Icing on the Cake

~57~

After the home study, I got numerous texts and calls from Megan, begging us to meet with her. I blew them off, deciding maybe I would bring them up to Calum.

“How do you feel after today?” I asked Calum as I sat down next to him.

“I’m feeling pretty good.” He responded. “But the open adoption worries me a little.”

“It worried me a little at first, too.” I admitted. “But I really don’t think a closed adoption would be the right fit here.”

“I know it wouldn’t…”

“I think having the mom that’s been around them since birth here with them is the only way this could work. I was even thinking we could let her live here for a month or so…we have the space. Just to let us smooth this process out.”

Calum looked like he was about to cry.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. I had always been the emotional one and he had always been the steady rock. If he was emotional, could I be the rock?

“It’s just…” Calum said while shedding a few tears, “What if we’re just the bank? What if we’re just the ones who give money so this girl can come live here with her kids?”

I hugged Calum. “Parenting teams can work out.” I tried to reassure. “We don’t have to go through with this if you don’t want to.” I said.

“No.” Calum said while wiping his tears. “I want to still do this.”

“So do I.” I said. I grabbed his hand. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

Calum laughed. “That’s my line.”

“I know.” I said back. “But I’m borrowing it.”

Notes

I loved writing this chapter because this time Luke was the strong one and Calum was the mess, criss cross!

ANNOUNCEMENT!

I am writing a new story, and I am actually weaving some of my own personal life experiences into it, so it's really personal and really important to me. It's not a romance, it's a thriller!

It starts out not being like a thriller at all, but turns into a thriller towards the end!

It's titled "The Assistant" and the tagline is "For the first time in his life, he stood up for himself." I am planning a premiere of August 15.

(Don't worry, this story isn't ending because of this new one. This one will continue on.)

Question: Do you guys want me to put the premise of this new story in the next chapter's notes as a little preview?