Free His Unexpected Family by Patricia Johns Page B

Em. They’ll understand. This is complicated.”
    “Maybe we could just put it off until after the hearing....” Emily watched as a woman across the street paused to look in a shop window, her toddler in a stroller, doing his best to squirm out. She smiled wistfully.
    “Look,” Beth said quietly. “We all know that this is complicated. This is a small town, and gossip travels faster than light. So don’t blame me for gabbing, but everyone is well aware that it isn’t all cut-and-dried.”
    “I know, I know. People will talk.”
    Cora let out a whimper, and Emily bent down to undo the straps of her seat and lifted the baby up onto her lap. Cora snuggled into Emily’s arms contentedly, looking around herself with big blue eyes.
    “We want to be here for you,” Beth said. “I don’t know how this will work out, but let’s have some faith that God will leave the two of you together. In the meantime, you’re a mom. Let us support you. That’s what this is about—us taking care of you.”
    Emily couldn’t help but smile. “I guess you have a point.”
    “So?” Beth asked cautiously. “Can we have the baby shower?”
    Emily nodded. “Okay. You make a good argument.” She took a long sip of her drink.
    Beth grinned. “Excellent. Now find a date. It’s a Jack and Jill.”
    Emily almost choked and coughed several times before she could catch her breath. “What?” she demanded.
    “Oh, didn’t I mention that before?” Beth asked innocently. “Well, think about Neil and Marcus.”
    Neil and Marcus were fellow teachers both women knew well.
    “They’d want to be there, too,” Beth continued, “and we can’t very well allow them to come and not their wives...so you can see how it would get awkward if we didn’t make it a Jack and Jill.”
    “You’re telling me that on top of all this, I need a date?” Emily shook her head. “Beth, no!”
    “What about Greg?”
    “What about him?”
    “Why not ask him to come as your Jack?”
    Emily shot her friend a dry look and turned her attention to Cora, who was trying to suck on her tiny fist. “A date, huh?”
    “Oh, I’m just being a pain.” Beth chuckled. “Come alone or come with Greg. We’ll love you either way.”
    Emily pointed her straw at Beth and narrowed her eyes teasingly. “You’re pushing.”
    “Maybe a tad, but he’s a sweet guy, and you have to admit that you’ve got a wee crush.”
    “A tiny one.” Emily held up half an inch with her fingers. “But crushes are no excuse for hugely awkward social situations.”
    “Since when?” Beth asked. “There’s no better excuse. But really, do what you want. Just come, okay?”
    Emily grinned. “I’ll be there.”
    The rest of the time they spent chatting about Beth’s baby shopping, Cora’s sleep patterns and Nina, considering she wasn’t there to roll her eyes at them. When Beth announced it was time for her to go for her doctor’s appointment, they hugged each other and headed off in opposite directions.
    As she strapped Cora into her car seat, Emily heard her cell phone ringing in her purse. Pulling it out, she flipped it open as she tightened the last strap.
    “Hello?”
    “Hi, Emily.” It was Greg. Emily couldn’t help but smile.
    “Hi. How are you?”
    “Not bad. Say...I’ve dug something up, and I wanted to run it by you.”
    “Oh?” Emily straightened and pulled her fingers through her hair. “What did you find?”
    “Can you think of any reason that Jessica would have had large deposits coming into her checking account the last few months?”
    Emily was silent for a moment, processing his question. Large deposits? That sounded weird.
    “How large are we talking?” Emily asked.
    “Ten thousand and larger, each coming into her account on the first of the month, going back four months.”
    “Wow.” She let out a sigh and closed the door, moving around to the driver’s side. “I have no idea. You don’t know where they were coming from?”
    “Not yet.