Authors: Leslie Kelly
“What happened?” Dorien asked as she hurried to cross the
room and help.
“Someone spilled a drink all over the white carpet,"
Annie replied, sounding indignant. "I just noticed it.”
Claudia frowned at the stain, then glanced around the room.
She didn’t see Sarah.
“Annie...where’s the baby?” she asked, trying very hard to
remain nonchalant.
Annie dropped the rag and straightened. Looking contrite,
she glanced all around and said, “She was right here. Sarah? Sarah!”
Claudia looked around the room, peeking under the coffee
table, and behind chairs, while Annie and Dorien asked the other occupants in
the room where Sarah was. No one had even noticed her.
“Okay, let’s not panic,” Claudia said, trying to sound more
calm than she felt. “She can’t have gone far. Sarah! Are you playing peek-a-boo
with Mommy?”
Claudia heard the slight note of fear in her own voice. She
hurried from the living room to the front of the house. Sarah was not in the
hall, not hiding beneath chairs nor reaching for the phone cord in the foyer. Dorien
and Annie rushed to search other rooms as Claudia made sure the front door was
securely closed and Sarah could not have gotten outside.
Claudia heard Chase come around the corner from the kitchen
saying, “Dorien says Sarah’s missing?”
Turning toward him, she nodded helplessly. “This is such a
big house, she could be anywhere.”
“We’ll find her, don’t worry, Claude. Everyone’s looking
already.”
Claudia nodded, reassured by his calm tone. Suddenly a
familiar noise sounded from somewhere above her. A slight rattle was followed
by a sharp thunk. Claudia watched as Chase's eyes, which had been staring into
her own, looked past her, over her right shoulder, and widened in shock.
Feeling as though she was moving in slow motion, she turned
to look behind her at the massive curved staircase. Sliding her gaze up slowly,
she saw Sarah's baby rattle strike step after step as it bounced down toward
them. The bright red plastic contrasted sharply with the dark brown wood of the
stairs. She couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from the toy as it hit each
hard step, rolled a little, then clunked down to the next one with a sharp
crack
Almost afraid to look, Claudia finally forced herself to
lift her eyes until she saw Sarah.
"Oh, God," she moaned.
Her baby stood on the top step of the steep staircase, her
little pink socks sliding easily on the smoothly polished wood. Sarah was
looking down over her shoulder at her lost rattle, pouting ferociously. She
almost seemed to be considering reaching out into the empty space to try to get
her toy back.
“No!” Terror gripped her as her heart leapt out of her chest
and up into her throat. She began to move, tried to run, though shock and fear
made her limbs feel leaden. She threw an arm up in the air as she went, holding
her hand palm out as if Sarah would stand still just by seeing her gesture.
Chase blew past her before she’d even realized he, too, was
racing to the rescue.
Claudia had never seen a person move so quickly in her life.
One instant he was standing behind her staring up at the baby, and the next he
was moving past her, taking the stairs three at a time. She saw Sarah’s sturdy
little legs, so tired from the long day’s activities, start to wobble. Her
bottom lip puckered out as she prepared to cry for help.
Again as if in slow motion, Claudia watched as Sarah's feet
slipped off the step and she fell backward. Chase dove toward the child,
landing hard on his knees a few steps below her as he reached his hands out
frantically. She saw him catch Sarah by one arm and one leg, then pull her
close and cradle her against his chest.
Another second and her child would have tumbled backwards
down more than a dozen hard wooden steps to the foyer floor below. Claudia
could still hear the awful clunking of the rattle and thanked heaven she didn't
have to know what her child would have sounded like coming down those stairs.
“Thank God,” she muttered as she ran up to where Chase sat
holding the baby.
“My baby, my angel...,” she chanted as she pulled Sarah out of
Chase's arms and pressed frantic kisses all over her soft curls. Sitting on a
step, she rocked back and forth, thinking how close she'd come to losing
another loved one. Claudia had learned as a little girl who had lost her father
to never take life for granted. Her husband's death had hammered that truth
home with vicious severity. Losing someone once was no inoculation against
future tragedies. There was no doubt in her mind that her child could have been
killed.
“Thank you. Thank you, thank you,” she chanted as tears
coursed down her cheeks and fell onto Sarah’s head.
