Absentminded Angel(Divine Creek Ranch 20)(9)
When he’d asked Leah in private about the baby’s father, Leah had only said, “You need to ask her about that.”
He’d just dropped off groceries at the station, a favor for one of the firefighters who was putting together a Thanksgiving meal for the firefighters who would be on duty during Thanksgiving.
Leah had told them she talked with Presley Ann every day. She was tired, of course, but claimed she was doing fine. But he’d also noticed the subtle concern in Leah’s voice when she’d said, “She keeps claiming she’s fine and just needs time to settle in.”
She keeps claiming she’s fine. Maybe it’s time to see for myself.
He took out his phone and dialed the number Leah had given him and waited for Presley Ann to pick up.
“Hello?” a soft, shaky voice said on the other end, barely distinguishable over the sounds of a wailing infant. “Hello?”
“Presley Ann? It’s Kendry. Are you okay?”
He heard sniffling and a rustling sound and then she said, “I’m just fine.”
“Is Whit okay?”
More sniffling. “He’s fine. Just fussy right now. He needs a nap.” He could hear her soft whispers as she soothed the baby, which didn’t seem to help. “How are you?”
“I’m at your back door. Will you let me in?”
Her apartment entry was located off the kitchen of the first floor and could only be reached by coming in through the locked back door. Marvin took his security and keeping his niece and great nephew safe pretty seriously.
“I look a mess and the baby is—”
“It’s okay. I just wanted to see you for a few minutes.”
“Oh. Okay. You’re at the back door?”
“Yeah. Just unlock the doors and I’ll come up.”
“Okay.” More sniffling and the phone went dead. She sounded off kilter.
As firefighters, he and Jared had received medical training, and he knew postpartum hormones could wreak havoc with new mothers, especially first time mothers. He wished they’d checked on her sooner as he climbed from his truck and went up the back steps.
His concern grew as he heard the wailing baby through the exterior wall as she came downstairs, and the full volume hit him as she opened the back door. Holy Mackerel. Whit wasn’t just crying, he was screaming.
She cupped her hand to her face, shading her eyes from the bright sun, and backed away to let him in.
“Hi. Are you okay?”
“Hi, I—” Whit’s frantic wailing cut off whatever she might’ve said, and she winced and beckoned him through her door and up the stairs. “Come on up. I need to get back to him.”
Kendry hurried up the stairs behind her and smiled when he reached the landing of her cozy one room apartment. The closet was placed strategically to divide the bedroom from the rest of the living space. The shades and curtains were all drawn, and only a dim lamp was lit.
“Honey,” she whispered soothingly, and he followed the sweet cooing sounds to the bedroom, where she was bent over a crib. She was dressed in a gauzy red flowing skirt and a soft V-neck top and standing in profile, he got a glimpse of her full bust and curvy bottom and hips.
What a goddess.
Whit began wailing again. The sound was so loud that it created reverb inside his ears.
Reaching out, he switched on another lamp and she shielded her eyes and winced. Whit screamed even louder, his face beet-red and big tears rolling down his cheeks. She jostled him and bobbed, attempting to soothe him, but the crying only grew worse. She looked up at Kendry and he could see that her eyelids were red and swollen as if she’d been crying for a while. There were dark shadows under her eyes. She cringed and tears leaked from her eyes and she looked as though she was nearing the breaking point. His heart thumped hard as the need to fix the situation overtook him.
He caressed her soft shoulder and squeezed gently to get her attention because neither of them could hear each other over all the noise.
He held out his hands to Whit and looked at her for approval and said, “Let me?”
More tears leaked from Presley Ann’s eyes and her brows furrowed as she handed Whit off to him. The baby felt warm and a little sweaty in the sleeper he was wearing. With pure defeat written on her features, she placed the receiving blanket over his shoulder.
“Little man, you have got a set of lungs on you. Where did you get those from?”
Whit sucked in a breath and stared wide-eyed at Kendry, his mouth hanging open as if he’d forgotten what he was doing in mid-wail. In the short space of silence, he heard Presley Ann draw in a ragged, shaky breath.
He turned his gaze to her and said, “Are you okay?”