Faith apologized for leaving him holding a near-naked baby so long.

“Always remember to diaper Nicholas first. Or he’ll decorate those newly painted walls.”

“They aren’t painted yet. As soon as I leave here, I’m going home to do that. Two weeks,” she mused happily, giving each baby a kiss before she tucked them back into their warm cocoons.

By dinnertime that evening, Faith’s muscles ached so badly she could hardly stand up straight. The result of her labors pleased her, however. The walls looked cheery, complementing the soft gray carpet and white ceiling. She liked the room.

It suited her to keep busy and to restrict her thoughts to the subject of the babies. So after eating a light dinner, she went to work recovering the cushions on a comfortable rocking chair—the only piece of furniture she’d saved from the old house. The chair had belonged to her mother. Faith remembered how on good days her mom would sit by a sunny window and rock the infant Lacy. As the cushions cut from jungle-print chintz took shape, Faith imagined herself rocking Nicholas and Abigail to sleep.

It was an image that remained with her until she received a phone call from David Reed the next day. “Faith, could you come down to my office, please? I’ve got faxes from Kipp Fielding’s legal team, and also from Michael Cameron’s attorney. I want you to see what we’re up against. We need to plan our strategy.”

“What strategy?” she asked weakly. “Lacy signed custody of the children over to me, as you know. I agreed to raise, clothe and feed them. What other strategy do we need?” She heard his sigh and the creak of his chair.

“I know you’re not naive, Faith. I explained during our first phone consultation how messy custody fights can get. On top of that, this case is quite unusual.”

“How so?” she asked, although she knew more or less what he’d say.

“Normally it’s a matter of determining visitation rights for a noncustodial parent. Occasionally Family Court has to intervene for grandparents. But your case has two men claiming to be the twins’ father, and an aunt—you—to whom the biological mom assigned full custody. To say nothing of a very influential grandpa. Fielding Junior made a fortune on Wall Street. It looks as if he’s prepared to use it to guarantee himself a grandson.”

Faith’s legs wouldn’t hold her. She fell into a chair. “So are you saying it’s hopeless?”

“No. Oh, my, no. Your position in the triangle is equal to the others at this point. Old man Fielding may have New York judges in his pocket, but his clout won’t be half as great in Boston. I’ve cleared an hour on my calendar at one o’clock. It would be in your best interests to meet with me, I think.”

“Of course.” Faith barely had time to say she’d be there before he hung up. Her nerves were completely jangled. She could practically see Reed rubbing his hands together. He’d struck her as something of a barracuda. Maybe that was good. She hoped it was. And hoped he was clever enough to solve the matter in her favor, preferably within two weeks.

Faith showered and dressed with care, then left for her appointment. After all, if she expected the man to represent her enthusiastically, it would help if she made a good impression. She hoped his fees would be manageable—another thing that worried her. They hadn’t discussed what he charged. Faith had a fair savings account, but she’d need it to allow her to stay home with the twins.

Broad-winged bats beat up a storm in Faith’s stomach as she walked downtown to the building where Reed’s offices were housed. Passing a corner café, it dawned on Faith that she’d skipped lunch. She didn’t think she could eat a bite, but she certainly hoped her stomach didn’t growl at an inopportune time during their session.

“You’re prompt,” said a matronly receptionist when Faith checked in. “Mr. Reed likes that in a new client. Just let me ring his office and let him know you’ve arrived. Can I get you a cup of coffee or tea, Ms. Hyatt?”

“No, nothing, thanks,” Faith murmured, hoping she was the only one who knew her hands were shaking so hard she’d spill a beverage. As she’d only seen one other lawyer in her life, when she needed power of attorney to take charge of her father’s welfare, she didn’t know what to expect of this so-called strategy visit.

“Come in, come in, Ms. Hyatt,” boomed a jolly voice.

Faith leaped out of the chair she’d taken in the corner of the waiting room. No wonder he sounded so jolly. David Reed resembled Santa Claus. Though dressed in conservative blue rather than a red suit, he was round and sported white hair and a full beard.

“You don’t look a thing like your sister,” he said, clasping Faith’s cold hand.

“No,” she murmured, “I don’t.”

He merely nodded, indicating she should take a chair near his desk as he closed his office door. “Well, I hope you’re more solid than you look. This fight could be long and nasty.”

Faith’s heart sank. “I…I assumed the court would uphold my sister’s wishes.”

Reed steepled pudgy fingers. A fair-sized diamond winked in the sunlight streaming through a window that overlooked Boston Common. “Your sister was less than forthright with me, Faith. May I call you Faith?”

“Please do. How, uh, in what way did Lacy lie to you?”

