Theresa (Orlan Orphans Book 15) Read online

  Theresa walked over to the side of the table and picked up her fork. She speared a bite of the pot roast Edna Petunia had made and put it in her mouth as she balanced Gabriel with her other arm. The family had been seated for half an hour, but she had only been able to take a few bites. “We can ask if anyone knows who their mother is at church this week.”

  “What about Dr. Harvey?” Edna Petunia suggested. “If those babies were birthed by a doctor, it would have to be Dr. Harvey or Dr. Bennett.” Dr. Iris Harvey was a dear friend of Edna Petunia’s from when they lived in Seattle. The only other doctor in town, Dr. Stephen Bennett, was not only Dr. Harvey’s nephew, but was also married to Hope, one of Theresa’s sisters.

  “That’s a great idea!” Theresa exclaimed.

  Katie scowled. “I don’t want to give them back. Their mother gave them away. She didn’t want them in the first place!”

  “She left a note and said she wasn’t able to care for them. She was looking out for them. Maybe someone from her family can help,” Theresa explained.

  Edna Petunia removed her hand from Cletus’s mouth, and Cletus sighed. “As long as they’re not living under my roof. I’m too old for a pair of babies.”

  Theresa cradled Gabriel, rocking him back and forth, and he quieted. She breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, Faith fell asleep, and she quieted, too. “There. They’re not so bad, are they?”

  Cletus shook his head sternly. “They’re not staying here, Theresa.”

  Edna Petunia tugged on Cletus’s arm. “At least allow them to stay through the week, Cletus. We’ll speak to everyone at church about it this Sunday. But let’s give them a safe home for a few days. Please, sweetheart?”

  Cletus exhaled loudly. Everyone knew that he was unable to tell Edna Petunia no. “Fine. But by Sunday, these babies need to be out of here.”

  “Hooray!” Edna Petunia cried.

  “I’m so happy!” Katie whispered so she wouldn’t wake either baby.

  “Thank you, Cletus!” Theresa carefully walked over to him and kissed him on the head. She had five days to find the baby’s parents. How hard could it be?

  The following morning, Katie went to the schoolhouse to work in Theresa’s place. Katie still helped out around the house. She hadn’t yet found a job outside of the home, and this would be a good way for her to see if she liked working at the school.

  Edna Petunia had errands to run in Nowhere, so Cletus took her in the family wagon on his way to work. As town judge, Cletus had his own office and an associate lawyer who happened to be one of his sons-in-law.

  Theresa busied herself with feeding the babies breakfast. When one baby finished, she had to start feeding the other one, and soon both were cranky and crying. Theresa sighed. Her eyelids felt heavy, like she couldn’t keep them open for much longer.

  Lewis had dropped off two cribs the night before, so the babies at least had a more comfortable place to sleep than the basket Theresa had found them in. Theresa had set them up in the formal parlor and had tried to rest on the sofa as they slept in the cribs. Unfortunately, the babies had fussed almost the entire night. Every time Theresa had drifted off, she had been jolted awake moments later by either Faith or Gabriel.

  Still, Theresa had to admit that they were adorable. As she thought about giving them back to their family members, she felt a twinge of grief. Part of her was still thinking about what Katie had suggested the night before. Could they really keep the babies?

  Theresa shook her head. That was a silly idea. She was a young, unmarried woman who lived with her elderly parents. She couldn’t take in two babies!

  Just then, Theresa was startled by a knock at the door. She furrowed her brow, wondering who would be calling at this hour. Maybe one of her sisters had found out that there were two babies in the house and wanted to visit.

  Theresa set Gabriel down in his crib to free her hands. But Faith began to cry, so Theresa picked her up from her crib on her way to the door. “Sh—it’s okay, Faith.” Theresa tried to soothe the child, but Faith just screamed. Theresa gently opened the door.

  Instead of one of her sisters, Theresa was shocked to see Cody Witherspoon at the door! She felt the same spark of electricity when she saw him at her doorstep. “What are you doing here?”

  “What are you doing here?” Cody Witherspoon repeated. He immediately flushed. What was it about this young woman that made him so flummoxed? He had been traveling door to door as an insurance salesman for years. He was always quick with a joke or polite comment. But in front of Theresa, he became a stammering mess.

