Beneath a Southern Sky - By Deborah Raney Page 0,113
and wrap her arms around his neck. Hunter had innocently loved his wife and daughter and provided them with a Christian home. And now this new child had truly bound them together as a family. Already Natalie was smitten with her sister. He thought of his own sister, Betsy, and the deep affection they shared. Would he deny his daughter that relationship with little Nicole? Certainly not intentionally, but if he were to claim even a fraction of Natalie’s time, that time would wrench her from the only family she’d ever known.
There was a simple solution to the dilemma they’d all found themselves in, and as he began to see quite clearly what that solution was, he felt his knees buckle under him. He put his hand on the wall beside the door and steadied himself. He knew what God wanted him to do. Though it would break his heart, though it hurt so deeply he could scarcely bear it. Yet he knew without a shred of doubt that it was the right thing to do.
He closed his eyes. Help me, Lord. Give me your strength.
He pushed the door open and knocked gently on the doorjamb, trying to get their attention.
Natalie saw him first.
“Nate! Daddy Nate! Come see our new baby!”
Daria looked up, and an expression of utter sadness crossed her face. But she bent to tell Natalie something, and the little girl navigated the labyrinth of bassinets and came to stand beside Nate in the doorway. He looked back to Daria, who transferred the baby to Cole’s arms and came to stand near him by the door.
Nate squatted down beside his daughter. “Hi, honey.”
“Are you gonna come see our baby, Nikki?” she asked again.
He swallowed hard and ran a hand over his face before he spoke. “I don’t think so, Natalie. Not tonight. Grandma and Grandpa Camfield are waiting for us at home.” He scooped her into his arms and stood up, whispering in her ear. “I think Grandma is making us macaroni and cheese for dinner tonight.”
That information was met with a loud whoop, totally inappropriate for the halls of a hospital.
“Nattie!” Daria laughed uneasily.
“Is it okay if I take her now?” he asked Daria.
“Sure,” she said nodding gently. “I’m going to stay for Nikki’s last feeding tonight. Would you let your mom know I won’t be there to pick up Nattie till late?”
Nate nodded and cleared his throat. “There’s something I’d like to talk to you about. Could we talk when you come tonight?”
“Okay,” she said simply, but her eyes asked a thousand questions.
He couldn’t offer any more right then. He had to think this through. He needed some time.
“I’ll see you later,” he told her.
“All right, Nate. I’ll try not to be too late.”
Daria went for Natalie’s bag, and when she’d kissed her daughter goodbye, Nate picked Natalie up and carried her to the parking garage, committing the feel of her light frame in his arms to memory.
It was after ten when Nate heard Daria’s car on the drive. He’d been in the kitchen listening for her car for an hour, when he’d finally convinced his parents to go to bed. He knew how devastated they would be by the decision he’d made, and he didn’t want to deal with their reaction until after he had talked to Daria.
He went through the garage and out to the drive to meet her, turning on the outside light as he went. He opened her car door for her.
“Hi, Nate,” she said. “I’m sorry it’s so late.”
“The baby’s okay?”
“She’s doing fine. They might even let her come home tomorrow.”
“That’s good.”
“Natalie’s asleep?”
He nodded. “Do you want to go sit on the terrace? It’s pretty warm out tonight.”
“Sure.” Again those aching questions in her blue eyes.
She followed him around the house and through the side gate, and Nate pulled a chair up to the table for her beside his.
The moon was only a sliver in the sky, but a nearby street lamp cast a warm glow over them. He looked into her face and wasn’t sure he could do what he meant to do. His love for her was as strong as it had been that day he’d said goodbye to her in Colombia and followed Tados and Quimico into the rain forest. The urge to take her hand was strong, but he kept his hands in his lap.
She sat waiting, gazing across the lawn.
“Daria,” he began, “I’ve made a decision that I need to tell you about. It might affect