A Baby for Christmas (Love at The Crossroads) (12 page)

Honestly, I don’t know how to start over after rejection.

Hershel understood that part all too well and that had been the source of why she was in Chicago while he and the boys were in St. Louis, missing her like crazy.

It’s not that you’ve never made me mad, because you have, but you don’t know how much more I respect you for respecting my decision to move and not use any methods, including a fake marriage proposal, to convince me to stay. Thank you for that.

Love you always,

Solae

Hershel smiled at the lip prints under her signature. She was definitely wrong about one thing—his proposal was genuine.

Of all Solae’s sweet words, the only ones Hershel wanted to read and hear was yes, she would marry him. The hoping and not knowing was driving him crazy. Yawning, Hershel stretched his muscles and eyed the clock. He needed to get some sleep for his upcoming twenty-four-hour shift.

But leaving nothing to chance, especially with his housekeeper who was a clean fanatic, he walked out his bedroom in search of the box the gifts were shipped in—gone. He padded across the hardwood floor to the kitchen. Mrs. Biddle had already piled trashed inside of it and placed it at the back door to be taken out.

Under her watchful eyes, Hershel ripped off the return label with Solae’s address. He winked at his housekeeper’s knowing smile, then made his way back to bed, thinking distance meant nothing to him. “He that findeth a wife findeth a good thing.” He had no problem going to Chicago to find his wife.

A dusting of snow littered the streets and cars as the sun began to set in downtown Chicago. Welcome, November. Solae wasn’t ready for the snow or the frigid temperatures the windy City was known for. She entered her apartment building lobby through revolving doors as her smartphone rang. She smiled, noting the caller. “Hey, Desiree, how’s it going?”

“I’m having a good day,” she said cheerfully. “I’ve been going to counseling and meeting with the pastor.”

Thank You, Jesus!
Solae was concerned about Desiree when she left. And she hadn’t stopped praying for God’s will in her friend’s life because honestly, Solae doubted Desiree knew what she wanted.

“Cool. Is Michael attending—” Solae was distracted by an unexpected box in her mail slot. Pinching the phone between her ear and shoulder, she grabbed it, and noted the sender’s address: the Kavanaughs. She smirked, wondering if it was from the boys or Hershel.

“He attended one,” Desiree said with a heavy sigh. “It wasn’t productive, so the counselor suggested we have separate appointments. I’m just not attracted to him anymore. I don’t know if I ever will be again.”

The frustration and agitation in Desiree’s voice was evident as Solae’s heart ached for her friend. Stepping into the elevator, Solae was surprised she didn’t lose service all the way to the twenty-second floor. She definitely missed her spacious one-story ranch house. She was not cut out for high-rise condo living, even if the night skyline was beautiful.

“So it sounds like you want a divorce.” Once she was in her apartment, she locked the door and kicked off her shoes. After resting her mail on her counter bar table, she shook off her coat while listening. The box could wait.

“I wanted to be married, but Michael ruined that for me. Pastor Reed is praying and guiding me through which decision to make. He says I need to be able to live with it without any regrets. Somehow, I think if it were me who cheated instead of Michael, he would divorce me in a day.”

Solae never knew if she was supposed to defend or male bash Desiree’s husband, so often times she held her peace, which always cued her friend to change the subject.

“Maybe I should go back to school. How’s your classes? Thanks for inviting me up for Christmas shopping on the Magnificent Mile. I can hardly wait for the get-away next month.”

“Michigan Avenue is crazy. I can’t imagine Christmas time. There’s not enough room on the sidewalks now, but I love the city of the rich and famous, and poor and homeless. The contrast keeps me spiritually balanced.” Solae peered at the room thermostat and adjusted the temperature a few degrees.

“Have you heard from Hershel?”

If Desiree didn’t bring up his name, then Solae didn’t, because she still loved him, but she needed to fulfill her own happiness that didn’t include waiting for a marriage proposal.

“As a matter of fact, yes.” She couldn’t keep from smiling although she did her best to tame it, because she didn’t want to come across as taunting her friend. “I just got a box in the mail.”

“Ooh. Open it up!” Desiree demanded, laughing.

“Okay.” Solae put her smartphone on speaker before resting it on the table.  With gusto, she yanked off the priority mail tape, then ripped open the lid. Turning up her nose, she frowned at the content. Why would he send her that and a bunch of them?  “He sent me… a box of DVDs.”

“Huh? Men.” She
humph
ed. “They’re clueless when it comes to what a woman really wants.”

Solae shuffled through the stack and grinned. “Actually, there are
Hallmark
and Black romance movies. That was sweet.”

“And different. My apologies to Captain Kavanaugh. I have to give him credit. He loves you and he’s going to make sure you know it. Well, I’m heading to Bible Class and it looks like you’ll be pulling some overnighters to catch up on your movies.” Her laugh was genuine as they ended the call.

Solae read the note that was attached. The boys had outlined their small hands and attempted to color inside the lines—impressive for a four- and six-year-old. Hershel had written in bold letters ‘‘I LOVE YOU’’ and the boys wrote ‘
‘
me to
o
.’’  Hugging the note to her chest, Solae closed her eyes and let a sense of happiness engulf her. If this was how couples patched up their differences after a breakup, then second chances were worth exploring, even for Desiree.

Cuddled up with a comforter and stretched out on her sofa, Solae pointed her remote to her flat screen. Pausing
The Lost Valentine
, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, she answered a call from an unfamiliar St. Louis number.

“May I speak with Miss Wyatt-Palmer?”

“Speaking,” she said, annoyed that a telephone solicitor was interrupting her
Hallmark
movie.

“This is Mrs. Roberts from the Missouri Adoption Agency…”

“Who?”

