Chapter 17

seventeen

D avid had been home a few hours on Monday, and Sadie hadn't taken his calls, sending him directly to voicemail. His small truck bounced over the dirt driveway as he pulled up in front of Chet's house. He had barely landed this morning when his phone had buzzed with a voicemail from Chet—he'd finished the clock. Maybe it would be enough for Sadie to talk with him. She might not. She might never give him another chance, but regardless, David would be there for Lottie.

He picked up the Styrofoam container of breakfast he'd brought and hurried up the porch.

David knocked, and after a few minutes, the front door creaked open. Chet grabbed the food and waved David in. "Follow me."

Chet's gruff tone didn't surprise David, as the man's message had been just as short and to the point as he was in person. Chet sat in an armchair near a TV tray and started eating the biscuits and gravy. The room was clean, except for a few cobwebs in the corners, the furniture well cared for. The place could be a model home from the 1960's. A picture of Joseph—Luke and Hannah's youngest son—sat framed on the coffee table.

"Finished that clock up. Figured you wanted to give it back. Shame it's not in the square anymore."

David rocked back on his heels. "Agreed."

Chet motioned at the couch. "Have a seat. You're making me nervous. Jon said you were in Costa Rica."

In the voicemail, Chet had said Jon gave him David's number. "Just got back."

"For good?" Chet picked up a mug, looked inside, sniffed it, then shrugged and drank from it.

David scooted back on the couch and rubbed his hands on his knees. As long as it took to convince Sadie he was all in. "That's the plan."

"Good. So, you're gonna fight for the girl?"

David pulled at his collar. "With everything in me."

"About time, boy." Chet cut another large piece of biscuit and stuck it in his mouth. "Have a plan?"

"Never took you for a romantic."

Chet froze. His glare could freeze boiling water.

David sat up straight. "I mean, I just…didn't…well, I guess I could say…"

A slow grin spread across Chet's face. "Easy there, just teasing. It can go both ways."

Unsure if he really was teasing, David tried to relax on the couch without offending the man any further.

"What are you planning to do to win her back?"

Okay, so maybe Chet did have an interest. "I don't know yet, but I thought maybe I could get this clock to them. I promised Sadie I'd fix it, or find someone to, and I'd like to come through for her."

Chet hummed and chewed. "You need one of those big hoopla things. You know, like the ones in the movies."

Chet watched movies?

"You mean like a…" Picnic? A party?

"A gesture!" Chet slammed the fork down on the TV tray. "You need a grand gesture."

"Like showing up every day? Bringing the clock?"

Chet scratched his chin. "I don't know if that's big enough. Let's go see the clock."

Moving the TV tray aside, Chet stood up and shuffled out of the house. David followed him outside and to the barn.

Inside, Chet stood at the tool bench, the clock sitting upright, telling the correct time. "Stretched me. Had never worked on a clock. Lottie was right, there was a twig inside, between the gears."

David stood a little taller. Lottie was a bright kid, smart, intelligent, observant—like her mom.

"The clock is great, Chet. Thank you." Jon had already warned David not to offer to pay Chet, it would only offend him, so David stuck out his hand. "This might be the big thing you were talking about."

Chet gripped his hand and held tight. "No. You need to think bigger. You know Hannah, she pulled the whole town together to petition for Luke to keep his house."

"Sadie doesn't need me to bring everyone together to petition for her home."

"No. But think big, like Hannah did. Really show her that you love her."

Wow, Chet really was a romantic. "I'll keep that in mind."

"See that you do. Now, let's get this loaded up." Chet picked up the box David had brought it in and set it on the bench. "You load it up."

David thanked Chet again after situating the clock in the truck. Off to a good start. He had fulfilled a promise he'd made. Maria said to show up every day, and so far, he hadn't even been home and he'd managed to succeed in one area. One small step—in the right direction.

The ringing of his phone had him pulling over. His heart rate picked up as he dug his phone out of his pocket. Maybe it was Sadie.

No such luck.

Romee.

His heart rate didn't slow. This couldn't be good. "What's wrong?"

"Well, it depends on how you look at things. But I think you might be able to turn things around, if you're willing to help out." Romee's light and airy voice chimed like bells, sounding just as musical as she was.

"If it means helping Sadie, I'm all in."

"I knew you would come through." He could picture Romee throwing a fist bump from the smug sound of her voice. "I've been talking to Anna and Toby, and we're not there to do this, so we need boots on the ground. You willing?"

"If there was ever a time for a Hail Mary, this is it."

"You know Doris and Patrick are contesting the adoption tomorrow. We'd like to get as many people as possible to write letters to the judge, speaking on Sadie's behalf. Also, maybe while you contact people, you could mention the need for them to pay off their line of credit. I haven't seen the books, and Dad can't remember all the names, and he can't find where she's moved it, but you've seen it."

