Prologue

Lane and James Hinsworth were a fairly normal. They woke up, got ready, sent their children to school, and worked. They had fairly normal jobs. Lane was a teacher at the elementary school down the road and James was a lawyer. A good one, in fact. But he was not doing very well at his job on this particular day. He simply couldn't focus on his work. The poor man's sister and her husband had died, and he was particularly worried about the two children that now had no home. He had six children of his own. He had thought to offer to take one of them, but they simply could not take two more kids into their crowded house. They didn't want to separate the siblings either.

James had wrapped up his work for the day and had headed out to the back lot where he parked his car. He climbing in and started the engine, before heading home. The drive through the city was as long as ever, with the usual traffic making the three miles take forty-five minutes to get home. He sighed and tapped his hands on the steering wheel. He thought about his sister and her husband. He thought about their kids. He sighed again. He tried to remember the children's names. They lived quite far and had only seen twice in the past few years. They had a boy and a girl, he believed.

James had only met his nephew, but the girl He knew the boy was older, but his name seemed to have escaped his mind. It started with an 'R' didn't it? Ryan? No, not that. Perhaps Riley? No not that either. James rubbed his eyes and leaned forward until his head rested on the steering wheel. He was pretty sure the girl's name was Annabelle, or something of the sort. His head jerked back up as the car behind his angrily honked their horn at him. He looked up and saw the light was green. He pushed down on the pedal and continued on his way home.

He arrived and drove up the drive, making sure not no run over any bikes, skateboards, and (god forbid!) children, before putting his car into park. He gathered his things and took a breath and then got out of his car.

"Daddy's home!" a shriek sounded.

James smiled and looked to see what was going on in their yard today. The oldest, Bellamy, who had just turned nine, was digging in the mud with the second oldest, Callum (seven). They had ruined their school pants and surely were going to be in trouble when their mother saw them. The fraternal twins, Rhys and Cressida, both six, were fighting over a toy. It was Cress' doll and James couldn't imagine why Rhys wanted it. The youngest were inside. James waved to his kids and then headed inside. His wife was cooking dinner. His two youngest kids. Clarke, four, and Gwendolyn, three.

"Oh, James, welcome home," his wife, Lane, planted a swift kiss on her husband's cheek before getting back to her task, "Can you call the kids in? I'm nearly done- Clarke! Don't chew on the furniture!"

Clarke, who was nibble on the couch cousins, started to cry and James scooped him up, before headed back to the door calling, "Supper!" knowing the kids would in the house in a matter of seconds. He put Clarke and little Gwen in their high chairs and passed out plates to each kid as they sat in the chairs around the dark oak table. The once smooth material was now covered in paints and spills that never could get cleaned up. Lane circled the table passing out biscuits and pouring beans onto the plates. James settled in his chair the kids eagerly looked down at their plates. After squeezing into her chair, Lane smiled and they began their prayer.

"Angels bless and angels keep,

thank you for the food we eat.

Bless my family, bless my home,

Bless me everywhere I roam,

Guide and guard me everyday,

with what I do and where I stay."

The children dug into their food and conversation sounded throughout their room. Of course, James wanted to hear about how Callum's friend Jack lost a tooth and obviously, James wanted to hear about how Cressida lost her bracelet at school. Cress and Rhys were arguing again about the doll, and James decided to stay out of that conversation. AT least until it got out of hand. Lane told him that Gwen was talking more and more and was saying full sentences with little trouble. James was proud. He recalled the problem that had been bugging him all day.

"Lane, you remember my sister, Amelie and her husband Blake?" he softly asked, so the kids couldn't hear.

"The one with Rowan and Annabel?"

"Yes," Rowan, he thought, how could I forget?

"What about them, dear?" Lane prompted him.

"They, well… I received a letter this morning at work. They died last week in a fire, and their children have no home," he let out a long sigh. His third of the day.

"Oh, honey I'm so sorry… Those poor kids… Who will take care of them?"

"I thought we could take one of them, maybe, I know we can't take both…"

"Oh, James," she whispered, "We'll take one of them, we can do it… Oh, if only we can take them both."

"I'll write up the man who sent me the first letter."

"Alright," Lane hung her head, "Those poor kids…"

And so, that was how a small bundle ended up in the arms of Lane Hinsworth, now a mother of seven. The other kids crowded around her gazing curiously down at the tiny squirming baby as their mother explained, "Kids, this is Annabelle. She's our new sister. She's really your cousin, but her mom and dad can't take care of her, and so now she's ours. Do you guys hear what I'm saying?"

"She's our sister?" Rhys asked.

"Yes, just like Cress and Gwen."

"How old is she?" Callum poked her cheek.

Annabelle yawned and made a gurgling noise.

"Thirteen months."

Lane tickled under the baby's chin and Annabelle giggled. The others leaned in, saying she was adorable and cute. They didn't care that she wasn't their real sister. She might as well be now. As the kids reached out to touch Annabelle's little toes or her hands, Lane leaned back and smiled. Angels bless her family and her new baby. Bless them all.