into … I need to talk to Brad.”
With narrowed eyes, Margaret studied Libby suspiciously. After a few uncomfortable moments she left the two of them alone again.
“My husband and I wanted to adopt an infant,” Lydia whispered. “We had a wonderful social worker and then one night we got a phone call. It was an emergency situation and she needed a place for a young girl just for a couple of nights.”
Libby nodded. She remembered Casey telling her that she was adopted.
“We fell in love with Casey. Brad, Cody, and I decided to make her part of our family.” She paused and it looked as if she was about to break down and weep.
Libby wanted to say or do something to help but didn’t have a clue how she could.
“The day we stood before the judge to finalize the adoption, Casey was so happy and excited she ran up and hugged the judge.” A tear spilled out of the corner of her eye and scooted down the side of Lydia’s face. “But Casey came with a lot of baggage …”
Libby could only imagine.
“The last six months haven’t been easy, adolescence, and all the hormones have kicked in … Casey started her period.” Lydia’s mouth snapped closed and she pressed her fingertips over her lips. Her eyelids slammed shut. She inhaled and seemed to be holding her breath. More tears rolled down her face.
“Lydia?” Libby felt helpless. She would give anything to take all this back. The last thing she wanted was to hurt her new friend or bring problems to her front steps.
Lydia swallowed tightly and then whispered. “I … I don’t know if Casey had a period last month.”
Libby’s stomach clenched. “One of the reasons I decided I had to say something is because of the legal issues involved.”
Lydia stared at her blankly. “How do you mean?”
“If … if Casey is pregnant, you’ll need to find out who the father is. If he’s over eighteen then it’s statutory rape. Criminal charges will need to be filed. Do you know if Casey has a boyfriend?”
Lydia nodded. “She does.”
“How old is he?”
“I … I don’t know. I think they’re about the same age. He’s in junior high; they’re in the same class.”
“Thirteen?” Libby didn’t know if it was possible for a thirteen-year-old boy to father a child—she was utterly inexperienced when it came to such matters.
“Children having children …” Lydia whispered.
“What are you going to do?” It wasn’t her business, Libby realized. If she were the one facing this delicate situation, Libby would be at an utter loss as to how best to handle it.
“I … don’t know. I … I need to talk to my husband.”
A partner in life, someone to share her burdens, someone to cry with and laugh with. Libby had relinquished all of that, and for what? On the other hand, during the last six months of their marriage all Joe and Libby had seemed to do was disagree. She worked hard all day and often after hours as well, and when she got home she was tired. Joe was far more sociable than she. Coming from a large family, he was accustomed to being around people. Then there was the matter of starting their family. The timing had been all wrong for her. Nonetheless, she still thought about Joe now and again. She sincerely hoped he was happy, and she was pleased that he’d moved on in life. “Brad will know how best to handle this.”
“I’m sure he will,” Libby whispered.
The bell continued to chime and Lydia looked up at the same time as Libby. The shop had a number of customers.
“Margaret needs my help.”
Libby nodded and left soon afterward. She returned to her apartment but couldn’t settle down. She wanted to apologize and tell her friend how sorry she was to be the bearer of bad news. Instead of feeling better she felt ten times worse. She hoped Lydia and her husband would find out what they needed to know and then deal with it in a way that best suited Casey. Then again, it might be Ava.
Her cell chirped and she
With narrowed eyes, Margaret studied Libby suspiciously. After a few uncomfortable moments she left the two of them alone again.
“My husband and I wanted to adopt an infant,” Lydia whispered. “We had a wonderful social worker and then one night we got a phone call. It was an emergency situation and she needed a place for a young girl just for a couple of nights.”
Libby nodded. She remembered Casey telling her that she was adopted.
“We fell in love with Casey. Brad, Cody, and I decided to make her part of our family.” She paused and it looked as if she was about to break down and weep.
Libby wanted to say or do something to help but didn’t have a clue how she could.
“The day we stood before the judge to finalize the adoption, Casey was so happy and excited she ran up and hugged the judge.” A tear spilled out of the corner of her eye and scooted down the side of Lydia’s face. “But Casey came with a lot of baggage …”
Libby could only imagine.
“The last six months haven’t been easy, adolescence, and all the hormones have kicked in … Casey started her period.” Lydia’s mouth snapped closed and she pressed her fingertips over her lips. Her eyelids slammed shut. She inhaled and seemed to be holding her breath. More tears rolled down her face.
“Lydia?” Libby felt helpless. She would give anything to take all this back. The last thing she wanted was to hurt her new friend or bring problems to her front steps.
Lydia swallowed tightly and then whispered. “I … I don’t know if Casey had a period last month.”
Libby’s stomach clenched. “One of the reasons I decided I had to say something is because of the legal issues involved.”
Lydia stared at her blankly. “How do you mean?”
“If … if Casey is pregnant, you’ll need to find out who the father is. If he’s over eighteen then it’s statutory rape. Criminal charges will need to be filed. Do you know if Casey has a boyfriend?”
Lydia nodded. “She does.”
“How old is he?”
“I … I don’t know. I think they’re about the same age. He’s in junior high; they’re in the same class.”
“Thirteen?” Libby didn’t know if it was possible for a thirteen-year-old boy to father a child—she was utterly inexperienced when it came to such matters.
“Children having children …” Lydia whispered.
“What are you going to do?” It wasn’t her business, Libby realized. If she were the one facing this delicate situation, Libby would be at an utter loss as to how best to handle it.
“I … don’t know. I … I need to talk to my husband.”
A partner in life, someone to share her burdens, someone to cry with and laugh with. Libby had relinquished all of that, and for what? On the other hand, during the last six months of their marriage all Joe and Libby had seemed to do was disagree. She worked hard all day and often after hours as well, and when she got home she was tired. Joe was far more sociable than she. Coming from a large family, he was accustomed to being around people. Then there was the matter of starting their family. The timing had been all wrong for her. Nonetheless, she still thought about Joe now and again. She sincerely hoped he was happy, and she was pleased that he’d moved on in life. “Brad will know how best to handle this.”
“I’m sure he will,” Libby whispered.
The bell continued to chime and Lydia looked up at the same time as Libby. The shop had a number of customers.
“Margaret needs my help.”
Libby nodded and left soon afterward. She returned to her apartment but couldn’t settle down. She wanted to apologize and tell her friend how sorry she was to be the bearer of bad news. Instead of feeling better she felt ten times worse. She hoped Lydia and her husband would find out what they needed to know and then deal with it in a way that best suited Casey. Then again, it might be Ava.
Her cell chirped and she
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