Giving Thanks For Baby

by Terri Reed

  She envied him such a memory. “So your family was religious.”

  “Not really.” The light in his eyes dimmed. “My parents are very pragmatic and they raised three out of four kids to be just like them. Can’t see it, don’t believe it. I’m the black sheep.”

  “What? The black sheep? Because you’re a pastor?”

  He nodded. “My parents are both highly successful doctors, my two brothers are highly successful lawyers and my sister is a highly successful pediatrician. Overachievers all. And then there’s me.”

  He gave a self-effacing wince. “I’ve never received the best grades, never was president of any clubs in high school or college, and was never, ever interested in business or science or math or biology. I can’t even balance my check book.”

  “I’m sure they’re proud of you,” she stated. “How could anyone not be proud of you?”

  “Oh, I like you.” He grinned. “You feed my ego.”

  She grinned back. “It’s good you had your grandfather, then.”

  “Definitely. We all need someone in our lives to show us the way.”

  She didn’t have anyone to show her the way. Until now. “I have you,” she quipped.

  His grin brought a warm flush to her cheeks.

  There had been a reason she’d wanted to talk with Scott. She better ask him now before she lost her nerve. “I have a favor to ask of you.”

  “Go ahead.”

  Her heartbeat picked up. What if he said no? The thought of facing Kevin alone squeezed her chest with dread; she had to risk asking for Scott’s help for Aidan’s sake. “I’ve agreed to meet with my ex-husband on Tuesday and I really don’t want to meet him alone.”

  Scott blinked.

  She rushed on. “I was hoping you’d agree to meet with us. Sort of mediate. I don’t know what he wants, but I know from experience that he can twist my mind around his little finger. I can’t let that happen anymore,” she added fiercely.

  Releasing her hand, Scott sat back, creating a distance that Trista felt keenly and sent regret sliding through her. But it couldn’t be helped.

  “Of course. I would be glad to. Why don’t we meet at the church? We have a counseling room that would work perfectly.”

  “The church,” she squeaked.

  “Is that a problem?”

  “No. Umm…I don’t think so.” She hadn’t set foot in a church since her wedding. Kevin’s family had insisted on a huge ceremony in the largest church in Richmond, which they never let her forget they’d paid for. Even then, she’d felt uncomfortable and unwanted in the grand sanctuary. Certainly a sign that her marriage was doomed. “I’m sure Kevin won’t have a problem with meeting there.”

  “Good.” He stood. “Are you done?” he asked, indicating the plate in front of her.

  She nodded and watched as he took the remnants of their dessert to the counter. When he came back, he didn’t sit down. Feeling his withdrawal like a deep ache in her bones, she rose and he helped her with her coat. His breath was warm on her cheek as he adjusted her collar. For a moment the urge to turn and meet his lips with her own captured her.

  “Thank you,” she managed to murmur as she stepped back, realizing that though she was relieved and grateful for his calming presence and his willingness to mediate between her and Kevin, she was having a hard time not seeing him as an attractive man whom she’d like to get closer to.

  How insane was that?

  Trista rocked Aidan to sleep, loving the downy softness of his cheek against her neck and the gentle snoring in her ear. This was her favorite time of night, when she and Aidan were in their apartment, the lights down low and she could hold him without him squirming to play.

  She pushed the floor with her toe and sent the rocker into motion. Despite the peace and comfort of home and Aidan, her thoughts were racing around her head like a pinball let loose.

  The visit to her mother had shaken her to the core. It made her mad that Ross had kept her in the dark about her mom’s past for so long. She could only hope that she’d be able to discover more about her mother before she passed away. Ross might not think it would be productive, but Trista couldn’t let the idea go.

  That she had told Scott about the visit and her suspicions hadn’t been planned. But the relief of having someone to share the burden with was very welcome.

  As was having his promised presence when she met with Kevin.

