Darius’s chest tightened as he pulled his father into a hug. “God bless you too, Papá. And thanks for the talk.”
28
Olivia awoke the next day filled with new determination. If she had any hope of keeping Abigail, desperate measures needed to be taken. Mark’s words yesterday had inadvertently given her an idea, a potential way to be able to adopt the girl, and though it seemed farfetched, she had to at least try.
She carried Abigail downstairs and moved the bassinet from the parlor to the dining room, intending to have a quick bite to eat before putting her plan into action.
The main floor was oddly quiet at this early hour. Only Mrs. Neale seemed to be up and about, with a big pot of porridge ready on the stove. Olivia took her breakfast into the deserted dining room and sat, enjoying the solitude.
She was just finishing her coffee when the doorbell rang. Trepidation beat in her throat, and she prayed it wasn’t Mrs. Linder to take Abigail. Olivia would never be ready for that.
Instead, Mark Henshaw stood on the front porch, looking freshly groomed in a tweed jacket, his brown hair neatly combed. “Good morning, Olivia. May I come in?” He gave her an uncertain smile.
The coffee in her stomach churned. What would bring him by again so soon? “Certainly. Come into the dining room.” She led him inside and sat down. Even though it was summer, a morning chill hovered in this room where the sun never reached to warm it. “Would you like some coffee?”
“No, thank you. I can’t stay long.” Mark took a seat across from her. “I wanted to talk to you before my shift at the hospital.” The somber tone of his voice told Olivia this would not be good news. “I heard from Jane Linder late yesterday. I had to report that we had no new information about Mary. No one has come forward to say they are looking for her, and we haven’t been able to identify any relatives. Which means . . .”
Olivia’s spirits sank. “They’ll be coming for Abigail soon.”
“Likely today or tomorrow, depending on how long the paperwork takes.” He gave a sympathetic shrug. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stall her longer.”
She shook her head. “It’s not your fault. I knew this would happen sooner or later.”
Several sets of feet thumped down the stairs, accompanied by a chorus of female chatter. At almost the same time, Abigail gave a loud squawk.
“I’d best be getting to the hospital,” Mark said as he rose.
Olivia stood as well and lifted the baby from the bassinet. “Thank you for coming by. I appreciate you letting me know.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you later in the week for the residents’ checkups, if not before.” He gave her a quick smile, then moved into the corridor, greeting Patricia, Nancy, and Cherise as he went.
Olivia escorted him out and stood on the porch, wishing she could appreciate the beautiful day that was dawning. But a storm might as well be brewing, because by all accounts, Mrs. Linder could show up at any moment to take Abigail. On a sigh, Olivia closed her eyes and kissed the baby’s soft head, firming her determination to find a solution.
If she had any chance at all of keeping this sweet girl, she needed to put her plan into motion now.
Darius had considered going over to confront Olivia before coming into the office that morning but had just as quickly rejected the idea. As his father had said last night, Darius needed time to process everything before he saw her again. Time to have his emotions under control in order to be more objective. Perhaps in a day or two, he’d feel able to do just that.
Yet as the morning waned, he found he wasn’t able to concentrate on work, his mind continually drifting from Olivia to Meredith. In the end, praying for them both was the only thing that eased his worries.
When someone knocked on his door, he actually welcomed the interruption from the thoughts that kept circling in his brain. “Come in.”
The door opened hesitantly, and Olivia stepped inside. “Hello, Darius.”
A thousand emotions surged through his chest all at once, making it difficult to breathe. He jerked to his feet. “Olivia. What are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to you—if you have a few minutes.” She was wearing a dress he’d never seen before. It was blue with yellow and white flowers, paired with a yellow cardigan to match. She looked even prettier today if possible, her hair neatly rolled in the latest style, her lips painted a pale shade of pink. Was this for him, or was she on her way somewhere else?
“I’m free for the moment. Have a seat.” He glanced into the outer work area, where his office mates strained to catch a glimpse of what was going on, then firmly closed his door before resuming his seat.
He wasn’t prepared for this meeting. Hadn’t determined what he’d say when he saw her again. Now he’d be forced to act purely on instinct. “What can I do for you?” he asked in a level voice.
“I . . . I’m not sure how to begin.” Olivia seemed anxious, clutching her handbag and biting her bottom lip.
Alarm snaked through his system. “Is something wrong?”
“Yes. I mean, no. That is . . .” She pressed her lips together, then huffed out a loud breath. “I have a proposition to make.”
He schooled his features to keep his surprise from showing. Was this something to do with the property? Or could it be more personal? His conflicting emotions waged a battle within him, but he squared his shoulders. She’d done him a favor by talking to Meredith. He could at least hear her out. “What sort of proposition would that be?”
“A type of merger, you might say.” She leaned forward on her chair. “I know you were recently planning to
