Chapter 17: Not A Solution

Rachel almost floated in the front door on an emotional high. "Mark, where are you? We've nailed them!"

"I'm in the bed room, please don't shout. I have a head ache."

"Honey, where's Cole? I have to tell him the news. He set off an explosion that will empty the White House of a whole flock of thieves. Oh yes! Those files he unearthed from that congressman's laptop will be bigger than Watergate."

Mark held up a hand to get her attention. "To answer your question, Cole took Wendy went for a ride on his lap." Mark smiled at the shocked look on Rachel's face.

"They took his power chair to the mall to find her a new wardrobe." He smiled at the memory of the pair. Mark thought it was great, the way Wendy sat on Cole's lap and Cole kept a tight grip around Wendy's waist with his left hand. His right hand controlled the joystick to steer the chair.

The look of exuberance disappeared from Rachel's face. "Why is my son buying clothing for that girl?"

"Well, since he hired her, I'd say he wanted his own personal assistant to be properly dressed." Mark studied the look on Rachel's face and added, "Come off it, Cole is a big boy now. He's interested in girls, and it's about time he was permitted to act on it, at least as much as he can under the circumstances."

"I don't mind if he's interested in girls, so long as it isn't that girl."

"Rachel, what is it about Wendy that has you all upset? She's a nice nerdish young lady that seems to be interested in Cole. Look, Cole is interested in something new."

"Yes, but why is she interested in my baby? I don't want to lose my son to some little tramp that wants his money."

Mark started to laugh and then stopped. "Oh Babe, if you only knew."

"What's so funny? Why are you laughing at me?" She stared hard at Mark and waited for an answer she was afraid she wouldn't like.

"Babe, Cole ravished four of the drug accounts and shifted the money around so many times no one can find it. Your teen-age son is a multi-millionaire and he earned it the old fashioned way. He stole it from the bad guys. We told you about this before I got so sick the last time." Mark got a puzzled look on his face, "At least I thought we had. There's so much I don't quite..." He lapsed off into puzzled silence.

"Mark! What is it? What's wrong?" All at once, Cole's choice of a girlfriend didn't seem so important.

Mark had a dazed look on his face, "The doctor told me this might happen. I ... I have trouble holding onto a thought, sometimes. It should go away in time."

Rachel stood motionless and stared at her husband. "Oh my god. Mark, let's just walk away from everything and go on a cruise to nowhere. We'll hire a medical staff to go with us and you can just take it easy and I'll take care of you. Let them have that naked place up in the hills and play their stupid international games. I'll have our baby in whatever port we..."

"Rachel, what in hell are you blathering about?" Mark stared at her and waited for an answer.

"Mark," she began.

"Baby! You really meant it about a baby? Wait, you're protected; I remember when you went in for that skin patch, or shot or whatever it was you got. I remember! How did you get pregnant?"

Her voice rose to a screech, "How the hell do you think I got pregnant? You got me this way." She glared at him and added, "And I'm not going to get an abortion."

"Good, hold that thought." Mark walked back into the master bedroom and out the patio door. He sat down by the pool and closed his eyes.

"Mark, are you getting ready to leave me?"

He opened his eyes and stared into Rachel's eyes. "What? What gave you that idea?" he asked.

"Well, Cole's father ran off when he learned I was pregnant with Cole. Almost every week or so I hear about somebody who is left alone with an unborn child because the father takes off for parts unknown. I think it's a very reasonable fear."

"Well," Mark drawled, "All fears are reasonable, except the dumb ones and they actually have reasons also. Now what in hell is really going on?"

"Mark, I had to take over and handle all your affairs while you were ill. Then you had an operation and all the other things seemed to happen one right after another."

Rachel's voice became unsteady as she remembered her own pregnancy with Cole. "Remember Honey, I got pregnant and had Cole and was left alone to raise him on my own. I have a right to be scared."

Mark sighed, "Help me up, please. I'm still shaky at times like this." He held up his hand.

Mark's cell phone started to vibrate. Cole's voice sounded scared as it called, "Mark, come get us we're by the north entrance to the mall and we are in trouble!"

Then he heard Wendy's voice, "Please hurry! Cole just killed someone."

Rachel heard Wendy. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed.

"Sam!" Mark yelled, "Help us to the van. Cole is in trouble."

Sam ran out the kitchen door and began to assist Mark to walk over to the van. Rachel hurried ahead and opened the passenger side door. Sam half carried Mark to the van and eased him inside. Rachel got in the rear side door and sat behind Mark.

"Where to?" Sam asked and fastened himself in.

"The north entrance of the mall. Make it fast. Cole's in trouble." Mark's worst fear was that Cole would be injured.

Sam raced down the hill toward the mall and stopped when he saw Cole. A man in a business suit lay still on the sidewalk; another man was trying to grab Cole. Wendy still sat on Cole's lap. She had her body plastered all over the front of him as she tried to protect him from the man.

"What are you doing to my son?" Rachel screamed at the man.

"Your son just assaulted my associate. He knocked him down with his wheelchair and ran over his face. I'll have your son arrested, just as soon as I can get my hands on the little bastard."

"Sam, please beat the shit out of that man and hurt him bad," Mark called from the Van. Then he realized how he sounded and shut up. "Oh god, don't let anything happen to Cole," he whispered to himself.

"Mister, do you have any idea what is about to happen to you since my boss told me to beat you up?" Sam asked the stranger.

"Hold it, Sam," Rachel recognized the stranger.

She stared hard at the man, "You're a member of Senator Winthrop's staff," she told the man. "You have no legal authority whatsoever. Rachel removed her cell phone from her slacks pocket and dialed 911.

