An Act of Persuasion

EPILOGUE



THE MEETING HAD been arranged. Ben made the call to Jennifer, explained who he was and asked if she would be interested in meeting with her daughter. Anna had listened to the conversation over the speaker phone and, in the silence between when Ben had finally asked if she would like to meet her daughter and Jennifer’s answer, Anna thought her heart was going to burst.

Then Jennifer, in a shaky voice clearly filled with emotion, had asked if Anna knew what she’d done.

Ben explained that Anna was aware of the circumstances of her incarceration and that she still wanted to meet. In the interest of keeping the visit short and giving Anna an easy out if she felt she needed it, Ben had suggested they meet at the coffee shop next to the Big Foods store where Jennifer worked. This would define the boundaries of the encounter, ensuring it would last no longer than half an hour, which was the length of Jennifer’s lunch break.

Now Anna sat in the coffee shop, Kelly asleep in her stroller beside her, wondering if she hadn’t made a mistake. There was no reason Anna needed to meet this woman. Their family tie had been broken years ago. Given what she’d done to her father, Anna had every reason to go the rest of her life without ever acknowledging the woman who gave birth to her.

“Calm down.”

Ben placed two cups of steaming tea on the small table. Winter had hit the East Coast full force this past weekend. Not only was the ground covered with a couple inches of snow, but it also felt as though the temperature had dropped again.

“I shouldn’t have brought the baby out. It’s too cold. What if it starts snowing? We shouldn’t be on the road. We should have rescheduled.”

Ben pointed to the sleeping child. “She’s wearing fifteen layers of clothing. She would be comfortably warm in the Arctic right now. There is no prediction for snow in the forecast. You’re only nervous.”

“I’m not nervous,” Anna lied, even as her leg jiggled under the table. “I mean, she’s probably more nervous to see me than I am her, right? Do you think I’ll remember what she looks like?”

“I don’t know. Six is young, but maybe not too young.”

“Right.”

The door to the shop opened, but a man walked in rubbing his hands as if to reinforce Anna’s concern that she’d brought her seven-week-old baby out in horrible, freezing conditions. Was this an indication she was a bad mother?

“Do you want me to distract you?”

That probably wouldn’t happen, but she liked that he made the offer. “Go for it.”

“I’ve decided it’s time for us to consummate our marriage.”

That did get her attention. As soon as she’d agreed to his proposal he hadn’t wasted any time. Two days later he arranged for a civil ceremony at their home. Having connections helped and Ben had connections everywhere. The mayor of Philadelphia had officiated, with Mark and Greg from the office in attendance. Sophie had also come and offered to hold the baby for the duration of the ceremony. Since it had lasted only ten minutes, the girl had been a little put out. The one thing that seemed to break her out of her perpetually bad mood was Kelly. Mark offered her services as a baby sitter any time Ben and Anna needed her. For his own selfish reasons, he admitted.

So while Ben and Anna had been married now for nearly seven weeks, sex hadn’t been an option. Anna was still healing from the C-section. And beyond that, not getting more than two hours of sleep at any given stretch during the night had put a damper on both their sex drives.

It was scary how easily they fell into the routine of living together. Anna remembered at one point thinking that she wasn’t cut out for a real relationship, but the reality of living in one hadn’t proven to be a challenge at all.

Ben was doing only half days at the office and spending the rest of his time with her and Kelly. They traded off feedings and did their best to let the other get as much prolonged sleep as they could. But their child’s lungs were overdeveloped and trying to sleep through her cries when she was in full throttle hungry mode was nearly impossible.

They laughed at their baby bungles. They were in awe of every tiny milestone. Today’s had been Kelly pushing her tongue out through her little mouth.

And they loved each other.

“Of course, I mean only if you’re up for it. Physically. But you said the doctor gave you the all-clear.”

“She did.”

“Then I think we need to make it happen. I refuse to be one of those hapless couples who never have sex again because the baby has them up all day and night.”

“But we are that hapless couple.”

“We can work in ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes?” she asked with a wry smile. “You think you can deliver in ten minutes?”

“As hard up as I am, I can deliver in five.”

“Deal.”

Ben leaned forward and cemented their bargain with a kiss that promised of things to come that night.

The door to the shop opened again, and this time a woman bundled in a cheap but serviceable winter coat walked in. She wore a hairnet over hair that Anna could see was a dark reddish color.

Instantly Anna stood, and Jennifer, because it had to be her, walked over to greet her.

Yes, Anna thought. I do recognize her a little.

“Anna?”

“Yes. Jennifer James?”

The woman placed her gloved hands over her mouth and sobbed. “Yes.”

“Jennifer, I would like you to meet my family. This is my husband, Ben, and my baby girl. I named her...Kelly. A family name.”

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