It Must Be Christmas Read online

  “And he is. Michelle, can you tell me where and when you had your baby? Were you in a hospital?”

  She nodded. “Yes, in Dover, on November nineteenth.”

  Across the state line in New Hampshire. Which was why nothing had turned up when they checked Maine hospitals.

  “And everything went all right?”

  She nodded again. “I was discharged the next morning. A friend came to pick me up and take me … home.”

  “No complications since?”

  The pale pallor of her skin made way for a slight blush. “Um, I bled a lot.”

  “Are you still bleeding?”

  She shook her head. “Not for the past couple of days.”

  That was a relief, then. She really did need a thorough exam, but Charlie wanted to keep her talking as much as she could. “Michelle? Do you want to tell me why you left your baby here in Jewell Cove?”

  Charlie could see Michelle swallow. The girl wouldn’t meet her eyes again and Charlie could understand why. Michelle was fighting a battle within herself … wanting to know about the welfare of her child while at the same time probably feeling ashamed and embarrassed and scared.

  “It’s okay. I’m not here to judge you.”

  Another pause, and then Michelle spoke. “I couldn’t look after him. When I got pregnant, my parents kicked me out. I was working at the mall and living on my own, but I could barely make the rent. I didn’t qualify for any maternity leave and I couldn’t go back to work because I couldn’t afford day care. All he did was cry. All I did was cry. I couldn’t think of what else to do. A friend of mine lent me her car and I just … drove. When I was in Portland, I heard some people in the store talking about driving up to Jewell Cove for the weekend, that there was some big tree lighting event every year. I thought it would be pretty. I didn’t even think about what I was going to do until I drove by the church and saw the manger there, all lit up.”

  Her tears had stopped and she finally met Charlie’s gaze again. “I was stupid. I know that now. I’m not equipped to be a mom, Dr. Yang. And Jewell Cove … it’s nice here. It seemed like a place where a kid could be happy, you know?” Her voice caught. “I thought it was just better if I … disappeared.”

  “But it wasn’t better, was it?”

  She shook her head. “I wanted him to have a better life than I could give him. I let him down. So I parked behind the church. And then you guys came along and I knew he’d be okay.”

  Michelle broke down again, and Charlie let her cry it out. She snagged the stool again and sat down, staying close to the overwrought girl. “Are you feeling a little better now? What do you say we give you that exam?”

  Michelle screwed up her face and Charlie laughed a little, trying to lighten the mood. “I know. Not your favorite thing in the world. But making sure you’re healthy is number one right now, okay?”

  She nodded. “Okay.”

  Charlie went to the cupboard and took a gown out of the drawer, a real cotton one rather than the paper they normally used. She would treat this girl with kid gloves. It was a sensitive situation that was going to get worse before it got better. “I’ll leave you for a minute to change.”

  “Dr. Yang?”

  Charlie had her hand on the doorknob, and turned back.

  “What’s going to happen to me now?”

  Charlie smiled reassuringly. “Let’s get this exam over with first. Then we’ll worry about the rest, okay?”

  She slid out of the room and shut the door behind her, then rested her head against the wall for a moment.

  “Charlie?”

  Josh’s worried voice came from his office across the hall. She opened her eyes and let out a sigh.

  “Make sure she doesn’t leave, okay?” Charlie poked her head into his office. “Daniel’s mom is in there.”

  “Holy shit.”

  “I know. She’s scared to death. I’m going to give her an exam.”

  “Do you want me to call Bryce?”

  She thought for a moment. If Michelle had left the baby at a hospital, or a police station, it would have been better for her. But she hadn’t. She’d abandoned the baby in a churchyard.

  “I’ve got her talking. Give me some time. I may be able to get her to come around to turning herself in. It would be the right thing to do. She needs help. She’s just a kid, Josh.”

  Josh nodded. “You’ve got a good heart, Charlie. I’ll hang around a bit, though, in case you need me to make that call.”

  “Thanks.”

  She took a moment to go to the reception desk and quietly asked Robin to cancel the rest of her afternoon appointments. The whole time she fought against the sinking feeling that she might lose Daniel. What had initially been a situation lasting a few days had been weeks and she couldn’t imagine the cottage without him. But he wasn’t hers, and she had to remember that. Steeling her spine, she gathered what she needed and re-entered the exam room, pasting on a new smile.

  While the exam was uncomfortable, Charlie was reassured that Michelle was doing fine. Rather than give her a requisition for blood work that would never get done, Charlie did it right then and there. She expected they’d find some slight anemia, and figured what Michelle really needed was a few good meals, some rest, and counseling sessions. Michelle had gotten dressed again and Charlie pulled a chair over next to the girl’s.

  “So. What do you want to do now?”

  “I don’t know. I could go back to Dover…”

  Charlie was relieved that going home didn’t seem too appealing. “What do you really want?” she prodded gently.

  “I want to see him.” Michelle looked up at her and she seemed so young, too young, to be dealing with something this huge.

  “In order to see him, you’re going to have to tell people who you are. And even then, I can’t promise it’ll happen.”

  “Can’t you just … I don’t know, help me see him somehow? I promise I won’t even say who I am. I just want to see him.”

  Charlie closed her eyes and prayed for the right words. “I can’t do that, Michelle. I can’t lie for you. I can help you, absolutely, but not by lying.” She thanked God that today Meggie had offered to look after Daniel at the cottage. How awkward it would be if he were here, like he normally was, and started crying.

  She saw Michelle’s hands start to shake. “You mean I have to turn myself into the police?”

  “Yes.” Charlie nodded. “But I’ll help you with that. And the officers here are very nice. You don’t have to be afraid of them.”

  “But what if they put me in jail?” Michelle’s eyes were wild now. “I made a mistake. I don’t want to go to jail. I just want to see my baby. Be sure he’s okay. I never meant for any of this to happen!”

  Charlie reached out and rubbed Michelle’s knee, hoping it was calming and reassuring. “I know.” She’d seen people with no remorse before, with no conscience. This wasn’t like that. Michelle was as much in need of a social worker as her baby. Her records said she was only nineteen. Barely out of high school and alone and pregnant with no support. Desperation could drive people to do strange things. “I promise I’ll help you. And I know for sure that coming forward will make things easier on you. You need to do this, Michelle. For yourself and for your son.”

  Michelle nodded a little, and a few tears trembled on her lashes. “I’m just scared.”

  “I know. But you don’t have to do this alone now. We can help you get some support, okay?”

  “Dr. Yang?”

  “Yes?”

  “You’re a very kind person.”

  Charlie’s heart softened even further. She was nearly tempted to explain that she knew he was doing well because she was looking after the baby, but that might cause more trouble than solutions, so she held her tongue. The situation was complicated enough as it was.

  Michelle took a deep breath and let it out, almost as if fortifying herself for what was to come. “Do you think I could talk to them here instead of having