“The security guard who ran after you.”
Her mouth dropped. “Oh, James.”
“He loves you.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Not for long, but Isaac comes first. Right?”
“Have you prayed about this?” He continued after her nod, “What’s the plan?”
She sucked in a breath and thought of the precious boy upstairs. “Every time I pray for Isaac, I think of Anna. I don’t know if it’s my subconscious or God, but she and her husband, Sam, love Isaac as much as we do.” Joni accepted Mr. Preston’s handkerchief and blew her nose. “Anna is Kathy’s half-sister. They paid Kathy ten thousand dollars to sign adoption consent, but the judge ruled the biological father must give consent as well.” Joni smiled. “James refused to sign.”
“But he isn’t Isaac’s father.”
“No, he isn’t. All we need is Isaac’s father’s consent to the adoption and Kathy can never touch him again.”
“Do Sam and Anna still want him?”
“Yes, but the tricky part is finding Isaac’s father. James and I discussed it. He thinks my theory is crazy, but with Isaac’s looks it’s got to be—”
“Travis.” Mr. Preston glanced heavenward. “God help us.”
“Do you think he’ll sign? If he is…I mean, do you think…?” Joni didn’t know how to voice her thoughts.
“This is going to kill James. Are you sure you want to do this?”
Isaac’s scream had her out of her chair and running toward the living room. Her feet pounded up the stairs and swept the little boy in her arms. “Shhh. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
“I was ascared.”
Joni cradled him in her protective embrace. She lifted her chin toward Mr. Preston, who had followed her. “I’m sure.”
“Then get some sleep. We’ll figure out the particulars in the morning.” He kissed Isaac’s cheek first and then hers. “Hopefully, James will keep his anger directed at me.”
The next morning, she called her mother who begged Joni to come home, but she stood firm on her decision. After breakfast, she found some clothes for Isaac and put him in the tub.
Ugly yellow circles speckled his ribcage along with the fresh marks on his back and legs. “What did she do to you?” The soft words slipped out. Joni didn’t expect an answer.
“When I was bad, Momma poked me with the broom.”
Her vision swam, the blue bruises and yellow marks of Isaac’s battered body merged to a puke green. Joni leaned over the toilet. She gasped for breath and threw up her breakfast.
As she lifted her head, Mr. Preston opened the door. “Joni?”
“Momma said not to tell Daddy, or I can’t see him no more.”
Mr. Preston turned toward the tub. His eyes glazed over. “Oh God, forgive us.” His eyes closed and his features paled.
“Grandpa, are you sick too? Are you gonna tell Daddy?”
Joni plastered a smile to her face and knelt by the tub. “He’s fine. I’m fine. We won’t tell James. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“When you’re done, meet me in the kitchen.”
Forcing herself to look at Isaac’s battered body, she bathed him gently. Before dressing him, she snapped a few pictures with her phone. Downstairs, she turned on his favorite cartoon and found Mr. Preston in the dining room.
“I called Travis. He’ll be here any minute.” He brushed the hair from her eyes. “Are you ready for this?”
Joni couldn’t speak. She wanted to call James and tell him about the bruises, but he’d blame himself. He would never forgive her for what she was about to do. What choice did she have? How could she live a happily ever after with James knowing the extent of Isaac’s abuse? Blinking against the tears, she nodded.
The arm that came around her shoulder reminded her of James. “Joni, have you ever read the story of the two women fighting over one baby?”
She whimpered and shook her head.
“Two harlots gave birth within days of each other. One woman accidentally smothered her child and stole the living child from its rightful mother. The loving mother filed a complaint with the king. Wise King Solomon declared the living child be sliced in two, and a half given to each mother.”
Joni gasped at the horror. “No.”
Mr. Preston smiled. “You’re like the baby’s real mother. She loved her child and wanted him to live. She begged the King to stop the sword. She’d rather her child live with a stranger than die as her son.”
Joni couldn’t stop the river of tears flowing down her face. “W-What happened to the baby?”
“The king recognized a mother’s love and returned it to his mother’s arms.”
With a sniff, Joni reached for a napkin. “That is not gonna happen with me and Isaac.”
