“Are we ready?” Jon looked at Beth and she nodded.
He grinned and held Lexie close to her cake. “Blow out the candles, Lexie.”
Beth did the same with Stevie. With encouragement, including a little help from their parents and cheering from their guests, both girls blew out their candles.
By the time the cake and ice cream had disappeared and the girls had opened their gifts, Beth wondered why she had ever agreed to have such a large party for them. Deep inside, she knew the answer to that. Sitting on a patio chair among a mountain of toys, videos and clothes Beth held Lexie close and fought the inevitable letdown. She had kept a happy face for Jon and the girls as well as for all of their guests.
Tomorrow she would face reality. Early in the morning she would begin her search for a new place to live and a new job. She must make definite plans to leave Jon’s house and his employment. She’d put off as long as she could what had to be done. She loved Jonathan McDuff even more than she had loved Steven. Maybe just in a different way. In any event, she knew she loved him with all her heart. When she and Stevie got settled someplace else, this depression hovering over her soul would go away. It would have to.
“What a stack of gifts for two little girls!” Cecelia took a book from Jon and added it to the others. “Is that the last of them?”
Jon stood and handed Stevie to his sister. “No, actually there are two more gifts.” He took Lexie from Beth and handed her to Lori. “If you ladies will take our birthday girls to the side where they can watch, I’ll present the last two gifts to their mother.”
Cecelia winked at Beth. “That won’t be a problem.”
Beth watched Cecelia and Lori walk away with the girls. What was going on? Cecelia knew and hadn’t hinted. She narrowed her eyes, looked at Jon, and tried to imagine what two birthday gifts for the girls he could possibly want to give her.
Jon slipped back into his chair by her side. With all their guests watching, he handed Beth a white sheet of paper, rolled and tied with a ribbon.
She looked at him.
“Please, will you read it? Aloud?”
Beth slipped the ribbon from the rolled paper and spread it out. At first glance the paper appeared to be some sort of legal document. At the top in bold letters she saw the McDuff Family Law letterhead. Below that in smaller letters were the words Attorneys-at-Law.
“Aloud, Beth.” Jon spoke low. “Everyone would like to know what your gifts are.”
Beth glanced up at friends and family who waited with expectancy on their faces. Lori gave her a smile, and Cecelia lifted one thumb while a wide grin covered her face. Beth picked up the document and began to read. “Consent for adoption.”
What? Her hands froze, but she did not outwardly react. In a normal sounding voice she heard herself read as if the words came from someone else.
“Whereas the following findings of fact indicate that the welfare of the minor child, Alexis Gayle McDuff, so demands that adoption be approved in the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri, Juvenile Division: 1. Said minor child was born on July 15, two years previous and Jonathan Ray McDuff, although not the child’s biological father, has been in full and continual custody of said minor child to date. 2. The prior custodial mother of said minor child, Sharolyn Elaine McDuff, although not her biological mother, is now deceased.”
Amid murmurs and whispers of disbelief from the gathered audience, Beth closed her eyes. What was going on? Jonathan had obviously devised some kind of legal ploy to take Lexie from her. She had suspected from the beginning he would try to use the law to his advantage.
“There’s more, Beth. Can you finish?” Jon’s voice sounded gentle and caring. Beth knew better. This was the true Jonathan McDuff, attorney-at-law. All right, she’d read his Consent to Adopt and then she’d throw it in his face.
Straightening her back, she continued. “3. The minor child is suitable for adoption and the Petitioner, Jonathan Ray McDuff, is suitable as father of said minor child and has the ability to properly care for, maintain and educate said minor child. 4. A full investigation, including DNA testing, has been made and proves without reasonable doubt that said minor child is the biological child of Elizabeth Anne Carter.”
Beth’s hands trembled as a collective gasp swept through the onlookers. She sensed them all scrambling to figure out the true nature of her relationship to Jon and the girls. So much for keeping a secret. Now everyone would know their babies had been switched at birth. She ignored the space for her signature giving Jon the right to take her baby from her and flipped to the second page.
“Whereas the following findings of fact indicate that the welfare of the minor child, Stevie Elizabeth Carter, so demands that adoption be approved in the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri, Juvenile Division: 1. Said minor child was born on July 15, two years previous and Elizabeth Anne Carter, although not the child’s biological mother, has been in full and continual custody of said minor child to date. 2. The prior custodial father of said minor child, Steven W. Carter, although not the child’s biological father, is now deceased.”
Beth’s eyes widened and her heart began to pound hard as she read the rest. “3. The minor child is suitable for adoption and the Petitioner, Elizabeth Anne Carter, is suitable as mother of said minor child and has the ability to properly care for, maintain and educate said minor child. 4. A full investigation, including DNA testing, has been made and proves without reasonable doubt that said minor child is the biological child of Jonathan Ray McDuff.”
