One morning, Caroline spotted her daughter Amanda climbing into an old van. Concerned for Amanda's safety, she followed. The van stopped in a rundown part of town, and Caroline's heart sank as the last person she expected stepped out.
One sunny weekend afternoon, Caroline and her daughter Amanda were at the kitchen table, surrounded by the aroma of their fresh lunch. Caroline browsed her phone, scanning news headlines, while her daughter ate quickly, their usual chatter replaced by the sound of cutlery.
"Are you in a hurry?" Caroline asked, concern hidden under a casual tone. She didn't even look up from her phone.
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"I'm meeting Jessica," Amanda replied, pausing with her fork in the air. Jessica was Amanda's lifelong friend.
"Do you have plans at the mall?" Caroline probed further.
"Yeap," Amanda nodded, quickly finishing her meal.
"Need money?" Caroline called out.
"No, thanks! Love you!" Amanda's voice faded with the closing door.
"Love you t—" Caroline's words were cut off. She smiled resignedly, murmuring, "Teenagers," before starting to clear the table. But glancing outside, she saw her daughter closing the door of an old van, which made her frown.
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It wasn't like Jessica to drive, especially not a van for a short trip to the mall. Someone else was in there, so without hesitation, Caroline followed in her car, her concern growing as they drove into a rundown part of the city.
The van stopped near a small café, and Caroline parked nearby. Her heart raced when Amanda stepped out, followed shockingly by a woman she hadn't seen in a decade: Julie, Amanda's biological mother.
Caroline had adopted her daughter ten years ago but kept it a secret, waiting for the right moment to tell her. But she was with Julie. Did she know?
After considering what to do for a few minutes, Caroline donned sunglasses and followed them into the café, hoping to remain unnoticed. The atmosphere was rich with the scent of coffee and baked goods. Among the patrons, she spotted Amanda and Julie engaged in deep conversation.
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Seated discreetly nearby, Caroline attempted to blend in. A waitress, bright and cheerful, approached, disrupting her careful observation. "Good afternoon! What can I get you?" she asked louder than Caroline wished.
"Just... a moment," she whispered.
"Miss, the café's policy is that you can't stay if you're not making an order," the waitress explained, her voice still cheerful but firm.
"Black coffee, no extras," Caroline confirmed, her tone sharper than intended, as she returned her focus to the conversation she desperately wanted to overhear. She only caught a few snippets, though.
"I really don't know what to do," Amanda said, worried.
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"I just want what's best for you," Julie assured, her voice soft and worried.
"But Caroline's been my mom," Amanda countered.
As Caroline continued listening, she quickly got the gist. Julie wanted to finally be involved in Amanda's life, but Amanda wasn't so sure because she loved Caroline, the woman who had raised her. Still, Julie tried to persuade Amanda to move in with her.
Caroline had enough then. Unable to bear the thought of separation, she fled the café, leaving the coffee untouched.
***
As Caroline paced the living room, her anxiety grew. The moment Amanda walked in, Caroline confronted her. "Where have you been?" she demanded.
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"With Jessica at the mall, like I told you," her daughter answered.
"And you didn't buy anything?" Caroline quirked an eyebrow at her daughter.
Amanda dismissed her concern with a shrug, "Didn't find anything good," and tried to escape the conversation by turning on the TV.
Caroline snatched the remote and switched the TV off. "And since when does Jessica drive a broken-down van?" she asked, hands on her waist.
"It-it's her brother's van," Amanda faltered.
"The one who's 10?" Caroline challenged. "Amanda, you've never been good at lying. Why start now? I saw everything. You with Julie."
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"At least you're a master at lying! You've lied to me my whole life!" Amanda retorted.
"I wanted what's best for you!"
"By hiding my real mom?"
Caroline stopped being nice. "Your 'mom' gave you up when you were just six months old!" she snapped but regretted the words immediately when her daughter flinched.
"She had no choice!" Amanda defended her biological mother.
Caroline sighed, frustrated. "An unemployed alcoholic who didn't even know who the father was! You want to live with someone like that?"
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"She's my mom, and I had the right to know about her," her daughter said, her voice going quiet.
"An alcoholic never stops being one, Amanda," Caroline said softly.
"I wasn't sure about going with Julie, but now I have no reason to refuse," Amanda said petulantly and then ran to her room.
Carilone let her stew for a few seconds before she wanted to fix things between them. So, she gently approached Amanda's room. "I'm sorry, darling. I really am. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did earlier. And keeping the truth from you... that was a mistake, too," she admitted.
Amanda, from beneath her blanket, allowed her mother to continue. "You mean everything to me. You've always been my daughter in every way that matters," Caroline added, sitting on the edge of the bed.
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"But she's my mom," Amanda whispered.
Caroline's heart felt heavier as she said, "I know. I'm sorry."
Amanda nodded silently and allowed her mother to draw her into a comforting embrace. After a while, Caroline suggested, "How about I go to the store and get us some snacks? We could watch a movie together. What do you say?"
Her daughter tentatively asked for ice cream, which elicited a chuckle from Caroline. "Okay, I'll be right back," she agreed. But Caroline had another idea on the way there: a new destination.
She drove instead toward Julie's apartment. As Julie opened the door, Caroline braced herself. "We need to talk," she stated and stepped inside without invitation.
