Into Magnolia (Sandy Cove Series Book 3)

by Rosemary Hines

  Amber’s words from the morning kept replaying in Michelle’s head as she struggled to focus on her classes.

  To add to her distraction, she was concerned about Amber’s failure to show up for class. But it would be incredibly awkward to have her sitting in her desk watching Michelle teaching, when both of them knew that something critical was hanging in the air between them.

  Did Ben and Kelly know about Amber’s idea? Surely they would have said something to her if they did. Or would they? Michelle’s head spun. Lord, what have I gotten myself into with this student?

  When the day finally ended, Michelle hurried to leave. She needed to get home and spend some time processing Amber’s request and deciding whether or not to present it to Steve.

  On the way to picking up Maddie, the last words Amber had spoken that morning continued to replay in her mind.

  Just do whatever you think God says for you to do.

  Did Michelle dare ask God for direction on this? And what if He said yes? Could she go through another adoption process? Was she ready to begin again with another baby when she’d just started her teaching career?

  And what about Amber? Would Amber expect to become like part of their family – coming around to see the baby whenever she wanted?

  Michelle shook her head in disbelief and confusion.

  As she stood in Ben and Kelly’s kitchen waiting for Madison to collect her things, Michelle threw out a line to see if Kelly would bite. “It sounds like you and Ben really helped Amber last Sunday,” she offered.

  “Hope so,” Kelly replied, nonchalantly. “You’ve really made an impact on that girl’s life, Michelle.”

  “Maybe too much,” she replied.

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” Michelle paused, then added, “I just wonder if she’s getting too attached to me… to dependent on me for the future.”

  “Really? Like what? How do you mean?” Kelly acted surprised, and Michelle could tell she didn’t know about the adoption question.

  “I don’t know. It’s just a question I ask myself sometimes,” she answered.

  Just then, Madison came back into the kitchen, her backpack in her arms. “Ready, Mommy!” she said with a grin.

  “Okay, sweetie. Let’s go home and fix dinner for Daddy.” Michelle glanced back over at Kelly.

  “Thanks, friend.” She tipped her head to her happy daughter. “See you tomorrow.”

  “I’m glad she’s feeling better,” Kelly replied. Then she leaned down to Madison. “You stay well now, okay?”

  “Yes, Ma’am!” Madison nodded in agreement.

  “Don’t worry about Amber,” Kelly added to Michelle. “She’ll find her way.”

  “Yeah. Hope so.” Michelle smiled at her friend and then took Madison’s hand and led her out the door.

  They were both surprised to see Steve’s car in the garage as they pulled in. “Daddy’s home!” Madison exclaimed gleefully.

  “Yeah. Looks like he is,” she replied.

  They found him in the kitchen, sitting at the table going through the mail. “You’re home early,” Michelle said.

  “Yeah. I think I’m getting Maddie’s cold.” He turned his attention to their daughter. “How was your day, pumpkin?”

  “Great! I got two happy faces on my math paper,” she confided cheerfully.

  “That’s wonderful, honey.” He looked at Michelle. “And how about you? Any happy faces today?” he asked with a wink.

  She turned away and put her purse down on the counter. “Other than the mess left behind by the sub and an interesting conversation with Amber, it was the usual routine.”

  “What’s up with Amber?” Steve asked casually, turning his focus back to the mail.

  Michelle glanced over at Madison, who was listening to their conversation. “Why don’t you go get changed into play clothes,” she said.

  “Okay.” Madison picked up Max, who was rubbing against her legs, and carried him off, telling him about her day as they left.

  “Honey,” she began as she sat down at the table by Steve, “we’ve got to talk.”

  He looked up. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s Amber.”

  Steve shook his head. “What is it now?”

  She groped for words.

  Before she could begin, he added, “Honey, listen. You can’t solve all that girl’s problems.”

  “I know,” she replied. “But she really hit me with a bombshell today.”

  Steve sat back in his chair as if settling in to listen. “Go on.”

  “Steve, she asked me if we would adopt her baby.”

  “You’re kidding.” He shook his head incredulously.

  She looked him squarely in the eye. “No, I’m not kidding. She said that I’m the kind of mother she wishes she had, and that she wants to give that to her baby.”

  Steve shook his head. “There are tons of couples in the files at Veronica Blake’s office. Surely she can find a couple she’ll feel comfortable with,” he offered.

  “Apparently she’s given this a lot of thought. She’s convinced we are the ones.”

  He reached over and put his hand on hers. “What do you think about all this?” he asked.

  “I honestly don’t know. I mean I never planned on having any other kids. Especially after what happened with our first try at adoption. I’ll never forget how crushed we were when Caleb’s mom changed her mind.”

  She paused and looked away, replaying the scene in her mind. “And then all the infertility stuff with Maddie… I just thought we should be thankful that we ended up with such a wonderful little girl.”

  “Yeah. Me, too,” he agreed.

  “Here’s the thing, though. The last thing she said to me has been haunting me all day. Before she left my room, she told me to ‘just do whatever you think God says for you to do.’ That really got to me.