While a ripple of voices rose around them, Beth managed to turn and look at Jon. She saw excitement in his eyes. And something else. Fear? Did he want her answer now? Her mind whirled in confusion. She couldn’t stay near Jon. How much worse it would be if she agreed to his crazy plan!
“Beth,” Jon’s voice penetrated the fog of her mind. “My second gift to you today is only yours if you accept it. I guess it really depends on how you feel about what I’m offering.”
As Beth took the second rolled paper, her hand closed over something small and hard tied to the ribbon. At first she didn’t know what it was—and neither did she care. As she slid the ribbon from the roll, the end of her finger slipped through the small hard circle and her heart stuttered. Afraid to see if what she held in her hand was what she thought it was, she closed her fingers around it and the ribbon and opened the paper.
“Please, will you read this one aloud, too?”
Beth looked into Jon’s eyes and saw uncertainty. Fear. Why, if this document was so important to him, did he want her to read it before all these witnesses?
In bold letters under the letterhead were the words: Proposal of Marriage. Beth skipped the heading and read, “Whereas Jonathan Ray McDuff has fallen completely and irrevocably in love with Elizabeth Anne Murdock Carter, he requests before the witness of family and friends that she consider his earnest proposal of marriage and agree to become his wife.”
Her voice broke before she could finish the sentence in clarity. The remaining words swam before her eyes and she let the document drop in her lap as she turned to the love of her life.
“Oh, Jon.” She couldn’t get anything else past the lump in her throat. Tears ran down her cheeks as she laughed and threw her arms around his neck.
His arms were warm around her, holding her close. He whispered in her ear. “Does that mean yes?”
“Do you really love me?”
“With all my heart, Beth. Now and forever. Please say you’ll marry me.”
“Oh, yes. Yes!” She squeezed him tight, then someone started clapping and others joined in. But Beth scarcely heard them as Jon caught her lips under his for a brief kiss that promised he would always be hers.
He pulled away and grinned at her. “Where’s the ring?”
“The ring?”
“Beth, the ring was tied to the ribbon.” Jon’s grin disappeared. “Didn’t you notice a ring?”
She smiled and brought her hand between them. She o
pened her fist to find a beautiful gold and silver solitaire tied to a well-wrinkled ribbon. “Do you mean this ring?”
“Yes, I mean that ring.” Jon took the ribbon and untied Beth’s engagement ring. He slipped it on her finger, bringing an assortment of oohs and aahs from their audience.
Just before a dozen admirers surrounded Beth to look at her ring, Jon leaned close and whispered. “I love you, Beth. We’ll talk after our company leaves.”
Beth smiled her promise, then opened her arms to her two little girls as Cecelia and Lori placed them both on her lap. Jon kept his arm around her shoulders, holding his family close.
~*~*~*~
About the Author
Mildred Colvin is an award-winning author of seventeen romance novels in both historical and contemporary themes, two compilations, and one audio book.
Mildred is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and is active in two critique groups. To keep up with Mildred’s writing and activities, visit her at Romantic Reflections http://mildredcolvin.blogspot.com and Infinite Characters http://infinitecharacters.com
More Kansas City Romance Coming Soon!
Making Things Right—Book Two
Meet Ron Henderson and become better acquainted with Lori, Beth’s best friend, as she and her ex-husband come face-to-face at Beth and Jon’s wedding. What do they have in common? More than they think, including love for Ron’s older sister and a three-year-old child they both want. Who will win?
Three Broken Hearts—Book Three
Kent McCord, Ron’s friend and fellow band member, needs an interior designer but gets more than he bargained for. More than three years have passed since his wife’s death and his almost thirteen-year-old daughter’s rebellion began. Falling in love with Amy Roberts isn’t planned, but even Sierra’s protests can’t keep them apart. Only Amy, who refuses to come between father and daughter, can do that.
~*~*~*~
Available now in E-book and Paperback by Mildred Colvin:
Learning to Lean
A New Life
Love Returned
Cora’s Deception
Eliza’s Mistake
In E-book:
Lesson of the Poinsettia
Other Authors you might also like:
By Regina Tittel
e-book or paperback
The Ozark Durham Series
Abandoned Hearts—Book One
Unexpected Kiss—Book Two
Coveted Bride—Book Three
~*~
Coming Fall 2012
From White Rose Publishing, Pelican Books
http://www.pelicanbookgroup.com
Madeline’s Protector
By Vanessa Riley
~*~*~*~
Table of Contents
This Child Is Mine
DEDICATION
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
About the Author
Available now in E-book and Paperback by Mildred Colvin:
This Child Is Mine Page 17