“For one thing, she led me to believe the baby’s father was dead. Oh, she didn’t come right out and offer to produce a death certificate, but she implied as much. She never said a word about being divorced. In essence, Lacy let me think the money she willed you and her unborn child had come to her through an inheritance.”

“I didn’t know she’d left any money. She never said anything. We hardly had time to cover the custody papers, which, to be truthful, I signed quickly to ease her mind. I never expected her to d-di-die.”

“I believe you, Faith,” Reed said, bouncing his fingers together again. “I hope the judge will. Either of the other two legal counsels could imply you want custody only for the money.”

Faith gasped. “Surely not! I’d planned to care for the babies out of my own savings. I doubt that whatever Michael settled on Lacy was a huge amount.”

“The living trust your sister set up is approximately half a mil. You, if made custodian, have access to the interest until the babies turn twenty-one. Add to that proceeds from the sale of a beach house. Another seven hundred and fifty thousand.”

Faith tried to keep her jaw from dropping but didn’t succeed.

“I see you had no idea,” David said. “I wish I’d gotten your reaction on video. Now you understand my concern. The Fielding team will surely make an issue of the money. And I’ve got no doubt that Dr. Cameron knows how much his ex-wife was worth.”

Clasping her hands tightly, Faith brought them up under her chin. “I don’t want Lacy’s money, Mr. Reed. Is there a way to put it completely in trust for the twins?”

“There is. But you might not want to be so hasty. If your aim is to win full custody of those infants, it could get costly.”

“Of course that’s my goal. As I explained, I have three bedrooms. I rented a larger place, assuming my dad would stay with me after he sold his house. In fact, he’s living in an assisted-care facility, so I have lots of space. I’ve already turned one bedroom into a nursery,” she said passionately. “I can’t believe either Michael or Kipp will offer the twins as much love and attention as I’m prepared to give.”

“Maybe not,” David said bluntly. “But one of them is the natural father. That’s why I wanted to talk to you face-to-face, Faith. Fielding’s team has demanded that the court order DNA testing. It takes four to six weeks after they give the go-ahead—and they will,” he added. “The test will establish paternity beyond any doubt. If we dig in and fight after that, we’ll be contesting a bona fide parent. I’m not saying we couldn’t win, considering the mother didn’t think highly of either Cameron or Fielding. It does mean that preparing our case will require a lot of expensive hours. I’ll need a full-time legal researcher and a legal secretary assigned exclusively to this.” He paused. “To be honest, the case intrigues me. Hell, I foresee it being a tremendous boost to my practice.”

For the longest time, Faith chewed the inside of her mouth and stared out the window. “I only want what’s best for Nicholas and Abigail,” she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I realize it’s a monumental decision. Maybe you’d like to go home and sleep on it. Those men both have the best counsel money can buy. I want you one-hundred-percent committed before we jump into a dogfight.”

Faith refocused and looked into his serious blue eyes. “I am committed,” she said. “You just hit on the whole point. Kipp Fielding has money coming out his ears and a Roman numeral after his name. Oh, he wants Nicholas all right. To carry on his prestigious family name. He doesn’t give a damn about Abigail. Michael has money, too. But my sister divorced him because he was never home. He’s a world-famous doctor, who’s completely consumed by his work. Lacy thought I’d be the best person outside of herself to raise her child, er…children. Unless the court can show something colossal to make me change my mind, I’m going to fight. I don’t need to sleep on it. If holding on to custody takes every penny of my portion of Lacy’s estate—so be it.”

Her impassioned speech set the wheels in motion. All the way to Lacy’s apartment, where—as she’d promised Reed—she’d handle the disbursement of her sister’s belongings, Faith prayed she was doing the right thing for the babies. Unfortunately, she couldn’t shake the image of the tears Michael had shed when he held the twins. A court fight would turn Michael against her. He’d most likely end up hating her. But she’d promised her only sister—and she’d lost her heart to those babies. What did it matter that she’d lost her heart to Michael years ago? That was then. This was now.

CHAPTER FOUR

THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER of the week, Faith dashed about town in search of the items left on her list. As she entered each store, she looked over her shoulder to see if Michael skulked nearby. After the third day had passed without incident, and since he hadn’t popped in at the hospital, she began to relax and enjoy her shopping sprees.

She bought a double stroller that did everything but talk. Before setting out to buy one, Faith hadn’t had any idea how many types were on the market. The one she selected was blue canvas awash with white daisies. It included sunroofs and a basket large enough to hold a sack or two of groceries plus a big diaper bag. Perfect for walks in the park. There was mosquito netting to drape over both infants during nice weather and clear plastic that zipped on to make the interior cozy if the weather turned blustery. The whole thing folded easily to fit into the trunk of a car.

