Judy Christenberry - A Texas Family Reunion

“I’m glad to hear it. I want you to train Alexandra so she’ll be ready to take over when you’re on maternity leave.”

“It shouldn’t take long,” Carrie said. “After all, she’s a police officer, or was.”

“That’s true,” Will agreed.

Jim frowned. “I thought she was coming in this morning to get set up?”

“The desk was delayed, so she went out to lunch with her cousin.”

Jim nodded. “Any messages?”

“Yes, that lady you phoned in Longview called back. She left another number where she could be reached during the day.”

“Terrific. I’m hoping to get the name of the people who adopted David from her. She used to be a neighbor of my family’s.” Jim retrieved the message from his desk. “If you’ll excuse me,” he muttered, and dialed the number.

“He can’t wait to find David,” Carrie murmured to Will. “Did anything else happen while we were gone?”

“Well, Alexandra’s cousin appeared. He wanted to see what kind of a company she was going to work for.”

“That’s sweet. I’m glad she has family who look out for her.”

“I don’t think she really needs to be looked out for, Carrie. She was a police officer.”

“I know, Will. I just think it’s nice. I was worried because she said she was an only child.”

“Well, now you don’t have to worry,” Will said, and gave Carrie a quick hug. “I have to get back to work now.” He disappeared into his office.

Carrie smiled and slid into the chair behind her desk. She turned on the computer and began to input the files she’d been working on. She’d become so involved in her work she didn’t realize her husband had gotten off the phone until he spoke to her. “Yes, dear?”

“I said, that’s strange.”

“What?”

“The family who adopted David has the same last name as Alexandra.”

“Really? But Buford isn’t that unusual a name, is it?” Carrie asked.

“No, I suppose not. Maybe it’s just one of those crazy coincidences.”

“So does the family still live in Longview?”

“No. The lady isn’t sure where they moved. She said they left Longview about three years after my parents’ deaths.”

“Alexandra’s from here, isn’t she?”

“Plano, she said,” Jim muttered, naming a northern suburb of Dallas.

“What are you doing?”

“I just thought I’d look in the phone directory to see if there were any David Bufords listed in the area.” He picked up the phone again and dialed a number, then asked the person who answered if a family named Buford had moved from Longview ten or twelve years ago.

When he hung up, Carrie asked, “Well?”

“Nope.”

“Do you have more numbers?”

“Yeah. Are you willing to help make the calls?” He sent her a teasing look.

“You know I am, sweetheart, but I won’t interfere if you want to make them all yourself.”

“No, it doesn’t have to be me who finds him, as long as we find him.” He wrote down some numbers and brought them over to her desk.

After receiving a kiss from her husband, Carrie, too, began to dial the numbers he’d given her and to ask questions. Neither of them was having much luck when Will came out of his office again.

“What are you doing?” Will asked.

Jim explained what he’d learned.

“Buford is David’s name now?” Will asked. Then he slapped his forehead with his hand. “I just met him!”

Both his partners stared at him.

“Who?” Jim asked.

“Your brother. It’s got to be him. I thought he looked like someone I know. It was you!”

“Was his name Buford?” Carrie asked.

“Yeah. He introduced himself as Alexandra’s cousin, David Buford.”

“Where did he go?” Jim demanded, excitement in his voice.

“He took Alexandra out to lunch. They should be back soon, but I don’t know if he’ll come up with her. She didn’t seem to appreciate his overprotectiveness.”

Carrie grinned. “I know how she feels.”

Jim scowled. “I don’t overprotect you.”

“Not by yourself. You and Will work together to protect me.”

“Come on, sweetheart, you know we’re only trying to make sure you’re safe,” Jim said.

She ignored him. “Did he really look like Jim?”

“Yes, he did. He isn’t quite as tall, but he’s still over six feet. His hair is dark, like all the Barlows, but he has blue eyes.”

“My dad had blue eyes. Mom had brown,” Jim said.

Just then Alexandra entered the office.

“Where’s your cousin?” Will asked.

“I sent him back to work. I’m really so embarrassed that he came here checking up on my workplace.”

Jim stepped forward. “Alexandra, was your cousin adopted?”

“Why, yes. How did you know?”

“We think he may be my long-lost brother. He was adopted by a family named Buford in Longview twenty-three years ago. He was five years old. They moved from Longview about three years later.”

Alexandra stared at Jim. “The times fit. His family lived in Longview and moved to Plano about the time of my fifth birthday.”

“Can you call him and get him to come back?” Jim asked.

“Yes, of course, but—”

“Don’t tell him why, if you don’t mind.”

“Yes, but—”

“You could tell him you left your purse in his car,” Carrie suggested.

“Oh, no, he’d check before he came back. I’ll just tell him I need to talk to him.” She pulled out a cell phone and quickly dialed a number. “David, where are you?”

After a pause she said, “Because I need you to come back. I need to talk to you. No, I can’t explain on the phone.”

Another pause. “Okay. Thank you.”

She looked up at Jim. “He’ll be here in fifteen minutes.”

“Thank you. If he’s my brother, we’ll be reunited for the first time in twenty-three years.”

“Now that I look at you, I guess David does resemble you a little. But he has blue eyes.”

“Our father had blue eyes.”

“Oh.”

“Why did they move to Plano?”

“My father had started a company up here and he offered his brother a job when he’d lost his in Longview. So my uncle moved his family to Plano.”

“What happened to the company?” Carrie asked.

“Oh, after college, David took it over. My father had died and Uncle Joe tried to keep it going, but he wasn’t a very good businessman. David is a near genius. Since he took over the company, he’s quadrupled sales, and earnings have gone up significantly. David has made a small fortune for our mothers. They now live comfortably together.”

“Good for David,” Jim said with a smile.

“We can’t be absolutely sure he’s your brother, Jim,” Alexandra hurriedly said. “But they did live in Longview.”

“I know. We’ll see when he gets here.” Jim turned to Will. “Did you mention my name to him?”

“No. He asked if I was the only member of the firm, and I told him I had two partners, but I didn’t mention you by name.”

“Will he remember his former family name?” Carrie asked. “I mean, he was only five.”

“I think he will,” Jim said quietly. “If he’s shut out those memories, we’ll help him to remember who he really is.”

“Should you call Vanessa?” Carrie asked.

“Not until I’m sure. I don’t want to get her hopes up. Or Rebecca’s, either. We can plan a get-together once we know for sure.”

Alexandra said softly, “It seems strange to think of David belonging to another family.”

“It doesn’t mean he won’t still be a member of your family, Alexandra,” Jim replied. “It just means his family will have expanded.”

“If he does turn out to be your brother, how many brothers and sisters does he have?” she asked.