Chapter 70

I watched her and Cowboy go into the conference room. This situation with Jake better be resolved or Beautiful is going to go Rambo on them.

I should have just let it go and told her in no uncertain terms that we couldn't do what she wanted to do but when she turned around and gave me her reasons why she would bend all the rules for the kid I folded like a cheap tent.

I didn't help that she turned on the waterworks and I can't deal when a woman starts to bawl. It's like my kryptonite and always got me in trouble.

I'm making calls that I know will lead to no go. I wonder if I should just tell her it's not possible to kidnap a baby that's just had surgery and go on the run with him. Just saying it out loud is making me question my mindset.

Who are you kidding all she had to do was bat those eyelashes at you she was something special and someone else's but for how long? I shook my head. I can't believe I promised her I'd come up with a plan B but when she was in my arms and crying and then hearing her speech of being alone in this world it got me. I know the feeling but I didn't lose my family they disowned me.

That was a tidbit I'd keep to myself, I'd done okay without them and I would continue to grow and show them that I didn't need them. Growing up had been a challenge always in survivor mode living day to day. I had been shun by my birth parents since I was 16 hearing how I was nothing but a burden and trouble. That I would amount to nothing.

They had written me off before that saying I looked for trouble and that's why I was always in trouble. If they only knew I was being chased and beaten because of their choices. That's why I left and why I have a soft spot for runaways. I was one of them.

Only my bar family knew the truth. Momma G, Luca and Tiny they knew where I came from and had been there for me. That's one of the reason's I bought the bar. It had saved my life giving me somewhere to heal and to get my baring's. Momma had said I had two ways to make it out of the mess I was in one keep doing what I was doing and I'd end up with a roof over my head and three meals a day but would be giving up my freedom since I'd be doing time. The second choice she said was go into the military I didn't want to do it but after I hit rock bottom and almost didn't survive I listen to her and got my GED I wasn't a dumb kid I just didn't see the point in spending years in my life learning things I didn't think would benefit me.

Momma changed my mind she gave me a list of books while helping me study for my GED and that got me to ask for more books and when I passed my GED, I was ready to give Uncle Sam a chance. She pretended to be my mother and gave the performance of a lifetime, she had obtained my birth certificate and an ID stating she was my mother and wanting her no go son to go and be a better man and enlisted me into the Navy. The recruiting officer didn't blink and had her and I sign the paperwork and I was a Navy man. It was rough but I loved the structure the feeling that I now had a purpose, I excelled and made Momma proud. Luca decided to follow me and we had each other.

Now, I was about to go back to my old ways. Something I promised momma I would never do. She said I had a lot more to lose now and she wasn't kidding. I had to tread lightly and maybe talk some sense into her.

"Popeye, where is everyone?"

I turned around and Doc was standing next to me, Luca was talking to Cappy by the elevator I pointed to the conference room and she walked in.

I got back on the phone and started to explain to one of my 'friends' my plan B. At first they laughed thinking I was pulling their leg and when I said I wasn't kidding they stopped and said that it was dangerous but not impossible and to give them some time to come up with a plan. I hung up and a hand was on my shoulder.

"Are you freaking nuts?"

Luca pulled me away from the nurse's station and towards the elevators.

He had overheard me. "I'm just coming up with a plan B if they don't let Beautiful help in Jake's care. You would do the same for Doc so don't get all righteous with me Luca."

He grabbed my shoulder, "This is a baby we are talking about a baby that just had surgery, yeah I know, he's special Carol told me. But he just had a procedure it's too dangerous for us and the kid. I thought Maureen had good news what's with this insane plan B?"

I explained what had happened to get me to this point. Luca was going to be my voice of reason as I was his. I had talked him out of plenty of situations that would have landed him in the brig or worse prison. Once I was done he looked at me.

"Are we magnets to trouble Popeye? We we're living life on the straight and narrow and in 2 days we are neck deep in stalkers, burglars and possible kidnapping."

I looked at him and smile, "Tell me you haven't enjoyed meeting these people and I'm sure you can't tell me you are not happy you met Doc. She seems special and she has your number. I've never seen you talk like this or is it all an act?"

He snorted, "I should be asking you the same. What's with you and CJ you know she's spoken for. I swear Cowboy gets all riled up when you start flirting you are just getting a rise out of him right? Not that CJ isn't a pretty lady but my Carol is a tad bit prettier than her. So what's the deal I haven't seen you this interested since…."

I grabbed his arm, "Don't say her name, it was a long time ago and I don't want to remember her."

He pulled away, "whoa buddy didn't mean to rile you up. Come on let's go see what's going on."

He walked in front of me and I took a deep breath, I didn't want to talk about her and he had better not bring her up. That was my pass and I didn't want to dwell there.

As I walked in voice where raised and Houston was trying to calm Maureen, Carol and Beautiful. Will wasn't being helpful giving his own two cents in and being very defensive. We sat next to him and asked what was going on.