  “I mean, what would God say about this, Steve? Seems like He wants us to care for the fatherless, right? And isn’t that what both Amber and this baby are?”

  Steve took a deep breath and let it out slowly, staring at her as if searching for an answer. “I’m going to need some time with this one,” he finally replied.

  “Yeah. Me, too,” she agreed.

  Staring off into space, Steve’s expression changed. Turning to Michelle he said, “Maybe it would be a good thing for Madison. Having a sibling, I mean.”

  She paused and then nodded.

  “But still…Amber’s baby… I just don’t know, babe. We could really be going out on a limb here.”

  “Yeah. I know,” she agreed.

  “Let’s pray about this and see how we feel in a few days.”

  “Good idea,” Michelle replied, leaning over and kissing his cheek. “I love you, Mr. Baron.”

  “Likewise, ‘teach,’” he said. Then he looked away, staring off into space again, as if deep in thought for several minutes before resuming his perusal of the mail.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  A few nights later, Steve approached Michelle with an offer. “Want to go out to dinner, just the two of us?”

  “That sounds great,” she replied. It had been a long time since they’d had a date. Between school, his law practice, and their desire to spend time with their daughter, the romance of their relationship took a back burner.

  The babysitter, a high school girl from the church youth group, arrived at six o’clock. “She’s here!” Maddie cried out enthusiastically as she peered out the window at the approaching form.

  Michelle opened the front door and welcomed the girl into their home. After giving her instructions for the evening, she grabbed her coat and umbrella, and they headed out into the cool night air.

  Thankfully, the rain had subsided from earlier in the day, and the fresh smell of greenery was a pleasant fragrance surrounding them.

  “Nice night,” Steve observed.

  Michelle reached out and took his hand. “Yeah,” she agreed with a smile.

  “
The Cliffhanger sound good to you?”

  “Perfect,” she replied, already tasting the savory steak they served there.

  They soon found themselves sitting at a quiet table in the corner of the large serving room. A blazing fireplace and the candlelit ambiance made it a cozy environment for the couple. They each ordered a glass of wine, a rare treat they hadn’t enjoyed in longer than Michelle could remember. It was something they usually reserved for special occasions. And it seemed fitting tonight.

  “It’s been a long time,” Michelle began, reaching across the table and placing her hand over his.

  Steve took her hand and squeezed it gently. “I’ve missed you. Seems like we’re both so busy these days.”

  “Yeah. I know,” she replied. “Hopefully next year will be easier, now that I’m getting my curriculum organized.”

  “You’ve had a lot on your plate, that’s for sure,” he said. “Besides teaching, I mean.”

  She nodded, knowing he was referring to her investment of time and energy in a handful of needy students, Amber in particular. “I wonder if I’ll ever be able to leave my job at school,” she mused.

  “I doubt it, Michelle. You love those kids too much.”

  She looked at him, trying to read the meaning behind his words. All she could see on his face was admiration. No hint of judgment. But should she be going so far beyond the call of duty? Was she robbing her family of part of her heart?

  The evening proved to be relaxing for both of them. They reminisced about their first date, some amusing memories from their honeymoon, and the ways they’d changed over the years to become seekers of God’s will and followers of His teachings.

  As they finished their shared dessert, Steve sat back in his chair and studied her.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Just thinking about what Amber said about how great a mother you are,” he replied. “She’s right, you know. Madison is one lucky girl.”

  Michelle could feel herself blush. How is it that after all these years, he can still get to me like this?

  “So have you thought about her request?” he asked, drawing her attention back to their conversation.

  “Some,” she answered tentatively. “How about you?”

  “Yeah.” He leaned forward. “I’m actually kind of coming around to the idea.”

  “You are?” She was amazed.

  “Well, like I said before, I’m thinking it would be good for Maddie. She’s missed out on the experience of having a brother or sister. And I think that might be even more important as she grows up.”

  “Yeah. I know what you mean. It’s kind of bothered me, too. That she doesn’t have any siblings, I mean. I’ve watched Ben and Kelly’s kids play together and seen how much fun Maddie has with them.”

  She paused, then added, “But this baby would be quite a bit younger than her. She’d probably never really play that much with him.”

  “True. But she’d learn a lot about sharing the attention, being patient, and helping out. Important life skills like that.”

  They both sipped their coffee thoughtfully. Then Steve spoke again. “I think the one thing that really concerns me most in all of this is the fact that Amber knows us personally and lives so close to us.”

  “I know. That concerns me, too.”

  “Think I’ll give Veronica Blake a call and discuss this with her. She might have some input,” he said.

  “Good idea. And I’ll talk it over with Amber’s social worker. Bonnie knows the situation really well.”

  Steve nodded. “Okay then. We’ll just have to have another date night to discuss this further,” he added with a smile. He reached for the bill, paid it, and then turned back to her. “Ready to go home, Mrs. Baron?”

  “Ready,” she replied.

  “Veronica Blake, please,” Steve said to the receptionist on the other end of the line.

  “May I tell her who’s calling?”

  “It’s Steve Baron.”

  “Okay, Mr. Baron. One moment, please.”

