at her child. Once I saw the tears, that’s when I started holding my breath. At last Naomi was the one who broke the silence.
“You’ll take good care of her, won’t you?” she asked, looking up at Alan.
Unable to speak, he simply nodded.
“Did you bring the paperwork?”
“I didn’t bring it, she did,” Alan answered, nodding in Andrea’s direction. “Ms. Hutchins here is Athena’s social worker.”
Andrea stepped forward and extended a hand to Naomi. “I’m Andrea Hutchins. I understand you’re willing to relinquish your parental rights?”
“I am,” Naomi said resolutely. With that she handed Athena back to Alan. “You always were a good dad,” she said, “and I know you will be again. Now, where do I sign?”
Rachel Seymour took control of the emotionally overwrought situation. “Perhaps you’d like to use my office for that,” she suggested. “That way you’ll have some privacy.”
Rachel led Andrea and Naomi back down the aisle, leaving Alan and me alone in the chapel with Athena. When I looked at him, I could see he was struggling to contain his own tears.
“That was tough,” I said.
He nodded. “Very.”
“It might not have seemed like it at the time, but I think you and Jasmine did an excellent job of raising her.”
By then Alan was busy buckling Athena back into her carrier. “Naomi still doesn’t know the whole truth,” he said. “When are you going to tell her?”
“Maybe now would be a good time,” I suggested, but before I could do anything about it, Andrea Hutchens came hustling back up the aisle.
“We’re done,” she said, waving a set of documents in our direction. “Naomi asked me to tell you good-bye. She said she hoped you’d understand.”
Alan nodded. “I do,” he said. “Thanks.”
Knowing that the paperwork was properly signed should have felt like a moment of triumph, but it didn’t. Naomi Dale was anything but the monster I’d envisioned her to be to begin with. It had taken incredible courage for her to sign her name and abandon her baby for a second time. My heart ached for both of them—for my new daughter and my new granddaughter.
Not exactly a done deal, I thought. Next up we need to find Petey Mayfield.
Chapter 22
ALAN WAS SUBDUED AS WE HEADED BACK THROUGH downtown Seattle. Knowing the emotional maelstrom he’d just endured, I made no effort to engage him in conversation.
“What errands?” he asked eventually, breaking the silence. “You said earlier that Mel could babysit this afternoon while we run errands.”
“We’re going car shopping,” I told him.
He ran a hand over the shiny layer of wood built into the S550’s dash. “This looks like a good enough vehicle to me,” he said. “You’re really thinking about trading it in?”
“Not car shopping for me,” I replied, “car shopping for you.”
“For me?” he echoed. “I’m not in the market for a new car. And even if I wanted one, I’ve got no job and no way to pay for it.”
“But you’ve also got a baby and a whole roomful of baby gear to move around. Once we find Petey, how do you propose to get all that stuff back home to Texas?”
“I guess I hadn’t thought that far ahead,” he admitted.
“I have,” I told him. “You can’t fly home with it. The other option would mean driving home in your rented Honda with a U-Haul hooked on behind, but I don’t think the rental company will let you do that. Besides, once you get home, what kind of wheels do you have there?”
“A fifteen-year-old Chevy Silverado.”
“Not exactly baby-friendly, is it?” I said.
“No,” he admitted, “not exactly. You’re right, I do need a different vehicle, but I’m not working. The only thing I could afford would be another junker. We’ll have to go with what I’ve got.”
“You’re not buying the car,” I told him. “I am.”
“For me? You can’t do that.”
“Actually, I can and I will. Consider it partial payment of long-overdue child support. If we can find something you like, we’ll take it home today and turn your rental in tomorrow.”
“But . . .” he began.
“No buts, please, Alan. We’re doing this. I’m doing this—for you and for Jaz and for Athena. Okay?”
I could tell I was wearing him down. “Okay, I guess,” he agreed reluctantly. “You win.”
We stayed at the condo long enough for Alan to change Athena, feed her, and put her down for a nap. It was also long enough for me to bring Mel up to date about what had happened during the course of the morning. When we left