Chapter 18
CHAPTER 18
Well, if that attitude didn’t piss Lizzie off, nothing would. But obviously Katlin had no idea who she was or why she was in their home and what she represented. Understanding that it had been a very stressful few days for the gorgeous woman, Lizzie decided to cut her a break. She stepped into her most professional demeanor.
“We weren’t properly introduced outside, although I appreciate your concern for getting the children into the house, out of the pending bad weather.” Lizzie reached into her pocket where she’d earlier placed her business cards and handed one to Katlin. “To answer your question, I am Elizabeth Hopewell, JT’s case worker. Legally, JT is a ward of the state of Kansas and in this situation, I represent that state. It is my legal responsibility to certify you and your husband as able and fit to care for JT as well as to officially declare you a good match. This is a highly unusual case. This process normally takes weeks, sometimes months. I’m sorry to be the one to inform you, but no matter what those letters written by JT’s biological father say, I am the only person who can let you keep JT tonight or any other time.”
Lizzie practically watched Katlin’s talons retract.
“Forgive my rudeness. I should’ve made a point to introduce myself to everyone outside.” Katlin shrugged her shoulders. “I was just so excited to meet JT and start our life together on a positive footing.” She gestured to a room on her right. “We have a few minutes before lunch is served. Won’t you please join me in the parlor?” She opened the middle two glass doors and walked in while extracting her phone. “Alex is putting Riccardo down for a nap. He’ll join us just as soon as the baby settles.”
Lizzie chose a wingback chair across from a loveseat so she could watch both Alex and Katlin together. She’d been trained in body language and was anxious to see how the two reacted to some of the questions as well as being in forced proximity.
“Do you have questions of me personally or do we need Alex?—”
“I’m here,” the man in question answered as he opened the door. “I had Top Cooper show the commander and lieutenant to my study and turn on the game.”
Katlin’s smile to her husband was loving. “Thank you for handling that, and Ric. He’s had a big morning with his cousins here.”
“Simon is so good with him. Is he now playing with JT?”
Lizzie observed as Alex put his hand in the small of his wife’s back and guided her to the loveseat. Obviously that physical contact was accepted and enjoyed since Katlin leaned in ever so slightly toward her husband and definitely didn’t flinch.
Lizzie opened her laptop and logged into the Kansas website she used for work. “I’ll be making notes directly into JT’s case file should anyone in Kansas go looking for him over the holidays. I am technically on vacation right now, but handling JT’s case was more important to me than spending a few extra days with my parents.” She gave the couple what she hoped looked like a reassuring smile. “I have several standard questions to ask you. Let’s get started. Can you both provide me with three to five references?”
Katlin and Alex gave each other a quizzical look before Katlin asked, “What kind of references do you want?”
“Do you attend church?”
Katlin immediately answered, “Yes, we go to mass every week.”
“Perhaps you can give me the name of your priest?” Lizzie mentally put a check in the positive column. A family who regularly practiced religion, no matter which religion, was considered a better choice.
“Yes,” Alex answered. “We have several of them. Probably our best reference will come from Monsignor Francis Gillpatrick.”
“He’s my uncle,” Katlin added. It took a few minutes for the two of them to decide which priests to use as references and to give Lizzie the appropriate information to contact them.
Lizzie gave them a genuine smile. “We usually ask for business references, but I’ve already got several. Your employees at Guardian Security speak highly of both of you. Let’s move onto the next question. What is your annual income?”
Once again Alex and Katlin exchanged a glance. As they whispered to each other, Lizzie took the opportunity to look around the magnificent room with the fifteen-foot Christmas tree decorated in red and gold that filled the floor-to-ceiling window in the front. Beautifully wrapped gifts also in red and gold with coordinating hand-tied ribbons were stacked two feet high under and around the bottom branches. More presents were spread out to each corner. She couldn’t imagine all those gifts were for that tiny baby. Then she remembered hearing Alex mention other children who will be spending the night. Were they all cousins? Lizzie’s research didn’t show any other children except the one-year-old baby.
When her gaze returned to Katlin and Alex and they were still discussing the last question, Lizzie offered, “How about you give me a range rather than a specific dollar amount.”
“Do you want a range for the two of us or individually?” Katlin asked.