“No, but because of you, he will live.” He sniffed and laughed in embarrassment. “I may not be a wise king, but I know a mother’s love when I see it.”
That afternoon, Joni told Travis her suspicions and her desire for Sam and Anna to adopt Isaac. He didn’t deny the possibility of being Isaac’s father.
“I didn’t intend for it to happen. James was passed out near the pond and Kathy was persuasive. I’m sorry.”
The next morning, Joni and Isaac rode with Travis to the local clinic for a DNA test. On the ride home, Isaac fell asleep, leaving an awkward silence. She wondered how James was being treated in jail.
“Joni, I never meant to hurt James. It just happened.” Travis picked up her hand. Guilt and remorse clouded his eyes.
Despite his cavalier attitude, Joni believed him. She reclaimed her hand but turned toward him. “If you want to make it up to James…do the right thing for Isaac.”
“What is the right thing?”
She sucked in a breath. “Do you want to be his father?”
“Heck, no.” His exaggerated answer calmed the dancing butterflies in her stomach. “I mean, he’s cute and all, but...I don’t like kids.” He shuddered.
She laughed at the horror on his face. “They’re not that bad.” She turned and stared at the blond head tilted sideways. Isaac’s mouth hung open in sleep. “I wish I were his mother.”
Travis’s wink reminded her of James. “Then I’d keep you and Isaac for myself.”
She pinned him with her fiercest glare. “You shouldn’t think stuff like that, and most definitely don’t say it. I’m in love with James.”
“Yeah, I know.” Travis jerked his head toward the backseat. “But I can give you what he can’t. You’ll forget about James after a while. I’m easy to love.”
“Stop.” She hoped he was joking. “You don’t know if you’re Isaac’s father. For all we know, there may be a third candidate out there.”
Travis mumbled under his breath. “Probably more than one.”
She rolled her eyes away from him and turned the volume up.
That same afternoon, James called. “Where are you? Are you okay? Is Isaac okay? I was so worried.”
“James, slow down.”
“I swear I’ll never leave you again. Either of you. Tell me where you are. New Orleans? I’ll meet you there.”
“James.” Joni smiled into the phone. “We’re fine, but most importantly, Isaac is safe.”
“Where are you?”
She collapsed on the porch swing. Isaac’s bruises had faded, but not enough to risk James seeing them. One bruise to Joni’s forehead and Trent stayed in the hospital for a week. What would James do if he saw Isaac’s speckled body? She couldn’t risk him murdering Kathy and spending his life in prison. “I can’t tell you.”
“Joni, you can’t do this alone. You need me. Isaac needs me.” His words caused her to cry. She was tired of crying. “I love you.” His voice broke. “Tell me where you are?”
Tears soaked her phone. “I have to do what’s best for Isaac. He needs to be safe from the threat of Kathy ever getting custody again.”
“Do not do anything stupid.”
“Please don’t h
ate me, James. I love you, but you can’t protect him from Kathy. There are things you don’t know.”
“Joni, please. I love him.”
She disconnected the call and tucked her knees under her chin. Lord, don’t let him hate me. Please don’t let him hate me.
~~~
James swore and barely suppressed the urge to throw his phone against the police station wall. He buried his face in his hands and gulped in air. Where were Joni and Isaac? What did she mean by saying he couldn’t protect Isaac? Did she think she could? Her genes didn’t flow through Isaac’s blood any more than his.
He took a fortifying breath. One thing was certain, Joni loved Isaac. She would die trying to protect him. “Joni, what are you thinking? Where are you?”
“That’s what I’d like to know.” Detective Simmons stepped out from behind a bush. “But it doesn’t matter. In a few moments, we’ll have the location of her cell phone traced. Isaac will be picked up and returned to his mother.”
James squinted against the sun. “Kathy hit him on camera.”
“Yes, but she’s apologized and agreed to attend therapy. Sadly, there aren’t enough foster homes to place abused children. GPS tracking only works if the device is active. It would be a shame if Joni turned off her phone and denied the mother return of custody.” He spit out a sunflower hull and strolled down the sidewalk.
