Texas Mum. Roz Fox Denny

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      DELANEY FELT LOST in the larger city of San Antonio and in the bigger hospital. She was staying in a budget motel within walking distance of the hospital. It was noisy, but she thought it was safe.

      Nick had become more fretful, too. Until he completed a full range of admitting examinations, he was in a private room. And the nurses, while competent, weren’t like the friends he’d left behind in Lubbock.

      There hadn’t been any additional word from Dario, and that worried her.

      Today was Saturday. Jill Bannerman was bringing Delaney’s car to San Antonio. Their friend Amanda Evers had had to go to Utah to see her father, who had fallen and broken his hip. Jill had had to wait until her husband, Mack, freed himself up from duties at their ranch to follow his wife to San Antonio in their vehicle.

      Delaney had promised to meet them in the lobby of the sprawling hospital. She jumped up when she saw them.

      Jill hugged her. Mack, his teenage daughter, Zoey, and Zoey’s best friend, Brandy, hung back.

      “Can we see Nickolas?” Zoey asked. “Then Daddy’s going to take Brandy and me for a boat ride on the River Walk while you and Jill make plans for another campaign to round up donors. Is Nickolas worse?” the girl added worriedly.

      Delaney hugged everyone before she answered. “He’s not worse, Zoey, but he’s no better. Doctors here have developed a new mix of meds we hope will keep the cancer from ravaging his strength. He’s been cranky since the move. Hopefully seeing you guys will add some sense of normalcy. Everything here is new and confusing to him. By the way, until they complete his initial tests, his visitors have to wear masks. You’ll see a box of disposable ones clipped to his door. There’s a trash bin outside to toss the used ones in when you leave.”

      Brandy pointed to the rows of seats in the lobby. “Mr. B said I should wait here while he and Zoey visit Nickolas. He doesn’t know me as well as he knows Zoey. My mom said having so many visitors might be too much for him.”

      Delaney took a second look at the two teens, who suddenly seemed less like kids and more grown up. “There’s a smaller waiting room on the fourth floor near Nick’s room. It’s quieter than here and has newer magazines. You can go up with Mack and Zoey and wait there. But, Brandy, he knows you well enough. I’m sure he’d love to see all of you. And you said you can’t stay long.”

      “Is there a gift shop?” Zoey asked. “Dad said I could buy something for Nick here since, with homework and all, I didn’t have time to get anything in La Mesa.”

      “Nick’s favorite toy is the stuffed cow you gave him, Zoey. Save your money for the shops along the River Walk.”

      Mack Bannerman groaned. “Don’t tell them about the shops. I only promised the boat ride and lunch at one of the cafés that overlook the river.”

      Jill, Mack’s first love and now new wife, patted his arm. “You big phony, we talked about how much the girls could spend on clothes in those cool shops.”

      Chuckling, the handsome rancher bent and silenced his wife with a kiss. Delaney was glad that Mack had found such happiness, but she envied the loving relationship he and Jill had.

      Jill playfully pushed her husband away. “You guys go see Nickolas. Do get him something from the gift shop. I need some time with Delaney. Touch base after you finish shopping with the girls on the River Walk. Then you can swing back and get me.” She picked up a large leather bag at her feet. “We’re going for coffee, and to discuss a plan for another donor drive.”

      Mack and the girls waved and headed off, and Delaney ushered Jill to the steps that led down half a floor to the hospital coffee shop.

      Jill patted her ever-present camera bag. “If we put a photo on the recruitment flyer of you and Nickolas, strangers will imagine themselves in your shoes.”

      “I’ll do whatever it takes to raise awareness in the Latino population here, but I also have to consider the cost. Printing a color flyer is considerably more expensive than a black-and-white text-only one like I used in La Mesa. I spent a small fortune on the trip to see Nick’s father.”

      “But it resulted in him coming to be tested. That’s good, right? In fact, maybe you should wait until you see if he’s a match.”

      “I gave that a lot of thought.” Delaney paused to fill two Styrofoam cups with coffee. She handed one to Jill and indicated where she could add cream and sugar.

      Jill helped herself to a generous amount of both. Delaney, who drank her coffee black, led the way to a table for two tucked into a quiet corner.

      Jill said as she sat, “I sense that you want to go ahead with this donor registry roundup. I don’t want to pry, but are you afraid Nick’s dad will back out? What is his name? I hate to keep referring to him as that guy.”

      Delaney circled the rim of the steaming cup with one forefinger. “His name is Dario. Dario Sanchez. His family and friends call him Dayo. I did, too, during our short summer...affair, I guess you’d call it.” She frowned. “To be honest, Jill, I don’t know if he’ll back out.” She couldn’t hide her anguish from her friend seated across the small table. “Frankly I go back and forth between hoping he comes and that he’ll be a match, to worrying about other ramifications if he does. He was so different from the man I remember. His family, except for his half sister, is rude and controlling. Another big worry that one of Nick’s nurses in Lubbock brought up—what if Dario demands equal custody once he’s satisfied Nick is his son?”

      “Is that likely? I mean, you said he’s involved with a family business in Argentina.”

      “He is. But ask Mack to verify how charming and persuasive Dario can be. Mack bought a bull from him that summer, too. What nags me is the nurse was once married to a Latino. She said it’s a cultural thing for the men to especially want custody of their boys.”

      “Heavens, you don’t need that.” Jill spun her cup a few times before taking another sip. “I never got to know my real father, and I’m a new stepmother myself. I can almost assure you that when Nick is older he’ll want some kind of relationship with his birth father.”

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