Page 153 of Under Your Scars

Oh no.

“Petitioner Christian Thomas Reeves has had no arrests in the six months preceding the Petition. Petitioners have no conflicts of interest with the Thomas and Elizabeth Reeves Memorial Orphanage. The Child has resided with the Petitioners for at least six months preceding that date of this hearing.”

The courtroom is dead silent, but I still think I can hear my heart breaking as tears well in my eyes.

“Christian,” I whimper. He’s stiff at my side. I dare to look at him, and I wish I hadn’t. I’ve never seen him look so hollow.

“It is the opinion of this Court that the Petitioners have not met the requirements for Adoption in the state of New Jersey. The lengthy criminal history of Petitioner Christian Reeves raises concerns about his temperament. There are complications arising from the relationship between Mr. Reeves and the Thomas and Elizabeth Reeves Memorial Orphanage that may form an inherent bias in favor of this adoption.”

Christian tenses like he’s ready to jump over the table and strangle the judge right there on the bench, but I clutch my hand into his suit jacket. There’s no need to fight. This is over.

I told him that we couldn’t just skip the entirety of the process. Even with his influence, it was foolish for us to get our hopes up. He paid off this judge, but it wasn’t enough.

We have to do what’s best for Caroline, and what’s best for her isn’t us.

“However,” the judge continues, shifting everyone’s focus back to her, “just this morning, the Court received a letter from the Thomas and Elizabeth Reeves Memorial Orphanage. I’d like to take a moment to read it aloud.” The judge unfolds a piece of paper and leans forward into the microphone.

Dear Mister or Missus Judge, my name is Caroline. Miss Kelly said I have lived here for fourteen months, but I told her it feels like fourteen years, and I’m only four years old, so that’s a long time.

My very first free period here, my class went to the arcade, and I tried to win a toy from the claw machine, but I was too small to see inside. I used all my tokens and didn’t win anything.

A really tall man saw me in the arcade and asked what I was trying to win. I said I didn’t know because I couldn’t see! So he lifted me up and asked me to choose a toy. I picked the purple bunny because purple is my favorite color, and guess what? The man won Mr. Bunny on his first try!

A few days later, I saw the man again and ran to him because I wanted to show him that I still had Mr. Bunny. Miss Kelly got mad at me for disturbing him. She said he was a very important person, and I shouldn’t bother him while he’s doing adult business.

He said his name was Mr. Reeves and that I could show him Mr. Bunny whenever I wanted. I started carrying around Mr. Bunny everywhere so I could show Mr. Reeves that I was taking good care of him.

Mr. Reeves and Mr. Bunny were my only friends. Mr. Reeves never brought his own friends, but one day, he had a whole bunch of people with him. One of them was wearing a purple dress. Her name was Elena.

Elena said that she was just friends with Mr. Reeves, but I knew that Mr. Reeveslike likedher. Now guess what? She’s Mrs. Reeves, just like I said from the start. I knew it!

Elena is my best friend. She’s so pretty and nice, and she loves purple just like me. One time I gave her a picture I drew. It was me, her, and Mr. Reeves sitting on a bench. One day I want to take a picture just like the one I drew.

I don’t know what Mr. Reeves’ first name is, but I am tired of calling him Mr. Reeves. I want to call him daddy instead, and I want to call Elena mommy.

Miss Kelly says that in two days there will be a hearing for me, but I said that’s silly, because my ears work just fine.

Can you please read this letter and make sure you check your ears? It’s very important that everyone hears that I want a new family.

Love, Caroline

P.S. Can I bring Mr. Bunny? He has big ears, so he’s good at hearing.

I have to cover my mouth to stifle the sob crawling out of my throat.

That girl on the other side of the courtroom could ask the President for the nuclear codes, and he’d give them to her.

The judge clears her throat again. “Well…it’s clear to me from this letter that this child has a special bond with Mr. and Mrs. Reeves. Therefore, having considered all the facts and opinions of this case, the Court finds that the Final Decree of Adoption should be granted. From this moment forward, there is an established legal parent-child relationship, and the name of the child is hereby legally changed to Caroline Delilah Reeves.”

The judge, now with a big smile on her face, points to Caroline. “Miss Caroline, if you could have any gift in the world, right now, what would it be?”

Caroline bites the tip of her finger for a long moment, pondering all the possibilities. Then she gasps and throws her hands up in the air, Mr. Bunny landing with a plop on the hardwood. “I want to go to Disney World!”

The judge laughs. “It is further ordered that the Petitioners shall take their new child to Disney World.”

Then, she bangs the gavel on her desk.

And an hour later, we’re on our private jet headed towards Orlando.