"Jody Lynn Nye - Medecine Show" - читать интересную книгу автора (Nye Jody Lynn)

 Jody Lynn Nye - Medicine Show


"You don't have to be that brave about it," Gershom chided her gently, blowing a teasing breath down
into her bangs. She turned her face up to his, thinking again that she had married the handsomest man
she had ever met, with his long dark hair, long dark lashes, and beautiful, strong cheekbones. "We ought
to have another before our space moose gets too attached to being the youngest child."
"It'll work out," Shona said firmly. "We managed to get through refit. We got away from that contract
killer. We can manage without taking money from Lani."
"We'll have to," Gershom said meaningfully. "I don't want to risk having the authorities remove her at
the last minute on a technicality."
"I'll ask Mr. Mitchell for a loan. Perhaps the Corporation could advance me some money."
"They owe you a great deal for saving their necks," Gershom agreed. "And for hurrying to do their
assignments no matter where for three years, without complaint. A small loan shouldn't be out of line."
He threw a glance at the closed door. "Was there anything in the messages from the Child Welfare
Bureau?"
Shona scrolled upward through the menu of her messages. "Yes. I wouldn't let Lani see it, but since
you're here we'd better know the worst."
The female caseworker's face was familiar. Shona and Gershom had dealt with her almost exclusively
for the past three years. She was remarkable chiefly in that she never showed any signs of emotion
whatsoever. "Captain and Dr. Taylor, I must inform you that the final hearing on your adoption of the
child Leilani has been postponed once again…"
"What?" Gershom exploded. "Why?"
"… friend-of-the-court brief filed by Mr. Brogau Din van Keyn. On behalf of the Anti-Exploitation
Watch. Mr. Din van Keyn points out that it might be harmful to the child's psyche to be adopted by a
couple with no permanent home…"
It was Shona's turn to protest. "In this century? There are millions of people living on spaceships. There
are people who've never been in planetary atmosphere!"
"Shh," Gershom said, rewinding the frames. "I thought I heard a buzzword. Yes."
"… whose financial obligations are too great to properly support a child, and may thereby subject her to
unnecessary emotional strains."
"There it is," Gershom said. "They still think we intend to use her as a cash cow. Until they can prove
otherwise, they'll delay the final paperwork."
"Damn them," Shona said. "The GBI promised they'd expedite the adoption three years ago. See here,

file:///H|/eMule/Incoming/Jody%20Lynn%20Nye%20-%20Medicine%20Show(htm%20uc).html (28 of 210)15-8-2005 0:28:56
 Jody Lynn Nye - Medicine Show


we can prove we haven't taken a millicredit from her. We love her, not her money."
"Yes, but to other people it's an obvious attraction. Probably the way they'd treat her in our place. I
admit it's a great temptation, especially when she keeps pitching her fortune into our laps, especially
now when we could use a friendly loan. But we don't dare. I didn't like the rumors I heard after that last
hearing."
Shona nodded, rubbing her temples with her fingers. They had carefully kept any details of the case
from Lani, except to let her know that it was still under consideration, but their lawyer had suggested
that it would be wise to make certain their actions reflected their intention to give the girl a good and
stable home, regardless of her financial expectations. In light of the extraordinary amount of money Lani
was heir to, some members of the panel viewed the Taylors with perhaps under-standable skepticism.
They were cautioned that any irregulari-ties could result in having Lani immediately taken away from