Pleased by that purchase, Faith then bought what the clerk referred to as “a diaper system.” The microfiber bag had waterproof linings and pullout changing pads and removable totes.

The clerk insisted Faith needed two infant carriers. Those were in the event she had to take the babies in a cab—to their appointments with Dr. Sampson, for instance. Faith wondered if the fact that she didn’t own a car could be counted against her at the hearing. But if she purchased one, the men’s lawyers could say she was spending Lacy’s money on personal pleasures. Not to mention she’d have to take driving lessons.

In the end, Faith elected to drop the problem in David Reed’s lap. Let him argue that she’d lived in Boston for thirty-four years without owning a car. If the judge thought she needed one to be a good mom, the expense wouldn’t be her decision.

As her purchases arrived at her apartment, Faith assembled cribs and a changing table. She added two small chests of drawers and saw the room shrink. Later, when the twins were older, she’d give one of them the third bedroom. Right now, they needed to be together.

“MY APARTMENT IS BEGINNING to resemble a baby store,” Faith confided to Gwen one afternoon when she stopped at the hospital to have lunch with her friend.

“It must be costing you a mint to buy all that stuff new. Babies don’t know if you buy their equipment at thrift stores and garage sales.”

Faith wrinkled her nose. “True, but Michael Cameron and Kipp Fielding III will.” She pushed her nose up with one thumb to imply snobbery.

“You poor thing. I’ll bet you wish you’d recorded your conversation with Lacy. From what you told me, she didn’t want her babies raised by either of those jerks.”

“It all happened so fast, Gwen. I was worried about Lacy overtaxing herself. Because of that, it’s probably just as well there were no witnesses. At that point I didn’t want to sign any custody agreement. It sounded too much like Lacy was giving up. But I can only imagine how our conversation would come across in court.”

“Yeah,” her friend agreed glumly. “I still think you need to be lining up potential witnesses. Hey, didn’t Sue and Vince from the crash cart team hear your sister make you promise to raise her kid? The day after Fine-gold lost her, the cafeteria was full of wild rumors. Some were valid, I’m sure.”

“Were Sue and Vince on the team?” Faith rubbed at the frown creasing her forehead. “That tells you how rattled I was, Gwen. Much of that night is lost to me.”

“Let me hunt them up and find out, okay? You have a heavy enough load. Just ask your lawyer if you need character witnesses waiting in the wings.”

“All right. I have two appointments with him before our hearing next Thursday. Reed is coaching me on when to speak and when to keep my mouth shut.”

“Is David Reed as good as the lawyers coming down from New York?”

Faith picked at her salad. “I don’t have the vaguest idea. I’m sure Michael has someone successful representing him. That’s the way he is. And Fielding’s father is a big shot. David said we could figure his whole team are top legal eagles. Even if David turns out to be lousy, I’m stuck with him. I’ll have to trust that Lacy knew he was good when she engaged him. I do know he wants to win.”

“Well, that’s a plus. Hey, you’ve hardly touched your lunch. I hate to bug out on you, but my time is up. Shall I see if Trish can get away to keep you company?”

“No.” Faith rose and picked up her tray. “I really have a lot I should be doing. And I’m visiting Nick and Abby while I’m here.”

“Stop in E.R. before you leave. If it’s slow, maybe we can grab a cup of coffee.”

“Maybe. I still have high chairs on my list and a few other things.”

“Your infant carriers will double as high chairs until the kids are four or five months old. Two high chairs! Gad. Is there room in your kitchen?”

Faith envisioned scrunching two high chairs next to her table. “What are you suggesting? That I find a house? Even if I had time to look, which I don’t, it’d undoubtedly be farther from work, and more expensive. My being able to take at least a six-month leave of absence is based on the rent I’m paying now. I’m determined to not touch the money Lacy left, except to pay attorney’s fees.”

“I know. And if the babies were yours, you’d make do. I panicked, thinking how you described Michael’s apartment. You said it was huge.”

“And elegant. And Kipp Fielding’s home, from the way he described it, is a mansion.”

“Don’t you worry.” Gwen gave Faith a hug as they walked down the hall. “A house isn’t what makes a home. Love makes a home.”

“You’re right, Gwen. There’s so much stuff coming at me, I lose sight of the most important thing. Michael will either have to find a wife or hire a nanny. Kipp has a wife, but no one’s heard a peep from her. Lacy said they were separated at the time of the affair. Who knows if the woman’s anxious to be a stepmother?”

“See? Beside them, you look like a candidate for mother of the year. You took care of your mom and raised Lacy. You can bet your boots Michael Cameron won’t take six months off work.”

“Everything you say sounds logical, Gwen. I’m afraid to get my hopes up too high, though. Courts have a way of deciding kids need two parents. Believe me, if there was a man I even remotely liked who liked me back, I’d propose to him.” She shook her head. “Three contenders. And frankly, none of us can offer the twins an ideal home.”

