the girl who lost things

part five

Flashback

I walked into the break room and found Derry waiting for me, sipping his coffee. He looked up as I entered, a questioning look in his eyes.

"How did it go with the kids?" he asked.

"Molly's mom is taking her back. It's a relief to see some good come out of this mess," I said, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"And what about Jessie?" Derry's question lingered in the air. I knew this was coming.

"I've been thinking about it, Derry," I said, taking a seat across from him. "I want to adopt Jessie."

He raised an eyebrow, his face a mix of surprise and concern. "Are you sure about this, Prentiss? It's a big responsibility."

"I know it is," I replied, my voice steady. "But Jessie needs someone stable in her life, someone who genuinely cares for her. She's been through enough."

Derry leaned back in his chair, contemplating my words. "You're a good cop, Prentiss. But being a parent... that's a whole different ball game."

"I'm ready for it," I insisted. "I want to give her a real home, something she's never had. She deserves that chance."

Derry sighed, setting his coffee cup down. "Alright, if you're sure about this. Just know that it's not going to be easy. But I think you'd make a great mom."

"Thanks, Derry," I said, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. "I appreciate your support."

Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a text from the social worker handling Michael's case.

Liam's distant relatives have agreed to take him in. They'll be arriving tomorrow to pick him up.

I showed the text to Derry. "Looks like Liam will be good to go soon."

"Good," Derry said, standing up. "Those kids deserve better."

We both left the break room and headed back to the office. I walked over to where Jessie was playing quietly with her toys. She looked up at me with those big, hopeful eyes.

"Hey, Jessie," I said, crouching down to her level. "How would you like to come and live with me?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Really? You mean it?"

"I mean it," I said, smiling. "We can be a family."

Jessie threw her arms around me, and I hugged her tightly, feeling a sense of purpose and joy that I hadn't felt in a long time.

Derry watched from a distance, a small smile on his face. He nodded approvingly before turning back to his desk.

As I held Jessie, I knew that this was the start of a new chapter for both of us. A chapter filled with hope, healing, and the promise of a brighter future.

Later that evening, I sat down to fill out the adoption paperwork. The social worker had provided a detailed list of everything I needed to complete. As I worked through the forms, I couldn't help but think about the journey that had brought Jessie and me to this point.

Derry came over, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Need any help with that?"

"Actually, yeah," I admitted, handing him a few papers. "Can you double-check these for me?"

He nodded and took the papers, scanning them carefully. "Everything looks good so far. Just remember, this is going to be a process. There will be home visits, evaluations, all that."

"I know," I said, determination in my voice. "I'm ready for it."

Jessie came over and sat next to me, watching as I filled out the forms. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm making it official," I said, smiling at her. "We're going to be a family."

She beamed at me, her eyes shining with happiness. "I can't wait."

As I continued with the paperwork, I felt a sense of contentment and anticipation. This was just the beginning of a new life for Jessie and me. We had a long road ahead, but we would face it together.