In the muted light of her living room, Eleanor yelped, throwing her Chinese take-out box somewhere behind her and not caring. The sound interrupted the silence that her once vibrant home was known for these days.

After losing her daughter, Ava, to leukemia five years ago and separating from her husband, Joseph, a year later, Eleanor had lost her passion for everything, including her career in fine art photography.

Although she and Joseph had discussed trying to work things out again, all Eleanor really wanted was to be a mother again. Over the past year, she had spent hours on adoption websites.

Her small yelp and exaltation came from discovering one child, Charlotte, who was the vivid image of Ava.

Eleanor clicked to see more of her photos from Grace Adoption Services and reached for her phone after a few more minutes.

“Hello, this is Grace Adoption Services. I’m Samantha. How can I assist you today?” came a warm voice on the other end.

“My name is Eleanor. I’m hoping to adopt, and a little girl on your website has caught my attention,” she said, scratching her head.

Samantha responded gently. “We’ll set up an appointment for you to come in and meet us. It’s always best if we do this in person.”

Eleanor agreed too quickly. “I’m ready to take that step,” she declared. “I want to make a difference in a child’s life.”

Samantha chuckled and set up a meeting. Eleanor hung up, feeling hope bubbling in her chest for the first in years.

The day of the meeting came, and Eleanor found herself nervously waiting in Samantha’s office.

“It’s wonderful to meet you in person,” Samantha greeted her warmly. “I’ve read your application and can already tell you’d be an amazing parent.”

The two women discussed Eleanor’s background, her reasons for adopting, and her hopes for the future. Eleanor’s eyes often drifted to a family photo on Samantha’s desk.

“Ah, you’ve been eyeing that for a while,” Samantha observed, introducing her two daughters, Mary Ellen and Macy May.

Eleanor commented, “I want that back.”

Samantha nodded but cleared her throat. After a deep breath, she asked, “Can you tell me a little about your husband? It’s important for children to be adopted into a two-parent household.”

Eleanor explained their separation due to their daughter’s loss and her hope for reconciliation. “I haven’t told him yet about trying to adopt, but I will,” she revealed.

Samantha suggested Eleanor discuss the adoption with Joseph and hoped to meet him if he was amenable. She agreed to try and asked for the file of the girl she had seen on the website. Her name was Charlotte.

“She looks like a wonderful girl,” Eleanor said, dabbing at the moisture in her eyes. “I feel a connection to her. It’s as if she’s meant to be a part of my life.”

Eleanor left the agency an hour later, filled with hope. She spent the following weeks preparing her home for a child, turning the spare room into a welcoming space.

During this time, Eleanor stayed in touch with Samantha but hesitated to contact Joseph about the adoption. When Samantha inquired, she admitted her reluctance.

“Okay,” Samantha reassured her, “you are still a very strong candidate. Being single is not necessarily a deal-breaker. These are modern times, after all.”

A few days later, Samantha called with great news. They had scheduled an official meeting for Eleanor with Charlotte at a park. She prepared for the meeting by buying coloring books and markers as a gift for the young girl.

The special day arrived, and Eleanor got there early, taking a seat on a bench with Charlotte’s gift in hand. Her eyes scanned the greenery for Samantha and Charlotte.

Soon, she saw them. Charlotte, with her dark hair in a ponytail, appeared shy and guarded. Eleanor greeted them warmly. “It’s good to see you again,” she said, shaking Samantha’s hand.

“And you. This is Charlotte,” Samantha replied.

“Hi,” Eleanor spoke softly, leaning slightly.

Charlotte murmured a shy response, briefly meeting Eleanor’s eyes. Once again, the girl’s resemblance to Ava struck her.

They walked around the park and settled near the pond. She gave Charlotte her present. “I thought we could use this to draw or write about our day,” she suggested.

Charlotte accepted the gift with a soft “Thank you.”

As they drew together, a bond began to form between them. The girl slowly opened up, revealing snippets of her life in foster care. Charlotte’s creativity and spirit touched Eleanor.

Later, over a picnic lunch, Samantha detailed the legalities and support systems for Charlotte’s adoption. But they all parted ways, hopeful that this would work out.

In the ensuing weeks, she and Charlotte built a deeper connection, with Charlotte visiting Eleanor’s home, exploring her new bedroom, and sharing meals.