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Riviera41797
Chapter 7
Attorney at Law, Jack Roethel, sat before his computer monitor, and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. This was not good. 3 months ago, he'd received a call from a lawyer in the DC area, indicating he had a private adoption he wanted to make arrangements for. The young woman would be in the Minnesota area in early September with the child.
Typically, Jack arranged adoptions through Catholic Family Services, however, when certain cases came across his desk, he did what any other money loving lawyer would do, he set the adoption up privately, through carefully screened candidates who had sufficient funds for the transaction.
Quite frankly, he was surprised at the mother's identity that had the child up for adoption, but he supposed it didn't matter, so long as his clients, Mr. & Mrs. Duncan, received the child they'd so desperately wanted.
Logging out of his Internet email program, he leaned back in his chair, and thought a moment before picking up the telephone. This was not a call he liked to have to make, but circumstances being what they were, he saw no alternative.
It would only be a matter of time, and of course he would find another child for the couple, however they seemed delighted at the child he did find, and although he instantly regretted doing so, they had decided this was the child they wanted when they found out the mothers identity. Now he recalled why he didn't disclose that information until after the legal documents were signed.
He cleared his throat and made the call.
"Yes, is this Mrs. Duncan?" the attorney queried
"Yes, Jack? Mr. Roethel? Is something wrong? Is there a problem with the adoption?" the young woman on the other end of the phone stammered
"Mrs. Duncan, there has been a complication, yes" he admitted to her, trying to keep his voice as caring as possible. He had to stop doing these illegal adoptions he thought to himself.
"What kind of complication? What's the problem? What is wrong with my baby?" she demanded
He could hear her husband, Doug in the background, asking what was going on
Jack grimaced and glanced down at the file before him on his cherry wood desk. His initial interviews of the couple, and personal documents fanned out in a sheaf of papers.
Middle-aged couple, tried for years to conceive naturally, however due to medical issues, was unable. He, 6' tall, dark hair, slightly overweight but attractive, was a night manager for a large upscale hotel chain in the Minneapolis area, and she, small, plump, red haired woman, was an in home day care provider for 3 children, ages 2,4, and 5.
They had put up a large sum of money up front, more in fact than he even typically required. Desperation he supposed.
"Mrs. Duncan…" he began hesitantly, closing his eyes at what was to come
"Trista. Call me Trista" she insisted impatiently "DOUG! Get in here, there's a problem with our baby!" she bellowed to her husband
"Trista, yes. The expectant mother has had second thoughts on the adoption, and is not going to be giving up the child, which as I told you in our initial meeting, is a risk of the types of adoptions I do. However, I am confident that another child will be available quite soon. I have already begun the search for…" he was cut off abruptly by the brassy, strong willed woman
"No. I don't want another child. I want THIS child. I want the child of that brilliant author and forensic anthropologist, I told you this. We, that is Doug and I don't care who the father is, you said he wasn't in the picture, we want her baby, you said we could have her baby" she demanded in a firm voice
"I understand that Mrs. Duncan, however, the mother always has the legal right, right up until the birth, to change her mind, as is the case, now I am not sure the reason behind the change of heart, as that is not my business, but please, rest assured, another child will be found for you" he assured the woman, as he poured himself a glass of scotch.
"I don't think you do understand, Mr. Roethel, you promised me this baby around Labor Day of this year. I don't want any other baby. I want THIS baby, I want Temperance Brennan's baby," she said in slow, careful words, in a low voice.
"Again, I apologize. We will be in touch Mrs. Duncan" he finalized, and hung up.
He never should have disclosed the mother's name. Well, it couldn't be helped at this point. He still had the 100,000 cash they had signed over him and he'd find a suitable baby in replacement ASAP for them to become attached to. This, he thought grimly, was the LAST illegal adoption he was doing.
Cam stood before Dr. Brennan, who had surprisingly showed up for work the day she was supposed to have begun her vacation. Truth be told she was looking forward to having her gone, and having the lab, squints, all to herself.
"Why are you here Dr. Brennan?" she said, getting straight to the point. She glanced at the forensic anthropologist critically. Something was going on…she almost looked…no. Impossible
"Yes, I know I was to have been on my vacation now, but I changed my mind, I guess" she said, and put her hand to her lower back, and glanced nervously around the busy lab
"Okay, fine, so you are going to what, not go on vacation then? Can we cut to the chase here? As you can see I am quite busy," Cam answered her, looking back down at the remains on the table before her
Temperance took a deep breath, and glancing around the lab again, said in a quiet hushed tone "I am pregnant"
Cam snapped her head up and piercing brown eyes met bright blue ones
They stared at each other for a moment, before one finally spoke
"Okay that's just fine. So you are telling me this because…." Cam trailed off, eyebrows raised; she stood motionless before the other woman
"Because I thought you should know, and I had hoped it wouldn't be a problem if I worked right up until the birth" Temperance asked, getting ready for an argument
Before Cam could respond, another voice came from her left
"And because its my baby she is having, and she was worried you'd cause problems for her" Special Agent Seeley Booth supplied, coming around the back of Temperance, and encircling her waist with his arms, patting her tummy
Temperance wiggled out of his arms, and cast an angry glare over her shoulder at him
He feigned innocence "What?"
Cam looked at her ex lover, and back at the young Doctor. "Is this true Dr. Brennan?"
Dr. Brennan looked very uncomfortable, and slightly annoyed at her partner, and obviously her lover Cam noted
"Yes. Booth is the father, although I don't see what the revalance is," she finally answered
"And you were planning on revealing this when Seeley?" Cam said pointedly, not wanting to make a scene and draw unnecessary attention to the situation
"Long story Cam, so what, is this going to be a problem?" he asked, pulling Temperance to his side, she stood there stiffly
"Actually it is. She can't work here and endanger the life of your, that is the two of you're child. She is welcome back here of course, after the birth," Cam stated, very matter of factly
"What? It's not dangerous here, I…." Temperance began her argument, visibly upset
"You are welcome of course, to take it to the board of directors, but Dr. Brennan, my mind is made up" Cam said, going back to work on the remains without even looking up at them
"Fine fine fine, lets just go, okay?" Booth said, trying to keep the two of them from killing each other, he ushered Bones out of the lab and down the hall to the exit
"I can work and be pregnant Booth, did you know that women in certain tribes in Africa worked right up to the birth, then dig a small hole on the outside of the village, give birth to the baby in the hole, wrap up the baby after the birth and get right back to work?" she demanded to him
"Yeah, uh, nice visual there, and just for the record, I'd prefer it if you NOT do that hole digging thing when you give birth Bones?" he shuddered at the thought of that scenario, lets stick to technologically advanced hospitals he thought, jeeze why did she have to tell him THAT?
"I have to go to the bathroom" she huffed, as they got to his SUV
He rolled his eyes at his partner "You just went when we got here! You can't possibly have to go again!" he pulled out of the garage
"Well I do. This baby is sitting right on my bladder. Can we hurry? You could use the siren?" she said, looking around at the switches and knobs in the SUV
"Will you just quit? Jeeze Bones, cross your legs would ya? We will be to my place in a few minutes" he griped, glancing down at the speedometer nervously
"In case you didn't notice, crossing my legs has become quite difficult. This baby is bigger than average for nearly 7 months, so I can't comfortably cross my legs, and it doesn't help" she grumped, crossing her arms and looking out the window
Booth sped up slightly, and glanced over at his grumpy partner, wondering if he had any Oreo's at home…that might cheer her up…
End chpt 7.
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