Accidental Family

She was a devoted mother. She knew that. But she had failed miserably in the role of wife to her husband, and because of that he’d left her for another woman who could and would meet his needs.

Because of her, Tucker rarely saw his father. More often than not he did not show up when he was scheduled to have Tucker for an outing. Tucker no longer asked about his daddy. When Peter did manage to come for his son, Tucker trudged out the doors with a frown on his little face, then ran into Patty’s embrace upon his return.

And this new baby? Patty thought, gazing at Sophia. When she’d told Peter she was pregnant he’d rolled his eyes in disgust and told her to have her attorney contact his attorney about adjusting future child-support payments.

He never acknowledged her changing body when he came for Tucker, nor asked how she was feeling or if she knew if she was having a girl or a boy. He knew when the baby was due but he hadn’t contacted her to see if she’d given birth. He just didn’t care.

Because she had failed as a wife.

To Peter she was the mother of his children, nothing more. Because she had that title he was going to have to fork over a chunk of his paycheck every month to help feed and clothe those children. Patty was an ex-wife, and he’d moved on to be with someone who knew how to perform in that role properly.

“Patty?” Susan said, coming into the office and snapping her back from her tormented thoughts. “This is the first chance I’ve had to really speak to you alone. Has Peter seen Sophia yet?”

Patty shook her head. “He knew when my due date was, but I haven’t heard from him. He hasn’t shown up on his scheduled visitation days for several months to take Tucker for an outing, either. Tucker rarely mentions his daddy anymore. Well, it’s Peter’s loss. I have two wonderful children and I’m enjoying being a mother to them more than I could ever begin to express in words. Life is good.”

“I don’t know how you can be so cheerful,” Susan said. “I’d have murder on my mind if a man did to me what Peter did to you, Patty. Every time I think about it my blood boils. But you? You just keep on smiling.”

Because she’d cried until she’d had no more tears to shed, Patty thought.

Chapter Two

The afternoon passed quickly and just after five o’clock parents began to arrive to pick up their offspring before the center closed at six. At five minutes before six o’clock Susan planted her hands on her hips and stared at the front doors.

“That’s strange,” she said to Patty. “Ever since David Montgomery started bringing Sarah Ann here you could set your watch by him. He picks her up at five-forty-five on the dot, never, ever later than that.”

“Well, ten minutes doesn’t mean anything other than the traffic is heavier than usual,” Patty said, sinking onto a rocking chair used for story hour. “You go ahead, Susan. I’ll wait for David. Sarah Ann is the only child who hasn’t been picked up and she and Tucker are playing nicely together with the blocks. Sophia just ate so she’s fine, too. I’ll use these few minutes to rest my weary self.”

“I hate to leave you here alone,” Susan said, frowning, “but Theresa’s caregiver will be furious if I’m late.”

“Then go, go, go,” Patty said, flapping her hands at her. “I’ve worked here since January and no one has ever been later than a few minutes after six.”

“Not during my two years here, either,” Susan said. “I don’t even know what Marjorie’s policy is about it because it never came up. I wouldn’t be concerned if it wasn’t David Montgomery. He’s just never late, Patty, and it’s now six minutes after six. This is creepy. Something is wrong.”

“It is strange that he hasn’t phoned to say he’s running late,” Patty said. “You know, if he had a flat tire or something. He’s devoted to Sarah Ann and… You’re right. Something is wrong, but I don’t have a clue as to what it is.” She paused. “Well, I’ll just sit here, relax and wait. Susan, go.”

Susan glanced at her watch, cringed, then hurried toward the doors, disappearing from view moments later.

Patty shifted in the rocker to see that Tucker and Sarah Ann were still engrossed in their building project, then stared at the Mickey Mouse clock on the wall.

Something was definitely wrong, she thought, frowning. It was evident to everyone who worked there that David Montgomery’s world centered on his daughter. For him to be late picking her up without a telephone call to explain his tardiness was totally out of character for him.

Dear heaven, it was nearly six-thirty. Where was David? What had happened to him? What should she do?

David, please walk through that door. Now. Right now.

But David Montgomery did not appear and the clock kept ticking.

“Mommy,” Tucker whined at six-forty-five. “I’m hungry.”

“I know, sweetie,” Patty said, getting to her feet. “Why don’t you and Sarah Ann sit at one of the little tables and I’ll get you some juice and crackers.”

