Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Veronica Mars.
CHAPTER TEN
In a small voice that could barely be heard over the wailing, Veronica asked, "Is it yours?"
"What? No!" Logan jumped off the couch, suddenly agitated. "How could you even ask me that?"
"It's just… there was a lot going on last year." Veronica was on an emotional rollercoaster. She had been ready to face mortal danger, but not this. She tried stay calm, but she could hear her voice quaver. "Logan, if this is your baby I can… try… to understand. But you need to tell me the truth. Right now."
Logan could see the desperate look on her face. He strode across the sitting room and held her at arms' length. "Veronica, this is not my baby. I promise. Just wait here, I'll show you."
He let go of her and dashed into the kitchen. More than anything, Veronica wanted to believe him. She knew Logan, and didn't think he would lie to her. But nagging voice inside her head still asked the terrible question, "wouldn't it be just like the son of Aaron Echolls to get in trouble with a one-night stand?" She could practically see the lurid celebrity tabloid headlines.
Logan emerged from the kitchen, brandishing a letter. "I found this with the kid, taped to the box" he declared.
The envelope was plain except for the name "Dick Casablancas, Jr." printed in neat penmanship across the front. Veronica removed the letter from its envelope with shaking hands.
Dear Dick,
I'm so sorry to tell you this way, but this is your son. His name is Joey, and he's eight months old. I never would leave him like this except that I can't protect him anymore. Please keep our son safe. I'm sorry. When he's older, tell Joey his Mama loves him forever.
The letter was unsigned.
Veronica stood thoughtfully for a moment, letter in hand. Logan watched her anxiously. Finally, she moved over to Joey, still crying in his cardboard crib. Just like Dick, the baby had flaxen blond hair and bright blue eyes. Veronica lifted him from the box and carried him to the dining room table. She laid Joey down, unfastening his little blue jumper.
Logan trailed behind her. "What are you doing?" he asked cautiously.
"Checking for a spiked tail. You know, I always thought the Spawn of Satan would have red skin and horns."
Logan chuckled in relief. "Who knew Dick Casablancas could produce a seemingly normal human child?"
"Sure, he looks normal. It's all teddy bears and sunshine until his eyes glow green and he tells you to jump off your balcony."
"Thank God there aren't many corn fields here in Neptune."
"Where is dear Daddy Dick?"
"Surfing in Mexico. That was him I was talking to when you came in. Or his voicemail, anyway. I've left a ton of messages."
"Mexico? The semester just started three days ago!"
Logan shrugged and held his hands up defensively. "Hey, he wanted me to come with, but I was trying to be responsible and go to class." He looked down at little Joey on the table. "I guess I was destined to skip today regardless of the surf report."
Veronica unfastened the baby's diaper. "He's wet," she announced. "This model didn't happen to come with accessories like diapers or formula, did it?"
"No." Logan ran his hand through his already disheveled hair. "I guess he'll need that stuff if he's staying awhile, huh?"
"Staying? Logan, you've got to call Child Protective Services!"
"What, and have them put Joey in foster care?" Logan was agitated again. "No way! Dick is my best friend. I am not giving up his kid to CPS. Joey's not going anywhere until Dick gets back from Mexico and can decide for himself what to do."
"Logan, you don't know how to take care of a baby-"
"You do. You helped Duncan."
That brought Veronica up short. It was true, she had helped Duncan take care of his daughter as they prepared to flee the country. She changed tactics.
"We don't even know for sure if this is Dick's baby."
"The letter-"
"I could write a letter saying George Washington was the father of my baby, but it wouldn't make it true. The only way to know is to locate the mother and check the facts. Even then, there still needs to be a paternity test."
"Then I'm keeping Joey until I find the mother, or until Dick gets back. Either way, he's not going to foster care." Logan declared. "Are you going to help me or not?" he asked fiercely.
Veronica sighed impatiently. Logan could be so stubborn sometimes!
"Ronnie," he implored her. "The letter said Joey was in danger. He needs us."
Free of his soggy diaper, Joey cooed happily and waved his hands towards Veronica. She let him curl his tiny fist around her finger. "Fine," she said. "But we're going to need some supplies."
************
Ninety minutes later, Logan returned with several heavy shopping bags. "How could one small person need so much stuff?" he grunted. He heaved the bags onto the kitchen counter with some effort.