“Quit being so hard on yourself. It’s not like every natural parent who brings a kid into the world has a flawless setup. I hate to break it to you, girl, but nobody’s perfect.”

“I have noticed that.” Faith smiled. “Gwen, did you ever lie awake wondering if you had what it took to be a good mom? What if the judge decides I didn’t do such a hot job of raising Lacy?”

“For heaven’s sake! You were a kid raising a kid. Now you’re an adult. But to answer your question—yes. Parenting is a scary proposition. Unfortunately, nobody’s designed a test to see if anyone has the knowhow to do the job. While you’re buying things, pick up a practical book on parenting. Read as much as you can before you bring the twins home. Speaking as a mother of four, I guarantee you won’t have time later.”

“What a good suggestion! I hadn’t thought of buying a book. Oh, I’m so glad you had time to join me for lunch today.”

Gwen laughed. “Off to the nursery with you. Before the shine on my halo tarnishes. And don’t mention this discussion to my kids. They’ll blow my cover. They think I’m the most inept mom in the world. Not to mention the meanest.”

Faith still had a smile on her face when she stepped off the elevator outside the premie ward. Her smile faded the minute she donned her gown and stepped through the door and saw Michael holding one of the twins.

“I thought you’d gone back to New York,” she said, scrabbling for balance.

“I did for a few days. The judge assigned to our case suggested Fielding and I have our blood for the DNA testing drawn here at Good Shepherd.”

“Oh.” Faith saw he was holding Abigail. She lifted Nicholas to her shoulder, where he promptly spit up, then started to cry. “Poor baby,” she murmured as she rubbed a hand over his back.

“Teri said he’s been spitting up after feedings the past couple of days. She said it’s nothing to worry about, just that he eats too fast. What do you think?”

Faith blinked at Michael in confusion. “Teri is a trained neonatal nurse. I would assume she knows what she’s talking about.”

He lowered his voice. “She’s a kid. I doubt she’s much more than twenty.”

“Hmm. At twenty-eight you were performing heart transplants. Age has nothing to do with credentials. But if you’d like, I’ll read his chart. See what nurses on the other shifts noted. Does he act sick?” She kissed the baby’s cheek, swayed with him tucked against her breast, and was rewarded with a sleepy yawn. “If he had a fever, they’d separate him from the other babies. I’m sure it’s nothing, as Teri said.”

“If you’re confident, then so am I.” Michael let Abigail grip his gloved finger. The baby claimed his full attention, and he and Faith drifted into silence.

She roused after Nicholas fell asleep, walked to his crib and laid him carefully down. After rearranging the blankets, she tiptoed back to peer at Abby over Michael’s shoulder. “Why would the judge make you guys come to Boston to have blood drawn when you have perfectly competent labs in New York?” The question had bothered her ever since Michael had explained why he’d returned to Boston.

He cleared his throat. “I don’t know if I should tell you. My lawyer says we’re adversaries, Faith.”

Flushing, she stuttered, “S-sorry. I shouldn’t have pried.”

“Aw, hell, let our lawyers be adversaries. That’s what we pay them for. The legal experts said if Kipp and I came here to have our blood drawn at the hospital where you work, your attorney would be less likely to claim contamination or mishandling.”

“I suppose David might do that. I would never have thought of such a thing, but lawyers don’t think like normal people. I mean, like lay people,” she said when Michael threw back his head and gave a rollicking laugh. It was a laugh that grabbed hold of Faith and sent an uncertain longing deep inside. A longing that, even in panic, made her wish she and Michael Cameron were anything but adversaries. Struggling against the unwanted emotions, she turned her back.

“I’m not laughing at you, Faith,” Michael said, sobering quickly. “Your statement was a slip of the tongue, but so very true. Everyone makes jokes about lawyers, and yet we willingly toss our hearts at their feet and shell out big bucks, hoping they can fix whatever’s gone wrong in our lives.”

“What if they can’t fix things in our case?” Facing Michael again, Faith was gripped by such apprehension she barely got the words out.

“Oh, they’ll rule in favor of someone. One of us three.” Michael, too, sounded cheerless. He crooked the back of his index finger and brushed it lightly over Abigail’s soft, translucent skin. “The trouble is, there’ll be only one winner. Two of us will lose. That’s the sad fact. I’ve seen lawyers and courts in action, and I’ve seen that it’s often the person with the craftiest, most glib-tongued attorney who takes home all the marbles.”

Faith saw how gently Michael stroked Abby’s cheek. Despite Gwen’s encouragement, Faith suddenly felt on unstable ground again. “Has something else happened, Michael? You sound so…cynical.”