Chapter Text
The rain beat insistently against the large windows of the Social Services office, a rhythmic sound that only served to further agitate Robby’s nerves. In his hands, he clutched a leather folder, worn at the corners from repeatedly reviewing the documents. This decision had not been a sudden impulse, but rather the result of a necessary breaking point in his own life. After years of a stifling work routine, he had decided to take a year-long leave of absence.
He needed a breather, a parenthesis in his career to rediscover himself and do something radically different from what he had been doing for twenty years in the hospital emergency room. However, the silence of his apartment began to weigh on him more than expected, and after spending two months with his own thoughts, he realized that introspection had turned into nothing more than pure loneliness.
The seed of this new stage was planted during Jack’s birthday party, in an informal chat with his psychiatrist, Caleb. Over drinks and background music, Caleb mentioned the Foster Care program, an initiative that offers temporary housing to children and adolescents who have been separated from their original families due to situations of vulnerability. The goal was to guarantee them an affectionate and safe environment while the justice system resolved their legal situation.
At first, it seemed like absolute madness to Robby the idea of opening his home to a stranger because the entire emotional burden it implied overwhelmed him. But as the weeks passed, logic prevailed over fear. He was a single man with a spacious apartment that felt wasted on one person, and he enjoyed a financial stability that allowed him to support himself and offer a quality life to someone else. Above all, he now had the most valuable resource of all time, plenty of time, and a latent need to give a purpose to those days of leave.
A week after the conversation with Caleb, he found himself filling out the registration form. Of course, it wasn't as simple as handing over a paper with his details. He had to undergo a rigorous selection process that tested his patience and determination. For months, he passed successive interviews and psychological evaluations, in addition to receiving technical visits for socio-environmental studies of his home. Furthermore, he had to participate in mandatory training sessions where childhood experts spoke bluntly to him about care, building healthy bonds, and the complex legal aspects of fostering.
In every talk, he was reminded of the fundamental premise of the system: foster families are the bridge, not the final destination. This meant that fostering was not a path toward adoption something that was never an issue for Robby. On the contrary, his desire from the beginning was to be that transitory support and refuge for whoever needed it. Having been a child who went through state homes during his own childhood, he felt he was finally in the right place to close the circle, ready to change, even if only for a few months, the reality of a child who was only looking for the warmth of a home.
Robby was now in the waiting room of the "Smiling Faces" home, his gaze fixed on the door. During the last few weeks, his bachelor pad had been transformed into a welcome headquarters for Theo, a twelve-year-old boy who needed to leave an environment marked by his parents' alcoholism. He had left nothing to chance; he cleaned every corner, filled the pantry with food a twelve-year-old would find decent, and even accepted Langdon’s children’s old gaming console so the boy would have something to entertain himself with. He had everything ready; all that was missing was for Theo to walk through that door so they could finally go home.
However, when the door opened, only Kiara Alfaro appeared. The social worker walked toward him with an expression that Robby after years of delivering difficult news at the hospital recognized instantly.
“Michael, good to see you,” she began, stopping in front of him with an apologetic grimace. “Look, I have to tell you there was a last-minute change in the registry, and the child who was going to be assigned to your home, Theo, entered a direct adoption process with a family he already had a previous bond with.”
Robby blinked, processing the impact of those words while tightly holding the folder with his documents.
“Direct adoption? Right now?” he asked, trying to keep his voice from sounding too disappointed.
“It was something last minute, the notification reached us just a few minutes ago,” Kiara explained, resting a hand on his arm. “I’m very sorry, Michael. I know these things don't usually happen like this, but it’s a good thing, truly. He found a potential permanent family. It’s the best ending for him.”
Robby nodded slowly. He was happy for the boy, he really was. At least he wouldn't have to go through two abrupt changes; if he was already bonded with a family, things were going to be much easier for him. But he couldn't help but feel that all the excitement of the last few weeks was vanishing into thin air.
