Doctor Adopts Boy Found on Street, His Ex-Con Bio Mom Appears Unexpectedly – Story of the Day

When the birth mother of her adopted son, Bobby, appeared and wanted him back, Emily promised to fight back. On the other hand, a once-broken woman, Lily, who abandoned her boy, got the chance to be a mother again. But who deserved to be Bobby's mom?

"Bobby! You're not so little anymore," Emily laughed as her son crawled into her arms on the couch. He was already four years old and getting heavier every day. However, she refused to push him away. He would always be her baby.

Bobby fell asleep quickly on her chest as she stroked his hair lovingly. She had a few things to do, so she carried Bobby to his room and went to the couch, where she had just started sorting through their mail. Most of the letters were bills and bank statements, but one was unfamiliar and came from a legal firm.

She opened it quickly and read, and her eyes widened while they moved over the words. "No," Emily breathed after finishing it. She reached for her phone quickly, almost chipping one of her nails while scrambling for it.

"Matthew!" she said when her husband answered, and her voice broke immediately.

"Emily? What's going on? Are you alright? Is Bobby ok?" Matthew asked, panicked because Emily was not an emotional woman.

"Matthew, they want to take him from us!" Emily responded almost ineligibly because her cries were impossible to contain.

"What? Who? Why?" Matthew asked. His voice turned fierce as if braced for a fight.

"We got a letter from a lawyer's office. Bobby’s mom never surrendered her parental rights to him. Our case for custody is based on false information," she continued, sniffing and trying to be clearer.

"What? She can't do that! She abandoned our son IN THE TRASH! Emily, we fight it. Call Mr. Friedman now! We won't let them do this. Bobby is ours!" Matthew stated firmly. He had to go into surgery afterward, so they said goodbye.

After that distressing letter and anxious phone call, Emily remembered when she first found him and cringed internally at the memory. What if I had never gone outside?

As the Chief Administration Office of the city hospital, she had no business going outside, but somehow, she did. Her husband, Matthew, and his team of doctors had tried to save a young child, but they couldn't.

The kid belonged to some neighbors, who Emily always envied because they had the perfect family. But they lost their kid because of a careless mistake, and Emily couldn't take it. She dreamed of being a mother, but it didn't seem biologically possible since she and Matthew had been trying for a long time.

When her husband told her the news, her office was way too stuffy, and she went outside, to the back of the hospital, to try to find some peace or to yell at God, perhaps. Instead, Emily heard crying coming from the huge trash bin.

She rushed to open it only to find a dirty box, and inside was the most gorgeous one-year-old baby anyone had ever seen. Of course, Emily did everything to find the parents. The hospital had connections with the social workers in town.

Emily and Matthew took him in when they couldn't find him and were about to place him in foster care. It was the best decision they had ever made. Three beautiful years had passed, and she could feel the connection with her son as if he was her own.

They named him Bobby as no one could find official records, and they became his legal guardians. They had planned to become his official parents soon, but now they were threatened by some legal technicalities.

Emily did as her husband said and called their lawyer. After speaking with him, she felt a little better. But she still went to Bobby's room and sat beside him. "I will never let anyone take you from your home," she promised, kissing his forehead as he slept soundly.

***

One year ago...

"Listen, I'm not your enemy," Mr. Grady said patiently. "I'm a correctional social worker, and my job is to ensure you return to society properly. No one wants you back here or to relapse on drugs."

"OK," Lyla said, crossing her arms.

She sat across his desk in a dimly lit office. Lyla had been released from prison, but her re-entry into society wasn't going that smoothly. She hadn't taken any drugs, which got her in trouble in the first place, but she wasn't doing well.

"I understand that you don't believe me yet, but I'm here to help," the man in his mid-30s with his corduroy jacket and already-balding head sighed, leafing through some documents on his desk.

"You can't help me. Nobody can. The best I can do is get a job and try to keep going," Lyla said, shrugging. "I don't know why I'm still alive while my son died."

"Your son?" Mr. Grady looked up, surprised.

"Yeah, my baby. I left him in a box inside a trash can to die while I met with my dealer and got high," she admitted, looking down and wetting her dry lips. "I don't deserve to do well."

"Yes, you do," Mr. Grady pursed his lips. "Are you sure your son died?"

"Not exactly. But it's the only possibility," she muttered tightly.

"It's not the only possibility. The entire city would've heard about a dead baby in a trash can from two years ago," the man said, linking his fingers on the desk.

"Maybe, they never found him," Lyla said, refusing to look at him or even entertain what he was suggesting.

"I'll tell you what," Mr. Graby lifted a finger. "I'll contact some people. I know many CPS workers or people in the foster system. I really think your baby might not be gone."

