Unable to lie, Colin hesitated but finally admitted, “No. Not really. She wanted me to be the guardian for the kids, but we ran out of time to sign the papers. What’ll happen now? Can I just take them back to their house and get a lawyer to begin the proceedings for me to have the children?”
Colin’s reply obviously shocked the doctor, and it took him a minute to reply. “I don’t know what happens in situations like these. I’m afraid we’ll have to contact child services.”
Colin’s heart thudded painfully. “Exactly what Gisele didn’t want. Look, it’s imperative the children stay together. Couldn’tmy friend,” he pointed at Jaqueline, “who by the way is a nurse, keep them at their home? They’re both devasted and being with strangers is the worst possible thing for them right now. Of course, I’d leave the hospital my phone number and the address.”
Suddenly, Charlie appeared. “Please let us go home with Uncle Colin. It’s what Maman said, and what Maisie and I want more than anything.”
“Uncle Colin? I thought you weren’t related.”
Charlie piped up. “Not by blood but he’s like an uncle. Maman wanted us to stay with him. And Maisie needs Jaqueline. She’s pretty and-and nice.”
The doctor’s face blanched. His expression of sympathy changed to confusion. “I suppose it’ll be okay. Leave the address and phone number with the front desk. Also, we’ll need arrangements to be made for Mrs. Tremblay’s body.”
“Yes. I’ll take care of it once the children are home and away from this place. I promise.”
Colin swiftly turned to Jaqueline and watched as Charlie purposely leaned against her and took her hand while staring unwaveringly at the man in the white coat… daring him to argue. The little trooper intended to have his way and was doing everything to make sure they won the battle. Colin hid the smile that threatened and began to walk to the elevator.
Not wanting to give Dr. Palin time to change his mind, he cuddled Maisie, glad when Jaqueline and Charlie followed close behind.
Once the kids were safely in the backseat of his car, he leaned in before Jaqueline shut her door. “I have to go back inside to leave the information like I promised the doctor. I turned on the heater so it should warm up in here soon but in case you need them, here’s the keys. I’ll try and be quick.”
Jaqueline nodded. “Yes, please come back as soon as you can. We need you with us.”
He nodded at her and then glanced in the back seat to see Charlie had taken the middle seat so he could sit closer to his sister. He held her hand, and she had her head on his shoulder. They didn’t speak but the scared, dazed looks in their very large eyes let him know they suffered tremendously. How could they not? Their whole world had shifted in a matter of hours, and it would never be the same again.
***
Once Colin turned to go back inside, Jaqueline swiveled to look at the children. She saw the dogged expression on Charlie’s face and instantly knew the boy had taken on the safety and well-being of his sister. And he’d fight for her happiness with everything in him.
They began to whisper, his head close to hers, shielding them from the world. My goodness, the boy wasn’t even seven years old and yet his actions and behavior were more like those of a much older child. Probably came from living with a mother who constantly leaned on him.
How could she reassure them that everything would be okay when she had no idea what the dickens the adults were doing? Or the steps they’d need to cover in order for the kids to stay with Colin? In fact, she was still processing the events of the morning leading up to the present moment herself.
Thinking back, her visit to Quebec City had been a dream her Grandmother Gigi had forced on her. No doubt to get her away from her mother. The two women barely suffered being in the same room with each other. Gigi, her father’s mom and similar to him in so many ways, knew exactly how to get through to Jaqueline.
She had the same personality traits her mother had openly despised about her husband… called him weak when Jaqueline thought him generous. Said he was blind to the bad in the world when he’d preferred to concentrate on the good. And seldom got his quirky jokes, tending to ignore rather than laugh along.
Whereas Jaqueline had always adored her father, and they’d had a wonderful relationship… one her mother took advantage of after they lost him in a train accident. Once he’d disappeared from their lives, grumpy had switched her dependence onto Jaqueline. Of course, being her father’s daughter, she’d given up her apartment to move into the old house, picking up her father’s reins just as her mother intended she should.
Right from the start, Gigi had hated their arrangement. She took every measure she could to separate them. With caustic comments to make her daughter-in-law grow up and look after herself, she spoke her mind. Her father’s mom knew how much her precious granddaughter had loved her independence and wanted her to go back to having a life of her own.
Presenting her with this trip had been her sneaky way of forcing the issue. She knew Jaqueline would never let her lose all the money she’d invested to give her this vacation. But here she was, the second day in and who could have imagined the crazy circumstances she faced. A man she only met a few hours ago had become hugely important. And now the futures of two children she suddenly cared about would become a part of her world.
Her throat tightened and her hands became clammy. These new unforeseen responsibilities sat heavy on her shoulders. What would happen tomorrow, she had no idea and that kind of terrified her. Sitting in a stranger’s car in Quebec City, staring at two kids who had suddenly become her new focus freaked her out. No one could have made up a story like this and have it be believed.
She took another tissue from her handbag and passed it over to Charlie. “Here honey, let Maisie blow her nose. Her poor face is a mess. Are you guys hungry? I can ask Colin to stop at a restaurant.”
“Not really, but you and Colin might be.” Charlie held the tissue to Maisie’s face and helped her clean herself, then straightened her pink woolen hat before he asked, “Do you want some pancakes, Mais?” When she hiccupped and then nodded, he turned to Jaqueline. “That’s her favorite thing to eat. Blueberry pancakes.”
“Then she will have some as soon as Colin returns. Is there a favorite restaurant you like to go to?”
“Uh huh. One is close to where we live. It’s easy to walk there. Maman would take us sometimes.”
“Before she got sick?” Jaqueline was relieved that Charlie could talk about Gisele.
“Yeah. She’s been sick a lot lately. She thought I didn’t know, but we could hear her in the bathroom. I asked her about it once, but she just pretended everything was okay.” His searching stare asked for an answer and Jaqueline had nothing to tell him. She refused to lie and so she said, “Your mother loved you and Maisie and didn’t want to scare you. If she knew you’d heard her, she might have explained.”
“What?”
