Heaven for everyone
She smiled as her glance rested on the picture frame she kept on her desk.
It was a snapshot taken on Abbie's fifth birthday. Jane was sitting between his daughters – both of them laughing merrily at one of his jokes.
It warmed her heart to see them so happy together. Her precious little family.
She took another sip of coffee and went back to her paperwork. In half an hour she was going to grab a quick bite with her husband, and she didn't want to be late.
Exactly at that moment her cellphone rang. She frowned as she listened to the other person speaking, then nodded and promised she would come straightaway.
Her lunch would have to wait.
The teacher was waiting for her in the schoolyard. Beside her there was Carrie – huddled on the floor with her head buried against her knees – and Abbie – cuddled up to her sister in a vain attempt to comfort her.
Carrie kept on sobbing softly against Abbie's shoulder for the whole drive home.
Lisbon made them tea and waited patiently for her elder girl to speak.
In the end she looked up from the empty teacup with watery eyes. "Mommy?"
"Yeah, sweetheart?"
"You and daddy are my real parents, aren't you?"
Teresa bit her lip. She had always known that this moment would come – it had been only a matter of time.
"Why are you asking, honey?"
"Billy told me that you can't be my parents. For my eyes are dark while you've both green eyes – and his father says that people with green eyes can't have dark-eyed children."
Billy was one of Carrie's classmates – and the most insufferable know-it-all one could imagine. No wonder that he would come out with such an unkind remark.
"Darling, do come here."
She made the little girl sit in her lap and gently stroked her hair.
"Daddy is your real father. I married him shortly after you were born, and raised you as my own daughter."
"You're not my mom?"
Her slender body was trembling now. Teresa held her more tightly.
"I might not be your biological mother, but I am your mommy. Don't ever doubt that."
It was Abbie that voiced her sister's unspoken question. "Where's Carrie's real mother then?"
"I don't know. She gave her child to me and went away. I haven't seen her since."
"Why did she have to go away?"
"I'll tell you when you're a bit older, okay?"
Teresa placed a kiss on each of their brows and offered them a warm smile. She loved both girls alike, no matter if she hadn't actually given birth to one of them.
They were Patrick's children after all.