Finally, he said, “June picked this out.”
Hannah smiled through tears. “I know.”
“You know?”
She nodded. “The agency kept one note with my file. It said your wife hoped I would hug the stuffed rabbit when I felt scared.”
“I am so happy to finally meet you. June fell sick, and we couldn’t go through with the adoption.”
Hannah nodded. “Linda told me. She said she knew about the adoption, and about how it fell through when June got ill. She contacted the agency, and they connected her with me. She is the one who has led me here today.”
Mr. Walter just stared at her.
Hannah’s voice shook, but she kept going.
“I had spent years wondering about the couple who almost took me home. I didn’t know much. Just that there had been a husband and wife who wanted me, and that something happened before it could go through. When Linda reached out and told me your names, I knew right away I had to come.”
Mr. Walter reached for Hannah, and she hugged him right there on the bus step while half the town openly sobbed around them.
I glanced down at Ben, who was crying with complete sincerity and no embarrassment. He squeezed my hand and whispered, “I’m glad we remembered.”
