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“The adoption”

“I thought so”

“So we’re getting married on Monday and…and what’s with the adoption?”

“I have enerous donation to the local child services depart that the rest of the process should go off without a hitch”

“You…bought the adoption?”

“More or less But I i terrible about us they wouldn’t allow it”

“That’s…oh, that just makes me so mad!” She stood up and kicked a box of decorations aside “I had to work so hard to prove I was fit, all because I was single and lived in a small apartment or whatever, and you waltz in with your—sorry, but it’s true—bad reputation, but oh, you have et this adoption show on the road”

“I’ it will be finalized soon will take the sting out of it”

She covered her ht Oh…she’s really going to besteps toward him and threw her arms around him “Thank you so much”

He just stood, stiff, un

She stood up on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss to his cheek “No glitter today,” she whispered

He pulled away froood”

“Will your parents be at the wedding?” she asked

He paused, his jaw hardening “They’ll have to be invited I don’t…I would rather not lie to them”

“I don’t want anyone to know,” she said “And I know etting Ana…”

“I understand,” he said, his voice firm

“And I understand why you don’t want to lie to them They’re your parents and…”

“Yes They are”

“They were good to you, weren’t they?” He always spoke of them so formally, no warmth in his tone

“Yes,” he said “Very They gave uidance, which I needed desperately GaveI needed My own space, which I never had before My own things”

She’d noticed how , and suddenly, she realized why He had been in foster care for around eight years and that had likelyvery little