Free Baby Comes First by Beverly Farr

the things
that are most important.”
    She thought of one of their recent clients.
“Like the McClane case.”
    He gave a laugh. “Perhaps not every case is
socially significant.”
    “Except to the parties involved,” Hannah
conceded.
    He smiled, and for a moment they sat in
comfortable silence.
    She tried to hide a yawn, and he glanced at
his watch. “It’s time for me to go home,” he said. “Thank you for
dinner.”
    “Thank you for the movies,” she said,
suddenly feeling awkward again. Since she had to lie down, she
couldn’t walk him to the front door.
    He reached down and for an instant she
thought he might kiss her. She held her breath, then he touched her
cheek gently. “Good night, Hannah,” he said quietly.
    When will I see you again? she
thought, then mentally checked herself.
    He let himself out the front door, closing it
behind him.
    Hannah reached up to rub her cheek that
seemed to tingle where he’d touched her.
    “He likes you,” Mrs. Parker said. She’d come
into the room to gather the dishes.
    Hannah startled, embarrassed. She was acting
like some love-starved spinster. “He’s just being kind.” She’d been
crazy to think that he might kiss her. He was her boss, nothing
more.
    “A kind man would have dropped off the movies
and stayed five minutes -- not two hours.”
    Had it been that long? Hannah glanced at the
clock. “Mrs. Parker, I’m sorry. Did I make you stay late?”
    “I don’t mind. I get paid overtime.”
     

 
    CHAPTER
SIX
     
    Luke didn’t come by again for the next two
days because he was out of town for a hearing, but he called both
evenings to ask how she was doing. “I’m fine,” she assured him. The
calls weren’t long, no more than five minutes in length, but she
appreciated his concern. It gave her a warm, happy feeling to know
that someone cared.
    Which was irrational, she told herself
firmly. He’s merely being kind. Don’t imagine it’s anything
else.
    When the telephone rang Saturday morning, she
picked it up quickly, hoping it was Luke.
    It wasn’t. A female voice said, “Ms. Hansen?
This is Irene.”
    It was the manager of the senior center.
Hannah was disappointed for a moment, then grew worried. “Is my
mother all right?”
    “She’s about the same. But I’m not calling
about that.”
    “It’s not about the painting class, is it? I
called earlier and left a message that I wouldn’t be able to teach
for the next few weeks.”
    “Yes, I got the message, thank you. What I
need to discuss is another matter entirely.”
    Hannah waited.
    “You remember the roof damage we had after
the hail storm in the spring?”
    “Yes.” They’d had to move her mother to
another room while they made repairs. Her mother, always agitated
by change, had not done well. It had taken her more than a week to
become accustomed to her new environment.
    “Well, we did some minor repairs, but the
entire roof needs to be replaced. The board of directors has
decided that when we replace the roof, we should also renovate the
entire building.”
    “That sounds like a big project. Will my
mother be moved to another room again?”
    “It’s not that simple. The renovations will
be extensive. All of our residents will need to move out for at
least six months, possibly more.”
    “Move out? When?”
    “We need everyone out by the first of
February.”
    That gave her a little more than three and a
half months.
    “I know this will be difficult for your
mother, but I wanted to give you ample notice so you could find
some place for her. If you wish, we can handle the move.”
    For a fee, Hannah thought cynically. She
appreciated the care the facility had given her mother, but they
were still a business, wanting to make a profit. “Thank you for
letting me know,” she said, and disconnected the call.
    How was she going to find a place for her
mother to live while she was on bed rest? And after that, she was
going to have a baby to take care of. Not to mention the