((Flashback))
Adrian came home one day to see that the table had been set for dinner. Trudy had made his favorite chicken pot pie.
"Hey sweetie," she said kissing him.
"Wow," he said, "Everything seems so perfect"
Trudy's eyes lit up.
"Adrian it's been an amazing day for me," she began, "So you know how I've been doing volunteer work at the orphanage?"
"Of course," Adrian said, "How do you like it?"
"I love it," Trudy exclaimed, "Today they brought in the most beautiful 2 day old baby. Her name is Hope. Honey the minute I held her I knew two things. First, I knew I love her and second, you would love her too."
Before he could say a word, a faint cry was heard from the guest bedroom.
"Angela brought her over," Trudy said by way of explanation, "She thought you might want to meet her."
Angela was one of Trudy's best friends and the owner of the orphanage.
Angela and Trudy had been right. Adrian reached out and stroked the small perfect hand. The tiny fingers closed around his and he was lost.
Together Trudy and Adrian shared nighttime feeding and diaper duty. They looked after her when she was sick, taught her as much as they could and went through her learning to walk then run and usually away from them, her toddler independence coming in.
Just after Hope's second birthday the adoption was approved. It was a warm sunny day and they'd dressed Hope in a light blue dress with a white flower pattern. Trudy found a blue ribbon in a shade that matched the dress and tied it into Hope's wispy light blond hair.
They signed the papers at court and invited all the family to lunch at an Italian restaurant that they loved.
Hope grew into a smart, funny and kind girl who never ceased to amaze him and as she was joined by her sisters, his happiness increased.
Now he just had to bring Trudy back with him and their family, where she belonged.