Child of Mine (40 page)

K
elly's high-rise apartment was located a mere three miles from Megan's family and only two miles from Kelly's temporary job with Westin and Westin, a financial management firm—an envelope-stuffing job and a step down, but she didn't mind.

The day following her initial arrival, when she'd met Michelle Sparks in the hallway of the legal firm, Kelly had also been introduced to Michelle's husband, Harold, CEO of a pharmaceutical company.

During that particular meeting, Kelly became persuaded that Megan's parents were innocent of any complicity. At the time of the adoption, they'd had no idea Megan was channeled through a black-market network, although as the years went by and they learned of the adoption agency's indictment for fraud, their fears had developed. Horrified at the possibility that their daughter might have been stolen, they became determined to uncover the truth. In fact, their attorney had been the one to contact Ernie, having learned of his name through Kelly's website.

Kelly and Megan's adoptive parents met a second time to hammer out a slow transition to what would ultimately become
something akin to shared custody. Kelly had made a quick return trip to Akron for more of her things, and after a few days to settle into her new place in Chicago, she was quite eager to meet Megan, albeit under pretense.

As far as Megan would know, Kelly was her new baby-sitter.

Their young, ultra-hip chauffeur picked her up and drove her to the Sparkses' home, where he parked in the circular driveway while Kelly headed for the front door to meet face-to-face the little girl she'd so longed to see.

The home's exterior was similar to a Tudor-style mansion. When she was ushered inside by a housekeeper, she felt as if she'd stepped into a British castle. The surroundings were more intimidating than she had imagined, and it gradually dawned on her why they were willing to allow her such liberal access to Megan.
They're
highly exposed to a potentially expensive wrongful adoption suit.

In a few moments, her daughter wandered down the long staircase, wearing jeans and a frilly pink shirt. With one hand on the banister, she gazed at Kelly somewhat shyly, brown eyes intent.

“This is Kelly,” Michelle Sparks announced awkwardly, standing back a bit.

My Emily.
It was hard to keep her breathing steady, but Kelly was determined to make this the best possible moment for the two of them.

Michelle had been quite correct. Megan was the spitting image of Kelly, and if she didn't mind thinking so, the young brunette was truly beautiful.

“Kelly's going to spend some time with you, honey, while we go into the city,” Michelle told Megan.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Kelly.” The well-mannered child stepped forward to offer her slight hand, responding as a charm-school student might.

Kelly shook her small hand.
Remember me
?
She wished she
might wrap the darling girl in her arms, holding her for all the moments—years—she'd been deprived of her.
Oh, the pain . . . and, at last
, the joy.

Some time later, before Megan's adoptive mom left the house, Kelly asked if she might bake some cookies with Megan and was surprised that this would be a first for the girl. It took no time for Megan to get into cookie-making mode, there in the high-ceilinged kitchen, surrounded by hardwood cabinets and marble-topped counters. Especially after Megan had her first taste of raw cookie dough. “Yummy,” she said, licking her fingers. “This tastes better than cookies!”

So the ice was broken, and a friendship forged. And while the cookies baked, Kelly produced a few magic tricks for her spellbound daughter.

“Will you please show me how, Miss Kelly?”

Kelly agreed as they laughed together, and soon Megan was sharing stories about her private school, her friends, and even a couple of nerdy boys—
Yuck!

The second visit, the following week, went equally well. Kelly once again arrived in the guise of a sitter, and this time Michelle met Kelly at the door instead of the housekeeper.

“She hasn't stopped talking about you,” Michelle exclaimed. “You made quite an impression.” Michelle's voice was upbeat, even optimistic, but Kelly could hear a pensive tone, a tightness to her voice.

This time while Megan's parents “went into the city,” Kelly and Megan played computer games on a sixty-four-inch screen, in a luxurious space filled with overstuffed couches and chairs, floor to ceiling paneled wood walls, and covered with plush carpeting.

When Megan's parents returned, Megan hugged Kelly for the first time. “When are you coming back?”

Her parents smiled sweetly at this and the progress Kelly had made so far, but their eyes betrayed them.

For the next visit, a third Saturday, Kelly determined to tone it down further, unwilling to alienate the dear people who had invited her into their lives, although Michelle pulled her aside before Megan came down, and praised Kelly. “You've made Megan so happy.”

Kelly wasn't sure how to respond. “I want you to know, Mrs. Sparks—”

“Michelle,” she corrected, gently.

“I'm not trying to win her over or anything . . . or compete with your affections,” Kelly said, touching Michelle's arm. “I just want to make a good impression.”

Michelle shook her head. “It's all good, Kelly. We
want
Megan to like you. We want her to
love
you.”

