EXCERPT FROM LEGACY OF ANGELS
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copyright Genie Gabriel
Conflicting emotions pounded in Claudia's chest. Fear she would fail. Hope the start she had made on a new life would continue to grow. A deep yearning to see her child again. "I want a chance to be a good mom to my baby." …
When reunion day arrived, so quickly it took forever, eating and sleeping were foreign notions to Claudia. Hours before it was time for the news conference, she slipped into a pastel, shirt-waist dress with a skirt flowing in graceful fullness to mid-calf. Quite a change from the tight and revealing clothing her mother insisted she wear once her curves developed. Claudia's neatly trimmed hair lay in sedate waves close to her head, and her make-up was reduced to a natural blush, modest lip color, and a light coating of mascara on her eyelashes…
When she spotted him in the arms of the caseworker, tears filled her eyes and love flooded her heart. All the nerves of the past few days faded away, along with the flash of media cameras and their shouted questions.
Such a beautiful little boy had come out of the ugliness of the past. Could she remain strong? Could she be a good mother to this little guy?
She reached out her arms and the little boy tucked his head shyly against the caseworker's neck. Claudia swallowed. Was he going to reject her?
Then he peeked at her and wrapped a chubby fist around her finger. As he leaned toward her, noise erupted all around them.
By the time Claudia realized the crowd wasn't cheering but screaming in fright, Patrick's arm was wrapped securely around her shoulders, sweeping her and the little boy toward his big brown sedan.
The buildings of Halo exploded around them, shaking the ground as pieces of boards blasted past. Then fires erupted and licked greedily at the shards of debris from the old buildings.
***
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