Click on image to enlarge.

	Regular				Club
You Pay:	$3.75				$3.19

eBook Category: Mainstream/Spiritual/Religion CAPA Award Winner, EPPIE Award Finalist
eBook Description: When a tragic accident on the interstate leaves an orphaned 4-year-old in her charge, social worker Helen Carstairs is certain she's found the perfect couple to adopt her. Jason and Kelly Moore are a young couple in her congregation with a strong, steady faith. The only thing that would make life more perfect for Kelly would be a baby of her own, not an enchanting four-year-old with adorable green eyes and the brightest smile this side of heaven. God seems to have other ideas and soon Kelly finds herself wondering how she got along without the little bundle of energy. So, what are the odds that the bearer of so much joy would also be the catalyst that uncovers a secret Kelly thought long buried in her past? A secret which could undermine her faith and destroy her marriage, all in one fell swoop. But, as her world threatens to crumble around her, Kelly discovers the miracle of second chances and realizes God doesn't play the odds.

eBook Publisher: By Grace Publishing/Jewels
Fictionwise Release Date: November 2006

7 Reader Ratings: Great Good OK Poor

Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [462 KB], eReader (PDB) [145 KB], Palm Doc (PDB) [127 KB], Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [115 KB], Microsoft Reader (LIT) [129 KB] - PocketPC 1.0+ Compatible, Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [171 KB], hiebook (KML) [312 KB], Sony Reader (LRF) [179 KB], iSilo (PDB) [104 KB], Mobipocket (PRC) [131 KB], Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [162 KB], OEBFF Format (IMP) [179 KB]
Words: 39743
Reading time: 113-158 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud DISABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED

Jason pulled his Saturn into the garage and cut the engine. For a moment, he sat and stared at the wall before him. He was late. Again. He checked his watch, sighed, and opened the car door. Sitting out here wouldn't solve anything.

The kitchen was empty as he entered and pressed the button to close the garage door. The soft glow from the large aquarium in the wall shared by the living room was the only light in the room.

"Kelly!"

"In here." The response came from the living room.

He hung his keys on the wooden rack beside the door and his jacket on the coat rack then headed toward Kelly's voice.

"Sorry I'm late."

Kelly was curled up in the black leather chair on the other side of the aquarium idly flipping through a magazine. A glass of iced tea sat on the table beside her. She looked up and he saw the accusation in her eyes.

"No, you're not," she retorted. "So don't bother to say it."

He sat on the ottoman in front of the chair. "I am sorry I'm late when you expected me earlier, Kell," he explained gently. "But I'm not sorry for the reason I'm late."

"Was there an emergency?"

He shook his head. "No."

"You stopped in to see her again."

"Yes, I did."

Kelly picked up the glass and took a drink. When she put the glass back down, she closed the magazine and set it beside her drink.

"And that took you an extra two hours?"

"She had a bad day. She needed someone."

Kelly looked away. "Why you? What's wrong with the nurses? Or another doctor? And why didn't you at least call?"

"Because I'm the one she asks for." He blew out a long breath. "I'm sorry I didn't call, but I didn't think I'd be there that long."

Jason watched her profile for a moment, taking in the smooth cheek and long dark lashes. Her blond hair spilled down her back, pulled back from her face by a pink scrunchee. He reached out and picked up a curl.

"Don't, Kell."

"She's not even your patient." Her voice was unsteady and she gripped her hands tightly together in her lap, a sure sign she was upset.

"I know."

Her head swiveled back to face him, pulling the silken curl from his fingers. "Then why?"

"I don't know really," he answered. "But Helen Carstairs caught up with me today. So, maybe I do know."

"Helen? From church?"

He nodded. Instead of answering the question in her eyes, he got up from the ottoman and went into the kitchen. Flipping on the light, he crossed to the fridge.

"I'm hungry. What did I miss for dinner?"

She followed. "I made your favorite casserole. It's cold now, but you can nuke it." She sounded irritated and hurt. He winced.

Jason went through the motions of preparing himself a late dinner, his thoughts barely on what he was doing. Instead, he watched Kelly as she slipped onto a stool on the opposite side of the black granite countertop. With both elbows planted on one blue and white plaid placemat, she cupped her chin in her hands. Green eyes watched Jason suspiciously from under a fringe of dark lashes. He put the plate of chicken and broccoli casserole in the microwave, set it for a minute, then turned to give Kelly his undivided attention while his meal heated.

"How was your day?"

"Pretty routine," she responded. "I'm working with Tom on a breach of contract case." Even though she delivered her answer in an even tone, Kelly loved her job as a paralegal in a large law firm.

"Is it heading to trial?"

