Holiday Baby

As I wrap up my visits with the Zelinsky family during my favorite time of the year, my prayer for this Christmas season is that we’d draw closer to God with grateful hearts that are full of His love for others.

My warmest wishes to you for a very Merry Christmas and joyful New Year.

Jenna

I love to hear from readers. Please visit my website at www.jennamindel.com (http://www.jennamindel.com) or follow me on www.Facebook. com/authorjennamindel (https://www.facebook.com/authorjennamindel/) or drop me a note c/o Love Inspired Books, 195 Broadway, 24th floor, New York, NY 10007.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.

—Ephesians 1:7

A huge thank-you to Matt and Courtney Font for their insight into emergency room protocol. And to Joan Marshall for sharing a mother’s perspective on going to the ER. Your information was incredibly helpful!

Contents

Cover (#u24bf8354-126a-5e01-9908-5959b9bc7495)

Back Cover Text (#uc3e5daf6-abb7-57e8-8563-34e0be0ecad7)

About the Author (#u2ce962a1-690d-55d3-b04f-1cad41c5931b)

Booklist (#u22d91c4d-47eb-5c27-8e0c-62f59dd620b2)

Title Page (#u1f6c0a2e-c073-5b2b-9a19-93d3f8684555)

Copyright (#u67b14ca9-8e61-563e-a692-503ba51b96bb)

Introduction (#u493c8eb4-5f91-510d-b849-9f1eb0ff8f24)

Dear Reader (#uf34f28fa-591b-5265-8e40-ce0327f84d38)

Bible Verse (#uafc3d5c2-c2a7-548e-9747-d97f8614f56c)

Dedication (#u188cc9a7-83a0-5971-b84b-9b824376f132)

Chapter One (#uad64dcb1-fb22-5e95-9df7-3214d8059ded)

Chapter Two (#u694883ca-6694-5226-9e8b-4857ba8a4bed)

Chapter Three (#u010ac86d-5104-51ed-964a-1ff44e102819)

Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One (#u46d3a03f-8def-50dd-bca7-dfedbe839696)

Home.

Cat Zelinsky hated coming home.

It wasn’t the town. She loved Maple Springs, Michigan. It wasn’t her family either; they were great. It was the memories her hometown held. Bad memories of a child who had drowned while in her care when she was a teen. The images haunted her still, maybe now more than ever.

Northern Michigan was one of the most beautiful places even if it held reminders of the ugliest time in her life. It was also a great place to raise a child. She’d never expected to return home with a baby of her own in tow. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she smiled at her nine-week-old daughter bundled in her car seat. “Almost there, Opal.”

Midway through her maternity leave, Cat had given notice as a photojournalist for a travel magazine. She’d explored fascinating places all over the world in order to write enticing articles that encouraged the next vacation or bucket-list destination. Not anymore. Those endless, exciting travel days were over.

It had been a long road trip from New York. Cat used to drive it in a day, but with a two-month-old, she’d stopped overnight in Ohio and several times in between to feed or change or simply walk with Opal when she fussed.

“Thanksgiving is pretty special at the Zelinsky house. You’ll see.” Cat snickered when she realized how much she talked to her baby. She’d started the habit when she found out she was pregnant. After years of counseling, it amazed her how therapeutic simply sharing her thoughts with an infant could be.

Rounding Maple Bay, Cat caught the gorgeous November view that pierced her heart with the warm sense of coming home—followed by the icy reminder of why she’d stayed away except for short visits.

The trees and ground were bare. No snow had yet fallen even though it was plenty cold. The late-afternoon sun peeked out from gray clouds, casting a rosy glow over the landscape, making it look like a painting she might see in a museum. The play of sunlight was fleeting, and in minutes the starkly beautiful vision was gone.

So many things changed in mere moments. Far too many things. Regret didn’t help, and neither did self-loathing, but Cat steeped in both. If only she could do things over. If only...

God, help me face this.

Why should He? She didn’t deserve God’s help.

Cat might have been raised in a Christian home, but she’d been running from God for as long as she could remember. Once she’d realized she was pregnant, she’d asked for protection over her baby. Opal had been born a week late and healthy, but fear that God might still punish her for yet another sin remained a constant companion.