Forever, I Promise (A Northern Woods Novel) Read online

  Love,

  Kellie

  P.S. For your information only:

  If anyone should ask, please explain that a relative (perhaps a cousin my age) requested you to care for her. Please – do not give out my name nor Tara’s to anyone who may call you or come to your door and ask for me or Tara.

  I will be in touch if and when I’m able.

  “Oh Lord…” Hailey gazed down at the beautiful child in her arms. She returned little Tara to the stroller and pushed it toward the house. Holly anxiously trotted alongside.

  She lifted the baby from the bedding and saw a diaper bag at the bottom of the carrier. She removed it, put the strap over her shoulder and found baby clothes packed under the thin mattress. She left the clothing in the carriage outside of the sliding glass door and entered the kitchen.

  “Oh dear Lord,” she whispered. Hugging little Tara to her chest, she experienced a gamut of emotions: pleasure to feel the small heart beating against her, the awe of a new life in her arms, and the worry about how she could cope right now. She carried her into the guest room and carefully laid her on the bed to change to her. Also in the diaper bag were two bottles of Gerber Ready To Feed Infant Formula. She fumbled with the diaper, never having changed one before. She was convinced she needed more than two hands to hold the baby steady (Tara’s blue eyes fixing her with an unsettling steady gaze) while removing the soiled diaper and replacing it with a fresh one. Thank heavens for the modern Velcro-type fastenings, it made her task easier, at least.

  After having a fresh diaper the infant whimpered slightly. Hailey removed one of the bottles from the bag and read the printed label. Ready to use. Do not add water. “Well that’s easy for someone who’s never fed a baby before.” She adjusted the nipple and began to feed her. The baby sucked forcefully.

  “Oh sweetie, you were hungry, weren’t you?” While she drank her formula Hailey carried her upstairs and into the extra bedroom – the room they had built as a nursery. She sat in the rocking chair located in the corner of the room near the window. “You’re so beautiful, do you know that?” The baby let up on her suction a bit, her eyes drawn to Hailey’s. They remained there while she resumed her feed until the bottle was empty. Hailey lifted the infant to her shoulder and lightly patted her back; she’d seen umpteen mothers burp their babies. Tara expelled air then gurgled lightly. Hailey carefully set her onto the carpet and pulled out sheets for the crib and a baby blanket from the dresser drawers. After the bed was made Hailey lifted Tara from the floor, kissed the top of her head and gently settled her in the crib.

  “Sleep tight, little angel,” she said, and a single teardrop fell onto the baby’s cheek. She swiped at it gently with the back of her hand.

  Her eye caught the single volume on the wall shelf beside fluffy toys – Pregnancy and After. It was dusty now, but she remembered reading it from cover to cover several times, in anticipation of the happy event that never happened. More tears fell and she let them. Grabbing the book, she sobbed, gave a hiccup and then tip-toed from the room. She left the nursery door open slightly in order to hear if she awakened, although it wasn’t necessary; Holly continued to remain alongside the crib as if to protect her.

  Hailey hurried down the stairway and into the kitchen where she picked up her phone from the table. She dialed Wade’s number as more tears formed beneath her eyelids. She ran a hand through her hair and began to pace while she waited for him to answer.

  “Hi babe, what’s up?”

  “Oh, Wade…”

  “What’s wrong, Hailey?”

  “I need you to come home. It’s important, Wade. It’s not something I can explain over the phone.”

  “Aren’t you feeling well?”

  “No. I mean yes, but please come if you possibly can.”

  “I’ll see what I can do. Hang in there.”

  Hailey closed her cell phone and returned it to the table. She stared at the carriage. She opened the sliding door and stood alongside it when she discovered another compartment below the baby’s bedding. She pulled the blankets away and beneath them was a zipper. She opened it and found three more bottles plus a case of ready-made formula, more diapers, and several sets of baby clothes. She removed the three bottles of formula first, brought them into the kitchen and placed them on the counter. She then stored the case of formula in the pantry and carried the diapers and the few outfits into the house and spread them out on the dining room table.

