They exchanged their Christmas gifts. Kiara loved her necklace and Manuel was thrilled that his sisters had gotten him a PlayStation 3. They had gotten Karla a small gold bracelet with her name engraved on it and a gift card to her favorite store.
Karla also learned that Kiara’s birthday was November 22nd and Manuel’s was February 27th so they had a little party by the hotel pool to celebrate their birthdays.
Manuel and Kiara took Karla to their house so she could see the stuff they had from their father and Manuel gave her their father’s signet pinky ring. His mom had gotten it for him when he’d graduated law school and Manuel and Kiara had decided to give it to Karla because she had nothing of his.
On the last night of the trip Kiara, Manuel and Rosa joined Karla, Leslie and Andrew in the hotel dining room for dinner. “I’m really going to miss you little sister.” Manuel said after they’d eaten and were just sitting there talking.
“I promise to visit again as soon as I can.”
“Manuel, Kiara, how would you two like to come visit Karla this summer?” Andrew asked.
“We’d never be able to afford it sir. The plane tickets alone would take all of my savings and then we’d still have to pay for a hotel.” Manuel responded sadly. “I would love nothing more than to see where you live, but I just don’t see how we could.”
“Well I was thinking I could buy your plane tickets and you could come for Karla’s birthday. It’d be a birthday gift for her.” Andrew told them. He knew that if he didn’t tell them it was for Karla they’d never agree to it.
“Oh that’d be awesome Andrew.” Karla gushed in excitement.
“Thank you Dr. Peterson. We would be happy to come to Tennessee for Karla’s birthday. With you paying for the plane tickets then I have enough for a decent hotel room for us.” Andrew said with a smile.
“That won’t be necessary either. There aren’t really any hotels close to us so we thought you could stay with us.” Leslie told them. “We have three bedrooms that aren’t being used and would love for you to stay with us. Rosa, you’re more than welcome to come too.”
“I’ll leave the traveling to the young ones. I did my share of it with my Manuel when he was in the military.” Rosa told her with a far-a-way look in her eyes.
“Manuel, I need to talk to you about something.” Andrew said as he looked Manuel in the eyes. “Privately if you don’t mind.”
“Sure Dr. Peterson.” Manuel got up from the table and followed Andrew from the dining room and into the hotel lobby. “Is everything alright?”
“Everything’s great. I just wanted to ask you something. Leslie and I are wanting to adopt Karla, but since you are a legal adult and a blood relation we’re going to need you to sign a paper stating that you aren’t wanting legal guardianship of her.”
“Oh, wow. Does she know yet?”
“No. We’re going to have the papers prepared when we get back home, but I was told that you’d need to sign off on it before we could do anything because you are her closest living relative. Your aunt will need to sign a paper about it too.”
“I’ll gladly sign whatever I need to. There’s no way I could support her. I work part-time waiting tables and go to school full-time. My aunt will sign too. She couldn’t afford to take on another child, which is why Abuela took Kiara and me.”
“Great. I promise you that Karla will have nothing but the best from me and Leslie. We couldn’t love her more if she was our biological daughter.”
“I can see that. She loves you the same and even if I could financially support her I would not fight you two on this. She is where she needs to be.”
“Thank you Manuel. I’ll have the papers sent to you and your aunt as soon as possible.”
Once they were back in the dining room and seated Andrew asked everyone if they wanted desert and then called the waiter back over when everyone nodded. They ordered desert and talked for another hour before Rosa spoke up. “Kiara, Manuel, they have to get up early in the morning to drive back to San Juan. I think it’s time we said good night so they can rest.”
After a teary goodbye with many promises to email and Skype as often as possible Manuel, Kiara and Rosa left. Andrew signed off on the bill and they headed up to their suite to get some sleep. Karla laid awake for hours thinking about the past few days and how much she was going to miss her brother and sister.
The next morning Karla carried her suitcase out of her room and placed it beside Andrew’s and Leslie’s before she went back and grabbed her laptop case and backpack. She sent Manuel and Kiara a text telling them they were about to leave and that she loved them and was going to miss them then she headed down with Andrew and Leslie, loaded everything into the car and left for the airport.
The drive to the airport was quiet and once they were on the plane Karla lost herself in reading. By the time they landed in Nashville she’d read the third and fourth books in the series.
She was in a somber mood as they waited for Dr. Newberry. Karla looked up as she heard her name being called and was instantly pulled form her mood when she saw Callie, Conner and Rylee walking toward her. “OMG!! I have missed you three.” She said when they got to her and wrapped her in a group hug.
“We came with dad to pick you up because we’ve missed you too.” Callie told her as they broke apart.
“Well then let’s go. I have so much to tell you.” Karla said as they all linked arms and walked to the waiting SUV. She missed Kiara and Manuel, but she was happy to be home.
Chapter Seventy-One
The next few weeks passed quickly. Karla and her friends started their new classes and were excelling as usual. The hospital charity event went great and a lot of money was raised for the new children’s wing. Leslie had taken Karla shopping for formal dresses and she’d gotten an emerald green one for the charity event and an ice blue one for the Valentine’s Day Gala. She’d wear one of them to the Valentine’s Day dance at school too.
