Emma and Jacob had been married for six years, but no matter what they tried, they couldn’t conceive a child. They tried various therapies and options, but nothing seemed to work.
Finally, they gave up and decided to adopt a child, specifically a daughter. Meanwhile, little Sophia had been waiting for her parents at the orphanage for two years.
She was about to turn five and had no idea how she ended up in the orphanage or where her parents were. Yet she sat by the window, holding her breath, waiting for them.
She became anxious when she spotted them from the window. Her heart started racing for no apparent reason. « Do I have a mom and a dad? » Sophia approached them, her beautiful eyelashes fluttering.
The happy family left the orphanage together, and Sophia seemed to be the reward for loving hearts that had remained compassionate even after years of misfortune.
One day during lunch, Anastasia didn’t feel well. She rushed to the bathroom, with Sophia close behind. They stood outside the bathroom door, only hearing the rush of running water.
When she emerged, she was pale but reassured her family by explaining she had tasted raw meat while seasoning it, which made her feel unwell. A week later, Anastasia found out she was pregnant.
Jacob was overjoyed, and so was Sophia when they explained the situation to her. She openly expressed her desire to have a younger sibling so she could protect it first and later it could protect her.
Sophia and Jacob practically hovered around Anastasia during the entire nine months, not letting her lift even small things. Michael, the long-awaited brother, was born after nine months.
Sophia lovingly tended to her brother, looking after him and sitting beside him when he slept to ensure no one disturbed his peaceful slumber.
Sophia eventually became more reserved, no longer laughing without reason. One day, he woke up as usual to make himself and Anastasia coffee. He noticed the light was on in Sophia’s room.
He went in and found Sophia already dressed, with clothes in her backpack and a tiny box of toys beside her. « I know I’m grown up now and you don’t need me anymore, » she explained. « Michael is already here with you.
You can take me back to the orphanage if you want, but I won’t fight it. I just want to take some toys with me.
The rest I’ll give to Michael because I have more than just dolls. » « You are our real daughter, just as Michael is our real son, » he said to his daughter. « We will never abandon you.
Not even think about it. You are our reward, and we will never give you up. » In that moment, a great weight was lifted from Sophia’s heart, which had weighed heavily on her in the past few days.
She was reassured and fully accepted her family. And she thanked God every day for Sophia, believing her presence in their lives had contributed to the miracle of Michael’s birth and the completion of their family.