Page 73 of Jace

Mom & Dad

The message scrolled down automatically to a flashing button, asking her to touch it to transfer credits to her account.

But her eyes were swimming with tears, and she could hardly see what it said.

Taking a deep breath, she wiped her eyes.

The amount was staggering, with so many zeroes she had to work backward to understand the number.

“Susannah,” a soft voice called to her from the front lawn.

It was Zara, holding baby Zeke.

She swiped her bracelet, not ready to accept the funds or speak with her parents until she had her son in her arms again and had caught her breath.

“Are you okay?” Zara asked, holding Zeke out.

He was smiling and kicking his little legs, fingers splayed out from his little starfish hands in his joy to see his mama.

“Hello, my love,” Susannah crooned, taking him in her arms.

“Bah, mah, bah,” he told her, whacking her affectionately on the cheek.

“I’m fine, Zara,” she said, tearing her eyes from her son to glance at her friend. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” Zara said, her eyes sparkling. “But I’m going to miss your son. Maybe I can borrow him now and again?”

“Of course,” Susannah told her. “Or you can just come visit us both. Thank you for all the hot meals.”

“It was our pleasure,” Zara said.

“Oh,” Susannah said, holding Zeke on her hip with one arm to free the other. “I don’t need your charm anymore.”

“You don’t?” Zara asked.

“Nope,” Susannah said, fishing the necklace out from around her neck and handing it back to her. “It turns out my brother was behind the bad things that happened to my boyfriends back home.”

“That’s terrible,” Zara said, sounding shocked, her brown eyes wide.

“It is,” Susannah agreed. “But it’s over now. Time to focus on the future.”

Zara grinned, recognizing the elder’s philosophy.

“Susannah?” Jace’s voice came from inside.

“Oh dear, I’d better go in,” Susannah said. “Want to come say hi?”

“Another time,” Zara told her. “Be well, Susannah.”

Before Susannah knew it, her friend was disappearing into the trees on the other side of the clearing.

She cuddled Zeke close to her chest and headed inside to share her news from home with her mate.

32

Susannah

Susannah smoothed down her wedding dress one last time and glanced to her good friends and fellow adoptive moms as they stood on either side of her.

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