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Astonishment bursts across her face.
She blinks between us.
“That’s what adoption is,” he goes on. “It’s when a kid who has bad parents or no parents is so loved and cared for by two other people thattheywant to be the kid’s parents.”
Rae shuffles her weight as her blinking in surprise turns into blinking tearfully. Her little chin starts to quiver.
“You want to be my parents?” she whispers.
He and I give big nods, and I find my voice again even though it’s weak with sentiment. “The last time we saw your mom, you said you wishedwewere your mom and dad. You remember?”
She nods.
“Well, we told you you’re our girl even though we weren’t your parents, because in our—in our hearts, we loved you like you really were our child. But all this time, even since I got you when you were three, you’ve still beenyour mom’schild. She just hasn’t beenactinglike a mom. Does that make sense? Landon and I love you and we’ve been taking care of you, but we haven’t—we haven’t been your parents. But now, if you want, we can take some special steps that will change that forever. Steps that will make youourdaughter, not your mom’s. For real. We reallywillbe your parents if you want us to be.”
Tears well over her bottom lashes and skip down her face. Then her shoulders are shaking and she’s crying.
Nodding several times.
Looking ecstatic.
Still, Landon asks, “What do you think, angel?” on the verge of his own tears. “Annie and I are married now and we don’t want you to just be our niece. We want you to be our daughter. Our little girl. We can all have the same last name and everything.”
She sobs, “Please, please, can I be your little daughter?”
Oh, my heart. Mysoul.
I nod emphatically and Landon gives her a fervent yes and we bring her in to us so we can all hug each other.
And we cry. All three of us.
Becausethis is right.
Landon and I have known for a long time that we want to adopt Rae. Kelle hasn’t had parental rights since Rae was three, so I honestly can’t say why I didn’t take this step sooner, but it was just as well: shortly after my twenty-fifth birthday, we decided we’d officially make her ours once we were married. And now we’re here.
I’m so blessed.
I never believed anyone but me could take care of Rae, but Landon proved me wrong,and now we’re here and it’s amazing.
“Can I—” she wobbles out shortly, “—can I call you Mama and Daddy?”
He and I let out the same weak noise of joy.
“Of course you can,” he tells her before he sniffles. “We’d love that.”
“You can wait a while if you want,” I add, “or not wait at all! Whatever feels good to you, babe.”
She lets out a giggle. Then another one. Then another.
I can’t resist joining her.
Landon laughs, too, louder than we do, which seems to open up our hearts all the way. He and I stand up from the couch so we can get into a big, exultant, laughter-and-love filled hug party with Rae.
This is like that talk we had after Kelle got taken away by the cops, only even better,farbetter.
This is incredible.
This is outstanding.
