chapteR Thirteen

"I can't tell you how much it means to me the way people have been so kind," he smiled in what he hoped was an innocent manner at the interviewer. "All I've ever wanted was to be a father, and to find out it's been kept from me that I have a son was crushing."

The attractive blonde woman nodded sympathetically. "I can't imagine. And it seems that the public feels the same. We understand several online donation funds have been established to help you fund your legal fee and try to gain visitation rights with your child. Is that correct?"

"Yes, praise God for such wonderful people. I can't believe my good fortune. With their donations and you so generously helping to spread the word, combined with some luck, I'll secure good representation and finally meet my only child."

"We all hope that's soon, Mr. Wingate," the woman commented, then looked directly into the camera. "At the bottom of the screen, you'll see the online URLs for the various donation accounts. We'll be updating this story as new developments emerge."

The cameraman stopped filming, and the reporter tucked away her microphone. Once finished, she looked in Wingate's direction. "I do hope things work out for you, Mr. Wingate."

"Robert," he corrected. "Rob to my friends."

"Well, we just met, so…Robert?"

He gave her his best smile and stood to step closer. "Have dinner with me and call me Rob."

The smile she shot his way was flirtatious. "That sounds… interesting."

"You have no idea." He reached for her hand and lifted it to his lips.

And with that move, he cemented the deal, at least as far as he was concerned. Before the night was over, he'd have a devoted advocate in the media. The next step was to find an attorney as easily charmed, and then, well then, it was time to show Hope Evans who was in charge and convince those rich bastards, the Blackstones, that partnering with him would not just make them richer but save them from a lawsuit they couldn't afford for conspiring to keep his child from him.

Rob knew full well that it was a lie, but lawsuits were always won based on lies. He'd win in a court of public opinion. It's how he'd gained everything in life so far.

For the moment, he'd hit paydirt already. He should have thought of this con a long time ago. Three women in different parts of the country had set up online donation accounts for people to give money to help him hire an attorney to get a judge to grant him visitation.

By morning, his loyal reporter would be working on his behalf, helping him secure representation and present him in the best possible light.

Rob grinned, thinking about the look on Hope's and that bitch of a mother, Audrey's faces when he took Andy from them.

Not that he wanted the brat, but if that's what it took to build himself a nest egg that would last a long time, that's what he'd do.

After all, a man had to look out for himself in this world.

*****

Hope wasn't the only one amazed to find herself thrust into a maelstrom of light and color, almost as if flying at breakneck speed through the cosmos.

It was exhilarating and terrifying. When it ended, she blinked and looked around. "Oh my," she breathed, stood, and walked to the edge of the platform upon which they all stood.

A fantasy world surrounded them, with plants and trees of varieties she'd never seen or imagined, a sky the color of a robin's egg with fluffy white clouds drifting lazily.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"The Tree House," her mother responded, and Hope turned. She was surprised to see her mother standing beside her, wearing a dress that looked like something out of a fairy tale.

"This is where you came as a child?"

"Yes," Audrey answered with a smile.

"And here we can save the baby?"

"Yes. But it's up to you, Hope."

"Why me?"

"Because you were always the strongest magic, my sweet girl. You're the hope that can work miracles. All you have to do is want it, see it, and it will happen."

"Mom, I'm not like Joe. He was—is, well, you know."

"Yes, Joe's an angel."

"And I'm not."

"True, but Joe gave you something of himself when he saved Andy, and that something can be used to heal Eliana's baby. Will you at least try?"

There was no way Hope could say no, even though, at present, she was finding it difficult to believe what she was witnessing was real.

Her mind raced through the possibilities. Something happened to her, and this was a dream running through her mind. It was a shared hallucination. She'd been drugged and was imagining this. She was dead, and reality wasn't the same on the other side of the veil.

Stop it. She couldn't allow herself to continue on that mental path. So, she turned her thoughts in the opposite direction. What if it was real?

On the chance that somehow, miraculously, it was, she turned and looked for Eliana. She lay on a chaise made of woven vines that appeared alive. The hammock-like bed of vines was lined with soft foliage she didn't recognize.

Eliana made eye contact with her, and Hope hurried to her side. "Are you in pain?"

"No, but I'm a bit freaked out," Eliana admitted. "I mean, I accept that my mom and Grace are—well, you know, like your mom."

"No, actually I don't. What exactly is my mom?"

"A human-fae hybrid."

Time stopped. Stopped. She felt it, felt herself frozen in the moment. This was too unbelievable. First, the Fae were incredible to imagine, craft tales about, and even compose love stories of the ill-fated love between humans and Fae.

But they were definitely not real.

The answer appeared like a divine gift. Everything around her might look and feel real, but it couldn't be. Fae were beings of fantasy and myth. Therefore, this had to be a dream.

Or an act of something greater. All at once, she felt something, like warm arms embracing her. Don't you fret, Miss Hope, you got this. You don't have to fear. All you have to do is believe.

"Joe," she whispered. She didn't have to be afraid. Joe was with her, and she trusted him with her life.

So, with a smile, she knelt and arranged Eli's hands on her abdomen. Hope then placed her hands on top of Eli's. "Close your eyes and imagine your son, Eli. Imagine him when he emerges into the world and you meet him. See that first moment so clearly you feel you're there. Let him see it and know that he and you are safe and well, and nothing can hurt either of you."

Eli did as asked, and Hope looked at the other women. "It should be all of us," she suggested.

No one argued. They just gathered around Eliana, kneeling beside her and placing their hands on her. Everyone closed their eyes, and Hope spoke softly.

