Nobody's Child

by Austin Boyd

  “What?” she asked, scanning the papers. More legalese.

  “You may keep your money,” Mr. Emerson said, sliding her cash into a sleeve and sealing it. He set the money near her on the edge of the desk, and then placed a pen in front of her. “But we’ll need your signature.”

  “For what?”

  His smile disarmed her. Laura Ann flushed, then riffled through the paperwork. On the second page, a large red label ran at an angle across the document, marked “PAID.”

  Mr. Emerson handed her a small envelope. “A benefactor paid your loan off last month. Her attorney asked that we give this to you the next time you came to the bank.” The note read “Laura Ann.”

  Tears swelled in her eyes as she held the envelope in shaking hands. “Thank you,” she stammered. “I don’t know what else to say.”

  Mr. Emerson met her gaze. “We all know what you did, to save the farm and your baby. And,” he said, “to uncover the fraud. You made us proud.” He folded the loan paperwork and handed it to her.

  “Your debt is paid in full.”

  Back on the farm, with the baby fed and laid down for a nap, Laura Ann settled into a rocker on the porch. Tears gathering in her eyes, she carefully opened the envelope and slid out the note. As she read, a tear fell, swirling with wisps of purple, dissolving the ink of a gentle cursive. Laura Ann’s hands trembled as she held the dainty card, forcing her tear to run across lines, a snail trail of wet pain running down the length of the message. A message that stole her heart.

  Dear Laura Ann,

  You sold the gift of life to heal your father. You gave me new life and brought us both a son. You took me in as a friend, even though I was a stranger invading your special private world. I am praying for you and for our child. Your road will not be easy; I know that mine was not.

  Perhaps with this gift, you will never again need to forfeit part of your body to save someone else. I have found my dream through you — through the sacrifices you made for your father and for me, through your loving care, and through your indomitable spirit.

  As I write this my own heart is failing, Laura Ann. But you have enough heart for both of us. For the three of us.

  Hug our baby for me. I love you.

  Sophia

  EPILOGUE

  DECEMBER 25

  Up before sunrise on Christmas Day, Laura Ann laid her pen down on the kitchen table and read her own words, a new page in the leather-bound journal she’d first opened a year ago today. Ian and James slept, a few minutes remaining before her husband’s usual five-thirty feeding in the barn.

  Dear Daddy,

  It’s Christmas Day, a year since my last letter. So much has happened. Where do I start?

  You remember Ian, his Saturday visits every week, helping out around the farm when he wasn’t at school or at work. Ian’s here every day now. I’m his bride. You were right. He’d been courting me for years and I was too blind to see it. We were married in September, at the Baptist church in Pursley. You’d have loved it. He took me to the Blennerhassett for our wedding night. It was beautiful.

  Granny Apple is still going strong. She opened up a red one-room schoolhouse, like the one you attended. She takes in homeschoolers whose parents want a return to what she calls the “old ways. “ And guess what? Auntie Rose is in there with her, teaching and cleaning. They live together now. Granny Apple needs a little help, Auntie Rose needs a little company, and Uncle Jack is no more. He and Phyllis McIntosh wrote fraudulent crop policies for farmers who’d passed away. But you beat him at his game. He paid someone to burn our tobacco barn, and the claim he filed against it brought him down. He found a lonely one-room concrete apartment with some guards and an iron door. He’ll probably be there for a long time. Phyllis too.

  Remember Stefany? She’s famous. She busted Uncle Jack’s insurance fraud cases and many more related to a big flood that we had in June. You’d have hated it. The flood, I mean. It devastated West Union and Middlebourne. The water went up thirty feet at The Jug crossing and washed it out. That took months to repair, and they opened the new causeway after our wedding (and just in time for hunting season). It’s nice being married to a game warden. No one comes out here to drink and shoot at night anymore.

  I have a son, Daddy. We named him for you and I carved a new chain this year. His full name is James McGehee McQuistion Stewart. It’s very Scottish. You’d love it. He has Momma’s eyes. McQuistion is for his birth mom. That’s where the story, and the chain, gets complex. I’ve never carved a chain like this, with two links hooked into one. Sophia was his birth mom, but he carries your blood, through me. It took two of us to carry a baby named James to term, I guess. That makes him twice as special.

  We are praying to adopt a daughter in January through a birth mother Granny Apple connected us with. It’s a way for Ian and me to give something back to the community, and to build a family in return. We’re going to name her Hope, for Momma. She should be born any day. My doctor tells me that I have some female problems that will make it hard—maybe impossible — to have children, so we’re thrilled to be able to give this little girl a home.