“I’m the new caseworker and it appears that your application was lost in the shuffle. I’m sorry for the delay in our agency getting back to you with any news, but for some reason it’s as if the windows of heaven opened and God sprinkled out little ones, so now we’re swamped with children for adoption.”

Solae’s mouth was still hanging open. After more than a year of waiting and then forgetting, or rather giving up, she gets a call?

“I noticed that on your application, you wanted an infant, but I have a beautiful African-American baby girl who is two months old and needs a loving mommy.”

Me. Pick me.
Solae lifted a hand in the air as if she was trying to get her teacher’s attention.

“If you’re still interested and available, I’d like to offer you a baby. I’ll just need to make sure all your information is accurate.” Mrs. Roberts verified that she was still single, her income, employer, and address were current. She answered “yes” to all of the above, considering the buyers backed out of the contract to purchase her house.

Only God knew it was going to be a blessing, and she would need her address for this very moment. There was no way Solae was going to divulge she was away at school.

Solae was on her feet and walking in circles in her living room. “How long before I can get her?”

“Tomorrow evening, if that’s not too soon. She’s with a foster family, so she’s safe.”

Making an unlady-like grunt, Solae shook her head
. I don’t think so. I’m going to get my baby.
“I’ll be there tomorrow before five.”

“Excellent.” Mrs. Roberts stated the necessary documents Solae needed to bring with her. “And a car seat for transporting your little angel.”

              As Solae’s thumb hit END call, her mouth released a “Hallelujah” that every resident in her building might have heard. Then she fell to her knees, crying, praying, and thanking the Lord for the unexpected blessing. As she began to worship Him, Jesus filled her mouth with tongues to praise Him.

Once Solae was able to compose herself, the reality hit that she had to pack and shop and didn’t have much time for either. “A baby—a girl,” she said in awe as she continued to lift praises up to God. Finally, a blessing she seemed to have been praying for, for a lifetime.

As she raced into her bedroom, Solae didn’t know who to call first—her mother, Candace or…Hershel—no, their communication was cordial. They still had to come to an understanding about some things if they were ever going to get back together.  Her mother, of course!

“Momma, I’m going to have a baby,” she practically screamed into the phone when her mother answered.

Minerva laughed. “Solae, slow down. What do you mean, ‘you’re going to have a baby?’”

“The agency called! You’re going to be a grandmother!”

Her mother’s ‘‘Thank You, Jesus’’ was louder than her “Hallelujah” until Solae giggled. Then she gave her the details. “Mom, don’t say anything to Candace, please. I want it to be a surprise.”

“I’m going shopping first thing in the morning.”

“As soon as I pack my suitcase, I’m going shopping on Michigan Avenue. I’ll email my professors tonight and plan to leave early in the morning. Momma, I’m so excited. I love Jesus for making my life complete.”

“Amen.”

The next morning, Solae couldn’t believe how much stuff she had purchased at the last minute. She had her own baby shower with her credit card. After maneuvering every box and bag around her three suitcases, Solae got behind the wheel and prayed, “Jesus, I can’t thank You enough for Your blessings. You owe me nothing, but yet You continue to bless me. Lord, help me to be the best mother I can be and protect me down I-55 in Your magnificent name, Jesus. Amen.”

As she drove, Solae wondered at baby names. As a child, she loved to name her dolls, but this was a person who would grow into a beautiful woman and her personality would have to grow into her name, which had to include Wyatt-Palmer. She laughed. 

Somehow, she arrived in St. Louis on autopilot. It was strange not going to the home she had lived in for the past seven years, but her furniture and things were stored in her parents’ basement, so Solae detoured there.

“I made it, Mom. See you and Daddy in fifteen, twenty minutes,” Solae let them know through her Bluetooth.

Despite the November chill, Minerva and Washington Palmer rushed out their front door as Solae pulled into their driveway.

“Hi, Daddy.” He hugged her, then he turned Solae over to her mother who was sniffing.

“I love her already, Mom. Sight unseen.” Tears filled Solae’s eyes as her mother took her bag while her dad peered through her car windows.

“How could you see driving with all this stuff in here?” He opened her back door and stared. “You always could pack tight,” he joked, grabbing as many bags and boxes as his arms could carry.

“I can help with that, Daddy.”

“This is nothing. I’ve got to keep up my strength to play with my granddaughter.” He grinned with pride.

Granddaughter.
Solae liked the sound of that as her mother ushered her inside. When she stepped foot in their house, she gasped, then turned around and eyed her mother.

“Mom!”  At first glance, the living room appeared trashed, but when Solae focused on the bags, boxes, and furniture from
Babies “R” Us,
she squeezed her mother’s neck as her father playfully bumped them to add her purchases to the massive chaos.

“I do have a house, you know,” Solae joked. She hadn’t given much thought of anything, except being a mother. She would return to school in Chicago to finish the semester with her baby or transfer her credits and move back in her house. Those were decisions that could wait. “I don’t have much time before I meet with Mrs. Roberts.”

“We’re going with you.”

“No, Dad. I want to experience that first moment as a mother by myself.” She paused and struggled with how to phrase what she was feeling. “Kinda selfish, huh?” Gritting her teeth, Solae hoped they understood.

“Mothers are territorial like that.” Minerva winked.

Solae couldn’t wait to see her bundle of joy or to show off her baby to Candace. God help her, but somewhere deep inside Solae, she wanted to taunt Hershel, proving she didn’t need a man to make her a mother, but that would be petty and Solae wasn’t that type.

She did briefly wonder how her addition would change the relationship Hershel was intent on rebuilding.

“We’ll be here, waiting,” her father assured her.

After exchanging another group hug, Solae showered and changed while her father installed the infant car seat. No doubt with her mother supervising him. She couldn’t be happier as she grabbed her purse and was headed for the front door.