Bachelor Father (20 page)

Brett paced the distance from the couch to the
kitchen door. What was she doing in there? Growing the tea leaves?
Had his assumption that she’d given Jake to someone else and his
stupidity in running off with Jake disgusted her so much she didn’t
even want to talk? So, he’d overreacted. Didn’t she realize that
he’d known all along she wouldn’t have referred Jake to that other
couple? This was the woman he loved; the only woman he’d ever
loved.

Yeah, he’d finally admitted it to himself.
Could he admit it to Molly without making a fool of himself again?
He had nothing to back up his instincts that she felt the same. He
reached up to push the kitchen door open. Before he could, it
slowly opened.

“I, uh, was coming to see if you needed any
help,” he stammered.

“My tea needed to steep.” She lifted her mug
as proof of her delay.

Good, she seemed as off balance as he felt.
“Come on.” He took her elbow and guided her to the
couch.

Molly sat and balanced her mug on her knee.
Brett sat beside her.

“I guess your application to adopt Jake was
approved.”

“Yeah.” Brett couldn’t contain his excitement
at hearing the words again. Without thinking, he grabbed her free
hand and gave it a squeeze.

She squeezed it back. “I’m so happy for you
both.”

A smile lighted her face. Gee, she was
beautiful. Brett basked in her shimmering gaze for a moment before
she looked down at her untouched tea. He was probably pushing his
luck thinking he could have both her and Jake.

“I’ll need a couple of days to get my things
together,” she said. “But I’ll leave as soon as I can. The Reynolds
have a lease on my condo until December 31, but I’m sure Charles
and Linda would let me stay with them until the lease runs
out.”

“No you won’t.”

Molly gave him a quizzical look.
“Pardon.”

“You can’t leave. You’re my wife.”

“Yes, in name. But I thought we were agreed
that I’d petition for an annulment as soon as you received approval
on your application.”

He took the tea from her hand and placed it on
the floor. Fighting the urge to simply kiss the uncertainty from
her face, he grasped both of her hand in his. “You know, I’ve
always thought of love as something that hits like a bang. But
that’s not what happened when we met.”

Brett watched in horror as a tear slipped from
Molly’s eye. What had he done now? He couldn’t, wouldn’t blow this.
He reached and wiped the tear with his fingertip.

“You’ve somehow slipped quietly into my life
and Jake’s.” He squeezed her hand more tightly. “You can’t
leave.”

Her green eyes shown at him, full of question.
Didn’t she understand? Boy, he was messing this up. “I mean, would
you consider staying?”

“Why? To help Jake adjust to the idea of my
leaving?” she asked tentatively, not daring to hope for
more.

“No,” he said with a vehemence that made Molly
pull back. “Forever. I love you.” There, he’d said it. He watched
her face for acceptance, rejection, and saw neither.

“You love me?” she asked in
disbelief.

“I love you,” he repeated. “I know how you
feel about Jake. I thought maybe if we stay together you could . .
. you might . . . Oh, heck. Is there any chance if you stay that
you could grow to love me?”

“I thought we were just friends.”

Just friends. Her words squeezed his heart
like a vice. “I see.”

“No, you don’t. Not at all.” she said softly.
“All my life, I’ve been everyone’s pal, but not really close to
anyone. Nobody but Charles has ever truly cared for me. So I’ve
kept my distance from people. I tried to do that with you and Jake.
I tried to keep our relationship strictly professional, but I
failed. Dismally. I don’t know when I fell in love with you, but I
did. I can’t think of anything in the world I’d like more than to
spend the rest of my life with you.”

She turned her face to him, her eyes affirming
her words. He pulled her to him and kissed her. He’d never get
enough of Molly, not in five lifetimes.

She gently pushed him away, stood and took his
hand. Her eyes sparkled with purpose. “How long did you say Tina
was keeping Jake, Mr. Cahill?”

“All night, Mrs. Cahill,” he responded,
letting her lead him upstairs to his room.

Epilogue

The persistent sound of Brett’s soft soles
slapping the polished marble floor as he paced the silent
courthouse hall was about to drive Molly right up the dark
wood-paneled walls. She grabbed his hand on the next pass by and
pulled him to the chair beside her.

“Relax.” She squeezed his hand and luxuriated
in the tingle she got when he squeezed her hand back.

“Yeah, I know.” Brett looked at his watch.
“The judge is late.”

Molly checked her watch and shook her head.
“It’s not ten yet. Your watch must be fast. I’m sure the judge will
be here any minute.”

Brett looked at his watch again and stood,
stuffing his hands in his pockets.

He was going to start pacing again. She knew
it. Molly had never seen him this antsy, even at the hospital when
Jake had pneumonia and they were waiting for the pediatrician’s
diagnosis.

