The Doctor's Baby by Cindy Kirk Page A

and a roof over our heads.”
    “That had to have been hard,” Mary Karen said.
    “It was,” Kayla agreed. “And while I applaud her efforts, I grew up with this cloud of uncertainty over my head. One summer, we lived out of our car.”
    “That uncertainty is hard on a child.” Normally July didn’t share specific details about her childhood, but she remembered Dr. Allman’s homework assignment. “I can relate to your story, Kayla. I spent a lot of my childhood in and out of foster care. All I wanted was a home. A real home. Not an apartment we had to leave every time my mom got behind on the rent. There was one family who wanted to adopt me. They could have given me that home.”
    “Why didn’t they?” Mary Karen asked, her face soft with sympathy.
    “My mother refused to relinquish me.”
    “There are ways to terminate parental rights,” Lexi said, sounding very much like a social worker.
    “I know there are.” July thought back to that time. “But the couple didn’t want me bad enough to fight the system. Eventually, I ended up back with my mother.”
    “I’m sorry that happened to you,” Mary Karen said, covering July’s hand with her own. Her gaze then shifted to encompass the other two women at the table. “We’ve all had our trials. But we’re here to support each other, to learn from each other and hopefully to be the best parent we can be.”
    Even as July nodded and the talk returned to the book, she found herself thinking of Adam and his future. There was no doubt in her mind that life was going to be tough when they returned to Chicago.
    If she was still working at the Sun Times with set hours, a regular paycheck and great benefits, she wouldn’t have to worry. Instead she was a freelancerwith an unsteady job and no family for backup if she stumbled. What kind of life could she offer the little boy she loved so much? Was she being selfish to want to take him with her when he could have a wonderful life in Jackson with his dad? The kind of life she’d dreamed of as a child?
    Adam deserved to have a house with a yard and a swing set out back. He deserved to grow up surrounded by aunts and cousins and grandparents. He deserved the kind of life she’d never be able to give him.
    But dear God, how could she ever leave him?
     
    David couldn’t hide his surprise when Mary Karen strolled into the living room at ten past nine and announced the first meeting of the book club had ended.
    Though he and Travis had planned to take Mary Karen’s boys to the movies, he’d enjoyed this evening even more. The boys had been disappointed about the movie, until he’d convinced them they could have their own party in the living room and watch a DVD, to boot.
    He settled his gaze on the petite redhead standing in the doorway saying good-bye to Lexi and Addie. She’d been okay earlier in the evening but something was definitely troubling her now. Her eyes didn’t have that familiar mischievous glint. Not to mention she hadn’t asked for Adam back.
    David glanced down at the little guy in his arms. There was already a connection between them and every hour he spent with the baby only solidified thatbond. The buzzing of his phone made the child stir. Though David wasn’t on call tonight he retrieved it from his pocket and glanced at the number. Pressing the button to silence the noise, he let it go to voice mail.
    “Nothing important?” Travis raised a brow.
    “Just Celeste’s old boss,” David said. “I have nothing to say to him.”
    “Why is he calling?” Travis downed the last of his soda. “It’s been over two years.”
    “He left a couple messages. Says he wants to talk.” David gently stroked the baby’s back until his breathing became regular again. “Gary worked Celeste hard that last year. In fact, I think it was the fear of losing her position with the company that made her balk at taking time off for my parents’ anniversary. She was on her way to the airport for a sales