Macie’S Angel

Copyright © 2018 H. David Campbell.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-5320-5224-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-5223-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-5225-5 (e)

iUniverse rev. date:  07/16/2018

Contents

Acknowledgements

This Book is Dedicated to

Chapter 1     A New Baby

Chapter 2     Amazing Macie

Chapter 3     The Storm

Chapter 4     A New Home For Macie

Chapter 5     The Police Arrive

Chapter 6     Macie’s New Home

Chapter 7     Macie Goes To School

Chapter 8     Will Fran And Gerald Escape?

Chapter 9     What Next?

Chapter 10   Doctor James

Chapter 11   More Trouble Ahead?

Chapter 12   Jordan’s Birthday

Chapter 13   Would They Survive?

Chapter 14   Macie’s Abilities

Chapter 15   Mary’s Uncle Simon

Chapter 16   Trouble Ahead?

Chapter 17   Macie’s Dilemma

Chapter 18   Where’s Macie?

Chapter 19   What’s Next For Macie?

Chapter 20   Will Jordan And Macie Be Parted?

Chapter 21   An Unexpected Surprise

Chapter 22   Big Decisions To Make

Chapter 23   Macie Meets Frankie

Chapter 24   Some Changes?

Chapter 25   What’s Next For The Westmore’s?

Chapter 26   A Day At The Zoo

Chapter 27   Molly’s History

Chapter 28   Jordan And The Doctor

Chapter 29   Will They Sell Their House?

Chapter 30   A New Home

Chapter 31   Preparing To Move

Chapter 32   A Whole New Expirence

Chapter 33   Going To Their New School

Chapter 34   A Big Surprise For Macie

Chapter 35   Andy Meets Molly And Macie

Chapter 36   Andy Gets A New Home

Chapter 37   And Life Moves On

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

I have much to be grateful about, being an author. Through these last few years, there have been many people helping and encouraging me to write more books.

My editor, Barbara Sweeney, has made my books better and more readable in so many ways. She has spent countless hours making sure that it would be enjoyed by the kids. The person who illustrated most of my books is Darlene Thomas. She has also spent so many hours illustrating my books. I know that the kids have really enjoyed her illustrations, because some kids have stopped me to comment about how much they liked the pictures.

Then there is my family and the kids at school that keeping asking when my next book will be available. It’s been fun writing these books. I hope you will enjoy this book as well.

This Book is Dedicated to

all the great kids in the Cherry Cheek Schools and other school districts who have checked out my books and are reading them. Many of the students at Independence Elementary School, where I am tutoring now, stop me in the hallways to tell me about one of my books that they are reading. On my last 80th birthday, many students wrote me birthday cards saying so many nice things about my books.

I also dedicate this book to my three children, three grandchildren, and my four great grandchildren.

Chapter One

A NEW BABY

On a small island off the coast of northern California and close to San Francisco lived a couple. Their names were Fran and Gerald Westmore. They were a very wealthy couple. Gerald was an inventor. He invented many different kinds of candy for various holidays. Most were very unusual shapes, and were popular. They sold well in the stores.

Gerald loved his luxurious yacht. He and his wife had traveled all over the world, and enjoyed sailing their yacht. Fran and Gerald were very private people and didn’t socialize with other people much.

There were only two other couples on this small island, the Anderson’s and the Caldwell’s, which they rarely saw. The island was called Willcrest Island. One late Wednesday evening as they were packing and making ready to take a three day trip on their yacht, Fran heard loud knocking on their front door.

Fran ran to see who would be knocking on their door so late in the evening. As she opened the door she saw her neighbor, Julie Anderson.

Julie, it’s nice to see you. Is everything okay?

Yes, and no, replied Julie.

Is there anything I can do to help, Julie?

Well, maybe. I’ll need to explain why I’m here. May I come in for a few minutes, Fran?

Yes, Julie. Let’s go into the living room and you can tell me what’s going on.

Then Fran heard her husband calling, Fran, who was that at the door?

She hollered back. It’s our neighbor, Julie.

Julie started to cry. Tell me what’s wrong, Julie.

Well, we have a daughter named Frankie. That’s her nick name, of course. She’s been going to college. She just came for a visit. When she arrived she told us she was going to have a baby, but didn’t want it. Fran, she is close to having the baby. She could have it soon, maybe in about a month.

Well, Julie, I don’t know how we could help.

Have you and Gerald ever wanted children? inquired Julie.

Yes, maybe sometime in the future.

What about now, Fran?

Wow, Julie, I’d have to give that some thought.

Fran, will you and Gerald think about it really hard?

Yes, Julie. We’ll talk it over. We’re just leaving to go on a three day trip on our yacht. We’ll have an answer for you when we return. I’ll call you, okay.

Thank you, Fran, for even giving it your consideration.

Julie was gone. Fran then went to see where her husband was in their big house. The reason they had such a big house was that they entertained their clients a few times a year.

She finally found her husband in their garage. So what did Julie want, Fran?

You won’t believe this, Gerald!

What won’t I believe? he asked.

Their daughter is going to have a baby at any time, and she wants us to take her baby! Isn’t that a crazy thing to ask someone?

Gerald thought about it for a minute and finally said, You know, Fran, we’ve talked about having a baby, and maybe this would be a wonderful thing to have in our lives right now. I think it’s a great idea.

What? I can’t believe what I’m hearing, Gerald. We can’t have a baby right now!

Why not, Fran? Now that I think about it, the more I love the idea.

Gerald, can we please talk about it while we’re on our three day trip?

