Second Look (A New Beginning Book 3) (29 page)

Adam

Happiest day of my life

Adam wasn’t quite sure how long they were on the front porch, snuggling to keep warm in the cool October night, but the time was over way too quickly.

Luckily, that year was unseasonably warm for Minnesota. He hoped Halloween would be just as warm so his daughter would be happy when they went trick-or-treating.

His daughter.

Amber is actually my daughter.

He’d get to do things like buy her Christmas presents and stock her stuffing with toys and candy.

It was just beginning to really hit him, and his heart was beating so loud he figured she could hear it. He was also still in shock, and although he managed to get his anger in check for Jennifer’s benefit, they’d be making a phone call to the clinic where they took the original DNA testing.

He’d think about that tomorrow, maybe after getting his daughter on the bus for school. The thought should have warmed him up, but instead, the cool October wind picked up and he saw Jennifer shiver.

Adam pulled her closer to warm her up, and then said, “Jenn, your neighbor isn’t planning to stay the night, is she?”

“No. I told her I’d be back tonight.”

“Okay, figured I’d get us inside if we were staying here. We should probably get going then.”

“You’re right, I should go,” Jennifer responded with a yawn.

“We,” Adam corrected her quickly.

“We? You want to come with me?”

Adam lifted his fiancé’s chin to look at him. “Of course I do. If that’s okay, that is. I’d love to be there when Amber wakes up in the morning. Help get her on the bus?”

A smile lit up Jennifer’s face. “Of course you can come!”

“Alright, then. Let me grab a couple things quickly, and we’ll be off. But come on inside so you don’t freeze. It’s getting colder out. I hope the snow holds out until after Halloween.”

Adam stood up, stretched, and then pulled Jennifer up off the porch swing. When they got inside, he didn’t mess around. He grabbed a toothbrush, deodorant and clothes to wear to bed. He planned to come back home before work in the morning.

He walked back to the front door, where Jennifer was waiting, and immediately she started laughing at him.

“What?”

“Men! You have what, three things there?”

Adam nodded, and then she continued, “If it were me, it would have taken ten minutes and I’d have a bag packed.”

Adam grinned. “Good thing it wasn’t you then. We need to go. I don’t know about you but I’m ready for bed.” He raised his eyebrows at her suggestively.

“Down, boy. You think just cuz you proposed I’ll make out with you tonight?”

Adam’s face fell. “No?”

“I guess we’ll find out when we get home.”

Adam grinned at her. “Let’s go, then. Meet you there.”

The drive out to her house took only ten minutes, but it seemed like forever. Adam could barely believe his range of emotions in one day.

It started with excitement at the Halloween parade. It turned to frustration when he found the unopened results, and then uncertainty when she asked him to leave. His emotions were all over the place while he was simmering by the lake as he gave her the time she requested.

But the best part was the utter joy and happiness of having the love of his life say yes to his proposal and finding out he was truly Amber’s father.

He wasn’t sure if more could be crammed into one day.

He couldn’t wait to tell his mom and his sister their good news. He really wished he could tell his dad, but believed he was looking down on them from heaven and was already aware. He really couldn’t wait to tell Amber, but wasn’t sure how Jennifer wanted to share the news with her. Maybe that would be another day.

When they arrived at Jennifer’s house, what they saw in the living room made them both burst out laughing.

Sitting on Jennifer’s brown comfy couch was Pam, watching The Walking Dead, wrapped up in a blanket where you could only see her eyes. The funniest part was as soon as they started laughing, Pam jumped up off the couch, blankets and pillows flying everywhere. When she screamed, it only made them laugh harder.

“Oh my God, girl! You scared the hell out of me!”

“I’m sorry, Pam!”

“Then quit your laughing!”

Jennifer couldn’t stop giggling and it finally made Pam laugh too. Pretty soon they were all laughing.

They got themselves under control and Pam gathered up her purse.

“Thank you again, Pam. This is Adam, by the way, my, uh, new fiancé.”

Pam’s face beamed at that news. “So this is the fella you’ve been telling me about over coffee,” she said to Jennifer. Then she turned to Adam. “Nice to meet you Adam. And congratulations!”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Adam replied, shaking her outstretched hand.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” Pam said, as she bolted out the front door.

