My Family Saved Their Adopted Daughter First, Then I Died Before Their Eyes novel · Chapter 22 of 24
Chapter 22: Signed Over
Birdie let go of the deputy's hand and ran down the center aisle.
She didn't stop for the tables or the candles or the three hundred people turning to watch.
I came off the dais and caught her in the air.
"Nellie, Mama's crying in the car," she said into my neck. "The deputy said I could ask you if I could stay."
"You can stay."
"For how long?"
"As long as you want."
Eli reached us. He didn't take her. He put one arm around us both and bent his head against hers.
"Hi, bug," he said.
"Hi, Eli." She lifted her head. "Is it true you're my dad?"
He couldn't answer. I felt his whole body shake.
"It's true," I said.
She studied his face for a long moment.
"Okay," Birdie said, and put her head back on my shoulder. "I like your finger."
The next morning the sheriff arrived at Eli's door with a stack of papers, and my father was behind him.
Dale looked ten years older. He wore the same black tie, loosened, and he had not shaved.
"I won't come in," he said on the step. "I came to sign."
"Sign what?" I asked.
"Everything." He held out a leather folder. "Statement to the sheriff, naming every check. The deed to the Hadley cottage and the land under it, in Eli's name. And a consent for the court. I won't fight you for her, Nell. I won't fight you for anything."
Eli took the folder and didn't open it.
"Ray died in a house you owned," he said. "You let me thank you for the funeral."
"I know."
"You can sign it. I'm not going to say it's all right."
Keep reading free with an account. Start My Family Saved Their Adopted Daughter First, Then I Died Before Their Eyes from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 21 · All chapters · Chapter 23 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend