I hadn’t seen Erin in months—not since the baby was born. So when the whole family made the trip to visit her, arms full of gifts and hearts full of excitement, I was expecting a joyful reunion. I couldn’t wait to meet my new nephew… but I was just as eager to see Lily, Erin’s adopted daughter who had brought her so much joy not long ago.
The moment we stepped inside, the smell of baby powder and fresh laundry greeted us. Erin beamed, glowing with the happiness of new motherhood. Her newborn son slept peacefully in her arms. But something felt off.
“Where’s Lily?” I asked, glancing around for signs of her—her toys, her shoes, anything.
Erin’s smile faded. She exchanged a look with her boyfriend, then gave a shrug that chilled me. “Oh. I gave her back.”
I stared at her. “You… what?”
“I always wanted a boy,” she said casually. “Now I have one. Why would I need a daughter?”
My stomach turned. “You gave her back? She’s not a library book, Erin. She’s a child.”
She rolled her eyes. “Relax. She was a foster kid. Temporary. It’s not like she was really mine.”
That word—temporary—hit me like a punch. Lily had called her Mom. She’d clung to Erin when she was scared. Trusted her. And now she was gone. Just tossed aside because Erin finally got what she wanted.
“She was YOUR child,” I said, my voice shaking. “Maybe not by blood, but by love. And you abandoned her because she didn’t fit your ideal?”
“It’s not that serious,” she scoffed. “She won’t even remember.”
Before I could explode, loud knocking interrupted. Erin hesitated, then opened the door.
A woman in a blazer stood there, firm and unreadable. A man with a folder stood behind her.
“Ms. Reynolds?” the woman asked.
“Yes?” Erin replied, cautious.
“We’re with Child Protective Services. We need to speak with you.”
The room went still.
“I don’t understand,” Erin said. “Is this about Lily? I followed protocol.”
The woman shook her head. “It’s about your son.”
Erin blanched. “What?”
“We received a report of neglect in connection with the foster child you returned. We’re now assessing your fitness as a caregiver for your biological child.”
Erin panicked. “This is crazy! I gave Lily back legally!”
The man read from the file. “Your removal request cited ‘incompatibility’ and ‘lack of emotional connection.’ You explicitly stated you didn’t wish to care for non-biological children.”
I stared at Erin, the disgust in me boiling over. She hadn’t just given Lily up—she’d erased her.
“We need to inspect your home and speak with you privately,” the CPS worker said.
Erin clutched her baby tighter. “I love my son. I would never hurt him.”
“We hope to confirm that,” the woman replied.
Tears welled in Erin’s eyes. She had thought she could pick and choose who deserved her love. But karma had shown up fast—and with consequences.
As CPS entered, the silence grew heavier. Our parents stepped forward, their faces full of grief and disappointment.
“How could you?” my mother whispered.
“Mom, you don’t understand—” Erin tried.
“I understand perfectly. You abandoned a little girl who loved you.”
Erin’s boyfriend stayed silent. My father shook his head. “We raised you better than this.”
“She wasn’t my real daughter!” Erin snapped. “I have my real family now.”
“You think family’s about blood?” my mother said, her voice cracking. “Then we must have failed you.”
Erin looked around, desperate. But no one was defending her.
Then my father turned to the CPS worker. “Where is Lily now?”
“She’s with a temporary foster family,” the woman replied.
“We want to adopt her,” my mother said firmly.
Erin gasped. “WHAT?!”
The worker hesitated. “Adoption takes time, and—”
“We’ll do what it takes,” my father said. “She was our granddaughter from the start. We want her home.”
My heart swelled with emotion. My parents had always shown us what unconditional love looked like—and now, they were proving it again.
“We’ll begin the process,” the CPS worker said.
“You can’t replace me!” Erin shrieked.
“You replaced Lily the moment you gave her up,” my father said.
“You can’t do this! I’m your daughter!” she cried.
“And Lily was yours,” my mother said softly.
Erin finally realized the safety net she always counted on—our parents’ support—was gone.
“We’ve helped you through everything,” Dad said. “But this? This crosses the line. We will no longer support you financially.”
Erin turned pale. “You can’t be serious.”
“We are,” Mom said. “You abandoned someone when they weren’t convenient. Now you’ll understand what that feels like.”
“I have a baby!” she sobbed. “I can’t do this alone!”
“You should’ve thought about that,” I said. “Lily needed you. And you didn’t care.”
The CPS worker looked at Erin. “I’ll follow up soon. In the meantime, think about the kind of mother you want to be.”
Erin sank onto the couch, weeping. No one went to comfort her.
She had made her choice.
And so had we.
Two months later, Lily walked into my parents’ home with a shy smile.
My mom knelt down, tears in her eyes. “Would you like to come home, sweetheart?”
Lily hesitated just a second—then ran into her arms.
And just like that, she was home.