Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 835

She would always clean my grubby little hands, and hold me close in her arms to tell me stories.

She encouraged me to speak up and would affectionately pinch my cheeks while praising me. When she was happy, she would even kiss my forehead.

If she saw other kids picking on me, she'd be the first one to step in and defend me, and then she'd do everything in her power to cheer me up afterward.

She wouldn't let anyone call me "mute." Instead, she gave me a new name, Aiden.

She was attentive and knew when something was bothering me. She would tell me, "Life has its way of balancing things out. If you're facing hardships now, happiness is sure to come your way eventually."

She said, "You can't live in the shadows of your past forever. You have to look forward."

She told me, "You're a blessed child, Aiden. I named you hoping your life would be filled with good fortune and smooth sailing."

When she found out the Maxwell couple was mistreating me, she was devastated. She held me tight and wept bitterly.

After crying, she stormed over to my house, almost getting into a physical altercation with the Maxwells!

She was so gentle, yet she would raise her voice against the Maxwells and cry for me.

Then one day, she suddenly told me she was leaving. She asked if I wanted to go with her.

She said if I agreed, she would talk to the Maxwells about adopting me. She wanted to be my mother.

Of course, I wanted to! I absolutely did!

She kept her word and truly spoke with the Maxwells.

I remember, after their talk, she took me to a field, running around in joy, spinning me in circles, and kissing my forehead fiercely, saying:

"Aiden, it's settled! Once the adoption is finalized, we're leaving. We'll be mother and son!"

"I'm going to be Aiden's mother. It's my first time being a mom. Aiden, you'll have to teach me a lot!"

She shared her plans with me. She wanted to take me on a trip first, to see all the beautiful sights our country had to offer, before moving abroad.

She said there were compelling reasons she needed to settle overseas, but she hoped I would remember what our country looked like.