"I know where she keeps it. It's in her desk."

"Dad didn't see it. But I'll have him meet you at the store. How soon can you be there?"

"Ten minutes?"

"Perfect. If we can get those names, we can ask people to take their payment directly to the bank. Dad got it approved that anything deposited into the store's account can be applied directly toward our loan. If you encourage them to do it before the month's end, it might save the store."

They talked over a few more details before David pulled back onto the road. Chet would love this—two gestures at the same time.

And if this didn't work, he'd show up every day until he convinced Sadie that this time, he wanted a partner.

This time he wanted it all.

The plastic seats in the sterile hallway outside the courtroom weren't meant for comfort. Still, Sadie pulled Lottie closer, offering what support she could as her daughter twirled a yellow leaf between her thumb and forefinger. The single leaf had blown across their path outside the courthouse this morning and Lottie had picked it up. "It makes me think Daddy's here, too."

The white marble walls rose behind the seats of the group—Sadie, Lottie, Romee, her parents. Anna's flight had been canceled, and Sadie had insisted that Toby not spend the twelve hundred dollars on a last-minute flight. They all waited for the lawyers to arrive.

Small windows at the top of the wall allowed the sun to shine in, the only indicator that the storm raging in Sadie's heart wasn't ravishing the outside world.

Surrounded by family, she clung to her daughter. Her mom's hand rested on Lottie's knee, while her dad occasionally leaned forward as though he were taking a mental picture. Romee hummed a tune, low and slow.

"Oma? Do you think my letter will be enough for the judge?" Lottie's voice trembled as she snuggled into Sadie.

Sadie's mom patted Lottie's knee. "Lottie girl, God will keep watch over you no matter what. We can always trust Him. But I think you telling the judge your wishes can only help."

Doris and Patrick sat several chairs down from their small group. Lottie had barely said hello to them, instead sticking close to Sadie and her family.

Which was fine by Sadie. She'd rather keep as much physical contact as possible, especially with the possibility that Lottie would go home with someone else. Sadie hugged Lottie closer, her own body shivering. Regret hung in her stomach, highlighting every mistake she'd made as a guardian—David might top the list, but there were plenty more. She'd heard that he'd returned, but probably not for long before he took off on his next adventure. He'd called her yesterday several times, but she'd sent each call to voicemail and hadn't allowed herself to listen to his messages.

One heartbreak at a time.

Blocking out everything around her, Sadie buried her nose in Lottie's hair, trying to memorize this moment. The feel of Lottie in her arms, the peachy scent of her shampoo, the weight of her daughter pressed against her. Please, Lord. Don't take her away. But either way, I'm trusting her into Your care.

Quick footsteps echoed on the floor, and Sadie turned to see Leah hurrying toward her.

Behind Leah a handful of Heritage folks walked toward them, bringing hope and love to the cold hallway. Leah squatted down in front of Sadie and wrapped her arms around both Sadie and Lottie. Sadie stood as the others approached. She blinked back tears when Caroline stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her.

"This time, we're here for you Sadie. David, too." Leah pointed at David, who stood at the back of the group, his dark eyes trained on her.

Oxygen seemed to seep out of the room. She blinked and looked away. She could not deal with him today.

"He's here for support." Caroline squeezed her shoulders. "Not answers."

Sadie couldn't keep the tears at bay, and a few leaked out, trailing down her cheeks. Sadie wiped at them. Hopefully her mascara wasn't streaking, since it was supposed to be waterproof. "Where are the girls?"

"Mayor Jamison's wife has them at a park." Caroline stepped back, making room for people to talk to Sadie.

Mayor Jamison, his usual friendly expression filled with compassion, stepped up, his hands on his belly.

"Thank you for coming today." Sadie needed a tissue. She wiped at her face again.

The mayor crushed Sadie in a hug. "We never let our own face struggles alone. And you, Sadie, are one of us. You may have moved away for a while, but you're back. And you never stopped being one of us. And now Lottie is, too."

He set Sadie back to arm's length and gave her a curt nod before moving down to greet her parents.

Sadie sat back down, and Romee settled in next to her and placed her hand on Sadie's. "Listen, I've been praying and thinking about everything. God's going to see you through this. It's not easy to trust when we can't see the outcome, but that's the time it's necessary."

She couldn't contain the air that whooshed from her lungs. "What if?—"

"No what-ifs right now. I want you to remember this—" Romee squeezed Sadie's hand. "You have a host of people behind you. An entire town, really. You are a fantastic mother to Lottie. You'd have to be blind not to see the love between you two. Trust God to work it all out. With Lottie. With the hardware store. With David. Nothing is over yet."

