Call Her Mine (Harmony Pointe #1)- Melissa Foster Page 0,88
you were worried about the baby’s immunizations, and at least you can breathe a little easier knowing she’s had them.”
“Thanks, man. Did she have a name on the birth certificate?”
“She did. Jane Thatcher. She was six pounds, two ounces.”
“Jane.” Tears burned in Ben’s eyes. Jane was such a plain name. Could she have put less thought into naming her little girl? “Thanks, Mason. What happens now?”
“Your attorney should have enough to get you legal guardianship. The rest is up to you, Ben. Do you want me to continue searching for her?”
He wanted to find her, to see her face-to-face and ask why she’d never contacted him before the day she’d dropped off Bea. But at the same time, he wished she’d stay away for good. He remembered what Aurelia had said about knowing what had happened so Bea wouldn’t go through life wondering why her mother had left her.
“No,” Ben said. “I don’t want you to, but I think you should. I need closure, for Bea’s sake.”
After the call, Ben didn’t catch up to Zane and Bodhi. He called Aurelia.
“Hi, handsome. How was your run?”
“Cut short. I just heard from Mason.” He relayed the information he’d learned, and with tears in his eyes he said, “Soon she’ll be legally mine, Rels. We’re one step closer to never losing Bea.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
MOTHER’S DAY ARRIVED with sunshine and the promise of a gloriously warm day. Aurelia heard Ben talking to Bea in the kitchen as she carried a load of clean towels upstairs. They’d picked up Flossie yesterday afternoon and taken her on a tour of Aurelia’s bookstore, which she was beyond thrilled with. When they showed her Bea’s bedroom, she’d told them stories about Aurelia’s mother first sleeping in the crib rather than a bassinet by Flossie’s bed and how Flossie had snuck out of her bedroom to sleep on the floor in Abigail’s room. I just couldn’t be that far away from my baby girl. When her grandmother learned that although Bea had not one but two bedrooms, she had yet to spend a single night in either one, she said Bea was the luckiest little girl in the world to have Aurelia and Ben.
Aurelia knocked on Flossie’s door to give her fresh towels.
Flossie peeked out of the guest room, wearing a silk bathrobe and matching slippers. Her silver hair flowed like water, soft and wavy, over her shoulders and down her back. “Come in, bubbelah.”
“Happy Mother’s Day.” She kissed Flossie’s cheek and said, “I forgot to put extra towels in your bathroom last night.” She set the towels on the nightstand.
“I heard Bea up bright and early. She has lungs of steel, that one. That’s good. It means she’s strong.” Flossie wrapped her hand around Aurelia’s arm and said, “How are you this morning, honey?”
Aurelia usually felt a pang of sadness on Mother’s Day, but today was different. “I’m good, Grandma. I’ve got a great guy who has an amazing daughter. You’re healthy and here with me, and we’re going to spend the day with all the people we love. Life is good right now. Are you doing okay? Is today harder without Grandpa?”
“Grandpa’s still with me, honey. I feel him.” She put her hand over her heart and tipped her face up toward the ceiling. “He and Abigail are smiling down on us, hoping we’ll make the most of today.”
“Good. I’m going to head downstairs to help with Bea and breakfast. I’ll see you after you’re dressed.”
“Okay, love,” she said as Aurelia left the room.
Aurelia heard Ben singing as she descended the stairs. When she neared the kitchen, she realized he was singing “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. She tiptoed to the kitchen and peeked in. Ben was dancing with Bea in his arms. His eyes were closed, and Aurelia was surprised he knew every word of the song. She pulled out her phone and began videoing him. She’d thought Bea was the sweetest thing on earth, but this? This was beautiful and tender and so magnificent, words were not enough. She imagined Bea watching the video years from now, knowing how real her daddy’s love for her was. Tears threatened as she imagined the video playing on a big screen at Bea’s wedding, and she hoped one day she’d be watching Ben dancing and singing with his grandbabies.
Our grandbabies.
Yes, she allowed herself to go there, because that was what she wanted. Ben in her life forever.
When he stopped singing, he kissed Bea’s cheek and said, “You’re both perfect, peanut.”