"I've never done this, so I don't really know what to say or do, so maybe what I'm supposed to do is ask for help. This child is already loved and will be cherished if he is allowed to be born. Take strength or life, if you need it, from me and give it to him, as much or as little as he needs.

"I was granted such a gift almost eight years ago. My child was spared. It has been the biggest blessing of my life. Help me pay that forward and save Eliana and her son.

"Please."

It seemed there was a complete void of sound when she finished speaking. She looked around, finding the others looking at her.

She opened her mouth to ask what she should do and at that moment, a light flared from her hands and permeated Eliana's body until it glowed. Hope felt it and wept with the joy it evoked.

When the light faded, they were back in the Blackstone lodge. Eliana's face glowed with health, and her smile was happy and bright. "You did it!"

She pulled Hope into a tight hug. "I wish this was more than a dream," she whispered to Hope.

"Me too," Hope admitted, wishing she could have brought something back from the dream.

"Hope look," her mother pointed.

The only thing that returned with them was the light slowly fading from Hope's hands. She looked around, meeting the smiling faces of her mother, Grace, and Sadie, as well as the mystified expression on Eli's face.

"How is this possible?" Eli asked. "I know I'm healed. I know he is, and yes, I know I'm carrying a son. And whether it was a fantasy, a hallucination, or something impossible that came from the land of the Fae, I know it worked. And I'll never be able to thank you enough, Hope. All of you, really. So don't anyone bother to tell me whether you think it was real. I will believe that because I know in my heart I was just handed a miracle."

Just then, Jud and Calvin walked into the room. Cal got one look at Eli and literally vaulted over the sofa to gather her in his arms. "What's wrong. Are you okay? Is the baby?"

"Our son," Eli smiled and took his hand to put it on her belly.

"Son?" He looked confused, and soon it became apparent to everyone why. "But we're not scheduled for the ultrasound for a few weeks. How did—"

"Hope." Eli looked at Hope and smiled. "Before you get all worked up, I want you to listen to me. Can you please do that?"

"Well, of course I can, but if this is something bad, just spit it out and—"

"It's not bad, babe. You know what we are – me, Mom, and Grace, right?"

"I do."

"Audrey is the same. So is Hope."

Cal cut such a quick look at Hope that it almost alarmed her. Eli was explaining to Cal. What happened Hope noticed that Jud kept glancing her way, and she worried that they might be upset with her.

Just the opposite was true. When Eli finished telling them what happened, Cal stood and took the few steps required to reach Hope. He took her hands and pulled her to her feet, engulfing her in a tight hug.

"Thank you for saving my gal. And our son," he whispered. "I want you to know that I will always be here for you. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. All you have to do is ask. I owe you, Hope."

"No, you don't," she said when he released her. "I don't even know what I did. I just—" She looked at her mother, and Audrey nodded and smiled.

"I paid a gift forward."

"That must have been some kind of gift," he said with a kind smile. "Care to share the story?"

Hope cut her mother a look to find Audrey smiling. "Okay," she returned the smile. "When Andy was a baby, we found out he had cancer. The doctors held no hope for his survival. The day we got that news, we went home, and while Mom started calling everyone in the state to try and get help or another opinion, I just sort of fell apart.

"I don't remember doing anything and I don't know how long it was. I just sat, holding Andy, praying to everything and anything to please help me save my baby.

"A noise filtered in, and I realized someone was knocking on the door. I really didn't want to see anyone, but my legs seemed to have a mind of their own. I opened the door, and there stood a man. A big, husky man, an older gentleman dressed in worn jeans, a plaid shirt, and a straw hat that'd seen better days.

"He had the kindest face I've ever seen. He said his name was Joe, and he was there to help me. I didn't know what he meant or who he was. I was so terrified I couldn't think straight. I was holding Andy, and Joe opened his arms like he would hug us. When I stepped into the circle of his arms, something happened…"

She trailed off and looked around. "I'm not crazy even though it sounds like it. It looked very much like he had wings. And it felt like…I can't describe it. An energy so pure and filled with love that I could barely breathe for the sheer bliss of it. I felt it suffusing my body, and I felt Andy's little body warm.

"When Joe released us, I looked at Andy, and he was so rosy and healthy. I couldn't believe it. Joe saved him and gave him back his life. He said Andy was well forever, so I didn't have to worry."

She looked around again, and her gaze landed on Sadie. "Joe's an angel, and he saved my baby. He gave me back my child."

Hope turned her attention to Calvin. "When your and Eli's baby went into distress, I realized it was time to pay that debt forward. I could almost hear Joe in my mind, telling me to just believe.

"So, I did. And Joe was right. What he gave me can be shared, so that's what I did."

"At what cost to you?" Eli asked. "Will this damage your health?"

"I don't think so," Hope answered. "I feel fine. I was just… scared before and –and, I apologize."

"What are you apologizing for?" Brady's voice came from the door.

Hope looked behind her to see Brady and Clay entering the room. "Maybe that's something you should hear from your family."

Brady looked at Cal, his twin. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's very much okay, brother."

"Then will someone tell me what's going on?"

"Hope just saved Eli's baby," Grace answered.

"Eli's having a baby?" Clay asked. "Why didn't you tell us and how—"

"Okay, everyone," Grace raised her voice to be heard when everyone but Audrey and Hope started talking at once.

When everyone fell silent, Grace gestured to the other sofa, catacorner, where Eli sat with Cal and Sadie. "Let's sit, and we'll tell you what happened. Who wants to start?"

"Me," Eli said. "It was like this—"