by C. B. Stagg
Our modest living room was bursting at the seams, full of all the people we loved. Rosie and Doc were in from the ranch. Lillie and Chance, now retired, drove down from College Station. And of course our cul-de-sac neighbors, Claire and Kyle Clark, and Marian and George Preston were all there too.. Their children and grandchildren ran around the house with our granddaughters, Whiskey and Ruby Grace.
This was the same crew, minus a few newcomers, who were here the day we were officially able to say, It’s a girl. That was the first time, by the grace of God, Jill and I became parents. Becky’s adoption felt like a lifetime ago. It was now one of the two happiest days in our lives.
I stood next to where Jill sat on the couch and she handed me our little pot roast-sized baby, all wrapped in white. I cradled him in my arms and kissed his fuzzy little head. He was our miracle and he was ready to meet the world.
“First, thank you for coming.” We’d kept the sex of the baby a secret for two days, just long enough to get home and gather everyone in one place. “When Jill and I started our lives together a little over twenty years ago, we pretty quickly learned it was highly unlikely that we would ever conceive a child. So, as you know, we did what any sane, newly married couple would—we adopted a teenager.” The room burst into applause and laughter as I shot my eyes at my oldest.
“Thanks, Dad,” Becky answered, in that deadpan way she had. The roaring crowd died down.
“Today, we’d like to introduce you to our son, Bennett Chance Hanson. We’ll be calling him Chance.” I passed my son to Rosie, his grandmother, knowing full well I wouldn’t see him again for a while. But how could I begrudge anyone wanting to love on my boy? My hands were empty, so I jumped on the opportunity to take a breather and grab my wife a drink.
Casey Clark and his wife Vaughn made their way over to where I stood in the kitchen, away from the crowd. “Congrats again, old man.” Casey slapped me on the back.
“Thanks.” I looked around to make sure I was alone with the couple. “And thank you again for not spilling the beans about Chance.” Much to my surprise, I’d run into Vaughn and Casey in the hall at the hospital the day Chance was born. I told them I’d only let them see the baby if they swore to keep the gender a secret. And if they told me why they were floating around the floor dedicated just for babies, looking like goons.
“And your news, I suppose I should be offering you congratulations as well… when do you think you’ll share?” Just mentioning their news turned them into goons all over again and I couldn’t think of a more deserving couple.
“Soon. Really, really soon.” Vaughn hugged my neck and the two rejoined the crowd.
“So, Grandpa?” Whiskey, my beautiful granddaughter, breezed in and threw her arms around my neck, hanging on to me like a monkey. “Do you want me to go find whoever has Chance and steal him back for you?” Her devious smile was the carbon copy of her mother, in body, mind, and spirit. I nodded, not quite ready to go back into that crowd, but wanting to see the little person who made me whole again.
“More than anything else in the world.”
Acknowledgements
So, I’ve affectionately named this book The Beast, though I’m really not sure why. Probably because, right smack in the middle of writing this baby, I was offered my dream job. And while it has been the most incredible, life changing experience, it was leaving the comforts of what I’d been doing for twelve years and diving head first into a completely new world, new climate, new culture, and new language. All of that to say, poor Jill and Bennett stayed simmering on the back burner like a long forgotten pot of spaghetti sauce.
I was thrilled when things settled down and I was able to get back to what I love. As always, my family has been amazing through everything. Through ups and downs, they’re always there, cheering every step of the way.
Huge thanks go to Kate Bihm and Kara Comte for legal advice (for Jillian, not me!), Carrie Merrill for her medical expertise, Nathan Wolf for giving me his writer’s and soldier’s perspective of things, and Dawn Husted, a fabulous author and critique partner. My dedicated beta reading crew, Carrie, Kim, Leila, and Kristen, came through for me once again! I’ll never be able to thank you for your insight!
Scars Like Wings is my fourth book, but my first under my incredibly dedicated and insightful new editor, Christie Scambray. Props to Christie for cleaning up my messes, not only in Scars Like Wings, but meticulously combing through my other three books to fix mistakes that should’ve been caught before publishing. This girl is not just an editor, she’s been my partner through this crazy summer of major transition and can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.
And to the man, the myth, the legend.
Your presence is felt in every male lead I write.
Ladies, he does laundry, he grocery shops, he cooks and often serves me dinner when I’m lost in the world of writing. He charges my devices, takes the kids to soccer practices, feeds the dogs, puts gas in my car, buys me tacos, loves me unconditionally… And he’s mine :)
About the Author
CHARLY STAGG IS WIFE to one lucky guy, mother to four incredible kids, and teacher to hundreds of children in her community. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Charly holds a degree in Elementary Education and taught first, second, and third grades for more than ten years before getting her dream job as an elementary art teacher. She is a lover of reading, soccer, camping, Aggie football, 90s rock, and all things creative. Her writing process includes typing in bed, while snuggling with her doggies and listening to Goo Goo Dolls with an endless supply of Sonic drinks and ice cream on hand. Charly and her husband live in College Station, Texas with their four children: Andrew, Ryan, Grace, and Lucas, and two dogs, Daisy and Pepper.