"Well these Bureaucrats thinks CJ and my cousin will not be the best people to care for a child that they've bonded with. They threw out the findings from the Kangaroo study and literally made the poor social worker burst into tears and run out. They don't want to rock the boat and that didn't sit well with my girl she started spouting out all this legal jargon that I find very hot. Oh and Luca your girl didn't stand by either she's bringing up studies with preemies that she has had experience with and the importance of bonding with the child even though they are not blood related. She brought something up about a village that took care of a child that the mother was not physically able to tend to the child and how those first few days were essential to the child's wellbeing. CJ is threatening to go to the press saying she will tell the world that they are denying Jake the proper care because they believe they know what's best and did they know what was going on right now down at the NICU. She dared them to go down there and then come back and tell her that is the best way to tend to Jake's need. I swear it's like watching a pack of momma bears trying to take down the threat to save their cub."

We asked Will to tell us who was on the other side of the table and who was our allies and enemies. The only good guy on the other side was Jake's Child Advocate Evelyn Bloom. She had been in contact with Maureen since yesterday giving her updates and telling her what she needed to do to help Beautiful and Cowboy.

Cowboy stood up and I went over to grab him just in case he decided he had enough of the runaround from the enemy's side.

"Keep it cool Cowboy, you almost were thrown in Jail yesterday let's not have a repeat performance and it's not going to help your case and think of Beautiful she can't do this alone. Let me be the pain in their ass." I whispered so that only he could hear me.

He looked and stopped. Beautiful looked up and watched us and he nodded. I started with telling them had they not receive calls from the Mayor and the Police chief from the beach cities that the boardwalk spanned. Momma had called them all yesterday and they had promise to do their part and use as much pressure and if need be muscle to let them know we were a force to be reckoned with. Maureen smiled and said they had better have a change of heart that she was very close friends with a certain news producer's wife and she was awaiting her call to see how the meeting went and she knew for certain that DCFS top brass had been contacted by the county supervisor and the governor would intercede if necessary.

One of them a hospital administrator stood up and accused us of blackmailing them. He was not happy and said what more were we will to do to get what we wanted.

Maureen shrugged, "Take it as you want but talk to the staff that was here yesterday and they will all agree that Ms. Parson's and Mr. Houston are the best plan to take care of the infant. They have bonded and the poor girl you made cry would agree, bombarding her with questions that where beyond her scope. It was a real tacky tactic, but we can play dirty if you want."

I looked at Will, he had the biggest smile and stood up to stand next to his girl. I looked down at Beautiful and she looked at me she mouthed plan b, I closed my eyes and nodded. They were going to force us to do this and I had made a promise. Carol started to argue with a medical administrator and Carol continued to do battle with the DCFS gang.

"What's plan B?"

I looked over and I had one pissed off Cowboy looking at me. I shrugged at him said didn't know what he was talking about.

He snorted and came right to my ear, "right CJ just looked at you and mouthed Plan B and you nodded. I hope it has nothing to do with taking Jake because I will not allow you to ruin her career. We will find another way this is only going to land her in jail and anyone attached to this and if I know my family we will probably be given a wing at some prison. Popeye don't give her this hope she won't survive this disappointment if you don't come through."

I needed to be the jackass I pretended to be to get him to back off.

"What's wrong Cowboy can't get a plan together to get what your girl wants? Little jealous that I might just pull this off and she might just realize that I'm the better man than you?"

I was waiting for him to take a swing but someone burst through the door. We both moved the girls behind us and got ready for the threat.

Cappy and Flynn where holding back a man in a doctor's coat.

"Hey let him go that's Dr. Randall he performed the surgery for Jake." Carol spoke from behind us.

Luca gave them the order to let him come in and they walked outside.

"I need to speak to all of you and tell you, to let these good people take care of my patient Jacob. If you really care about him then you would be aware that he has not stopped crying since he woke from his surgery. He is missing his team, he knows they are not around and he's let everyone within hearing distance know his displeasure in this. We've tried to hold him but he will not cooperate, I hate to say this but he is not getting the proper care with the nursing team you have down there now. They are not accustom to the NICU, it takes a special person to work that unit. Charge Nurse Emma and Roxy have been put on administrative leave due to your doing. They did what anyone else would have done in their place. They put the child's wellbeing above all the red tape you've created. Check the intake and his interaction with them I know it's only been days but I hate to say this but he is declining quickly and if you don't believe me bring another independent doctor in, my priority is Jake and I think it is Medically necessary to let them assist with his care. We can all go down there right now and see if he reacts to them being in his presence, I've seen it with my own eyes. Like I said the charge nurses you have now have no NICU experience they are treating him like an infant that was not premature they are taking the wrong approach. Having him cry himself to sleep is not good patient care. So what do you have to lose? Let them show you or better yet let Jake show you what he needs."

