Patty Smith Hall - The Baby Barter

Mack shook his head. “From what I understand, her family lives deep in the mountains north of Knoxville. I don’t think mail service is all that reliable out there. It could take some time to hear back from her.” He patted his shirt pocket. “I’m sending her another letter just in case the first one was lost.”

“If it were any other judge, I’d ask for the adoption to be pushed through without a record of the birth, but Judge Wakefield is a stickler about those things.”

Mack nodded. How was he going to get his next question by the lawyer without raising his suspicions? “Will Sarah’s parents be listed on the birth certificate?”

“Yes, but that information will be sealed by the court once the adoption is finalized. Then a new birth certificate with your name listed as Sarah’s father will be registered with the state.” Red studied him for a long moment. “Why do you ask?”

No sense alerting the lawyer to another possible roadblock, at least not until he had more information. “Just thought I’d ask.”

“Well, if you’re planning on asking Flossie Williams who Sarah’s parents are, good luck with that,” Red chuckled. “That woman can be as tightlipped as a Mason jar during canning season.”

Mack waited for the relief Red’s answer should have given him, but felt vaguely disappointed instead. “I wonder if Mrs. Williams would respond quicker if I sent her a telegram.”

“Does Western Union even deliver to the backwoods of Eastern Tennessee?”

Were lawyers paid to be killjoys, or was that just part of their nature? Maybe it was a good thing he never went to college and became an attorney as he’d planned. “It’s worth looking into.”

“Even if they don’t, this lull gives you time to get your job situation worked out.” Red hesitated, tipping the three-ringed folder shut. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

Red took a long sip of his coffee, as if to steel himself. “How far are you willing to go to adopt this child?”

An odd question, especially from a lawyer. “What do you mean?”

The distant song of birds waking up the neighborhood filled the seconds before Red answered. “There is another way to ensure the adoption goes through as planned.”

Mack knew what the man was going to say. “I’ve told you marriage is not a possibility at the moment.”

“Hear me out before you dismiss the idea, okay?”

Mack glared at the man but kept his seat. What other option did he have short of walking out on his friend and possibly the only lawyer in Marietta willing to take his case? “Go on.”

“If you’re so bound and determined to raise this baby, you need to consider finding a wife. It would solve the immediate problem with the judge.”

“And who would I marry, Red?”

“You’ve got to know a woman who’d love the chance to help you raise Sarah. Someone who would love that baby as much as you do.”

The image of Thea, her deep blue eyes staring up at him, drifted through his thoughts. No doubt Thea was in love with the idea of raising the baby right now, but what would happen when she learned Sarah wasn’t Eileen’s daughter? Would she up and leave town without a backward glance the way she’d done before? Mack couldn’t risk his daughter losing her heart to the woman. Or maybe it was his own heart he was worried about getting stomped on again.

“It’s just not possible, Red.”

“Well, think about it,” Red answered before he grabbed the folder and stood. “Because getting married might be your only hope of getting Judge Wakefield to budge on Sarah’s adoption.”

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