Page 114 of Reclaiming Adelaide

Was he upset? Why?

“Perfect timing. She’s just been fed and needs to be burped.”

“And dressed,” Becca said. “She can’t be naked. No wonder she’s crying.”

Becca took the crying baby in her arms and cuddled it to her chest as she gently bounced while patting its back.

“She spit up, and we were changing her,” the woman said.

So this was the couple I’d taken a picture of at the ice cream parlor. It’s no wonder why Jake was so furious when he saw that.

“Liz, this is Adelaide,” Jake said, interrupting her grumblings.

“Nice to meet you.”

I gave her a tight-lipped smile and a small jerk of a wave as Becca walked toward me.

“And this is Hannah—who we’re really here for,” she said, lowering her voice as she came closer.

The baby quieted in her arms, and she took hold of the tiny hand and moved it up and down in time with her soft, bouncing knees.

I leaned over and took in the raven hair she must’ve got from her father.

Liz peered over Becca’s shoulder with a small yellow blanket for her to wrap the baby in.

“Well, since you’re here, I’m going to take a nap.”

“Okay,” Becca said as she took the blanket from Liz, then spread it out on the couch and swaddled the baby. “Do you want to hold her?”

I looked back at Jake. Was she talking to me? “Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Alek said to Jake.

He nodded as Becca put the baby in my arms. “I’ll be right back.” He kissed the top of my head as he walked outside with Alek and shut the sliding glass door behind them.

“They’re so secretive…”

I shrugged as I walked with careful steps to the fluffy loveseat and sat with the newborn in my arms.

Her large dark eyes looked around while her milk-stained tongue darted in and out of her opened mouth.

“She’s sweet, isn’t she?”

“Yeah,” I sighed, afraid of any loud noise that might set her off into a screaming fit.

“I can’t believe you’re going to have one of your own.”

My heart jumped in my chest as I studied her tiny wrinkled lips and dimpled chin.

Me either.

34

Alek’stiredeyeswatchedthe swirling amber liquid in his cup as he poured himself a full glass of scotch while I sat across from him in a wicker chair.

“Not getting much sleep?”

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