  Only…she cringed inwardly, thinking about having to reveal the details of her failed marriage to Scott. A deep sense of shame washed over her, tightening her chest. She’d naively thought she’d have a better life than she’d had with her parents when she married Kevin. What a joke.

  His parents had never accepted her and Kevin had held his family’s wealth over her head as if she should be grateful that he’d lowered himself to marry her.

  Now she was a divorced single mother. Even in the modern world, there was a stigma attached to her like some neon sign. Scott hadn’t seemed bothered by the fact she was divorced and a mom. But being nonjudgmental was part of being a pastor, right?

  What did the man underneath think?

  And why did she care?

  Because somewhere deep inside lurked the naive romantic who longed for the happily-ever-after with a man like Scott.

  A mocking voice in her head laughed. Get a grip!

  There was no way a pastor would ever have a relationship with a damaged, divorced, single mom.

  Her shoulders slumped and she hugged Aidan tighter as tears gathered in her throat.

  Scott was just a nice guy, doing what he thought God wanted of him. She would have to keep a tight rein on her attraction to him, because no way was she up for more hurt.

  Scott stared out the window of his church office at the snow falling gently, obscuring the yellow parking lines of the parking lot with white dust. His thoughts were just as obscure.

  After escorting Trista back to her car last night, he’d walked around trying to sort through his chaotic thoughts. With no luck. He’d finally settled on seeing the late movie that he and Trista had missed as a way to occupy his mind. But it hadn’t really helped.

  He kept going over the conversation with Trista. He’d been flattered she’d talked to him about her mother’s situation. And he’d been unnerved that he’d talked about his family. He rarely did.

  He ached in his soul that she’d witnessed her mother in such a declining state and he wished he could help her come to terms with her mother’s illness.

  Leading her to God’s love would take time. Showing her how to find comfort and peace in the middle of a difficult period should be easy.

  Except, his attraction for her clouded the situation. He really liked her, enjoyed her company and found he could watch her and never grow tired. He didn’t know if he could be objective and patient enough to guide her.

  And he really didn’t know what to make of her request to mediate with her ex-husband.

  She’d called earlier to schedule the time. He penciled it in to his calendar. Writing her name and her ex-husband’s name down had knotted his chest with something close to dread, because he knew that his job as a pastor and a man of God would be to advocate for their marriage, even though it was legally over.

  No matter how he felt about her. Maybe this was all some kind of test.

  There were so many reasons why he couldn’t pursue a relationship with Trista. She was a non-believer, divorced, a mom and struggling with issues that he didn’t know if he wanted to deal with.

  Needing some distraction, he spun around to his computer and fired up his Internet browser. He logged on to The Kingdom Room and joined the thread of discussion about the movie.

  He posted his thoughts on the premise and the actor’s portrayals of the characters.

  Coming across an answer to a question that intrigued him, he scrolled back through the post looking for the original question. He found a post by Momof1 in which she’d stated she’d been too busy over the weekend to see
the movie, but was enjoying hearing everyone’s take on the film.

  Scott finally found the question, which to his surprise also came from Momof1. She asked if there were any Christian themes running through the movie that she could watch for when she got the chance to see it.

  He took a moment to contemplate the question and asked God to reveal any subtle messages in the movie to him. Later, he sent a post.

  Hi all,

  Momof1 asked if there were any Christian themes running through the movie. I found the lead character facing his fear in order to protect and save those he loved a reflection of Jesus’ actions on the cross. If you read Matthew 26:39, Jesus expresses His fear of the suffering to come. But He, who could have saved Himself with His supernatural powers, relinquished His power and His life to protect and save God’s people.

  Called2serve

  That was him. Called to serve. And he’d serve Trista as best he could and keep emotionally detached, no matter what.

  And pray that he’d be able to keep such a vow.

