Always Dakota - Debbie Macomber [123]
“You don’t have to like me,” she whispered.
“Why the change of heart?” he demanded.
“Why?” Calla wasn’t entirely sure when it had come about. Sometime after she’d argued with Dennis. She’d been furious, looking for people to take her side against him. Since then, she’d had long talks with people she respected. Maddy and Jeb were two of the first. Although her aunt and uncle weren’t overtly critical of her, Calla could see they felt she was in the wrong.
Her grandfather and Hassie were more inclined to state their unvarnished opinions, and neither felt any compunction about bruising her ego. Still, Calla had been able to shake off their warnings and admonitions. But Kevin’s letter had reached her in a way no one else could. Although it hadn’t seemed like that at first read, and although he hadn’t said it in so many words, he’d told her to grow up. It was time she made peace with Dennis, his letter said, and the sooner she acknowledged her own contribution to the problems, the sooner she’d have her family back. Despite everything she claimed, Calla had missed her mother. She’d found their estrangement increasingly difficult.
“Why the change of heart?” Dennis repeated.
Calla told him, and when she finished she held out her hand for him to shake. Dennis looked at her and then slowly, cautiously, a smile appeared.
“Just get one thing straight,” Calla said, feeling close to tears. “I’m not calling you dad.”
“You don’t have to,” he assured her.
They both stopped talking when Dr. Leggatt approached, his face solemn. Calla and Dennis met him halfway. Calla’s heart thudded hard against her ribs.
“Congratulations, you have a son.”
“A son,” Dennis repeated, his voice barely audible. “What about Sarah? Is she all right? What about the baby? How is he?”
“Unfortunately by the time your wife got here, the baby was in distress and so was she. We did what we could to stop the labor, but couldn’t. In the end we were forced to perform an emergency caesarean. No fear, your wife did beautifully.”
“And the baby?” Dennis asked nervously.
“Small. Three pounds, ten ounces. Our main concern isn’t so much his size as his lung development. We have him in the neonatal intensive care unit now. You’ll be able to see him soon, but I don’t want you to be alarmed by the tubes and needles.”
“He’ll be all right?”
“Every indication at this point says so.”
Dennis grinned at Calla, who battled back tears, then watched as her stepfather hugged the physician.
“A son!” he cried. “I have a son.”
“I wanted a sister,” Calla muttered, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
“Your wife is anxious to see you both,” Dr. Leggatt said, then led them to her room.
Sarah looked shockingly pale against the sheets. When she saw Dennis, she stretched out a hand, and her husband moved toward her. At another time, an earlier time, Calla might have resented seeing the love between them. Although she’d made her peace with Dennis, it still hurt to know there was someone else her mother loved, but Calla recognized that what Kevin had said was true. One day she’d marry, and leave her mother for her own life. She was wrong to begrudge Sarah happiness.
Her mother was happy, she realized. She stood in the background and waited.
“Calla,” Sarah whispered, reaching toward her now.
“I’m here, Mom,” she said. She stepped close to the bed.
“Thank you…” Sarah whispered.
“Hey, I got a brother out of the deal. That’s not so bad.”
“Not bad at all,” Dennis said, placing a hand on Calla’s shoulder.
Her mother noticed the change between Dennis and her right away. “You don’t need to worry, Mom, Dennis and I are square now.”
“Square?”
“Yeah, everything’s going to be all right.”
Tears sprang to Sarah’s eyes. Dennis took her hand and pressed his lips to her palm. “We’ve reached an understanding,” he said. “We both love you and little Josh. Who knows, before long we might even like each other.”
Calla had the feeling it wouldn’t take long at all.
Buffalo Bob walked over to Lily Quantrill Park and inspected the newly planted