Protected (Jacobs Family Series Book 2)

by Vannetta Chapman

  “Thank you, Mr. Williams. Does counsel have any other questions or concerns?”

  “Actually we do, Your Honor.”

  Travis glanced to the back of the room as the oak doors again opened and Director Moring stepped through and silently took a seat.

  “My client was, of course, aware of Mr. Williams’s recommendation before today, as was this court. However, her circumstances have changed in the last twenty-four hours and we would like to petition the court for permission to move with the child out of state after the initial ninety days, pending approval by this court of that initial assessment period.”

  Travis heard the discussion going on around him, tried to make sense of the conversation, but failed. All he could do was gaze at Erin’s face, at her eyes which were now locked with his, at her expression which seemed to want to tell him something. Had her attorney said out of state?

  “I don’t see any problems with that, counsel. Mr. Williams has made it quite clear Ms. Jacobs has proven herself an acceptable guardian for Joshua. It’s not in this court’s purview to decide where a parent and child should reside. Mr. Williams, if you have nothing to add, I’ll consider this matter closed.”

  Travis swallowed, tried to process what he’d heard, and swallowed again. He sat up straighter in the witness chair and pulled at his tie, which now seemed uncomfortably tight.

  “Mr. Williams?”

  “I’d like to request a brief recess to confer with Miss Jacobs, Your Honor.”

  “For what purpose?”

  Erin’s sister leaned forward from the second row, whispered something in her ear, but Erin shook her head and raised Joshua to her shoulder.

  “For what purpose, Mr. Williams?”

  “Your Honor, I wasn’t aware of any request to move Joshua out of state.”

  “Understood. However, unless your opinion of Miss Jacobs has somehow changed in the last four minutes, I fail to see what bearing that has on your recommendation.”

  Travis squirmed again in his seat, tried to find any reason to justify a recess, and failed.

  He turned and met the judge’s inquisitive stare.

  “Five minutes, Your Honor.”

  She removed her glasses before answering. “All right. This court is adjourned and will meet back in five minutes then.”

  The gavel fell heavily, leaving Travis with the feeling of a door closing—one he might not have the power to open again.

  —

  Erin passed Joshua to her sister as Travis walked toward her. She knew what was coming, understood she owed him an explanation, and though she would prefer to hide behind her son she had never considered herself a coward.

  Given they had five minutes, Travis didn’t introduce himself to Dana or Ben. He leaned down and whispered into Erin’s ear, “We need to talk.”

  She didn’t resist as he grasped her elbow and pulled her toward a door at the side of the courtroom.

  When they’d entered the room, when the door had clicked shut, she couldn’t bring herself to turn and look into the eyes of the man she loved. Instead, she walked to the window and stared out at the bright December morning.

  It should have been overcast.

  The weather ought to have known her heart was breaking.

  Steeling herself for what lay ahead, she folded her arms across her waist and grasped her elbows as if she might be able to hold herself together for a few minutes.

  Then she sensed him behind her.

  “What are you doing, Erin?”

  “Dana and Ben arrived last night.” The words tumbled out of her mouth. The explanation she had rehearsed while she lay in bed convincing herself this was the best path for her and Joshua. “You were right, Travis. I can’t do this alone. I need family. I need…”

  Tears threatened to consume her. She clutched her arms more tightly and tried to still the shaking before it caused her to fly apart.

  “I need someone, and I tried. I couldn’t though. There wasn’t…” The tears tracked down her cheeks, but she didn’t dare wipe them away—couldn’t release her hold on herself.

  Travis was standing behind her now, so close she could feel his breath against her hair. “I’m moving to New Mexico to be with Dana and Ben. They’ll help me with Josh. Be my support system. You said I needed support.”

  His hands on her arms, gentle as the breeze outside the window, stopped her. Erin closed her eyes and savored his touch even though it hurt like a knife slicing through her heart. This would be the last time she’d be alone with him. After today chances were slim she’d see him outside his office.

  A tremor started deep inside, and then she didn’t think she could stand.

  He turned her in one fluid motion and framed her face with his hands. “Why?”

  “I told you, Dana and Ben—”

  “Why are you doing this, Erin?”

  She looked at his tie, his shoulder, anywhere but in those eyes that meant the world to her.

  “Look at me, sweetheart.” He choked on the word, and her eyes flew to his. “It’s because of me, isn’t it? Because I’ve been too stupid to tell you how much I love you.”

  “You—”

  “I should have listened to them, but I was worried about procedures and rules.”

  “Listened to—”

  “And now you’re going to leave and take Joshua. The two people I care about the most in this world are going to walk away in—” his gaze flew to the clock on the wall, “in one minute and I have only myself to blame.”

  She stared at him, too shocked to believe the words he’d uttered, too afraid to move.