  Ross Van Zandt sat at the small desk in the extra office that Kelly asked him to use at Tiny Blessings. The window above his head let in some natural light to mingle with the overhead light. A stack of yellowed file folders sat in front of him. This most recent batch had been found in the wall of the Harcourt mansion when Reverend Fraser’s son, Jonah, had been doing renovations. When would the madness end?

  For two years, Ross had been working pro bono with Kelly to unravel the confusion over hundreds of adoption records that had been falsified by the agency’s previous director, Barnaby Harcourt. All of the children who had been adopted through these underhanded means were now adults, several of whom wanted to find their biological parents.

  There were some who didn’t, and in many case files, the information was incomplete or plain wrong, making some of the adoptions illegal. Sorting through the truths and the lies was proving a dangerous endeavor.

  Someone wanted all of this information to go away. Why else would they have broken into the adoption agency and set the place on fire?

  Thankfully, Ross had been backing up his files daily so they hadn’t lost everything on the computers, and these files had been safe at his house.

  His SUV unfortunately, hadn’t fared as well. Someone had smashed in the windshield and left a note warning him to drop his investigation.

  Right. When pigs flew!

  Tiny Blessings Adoption Agency meant the world to Kelly. And for her sake, Ross was committed to cleaning up the mess that Barnaby had made and building a good reputation for the agency.

  Picking up the top file, Ross flipped it open, cross-referenced the information on the documents with the original files that corresponded.

  The phone on the desk buzzed, indicating the receptionist was on the line.

  “Yes?”

  “Detective Fletcher to see you.”

  “Send him in.” Ross closed the file and stood.

  A moment later his office door opened and Zach Fletcher—six feet of muscle, brown wavy hair and intelligent, watchful blue eyes—entered. Ross considered Zach a man worth his salt.

  They shook hands.

  “Is this a social call or business?” Ross asked as he resumed his seat and indicated for Zach to take the chair on the other side of the desk.

  Zach smiled. “A little of both. I came in to take Pilar to lunch, but she’s not ready yet. I thought I’d compare notes on our investigations.”

  Pilar Estes, now Fletcher, had worked at Tiny Blessings since Kelly took it over after Barnaby Harcourt was murdered. Pilar and Zach met when Pilar found a baby left on the doorstep of Tiny Blessings. Zach was able to reunite the baby with its mother and in the process Pilar and Zach fell in love. They were married not long after and had a child of their own, along with two adopted children.

  “I’m slowly working my way through these records. Other than finally discovering Ben Cavanaugh’s biological mother, I haven’t found anything noteworthy.”

  “That’s just as well,” Zach stated.

  “How’s that?”

  With a shrug, Zach said, “We have no new leads on the break-in or the notes. The perp could be any number of people who might not want something revealed. Off the record, as your friend, it might be a good idea to hold off on any more investigating.”

  Ross’s hackles rose. “Excuse me? You’re warning me off?”

  Zach held up a hand. “It might be good to leave well enough alone. You stir a hornet’s nest, you’re bound to get stung.”

  “You know I can’t hold off. The reputation of Tiny Blessings is at stake.”

  “I’m just saying, be careful. Run anything you find by me. Let me—”

  A knock on the door interrupted Zach.

  “Sorry,” Ross murmured to Zach before calling out, “Yes?”

  The door opened and Kelly, closely followed by Zach’s wife, Pilar, strolled in. Both men rose as their wives came to their side. Though just barely reaching her husband’s shoulder, Pilar had a strong presence. Her black curly hair, extremely dark eyes, and high cheekbones attested to her Puerto Rican heritage. Zach slipped his arm around Pilar’s waist and kissed her cheek.

  Kelly, though nearly at the end of her pregnancy, had a glow to her sweet face. Pride and love filled Ross’s chest to bursting. He loved his wife with a deep passion that sometimes scared him. “Hey, gorgeous.” He smiled and leaned close to touch his lips to hers in a quick kiss.

  Pilar patted Zach’s chest. “I’m ready for lunch when you are.”

  Ross met Zach’s gaze. “We good?”

