Oh, Baby Read online

  Right into her eyes and all the way to the bottom of her heart. “Oh! Oh, you smiled, little Guy! You know me, don’t you, baby?”

  Nonna appeared at her side, having entered the room silent as a wraith, and bent to run a finger down the infant’s soft cheek. “Of course he knows you, sweetie. It’s your face he sees almost every time he opens his eyes, isn’t it? He knows your smell, and the feel of your body. He recognizes your voice.” Never still for more than a moment, the sweet lady chuckled and stood up straight, then patted Dawni’s shoulder. “This little angel thinks you’re his mother.” Then she was out of sight as quickly as she’d shown up in the room.

  Speechless for a moment, Dawni stared into the baby’s huge blue eyes. When she could make her voice work again, she held him up high enough to look directly into his face. “You think I’m your mommy?”

  A series of garbled sounds erupted from the child in a burst of unintelligible communication, along with a smile so incredibly beautiful, Dawni’s chest threatened to explode from the sheer joy of it.

  Gently, she nestled little Guy to her pounding heart. He thinks I’m his mother. She rocked him, humming softly, her mind in a whirl. The baby soon fell asleep, one of Dawni’s fingers gripped in his chubby hand, but she made no move to return him to his crib.

  Could she…maybe…be his mother? For real? Such a thing would be no less than a miracle for someone like her. She swallowed hard.

  She hadn’t believed in angels until she came to live in Angel Falls. She’d never believed in miracles either, but… Her arms tightened around Little Guy, and she found herself sending a silent prayer heavenward. God? I know I’m not worthy—I’m nobody special. But if You know everything, like Gavin says You do, then You know how much I love this baby boy. You know I would treasure him if I really were his mother. She swallowed hard, and twin tears streaked a path down her face. She didn’t bother to brush them away. Finding this child was the closest thing I’ve ever seen to a miracle, but if they really happen, I’d be so very grateful for one that would make it possible to keep him.

  She rested her head gently against the tiny one on her shoulder. His warm breath tickled her neck, and she smiled.

  A husky whisper, spoken directly into her ear, startled her some time later. “You should put him to bed. You’re spoiling him.”

  Nodding, she tucked the baby in and turned to find herself staring at Gavin’s broad chest, only inches away. With a gasp, she looked up until his green gaze blazed into her own.

  He placed a strong hand on each of her arms, and refused to back away. “Dawni…” An unfamiliar hoarse quality in his voice caught at her heartstrings and pulled…hard. “Do you know how beautiful you are when you cuddle that little guy?”

  She tried, but couldn’t speak, so she shook her head. Why couldn’t she tear her gaze from Gavin’s? Why didn’t she want to?

  Gavin’s lips ticked upward. He released one of her arms and used the thumb of his freed hand to stroke a gentle circle against her cheek.

  “You’re always lovely. Always. But when you hold that baby, you’d put any angel to shame.”

  Then, without the slightest warning, he lowered his head and touched his lips to hers.

  Dawni had never dreamed a kiss could be so sweet. Or so powerful.

  Her knees buckled, and Gavin’s arm slid around her waist. Somehow, through the haze of sudden awakening that jarred her senses, she knew she was in no danger of falling. This man would never let that happen.

  She stopped thinking then, simply absorbed the touch of his lips on hers, the light, bracing smell of his cologne mixed with pure cowboy.

  “Well, well. ‘Bout time you two got a clue.”

  Dawni suffered a thousand humiliations as Gavin broke away, grinning, but kept his arm around her waist.

  “Miss Elaine, you ought’a make a little noise now and then, so we’d hear you coming.” As usual, the self-assured cowboy wasn’t embarrassed in the slightest.

  The woman laughed—soft and low. Miss Elaine knew how to do and say what needed to be done and said without the slightest chance of awaking a sleeping babe.

  “But then I’d miss so much.” Her eyes sparkled, and one eyebrow rose high on her forehead. “Where’s the fun in that?”

  ****

  Gavin approached Dawni’s door the next evening and stood there, reluctant to knock. He hated being the bearer of bad news. Was it bad, though?

  Dawni would think so.