Chase watched Claudia hold onto her daughter as if she’d
never let her go, and suddenly the enormity of the situation descended on him.
He hadn’t even considered until this moment that Sarah could easily have
tumbled down while they all went about their merry evening and been lying dead
at the bottom of the staircase by the time anyone even realized she was gone.
“Is she all right?” he muttered hoarsely, trying to keep his
emotions under control.
“Yes, thanks to you,” Claudia replied. “She’s all right.”
Chase saw Claudia's fear receding as she tenderly stroked
Sarah’s back and rubbed her cheek against the baby's soft skin. Below them, at
the bottom of the stairs, Annie, Dorien and several others stared up in concern
and amazement at the close call they’d witnessed.
“You saved her life,” Claudia murmured wonderingly. “Again.”
Chase didn’t reply. He couldn’t. His heart was pounding as
if his chest would explode, and his breath came in short, choppy gasps. He’d
never been so frightened in his life.
“I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. I should never have left
her.”
Claudia lifted her gaze to see Dorien coming up the stairs,
tears streaming down her face. The elderly woman looked pale, her hands shook,
and Claudia feared she might collapse.
“No, no, Dorien, it wasn’t your fault,” Claudia insisted.
Chase jumped up and took his grandmother’s arm.
“No, it was my fault,” Annie said from the bottom of the
stairs. “I swear, Claudia, I didn’t take my eyes off her for more than a
minute.”
“I know,” Claudia said wearily. “She’s so quick. Let’s just
all be thankful she’s all right. And Dorien, please, don’t upset yourself. I
know you’d never let anything happen to Sarah.”
Chase’s grandmother pulled free of Chase’s embrace and
walked up the two steps to where Claudia sat rocking Sarah. Reaching out a
shaking hand, she gently stroked the baby’s fine curls.
“I love her.”
“I know you do,” Claudia replied softly.
Shifting Sarah slightly, Claudia stood and carefully walked
down the stairs behind Chase and his grandmother. Everyone crowded around in
the foyer to fuss over the baby, who suddenly decided she didn’t like all the
attention. She let out a loud wail.
“I think we’ve had enough excitement for one night,” Claudia
said. “I’m going to take Sarah home now.”
“I’ll come with you,” Chase quickly said. “We can walk Dorien
together, all right?” Claudia nodded and carried Sarah into the kitchen.
Melanie quickly gathered up the baby’s belongings, stowing them in the back of
the stroller, only after, of course, she gave her god-daughter a quick
head-to-toe examination.
“Are you sure you don’t want us to drive you around to your
house?” Melanie asked.
“No, thanks," Claudia replied. "I don’t really
want to let this child out of my arms right now.”
Melanie nodded in understanding as Chase entered the kitchen
with the rest of the group. He didn’t even suggest putting Sarah in her
stroller as he walked to the back door and held it open for them. Claudia was
about to most past him out of the house when she heard Andrew Worthington's
voice.
“Claudia, it was wonderful seeing you again...sorry the day
had to end on such a low note.”
Turning around, she gave him a strained smile. In the
excitement, she’d nearly forgotten Andrew was one of the crowd who had stayed
behind to help clean up. “It was nice seeing you, too," she replied.
“You’ll be seeing me again soon,” he said with a wide grin.
Turning back toward the door, she saw Chase giving Andrew a
stare of pure dislike. He looked as if he wanted to slug the man, right in
front of a half-dozen witnesses, but for the life of her Claudia could not
imagine why. If he didn’t like Andrew Worthington, she wondered, why would
Chase have invited him to a party in his home?
“I’m sorry to run out on you all. I'll be back soon,"
Chase said to the group.
“Hey, no problem. We were just leaving, anyway,” Ryan said
as he and Melanie prepared to follow them outside. Everyone else drifted out
also, calling out their goodnights across the lawn as Claudia, Chase, and Dorien
walked toward the woods.
They went to Dorien’s house first. The elderly woman seemed
all right, but still apologized again in spite of Claudia's assurances that she
did not blame her for what happened.
“Please, Dorien,” Claudia insisted. “Don't blame yourself
for this. I certainly don’t.”
