Forbidden Falls (Virgin River #9)(47)

It was not yet four o’clock, but when he walked into the clinic, he found Mel talking with Cameron while Cameron was loading what looked like files into his satchel.

“Hey,” Paul said.

“Well now, who do we have here?” Mel asked, coming out from behind the reception counter.

“Remember that situation I had up in Grants Pass? Before Vanni agreed to marry me? The woman who said she was pregnant?” As it happened, he had gotten advice from both Mel and Cameron at the time.

“But I thought…?” Mel shook her head, confused.

“Yeah, I escaped that one,” Paul said. “Meet Hannah, Terri Bradford’s baby. Terri was killed in a car accident a couple of weeks ago and it turns out she named me as Hannah’s guardian, though I’m not her biological father. I just found out this morning. And brought her home.”

“Whoa,” Cameron said.

“Good God,” Mel added.

“I have her medical records and she seems perfectly healthy,” Paul said. “Cam, would you mind taking a look to be sure? For our peace of mind? We don’t want to suddenly find her sick or put Mattie at any kind of risk.”

“Of course.”

“I feel like a freak,” Paul said. “I feel like a monster. Like I’m taking a puppy to the vet to make sure the pedigree is all right.”

Cam came around the counter and reached for the baby. She gave her hands a clap, grinned at him and went to him willingly. “Don’t feel that way. It’s for her safety and yours. I’ll make sure she’s up to date on shots, checkups, all that stuff.”

Paul just shook his head. “I’ve never been around a child so sweet natured. I’m afraid the other shoe’s going to drop and she’s going to start screaming her head off. Since I first met her this morning, she’s done nothing but smile and coo.”

“Isn’t that nice? How’s Vanni doing with the news?” Mel asked.

“I kind of dumped this on her. I was afraid to call her, so I just brought Hannah home. Vanni’s in shock. We just barely started trying for one of our own.”

“Oh, boy,” Cam said. “Speaking as one who hasn’t slept through the night since Julia and Justin were born in June, I can imagine her hesitancy.”

“Yeah, she pretty much wants me dead right now.” He rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “But what was I gonna do? Do you say no thank-you to a living, breathing, beautiful human being who needs a home? Do you say, shove her in a foster home while I think it over?” He shook his head. “This might not be the most convenient thing, but I couldn’t do that.”

“Thank God it was you and not me,” Cameron said. “If I brought another child home to Abby and newborn twins, I would be dead.” He jiggled the baby. “Come on, little girl. Let’s look you over.” He reached for the envelope that held her medical records. “I won’t be long.” He took Hannah to an exam room.

When Cam was not in the room, Mel took a chance. “It’s none of my business, but have you been in touch with the mother all this time?”

“Not a word,” Paul said, shaking his head. “Last time I saw her, she was four months pregnant and crying. She’d tried to trip me up and Cameron set us up with a doctor in Grants Pass to do an ultrasound that showed she was about a month more pregnant than I was around for. She was miserable, so sorry she’d done that to me. You know, I thought about checking on her to make sure she was okay. I thought that would be the kind thing to do, but I didn’t want to set up any kind of expectations.”

“I guess you didn’t need to,” Mel said.

“I told her to get in touch if she ever needed anything. I didn’t exactly mean something like this.”

“Are you planning to keep her, Paul?”

“What am I going to do? Give her away? Vanni’s thinking about it. I guess if it just won’t work for us, I’ll get the lawyer’s help to find a loving family for her. But Mel, when someone has enough faith in you to entrust you with their child, do you do that?”

“Maybe the larger question is, does anyone have the right to leave you a child to raise without talking to you about it first?”

“She didn’t think it would happen,” he said. “It was a car accident. She was just being cautious. Getting her legal ducks in a row. You gotta give her some credit for that.”

“But still…Don’t be too hard on Vanessa. I’m assuming she never even met the woman.” Paul shook his head. “Lord, what a huge undertaking.”

“And then again, just one more. One that actually needs us right now.”

“Can I give you some advice?” Mel asked.

“Shoot. I’m wide-open.”

“This is your marriage, your family. Be absolutely sure you’re both of like mind. Kids put a strain on the happiest of marriages, and if it’s one that came to you in a real unconventional way, you don’t want any bitterness about the whole affair. I mean, you could be unhappy if Vanessa just can’t take her on, she could be bitter if she takes her on because you want it so much. Think about some counseling before you make a final decision.”

“That’s probably a good idea,” he agreed. “I’ll bring that up with Vanni.”