"Hi" Ashley spoke just above a whisper, this was the last thing she wanted to do but she knew it was what she needed to do, it didn't make it any easier.
She was just about five months pregnant at this point and she could feel the baby move within her, it was just the tiniest of little flutters in her belly and it warmed her heart.
Adam stepped aside so Ashley could come in, "Kim's just finishing up in the shower, what's up?"
"Can we wait?" Ashley asked, she could only do this once.
Adam nodded, "Yea, of course. Can I get you something to eat..we've got donuts" he held up the box for her to choose one.
"No thanks" she smiled as she replied though her stomach growled at the sight and scent of the fresh donuts.
Adam took one, promptly biting into it, "You see my brother lately?" He asked through the mouthful of jelly donut, he swiped the back of his hand across his lips wiping away the sugar crystals.
"No.." Ashley leaned on the counter, "I haven't seen him in months. Adam, I'm really worried about him"
Adam grabbed a napkin and wiped his hands and mouth, he sat on the counter top, "I am too. I haven't heard from him either, he's not returning my texts or calls. He shouldn't have walked out on you..not now" he pointed to her belly, "how are you feeling?"
Ashley rubbed her belly, "I'm good.."
Kim finally appeared in the kitchen, "Ashley! Hey sweetie" Kim pulled her into a hug, "how are you? What brings you by?"
Ashley shifted on her heels uncomfortably, she knew she needed to just jump right in small talk wasn't going to help her nerves at all.
"I'm good. Really good" she could feel her eyes become wet, "You said a few months ago that'd you adopt this baby.." She paused as a tear slid down her cheek, "do you still mean that? Because I can't take care of this baby..and I want a good family for it...a great family actually"
Kim felt her knees grow weak, "Yes!" She steadied herself against the island, "Of course we will, right Adam?"
Adam was in shock, he never expected her to agree to it, "Are you sure? I'd love to raise that baby but I want you to be sure"
Ashley nodded, "I've never been more sure of anything. You guys are great parents, Nicky is amazing...I want my baby to have you guys as its family, I'd know my baby will be loved and well taken care of with you two"
Kim went and hugged Ashley, the two women crying.
After a few minutes of tears and hugs, Ashley pulled some paperwork from her purse.
"My attorney has given me this to give to you" she handed it to Kim, "its a list of adoption attorneys in Chicago, he said to pick one and then we can get to work on drawing up an agreement"
Adam looked over the names, "Absolutely"
Ashley lifted her purse from the counter, "Alright, I better go. Just have whoever you pick call my attorney to get the ball rolling"
Kim wiped at her eyes, before giving Ashley another quick hug, "Thank you just doesn't seem like it's enough" her voice wavering as she spoke.
Ashley pulled back, her eyes glistening with tears, it was Adam's turn to speak, "I promise we will do right by that baby, it'll be loved. You've got my word" he hugged her and kissed the crown of her head.
"I know...it's why I'm giving it to you, you'll both take wonderful care of it. I can sleep easy knowing this baby will be with the best parents possible" it had become her mantra.
Sean was focused on the task at hand, he had to be if he wanted to keep and semblance of sanity.
Upon his release from prison he was placed in a program to help him transition to life on the outside. Part of that required a lot of volunteering, that coupled with the community service he had attached to his sentence since being released he was working his ass off.
Right now he was working with Habitat for Humanity, it was ball breaking work but he enjoyed it. It kept his mind focused and not on Adam and Kim, he'd been out for four months and he still hadn't heard anything.
He wasn't even sure if they realized that he had received an earlier release.
He had been sentenced to twelve years and had only served just about half of that, based on his prior knowledge of the prison system some times it took months for the release notifications to reach the victims of the crime.
Crime.
Victim.
Kim was the victim of a crime...a crime he committed.
He put the hammer through the wall at the thought of it all, he was still so consumed with guilt, and hatred for himself.
God bless his sister for trying, even his eldest nephew had tried to help him. They both told him that he was a good man who made a terrible mistake. That he had paid for it and that he deserved freedom and that he needed to let himself be happy.
Except the mistake he made, nearly cost Kim everything.
Including her life, he knew forgiveness wouldn't come from Adam, nor did he expect it.
Deborah was beside herself, Bob was still bitching and moaning about Adam's relationship with Alex.
She could hear him mucking around in the garage, still working on that car.
She grabbed a bottle of water and went outside, "Honey?"
His head popped into view, "Yea?" His face was stained with grease, his cheeks flushed.
His appearance startled her, "Are you feeling okay?" She handed him the bottle.
Bob quickly unscrewed the cap and chugged half of it in one gulp, he was hot.
"Just frustrated with the engine" he told her, "it's not coming along like I had hoped" he went back to messing with it.
"Adam..what're you going to do about him? You haven't seen him in months, don't you think it's time that ended?"
He braced his palms on the car, "I don't understand it"
"What?"
"How he can welcome that kid into his home..his family, not after the hell his mother put him through" he shook his head in disgust, "she's a piss poor excuse for a mother"
Deborah couldn't fault him there, "You're right, a thousand percent right. That's not Alex's fault though"
"That may be the case, but I can't forgive her" he huffed as he finished the bottle of water.
"Is that what this is about? You think Adam has forgiven his mother?" She practically laughed at the statement, "He hasn't Bob, he just isn't taking her actions out on his brother, something you should consider trying"
Within the blink of an eye she retreated to the house, leaving a disgruntled Bob in her wake.