“No one does, grandmother,” Chase said softly. “There was a
houseful of people, yet no one saw this little one sneak away.”
“That’s right,” Claudia chimed in. “And believe me, she’s tried
this at home, too. That’s why I bought the gate...she’s gone for the stairs
before.”
“We just need to keep a very close eye on you, little girl,”
Dorien said, finally smiling. “Heaven knows what we’ll be going through when
you’re sixteen.”
Claudia laughed aloud as Chase escorted his grandmother to
her door, then returned to push the empty stroller to the cottage. They walked
in silence, their way well-lit by the exterior flood lights Dorien had left on,
and Claudia’s own porch light.
When they reached the cottage, Chase lifted the stroller up
the steps and carried it inside. Claudia carried her child up to her room.
Lying Sarah on the changing table, Claudia tried not to wake the baby up as she
gently slipped the sailor suit off. Claudia didn’t hear Chase enter the room,
only sensing that he was behind her when a floorboard creaked.
“She’s out cold,” Claudia whispered.
“Little wonder. She’s had a long, eventful day.”
“Too eventful," she replied vehemently.
Once Sarah was ready for bed, Claudia placed her in her
crib. Sarah immediately rolled onto her side, curled into a ball, and popped
her thumb into her mouth. Claudia stood for a moment, watching her, again
thinking of what might have happened if Chase hadn’t reacted so quickly.
“She’s a beautiful baby, Claudia," he whispered.
Claudia felt Chase standing just behind her, looking over
her shoulder into the crib. She closed her eyes tightly, imagining how it would
feel to lean back the two or three inches separating them and let her body rest
against his. As if he read her thoughts, Chase moved closer. She felt his
breath in her hair. His hands slid to her waist, and he squeezed her very
lightly as if encouraging her to relax against him.
Claudia needed no further invitation. She dropped her head
back, and his shoulder was there, hard yet warm and comforting all the same. He
brushed his cheek against her forehead and she sighed, allowing him to wrap his
arms around her waist and pull her tight against his hard body. Claudia didn't
stop to wonder at his tenderness. She felt very sure Chase was still reacting
to the close call with the baby. His genuine concern for Sarah had pierced that
rigid shell in which he usually cloaked himself.
"Thank you for walking us home," she said softly.
Claudia nearly regretted breaking the silence because he
didn't respond. Nor, however, did he pull away. Instead, he flattened his hand
against her midriff and gently stroked her.
Claudia found herself closing her eyes as she rested against
him. Enjoying the feel of strong arms around her and the smell of his cologne,
she gave in to the sensation of being cared for.
They stood silently for several moments until Sarah moaned
and rolled over in her crib. After the baby settled back to sleep, Chase pulled
away from Claudia to leave the room. His face tensed in the shadow of the night
light, and Claudia could practically see the rigid veil dropping over his
features. Disappointment flashed through her as she sensed Chase pulling as
much away emotionally as he had physically.
"I have to go," he said as they walked downstairs.
“Of course, I'm sure you still have a lot to do
tonight," she answered quickly.
Hurrying, Claudia stumbled slightly as she opened the front
door. She glanced back and saw Chase studying her intently. Feeling clumsy and
awkward, she looked down toward her shoes as she led him outside.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She nodded, but didn't look up. Claudia sucked in a breath
as Chase stepped closer to her until her back pressed against the porch rail.
He tipped her chin up with his index finger and looked searchingly at her.
"Claudia?"
"I'm fine," she insisted as she looked up at him.
"It's just been a long day."
He nodded then stepped away from her.
"I have to thank you again, Chase," she said as he
walked down the front steps. "I don’t know what might have happened
tonight if you hadn’t been there for us...it seems like you’re always there
when we need you.”
Chase stopped, standing silent on the lawn with his back
toward her, his body hard and rigid. She nearly didn't recognize him as the
same man who'd held her so tenderly just moments before.
She thought for a moment he wasn’t going to respond. Then he
looked over his shoulder at her and muttered, "Nobody’s always there,
Claudia.
Nobody
.”
Without another word, he stalked away. She watched him,
amazed that his terse words could cause her a nearly physical pain. It hurt her
to think of the life he had led...a life which would lead him to trust no one,
and to never allow anyone into his heart.