“My daddy?” Sarah Ann said, her bottom lip trembling. “I want my daddy.”

“He’ll be here, honey,” Patty said. “Your daddy is just a bit late, that’s all. Don’t cry, Sarah Ann. Your daddy will come in a wink and a blink.”

Now, David, she thought, staring at the doors again. Forget the wink and blink and walk through that door.

When Tucker and Sarah Ann were happily consuming their snack, Patty went into Marjorie’s office and sank onto the chair behind the desk. The walls were clear glass and she could see the two children from where she sat. Sophia slept peacefully in her carrier on a loveseat set against the wall.

Think, Patty told herself. Calm down and think. Okay. David had gotten a sudden case of the flu, was running a temperature and had fallen asleep at home because he was burning up with fever.

She went to the filing cabinet in the corner and found the application David had filled out when enrolling Sarah Ann at the center. Moments later she punched in the number listed and the telephone rang on the other end. And rang and rang and rang. There was no other information on the form. No place of employment, no one to contact in an emergency. Nothing.

She replaced the receiver, sat down again and pressed her fingertips to her now-throbbing temples.

So much for that brilliant deduction, she thought. Now what? Hospitals. Oh, as grim as the idea was, maybe David had been in an accident and… Well, she’d start with the hospital she knew best. Mercy. Where Tucker and Sophia had been born.

The telephone book produced the number and Patty ignored her shaking hand as she pushed the buttons on the telephone. It was answered halfway through the second ring.

“Mercy Hospital. How may I direct your call?”

“I…um… I guess I should speak with someone in the emergency room, please,” Patty said.

“One moment, please.”

Two seconds of music played, then a new voice came on the line.

“Emergency.”

“Yes,” Patty said, wishing her voice was steadier. “I’m inquiring as to whether a David Montgomery has been brought into the emergency room there at Mercy Hospital.”

“Are you a member of his immediate family?”

“Oh, well, I…” Patty said, her mind racing. “Yes. Yes, I am. I’m… I’m his wife. I’m out of town, you see, and phoned the house and David wasn’t there, and I’m so worried and…”

“Let me check, Mrs. Montgomery.”

More music echoed in Patty’s ear and she drew a shuddering breath.

“Mrs. Montgomery?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry to tell you this, ma’am, but your husband has been in an automobile accident and was brought here to Mercy. We tried to contact next of kin and finally found your home number through the operator as a new listing, but no one answered the phone.”

“I’m not there. I mean, I’m out of town as I said. Please tell me how David is.”

“Mr. Montgomery is in surgery at the moment to set a broken leg.”

“Oh, God,” Patty whispered.

“He also sustained a blow to the head, has a concussion and we’ll be monitoring him closely through the night for that. I know you want to get here as quickly as possible but please travel safely. We’ll be waking him through the night because of his head injury but we fully expect him to be groggy. He really wouldn’t know you are here.”

“I understand,” Patty said. “Thank you. Thank you very much for your time. Goodbye.”

Patty dropped the receiver back into place and pressed her hands to her cheeks, feeling how cold her palms were against her flushed skin.

Go back to thinking, she ordered herself. What to do, what to do. Think. Okay. She was calming down. Gathering the facts. David was battered but alive. Mercy Hospital was the best in Ventura. But any wife worth the title would drive above the speed limit to sit by his side, whether he knew she was there or not.

But she wasn’t David’s wife, and when she’d been Peter’s wife she hadn’t been worthy of the title, so…so she was going to operate in the role she did best. Mother. David was receiving the best of care and she would see to it that his daughter did the same.

Patty left the office and went to the table where the children were sitting.

“I have a wonderful surprise for you two,” she said, forcing a bright smile onto her face. “Sarah Ann is coming home with us, Tucker, and spending the night. Isn’t that fun, Sarah Ann?”

“I want my daddy,” the little girl said.

“Your daddy had a very important place he had to go tonight, honey,” Patty said, “and you’re going to have a wonderful time at our house. Tucker has toys to share with you and we’ll eat dinner together and… Okay? Sure. Now let’s get your snack stuff in the trash and off we go.”

“This is great, Sarah Ann,” Tucker said. “We’ll have a play date and a sleepover. ’Kay?”

Sarah Ann nodded slowly. “’Kay.”