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As they sat in Julie's modest kitchen, Caroline wasted no time, "Why did you do it, Julie? Everything was fine between us."
"She's my daughter, Caroline," Julie shrugged.
"She was your daughter. Until you left her," Caroline corrected.
"I'm on my feet now. I don't drink anymore. I have a job. I can provide for her," Julie insisted.
Caroline was skeptical and remained quiet while she considered a radical solution. "How much money do you need to never show up in Amanda's life again?" she challenged, her eyes firm.
"You want to buy my daughter from me?" Julie asked, appalled. "You're disgusting! Get out of my apartment and never come back. I'm not going to sell her."
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Caroline walked to the door, but she faced Julie one last time. "Call me if you change your mind."
Julie crossed her arms. "In your dreams. Amanda is be mine."
Caroline committed herself to do everything necessary to protect Amanda from Julie's influence. The silent passing days only intensified her fears, making each of Amanda's outings with Julie feel like an inevitable drift toward loss.
When Amanda declared her intention to move in with Julie, Caroline felt her world shake. "You know I'm your legal guardian," she reminded her daughter, her voice shaking.
"You can't keep me from my real mom," Amanda said and stormed off to her room.
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Caroline composed herself briefly before going to Amanda's room to see her packing. "Where do you think you're going?" she asked, outraged.
"Away," Amanda shrugged.
"Wait. Let's not rush into anything," Caroline raised her hands. "How about we sit down and talk this through? Maybe you can stay with Julie for a few nights."
Amanda paused, considering the offer. "Really? You'd allow that?" she asked, a glimmer of hope in her voice.
"Yes. But just for a few days. Then we'll decide what's next," Caroline said, trying to negotiate what was best.
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"She's my real mom. I want to see what it's like with her," Amanda admitted, her tone more open.
Though Caroline felt the sting of someone else being called Amanda's "real mom," she agreed to arrange a meeting with Julie. The conversation between all three of them in Caroline's living room was tense, but it needed to happen. She served tea to diffuse the awkwardness and make everyone open up.
After everything was decided, Amanda left to continue packing. "I plan to take Amanda, no matter the cost," Julie stated after a few minutes of silence, catching Caroline off guard.
Not knowing what else to do, Caroline made a drastic decision. She discreetly poured a small amount of alcohol into Julie's tea, a move that was both desperate and calculated.
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When Julie and Amanda were ready to leave, Caroline offered to drive them back to Julie's home. The car ride was silent and uncomfortable. As they stood outside Julie's apartment, Caroline remarked, "Maybe after living with Julie, you'll see what she's really like."
"I already know what she's like," Amanda retorted and went into the apartment, leaving Caroline alone and unsure what to do next.
The drive home was terrible, as Caroline grappled with what she had done to Julie's tea. Had she truly acted in Amanda's best interest or because of jealousy?
***
Caroline knocked on Julie's door the following morning, intent on apologizing for everything. But no one answered. A sense of dread washed over her as she noticed that Julie's van wasn't parked anywhere nearby. Her building didn't have its own parking.
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Her phone abruptly pierced the silence. Hesitating only briefly, she answered, "Hello?"
"Ms. Caroline? Your daughter, Amanda, was taken to the hospital a few hours ago. She was in a car with an adult, who was driving under the influence," the voice informed her. "We have paperwork that says you're her mother and emergency contact."
Caroline's world came to a standstill, the shock pushing her back against the brick-walled apartment building. She ended the call after drowning in regret for a few seconds and sprinted to her car.
She navigated the hospital's hallways and quickly found Amanda's room. The sight was devastating: her daughter was unconscious and connected to machines that kept her breathing.
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The doctor explained Amanda's critical condition, mentioning the need for a liver transplant. "The woman she was with says she's her biological mother, but due to her alcohol abuse, she's not a good match," the physician continued.
"Test me," Caroline implored, her resolve unwavering. After being prodded and poked for ages, the results confirmed she was fit to donate. This news brought a brief relief, but it was soon replaced by the fear of the upcoming surgery and its implications for both her and Amanda.
Sitting by her daughter's bedside in the dim hospital room, Caroline decided to write a letter. She pulled out paper and pen and began to scribble, her hands steady as she poured her heart out.
She wrote about the terror of possibly losing Amanda and how that fear drove her to spike Julie's drink. The tears came as she admitted this was her darkest moment, a terrible mistake made from a place of love.
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After folding the note, Caroline placed it beside Amanda's bed. It would be the first thing she saw upon waking.
A while later, in the operating room, Caroline was acutely aware of the coldness around her. Despite her fear, her determination didn't falter; this was for Amanda.
"Are you ready?" the anesthesiologist asked gently.
"Yes," she nodded. Her last thoughts were a prayer for Amanda's recovery.
***
Amanda awoke slowly, blinking at the harsh light, and a doctor came into view, only making things worse by pointing a tiny flashlight at her face. She asked about Julie and her mother, realizing exactly who she really considered a mom. Fear gripped her spine at the look the doctor shared with a nurse.
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"I'm sorry to tell you this, but your mother, Caroline, suffered some complications during surgery…" The rest was a blur.
Caroline had made the ultimate sacrifice. Amanda cried for the loss, the love they shared, and the future they wouldn't have together. Yet, amid the sorrow, there was a deep, unshakeable appreciation for the gift Caroline had given her. Life.
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