My adopted son looked at his birthday cake in silence. Then tears streamed down his cheeks.
‘My birthday was yesterday,’ he whispered.
I got a chill inside – the paperwork showed today’s date.
What else had been kept from me?
‘Do you want a boy or a girl?’
‘I just want to be a mum.’
It was the only thing I was sure of. I didn’t dream of family pyjamas or making homemade baby food. But I knew I could be the kind of mother who would change someone’s life.
Content
- Finally, that someone was Joey.
- Joey’s birthday came a week after he moved in with me.
- But something wasn’t right.
- ‘I wish I could be with him right now,’ Joey whispered.
- Finding that beacon was harder than I expected.
- The next day I packed sandwiches, drinks, and a plaid.
- On the road, he clutched his drawing in his hands, absent-mindedly tracing lines with his finger.
- The coastal town was full of tourists.
- ‘I’m sorry…but you’d better leave.’
- What is she hiding?
- So he’s here.
That someone was finally Joey.
He didn’t realise this day would be crucial. In the weeks before, during every visit, he’d gradually approached me, his tiny hands clinging to the edge of my jumper and his dark eyes peering into mine with the mute question, ‘When?’
That day I walked into the foster home with a plush dinosaur in my hands. Big, soft, with funny short legs. Joey noticed it instantly – his fingers trembled slightly, but he didn’t move from his seat. I knelt down next to him.
‘So Joey, are you ready to go home?’
He looked at me, then at the dinosaur.
‘We’re never coming back here again?’
‘Never. I promise.’
There was a pause. Then, slowly, he reached for my hand.
‘Okay. But just so you know, I don’t eat green beans.’
I struggled to hold back a smile.
‘I’ll remember that.’
And just like that, I became a mum. I knew the adjustment wouldn’t be easy, but I had no idea how many secrets Joey brought with him from the past.
Joey’s birthday came a week after he moved in with me.
I wanted to make it special. His first real birthday in his new home. Our first real family holiday.
I thought of everything: balloons, garlands, a mountain of presents – nothing too lavish, just enough to make him feel loved.
The day started off perfectly.
We made pancakes together in the kitchen. Or rather, turning the kitchen into sheer chaos.
Flour covered the floor and even the tip of Joey’s nose. He chuckled as he clapped his hands together, lifting the cloud of flour into the air, watching it swirl around like a snowstorm.
‘Are we making pancakes or just trying to repaint the kitchen?’ – I teased.
‘Both,’ he replied proudly, stirring the batter.
He looked relaxed. Perhaps even safe. And for that, any mess was worth putting up with.
After breakfast, we moved on to the presents. I wrapped each one carefully, choosing something I thought he’d love: superhero figures, dinosaur books, and a huge toy Tyrannosaurus.
But something was wrong.
Joey unwrapped the presents slowly. But instead of joy, his delight seemed to be fading.
‘Do you like it?’ – I asked, trying to sound casual.
‘Yeah. They’re great.’
Not exactly the reaction I was expecting.
And then it was time for cake.
I lit the candle, smiling at him.
‘Well, birthday boy, time to make a wish.’
Joey didn’t move. He didn’t smile. Just sat there looking at the candle like it didn’t exist.
‘Honey?’ – I motioned my plate toward him. ‘It’s your day. Go ahead and make a wish.’
His lower lip quivered. His hands clenched into fists.
‘It’s not my birthday.’
I blinked. ‘What?’
‘My birthday was yesterday.’
‘But…the paperwork says it’s today,’ I muttered.
‘They got it wrong. My brother and I always celebrated together. But I was born before midnight, so we had two birthdays. That’s what Grandma Vivi said.’
It was the first time he’d ever talked about his past. The first time I’d had even a small glimpse into his former life.
I swallowed, blew out the candle, and sat down next to him.
‘You have a brother?’
Joey nodded, drawing a circle on the table with his finger.
‘Yes. His name is Tommy.’
‘But… I didn’t know. I’m so sorry, honey.’
Joey sighed heavily and set the spoon aside.
‘I remember our birthdays. The last time I was four, and then he turned four. Grandma Vivi used to throw us two separate birthday parties. With friends. And then…I was taken away.’
Just a year ago. The memories are still fresh. The wounds are still open.
‘I wish I was with him right now,’ Joey whispered.
I reached out and gently squeezed his palm.
‘Joey…’
He didn’t look at me. Instead, he rubbed his eyes quickly and stood up.
‘I’m a little tired.’
‘Good. Let’s get some rest.’
I tucked him into bed in the middle of the day, feeling how exhausted his little body was.