Commitment (59 page)

“Nervous,” Alex confessed. “I hate seeing her in pain,” she explained. Helen smiled. “She’s so calm; even when she’s hurting. I don’t know how she can be so calm,” Alex said in amazement.

“It will all be worth it,” Helen assured her daughter.

Alex brightened. “I know. I can’t wait to see Mackenzie,” Alex beamed.

Helen handed her daughter a cup coffee. “Do you want to sit for a minute?”

“No,” Alex smiled at her mother. “I want to get back to Cass. I don’t want to miss anything.”

“I’m so proud of you, Alexis,” Helen said.

“Of me? Why?”

“There are a lot of reasons. Watching you with Cassidy and Dylan these last few months…I think they are very lucky to have you,” Helen said. “All of them.”

Alex felt her mother’s praise embed itself in her heart. “I gotta go,” she said. “You sure you don’t want to come and say hello? I’m sure Cass would be happy to see you.”

“No. I’ll see you when that baby finally arrives. This is your time. You go,” Helen instructed her daughter. Alex nodded and headed off.

“So? Now what?” President Strickland barked at Admiral William Brackett.

“Calm down, Larry. You’ll have a stroke before they can impeach you,” the admiral laughed.

“If that’s your idea of humor….”

“Relax. They’ll never secure the votes for an impeachment. We just need a few assurances,” Admiral Brackett said.

“Oh? Like an embassy bombing? That’s what got me into this mess, Bill!” President Strickland reminded the admiral.

“There are other ways to create a crisis, Mr. President.”

“I assume you have an idea?” Strickland guessed.

“Oh, I have several. Let’s see what Claire uncovers on her trip,” the admiral said.

“You have more confidence in your daughter than I do. What makes you think she won’t jump right back into Ivanov’s camp?” Strickland asked.

“Oh, she will jump somewhere. I’m counting on it,” Admiral Brackett admitted.

“You want her to betray you?” the president asked in bewilderment.

“It’s not a betrayal if you planned it all along. Claire will go where she sees the greatest benefit at the moment; for her. Viktor’s plan was not as misguided as its implementation was,” the admiral said.

“Are you suggesting we work with Ivanov?” Strickland asked.

“Not at present, no. We both know that Toles and Krause are up to something. I have my suspicions. They want us to react first. I intend to force their hand. Throw them back in the mix, compromise their….investments; Carecom and MyoGen. Imagine the fervor should some genetically engineered biotoxin end up in the hands of the Russians, or worse, effect some small, impoverished community. I’m not so certain Carecom would be considered the pillar of the corporate world,” the admiral gloated.

“Carecom hasn’t even merged with MyoGen yet,” Strickland said.

“No, all in good time. For now, we plant the seeds. And we let them water them for us, without even knowing they are,” the admiral explained.

“I hope you know what you are doing,” Strickland said.

“If I don’t….and we fail? Impeachment will seem like a picnic, Larry. Give it time. Trust me.”

“Okay, Cassidy,” Dr. Bartlett gently called to her patient. “Next one push, and push hard. I can see Mackenzie.”

“You are doing so great,” Alex said as she held Cassidy’s hand. “Kenzie is almost here.”

“Mackenzie better get a move on!” Cassidy demanded.

Within seconds, Cassidy heard the firm direction to push. Alex felt the strength in Cassidy’s grip on her hand. She was almost positive that she would lose some permanent feeling from the repeated pressure her wife was applying. At one point, Alex found herself questioning how someone whose touch was so gentle could possess such strength. “Come on, Cass. One more,” Alex encouraged.

“It was one more like ten minutes ago!” Cassidy yelled. Alex flinched at the hostility in her wife’s voice accompanied by another vice like grip of her hand.

“Now,” Dr. Bartlett ordered. Cassidy pushed for all she was worth, mentally urging Mackenzie to hurry up. She was so focused on the task that she almost missed the words as they fell out of the doctor’s mouth. The sound of a cry suddenly registered reality and Cassidy looked up to see Alex crying. “You have a daughter.”

“Cass, you were right,” Alex said with a kiss. Cassidy just closed her eyes.

“Come on, Alex. You going to cut the cord here and let the little one into the world formally?” the doctor asked. Cassidy winked at Alex and watched her walk the few steps away. It was only seconds before Alex was beside Cassidy again, placing Mackenzie in her arms.

“God, she is beautiful, Alex,” Cassidy said through her tears.

“Yeah, she is,” Alex agreed as she ran her finger over the baby gently. “I love you, Cass.”

Cassidy looked up at Alex. Alex was watching Mackenzie with such an expression of love that it took Cassidy’s breath away. “Thank you,” Cassidy reached for Alex’s cheek.

“Thank me?” Alex looked to Cassidy in awe. “You…”

“I love you, Alex.” Cassidy chuckled. “You’d better go tell Dylan,” she said.

“I will. In a minute when they take her for all that fun stuff,” Alex said. “Not until then. I doubt there will be many minutes for just the three of us ever again.” Cassidy giggled at the truth and looked down at their new daughter. “Did you ever think of a middle name?” Alex asked Cassidy.

