Free The Baby Arrangement by Samantha Chase

the amount of times I’ve even seen Brian in the office.  Why is it that you work fifteen hour days and he doesn’t even show up?  Where is he while you’re planning this expansion of the business?  Where does he stand on that?  What is it exactly that he does because I have to be honest with you, Derek, as far as I can see, he’s a spoiled brat who is living off of your hard work!”
    Rage was building in Derek at each sentence she spoke , but what was the more powerful emotion was embarrassment.  If Kayleigh had noticed this dynamic to his family, chances were that others within the company had noticed it to and probably looked at him like he was a fool. 
    “It’s o kay to love your brother, Derek,” she said with more calmness than she had felt just moments ago.   “All I’m saying is that maybe it’s time for him to grow up and face the consequences of his actions.  Maybe it’s time for you to not bail him out.”
    “What am I supposed to do?” he asked weakly, his arms dropping to his side hopelessly.  “Do I really set out to teach him a lesson at Emery’s expense?”  When Kayleigh didn’t immediate ly answer he went on.  “When Brian gets back we’ll do whatever we have to do make Emery’s transition an easy one.  We’ll find him a nanny and move furniture and…whatever it takes.”
    Sadness overwhelmed her.  In her mind she knew that her time here in Derek’s home was temporary, hearing the words out loud made her heart ache.  Tears began to well in her eyes and she knew if she tried to speak the dam would break.  Turning away, she once again looked at her portfolio , but realized that her heart just wasn’t in it tonight.
    Taking a deep breath Kayleigh turned to Derek.  “If it’s all right with you, we’ll look that the drawings tomorrow.  I guess I’m a little more tired than I thought.”
    Derek knew it was a lie, but it was one that he understood.  He wished her a good night and then turned to look out to the back yard until he heard her bedroom door close.  Everything she said was right.  He was concerned that Brian was going to screw this up and deep down, Derek was tired of his brother being so damn irresponsible.  At the same time, unfortunately, he knew that he would do whatever it took this time to make sure that his brother didn’t fail.
    Teaching him nothing.

Chapter Five
     
    After a restless night, Kayleigh was thankful that Emery had slept in and that by the time they went downstairs, Derek had left for work.  A quick glance at the kitchen clock showed that she needed to leave soon in order to make her appointment with her brother. 
    Packing up all of Emery’s essentials, she loaded the car and they were soon on their way .  It didn’t take long for Jared to diagnose a mild ear infection and prescribe an antibiotic.  “You should notice a difference by tomorrow,” he said with a smile.  “How is she doing otherwise?”
    Kayleigh filled him in on a day-in-the-life of Emery and was relieved to hear that other than the ear infection, she was a healthy baby.  “Derek will be glad to hear that.  He was concerned that she was so small.”
    “Well, she’s very young,” Jared replied.  “If he has any questions, tell him he can call me at any time.”  He hesitated briefly.  “Any word on whether or not he’s the father?”
    With an odd sense of déjà vu, she gave him the Reader’s Digest version of where they were at in the paternity department.  Trying to mask her disappointment with the current turn of events, Kayleigh gathered up all of her things so that her brother could get on to his next patient.  “It’s such a beautiful day out, Jared, would it be all right for us to go for a walk in the park or will that upset her ear too much?”
    With assurance that a walk in the park would indeed be fine, Kayleigh and Emery were on their way.  The subdivision that Derek lived in boasted a beautiful park with a walking trail so