  Zach gave a curt nod. “Yes. Just think about what I said.”

  “Knock, knock.” Eric Pellegrino stood in the open doorway. Taller than even Zach, Eric had an energetic way about him that made people smile. His warm brown eyes crinkled at the corners. “So this is where the party’s at.”

  Kelly had hired Eric so that she could spend more time with Ross, and soon, the baby. Eric’s overseas work as a missionary in Africa and Thailand made him an asset to the agency.

  “No party would be complete without you,” quipped Pilar with a grin.

  “Actually, we were just heading out to lunch,” Zach said.

  “Cool.” To Pilar, he said, “When you come back, I need you to sign off on a file before I put it to bed.”

  “I can do it now,” Pilar said and moved toward the door.

  Eric held up his hand. “Later’s fine.”

  “All right.” Pilar took Zach’s hand and with a wave they left.

  “So what was that about?” Kelly asked as soon as she heard the front door close behind the Fletchers.

  “Come in, Eric, and close the door,” Ross instructed as he indicated for Kelly to take his desk chair.

  She didn’t hesitate. At this stage in the pregnancy, sitting was much preferred over standing. Easing into the leather captain’s chair, she slipped off her shoes and made herself comfortable.

  Eric took the seat Zach had occupied. He exchanged a curious glance with Kelly, at which she shrugged. Something had been going on between Ross and Zach when she’d walked in and Ross would tell her in his own time.

  Ross crossed his arms over his chest. “Zach wanted to warn me off from going through these files.”

  Confused, Kelly shook her head. “Why? He’s been so supportive.”

  “Do the police have any more leads on the break-in and the notes?” Eric asked.

  Ross gave a negative shake of his head. “But Zach seems to believe that whoever is responsible doesn’t want something in these files revealed.”

  “Well, that’s obvious,” Kelly remarked drily. The threatening notes, the break-in and the damage done to Ross’s car made her nervous.

  But she and Ross were both committed to clearing Tiny Blessings’ reputation.

  “It is.” Ross’s voice took on a deep intensity. “So, I need you both to promise to be very careful, and to report anything strange or out of the ordinary to me pronto. A
nd don’t take anything for granted. We don’t know who’s behind the recent events. It could very well be someone we know.”

  An ominous shiver of dread snaked its way down Kelly’s spine.

  Chapter Six

  Late Monday afternoon, Trista sat in the movie theater. Using some vacation time to leave work early to catch a matinee had been the smartest thing she’d done in a long time. The discussion on The Kingdom Room site intrigued her, especially Called2serve’s post. And the movie hadn’t disappointed.

  Watching the film with the perspective of God’s sacrifice for His creations had made a rather tedious action flick so much more engaging.

  That night after putting Aidan down, she sent a post.

  Called2serve

  Hi, I just wanted to tell you how much the analogy of God’s sacrifice helped make the movie enjoyable. I’m usually not much for this type of movie.

  Momof1

  She hadn’t expected Called2serve to reply until the next day so when a post came in a few minutes later, she was surprised and pleased. It was odd how the anonymity of conversing with someone on the Internet could be so satisfying and yet so scary. It was like having a pen pal, only in real time.

  Momof1

  Glad to hear you enjoyed the movie. I hadn’t been to see a film in a long time, but going the other day reminded me of how much exposure the media has. And I hope to see more films that convey the message of hope that God brings. I was at the bookstore not long ago and noticed that the Christian fiction section was bigger than in the past. I think storytelling in all media is a great way to reach out to people. I picked up a suspense thriller and am really enjoying it. Have you read any good books lately?

  Called2serve

  For over an hour they “talked.” The conversation went from books to the Bible to art and literature and then on to sports. They had a lot in common regarding their tastes in painters, writers and their loyalty to the Boston Red Sox.

  Just as the conversation veered to politics, Aidan stirred in the other room. Trista signed off with the promise of “getting together” the next night.