The Black Sheep’s Baby

Epilogue

December 21-One Year Later

Los Angeles, California

“M r. and Mrs. Lanagan, say hello to your daughter. As of this moment, Emily is one hundred percent officially yours.” The family court judge beamed like a happy elf as he brought the gavel down. “Congratulations. Oh-and Merry Christmas. Now…let’s see. Who’s next?”

Mike and Lucy rose from their seats farther back in the courtroom as Eric and Devon turned from the judge’s bench, faces flushed with happiness and love, Emily squirming in her daddy’s arms, loudly demanding to be put down. She’d only recently mastered walking, and was eager to put her new skill to good use. Lucy watched with a grandmother’s indulgent smile as the baby swayed, found her balance, then took off-only to fall on her diapered bottom three steps later.

“Oh, Mike,” Lucy whispered as Eric swept his daughter up and settled her on his shoulders, then put an arm around his wife’s shoulders, “it’s going to be such a wonderful Christmas.”

“Even in L.A.?” Mike whispered back, raising an eyebrow.

Lucy jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. “Christmas with our son and daughter-in-law and brand-new grandbaby-doesn’t matter where. Oh, Mike-what a wonderful gift Eric’s given us. The greatest gift a child can ever give his parents.”

“You mean…a grandchild?”

With glistening eyes Lucy shook her head. “He’s made us proud.”