"Please, don't," she whispered painfully and uncrossed her arms. "Don't give me false hope."

"This is not false hope. You haven’t used drugs in a long time. You are not the same person you were a few years ago,” Mr. Grady insisted. "You still need help and support, but I believe in you and have a good eye for people. You just need some work, and if your son is out there, I will fight with you to get him back."

"Really?" Lyla asked, her voice breaking as wet clouded her vision.

"Really. But only if you promise to work on yourself first. You'll need a job and a good home. You'll need to attend your NA meetings and be a model citizen," Mr. Grady continued, giving Lyla a deep stare.

"Alright," she nodded, shifting on her chair to lean closer. "Let's do it. But where do I start?"

Mr. Grady smiled. He knew he had it in her.

One month later…

"How? Oh my God, Mr. Grady!" Lyla cried happily at the news Mr. Grady had just given her. Her son was alive and doing well. They were back in his office, but the atmosphere was much brighter.

A lot had changed for Lyla over the past several weeks. She had a stable job and would soon be able to rent her own place to get out of the halfway house. Her meetings were going well, and she had made friends.

But nothing was as amazing as hearing that her son was alive. She had lived in heartache and shame for two years in jail, thinking she was more than just a junkie.

"He's been in the care of the CAO of the hospital where you left him," the old man read from his files. "Her husband is a doctor, and they took him right in. They named him Bobby."

"His name is Daniel," Lyla said, worried. Her happiness had somewhat dimmed at the news of her son's new parents and his new name.

"What's wrong, Lyla?" Mr. Grady picked up on her tone and was confused. "He's alive. That's all that matters."

"I'll never see him again, Mr. Grady," she continued, biting her lip. "He's with rich people. They won't let him come to me."

"That's not up to them, Lyla. You're the kid's mother. You have rights if you want to enforce them," Mr. Grady shook his head.

Lyla sat back in the chair and looked toward the corner where the correctional social worker kept a bookshelf with folders upon folders. She breathed deeply and bit her tongue.

If a rich family was raising her son, then wasn't he better there? She might be doing well enough, but he had a mom and dad. He could have everything in the world, probably.

Lyla turned back to Mr. Grady. "Wouldn't it be wrong to take him from that kind of family? He'll have so many opportunities with them," she thought, leaning her side to one. "I know I can be a good mother, but I won't be able to give him the future they can. But I’m his real mother, and he should know where he comes from."

"Listen," the older man said. "In my opinion, it's better to fight than to live in regret forever."

Lyla stared unblinkingly at Mr. Grady. She had many regrets in life already, but this was her chance to make things right. She had fought to overcome addiction and triumphed enough to start rebuilding her life. It was time to get her child back.

"Alright. Let's fight," she nodded firmly and smiled.

***

Present…

Emily sat back on the park bench and smiled as Bobby ran around with some of the other kids. There were other moms around, supervising their children. It was the perfect picturesque moment she had dreamed of for a long time.

However, thinking about her currently perfect life brought back her current situation. Their lawyer, Mr. Friedman, had assured her and Matthew that nothing would come out of the lawsuit Bobby's birth mother was launching for custody.

"She has a history of drug use, abandoned her baby in the trash to get high, and was sent to prison," Mr. Friedman scoffed during their last meeting. "I can easily give this case to one of the interns."

Emily was still worried. She would always be worried. She was a mother. On that note, another thought nagged in her brain. Something she hadn't wanted to tell Matthew. She wondered if they shouldn't give the birth mother a chance. Bobby was that woman's flesh and blood. Were they doing the right thing fighting against her? Wouldn't he benefit from meeting her?

Matthew wouldn't understand. He loved that child more than anything, just like her, and he felt a real threat to their status as Bobby's parents. Therefore, she kept quiet, and they would fight against this strange woman, no matter what.

"Mommy! Mommy!" her son slammed into her legs, distracting her from her dark thoughts.

"Bobby! Careful, honey. You could hurt yourself," Emily smiled and caressed his hair. But he wanted to show her something.

"Look! I have a new truck!" he said while lifting the truck to the face. It made sounds and was bright red. But it wasn't his.

"Bobby, where did you get that? Does it belong to another kid?" Emily wondered and started looking around. A kid would cry or scream if her son had stolen from them.

"No, Mommy! Stealing is bad," Bobby said in his sweet voice. "A lady told me it was a gift just for me."

"A lady? What lady?" Emily frowned, still looking around the park.

"The lady in the brown coat," her son continued. "She told me it was my toy. She will give me more toys soon."