Bless you, Tucker, Patty thought. And David? Hear me, please, somehow, somehow, hear me. Don’t worry about Sarah Ann because I’ll tend to her as though she were my own. I swear I will. Just be all right, David. Please, please, please, just be all right.

The next morning Patty sat at the large oak table in the huge sunny kitchen at her parents’ home. Her mother, Hannah, sat opposite her daughter, a frown on her face as she listened to Patty’s tale of David and Sarah Ann. Hannah Sharpe had the same coloring as Patty, with a few gray strands now visible in her dark hair.

“So, there you have it,” Patty said. “I called the hospital this morning to tell David that Sarah Ann was with me, safe and sound, but the nurse on his floor said he was in X-ray. Since I’m pretending to be his wife I couldn’t leave a message saying that Patty from the Fuzzy Bunny is tending to his daughter. So, I need to get to the hospital to put David’s mind at ease. Thank you for watching Tucker, Sarah Ann and Sophia while I go.”

“Oh, that’s no problem,” Hannah said. “Tucker and Sarah Ann are so cute together. With their dark hair they look enough alike to be brother and sister. And you know I adore getting my hands on Sophia Hannah.”

“I really appreciate this,” Patty said, getting to her feet. “Well, off I go. Good grief, I’m so nervous. How do you tell a man that you sort of kidnapped his daughter?”

“What you did was very caring, very thoughtful and loving,” Hannah said, rising.

“I hope David views it that way, but it was the only solution I could come up with.” Patty paused. “Where’s Dad?”

“Playing golf with your Uncle Ryan. Neither one of them is a threat to Tiger Woods but they have a very good time. Off you go. You’ve already said goodbye to the kiddos so just be on your way. David Montgomery must be sick with worry this morning over what happened to Sarah Ann when he didn’t arrive to pick her up last night.”

“You’re right. At least I can assure him that Sarah Ann is fine. But, oh, dear heaven, I am just so nervous.”

At Mercy Hospital, Patty was directed to the third floor and given the room number for David Montgomery. She stood outside the closed door and smoothed the hem of her red top over the waistband of her jeans, acutely aware that her hands were not quite steady.

Get it together, she ordered herself. She was being so ridiculous. It wasn’t as though she’d done an unforgivable thing by taking Sarah Ann home last night, and had to beg for David’s forgiveness or… Oh, stop thinking, Patty.

She knocked on the door and heard a muffled directive to come in.

Forget it. She didn’t want to come in, Patty thought. She was turning around and going home. She was… Darn it, enough of this nonsense.

She pushed the door open and entered the room.

“I…um…hello,” she said, as the door hushed closed behind her.

David Montgomery was propped up against the pillows on the bed, a bandage at the hairline above his right eye. His right leg was in a cast from below the knee to the tips of his toes and suspended above the bed by a complicated-looking apparatus. He was pale despite his tawny skin. He was also staring at her with wide eyes and his mouth had dropped open a tad.

A short man in his fifties, wearing a white coat and standing next to the bed, smiled and approached Patty.

“I’m Dr. Floyd Hill,” he said, his smile growing even bigger. “I’m assuming you’re Mrs. Montgomery, and I must say we are very glad to see you. This will solve a great many unanswered questions for us.”

“Oh, no, I’m not Mrs. Montgomery,” Patty said. “I’m not married to anyone. I’m Patty Clark and I have David’s daughter Sarah Ann.”

“I didn’t marry you?” David said, shifting up on one elbow. “You gave birth to my child and I didn’t marry you? What kind of bum am I?”

“Huh?” Patty said, totally confused.

“Oh, my head,” David said, easing back onto the pillow and pressing the heels of his hands to his temples. “It’s going to fall off and roll across the floor. Break it to me gently. Do you have any other kids I should know about?”

“Me? Well, yes,” Patty said. “Tucker is three years old and Sophia is three weeks old. Of course, Sarah Ann is three years old, too. We’re really into the number three at the moment.”

“Ohhh,” David moaned, closing his eyes. “I’m worse than a bum. I’m a sleazeball.”

“Dr. Hill? David? Somebody?” Patty said. “Would you please explain what is going on here? I feel as though I’ve stepped into the ‘Twilight Zone.’”

“Which is a rather accurate description of where your husband…excuse me…your…the father of your children is, himself, at the moment.”

“The who?” Patty said, her eyes widening.

“David,” the doctor said, “does the name Patty Clark ring any bells. Patty… Clark.”