  * * *

  Wade rushed into the office. Nick glanced up and knew something was wrong.

  “Having problems with the new stallion?”

  “No, it’s Hailey. She phoned and said she needs me to come home. She didn’t sound right. Her voice was shaky and I think she was crying. I’m worried that something is wrong.”

  “Go ahead and get home to her. Good luck – I hope she’s okay.”

  “Thanks. I’ll return as soon as possible.” Wade turned and hurried out the door.

  He pulled into the driveway and it seemed to be a mile long; it took forever to reach the house. He clicked the garage door opener before he arrived, then drove his vehicle in, parked and rushed into the house.

  He entered the kitchen and found Hailey sitting at the table. She stared out the window as though in a trance.

  “What’s wrong? Are you sick? Are you hurt?”

  She pushed her chair away from the table and faced him with a strange expression. She held her forefinger against her lips then stood and motioned for him to follow; she walked slowly up the stairway and along the landing to the extra bedroom. Was she again moping over her failure to have a child? His heart ached, he had hoped that particular pain would stay buried. They entered and he watched as she strode over to the crib. Oh, God, she was so wanting a baby! His heart lurched as she motioned for him to follow. What can I say to ease her pain?

  Sight of the baby about blew him away. “What the… where did it come from?” he asked in wonder.

  “It’s a ‘she’ and her name is Tara.” Hailey handed him the letter.

  Wade read the entire note then looked at Hailey. “What does this mean? She’s unable to care for her child? She’s in trouble? I don’t get it.” He moved his eyes toward the baby and back to Hailey. “Did she come to the door, just hand her infant to you and walk away?”

  “No, Wade.” She explained to him how the baby suddenly arrived out of nowhere. “Let’s go to the kitchen so we’re able to talk while she sleeps.”

  Hailey brought him out to the patio and showed him the carrier.

  “Are you telling me she left the child alone in the garden? What kind of a mother would do such a thing?”

  “Wade, she must have been watching me. A short time before I found the baby, I heard a noise. Holly didn’t hear it. She’d been sleeping on the kitchen floor near my feet. I figured it was a bird or perhaps a rabbit out there somewhere. When I started my gardening Holly barked and wanted me to follow her. She led me to the carriage. I called out several times hoping someone was perhaps around a corner, looking at the flowers. I searched in every direction but saw, nor heard anyone. She must have entered the garden from the rear, perhaps across the meadow. The baby began to fuss so I brought her to the house. The note was in the carriage.”

  “Okay, take care of her for now. I better get back to work. We’ll look into it more when I return. We need to find out what’s going on.”

  “What will you tell Nick?”

  “I guess for now we’ll do exactly as your friend suggested. Do you have any cousins?”

  “I only know of one whom I’ve never even met; I guess we can tell him my cousin stopped by and we were asked to be Tara’s guardians. We don’t need to mention her name. Tell him she’s having some personal problems and asked us to care for her baby.”

  “Okay.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I suppose that will work until we learn what’s really behind all of this. I’ll be back at my usual time. I love you Hailey.” Wade hustled out the door and i
nto his truck.

  Chapter Twelve

  Tara woke from her nap and was staring up at the Disneyland characters on the wall. Hailey walked over to the crib and Tara turned her head toward her with a cute smile and kicked her tiny feet in the air.

  “Oh, you are such a sweetheart my little Tara Leigh,” Hailey said then leaned in to pick her up. She carried her over to the changing table and yanked another diaper from the diaper bag. “Goodness, we’ll need to go to the store for more diapers, formula, and a few more clothes. Would you like that?” Tara smiled at her and waved her hands in the air as though she understood every word.

  Hailey put a pink one-piece jumpsuit on her and brought her into the kitchen. She set her in the carriage; she’d moved it into the house while Tara was napping. Hailey loved the way the carriage was also made to be a bicycle trailer or a stroller. She removed a bottle of formula and attached one of the nipples. “It sure is quick and easy to have the ready-made formula, isn’t it little one?” I’m sure Kellie needed it while she was traveling, but who knows where she traveled from.

