8. Stella
Chapter 8
Stella
I never expected my morning to end up at the police station. At least this time, I wasn’t the one in handcuffs. Yet. I might be getting close to that point.
I went to work with Daddy to check over his books and schedule a few appointments, nothing unusual. It was something I did a few days a week just to help out. Right now, with my body being in need of repair, it kept me from being home alone and kept my mind busy. I liked being in the trailer, the command center of Malone Construction, LLC. It helped me to remember the good times when we were younger.
Plus, I got to boss the boys around. What’s not fun about that? But the fun hadn’t lasted.
I’d never wanted to hurt someone so bad in my life as I did right now. Well, that was a lie; the tree fuckers and this woman were in the same boat. I’d been able to take a shot at them, at least. But they hadn’t let me get anywhere near her. They knew better.
The commotion in the station had settled a little when Trace and Chip came in. I’d been momentarily distracted when I got a look at him. He’d come in on crutches with a cast on one leg. His pants were super tight across his thigh like it had something going on under it. My big, strong man had bandages on his arms, and his temple had a big bruise on it. Half of his face was bruised and turning funny colors. Jesus, he looked bad. I’d never seen him that bad off before. Chip didn’t look all that great either. He just had less visible injuries.
Now that they were settled in the office talking with Gabe, my head was spinning. So much had happened, and I just wanted to go in the back and down to the cells so I could wring that nasty woman’s neck.
“Stella, tell Deputy Landry and Deputy McKenna and this young man, Leonard Curtis from the DA’s office, what you saw this morning.”
I looked up and nodded to my daddy. “Sure thing.” I rubbed my forehead with my good hand. “I was watching the security monitors, which we do every few minutes for safety reasons while on site. Anyway, I was looking at the camera on the left of the main gates and saw a dark-colored sedan pull up. It sat there for a few minutes, then the back door opened and something dropped to the ground. The moment the back door shut, the car pulled off. That was when I saw it was a car seat.”
“What did you do then?” the Curtis fellow asked.
I shrugged. “I ran outside, jumped in my truck, and hauled ass up that quarter mile drive to the front gate. The baby was screaming when I got there. I got him into the truck and back down to the office. Daddy came in to see what was going on, and I told him what happened. I called the Sheriff’s office, told Derek to work his magic on the license plate, and we headed here with the baby,” I explained, giving him a duh look.
“Once here, you called Dr. Grant’s office?” He flipped through his papers. “That’s when Dr. McKenna became involved with the child?”
He could read, right? He was looking at the damn paper I’d signed, so why did I have to repeat this all over again?
“Yes.” I said it slowly; I wanted him to get it this time.
“How did Dani Lynn Landry and her center become involved?” He asked the last part of that slowly. Either he was mocking me or he couldn’t read and talk.
“I called her. I work for the center, as does Derek. She’s the one who handles the children’s cases in this area. She left the center with the information and went to seek an immediate order of custody for the child.”
“The order of events seems a little skewed.”
Skewed? I’d like to smack him upside the head.
“When Ms. Malone called into the dispatch desk, we put out an alert for the vehicle. Deputy McKenna spotted the vehicle, and when he attempted to pull it over, the occupant decided to keep driving. Deputy Landry then joined the chase, and the two of them were able to cut her off. The suspect has multiple charges against her.” Derek sounded so grown up.
I was proud of the little shit.
“As she stated, Stel called my mom, Dani Lynn. She, in turn, called me for an update. The judge was given all the information we had at the time. The mother has a record. She’s single, and the baby’s father is unknown even to her, so he could not be located to take custody. She lives and works from her car. The situation is anything but ideal for an infant. The judge signed the order, and here we are.”
“Was there an altercation between you and the defendant, Ms. Malone?” Curtis asked.
It took all I had to not lose my temper again and tell this man to fuck off. I wasn’t the one in the wrong here.
“Some might call it an altercation. It was strictly verbal. If you knew anything about me, you’d know it could have been so much worse.” I held up my bandaged hand and arm. “Here’s exhibit A.”