Sam used the diversion to pull his weapon. He pointed it at the man Rachel identified as a senatorial assistant. "I don't know who you are, but you're under arrest. Now I do have the authority to make a citizen's arrest. Show me some identification, right now."

The man nodded, "It's as the lady said, I'm from Senator Winthrop's office. He wants to speak to this young man right now." He showed Sam his Senate ID and building pass to access DC federal offices otherwise not accessible to the public.

"The police and the medics are on their way. You're about to be taken in and questioned, if I have anything to say about it. Your friend is headed for the hospital. After that, I don't know what will happen." Rachel's voice sounded flat and emotionless. Her eyes glittered with anger.

"Mom, I hear another siren, it's coming this way." Rachel nodded.

Wendy squirmed on Cole's lap. He got a crooked grin on his face. "Oh Cole, You're so brave. Wait till I tell everyone on line about how you saved my life." Wendy twisted around so she could kiss Cole on the lips and hug him.

"Oh yeah," Cole whispered and closed his eyes for a moment. Rachel looked at her son and smiled. In a moment of truth, she realized that her jealousy was unfounded.

Wendy had a sad look on her face. She told Rachel, "I know you don't approve of me and I'm sorry. Cole is the only boy who ever paid any attention to me and I get lonely, just like anybody else. Please, can't we just be together sometimes?"

Rachel went to the young girl and nodded. "Look, the police are here and I have to talk to them. I think misjudged you ... it's all mixed up. We'll get together later on, I promise."

The medical team loaded the unconscious man into the ambulance and carried him away. The police asked questions, then stopped when they found out a US senator from San Diego was involved. A suit was requested.

The police captain who was called to the scene was less than helpful. He told Rachel, "Look, there is a lot of he said, you said going back and forth. The senator is a third generation born again crusader who is the darling of his district. Even the Catholics and Mormons love him. He makes speeches in Spanish at local Hispanic get togethers.

"The young man admits he assaulted the injured party with his wheelchair. If you wish to press this thing any further, contact the district attorney. I'd advise you to let it go."

Rachel nodded her reluctant agreement. "Sam, Take Mark and my son home. I don't want you to come back for us. This young lady and I have some shopping to do.

"Mom!" Cole yelled, "Wendy is mine. She's my girlfriend and I want to buy her stuff for her. Ever since you went to work for Mark you've been getting bossier all the time."

Wendy gave Cole a tender smile, "Cole, I'm still yours. After today I'm all yours. Nobody ever protected me before. Your mother wants to get to know me better. Please, Cole?"

Cole grinned, "You got to kiss me again like you just did a while ago first." She brought her lips to his and nibbled on his lips and his tongue.

"Oh my god!" she gasped. The, what she perceived as blatant sexuality, kiss Wendy gave Cole jolted Rachel. "Oh my baby," she whispered.

"Oh!" Cole whispered. Wendy giggled at his response.

"Come along, Wendy," Rachel told her. "We have places to go and things to buy. If you're going to be Cole's girlfriend, we want you to look your best."

Wendy started to cry. "I'm scared. You talked to me nicer when you were, were mad at me than my family ever did, ever. I don't know how to act back at you." She leaned on her crutches and stared at the sidewalk in front of her.

"Dear, we got off to a bad start because I was scared and jealous and didn't want to admit that my son is growing up. I'm sorry. You wait right here and I'll run get you a wheelchair to sit in."

"Don't bother, Mom." Cole's voice sounded behind Rachel and startled her. "Wendy likes my chair a lot more than some old mall rental."

Wendy giggled and looked over toward Rachel. "Is it okay with you?" she asked.

"Where are Sam and Mark?" Rachel asked and looked around.

"They did as you said and went home to make better arrangements for our security. I'll protect you in the meantime." Cole tried to strike a heroic pose while sitting in his power chair. Wendy and his mother both thought he looked ridiculous. Cole didn't care, He gestured for Wendy to sit on his lap again.

A half hour later, Cole wished he had stayed with Mark. Rachel and Wendy discussed, fingered and checked out rack after rack of clothing before they decided on an item. It took two more hours to come up with a basic wardrobe. They ended with a large shopping cart overflowing with bags and boxes.

Rachel phoned for a special needs limo to transport them and their purchases home. Wendy freed her crutches from Cole's power chair and walked along with Rachel. "The only reason I let you buy me all those clothes is that I don't want Cole to be ashamed of me." She paused a moment, then added in a plaintive voice, "He's so wonderful."

"You hear that, Cole? Now you better live up to this young lady's expectations. I'm..." Rachel moaned, clasped her hand over her mouth and rushed toward the public restrooms a few feet away."

"What's wrong?" Wendy asked.

"Don't you remember? Mom's going to have a baby. I guess she just got afternoon morning sickness." Cole smiled at the thought he'd have a baby brother in a few months. He already decided that he didn't want a sister.

"I could already tell that and I think it's wonderful. I bet Mark is proud."

"I'm not too sure what Mark thinks about it." Cole laughed at what he considered Mark's usual response to the unexpected. "He might want to send the baby back when it gets here." Wendy frowned at Cole's attempt at humor. His remark came too close to her present family situation.

Rachel returned to them with her face still damp. She heard the tail end of Wendy and Cole discussion about her pregnancy. "I never had this problem with you. Mark had better not want any more babies." She took hold of the shopping cart and led the way toward the street exit.

The driver had the door open and waiting when they came abreast of the SUV with its lift gate in the rear. The driver helped Wendy up inside and into her seat. Rachel got in front and waited while the driver started the lift gate. Cole steered his way inside and waited for the driver to secure the wheels to the floor. Rachel gave him their address and leaned back in her seat.