  I miss you so much, Daddy. I needed you every day this past year. I lost a very good friend, Sophia. Then I lost my son to the state for a while. We almost lost the farm, but an angel saved us. I wish you could have known her. I tried to follow your advice every step of the way, listening to the Spirit — my little voice. With Ian’s help, we did what you asked us. The farm is back in family hands for good.

  This little spot on the page is a tear for you. I tried to wipe it away, but it smudged. Maybe that’s a good thing, because now you know what I’ve spilled for you nearly every day since you left. I miss you. I always will.

  I learned a tough lesson this year — many lessons. You were so wise in all the things you taught me, but I had to learn one special lesson all on my own. Sometimes I do the wrong thing for the right reason. You knew that. But I learned something else. Actions have consequences. It took me a while to figure that out. The good news is that God redeems our actions — if we’ll trust Him and give Him a chance. There’s still heartache, but He can heal that hurt, in time.

  Be at peace, Daddy. I am married now. We have the farm. We have a son. I’ve added two more links to the family chain, and a third is on the way.

  I love you.

  Peppermint

  Beside her, James suckled, wrapped in a thick knit blanket, Granny Apple’s newest wool creation. Blue, green, and black, the tartan of Clan Mackay, surrounded her son from shoulder to toe while they rocked on the porch after Christmas dinner. James squeezed her finger, his customary grip while he nursed, one blue eye and one green focused intently on his mother.

  Laura Ann laughed at the hold on her index finger, tugging at him playfully. “Manu forti,” she said. “ ‘With a strong hand.’ The motto of Clan Mackay.” James never let go, his smile growing as she tugged, until he lost his latch on her, then let go of her finger and went back to dinner. His hand lay open, waiting like a flytrap to catch his momma.

  “Your granddaddy would be tossing you in the air right now,” she said. “James Angus McGehee. That’s where you get your first name. And from James McQuistion, your honorary father.” She paused for a long time, no desire to verbalize the next words. “Your birth father’s name was Felix Mendoza.” That name still hurt, a stab of pain.

  Laura Ann rocked, cuddling James against a cold afternoon breeze. Christmas came warm this year, but too cold to spend long on the porch feeding an infant.

  “The daddy who loves you and gave you your last name is out in the barn tuning up the tractor. He’ll teach you to drive it one day. He’s a game warden. Ian Arthur Stewart. And your birth mom, where you get your middle name? She was Sophia McQuistion. I’ve got so much to tell you about her. She gave her life for you.”

  “This is your home,” she said, waving a hand toward the horizon as she rocked on buckled grey boards. She cooed when his eyes started to shut, then
added, “One day The Jug will be home to your children too.” She breathed deep of the farm air, smells from the barn of fresh hay and wintering cows, mixing with the fertile scent of bottomland, and the waters of the Middle Island Creek.

  “It will be home to you and your children. A home for generations to come.”

  RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

  • Scott Rae and Dr. Joy Riley, Outside the Womb: Moral Guidance for Assisted Reproduction (Chicago: Moody, 2011). The leading resource of its kind on the ethics of assisted reproduction technologies (ART). As one endorser states, “Outside the Womb is a rare blend of scientific information, biblical guidance, and empathy for those struggling with infertility.”

  • John Kilner, C. Christopher Hook, and Diann B. Uustal, Cutting-Edge Bioethics: A Christian Exploration of Technologies and Trends (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002). This excellent reference text covers a broad array of bioethical dilemmas, medical technologies, and cultural issues.

  • The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity (CBHD), Deer-field, Illinois. Located on the campus of Trinity University near Chicago, this organization is the leader for the debate and communication of bioethics issues. Their web-based newsletter provides weekly insights into news and cultural trends, and their website is populated with dozens of valuable resources. The CBHD annual conference in mid-July provides a remarkable insight into bioethics from a Christian worldview. Visit www.cbhd.org.

  • The Center for Bioethics and Culture (CBC) Network of San Ramon, California, has taken a strong stand on the international exploitation of women through egg donations. Learn more about what the fertility industry is not telling young women about the long-term health impact of egg harvests, practices that CBC President Jennifer Lahl refers to as “the industry’s dirty little secret.” Also, learn about the exploitation of at-risk women who are desperate for easy cash. The CBC video Eggsploitation can be obtained through their web link at www.eggsploitation.com and on their organizational web site at www.cbc-network.org.

  • The Tennessee Center for Bioethics and Culture, based in Brentwood, Tennessee, provides a monthly newsletter that showcases many bioethical issues in easy-to-understand format. Dr. Joy Riley provides insightful resources and a monthly column. Visit www.tennesseecbc.org.

  • The Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA) serves as the national voice for Christian doctors. Consult their website at www.cmda.org to learn more about resources and policy statements on issues of bioethics, and their extensive outreach through ministry and missions.

