Dash pats our faces with a giggle of glee.
“From now on, we’ll do the hard things together.” Max takes my hand in his.
Those words crack my heart in two and let me know we’ll be okay because we’re doing it together.
Paisley rushes to the door as we walk up. “Good, I’m so glad you’re both here. Tallulah wanted to talk to the person caring for her son. She’s in my office. Here, let me take Dash. You two can go right in.” Paisley lifts the baby from my arms.
It takes everything in me not to snatch him back.
Max wraps an arm around me.
We can do this.
There’s a child waiting inside for us. She can’t be more than thirteen or fourteen. The bruise on her face tells a story I’ve seen far too many times.
Max’s body goes tense next to mine.
“Hello, Tallulah. I’m Fiona, and this is Max. We’ve been taking care of Dash.”
The girl shrinks back. “Is he okay? Has he been eating?”
“Dash is perfect. He’s eating, sleeping, and growing. He’s a very happy baby.”
She smiles. “That’s what Paisley said. She said a lot of things. Like the paper they put in the bassinet. Is it true? Can you make me safe like you made him safe?”
My heart breaks. “It’s true. The moment you set foot on Willow Street, you were safe. No one will hurt you here. We’ll protect you and your baby.”
Tallulah sighs.
“I’m sure Paisley told you what’s available to help you raise your child—”
“She did. But I don’t want to raise him. That’s not true. I’d love to be able to raise him. But I’m not old enough. I’m barely ready to be a teenager. There’s no way I can take care of Dash the way he needs. The way he deserves. And by the time I’m old enough to take care of him…” She shakes her head. “It would be wrong to make him wait to have a stable home and family. Dash shouldn’t have to wait. Paisley said you two might be open to adopting him.”
My head can’t process the words she just said.
“We are,” Max answers.
Tallulah nods. “Could I ask one thing of you? Paisley mentioned this thing called open adoptions. It’s where the child knows who their parent is. And sometimes the parent gets updates and stuff like that. I’d like one of those. I just want to know he’s okay. I won’t get in the way. I just want him to know that I love him and wanted him to have the best life. Would that be possible?”
“We’d love that.” Max’s body relaxes for the first time.
“Good. Paisley said we can get the paperwork done quickly, but that you would keep taking care of him until it’s done.”
“We will.”
“Good.”
Paisley walks in with Dash in her arms like she was listening at the door.
She probably was. “I thought you might want to give Dash a hug before we take you over to the doctors.” Paisley walks over to Tallulah.
***
An eternity later, we step outside, with Dash on Max’s one side and me on the other. “Tell me that happened. I didn’t just dream it. We get to keep Dash.” My life never works like this.
“We get to keep Dash. Forever.”
Tears fall… “Tallulah doesn’t realize what she just signed up for, does she?”
