Waiting impatiently at the gate to the jail, Jane paced back and forth, Max walking beside her. "What's taking so long?" She asked the guard standing behind the glass.
The guard shrugged, and turned away to answer the phone.
"You might as well sit down," Andrew Chambers said from a chair along the wall, "they'll bring him out when they're good and ready."
"It's ridiculous that we had to wait for four days for them to figure out where the hell they sent him." Jane said.
Andrew laughed, "After all the people he got out of jail on those technicalities, it's no wonder they found him at all."
"They lost his paperwork on purpose, you know that, right?"
"Yes, Jane, I am perfectly aware of that."
"Of course, there's no way we can prove that."
"Nope."
Jane watched as the old attorney leaned heavily on his cane to stand. His body was giving out, but his mind was just as sharp as ever. "At least the bail wasn't a problem."
"Rain had to shell out a lot of money."
"He has enough of it." Jane pushed a hand through her already messy hair. She was so frustrated with the progress of the case, she wanted to scream. The past four days had been complete hell, thinking of what he was going through in jail.
She'd heard the horror stories from clients who had spent time behind bars. With his cushioned life, she couldn't imagine what he was going through.
The double doors finally opened, a guard led Rain out in handcuffs. Drinking in the sight of him, Jane found he didn't look as though he had just spent four nights in jail. Unlike her, he looked as though he had slept peacefully.
"You look like you made it through this ordeal well." Andrew commented.
Rain chuckled, "Free legal advice." Was his only answer.
"Well," Andrew followed them outside to the large gravel parking lot, "at least we found you. It took some doing."
"Yes, I'm sure it did." Rain said as they stopped beside a black town car. A driver opened the back door to allow Andrew to climb inside. "Thank you, Andrew. We can discuss my defense on Monday. I believe there is a hearing on Wednesday?"
Andrew nodded, "Indeed there is. It will be life as usual after that, I am sure. The results of your mothers autopsy will be back by Monday."
"Good." Rain frowned, "I would like to start planning her funeral."
"Kind of hard to do without a body." Andrew nodded, "Alright, I will see you at the office on Monday."
The car drove away. Jane crossed the parking lot where she had parked the Mustang. "They have not released your house yet." She informed him as she unlocked the car.
"Jane."
She pulled the seat back to let Max jump into the back before turning to him and finding herself engulfed into his arms. She returned his embrace, resting her cheek on his chest.
He dropped his chin on the top of her head. "I was worried about you."
She pulled away to look up at him, "I'm fine. I've kept Max with me. He goes everywhere I go. We're becoming good friends."
"The stalker?"
"I haven't heard anything. No pictures or anything. Brian has had one of his men outside my apartment every night. He also had several of his guys in the lobby of our office building all day. Just in case. You should have just worried about yourself."
He pushed her head back to his chest, and held her tighter. "Being a defense attorney with little to no scruples gives me a sort of shield. I spent my time giving legal advice. Though I don't think you would be happy with all the loopholes I told them about. It was not difficult."
Jane rolled her eyes, "Here I was worried you were being bruised and beaten."
"You were worried about me?" He asked with a grin as he released her.
She shrugged, "Maybe."
With a laugh, he rounded the car, and climbed into the passenger seat. While she drove he retrieved his things from the glove box. "Thanks for keeping these safe."
"You knew they were going to arrest you, that's why you emptied your pockets in there, isn't it?"
"I had a strong suspicion. As I said, I've got a lot of enemies in the police department. Even more at the District Attorney's office."
"Yeah, but they can't just arrest you for no reason."
"As you know, they can make up anything they want. The hearing on Wednesday will prove them wrong."
Jane drove in silence for a few minutes. "What about accidentally sending you all the way out here to the federal prison and then loosing your paperwork for four days. Have you ever seen that before?"
He snorted a laugh, "To many times. It's always a clerical error."
"Um, the offer to stay in my spare room is still open." She offered.