As soon as they heard the click of the door, Jennifer told Adam, “I’m going to go check on Amber quick. Okay?”

“I’m coming too,” Adam replied, and grabbed her hand. They walked down the hall towards Amber’s room together.

After Adam leaned down and gave his daughter a kiss on her cheek and covered her up with her blanket, he turned to Jennifer.

“Now, are you ready for bed?”

“Yeah,” Jennifer responded, faking a yawn. “I’m beat. I’ll be asleep before my head hits my pillow.”

Adam was disappointed at first, but then he could hear the giggle escape from her lips. Oh, game on! He looked right at her, with a mischievous look in his eye, and then started to creep after her.

“Come here, my pretty.”

Jennifer gave a cute little scream and started tearing towards her bedroom. Adam was way too fast for her.

As soon as they made it into her room, Adam closed the door and then pounced.

It was time to properly celebrate their engagement.

*****

The morning came fast, but when he heard his alarm he easily got up. Adam glanced at his sleeping beauty and then hopped out of bed, stretching with a huge grin.

He tiptoed through the quiet house to the kitchen, made coffee, and then called work to take a personal day and re-arrange the meetings he had.

There was no way he’d be able to concentrate at work.

He went back to the bedroom to wake up Jennifer, who was buried deep under the covers. He climbed back in bed and snuggled up with her.

“Wake up, beautiful.”

He kissed her neck and grinned when he felt her shiver.

Jennifer moaned. “It’s not time yet, is it?”

“Sorry, babe,” he said, kissing her neck again. “Oh, by the way, I’m not going in to work.”

“You’re not?”

“No. Do you think we could spend the day together?”

“I think that could be arranged.”

Adam watched Jennifer as she held up her left hand to examine her ring. It was probably the 100th time since the night before.

I think she may like her ring.

When he finally convinced Jennifer to get out of bed, he suggested she immediately call work. Adam listened as Jennifer spoke with her boss. He couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, but the way Jennifer’s face lit up told him she was very understanding and the day off was a go for them both.

After that was settled, Jennifer walked down the hall into Amber’s room to wake her up while he fixed Amber some breakfast.

Adam wasn’t sure what Jenn had said to her, but Amber had hopped out of bed, got dressed and brushed her hair in record time, according to Jennifer.

Adam could hear Amber running down the hallway, yelling, “Adam! Where are you? I know you’re here cuz my mommy told me!”

Adam laughed. “I’m in the kitchen, fixing you some breakfast.”

He could see Jennifer walking down the hall after Amber, shaking her head and smiling. Then, before he was ready, he was pummeled by Amber’s hug.

“Why are you here? You’re never here in the mornings!” She asked as she sat down at the table in front of the plate Adam had just placed.

“We have some big news, Amber,” said Jennifer, as she made it into the kitchen.

“What? Are you getting married?” She asked this between bites of her toast and crabapple jelly.

The jelly Jennifer made was a Minnesota specialty. The crabapples made it bright pink, and it was a little tart, but the way Amber was gobbling it down, he could tell she didn’t mind.

He looked at Amber, surprised.

“Yes!” Jennifer voice was high-pitched and excited.

Amber finished chewing, swallowed, took and sip of her milk. She finally said, “I called it.”

Adam laughed at her reaction.

My kid says the craziest things.

“Yep, you sure did, kiddo! Are you happy that we’re getting married?”

“Of course I am, silly!”

Amber giggled and clapped her hands but then stopped suddenly. “But I have a serious question. When can I start to call you daddy? Does it have to be after the wedding?”

Jennifer paused, bent down to Amber’s eye level and then said softly, “You can call him daddy now, sweetie.”

She glanced up at Adam, her eyes shining with love and his heart melted. He had to hide the tears that formed in his eyes.

Amber suddenly jumped off her chair and gave him the second hug of the day, this one just as tight.

“I’m so happy, daddy! And I’m happy you’re going to marry my mommy! This is my favorite day ever.”

“Mine too, kiddo. Mine too.” He could barely choke out the words.