  Suddenly, the door to the room flew open and the bailiff stepped in. “The judge is ready to reconvene.”

  “Tell the judge I’m proposing. Ask for five more minutes.”

  The bailiff’s eyebrows went to the top of his snow-white hair, but he recovered quickly. “That I can do, Mr. Williams.”

  “You’re proposing?” Erin gasped.

  Travis let go of her face, clasped her hand, and knelt down next to the client-attorney table. “Erin Jacobs, will you marry me? I realize I’ve been a fool, but I believe God intends for us to spend our lives together—all three of us. If you and Joshua will have me, I vow to do my best to love and cherish you.”

  Erin covered her mouth with her free hand, unsure if she was going to laugh hysterically or cry. She looked down into Travis’s face and asked the question pinging around in her head. “What about your job?”

  “I can find another job, but I’ll never find another you. I realized that ten minutes ago when you told the judge you intended to move.”

  “But…”

  “Do you love me, Erin?”

  “Yes.” The truth was something she’d accepted long ago.

  “If you need to move to New Mexico, then we’ll move. We can work all that out later, but right now, I think we better go talk to the judge.” He touched his lips to her hand, stood, and kissed her lips gently, then more thoroughly.

  Which was how the bailiff found them when he reentered the room.

  Forty-Five

  Travis watched Erin walk down the aisle of their church and realized dreams do come true.

  He’d prayed many times that Erin would feel comfortable returning to God’s house.

  He hadn’t realized it would be as his bride.

  Ben smiled as he handed her over, and Travis stood a little taller remembering the talk they’d had the night before. Ben Marshall was more than Erin’s brother-in-law. He also considered himself to be Erin’s father in the absence of her own. He’d be watching to make sure Travis cared for Erin in the ways God expected.

  He’d gone on to offer advice in case Travis needed anyone to talk with about the intricacies of being a new husband. Since Ben only had a six-month head start on him, Travis found that more than a little amusing, but the man’s heart was in the right place.

  The girls had cared for each other a long time, even from a distance. Though Travis and Erin
had decided to stay in Livingston for at least a year, he’d see to it Erin visited Dana in New Mexico as often as possible.

  In what seemed like an impossibly short time, the minister was requesting the rings, and Travis was looking down into Erin’s sweet face.

  Finally, Reverend Perry said the words he’d been waiting for, and Travis lifted Erin’s simple white veil. When he did, he used his thumbs to wipe away the tears glistening on her cheeks. The smile on her face told him they were tears of joy as did the quick glance at Joshua who waited on the front row in Dana’s arms.

  “I love you, Erin. I have since the first day I saw you.” Then he was kissing her, lost in the promise of their lives together. He would have been happy to remain there, but a spattering of laughter brought them back.

  “I forgot they were here,” he growled softly as he pulled away.

  In response, she reached up, pulled his head gently back down, and kissed him again.

  The applause mingled with the flash of a few cameras. Then the minister said those words Travis never dared believe he’d hear. “I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Travis Williams.”

  —

  Erin looked out at the small gathering of people—small, but precious to her—and thanked God for the changes he’d brought into her life.

  As she walked to the back of the church, Evelyn engulfed her in a hug as Doc pumped Travis’s hand.

  “Hard to believe this all started with one phone call,” Evelyn sniffled. “I said I wouldn’t cry.”

  “You always cry at weddings, honey. Here, use my handkerchief.” Doc pulled the white linen square from his pocket as he hugged Erin close. “Your mother would be so proud.”

  “Thank you, Doc.” Erin didn’t even try to stop the tears.

  “You ladies are going to have to share. I only brought one.” Doc’s eyes twinkled good- naturedly, but Ben came to the rescue.

  Soon Erin felt herself being passed from one set of arms to another, including into the loving arms of her in-laws.

  “I knew you and Joshua belonged in our family,” George declared.

  “He did tell me as much—months ago.” Barbara beamed as she embraced the newest additions to her family.

  For Erin, it was hard to dwell on who was missing when so many people had been added to her life.

  The next hour passed too quickly and was a blur of cake, punch, and gifts, including a very strange piece of pottery from Barbados.

  “It’s a dog,” Ben explained.

  “I know what it is, Ben.”

  Dana stared at the four-foot piece of pottery, and Erin wondered what she would do with it.

  “We can use it as a hat rack, honey.” Travis circled his arm around her waist. “You can have the right ear. I can have the left.”

  “See? I knew you’d love it. I didn’t know it would be a wedding present.” Ben and Travis high-fived, as Erin crouched down and allowed Shirley to take her picture with the unique gift.

  When she finally collapsed into a chair beside Dana and pulled Joshua onto her lap, she buried her face into his curly hair.

  “You’ll only be gone a week,” Dana pointed out, tucking her straight hair behind her ear. “The Caribbean is beautiful, and you two need some private time.”