James didn’t waste any time. She wouldn’t answer his call so he texted. Turn off your phone. The cops are tracking you.
~~~
Joni loved small town politics. James’s uncles were Uncle Curtis, the circuit judge, Uncle Vincent, the judge of probate, who was currently on vacation and also Travis’s father, Uncle Lawrence, one of three attorneys in the area, and Uncle Tommy, the local sheriff. Since the population of juvenile delinquents was small, Uncle Curtis also presided over family court.
Tonight, his courtroom was the Preston farm table. Uncle Lawrence read the paternity results and passed them to Uncle Curtis, who looked at Travis and shook his head. “I’ll have to excuse myself from your murder trial when James sees this.”
Travis had the grace to bow his head. “Yes, sir.”
Uncle Curtis smiled at Joni. “My wife has got the church praying for you and Isaac. She’ll be glad to know that you’re safe.”
“Thank her for the kindness, sir.”
“You can tell her at church, tomorrow.”
“Oh, we can’t get out until Isaac’s custody is settled. I can’t take the chance of Kathy getting her hands on him again.”
Uncle Lawrence opened a legal pad. “That’s why we’re here, honey.” He scribbled on the yellow paper. “Travis, do you want to sue Kathy for full custody?”
Travis sat up in his chair. “Can I do that?”
Uncle Curtis held up the DNA results. “Unless a court revokes them or you sign them away, this gives you parental rights to the little boy asleep upstairs.”
Joni gasped. “I can keep Isaac?”
“Sure, if you marry Travis. It’ll strengthen his case if Kathy files for return of custody, and give James a temporary insanity plea. He could be out in five years with good behavior. Then you can live happily ever after.”
She couldn’t breathe. “Marry Travis? But James—”
“Isn’t Isaac’s father.” Travis interrupted. “What do you say? You wanna get hitched?”
James’s dad looked as dumbfounded as she felt. She cleared her throat and held up her hand. “No. I like you, but I could never hurt James. He and I will both help you raise Isaac.”
“No deal. I don’t want to be a father.” He turned to Uncle Curtis, who was listening intently. “Can I sign him over to James and Joni?”
“You are free to give him up, but his mother will certainly retain custody. Unless she’s proven unfit, and then the state decides his welfare. They always rule in favor of a blood relative to the fifth degree.”
Joni sucked in a breath. She knew what must be done. “What about Sam and Anna?”
“Who are they?”
She told the uncles about their adoption petition and the judge’s ruling about obtaining the biological father’s consent.
“That’s an option. It would be the easiest way to protect him, if they’re still interested in becoming Isaac’s parents, that is.” Uncle Curtis leaned across the table toward Travis. “If you sign consent and the adoption is granted, you are forever relinquishing your parental rights. Think carefully before you do. As of now, you have as much right to Isaac as his mother. No one can force you to give him over to her care, but if she got her hands on him, she wouldn’t have to release him either. Unless a court has ordered differently, it’s whoever has possession of the child. As your uncle, you should talk this over with your own parents. This is their grandchild we’re discussing.”
Travis paled and jumped to his feet. “Every one of you are bound by confidentiality. No one tells my mother. No one!” He resumed his seat and his head dropped into his hands. “Why can’t James and Joni adopt him?”
Uncle Lawrence shifted his papers into his briefcase. “They can. If Kathy signs consent.”
Joni reentered the conversation. “She’ll never do that. She hates me.”
The adoption was discussed again. The uncles stood. The sheriff snapped his fingers in Travis’s face. “I agree with Curtis. Your parents have a right to know.”
Uncle Lawrence paused at the door and looked at Travis. “You have a decision to make. Become a father, or give him to these people, who by some miracle have obtained a signature from the mother.” He turned to Joni. “I want to hear your beautiful voice singing my favorite song on Sunday as payment for my services.”
Travis groaned and dropped his head against the table.
Joni peered up at Mr. Preston. “This is getting more and more complicated.”
~~~
The bottom of Isaacs’s new sneakers clipped Joni in the chin. Pausing in the play tunnel, she pressed her fingers against her face and winced.
Isaac giggled. “Follow me, Joni.”
