Once a Cowboy by Linda Warren

still, so lifeless. As I picked him up Irealized he wasn’t breathing. I shook and shook him…when I knew he was dead I went a little insane. I tried calling Cleo, but I couldn’t reach her. I don’t know why I didn’t call for help. All I knew was that our son had died while I slept and I could never tell Tom that. He’d never forgive me.”
    She took a breath. “Somewhere in the insanity of my mind I reasoned that my son was still at the hospital. This dead child wasn’t mine. I got dressed and found Cleo’s car keys. Harold had come by the house to get her, so her car was in the garage. When I reached the hospital, I went inside and up to the nursery. The place was in semidarkness…no one was in the halls. Two nurses were on duty. I waited until they both answered calls then I slipped inside to the babies. There were seven of them and I looked at each one, searching for my son. Then I saw your black hair and I picked you up. You stretched and opened your eyes. They were blue and I knew I’d found my baby. I grabbed a sheet and wrapped you in a bundle and quickly left the hospital. No one saw me.”
    Brodie’s chest felt tight and he struggled to breathe. “What did you do with your baby?”
    Claudia flinched. “Cleo was working on her yard and earlier in the week she’d laid some paving stones to a gazebo she had in the back. I put my baby in a box, got a shovel from the garage and went outside. I pried up one of the stones, then dug a deep hole. I buried my baby and positioned the stone back in place. When morning came I cleaned up the excess dirt. Nothing looked out of place. I called for a cab and went to the airport. I sleptfor a long time on the flight. When I woke up, I didn’t remember the night before. I felt drugged, but I had my son and soon we’d see Tom.”
    She paused. “I remembered it for the first time in a dream last night. It wasn’t a dream, though. It actually happened.”
    “So I’m not your son?” After all she’d told him, he needed to hear her say it.
    She groped for his hands. “No. You’re not my son. But I loved you with all my heart. Your father did, too.”
    “Why are you telling me now?”
    “So you’ll know the truth from me, even though the DNA has already told you. I know I don’t have much time left and I have to beg for your forgiveness. Please don’t hate me.”
    Suddenly Brodie had reached his breaking point. He shoved back his chair. “I need some time.” Before he could stop himself, he ran from the room.
     
    A LEX SAW Brodie head for the exit and she jumped up to follow him. Down three flights of stairs she trailed him, taking the steps three at a time. When she reached the bottom floor, she didn’t see him among the crowd of people. She quickly checked other exits, then she spotted him on a garden patio for visitors. Opening the door, she stepped out into the warm summer day. Because of the heat, they were the only two people on the patio.
    He bent over, his hands on his knees, gulping in air.
    She gave him time.
    He straightened and saw her. “Go away.”
    “How is your mother?”
    “Don’t pretend you care.”
    She ignored that tone in his voice, knowing he was hurting. “I do care. I started this, so I feel responsible.”
    Sinking onto a bench, he buried his face in his hands. “I can’t believe this. I just can’t.”
    She sat by him. “I know it’s hard, but—”
    “You don’t understand.”
    “Then enlighten me.”
    He raised his head and looked at her, his eyes a stormy blue. “My mother told me the truth.”
    “Oh.” She was taken aback for a moment. “What happened?”
    He looked down at the concrete and told her all the details. “She wanted me to forgive her and I couldn’t.”
    “That’s probably a normal reaction.”
    He dragged his hands through his hair. “I’m not Brodie Hayes and I’m not Travis Braxton. Who the hell am I?”
    Unable to resist, she reached out and hugged him. He gripped her so tight she