“I just … I don’t want to see Isla get her hopes up only to be hurt.”
“Well, it’s a little late for that,” Mrs. Neal chuckled. “But you’re not giving Charlotte enough credit. She’s proved to you both, time and time again that she loves you. Trust her.”
“I …” My comment was cut off when I watched Isla reach into her pocket and pull out the purple envelope she’d been hiding for weeks.
Leaning forward I tried to listen, cursing the family who were squealing excitedly as the hippo waddled along the side of the pond.
“Charlotte.”
“Yeah, honey?”
“I got this for you,” Isla said, holding out the envelope in trembling fingers.
“What is it?” Charlotte asked, holding it in her hands, smiling. Isla had worked on the envelope at Mrs. Neal’s for days. Drawing pictures, making comments.
Isla looked at me, fear written all over her face. I nodded at her, trying to share with her what little strength I had left. In truth, my heart was beating out of my chest, making my palms sweaty and my breathing labored.
“Open it,” Isla instructed.
Beside me, Mrs. Neal took my hand and squeezed as I held my breath. Charlotte carefully opened it and pulled out the piece of paper, the adoption papers Isla had asked me to get together a couple of months ago, before putting her hand over her mouth.
“Is this …” Charlotte looked at me and I nodded encouraging her to keep going. “Isla …”
“Will you be my mom, Charlotte?”
I couldn’t sit a second longer. I needed to be right there with them. Ready to pick Isla up and run as far and fast as I could if this all went to shit. Ready to wrap them both in my arms and embrace my family.
“Oh, Isla. I’d love to. I mean, if it’s okay with your dad …”
She looked over at me, tears filling her eyes. Over the years we’d talked about Isla’s mom, and we’d even looked into Selina but she was nowhere to be found. We never told Isla that Charlotte was the one who donated and saved her, but we didn’t need to. Isla idolized Charlotte anyway and Charlotte was Isla’s mom in every way that counted already.
“It’s okay with her dad,” I choked out barely a breath before Charlotte dropped to her knees and hugged Isla so tightly, I didn’t think she was ever going to let go and even I'm man enough to admit, I teared up.
“Thank you,” I whispered into Charlotte’s ear as I wrapped my arms about both of them.
When they finally broke apart, Isla skipped over to Mrs. Neal and told her excitedly what had happened.
“Are you sure about this?”
“She asked me weeks ago.”
“And you agreed?”
“Dad!” Isla called, saving me from the interrogation I knew was coming. “We have to go or we’re going to miss it!”
“Okay! Okay! Keep your pants on.”
“Come on, Mom, let’s go,” Isla tried again, grabbing Charlotte’s hand and half-dragging her down the path.
Charlotte turned back toward me and mouthed the word ‘mom’ before skipping along beside a very, very happy little girl.
Mrs. Neal linked her arm with mine. “One down. One to go.”
“Here’s hoping the next one goes so well.”
“It will,” she promised.
When the giraffe’s long neck came into view, I dug my hand into my pocket and fingered the black box waiting for me to grow a set of balls big enough to follow through. But I had to. Isla had been terrified yet she’d done it. I couldn’t let her down. My future, our future, our family depended on it.