"Thank you. I appreciate that. I do need to pick up some clothes. Since my house is still a crime scene, I need something to wear."
"Alright. Well, it'll take a while to get there but there's a mall on the way home. It's probably not the fancy clothes you are used to, but..." She shrugged.
"You can just drop me there. I'll call a rental agency. I need to a car until mine released."
"I should be the one to rent a car." She answered, "This one is technically yours."
"Don't tell anyone that." Rain suggested. "I don't want the police impounding this one as well."
"You think they would?"
"They'll do whatever they need to to make my life a living hell. You'll just be collateral damage."
An hour and a half later, Jane pulled the car to a halt at the curb in front of the mall entrance. She reached into her purse and pulled out a key ring with a single key on it. "Since you're staying there, you might as well have a key."
Rain held out his hand for her to drop the key. "Thanks."
"I might be going out with Shy and Nikki tonight. I will probably be out late."
Leaning over, he kissed her cheek, "Have fun, I'll see you when you get back."
Her phone started ringing as she pulled away from the curb. She put it on speaker. "Hello."
"Hey, Jane," Dr. Sylvia said through the phone. "I need you to come by the office."
"Why? I'm not supposed to be there until Monday."
"I know, just come by. I need to talk to you."
Jane groaned, "Can't you just tell me over the phone."
"No. Come to the office."
"Fine." Jane hung up, and steered the car towards the doctors office. When she entered, she found the nurses locking up. "I'm meeting Sylvia."
They waved her towards the doctors private office. "Come in, Jane." Sylvia called from behind her desk.
Jane entered and dropped her purse in a guest chair as she settled in a second. "What's up? It's girls night. You're interrupting my whiskey intake."
Sylvia leaned back in her office chair, studying her friend. A nurse popped her head into say goodbye, "Lock the front door on your way out." Sylvia asked the girl.
"What is going on?" Jane asked.
"I got the results of your blood work back." the doctor informed her. "We can't do the procedure on Monday."
"Why? What did you find? Do I have cancer or something?"
Sylvia shook her head, "Not cancer."
"Than what?"
The doctor continued to study her a moment longer, "You seriously don't know?"
"How the hell am I supposed to know what's in my blood?" Jane was getting more than a little apprehensive on the results. "Just tell me, Sylvia."
"You're pregnant."
Jane stared across the table, "No...that's...that's not possible."
"Have you had sex?"
"Well..."
"Then it's possible."
"But...the birth control..."
"I told you when we cut off your last birth control, that I need to test your normal hormone levels before we inserted the new birth control. Remember, we talked about this. You had to use an alternate form of birth control until..."
"Yeah, yeah, I remember now." Jane's mind was reeling, trying to process this news. "Are you sure? I mean, is there a possibility it's wrong?"
"It could be, but I doubt it. I had them retest it. It's accurate."
"Wait. Is this an April Fool's Joke?"
Sylvia rolled her eyes. "Jane, you know me better than that. I never joke about this kind of stuff."
"This can't be real, Syl. I can't be pregnant."
"Well, sorry, hon, but you are."
"No, this can't be possible. I can't be pregnant."
"But you are."
"No." Jane shook her head adamantly, "you don't understand, I can't have a baby. I don't even have a boyfriend."
"You don't seem to understand that this isn't something I can control. You either are, or you aren't, and you are."
"Couldn't they have mixed my blood up with someone else?"
"No, they are very careful." Sylvia sighed, "Obviously you need more proof."
Jane gave her a small smile.
"When was your last period?"
Jane froze as she thought about the question, "It was due three days ago."
Sylvia stood, "Come on." She led the way down the hall to the bathroom and took a sample cup from a cabinet. "We'll do another test."
Twenty minutes later Jane sat in Sylvia's office feeling embarrassed.
"Do you believe me now?"
"But...the father is..." Jane dropped her face in her hands, "Oh, God, he's the father."
"Who?"
Jane looked up, "My boss."