He just stared at me like I’d lost my mind. I reminded myself that he was still new to Burke. He’d learn of my reputation soon enough.
I shrugged. “I told her exactly what I thought of her trashy, two-dollar, whoring ass. I mean, who tosses a baby on the side of the road like an empty bag of chips because he was crying? What a fucking joke!” I stood and started to pace. “I’d personally like to march back there and slap the taste outta that woman’s mouth.”
Curtis looked at me, his head tilted.
I was so mad I was shaking, having to relive that again, for the third time. I felt bile trying to push itself up from my stomach. I wasn’t ready for the next round of puking my brains out yet. There was more cussing and ranting to do, dammit!
“Stell, you’re looking kind of green.”
“I need a minute?—”
Derek opened the door right before I took off running. Jesus, please let me make it. And I didn’t. The trash can just outside of the bathrooms was thankfully empty. I bent over and lost whatever I had left in me. It wasn’t much, I assure you. Still gross, though.
“Is she alright? Should we call that cute little doctor back in?” Curtis asked. I wanted to flip him off, but that would take too much effort.
“She’s fine. And that ‘cute little doctor’ is my wife, so I’d advise you to keep your eyes to yourself.” Charlie sounded pissed.
I snorted. “Jesus. Derek, bring me my bag, kid. Please?”
“Sure thing, Stel.” I took a deep breath and stood, leaning my head back. I felt better. I’m not sure if that was a good or bad thing. Maybe this wasn’t morning sickness. Maybe it was just a rush of nerves and the baby’s way of saying to calm the fuck down. I took my bag when Derek put it in my hand.
“Thanks.” Without another word, I stepped into the bathroom. I needed to get myself together.
I washed off my face with a wet paper towel, brushed my teeth, and just stared at my reflection in the mirror for a few minutes. My head and heart were both torn right now. Violence would land me in jail, and I couldn’t do that to my baby.
Not yet, maybe when they were a teen. Gotta embarrass them somehow.
Sighing, I grabbed my bag, brushed my hair from my face, and made my way out of the bathroom. Something inside of me was churning, and I wasn’t sure exactly what it was. Watching Shelby and Derek with the infant earlier tugged at my gut. I’d been so worried he’d been hurt. Thankfully, he seemed to be okay. There was just something there. He’d be at the center, safe, taken care of and loved.
“Stel, you want some ginger ale?” Anna asked me when I came back to the main room of the station. I slumped down in the chair at Tweedledee’s desk and nodded. My feet went up on the desk, and I was glad I had on shorts today, otherwise these jokers would be seeing my ass. Not that I cared, but Daddy frowned on that kind of shit.
“Sure.” I shifted to get comfy. “Can I hold him?” I asked Jacks, aka Tweedledee. I wiggled my good fingers at him.
“I believe you have more than earned that right.”
I smiled and let Jacks help me get the baby in place, and then I gave him a once-over.
“Shelby, you sure he’s okay?” I asked when she walked back in.
I couldn’t take my eyes off of the precious little one in my arms. I loved when the littles were at this stage. Cute and smelling like a baby. Then they’d ruin it by getting bigger and turning into monsters.
His skin was so soft, and the smell of baby powder and lotion made me relax. I’d never admit it, but I loved babies. Even when they were poopy. I just gave everyone a hard time. Judging from the looks I was getting right now…they may have figured out my secret.
“Yes, he seems to be healthy. I’ll weigh him and get proper measurements once I’m over at the center. He’s a sweet little fella. I need to find out from that woman when he last ate and had a diaper change.” She looked at Charlie as she said this. He nodded and moved toward the back of the building.
I buried my nose in his neck and just snuggled him as he laid against my chest. Derek brought over a small blanket and laid it across him. I wiggled down in the chair a little more as he started to fuss. “Shhh, you’re okay, little man.” I closed my eyes as I whispered, softly reassuring him. I wasn’t sure what happened next. My body apparently thought it was all right for me to fall asleep there, my feet still propped up on Jacks’ desk.
