Twist of Fate 2

“I know Ann is not really my kid. But I’ve known her since she was a child,” I almost yelled at the social worker, “you are taking her from everyone she knows and loves. This is not fair. Not for her and certainly not for us.”

“I understand your concern Mrs Thomas but the state is doing all it can to provide a home for girls like Ann,” the social worker tried to explain. Even though some of what she was saying was true but still I loved that kid and I was prepared to do anything in my power to keep her with me. I was her school teacher and almost like a second mother to Ann. But that was not enough.

Ann’s story was tragic in every respect. I have known her since she was nine years old. She was a beautiful child living with her single mother in a small town in the southern part of Minnesota. The first day I came to this small town after separating from my husband I connected with her being I had also become a single mom taking care of my one year old girl at that time. 

Ann was a good kid who happened to fall into bad times. She met a senior when she was merely fourteen years old. They loved each other but they gotten themselves into a mess. She went and gotten herself pregnant at a very young age. The teenage father ran away rather than confront the situation and Ann was left to care for her child with the help of her mother. Unfortunately bad things always come in droves. Shortly after that, Ann’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. She died a few months later leaving her all alone with little Sara. 

I was one of ten teachers in our little school in a town off less than five thousand people. I just couldn’t leave Ann all alone so I volunteered to take her into my home until the state could find a suitable place for her and her daughter. I guess such formalities took longer than we expected or maybe we were not on there priority list hundreds of miles  away from any major city. So I became Ann’s second mother for almost a year. I took care of her and her daughter like they were my own. 

One day a social worker knocked on my door demanding that Ann and Sara go with her to a special home in St Paul which catered for teenage mothers like Ann. In less than a week they were whisked away to the big city not to be heard from again. They didn’t even let me know where they were taking them. They said that those were the rules, that I was not family and that I was not privileged to this kind of information.

“You know I applied to adopt Ann and Sara but was rejected twice,” almost accusing the social worker of being behind those rejections. I tried to do everything to get them back but I failed. 

“We know you did Mrs Thomas,” the social workers patiently replied, “but technically you are still a married woman and you and your husband have to file those adoption papers together.”

Now I was really angry, “you knew very well I am separated from my husband,” shouting this time, “I don’t even know where the hell he is. He might be dead for all I care.” Every argument I used was useless. It was getting me no where. 

“Please be assured Mrs Thomas that Ann and Sara are in a good health. They are doing great,” she tried to calm me down, “I would also like to inform you that we are trying our best to locate Ann’s father or any of her relatives to help,” that is when I know that they were gone and I was devastated.

After that ordeal I left that small town determined to build a new life for me and my daughter once again. I wanted to get away as far as I could from this small depressing town which had been my home for the past five years.

After two years Ann is back in my arms once again and she is calling me “Mom.”