woman needs to know.”
“Yes. But this is not easy on Brodie Hayes.”
She expected a reprimand about being too soft, but he shrugged and went back to his office, which wasn’t like him at all. And he never questioned her whereabouts in her off time. Was that because he knew Naddy kept tabs on her? Hmm. She was learning more about her father. Maybe he cared about her in his own way.
She couldn’t even imagine what Brodie was going through—to learn that his parents were really not his parents. Claudia Hayes, distraught over her son’s death, had just walked into the hospital and taken Travis Braxton because he looked like her son. No one knew. No one suspected. By the time the investigation gotunder way Travis Braxton was in Germany and the Braxton family would never see him again.
Until now.
She heard the door open and Helen and Maggie walked in. A tall gray-haired man wearing jeans, boots and holding a hat in his hand, was with them. He had to be in his mid-sixties, fit and strikingly handsome. The lines around his eyes and mouth told another story, one of pain and suffering. His blank eyes completed a picture of a disheartened man. This had to be George Braxton, Brodie’s biological father.
For a moment she just stared. Brodie favored him so much. No wonder Helen was so adamant about the cowboy in the photo being her son.
The introductions were made and the Braxtons took their seats. “I finally told George what I’d done,” Helen said. “In forty-one years of marriage I’ve never been able to keep anything from him.”
She reached for her husband’s hand and he gave a fake smile. Alex saw the dimple in his cheek and it was as if a lightning bolt had struck her. These were Brodie’s parents.
“Honey, why do you keep doing this? Our boy is gone, just like the others.”
This was going to be a wonderful moment for the Braxtons, except Brodie wasn’t ready to accept them. She had to handle this very carefully.
“Is that true, Alex?” Helen asked. “Is Brodie Hayes not our son?”
“Be patient, Mom,” Maggie suggested, and Alexcould hear the nervousness in her voice. She’d probably been through this many times.
Alex opened the file and pulled the DNA test forward. “I’m not sure how to tell you this.”
“Just spit it out,” George said. “My wife refuses to accept reality.”
Alex took a moment, then said the words out loud. “Brodie Hayes is your biological son.”
No one moved or said a word. “What?” Helen asked, stunned.
“Brodie is your son, the baby who was stolen from the hospital.”
“Ohmygod! Ohmygod!” Helen choked out.
“Is that true?” George asked, the color draining from his face.
Tears streamed down Helen’s face, and Maggie went to her. The three of them stood holding on, hugging tight. “We found our boy,” George muttered, wiping at his eyes.
Alex felt a catch in her throat and waited to tell them the rest of the story.
Maggie grabbed some tissues out of her purse for her parents. “Thank you, Alex. Thank you.”
“I didn’t do anything but get Brodie to agree to a DNA test. Your mother already suspected who he was.”
“When can we see him?” Helen asked, taking her seat and dabbing at her eyes.
“We need to talk.”
“Oh.” Helen became very still. “Is there a problem?”
“Brodie’s not taking this well. He needs time.”
“I want to see my son,” George demanded.
“It’s not up to you or me, Mr. Braxton. It’s up toBrodie. He’s not exactly a minor, so you’ll have to wait until he’s ready.”
“Why doesn’t he want to see us?” Helen asked, her voice full of hurt.
“His mother has had a heart attack and she’s not expected to live. He’s not going to do anything until he’s resolved things with her.”
“Is she the one who stole him from the hospital?” George asked.
“Yes.” Alex folded her hands in her lap and told them the whole story.
“She has no rights,” George shouted. “She’s a
“Yes. But this is not easy on Brodie Hayes.”
She expected a reprimand about being too soft, but he shrugged and went back to his office, which wasn’t like him at all. And he never questioned her whereabouts in her off time. Was that because he knew Naddy kept tabs on her? Hmm. She was learning more about her father. Maybe he cared about her in his own way.
She couldn’t even imagine what Brodie was going through—to learn that his parents were really not his parents. Claudia Hayes, distraught over her son’s death, had just walked into the hospital and taken Travis Braxton because he looked like her son. No one knew. No one suspected. By the time the investigation gotunder way Travis Braxton was in Germany and the Braxton family would never see him again.
Until now.
She heard the door open and Helen and Maggie walked in. A tall gray-haired man wearing jeans, boots and holding a hat in his hand, was with them. He had to be in his mid-sixties, fit and strikingly handsome. The lines around his eyes and mouth told another story, one of pain and suffering. His blank eyes completed a picture of a disheartened man. This had to be George Braxton, Brodie’s biological father.
For a moment she just stared. Brodie favored him so much. No wonder Helen was so adamant about the cowboy in the photo being her son.
The introductions were made and the Braxtons took their seats. “I finally told George what I’d done,” Helen said. “In forty-one years of marriage I’ve never been able to keep anything from him.”
She reached for her husband’s hand and he gave a fake smile. Alex saw the dimple in his cheek and it was as if a lightning bolt had struck her. These were Brodie’s parents.
“Honey, why do you keep doing this? Our boy is gone, just like the others.”
This was going to be a wonderful moment for the Braxtons, except Brodie wasn’t ready to accept them. She had to handle this very carefully.
“Is that true, Alex?” Helen asked. “Is Brodie Hayes not our son?”
“Be patient, Mom,” Maggie suggested, and Alexcould hear the nervousness in her voice. She’d probably been through this many times.
Alex opened the file and pulled the DNA test forward. “I’m not sure how to tell you this.”
“Just spit it out,” George said. “My wife refuses to accept reality.”
Alex took a moment, then said the words out loud. “Brodie Hayes is your biological son.”
No one moved or said a word. “What?” Helen asked, stunned.
“Brodie is your son, the baby who was stolen from the hospital.”
“Ohmygod! Ohmygod!” Helen choked out.
“Is that true?” George asked, the color draining from his face.
Tears streamed down Helen’s face, and Maggie went to her. The three of them stood holding on, hugging tight. “We found our boy,” George muttered, wiping at his eyes.
Alex felt a catch in her throat and waited to tell them the rest of the story.
Maggie grabbed some tissues out of her purse for her parents. “Thank you, Alex. Thank you.”
“I didn’t do anything but get Brodie to agree to a DNA test. Your mother already suspected who he was.”
“When can we see him?” Helen asked, taking her seat and dabbing at her eyes.
“We need to talk.”
“Oh.” Helen became very still. “Is there a problem?”
“Brodie’s not taking this well. He needs time.”
“I want to see my son,” George demanded.
“It’s not up to you or me, Mr. Braxton. It’s up toBrodie. He’s not exactly a minor, so you’ll have to wait until he’s ready.”
“Why doesn’t he want to see us?” Helen asked, her voice full of hurt.
“His mother has had a heart attack and she’s not expected to live. He’s not going to do anything until he’s resolved things with her.”
“Is she the one who stole him from the hospital?” George asked.
“Yes.” Alex folded her hands in her lap and told them the whole story.
“She has no rights,” George shouted. “She’s a
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