Operation Family (5 page)

Not sure what else to do, Mac followed helplessly with the diaper bag and clipboard from the check-in desk. Never in all his life had he felt like this. He was a man of action; give him a problem, and he would find a way to fix it. Give him a mission, and consider it done. This was something he couldn’t fix, and it got under his skin.

Taken straight to one of the patient rooms, Nicole lifted Sophia from the stroller and laid her on the bed. Mac stepped around the doctor to pick Gabriella up and try to give her some comfort. He stayed near the edge of the bed, out of the way, while the doctor did his work. Feeling like an outsider, his gaze shifted between Nicole who cringed with every tearful wail and Sophia who tried to wiggle away from the doctor’s cold stethoscope.

Hours before, he’d shown up at the door, hoping to convince her they could figure out a way to work together to raise the twins. Now he knew there was no other way. No matter the cost, they had to figure it out. The girls needed her in their lives, and she needed them. They were a family, something he envied because he wasn’t included—
yet.

Doctor Holt examined both of the girls, checking their temperature before listening to their chests intently. “We’ll need to run some tests. In the meantime, I’ll give them something to help with the hives and make them more comfortable.”

“What’s wrong with them?” Tears shimmered in her eyes, threatening to fall.

“I want to do blood work to confirm, but it looks like allergies. Have you introduced any new foods?”

She nodded, looking down at the girls. “Oatmeal.”

“That’s what I thought. They’re both dehydrated, so we’ll start an IV with fluids. With their age and the extent of their reaction, I want to rule out anything more dangerous, but I believe with some medication, they’ll be fine. They’ve worked themselves up by crying so much. The nurse will be in shortly to give them something, and I’ll be back once the results are in. If you need anything let the nurse know.”

As Doctor Holt left, Mac watched Nicole’s strength dissipate, and her knees buckled. He reached out, hooking his arm around her waist, and kept her from collapsing into a heap on the floor. “Come sit down.” He directed her to the hardback chair next to the bed.

“Allergies,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I should have thought about that. I could have killed them.”

“Nicole, this isn’t your fault. How were you supposed to know?”

“I’ve been a mother to these girls since they were born and I’ve let them down.”

“A lot of people have allergic relations to something. Don’t go borrowing trouble. They’re going to be fine.” He ran his hand up and down her arm. “Everything is going to be fine.”

“How is this going to look to a judge?” She reached down, letting Sophia’s fingers tighten around her forefinger.

“I hope it won’t get to that. As I tried to tell you before, I think I have an option that will work for us…”

“Ms. Ryan.” The nurse entered the room, interrupting him before he could continue. “I’m here to set up the IV and draw blood. The medication the doctor ordered should be brought up by the time I’m finished.”

Nicole looked from the girls to the nurse and finally nodded. “Do you want me to hold them while you start the IV? They’re not going to stay still. They won’t quit crying, I’ve tried everything.” The girls breathed raggedly from the state they’d worked themselves into.

“Why don’t you take a break? Get some coffee or something,” the nurse suggested while preparing the IV rack.

“No.” Nicole’s answer was harsh, as if she couldn’t believe the nerve of the nurse. “I’m staying with them.”

“Ma’am, do whatever you need to, but we’re staying.” He ran his hand along Gabriella’s back in soothing circles.

The nurse nodded before going about her business, prepping the IV. While she attended to the IVs, Mac took a moment to watch Nicole and how she was with the girls. There was a bond between them, stronger than he had believed was possible. She loved them as her own, and they loved her.

Why had Shawn left him the girls when it was clear she should have custody? He might have thought money was the issue if he hadn’t already been told the inheritance figures, not to mention the house could be sold if needed which in itself would be a nice sum. Whatever the reason, he needed to see if he could figure it out before they took the next step.

“Mary, here’s the medication.” Another nurse stepped into the room and pulled him from his thoughts.

“Good. These little girls have worked themselves into such a state, not to mention their poor mamma.” She grabbed the syringe from the other woman. “This should only take a few minutes to work. It’ll probably put them to sleep, which is what they need.” Taking a firm hold of Sophia’s chubby arm, she wiped the area with an alcohol cloth before she eased the needle home with the expertise acquired from years of experience.

Mac wasn’t sure it was possible, but their cries grew louder after the injection until he was sure everyone in the hospital heard them. His chest tightened as the sound cut through him. He’d rather hear gunfire, RPGs, or his men; the pitiful cries of these girls left him useless. At least in battle he could do something, not stand around. His first day as the girls’ guardian, and they were already in the hospital. This didn’t give him much hope for the future.

“They should calm shortly,” the nurse said before slipping out the door.

The IV slowly replenished the girls, while Nicole and he both took one of the twins. During their best to soothe them, they rubbed along their backs, wiping away their tears, giving them gentle caresses. Eventually, the sobs turned into soft whimpers and the girls cuddled together on the hospital bed, their eyes fluttering as the medication began to pull them into a deep sleep.