On Callie and Conner’s birthday Karla baked cupcakes and took them to school. They had a little party during lunch and after school they had another party at their house. There were just a few people there, but they all had a lot of fun.
The day of the Gala Leslie picked them up from school, rather than having them ride the bus home, and took the girls to get their hair and nails done, just as she had with the charity event. When they were done she took Rylee and Callie home so they could get ready. When they got home Karla went upstairs to her room and slipped on her dress and wedge heeled shoes.
When she was dressed she walked downstairs and into the kitchen. Andrew was standing at the bar looking immaculate in his tux. He turned at the sound of Karla’s footsteps and his jaw dropped. “You look stunning Karla. I wasn’t sure that color would look right on you when Leslie showed it to me, but I was wrong.”
“I told you she’d look awesome in it.” Leslie said from behind Karla. She was wearing a floor length black chiffon dress and had her long blonde hair swept up with a cascade of curls flowing from a silver clip.
“I’m sorry I doubted you my love. Speaking of looking awesome, you take my breath away.”
“You aren’t so bad yourself handsome.” Leslie said with a grin. “Now I think it’s about time to go.”
“Yes. It starts in about a half hour and I need to be there when it starts. I have to deliver the opening speech.” Andrew told them as they headed out the door and into the car. They arrived at the hotel where the Gala was being held about twenty-five minutes later and Andrew immediately excused himself to go talk to the head of the hospital board of directors.
“Wow Karla, you look amazing.” Rylee said from behind her.
She turned around and gasped. Rylee was wearing a navy blue strapless dress. “You look pretty amazing yourself.”
“Thanks.” Rylee said with a giggle. “Have you seen Callie and Conner yet?”
“No, but they should be getting here soon. Andrew is making his speech any minute now.”
As soon as the words left her mouth the Newberry’s walked in. Conner was wearing the same tux he’d worn to the charity event and Callie was wearing a sapphire blue dress cut in the same style as Karla’s. Karla waved to them and they immediately walked over to her and Rylee.
“Wow Karla. That color is amazing on you.” Callie said and Karla grinned.
“Thanks. I love your dress.” She giggled and caused Callie and Rylee to giggle too.
“You girls all look stunning.” Conner told them, but he was looking directly at Karla. “Karla I have to agree with my sister. That color is amazing on you.”
“Thank you Conner.” Karla responded shyly. It was one thing to get a compliment from Rylee and Callie, but a completely different thing to get one like that from Conner.
Before any of them could say anything else Andrew stepped up to the podium and started his opening speech. He thanked them all for coming and told them what the money from this year’s Gala would be funding. When he was finished the head of the board of directors asked everyone to find their seats so dinner could be served.
Andrew and Dr. Newberry had arranged it so their families, along with Rylee’s family, were all seated close during dinner so they could all talk with each other. After dinner and desert the tables were cleared and moved so people could dance. Conner immediately asked Karla to dance.
“Having fun tonight?” He asked her as they moved around the dance floor.
“Of course. I’m spending the evening with some of my favorite people.” She laughed a little at the expression that crossed his face.
“Karla..ummm..I was..ummm…” Conner stopped and took a deep breath. “I was..ummm… wondering if you’d…ummm…”
“Conner just spit it out already. It’s not like you to be at a loss for words.” Karla interrupted him. “You know you can ask me anything.”
He took a deep breath and looked Karla in the eyes. “I was wondering if you’d go to the Valentine’s Day dance with me tomorrow night.”
“Oh.” Karla looked down at their feet for a moment before she looked back up and locked eyes with Conner. “I would love to.”
A huge smile lit his face and his eyes sparkled with happiness at her words. He hugged her and twirled her around for a second before he pulled her off the dance floor to where Callie and Rylee were sitting. “She said yes.”
Callie and Rylee both smiled and stood up. “That’s great Con. We told you she would.” Callie told him.
“So what are you wearing?” Rylee asked Karla.
“Well I was planning on wearing my green dress that I wore to the charity event, but I don’t know now. I may find something else.”
“Shopping in the morning?” Callie asked her.
“Maybe. I’ll talk to Leslie later and let you both know. The dance is formal and I don’t want to buy another formal dress.”
“You don’t have to.” Rylee told her. “I think I have the perfect thing. Come over in the morning and you can look at it. My mom bought it for me to wear to the charity event, but it looked horrible on me. It’ll look awesome on you though.”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll be over early so be up. Now Conner, would you like to finish our dance?”
“I would love to.” He answered with a smile and spun her back onto the dance floor. They danced off and on until it was time to go home.
“Conner asked me to the Valentine’s Day dance tomorrow night.” Karla told Andrew and Leslie when they were heading home.
“That’s wonderful honey. It’s about time that boy asked you out.” Leslie said with a huge smile.