Emily finally stood, looking around with a fierce expression. There she was, just outside the park fence and staring straight back. Oh, hell no!

"Mrs. Patkinson, can you watch Bobby for a second?" she asked the kind lady on the adjacent bench, who was there with her grandkids.

"Of course, dear," the older woman smiled, and Emily took off.

The lady in the brown coat saw her coming and started to take off. "Hey! Hey! Stop!" Emily called angrily. "You don't get to walk away just like that."

Lyla stopped. She didn't intend to have a confrontation with her at all. All she wanted was to see her son again and promise him that they would be together again soon. "Yeah?" she asked timidly but firmly.

"What the hell are you doing?" Emily asked, crossing her arms and flaring her eyes. "You think it's ok to come to a playground and talk to my child?"

"He's my child," Lyla said, her timidness slipping away.

"No, he isn't. You abandoned him in a trash bin. He could've died. He could've been killed if I never found him," Emily accused, her torso leaning forward to get her point across. "And you're suing us? Do you think that'll benefit Bobby? We're the only family he's ever known!"

"Circumstances changed. He's my child. He should be with me," Lyla responded, feeling braver. "I made many mistakes, and I won't hide that. I'm sure your lawyer will be happy to repeat every bad thing I've done in my life. But I'm still going to fight. I worked on myself. I deserve to see him."

"No, you don't! He has a big family that has loved him from day one! We cared for him when he got a horrible cold after being in that trash can for hours on a cold night," Emily began, uncrossing her arms. "We were there through all his doctor's appointments. We held him during vaccinations. We taught him how to speak, walk, and everything else. And now, you want to take him away?"

Lyla closed her eyes, containing her emotions. "I'm his mom," she whispered.

"No! You're selfish! I'm his mom!" Emily cried openly. "I'm his mom! This is not fair!"

Finally, Lyla couldn't take it anymore. "I'm not backing down, lady. No matter what you think about me. I deserve to be heard by a judge. I deserve a chance to be his mother again. I had him. He's mine, so I'll see in court!" she stated, trying to sound firm but failing.

Then, she turned around and walked away from Emily. "You won't win!" the hospital CAO yelled desperately.

Emily wanted to believe they would win for many reasons, but she was still worried. When Lyla was out of sight, she composed herself and went back to Bobby, who was sadly enjoying his firetruck way too much for her comfort. But she wouldn't dare take it away from him.

***

Three months later…

"Welcome to your new house, Bobby," Lyla said, lifting her hand and smiling brightly as she and the social worker brought the four-year-old to her apartment.

Against all odds, the courts had given Bobby back to Lyla, even though Emily and Matthew's lawyer was a shark who dug up even more dirt on her. Still, he gave her a chance, and she wouldn't waste it.

The social worker picked up Bobby from his former house and brought him to her so they could start a new life. She felt a pang of guilt for the couple who had watched him, but that was out of her hands. It was time to focus on ensuring that her son felt safe in his new house and got used to his new normal.

That's why she decided to keep calling him Bobby. He was used to that name, and perhaps, they could later fix the paperwork, so Daniel became his second name. But that could all wait. Lyla showed Bobby his new room and watched the boy walk around, staring at everything quietly.

"Is he alright?" Lyla whispered to the social worker, a kind woman named Mrs. Franklin, who sighed at the question.

"It's going to take some time. He didn't take things too well at Mr. and Mrs. Geller's house. He cried and cried for a long time even as we drove away," Mrs. Franklin said, biting her lips. "To their credit, they did their best to make him feel better, but this was not easy."

"I understand," Lyla replied gratefully. "Hey, Bobby. I heard you love nuggets and fries. That's what we're all having for dinner."

Bobby stared up at her with wide eyes. "Are Mommy and Daddy coming?" he asked, starting to grin.

"No, sweetie. It's just us three today," Lyla said, not wanting to crush him fully. He needed time.

Bobby's small grin disappeared. "Why?"

"Because this is your new house. They don't live here," Lyla continued, not knowing what else to say.

"OK," he nodded glumly.

"OK," she repeated. "Why don't we learn how to set the table?"

Lyla and Mrs. Franklin tried to make Bobby laugh for the rest of that night. But he didn't. They tried to distract him, and it only worked sometimes. When it was time for the social worker to leave, the four-year-old began to cry about going home.

Lyla had to hold him tightly so he wouldn't run towards the elevator of her building. But when she let him go, the boy pounded on the door and cried heavily for a while. She called her neighbor so she wouldn't worry about the noise.

Bobby wouldn't even take the ice cream she offered and just kept crying to go home. Mrs. Franklin had told her she had to be patient, but his tears and red face broke her heart. He used his little body to pound on the door with all his strength, and she could only wait and repeat some soothing words.

