Adopted Parents

by Candy Halliday

  But Nate held his clean hands out for Hallie.

  And he winked at her when he did.

  Hallie rolled her eyes at Nate. But she praised Ahn, placed the food in front of her and handed Ahn her spoon. “Peas and carrots,” Hallie said automatically. “Can you say peas and carrots?”

  Ahn looked down at the peas and carrots and pushed the dish away. Next, she threw her spoon on the floor.

  Hallie raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

  Ahn stared her down defiantly.

  Hallie slowly bent, picked up the spoon and went to the sink to wash it off. When she returned, she pushed the bowl closer to Ahn and held out the spoon again.

  “Be a good girl and eat your lunch. Can you say lunch?”

  Ahn slapped her hand away.

  Hallie lost it. “Can you say time-out? Because we’re getting ready to have a serious chat about time-out, young lady.”

  Instead, Ahn said, “Pizza.”

  Hallie dropped the spoon.

  When she turned to see if Nate had heard, he was grinning. The next thing Hallie knew, she and Nate were dancing around the kitchen like two idiots. And Ahn was looking at both them as if they were crazy.

  They were crazy.

  Deliriously crazy.

  Ahn had just said her first word.

  “This calls for a celebration,” Nate said, taking Ahn out of her chair and dancing around the kitchen with her. “If Ahn wants pizza for lunch, I say we go out for pizza.”

  “Absolutely. You go put her in the car and I’ll grab my purse and keys.”

  As Hallie headed for the stairs, she heard Nate say, “I’d back off on the spoon-throwing if I were you. Aunt Hallie loves you, but she wasn’t kidding about time-out.”

  Hallie was still smiling over Nate’s comment as she grabbed her purse from the bedroom dresser. She stopped mid-stride when the telephone rang. Hallie picked up the phone, and decided to answer when she saw the caller ID.

  “Greg, I have great news. Ahn just said her first word.”

  “I have good news, too,” Greg said. “I was out of town Friday and Saturday and I just got around to checking my e-mail. The adoption agency e-mailed me Friday to say they have three couples interested in meeting with you. If it’s okay, I’ll schedule the appointments for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week.”

  “I can’t believe this,” Hallie said. “But yes. Of course, schedule the meetings. If the first meeting isn’t until Tuesday that will give me time to make arrangements with Roberta to babysit Ahn.”

  “I’ll call you tomorrow to confirm everything,” Greg said. “And great news about Ahn, Hallie. I know how hard you’ve been working with her.”

  Hallie thanked him, then hung up and tossed the phone onto the bed. But as she headed for the stairs reality set in like a fast-moving thunderstorm.

  Nate wouldn’t be so receptive to Greg’s news. Especially not today.

  Not after Ahn had finally said her first word.

  Hallie briefly thought of not telling him until after they got back from lunch. Of letting Nate enjoy celebrating Ahn’s triumph without the stark reminder that the readoption was finally moving forward.

  But she’d never pull it off.

  Nate could read her like a book.

  Hallie tried to put on a brave face as she walked toward the Mercedes where Nate was waiting. But she’d always sucked at brave faces.

  “Greg just called.” She held out the keys. “He has three couples for us to interview this week.”

  Nate took the keys without saying a word.

  Hallie was okay with that.

  There wasn’t anything to say—and they both knew it.

  NATE OPENED THE DOOR that still had Holder and Brock, Attorneys at Law painted on the glass at exactly one o’clock on Tuesday afternoon. Greg had told him after the funeral that he was keeping the firm name as a tribute to David.

  Nate was making his tribute to David right now—honoring his brother’s wishes the way Nate promised.

  He ushered Hallie into the office ahead of him, but he felt her stiffen as he placed his hand on her back. He was to blame for that.

  They’d hardly spoken to each other for the past two days. Not that Hallie hadn’t tried. But Nate flat out wasn’t interested in talking the situation to death, and he’d told Hallie so in those exact words.

  She hadn’t been amused.