Once they were home Karla immediately went upstairs and changed into her pajamas then she sat down and typed out a long email to Kiara telling her about everything that happened tonight. When she was done with that she pulled the hairpins out of her hair and brushed it out, then crawled into bed and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Chapter Seventy-Two
Karla was awake by five the next morning. She was just too excited to sleep any longer so she grabbed her Spanish book and notebook and went downstairs. Once in the kitchen she sat her stuff on the bar, fixed herself a glass of milk and grabbed a muffin. As she ate she did her Spanish homework. Just as she translated the last sentence Leslie came down.
“Oh. I wasn’t expecting you to be up yet.” Leslie said when she jumped a little and put her hand over her heart.
“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t sleep any longer so I decided to come down, get something to eat and do my Spanish homework. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“It’s okay honey. I’m just used to being the first one up. Do you want some breakfast?”
“No thanks. I’m going to take this up to my room, take a shower and get dressed. I’ll be back down in a little while.”
“Okay honey. If you want something then I’ll gladly fix it for you.”
“Thanks Leslie. I’ll be back.” Karla said and walked out.
After she was gone Leslie started a pot of coffee. Her cell phone rang as she sat down at the bar to wait for the coffee to brew. “Hello” She answered after seeing Bob’s name on the caller ID.
“Hey sis. I was calling to let you know that the forms from Manuel and Mrs. Martinez arrived yesterday. They both signed them and aren’t going to interfere with y’all adopting Karla.”
Tears filled Leslie’s eyes at Bob’s words. “That is wonderful news. I can’t wait to tell Andrew. When can we start the adoption process?”
“Monday morning. I’ll have the papers ready for you to just come in and sign. I am so happy for y’all sis.”
“Thank you Bob. I am so ready to legally be her mama.”
“I know sis. I’ll get the papers ready today and I’ll see you on Monday. Love you sis.”
“Love you too Bob. Bye.” As soon as she hung up the phone she ran upstairs and into her and Andrew’s room. Andrew was just walking out of the bathroom when she burst through the door. “Oh Andrew. It’s happening. It’s really happening.”
“Leslie, baby, calm down. What’s happening?”
“Bob just called me. He got the papers from Manuel and Mrs. Martinez yesterday. He’s starting the paperwork today and we can sign everything Monday morning.”
Andrew shouted and pulled Leslie into his arms. He picked her up and spun her around. “We have to tell Karla. I hope she’s as happy about it as we are.”
Just then Karla poked her head in the open door. “Is everything okay? I heard shouting.”
“Oh Karla, honey, everything is better than okay. Why don’t you come in here a minute? We have something to tell you.” Leslie’s smile stretched across her face.
“Okay.” Karla walked into the room and smiled. Leslie and Andrew were clearly very happy about something and she wanted to know what.
“Before Christmas Leslie and I talked to Bob to see what all we’d need to do if we decided to adopt you.” Andrew started, but stopped with a worried expression crossed Karla’s face.
“Okay.” Karla said and took a deep breath. “What have you decided to do?”
“We decided to start the process. I talked to Manuel about it when we were there because he and your aunt both had to sign a paper stating that it was okay for us to adopt you. Bob received both papers back yesterday and is doing the paperwork right now for us to go in and sign Monday to start the adoption process. Before we do that though I need to ask you something.”
Karla’s face lit up in a smile. “Sure. You can ask me anything.”
“Do you want us to become your legal parents?”
“More than anything in this world.” Karla replied instantly and threw herself into Andrew’s arms. “When will it be finalized?”
“Bob said it usually takes five to six months.” Leslie told her.
Karla pulled out of Andrew’s arms and turned to Leslie. “I am so happy right now. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy in my entire life.”
“Oh honey, we’re that happy too. We l
ove you and want to be a family, a legal family.”
“Today is the best day of my life. Not only do I have my first date with Conner, but I get to become a Peterson too.” Tears streamed down Karla’s face as she hugged Leslie. “I have to go call Rylee.”
As Karla ran out of the room Leslie turned to Andrew with tears running down her face. “I am so unbelievably happy right now.”
“Me too, baby. Today is an awesome day.” Andrew hugged her tightly for a moment and dropped a soft kiss on the top of her head. “Now let’s go down and get some breakfast. I have a meeting at the hospital in an hour and can’t be late.”
Leslie laughed at him as they walked down the stairs hand in hand. “Today is one of the best days of my life, too. I have you and now we are going to have a daughter. Who could ask for anything more?”
Chapter Seventy-Three
Instead of going to Rylee’s house to look at the dress, Rylee brought it to Karla. It was dark pink satin, floor length and sleeveless. “It’s perfect Rylee.” Karla said with enthusiasm.
“I thought it would be. With your dark mocha skin this pink will look awesome.”
“Thank you Rylee. I can’t believe your mom would buy you a dress like this. This pink would look awful with your red hair.”
“I know. I think she was picturing it for Jess or Jenn, but bought it in my size. Oh well. At least we’re the same size.” Rylee laughed.
“I’m glad she goofed. Conner’s going to love this dress.” Karla said as a knock sounded on her bedroom door.
When she opened it Callie walked in. “Happy birthday Rylee, did you bring your dress?”
“Thanks and yes, I thought we could all get ready over here.”
A New Beginning (The Second Chance Series Book 1) Page 22