Darla’s hands came out from under the blanket; she pulled it up to her neck, and spoke just above a whisper. “It’s a boy I met when I was visiting my cousin on the coast, but he doesn’t want her. He denied she was his when I told him. He has a girlfriend. A real girlfriend.” She wiped tears from her cheeks. “The thing is – she’s not safe at my house. My mom has a lot of men who come by and they, you know, have tried to get with me.”
He heard Lee’s breath catch. When he looked over at her, she was staring at her hands, all color drained from her face.
Tommy felt rage brewing in his belly. Bastard, he thought. Scum of the earth. How had Darla’s mother let this happen?
Darla took in a deep breath. “It only happened once. After that, I bought a hatchet and started sleeping with my door locked. I can’t take the baby back to that house. I don’t want to go back myself. I wish I could go away. Start fresh.”
“Where would you go if you could go anywhere you wanted?” asked Lee.
“There’s this performing arts boarding school I read about. It’s in Chicago, but it’s like millions of dollars.”
“It’s probably not millions. Maybe more like thousands.” Tommy looked over at his wife. He knew she was thinking the exact same thing, so he said it out loud. “Darla, if your mother would give permission, we would pay for you to go. It would get you out of here so you could be safe and have a shot at the future you want.”
“You would do that for me?”
“It would be our pleasure,” said Lee.
“But where do I go between now and then?” asked Darla. “Can I sleep at the youth center?”
“How would you like to stay at Chef Annie’s for a couple weeks?” asked Lee. “I know they would be happy to let you stay in their guest house. Just until we get you enrolled and off to school.”
“She won’t mind?”
“Not Annie. She’ll be happy to have another person to feed,” said Tommy.
“Do you think your mother will agree to school? She’d have to sign the school papers and everything,” said Lee.
“It might take a little money to convince her,” said Darla. “But she’ll do anything for another day’s worth of crack.”
“I’m sorry,” said Lee. “I’m sorry that’s all it would take.”
Darla turned on her side and pulled her legs up so that she was in the fetal position and started to cry. “Me too.”
Lee stroked her hair. “It’s going to be all right. I promise it will. Someday you’ll look back and see this was the beginning of your life.”
“You’ll tell her I was a good person?” asked Darla.
“We will. All the time,” said Lee.
“And how much I loved her?”
“Enough to let her go,” said Lee. “She’ll understand you did it for her.”
“Promise?”
“I promise,” said Lee. “And I’ll make sure you have as many photos as you want.”
The doctor came into the room, carrying a file. “The baby’s perfectly healthy. I have the nurse holding her, so we could talk.”
Darla sat up, straightening the blanket. “I’ve decided. I want to go ahead with the adoption.”
“All right, then.” The doctor turned to Tommy. “Why don’t you two come to my office and I’ll give you a recommendation for an adoption attorney. I would suggest getting all the paperwork together and then both parties can sign. The attorney I know is quite experienced and can probably come now if you’d like. I want Darla to stay in the hospital for at least another couple of days, but as soon as the papers are signed the baby can go home with you.”
They ironed out a few more details before the doctor said it was time for Darla to rest.
“Lee? Will you stay with me? Just until I fall asleep,” said Darla.
“Of course.” Lee sat on the side of the hospital bed and tucked the blanket around Darla. “Now close your eyes. Everything’s going to be all right.”
Tommy followed the doctor to the door, but turned to look back at his wife and Darla. “You’ll let me say goodbye to her when you go, right?” asked Darla.
“Absolutely. And you can visit anytime you want,” said Lee. “When she’s old enough to understand, we’ll tell her who you are to her, who you are to us. This isn’t goodbye, just a different type of family - one that you’re part of now.”
“I wish you’d been my mother,” said Darla.
“We’ll be here now. You’re not alone any longer.” Lee brushed hair from Darla’s forehead. “But for now you need to rest.”
Darla’s eyes closed. Soon, she started breathing steadily.
Tommy’s heart twisted. He pulled the door open and went into the hallway, taking in big gulps of air to keep from crying.
Brave women, he thought. Both braver than I could ever be. Within their mysterious souls, those hidden rooms, resided strength that a man could never hope to match.
The unfairness of it all overwhelmed him and he felt the need to punch something, someone. How does a girl like Darla stand a chance? It wasn’t just their Darla, but all the Darlas. Mike’s voice rang in his head. One person at a time. One act of kindness at a time.
Chapter Six
The book of baby names was delivered while they were at the hospital, waiting on the mat when they returned home. It didn’t take them long to decide. They named their baby girl Amari, which meant, “miracle”.