  She was about to give Mariah a call to ask if she’d ever given baby formula to her children but decided to hold off. She was sure Nick would tell her all about the infant after Wade let him know what’s going on. While Tara had been sleeping Hailey looked online for Gerber’s ready-made formula to make sure it was safe for infants of nine weeks, and sure enough, it was quite popular and one of the few recommended by pediatricians.

  She lifted Tara from the carriage and sat at the kitchen table to feed her. While she gladly sucked on the bottle Hailey smiled with tears – happy tears that trickled down her cheeks. She laughed softly and the baby stared at her. She picked up the edge of the towel she’d spread beneath the bottle and dried her eyes.

  Dear Lord, did you send this little angel? She appears to be happy and content. Please allow us keep her.

  * * *

  Hailey changed Tara’s diaper then withdrew a pair of pajamas from the night stand and dressed her for bed. She’d be much more comfortable; she’d been cranky most of the day and Hailey guessed she had begun teething. She decided to give Mariah a call. She was sure to have plenty of good advice after having three infants of her own. She laid Tara into her crib then hurried to the kitchen where she left her phone and dialed Mariah’s number.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Mariah. Do you have a moment?”

  “Sure, what’s up?”

  “Tara is now four months old and has been cranky. When I run my finger along her gums she whimpers and tries to chew on my finger. I’m assuming she’s teething and I’m not sure what to do for her. Do babies begin teething at four months?”

  “Some do, yes. Has she been drooling more than usual?”

  “Yes, quite a bit.”

  “You’re correct then, she’s begun. She’ll need some teething rings. They love to suck and bite down on them. They feel good on their gums. You can buy them at the drugstore. Get the ones that you can put in the freezer; they’re the best when cold – it numbs the gums.”

  “I’ll ask Nick to stop by the drugstore on his way home.”

  “Try placing a cold washcloth against her gums. That may help a bit for now.”

  “Okay. Thank you so much. It’s nice to know someone who’s had experience with these things.”

  “And that I certainly have,” she said with a chuckle. “Good luck. I hope she feels better soon.”

  She called Wade when it was time for him to leave work and asked him to stop at Walgreens on his way home to buy a couple of teething rings. In the meantime she followed Mariah’s instructions and held a cold washcloth against Tara’s gums.

  When Wade arrived with the teething rings they helped tremendously. She was able to eat a bit of baby applesauce along with a bottle of formula and was now tired from a difficult day.

  “It’s time to go to sleep little one,” Hailey whispered. She sat in the rocking chair and softly hummed a lullaby while she rocked little Tara to sleep.

  * * *

  Days, weeks, and months flew by with no word from Kellie. No phone call, no email, nothing from the U.S. Postal Service. Hailey, Wade and even Holly had come to love this new member of their family.

  Hailey found Wade sitting in his favorite chair, reading the Pinewood Hills Tribune. She turned on the television. It was now nine p.m. and the nightly news had begun. She sat at the end of the couch closest to Wade’s recliner.

  “Wade, can we talk? We really need to discuss Tara.”

  “About what?” he asked and lowered the paper to peer over the top.

  “What do you think we should do? We haven’t received one word from Kellie. In another week we’ll be in the month of April and three weeks from today will be Tara’s birthday. She’ll be one year old. Tara doesn’t even know who her real mother is. She’s only familiar with the two of us. It seems as though I really am her mommy and you’re her daddy.”

  “I feel the same way, Hailey. We’ve both tried to locate her. Apparently she’s obtained another name. Hell, we don’t even know if she’s dead or alive. She doesn’t seem to care about Tara. We aren’t doing anything wrong. We’ve been carrying through with everything she asked us to do. She had named the two of us as Tara’s guardians.”

  “But not legally, Wade. I’m so afraid Child Protective Services will arrive at our door and take her away from us. A legal guardian is a person who was given legal authority to care for her.”

