Page 101 of Heal
"Not one bit. I'm tired too. I kept waking up, worried the kids would get up and not know anyone there. I'll sleep well."
"Thanks for watching them while I worked." Beau didn't bother with any clothes. He climbed into bed naked, hoping that Warren would keep the kids from his room.
"Any time. You know I love them as much as you do." Parson tossed his pants aside and climbed in next to Beau. "Come here." He wrapped his arms around him and kissed him hard before letting him go. "Go to sleep. All this can wait until later."
Beau nodded. "Thanks."
"Always." Parson smiled before turning his back to Beau and leaving him alone.
Beau grinned as he yawned, adjusting the pillow under him. Somehow Parson knew when to give him space, and if that didn't make him a keeper, he didn't know what did.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Parson set a bowl of ice cream in front of Lisa before grabbing his own and sitting down at the table across from her. "So I know I'm around here all the time, but I'm still the caseworker too until Beau gets the adoption done. So I guess you could say this is official, but I'd like it if we can just talk like friends."
Lisa nodded. "Unless you're going to try and take us away from here."
"Never. As far as I'm concerned, you're already a family here. I won't do anything to mess that up. You know it's only a matter of paperwork, which can take forever to finish. I just need to make some notes so my boss is happy, and it looks like I'm doing my job."
"What kind of notes?" She stirred her ice cream
"Just a review. Like are you happy here?"
She rolled her eyes. "You know I am."
"Any complaints?" Parson asked.
"Yeah, one." Lisa smiled
Parson readied himself for whatever comeback she was going to have. He could tell by her smile she wasn't going to be serious. "What?"
"Beau's boyfriend asks too many questions." She grinned at him innocently.
"Hey, I'm just doing my job."
"You know I'm happy here. I don't want to leave. I have no complaints." She took a bite of her ice cream.
"Okay, I'll skip all those questions, but now we have to talk about what you don't want to. What are your plans for the baby?" He watched her carefully. She had refused to talk to Beau about it much outside of going to doctor appointments and making sure she was healthy. Every time Beau asked her about her feelings on keeping or giving the baby up for adoption, she'd find a reason to leave the room.
"I don't know yet." She set her spoon down, sighing as she sat back.
"I know it's hard to think and talk about, but you've got to decide. If you're going to put the baby up for adoption, we should probably be looking for a family so they can take custody as soon as she or he is born."
Lisa rubbed her very visible stomach. "It's hard. The kids at school tease me, call me names. Faith said they did that to her too, and she wasn't even pregnant. I try to ignore them…" She shook her head. "I'm scared."
"I'm guessing that's normal for most pregnant women, at least the first time. Have you talked to Beau about the teasing?" He knew there were online classes she could take if things were too bad.
"No, I don't want to make problems for him. He's done so much for us."
Parson smiled. "You know, that's what dads do. They do things to take care of you. If things at school are bad, let him know. He'll help. There are options. He won't blame you at all. What's the point in having a dad if you don't lean on them for support once in a while?"
Lisa shrugged.
"Without worrying about Beau, Jeff, or anyone else, do you want to keep the baby?" Parson needed her to realize that time was limited. She was going to have to make a decision soon.
"I do, but I'm scared I'll be a horrible mom. I don't have any idea how to raise a baby or be a mom." She continued to rub her stomach. "When I think about giving the baby to someone else, I imagine them being like the foster parents I've had. Will they hurt the baby?"
"Adoptions are different, and the screening of parents is harder. The baby would be safe, but I'm not trying to push you one direction or another. I just want you to have all the facts. I've talked to Beau, and he is happy to have you keep the baby if that is what you choose. He'll help you with whatever you need as long as you promise to do your best and stay in school, even if that means an online school so you can be home with the baby. He also said that if you aren't ready to be a mom and choose to give the baby up for adoption, he'll help you pick the perfect family so that you're confident the baby is at a good home." Parson saw in Beau's eyes that he hoped Lisa would choose to keep the child, but he wasn't going to tell her that. She had to make up her own mind.
