Chapter Five
“Most women seem to think that a man who keeps coming back after being rejected is crazy, but I like to think of it as determined.” - Miss Know-It-All’s Gossip Column.
After a long soak in the bathtub and being scrubbed from head to toe with baby shampoo, Pip, as Gracie was referring to the little girl, smelled and looked so much better. When Gracie had first undressed her, she got a really good look at the ribs poking up under the skin, and as she washed away the dirt, she saw bruises in different shades of yellow, purple and blue on her arms and legs. She’d taken pictures of the injuries to show Pip’s social worker when they met and tried not to cry.
The poor thing had screamed at first due to a pretty horrible diaper rash, but after she’d been dried off, Gracie had put AD ointment on it before securing a clean diaper. While she’d put lotion on the sniffling child, she’d sung “ Soft Kitty ” from The Big Bang Theory . Pip had liked the melody and calmed down.
After that, Gracie had put her in a pair of the warm footed pajamas from the box of clothes Hope had brought her. It seemed like Gracie had used half a bottle of detangler, but she was able to brush through and braid Pip’s hair without tugging on the strands too much.
“Well, don’t you look shiny as a new penny?” Gracie tapped Pip’s nose with her finger. “Should I make us dinner?”
Pip reached her arms out to her, and Gracie picked her up, propping her on her hip. Hope had also loaned her a Pack ‘n Play and booster seat with a tray that she’d already strapped down on one of her dining room chairs. Gracie was pretty grateful for the small-town life and that all her friends had kids right now.
Gracie buckled Pip into the chair, and when the toddler started to whimper, she held up a box of crackers. “Want a couple of these?”
Pip nodded, and Gracie set several crackers and a sippy cup filled with half water and half apple juice on the tray. She slipped an apron on and flipped Pandora to Kids Disney Radio. It reminded her of when Charlie was little and she’d watch him for Gemma. She got a lot of Disney viewing in, that was for sure.
As she reheated the Thanksgiving dinner she’d bought, she danced around the kitchen, singing along to “ I Just Can’t Wait to be King ” and “ Under the Sea .” Pip smiled and even giggled softly around her crackers when Gracie danced close to her chair.
The phone rang just as Gracie finished cutting up a slice of turkey for Pip, and she turned down the radio before answering. “Hello?”
“Hey, Gracie, it’s Sam.”
“Howdy, Sam.”
“How’s it going?” he asked.
“We’re all good. Just about to eat dinner.”
“Good. I just wanted to let you know that we put out a warrant on Rita, but she still hasn’t come home. Social services called me back and asked if you could meet them tomorrow afternoon at St. Luke’s so they could have the child blood tested and examined.”
Gracie smiled at Pip, who was starting to whine in impatience. “Yeah, sure. What time?”
“Two.”
“I’ll be there, but I gotta go. I got T-minus five before she melts down.”
Sam laughed. “I’ve been there. Good luck!”
Gracie ended the call and carried the plate over to Pip, setting it on her tray. She waved the pink princess spoon she’d picked up for her at Hall’s. “Can you use one of these, or do you need help?”
Pip picked up a piece of turkey with her fingers and popped it into her mouth. When she started to grab another piece, Gracie stalled her. “Chew that one and then take another.”
It was a battle getting Pip to eat slowly, and by the time she finished, Gracie had to change her pajamas again.
Gracie finally got to eat once she’d moved any breakable or tiny object out of reach. She didn’t bother with the dishes, just picked Pip up and carried her into the living room.
“Wanna watch a movie?”
Gracie sat on the couch with Pip in her lap and turned on the TV. Once she’d settled on another kid’s show, she pulled the throw on the back of the couch over them. They didn’t even make it through one episode before Pip’s body relaxed into hers and her breathing became deep and even.
And then it occurred to Gracie that she’d forgotten to set up the Pack ‘n Play.
Crap.
* * *
Eric stood on Gracie’s doorstep just after eight. He’d called Hope’s husband, Sam, to ask him who the little girl was, and when he’d heard the story, it had been a little hard to believe. He knew Gracie had a big heart, but taking in a strange kid?
He’d told his family during dinner, and his mom had gotten up from her mashed potatoes and gone to her “hoarder’s closet,” as his dad called it. His mom had a bit of a compulsive shopping problem and would buy things she didn’t need, just because they were a good deal.
She came out with a box of kid’s toys and stuffed animals and pointed at him. “When you’re done with your food, you take this over to that girl, you hear me?”
“Mom, I don’t think she’s keeping her. It’s just for the night.”
She’d planted her hands on her hips and twisted her mouth up in disapproval. “When I want your opinion, Eric Andrew Henderson, I will give it to you.”
Which is how he found himself standing there, knocking on Gracie’s door. Even as a grown-ass man, he didn’t argue with his mother.
“Who is it?” Gracie called from the other side of the door.
“It’s Eric. My mom sent me over with some stuff for you.”
The lock turned, and when she pulled the door open, he tried not to notice that her hair was tousled in the just-got-out-of-bed way he’d always dreamed of seeing…
And her nipples were hard against the pink cotton of her long-sleeved top.
I’m going to hell.