“Jane,” Cassidy said. “Maybe it sounds funny. But, Jane has become…”

“No, it’s perfect,” Alex agreed. “Well, Mackenzie Jane Toles, welcome to the family.”

“Well?” Rose shot up from her seat when Alex entered the waiting room.

Alex smiled and made her way to Dylan. Dylan’s eyes grew wide in anticipation, and Alex chuckled. “Well, Speed; you have a little sister.”

Alex wasn’t sure how Dylan was going to react to that news. He had been so adamant about a little brother. He had his Big Brother shirt on, and his small chest puffed out immediately in pride. “I got one too, Uncle Pip!” he exclaimed. “Can I see her?”

Alex laughed. “Yes, you can, Speed. I know Mom and Kenzie are anxious to see you,” she told him. She straightened to her full height and looked at the room. “I know you all want to know. At eleven thirty-eight, Mackenzie Jane Toles made her appearance weighing in at eight pounds even and twenty-one and a half inches long, with a head of hair that Cassidy says explains a lot. Whatever that means,” Alex chuckled. “She’s perfect,” Alex declared.

“I’m sure she is,” Helen hugged her daughter.

“How’s Cassidy?” Rose asked.

“Tired,” Alex admitted. “Happy, but tired, and anxious to see Dylan.”

“Congratulations, Alex,” Barb said. “Tell her we love her.”

“You can all tell her yourself in a little bit. But, first I need to get Speed in there to meet his sister,” Alex said. Dylan followed Alex from the room and down the hallway. He grew a bit tentative when they reached the door. “What is it, Speed?”

“What if she doesn’t like me?” he asked.

Alex bent over and gave her son a smile. “I wouldn’t worry about that, Speed. Not one bit,” she assured him.

Dylan walked into the room and saw his mother in the bed holding the baby. “Well, look who’s here, Mackenzie,” Cassidy cooed. She looked over at Dylan and patted the bed. “Come on, come up here and meet your sister,” Cassidy encouraged him.

Alex helped Dylan to get on the bed next to Cassidy and settled in to enjoy the sight before her. “She’s teenie,” Dylan said.

Cassidy chuckled. “I know,” she said as she looked to Alex. “But not
that
teenie,” Cassidy winked. Alex laughed at her wife’s sense of humor.

“Hi Kenzie,” Dylan whispered. “I’m gonna teach you how to play soccer and pool,” he promised.

“How was the rest of your game?” Cassidy asked her son.

“Great! This is the best day ever!” he said. “I scored two goals and I got Mackenzie.”

Cassidy kissed her son’s forehead. “That is a pretty great day,” she agreed. Dylan was excited, but Cassidy could tell he was tired. She placed a kiss on the baby’s head and motioned to Alex. “I know they are all chomping at the bit to get in here,” Cassidy said. “Why don’t you take Mackenzie for a little while? Let Dylan lay here with me,” Cassidy suggested. Alex accepted Mackenzie from Cassidy with a kiss. “Here,” Cassidy pulled Dylan to her. “I don’t know about you, but all this excitement wore me out,” she said. “How about a rest?”

Dylan needed no further encouragement and put his head on his mother’s chest. Alex sat in the chair beside the bed holding her new daughter. She saw Cassidy smile and close her eyes in contentment. “Well, M.J., I think I like that...What do you think, Mackenzie? M.J. is a cool nickname. You look like an M.J. Your mommy says babies look like babies. Shhh…don’t tell her I told you that. Nah, you look like your mom.”

“Yeah, sleepy,” Cassidy called over without opening her eyes.

“Hey, no fair faking so you can listen in on our conversation,” Alex scolded her wife. “See, your mommy is sneaky,” Alex whispered. “You are gonna love it here. Speed even gave you his Batcave. He’ll have you in action in no time,” Alex continued her dialogue with the infant in her arms. “There are certain things you need to know, M.J. Like, tacos. Every Tuesday Mommy makes Tacos. It’s a Toles thing.”

Cassidy listened on, astounded by the abiding love she felt for the woman a few feet away. “You might want to tell her
about the Kryptonite before you go giving her that cape,” Cassidy interrupted.

“Shhh, she’s just being silly,” Alex whispered to her daughter. “Don’t you worry; Mommy gets her superheroes confused. That’s a Superman thing; he’s an alien. Batman is human like us,” Alex assured her sleeping daughter.

Cassidy chuckled. “All right, Alfred. Let the Justice League get some rest.”

Alex snickered and kissed Mackenzie’s forehead. She stood up and placed the baby in the portable crib and then kissed Dylan the same way. She moved to Cassidy and felt a hand reach out for her. “Get some sleep,” Alex whispered. “Je t’aime,” she said with a kiss.

“I love you too, Alfred.”

“You wanted to know,” a voice said through the phone.

“Yes, I did,” a deep voice answered.

“A girl. A few hours ago,” the voice told him.

The man’s voice cracked slightly. “And how is….”