“The judge should be here any time,” he said,
looking at the deserted stairwell as if his gaze could produce the
judge. Brett started to take a step.

Oh, no you don’t. Molly grabbed him by the
back of his belt. He was going to sit still until the judge arrived
if she had to sit on him to keep him in place. Her cheeks warmed at
the memory of a certain evening in the front room
recliner.

Brett turned and gave her a crooked smile that
showcased his dimple. He made a great display of looking up and
down the empty hall. “Well, Mrs. Cahill, just what did you have in
mind?”

Her cheeks flamed. “What I have in mind is for
you to relax, sit here with me, and wait patiently for the judge.
Like Charles and I told you signing the final adoption papers is a
formality. It’ll all be done before we know it.”

He dropped into the hardwood chair beside her,
where he stayed about 30 seconds before jumping up. “Maybe, I’d
better check on Jake and Tina.”

“Brett, they went downstairs to get Jake a
drink at the water fountain. They could have stopped in the rest
rooms, too. I doubt they’re lost.”

He fidgeted between sitting and going to look
for Jake and Tina.

“Brett, sit. Here they come now.” Jake’s
chatter echoed up the stairwell.

The door to the judge’s chambers opened, and a
young woman approached, her heels clicking sharply on the floor.
“Mr. and Mrs. Cahill?” she asked.

“Yes,” Brett answered.

“Judge Barrett will see you now. Please follow
me.” The woman led them all into the judge’s chambers.

“Mr. and Mrs. Cahill, I’m Judge Robert
Barrett.” A tall, distinguished-looking man whose black robes gave
him an aloof appearance, the judge formally greeted Brett and
Molly, shaking hands with each of them.

“This is our attorney, Tina Putnam,” Brett
said.

Judge Barrett shook hands with
Tina.

“And you must be Jake.” The judge reached down
to shake his hand.

Taking the judge’s hand, Jake said, “We’re
gonna have a baby, you know.”

Molly fingered her cross and absently let her
hand drift to the swell that the box jacket of her tailored suit
couldn’t quite hide. At three-years-old, Jake had become quite the
independent young man, not afraid to speak what was on his
mind.

“Is that right?”

Molly held her breath in anticipation of what
he might say next. She had visions of him describing their evening
ritual of Brett’s rubbing her belly to “stir up the baby” so Jake
could feel it move.

“Yep. That’s why we gotta get this ‘doption
done. So I can be the big brother. My frien’ Amy can’t be a brother
‘cause she’s a girl.

The judge nodded solemnly. “Being a big
brother is an important job. We’d better get started.” He tried to
pull his hand from Jake’s grasp, but Jake wasn’t ready to let
go.

“I’m getting ‘dopted ‘cause I’m special,” Jake
confided. “Amy’s not ‘dopted, an’ the baby’s not going to be
‘dopted. It’s in Mommy’s tummy.”

Molly smiled at Judge Barrett. Much to her
delight, Jake had recently given up Boo in favor of calling her
Mommy. She still felt a warm sense of need every time she heard
him.

“I see.” The judge returned Molly’s smile
before turning back to Jake. “Why don’t you sit here next to me
while I take a look at your adoption papers?” He helped Jake into
one of the library chairs that surrounded the table and motioned
Molly, Brett, and Tina to take a seat.

Tina opened her briefcase and handed the
adoption agreement to the judge.

“Everything should be in order,” she
said.

Judge Barrett spent a few minutes reviewing
the documents, while Jake and Brett squirmed in their seats. Molly
smiled to herself at how quickly Jake had picked up so many of
Brett’s mannerisms.

Jake broke the silence. “That’s an A,” he
said, pointing a pudgy finger at the script on one of the sheets.
“Me an’ Amy learned that at The Kid’s Place. That’s our school,” he
added proudly.

“Jake,” Brett whispered. “Let Judge Barrett
finish reading.”

“It’s all right Mr. Cahill. I’m finished. All
I need is your signatures.” Molly and Brett signed the
papers.

“Congratulations,” Judge Barrett said. “I see
you brought a camera.”

Brett shifted nervously behind Molly. “If you
don’t mind,” he started.

Molly stepped in. “The word at
Thayer House,” she said “is that you collect photos of all
your
adoptees.”

“Is that right?” The twinkle in the judge’s
eyes contrasted starkly with his cool demeanor. “The truth is
adoptions are a nice break from my usual court schedule. I enjoy
every one of them. All I ask is that you send me a
photo.”

“No problem,” Brett said.

“Now, Jake.” Judge Barrett motioned the child
over. “Your daddy wants to take a couple pictures of you and me.”
Jake looked at Brett, who nodded, then ran to the judge.

Molly watched Brett focus the camera on Jake
grinning in the judge’s arms. The baby kicked. She was truly
home.

More from Jean C. Gordon

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