Finally, he lay down on the floor right next to the door, and after a while, he fell asleep. Lyla carried him to his new bed with the firetruck sheets she had bought and touched his hair. She couldn't bear to leave him, so she lay on his floor and watched him for hours until sleep took her.

But as her eyes got heavier, one thought invaded her: Did I do the right thing?

***

Four weeks later...

"Baby, Anthony called. He wants to know when you'll be back," Matthew coaxed his wife gently. She was lying on their bed, looking away from her husband, as she had since they took Bobby away. Emily had taken some leave from the hospital to deal with the loss of their son.

"Have you found a way to sue Mr. Friedman?" Emily asked, emotionless.

"We're not going to sue our lawyer, Emily," he sighed, rubbing her back. "It wasn't his fault. The judge made a decision, and we need to accept it."

She lifted her torso, turning to look at Matthew. "Accept that our son is gone?" she asked, her face contorting.

"Yes, Emily! Yes! We have to," he snapped. But he wasn't angry. He looked desperate and broken. "If we don't accept it, we won't move on. We're going to die here."

Emily shed several tears, realizing that Matthew was suffering just as she was, but he had tried to hold things together for them. "OK. I'll call Anthony," she agreed, referring to her temporary replacement at the hospital.

Everyone was worried for them, and Emily hadn't answered any calls, trying to deal with her grief. But her husband was right. It was time to move on, so she placed her head on Matthew's chest, and they both breathed slowly, pulling back their feelings as they relied on each other.

Ding Dong!

The loud interruption of their doorbell almost felt new. No one had visited them since the day Bobby was taken.

"I'll go," Matthew said, helping her get up from his chest.

"I'll go too," Emily said. "It's time to get up."

Matthew smiled sadly, but there was a hint of hope as well.

"You?" he asked after answering the door and seeing the woman who had ripped their family apart.

"Lyla?" Emily whispered from behind Matthew. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

"Mommy!" Bobby came rushing into their house and went straight to Emily, hugging her legs tightly.

Emily looked down at her son, her heart filled with all the joy that had been taken away. Matthew's hand had covered his mouth, but he knelt and looked at the boy. "Hey, buddy," he almost stuttered.

"Daddy!" Bobby went into his arms, where he belonged.

They were both so enraptured with Bobby that they didn't notice that the social worker, Mrs. Franklin, was also there with Lyla.

When he was tired of hugging them, Bobby ran to his room, and Emily approached both women in her doorway. "What's happening? Is he ok?"

"He's fine, Mrs. Geller," Mrs. Franklin said reassuringly. "Lyla?"

They all looked at Lyla in confusion, but the younger woman took a deep breath. "You are Bobby's family. He wasn't doing well with me. You are his parents, and he should be with you. I shouldn't have tried to take him back. I'm so sorry. I thought he would do fine after a while," she began, moisture gathering in her eyes.

"Oh," Emily whispered, ashamed at the relief running through her body.

Matthew reached for her waist and pulled her closer as if afraid that Lyla would take her words back. "So, we can have him back?" he wondered.

"Yes," Lyla nodded as tears escaped her eyes. "It's for the best."

Mrs. Franklin chimed in. "I already got an order. You don't have to worry about the previous judgment. This is perfectly legal. But you should probably call your lawyer and start filing to adopt him officially," she explained.

"Would you like to come in?" Emily offered, still unsure.

"No," Lyla shook her head, looking down. "We should go."

"Thank you, Mrs. Geller, but yes, we should go," Mrs. Franklin said, pulling Lyla away carefully and walking back to her car.

"Wait," Emily said, separating from Matthew for a second. "Lyla, would you like to visit sometimes?"

Lyla's eyes widened in shock as the corners of her lips lifted for a second. "Really?"

"Yes," Emily said, getting closer to them. "Bobby has two mothers who only want the best for him. I think it would be great if he had you in his life. I know we fought. I know some things were said in court. I regret that. But let's make things right. Bobby deserves all the love he can get."

Lyla began sobbing openly and fell into Emily's arms. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you."

"Thank you, Lyla. For trying to be better for him," Emily said back. She deserved that much. "And for knowing what he needed. That's all a mother can do for their child."

What can we learn from this story?

• A real mother is a person who cares about the child's well-being over anything else. Emily and Lyla were both Bobby's moms because they loved and wanted him to thrive.
• It's never too late to fix your mistakes. Lyla worked on herself and received a huge chance to get her son back. But it wasn't the right move for her son, so she fixed that mistake.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a woman who adopted an abandoned boy and realized he was her biological brother.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.