“Well dear, here we are.” Diamond Heart said as he parked the car, “Sunshine Orphanage.” Diamond looked over to his wife, Amore, looking a bit down, “Amore?”
“S-Sorry, honey.” Amore sighed, “I’ve just thought that-”
“Dear, it’s not your fault.” Diamond hugged his distressed wife, “When you took that medicine, we had no way of knowing what would happen.”
“But-”
“Dear, think about it. At least we’ll be giving a child here a good home, a second chance. Besides, our little Cadance could use a little brother or sister.”
“I guess you’re right, Diamond.” Diamond and Amore got out of the car, “In some way, we’ll be making a difference.”
“I know, honey. I know.”
Diamond and Amore walked into the orphanage with renewed smiles on their faces. The interior was a mix of classic and modern. Holding hands, they looked around the lobby until a woman walked in. She looked to be in her 60’s with faded orange hair in a bun, glasses, and an aura of warmth and kindness that followed her.
“Hello there.” The elderly woman greeted, “My name is Meadowshy. I’m the caretaker of Sunshine Orphanage.”
“Pleased to meet you, ma’am.” Diamond shook her hand, “I’m Diamond Heart and this is my wife, Amore. I believe we spoke over the phone on Wednesday about our appointment.”
“Oh yes, I do remember that. Come, follow me to my office and we can discuss the details.” Following Meadowshy into her office, Diamond and Amore took a seat on a couch in front of her desk. Shifting through her filing cabinet, Meadowshy pulled out a folder and sat in her chair. Adjusting her glasses, she opened the folder and turned her gaze back to the couple. “So, Ms. Amore, what is your occupation?”
“I’m the principal of Crystal Heart Elementary School, ma’am.” Amore answered.
“Crystal Heart Elementary? My daughter went there back then.” Her gaze then turned toward Diamond, “What about you, sir?”
“I work an IT job from home.” Diamond replied, “It gives me a flexible schedule and more time to spend with our daughter.”
“Okay.” Meadowshy flipped through her folder, “From what I’ve understood, your reason for coming here to adopt is that you two were trying to conceive another child but failed. If you feel comfortable about it, you can give me the specifics.”
The two were still a bit upset about what led to their decision to adopt. For Amore, it was like a part of her got ripped from her, causing her no shortage of grief and woe. Such a feeling was a great cause of concern for her husband.
“It all began about a year after we had our darling Cadance.” Amore sighed, feeling distressed, “I began feeling sick and I first thought it was the flu. But, I felt a lump on my breast and we got it checked. That was when… Sniff I was diagnosed with breast cancer. We were able to get it detected early enough and we did chemo for the treatment.” Amore slid her hands down to her lower stomach as tears rolled down her eyes, “Little did I know, the drugs rendered me sterile.”
Looking on at Diamond hugging his upset wife, Meadowshy felt a great deal of sympathy for them. Many times did she see cases like theirs come and go from the orphanage. In her long years, it made it easy for her to read others like maps. She understood their pain.
“I know that it’s a disheartening thing for one to lose their ability to have children.” Meadowshy sighed, “It’s like losing the one thing that gives anyone a purpose. Yet, the desire for one to be a parent never dies. That’s why you came here. Quite often, we get children that were abandoned for whatever reason may be. Because of people like you, children like those here have hope.”
“I guess you're right.” Amore sighed, giving Diamond a hug, “If it would make a difference for a kid, I’ll happily carry it in my arms.” Meadowshy softly smiled at Amore’s declaration.
“Come.” Meadowshy said as she got up from her seat, “Let get started, shall we?”
Meadowshy led them to a small room where dozens of infants lay in their cribs, all sleeping soundly. Diamond and Amore couldn’t help but crack a smile at such a cute sight. It reminded them of when Cadance was first born, putting her down for the night and seeing her sleep soundly. Now, they were prepared to experience those fond memories from three years ago.
“Since you, Amore, said you had breast cancer,” Meadowshy said as she walked them through the room, “most infants here are six months old or older. Being that point is optimal for weaning, you shouldn’t have to worry about breastfeeding.”
