Giving In

Chapter 23

"Jackson, are you sure I look okay? I am so nervous. What if she doesn't like me? What if she doesn't want Liam to live with us because we are having babies soon? What if I lose my chance to see my first-born son?" Kay asked Jackson while pacing the bedroom floor, repeatedly looking at herself in the mirror of her vanity.

"Baby girl, settle down. You are amazing and successful, and they will love you. If Liam has to move in with anyone, she would be crazy not to choose you. You need to relax babe. Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Jackson asked her.

"I would love to have you come with me, but I'm not sure if Marissa was wanting to meet with just me the first time. I don't know the process we're going to have to go through, or how long she has. I'm assuming if she's planning for what happens when she's gone, her cancer must be pretty progressed. I don't want to get my hopes up, but I sure hope I get to know my son and be in his life." Kay wiped tears from her eyes and cleared her throat.

"It will all work out the way it's supposed to, baby. Just breathe. I love you; please call me when you're all done so I know you're okay." Jackson walked Kay out to her car and watched her drive off before heading to the restaurant to try to take his mind off of what was going to happen.Kay pulled up to the coffee shop and sat in the car for a minute while she tried to calm her nerves. After giving herself a pep talk and sending Jackson a text to let him know that she made it safely, she got out of the car and made her way into the coffee shop and let the barista know that she was there to meet with Marissa. She was directed to a table in the back corner and made her way there slowly while trying not to panic.

"Marissa? I'm Kay." She introduced herself as she approached.

"Kay, it's so nice to meet you. Please, have a seat and join me."

"I'm so sorry that these are the circumstances that we had to meet. I hope you know that although I never wanted to have to give up my baby, I knew that I was not in a place to be able to raise him and I have never regretted my decision of choosing you to be his mom. From what Gabrielle has told me, you have been the best mom and he is the luckiest little boy in the world to have you." Kay wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I never wanted him to have to experience losing his parents."

"Losing my husband was really hard on him, and I'm sure losing me won't be any easier but unfortunately it's coming pretty quickly. My cancer is rapidly spreading and at this point there's no stopping it. I only have a couple months left if I'm lucky. I know that you were young when you had him, and I know you weren't in a situation that allowed for you to provide for him then, but I'm really hoping that things are different now. I'd much rather put his family back together instead of having to put him in the system. My parents are much too old to take him, and I'm an only child. My husband was also an only child and his parents have already passed on. We have no one that could take him, and I'm really hoping that you'd be a good fit for him. You're his blood and he deserves to know you." Marissa and Kay were both in tears.

"My situation is much better than it was, and I would love nothing more than to have him in my life. It's all I have ever dreamed of."

"It's going to be a very quick process, but not an easy one. There will be a background check done, home visits by social workers, supervised visits, overnight visits, and then get him transitioned to spending more time with you. We have to move as quickly as possible to make sure everything is done before my time is up, otherwise they will put him in foster care until the process is complete."

"I understand. I will do whatever it takes. My fiancé and I are prepared to do anything and everything we need to do." Kay assured her.

"There's a lot of paperwork." Marissa handed Kay a folder. "In here is the background paperwork and the contact information on who you will need to contact to set up the home visits. I would like to meet your fiancé as well."