Chapter 7
Gran’s mouth hung open.
“She’s sure got her claws in him,” Mark said.
Kade nodded. “’Peers that way.”
Another cry rent the air, this one left no doubt the person uttering it was angry and frightened.
Declan’s murmuring pleas drifted over. “It’s okay, honey. I’m right here. You know I’d never leave you.”
Kade started toward the car, then stopped and listened.
“We’re home. Remember I told you all about the ranch?”
Declan’s next words squeezed Kade’s heart.
“Kade said we could stay forever. Now let me dry those tears.”
Kade, unaware he’d moved, had reached the car and was trying to see over Declan’s bent head.
“She okay?”
Declan jerked. “She’s fine, just hungry and scared. Probably wet.”
“Huh?” Kade frowned. “You said,” he swallowed hard, wet?”
“Yeah, I can’t seem to get her drawers fastened right.”
“Oh, boy.” Air whooshed out of Kade’s lungs.
A series of sobs came from the back seat, and Kade craned his head, desperate to see the woman that needed his brother’s help to get her drawers on.
Declan stepped to the side, and Kade muffled an oath.
There, strapped into a car seat, her face screwed up ready to let the world know she wasn’t a bit happy, sat a beautiful baby girl. Tears coursed down her cheeks, flooding big brown eyes and wetting black lashes. Bare legs stiffened, giving Kade a glimpse of the bottom of tiny feet a shade lighter than the rest of her cafe-au-lait skin.
At that moment, she saw Kade, and giving a piercing scream, frantically lunged for Declan.
Kade jumped back, bumping his head on the frame of the car’s door.
Declan grabbed Maddy and pulled her to him. She buried her head in the hollow of his throat, and if she could have crawled inside his chest, she would have. He folded his arms around her—a protective cocoon for a delicate butterfly.
Declan made more shushing noises, telling her all was okay and that her Uncle Kade wouldn’t hurt her. Nothing ever again would hurt her, not with her daddy close by.
Then Declan took a ratty piece of blanket from the car seat and tucked it between Maddy’s chin and his shoulder.
Kade felt pieces of his heart melt. So, this was Maddy, and a million questions flew through his mind. With his hand moving of its own accord, he raised one finger and gently brushed a tear from the side of her cheek.
“I won’t hurt you, baby girl,” he crooned. I’m your,” he stumbled over the word, “daddy’s brother, your Uncle Kade. How about you and Daddy get out of that old car and come see your new home?” Kade wracked his brain for words that would reassure and coax Maddy to brave the threatening situation.
His hand gently covered her small back as his fingers made light circles on her red dress covered with miniature, black Scottish terriers.
“You’ve got puppies on your pretty dress—lots of puppies. Woof,” he gave a muted bark. “Woof, woof.”
Maddy’s sobs stopped. Her head raised slightly.
“Uncle Kade’s silly, huh?” Declan said. There was no response, but the lack of terrifying screams and tears was reward enough.
“If you’ll let Daddy carry you to the house, there’s someone waiting to meet you, and I’ll just bet she’ll give you ice cream,” Kade coaxed. Maddy’s head raised more.
Declan whispered in Maddy’s ear. Her black curls bobbed up and down. Declan smiled and winked at Kade.
“Did you just ask her if she wanted booze?” Kade asked.
Declan chuckled. “Booza, big guy, not booze.”
The minute Declan said the word, Maddy nodded vigorously and peeked out from the corner of one brown eye.
“Booza,” Kade repeated. “What the hell, I mean what the heck, is that?”
“Arabic for ice cream. It’s a special kind of ice cream that’s made for hotter climates. Sticky as all get out, but won’t melt as easy. It’s like eating tasty elastic. You eat it on a square wooden spoon. Maddy developed a liking for it in the orphanage.”
Kade cringed at the word. A fierce protectiveness entered him toward the little girl with sad eyes. He studied Declan and her, and he couldn’t help smiling at the comparison. Maddy’s dark hair and coffee-cream complexion against Declan’s pale skin and blonde hair was a study in contrasts.
“Booza, Maddy?” Kade asked in a gentle voice. “Hmmm?”
She nodded and hiccupped a sob.
“Well, then let’s go. Gran’s got Booza waiting and,” he grinned at Declan, “a million questions.”
Kade backed out the door, followed by Declan and Maddy, clinging tightly to his neck and the scrap of blanket.
“Grab that bag would you, Kade? Her diaper’s soaked. Be nice if they’d label them front and back. But no, they leave it up to you to guess. I mess with the tape, trying to get it to fit, until it won’t stick, and the pee leaks out the leg. There’s a bottle somewhere on the seat. We’ll need it, too.”
Kade took in all the new baby paraphernalia crammed on the back seat, and feeling foolish, threw the straps of the diaper bag over his shoulder and rooted around for the bottle. Successful, he followed Declan.
Gran was frozen in one spot. Her mouth was open wide, but for once nothing was spewing out.
“Careful, Ida,” Mark whispered in her ear, “you’ll catch flies.” He stepped back before her exasperated swat made contact.
“Gran,” Declan said proudly, “I’d like you to meet Madeline McKune, my daughter.
Gran put her hand over her heart, then shook her head.
“I thought she was a woman. Lordy, I’ve made a fool of myself. Maddy McKune,” she whispered. “Your daughter. My, oh, my.”
“Named for you, Ida Madeline McKune. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind? I’m honored. My first and only great-granddaughter.
“Kade, Declan beat you to the draw.” Mark chuckled.
“Declan,” Gran asked, “where’s your wife, her mother?”
“No wife. Maddy is, uh was, an orphan. Remember you always told us babies came from under a cabbage leaf? Well, I found Maddy in a garbage dump, and from the smell, I’m sure there had to be a few cabbage leaves around.”
“Poor little angel,” Gran crooned and reached for the child.
Maddy whimpered and tightened her hold on Declan’s neck.
“She doesn’t take to strangers, Gran. Give her a few days, and she’ll warm up. She’s been through more in her few months than most people have in a lifetime.”
Tears formed in Gran’s eyes, and Kade had to look off in the distance to clear his.
“How old is she, Declan,” Kade asked.
“We’re not sure. The doctors guessed between twelve and fourteen months. She’s been delayed in development due to lack of nourishment and no care.”
“Well, we’ll fix that up,” Gran said.
Kade recognized Gran’s determination. It was that strong core he and his brothers leaned on. He had no doubt it was there aplenty for Maddy. And something told him his brother could use a good dose of the same.