Years have gone by since the death of Noah his special needs son, and Wiley Cantrell realizes it’s time to move on. He and his husband Jackson try to adopt little Tony Gorzola, a deaf boy with HIV who is emotionally traumatized.<br><br>Difficulties quickly set in. Tony is a sweet boy but very damaged by abuse and neglect. And Tony’s mother, in prison, is unwilling to relinquish her parental rights. No sooner do they get the go ahead to foster Tony when another child they had considered becomes available -- the daughter Jackson always wanted.<br><br>With two children on their hands, life is complicated -- wonderfully so. But just as things begin to settle down, Tony, his immune system compromised, falls ill with pneumonia ... and Wiley and Jackson find their little family faced with crisis once again.

Go Tell It on the Mountains

She put a hand on his shoulder, and he flinched away. He leaned himself against the wall, hugging his arms to his chest, keeping his back to us.


He looked sad as he stood there, leaning into the wall as if he needed its support to sustain him, still bundled up in his winter coat. And again, no fight, no flight, no trying to escape. He merely stood there, the blows raining down on his head, completely helpless to do anything about it.


I hovered over him, waved at his face, trying to get his attention, but he refused to open his eyes.


His eyes flew open at this affront, and he tried to be mad at me—I could see him making the effort—but I began to draw circles on his palm while I watched him, offering him a sad face to show him I was feeling sad too. He eventually dropped his eyes to watch as I drew circles on his palm. He bit at his lip.


You,I said, pointing my index finger at him. We love you. We will see you soon. Okay?


Chapter 34