  Theresa laughed, put at ease by Cody’s surprise. “I live here. How can I help you?”

  Cody realized that Theresa was holding a crying baby. He smiled at the infant, and put a hand out to pat the child on the back. Miraculously, the baby stopped wailing.

  Theresa breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank goodness. I do need to get back to check on her brother, though—he’s in the other room. I’m sorry, Mr. Witherspoon. Can you come back another time?”

  Cody began to nod, but then he had a better idea. “You seem like you have your hands full. Why don’t I come in and lend you one? A hand, I mean.” Cody felt so silly. He couldn’t string together sentences the way he usually could. Theresa made him nervous.

  Theresa thought about it for a moment. Normally, she would never have let a strange man come into the house while she was alone. But she had a good feeling about Cody Witherspoon, and she was exhausted from lack of sleep. So she held the door open wider. “Follow me.”

  Back in the formal parlor, Cody picked up Gabriel and soothed him, bouncing him up and down against his chest. Gabriel began to coo.

  Theresa watched in wonder. “You’re a natural! How do you know what babies like?”

  Cody shrugged modestly as he continued to hold Gabriel. “I was the oldest of four boys. You learn how to rock a baby.”

  “Thank you,” Theresa sighed. In her arms, Faith continued to fuss.

  Cody waited until Gabriel had been quiet for a few moments, then looked at the cribs. “Which one is his?”

  Theresa pointed. "That one is Gabriel’s crib. This one is for Faith.”

  Cody set Gabriel down in his crib. He walked over to Theresa and gestured at Faith. “May I?”

  Theresa nodded.

  Cody took the baby from her arms, brushing Theresa’s arm with his fingertips. Theresa felt a throb pulse through her body as Cody touched her. It was unlike anything she had ever dreamed of, and she found herself wanting to be closer to him.

  Cody turned, walking back and forth with Faith to soothe her. Theresa fanned her face, which she was sure must be on fire.

  Once she had calmed down, she remembered her question from earlier. “What are you doing here?”

  Cody turned back and smiled. “I’m so sorry! How impolite of me. I came here to see the man of the house. I’d venture to guess he isn’t home?”

  Theresa shook her head. “No, he isn’t. I can tell him you stopped by. Is this about insurance?”

  Cody smiled. “You remembered.” In addition to being beautiful, she was sharp, too.

  Suddenly, Theresa became aware that a grown businessman was in her formal parlor, rocking babies to sleep instead of fulfilling the duties of his job. “Thank you so much for your help with the babies, but I don’t want to interfere with your work. I'll tell Cletus you were here.”

  “Thank you, Theresa. Cletus is your husband, I’m assuming?” Cody sighed. The best women were always taken.

  Theresa laughed. “No. He’s my father!”

  Cody looked back and forth between the babies and Theresa. He remembered that the man from the mercantile was her brother-in-law. “I’m so confused.”

  “Oh!” Theresa realized what he thought. “These babies aren’t mine, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

  Cody felt a glimmer of hope. “Are you even married?”

  Theresa shook her head. “No, I’m not. Just taking care of these babies until s
omeone claims them.” She explained the whole story to Cody, from how she found them to how she had ended up in Nowhere in the first place.

  By the end of her story, Cody was hanging onto her every word. He didn’t want to leave. He could listen to this woman talk all day.

  “Enough about me,” Theresa said. “What about you?”

  Cody sighed. “Nothing as interesting as all that!”

  “I’d still like to hear about it,” Theresa told him. She knew he had more work to do, but she selfishly hoped he’d stay for the rest of the morning. Maybe she could even convince him to stay for lunch.

  “I was born in a small town in Pennsylvania,” Cody explained. “My parents had a shipping business, and I planned to take it over when I was old enough to do so. But then, their building was destroyed in a terrible fire. Our family was ruined.”

  “Oh, no! I’m sorry to hear that,” Theresa cried. She felt so sorry for Cody and his family.