She shrugged. "Don't know yet. We're still in the discovery stage. It will most likely go to mediation first, then to trial if the parties don't like what the mediator comes up with."

The timer on the microwave dinged and he removed his dinner. Joining Kelly on the other side of the counter, he sat on the stool next to hers and bowed his head.

"Thank you, Lord, for this food. Amen."

Kelly got up and for a moment, he thought she was leaving him alone. He wouldn't push if she was still out of sorts, but he wanted to talk. A few moments later, she set a glass of iced tea before him.

"Thanks, love."

She smiled briefly. "So, what does Helen have to do with this patient?"

He took a drink to gather his thoughts. Where to begin?

"Remember that really bad accident that happened on the freeway a couple of weeks ago? The one involving a semi?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Wasn't that the one where some idiot in a Jeep cut the semi off and caused two cars to crash?"

"Yep. That was it. Because the road was icy, the resulting chain reaction killed six people. The guy in the Jeep walked away without a scratch."

"I read in the paper recently he's being charged with reckless driving and a few other things. If convicted, he might go to prison, but only for a few years. So, what has this particular patient to do with all that?"

"She was in one of the cars. Her parents were both killed."

"And what has that to do with us?"

No use beating around the bush. "Helen asked if we would consider taking her in."

Kelly's eyes widened. Silence fell between them as she studied him. He forced himself to continue eating while she digested the information.

"Why? Doesn't she have any other relatives?"

"She's not from here. Helen and her staff have been looking for relatives, but so far, none of the relatives they've contacted want her. Helen also explained her parents were not her biological parents-they only adopted her a few months ago. And now she's an orphan, again."

"I see."

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you really see what's happening here?"

"What do you mean?"

Jason regarded her somberly. They had been trying for a year now and she had yet to conceive. He knew she wanted a child; sometimes she seemed almost desperate. He didn't mind the trying-in fact, he rather enjoyed the process-but her disappointment month after month always tore at his heart. He loved her for who she was, and although he wanted children, too, he was willing to wait on God's time. Kelly wasn't, and with each month that went by without results, he could see her faith slipping.

"Do you remember what last Sunday's sermon was about? I thought it particularly applied to us."

She shook her head.

"It was about how God answers prayers in ways we least expect. We've both prayed for a child--"

"No!" Kelly's reaction was unnaturally loud and seemed to echo in the large room.

Jason reached out and took her hands in his. They were cold despite the warmth of the room.

"Kelly, please, just listen for a moment." He rubbed her hands as he spoke, warming them in his own.

"Why us?" She snatched her hands back and folded her arms across her chest. "The state must have hundreds of foster families they can place her with. Why us?"

"Helen thought we'd be interested."

"You have to fill out lots of paperwork and jump through a bunch of hoops to become foster parents. We've never done anything like that. We've never even considered it," she said a little desperately.

"I know. But Helen says this is a special circumstance and the paperwork can be done quickly."

"What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing permanent," he answered. "I've told you before. A broken leg, some lacerations on one arm and shoulder. She was lucky she was in a car seat. It shielded her from the worst of the flying glass and crumpling metal."

"No, no. What's wrong with this little girl that none of her relatives want her?"

"Nothing, really," he replied. "She doesn't fit in with them, I suspect."

"And she would with us?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"She's bi-racial."

"What?"

"Alyssa is bi-racial. That's why Helen thought of us."

He'd never mentioned it before. It hadn't seemed important beyond Alyssa being a patient who needed him.

Jason had never seen Kelly this agitated before. For the past week, things had not been running smoothly. He'd spent quite a bit-probably too much-time at the hospital beyond his normal hours.

Was it coincidence that he'd been passing through the pediatric ward when he'd met Alyssa? He didn't think so. With God, nothing was a coincidence.

He'd noticed Alyssa once before. On the day of the accident, as he stepped out of the elevator on his way to the ER, a gurney was being pushed in. Alyssa lay on it, unconscious. He remembered the sorrow that washed over him as he glanced at the small body. On this particular day, her tears touched him and something prompted him to stop. The nurse who was trying to comfort her looked relieved when he stepped into the room and asked if there was anything he could do.

From the moment he'd spied her in the large hospital bed, her leg casted from mid-thigh to ankle, and bandages covering most of her arm and torso, he'd felt drawn to her. She had responded to him instantly. He couldn't explain it to himself or to Kelly when she asked. He knew he was meant to be there at that time. Unfortunately, Kelly didn't see it the same way.

Kelly wanted a child of her own. Alyssa needed them now. She needed an environment only they could provide. He allowed his hands to drop, lightly resting one on her bare leg where her shorts ended. His skin was a deep bronze against the paleness of hers.

"You know what else?"

She looked at him warily. "What else?"

"She has green eyes, just like you."