David opened his eyes and looked at Patty again.

“No,” he said. “I have never heard that name, nor have I seen this woman before in my life.”

“Huh?” Patty said. “Now wait just a minute here.”

“David has retrograde amnesia from the blow he sustained to his head,” Dr. Hill said. “He doesn’t even remember his own name, which we were able to supply from credit cards and what have you in his wallet.”

“You’re kidding,” Patty said. A funny little bubble of laughter that held the edge of hysteria escaped from her lips. “No, you’re not kidding. How long is this amnesia thing going to last?”

“I have no idea,” the doctor said, shrugging. “Every case is different.”

“Well, isn’t this just dandy?” Patty said, then marched to the bed and gripped the top bar of the rail. “David, read my lips. You…have…a…daughter…named… Sarah Ann. She…is…three. She…is…cute. She…misses…her…daddy. That…is…you.”

“I don’t know any Sarah Ann,” David said, frowning. “She’s only three and she misses me and… This is terrible. Well, it could be worse, I guess. At least she’s with her mother. You. Patty.”

“No, no, no,” Patty said, shaking her head. “I’m not Sarah Ann’s mother. You didn’t list a name for her mother on the application blank.”

“What did I apply for?” David said. “To be a sperm donor? Are you the mother of Tucker and Sophia?”

“Yes, but…”

“I apparently didn’t marry Sarah Ann’s mother, but why didn’t I marry you? This Sophia baby is only three weeks old? I must say you look sensational for someone who just gave birth. At least I know I have good taste in women. You’re very pretty. Who do our children look like? You or me?”

“That’s it,” Patty said, throwing up her hands. “This isn’t a conversation, this is a ridiculous stringing together of words that are totally insane. Dr. Hill, I cannot talk to this man.”

“Let’s all just calm down and start over,” Dr. Hill said. “Please, Miss… Ms… Patty, sit down, won’t you?”

Patty sighed and sank heavily onto the chair next to the bed. The doctor pulled another chair over and sat next to her.

“Now then,” Dr. Hill said, “perhaps you would be so kind as to explain to us what your relationship is with David, his daughter Sarah Ann and, of course, there’s Tucker and Sophia.”

“Yes, all right,” Patty said, then looked directly at David. “But first I want to apologize for my behavior. I was just so stunned to discover you have amnesia that it threw me for a loop and I haven’t been very patient with your misconceptions. This must be terrifying for you, David, to wake up in a hospital and not even know who you are. On top of that, you’re obviously in pain. I’m sorry I was so rude.”

“Well, I haven’t exactly been a pleasant person, either,” he said, meeting her gaze. “I suppose I should say something macho, such as, ‘amnesia is no big deal and I’ll just hang around until my memory jump-starts itself again.’ But…but the truth of the matter is, you’re right. This is terrifying, the most chilling experience I’ve ever been through. Thank you for understanding that, Patty.”

Patty nodded, then told herself with a very firm directive to stop gazing into the ocean-blue depths of David’s eyes. Mesmerizing eyes. Eyes that held a flicker of pain and fear and made her want to reach out and take David’s hand and assure him that everything was going to be fine, just fine.

But she couldn’t move, she thought frantically. He was pinning her in place with those eyes. Her heart was doing a funny little two-step number and a strange heat was swirling within her, low and hot and…

Good grief, she thought, finally switching her attention to the water jug on the side table by the bed, this man was lethally sensuous.

“Excuse me?” Dr. Hill said tentatively.

“What!” David said.

He was having a heart attack, he thought. On top of his other physical woes, he was now having a full-blown heart attack caused by gazing far too long into the beautiful, dark eyes of Patty Clark. Heat was coiling low in his body and… He was being consumed by desire for a woman he didn’t even know.

“Sorry,” he said. “What was it you were saying, Dr. Hill?”

“Patty is going to share what she knows about you, David. This could be important information.”

“Yes. Yes, of course,” David said. “You have the floor, Patty.”

“Well,” she said, lifting her chin. “That application I referred to earlier is the one you filled out at the Fuzzy Bunny Day Care Center to enroll Sarah Ann over a month ago. There was very little information on the form and you told the owner of the center that you’d get her the remainder of the data later.”

“Mmm,” Dr. Hill said, stroking his chin.

