The drive to Edinburgh was a tense one. Gabe decided to drive rather than take the train or fly for the simple reason that he needed a little time to come to terms with the situation and thought it would be the easiest way to bring Emma home. He was vibrating with nervous excitement as he drove, a faraway look in his eyes as he imagined meeting his little girl for the first time. Quinn, on the other hand, was feeling somewhat more pragmatic as she compiled a mental to-do list.
“Gabe, have you given any thought to the practicalities?” Quinn asked carefully, knowing that Gabe hadn’t focused on anything beyond meeting Emma.
“Hmm? Like what?” Gabe asked, giving Quinn a perplexed look.
“Asked the man who never had to take care of a child,” Quinn joked. She had no desire to make Gabe feel foolish or unprepared. He was too overcome with shock and excitement to give practical matters too much thought, and that’s where she came in. “Well, for starters, where will she sleep? Neither one of us has a spare bedroom. Emma will need a room of her own.”
Gabe looked so startled by the question that Quinn nearly burst out laughing. He really had no clue what he was in for. “And what about childcare? We’ll need to find a reputable nursery school, won’t we?”
“Surely that can wait,” Gabe protested.
“For a little while, sure, but someone will have to look after her while we work. And there’re other things.”
“Such as?” Gabe asked, looking utterly bemused.
“When is her birthday? What does she like to eat? What’s her favorite toy? What TV programs does she enjoy watching? Does she have a best friend?” Quinn looked over at Gabe and smiled at him ruefully as she reached out to take his hand. “Oh, don’t look so panicked, love. We’ll figure it all out.”
“Will we?”
“Of course. Where is Emma now? Who is looking after her, and do they know we are coming?” Quinn asked carefully. Gabe had been too much in shock at the news to ask too many pertinent questions.
“Emma is staying with the Lennoxes. They were Jenna’s friends. Mr. Lennox, who is Jenna’s lawyer, thought that it would be an easier transition for Emma, staying with someone she knew rather than being turned over to the state until the situation was resolved.”
Quinn nodded and reached for Gabe’s mobile, which he’d plonked into a cup holder. At least now she had a starting point.
“What are you doing?” Gabe asked as Quinn scrolled through the contacts.
“You just drive, Dr. Russell, and leave the rest to me.” Quinn pulled out a notepad and a pen and dialed the lawyer’s office. After a brief conversation, she then dialed Mrs. Lennox’s number. Gabe watched in amazement as Quinn filled page after page with notes, nodding to herself as the other woman spoke, and putting forth questions he would have never have thought to ask.
“And lastly, who’s Emma’s pediatrician?” Quinn asked, earning a look of respect from Gabe. When she finally rang off, he squeezed her hand.
“That was bloody brilliant, Quinn. I’m in awe. But why did you ask about the pediatrician? Won’t Emma’s new doctor have access to her records through the NHS database?”
“I would assume so, but we might need to consult someone who knows her. Emma just lost the two people closest to her. She’s frightened, sad, and confused. We might need help dealing with her grief, and her doctor might be able to recommend a therapist who specializes in working with young children.”
“Do you really think it’ll be as bad as that?” Gabe asked, looking even more worried than he had a few minutes before. The excitement was wearing off and anxiety setting in, which, under the circumstances, was perfectly normal.
Gabe had clearly never considered the fact that Emma would be grieving, or that she might be terrified at the prospect of being taken away from everything she’d known up until a fortnight ago.
“Two people she’s never even heard of are coming to take her away. She might come along willingly, or she might put up a fight, and who could blame her?”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Gabe admitted. “I assumed she’d be happy to meet her dad.”
“She’s a little girl, Gabe, not a grown woman. You are a stranger to her, and she is to you. It will take time.”
“I wish I’d thought to ask Mr. Lennox for Emma’s picture. I keep trying to imagine what she looks like, but draw a blank,” Gabe confessed. “I keep picturing Jenna instead, but her features are hazy in my mind after all this time. The only thing I truly remember is her hair. It was long, thick, and flaming-red. She was quite proud of it, I think,” he added, as a look of sadness passed over his face. “I can’t believe she died, and in such a sudden and brutal way.”
Quinn smiled gently at Gabe. “Pull over for a moment, love.”
“Why? There’s nothing here.”
“Because I’m one step ahead of you, and I don’t want you to crash into a tree.”
Gabe obediently pulled over and turned in his seat, his expression one of tense anticipation. He held out his hand and Quinn passed him the mobile. Gabe sucked in his breath as he beheld his daughter for the first time. An expression of pure wonder lit up his face, and Quinn’s vision blurred with unshed tears. She’d hoped that the first time Gabe beheld his child would be when their own child was born, but she couldn’t begrudge him this. For Gabe, this was a wondrous moment, and her heart nearly burst with tenderness for him.
“I don’t think you’ll be requesting a paternity test,” she said, her voice shaky. “She’s the spitting image of you.”
“She is, isn’t she?” Gabe replied as he used the back of his hand to wipe his damp cheeks.