Everyone is stunned by the doctor's speech. Will held Maureen's hand Luca stood behind Doc and Beautiful has her head down and I could see her wiping the tears from her eyes, Cowboy had his hand on her shoulder and whispering into her ear. These people were not budging and it looked like I'd have to break some laws so be it. This kid's wellbeing was not the priority of the hospital or the yahoo's that were given the power to decide what was best for him.

"This is all a publicity stunt to get your names on the news to make all of you heroes."

He pointed at Beautiful, "Hell she even did an interview yesterday that is the talk of the town. Why would she do that if she was so concern with keeping the child out of the press? You should have listened to me, I have friends in the media also and if you would have come to me we would not be in the situation we are in now. I told all of you earlier, they are only in this to drum up business for their private investigation agency, I have it on good authority that is all they want. This thing with the dog and her. It's all a stunt I tell you. They even have a name for the story which I heard they came up with. Beauty, Beast and a Baby. Tell me that wasn't dreamed up in some PR firm. We should have taken charge of the narrative regarding this situation, I know people that will make us a deal to ensure the hospital will be seen in a positive light."

All hell broke loose. Cowboy stood up and started to yell at the man that accused them that they were doing this for publicity, Maureen started to yell that she was going to sue him for slander if he brought this up on the news and to try her if he thought this was hell. Carol and Dr. Randall where both pleading Jake's case in the medical point of view. I looked over at Beautiful and she opened and closed her mouth she got up and looked ready to bolt she turned to me. Her tears where my undoing. She tried to get in a word but everyone was yelling and I grabbed her upper arm and told her to cover her ears.

I put my fingers in and let out a loud whistle and everyone stopped and turned.

She looked up at me and smiled and whispered thank you.

I stood behind her and crossed my arms daring anyone to speak while she got her thoughts together. Cowboy walks over and stands by her and looks at me he nods.

She takes a deep breath and speaks, "I think we've all are on different pages. I will answer you sir, I didn't want to do that interview but was blackmailed myself into doing and before you ask why I'll tell you. For Jake. They had footage we needed and their price was to interview me and they'd give us all the footage of that day at the farmers market. We came up with a theory that his mother might be homeless or someone that was at the farmers market. We have family that are very close to all the merchant's at the Pier, Marina and the Boardwalk by the beach and they have gotten or are in the process of getting footage for that day I found Jake and the also the night."

Everyone that was standing started to sit down Maureen and Carol stood up and each took one of her hands. They asked if she was okay and she nodded and continued.

"You heard Dr. Randall plead Jake's case. I've spoken to Ms. Bloom and she is aware of my past experience fostering a pre-teen it's all in the file. So what more do you want from us? Please let us try and help him out. My heart is breaking thinking he's cried for almost a full day, that's not normal right? He just had surgery we were there when they took him up we talked to him told him to fight that we needed him to survive that his family was pulling for him."

The man that had talked earlier rolled his eyes and was about to speak when Cowboy pointed at him and growled, "Let her finish."

She moved away from her sisters and took Cowboy's hand.

"You don't give up on family. And he is family all of us here will be a part of his support system there are 7 of us in this room and he has so many more members that even though they haven't met him have been praying and doing everything in their power to ensure he comes home. I understand that his mother or father can still come forward but at this very moment he has no one. No that's not true he has us but you are stopping him of receiving the care and love he deserves. Please let us try and help him now. Let us go downstairs and see if we can get him to eat and stop crying. But, if he does respond to us, we want your guarantee that we will be able to help with his care and we will not stop to find out what happen to his mother, since I found him he became our number 1 client."

"What if he doesn't respond and he continues to cry than what?" The jerk asked.

"Then we will with drawl from helping in his care, we will search for his mother but we will not be there for his day to day care. We will call off our hounds like you so eloquently said. We'll even apologize to all of you in a news conference if you want. But remember all we ever wanted was what was best for Jake. Like I said you don't give up on family and we have no intentions of giving up on him."

This woman would never cease to amaze me.

"I agree with Ms. Parson's like I told you all earlier, she is qualified to assist with the care of the infant, she needs some classes in parenting and I will be more than happy to guide her through the process. Mr. Houston has also agreed to assist with the infants care. What do we have to lose? Let's give them a chance and if it doesn't work out you heard her they will walk away but continue to assist in finding the parents."

That must have been the social worker because beautiful is smiling at her. They ask us to go outside while they discuss what they are willing to do.

Maureen and Carol are hugging Beautiful as is Will and Luca. Cowboy comes next to me and asks what plan b was and I played dumb.

"Nothing to worry about Cowboy I think our girl just convince those red tape jackasses to give you two a chance, don't blow it."

The door opens and we all walk in. Beautiful waits till I move and grabs my arm.

"Thank you for having my back Devin, here's hoping we don't need a plan B, but I'm pretty sure you've already got all the logistics handled if this goes south on us."

"Just have to make a couple of calls and we can be wheels up in 6 hours."

She shakes her head and kisses my cheek. "Thanks again."

We walk in and await the decision.