Friends With Benefits

25

The day they received the call came unexpectedly, just as most life-changing moments do. Ben was finishing up in the OR while Miranda was sitting at her desk, deep into paperwork when her phone buzzed. Seeing it was from the social worker, her heart skipped a beat. She answered cautiously, not wanting to get her hopes too high.

The social worker's tone was warm, carrying a hint of excitement. "Dr. Bailey, I have some wonderful news for you and your husband. The paperwork has gone through, and everything is finalized. You and Dr. Warren are officially approved to adopt Adira."

Miranda's hand flew to her mouth as her eyes welled with tears. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, taking in the magnitude of the news. "Are you serious?" she managed to say, her voice breaking slightly.

"It's official," the social worker confirmed. "Congratulations, Mom."

For a moment, Miranda couldn't speak. Her throat tightened with emotion, and she could feel tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely steady. After hanging up, she sat in stunned silence for a beat, letting the words sink in. Adira was theirs. Officially, permanently, in every possible way.

When Ben walked in later, she stood up, unable to contain her excitement. "Hey," he said casually "Wanna grab—"

"We got the call," she blurted out, cutting him off mid-sentence. The words hung in the air for a second before he registered what she meant.

He froze, staring at her, eyes wide. "Wait... you mean...?"

She nodded, grinning through tears. "We can adopt her, Ben. Adira's ours."

Without hesitation, he crossed the room, scooping her up into his arms, spinning her around in sheer joy. "She's ours," he repeated, as if saying it out loud made it all the more real.

They quickly made calls to family and friends, sharing the good news with everyone who had been part of their journey. Miranda's parents were thrilled, and Ben's sisters were already planning a party. Uncle Leroy's booming laugh filled the phone when Ben told him, "She's a Warren, time to buy a gun and protect your little girl, nephew" Callie and Arizona insisted on hosting a celebration, but Miranda asked if they could keep it intimate for now—just close family, for Adira's sake.

Later that evening, they went to the daycare and went straight to Adira, who was peacefully napping. Ben gently picked her up, cradling her against his chest. As she blinked sleepily up at him, he whispered, "Hey there, little one. Guess what? You're officially a Warren now."

Miranda stood beside him, her hand on his shoulder as she gazed down at their daughter. "Let's go home, Adira Warren," she said softly.

At home after putting Adira to bed, they sat together in the living room, the quiet peace of the evening wrapping around them. Ben glanced at Miranda, his hand resting on hers, his voice low and tender. "We did it," he whispered. "After everything... she's ours."

Miranda smiled softly, her eyes fixed on the baby monitor where they could see Adira's tiny form sleeping soundly in her crib. "She is," she replied, squeezing his hand. "Our little miracle."

 "You know, I've never felt more complete than I do right now."

 "Neither have I."

"Hey, do you want to know something I found out?"

Miranda raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "What do you have to say?"

"Terry and Veronica got married," he said, his tone casual but watchful, as if gauging her reaction.

 "What? How do you know that?" The question slipped out before she could even consider the weight of it.

He shrugged, leaning back against the couch. "I saw it on Facebook after Uncle Leroy mentioned it to me."