As his breathing returns to normal, we scoot further into the bed, getting comfortable. That’s when we eventually fall asleep. Colin leaned against the back of the bed, me lying against his chest in between his long legs. His arm is wrapped protectively around me, and resting on my stomach. Our baby is pressed against my heart, in between my ample cleavage, clutching her daddy’s finger.
Chapter Seven
Colin
“Colin, I need to speak to you,” Jamie says when I answer my phone. After a brief pause, he adds, “Alone.”
Charlie’s on her morning run, or should I say, walk. I thought her boobs were huge when she was pregnant. Then her milk came in, and they doubled in size. They dwarf the baby’s head. Charlie says that they’re too heavy right now for her to jog, so she’s just been walking around our secured, gated neighborhood, while I have alone time with my angel and spoil her the fuck rotten.
“Sure,” I reply, instantly filled with dread. Anytime Jamie wants to talk to me alone, something bad has happened. “Charlie’s out for a walk. I’ll come to the pool house.”
I place Charlotte in her baby carrier and buckle her in, just in case. I know that we’re only walking about forty yards, but I take no chances with her.
Charlotte is not her actual name. It’s just what I refer to her as. Charlie and I have the distinction of being the only patients of Doctor Starr’s that have left the hospital without giving their child a name. We’ve been home for two weeks today, and we’re no closer. There hasn’t been any screaming and yelling over baby names. No. This is more passive-aggressive guerrilla warfare.
I shake my head at the sight of us. “Alone” these days is defined at Charlotte in my arms and Pancho on my left side.
When I enter the pool house Jamie has a grim look on his face, and two men in dark suits are standing beside him. Instantly, my stomach fills with dread. Is this about the sip-and-see? Today, we have a meet-the-baby party, or some shit like that. All I know is that Jamie has been less than thrilled with the idea of fifty of our closest friends converging on our home.
We haven’t allowed any visitors, much to the chagrin of the new grandmothers. Yes. It means that no one but the two of us have held our baby. It’s been too much. We’ve taken these two weeks since Charlotte was born to just be. I needed this time to come to terms with being a Super Bowl MVP and Daddy. I also needed to forgive Charlie for not telling me she was in labor, and my jealousy over another man being the one to take care of her. The what-if scenarios that have run through my mind are enough to add to the nightmares that I now have every night, but I’m finally coming to terms with the past. Staying mad at Charlie and jealous of Brad gets me nowhere except in a shitty mood, and I don’t want my daughter to feel anything but love from me. All is forgiven, but definitely not forgotten.
I place Charlotte, in her carrier on the couch in the pool house, and Pancho jumps up to lie next to her. That’s my boy. Always watching out for his baby sister.
“I’m assuming the guys in suits aren’t here to discuss the menu for the party today?”
Jamie ignores my comment and nods to one of the suits. “Mr. McKinney, I’m Agent Dunham with the FBI. Unfortunately, this is not a social call to congratulate you on your Super Bowl win and new baby.”
I figured as much, but my heart rate still elevates as I ponder his intentions.
“What we believe to be a credible threat made against you and your family has landed on my desk.” I drop to the couch next to Charlotte and cradle the carrier to my side.
“A man stated that he was going to kidnap your newborn and wife, and hold them for ransom.” His tone is even with a hint of apology thrown in for good measure.
I almost roll my eyes as my heart beats its way to normal at this guy’s big revelation. Kidnapping threats made against me, my wife, and now my daughter are a weekly occurrence. Usually, it’s some hard-up drug addict who needs a few bucks for his next high. They make the statement being a verbose asshole, and someone reports them. Then I spend a couple of thousands of dollars proving that the guy is indeed full of shit. Legitimate threats have been made in the past, and those are the ones that cause my nightmares, but they are few and far between.
Agent Dunham continues, “Jamie has made us aware that since you announced that you’re married and having a baby that the threats have more than doubled. The reason that we’re taking this particular one seriously is because a man fitting the description of the person who bragged about kidnapping your wife and child attempted to enter your gated neighborhood yesterday.”