Dakota Nights by Debbie Macomber

Author:Debbie Macomber
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2019-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Buffalo Bob replaced the telephone receiver, but continued to grip the phone. He needed to hold on to something. Anything.

Pain, followed by escalating anger, charged through him. He felt breathless, as though he’d been kicked in the gut. Not knowing what to do, he sank into the chair and waited for the shock to pass. He had to be in control of his own emotions before he could deal with Merrily’s.

“Bob, I—” Merrily came into the office and stopped short when she saw the look on his face. In that instant she must have known. “What is it?” she asked, her voice small and fragile.

For the life of him, he couldn’t answer her. Not yet.

“Bob?” she cried.

“That…that was Doug Alder,” he whispered hoarsely.

“He heard about the adoption?”

Bob nodded and slowly got to his feet. “Sit down, sweetheart.”

“Sit down? Does that mean you have something to tell me I don’t want to hear? Is that what you’re trying to say?” She clutched her stomach and lowered herself into the wooden chair. Her arms still clutched her middle as she stared up at him. Her eyes, her big beautiful eyes, were wide with fear.

“We knew when we applied to adopt Axel—”

“Just tell me!” she shouted, tears already brimming, ready to spill down her pale cheeks.

Bob felt like sobbing himself. “The judge decided on another couple as the adoptive parents for Axel. Two doctors who’ve been waiting five years to adopt a child. They’re…good people.”

“And we’re not?” she sobbed. Leaning forward she started to rock gently.

“Neither one of them has been arrested on drug charges,” he muttered, repeating what their attorney had told him. Bob had hoped and believed and trusted that he’d done the honorable thing when he contacted the authorities about Axel. He’d known the risks, but he’d been willing to take them because he’d truly thought that in time Axel would be returned to him and Merrily. They were his parents. The only family he knew. They loved the boy.

His wife was sobbing now. She covered her face with both hands and continued to rock with grief. Had he been able to, Bob would have reached out and comforted her, but his own pain was too great. He had nothing to give her, nothing to help her through this.

“It’s all my fault,” he whispered.

“Why did this happen?” Merrily wailed. “Why?” she demanded again when he didn’t answer.

“We each have a police record.”

“That was years ago—it shouldn’t matter anymore. Is the court honestly going to hold a five-year-old drug arrest against me for the rest of my life?”

“There’s more…Doug said we displayed a less than ideal home environment.” He shook his head hopelessly.

“Less than ideal what?” Her voice echoed the outrage he’d felt when he’d first heard the words. “Did they say I wasn’t a good enough mother? Is that it? That I didn’t love Axel enough? Because I couldn’t have loved him any more than I already do right now. Bob, Bob, what am I going to

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