And he did absolutely nothing for me. But I found myself happy that somebody was reaping the benefits of Billy Montrose.
“I just wanted to tell you…and I know this sounds kind of…tritecoming from me. But seeing you in that interview? I was really…proud of you, Jane.”
“Thanks,” I said, meaning it. “Your words to me…they meant a lot. They really helped me out.” I meant that too.
“I’m glad,” he said.
I nodded at the scarf. “Now maybe it’s time to take your own advice? Make it less…complicated? ‘Let the rest of the bullshit go’?”
“Yeah, maybe.”
I stood up, and we did one of those things where I went to hug him while he went to shake my hand, and it just ended up being awkward, but in a sweet kind of way.
I left his office, quickly walked to Lot H and took my baby to go see Stick’s baby.
* * *
As we walkedalong the corridor to the maternity ward, my steps began to slow, nearly falter.
“Come on,” Stick said, walking ahead of me. “You’re going to love the little guy.”
“Oh, so it’s a boy?”
“Yep. Didn’t I mention that?”
“No,” I said. I didn’t think he did. Stick had met me down in the lobby, and on the ride up the elevator he chattered about the delivery going well, and that Shelly’s roommate had been in the room with her and came out to give Stick updates. And my mind went numb. He very well could have mentioned it was a boy and I’d missed it.
I joined Stick in front of the window with about eight babies behind it. Just like you saw in the movies. “There he is,” Stick said, pointing to a bassinet just in front of us. The card in front of the bin read “Baby Boy Hopkins.”
“Isn’t he a cute little guy?” Stick said, watching me instead of the baby.
I took a good look at the baby, holding my breath in case he was the spitting image of his father. Which apparently he was.
“That baby isveryAsian,” I said.
“Yep,” Stick said, still watching me, a broad grin creeping across his face.
“Does Shelly have an Asian background?” She was blonde and blue-eyed, but you never knew.
“Nope, not a drop.”
“Do you?” Again, you never knew.
“Nope,” he said, the grin growing wider.
“Are you even going to have blood tests done?”
He shook his head. “No need. A very bewildered, but mostly happy, Asian guy was here this morning. As soon as the baby was born, Shelly’s roommate called him. He hadn’t known anything about Shelly being pregnant. Apparently he’s pretty happy about the surprise. I guess it was never his idea to break up. He’s been with Shelly all morning. I think they might be working it out.”
“So? You’re—”
“Not the father? Yeah, that’s pretty obvious now.”
“And you won’t—”
“Be involved? Probably not. I’ll still offer to help out financially with the apartment if she needs help. But it’s looking like the father is going to be involved, so it’s probably best if I just bow out.”
“And so we’re—”