Okay, Fran.

The next morning they were off on their short trip up the coast of California. They surely loved being on their yacht. They did discuss the possibility of taking the baby. Fran was trying to talk her husband out of the whole idea.

After a lot more discussion, Gerald eventually did convince Fran that they should take the baby.

They were finally home. Gerald, I’m going to call Julie. Are you really sure you want this baby?

"Yes, Fran, and now I know you want it too."

Fran dialed the number and Frankie, their daughter, answered. Hello, is Julie there, please?

Is this Mrs. Westmore?

Yes, it is. Is this Frankie?

Yes, Mrs. Westmore. What did you decide? My doctor said I could have the baby in a week or two.

Frankie, could I talk to your mother?

I’d like to know what you decided, Mrs. Westmore. Please tell me!

Frankie, put your mother on the phone with you, and I’ll tell you both, okay?

Yes, Mrs. Westmore, I’ll be right back. Please, don’t hang up!

Frankie ran to find her mother in their big house. Mother, Mother, it’s Mrs. Westmore on the phone.

She found her mother in their kitchen. Julie then went to pick up the phone.

"Wait, Mother, Mrs. Westmore wants to tell us both at the same time about what they decided about my baby. Wait for me to get to the other phone first. I’m sure she’s going to want my baby."

Fran, we’re both on the phone now. What did you and Gerald decide?

We’re going to take the baby. After much discussion we both agreed that the time was right for us.

Fran, we don’t want anyone to know that Frankie had this baby. Our doctor is a longtime friend of ours, and has agreed to have you both on the baby’s birth certificate as the baby’s real parents. Would that be a problem for you both?

Julie, I don’t know. I’ll have to ask my husband how he feels about that. I’ll call you back in a little while.

Fran went to tell her husband about the new problem. Gerald, I just told Julie we’d take the baby.

Wonderful, I’m sure that made her happy, cried Gerald.

"Yes, but their doctor, who’s a life time friend of theirs, agreed to have the couple who would take the baby record their names as the real parents of the baby on the baby’s birth certificate."

Oh, that’s not legal, is it, Fran?

No, it’s not, but now what, Gerald?

Wait a minute, Fran. It could work. Think about it. We’re out here on this island and very seldom ever see anyone. We take long boat trips. You could have very well been this baby’s mother. No one will ever guess that it’s not our baby.

You’re right, dear. I guess it might work at that. I don’t feel too good about doing something illegal though. I’ll call and tell Julie we’ll sign the baby’s birth certificate.

Fran called them back. Julie was ever so happy that the Westmore’s had agreed to everything. Frankie, their daughter was especially pleased as well. She wasn’t ready to raise a child, but wanted the child to a have a great home. She knew the Westmore’s were older and with their money would give the baby a bright future.

It was just three weeks later that Frankie called the doctor and had her baby at home late that night. Gerald and Fran signed the baby’s birth certificate in the doctor’s office the next day, and then proceeded over to the Anderson’s to get their baby.

Julie answered the door and invited them in. When they entered they saw the baby in a kind of baby seat. Frankie was sitting nearby. Fran went over and took the baby in her arms. What a beautiful baby! Look, Gerald!

Gerald then told Frankie, We’ve decided to name her Macie.

I wish you hadn’t told me that! remarked Frankie. I want to erase all of this from ever happening to me. Thanks so much for helping me though. I promise I won’t ever bother you in the future.

As they were leaving, Julie, the baby’s grandmother, said, I won’t bother you either, about wanting to see the baby. I’m sure that will help you both to think it’s really yours.

As they left Gerald commented, "You know, Fran, we never did ask Julie about how Frankie came to have this baby.

We don’t know anything about the father, or if he ever knows Frankie had this baby."

Let’s not think about that now, Gerald. If it was important, I’m sure they would have given us more details about it.

I hope you’re right, Fran.

Chapter Two

AMAZING MACIE

Fran and Gerald could hardly believe that they had a baby. The first six weeks weren’t too bad with her. Little Macie was much easier to take care of than what they thought they would have to go through with a new baby.

They took turns getting up for over six weeks. Fran really appreciated Gerald for being such a great help to her.

At eight months Macie was already walking.

Can you believe it, Fran? There are very few children that walk that early.

Well, with you helping her every day, it’s no wonder that she did walk so early, laughed Fran.

Well, I love this dear sweet girl. I’m so glad you agreed to take her, Fran.

You know very well that I wanted her too. It was just a shock when Julie asked me about taking a new born baby. You would have reacted the same way, Gerald.

Yes, I guess you’re right, but I know we made the right decision for sure, right?

Yes, Gerald, we did. I never thought I could ever love her as much as I do, replied Fran.

At two years old she was talking pretty well. She was amazing.

Gerald, I’ve been spending many hours working with Macie. I talk to her a lot about the pictures in the books we both look at. I’ve been doing that ever since she’s been a year old and maybe even before that. I think that’s why she is talking so early and so well.

"Fran, there’s something very special about this baby. She’s doing everything very early for her age. I was wondering about her father, and what he was like. I wonder if her mother walked and talked early for her age. You know, Gerald, we said we wouldn’t have contact with them. I wish we knew to ask more questions before the birth.

One evening after putting Macie down for the night, Gerald asked Fran, What about school? We may have to move to the main land.

And what would we do with this lovely big house? No one will want to buy this house so isolated on an island so far from San Francisco, commented Fran.

Well, we could rent it for vacations. I’m sure a lot of families would love to rent it for a week, replied her husband. "Also,