As he hugged his daughter, he met Jennifer’s eyes.

He mouthed, “I love you.”

She mouthed the words back while a tear escaped.

When it was finally time for the bus, Adam waited out at the street with her instead of Jennifer. He wouldn’t have traded that experience for the world.

After he could no longer see Amber’s bus, he went back inside.

“Well, that went pretty well.”

By this time, Jenn’s tears had stopped and she was sipping a cup of coffee. She also handed him one.

“It sure did. And thanks for making coffee. That was a treat.”

Adam took a sip, then put his cup down on the table and met Jennifer’s eyes. He raised his eyebrows.

“Are you still tired?” asked Adam innocently.

“Not really anymore. Why?”

“Good.”

Adam kissed his fiancé until she was melting in his arms, and then grabbed her hand and hauled her off to her bedroom.

What good is a day off if you didn’t spend part of it in bed?

*****

After they got up again, it was time to make phone calls. They wanted to call the clinic to finish that chapter of their lives before giving the good news to their family and friends.

Jennifer searched online for the clinic to find the phone number. After explaining the situation to the clinic manager, she told her she wanted her to speak with the clinic director.

Jennifer put the phone on speaker. And they waited.

“Hello Jennifer. I’m very sorry about the long hold. I’m Sarah Billings, Clinic Director,” she told her and then said, “I hear you’re calling about paternity test results.”

“Correct. I brought my daughter into the clinic for paternity testing.” Adam could tell she was a little nervous. “This was about four years ago. Anyway, I’m calling to report the test results were inaccurate.”

“I’ve reviewed your chart. There was a
potential
mix-up with the test results. I’ve looked at your records, and it appears we’ve been attempting to get ahold of you.”

“Wh…wh…what do you mean?” Jennifer’s voice was shaky, and Adam reached out to grab her hand.

“We’ve sent numerous letters and it says we called but were unable to contact you. I’m very sorry we weren’t able to connect about this issue.”

“I haven’t received them,” Jennifer replied softly. “What did the letters say?”

“We’re very sorry about that, Jennifer,” replied the clinic director, taking on a sympathetic tone of voice. “The letters indicated their lab specimens collected where potentially contaminated. It was strongly advised you come back in for a re-test.”

“How did the clinic discover the specimens were contaminated?”

“Potentially contaminated,” the clinic director corrected. “It was discovered after a number of people called to complain that their test results were inaccurate, and they all happened to be on the date your tests were conducted. Not all test results were inaccurate from that day, only a few.”

“A few is too many,” Jennifer’s voice took on an edge.

Adam continued to hold Jennifer’s hand throughout the conversation and had squeezed her hand after that comment.

“I agree,” the woman replied. “I wholeheartedly agree. I’d be happy to help you set up an appointment to come in and take another test.”

“That isn’t necessarily,” Jennifer informed her in a happier tone of voice. “We’ve taken a new test and the results were different. They indicated the man who took the original test is in fact Amber’s father.”

“We really are very sorry for the inconvenience this issue has caused,” the woman told her in a soft, apologetic tone. “We’ve taken precautions and made changes in the clinic to ensure this never happens again.”

“I’m glad to hear that. We’ve only just gotten the new test results yesterday. We went four years not knowing who Amber’s father was. Can you even imagine what that has done to our lives?” Jennifer couldn’t help the emotion in her voice.

“I can only imagine, Jennifer,” the woman replied. “We are truly sorry for the mistake.”

“How were the samples contaminated?”

“That is not something I am able to divulge,” the clinic director told them firmly, but still with a kind voice.

“Have you been able to contact all impacted parties?”

“Yes. You were the last case we hadn’t been able to get resolved.”

“Good,” Jennifer replied, nodding her head. “Good.”

“I hope you will accept our sincerest apologies.”

“Yes, well, we just want to move on with our lives now. Thank you for your time,” Jennifer told her and hung up.

“I’m so sorry, Adam,” said Jennifer as soon as they heard the dial tone.

“This isn’t your fault, Jenn. Don’t apologize.” Adam reached over and gave her a hug.

“But they’d been sending me letters! I never got them. We could have known sooner.”