  Well, she’d be getting the news, and he’d prefer she heard it from him, not some stranger who didn’t care about her, and didn’t know how much she loved little Guy.

  He tapped on the door, wishing he could hope she wasn’t home. Her car in the driveway denied him even that reprieve.

  Dawni pulled the door opened and waved him inside. “What’s up, cowboy?” She headed for the kitchen before he could answer. “Sit down. I was just making tea.” Sweet, trilling laughter floated behind her. “I even got brave and made some cookies.”

  “No, wait. Dawni…”

  Without turning, she stopped. Went still as a post.

  He kept forgetting how intuitive this woman could be.

  “When?”

  So bleak, that single word.

  Gavin crossed to her side in two long strides. Turning her to face him was like manipulating a piece of cold stone.

  “It’ll be a few days, I think. You’ll be able to see him again.”

  A shudder shook her slender frame, and then continued in a series of tremors.

  Gavin pulled her against him. He needed to make her warm…to comfort her…to do something. Anything to ease the pain that radiated from the very core of her being like waves of heat from an open oven.

  “Honey, listen…please. Susanna tracked down the mother. Remember the young woman she mentioned—the one with a wing-shaped birthmark, just like the baby’s?”

  Dawni stood in the circle of his arms. She didn’t lean into him. She didn’t pull away. And she said nothing.

  So Gavin continued. “Well, she is the baby’s mother. The girl still doesn’t want to keep little Guy…she says he’s better off where the angels sent him.”

  A glimmer of hope set a tiny light ablaze in Dawni’s big eyes and coaxed a breathy gasp from between her lips.

  Gavin hurried on. “But the girl’s mother—” His throat closed, and he cleared it. “She wants the baby.”

  Dawni said nothing. Her arm felt like a chunk of ice beneath his fingers, and her eyes…oh, those pain-filled eyes!

  “She’s little Guy’s grandmother, honey. His family. Maybe…” He paused, and then forced out the words. “Maybe it’s best for him.”

  Slowly, she lifted her gaze and pinned it on his. The fury simmering just beneath the surface of her eyes chilled his blood.

  She laughed—a bark of bitterness that held not even a hint of humor. “So God gets in another blow. Just when I’m starting to think you might be right…that He might be real, and He might actually care…He lets the hammer fall.”

  She dropped into the nearest chair, her back straight, her entire body stiff. Folding her hands in her lap, she closed her eyes and pulled in long, deep breaths.

  Gavin recognized the control technique.

  A sudden sizzling sound, accompanied by the aroma of strong tea, sent Gavin running for the kitchen, where brown liquid was boiling over onto the stove. He turned off the burner, grabbed a dishcloth and set to work cleaning up the mess—even as his heart and mind absorbed the damage his news had done to Dawni.

  He’d been so careful not to miss any opportunity to show her Christ in his life. He’d shared his salvation testimony, telling her how God had used Dex to woo him away from a path of almost certain destruction. Slowly, she’d started to respond, and Gavin had intended to invite her tonight to this Sunday’s service. Today being Friday, he’d thought it was time enough to give her some notice, but not so far ahead of time that she’d make herself sick worrying about it.

 
Then Miss Elaine had called him into her office with this bit of news. Somehow he didn’t think now would be a good time to extend an invitation. “God does care, honey. He does. I don’t know why—”

  “Don’t.” Her voice cracked like the slash of a whip through the air. “Just don’t, OK?” She didn’t open her eyes, but fluttered one hand toward the door. “I want to be alone.”

  He hesitated, every instinct telling him not to leave her by herself.

  “Go, Gavin.” Ice coated her voice and wrapped a freezing hand around his heart. “Please.”

  He knelt beside her chair and touched his lips to her forehead. No reaction at all. Did she even know he was still there?

  “If you’re sure that’s what you want, I’ll leave.” He waited, but she said nothing. He smothered a sigh and stood uncertainly for a moment before crossing to the door. “You know where I am if you need me.” Again he waited, his heavy heart thudding out a slow, unsteady rhythm, while Dawni sat like an ice queen in her uncomfortable-looking, modern chair. “I’ll be praying.”

  He left then, closing the door behind him as silently as possible.

  Back in his cottage, he fell to his knees.

