After trying to conceive for a very long time and failed over and over again, adoption was our last choice of becoming parents. So, following a bunch of interviews with plenty of adoption agencies, we adopted the most beautiful girl there was, Jennifer.
This 4-year-old beauty made our world much better. She added joy to our everyday life and filled the void in our hearts that we had for many years.
Our family was a picture perfect one. Every day was a new adventure; every moment was a new memory both Richard and I knew we would cherish forever.
One day, Richard proposed we go get some ice-cream together. Jennifer seemed excited. But it looked like she was waiting for me to agree before she was ready to nod her head in agreement. Richard tried to make her feel as comfortable as possible, asking her which flavor she wanted, and treating her to whatever she wished.
Jennifer, however, acted oddly. She was squeezing my hand all the time, and I believed she was still trying to get used to us, especially Richard.
That night, as I was putting her to sleep, this lovely girl we adopted said something that left me completely puzzled.
“Mommy,” she whispered. “Don’t trust Daddy.”
She was serious and worried when she gave me that warning.
However, knowing how much Richard tried to be a good dad, I decided not to pay much attention, although I found it hard to ignore Jennifer’s words completely.
A couple of days passed by, and I was still thinking about what my girl had told me. As I was preparing dinner, I heard Richard getting inside the house. It was never my intention to eavesdrop, but curiosity got the better of me and I stood still in order to overhear Richard’s conversation. “Make sure Maria doesn’t find out about it,” he said. “But I need to be more careful around Jennifer or she may ruin my plan.”
“Oh, my God,” I thought to myself. “Could Jennifer be right about Richard?”
I decided not to confront him, but I simply couldn’t stay still so I told him about Jennifer’s warning and that I overheard his conversation.
Disappointed, he said he wasn’t doing anything bad. Upon my insistence, he revealed that he was organizing a huge birthday party for me with the help of his brother. He wanted this birthday to be celebrated big because it was my first with a child in my life.
I felt ashamed. I knew I should have never doubted that special man who meant the world to me.
However, the surprise wasn’t really ruined because I did get the best celebration party I could ever imagine. When we adopted Jennifer, we made the best decision. Life felt good and I was thankful for my family.