Sunday Nov16

Bobbie tossed and turned all night after hearing the news about the daughter she gave up. She found herself missing Alex again; he was such a good father. She thought about Peter and how sad it was. She worked through her shame and regret years ago and decided she just had to support her new daughter as best she could now that she was sick.

She entered the hospital and made her way to Eddie’s office. He was there, talking to a coworker about Henrietta’s case.

“It’s OK, this is my mom and she’s also the patient’s mother.” Said Eddie

Even though Etta was his sister, it was felt that under the circumstances Eddie could continue treating her impartially. All Bobbie could feel is regret that Eddie missed his chance to have a big sister.

She told herself to pull it together, I have to be strong for this woman, she has a lot on her plate. She followed him down the hall to a room where a woman lay in a hospital bed. Bobbie settled into a chair and looked at her sleeping daughter. Right away she could see Peter in her features. She had her own Dad’s nose though. She was dangerously thin but had obviously been beautiful.

Henrietta woke up and looked at her.

“I’m Bobbie, I am your birth mother I’m sorry you’re so sick.”

Henrietta nodded. “You are what I imagined. You can all me Etta. I have dreamed of meeting you a long time. I used to dream that you would come and visit me and take me to your house to live with your family and later I just dreamed that you’d find me and be my friend.”

Tears were falling down Bobbie’s face. “We will surely be friends Etta. I thought about you so much and hoped you were happy. When I got married, I went to look at adoption records but they were sealed. Were you happy?”

“It was never your fault. When I was 2, we were in a car accident and my beautiful parents were killed. I went to live with my adoptive grandma and she was loving and kind. She got sick and I needed to go into foster care when she died. I was 14. I was in some pretty rough places; I ran away a few times but my grandmother had an education trust for me that my foster parents couldn’t touch. Things got so much better when I went to university.” Etta stopped and motioned for water.

Bobbie held her hand. “I’m so sorry, I wish I was there for you when your grandma died.”

“That’s not important now, I have one request for you though. I have a 2-year-old daughter named Madison. She can’t go in the system. I need you to care for her and protect her and raise her as if she was your own.”

Bobbie squeezed her hand. She was overwhelmed with old regret for not caring for her own daughter and now, would do anything for her. “Oh Etta you are both really my own.”

Etta seemed to be fading. “I have some money for her, just call my lawyer and get her.” She pointed to some paperwork on the bed tray. Bobbie looked at it and saw it was official adoption records and all she had to do was sign them and register them and she would have Madison. Etta really thought this through.

Etta closed her eyes and Bobbie sat there and quietly talked about all the cousins and aunts and uncles and grandma great and great uncles Madison would have. All the Friday night dinners and family birthday parties and busy Christmases she would have and she watched a tear slide out of Etta’s eye. The little machine beside her started to beep and people rushed into the room. Bobbie stood back as the nurses tried to resuscitate her and Eddie came in looking concerned.

Another machine started making noise and Eddie told the team to stop. It was no use Etta was gone.

Bobbie was still holding the adoption papers and she walked slowly back to Eddie’s office, sat on his couch, began crying and started to sob. The sobbing increased and she held herself and rocked and sobbed for a few minutes. She heard Eddie come in and try and talk to her but she couldn’t stop sobbing. Finally, Eddie called Charlie and they thought she might need a sedative. She continued to sob awhile they debated and Trixie arrived. Eddie must have called her. Trixie sat and hugged her. She talked soothing tones while Bobbie sobbed. Eventually the sobbing slowed and Bobbie tried to talk but was interrupted by the intermittent sobs. “OH.” She said brokenly. “This… is quite en….ough crying!”

Charlie picked up the adoption papers and looking surprised asked Bobbie if she was really going to adopt Etta’s child.

“It…is…the least…I… can do… She’s your niece Charlie!” Said Bobbie emphatically. Trixie handed her some water and Bobbie drank deeply, finding the swallowing motion was helping her regulate the sobs. She gave a big sigh and looked at Trixie. “We have to go get her and explain that her mummy is gone.”

Trixie squeezed her eyes shut and said “OK Bobbie but this is all a bit overwhelming.”

Bobbie asked Charlie for the papers and called the lawyer’s office in the letterhead.

After a brief conversation she looked at Trixie and said “let’s go.” They drove in silence and finally Bobbie asked. “Will you be the best auntie ever?”

Trixie glanced over. “Of course. We’ll all help, Bobbie. This child will truly have a village.”

They arrived at the law office which was actually an old house and were met by an older man who introduced himself as Paul Goodly. They moved into his office and he asked them to sit. Bobbie handed him the paperwork and he thanked her and then he sighed and asked if they had any questions.

Trixie asked. “Is there a father in the picture?”

“No Etta really wanted a child and was artificially inseminated and used a sperm bank”.

“So does Madison have any other family at all?”

The lawyer shook his head. “Etta was an only child and her parents had no extended family other than his mother. She was my client but passed leaving Etta all alone. And now Maddy is alone.”

“She’s not alone now.” Said Bobbie quietly.

The lawyer said he would get her and he left and came back holding a little girl. She was about 2 and looked tired. She had a worn looking bunny under her arm and perked up and looked at Bobbie and Trixie with curiosity.

Bobbie knelt down and said, “Come here Maddy you don’t know me but I’m your grandma. Maddy squirmed away from the lawyer and walked over to Bobbie. Bobbie spread her arms and hugged her and Maddy snuggled her against her shoulder.”

Trixie whispered “she’s so trusting”.

The lawyer explained that she had been staying with his own daughter’s family and they had told her about her grandma and how nice she was and how she would take her home. A woman brought several bags into the room and smiled before leaving.

Bobbie raised her eyebrows. “Did Etta know about me?”

The lawyer nodded.

The lawyer handed her a copy of the adoption papers. “This is all in order. You have Maddy and all her things so you can take her now. I will contact you about her trust.” He also handed Bobbie his card and said “Maybe you can send us an update on how she’s doing once in a while?”

Bobbie looked at the card. “Thank you for caring for her and please thank your family too. I’ll be sure to update you frequently Mr. Goodly.”

The older gentleman smiled. “You can call me Paul.”

Among her things was a child’s car seat. Bobbie set it up in her back seat. She Bobbie went back in the office and Maddy and her luggage were loaded into the car. Trixie decided to sit in the back with Maddy who’s seat faced the front seat.

Trixie chatted to Maddy as they drove back to the hospital to get her car. “So, this is your grammas car and I’m your Aunt Trixie. I’ll help out, when your gramma wants me to. And I’ll get you great birthday presents and we can have tea parties. You have nice cousins to meet too. Suzy is about your age. You guys will be friends I bet.” Trixie kept talking and Maddy slept all the way to the hospital.