Starting Now (Blossom Street #9)(52)

Sarah’s reaction was immediate. “Libby, that’s wonderful.”

The paralegal’s confidence in her was reassuring.

“I would like to offer you the position of my personal assistant and my paralegal.”

“Two jobs?”

“Just in the beginning.” Libby didn’t think it would be long before she could hire a second person and she told Sarah as much. “I need to get on my feet first, but it will only be a matter of a few months.”

“You’re sure you could manage all that in such a short while?”

“Positive. What do you think?”

“Do you have an office?”

“Not yet. I phoned you first, but my next phone call will be to a real estate agent. I’m really going to do it, Sarah. I haven’t been this excited in months.”

Sarah hesitated. “What about clients?”

“Well,” she said, lowering her voice. “I have a line on a new one already.”

“You do?”

It surprised her that Sarah hadn’t figured it out. “Mrs. Reed.”

“Oh … of course.”

“You’ll need more work than that,” Sarah mentioned, as though Libby hadn’t already figured that out for herself.

“I know and I’ll get it.” She thought about all the people she’d met at the hospital. She’d have business cards printed and hand them out at the gym, too. Why, just the other day, Lydia had asked Libby a question regarding getting a power of attorney for her mother. My goodness, Libby should have realized it then, the answer was obvious. She should set up her own practice. This was going to be fabulous.

“Are you on board?” Libby asked Sarah.

“I’ll need time to think about it and I’ll need to talk it over with Vaughn.”

“Of course.” Libby had understood that Sarah would want to discuss the job offer with her husband.

“I’ll get back to you soon.”

“Perfect,” Libby said.

At that moment life felt exactly that way. Perfect. Hopeful. Yet even in her excitement and enthusiasm, something was missing—or, rather, someone.

Phillip.

Chapter 20

“Mom, we’ve got to do something to help Ava,” Casey pleaded while Lydia started dinner preparations on Monday evening. Ava and Casey had spent most of the afternoon together in Casey’s bedroom.

“Ava’s been crying all afternoon. She’s going to have a baby and she doesn’t know what to do.”

Lydia wanted to weep herself. The poor girl desperately needed help. “Does she have a caseworker?” If Ava’s grandmother was her legal guardian, then the state might have assigned the children someone from Social Services.

“I don’t know and I doubt that Ava does, either.” Casey looked as if she was ready to break into tears, too. Although she would quickly deny it, she had a sensitive heart for the pain of others. It wouldn’t surprise Lydia if Casey decided on a career in the medical field. She seemed to be drawn in that direction. “Ava’s afraid of what will happen once her grandmother finds out about the baby.”

Lydia had met Ava’s grandmother only once, and it hadn’t been a pleasant exchange. She’d gone to the Carmichael residence to pick up Ava. The girls were going to a movie together and she’d thought it was time to meet the young teen’s guardian. Darlene, who’d just returned from work, had been short-tempered with Ava and her brother. She made a point of complaining about the cost of the movie. Lydia had assured her she’d pay for the girls. The older woman had gruffly thanked her, but didn’t seem interested in chatting. Lydia had left after a few minutes.

“Let me talk to Ava first,” Lydia said as she placed the tomato on the cutting board.

“Mom, she doesn’t want to talk to anyone, especially about the baby.”

“Where is she?”

“She had to go home in case her grandmother came back to the house after work. If Ava and Jackson aren’t there, her grandmother gets upset. She doesn’t want them roaming the neighborhood.”

Lydia wasn’t sure what she could do to help and said as much.

“Ava’s coming to the yarn store with me in the morning. She told me Libby would be there, too.”

Good. Ava trusted Libby. Maybe the attorney would know how to handle this situation. Lydia felt at a complete loss.

“I think Libby wants to take Ava to the doctor,” Casey continued, “but I don’t think Ava will go because she’s afraid her grandmother will find out. Someone has to tell her grandmother and she’s too afraid to do it.”

“Mrs. Carmichael will know soon enough.” Lydia wasn’t sure how Ava had been able to hide the pregnancy for this long.

“You need to be the one to tell her, Mom,” Casey insisted.

“Me?” Lydia would rather do anything than be the one to tell Ava’s grandmother her thirteen-year-old granddaughter was pregnant. Darlene Carmichael had already had to deal with the loss of her daughter, and she’d taken on the responsibility of rearing her grandchildren, and now this. It was too much.

“Then Ava will have an excuse to go to the doctor.”

“Sweetheart …”

“Her grandmother needs to know. Sure, she’ll be mad, but she’ll get over it soon enough. It’s wrong to leave something this important up to chance. How would you feel if something happened to Ava because no one would help her tell her grandmother about the baby?”