  10

  Bam-bam-bam. Bam-bam-bam.

  Dawni groaned and forced her eyes open, only to be hit with an immediate rush of pain that threatened to overwhelm her completely. Little Guy. She’d let herself love the adorable infant, and now his grandmother wanted him. “Go away,” she muttered, and pulled the pillow over her head. “Leave me alone.”

  But whoever was using her door for a bongo drum wasn’t giving up.

  Finally, she rolled off the bed and dragged herself to the entryway. She’d answer to stop the pounding, but she didn’t have to be nice.

  “What do you wa—?” She broke off, confused. “Pia?”

  Without waiting for an invitation, the pregnant woman squeezed her round tummy past Dawni and into the living room. “Excuse me, but I gotta get off my feet. These dogs are barking up a storm.” She lowered herself onto the sofa…slowly, and with great care. “Oh, my, that feels good.”

  Dawni hadn’t moved from the doorway. She couldn’t quite wrap her mind around Pia’s unexpected appearance. Didn’t want to.

  “Look, sweetie, I know you’d rather I just roll right back out of here and leave you alone, but…well, I can’t do that. I won’t.” Pia clearly had no illusions about Dawni’s lack of welcome. She patted the cushion beside her. “You may as well just sit down and let me have my say.”

  Dawni’s jaw dropped, and she snapped it back into place. Of all the nerve…!

  Pia laughed. “Come on. Sit with me.” She wrinkled her cute little nose. “And, oh, how I hope you smell better than you look!”

  Dawni gasped…and then, to her utter surprise, a gurgle of rusty laughter burst from her mouth, and she found herself crossing the room to join her unexpected guest on the couch. “What did you just say to me?” Maybe she’d misunderstood.

  Surely Pia wouldn’t really have said something so rude.

  “Honey, I’m sorry, but you look like something the cat dragged in out of the storm.”

  “Well, thank you kindly.” She wanted to be angry, but her guest was right. Dawni hadn’t bothered to get out of bed yesterday or today. Hadn’t brushed her teeth or gotten dressed. Hadn’t eaten. Had not, in fact, done a thing except sleep. Only there could she find a measure of peace. In her dreams, little Guy snuggled safely in her arms, and no one threatened to take him away from her.

  Pia chuckled, and laid a hand on top of Dawni’s. “Forgive me. I’m not usually quite so forthright about such things. But….” She pulled in a deep breath, blew it back out, squirmed in her chair and reached around to push a fisted hand against the small of her back. “God won’t leave it alone, so I had to come over. And well…seriously, you don’t look great. Are you all right?”

  “Of course.” Dawni tried to offer a reassuring smile, but sighed instead and scrubbed a hand over her face. Why bother trying to hide it? Pia apparently saw right into her soul. “No. I guess that’s not true. I’m not OK.”

  Beside her, the other woman went still. “There. I think that’s what God needed…for you to admit you need help.”

  Dawni stiffened. “I need help, but I doubt it’ll be coming from Him.”

  “He’s the only One who can help. You just have to take a chance. Step out on what you consider a limb, and trust Him.”

  “Right.” Dawni rolled her eyes. “God hasn’t exactly been there for me, Pia. Ever. Doesn’t make trusting very easy.”

  “Oh, but He has been there for you.” Pia leaned forward, touched Dawni’s cheek. “Gavin filled me in just a little—a very little—about your past. And I think it’s pretty clear God has had you in His hands all along.”

  A weird, harsh bark erupted from somewhere in Dawni’s chest. “Gavin obviously kept a whole lot of things to himself.”

  “I’m sure he did…he was quite uncomfortable sharing what little he told me. But he told me enough.”

  “Enough.” She shook her head, puzzled. “Enough for what?”

  “Enough for me to know that God loves you very much. He’s kept you from some situations that could have been life-altering. Seriously, permanently life-altering.” Her voice softened. “And He’s still taking care of you now.”

  “Pia, you’re sweet, and I know you want to help, but…snatching little Guy away is not ‘taking care’ of me.” Despite her best efforts, her voice broke. “Did Gavin tell you about the angel?”

  “The one who led you to the baby?”