Sadie blinked, the tears that had started flowing coming quicker. God had brought crazy trials into her life. But if she'd married David and gone to Costa Rica all those years ago, she would have missed out on loving Lottie—something she wouldn't trade for anything in the world. God had brought them together. Two girls needing a place to fit in. Two girls loved by a God who would carry them through life, to bring about good.

Through heartbreak, He'd brought Lottie.

Isn't that how God worked—bringing her through heartache to give her gifts?

And He'd brought David back. She easily found him standing at the back of the crowd. He watched her, and his lips turned up. Her breath caught and her heart tip-tapped a merry beat.

He was here. With her. Even when he didn't need to be. Why wasn't he in Costa Rica?

She needed to apologize, but stubbornness and anger plus the stress of the court case had kept her from answering his calls. Kept her rooted in place. Today was for Lottie. He understood—she could see it in his eyes, and in the way he held himself back.

Romee squeezed Sadie's hand once again. Simon Martin, her lawyer,strolled down the hallway in a brown suit. His thick brown hair in a perfect lawyer combover. His stylish glasses sat on his large nose. His facial hair trimmed neatly. Next to him, the older man Doris and Patrick had hired as their lawyer. He wore an equally nice gray suit. His head bald, a thin gray mustache covering his upper lip.

Simon stopped in front of her. "If you're ready, we can head in."

Lottie clung to Sadie. Her small body trembled.

Sadie patted her back and kissed the top of her head. No matter what happened today, she'd had the opportunity to love Lottie like her own, and she wouldn't trade that for anything.

"I love you, Lottie. Regardless of the outcome, you remember that I love you." She hugged her little girl tightly before they stood and entered the courtroom.

They were the last to enter, and Sadie kept her gaze on Lottie as they made their way to the front of the room, hand in hand. Once seated in wooden chairs behind a matching table, Sadie finally glanced around the room, one like every courtroom she'd seen on TV.

A moment later, the judge walked in, carrying a thick black leather folder under his arm, and everyone stood until he was seated behind his desk. His graying hair curled around his ears, and his wire-rimmed glasses sat low on his nose. He settled in his seat, and everyone followed suit.

"Each custody hearing is unique. I've allowed some last-minute evidence to be brought in. Unusual? Yes. But my prerogative. Considering the future of this young child, I wanted to make sure I had all the information before I made a decision. What matters most in these types of hearings is that the child is placed in the best possible home."

The judge nodded and the bailiff handed each lawyer a manila folder.

"Before you open that, I would like to say a few words. Lottie, your letter was heartfelt, innocent, and quite honestly, lovely."

Lottie sat up a little straighter, a small smile breaking out on her face as she continued to twirl the leaf in her hand.

"I received a call last night, and while it is highly unusual to take a call about an open case, I allowed this one through because I want what's best for Lottie." The judge tapped a folder in front of him. He cleared his throat and paused a moment. "In an unusual and overwhelming show of support, an entire folder of letters has been collected from people who know Ms. Hoover and have seen her interact with Lottie."

The judge gestured toward the envelopes. Simon opened his up and scanned over the first few letters. Sadie couldn't look over his shoulder, her stomach too queasy to focus on reading.

"I took the time to read each and every letter, and Ms. Hoover, let me say, you have made quite the impression on your small town. They have the utmost confidence in your parenting skills and in your affection for Lottie. Also, for your business skills. I say that because of the concern over the financial state of your store. However, taking each of those letters into consideration, the letter Mr. Linden left behind and the way he set up his will, not to mention the letter Lottie wrote for herself—well, it made my decision easy." The judge turned toward Lottie. "Miss Linden, I will honor your request and allow you to stay with Ms. Hoover. Ms. Hoover, your request to adopt Lottie Linden is approved."

Lottie launched into Sadie's arms as cheering and clapping rang through the courtroom.

Tears streamed down Lottie's cheeks. Sadie's, too. Lottie's small body vibrated with energy as she squeezed Sadie tighter. Sadie rested her cheek on Lottie's soft hair, her shoulders finally relaxing.

It was official! Lottie was her daughter.

"Court adjourned." He smacked his gavel, nodded, and left the room.

Sadie closed her eyes. Thank You. An inadequate, but heartfelt response to the One who had carried her through. He had never left, and today He'd turned all of Sadie's hard times into something wonderful.

He'd given her something beautiful out of the heartbreak.

He'd given her Lottie.

Doris and Patrick stood in front of the table when Sadie opened her eyes, Lottie still clinging to her. Doris's lips pursed. "I do hope that we can continue to have a relationship with Lottie. She's all I have left of Jeremy."

Heat bubbled in Sadie's stomach, but understanding cooled her temper. Grief made people do unusual things. Sadie nodded.