  Thankfully, Roberta had made the decision for them when it came to their sleeping arrangements. Instead of waiting until Monday to come to Wedge Pond, Roberta had insisted on The Colonel bringing her Sunday evening.

  “Ahn has to get used to me taking care of her again,” Roberta had said as her excuse for coming early. “If I spend all day with her on Monday, she should be fine the rest of the week when both of you are gone on the interviews.”

  Nate said hello to the receptionist, who told them Greg wanted to see them in his office before the interview. She pushed the intercom button on her phone and announced their arrival. Then she showed them to Greg’s office door.

  Greg was on his feet the second they walked in. He and Nate shook hands and Greg motioned for them to take a seat in the chairs facing his desk.

  “Don’t be nervous about this interview,” Greg said. “There’s no pressure here. The purpose of this initial meeting is strictly so you can be introduced to the couple in person.”

  “And then what?” Nate asked.

  “If you like them, you request a second interview,” Greg said. “And the second interview is usually where you’ll introduce the couple to Ahn.”

  Nate frowned. “That seems a little soon to me.”

  “You can use your own judgment about that, Nate,” Greg said. “But remember, adoption is a two-way process. The adoptive parents are going to want to see the child as much as you want to get a good look at the adoptive parents.”

  Greg looked at Hallie. “I didn’t get the information on the three couples you’ll be interviewing until this morning. I’ll have my secretary scan and e-mail you the dossiers on your Wednesday and Thursday appointments so you’ll have time to look them over. But I’ll give you a quick rundown on the Wobacks before you meet them.”

  Greg picked up a sheet of paper. “Bill and Shirley Woback are both thirty-eight and they’ve been married ten years. Shirley is a registered nurse, but she plans to stay home once they adopt. Bill is an insurance executive who has banker’s hours, so he’s ready to become a hands-on father. They’re actively involved in the Methodist church they attend. Bill is a member of the Rotary Club. Shirley volunteers at a free clinic twice a month. Their parents are still alive, so Ahn would have two sets of grandparents. Bill has two married brothers, both with children. Shirley has one married sister, but no children yet. There are no divorces on either side of their families.”

  Hallie spoke up for the first time since they’d entered the office. “They almost sound too perfect, don’t they?”

  “That’s the point of the personal interview,” Greg said. “People can seem great on paper. It’s meeting them in person that counts.”

  “And they understand our situation?” Nate quizzed.

  “Yes,” Greg said. “This is an open adoption. Every thing has been fully disclosed to the three couples you’ll be interviewing this week, including Hallie’s desire to maintain her relationship as Ahn’s aunt.”

  “And what if I decide to remain Ahn’s uncle?”

  “I can’t see how that would be a problem,” Greg said. “None of these couples had any objection to Ahn’s family staying in touch.”

  “Good,” Nate said.

  “Are there any other questions before I take you to the boardroom to meet the Wobacks?”

  “Yes,” Hallie said. “I read over the agency’s guide lines for the interview process. I made a list of questions, but truthfully, running down a long list seems so impersonal to me. Do you have any other suggestions for how we should do this?”

  “My best advice is to do what
feels comfortable to you. Maybe switch it up. Take turns asking questions. Eventually you’ll start having a conversation instead of conducting an interview.”

  “Good advice,” she said.

  Greg stood. “Then if you’ll excuse me, I want to introduce myself to the Wobacks before the interview. I’ll be back to get you in a minute.”

  Hallie pounced the minute Greg left the office—just as Nate figured she would.

  “What do you mean if you decide to remain Ahn’s uncle, Nate? Just because you’re mad at me, don’t take it out on Ahn. Of course you’re going to stay involved in Ahn’s life. Whatever happens between us has nothing to do with you staying in touch with our niece.”

  Nate looked over at her. “And what to you mean by whatever happens between us, Hallie? After you get Ahn out of your hair, am I going to be next?”

  He seriously thought Hallie was going to slap him.

  Greg saved Nate from finding out.

