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Noah went over to her and wrapped his arms around her. What a hard choice she had to make.
Sobbing, she held onto him. “After I was forced to give you up, I made the decision that I would do everything I could to always be independent and be able to take care of myself. No one would ever take anything away from me again. And now look, Noah is back in my life and I couldn’t be happier.”
The three girls all rose and came over to their mother and the four of them gave her a group hug.
“We’re going to make this the best Christmas ever,” Olivia said. “We’re all back together.”
“And Noah, welcome to the family,” John, her husband said. “I’ve known about you for years but didn’t know how to locate you. I’m so glad we finally found you.”
Noah had to wipe the tears away from his eyes. He had a whole new family with three sisters. And his father had remarried and he really did like Wendy. They seemed perfect for one another. Plus, he was engaged. Everything had happened at once and it felt so right.
So many questions he’d had about why he’d been given up for adoption were answered, and for the first time that he could remember, he felt at peace about his background. Now he knew why he’d been adopted. Now he knew about his mother and even something about his father.
But more than anything, he felt surrounded by a sense of happiness he couldn’t remember ever experiencing.
“Oh,” Amelia cried. “This baby is playing soccer. I swear she’s trying out for the women’s team.”
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that, but know that I was very loved and taken care of. But it means so much to know the story of why I was given up. Thank you.”
Beth hugged him. “Son, I’m so glad I ran into your father here in town. I’m so glad that he and Francis adopted you and raised you. You’ve become a good man and I’m so proud of you.”
Warmth filled him and he glanced at his father who was wiping away his tears. Even Hannah was softly crying.
CHAPTER18
Christmas day, Noah sat in the kitchen drinking coffee with his birth mother and Hannah. They had come over early Christmas morning, and his father and Wendy were going to join them to have lunch.
He had gotten to know his sisters a little more and liked them all, even Amelia, the golden child.
More than anything, he treasured the sense of family and love that radiated in this house.
“This is your father’s high school picture,” his mother said handing him a photo.
He stared into a face that looked a lot like his.
“You should go by and meet his parents. I’ll even go with you,” she said. “I think they’re still alive. They would be overjoyed to meet you. They were so angry with me for the longest because I’d given you away, but I had no choice.”
Picking up the photo, he glanced at the writing on the back and sighed. High school graduation.
Hannah looked at him and then at the picture. “I see the resemblance.”
His mother had several other pictures of his father and then she gave a little sob. “This one was taken the night he died. The night he graduated.”
It was a photo of the two of them in their cap and gowns. They were so young, so eager, and so thrilled to be starting the next part of their lives. And yet tragically, Greg had died that night.
Ryan came running into the kitchen.
“Amelia’s in labor,” he said. “She didn’t tell me, but she’s had contractions since early this morning. We’re less than a minute apart now. I’m not certain we have time to get to the hospital.”
From the tone of his voice and his excitement, Noah could tell he was worried.
“Let me examine her,” Hannah said, rising from the chair. She went to the sink and scrubbed her hands and then went with Ryan into the bedroom.
Five minutes later, she came rushing into the kitchen. “Noah, I need you. Now. We’re going to help Ryan deliver his baby.”
They all jumped up and Noah went to the sink and scrubbed his hands. Following Hannah, he stepped into the room to see Ryan at Amelia’s feet and he’d placed several towels beneath her.
“You’re doing great, honey, though on our second child, would you please tell me when you’re in labor?”
