A few days later, Daniel and I returned to the hospital.
The papers were placed in front of me while Sophie sat across the room in a nurse’s arms wearing the same pink cardigan Daniel had bought before she was born.
When Sophie saw me, she smiled and reached toward me.
“Mama.”
I almost stood up.
“I can’t do this,” I whispered.
Daniel was crying beside me.
“We need to think about what’s best for her.”
My hand shook so badly that my signature barely looked like my name.
Before we left, the nurse let me hold Sophie one last time.
She rested her head against my chest exactly the way she had the day she was born.
I kissed her hair and whispered, “I waited eleven years for you. I don’t know why I’m walking away from you now.”
Then the nurse took her from my arms.
Daniel and I walked toward the hospital exit in complete silence.
We had almost reached the parking lot when I heard someone running behind us.
“Mrs. Carter!”
I turned.
It was Sophie’s nurse.
