Woman Comes to Adopt a Kid and Sees Her Late Son There – Story of the Day

Phoebe faced the unthinkable when she lost her son in an accident. Years later, as she was healing from her wounds, she adopted a boy who looked eerily familiar.

Yawning while keeping her hands on the steering wheel, Phoebe drove home from her parents' house with her son, Ian. She offered to stop for food, but he shook his head.

"No, Mom, I want to get home sooner," he said. "But let me sit in front with you. Pleaaase."

Phoebe nodded but asked for no loud music in exchange. Despite promising, Ian put on something noisy and with too many beats, but it was entrancing. She focused back on the road and sighed, marveling at how similar he was to her late husband.

"Mom, do you have some water?"

"Sure, sweets," Phoebe said and reached for the thermos she kept in the car door compartment. Her eyes shifted for only one second, but that was all it took. A car swerved from the opposite direction onto their lane. She tried to avoid it, but it was too late.

"Ian! Ian!" she yelled before hitting her head harshly. The next thing she knew, someone was moving her body. "My son. Help my son."

Phoebe couldn't hear the response, but as she lost consciousness again, a loud sound and a bright light illuminated the night with the scent of gasoline filling the air.

Three years later…

Phoebe found herself sighing often while doing menial tasks like washing the dishes or watching TV. No matter how loudly she upped the volume, her home was too quiet and empty. Her phone rang just then, a minor distraction from her monotonous life.

"Hi, Dad," she greeted unenthusiastically.

"Hey, Pheebs," he said. "How are you?"

"I'm hanging in there," she replied. "What's up?"

"I'm just checking to see if you're coming over this weekend as we planned?" he asked, and Phoebe could hear the excitement hidden by the reservation behind his words.

In the past three years, Phoebe had not returned to her parents' home–the thought of driving along that stretch of road terrified her. There was no way she could pass that road again. So when her father suggested visiting her instead, she agreed, not eagerly, but she was relieved.

Her eyes returned to the TV after hanging up, and she saw a group of kids running as part of a commercial for an adoption agency. For some reason, Phoebe suddenly felt like it had appeared at the right moment–like it was a gift from her son.

"Message received, sweets," she said into the emptiness. "But no promises that I'll do it."

She grabbed her phone and browsed the adoption agency's website, seeing many profiles of children desperately needing a home.

"Maybe there is a child out there who needs me as much as I need them," Phoebe smiled halfheartedly.

Later, as Phoebe sat with her cold tea, Ian's photo on her phone screensaver illuminated the room. She spoke to his memory. "Ian, adoption is a huge deal... Can I love a child as much as I love you?"

When the light flickered outside, she gasped, fully believing that Ian was urging her to move on. "I won't be replacing you, my love... But maybe I can honor your memory by giving another child a chance at love and happiness."

***

A month later, Phoebe visited an adoption agency for the first time. She was directed to speak with Diya, a social worker. She was honest from the beginning with the kind woman.

"I lost my son, Ian, a few years ago. The pain never seems to ease. So, I'm considering adoption–to fill this void and to find purpose again. I want to be a mom again," Phoebe shared, her hands fidgeting on the desk.

Diya gave her a soft, understanding smile and asked about her expectations and what she could offer. Phoebe explained her work, house, and daily activities. The social worker seemed cheerful when their meeting ended. But she still wasn't so sure about adopting.

Phoebe returned home and saw her parents' car in the driveway. She rolled her eyes indulgently as they fussed over her the entire weekend. She revealed what she had been considering.

"I think it's a wonderful idea," her mother said, and her father echoed the sentiment. Is it really?

That night, Phoebe's dream transported her to a meadow shrouded in dense fog. She was walking almost blindly, trying to find her way, and suddenly, she was at the adoption agency.

A photograph of a boy with a familiar gaze and smile sat in a picture frame on a wall. It shimmered like a mirage and shifted to an image of Ian.

"Ian, are you trying to tell me something?!" Phoebe called out in the dream before waking up abruptly, breathing rapidly and sweating.

The next morning, Phoebe returned to the adoption agency, motivated by her dream, and met with Diya again. She talked about her dream and how this process felt like a sign from her son.

"And you think that you're ready to do this?" Diya asked carefully.

"Yes," Phoebe said. "Let's just do this. The promise of loving a child is at the other end of this."

"Okay."

Diya reached across the desk and pulled a file from her neat stack.

"This," she told Phoebe softly, opening the folder and taking out a photo of the child. "This is Alex."

Phoebe's heart skipped a beat when she looked at the picture. It was the same boy she had seen in her dream, the precious face that morphed into Ian's beloved face.

"Alex is eleven," Diya continued. "He came to us after a tragic accident that took his parents. He has been through a lot."

"This is the same boy I saw in my dream!" Phoebe gasped, more convinced this was her new purpose.