“Thank goodness.” Amore muttered as she scanned the rows of cribs. As she did, she wondered what happened to bring those so young here. Family issues, losing their parents, violence, voluntarily by their own parents, or something else, all that came to her mind. Though she could no longer feel the joys of growing a child inside her, at least she and Diamond would be able to give some child a second chance.
As she continued to look around, Amore’s eyes caught the sight of one particular infant, a boy by the looks of it. His skin was as blue as a clear sky and his hair... as green as grass. He wore a red onesie, cuddling with a stuffed toy lion as he peacefully slept. As Diamond came to her side, smiling at such a sight, Amore glanced down at the foot of the crib and saw his name tag.
“Azure Glide.” Amore read, “He’s an adorable little thing.”
“That he is, honey.” Diamond agreed as he looked on at the infant.
“Oh, I remembered when some police officer dropped him off last winter.” Meadowshy solemnly explained, “He didn’t say much beyond that his parents tragically… lost their lives too soon. The only info we received about him was in his birth certificate.”
“May I pick him up?” Amore asked.
“You may.”
Gently, Amore picked up Azure and held him in her arms as she sat in a nearby chair. She smiled as it reminded her of fond memories from when Cadance was an infant. Rocking him back and forth, Azure’s orange eyes began to open, looking upon the smiling face of the woman holding him. Yet, he felt a sense of calm as he reached out to her. Both Diamond and Amore couldn’t help but smile at something heartwarming.
“Honey?”
“Yes, dear?”
“What do you think?” Amore looked into the infant’s eyes. Once they locked, something clicked within her. Then and there, she knew the answer.
“Well, time for our Cadance to have a little brother.”
“It’s not every day where a youngin like him gets a second chance.” Meadowshy wiped away a tear. “Come, let’s get the paperwork signed and we can welcome the little one into a new home.” As they walked out, Amore looked into the infant’s eyes once more.
You’re coming home, little Azure. We’ll love you no matter what.
Walking into Meadowshy’s office, Diamond and Amore eagerly signed the required paperwork, each adding their respective signatures. Once all that was done, Azure Glide, the baby they held in their arms, had become a part of their family. Taking him in a blanket, along with his stuffed toy lion, they brought him to their car, buckling him in the booster seat before they drove off. With Cadance due back home from her grandmother’s soon, it would be a welcome surprise.
Back at their home, Amore held her newly adopted son in her arms as she fed him formula from a bottle. Seeing him suckle the nourishment from it made her smile, reminding her of doing the same for her firstborn. She wondered how her daughter would react to seeing another kid in the house.
As she finished burping him, the door opened and through it came the three-year-old Cadance, escorted by her grandmother, Amethyst Evershine. Wearing her little mini hoodie, she rushed to her mother, hugging her leg. Such a display made Amethyst giggle with amusement.
“Hey, mother.” Amore greeted as she petted her daughter’s hair, “How was little Cadance?”
“Oh, she was like a little angel.” Amethyst sang, “I took her to the diner down on Topaz Street and she ate well. I say she has a liking to pasta.”
“Well, she isn’t a picky eater.” Amore notices her mother glancing at the bundle in her arms, “Oh, I do apologize. Mother, I would like to introduce you to your new grandson, Azure Glide.”
“He looks like a cute one.” Amethyst remarked as she looked on at her new grandson, “I take it yours and Diamond’s trip to the orphanage went well.”
“That it did.” Amore then saw Cadance climbing onto the couch, eyeing her adoptive brother. Her eyes lit up and a smile grew on her face. To say that she was excited to have a younger brother would be an understatement. “Hey, Cadance, come meet your new brother.”
“Bwother?”
Climbing onto her mother’s lap, Cadance hovered over her new brother before giving him a sisterly hug. A smile crept on her face as Azure began making cooing noises in response. Amore’s, looking at the heartwarming display, wrapped her arms around her children. Both Amethyst and Diamond, waking up from his nap, didn’t say anything, not even a whisper.
This deserves a picture. Diamond thought as he reached for his camera. Pointing it at his wife, Amore gave a nod of approval before the flash came. Joining them on the couch, Diamond Heart gave his family a loving look before joining in on the group hug. A new member had joined their family and a child was given a second chance. Now, the rest of their lives await them.