Page 210 of Devil’s Disciples

I lifted one of the magazines, looked at the cover, and then tossed it aside out of frustration. As I dug through the piles of hand-written notes, my desk phone rang.

“Sherwood Florist,” I said. “This is Kimberly.”

“Kimberly, this is Janet, from placement. How are you?”

My heart stopped. “I’m uhhm. I’m.” I tried to swallow but couldn’t. I pressed my tongue to the roof of my mouth and swallowed hard. “I’m great.”

“I’m sorry to call on Saturday, but I felt it would be best if I did. I know how you and Brock have been disappointed with…well, there’s no sense in prolonging this. I’m sorry, I’m stammering, I think I’m as excited as you two are going to be.”

My heart pounded against my ribs. “Do I….do I have a reason to be excited? Do we have a reason to be excited?”

“You do. You’ve been selected,” she said. “Congratulations.”

I gasped, and almost dropped the phone. My eyes welled with tears. “Really?”

“It’s true. I have the paperwork drafted, and all we have to do is get everything signed. She’s scheduled to be born on the eighteenth of next month, so I hope everything’s in order.”

I reached for the Parenting magazine I’d cast aside and admired the cover. A precious photo of a baby girl holding a rattle brought tears down my cheeks.

“Kimberly? Are you there?”

I wiped my tears. “I’m sorry. yes,” I blubbered. “I am.”

“When can I expect you?” she asked. “To sign the paperwork?”

“Is this morning too soon?”

“It’s normally my day off, but I’ll be here until noon.”

“We’ll be there before noon,” I said excitedly. “Thank you, Janet.”

I drew a deep breath, regained my composure, and pressed the all page button on the phone.

“Cash Brockton Flannigan, to the office. Cash Brockton Flannigan to the office. This is a nine-one-one.”

I hung up the phone and smiled.

Before I could get the article on the joys of teething found, he rushed through the door. “What?”

With my mascara running down my face, I looked up.

His look changed from worry to disappointment.

“Time to saddle up,” I said. “We need to roll out in five.”

“What? What’s--”

“Janet called.” I stood and opened my arms. “We’re going to be parents. They accepted us.”

His eyes went wide. “For the girl?”

I nodded.

He rushed across the office and wrapped his arms around me, sweeping me off my feet in the process. After kissing me, he lowered me to my feet.

“We get to name her, and everything,” he said. “Right?”

“That’s right. She’ll have our last name.” I gestured toward the door. “Are you ready?”