Two Weeks (The Baxter Family #5)(79)

“That’s right.”

As Theo finished speaking, the door opened and Mr. Green entered the room. He was with a nurse, who was pushing a tiny bassinet. Inside was a fair-skinned little girl swaddled in a white and pink blanket.

The attorney smiled. “This is Gracie Anne.”

Theo and Alma were on their feet. They moved slowly to the little bed and stared at the baby. Her precious face and eyes. The way the newborn girl was wrapped up tight brought back a million memories for Theo. Vienna had been born with dark skin and a full head of hair. So of course his own daughter had never looked like this white infant. But the familiarity of the moment tripped up Theo’s heart. He could feel it was the same way for Alma.

And for a moment he was back in 2004 and the baby in the bassinet was their daughter. Their Vienna.

They went over the details with the nurse, how much formula and how often. When to change the baby’s diaper and what to look for if jaundice developed. Theo and Alma had fostered more babies than he could count. They knew the routine.

Finally they were given permission to move the baby girl to the car seat. After she was strapped in, Theo pulled his car around and like that they were headed home. The two of them with the infant in the backseat. Theo glanced at Alma and then checked the rearview mirror. And he was consumed by a single thought.

Somewhere in heaven, Vienna was celebrating.





23




Ashley was going through the T-shirts in Cole’s middle drawer, enjoying the quiet, the way every item in his room reminded her of his growing-up years. Summer was almost over. The plan hadn’t changed, at least not yet. Cole was headed to Liberty in a couple days. It had been two weeks since Elise had her baby and so far she was still on board with the adoption.

One more folded shirt and Ashley heard Cole run up the stairs looking for her.

“Mom.” He stopped short, his eyes full of gratitude. “You didn’t have to do this. I told you I’d take care of it tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow, I’d rather have you spend time with the family. Your dad is grilling and we can play games. Just be together.” She let her eyes hold his a few beats longer. “In no time you’ll be gone.”

“I know.” His exhale sounded heavy. He came up beside her and looked through a stack of shirts. “I don’t wear any of these.”

“Exactly.” She smiled at him. “I figured I could put them in a box in your closet. You’d have an easier time packing and later—next summer—you could give the boxed ones away.”

He nodded. “I like that.” His tone held a certain depth, his countenance heavy.

Ashley understood. “You’re going to Elise’s?”

“Yes.” He hesitated. “Her aunt and uncle are out for the night. I told her I’d stay with her till midnight.”

“Right.” Ashley couldn’t imagine what Elise was going through. “The two weeks?”

“It’s officially up then. At that exact minute.” Cole folded his arms and looked at her. “All I know is I wouldn’t want to be her.”

Ashley set down another shirt and turned to him. “Do you think she’ll change her mind?”

“I don’t.” He clenched his jaw. “We’ve talked about it. She’s afraid the guy would still come around and try to be part of the baby’s life, even though he terminated his rights. So it’s a few things. The fact that she’s not ready to be a mom, the way she really wants to go to NYU and start her life. And the reality that she doesn’t want her baby anywhere near the father.”

Relief and heartache mixed in equal amounts in Ashley’s soul. She had come to really embrace Elise these last few months. Extending the same grace to the teenager that eighteen years ago had been extended to her. Her heart broke for Elise Walker.

But Ashley was beyond grateful that Cole wasn’t moving to Louisiana, wasn’t going to soldier through keeping a promise he hadn’t been mature enough to make in the first place.

Ashley didn’t have many more of these moments with her oldest son. But she had this. She held out her hands to Cole. “Let’s pray. For tonight. For Elise.” She hesitated. “For the two of you.”

Tears gathered in Cole’s eyes. “I can’t believe she’s flying to New York tomorrow morning.” He shrugged. “I’m not sure when I’ll see her again.”

It was that, too, of course. Tonight was goodbye for Cole and Elise. “Come on.” She took hold of her son’s hands. Then she prayed over the night, that Elise would know what to do, and that she would follow God’s leading. And that Cole would have the words to say as they parted ways. That God would hold both of them in His caring hands. And that whatever His plans for Elise and Cole, they would hear God’s voice tonight.

When she was done, Cole hugged her, the way he used to hug her when he was a little boy. As if in her arms he was still safe and young and without a care in the world.

Even if that was no longer true.

Ashley watched him go and she looked at the time on her phone. Thirty-eight hours. That’s all they had left. From the first moment she held Cole in her arms as a baby through a lifetime of loving him, to this very day . . . in just thirty-eight hours he would pack up his Explorer and drive away. Ashley put her hand to her face and breathed in. Please, God, help me get through this. Please. There was still one thing Ashley wanted to do that morning. Something she planned to read to Cole before he drove off.