  After a short pause, he was greeted by, “Steve – so good to hear from you. How’ve you been?”

  “Great. Thanks. And you?”

  “All’s well here,” she replied. “How can I help you today?”

  “I’ve got a personal matter that I’d like to discuss with you if you have a few minutes,” he said.

  “Fire away.”

  “Okay.” Steve rubbed his forehead with his free hand. “You have a client my wife and I referred to you.”

  “Amber Gamble. Yes. What about her?”

  “She has approached Michelle about the possibility of us adopting her baby,” he began.

  There was a pause at the other end. “Really?” she asked, sounding taken aback.

  “Yeah.”

  “I see,” she replied. “How do you feel about that? In light of what happened with your first adoption attempt?”

  “We’re both a little gun shy, I guess,” he admitted. “Especially since Amber is someone we actually know – someone who lives in our community and attends Michelle’s school.”

  “I understand completely. So how can I help you?”

  “I guess I just wanted to get your input on it. Here’s the deal. We were both pretty taken aback at first.

  “But as we discussed it, we thought about how it might be good for our daughter to have a sibling. And with Michelle really wanting to help Amber make a wise decision for her baby, we are actually considering saying yes.

  “The main issue that’s nagging at me, and at Michelle for that matter, is the proximity thing.”

  “Well, you know you could have some conditions written into the agreement,” she suggested. “It’s not unheard of to have a baby placed in a relatively nearby area from where the birth mother lives.”

  “Yeah. I guess the added factor here is that we know this girl. Michelle has been spending time with her outside of school, and Amber’s started attending our church on Sundays.”

  “You know, Steve, I understand your concerns. But here’s something you may not know.

  “Some of my birth mothers, like the teens whose parents have basically disowned them, have actually lived with the adoptive parents during their pregnancies, with all their needs provided by those families.”

  Steve tried to imagine Amber living with them. “Wow. I didn’t know that.”

  “Yeah. So what you are telling me is not as far out as you might think.”

  She paused as if to let the concept sink in. “But if you decide to go forward with it, I would definitely recommend a meeting here with you and your wife, Amber, her mother, and her social worker, in which we set up the guidelines and expectations for your relationships after the baby’s birth. Whatever terms we negotiate would be part of the legal paperwork of the adoption itself.”

  “Okay. Yeah, I agree.”

  “You two give this all the time and thought you need, and then let me know if you’d like to move forward with it,” she said.

  “Sounds good,” he replied. “Thanks, Veronica.”

  “Anytime.”

  After he hung up, Steve leaned back in his chair.

  Another baby. A son.

  Maybe this would be the best answer for both Amber and them.

  Meanwhile, Michelle was getting her own advice.

  “Be really careful, here,” Bonnie said, having heard Michelle’s account of Amber’s request as they sat at the coffee shop talking. “Amber is a very volatile young lady right now. Her decisions are all over the map.”

  Michelle nodded. “I can’t imagine what she must be feeling and thinking. I mean, a fourteen-year-old girl with all the hormones of pregnancy plus the issues of trying to decide what to do about the baby. It would overwhelm an adult.” She paused and then added, “Poor kid.”

  Bonnie reached over and put her hand on her shoulder. “Michelle, you’ve already done so much for Amber. She sees you as her rescuer. Although I confess I didn’t see this coming, it really do
esn’t surprise me that she approached you on this. But it’s not up to you to bail her out here.”

  Michelle studied Bonnie’s face. Was she telling her to say no?

  As if reading her mind, Bonnie added, “I’m not going to tell you what to do about this. If you really want to add to your family and are open to trying adoption again, then this might, I repeat might work out for everyone. All I’m saying is don’t feel obligated to help Amber in this major, life-altering way.”

  She pulled her hand from Michelle’s shoulder. “I know how badly you got hurt the first time you tried to adopt a baby. As much as Amber adores you, there is no guarantee here that she wouldn’t pull the same thing as the last birth mother and change her mind when she sees this baby.”

  She waited, as if to let that thought sink in. Then she continued, “Teens often have to go through a period of time trying to be a mother before they realize they’re in over their heads. They have a misguided romantic image of how their babies will love them and be these cute little trophy bundles they can show off to their friends.”

  Michelle nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Personally, I think adoption is Amber’s best option. We liked the attorney and there were many prospective adoptive couples in her book of applications. I’m sure I can help Amber select one of them, if this is not the time or circumstance for you to make such a radical change in your lives.” She took a sip of her coffee and looked Michelle in the eye. “Really think about this, okay?”

  “Okay,” she replied. After a brief silence, Michelle added, “I think, above all else, Steve and I are concerned about Amber’s proximity to us if we were to go through with it. For some reason, I’m not that worried about her changing her mind.

  “It’s not like last time, when we thought adoption might be our only chance to be parents. If we geared up for this, I know we’d be really sad if she changed her mind, but it wouldn’t be the same as before. We have Maddie now, and with my teaching career…”

  “That’s another thing. Wouldn’t you be taking on quite a bit trying to add a new baby into the mix with your career just getting off the ground?”

  “Yes, but I know lots of teachers who have babies and go back to work.”