Christmas Eve, after dinner, Tommy stood at his window that overlooked the river, holding Ellie-Rose in his arms. Behind them, Linus, John, Verle, and Ellen took turns holding the baby and making toasts and passing around cookies. Tommy kissed his daughter’s soft cheek, breathing in the smell of her curls. She seemed bigger now, compared to the tiny baby. Ellie-Rose pointed out the window. “’No. It’s ‘nowing.”
Fat flakes, illuminated in the porch light, fell, one after the other. “Everyone. It’s snowing,” he said.
They all gathered around, forming a semi-circle.
“We should sing something festive,” said Linus.
“Or, maybe just Tommy,” said Ellen.
Where was Lee? He hadn’t seen her for a few minutes. “Where’s Mommy?” he asked his daughter.
Ellie-Rose pointed toward the back bedroom. “’oom.”
Just then, Lee came around the Christmas tree. She held something plastic in her hand. Something white. Her eyes were shining as bright as the lights. “Tommy, you may need to sit down.”
His legs started to shake.
“I guess it was too early the other day.” Lee held up the pregnancy test wand, then started waving it wildly. “’Cause these are two pink lines.”
“Oh, Lord have mercy,” said Ellen. “You two will go broke from all the diapers.” She turned to Ellie-Rose. “It’s time for you to use the big girl potty.”
“Okay, Gaga.”
The white lights of the Christmas tree blurred as tears filled his eyes. “It’s not possible. They said it would never happen.”
“Well, the way you two bunnies go at it, I guess one slipped in there,” said Linus. He was already pouring champagne.
Lee put the pregnancy test on the tree like an ornament. “Merry Christmas, my love. It looks like we’re going to be ‘five-at-table’ from now on. Now, Gaga, give me that baby.” Ellen, grinning, handed Amari over to her mother. Lin
Still holding Ellie-Rose, Tommy reached for his wife and pulled her and their new baby close. “We don’t have to look too hard to see this miracle.”
They all toasted and laughed as the snow continued to fall until it covered the porch, and their guests decided it was time to make their way home. Tommy waved to his friends as their lights faded down the driveway. He fell to his knees, looking up at the sky, allowing the snowflakes to fall onto his face before bowing his head and speaking out loud. “Thank you, Lord, for this life and the daily blessings. And, for the three miracles inside my house. For whom much is given, much is expected. I won’t let you down. Amen.” Then, he to
ok a deep breath of Oregon air and went inside to his family.
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Also by Tess Thompson
Cliffside Bay Series
Traded: Brody and Kara
Deleted: Jackson and Maggie
Jaded: Zane and Honor
Marred: Kyle and Violet
Tainted: Lance and Mary
Missed: Rafael and Lisa
Healed: Stone and Pepper (Coming Soon)
Cliffside Bay Christmas
The Blue Mountain Series
Blue Midnight
Blue Moon
Blue Ink
The Legley Bay Series
Caramel and Magnolias
Tea and Primroses
The River Valley Series
Riversong
Riverbend
Riverstar
A River Valley Christmas: Tommy's Wish
Riversnow
The River Valley Series: Riversong, Riverbend, Riverstar, Riversnow
Riverstorm
Standalone
Duet for Three Hands
Miller's Secret
The Santa Trial
Cliffside Bay Bundle, Volume 1-3
Watch for more at Tess Thompson’s site.
About the Author
Tess Thompson Romance...hometowns and heartstrings. Warning. Tess Thompson books will make you laugh, cry and remind you what it’s like to fall in love. Don’t purchase unless you like books about good people with ridiculously happy endings. Tess writes epic love stories with relatable characters set in small towns. Some of her books have suspense, others a mystery, and a few are set in the past. Like a reader said recently, "Tess Thompson books give you more than just a romance." She started her writing career in fourth grade when she wrote a story about an orphan who opened a pizza restaurant. Oddly enough, her first novel, "Riversong" is about an adult orphan who opens a restaurant. Clearly, she's obsessed with food and words.
Like the characters in her USA Bestseller River Valley Series, she hails from a little town in southern Oregon. Despite the fact she's lived in Seattle for almost thirty years, she will always feel like a small town girl. She's risen up the charts on all the major ebook retailers starting in 2012 when her debut novel Riversong became a bestseller. Since then, she's released almost 20 novels and novellas. She loves music and dancing, books and bubble baths, cooking and wine, movies and snuggling. She cries at sappy commercials and thinks kissing in the rain should be done whenever possible. Although she tries to act like a lady, there may or may not have been a few times in the last several years when she’s gotten slightly carried away watching the Seattle Seahawks play, but that could also just be a nasty rumor. She currently lives in a suburb of Seattle, Washington with her husband, the hero of her own love story, and their Brady Bunch clan of two sons, two daughters and five cats. Yes, that's four kids and five cats. Pray for her. Tess loves to hear from you. Drop her a line at [email protected].
Read more at Tess Thompson’s site.
A River Valley Christmas Page 3