With the tears gone, his sleep deprivation began to creep up on him. He leaned against the wall, wondering where Doctor Holt was with the test results. “They’re going to be fine.”

She sat there staring at the almost asleep girls with tears in her eyes, and smoothed the hair away from Sophia’s face.

“Nicole, look at me.” He took his forefinger and softly turned her head toward him. “You okay?” He had seen shock in his men before but this was something different. It was almost like she was grieving. Her shoulders slouched into her, and her eyes glazed with distance.

“I was just thinking…” Tears fell freely down her cheek. “I don’t know what I would do without them. Six months doesn’t seem like that long, but my life has revolved around them day in and day out. I love them as if they were my own flesh and blood, maybe more because I chose them.”

“We’ll work something out.” In that moment, he knew the girls needed someone like her in their life. It wasn’t just the fact he needed someone to care for them when he was on military duty, because he could always make other arrangements, but this was about keeping a family together. It might not have been a blood family, but it was still a family in its own right.

Nicole swirled the last remaining coffee in the bottom of the cup Mac had brought her twenty minutes ago while they waited for the IV to finish its cycle. It had been a long night for everyone involved, but for her it had been a long few days. Part of her wanted to fast-forward a few months in the future to find out what would happen with the custody of the girls, while the other part wanted to cherish every moment she had with them.

There was no balance to her wants, but the grief of losing them was already manifesting within her and grew stronger when she thought about the first impression she’d given Mac of her parenting skills. She beat herself up for not catching the allergic reaction sooner, but when it came down to it, it would look bad in court no matter what.

Maybe I shouldn’t even go forward with the custody dispute. I’ll lose anyway. Cut my losses now, grieve, and maybe he’ll allow me visitation. If I fight him in court and lose, I’ll never see the girls again.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Mac jerk as he came awake in a flash. She knew he was exhausted and had tried to get him to go back to the house to sleep since all they were doing was waiting for the IV to finish, but he wouldn’t leave. She guessed he was trying to prove he could be a good guardian, just as she was, and if he left it wouldn’t look well for him in court either. Now she understood why people said every little thing could work or hurt them in a custody battle.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” He ran a hand over his face and set up straight. “Sorry, I guess I fell asleep.”

She was going to tell him to go back to the house for the umpteenth time but Doctor Holt and the nurse who started the IV walked in before she could say a word.

“Mary tells me the García twins are doing much better. Allergic reactions are subsiding.” He took his stethoscope from around his neck and listened to each of the girls’ chests, neither of them waking. “I’m going to write you a prescription for any future allergic reactions. We can run allergy tests but my guess would be the wheat in the oatmeal caused the reaction.”

“Twins can have the same allergy?”

“Identical twins only have an approximate sixty percent chance that they will share the allergy, but I think it’s clear Gabriella and Sophia share it,” Doctor Holt explained. “As long as you avoid wheat there should be no future reactions.”

“Thank you, Doctor Holt.” She rose from the chair to stand by the bed while the nurse removed the IVs.

“I’ll see them for their regular checkup the beginning of the month.” Doctor Holt turned to leave.

“Actually…” She glanced toward Mac. “I believe you’ll be receiving a request for their files. This is Lieutenant Commander Mac García; he’s Shawn’s uncle and the children’s new guardian.”

“Lieutenant Commander, that’s Navy right? I was in the Army.”

Mac rose and held out his hand to the doctor. “Yes sir. I’m a SEAL.”

SEAL, isn’t that one of the most prestigious and difficult positions?
She wracked her brain trying to remember what she knew about Navy SEALs, but it was very little. How was he going to care for the girls with that type of career? Would he give it up to be a father? She doubted that; everything about him screamed career military. Her stomach turned, thinking that if he took the girls away from her, they could end up with another death. He could die in action and the girls would be left alone—
again
.

Blow after blow for her precious twins. How much could they take? How much could she stand by and let happen? It was all becoming too much for her. At least the girls were too young to understand the situation.

Darkness had settled over the sleepy town of Pinehill by the time they made it back to the house and got the girls into their crib. Exhaustion filled every muscle in Nicole’s body as she plopped down on the sofa. She didn’t have the strength to get up and go to bed, plus she had hoped for a moment with Mac before they both collapsed for the night. She didn’t have the energy to fight about custody tonight, she only had one question. One that couldn’t or wouldn’t wait until they woke.

“I’m going to hit the sack but if the girls wake and you need some help please just holler. I should hear them, but if my exhaustion knocks me out, please come get me.” He stood in the kitchen entry with a glass of water in hand. “Unless you want me to stay in your room and you can take the night off.”

“Absolutely not!”

“I just thought…” He shook his head. “You’re right, you know where I am if you need me.”