  “It taught me a lot. We were lucky that we only lost money. My parents and brothers were unhurt,” Cody continued. “But that’s why I’m in the insurance business. I want to make sure that everyone’s houses and farms and other properties are protected in case of an unthinkable accident or storm.”

  Theresa nodded. “That makes sense. I don’t know much about insurance.”

  “It involves a lot of paperwork,” Cody admitted. “But the best part is when I get to go around and meet new people. People like you.”

  Theresa blushed and looked down at the floor. From her crib, Faith began to fuss again. She picked the baby up and rocked her back and forth gently. “That does sound interesting.”

  “I think the baby has taken to you, Theresa,” Cody commented. He saw how natural the child looked on Theresa’s arm.

  “I wish I could keep them,” Theresa confessed. She hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but she was so exhausted, the words tumbled right out.

  Cody nodded solemnly. “I can see why you’d want to do that.”

  Theresa forced a pained smile. “But I can’t. A single woman can’t raise two babies on her own. Especially when they’re not even her children.”

  “But a couple could,” Cody said, standing up and walking over to her.

  “Of course,” Theresa agreed. “That would be a wonderful family for the babies.”

  Cody stroked Faith’s back gently. “A couple . . . like us.”

  Theresa’s heart thudded in her chest. “Us?”

  “I know this must sound crazy because we just met. But Theresa, you’re the most wonderful woman I’ve ever encountered. I think that this was meant to be. Theresa Sanders, will you marry me?” Cody looked at Theresa earnestly, hoping for the answer he so fervently desired.

  Theresa couldn’t believe what was happening, but she wanted it more than anything else. She bobbed her head up and down excitedly. “Yes, Cody! I will!”

  Cody picked Theresa up, even though she was still carrying Faith, and twirled them around. Then he set her down and picked up Gabriel. “Welcome to your new family,” Cody whispered.

  Theresa beamed happily. She knew they were rushing into things, but this felt right.

  A million questions raced through Cody's mind. What had he just done? Where would they live? Would his salary feed two tiny infants? What if the real parents of the twins decided to come back for them? What if he and Theresa weren’t actually compatible? Although he was scared, he also felt strongly about Theresa. If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have asked for her hand in marriage.

  Still holding Gabriel, Cody leaned in closer and pressed his lips against Theresa’s.

  Cody’s lips lingered against Theresa’s own, pushing and pulling until her entire body was flushed with desire.

  “What is the meaning of this?” Edna Petunia squawked.

  Theresa and Cody spun around. They set the babies down in the cribs and looked at each other happily. “This is Cody Witherspoon. My fiancé!” Theresa said proudly.

  Edna Petunia put her hands on her hips. “Excuse me? I don’t know this man from a cowpoke on the side of the stable!”

  Theresa shook her head, confused. She could tell from Edna Petunia’s tone that the situation was a bad thing, but the expressions the older woman used were confusing.

  Cody held up his hands innocently. “I’m sorry if I’ve created a situation. My emotions got the best of me. I should have asked you and your husband for Theresa’s hand in marriage.”

  “But do you even know each other?” Edna Petunia grumbled.

  Theresa looked at Cody and smiled. “I know enough.”

  Cody grinned. “I do, too.”

  Edna Petunia looked back and forth at the two young people. “Mr. Witherspoon, you should leave. My daughter is sleep-deprived and exhausted. She doesn’t know what she’s saying. That means you’re not really engaged.”

  Cody looked at Theresa, and Theresa nodded. “It’s true that I didn’t sleep last night. But I meant it when I said I would marry you.”

  “Maybe I should leave,” Cody said softly.

  “Yes, you should.” Edna Petunia stood firm.

  “Come back,” Theresa whispered as one of the babies began to cry.

  “I will,” Cody promised as he walked toward the door.

  Theresa felt all of the emotions and exhaustion of the past day wash over her, and her eyes pricked with tears. As they rolled down her cheeks, Edna Petunia walked to her and held her close. “There, there. It will all be all right, dear. I’m sure everything will work out as it’s meant to be.”

  Three

  “Wahhhh!” Faith’s shrill cry interrupted Theresa from a fitful sleep. Or was it Gabriel? Theresa rubbed her eyes, trying to figure out which twin was crying. She was so exhausted these days, she could hardly tell them apart.

