Five years after Blank Slate left off, Jen Morrison is living her dream life. She has a loving husband and two sons, who she adores. Maybe her family didn't come together in the most conventional way, but it works for her. She had her older son, Danny with her ex husband. They divorced when Danny was just a baby. Then she married John, who is the love of her life and they adopted Derek together when his mother was sent to prison. Everything seems perfect, and Jen is always complimented on being a wonderful mother. But then strange things start to happen. Suddenly, Jen is forgetting things, and people are starting to question her abilities as a parent, as well as her sanity. Then, one day Derek vanishes into thin air, and Jen is left trying to put the pieces together, and bring her son home before it's to late.

The Good Mother

A sequel to Blank SlateBy Shanell Keys

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Shanell Keys
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4685-4763-4

Chapter One

I've always thought I was one of those people born to be a mother. When I was a little girl, I would treat my dolls just like real babies. I would change them, feed them, and take them to the park. When I became a mother for the first time, people always complimented me on what a great mom I was. For me, it was just something that came naturally. I never thought my parenting abilities or my sanity would ever be questioned—until one day they were. My name is Jennifer Moore, and this is my story.

"Mommy, it's time to wake up!" My younger son, Derek, came bouncing into our room bright and early on a Saturday morning. He'd always been an early bird, and he thought the rest of the world should be too. His dark blond hair was sticking up in a million different directions, and his blue eyes had their normal little-boy sparkle. He was wearing his Cars pajamas, the only ones he willingly wore. As a mom, I picked my battles carefully.

"Good morning, Derek," I murmured. "Why don't you go see if your brother can put some cartoons on for you and pour you a bowl of cereal? I'll be out in a few minutes."

Derek looked at me like I was crazy. "I already tried that. I can't wake Danny up. Nobody could wake Danny up."

I turned to my husband, John, who was still sound asleep. He could sleep through just about anything, just like my older son. It was supposed to be his day to get up with Derek, but since I was already awake anyway, I knew it was time to start my day as a mom.

"Okay, I'm up," I sighed as I sat up in bed.

A huge grin spread across Derek's little face, and I had to smile back. His smiles were contagious, and so was his laughter. As much as I would have loved a little more sleep, I wouldn't miss this for the world.

After we had breakfast and watched two episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, I started to tidy up around the house. I cleaned the kitchen, dusted, vacuumed, and started a load of laundry. And the rest of the family was still in dreamland. John finally staggered out to the kitchen, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me on the cheek. Even after almost five years of marriage, he still made me feel all warm inside when he kissed me.

"Good morning, Jen."

"Good morning," I said, trying to mask my irritation. "Did you sleep well?"

He nodded. "Yes, but you should have woken me up. I know it was my day to be on munchkin patrol."

Just then Derek's eyes lit up and he ran into John's open arms. "Daddy, you're awake!" The two joined in a bear hug, and I smiled. It was such a beautiful picture of a father and son; how could I be mad at that?

"Hey, little man. How are you this morning?" John asked as he ruffled Derek's hair.

"Good. I'm just watching Mickey Mouse."

John set Derek down and he bounced back over to the couch to watch the show. Then John took a sip of his coffee and looked up at me with a smile.

"He's such a great kid. I'm proud to be his daddy."

I nodded. "Yes, he is."

As much as we both loved Derek, it was hard to believe he really wasn't our child, biologically. We'd adopted him shortly after we were married. I had my older son, Danny, when I was married to my ex-husband, David. John loved them both just like they were his own. He was truly the best husband and father I could have hoped for, and I felt so lucky to have him in my life.

"You know, our anniversary is coming up," John said. "We need to plan something big. Five years is a big milestone."

I nodded. "I can't believe it's been almost five years. Time really flies." Then I looked down at Derek, who was happily singing the Mickey Mouse theme song. "Someone has a birthday coming up soon too."

John nodded. "I was thinking we could do a party here this year. We could get a jump house and invite all the kids from his preschool class."

"That's a good idea," I said. "I have to work in his classroom Monday morning. We could get the invitations this weekend and I can pass them out then."

Just then Danny emerged from his room, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "Invitations for what?"

"Your brother's birthday," I answered. "He's going to be five soon, you know."

Danny rolled his eyes. "I know. He's been reminding me all week. I'll be glad when his birthday is over so things can get back to normal."

"You always made a big deal out of your birthday when you were his age too," I reminded him.

Danny shrugged. "I guess so. But right now, I'm just thinking about my stomach. I'm starved." He poured himself a bowl of cereal and started munching away.

That was a typical Saturday morning in the Moore household. Not too exciting, but I didn't care. I had the family I had always wanted, and for me, that was a dream come true. If I'd known about the hard times that were coming my way, I probably would have prepared myself. But then again, I guess there's no preparing yourself for something like that. In the blink of an eye, everything can change. And suddenly, your whole world can be turned upside down.

