“I don’t know how to take care of a three-year-old!” I exclaimed and slid the will across the table back to Kate’s former lawyer. “You don’t understand!”
“Miss Jennings, you don’t understand,” the lawyer shoved it back. “Miss Lynn’s mother was diagnosed with leukemia months ago and doesn’t have much time to live. Miss Lynn clearly expressed to me that her father would be lost without her mother. Her parents both agreed that you would be the appropriate guardian.”
I rubbed my temples trying to massage away the growing headache. “How am I supposed to explain all of this to her?” I looked through the glass door into the waiting room where Avery was playing with toys. “She asks for her mom all the time.”
The woman looked at me and sighed. I could feel her pity and sympathy through the looks she gave me. “My advice?” She began. “Tell her that her mommy went to live with Jesus in Heaven. Explain the Christianity behind it. She has to come to terms with it eventually. Just be there for her like a parent would.”
Tears formed in my eyes. “I don’t know how to be a parent.” I sighed.
“It’ll all come together,” she smiled warmly. “I promise. I’m a mom of three. I was actually in a similar situation with my husband’s baby cousin. The parents were alcohol abusers and my husband was given full custody of her. She was two when she came to us. It was very difficult every night when she would ask for her mommy. We ended up adopting her.”
“I don’t want Avery to forget about her mom,” I wiped away the tears the best I could. “That’s the last thing I want to happen.”
“Then make sure her mom is a big part of her life. Show her pictures and tell her stories,” the woman explained. I realized there was no way around this. No matter what, Avery was coming home with me to stay.
“Thank you for your help,” I mumbled and gathered my things. I tried to clean my face up a little bit before I walked out into the waiting room.
“It was my pleasure,” the woman rubbed my back soothingly. “If you have any more questions about anything, please, come and ask me.” She handed me an envelope.
“What’s this?” I frowned.
“This is the money and bonds Miss Lynn left for Avery. It was something she started working on when Avery was born so Avery would be able to go to college,” she explained. “And this,” she started as she handed me another envelope. “Is all the savings she left to you. To help pay for things for Avery.”
I sighed heavily. The longer time went on, the more real this entire situation became. “Thank you.” I muttered and smiled down at Avery. “Hey, let’s go home, okay?”
“Is mommy coming home today?” She asked as I picked her up and carried her on my free arm. I sighed. She still didn’t understand that her mom wouldn’t be coming home.
“No,” I sighed. I smiled a weak smile back to the lawyer and made our way out of the building. When we got in the car, I buckled Avery into the booster seat I had gotten from Kate’s car and got into the driver’s seat. I opened up the first envelope that would be for Avery. I couldn’t believe it. She had already managed to save five thousand dollars for Avery’s college expense. I knew a lot of it had come from Kate’s parents, but that was it.
“Miss Megan?” Avery questioned me from the back seat.
“Yeah, sweetie?” I replied and looked at her in the rearview mirror.
“If I can’t see my mommy, can I send her a letter or call her when we get back to your house?” She asked me so innocently. This was too much for me to handle. I wasn’t used to having a kid around. I didn’t want to be the bad guy to tell her she wasn’t able to call her mom. But I knew she didn’t have anyone else to tell her that.
“We’ll see when we get home, okay?” I smiled the best I could. I didn’t open the other envelope – I just wanted to get home. When I pulled up to the apartment, I saw another good friend of mine, Casey Little, in the parking lot. I silently thanked God for sending her so quickly. I got out of the car and opened the passenger door for Avery.
“Megan! Oh my God, I am so sorry. I got here as soon as I could!” Casey exclaimed and hurried over to us. I held Avery in my arms as Casey and I hugged. “Avery, sweetie, are you okay? You remember me?” She looked to the little girl. Avery nodded and went to Casey willingly. I sighed and collected my things out of my Honda Civic and headed upstairs to my apartment, followed by Casey.
When we got upstairs, I let Avery play with her toys in the guestroom that we had gotten from her old house while I sat in the living room talking to Casey.
“What are you going to do about work?” Casey sighed.
“I have no idea,” I mumbled. “I mean, I know Kate had Avery in a day care while she worked, but my job is so different with my working out of the house. Avery could technically be at home, but if I need to be on a conference call or something, then things would change.”
“Well, Dylan and I decided to move back to Tampa. Why don’t you move her over there?” Casey tried to persuade me. “That way you could be around us and we could try to help out. Plus, doesn’t Nick still live over there?”
“Carter?” I asked, making sure we were talking about the same guy. Casey nodded. “Nick’s in a band, remember. I barely ever see him anymore. You would think with him being my best friend I’d see him all the time, but I don’t. Plus, he’s just a kid himself.”
“I called him today after you called me,” she said. “He told me he’s coming back to Tampa immediately. He was in California promoting his new show.”
“Well, it would be nice having some help. Because I know for a fact I don’t know what the hell I’m doing with her,” I sighed and ran my fingers through my long blonde hair.
“Kate told you, didn’t she?” Casey frowned. “I mean, she can’t exactly write it on her will without telling you.”
“She didn’t tell me directly,” I replied. “I mean, we went to lunch one day – just me, Kate and Avery. She told me then that she’d want me to have Avery if anything ever happened. She wanted to be able to have someone for sure without having to worry about her parents passing away or her ex coming back into the picture. So, I guess that was her informal way of telling me?” I sighed.
“Guess so,” Casey said with a smirk. “I mean, out of all of us…you were the one we all imagined having the most kids and being the perfect soccer mom.”
“I love kids,” I shrugged as I watched Avery come out of the guestroom. “I just imagined being married and pregnant for nine months before being thrown a child.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
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