A couple of hours later Mildred woke up to find her mum sleeping next to her, with tear tracks dried on her cheeks and her arms wrapped around her in a warm and comforting embrace. All Mildred did was snuggle in closer and lay her head on her mums chest to listen to the soft sound of her heartbeat. She loved moments like this.
Though they had been separated for years Mildred found her mums heartbeat and scent when getting a hug much more comforting than she ever found her mothers. She loved her mother and father but they never quite understood her and even though they loved her and tried their best to bond with her she always knew that she didn't belong. They were her mother and father, the people who legally had the rights to her, not her mum and dad - and though it may sound crazy and as much as she hated her dad for leaving - they just didn't have the natural bond she felt with her mum. Now she felt like she belonged and this is where she wanted to stay.
Constance woke a few seconds after Mildred but kept her eyes closed and relished in the closeness. She could almost hear her baby's brain working overtime as she snuggled closer to her and took some deep breaths.
"Penny for your thoughts" Constance said gently after a few minutes of silence.
The pair sat up slightly against the pillows and looked into each other's eyes. Mildred looked down and sighed before beginning to speak.
"I don't want to be adopted again," she mumbled quietly glancing quickly to her mums eyes then back down to her hands "I want to be able to stay at cackles with you but they might not let me." She continued in a small voice. "I don't want to lose you again, will you come to the meeting?" She whispered with a few tears sliding down her face.
This almost broke Constance's heart, seeing her baby girl so broken was killing her and now she could take a little bit of the pain away.
"Of course I'll be at the meeting. How else am I going to tell them that I want you back?" She asked with a small smile on her face as she lifted Mildred's gaze to her own and wiped the tears from her cheeks with her thumb.
"You do?" Mildred asked with a look of hope.
"Yes silly of course I do." She stated while pulling her baby into a bone crushing hug. "I'm not going to let you go again. I promise." She said with a kiss to Mildred's head.