Happily Ever Alpha: Until More (Kindle Worlds Novella)
Page 9
“Yes, sir, that’s correct.” I glance back at Maddison who’s sitting with Jane, Myla and Kai. “I know she’s Vigo’s sister and in turn makes her my sister-in-law, but she’s also my daughter. I want her to know she’s mine, just like this baby I’m carrying.”
“And, Mr. Conti, you’re okay with changing the status as daughter instead of sister?”
“Absolutely, sir. As my wife said, she’s more my child than sister. Especially since I’ve raised her since the day she came home.” His voice clearly shows the desire of wanting this as much as I do.
“It states here that your parents were killed,” the judge’s eyes meet his. All my husband does is nod that it's true.
“I’ll be honest. When I first looked at this request I didn’t understand why you would want to adopt her. However, from the moment you entered into the courtroom, I then saw why. Not only did I see how you took care of her like she was your child, I could hear it in your voice you used with her along with the love that’s pouring out of you.” Tears immediately fill my eyes. He’s going to grant our request. “Can I speak to Maddison?”
Maddison looks up when he says her name and smiles at him.
“Hi! Can I come see your desk?” Before he even can nod his approval, she’s up and running to him, rounding the bench so she’s on the same side. “What’s this?” She holds up the gavel.
“Well, little one, that’s a gavel. I need to ask you an important question. Can you look at me?” Mads looks at him briefly before casting her eyes down at the gavel in her hand. And I finally let go of the breath I was holding as he just smiles, hopefully understanding that’s probably the best he’s going to get from an autistic child. “Can you tell me if you would like for your bubby, Conti, and Crystal to be your parents?”
“What are parents? Hey, Momma look what I have!” Her eyes collide with mine and my heart is now in my throat. She's called me Momma here and there, and we realized she was mimicking Myla’s children; but right now it seems like it means much more. I give her a huge smile and nod, knowing that if I open my mouth, I’ll start bawling which will scare Maddison.
“What does it do?” She turns back to the judge before looking down again.
“Well, if that doesn’t answer the question I don’t know what would. Adoption granted.” He turns to Maddison. “It’s so you can close cases. Here let me show you.”
He gently guides her to face us and then helps her bang the gavel closing the case on the adoption, and leaving Maddison laughing in excitement as she bangs it again and again clueless to just how big this day really is.
CONTI
Five years later . . .
“Bubby,” David Michael, or DM as Maddison has dubbed him, calls out to me. Groaning, I glance down at my four-year-old, hoping he will correct himself without me having to do it.
“You do know it’s never going to change right?” Kai murmurs.
He’s right, it won’t. Maddison refuses to call me Dad because like she tells us, “You’re not Dad. You’re bubby!” Her mind won’t allow her to think of me as anything else. So when the kids were learning to talk, they called me Daddy. However, it swapped to bubby, mimicking Maddison. Even though it bugs the hell out of me, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Sighing, I look down at my son again.
“Guess what,” he says with a very stern expression on his face. Looking just like his mother.
“What, DM?” I hold my breath, I never know what’s going to come out of his mouth.
“Sissy said shit!” He bursts out giving me a look like Crystal does when I’m in trouble with her.
The laughter coming from beside me has me turning to glare at Kai. Asshole is always giving me crap when one of the kids cusses because we know Crystal will be coming behind them yelling at me for teaching them how to say it.
Even if she does cuss worse than I do, it will always be my fault.
“Son, you know you aren’t allowed–” is all I can get out because right on time, here comes my wife.
“Do you know what your daughter just said?”
“Shit!” David yells.
My eyes shoot daggers at Kai as he laughs even harder. A glance toward Myla shows that she isn’t doing any better than her husband is at holding the laughter in.
“No, you will not look at them like that, Vigo Michael Conti!” She stomps her little foot causing me to chuckle.
I love it when she gets pissy. It makes the nighttime so much more fun when I spank her ass for it. I think she does it on purpose because she has been doing it more and more lately. “Are you even listening to me!”
“Momma, Aunt Britt, Uncle Roman and their little shits are here,” Maddison calls from inside the house. My groan slips out of me before I can catch it. Their children are just like their father . . . menaces. Then it hits me what Mads said and has me chuckling, inside of course since Crystal is still standing in front of me.
“Don’t you start.” My wife’s finger points at me.
Smiling up at her, I let her see the desire in my eyes. Huffing she turns, grabs my son's hand and goes back inside.
As I watch the sway of her hips I can’t help but think . . . Yep, thank God for my boom.
April is Autism Awareness
April is Autism Awareness Month and so I am going to donate all my sales from Until More for the month of April to a charity that deals with Autism Awareness.
Autism Awareness is a big part of my life. My daughter, Elaine, was diagnosed with PPD-NOS - Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified - which is a part of the ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorder - at the age of five.
One and ever sixty-eight children in the United States are diagnosed with some form of Autism. Out of those children one in forty-two are boys while only one in one hundred eighty-nine are girls.