Joey's jumper had been washed and was drying on a dining room chair. Logan saw that the child himself was wrapped in a clean towel, sound asleep with Veronica on the couch. She lay with him cradled against her chest, where he sucked his small fingers blissfully. Veronica held Joey with one arm, her other hand clutching his mother's farewell letter. Logan guessed Veronica had been inspecting it for clues before drifting to sleep herself.
Veronica and the baby hadn't heard Logan enter the suite. He crept closer, perching on the end of the sofa for a better look. Joey resembled Dick, there was no doubt about it. But Joey and Veronica shared a number of similar features as well. To see them together, their blond hair tousled in sleep, it was easy to imagine the two were mother and child.
This vision caused something in Logan to twinge unexpectedly. He regarded the pair, searching for recognition of this new feeling. Fear? That would be a natural reaction. He and Veronica had never talked about the future. It had always been a struggle for them to stay together on a day-to-day basis.
"Relationships shouldn't be this hard," she had once said to him.
"They don't write songs about the ones that are easy," he had told her.
But this feeling was different than fear. Logan wasn't afraid, not of a future with Veronica. He realized that the twinge he felt was… yearning. Jealousy, even. He wished this was his life, that it was their baby asleep in Veronica's arms.
He was shocked at the revelation within himself. "Where did that come from?" He wondered. Deep down, though, he knew. Within one year, Logan's life had been ripped to shreds. His girlfriend had been brutally killed, his mother had committed suicide, and his father had stood trial for murder, only to be assassinated. Even the Echolls' mansion had burnt to the ground. Logan had been alone for a very long time. He looked at Veronica and the tow-headed child nestled close to her body. For the first time in years, Logan could envision what it would be like to have a family again. A family of his own.
Joey stirred and saw Logan watching. He reached with tiny arms and squirmed against Veronica's protective embrace, making small fussing sounds. Logan quickly scooped him up and bounced the baby lightly on his shoulder.
"Shh, Auntie Ronnie is sleeping," he murmured. "You must be hungry, huh? Does Uncle Logan have a treat for you! Formula and mashed peas, yum!"
Veronica was already waking up, however. She rubbed her eyes and focused blearily on Logan and the baby. "Mmm. Sounds tasty."
"Buongiorno, principessa," Logan said, affecting an Italian accent. "Non, non, dis is only for the bambino. For de more mature palette, de house special tonight is lasagna and de little cannolis."
"Aw, you brought cannolis."
"Yes, but I left the gun with Don Corleone."
Veronica stretched and rose from the sofa. She patted Logan's cheek. "You're a good boy. You too, Bambino." She kissed Joey's head. "You might want to put him in a diaper first, or else the maids will be cranky with you when they come to change the towels."
"Good point." Logan rummaged in one of the shopping bags he'd left in the kitchen and pulled out a pack of Luvs. Veronica coached him through the basics, then wandered into the kitchen. She mixed a bottle of formula for Joey and popped it into the microwave, then served up the lasagna for her and Logan.
Logan cleaned up in the dining room and set the table. Everyone ate enthusiastically. "So how was your day, dear?" he asked flippantly.
"I examined the letter that came with Joey. It's cheap, generic stock. There are no watermarks on the envelope or the paper to indicate where it was bought or manufactured. And no postmark."
"What, you mean you can't ship a baby overnight express?"
Veronica continued as if she were oblivious to the interruption. "There's nothing in this letter that can point us to the mother. So I'm thinking we should start with Joey. The letter says he's eight months old. We can canvass the local hospitals and try to find his birth certificate."
"Which would list the birth mother."
"Unless she used an alias at the hospital."
Logan leaned over and kissed Veronica tenderly. "Thank you. For helping. I know you've already got a lot going on."
Veronica smiled thinly and picked up a cannoli. "You realize I'll be waiting with a camera when you tell Dick he's a father?"
"I'll make sure you get a good angle," Logan laughed.
Veronica's phone rang. "That could be the vet," she said. She passed the baby to Logan and jumped up to answer. Her caller ID said it was Mack.
"Hey, girlfriend, que pasa?"
Mack was not in a good mood, however. "V, can you come to campus? Someone broke into all the rooms in Baran Hall. They stole my computer!"