Read Online Missing with Bonus Material: The Secrets of Crittenden County, Book One by Shelley Shepard Gray - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shelley Shepard Gray
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added quickly.
Then, as she realized that she’d kept many things about Perry close to her chest instead of telling the policeman, and that that was almost the same as lying, she amended her words. “I promise, I hadn’t been courting Perry for weeks. I hadn’t even seen him since December.” She ached to add that they hadn’t even been all that serious, that the two of them had liked the idea of their union more than actually spending time together.
“We believe you,” Mamm said. When she hesitated, awkwardly looking toward her husband, her father spoke again.
“What we’re talkin’ about, it’s not about Perry.”
“Then, what?”
Her parents exchanged uneasy-looking glances again.
“You two are really startin’ to worry me. Is someone sick?”
“No one is sick.” Her father braced his hands on his knees, then took a deep breath. “The Lord works in mysterious ways, daughter. When we were first married, we hoped for a boppli right away. But after two years, we realized that Gott had other plans.”
All her life she’d been taught to listen to the Lord’s guidance instead of her own will. “Yes?”
“Patience, Lydia,” her mother warned. “What we are saying is of great consequence.”
Tucking her head, Lydia kept silent.
Her mother continued. “Daughter, I don’t know how to fully describe how I was feeling. See, I wanted a boppli badly. All I ever wanted was to raise a family. Soon, it became all I could think about. That, and how it didn’t look like I was going to get my wish.”
Lydia felt sorry for her mother, but still didn’t understand why they’d decided this information was of great importance—or that it had to be shared right that minute. “God listened, right? I mean there are four of us. You did get the family you always desired.”
“ Gott did listen, indeed.” Her mother flashed a smile. “But my wish didn’t come true in the way I had imagined. You see, we began to get desperate, and so we started asking people about adoption.”
Lydia’s mouth went dry as the words sank in. “I didn’t know that,” she said slowly, still wondering what they were trying to tell her.
“Lydia, we went to an adoption agency. Quite unexpectedly, we heard there was a baby girl who’d just been born . . .” her mother’s voice drifted off. “For reasons we never learned, the baby’s mother had decided to put the baby up for adoption. The administrator said the woman had been looking for a warm, loving family.” Glancing her father’s way, her mother finished her story. “She was lookin’ for a couple just like us.”
Still confused, Lydia leaned forward. Waited for the second half of the story. “And?”
“And we adopted that baby,” her father said with a shrug.
Lydia still didn’t understand. They were speaking of the past, but all this was new. “So,” she said hesitantly, “you are going to raise another child?”
Her mother smiled slightly though that happiness didn’t reach her eyes. “That child was you, dear,” she said softly. “We adopted you.”
Adopted? A cold chill raced through her, as sharp and jarring as a pitcher of ice water. “What? I’m not yours?”
“Of course you’re ours, daughter,” her father said emphatically. “Don’t you understand? We adopted you.”
Looking almost helpless, her mother spoke quickly. “You are my daughter. The daughter of my heart, Lydia.”
She was a daughter of her mother’s heart ? What in the world was that supposed to mean? “Mamm?” But as soon as she said the word, she felt tears prick her eyes. Was her mother even her mother?
“I know this news must surely be a surprise to you, Lydia,” her father said matter-of-factly. As if they were discussing her grades in school. Or the vegetable garden. “However, you should know that almost as soon as we agreed to raise you, your mother became pregnant with your brother.”
Beaming, her mother nodded. “It was a wonderful- gut blessing,
Then, as she realized that she’d kept many things about Perry close to her chest instead of telling the policeman, and that that was almost the same as lying, she amended her words. “I promise, I hadn’t been courting Perry for weeks. I hadn’t even seen him since December.” She ached to add that they hadn’t even been all that serious, that the two of them had liked the idea of their union more than actually spending time together.
“We believe you,” Mamm said. When she hesitated, awkwardly looking toward her husband, her father spoke again.
“What we’re talkin’ about, it’s not about Perry.”
“Then, what?”
Her parents exchanged uneasy-looking glances again.
“You two are really startin’ to worry me. Is someone sick?”
“No one is sick.” Her father braced his hands on his knees, then took a deep breath. “The Lord works in mysterious ways, daughter. When we were first married, we hoped for a boppli right away. But after two years, we realized that Gott had other plans.”
All her life she’d been taught to listen to the Lord’s guidance instead of her own will. “Yes?”
“Patience, Lydia,” her mother warned. “What we are saying is of great consequence.”
Tucking her head, Lydia kept silent.
Her mother continued. “Daughter, I don’t know how to fully describe how I was feeling. See, I wanted a boppli badly. All I ever wanted was to raise a family. Soon, it became all I could think about. That, and how it didn’t look like I was going to get my wish.”
Lydia felt sorry for her mother, but still didn’t understand why they’d decided this information was of great importance—or that it had to be shared right that minute. “God listened, right? I mean there are four of us. You did get the family you always desired.”
“ Gott did listen, indeed.” Her mother flashed a smile. “But my wish didn’t come true in the way I had imagined. You see, we began to get desperate, and so we started asking people about adoption.”
Lydia’s mouth went dry as the words sank in. “I didn’t know that,” she said slowly, still wondering what they were trying to tell her.
“Lydia, we went to an adoption agency. Quite unexpectedly, we heard there was a baby girl who’d just been born . . .” her mother’s voice drifted off. “For reasons we never learned, the baby’s mother had decided to put the baby up for adoption. The administrator said the woman had been looking for a warm, loving family.” Glancing her father’s way, her mother finished her story. “She was lookin’ for a couple just like us.”
Still confused, Lydia leaned forward. Waited for the second half of the story. “And?”
“And we adopted that baby,” her father said with a shrug.
Lydia still didn’t understand. They were speaking of the past, but all this was new. “So,” she said hesitantly, “you are going to raise another child?”
Her mother smiled slightly though that happiness didn’t reach her eyes. “That child was you, dear,” she said softly. “We adopted you.”
Adopted? A cold chill raced through her, as sharp and jarring as a pitcher of ice water. “What? I’m not yours?”
“Of course you’re ours, daughter,” her father said emphatically. “Don’t you understand? We adopted you.”
Looking almost helpless, her mother spoke quickly. “You are my daughter. The daughter of my heart, Lydia.”
She was a daughter of her mother’s heart ? What in the world was that supposed to mean? “Mamm?” But as soon as she said the word, she felt tears prick her eyes. Was her mother even her mother?
“I know this news must surely be a surprise to you, Lydia,” her father said matter-of-factly. As if they were discussing her grades in school. Or the vegetable garden. “However, you should know that almost as soon as we agreed to raise you, your mother became pregnant with your brother.”
Beaming, her mother nodded. “It was a wonderful- gut blessing,
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