An older boy stomped on her hand as he zoomed around her in the narrow passage way.
“Sorry.”
A second boy crawled over her back and hurried after his friend. Joni followed Isaac to the right. She never knew how dangerous these play-places could be. They entered a robot spaceship set on springs. Isaac twirled one of the two steering wheels. “Hurry up, ‘fore somebody else gets the copilot.”
There was more room in the spaceship cave. Although Joni couldn’t stand, she sat at the steering wheel and looked at the patrons below eating their lunch. Kids tunneled past the opening. She swallowed her nerves and grinned over at Isaac. “Reporting for duty, sir.”
“Ready to blast off?”
“Aye aye, captain.”
Isaac sighed and cut his eyes at her. “That’s what pirates say. You’re ‘sposed to count and say, ‘blast off.’”
She bit back a grin and tried to look remorseful. “Sorry. Let’s try it again.”
Isaac straightened his stance as he stood at the steering wheel. “Ready for blast off?”
She was tempted to revert back to her pirating ways, but this could be the last time she played with Isaac. “Ready.”
“Nine…seven…four…five…one…blast off!” He jumped up and down. The spaceship rocked on its loaded springs.
The smell of stinky socks drifted from the tunnel, but Isaac’s carefree laughter lightened Joni’s burden. She twirled the wheel and flipped the levers and gadgets with the same energy as the four-year-old beside her.
Isaac froze. His eyes widened. “Look, there’s Mr. Sam.” He gasped. “And Mrs. Anna too. Let’s go say hi.”
A quick hand stopped Isaac at the tunnel entrance. “Wait. First, tell me who they are.”
Isaac tilted his head and blinked. “Mr. Sam and Mrs. Anna.”
“No, not their names. Are they nice people? Or…” Joni shrugged and chose her words carefully. “Or not nice people?”
<
br /> Little hands cupped Joni’s cheeks. “Don’t be ascared. They’re not like Momma. Mrs. Anna loves me. She’ll love you too.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat at his revealing statement and pressed on. She had to know if he would be safe in their care. “What about Mr. Sam? Will I like him?”
His face lit up. “Oh yeah. He’ll take you fishing and throw the ball. He doesn’t yell when you miss or nothing.” Little eyes reflected amazement. “And they have a dog.”
She took a shaky breath and blinked several times. “Then let’s go say hi.”
By the time she scooted down the slide, Isaac was in Anna’s arms. Being caught crawling out of the play-place wasn’t exactly a good introduction, but it was what it was.
Sam held out his hand. “Nice to see you again, Joni.” His handshake was firm and strong. “You’ll never know how much this means to us.”
Anna’s teary eyes as they said goodbye an hour later reassured Joni she’d made the right decision by giving them the consent form signed by Travis. While the legalities of the adoption were finalized, Isaac would remain in Joni’s care. Legally, Travis had five days after the paper was probated to change his mind.
Isaac was now out of Kathy’s reach, safe from her abuse, but before he moved to Sam and Anna’s, there was someone who needed to say goodbye.
Chapter Eighteen
“Daddy! Daddy, you come to see us.”
James leapt out of the truck and ran across the farm yard. Under the huge oak tree, he swept Isaac into his arms. Holding his son close, he blinked against the sting in his eyes. “Oh, Isaac, how I missed you.”
“I know.” Isaac kissed him. “Joni told me.”
James couldn’t bring himself to look her way. He still couldn’t reconcile the woman he loved with the traitor who’d given his son away.
Isaac wiggled down and climbed on the tire swing. “Push me way high, Daddy. Joni’s ascared I’ll fall.”
Playing with Isaac was something he could handle. James ran with the swing and launched Isaac in the air. Isaac whooped as the rope tore fresh sprigs from the overhead branches. Green leaves sprinkled down. James shoved the tire higher in the air.
“James, he’s four. If he fell—”
“You don’t make the decisions anymore, Joni.” The knife in his heart twisted. The oak leaf in her hair reminded him of the day he first brought her to the farm. The day they went hunting. The day he swore to love her forever. He pushed the memories aside. “As a matter of fact, now that I’m here, you can go back to school.”