Page 17 of Harvest Moon (Riverbend 3)

“Apparently, if a child is orphaned and the parents left no plan in place, their first course of action is to place the child in foster care at least temporarily until a family member petitions for guardianship.”

“Emma can’t go to foster care. That’s the last thing Mike and Mallory would’ve wanted.”

“We should be thankful for that will, even if it is out of date. It gives us the right to care for her until their updated plan can be located.” He imagined CPS showing up and carrying Emma off and shuddered.

“And if there is no updated plan?”

He didn’t even want to think about that. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Chapter7

Was time running backward? Laurel had made pancakes with blueberries and maple syrup, then they’d eaten and cleaned up the kitchen. She’d sat Emma on the potty while she read at least ten books to her, but those efforts had been fruitless.

And still it wasn’t eight o’clock.

Gavin played with Emma between phone calls (Cooper and Avery, his sister). The Robinsons were a tight-knit family. For a while she’d felt like one of them. The split had not only torn her from her husband but from the family that had folded her into their loving arms.

Not that she didn’t have her own family. Mom had always been there for her in her own way. And her stepdad, Brad, who’d come along when she was graduating from high school, was great. But she was a little cautious about fathers in general, and her mom wasn’t exactly the nurturing type.

Emma handed her a LEGO block. “Build.”

“You wanna help me build a house?”

“Build house.”

Laural connected her block to Emma’s. “Is it a pink house?”

“Yeah.”

“So pretty.” Laurel checked her watch.

Gavin entered the room. “I’m going to go ahead and call Darius.”

“All right.”Please, God. We need a plan here. Something that’ll give Emma the security she needs.

She placed another block as Gavin returned Darius’s greeting. “I’m sorry to bother you at home so early on a Sunday. I’m not sure if you heard what happened yesterday.”

Gavin was quiet for a long minute. “Thank you. They were fine people.” His gaze fixed on Emma. “She’s hanging in there, I guess... Right. I’m sure you can guess what I’m calling about. I’m at their house now, and we found an old will dating back five years, but I’m sure they must’ve updated the guardianship... Of course. I’ll wait.”

His gaze met Laurel’s, a thread of tension connecting them. They hadn’t been on the same page in a long time, but right now, they couldn’t be more unified. There had to be another plan in place.

“Do again, Waurel.”

Oh, right. She placed another pink block, her fingers trembling. So much was riding on this. Emma’s entire future hung in the balance.

“Okay,” Gavin said. “No, that’s fine.”

He’s checking, Gavin mouthed.

Laurel nodded.Not to be a pest, God, but this is kind of important. And if You could just make sure those updated guardianship papers are in his files, that would be terrific.

“Yeah, I’m here... Right.” Gavin turned toward the kitchen. “I know. Yes, I understand.”

He frowned as he presumably listened to Darius. Whatever the attorney was saying took a couple of minutes.

“Do you have any idea when that’ll be?” Gavin glanced at her. “Okay . . . No, I appreciate your help . . . That would be great, thank you. All right, I will.” He said good-bye and lowered the phone. His shoulders rose and fell on a breath.

“What did he say?”

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