Stronger

Mine

The next morning I awoke to another phone call from Louise's room, the same as yesterday, but this one was much later, eight o clock.

We did the same thing as yesterday, but today I didn't want to go out for breakfast so I ordered Lily I muffins from room service.

The clothes I brought for today are the nicest ones of the trip.

Lily and Kinley have matching Christmas dresses due to the adoption ceremony here in France.

For me, I chose a red sweater dress with black leggings and a black scarf.

There will be another, more formal adoption ceremony with a judge and everything back home in Texas, but this one is special, It's just for me, Lily, and Kinley.

Since it's cold, I decide to put white footed leggings underneath Lily's dress and packed some in Kinley's diaper bag, and I bundled Lily into her thick coat.

At 9:30, We were finally on our way to make Kinley a part of our forever family.

Lily still hasn't talked since last night.

I think she's afraid that if she says something wrong, we won't go get Kinley.

Once we pull into the parking lot of the orphanage, a sense of tranquility washes over me.

I'm getting my daughter, and I'm taking her into my family. Forever.

Lily looks up at me and takes my hand gently, leading us into the building.

Rather than being sent back to the toy room, Louise leads us down the the opposite hallway from yesterday.

We walk into a room that turns out to be a tiny chapel.

The woman who videoed us yesterday is here again and I hand her my phone with the camera app already pulled up.

We barely wait any time before a man comes into the room and shakes our hands, Lily shaking back extremely hesitant, but that's to be expected.

"Hello Mademoiselle, Madam."He addresses both Lily and when he shakes our hands. His French accent is much thicker than anyone else I've met during our trip here, almost like he's trying too hard.

"I am Priest Gabriel, call me Gabe. I'll be performing the adoption ceremony today. We know you want to get out of here and start your lives, so we try and make this short and to the point. First, we will bring Kinley in, and then I perform the ceremony to give you your first set of rights. You will say you agree to raise her well, blah blah blah. Once you get back in your home country, full guardianship rights will be granted to you by a judge. Okay?" I can just barely understand the man through his accent, but nod in reply.

"Alright, we will bring in your child, Kindallyn, and start the service in just a moment." He says.

Sure enough, in just a second, a door off the platform opens and a woman holding Kinley steps out.

Lily and I are ushered to the front of the room, in between the two short isles of pews.

"All rise." The priest says, though there are only seven people in the room. They do as told, and soon he begins to speak.

"Today we are celebrating the placement of a precious child with a new family, one that will protect her lead her throughout life, raising her to be a strong young woman. This child is Kindallyn Rae Caughvester. This loving family is consisted of by two, Emily Mariegh Jacobs, and Lilyanne Hope Caughvester, Lilyanne being of biological blood to the adoptee. Please bring the child forth, to the right side of me. Adopting family, please step forth, to the left side of me."

Lily's last name is not Caughvester, It's Jacobs. That was established a month ago. The papers were signed.

How would he even know the last name anyways?

Everyone once again does as they're told, and I'm standing within touching distance of Kinley. All I want to do is reach out and touch her, grab her, and take her with me. Right now.

"Ms. Jacobs, do you declare today, on the fourteenth day of December, that you will raise Kindallyn Rae as she was born to you, raise her in honesty and goodness, and love her unconditionally as long as you both shall live?"

"Yes." I say. This ceremony is starting to sound strange, like a wedding all most.

"And you will give her the best life you possibly can, not matter what that means you must do?"

"Umm, Yes." This adoption ceremony is going nothing like I thought it would, and doesn't seem to be the sweet and simple ceremony the priest was talking about.

I look into the back of the chapel at Louise. She almost looks to be panicked, as she's frantically typing into her phone.

I begin to get worried and tighten my grip on Lily's hand.

The woman holding Kinley doesn't look alarmed in the slightest though, so I assure myself that nothing is wrong, and loosen my grip on Lily before I grip her so tightly it hurts her, that's the last thing I want.

Maybe Louise is just having some personal issues, even if it's a little unprofessional to deal with them now.

"Now we will do the sibling passages, step forward, swap sides with your mother Lilyanne." He says.

I nervously swap places with my daughter, rubbing her back as we switch to let her know it's all alright, but I really think I'm just trying to assure myself of that.

"Okay Lilyanne," Gabriel takes a pause.

"It's time to go back to daddy!"

The words are sickening as I realize what he means.

The man tears Lily off of the ground, causing everyone to scream except the woman holding Kinley.

I lunge for my oldest child and fly onto the man, knocking him down.

Someone hits a button causing sirens to wail, and out of the corner of my eye I see Kinley being whisked out the door by the woman who was holding her.

"NOOOOOOO!" I screech at the top of my lungs.

The man throws me off of him, he rips my hand from Lily's ankle as he's much stronger than me.

I run towards him again but using a free hand he punches my right eye. For a second, I can't open it.

With my left eye, I see Lily disappear out the door. I scream some more and race out the door after my daughter, Louise following behind me.

My vision in my eye comes back and I can see the door fly open, my children being dragged through it.

"LILY! KINLEY!" I scream at the top of my lungs as I fly through the door after them.

I will not lose them.

Suddenly, I hear sirens wailing, as well as an array of cuss words.

The woman with Kinley stops just long enough to look for the direction of the sirens, but it's long enough for me and other orphanage employees to catch up and tackle my baby out of her arms.

But the man with Lily continues to run towards the thick woods in front of the orphanage.

I can hear Lily screaming for me, begging the man to let her go, for me to save her.

I grab Kinley and continue to chase the man with the two year old in my arms.

Other people are in front of me, chasing after the man.suddenly, a police car comes barreling through the wood and knocks down the man with Lily.

He lets go of my daughter as she flies out of his grasp, and up into to the air.

As she falls back to the ground,tree limbs scratch her face.

My energy drains.

I fall onto my knees on the forest floor, and everything shuts down.

Dun dun dunnnn

Sorry this update was a little short, but it sure was action packed! What's going to happen to Lily?

Kisses ya'll!