“Mom, you’ll help us?” Amelia asks.
“Of course, honey,” Charlotte answers with a choke in her voice. “I’ve always felt strongly about adoption. Your father and I talked about it often, but life had other plans, and the four of you came along. It wasn’t in the cards for us, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t for you. This baby will be so loved and deserves a family after all he’s gone through in such a short amount of time.”
I’m still trying to process the news. Adoption, while positively impacting parents and children’s lives, can also have its downfalls. What if the adoption process fails? What if the biological father wants custody later in life? Stewart Knight comes from a lineage of blue blood. It can get ugly if his family finds out he has a son.
My muscles tense, but I refuse to show my emotions, not wanting to start an argument and this ending badly.
Unlike Charlotte, Nikki sits back in her chair with a concerned face. “This is very short notice.”
Will glances at his mother with an annoyed expression. “Yeah, life has a way of throwing things your way when you least expect it. So, what answer will satisfy you?”
“Will,” Rocky scolds in a deep, cemented tone. “Mom’s just trying to help you.”
Nikki crosses her arms, unwelcoming with her stern gaze. Obviously, she’s not pleased with their decision, so chances are this will blow up any minute now.
“If you want to help us, why are we wasting time questioning the adoption? For every minute which passes, he’s alone in that hospital with two grandparents who can barely manage to take care of themselves,” Will fires off, unable to control his temper.
Will stands from the table, leaving the room to compose himself. Amelia rises, but I motion for her to sit down. I’ve spent a lot of time with Will, and when he’s passionate about something, he’s all in.
“I’ll talk to him.”
Inside the kitchen, Will is standing with his hands resting on the countertop. His shoulders appear tense, and every breath he takes is almost a growl.
“Why is my mother a pain in the ass?”
A soft chuckle leaves me as I try to lighten the mood. “That’s one way to describe her. I remember how protective she was when I ran into Charlotte in Manhattan. The thorn in my side.”
Will rubs his face vigorously. Unlike the usually confident man I’m used to seeing in the boardroom, he looks defeated.
“So, who brought up the idea of the adoption?”
“Amelia,” he resigns. “She had been acting distant, very unsettled. One night, I kind of got fed up and asked her to talk because I’m not a mind reader. She told me what she was feeling. I mean, I was shocked. We hadn’t really spoken about starting our own family.”
“Sounds just like her mother.”
“The more she opened up, the more I began to feel the same way. Something drew us to this little boy, and how can I let him grow up in a foster system?” Will asks with a choke in his voice. “All this money means nothing if I can’t help save someone’s life.”
“Look, I know you’re capable of many things, but raising a child isn’t easy,” I tell him firmly. “There’s a lot of sacrifices to be made.”
“I know,” he mumbles, then fixates his gaze on me. “Which is why we’ve decided to move to the West Coast. Amelia wants to be close to Charlotte, and you, of course.”
I try to hold back my feelings, but if the truth be told, having our daughter close to us and seeing her often makes me happy. I know Charlotte will feel the exact same, and given there’s a potential grandchild joining us, even more so. If only Ava would consider moving back, but that girl is headstrong and living her best life, according to her.
“Have you told your parents?”
Will shakes his head. “And I guess they won’t take it well, but I can deal with them. What I need help with is setting up in LA with an office space. Everything is running so smoothly here, plus going through all this adoption stuff, it’s just a lot to handle.”
I place my hand on his shoulder to reassure him. “You leave that stuff to me, Noah, and Kate.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Will mocks with a grin.
We walk back into the room as everyone's eyes turn to us.
“Done with your tantrum now?” Rocky snickers.
Will rolls his eyes at his father, then takes a seat as Amelia grabs his hand to bring it to her lips. It dawns on me at this moment there’s nothing to worry about. Will and Amelia have gone through a lot, all of which have strengthened their bond. If anyone is going to be great adoptive parents, it's these two.
“So, do we have your help?” Will directs his stare toward Nikki.