Forbidden Falls (Virgin River #9)(44)

Paul judged Scott Hanson to be in his late fifties, maybe early sixties, healthy and strong. Paul was just trying to start a family, and he was sneaking up on forty. Boy, could he relate. “I understand,” Paul said. “Since Terri’s death, has anyone come forward asking if they could be considered as her guardian?”

“No one,” Scott said.

“Isn’t that odd? I mean, she was a young woman. The night I met her, there were girlfriends. I know she had relationships with young women her age and—”

“You’re right, she did indeed. And one of the reasons she decided you were the person to be named was that you’re in a stable marriage and earn a decent living. She talked about your values, she admired you, Mr. Haggerty. Terri’s close girlfriends are single women, just getting started in life, mostly unmarried, trying to get on their feet. I didn’t expect any of them to step forward. They’re nice girls, but not ready for a family. In point of fact, Terri wasn’t ready, either. A lot changed in her life when she found out she was expecting a child. She got real serious about her future.”

“Aw, man…” Paul was remembering. Back when he wasn’t sure whether Terri’s baby was his, he asked Vanessa if she could accept him with that baggage, and she said, Of course. We don’t leave our babies out there without our love and protection. When he had forced Terri to agree to an ultrasound as a means of determining the time of conception, establishing the baby wasn’t his, he had seen that little mass, the fluttering heart, and his first insane reaction had been disappointment! He knew that without his help, she wouldn’t be able to do the best possible job of taking care of that little wonder. The results of the test let him off the hook, and he felt sorry for her. Sad. It wasn’t his baby after all, but it could have been. He had been intimate with her. He’d used protection, but still—he’d been with her.

“There must be family somewhere,” Paul said.

“Shirttail relatives back in Missouri,” Scott said. “Terri hadn’t seen them since she was a little girl. That’s it. There’s just one more thing I have to do before we close the book on this issue and I move on to the matter of placing Hannah,” Scott said.

“What’s that?” Paul asked.

“I just have to introduce you to her.”

“Naw. Come on now, I don’t have to see her. That’ll just make matters harder. I mean, come on.”

Scott Hanson touched a button on his phone console. “We can’t let it come back on either one of us, Mr. Haggerty. We have to go through the steps. Right now the idea of taking custody of an anonymous child is complicated and inconvenient. You have to see Hannah so that the human factor is involved, so that your decision is based on all the facts.”

“I wish you wouldn’t—”

“It’s required, Mr. Haggerty,” he said as he stood. At precisely that moment the door to his office opened.

A smiling young woman, presumably an administrative assistant or social worker, entered carrying a simply beautiful baby of about ten months. She had Terri’s dark hair, but in large curls that circled her head. Her eyes were so big they dominated her face. Her round cheeks were pink, she had a little, rosy, heart-shaped mouth, and she lifted her hand in the air and grinned hugely, showing two brand-new front teeth. And she said, “Ma!” before her hand dropped. But her smile continued and she clutched her fat little hands together and giggled.

“Mr. Haggerty, meet Hannah Bradford,” the young woman said.

“Oh, God,” Paul said.

And little Hannah said, “Ha!” And then she giggled again.

Paul did the dumbest thing. He put out his big hands toward her and she fell right into them. She put her chubby arms around his neck and buried her face there, blubbering into his neck.

“Think about it, Paul. I can’t complete an adoption for a couple the mother didn’t know and didn’t name in her will very quickly. There will be red tape, it’ll take weeks,” Scott said.

“Will you take her home with you?” Paul asked.

Scott shook his head. “I’m afraid my wife and I have family commitments. We could squeeze Hannah in, but it would be complicated with the kids, grandkids. But I’ll make sure Hannah gets quality foster care….”

Paul nuzzled her. She smelled heavenly. Then he lifted his head and looked at Scott. “Can I foster her until my wife and I have had a chance to make a final decision?”

The lawyer shrugged. “I don’t see why not. Terri had you in mind anyway.”

Paul held little Hannah close. “Vanessa is going to string me up by the balls and take strips of flesh off me with a dull blade….”

Scott laughed in spite of himself. “That would be Mrs. Haggerty?”

“Today she is,” Paul answered.

“Should you call her first? Before taking Hannah home?”

“That would make sense,” Paul said. “But I’m the one who owes Terri. I probably don’t owe her this much, but I—” Terri tried to trick him into believing he was this child’s father and it almost cost him the woman he loved. Why he thought he owed her was—“Terri was very kind to me when I was having a real hard time.” But it wasn’t so much that as this precious child in his arms. Hannah. It wasn’t her fault her mother was suddenly gone and the only person Terri had been able to think of was Paul.