"I understand. Well, I suppose I’ll be heading out then," Robby said, turning around to reach for his coat, which he had left hanging on the back of the chair.
"Wait, Michael," Kiara stopped him, placing a hand on his arm. "The good news is that, since you already appear in the system as an available recipient and you are here physically, the registry automatically jumped to the next emergency priority."
Robby frowned, confused. "What are you talking about? Is there another twelve-year-old boy?"
"Not exactly," she sighed, consulting the document she held firmly. "It’s a one-year-old baby girl named Maya. Her parents are in police custody after having abandoned her in a gas station bathroom. The doctors have already examined her, and she is out of danger, although she still has a slight cold. Since there is no family network that can take charge and you are the only available foster home with a medical profile and socio-environmental suitability, the system assigned her to you for an emergency intervention."
Robby felt a sudden chill, thinking about his house full of video game cables, sharp-edged furniture, and food for teenagers. "A one-year-old baby? Kiara, I have nothing at home for a baby. I bought games, size twelve clothes, and some damn cheddar cheeseburgers. I don't even know where I could get a crib," he said, panic in his voice.
"You’re a doctor, Michael, you know how to improvise under pressure," Kiara replied with a small but implacable smile. "You have a couple of hours to buy the basics. If this is too much for you, we would understand, there are other people on the list who could receive Maya. I am only obligated to communicate the available options to you, but personally, the team believes you are the best option for her."
A one-year-old baby seemed like an unmanageable workload. Robby had spent entire weeks mentally preparing himself to deal with a difficult teenager; he had even dedicated hours to researching current trends, music, and fashions online to find a point of connection with Theo. But a baby was not in his plans. My God, he wasn't even sure how to change a diaper correctly he was a doctor, yes, but pediatrics wasn't his specialty, and the fragility of an infant terrified him. He knew he could learn as he went, but the challenge seemed excessive and a responsibility for which he didn't feel prepared.
Just as he was about to express his doubts, a heartbreaking cry broke through his thoughts. It was the sound of small lungs that seemed about to burst from the effort. Robby tensed instantly, his professional instinct kicking in at the sign of distress. He looked at Kiara, and she, with a smile full of empathy, raised a finger to point toward the door where the noise was coming from.
"She had some vaccines a while ago and is a bit fussy because of that," she explained in a low voice, letting the crying fill the waiting room.
Robby nodded in silence, trying to process all the information, but it didn't last long, because the crying erupted again, this time with more power, causing a strange pressure in his chest.
"Can I see her?" he asked, surprising himself with the determination in his voice.
"Yes, of course," Kiara replied, relieved. She gestured with her hand and began to lead the way down the hall toward the care room. "Follow me."
Upon entering the room, the sound of the crying became deafening. The place had white, cold lighting that was far too strong for a baby who clearly needed to sleep. In a corner, inside a wooden crib that looked old and neglected, Maya was wrapped in a blanket of golden stars, moving desperately. Robby approached the edge and stood frozen looking at her; he hesitated for a second until he looked up at Kiara, and without the need for words, she nodded softly, giving him the silent permission he needed.
Robby stretched out his arms and, with a delicacy he didn't know he possessed, he lifted her. He began to rock her from side to side, settling the baby's small face against his chest while giving her gentle strokes on her back. It took a few minutes, but finally, the effort was worth it, because the crying faded away until it was replaced by the steady sounds of deep sleep. When he looked back at Kiara, she was watching him from the side.
The woman pulled up a chair and spoke to him in a very low voice. "I think you can do it; babies have an extremely high demand on the adoption list. You can be sure she won't spend much time with you before finding a permanent home."
It wasn't the time that worried Robby; that had never been a problem. The problem was... he didn't even know. Now that he felt her sleeping in his arms, he couldn't say no. He couldn't leave this creature in a crib that could barely stand and under that light that irritated her eyes. The decision was made.