I would highly encourage you to check out the sites below and learn more about Autism.
http://autismspeaks.org
http://autism-society.org
https://ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Autism-Spectrum-Disorder-Fact-Sheet
Acknowledgements
Wow there are so many people I need to think for this amazing journey. I know I’ll end up forgetting someone so in advance if I forget you, I’m sorry. I didn’t do it intentionally!
First and always will be God. Without him in my life, I’m nothing.
Cover and Formatting design: SK Designs – http://sexykittendesigns.authorsvanhorne.com/
Cover Photographer: Shutterstock.com
Editor: Cassia Brightmore – Beyond the Click Publishing Services - http://facebook.com/btcphotographyandpublishingservices/
Proofreaders: Jane Wells and Momma
My Hubs: Thank you for all the support you give me. Not many have a spouse that encourages their dreams. I’m blessed by God to have you. June is coming and I can’t wait to see you again in person. I love you one more time xoxo
My Kids: Thanks for letting momma write at odd times. You two are everything to me and I can’t believe I’ve been blessed to have such amazing children. I love you both.
My Family: Thank you for all the support and encouragement. I can’t wait to see you guys in Aug.
Aurora Rose Reynolds: You are a true inspiration for authors everywhere. I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to be a part of your world. I can’t wait to see you again in Nashville. <3
Angela Marie: Thank you for everything you do for me. I truly would be lost without you as my PA. Sept is going to be awesome.
Megan: What can I say? You are an amazing friend and have been there for me in times that I needed someone to lean on. I love you so much and can’t wait to hug you in person. Thanks for being my wifey and for loving me for just me.
Jennifer: You are an amazing writer and I am blessed to have you as my friend. I couldn’t have written this book without your feed back and help. Thank you for always being there for me. Love you <3
Tracia: You are o
ne of my closest friends and I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it. Thank you for always being a phone call away and for all your advice you have given me. Love you woman <3
Rochelle: Thank you for being the first beat for this book. I swear I probably drove you nuts with everything I did LOL. I’m forever grateful to have you in my life and as a friend. Can’t wait to move in :cP Love you <3
Jane: You are such an amazing person and I am blessed to call you a friend. Thank you for all the beta reads and help with wording when I was lost myself on what I was saying. Love you <3
Tonya: Thank you for all your help with this book. I am honored to call you a friend.
Momma: I still wonder at times how we adopted each other LOL. Thank you for all the work you do on my proofreads. You really have no idea just how much it means to me to have you in my life and to call you Momma.
Cassia: You take my raw ugly words and make them shine in ways I never thought of making them shine. You are a miracle worker and I’m so blessed to have you as my editor. But more importantly as a dear close friend. Thank you for everything you do for me and for helping me with my dream of being a writer. Love you <3
Personal Friends: You might not realize it. But you help more than you can ever image. Thanks for not only being my friend . . . but also for giving me the inspiration for my books at times. Love you guys.
Bloggers/Readers: Thank you for taking a chance on me and reading my work. Honestly, I wouldn’t be able to do my dream job if it wasn’t for you. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you do.
About the Author
S. Van Horne was born and raised in the small town of Belton, Missouri, which is a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. She’s from a very large family and is the oldest of six. Growing up, she didn’t have the easiest life. She learned quickly that family means everything, even if it’s the type that you get to pick for yourself.
She met the love of her life at the early age of twenty and was married just after nine months of meeting him. Shortly after marriage, her husband rejoined the U.S. Navy and they moved from Kansas City and started their journey together. Currently they have two amazing children, a boy and a girl, and are still enjoying the Navy life.
She spends her days being a wife, mom, reading books, writing her latest novel, watching her beloved Kansas City Chiefs or Kansas City Royals, watching movies, hanging out with family and friends and having girls’ day at least once a month.
Contact:
FACEBOOK: Author S Van Horne – profile author page
FACEBOOK LIKE PAGE: Author S Van Horne – info about my books only
FACEBOOK GROUP: Sonya's Sexy Sinners– for fans to discuss books with me
GOODREADS: Author S Van Horne – for info about my books
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TWITTER: @smvh79 - for updates
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EMAIL: svanhorne@authorsvanhorne.com – feel free to email me
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Other Books By Sonya
More Series:
One More Time – Book One
More Than Anything – Book Two
More To Me –Book Three – (Current WIP)
More Than Enough – Book Four - TBA
Worth Much More – Book Five - TBA
More Than Air – Book Six - TBA
More Than Forever – Book Seven - TBA
More Series Novellas:
More Than Falling – Part of the Passion, Vows and Babies Kindle World
Until More – Part of the Happily Ever Alpha Kindle World
More Than Us - TBA
The Vow Series:
The Vow: Leaving Home– Prequel
The Vow: Jess – Book One – (Current WIP)
The Vow: Shania – Book Two - TBA
The Vow: Talina – Book Three - TBA
The Vow: Megan – Book Four - TBA
The Vow: Cassia – Book Five - TBA
The Vow: Returning Home - TBA
Anthologies:
Meat Market Anthology – KC Strip – Extend version - TBA