“Wait.” She forced herself to scoot up the sofa, to look him in the eye. “You’re a SEAL.”

“Yes ma’am.” He raised an eyebrow in question as if he wondered why she was asking. “I enlisted in the Navy when I was eighteen, over twenty years ago.”

“I admit I wasn’t paying attention when you spoke with Doctor Holt, but I got the impression that Lieutenant Commander was an officer.”

“It is. The Navy was my ticket to college. I received my degree in engineering, went to officer school, and was commissioned as an officer some time ago. What is this about?”

“Mr. Batty told me you were military, but I didn’t realize you were a SEAL. I pulled it up on my phone while you were talking to Doctor Holt. It’s dangerous.” Her chest tightened with the thought of him risking himself in the way he did.

“Not if you do it right.” He smirked and sat the glass of water on the end table. “It’s been a long day, we’re both tired. Why don’t you just tell me why my job bothers you?”

“I’m worried about the girls. If I lose the custody battle, I want to know they’re safe and in a good home. That wouldn’t be the case with your job. Are you willing to retire from the Navy to care for the children?”

“This is something I’ve tried to discuss with you but we’ve been interrupted. I had planned to try again after we both got some sleep, but we can do it now.” He came to sit on the opposite end of the sofa, his back against the armrest so he could watch her. “With twenty years in, I’m able to retire and be fine, but it’s not something I want. I’ve given this some thought since I spoke with the chaplain. I want to continue my career, because I love what I do and I’m good at it. I don’t know how to be a civilian.”

“What about the girls? Where do they fit in with your
career
?”

“In the military, single parents must have a family care plan. Basically, it requires me to have a nonmilitary person to care for the girls while I’m on duty. Since I’m a SEAL this means they would be on call at all times, every day and all year, because I could be called for a mission at any time. After giving this some thought I’ve come up with something that I believe would work for both of us. I’d like you to come back to Virginia with me, to care for the children.”

“What?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“I’ll continue whatever payment Shawn had with you, or we could work something else out.”

“This isn’t about the money. You want me to just pick up and move, to disrupt the girls even further when you’re not even going to be a parent to them like they need? Instead, you’re going to put your career before them and expect me to be
both
parents. At least Shawn was a part of their lives.”

Anger sparked to life, burning low in her gut. She wanted to let the anger strike out, to scream about the nerve he had. Did he honestly think picking up the girls, moving them to Virginia, and inserting himself into their life would be easy? If so, he had a rude awakening coming. The girls’ lives were already turned upside down and it was displayed in their behaviors.

“I’ll admit my job takes me away often, either on training or missions, but it doesn’t mean I can’t be a parent. There are a lot of military families out there with young children. I’m aware the girls are going to have a difficult time adjusting, but I think with you there for them, things will be easier.”

“No.” She forced herself beyond the exhaustion and onto her feet. “How dare you? Don’t expect me to just pick up and move to Virginia to be both parents to them. If I’m doing that, I’ll do it here.”

“I’m not talking about a custody battle. I’m offering us both an alternative, one that will give the girls both of us. The way you look at them proves you love them, and I’m the last blood relative they have. Is there anyone better to help raise them than us? I understand what I’m asking if difficult, it means moving across the country and starting over, possibly with me away a good portion of the time…but isn’t giving the girls a family with both of us the most important thing?”

“Mac…” She stared down at him, completely baffled, but before she could say anything more he stopped her.

“Before you say no, I only ask that you think about it. We’ve had a long night, and should sleep while the girls are. Just think about it and we can talk about it in the morning. If you’re unwilling maybe we could come to another arrangement.” He stood from the sofa. “Just consider it.”

He left her standing there, utterly bewildered. Move to Virginia Beach and raise the girls while he was off in some foreign land fighting a war that seemed like it would never end? What if he was killed, what would happen to the girls then? No, she needed to fight him for custody now, because if he died on a mission, she’d have no right to the children anymore. Even though they might not remember it, they didn’t need to lose another person.

Knowing that sleep was out of the question until she calmed the turmoil raging within her, she made her way to Shawn’s office. There she could make herself useful, organizing things that still needed to be dealt with, and hopefully making it a little simpler for Mac.

That selfish bastard, why do I even care? I should just wash my hands of everything and leave him to deal with it.
But it wasn’t like her to do something like that. Instead, she’d do what she could to make things easier for him—but most importantly for the girls.

They were the ones who would suffer if he won custody and took them to Virginia. Forcing a new caregiver onto them wouldn’t be easy and would make the adjustment that much harder.

Maybe I should take him up on his offer. If I lose the custody battle, the offer won’t stand and will only hurt the girls more.
She was in a difficult spot, because both options risked something—the children or her. Moving to Virginia would be an easy solution, but being with him on a near daily basis, and caring for the girls while he was their guardian, would prove to be a challenge and potentially disastrous to her soul. Not to mention her heart.