Only Mine (Fool's Gold #4)(54)

The main floor of the terminal was crowded with waiting families. People from dozens of countries spoke different languages. She wasn’t sure how they were supposed to find a woman they’d never met, carrying a baby she’d never seen in person.

“I wish they’d sent me her picture as well as Hannah’s,” she said. “That would have made this easier.”

“Dakota Hendrix?”

Dakota turned and saw a small nun with gray hair holding a crying baby. The little girl was the same one in the picture, she realized. Her face was flushed and she was much smaller than Dakota had expected. Even so, everything inside her went still, as if each cell in her body knew this was one of those extraordinary moments out of time.

“I’m Dakota,” she whispered.

“I’m Sister Mary and this is your little girl.”

Instinctively, Dakota held out her arms and took the child. Hannah didn’t struggle. Instead her slight weight settled into Dakota’s arms, and she gazed up at Dakota with dark brown eyes.

Hannah wore a pink jumper with a T-shirt underneath. Both were wrinkled and had a few stains on them. Not surprising, given how long she’d been traveling. Her dark hair was cut in an unflattering bowl style, but she was still beautiful.

Her full cheeks were deep red, and her mouth moved as if she were gathering her energy to cry. Even through her clothes, she felt warm.

Finn led them to a relatively quiet corner of the terminal. As people bustled around them, Sister Mary checked Dakota’s identification. They both signed paperwork, and then it was done.

“Someone from the agency will call you in a couple of days, to set up an appointment,” Sister Mary said. “Have you named her?”

“Hannah.”

“A beautiful name,” the nun said. “She’s had a difficult journey. She has a low-grade fever and you’ll want to get her ears looked at. I think she has an ear infection.” The other woman sighed as she passed over some baby Tylenol. “This is all we have. Money is so limited. There are so many children and so few resources. The doctor cleared her for the trip but that was more so she could come here. She’s due for another dose in an hour.”

Hannah’s eyes had closed. Dakota stared at her, torn between the beauty of her daughter and the fear that she might be sick.

“Is she small for her age?”

“Not compared with some of the other children. I’ve brought a supply of her formula, a few diapers and her clothes.” The nun glanced at her watch. “I’m sorry but I have a flight to catch.”

“Yes, of course,” Dakota said. “Please feel free to go. I’ll get Hannah into a doctor as soon as possible.”

“You have all the numbers for the agency,” Sister Mary told her, handing Finn a small suitcase. “Call anytime, day or night.”

“Thank you.”

Finn stood and shook hands with her. When the nun had left, he turned to Dakota. “Are you okay?”

“No,” she said softly. “Did you hear what she said? Hannah might be sick.” The baby’s eyes were closed. Her breathing was regular, but her skin was so red. It burned Dakota’s fingers when she stroked her cheek. “I need to get her to a doctor.”

“Do you want to do that here or do you want to go home?”

“Let’s get her home.” Dakota checked her watch. She already had an appointment with the pediatrician late that afternoon. Better to take care of things there.

They went back the way they’d come. Fortunately, the shuttle driver had waited for them. It only took Finn a few minutes to check the plane and then get clearance. Less than an hour after they’d landed, they were airborne again.

This time, she sat behind the passenger seat with Hannah strapped into a car seat next to her. Dakota watched her anxiously, counting every breath.

“You doing okay?” Finn asked.

“I’m trying not to freak.”

“She’ll be okay.”

“I hope so.” She kept her gaze on her daughter. “She’s so small.” Too small. “I know she comes from a very poor part of the world, that the orphanage doesn’t have much money or many resources. I knew there could be problems. They warned me about that.”

When she’d first applied, there had been several live interviews where she’d seen videos of the different orphanages the agency worked with. She’d also spoken with other parents. They’d told her about children who were small for their age, but quickly caught up. They’d glossed over any initial difficulties.

Now, as Dakota felt her daughter’s fiery cheek, her own eyes burned.

“I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

“You’re taking her to a doctor. It’s only a few hours.”

She nodded because it was impossible to speak. Her new daughter might be desperately ill, and she didn’t have any way to make her better. Not medicine or even the experience to know how to make a poultice.

“Do you know what a poultice is?” she asked Finn.

“No. Why?”

“I thought it might help.”

“Dakota, you have to relax. Wait until there’s a reason to get upset, okay? You’re going to need your energy to keep up with Hannah once she’s crawling around.”