"She’s going to run a fever from the vaccines," he said in a whisper, as he noticed how Maya sought something to suck on in her sleep, an instinctive hunger reflex. "It’s better if I take her home. A warm bath and some milk would do her good; she seems hungry."
"That's a good idea," Kiara agreed. "Tonight we’ll give you all the baby supplies we have here, but tomorrow you’ll have to equip yourself on your own. We’ll settle that later."
Robby nodded and pulled out his phone to order an Uber, because he had gone to the home in his own car, which clearly did not have a baby safety seat. But as he searched for available drivers, Kiara spoke again.
"I just need you to sign some papers for me now, tomorrow we’ll take care of the rest of the bureaucracy. Your signature is enough for today, but tomorrow it’s necessary for Whitaker to come and sign his consent."
When I hear the name, Robby freezes completely. What could Dennis have to do with any of this? Of course, he remembered the moment he asked him. It had been an urgent situation during the accreditation process. Jack, his usual contact and close friend, was on duty out of the country and he had no one else who could get to the Social Services offices on that specific day and time to fulfill the witness requirement. Desperate, he had asked Dennis, one of his best residents and colleagues at the hospital, if he could do him the favor of vouching for his good faith. Dennis, as always, had been willing to help a friend without asking questions, showing up at the office in his best suit and a professional smile.
Robby was deeply grateful to him, because without Dennis's testimony about his character and responsibility, he probably wouldn't even be in that room today. However, now confusion was outweighing gratitude. He couldn't process why Dennis would have to sign papers again, much less why there was talk of "consent."
Kiara had explained to him at the time that the presence of a third party was a mere security protocol, a formality to validate that Robby had a reliable external support network in case of any eventuality. But the way she mentioned it now, as if Dennis's consent were a key piece for Maya to sleep at his house, gave him a pang of doubt.
"Whitaker?" he asked, lowering his voice so as not to wake the little one. "He only came as a witness. You told me it was a security formality for the file, nothing more than that."
Kiara looked up, frowning a little before turning her gaze back to the papers. She began to flip through the pages with a speed that indicated something didn't fit her plan. She put on her glasses and began to read in more detail, tracing the lines with her index finger, until she let out a sigh of frustration.
"There must be a mistake," she murmured, more to herself than to him.
Robby felt the world sway under his feet. He adjusted his grip on Maya, who let out a small whimper in her sleep. "I don't understand, what is happening? Error with what?" he asked, trying to stay calm, although he felt his heart beating fast.
Kiara took off her glasses with a slow gesture and looked him straight in the eyes, with an expression of true professional concern.
"Michael, Dennis Whitaker is listed as your witness, yes but he also appears registered as the second responsible caregiver," she said, pointing to the line on the document. "I'm very sorry, but an error of this type in the data entry can set everything back to square one. If the system detects an inconsistency between what you declared and what the witness signed, the technical process is annulled and you would have to start over from scratch."
Robby felt a chill run down his spine. He didn't understand how it was possible for Dennis to appear as the second caregiver. He had only asked him to vouch for his character, to sign as a colleague who knew him. Had Dennis signed the wrong line? Or was it an administrative error by the office when loading the data?
What hurt him most was the implication of those words, if the process was annulled, he would have to leave Maya at that very moment. He would have to return her to that godforsaken crib and wait months for bureaucracy to have the chance to be a foster home again.
"No, this can't be happening," Robby whispered, looking at the baby's little head now resting on his shoulder. "She can't stay here because of a typo. Kiara, she has a fever; she needs a home today, not in three months."
"The problem is legal, Michael," Kiara replied in a low voice. "If he is listed as a caregiver and is not here to take the minor with you, I cannot authorize her departure. And if the form is completed incorrectly, the audit will reject the entire file."
Robby ran his hand across his forehead, feeling the cold sweat of anxiety as he tried not to move the shoulder where Maya rested too much. "And so what can be done?" he asked in a thin voice, looking at Kiara with desperation.