“All the caregivers at the center became immediately aware that you’re devoted to Sarah Ann, David,” Patty went on. “You didn’t really interact, smile or anything with those of us who worked there, but when you looked at your daughter, spoke to her, the love for her just radiated from your eyes, from the expression on your face. You’re a wonderful father.”

“Imagine that,” David said, his voice holding a hint of awe. He frowned in the next instant. “But I didn’t write down anything about Sarah Ann’s mother?”

“No. We assumed you were a single father who has custody of your daughter.”

“That would be unusual,” Dr. Hill said. “Perhaps you are a widower, David.”

“My wife died?” David said. “Wouldn’t I be aware of something that devastating?”

“There are no rules for amnesia,” the doctor said. “It varies from person to person. Go on, Patty.”

“You always pick Sarah Ann up at exactly five-forty-five,” she said. “Yesterday I was helping out at the center because they were short on caregivers. I no longer work there since I had Sophia. Anyway, you didn’t show up to get Sarah Ann last night, David.”

“Oh, God, my daughter must have been scared out of her mind. I don’t know what she looks like, or what kind of personality she has, but that has got to be a terrifying experience for any three-year-old. I’ve got to go get her and…”

“No, wait,” Patty said, raising one hand. “I took Sarah Ann home with me. She and my son Tucker are ‘bestis friends,’ as they put it. I told Sarah Ann that you had somewhere important you had to go and made the whole sleepover seem like an exciting adventure. The three kids are at my mother’s right now so I could come here. And for the record, you are not related to Tucker and Sophia. I’m divorced from their father. Oh, and Sarah Ann slept well and ate a big breakfast. She’s doing fine.”

“Thank you,” David said, then drew a shuddering breath. “Thank you so much for what you did for Sarah Ann.” He paused. “You have a son? And a new baby? And you’re alone, but you took on another child? My Sarah Ann?”

“Yes,” Patty said, shrugging. “I mean, goodness, what would you have had me do? I realize I have a lot on my plate but I can handle three children.”

“Amazing,” David said. “You’re a remarkable woman, Patty, and a natural-born mother, that’s for sure.”

Oh, yes, Patty thought. She got high scores for motherdom. Total zero for wifedom.

“Patty,” Dr. Hill said, “how was David dressed when he brought Sarah Ann to the day-care center? Suit and tie? Professional attire?”

“No, he wore jeans and a shirt.”

“But he doesn’t have calluses on his hands as a construction worker might,” the doctor said. “All right, let’s recap what we know. The driver’s license in your wallet, David, was a temporary one, indicating you probably moved recently and applied for a license with your change of address. The fact that we got your telephone number from the new listings operator strengthens that fact. But where you moved from, we don’t know.

“We can surmise that you relocated approximately a month or so ago because that’s when you enrolled your daughter in day care. Did you move across town? From somewhere else in California? Or from the other end of the country?”

“Damned if I know,” David said wearily.

“You left your previous employment,” Dr. Hill went on, “as evidenced by the lack of information on the day-care application and you saying you’d provide the data later. You’re either looking for work, or a position is being held for you somewhere here in Ventura.”

“But wouldn’t the company be attempting to find him?” Patty said.

“Not if he arrived in town early to get settled in,” Dr. Hill said. “The address on your driver’s license is for a very affluent part of town. Whatever you do is lucrative.”

“Maybe I’m a hitman,” David said, then his eyes began to drift closed.

“He’s exhausted,” Patty said. “I’d best be going.”

David’s eyes flew open. “No, wait. What about my daughter? What’s going to happen to Sarah Ann?”

“She’ll stay with me until you’re released from the hospital,” Patty said.

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

“Do you have a better idea?” Patty said. “You have to trust me, David, know that I’ll give Sarah Ann the very best of care. I’ll keep her home with us rather than take her to the Fuzzy Bunny so she can play with Tucker. I’ll tell her that you have a boo-boo and will see her as soon as you can. I repeat…do you have a better idea?”

“No,” David said quietly. “No, I don’t. I have to get out of this place. I have responsibilities. A child, a home, maybe a job I’m supposed to report to. Ah, hell, I hate this. I can’t live this way. Doc, fix me.”

Dr. Hill chuckled. “Patience, patient. Amnesia takes its own sweet time. Besides, we’re keeping that leg elevated for the next several days to be assured there’s no infection brewing before we fit you with a walking cast. You’re stuck in that bed for now, David.”