Free Too Little, Too Late by Victoria Christopher Murray Page B

sure there’s nothing you can do?”
    Before he could respond, her cell rang. He pressed the elevator button as she flipped her phone open.
    “Yes, this is Ms. Redding.”
    The elevator pinged and the doors slid apart. Natasia held up one finger, asking Hosea to wait.
    He nodded. And listened.
    “You’re kidding,” she said.
    She frowned, and he did the same.
    “No, I mean yes. I’m still interested. Definitely. I’ve been waiting a long time.” She paused, looked at Hosea, bit the corner of her lip. “Tomorrow? Well, that’s not possible.” More silence. A deeper frown. “I understand. Can you give me a couple of hours?” When she closed her phone, her face was etched with worry.
    “What’s wrong?”
    She waited as if she wasn’t sure what to say. “That was the adoption agency. Actually one of the connections from Africa.” She started at him and said, “They have a baby for me, Hosea,” in a tone that sounded like she didn’t believe her own words.
    He was as stunned as she was. “Wow.”
    “And they want me to come to Malawi. Tomorrow.”
    “Wow.”
    “I know,” she said as they stepped into the elevator.
    He waited until they got into the lobby before he asked, “What are you going to do?”
    She shook her head. “I don’t know.” She walked out of the building with slow, halting steps. She was in a trance. “I’ve been waiting, but I don’t know…is this the right time? What about my job? What about this show?”
    He shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you.”
    “I need to talk to Steve. Maybe I can work this out, at least with my job in Chicago. I should be back in a few days…or weeks. I don’t know.” Her eyebrows bunched together.
    Gently, he held her arm. “Do whatever’s best for you, Natasia.”
    She looked down to where he held her. When she glanced back, he wasn’t sure what he saw in her eyes—regret, fear. “I’ll call you.”
    He stood still as she walked, still unsteadily. And after just a few steps, he wondered if he should follow her.
    No, he decided. This was her life. He didn’t need to be part of it.
    When she was out of sight, he began walking north and he thought about how quickly life changed. Natasia had come back to him, and just as fast, now she was gone.
    Maybe this was a sign. Maybe his father had been right. He didn’t need any complications in his life.
    All he would do now is call Natasia in a few days and wish her well.

FOURTEEN
    J ASMINE STROLLED TO THE front of the plane with a wide smile. With Natasia gone to another continent, she had no concerns. She’d even tossed away her fears about running into Brian. Los Angeles was too big a city for that to happen.
    She plopped into the seat next to Hosea and strapped herself in. She’d been waiting for Hosea to tell her that Natasia had left the show, but he’d said nothing. She wasn’t worried, though. After days of planning, the call had been made yesterday. And this morning, Natasia was on her way to Malawi.
    Glancing at her watch, she figured that her nemesis was probably forty thousand feet in the air on her way to adopting a child from the same country as Madonna had. Maybe one day, Natasia would call the mega-star to arrange a play date—if she could find her own baby. Jasmine chuckled.
    “What’s so funny?” Hosea lowered the newspaper he was reading.
    “I was just thinking about something Mae Frances said.”
    “Is she settled in back there?”
    “Not really. She’s fussing about having to put Jacquie down. And she’s threatening to curse out anyone who tries to make her strap her grandbaby into that big ol’ seat.” Jasmine half-sighed, half-laughed. “You’re going to have to handle her.”
    “I’ll take care of Nama.” He leaned closer to his wife. “But first, I want to take care of you.”
    The moment their lips touched, a voice spoke from above. “Hey, guys.”
    “Natasia!” they exclaimed together.
    “What are you—” Jasmine stopped. She wasn’t