The Past Within - Mialotte - TNN

You are strong

A few weeks later, Charlotte was in the middle of a regular workday when her phone rang. She glanced at the screen, seeing the number from social services. With a pit forming in her stomach, she answered.

"Hello?" she said cautiously, stepping out of the nursery office for privacy.

"Hi, Charlotte. This is Mrs. Greene from social services. I'm calling with some news regarding Jemma."

Charlotte's heart raced. "Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Mrs. Greene hesitated for a moment. "Yes, Jemma is fine. But we've recently been contacted by a family who is interested in adopting her. They've been on our list for a while and are looking to welcome a child into their home. They've expressed interest in meeting Jemma."

The words hit Charlotte like a ton of bricks. She felt her legs weaken, and she reached out for the wall to steady herself. "Someone wants to adopt her?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Mrs. Greene confirmed gently. "We're still in the early stages, and nothing is decided yet. But I wanted to inform you, given your role as her foster parent."

Charlotte could barely breathe. Her mind swirled with the thought of Jemma being taken away from them, from her. Jemma had become her world in such a short time. She had become her daughter, and the idea of losing her was unbearable.

"I... I don't know if I can do that," Charlotte finally managed to say. "I can't lose her. She's our baby."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "I understand this is difficult, Charlotte," Mrs. Greene said softly. "I know how much you and Mia care for Jemma. I want you to know that the decision isn't final, and you have the option to apply for permanent guardianship or adoption as well. I can send you the details."

Charlotte swallowed hard. "Please do," she said quietly. "We want to adopt her. I can't imagine her with anyone else."

Mrs. Greene's tone softened even more. "I'll get everything ready for you. Just take some time to think things through and talk it over with Mia."

After hanging up, Charlotte stood there for a moment, trying to process everything. Tears filled her eyes, and her chest tightened. She couldn't let Jemma go. The thought of anyone else being her mother felt like a dagger in her heart.

She quickly dialed Mia's number, needing to hear her voice. When Mia answered, Charlotte's words came tumbling out, her voice cracking with emotion. "Mia, they want to adopt Jemma. Someone else wants to take her."

Mia was silent for a moment, likely processing the shock herself. "Wait, what?" she finally asked, her voice filled with disbelief. "They can't just take her, Char. She's ours."

"I know," Charlotte said, her voice breaking. "But I don't know what to do. I can't lose her, Mia. I just can't."

"You won't lose her," Mia said firmly, though Charlotte could hear the emotion in her voice too. "We won't let that happen. We'll do whatever it takes. We'll fight for her, okay?"

Charlotte nodded, even though Mia couldn't see her. "Okay," she whispered, feeling a small sense of reassurance from Mia's words. "We'll fight for her."

"We will," Mia promised. "We're her moms, Char. We're not giving up on her."

Hanging up, Charlotte wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. She had to stay strong—for Jemma, for Mia, and for their family. They would do whatever it took to keep Jemma with them, no matter what.

That night, as they sat together on the couch, Mia held Charlotte close. "We've come this far, Char," Mia said softly. "We're not letting her go."

Charlotte nodded, her heart heavy but full of determination. "She's our little girl," she whispered. "We're going to make sure she stays with us."