Michelle pulled her into Megan's playroom. The walls were lined with shelves, well-loved picture books competing for space among chapter books and posters of current Christian bands. “You're free to spend time in here with Megan,” she said. “I think I've read a few of these books hundreds of times.” Michelle gestured to the childhood classics that lined the lower shelves.

Kelly looked around at the expanse of educational reading material.

“I taught her to read at three,” Michelle added. “You have a very smart daughter. And I can't say how glad we were to hear that you are a believer.”

Kelly nodded.

“Megan is learning about the Lord from all of us,” Michelle said, but her throat caught, and her eyes teared up.

Kelly agreed.
Another gift from God.

When Megan appeared in the doorway, she ran to Kelly and hugged her. “I heard we are going to the mall!”

Kelly confirmed this, and Megan cheered, pulling on her vest and tan boots.

Once there, they spent most of their time in an apparel store, trying on jeans. After an hour of this and a dozen discarded pairs, Megan finally found something she thought would get her mother's approval.

“Did you know my mom's birthday is coming up?”

“Have you bought anything?”

Megan shook her head. “Dad usually buys something to give her.”

Kelly suggested they change it up and pick something out together. While they walked the mall trying to decide, Kelly secretly called Harold Sparks. He answered in a worried tone. “Is everything okay?”

Kelly meekly presented her suggestion, not wanting to step on his plans, but he was pleased. “I haven't purchased anything yet, so it's perfect.”

In the end, Megan picked out a card at Hallmark and a glass plaque, which included the words
To the Best Mom in the World.

In the food court, they ate tacos for lunch, sitting across from Baskin-Robbins, eyeing their next plunder.

“Let's get cookie dough!” Megan announced.

Later, while Megan experienced cookie dough ice cream for the first time, she fixed Kelly with a curious expression. “You're not a normal sitter, are you?”

“Why do you think that?”

She licked her cone. “Because my parents are at home.”

Kelly made some kind of excuse, following the rules they'd set, a timeline that wouldn't give Megan the full truth for another month.

“I really like you,” Megan announced.

“I like you, too.”

Having finished their cones, Kelly took Megan to a gift-wrapping kiosk, and they surrounded Michelle's gift in festive flourish. Thirty minutes later, Kelly dropped Megan off at the stone steps that led to the massive arched oak front door.

Megan turned in her seat. “I can't wait to see you next week.”

“Me either,” Kelly admitted.

“Can I text you?”

“Let's ask your parents, and if they agree, I'll give you my number.” Kelly mussed Megan's adorable brunette hair.

The fourth week, Kelly took Megan to a movie.

“My mom is sad,” Megan said before the theater went dark.

“Why?”

“I don't know, but she doesn't think I know.”

They munched on popcorn and watched the latest Disney release, and Kelly thought of Nattie the entire time. How far toward the top of her favorite list would
this
movie climb?

They went to a photo booth and had goofy pictures taken together, giggling at the results. Kelly gave them to Megan.

“Do you have another job?” Megan asked suddenly.

Kelly nodded.

“My mom never worked,” Megan announced. “She told me all she ever wanted was to be a mommy, and she said that when she saw me for the first time, her life was finally perfect.”

“I can see why.”

“I'm adopted, you know.”

“Yeah,” Kelly said. “How do you feel about that?”

“Lucky,” Megan said. “My mom picked me out. All the other moms are stuck with what they get.”

Kelly had to smile, but her heart was breaking.

“I grew in my mom's heart,” Megan added. “That's
better
than her belly, you know.”

“It is,” Kelly said. “Although you can have both, you know.”

“I know,” Megan said, sipping on her Coke and looking thoughtful. “You and Mom could be friends.”

“I think we are.”

“She likes you,” Megan said. “I can tell by the way she says nice things about you.”

“I like her, too.”

When they pulled up to the Sparkses' lakeside mansion, Megan asked Kelly to wait while she ran inside to ask permission. She came out minutes later. “My mom says it's okay!”

Kelly gave Megan her cell number.

“See you later!” Megan announced, skipping back up the stairs and bounding inside, and Kelly's heart constricted at the bond they'd forged in such a short time.
My daughter.

The following weeks were hectic, as usual, as Nattie dove back into school—“Fourth grade is so much harder, Dad!” At home, Nattie did her homework on the table while Jack read, surfed on his tablet, or gave her assistance. In spite of the tumultuous summer, the tears and fears of last year had all but dissipated.
“Nattie's more resilient than we think,”
Laura had told him.

They still ate popcorn on Friday nights during their movie date, continuing their tradition, no matter how many school friends vied for Nattie's attention, but it felt bittersweet. Kelly's absence was keenly felt, and Laura's presence seemed to linger in the atmosphere.