The baby wiggling and fussing brought me back. I swatted at the hands trying to take him from me.
“Stel, relax, heifer.” Dani Lynn’s voice made my eyes open. Well, that and the funky ass smell coming from... ugh . The baby. My eyes started to water.
“Jesus, what did that skank feed him?”
Laughter filled the room, and I glared at them all. My back and neck cracked as I sat up and stretched.
“I’m going to clean him up and head to the center.”
“I’ll go with you.” I stood, slowly, because now that I wasn’t stretched out, I was a tad bit dizzy. I sat back down, a little too quickly for everyone’s liking apparently.
“Whoa, Stel. You alright?” Jacks squatted beside me.
I nodded. “I’m okay. Just a little tired.” I looked around. “Where are my bubbas? Daddy?”
He chuckled. “They went on to work. We didn’t want to wake you or the baby, so they said they’d check on you later.”
I frowned. How had I slept through that? “Trace?” I rubbed my eyes.
“Still in with Gabe.”
I nodded and looked up at the clock. Good Lord, I’d been asleep on that chair for like two hours.
“How could y’all let me sleep in the middle of the office like that?” I wrinkled up my nose.
Jacks and Charlie chuckled.
“Well, we’ve all learned a valuable lesson over the past few years.”
“What?” I raised a brow.
“If at all possible, never wake a pregnant woman. Let them sleep while they can.”
I laughed at the look on Jacks’ face. I punched him in the arm, playfully, of course. He was still in uniform, after all.
“Sounds like good advice.” I stretched again and stood when Dani Lynn and Derek came back out, the baby in his car seat. “I’m starving. Come on, woman, you have to feed me,” I pouted, going as far as to stick out my bottom lip.
“Jesus, I get enough of that look daily. Come on, I left Mama Jay and the church ladies in the kitchen, so I’m sure there will be plenty to eat.”
“Ugh, not those?—”
“Watch it. It’s just Mama J, Nanny T, Mrs. Nettie?—”
“Enough, enough. Just take me in. I need sustenance. And possibly…I will need to pee when we get there.” I shrugged when she chuckled. We made our way out of the building and to her SUV.
“Can you get your belt, or do you need help?” she asked me as she snapped the baby’s car seat into the base.
“I got it.” I pulled the belt out and maneuvered it, holding it with my chin against my shoulder until I could snap it into place. When it was in place, I let the strap go and yawned. “Am I tired because I’m tired, or is it the baby’s fault?”
“I’ve learned, and I’m not saying this is right to do, but blame the baby or the pregnancy on as much as you can. That way you’ll get a lot more pampering.” She chuckled.
“Damn, that’s savage. I like it.”
“In reality, your body is dealing with morning sickness, growing a fetus, and the stress of this morning didn’t help any. I was always tired when I was pregnant. Each time.”
“You were always pregnant so...” I laughed as she punched me gently in the arm.
“Careful, tramp, you’ll jostle your niece or nephew.” I held my bandaged hand over my belly.
“You’re a nut.” She laughed and shook her head. “That baby is going to be fine. Did you get your prenatal vitamins and things you’ll need yet?”
“Yes. Shelby brought a bag of meds, regular vitamins too. My iron and potassium were low. So I have that mess to deal with.”
“Welcome to being a real-life adult. It blows chunks some days, causes tears some days, and joy fills the rest.”
“I’m still not sure I’m ready,” I admitted. She gave my arm a light squeeze.
“Something you’ll learn, babe, none of us were ever really ready. Life happens when it’s ready. You can’t fight it, just hang on and enjoy the ride. The moment that baby is here, your life will completely change for the better. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
“I think it’s already changed.” I smiled, looking back at the car seat behind us. I was going to rock this mom gig. I had to. Even though I was still scared, I couldn’t let the fear choke me and hold me back. I had to push past it. One day at a time. I could do it. I simply reminded myself that Carter had come out alright. This was just round two for me.