  “Ready?” he asked when he opened the door.

  Hallie marched out of the office without looking back. Nate sighed and followed. Of course they were on edge with each other. They were holding Ahn’s future in their hands. And their first interview made all of it real.

  He thought about Ahn’s progress.

  She’d said her first word on Sunday. And she’d said her first sentence this morning after breakfast while they were feeding the ducks. She’d said, “Stop ducks,” when two of the larger ducks kept pushing a small duck away.

  It was the same thing he and Hallie were doing now.

  Two large ducks pushing the small one away.

  Nate wanted to grab Hallie by the arm and march her right back to Wedge Pond. He wanted to make her see that they could raise Ahn the same way they had been doing—quite magnificently, if he had to say so himself.

  But Nate already knew he couldn’t make Hallie do anything. His only hope was going through with the damn interviews so Hallie would see for herself that the only parents Ahn needed were the ones she already had.

  His hope began fading fast, however, when Hallie breezed into the boardroom with a big smile on her face as if she were greeting long-lost friends. Friendly was the last thing Nate was feeling.

  But he had to admit the Wobacks were a nice enough looking couple. At least, the wife looked normal—pretty, blonde, nicely dressed.

  The husband was a different story. The guy had shifty eyes, as if he had a secret you might discover if he looked at you too long. Nate could already see the sweat beads popping out on his brow below his receding hairline.

  Yeah, this guy had something to hide.

  Serial killer? Sex offender? Baby broker? Who knew?

  Greg made the introductions.

  Nate nodded curtly to Shirley.

  But Bill’s handshake was limp and as damp as a dishrag. Nate had to suppress the urge to wipe his hand on the side of his pants.

  When they all were seated, Hallie wasted no time getting to the point. “I think this will be less awkward if we take turns asking each other questions.”

  “I agree,” Nate said. “Tell me why you’re ready to be a father, Bill.”

  Hallie kicked him under the table.

  Bill took a handkerchief from his inside coat pocket and blotted his forehead. He still wouldn’t look directly at Nate for more than a second at a time.

  “Well,” he finally said, “I’m very close to my family. And family has always been important to me. I guess I’ve always been ready to be a father. I just haven’t been given that opportunity yet.”

  Nate pressed further. “And the family you’re so close to is on board for the adoption?”

  He sat up a little straighter. “Yes. Shirley and I both made sure our families would be receptive to an Asian child before we requested the interview.”

  Nate didn’t say anything after that.

  He didn’t even listen to the questions Hallie was asking them. Nor did he really pay attention to the questions they were asking Hallie.

  Nate was forced to shake hands with Bill again after the interview was over. As soon as the Wobacks left the boardroom, Nate did what he’d wanted to do the first time he saw them. He wiped the Wobacks off his list the same way he wiped his hand off on the side of his pants.

  “I DON’T THINK I’ve ever been more embarrassed,”

  Hallie fumed as she stomped to the Ranger Rover ahead of Nate.

  She slammed the door after she got into the car. When Nate slid behind the wheel, he slammed his door, too. Yeah, they were acting childishly, but she was too angry to care at the moment.

  “I cannot believe you were so rude to those people. There’s no excuse for it.”

  “I didn’t like the guy, okay? He had shifty eyes.”

  “He did not have shifty eyes. You have a way of intimidating people, Nate. You’re so damn confident you suck all the air out of a room the second you walk into it.”

  Nate’s head jerked in her direction. “You’re really taking up for the guy after his comment about talking with their families to make sure no one had a problem with them adopting an Asian child? Unbelievable.”

  “He was trying to assure us no one had a problem with Ahn’s race.”

  “That’s bullshit,” he argued. “If they didn’t have a problem with Ahn’s race, why would they feel the need to talk it over with their families? Did David and Janet call you to discuss their decision to adopt a child from Vietnam?”

  Hallie sighed. “You know they didn’t.”

  “Exactly my point.”