  “We’ll just have to wait and see, honey. We’ve done everything legally. Your cousin brought her to us, asking for us to care for Tara until she’s able to return. We have been handling this exactly as we should. You’ve taken her to a pediatrician for her baby wellness check-ups and kept all of her shots and vaccinations up to date. You have given the doctor her name, Tara Leigh Carson. I assume Carson is Kellie’s married name. So we’ve done nothing wrong. We’re only waiting for your cousin to return.”

  “I guess…”

  “Go in and get ready for bed, sweetheart. You’re tired. I’ll be in soon.”

  * * *

  One year later…

  “Wade, next weekend will be Easter Sunday. I thought I’d buy a few stuffed bunny toys for Tara. She’ll be two years old the following week and not quite old enough to have an Easter egg hunt. What do you think?”

  He looked over the top of his newspaper. “I agree. Next year will be soon enough to hide a few chocolate Easter eggs, although you may want to purchase a couple of chocolate bunnies for me while you’re out shopping,” he added with a wink. “What are you planning for our Easter dinner?”

  “I thought we’d have ham and sweet potatoes, along with corn on the cob, fresh from the garden. How does that sound to you?”

  “Delicious!” he answered, and folded his paper. He stood and stretched his sexy biceps, patted his abdomen and said, “You’re making me hungry. Do we have any ice cream?”

  “I believe so, but if you would dish it up yourself I’d appreciate it. I’m about to bring Tara upstairs for her bath.”

  “Okay, hon. I’ll be up to bed soon myself. It’s going to be another busy day at work tomorrow.”

  * * *

  On Tara’s first birthday they enjoyed a quiet celebration at home. She was a bit young for a party at the time, but this year would be different. Hailey decided to go all out and invited everyone she knew with young children. She quickly dialed Mariah’s cell phone.

  “Good morning, Mariah!”

  “Good morning to you too, Hailey. How’s everything going?”

  “Life has been good. I wanted to call and ask if you’d like to bring the children over next Saturday. It’ll be April 14th, Tara’s birthday, and she’ll be two years old! How time flies,” she added with a grin.

  “We’d love to. It would be great fun for the twins,” Mariah answered.

  “Bring Nicky along. He’s so good with Tara, as well as the twins. I think they’ll all have a good time. The husbands will also b
e invited. Wade promised to handle the food on the barbeque if I’ll take complete control of the party. He said he’s too big to play Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Tara is a bit young for most of these games, but the other children will have fun.”

  “Yes, I agree,” Mariah said. “It’ll be fun for them all.”

  “I’m also going to call Nattie. I’m sure her daughter Kaitlin would like to be included.”

  “What time would you like us to be there?”

  “I thought noon would be good. Tara will have time for a late-morning nap before everyone arrives.”

  “Great. We’ll see you Saturday.”

  “Goodbye, Mariah.” Hailey closed her phone then contacted the remaining mothers whom she planned to invite. Everyone told her they’d be there. This was going to be Tara’s first big party and Hailey was excited. The only thing left for her to do was to make a trip to the mall for party supplies. She’d run over when Tara awakened from her nap.

  * * *

  The week flew by and today was the day for Tara’s party. At the break of dawn Hailey awakened to the chirp of two robins on the ledge outside the bedroom window. She yawned and turned off the alarm clock before she sat up and stretched her arms above her head. She hadn’t the need for the alarm; she was too excited to oversleep. Wade was called into work for a couple of hours but reassured her that he’d return in time to help with the party. She scooted into the master bath and took a quick shower, brushed her teeth then slipped into a pair of jeans and a light green short sleeve cotton blouse. She pulled her blonde hair into a ponytail; it showed off the smooth complexion across her glowing face. When she set her hair brush down she heard Tara talking in her baby gibberish. Hailey slipped her feet into a pair of house shoes then entered the nursery. Tara pulled herself up to the guardrail along the side of the crib.