  “A week sounds like forever though. We could probably buy an extra airline ticket.”

  “Oh, no you don’t. I want to spend some time with my nephew.” Dana used her older sister voice, and they both started laughing, heads together, Joshua clasped between them.

  “Six months ago, when I saw you and Ben married, I didn’t think it would ever happen to me. I didn’t think I deserved the kind of happiness you two had.”

  “God has a special plan for each of us, Erin. He promises us that—hope and a future.” Dana reached out and touched her face.

  “I know. I know that now, but I doubted it for a long time.”

  Dana nodded, and Erin smiled as Joshua reached for her veil.

  Erin’s gaze drifted to Travis and Director Moring.

  “Who’s Travis talking with now?”

  “Director Moring. He was sure he’d have to resign after what happened in court that day.”

  “And because you were a case of his.”

  “Right.” Erin smiled, a blush painting her cheeks. “Director Moring said it was a wonder it had taken him so long to figure it out and that he should have done something sooner.”

  “So he’ll keep his job here?”

  “Yes, and I’ll keep working with the ARK. He wants me to go back to school, but with Joshua and the animals my life feels pretty satisfying right now.”

  “Not to mention your husband.” Dana nudged her. “Speaking of which, he’s looking for you. I think it’s time for you to go.”

  Erin stood, holding on to Joshua, hugging him one last time. She turned to Dana to pass the baby to her, but before she could she felt her husband’s strong arms around her.

  “The two people I happened to be looking for.”

  She turned in his arms, smiled up at him, and he enclosed them in a circle of warmth and love.

  Joshua laughed and reached up for Travis’s tie, pulling and unloosening it. Travis kissed his hand, then kissed Erin’s lips.

  And she knew in that moment that trusting God’s grace had been exactly the right thing to do.

  The End

  Discussion Questions

  1. Erin tells Travis “When I give my word, I keep it. It matters to me that I honor my promises.” Sometimes that’s a difficult thing to do. What does the Bible say about honoring our commitments? Try reading Psalm 119. How does that scripture apply to this topic?

  2. Doc reminds Erin to “Lay it down… You can’t carry every burden, and you needn’t worry about every outcome. Let the good Lord do that.” Do you agree? Should we worry over problems in our lives? Why or why not? Back up your answer with a specific verse from the Bible.

  3. Erin realizes that “Shirley would be there for her if she’d just let herself open up, but opening up was hard.” Why is it so hard to let our guards down around people? What can we do to be more genuine—whether it’s helping someone else or allowing others to help us?

  4. Travis tells Erin that “every person needs a safety net of friends and family.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not? How are we, as Christians, called to be that safety net for one another?

  5. When Erin wakes even more sick than when she went to bed, she has the thought that “she hated her weakness.” We are all weak, at one time or another. Matthew 11:28 says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” How can God give us rest? In what ways can He ease our burdens?

  6. The word grace is found in the Bible over 120 times. When Erin finally releases her burdens to God, she embraces that grace we are all offered. Find at least five verses with the word grace and discuss their meaning.

  7. Erin finally gives God credit for the turns that her life has taken. We learn more about her past and see how it has affected her future. What about your life? Think of a turn that God has orchestrated and how it affected you and those you love. Share that turn with someone else.

  8. Erin finally accepts that Joshua’s future rests in God’s hand, not man’s. That’s a difficult thing to do, especially in regard to our children. Read Isaiah 41:13. How does it relate to this idea of trusting those we love to our heavenly father?

  Author’s Note

  This book is dedicated to those who serve in the Department of Family and Protective Services as well as those who dedicate their time and resources to animal shelters across our country. These individuals deserve our gratitude and support—both emotional, financial, and spiritual.

  According to Hope International, 5,760 children become orphans each day worldwide. There are approximately 120,000 adoptions in the United States each year.

  Over 13,000 community animal shelters nationwide place 27 million shelter animals in homes. We have our local anim
al shelter to thank for bringing our Labrador, Phoebe, into our family. She has given us much joy and is a blessing even when she wakes us at five a.m.

  I’d like to thank the folks who have helped this project see the light of day. My pre-readers—Kristy Kreymer and Janet Murphy. A special thanks to Barbara Scott for editing this project and to Ken Raney for the cover. Cait Peterson did the formatting, and her help was invaluable. A special thanks to all of the readers who purchased copies of Hidden and clamored for more. I alsoowe much gratitude to my mom. She was a single mom living in Los Angeles, when she met a social worker who would change her life—my father. This story was inspired by their relationship and marriage of thirty-two years.

  I have visited the area of Livingston, Texas; however, I have never held a job within the foster care system. Although my research was thorough, I have taken creative license for the purpose of my story. Any errors are my own.

  And finally … always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20).

  Blessings,

  Vannetta

  NEW FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR VANNETTA CHAPMAN

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