  “Okay,” Hallie said. “You’re right about that. But if this is the way you’re going to treat the people we interview, we’ll never find parents for Ahn. And if that’s your goal, Nate, you really disappoint me. Never in a million years would I have thought you would be so selfish.”

  “Fine,” he said. “I’ll let you do all the talking at the next interview tomorrow.”

  “Thank you,” Hallie said. “I will.”

  Nate went straight to the cottage the second they arrived at the house. Hallie didn’t try to stop him. She was even thankful that Roberta being there forced them to be apart while they were going through the interviews.

  If she and Nate needed anything, it was time alone right now. Since the accident, they’d been together nonstop. And their routine had been anything but normal. People didn’t live the way they’d been living—not even Janet and David. Two adults staying home all day, their only focus on the child they were taking care of together simply wasn’t normal.

  Nate had at least had an outlet with his damn documentary. But even that didn’t count. Not really. The only time Nate took a break to look through his photos was while Ahn was taking her nap.

  Did he really call that living?

  Well, sorry, but she didn’t.

  Hallie had herself so worked up by the time she walked into the house, she couldn’t hide it. She found Roberta and Ahn sitting on the sofa, a book between them.

  Roberta took one look at her and said, “Well, I don’t guess there’s any point in asking how the interview went.”

  Hallie kicked off her heels and flopped into the recliner. “Then ask me how the interview would have gone if Nate hadn’t made a complete ass of himself.”

  “You had to know this wouldn’t be easy, Hallie.”

  “I know,” Hallie said. “But Nate never gave the couple a chance. If he isn’t in a better mood tomorrow, I’m not taking him with me to the interview.”

  “Sounds like someone else needs to get in a better mood,” Roberta said. “Go have some quiet time and calm down before dinner. You’re interrupting our story and we’re just getting to the good part.”

  Hallie picked herself up from the recliner, grabbed her shoes and stomped toward the stairs. Thank God Roberta was here for the next three days. At the rate they were going, she and Nate would kill each other before the interviews were over.

  Turning Ahn over to Roberta was the equivalent of a guilt-free pass. It made Ha
llie wonder if she’d ever be able to feel the same way about the readoptive parents if they did choose a couple. Logic told her she would. Hallie’s heart feared she wouldn’t. And experience told her only time would tell.

  But Hallie wasn’t going to worry about any of that right now. She was going to take a nice, hot bath and try to pull herself back together.

  She couldn’t expect Nate to be logical if her emotions were all over the place. And she couldn’t expect him to be civil if she were being nasty to him.

  She loved him.

  And she loved Ahn.

  With all her heart, Hallie loved them both. She needed to figure out how to prove to Nate that doing what was best for Ahn also meant doing what was best for them. Ahn needed a new start in life, just as she and Nate needed their lives back. Only then would they all be able to put the past behind them and move forward together.

  Forward for Hallie meant forward with Nate and Ahn.

  Not without either of them.

  Why couldn’t Nate understand that?

  Hallie sighed as she undressed. As the tub filled she realized how exhausted she was. It was the first time in what seemed like forever that she really could take a bath and go to bed early if she wanted without worrying about anyone or anything other than herself.

  God, how Hallie would love to do that.

  And she didn’t care that it was only five o’clock. She needed some space. Some me time. Some get-her-head-on-straight time. She’d earned it. And she was going to take advantage of having the opportunity to be rewarded for what she’d earned.

  NATE PACED THE COTTAGE like a caged animal, stewing over everything that had happened that afternoon. Hallie had called him selfish, intimidating and rude. And everything she said described exactly how he’d acted today during the interview.

  Nate was ashamed of that.

  But he wasn’t going to retract his initial impression of Bill Woback. Nor had he been wrong that the man’s comment about Ahn’s race had been completely unacceptable and totally offensive.

  But Nate would to do things differently tomorrow.

  He was going to leave tomorrow’s interview completely up to Hallie. He would sit there politely and never say a word—that was what Hallie wanted anyway. She wanted him to do exactly what she told him to do and like it whether he did or not.