“Can I come in? It’s cold as balls out here,” he said.
“Yeah, sure. Just be quiet. Pip’s asleep on the couch.”
Eric stepped inside and noticed the tiny being curled on her side, covered in a colorful throw.
“Pip? Her name is Pip?”
“No, it’s just what I’ve been calling her. Pip for pipsqueak.” Gracie closed the door behind him, and her gaze flicked to the little girl. “She hasn’t said a word to me.”
Noting the worry in Gracie’s tone, he gave her a reassuring smile. “Probably just scared.” He set the box down on the coffee table and pulled out a stuffed horse. “Mom thought you could probably use some toys.”
Gracie stepped up next to him, and the soft scent of her overwhelmed him, driving him out of his mind. “These toys are brand new.”
“Yeah, my mom is a bit of a compulsive shopper. She probably saw them on the clearance rack at Target and thought she could use them for a birthday present or something.”
Gracie shook her head, and put one of the toys back. “I…I don’t know what to say. I can’t accept these. I’m meeting social services tomorrow, and I’d hate to open these up and ruin them for one night.”
“Don’t you have to be at work tomorrow?” he asked.
“No, I took the weekend off. Tanya and a couple other volunteers are holding down the fort. I’d planned to do a little Black Friday shopping, but I’ll just have to settle for getting deals online.”
Eric placed the stuffed horse in her arms. “Well, I’m telling you right now that my mom wanted you to have these. I would just send her a thank-you note if I were you.”
“Hmmm. Good point. Don’t get me wrong, your mom adores me, but I’m not sure she’d forgive me if I insulted her by sending these back.”
“Probably not.” Eric looked around her tiny house and noted the boxes of preheated turkey dinner and dishes in the sink. “You ordered one of those lazy man dinners from Hall’s?”
Gracie laughed and went into the kitchen, picking the boxes off the counter and throwing them into the trash can. “It was just supposed to be me tonight, and I didn’t feel like spending ten hours preparing a full Thanksgiving dinner, but I wanted one. This seemed the easiest choice.”
“Or, you could have asked any of your friends and they would have had you over. Where’s your boyfriend? Why didn’t he join you?”
Gracie just shrugged, and he wanted to press her for more information. Had they broken up?
She’d moved to the sink to wash the dishes, and he came up alongside her. “Don’t tell me you dumped him already?”
She shot him a dark look. “No, I did not dump him. Did it ever occur to you that sometimes I like to be alone?”
“You? No, not at all. You’re a social butterfly. You thrive on attention.”
Gracie snorted. “Well, I’m going to get plenty of attention when my parents come for the holidays, so I felt like I needed one holiday to just chill.”
As soon as she mentioned her parents, her hand on the scrubber sped up. She looked as though she was about to break the dish right in half, she was pressing so hard.
“Hey, hey, okay, no need to take your aggravations out on the dinnerware.”
He took the plate from her and opened the dishwasher, slipping the plate into one of the slots.
“You don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine,” Gracie said.
He took the scrub brush from her hand and bumped her out of the way with his hip. “Yeah, I can tell the thought of your parents visiting you doesn’t affect you at all. Why don’t you pour a glass of wine and relax? I can take care of the dishes.”
“It’s not even your mess!”
“Seriously, it’s Thanksgiving. Be thankful I’m a nice guy.”
She grumbled to herself and went down the hallway to her bedroom. Eric almost asked her if she usually kept her alcohol in her bedroom, but was afraid of waking the kid.
When he’d finished sliding the last dish in the washer, he looked up in time to see Gracie carrying the sleeping toddler to her room.
He followed behind and stood in the doorway, unable to look away as she bent over the portable crib and laid the little girl down. He caught a glimpse of her face as she gently pulled a blanket up over her and he held his breath.
Softness. The bedside lamp showed the small smile and eased features as Gracie cared for someone else’s kid. He could just imagine the love she would rain down on a child of her own.
Gracie stood back up and turned, jumping when she saw him in the doorway.
“Why are you always lurking about?”
“Again, wasn’t lurking, just watching. And I was just thinking that when you finally settle on a guy, you’ll make a good mom.”
For some reason, her face tightened, and he had a feeling he was in for an earful as soon as she could raise her voice.
She pushed him down the hallway until he finally grunted, “Ow! What?”
“Who says I need a man? Women have children on their own all the time.”
Why in the hell was she going nuts over a compliment? “Geez, Gracie Lou, I was just saying you’d make a good mom! I didn’t mean any offense.”
“Well, I don’t need anyone else telling me how I can’t have a full, rich life without a husband to take care of me. I have been taking care of myself just fine!”
Eric threw up his hands, his temper good and riled now. “I never said any different, but since you’re determined to take everything I say the wrong way, I better be on my way.”
“I guess you should!” she said in a loud whisper.
“Fine!”
“Good!”
“And I’ll call your mother to thank her.”
He stopped in the doorway with a scowl. “Seems like a good idea. I’d hate to thank her for you and piss you off by helping you out!”
She gasped as he closed the door on her and stomped across the crunchy snow to his car. As he pressed the automatic start, he climbed in with a curse.
Why are all the women in this town tough as nails and bat-shit crazy?