Page 17 of Not the Bodyguard's Baby
Adam. For five years he had been the voice of reason keeping her feet on the ground when an award or accolade had her floating ten feet off the ground, reminding her that charity done without the media’s presence was usually more powerful than when the camera was around to record it. His advice, though not always wanted, always proved correct. More than once his suggestions rounded out the lyrics to a song she was writing or caused her to take a second look at a contract or invitation. Even though she hadn’t agreed at the time, his choice to quit had been for her too. If she had told the truth...
Never look back, or you’ll miss where you’re goin’.
Lyrics from one of her most popular songs rang through her mind.
I’m gonna be strong!
I’m gonna live right!
I’m gonna shun wrong!
I’ll follow His light!
I’m gonna, I’m gonna, I’m gonna forward to home!
The song needed another verse about forgiveness and repentance. Looking back was only useful if it could help repair the future.
TmIagtthe!This morning I am going to tell him everything!
10
The 5:00a.m. call wouldn’t normally have awoken Adam since he would be at the gym. However, the 2:00 a.m. feeding had lasted almost two hours since Harmony decided it was time to play. She’d batted the bottle away and blown bubbles with the formula in her mouth. She would smile at him, then do it again after he smiled back. In his half-asleep imagination, it felt as if she were trying to talk to him and tell him wondrous things he couldn’t understand. Harmony kicked her feet and waved her arms when he talked to her. A wiser man might not have encouraged her playfulness, missing the most magical of hours.
“Hello?”
“Please tell me you are not sick too.” Alex’s voice squeaked.
“No, I slept in. You sound terrible.”
“Thanks, bro. I need you to fill in for me. Mrs. Crawford was asked to fill in for the speaker at one of those fund-raiser luncheons. She isn’t taking the baby, but Mrs. Ogilvy will be there, so Andrew is already on duty. Since Mrs. Ogilvy’s TedTalk, she has picked up unwanted attention, so he doesn’t want to spread his team thin covering both women, and you know how their husbands are.” Alex’s rambling confirmed he was ill.
“I thought I was working with you for Mr. Crawford and Mr. Ogilvy.” Adam got out of bed and stretched.
“Change of plans. I put another team on the misters. The threat is more critical to the wives.”
“Will Abbie be at the lunch?”
“I think so, but we aren’t sharing any info with her. She gives her own team enough fits.”
Adam pulled the blanket up over his bed. Not his mother’s standards, but it was made. “She stopped carrying a gun.”
“Ugh.” The grunt answered it all. Alex’s twin had been carrying as long as the rest of them. “I can’t believe it. Maybe now Simon Dermot can stop complaining to Dad.”
“What time am I needed?”
“Sweep starts at oh-eight-hundred.”
“I’ll see if I can get Mom to take Harmony out to September.”
“Thanks. I’ll assume she can unless I hear otherwise. I’m going back to bed.”
“Bye, Alex.” The call disconnected before he finished speaking.
He found his parents in the kitchen dressed in their workout clothes. They stopped talking when he entered. Adam filled a glass with water and sat at the table with them. “Not even asking what I interrupted. Alex called. He’s sick and asked me to cover for him with Mrs. Crawford. Can you take Harmony to September this morning?”
Mom stirred her lemon water. “What does he have?”
“No clue, but he sounds terrible.”
