A Baby For The Minister. Laurel Blount

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СКАЧАТЬ truly believed that this wedding was God’s answer to her prayers. When Cora had talked Adam into proposing, Natalie had set her own doubts aside, gathered up her fragile faith and put all her eggs in one shaky basket.

      And now that basket had climbed out the church window and left her to deal with his grandmother.

      Sometimes, Natalie reflected, life was just not fair.

      “Don’t be silly,” Cora was saying. “Of course Adam doesn’t want to get married, but what choice does he have now? You certainly can’t take proper care of that baby on your own. You have no education, no job, no family worth talking about.”

      “I had a job up until last week. I only quit it because I was moving here.”

      “Waitressing at that tacky little diner? That hardly counts. And no great-grandchild of mine is going to be brought up in an Atlanta housing project, I’ll tell you that.”

      Natalie pressed her lips together tightly and said nothing. There was nothing to say. On that one point, she and Cora were in total agreement.

      “Adam has to go through with this marriage, for that innocent baby’s sake,” Cora continued. “Although goodness knows, I don’t see what else I can do. That boy has hoodwinked me for the last time. I’ve already told him, unless he does the proper thing, he’ll not see another cent from me. And believe you me, I meant it.”

      “I know you did.” Adam had known it, too, which was why he’d suddenly resurfaced after months of dodging her phone calls and texts. It was humiliating to know that it took the prospect of losing his grandmother’s money to get Adam to propose. But when you were buying your maternity clothes at thrift stores and could barely afford even the small co-pays for the local public health clinic, pride was a little out of your price range.

      Even so, Natalie hadn’t much liked the idea of a shotgun wedding, but she’d wavered when Cora had discussed setting up a college fund for the baby. Then Cora had mentioned giving them her late husband’s hobby farm to live on.

      The promise of the farm had finally done it. Natalie had looked around her shabby apartment, awash with flashing lights from the police car parked outside her building for the third time that week. She’d imagined her son roaming the housing project with the other children of the overworked mothers, most of them single like her.

      She’d known exactly where that path could lead. Just last week she’d tried to comfort a neighbor whose fourteen-year-old son had been arrested for selling drugs. The neighbor wasn’t a bad mother. She just wasn’t a match for the bad influences that lurked on every trash-littered corner of this neighborhood.

      If Natalie stayed, one day her child could be the one in trouble. She couldn’t let that happen, and she couldn’t get out of there on her own.

      Not soon enough, anyway.

      Cora was right, Natalie had decided. The best thing to do was marry Adam and make it work somehow. Their baby was all that mattered.

      “Oh well,” Cora was saying irritably. “I expect I’ll hear from Adam when he gets to the bottom of his bank account, and that shouldn’t take long. That boy’s never earned an honest dollar in his life, in spite of that pricey college degree I paid for.” Cora’s eyes skimmed Natalie’s rounded figure. “Thankfully, the baby’s not due for another three weeks, so a few more days shouldn’t matter. You’ll just have to stay put while we wait Adam out.” The older woman pushed up from her seat and started for the door. Alarmed, Natalie struggled to her feet, as well.

      Cora wanted her to wait here? In Pine Valley? How was she supposed to do that?

      Cora already had her hand on the doorknob.

      “I don’t have any place to stay.” Natalie’s cheeks burned as she blurted out her admission. She’d given up her apartment, and she couldn’t check back in to the ratty motel where she’d spent the last two nights. It might be the cheapest place in town, but it was still out of her price range.

      Cora halted, frowning. “Well, you certainly can’t come home with me. My retirement complex has very strict rules.” She hesitated, then shrugged. “Fine. Here.” She rummaged in the green purse swinging at her elbow and brought out an old-fashioned key. “I suppose you can go on out to Lark Hill. Adam’s been staying there for the past week, supposedly making some repairs. You know how men are when they’re living alone. I expect by now the house needs a good cleaning. You might as well spend your time doing that until he turns back up.”

      Lark Hill.

      Even the name was beautiful. Natalie had been daydreaming about that farm for weeks. She felt a rush of sweet relief.

       Thank You, God.

      Maybe, just maybe, He hadn’t completely abandoned her, after all.

      “But mind you, this is a temporary arrangement. I won’t sign over the deed until the two of you are married. And if I were you,” Cora continued, “I’d stay out at Lark Hill and keep to myself as much as possible until all this is settled. People are a lot more old-fashioned in these small towns than they are in Atlanta. There’s no sense stirring up any more gossip. Folks will have plenty to say about your...situation as it is. Oh, they’ll be nice, at least to your face. Some of the churches may even offer to help you, but—”

      “Don’t worry. I won’t need any help,” Natalie interrupted. Especially not from a church, she finished silently. Cora’s warning wasn’t necessary. Atlanta wasn’t as different from Pine Valley as Adam’s grandmother seemed to think. “I’m used to taking care of myself.”

      “Good. Now—” Cora drew in a deep breath “—I’m going to go home. This whole thing has been most unpleasant. When Adam calls about the money, I’ll let you know.” With that, the older woman bustled out of the room, leaving the door ajar.

      Money. Natalie’s eyes widened as an awful realization hit her like a slap. She’d only brought her purse and a little overnight bag into the church. Nothing else. She’d left all the rest of her belongings in the back of Adam’s Jeep. That meant Adam had driven off with everything she owned, including the small amount of money she’d hidden in her suitcase after cashing her last paycheck. It wasn’t much, but apart from a couple of twenties tucked in her billfold, it was every penny she had in the world.

      What was she going to do?

      If Adam found that money, he’d spend it. Even if he didn’t find it, Adam was awfully good at mooching. In spite of Cora’s predictions, there was really no telling when he might show up. The baby wasn’t due for nearly another month, but on her last clinic visit, she’d been told that he might come early. Any day now, the doctor had said.

      Natalie suddenly found it hard to breathe, and the cramped dressing room began to spin.

      “Miss Davis? Natalie! You need to sit down.” A deep voice spoke urgently in front of her. She was dimly aware of a pressure on her arms, pushing her back into the chair. “Breathe. In and out. Good, slow breaths.”

      She followed his instructions. In and out. The swirling mist in her mind cleared, and she was able to focus her eyes on Pastor Jacob Stone’s face.

      He’d gone pale. “I’m calling 911.”

      “No! No, I’m all right,” СКАЧАТЬ