A Time to Love
Page 32
“Of course,” Blake said. “We’ll want to know how things are going for you, too. And we’ll write you back each time.”
“And Lewis,” Linda said, “any time you can make a trip to California, you’re welcome to come by and see Billy.”
Lewis grinned. “I’ll do it. He can just always know me as Uncle Lewis, okay?”
“Uncle Lewis it is,” she said, smiling.
“We wouldn’t have it any other way,” Blake assured him.
Monday night had been a restless one for all three adults, and when they met at the courthouse under a flawless blue sky on Tuesday morning, they all looked a little tired.
Blake was carrying Billy. When he placed the child into Lewis’s arms, he said, “Having any doubts?”
“None,” Lewis replied. “I assure you, I haven’t changed my mind. In fact, I feel more certain than ever about my decision. I have the peace of God in my heart.”
Lewis Carter and the Barretts met with Judge Leonard Holman in his chambers. Lewis signed the necessary document to release William Nolan Carter so that Blake and Linda could legally adopt him. Within a few minutes the transaction was done, and Billy’s legal name became William Nolan Barrett.
When they walked out of the courthouse, Lewis was carrying Billy. The sun was smiling in the vast blue sky, and the Barretts were thanking God in their hearts.
They strolled along the wide, dusty street toward the Wells Fargo office.
The stage was in and was being loaded when they drew up beside it on the boardwalk. Lewis had left his luggage there earlier, and it was already in the rack on top.
“So, Lewis,” Blake said, “are you going back to New York or to Boston?”
“New York. That’s been home for a while. I’m sure I can get my old job back on the docks. And I love the church in Manhattan. I’ll get busy serving the Lord there.”
“You know that Linda and I wish you the very best, Lewis.”
“All passengers aboard!” came the stage driver’s call. “Stage leaves in three minutes!”
Keeping Billy in one arm, Lewis hugged Linda, then Blake. His eyes filled with tears as he looked into Billy’s eyes and said, “You are a special boy, Billy. I will always love you.”
Billy put his chubby hand on Lewis’s cheek and said, “Wove oo, Unca Woois.”
The other passengers were boarding.
Tears streamed down Lewis’s face as he handed the boy to Blake and said, “Here’s your son, Blake. Handle him with prayer.”
He then climbed inside the stage and settled at a front window, trying to smile as he looked at them.
“Tell Uncle Lewis good-bye, Billy,” Blake said.
The driver hollered at the six-up team, and the stage began to roll.
“Doo-bye, Unca Woois,” Billy said as Blake waved his little hand up and down.
In another moment the stage wheeled around the nearest corner and disappeared.
Linda moved up to her two men and put an arm around Blake and took Billy’s hand. Both Mommy and Daddy wiped tears of joy from their cheeks and headed down the street, knowing that now, with Billy, they would have their very special time to love.
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
A TIME TO LOVE
Mail Order Bride Series #2
published by Multnomah Publishers, Inc.
© 1998 by ALJO PRODUCTIONS, INC.
Scripture quotations are from:
The Holy Bible, King James Version
Multnomah is a trademark of Multnomah Publishers, Inc., and is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The colophon is a trademark of Multnomah Publishers, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission.
For information:
MULTNOMAH PUBLISHERS, INC.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Lacy, Al.
A time to love/Al and JoAnna Lacy.
p. cm.—(Mail order bride; bk. 2)
eISBN: 978-0-307-56911-0
I. Lacy, Joanna. II. Title.
III. Series: Lacy, Al. Mail order bride; bk. 2.
PS3562.A256T56 1998
813′.54—dc21
98–19240
CIP
v3.0