Free Dear Emily (Forever Family) by Trudy Stiles Page A

healing and recovery.
    “The family you dream of is around the corner,” she says softly. “I just know it.”
    I continue to hold her hand as we watch the latest news in silence. I spend about an hour with her, and I am reluctant to leave. Eventually, I get up and kiss her cold, sunken cheek. “I love you Aunt Frankie,” I whisper to her.
    She died the next day.
    My eyes are full of unshed tears as I think about Aunt Frankie and the fight that she lost. God I miss her. She believed in my ability to be a terrific mother. I smile as I think of all that she fought for, and I can only hope to make her proud as Kyle and I raise Emily.
    I look around the restaurant and I see a family sitting at a table across the room. They all look so happy. Their little boy, who couldn’t be more than two, is sitting in a high chair, and he is thoroughly covered in marinara sauce. He’s got spaghetti wrapped around his little fingers, and he’s smiling ear to ear. His parents are softly talking to each other while their little boy is enjoying his meal. Perfect. Simple.
    I didn’t notice Tabitha slip into the chair across from me. She is smiling tightly and quietly says, “Hi.”
    “Oh, hey!” I say quickly.
    She realizes that she interrupted me eavesdropping on the family across the restaurant. “I’m sorry,” she says.
    I smile quickly and shake my head. “No worries. I was just watching that cute little boy over there. He’s a mess!” I giggle a little as I gesture toward the family.
    She cranes her neck to see the family that I’m stalking. “Adorable,” she says.
    We sit awkwardly and quietly for several minutes before she speaks up.
    “Are you ready? I mean, ready for the baby?” she asks.
    “Yes!” I exclaim. “We are so ready, Tabitha. Gosh, the room is ready and painted pink!” I take my phone out to show her the pictures I took of Emily’s room. She scrolls through the photos while turning my phone to get a better look at the room.
    “Wow, it’s awesome!” she says. “I love her name painted in white on the pink walls. It’s such a nice contrast. Her crib is beautiful.” It’s an off-white crib with flowers carved into the woodwork. We’ve set up the bedding that is a gorgeous Wendy Bellissimo pattern with flowers and safari print. It’s a perfect combination of girly and modern. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it and immediately ordered everything from the collection. I definitely tend to over-do it sometimes.
    She hands me back my phone and turns to the waitress who just arrived at our table. We order our meals and sit quietly facing each other. GAH! What are we going to talk about? I’m feeling slightly awkward that I just showed her pictures of her daughter’s room. I hope I didn’t make her as uncomfortable as I feel.
    “So, how are you feeling?” I ask. That is original, not making this any less awkward!
    “I’m good. I’m getting more and more tired as the days go by. I’m huge! I wasn’t this big with my first pregnancy.”
    What? First pregnancy?
    “Oh,” I say. What else can I say? She just dropped a bombshell on me. Another pregnancy?
    “I should explain.” She stops to gather her thoughts. “I had Sara, my other little girl, two years ago. I had to give her up.” Her eyes are darting all over the restaurant, and I realize that she didn’t mean to tell me this, and now she’s nervous. I’m so confused and disturbed by her revelation that I start to fidget in my seat and rub my hands on my jeans.
    “I couldn’t keep her. I was in a really bad place. I don’t even know where she is, who her parents are. I didn’t get to choose them like I did you. I didn’t tell the agency about this because, well, it’s embarrassing. I mean who gives up two children?” She looks down at her napkin and she starts pulling it apart unconsciously. Tearing little bits of paper from the napkin and leaving them on the table. She chose us though, and that’s what matters.
    “I’m