Sylvia laughed, "You're kidding."
"Thanks." Jane stood. "I need to think."
"Fine. Come in for your appointment on Monday, we'll do a prenatal work up then. Bring the father if you want."
"I..." Jane shook her head, "I can't think about that right now. Thanks, Syl. I'll see you Monday." She rushed out of the office, and nearly ran to the car. Letting Max into the back seat, she climbed behind the wheel.
After sending a text to Nicole and Shyanne to cancel her plans with them, she started the powerful engine. She didn't know where she was going; she just steered the car down the road.
The sun had long since set as she found herself pulling to a stop in front of her mothers house. She didn't remember most of the drive, but somehow she had somehow made it.
The house was dark except for the outside lights. Her mothers bright yellow jeep was no where to be seen. She picked up her phone and dialed her mothers number. "Where are you?" She asked when her mother answered.
"I told you last weekend I was going to go visit your Aunt Carlotta." Her mother answered.
"But..." Tears filled Jane's eyes, "I need you."
"Uh, oh, what happened?"
"I can't talk about it over the phone."
"Are you safe?"
"Yes. I have..." She looked in the rear view mirror where Max was staring out the windows, "I'm safe."
"Good. I'll be home tomorrow morning. We can talk then."
"But, Mom..." Jane sniffled. "I'm at your house. Do you mind if I stay here until you get back?"
"Of course not." Judy answered. "There's left overs in the fridge. You have a key."
"Thanks." Jane climbed out of the car, and let Max out. He disappeared into the trees. "Some guard dog." She murmured.
Using her key, she entered the house, dropped her things in her bedrooms, and grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch before going outside to find the lounge chair on the dock.
Curling up with the blanket, she laid back to study the stars above. The drive hadn't cleared her mind, or allowed her to escape reality. She rested her hand against her still flat abdomen, reality had followed her. How was it possible there was a life growing there?
As she lay pondering her choices, her eyes drooped. What was she going to do? How could she possible raise a child? The soothing sounds of the water lapping against the side of the dock soon lulled her to sleep.
The slamming of a car door jerked her wake. She nearly fell off the lounge chair, but managed to stay seated as she looked back towards the driveway.
"Jane!" Nicole was climbing the stairs to the porch.
"Over here." Jane called.
With a gasp, her friend turned towards the dock. "Hey!" Nicole ran down the steps and across the yard to drop into a lounge chair next to Jane. "So, what's got into you?"
"What are you doing here, Nik?"
"You cancelled our plans."
"Yeah, I know."
"You never cancel girls night out unless you're having a really bad day. I went to your apartment to check on you because you weren't answering your phone, and Rain hadn't seen you."
"Great, you probably freaked him out."
"I just texted him and told him I found you. He was prepared to drive up here himself, but there was something about getting rearrested or something."
"He's out on bail. He can't leave the city limits."
"Well..." Nicole tossed up her hands, "Then you found the perfect spot to hide from him if that was your goal."
"It wasn't. I wasn't thinking about him, I just drove and ended up here."
"What's wrong?"
"Why do you think there's something wrong."
Nicole grinned, "Jane, we've been friends since we were five years old. The tone of your text told me something was bothering you. When that happens you go to Mom."
"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock."
"The question is what has you so upset? Is the stalker back?"
Jane had informed her friends about the stalker a few days before, "I haven't heard anything from the so-called stalker since Sunday."
"Wonder what the creep has been doing."
Jane glanced at her best friend. "Do you know, you have been with me through every single good and bad moment in my life."
Nicole laughed, "Likewise."
"Remember when Dad died, and you spent almost every night for a month at my house because I couldn't stop crying myself to sleep."
"I remember my best friend was hurting, and I had to help."
"You did."
"Remember when my parents dragged me to Zimbabwe right after Kindergarten? We wrote letters back and forth that whole summer."
