Baby in Her Arms by Judy Christenberry Read Free Book Online Page B

facing facts.”
    “If you’re ready to change your life, I’ll introduce you to some men. There are lots of executives in Will’s company. I’m sure—”
    “You’ll find someone who will marry the boss’s sister-in-law as a favor? No thanks.”
    “Maggie! Why do you say things like that? I’m sure any number of men would fall in love with you on sight if you’d just let them.”
    Maggie had long ago accepted that she was not as beautiful as Kate. She chuckled. “Yeah, it’s hard to walk because so many of them are prostrated on the floor around me. Come on, Kate. I’m not you.”
    “Of course you’re not. You’re better. You’re sane, rational, careful—”
    “All sexy things that attract men.”
    “Maggie, you’re not being reasonable.”
    “I know. How’s Susan?”
    The change of subject frustrated Kate, Maggie could tell by her huffing and puffing, but she couldn’t resist talking about the young woman who they’d recently discovered was their sister.
    “She’s doing okay. Her sister graduates from high school at the end of the month. I thought we should all go out to eat together to celebrate. I want to find the right present. Want to go shopping with me?”
    “Sure, as soon as Ginny’s settled. Did you give Susan her rightful share of the profits from the diner?”
    Kate chuckled. “Yes, and she had the nerve to grill me about whether I was padding the profits to help her out.”
    Susan was a proud young woman, determined to manage to raise her half siblings by herself. Kate and Maggie had to work to get her to accept anything from them. “I wonder where she gets her hardheadedness from?” Maggie teased.
    “Probably from you, sister, dear. Or I suppose we can ultimately blame Pop, since he passed his stubbornness to all of us.”
    “Not me. Pop always said I was the changeling because I didn’t have red hair, remember?” Maggie reminded her.
    “Oh, Maggie, that was a silly joke. Of course you take after Pop.”
    Maggie didn’t have a comeback for her sister’s obvious lie. Ginny saved her, however. “I hear Ginny awakening, so I’ll have to go,” she told Kate.
    “All right, but if that Josh doesn’t show up soon, you call me. And when he does show up, I think you should walk out and leave him to clean up his own messes.”
    Maggie gave a noncommittal response and hung up the phone. After spending almost forty-eight hours with baby Ginny, she knew she couldn’t walk away from the infant unless she knew Ginny would be well cared for.
    “Here I am, sweet girl,” she called out as she reached Ginny’s room. The baby had pulled herself to her feet and was holding on to the top rail of the crib, tears glistening on her cheeks and a smile on her face.
    “You are so adorable,” Maggie whispered as she picked up the baby and cuddled her against her chest. “And wet. Oh, my, looks like we have to change again. I think it’s time for your bath now.”
    She rounded up everything necessary for the bath and soon had Ginny sitting in the kitchen sink, splattering water everywhere.
    “I wish your daddy was here. He likes to watch you bathe.” She poured a little baby shampoo in her hands and cleaned Ginny’s curls. After she rinsed the baby’s head, with some protesting on Ginny’s part, Maggie lifted her from the sink and wrapped her in a baby towel.
    “In fact, my angel, I think your daddy loves you a lot. But for some reason he’s afraid to admit it. So the next time he comes close to you, I want you to reach out for him. Okay? Show your daddy that you love him.”
    She wished she could count on Ginny understanding. So far the baby had reached out to her over and over again, but Josh was another story.
    “Maybe it’s because he’s not around that much.”
    She carried the baby back to the second bedroom, dried, powdered and diapered her, then dressed her, inhaling her delicate clean-baby scent with satisfaction.
    Back in the kitchen, Maggie put Ginny in the high chair,