Thank you Paula!! I glanced at the girl snuggled in my arms. I didn’t want her to be pressured with all this ‘daughter’ talk, she was only four and it hadn’t been that long since Sherry left. Mia glanced at me with questioning eyes. She didn’t look angry or sad, she looked as if she was questioning the authenticity of the word.

“Ashy… do I call you mommy?”

“Only if you want to hunny, you don’t have to”

“I want to………….Mommy, when are we going to see mommy?”

                     I looked at all the people that surrounded us. I still don’t know what to say to her.

“Mia, hunny, I don’t know… “

“K…”

                               She must be used to this response, because she just snuggled back into my neck. Even with the situation at hand, I couldn’t help the swell in my heart the word ‘mommy’ gave me. Mia was my life and I loved her with everything. I turned to Spencer and explained.

“Mia, baby, this is Spencer…. Spencer this is my adoptive daughter Mia”

                   Mia looked between Spencer and I and then back. Unlike with Mr. C, Mia immediately oustreached her hand and smiled.

“I, Mia”

“Hi Mia, it’s a pleasure to meet you. She‘s very beautiful Ash.”

                         Mia giggled and shyly ducked her head into my neck. After a moment of hiding her red cheeks, Mia sqwirmed to be let down. I gently brought her to the ground and watched curiously as she interacted with Spencer. Mia circled her and began speaking.

“You look familiar, Pencer”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I just cant…… wait!”

“What is it?”

“You’re the girl in the pictures in mommy’s wallet”

“I am?”

                      Oh ho…. Spencer looked at me with questioning eyes. Its true I still had pictures of her in my wallet, how pathetic. I always carried them with me, that’s what’s even more pathetic. Mia came over to me and started reaching for my back pocket for my wallet. Yes I keep my wallet in my back pocket. Yes I know I’m such a dude. Whatever. I plead with Mia.

“Mia hunny….. I don’t think Spencer really want to see it…..”