Two Weeks (The Baxter Family #5)(64)

What she hadn’t expected was the freezing cold feeling working its way through her veins. Her arms and legs began to shiver and even with the sun streaming in from outside the lawyer’s office window, Lucy couldn’t seem to get warm.

Aaron must’ve noticed because he put his arm around her. “Okay . . . so she changed her mind.” His voice still held a fraction of hope. “What if she changes it again?”

“She could.” The attorney folded his hands and looked at them. “That’s why I called you in today.” He paused. “I have an idea.”

Lucy tried to focus while he explained his thoughts. First, he wanted them to sign a document acknowledging that they’d been informed about Elise changing her mind. “But we’re still the adoptive parents, if she decides to go through with it?” Aaron slid the signed paperwork back across the desk.

“Yes.” Mr. Green pulled another paper from the file. “Sign this and it will be noted that if she chooses to place her child after all, you still want to be the baby’s parents.”

It all felt like the worst possible scenario. Lucy’s head hurt. Why were they doing this? Taking time off work only to get their hearts broken? She looked at Aaron, and she knew what he was thinking. They’d already talked about this possibility. Even if Elise changed her mind, they wanted to be the adoptive parents on record until the last possible moment.

Even though it meant no other birth mother could choose their profile in the meantime.

Lucy hated the pain in Aaron’s expression. All this time he’d been the strong one, the guy praying in the nursery and counting on God to bring them a baby. But now he looked sick, like this final loss was too much for him. Lucy turned to the lawyer. She stopped shivering. God, let me be strong for my husband. This one time. Please.

She took a deep breath. “Mr. Green, my husband and I have discussed this. We are certain about this baby.” She forced a smile. “We still believe the child is supposed to be ours.” There. She’d done something positive. Which was only right after all the times Aaron had been strong for her.

The attorney’s countenance lifted some. “I like that attitude.” He sat a little higher in his chair. “It’s very possible.” He hesitated, as if he hadn’t planned on telling them what was coming. “She changed her mind because of the car accident the other day. The one where the two high school girls were killed. She thought maybe she was supposed to keep her baby because of that.”

“Hmmm.” Aaron looked upset. Again, his eyes told her he was struggling here, grasping to find the faith he’d come through the door with.

So the accident changed her mind? The reasoning made no sense to Lucy. But it didn’t have to. Ultimately this was Elise’s choice, no matter what prompted her decision. The wreck was tragic. Both girls had died on the scene.

Mr. Green was talking about the other part of his idea, how they needed a way to protect everyone if Elise did, in fact, choose adoption again.

Lucy liked this. A positive plan. Something the attorney wouldn’t have done if he didn’t believe there was at least a hope the adoption could still go through.

The attorney explained the situation. The process was simple. If Elise chose to place her baby with Aaron and Lucy, then she would still have the two-week window in which she could change her mind. “What we do in cases like this is pay the state for the baby to be placed in foster care. Just for the fourteen days.”

On the roller coaster that was infertility this was another drop. “So . . . even if Elise wants us to adopt her child”—Lucy heard the frustration in her voice—“we can’t bring the baby home until after two weeks?”

“It’s the best option for everyone.” Empathy colored the lawyer’s face. “I know it’s not ideal. But it gives legal protection to us all. It’s typical protocol when a birth mom changes her mind at some point in the process.”

Aaron looked pensive. “You’re saying you don’t want our hearts broken.” He sat a little straighter. “What if we’re willing to take the risk?”

“It isn’t just for you.” The attorney clearly wasn’t budging. “You have several parties at risk. You two, certainly. But also Elise and the baby. If her little one is placed with you from birth, she’ll feel pressured to go with the adoption. Or she could say she was forced into her decision.” He raised his brow. “When a birth mother feels backed into a corner, a judge could reverse the adoption. Even a year or two later.” He nodded. “It’s happened before.”

Another blow. Lucy folded her arms tight against her stomach. “So we don’t want her to have a reason to feel coerced. Is that it?”

“Exactly.” Mr. Green frowned. “Another party at risk is me. I have to do everything in my power to give the birth mother room to make the best decision for her and the baby. Those two weeks absolutely belong to the birth mother. Foster parents give the baby a neutral location, so whatever choice Elise makes will be binding.”

“Couldn’t she still try to get the baby back?” Aaron’s face looked pale.

Lucy stared at her hands. Neither of them had any idea about these possibilities. Private adoption was new to them. Even still, it wasn’t so different from the foster-adopt program in Atlanta, the one that had placed baby Rio with them and then taken him away again. Either way the pain was real.