The tulips and daffodils were just starting to poke their heads through the year’s last snowfall when Gabby, Reese, Jacob and Nana gathered at the barn minutes before Izzy’s first birthday party.
They weren’t the first to arrive; several of the Rescue Haven boys were there ahead of them, finalizing the decorations.
The group had insisted on it. They’d been around Izzy so much by now that they mostly thought of her as a little sister. The streamers, posters and balloons looked a bit haphazard; even Paige’s influence couldn’t tame a whole group of boys who’d wanted to help.
Now more of the boys were drifting in, most of them bringing a parent or relative, since everyone was getting more involved with the Rescue Haven program.
Mr. Romano even showed up, and Gabby glanced over at Reese. “Hope you don’t mind that I invited him.”
He shook his head. “Nope. Great idea.”
Nana was carrying a birthday cake to put on the table and she practically dropped it when she saw Mr. Romano. “My lands,” she said, “I never thought I’d see you in this place.”
“I just wanted to see where my money has been going.”
“Well, you might as well roll up your sleeves and help me set up this table,” Nana ordered.
Gabby was just grateful that Nana was feeling so much better. She was restored to her former state of health and feistiness, and judging from the way Mr. Romano hurried to do her bidding as she bustled around the barn, he liked the change, too.
Corbin was here, and Hannah, and several other friends from church. Of course, Izzy was too little to know what it was all about, but Gabby thought she felt more secure and more loved than ever before, now that they were settled in the community and Reese was playing a more active role in the family.
Now he was lighting the single birthday candle, and she hurried to snap a picture. As they all sang, she let him tug her close.
“We’d better keep an eye on Jacob and Paige,” she said. The two youngsters were sitting side by side on a hay bale, looking at a phone and laughing together.
“They’re good kids. And I think Aunt Catherine and Uncle Clive are lightening up on Paige. They’ll never be thrilled with her dating Jacob, but they’ve learned that crucial skill of keeping their mouths shut.”
Just like they’d kept their mouths shut about what they’d learned from their son. After Reese had told her they’d known about the assault and never spoken up, she’d addressed it with her counselor. With her help, Gabby had had a difficult conversation with the older couple. As of now, Gabby didn’t want them to know Izzy, and they seemed to want to keep everything under wraps, too, watching their grandchild grow from afar; in fact, they were talking about moving to Arizona when Paige graduated.
It was their loss. Gabby wasn’t going to spend time worrying, or raging or hurting because of things Mr. and Mrs. Markowski had done wrong.
Through it all, Reese had been a rock of support. He’d never interfered with what she wanted to do and never even made a pointed suggestion; he just listened, and held her and told her she was doing well.
It was a balm to Gabby’s heart, being with him, and she thanked God every day for the blessing Reese was to her and Izzy.
Still, if Izzy grew up and wanted to know Brock’s parents, if they were still around, they’d reopen the issue. And they’d work with the counselor about how to tell Izzy about her father.
They sang “Happy Birthday” to Izzy and passed out cake, and Gabby thought she couldn’t possibly be happier. As Izzy toddled around with help from the various guests, Gabby and Reese watched, arms around each other.
“You know,” he said, “I’m really enjoying this fatherhood thing. Do you think...” He trailed off. “Never mind. It’s too soon.”
“What?” she asked, curious.
“Sure you want to know?”
“I always want to know what’s going on in your head,” she said.
He tightened his arm around her. “I’m just thinking,” he said, “that after we’ve been married a little while, I wouldn’t mind having another child. If you’d like that,” he added quickly. “I think Izzy would be a terrific big sister.”
“I think she would, too.” The idea of having a child with Reese—of having his support throughout the pregnancy, of a joyous birth with a loving husband beside her, of being surrounded by friends and family—made tears spring to Gabby’s eyes.
“I’d love having a child with you,” she said, and kissed him.
Look for more Rescue Haven books
by Lee Tobin McClain, coming in 2020!