Chapter Two

Monday was my day to work at Derek's preschool. It was a parent cooperation preschool, so all of the moms had to work in the classroom one morning a week. I was lucky enough to have a flexible job that allowed me the time to do this. I was a nurse at the Ann Furguson Medical Center, a center that was created to take care of patients who didn't have any medical insurance or a way to pay for these services by themselves. I took pride in my job and loved that I had the opportunity to make such a difference in my community.

As I pulled up to the Sunshine Preschool, it was already buzzing with activity. Some parents were trying to find parking places, while others were walking their children to their classrooms. One of the moms, Kate Thomas, waved to me as she unloaded her son, Jack, from his car seat. We worked the same day in the four-year-olds' classroom and had become close during the school year. I unbuckled Derek and helped him out of his seat. Then I grabbed my purse and the birthday invitations from the passenger seat, and we walked toward the classroom. Derek and Jack ran toward each other, chattering about their weekend in their little boy voices.

"My birthday is coming up!" Derek cheered. "You wanna come?"

"Yeah!" said Jack. "Are you gonna have a jump house?"

"I think so," Derek answered.

I looked over at Jack's mom and smiled. "I guess he left it open for me to give you this." I handed her an invitation.

"Thanks," she said. "I can't believe he's going to be five already."

I sighed. "Me either. They grow up way too fast."

When we entered the classroom, the teacher greeted the boys with a warm smile. Karen Lee had been Derek's teacher since he started at the school when he was three. She was amazing with the kids, and it was easy to tell that she loved what she did. I was a little sad he wouldn't have her as a teacher anymore when he went to kindergarten in the fall.

It was a typical day as the classroom mom. I cut out fish for the children to finger paint while the teacher did circle time, I supervised during outdoor play time, and I helped prepare snacks. By the end of the day, I had a new appreciation for anyone who works with kids. It truly is one of the most exhausting jobs a person can have. Young children have endless amounts of energy, and they seem to spend all of their time in full throttle.

When we arrived home later that afternoon, Derek bounced into the house cheerfully, waving the orange fish he'd made at school. Danny was sprawled out on the couch watching Crime Wars on TV. He'd always been fascinated by solving crimes and wanted to be a police detective someday.

"Look what I made today!" Derek waved the fish right in front of Danny's face, which clearly annoyed him.

"Knock it off!" Danny said. "I'm trying to watch this."

Derek hung his head down sadly and walked off to his room.

"You could try to be a little nicer to your brother," I said. "He was just excited about what he made at school today."

Danny rolled his eyes. "He's not my real brother anyway."

"Oh, don't even go there, young man," I snapped. "Maybe Derek was adopted, but he's still just as much a part of the family as you are. I don't appreciate your attitude, and I want you to go in there and apologize right this minute."

"Oh, all right," he sighed. He stomped off to Derek's room.

Anyone who says the teenage years are challenging is right. Danny has always been a wonderful, delightful kid. But at the ripe old age of fourteen, he's defiantly pushing the limits. I think the attitude is what bothers me the most. I do try to be as patient as possible, but sometimes, enough is enough.

"Hello, beautiful." John came and wrapped his arms around me, and suddenly I forgot what I was frustrated about. "How was your day?"

"Just fine. Busy."

He laughed. "I bet those kids keep you on your toes. You should let me work in the classroom sometime. I'll keep them in line."

"I like to do it," I said. "Besides, I think the Ann Furguson Medical Center would fall apart without you." John and I worked together at the center. He was really good at it, and the patients asked for him whenever he wasn't there. He had finally found a place where he belongs, and for him that was a great thing. Suddenly, a special report flashed on the TV screen, and it went to an anchor who had a somber expression on his face.

"We just got word that there was an explosion at the California State Women's Correctional Facility that killed at least ten inmates and three guards. Police detectives are investigating the cause of this explosion. We are going live right now to speak to Detective Bradley Lavinski, who is at the scene of this deadly explosion." The screen flashed over to an older looking gentleman with gray hair. He had dark circles under his bloodshot eyes and looked like he hadn't slept in days. He took a deep breath before he spoke.

"When I arrived on the scene, the entire south wing of the facility was destroyed. The bodies that we found there were so badly burned, they were unidentifiable. We will be using dental records to try to identify these bodies, so the family members can have some closure. We do know that there were ten inmates and three guards in that area at the time that haven't been accounted for. The rest of the inmates will be moved to another facility while the current one is being rebuilt. We will inform the family members as soon as we can identify the bodies. That is all we know for now. We will hold a press conference as soon as we have more information. Thank you."

The screen went blank, and a voice said, "We will now return to our regular program."

John and I stared at the screen silently for a moment, in disbelief. John's ex-wife, Julie Moore, who's also Derek's birth mother, was serving a life sentence at the California State Women's Correctional Facility. She was a truly evil person who was sentenced for killing her first husband, John's parents, and she even tried to kill John, Danny, and me. But that's another story.

"Do you think she's dead?" I asked.

