12/10/2024
WE ADOPTED A 4-YEAR-OLD GIRL — A MONTH LATER, SHE CAME TO ME AND SAID, "MOMMY, DON'T TRUST DADDY."
A month had flown by since we officially became a family of three. After months of planning, submitting forms, and background checks, Richard and I finally brought little Jennifer home. She was shy but had a spark we hoped would soon shine through. As her mother, I was ready to give her all the love she deserved.
Richard was thrilled. After years of heartbreak trying to start a family, adoption felt like fate when we met Jennifer. But just weeks into our new life, I noticed something unsettling. Jennifer clung to me tightly, eyeing Richard with a strange wariness. I told myself she was just adjusting.
Then, one afternoon, as I folded laundry, Jennifer looked up at me, her voice soft. "MOMMY," she whispered, "DON'T TRUST DADDY!"
Her words rooted me to the ground, my heart pounding. There was no malice, only a quiet, childlike warning. Kneeling, I asked gently, "Why, sweetie?"
Her lips curved into a sad, tiny smile before answering.⬇️