A little while later, she sat in the family room, waiting for Diya to bring Alex for their first meeting. Despite the resemblance, she immediately realized that this boy was nothing like her son. But somehow, that made bonding with him easier.

Their conversation shifted from pleasantries and silly things to the past. Phoebe revealed what she had lost and how she felt. "I want to be there for you, Alex, but I'm scared. Scared that I will fail you, too," she confessed, bowing her head.

The boy shook his head and patted her hand slowly. "You won't fail me. I don't think that." Unexpectedly, Alex rushed in for a hug, and she was hooked.

***

As they adjusted to their new life together, Phoebe felt wonderful but guilty about her happiness. One evening, during dinner preparation, her tears surfaced.

Alex immediately sensed why she was distressed and reassured her. It made her feel more guilty because she was supposed to be his mother, his new support, and instead, the boy was hers.

***

A few months into their new life together, Phoebe was told that Diya would be doing a mandatory house visit, and the purpose was to see how they lived on any typical day.

Phoebe felt a knot form in her stomach as the social worker made notes throughout her stay. She hated the scrutiny and possible judgment.

"Diya," she said, swallowing thickly. "I assure you, my care for Alex is not about replacing Ian. I know that now. It's about giving him the love and family he deserves. This home is as much his as it was Ian's."

Diya nodded, focusing on her notes. "I'm glad to hear that. It's just part of ensuring the child's well-being."

The visit continued, with the social worker observing Phoebe and Alex's interactions. Despite her efforts to appear natural, Phoebe felt like her skin was crawling, like she was a failure at everything.

"Alex, why don't you show Diya some of your drawings?" she suggested, stuttering a little.

Alex beamed and ran to his room to get his artwork. Phoebe watched as he proudly displayed his drawings to Diya. She hoped the social worker would see their genuine bond, mainly because he had drawn tons of their shared activities.

"You're very talented," Diya said warmly, smiling.

Phoebe sighed, pleased at those words, which relieved the stiffness in her body. The rest of the visit was less tense, but she was still worried. Diya was too stoic.

She had questioned the pictures of Ian on the wall and the lack of Alex, although Phoebe promised to print and hang some soon. She also frowned when Phoebe confessed that the boy was so attentive towards her.

Diya said those were routine questions, but it didn't feel like it. She had planted a seed of doubt that Phoebe thought she had already overcome.

After Diya left, Phoebe sat down with Alex. "I want to tell you again that you're not a replacement for Ian. You're your own person, and I love you for who you are."

Alex hugged her tightly. "I know, Mom. I feel loved here. You're the best mom I could have asked for."

The reassurance felt like winning the Nobel Prize and cleared the concerns Diya had resurfaced.

But two weeks later, the doubt was back, and it was worse. It was dread. It had been a week since Diya had taken Alex back into her care, and Phoebe had been called to the adoption agency for a meeting with the board. While waiting, she remembered the social worker's words.

"Alex's alternative placement is temporary, Phoebe," Diya told her. "We just need to prove that you are committed to being a fit and proper mother to Alex."

"How?"

"There will be a meeting in a week. That's when I need you to truly show up. And be the Mom that Alex needs you to be. You need to fight for him."

Phoebe nodded.

***

"Ms. Murray," a man said, sitting at the head of the table. "We have become aware of Alex's resemblance to your deceased son. It's a concern."

Phoebe locked eyes with Diya, who nodded.

"I'm not replacing anyone. This is about healing for both Alex and myself. This is a chance for both of us to have a new life," Phoebe said, growing stronger by sheer will.

She had to sit through a series of more questions, and as the inquiry got more profound, she felt herself becoming more and more defensive.

"I will not deny the fact that Ian brought us together. I felt it through my dreams and signs from him in general. It was fate. But Alex... he's just different from my son. He's wonderful in a whole other way."

"Listen," Diya intervened. "I've met Phoebe since day one, and we have worked through this entire process together. She is a good fit for Alex. They match."

Eventually, they were sent away as the board discussed in private. The wait was eternal. But after several hours, one of the board members called them. "Ms. Murray, take your son home," he said, smiling.

***

The following days were filled with a newfound sense of belonging and love in Phoebe's home. The air was lighter, and their smiles brighter. She and Alex talked openly about Ian and the accident and Alex's parents and his memories with them.

One evening, as they sat in the living room, Phoebe decided to create a particular space for Alex in their home. She brought out a box filled with photographs, trinkets, and drawings – memories of his past that he had brought with him.

"We should make a special corner right here in the living room. A place where we can display these beautiful memories of your parents, and of course, Ian too," Phoebe suggested.

Alex's eyes sparkled. "That would be amazing, Mom! Can we put up the picture of me and my parents at the beach? And that drawing I made for them?"

"Absolutely. Everything you cherish can be there," she said, beaming. It's my way of cherishing you. Both.

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