"I do remember. Not the best letters considering we had barely learned to write." Jane laughed, "Well, me anyway, you learned to write when you were what, three?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"We wrote to each other every summer while your parents were dragging you around the world. I still have the letters."
"Me too." Nicole stared up at the stars for a while, "What's going on, Jane?"
"Nothing's going on." Jane rubbed a hand over her face, "How are things going with you and Devon?"
"Not as good as he would like." Nicole replied with a giggle.
"Are you holding out on him?"
"I've known the man a month. I'm not Shyanne. I don't sleep with a guy just because he wants me to. I do it when I want to."
"And you don't want to?"
Nicole giggled again, "Have you seen him? The man is gorgeous. His body is..."
"Okay, enough." Jane held up a hand to stop her, "I don't need the details. If you're so hot for him why not just sleep with him?"
Nicole shrugged, "It doesn't feel right, yet."
"I can respect that."
"It's cold. Let's go inside and start a fire. I know your Mom has some wine somewhere."
Jane followed her friend back to the house. Inside, she set a fire while Nicole went to find the wine. "None for me." She said.
Reaching out to set to wine glasses on the coffee table, Nicole halted, her eyes wide. "No way."
Jane shrugged, "I'm pregnant." There, she'd said the words out loud. Now they were real. It was real. No, not it, a boy or a girl. He or She was real.
Nicole stared at her, dumbfounded. "Are you serious?" She sat the glasses and wine bottle on the table, "How the hell...?"
"Remember that IUD I had?"
"The Birth Control thing."
"Yes, the inserted Birth Control thing that made it possible for me not to have to worry about taking a pill every day."
"Right."
"It's only good for five years."
"Okay."
"Mine was removed three weeks ago."
"Okay."
"And then, like an idiot, I forgot that without it, I had to use condoms."
"Oh, Jane. That's a rookie mistake."
Jane laughed, with a shake of her head she glanced over at her friend, "Yeah, a rookie mistake."
"Well, come on. You're thirty years old..."
"I didn't plan on sleeping with anyone. I had broken it off with Keith, I wasn't looking."
"Even I know it happens."
"Yeah, it happened," Jane's hand rested on her belly, "Now this is happening."
"Have you told him?"
"I just found out before I came up here."
"So you haven't told anyone?"
"Just you."
Nicole dropped back on the couch. "Holy shit. This is insane."
"Yeah, I know." Jane finished setting the fire in the hearth, and stepped back.
"You've always wanted to have a family."
"I wanted a husband first."
"You don't know what Rain is going to do."
"I doubt he's going to want a kid."
"You never know. He might surprise you. I mean, com on. The man lost his mother, and went straight to you. That's telling."
"That doesn't mean he's going to want kids."
"I know I have to tell him. I just need to get used to the idea first."
"Babies don't keep. You better hurry up."
"I've got a few months before anyone will notice."
"Jane, you can't wait months. He's the father, he deserves to know."
With a deep sigh, Jane settled back on the couch, "I know. I just don't know how."
They sat staring into the fire as the evening wore on. Nicole suddenly jumped up and went over to the bookcase against one wall. She pulled off a thick photo album, and returned to her seat next to Jane.
"What are you doing?"
With a grin, Nicole flipped three pages in and pointed to a picture of Jane's mother standing next to the lake with a two year old Chase at her feet. Her belly was largely rounded. "That's your future."
Jane arched an eyebrow at her friend, "You are not helping."
Nicole giggled uncontrollably. "You know you aren't going to be one of those women who look like they have a basketball under their shirt. You're going to be huge."
Finally breaking into a smile, Jane shook her head, "You are evil."
"Evil? Not me." Nicole flipped to the next page, "Your boobs are going to be huge. That's a bonus. Look here." She pointed to Jane's baby picture. "How adorable. You're going to have one of those."
"What would I do without you, Nik?" Jane lifted her arm around Nicole's shoulders to hug her. "You always know what to say."
"Well, then make me the Godmother before Shyanne finds out."