Kiara leaned against the edge of the desk, crossing her arms over her chest. Her gaze was compassionate, but her posture made it clear there wasn't much room for maneuver.
"I'm your friend, Michael, but there are things I simply cannot do. I can't just annul this administrative error like that and you know it perfectly well," she explained in a firm tone. "The only viable solution here is for Dennis to accept the role. He can come sign today or tomorrow the exact moment doesn't matter but I'm going to need him to be present at your house at least on the days the follow-up visits are scheduled and for him to sign as co-responsible."
Robby shook his head immediately, feeling that the proposal was madness. "No, I can't do that to him. I'm not going to ask him to raise a baby with me," Robby said, almost to himself. "He’s my student, Dennis is twenty-seven years old, he has a whole life ahead of him, I even think he has a girlfriend. I can't ask him to drop everything to share care with an old man like me because of a paperwork error."
Kiara sighed and approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Robby, truly. But my hands are tied," she told him gently. "I'm going to give you a few minutes to think about it alone. But keep one thing in mind, if when I return you haven't made a decision, I'm going to have to give the green light to the next foster family. It's late, Maya is sick, and she needs to be in a comfortable place as soon as possible. She can't wait for us to fix the system."
She gave him one last reassuring smile and left the room, leaving Robby in absolute silence, interrupted only by the rhythmic breathing of the baby who, oblivious to the chaos, trusted fully in the warmth of his arms.
Robby stood motionless in the center of the room, the cell phone in his hand lighting up Dennis's name, and for a second, he felt he was about to make the biggest mistake of his career. It was madness. It was crossing a professional and personal line from which there was no return. But then, Maya let out a deep sigh against his chest, settling her little cheek against the fabric of his jacket, and it was enough.
He pressed the call button and brought the phone to his ear. The dial tone seemed to mark the beats of his own heart, until the energetic voice on the other side interrupted him.
"Doctor Robby, hello," Dennis greeted in his usual tone, a mix of respect and warmth that had always distinguished him.
Robby closed his eyes tightly. He was a millimeter away from cutting the call, from throwing the phone and accepting that this wasn't for him. But Maya moved again, seeking refuge in his warmth, and he finally found his voice to say: "Hello, Dennis."
"Hi! How is everything going with Theo? You know, I found some games that might interest him, my mom even sent me some things from my brothers that they didn't have time to use. I was thinking of dropping them by your house tomorrow if that's okay with you, so the kid doesn't get too bored the first few days."
Robby heard the genuine willingness in the voice and felt a lump in his throat. Dennis was already involved, even without knowing it. "Dennis, listen to me carefully, there has been a change of plans. A very big change," Robby said, lowering his voice as he walked toward the window, trying to move away from the white light of the room.
"Did something bad happen? Is Theo okay?" Dennis asked, and the change in his tone to one of concern was immediate.
"Theo isn't coming. In his place, I have a one-year-old baby in my arms right now," Robby blurted out. There was a deathly silence on the other end of the line. "And there is a legal problem with the papers you signed the other day. An error that puts us both in a very complicated situation."
Robby took a breath, looking at their reflection in the glass, dark from the rain. He knew that what he was about to ask was not just a favor. It was an invitation to change Dennis's life, in the same way his own had just broken and rebuilt itself in less than an hour.
"I need you to listen to me very carefully, Dennis, and I need you to be honest with me. Because if you say yes to what I'm going to propose, there will be no turning back for either of us."
On the other end, Dennis's silence stretched out, charged with a tension that seemed to pierce through the telephone signal. Finally, his voice returned, much lower and more serious than before.
"Tell me what you need me to do."
Robby looked at Kiara, who was peeking her head through the door to see if he had an answer yet. He simply nodded toward her and went back to the phone. He licked his lips, feeling his heart hammering against his ribs, and launched the question that would change everything.
"The system listed you as the second caregiver, Dennis, and if you don't accept the role, she stays here. I know it sounds like madness, but... how crazy would the idea of doing this with me seem to you?"