Page 43 of Hearts Like Hers

“You’re going to be the best kind of mom. Funand vivacious like you are in the rest of your life. Any kid would lovespending time with you.”

Right there in that sterile exam room, awonderful warmth hit Autumn squarely in the chest. “Thank you. I hope that’strue. I think about all the things I want to be for him or her. A mentor, asource of comfort, a friend once they’re all grown up. It’s a lot to imagine.”A pause. “And what about you? You have a lot to offer yourself. Kids one day?”

“I used to think no,” Kate said. “Lately,that’s shifted. Maybe.”

“Can I ask what prompted the shift?”

“I made a couple of new friends back home.”

“Kids?” Autumn was beginning to understand.

Kate nodded. “Good ones.”

The door swung open. Dr. Arocha and his burstof energy filled the space, along with his smiley nurse. Autumn had come tounderstand that he had a lot of patients that kept him on the move throughoutthe day, and it always seemed as if he were attached to a motor. “Let’s see howwe’re doing, shall we?” Kate held her hand during the exam, staying as close tothe back wall as possible, and when it was all said and done, Autumn wascleared for take-off. “Lining looks great. With your donor all squared away,we’ll get you started on a higher dose of the meds and see if we can scheduleyour insemination for next month.”

“Wow,” Autumn said, sitting up. “Just likethat? We’re doing it?”

Dr. Arocha shook her hand. “We are,” he said,and sailed out of the room, on to his next appointment. Autumn turned to Kate,her eyes filling. “I’m going to be a mom.”

“You’re gonna be a mom.” Kate, the softy,welled up, too. “This is so cool.”

The cool part was being able to share thatmoment with someone like Kate, to know that she understood its importance toAutumn. It was, well, everything. While Autumn still didn’t know a ton aboutwhat brought Kate to Venice, she was becoming more and more comfortable openingup her own life. Maybe with time, Kate would trust her and she could return thesupportive friend favor.

Maybe…

For now, there was cause for celebration.

“How do you feel about a Big Gulp?” Kateasked, as they headed to the parking lot. “For some reason, I’m in the mood.”

* * *

Kate got on the road bright and early thenext day, bound and determined in her quest. She carried with her the firstname she’d managed to extract from DHS back home, and after a little detectivework of her own, she had an address. She’d gassed up her truck and headed toSanta Barbara, hoping something she might say would make a difference to awoman she’d never met. As much as she wanted to, there was no way she could sitback and watch as Eva and Ren were sent off to separate foster homes, or worse,left in the hands of the state for who knows what kind of sterile upbringing.Not when there was something she could do about it.

Over the course of the two-hour drive, shethought back to Autumn’s appointment the day before. She felt silly now forwelling up, but there’d been so many dark clouds hanging over her head latelythat the thought of a new little life, one that would clearly bring so much joyto Autumn, grabbed hold of her feelings and wouldn’t let go.

The two of them had stopped for that Big Gulpon the way home from the appointment, and next to Randy, Kate decided thatAutumn was about the easiest person to talk to that she’d ever met. She wasn’tsure how Autumn did it, got her to relax and open up, but she easily turnedKate into a talkative person—to her own shock.

She drove on, enjoying the unrelentingsunshine, humming along to the radio, and not thinking about how Autumn’s daywas going. Whether she’d tamed her curls or left them loose. What flavor she’dchosen as roast-of-the-day and why. Kate smiled and forced herself to focus onthe task in front of her. Didn’t mean Autumn didn’t creep back in. Kateactually didn’t mind.

An hour later, she pulled up to a modestone-story, tucked away in the suburbs of Santa Barbara. Kate checked the addressto be sure. Yeah, this was the place. Not the best neighborhood she’d everseen, but certainly not the worst. As she made her way up the cobblestone walk,she studied the small, yellow house with white shutters and took note of thetended garden in front. The sunflowers were evenly spaced and the lilacs hadbeen given their own area to blossom and expand. Someone had given time andattention to that garden. They cared about it. That had to be a good sign forthe woman who lived inside, right?

She took a deep breath and raised her fist toknock, pausing when the door opened before she could. A woman stood there,staring back at her. Thirties maybe. Dark hair pulled into a neat ponytail. Shewore some sort of uniform, a green polo and khakis. She regarded Kate withcuriosity. “Can I help you?” she asked politely.

“Kate Carpenter,” she said, and extended herhand. “Are you Meredith Higgins?”

“Listen, I’m not interested and I’m late forwork.”

Kate held up a hand. “I’m not sellinganything. I promise. Five minutes?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t.” Meredith maneuveredaround Kate to the driveway, closing the door behind her, keys in her hand.

“It’s about Eva and Ren.”

That did it.

Meredith’s head dropped and she froze. Whenshe turned around, everything about her had changed. Kate knew she’d struck anerve.

Meredith walked back a few steps. “KateCarpenter, you said? Who are you exactly?”

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