  She nodded. “Why would God place that baby in my life…” She squeezed her arms across her chest. “In my arms…and then yank him away? Where’s the love in that?”

  “Well, I certainly don’t have all the answers.” Pia once again squirmed around on her cushion, gave a frustrated moan, and then settled into a new position that still looked decidedly uncomfortable. “But I do know this. God’s ways are not our ways. And, sweetie, never forget one little thing—it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”

  “Really? It isn’t over? His grandmother wants him. What chance do I have against a family member?” A tear streaked its way down her cheek and she dashed it away hard enough to make her skin sting. “And what right would I have to keep him from her, anyway?”

  Pia said nothing for a long time. She sat with her eyes closed until Dawni bit at her lip, studying the other woman’s beautiful, calm face.

  In the next instant, Dawni found herself staring into deep, smoky green, almond-shaped eyes. “I brought you something.”

  She sighed. So the woman had no answers. What had she expected?

  Pia dug through the small handbag she’d tucked into the corner of the sofa when she collapsed onto it. After a moment, she brought out a small, gold box and pressed it into Dawni’s hand. “Open it.”

  A monogram-like logo adorned the top of the box in a delicate scroll. J and K. Dawni ran a fingertip across the emblem and raised a questioning gaze to her guest.

  “Jewels for the Kingdom. My jewelry design business.”

  Dawni had a feeling there might be a story behind that logo, but now was not the time. She lifted the lid off the little box and gasped. “Oh…it’s lovely!”

  A thin, gold chain held a delicate pendant in the shape of a woman…with a baby nestled in her arms. A simple gold outline depicted the mother, but the baby’s tiny form was solid, and beautifully detailed—as were the graceful angel wings that enfolded the mother and child.

  “You like it?”

  “It’s…absolutely stunning! What…? Why would you…?”

  Pia laughed. “I seldom know ‘why’ God has me create specific designs. I just follow His lead. This time, though…well, I think it’s pretty clear He wants you to trust Him. He’s already given you an angel, and yes—sent you that precious baby boy. God gives, and He also has the right to take away, Dawni. But somehow I don’t think that’s what’s going on here. I didn�
��t get a sense of impending loss while I made that necklace—and by the way, I made it after I met you, but before Gavin came calling.”

  Placing one hand on her own very round tummy, Pia laid the other softly against Dawni’s chest. “What I felt was incredible peace. A sense of expectancy—as if, while I formed the miniature infant in that mother’s arms, a child was being delivered…somewhere, in someone’s heart.”

  Dawni ran a finger over the exquisite lines of the gift she’d been given. She looked up when Pia touched her hand.

  “I don’t really know you, but I do know my heavenly Father. He doesn’t set out to crush and destroy us, Dawni. He brought you here to Heart’s Haven. He sent you an angel. He gave you a baby. He put Gavin in your life…” Her captivating gaze lit with an impish light. “Honey, that alone is quite a gift!”

  Pia’s unexpected diversion from the topic was there and then gone. Almost instantly, she sobered. “Now you’ve hit a little bump in the road, and God wants you to trust Him. Do you think you can give Him back that much? Just a little faith in His goodness? A little trust in His love for you?”

  Dawni’d never really trusted anyone before. Every time she’d come close, she’d always been made to regret it. Could she trust God now? Her eyes burned, and she blinked hard. Tears rained down her cheeks in a gush of moisture. What choice did she have? God seemed determined to woo her, and right now, He was her only hope. She’d do whatever He asked, if it opened a door to getting little Guy back. “I can try.”

  “That’s all God ever asks.” Pia struggled upward and gave Dawni a tight hug. “If we meet Him partway, He always…always…does the rest.”

  After her guest left, Dawni stared at the gorgeous pendant a long time before heading for the shower.

  An hour later, feeling much fresher physically and a whole lot lighter of heart—although she had no real idea why—she made her way to cottage number six.

  Gavin swung the door open in answer to her knock. His surprise at finding Dawni on his front porch was clear in the widening of his eyes. But he recovered quickly. Without a word, he pulled her into his arms, bent his head and danced his lips across hers—soft and sweet, but hinting at a hidden passion, the very thought of which stole her breath and tingled her skin.