  • The Nurses Christian Fellowship provides an international nexus for nurses to engage students, nurses, and patients with the good news of the gospel, and to bring God’s love and healing to nurses and healthcare. Learn more about their ministry at www.ncf-jcn.org.

  A detailed Reader’s Guide, with discussion questions, biblical references, and additional research recommendations, is available on the author’s website at www.austinboyd.com.

  Follow regular postings about bioethics issues through the author’s blog, hosted at www.austinboyd.com/category/blog/.

  Email comments and questions to the author through his contact form at www.austinboyd.com/contact-me/.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I enjoy reading the acknowledgment page for any book, imagining all of the people who had a critical hand in bringing a manuscript to print. It’s a labor of love, and a team effort … whatever the book happens to be.

  For Nobody’s Child, I owe a special debt of thanks to Zondervan and my senior editor, Ms. Sue Brower, a woman with the vision to communicate complex bioethics issues through the power of fiction. She grasped my “bioethics suspense” concept the first time we met, and she’s been a joy to collaborate with for the past two years.

  My agent is friend and mentor rolled into one; I am blessed by the wise counsel of Les Stobbe. Many authors owe their entry into the world of publishing to Les, and I am one. He’s an amazing man, an active participant in the Christian publishing community.

  Every ship has a rudder. Since the first concept for this novel was put to paper, the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity (CBHD) has helped direct my course for this venture. In the early days of our first concept exploration, Mr. Matthew Eppinette was a dependable advisor at CBHD. When Matthew moved on to a new bioethics assignment, Dr. Michael Sleasman emerged as a key resource, supporting many calls and meetings where we discussed the leading reproductive issues of the day. CBHD Executive Director Ms. Paige Cunningham and her staff have supported my research, conducted early critiques of the manuscript, and contributed immeasurably to the novel through their focus on the medical and emotional impact that egg donation has on women.

  Other bioethicists have also played a major role in the formation of this novel. Ms. Jennifer Lahl, President of the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network in San Ramon, California, and Dr. Joy Riley, Director of the Tennessee Center for Bioethics and Culture, were essential reviewers and contributors to the novel’s direction. Dr. Peter Lawler of Berry College, Dr. M. Kelly Lynn of Huntsville, Alabama, and a dozen physicians unnamed here were all part of the research for this book.

  A novel is a story, and if it’s not told well, it’s just boring prose. I am blessed with a wonderful editorial team of friends who help me improve my writing. Sue Brower, Lori Vanden Bosch, Bob Hudson, Steve “The Novel Doctor” Parolini, and Mary DeMuth each found things in my work that needed to be changed and helped me improve this manuscript for publication. These wonderful people are trusted mentors, and through their feedback I have become a better writer.

  Alicia Mey, the Zondervan lead for marketing, Jennifer Baar, Zondervan’s publicist, and Katie Broadus also deserve a special mention. Once a book is in print, they help you learn about it, and help me to get it into your hands. Thank you!

  To my advance reader team, I sincerely appreciate your wise comments and keen insights: Karen Lynn, Dr. M. Kelly Lynn, Jennifer Frith, Roger Spencer, Pam Cassady, Riley Wallace, my sister Carolyn Boyd, my father Walker Boyd, my son Andrew, and my intuitive wife Cindy. Your support blessed me in many ways.

  I write through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If there’s a bottom line in any acknowledgment for my books, it always goes to God. Thank you for placing me here, for a time such as this.

  Nobody’s Child

  Copyright © 2011 by Austin W. Boyd

  This title is also available as a Zondervan ebook. Visit www.zondervan.com/ebooks

  This title is also available in a Zondervan audio edition. Visit www.zondervan.fm

  Requests for information should be addressed to:

  Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Boyd, Austin, 1954–

  Nobody’s child / Austin W. Boyd.

  p. cm. — (The Pandora Files)

  ISBN 978-0-310-32819-? (softcover)

  1. Birthmother — Fiction. 2. Mother and child — Fiction. 3. Human reproductive technology — Moral and ethical aspets — Fiction. 4. Ovum — Transplantation — Moral and ethical aspects — Fiction. 5. Bioethics — Fiction. 6. Domestic fiction. I. Title.

  PS3602.O928N63 2011

  813’.6— dc22

  2011012194

  All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

  Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers printed in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, tran
smitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Z. ondervan.

  EPub Edition © JULY 2011 ISBN: 978-0-310-59892-3

  Representation by the Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency.

  Cover design: Curt Diepenhorst

  Cover photography: Caleb Rexius

  Interior design: Michelle Espinoza

  Editorial: Lori Vanden Bosch and Melissa Lowe

  11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 /DCI/ 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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