  It had been five days since Cody’s surprise proposal, and his visit seemed like nothing more than a dream to Theresa. That evening, Cletus and Edna Petunia had given her a stern talk in the living room since the formal parlor was occupied by the twins. Since then, they’d left Theresa alone.

  Theresa was so sleep-deprived she wondered if she’d dreamed the whole thing. After all, what kind of man would be willing to marry a woman he didn’t know and become a father to two wailing babies? It made no sense.

  As much as Theresa wanted Cody to visit as he’d promised, she had the feeling that she would never see him again. She had made peace with that—or at least, she thought she had. Sometimes, as she rocked Gabriel to sleep or read a children’s book to Faith, she imagined what it would be like to have Cody by her side. As soon as the thoughts came over her, she tried to vanquish them, but it didn’t always work.

  Still, Theresa had plenty to do. It seemed that the twins went through clothing and milk faster than anything she’d ever seen before. Even Ruby, who made frequent visits to the Sanders’ home, said the twins ate more than any baby she had ever seen. Ruby had seen a lot of babies—she had seven children of her own, including two sets of twins, plus two stepsons, and she had helped several of her sisters with their babies.

  Theresa didn’t care how much they ate or cried or went through clothes, she just wanted to make sure they were healthy. Dr. Harvey had inspected both Faith and Gabriel carefully and declared that they were both in fine condition. Neither Dr. Harvey nor Dr. Bennett had delivered the babies or taken care of a pregnant young woman who could have been their mother.

  Theresa sighed. She knew that she would eventually have to say goodbye to the twins, but she hated to think about it. It was finally Sunday, the day they would announce in church that the babies had been found and needed to be returned to their family. She had secretly dreaded this day all week, hoping that some alternative would present itself before Sunday.

  But no one had said anything about the babies. A part of Theresa wanted the mother not to be found so she could keep them for herself, but she knew that wasn’t kind. She prayed for the children’s mother to be found and for her to have the support to raise her children
well.

  Soon, Cletus and Edna Petunia came into the formal parlor. “It’s Sunday!” Cletus said, straightening his tie. “You know what that means. These babies will have to take their screaming elsewhere, and I will be free to sit in my chair again!” He looked longingly at his overstuffed armchair, where Theresa was feeding Gabriel.

  “I’m sorry, Cletus,” Theresa said. “It won’t be long now.” She stared down at baby Gabriel’s tiny, perfect button nose. She knew she would have to say goodbye to it eventually. Was it so wrong to hope for a few more days with the babies?

  Katie came downstairs and helped Theresa dress both babies for church. In a family with fifteen daughters and constantly growing numbers of grandchildren, there was no shortage of baby clothes. Theresa tied a delicate yellow bonnet around Faith’s chin and stood back, admiring the beautiful child.

  “If they were my babies, I would never have left them on a doorstep!” Katie exclaimed.

  “Now, now,” Theresa chided. “We don’t know the position their mother was in. I’m sure she did what she thought was right.”

  “I hope we find her! That would be so nice, and I’m sure the babies would be so happy!” Katie said cheerily.

  Theresa’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you wanted to keep the babies.”

  Katie frowned. “They cry an awful lot.”

  “So did you when you were younger!” Theresa retorted.

  “That’s not very nice,” Katie said with a hurt tone.

  “Girls! Stop with your tomfoolery. It’s time for church!” Cletus called from the kitchen.

  Theresa sighed. Once again, she had no time for breakfast. Ever since she had brought the twins home, she had barely had a moment to eat, dress, or wash. She finally understood what her sisters had gone through when they’d had their babies, especially Ruby and Opal, who each had a set of twins.

  Edna Petunia helped Theresa into the wagon with the twins. She carried them in a beautiful bassinette that her sister Dorothy had given her, adorned with ribbons. It was bigger and easier to carry than the basket she had found the twins in, and it seemed like it was more comfortable for the babies. Edna Petunia cooed as she tucked each twin under a set of blankets. “Aren’t you a sweet little bastard? Yes, you are!”