Watson, Kathi Barton [little red riding hood ebook .txt] 📗

she couldn’t care for her the way she’d need to be. Plus, her parents would only allow her to come home if she didn’t have the child with her.”

“Why do you suppose parents do that to their kids? I guess I can understand that a little. If the child is promiscuous, I guess. I’m not even sure that is a good enough reason. But they’d just put her in a spot that will change the course of her life and that of her parents.” He wondered if his dad was thinking of his own sister and confirmed that when he spoke again. “Holly needed us, and even though she was only a mile away, not one of us went to check on her. See if she was doing all right. I feel the worst about that, I think. Your mother is dead.”

“I know. All three of them are.” Dad nodded. “I’m thinking of adopting the infant. I’ve spoken to Rayne about it, and she’s going there now to see her.”

Dad looked at him so quickly that he thought something had happened. “Are you serious? I mean, yes, you are. You’re forever serious about things. I have learned a great deal about you in the— Are you going to make me a grandfather, Wats?”

“I have to wait on Rayne to approve. I don’t know why she’d not, but then, we’re just getting to know each other a little more each day. We have had plans to be married the last few days, but something is forever coming up.” He looked at his dad and saw that he was crying. “Don’t do that, Dad. If you start sobbing, we’re both going to be a mess when Rayne comes home, and that won’t be good. She’ll make fun of us.”

“She will at that.” Dad laughed, then looked out over the yard. “You’ll need to put in a fence in place for her when she’s able to play in the yard. I just realized that I don’t know a great deal about babies and children.”

“I only know them when they’re first born. After that, I’m a little lost. But I’m sure we’ll all do fine.” He heard someone in the house but didn’t say anything to his dad. They were having a nice talk, and he didn’t want anyone to ruin it for them. “My practice is up and running again. I told you about Rayne going to the hospital to work. She’s expecting to hear from the boards any day now. They’re sort of rushing it through so the nurses that took the test will be able to start working right away.”

“I know she’ll do well on the test. She’s one smart woman.” Dad laughed a little—it sounded sort of forced and sad. “I can still see her smacking around Tina. Best feeling I ever had concerning her. I know it’s not nice, but it is what it is, I suppose. I cannot wait to see you with a child in your arms. Any of you, for that matter. It’ll be like everything prior to that day will be erased away, and we’re starting anew. Does that make sense?”

He never got a chance to answer his dad. Rayne came out of the house with a bundle in her arms. When she started to come around and hand the baby over to him, he nodded toward his father. Nodding once, Rayne put their newest family member into his dad’s arms.

“Wesley, this is our daughter, Allison Jane Wilkerson. We’re thinking of calling her AJ for short.” Dad started sobbing when Rayne pulled the little blanket off the baby’s face. “We were hoping you’d be here when we got home today. She’s all ours right now.”

The baby stared at his dad like she was studying him. When she yawned, Dad pulled her closer to his body, holding her like she was the most precious thing he’d ever touched. Then he looked at him.

“You knew.” He said he had. “You knew you were going to be bringing her home. Son, you have no idea how much I needed this right now.”

“I think we all needed something fresh to come out of this.” Rayne looked at him while she finished. “I don’t have a great deal of experience with children, but I figure we can learn as we go. From what I’ve been told, you usually mess up your first one anyway.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that as well. But it’s doubtful to anyone who knows you two that you would ever allow that to happen. She sure is a beautiful little thing, isn’t she?” Dad pulled away the blanket and looked at AJ’s hands and toes. “Perfect, just like you said. Look at those chubby little legs. I’m betting she’ll be chasing butterflies in no time.”

They went into the house when the baby started fussing. The weather was just a little too cool for her, he supposed. Lighting the fireplace, Dad sat on the floor and took the baby’s shirt off. That was all she had on besides her diaper. Dad counted her toes, tickled her little feet, and kissed every part of her. Rayne sat down by him while the two of them watched his dad with their daughter.

“My aunt and Grandda are going to be jealous now. Not that I care. They’ll get to know her soon enough. Tell me what you think of the staff there asking if we’d be willing to be foster parents of newborns when they come in. All I can think of is we’ll have a houseful of Wilkerson children if we do that.” He laughed and told her that’s what happened with AJ. “I bet. All they had to do was put her in my arms, and I knew I’d be bringing her home. Something so warm and fuzzy about holding a baby. Don’t you think?”

“She’s going to be very popular with her new great uncles too, I’m thinking. Also, we can’t tell them any mistakes we make. If we do,