A Baby For Lord Roderick. Emily Dalton

was so obviously tired and depressed. She had her hands full with three-year-old Travis, but she was a wonderful mother and a great cook and housekeeper. Brad had never deserved her, and he’d done everything he could to undermine Kayla’s self-confidence, which had never been that great to begin with.

      In their three-year marriage, Allie had watched her sister go from plump to pregnant to very overweight. Although she kept her house immaculate, as the pounds came on she seemed to lose interest in her own appearance. Then Brad left and Kayla started living in sweatshirts and -pants, never went out, and devoted herself completely to Travis. She did baby-sitting when it came her way, which wasn’t that often in such a small town. She also did crafts that she sold in the little boutique on Main Street, making a bit of money to supplement the child-support payments.

      Allie helped her financially whenever Kayla allowed her to, but she didn’t like taking money from her big sister. They had a close relationship, but Allie occasionally felt an undercurrent of resentment emanating from Kayla. She knew Kayla thought her older sister had done much better for herself, which Allie found hard to believe. Sure she made a decent living, but her marriage had gone down the tubes, just like Kayla’s, and at least Kayla had little Travis to show for it.

      Finally Kayla broke the silence. “I know you’re good for another handout, Allie, but I can’t keep taking your money.”

      “No, I’m not offering money. I’m offering you a job.”

      Kayla smiled ruefully. “Doing what? You know I can’t work outside the home with Travis to take care of, and I can’t afford a baby-sitter. Besides, I’m no nurse.”

      “But you’re a great mother and a great baby-sitter.” Allie gestured toward the box. “I would like you to baby-sit the contents of this box.”

      Now Kayla looked completely puzzled. “What? Baby-sit a puppy?” Her eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you have a lab monkey in there?”

      “Why don’t you come see what I’ve got in here?” Allie suggested with another happy grin.

      Kayla stood up and walked across the short distance that separated them. She looked into the box and just stood there for a couple of minutes, her puzzled expression changing to surprise, then quickly back to puzzlement.

      She turned to Allie. “There’s a baby in there.”

      Allie giggled. “I know. Isn’t he beautiful?”

      Kayla turned back to the box and stared for another minute or two. “Yeah, I guess he is. But who does he belong to? Are you starting a baby-sitting service now, Allie, as part of your practice?”

      “No. He’s mine, Kayla.”

      Kayla quickly turned back, her look incredulous, her tone almost scornful. “What do you mean he’s yours? When did you give birth? Besides, you’re—”

      Her happiness deflating a little, Allie said quietly, “I know I’m infertile, Kayla. You don’t have to remind me.”

      “I’m sorry. I—”

      “Never mind.”

      “Okay, so how—?”

      “He was abandoned last night at the Dumpster behind Johnsons’ Gas ’n Go. A man going through town found him and—”

      “What man?”

      “Well, this part will be hard to believe,” Allie admitted. “It was Liam McAllister.” Kayla looked at her blankly. “You know, the Liam McAllister?”

      Kayla returned to her chair and sat back down with a thump. “Oh my God. Tell me everything, Allie.”

      Ten minutes later, Kayla was in possession of all the facts. At least everything Allie knew.

      “And you’re planning to adopt him…just like that?” Kayla snapped her fingers. She looked stunned. She’d looked stunned since the beginning of the story and still looked like someone had hit her upside the head.

      Allie was starting to feel defensive. “Well, why not? I knew what I wanted to do—what I had to do—the minute I held him. Besides, he was abandoned, Kayla. His parents obviously don’t want him.”

      “But there are rules, Allie. There’s a process you have to go through.” She stood up again and walked over to the box, staring down at the baby. “And, for God’s sake, you have to quit carrying him around in a box! He needs a car-seat and a crib, and—”

      “Of course! I know all that. But I haven’t exactly had time to take care of all those details. My first thought was to bring him to you to baby-sit while I see an office full of patients this morning. On my lunch break I’ll call my friend, Ann Hansen, at Social Services in Kamas. I’ll arrange to be his temporary foster parent. I know they’ll agree to it because foster parents are at a premium, and since I’m a doctor and he had kind of a difficult birth—”