A look of relief crossed Doris's face, and she offered her hand to Lottie. Lottie glanced at Sadie before slipping her small hand in Doris's. "I do love you, sweet girl. I only want what's best."

Doris left the courtroom, followed by her husband close behind.

Sadie thanked her lawyer, and he handed her the folder full of letters. "I think you should read those, Sadie. Not only do they show support for you, but they all mention payment of outstanding debt to a certain hardware store."

"What?" Sadie flipped the manila envelope open, but she couldn't read anything, her vision too blurry.

God had worked out the details.

"I'm going to hug Oma." Lottie bounced over, and Sadie's mom knelt down so Lottie's arms went around her neck. Tears flowed freely down Dawn's cheeks.

Mayor Jamison and Sadie's dad joined her by the table, and the mayor gripped her shoulder and squeezed it. "Sadie, I want you to read those letters. When David approached me with the idea of a letter campaign, I knew he had a stroke of genius, even if the compilation was a bit of a Hail Mary in the last quarter of the game."

Sadie's traitorous heart leapt at his name. "David's idea?"

"It's right there." He pointed at the stack of letters.

Right there on top sat a letter typed up with a signature she knew too well.

David's.

"He organized this?"

"With my help. Well, it was my idea and David brought it to life since I wasn't in Heritage." Romee walked up and threw her arm around Sadie's shoulder. "Dad cleared things at the bank for people to make payments to be credited to our loan."

Our loan. The word sank in. She wasn't alone. And when she had nothing left to give, God had stepped in and worked out everything.

Romee shook her phone. "I called Toby and Anna. Between the three of us, we can cover the five thousand dollars that didn't come in. Everything from the insurance settlement will be able to go back into the store. Show her the bank account info, Dad."

Her dad pulled his phone out and tapped the screen a few times. He turned it for Sadie to see the total in the bank.

"People paid their loans?" Tears kept streaming down Sadie's cheeks.

Her dad nodded. "I'm sorry, Sadie. It was never my intent to put the stress of the loans on you."

Sadie hugged him, his strong arms coming around her, holding her tight. "You were right, Dad. God worked it all out. Took care of so many of the flies in my life. Even better than I could have imagined."

He pointed at the letters. "Everything but one area. And He will work that one out too. But I'm still holding out hope for a happily ever after for you and David. Especially after today. Maybe I've watched too many of those mushy movies with your mom. Or maybe I know a good team when I see one." He tapped the side of his nose.

A team. A partner. A support. David had been all that and more. Until he wasn't, choosing again to make decisions as a solo unit.

But he'd stepped up today, helping her in ways she didn't even know she needed.

Plus, he'd shown up for the hearing. Several people still mingled, happiness clear on their faces, but there was no sign of David. His sisters still visited with her mom, but David's familiar shoulders, his confident stance—nowhere to be found.

Giving her space, just as Caroline said. Today wasn't about them, it had been about her daughter. He'd been there. For Lottie, for support, but not for reconciliation. Their time had already passed. There was so much hurt, so much history. The saying ‘the third time's the charm' didn't apply here. "It may be too late."

"Now see here. Don't be giving up hope yet." Mayor Jamison pulled his pants up by their belt loops and raised onto his toes. "When you get back from your time at the cabin, we have the fall festival. I imagine good things can still come."

Sadie had completely forgotten she'd reserved Jeremy's cabin for a few days for her and Lottie. There was no way she could go now. She hadn't even packed.

Sadie's dad put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a side hug. "Lottie's been so excited about that cabin trip. Your mother and I knew you had a lot on your plate. I will watch over the store and continue to work on repairs if anything comes up."

"I'll need to go home to pack."

"Your mom did. You were a little preoccupied. It wasn't hard. Also, you have reservations for lunch?—"

"Mom!" Lottie's excited voice rang through the courtroom. Sadie would never get over that title. "The American Girl Store? That's so awesome! Oma packed Amber!"

Sadie's dad nodded at Romee. "Why don't you go help Lottie move the luggage from your mom's car into Sadie's."

Sadie dug into her purse and pulled out her car key, handing it to Romee.

Dad wrapped her in a hug. "I prayed for this outcome. Now, you go enjoy a few days. And when you get back, you can choose the future you want."

Sadie sank into her dad's embrace, his familiar scent of leather and peppermint comforting. Today she'd been granted her biggest wish, her most earnest prayer—Lottie's adoption.

Could she still ask for more?

"Sometimes, Dad, we don't always get what we want. What I have now is more than enough."

And it would be enough.

More than enough.

Because God had never left her, and no matter what tomorrow brought, He never would. She could trust in that.

Her dad placed his hand on her shoulder. "Oh, honey. God is the God of the impossible. Don't settle yet. He will surprise you with what He can do."