Chapter 9 - The Call
The crisp chill of late September finally settled over the small town.
Vanessa stood at the front counter of the greenhouse, nervously wiping down the glass.
Her cell phone buzzed loudly against the wooden register.
She stared at the caller ID, her breath suddenly catching in her throat.
It was Mrs. Higgins, the social worker.
Vanessa wiped her trembling, dirt-stained hands on her apron and answered the call.
"Hello?" Vanessa said, her voice barely a fragile whisper.
"Good morning, Vanessa," Mrs. Higgins replied warmly through the receiver.
"I am calling with some very good news from the judge's office."
"Your adoption application for Leo has been officially approved."
Vanessa squeezed her eyes shut as hot, heavy tears immediately spilled over her cheeks.
A profound wave of relief and pure, unadulterated joy washed over her entire body.
"He is officially yours, Vanessa," the social worker continued softly.
"You can come pick him up this afternoon to take him home."
Vanessa could not even formulate a proper sentence through her happy sobs.
"Thank you," she finally managed to choke out.
"Thank you so much for believing in me."
She ended the call and leaned against the counter, crying freely into her hands.
Thomas stepped out from the back storage room, looking deeply concerned.
"Vanessa, what on earth is wrong?" the older man asked quickly.
Vanessa looked up at her boss, a radiant smile breaking through her tears.
"I am going to be a mother today, Thomas," she announced proudly.
Thomas broke into a massive grin and pulled her into a tight, fatherly hug.
"Go get your boy, Vanessa," Thomas told her firmly, his own eyes shining.
An hour later, Vanessa pulled her old, reliable sedan into the agency parking lot.
She practically ran up the concrete steps to the glass front doors.
When she walked into the sterile lobby, Leo was sitting quietly on a plastic chair.
He had a small, worn blue backpack resting at his feet.
In his lap, he carefully balanced the heavy clay pot containing his giant sunflower.
He looked up, his blue eyes searching her face with hesitant, fragile hope.
Vanessa dropped to her knees right there on the tiled floor.
"We did it, Leo," she told him, her voice cracking heavily with emotion.
"You are coming home with me for good."
Leo dropped his backpack and launched himself directly into her open arms.
He buried his face in her shoulder, hugging her tighter than he ever had before.
"I knew you would come get me," Leo whispered fiercely against her neck.
Vanessa held him tightly, breathing in the sweet scent of his messy blonde hair.
The heavy, hollow ache that had haunted her for years was finally, completely gone.
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She had built a real, beautiful life out of the ashes of her biggest mistake.
She was exactly where she was always meant to be.