“I know that you own Guardian Security together, but Katlin, do you work and earn a salary elsewhere?” Lizzie’s research was a little vague in this area.
“I am the only one who takes a salary from Guardian,” Alex confirmed. “Corporately, though, there are annual profit distributions. I can comfortably say my salary is deep into six figures.”
“And you, Mrs. Wolf?” Lizzie didn’t want to sound too casual by calling her Katlin. Besides, the woman had never formally introduced herself.
“My name is Katlin Callahan.”
“Oh, my mistake. I thought you two were married.” Oh, shit. This changed everything.
“We are,” Katlin and Alex said at the same time. The warmth of their smiles and the love that passed between the two of them could not be missed.
If Lizzie hadn’t been looking at them, she might have missed the barely perceptible nod Alex gave Katlin.
“Professionally, I have always maintained my maiden name. When we got married, we decided it would be better if I kept Katlin Callahan as my legal name.”
Whew. Dodged that pitfall.
“If I may call you Katlin, who is your employer?”
“The U.S. government.”
“This is for our records,” Lizzie tried to explain. “Can you be more specific?”
“No.” Katlin replied firmly.
This wasn’t going well. She could hear her boss ranting about completing the forms accurately. “Can you at least tell me what department you work for?”
Katlin stared at the twinkling Christmas tree for a long minute before she returned her gaze to Lizzie. “Homeland Security.”
Good. We’re getting somewhere. “What do you do for Homeland Security?”
“That’s classified.” Katlin snapped.
“Is your job dangerous at all?”
Katlin and Alex stared at each other as though they had a private conversation. “If you’re going to put me in a danger category, classify me the same as active-duty military.”
Okay , Lizzie thought. That opens a different can of worms . “Does your job take you out of the country?”
“Occasionally.”
“Are you and Mr. Wolf both out of the country at the same time?” Lizzie quickly added, “It’s okay if that happens every now and then. We just need to be assured that you have a written plan in place and someone approved by the state is willing and able to take care of JT.”
“We have a plan,” Alex said with confidence.
“Last question on this subject, your salary at Homeland Security.”
“I can confidently say over one hundred thousand dollars per year.”
Lizzie was glad that part was over. They had plenty of money and could easily afford another child in this family. “Now, on to children. How many do you currently have?”
“You met baby Riccardo,” Alex pointed out. “I have a daughter by a previous marriage that we share with her mother and stepfather. Jenny is ten. She will be here in just a few hours to celebrate Christmas with us.” Alex smiled. “And to meet her new brother, JT.”
“I only have one last question and it’s very personal. I need the answer from each of you individually.” This was the most important question on Lizzie’s mind. “Katlin, it is my understanding that you were married to Tyler Malone, JT’s biological father, while he had an affair that resulted in JT’s birth. How do you feel about raising your deceased husband’s child by another woman?”
“I’ll be honest with you; I wrestled with this question long and hard. I prayed about it and talked at length with my uncle, Monsignor Gillpatrick.” At the same time, she reached for Alex’s hand as his moved toward hers. They intertwined fingers in a show of strength together. Lizzie was very happy to see that. “We talked about this very subject as soon as we learned of JT’s existence.”
Katlin stared at the floor for a long moment before she resolutely raised her eyes to meet Lizzie’s. “I fought infertility for years. I can assure you that every child is a gift from God, and he has seen fit to bring JT to us at this time. We won’t love him as if he were our own child; he IS our child. God has given him to us, even though he came by way of Tyler Malone’s infidelity.” She inhaled deeply and slowly let out her breath before she continued, “I loved Ty enough to forgive him time and time again for his infidelities, and there were several. The fact that JT carries Ty’s genes just makes me love our new son more.” She looked back at the floor as she spoke. “It’s as though Ty couldn’t give me a baby during his life, but in his death, he’s giving me the child he wished we could have had together.” Her voice broke on that last sentence.
When Katlin Callahan looked at Lizzie, tears streamed down her pretty face.
Lizzie sniffed, realizing she too was crying. “He’s yours. Give him the wonderful life he deserves.”
Katlin burst into shoulder-shaking tears.
Alex pulled her onto his lap, and she buried her face into his shoulder.
Lizzie wanted a man like Alex one day.
She quietly folded her laptop closed and slipped out the parlor door.