John shrugged. "I hope so. This world would really be a better place without Julie Moore in it."

I nodded. "But could we really be that lucky?"

He kissed me gently and looked me in the eyes. "Sweetie, we're the luckiest people in the world."

And in that moment, I believed that he was right.

Chapter Three

The next morning, I sipped on my coffee while I made French toast for breakfast. The smell of good food cooking was the only thing that could wake Danny up. Derek was already standing at my feet, whining for a cup of milk. The news played quietly on the TV the corner as I flipped the French toast and poured a cup of milk. I handed it to Derek, who walked over to the table and sat down, sipping it quietly for a minute. He wiped away his milk mustache with the back of his hand, and looked up at me with a pleading look in his big blue eyes.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"I want to watch cartoons."

"Okay," I said as I put the French toast on a plate.

"I want to watch cartoons now!"

"Just a minute. And watch your tone, young man. You're not going to get anything acting like that."

Just then, Danny came into the kitchen. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and grabbed a slice of French toast from the plate. He started eating it whole, even though I had plates and syrup on the table.

I sighed. "Danny, can you put some cartoons on for your brother, please?"

Danny smiled. "Okay, but it's gonna cost him." He grabbed Derek's cup of milk and took a long drink.

Derek glared at Danny. "Hey, that's mine!"

"I didn't see your name on it, pip-squeak."

"I hate you!" Derek stood up in his chair and took a swing at Danny, who jumped backward, causing him to fall. "Owwww!" Derek sobbed, holding on to his side.

"Danny!" I shouted as I went to pick up a hysterical Derek. "Apologize to your brother!"

Danny looked shocked. "For what? He's the one who tried to hit me. You always take his side. It's not fair!" He stomped off to his room just as John came into the kitchen, already showered and dressed.

"What's going on in here?"

"Just a little sibling rivalry," I answered. "Can you take Derek while I finish breakfast?"

I handed Derek over to John. "What happened, little man?"

"Danny drank my milk!"

"Well, I'm sure he didn't mean to. Do you want to watch some cartoons? I'm sure a little Mickey Mouse will make everything all better."

Derek nodded, a big bright smile now across his face, and John went to change the channel, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw what was on. A young male news reporter whom I'd seen on the station before stood in front of the California State Women's Correctional Facility.

"The names of the guards that perished in the explosion yesterday afternoon have now been released. They are William Randolph, Craig Stevens, and Mike Henderson." Pictures of three men flashed on the screen, and then it went back to the reporter. "The names of the inmates that were caught in the explosion will be released as soon as the family members can be notified. The deadly explosion took out the whole south wing of the prison and the cause is currently under investigation. Stay tuned for more details tonight at five."

John and I both took a deep breath. I think we were both hoping that one of those inmates killed in the explosion was Julie. At least we wouldn't ever have to worry about her trying to make contact with Derek. How on earth would we explain to a five-year-old that his mother is a greedy, psychotic killer? Derek squirmed in Johns arms and reached for the remote.

"I really want to watch cartoons now."

"Okay, little man." John changed the channel and we all went on with our morning.

Chapter Four

When I arrived at work that morning, ten patients were already lined up waiting for me. I just knew it was going to be one of those days. Even though I tried my best to get my mind on other things, I had been thinking about the explosion all morning. I was hoping against hope that one of the inmates that died was Julie Moore, but I felt like a horrible person for having those thoughts. Then I thought about Derek and my heart sank. We'd told him that he was adopted, and it was only a matter of time before he started asking questions about his birth mother. Up to this point, I don't really think he understood what it meant. But he was a smart kid, and someday soon he would want to know more about the woman who gave him life. As much as I loved him and considered myself his only mother, he would be tied to Julie forever. What would I tell him about her now?

I tried to push those thoughts out of my head as a greeted my first patient, a six-year-old girl who had been suffering with headaches. I couldn't help but notice how cute she was, with curly brown hair and green eyes. Her mother stood beside her, clearly worried about her child. I knelt down to her level and gave a reassuring smile.

"Good morning, Kaitlin," I said. "I'm Nurse Jennifer. I hear you've been having some headaches?"

She nodded, her curls bouncing up and down. "Uh-huh."

"Can you show me where it hurts?" I asked.

She put her hand on her forehead. "Right here."

"I didn't think anything of it at first," her mother said. "But lately it's been happening more often. She's missed a whole week of school, and Kaitlin loves school. I just have a gut feeling that something's wrong."

"Don't worry," I reassured her. "We'll take good care of your daughter. I'm a mom myself, so I understand what you must be going through." I turned my attention back to Kaitlin. "First of all, I'm going to take your blood pressure. I just need to slip this little cuff over your arm."

I grabbed the child-size blood pressure cuff, but when I reached for her arm, she flinched.

"It's all right," I said. "It won't hurt. You might feel a little squeeze, but that's all."

(Continues...)

Excerpted from The Good Motherby Shanell Keys Copyright © 2012 by Shanell Keys. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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