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~ Chapter Nineteen ~
Justin
was so excited the trip to the cabin went by in a flash. He pulled into the
driveway and turned the truck off.
He
sat for a moment, taking in the reality of his situation. He was married. His
wife was in the house waiting on him. On news of her son. A warm feeling washed
through him when the image of the tiny baby flashed in his mind. He was also a
daddy. Was he ready for that? Yes.
He
got out and ran up the four steps to the porch and opened the door. “Honey, I’m
home,” he called.
Laughter
met his silly entrance. He stood in the doorway and looked down at his new
wife, who lay on the couch. She wasn’t near as pale as she’d been before and he
said a silent prayer of thanks to God. “You’re looking lovely.” He leaned over
and kissed her on the cheek. She didn’t pull away, and he smiled. Maybe they
could really do this marriage thing.
Arianna’s
face turned blood red. “Thanks. Do you have anything good to tell?”
Justin
felt his wide grin grow so much he imagined his face splitting.
Arianna’s
hands came together, and she gasped. “Did you find Chance?”
He
nodded.
Arianna
wrestled with the light blanket covering her slight body, trying to get up. “Oh
Justin, I knew you would.”
Surprise
filled him. “You did? Because I didn’t.” He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder
to keep her lying down.
Arianna
tried to look around him. Confusion settled on her bony face. “Where is he?”
He
held up his hands. “I have to take you there first, Arianna. They want to make
sure he’s yours so they’re doing a DNA test.”
Her
face fell. “But that takes weeks.”
“I
know, Sweetie, but that’s what has to happen.”
Fat
tears of grief pooled-up and poured down her cheeks. Compassion filled him.
She’d been through so much. Why couldn’t they just let her have her baby? “I’ll tell you what; I’ll ask if you can at
least be with him while they wait for the results.”
She
shook her head. Why would they do that? I mean, what if it turned out I wasn’t
his mom?”
“I
don’t know, but we can ask.” He looked over at Mary Jo. “Let’s get her ready to
go back to the city. The sooner we get the ball rolling, the sooner she can
have the baby back.”
Mary
Jo already had a zippered bag in hand. She was stuffing clothes and toiletries
in it as he spoke.
“Have
I told you what a gem you are, Mary Jo?”
She
laughed. “I think so, but you can do it again.”
“Well
you are. I’m so glad God put you in our paths. We couldn’t have found a better
nanny for the baby.”
Her
eyebrows rose. “You mean you want me on a permanent basis?”
He
nodded. “Unless you don’t want to for some reason. I mean, I don’t want to try
to force you to do something you don’t want to.”
“Oh,
no, I want to,” she beamed.
“Good,
good.” He leaned down and picked up his wife. “Let’s go get our son.”
Arianna
whispered, “Thanks Justin.”
He
laid his lips against her brow as he settled her in his arms. “You’re welcome.”
He pushed the handle on the screen door and pushed it open with his foot.
As
excited as Arianna was, she fell asleep soon after he pulled out of the
driveway. It was going to take a lot of recuperating for her to get back to
normal. Whatever that was for her. Sadness filled him that he didn’t know. He
wanted to know everything about her. Now. He didn’t want to wait. His thoughts
caused a small chuckle to escape.
Mary
Jo asked, “What’s so funny?”
He
shook his head. “Nothing really. I was just laughing at myself for being
impatient to know Arianna.”
The
nurse nodded. “I know what you mean. She seems to be a wonderful person. Only
God could keep someone in her position from turning into a basket case, or a
monster.”
“I
believe you’re right.” Justin wanted to confide his suspicions about Arianna’s dad to the nurse, but was a
bit undecided. He shrugged. Oh well. He needed to tell someone before he burst
at the seams. Glancing over at her, he said, “Mary Jo, if I tell you something,
will you keep it private? At least for now?”
She
sat up straight. “Of course. What is it?”
He
gazed at Arianna’s still form to make sure she was asleep. “I have a strange
feeling Arianna’s dad had something to do with what’s going on.”
Mary
Jo leaned over and stared hard at Justin without saying anything.
He
felt as if he’d made a mistake, but it was too late now.
Finally,
she asked, “What do you mean?”
He
glanced at Arianna’s sleeping form once more, liking the feel of her head
resting against his shoulder. “I mean, I think maybe he sold her, somehow.”
“Why
on earth would you think that?”
He
shook his head. I’m not sure. It’s just a feeling, but a strong one. I mean,
don’t you think he acted strange around her?”
Mary
Jo seemed to be digesting his words. After a few moments, she shook her head.
Yeah, come to think of it, I do. I remember thinking he wasn’t as happy to see
her as he let on. But Justin, who would do that to their own flesh and blood?”
He
shrugged. “I don’t know, Mary Jo, but we have to find out somehow if it’s true.
If it is, I don’t want him around us.”
“I
don’t either. Are you going to tell Arianna your suspicions?”
He
shook his head. “No, not yet anyway.”
Arianna lay against
his shoulder, taking in his words. Could
it be?
